The Black Panther (Naruto Fan-fiction)

Chapter 1

I perched up at the branch of a tree where I could see kids, who were the same age as me, spar. I was never into sociallizing with other kids...they hated me.

It aggravates me when they shove me away for no reason or was it because I was too young to know the reason. I wasn't entirely sure I was a part of the Hidden Leaf Village but I knew I never came from this place. I was a nobody.

"Oy, Sasuke!" A blonde boy with green goggles wrapped on his forehead piped up below.

Students snapped their heads as they watch the blonde boy went hysterical. I too, watched.

"Who do you think you are?!" the blonde barked at a boy with black spiked hair who stood stolidly in front of him.

"Naruto!" a man in a green vest with a line across his nosebridge bellowed at the obnoxious blonde boy.

The blonde boy named Naruto stomped forwards and ignored his Sensei as he grabbed the black haired boy's shirt furiously.

The black haired boy named Sasuke grabbes back Naruto's dark green shirt and started gritting.

"Stop it, you two!" the man in green vest yanked the two.

"Iruka sensei! Don't you think he's cheating or something?!" Naruto accused.

"Calm down!" the man named Iruka said.

The blonde boy continued gritting his teeth as he mumbled incoherent words.

"That's it!" Iruka started, "You two should do a seal!"

"There is no way I'm doing that!" Naruto argued as he glared at Sasuke's dark eyes.

"Dream on." the Uchiha guy said dryly.

Really, do kids like my age are this immature? I can't believe they could argue at something that had no sense at all. I chuckled to myself as I entertained myself by watching them argue in such a funny way.

"Do it!" Iruka instructed. The man in the green vest didn't seem pleased at all.

"Grrr.." Naruto grunted in frustration. Not long enough, Sasuke have started shuffling forward and hoisted his hand for a handshake. Although I'm not sure if he wants a handshake.

The blonde stared at his handshake for a second and glanced back to Sasuke's eyes. He was obviously hesitating.

"Naruto." Iruka gave strict look at the blonde. Sasuke was starting to get rigid as he stayed on that position for quite a minute. He was getting impatient.

If I were the blonde, I'd take that handshake before I get in trouble, I mumbled to myself. It was starting to get really boring; the argument was no fun at all. I mean, they just argue verbally. No fighting, no punching, no kicking, no explosions or anything.

Then, the blonde lifted his hand slowly as they find themselves sealing the seal. They were touching each other's palms and both were still gritting their teeth. Not much of a seal to me, though.

"That's enough." Iruka interjected the two before they start arguing again. If I were that Sensei, I'd probably leave them like that.

Naruto darted his gaze to the side and pouted, no, it didn't seem like a pout; more like a frown. Sasuke did the same and swiftly shifted his heel. He was totally not interested with the blonde kid. The dark haired boy thrusted his hands on his pocket and walked casually away from the field.

I realised it was getting darker since the sun was already setting and the sky was bright orange. The students below in the Academy were being dismissed and are fetched by their parents.

Tch, parents. I can't believe I had no parents like them, one I could talk to everyday endlessly. But no, I grew up alone. I had no one to talk to. I had no one to play with.

I had no one.

When I was younger, I played with kids. But as soon as dark settles, their parents come and fetch them; telling their kids to stay away from me.

"He's a child of a criminal! Stay away from him!"

I never understood them, until now. I didn't like how people judged me, it makes me angry at some point.

I find myself shuffling across the streets of the Village where people were nowhere to be found. I shoved my hands in my pocket as I walked casually, looking for a better spot to sleep on tonight before dark.

As I shuffle across the quiet road, I spotted someone sitting on a bench.Upon seeing someone, I skulked above the trees swiftly. He wore a  diamond shaped hat with a red spot in a corner which says Hokage.

I exclaimed to myself that it was a Hokage! No doubt, it was the Third Hokage. What's he doing here? I questioned to myself several times.

"Come out." the man called out with his husky voice. Obviously, he sensed my presence. I paused for a while and thought of it several times. I couldn't help but show myself.

I hopped out of the tree and appeared casual as I walked in front of the old man.

"Hm?" the old man gazed at me as I stood in front of him. "Oh, are you training?"

The old man puffed a smoke from his pipe as he sat stiffly on the bench.

"Yes." I lied. It was a way to keep myself out of suspicion.

"Are you a genin?" the Hokage asked as he fiddled with his pipe.

If I would say yes, he'd eventually ask where my headband is, and if I say no, he'd ask why I was training.

"No, sir." I told him politely.

The old man uttered a sigh as he placed his pipe once more into his mouth, "Ahh, what's your name?"

I figured out that I should really be honest with this old man. It felt like he was a hard to read type of ninja, and I couldn't risk that.

"Keita Tsuke." I told him.

The old man wore no expression as he studies me from head to toe which makes me extremely uncomfortable.

"Keita, huh." he muttered. "Well, Keita, I'm very impressed with how you could quickly move away from my sight."

I darted my eyes away and gave no reply. It was difficult to maintain a conversation with the Hokage so I never managed to continue talking.

"For a kid like you," he started, puffing another smoke, "you have skills."

I silenced at the compliment he gave. I never thought of that to myself, all I knew is that I never wanted to talk to people. I always avoid people.

I thrusted my hands into my pants' pockets as I listened.

"Come see me tomorrow at my office." the hokage insisted as he rised from the bench.

I gazed at his eyes behind his huge hat, sweat dropping. I wonder why he needed to see me tomorrow.

The old man swivelled his heel and walked away from me. He placed his hands behind him and strolled casually. "Go home and get some rest," he paused as he walked away, "Keita."

I watched him disappear from a distance as the atmosphere quiets down once more. Watching the sky, it gets darker until it was all pitch black.

Go home and get some rest, huh. Too bad I had no home.