The Tenacious Foundation

In the darkness of night, several Root members could be seen patrolling a forbidden area in the forest surrounding Konohagakure. Ordered by Danzo, they'd been given the duty to protect and if necessary, kill anyone uninvited that got too close to the concealed entrance leading to one of Root's primary facilities. It was at this undisclosed location, deep beneath the ground Fuzen had spent a majority of his life since he was born.

During this time Fuzen didn't have a lot of contact with Danzo as he was busy running everything. To compensate for the absence he'd placed Fuzen in the care of a female member of Root. Now, normally Fuzen would hit on any women with a pretty face and hot body, however, due to the situation he felt it inappropriate, for once. He wanted this horrible period over with and he just knew these humiliating days would forever haunt his mind. Fortunately, it didn't take his body more than a couple of months to gain a sufficient level of strength to allow him to more or less take care of himself.

Everyone who saw him regularly was surprised by the rapid development he was showing. Less than a half a year old he'd been able to speak, and now not much older he was just caught redhanded in Danzo's private library reading advanced books.

"There you are you little rascal!" Said the newly assigned male Root member who was supposed to watch him.

Fuzen wore the same standard outfit given to all Anbu members but had opted to go without the flack jacket, mask and metal arm protectors. Though not much more than two years of age he still reached a height of more than 3 feet and his facial features already showed the promise of someone who'd grow up to be very handsome. Additionally, his curly mane of dark hair, brown skin and bright golden eyes added to him an exotic quality.

"Oi, oi, I think you might have broken the door on your way in" – Fuzen used his still small hand to indicate towards the door – "Danzo won't be happy with that at all," he commented with the intention to rattle him.

The door frame had twisted from when the male Anbu, Tarou, had kicked in the door. The old trick with a stool beneath the door handle still worked like a charm. In his defence, he did ask Fuzen to open it before using the more hands-on approach.

"What are you doing in here anyway?" He asked looking around the dimly lit room seeing only books and scrolls scattered around the room on bookshelves and tables. Beside Fuzen lay a small tower of discarded half-open books seemingly without a care for their health. Holding up the thick book he said.

"I'm obviously reading, musclebrain" – he pointed out the obvious – "and for your information, I've been sneaking in here for weeks without you guys knowing."

Fuzen turned and gave him just enough of a smile to show his more pronounced canine teeth. It truly perfected the special look he'd honed throughout his previous life. It was called Amused Smirk of Triumph.

"You guys should learn to take your assignments more seriously."

Fuzen could understand how being told this by a two-year-old didn't sit well with Tarou. He noticed his hands balled up into fists, visibly trembling due to anger.

Fuzen sighed. This was one of the reasons he didn't want any part of Root. They were way too strict, and all members acted as if they something stuck up their rear end. Had it been him he would most likely give in to his instincts and knock the teeth out of any fucker who tried the same shit he just pulled. Any future kids of his would either have to learn how to run very fast or be smart enough to find another way to avoid it his wrath if they did anything similar.

"What do you know about bloodlines?" Fuzen asked having gone back to reading his most recently picked book that appeared much too big for him to hold.

"I don't know anything you won't find in those books," he pointed to the books on the shelves.

"Come on. Don't be like that!" Fuzen grinned.

"If you're done? We should go. You're supposed to meet up with Lord Danzo to have lunch" – he turned his head to look at the broken doorframe – "and I need to find someone who can fix that."

Not hearing Fuzen move to stand up he turned around determined to drag him out if necessary, but he wasn't there. The dark place he'd been sitting cross-legged on the floor was now empty.

"Well are we going or what?" Came the smug sound of Fuzen's voice from outside in the hallway.

Peeking his head outside the door, he saw the little brat leaning casually against the wall half enveloped in shadows.

"Wait, how did you...?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," was all the answer he received before Fuzen went towards Danzo's office.

None of them said a word until they reached the office and Tarou knocked on the door.

"Enter!" Came Danzo's voice from the other side.

About to enter, Fuzen was suddenly held back by Tarou who put a firm hand on his right shoulder to hold him back.

"You wait here," he commanded leaving no discussion.

"Aye, sir!" Fuzen mocked him. Fuzen knew he'd be reporting on his previous stunt, but he wasn't one to play by anyone's rules besides his own and just sit outside the door. Playing by your own rules had the upside of never having them stacked against him.

Standing outside the door, he focused on making his shadow entirely envelop him in a layer of darkness. After completion, his darkened figure near instantly collapsed down into the ground, leaving his previous spot empty.

A few weeks ago he'd realised this ability of his to manipulate the darkness within his own shadow. It felt natural and through experiments, Fuzen found that by using his own shadow as an entry-point he could enter a world of pure darkness, and exit again using other windows of shadow. At first, it had been a weird experience as his normal body and senses were replaced by an incorporeal form where things happened based on intent rather than real physical action.

It still wasn't usable for combat as it was too slow. The time-consuming parts in this process were the time it took to envelop in a cloak of darkness in order to gain entryway and the time it took to rematerialize at the decided exit points. If he ever did manage to shorten it, he'd have a whole range of new options to attack and retreat during mid-combat, but until such a time he could think of plenty of other uses where it'd still come in handy.

From within the darkness he chose one of the far corners of Danzo's office to rematerialize. However, right as he was finished, he knew something was very wrong because one of Danzo's goons had a damn kunai to his throat.

"Fuck, it's me! Just me..." He surrendered himself, arms above his head.

"HAHAHAHA" Danzo laughed.

Not quite what Fuzen expected, but he'd take a creepy laugh any day of the week if it prevented a slit throat. Those hurt, or so he thought without actually having tried it himself.

"I told you!" He continued laughing his ass off pointing towards him, which now was starting to piss Fuzen off.

When he finally did calm down he said.

"You're getting predictable, my boy."

This time sounding serious.

"Won't happen again, I promise!"

And Fuzen meant it even though he was almost entirely sure they'd been waiting for him to show himself. It felt worse than that time he was caught fucking someone below a solid seven. His reputation took a serious hit from that one and was afterwards forced to work hard to regain it. Next time, he would only do this trick knowing he could get away with it.

"Can you remove the knife? I think you may have nicked me," he said.

With the kunai removed he brought his hand up and as he expected the asshat had drawn blood. Most likely on purpose.

"What your name?" Fuzen asked innocently.

"Yoshi."

"Fine, Yoshi... I'll remember your name," he tried to say as threatening as possible, but he wasn't sure whether it had the intended effect. Difficult to judge when most people here wore masks.

Interrupting the standoff between them, Danzo said.

"Well, seeing this, I guess there isn't much use in waiting till you turn three so tomorrow I'll have a couple of very eager instructors help you get started on your shinobi journey."

The nod Danzo gave Tarou from behind his desk after saying that last part gave Fuzen the chills and it made him suspect he might be dealing with some type of payback tomorrow.

"From now on and until you choose otherwise you'll first and foremost be a shinobi belonging to Root."

"We are the tenacious foundation supporting the great tree known as the Konohagakure. When you report for duty tomorrow you'll be one of us, and as such you need a second name. So, while the outside world may know you as Fuzen, within the Anbu organisation as a whole we'll recognize you solely by the name, Gaijin."

Outsider, very fitting considering his origin he thought.