On the road to ruin (Sora)

[Hitamatori Akuma]

It was an interesting thing to wake up knowing that you were destined to become leader of the clan while at the same time being one of the least respected members of the clan. This wasn't in the same vein as Naruto claiming he will become the Hokage someday. Akuma had no choice but to become the leader of the clan, it was in his blood. After his Father he was literally the closest blood descendant of Akuma, the clan founder and his namesake.

What Akuma found most interesting was the fact that he didn't care. Yesterday he skipped his exams to be Genin just on principle and he was happy for it. He was stuck in his fate to lead the clan and this was a symbol of his independence. Him saying that he would not be a leaf in the current of fate. This didn't mean that he wouldn't take up his responsibilities when the time came, but that was many years from now. His Grandfather wouldn't die for many years he hoped and his father for many more after that. By the time Akuma was the clan leader he would probably be gray.

He didn't want to deal with his parents though, he was sure they would be livid after what happened. So he would leave through the window not even bothering to get dressed in clean clothing. He would just wear what he wore yesterday.

It was easy enough to get out of his house unseen, it was still early and everyone would be sleeping. It was just after dawn and the streets were still void of life, except for the cat he saw here and there down several of the alleyways. His blue eyes would scan the streets feeling a bit paranoid, like his dad would spring from the shadows and grab him. But, he made it through the residential part of the clan's area without incident.

He didn't know where he was going until he arrived to see that he was at the private training area. Like the whole clan area it was blocked off with walls to keep people out but Akuma was part of the clan and was thus already inside. He would walk inside of the dusty square looking at the dummies set up against the wall. Looking at the targets set up in the distance.

Akuma would take his place at a far distance from one of the targets, impressively far in fact for someone that wasn't even a Genin. Reaching in to his pack he would pull out several Kunai fanning them out in his hand before closing his eyes taking a deep breath. Then his eyes would shoot open as he threw them at the target, a slight whistle could be heard as they raced through the air at an impressive speed, each kunai hitting part of the bullseye. HE slacked off a lot but this had always been one of his best skills. Mostly because he liked to do this when he was stressed or upset. For some reason Kunai practice calmed him down. It was the only training that he actually looked forward to in the academy while he always dreaded Genjutsu.

He didn't really know what else to do but stay here and think. Nodding to himself in his silent decision to stay here for now while he cleared his head he would reach in to his pack pulling out several more Kunai to continue with his practice.

[Hitamatori Sora]

One day, and the word had already spread about it. Just one day.

I hate this exclusive sort of attention given to them.

The main family of the clan… The family of the clan leader, and also of his successor. Anything that happened to them inevitably affected the rest of the clan and, as such, the other elders kept a permanent watch on them. Most of them were just concerned… and with good reason, since the son had just completely skipped the Genin examination the other day. Still, Sora hated this. He hated having to look at the dying ashes of what had, perhaps, indeed been a bright star in the past. He did not deny that the main family was there through its own merit, but… Even so… They were only a slight on what they used to be, now.

Or that’s what he had been thinking for the past while.

Sora’s father was dead. He had never recovered after the wounds received on a mission last year. Even though he’d made it back to Konoha, the medics, no matter how skilled, had only been able to relieve him partly of the pain. To Sora, that had clearly spoken about how he should be careful – some things couldn’t be undone.

“Sora… I think the clan… needs a change.”

Those were the man’s dying words. He’d always been like that. Nothing about loving his family, about how a shinobi shouldn’t weep for the dead, but should just honor them instead. None of the things a man would usually say to his wife and son as they watched him go. Just the kind of things he’d always been saying – get stronger, affect the world, become something. Fine. Whatever. Sora was planning to create waves, anyway, ever since he was little.

But why do I have to deal with that brat?

It was old news, about the main family’s child and what sort he was. Although he bore the name of the ancestor, Akuma, he was pretty much a loser. Well, the elders didn’t say that – they were just worried about the way the boy saw his responsibilities, as hinted by his own father’s actions and attitude. But Sora had come to that conclusion on his own. Why should someone like that be situated so much closer to a position of leadership than himself? When all he’d done had always been to give a good name to the clan? From graduating first in his class to that one mission he saved… everything…

Sora’s fists almost clenched for a second, but he controlled himself. No. This wasn’t the way he should be acting. Not as the clan’s prodigy. He had been told to talk to Akuma and see if he could get to him more easily than the adults – after all, he was a lot closer to Akuma’s age, so they could understand each other, and he was a good example, too. That’s what they had said. So, he was going to do that. Although being thought of as just the ‘example’ was far below what he deserved. He knew that.

For now, though, before he got to that, Sora needed a vent as well. He may be the prodigy, but he was also not an adult yet, so sometimes it was difficult for him to suppress his anger or frustration – he still needed to take it out. His morning training should be good for that. It was too early, anyway, for that lazy guy to be up and around yet. Sora, on the other hand, often woke up like this, to train while he still had the area all to himself.

But, today, he’d been wrong.

There he was, Akuma himself, in the place where Sora had least expected to find him… not to mention at such an hour. As he walked silently into the training area, the blond watched the kunai throw, evaluating it with an expert eye. There were about four years of age difference between them, if Sora remembered correctly, and he was the older one. Still, he could find no particular flaw in that throw. Unexpected, given Akuma’s reputation and everything. Yet, instead of feeling more at ease to know he wasn’t dealing with an incompetent idiot, Sora found himself more angered by that. Swallowing tightly, he tried to hide that feeling he couldn’t explain, though, and kept a straight, completely calm face as he stopped, pretty close by now.

“Why don’t you try throwing them at me, next?” he said, already preparing to defend even as he made his offer. He was not one to waste even as much as a second.

[Hitamatori Akuma]

Frustration, anger, self pity, these thoughts and more raced through his head as he practiced his throws. His life was the worst, he never asked for people to watch his every move, and yet they did because of who he was and his position in the bloodline. He never wanted it, and he loathed the position he was in. That was common knowledge though, at least to anyone that actually stopped to think about why Akuma acted out. He was childish and selfish, not uncommon for someone of his age, though those feelings tend to get stamped out during the academy, Akuma for better or worse was just headstrong.

He didn't want to be him, and he hated himself for knowing that he didn't have the guts to run away like he often thought about. He wanted to be a ninja, and he wanted to defend his home and those he cared about, but the idea of leading people, knowing that their lives could depend on his decisions woke him up some nights. A lot of responsibility for a young child, at least one with Akuma's mindset.

In his own bitter thoughts of self pity he didn't notice his cousin approach until he spoke, the unexpected words causing him to jump in surprise and make the kunai fly off target hitting the ground in front of the target with a clatter instead of embedding itself in the wood.

He looked at his cousin, feeling fear wash over him. He was in trouble, he knew it and while he expected as much he wasn't prepared for the moment of truth. Seeing Sora's stern face watching him, his body moving in to a pose of self defense as he waited for Akuma to attack him. He found his muscles freezing up, Sora was the best in the clan, and while he didn't think he was a bad throw, just the idea of going up against Sora in anything scared him. He couldn't have been more terrified if he was face to face with the 9 tailed Demon that attacked Konoha years earlier.

Swallowing deeply trying to muster up his courage Akuma nodded and reached in to his pack pulling out two Kunai and threw them clumsily at Sora, his arm shaking with fear as he did so. The skill and ease that he had demonstrated only moments earlier no where to be found and all that was left was a representation of everyone's shattered expectations.