The Past

Renjiro is in the medbay with Niko. Renjiro is leaning up against the wall.

Niko: You have nothing better to do than talk to me?

Renjiro: You make it sound like talking to you is like watching paint dry.

Niko: When you could be training it might be.

Renjiro smirks.

Niko: That's something you haven't done in a while.

Renjiro: What are you talking about?

Niko: You don't smile. You're just moody all the time.

Renjiro: That's what I do.

Niko: What you should be doing is trying harder to not get hit.

Renjiro: Is that right?

Niko: You have sharingan, mangekyou, curse seal. You never use anything.

Renjiro: I use sharingan sometimes.

Niko: That's one of the three.

Renjiro: Mangekyou makes everything too easy.

Niko: Isn't that a good thing?

Renjiro: No, it takes all the fun out of a fight.

Niko: Then why don't you use curse seal?

Renjiro: I don't use the curse seal. That is only for extreme circumstances. It eats away at your mind. Orochimaru never wanted me to use any of these anyway. If I don't use them then I won't rely on them.

Niko: You would rather die than use something.

Renjiro: No, but I've never died.

Niko shakes her head.

Niko: What am I going to do with you?

Renjiro: Maybe give me a mission.

Niko: Orochimaru wanted you and Hanako to go to the Hidden Sand. You have to take down the council member. His name is Tetsuya Sakin. Then you leave this card at the body.

Niko hands him a white card. Renjiro opens the card to see a black cloud on it.

Renjiro: Why kill a council member?

Niko: Ask Orochimaru.

Renjiro: I'll be back when it's done.

Niko: Have fun.

Renjiro leaves the medbay. While Renjiro is walking through the halls he sees Hanako in the training room.

Renjiro: Hanako, it's time to go!

Hanako is startled for a second and then turns to Renjiro.

Hanako: Where are we going?

Renjiro: Mission.

Hanako: I'll meet you outside.

Renjiro leaves the room. Renjiro walks outside and stands there for a few minutes before Hanako comes outside.

Hanako: Sorry if I took too long.

Renjiro: Let's go.

They start walking off.

Hanako: What's the mission?

Renjiro: Kill a sand ninja council member.

Hanako:...

Renjiro: What?

Hanako: What did he do to deserve to die?

Renjiro: I don't know.

Hanako: But you're willing to kill him.

Renjiro: That's how it works.

Hanako: I guess so. When will we be in the sand village?

Renjiro: It'll take a day.

Hanako: Great, time for pit stops.

Renjiro: It would be faster if we didn't go on pit stops.

Hanako: But would it be as fun?

Renjiro: Y-

Hanako: No it wouldn't.

They walk for what feels like miles. It starts getting late, and they find a small town.

Hanako: Can we get a room? We've been walking for ages.

Renjiro: You complain a lot. Fine, you'll get a room.

They walk into a hotel. They both walk up to the counter.

Worker: You two seem a little young for a hotel room together.

Renjiro: The rooms for her not me.

Worker: Oh, I got you.

The worker winks. Renjiro puts money on the counter, and the worker takes it. Then he gives Renjiro a key.

Worker: One of our finest rooms.

Renjiro pays for the room, and they both go up the stairs. Renjiro opens the door and there's only one bed.

Renjiro: Expected.

Hanako sits on the bed.

Renjiro: I wasn't going to sleep here anyway.

Hanako: Why do you never sleep on missions?

Renjiro: Why do you ask so many questions?

Hanako: Because you know everything about me, and I know nothing about you. You never tell me anything about your past, and you're always so distant.

Renjiro: You want to know about my past?

Hanako: Yeah.

Renjiro sits on the bed next to Hanako.

Renjiro: I was born in one of the two strong families of the uchiha. My mother loved me, but my dad had no room for emotion. My father was a manipulator. He liked people who were easy to control. He hated me because I was strong and smart. My father killed my mother once she tried to sabotage his plans. It felt like I had no family. Ray's family took me in, but soon Ray's father died. The only family I had was Ray and his mother. Ray and I were best friends for the longest time. Then Ray's mother and my father divided the clans. My father wanted control, and Ray's mother wanted freedom. We didn't tell Ray assuming he would do something stupid. So my father converted Ray to his side. I had to kill my father, and I had to fight Ray because of the clan. During the war of the clans I stole a scroll. I would have been thrown in prison, and I couldn't trust the leaf village anymore. So I left.

Hanako: You had to fight family?

Renjiro: When you're in that kind of situation there isn't any hesitation. Ray was going to fight me, and kill me if he could. Most people think they could never fight family, but they don't realize that you will survive outweighs your love for a brother.

Hanako: Why did you steal the scroll?

