Naruto: Scrolls of the Dragonborn

Zitsukani's eyes widen with anticipation as he sees her step forward. He was never sure how Chojuro met her, so he never complained about being with him all the time, even if it did impede his progress.

All for this moment, getting close to Mei Terumi will ensure his safety and future. Even someone like Chojuro became a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, so why would he miss this opportunity? His knowledge of the future is his biggest weapon, and with one move, he can cripple an entire nation.

The more he thinks about the last year full of waiting, the broader his grin becomes. Looking at the young girl before him, his eyes begin to shine.

She has long auburn hair that reaches the small of her back, with the trademark bangs covering her face. Her emerald green eyes scan the crowd with a smile plastered on her thin lips. She wears a gray dress with chainmail hanging just below her shoulders and covering her cleavage, and the hem of her dress is just above her knees. A white belt hangs around her waist with the Kiri emblem on it. Mesh leggings extend down to her long steel battle boots, exposing her blue painted toenails.

She doesn't have her trademark blue dress yet, but mistaking her for anyone other than the Fifth Mizukage is impossible.

As her eyes scan the kids, they stop at Chojuro. Slowly lifting her finger, she points at him.

"You! Because you have blue hair, and I may need you at my wedding one day. You gotta prepare for these things early."

"Ah?!?" Chojuro's face goes white, looking between Mei and Zitsukani, he doesn't know what to do.

Mei was about to pick someone else, but seeing the panic on his face deepens her smile, turning her eyes into slits.

"Okay, you auburn-haired boy, we have the same hair color."

A relaxed feeling washes over Zitsukani. When he saw her about to look away, it was like a heavy weight pressing down on him.

"Hmm, nothing else is auspicious here." She puts a finger on her lips and glances at the girls before quickly looking away.

"Can I just have these two?" She glances at Yagura and the other two.

"You want to give up a slot?" Yagura frowns slightly. "That's not the mission we were given, you have to pick three."

Puffing her cheeks, she points at a boy. "Fine him then. Introduce yourselves."

Before he even gets a chance to react, the third boy steps forward.

"Bunrakuken!" The child bellowed at the top of his lungs, causing some of the other kids to jump.

He appeared to be around two years old, with a military-style haircut and eyes that were dark yellow, almost orange. Three vertical white scars marked his forehead, over his eyes and nose. His face was oval-shaped, and he had a strong nose.

Zitsukani looked at him, unsure if he was upset at not being wanted or just a mischievous kid in need of discipline. Glancing at Chojuro, he felt grateful that he wasn't as irritating as he could have been.

The child crossed his arms, clearly finished with his introduction. Seeing this, Zitsu nudged Chojuro forward.

Chojuro stumbled slightly but regained his composure when he noticed the smile on Mei's face. "I'm Chocho," he said, glancing back at Zitsu, who gave him a thumbs-up.

Shaking his head, he stepped forward. "I'm Zitsukani, and this is my friend Chojuro."

"Good!" Mei nodded. "You three, follow me."

The three children trailed behind her as she led them away from the others.

Walking beside Chojuro, Zitsukani stood behind Mei. Bunrakuken stood a bit ahead of them, which puzzled Zitsu.

With a wicked grin, a teenage boy with bandaged hair, orange eyebrows, and numerous piercings on his nose and lips stepped forward. He wore baggy blue pants and ninja slippers and had a mesh covering over his chest. His waist was wrapped in bandages, and his ninja headband adorned his right arm.

"I'm Unkei Tani," he sneered, not bothering to acknowledge the boys as he pointed at the remaining three girls. "You three, come with me."

Unkei immediately walked off to the side.

The girls looked perplexed, searching for direction.

"Over here!" Unkei yelled across the room.

Mei frowned slightly, glancing at Yagura, who appeared impassive. She shook her head.

The three girls ran over to Unkei. One brave girl, around two years old, stepped forward.

"Do we need to-" Pah

Before she could finish speaking, the girl was slapped hard across the face, tumbling to the floor. Her right cheek swelled immediately, obviously fractured.

Unkei smiles, drool beginning to flow out the side of his mouth as he licks his lips. "Did I tell you to speak?" he slowly walks over to the sobbing girl.

"Huuu huuuu" Hik Hik* "I want my mommy huuu"

Unkei frowns. Raising his foot up, he slowly lowers it onto the girl's chest. Cracking sounds begin to echo across the room as the girl's cries turn to wails, her arms and legs flapping around. Soon her screams turn into fits of coughing, but even that is drowned out by the cracking. Blood begins to seep from her eyes and mouth as the pressure builds.

"What did I just say?" With one final push, her chest caves in, his foot only separated from the floor by flesh.

Every child, Zitsukani included, is currently petrified. After a few seconds, everyone but the four teens begins to hurl.

The death rattle of that girl still rings in his head as his vomit covers the floor. For the first time in over a year, it finally clicks. This isn't Earth anymore, this isn't an anime, this isn't a game; this is the bloody mist village. These 'teenagers' are all elite killers, not normal people, they are ninja!

He's been taking things too lightly, thinking of this as his favorite anime; this is his life!

Wiping the vomit from his mouth, he rises to his feet. Clenching his little fist, he looks at the corpse of the little girl.

"I refuse to die under the boot of another," he mumbles to himself, a type of vow, a promise to himself really, his ninja way.

Even though the voice was as quiet as a mosquito, Mei heard it, bringing a smile to her face.

Unkei looks at the two girls dry heaving on the ground. Reaching out, he picks them both up and looks at them with an almost pleading look. "You'll listen to me, right?"

The girls go pale as they nod their head.

"Good." Smiling, he places them down.

Zitsukani looks at Chojuro, who's crying on the ground, almost rolling in his vomit. Feeling bad, he begins rubbing his back. Looking over at Bunrakuken, he's shocked; after throwing up, he's already back on his feet. What kind of two-year-old kid is this?

"Well, I am at a loss on how to follow that. Fortunately, I do not have to choose, which simplifies matters," he nods his head slightly.

"Might I suggest that you gentlemen introduce yourselves? After all, it appears that I am struggling here."

As he surveys the three boys on the ground, dry heaving, he shakes his head in disappointment. "I suppose I have been assigned the youngest of the bunch."

Yagura interjects, "You have not even introduced yourself, yet you are rambling on."

Dayu hammers his fist into his palm, as though suddenly remembering something. He looks around the room bashfully, "I am Dayu, just Dayu. Now, would you be so kind as to introduce yourselves?" He smiles and extends his hands towards the three boys.

Zitsu raises an eyebrow as he observes Dayu, wondering if his casual demeanor is appropriate for a ninja.

Dayu has long red hair that falls to his shoulders and deep blue eyes that resemble the ocean's depths, a stark contrast to each other. His face is rather handsome, with no visible scars. He wears a black shirt, black pants, and black ninja shoes. The only thing that distinguishes him is his blue flak jacket, which he wears along with his headband.

"It seems that they will not recover anytime soon. Let us disperse and attend to our own matters. We have little time, as we still have missions to fulfill," Yagura glances at his charges for a moment, whispers something softly, and retreats to a corner.

Mei gazes upon her trio and her smile returns, proud of her selections.

"Well, gentlemen, I shall now attempt to explain the purpose of this class."