Renjiro: I needed it to help my division of the clan win.

Hanako looks at Renjiro upset.

Hanako: Your life could have been so much better.

Renjiro grabs her hand.

Renjiro: Don't think about what my life could have been. No one can change what happened. I would do it all over again. I don't regret a single choice I made. If I didn't make those choices I would be here. I wouldn't have met you.

Renjiro holds Hanako's face, and kisses her. Hanako puts her hand over Renjiros.

Hanako: There's an upside to everything.

Renjiro: There always is.

The next morning Renjiro wakes up in the bed with Hanako.

Renjiro(in head): I can't believe I fell asleep.

Hanako stretches out.

Hanako: Lay back down. It's too early.

Renjiro: You can lay back down. What do you want for breakfast?

Hanako: I'll get up. Just give me a minute.

Soon Hanako gets up, and they both leave the hotel. They go to a hut, and order shish kabobs.

Hanako: Is this what you eat for breakfast on a mission?

Renjiro: When I'm not with you? Yes. It's quick and easy to eat while traveling.

Hanako: You really never like to enjoy anything.

Renjiro: Nope.

Soon Renjiro and Hanako are walking in the sand.

Hanako: This is why I hate wearing sandals. Sand just gets everywhere.

Renjiro: Complaining again?

Hanako: No, just stating the obvious.

They see The Hidden Sand village. Renjiro pulls up his hood. They walk to the border, and are blasted back by a Tsunami of sand. A man hops down from the walls surrounding the village. The man is wearing a beige colored shirt that only has one sleeve on the left side. On the right side the shirt comes down like a cloak. He has grey pants, and a white hijab on. He has a brown scarf going around his neck and down his body like a strap. He holds out his arms, and sand starts coming up from the ground.

Renjiro: Your Tetsuya?

Tetsuya: I am.

Renjiro: And you know why we're here?

Tetsuya nods.

Renjiro: Good.

Renjiro and Hanako run at Tetsuya from two different directions.

Tetsuya: Sand Tsunami!

A wave of sand Rushes Renjiro and Hanako. Renjiro breaths a blast of fire onto the sand. The sand turns into glass, and Renjiro takes out his sword. Renjiro breaks the glass.

Tetsuya: Sand bullet!

Renjiro slides on the ground dodging the sand. Then Renjiro swings his sword at Tetsuya. Tetsuya grabs the sword, and punches Renjiro in the head. Tetsuya goes for an elbow, but Renjiro lets go of the sword, and jumps into the air. Renjiro blasts small fireballs at Tetsuya. The fireballs make a cloud of smoke. When the cloud is gone all Renjiro sees is his sword. Renjiro lands on the ground.

Tetsuya: Sand Serpent!

A giant snake made of sand comes out of the ground, and swallows Hanako whole. The snake then travels back into the ground. Tetsuya comes up from the sand behind Renjiro.

Tetsuya: Sand Trap!

Tetsuya grabs Renjiro's legs, and pulls Renjiro into the ground. The only thing above ground is Renjiro's head. Tetsuya comes up from the ground, and Hanako's head appears above ground like Renjiro's.

Renjiro: You are very strong in your element Tetsuya of the sand.

Tetsuya: Thank you. You will die now for attempting to kill a member of the council.

Renjiro: I think you miscalculated.

Tetsuya looks surprised.

Renjiro: You yelled "sand trap," and I didn't move. You didn't think that was suspicious.

Hanako punches Tetsuya in the back of the head. Tetsuya gets knocked to the ground. Hanako pulls Renjiro out from the sand. Tetsuya gets back up from the ground.

Tetsuya: I will finish you.

Sand starts coming around Renjiro and Hanako. Renjiro embraces Hanako.

Hanako: Oo, I like this.

Sand comes around them in a circle.

Tetsuya: Sand Coffin!

The sand bubble gets a little tighter. Then the sand travels back to the ground. A bubble of wind is around Renjiro and Hanako. It goes away once the sand leaves, and Renjiro gets off of Hanako.

Tetsuya: You're just toying with me!

Hanako: A little.

Renjiro: I'll finish it.

Hanako: Can I look away?

Renjiro: If you want to.

Renjiro walks closer to Tetsuya.

Tetsuya: Sand Serpent!

The sand serpent starts slithering to Renjiro at great speeds. Renjiro starts running over to Tetsuya. Renjiro picks up his sword off the ground, and then stabs Tetsuya with it. The sand serpent dissolves.

Tetsuya: Damn you.

Tetsuya drops to the ground. Renjiro leaves the card on top of Tetsuya.

Hanako: Time to go?

Renjiro: Yeah, before anyone sees us.