Shadows of the Past

Raven sat under a tree watching his team train as he thought back over the last couple of months since his exile. He allows his mind to wander as he recalls asking for Haishi’s blessing to marry Hinata. The conversation hadn’t gone as well as Raven would have liked but in the end the Hyuga Leader had given his blessing. With her father’s permission secured Raven then took Hinata out for dinner and after an exquisite meal at her favorite restaurant Raven got down on one knee and in front of the other patrons asked Hinata to marry him.

Calling an end to the training Raven reminded the now teenage Genin that they were to meet at the Hokage’s office early the next day for their next assignment. He soon left to straighten up his tiny apartment for when Hinata arrived. Hinata often stopped by so they could dine in rather then go out to eat when he and his team would get back from their missions.

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When the teens arrive at the Hokage’s office they notice that their Sensei isn’t there. “Raven-san left with Kurenai-san late last night for another mission,” Tsunade answers before they can voice their concerns.

“Your next mission is a B-ranked mission to investigate reports of a bandit camp that has been invading villages along the northern boarder,” she says showing them a map of the area.

“You are to assess the situation and act accordingly,” she tells them handing the file to Squall. “Should you feel that you require assistance report back here and a team will be assembled to assist you.”

“Looks like a two hour Shadow Walk,” Siefer says before looking over to face Rinoa. “Did you remember to bring them?”

“Of course baka,” she growls before throwing something at him. Siefer catches the item before waiting for the others to take hold of him. Kelala rests comfortably atop Rinoa’s head as she takes hold of his right shoulder while Squall takes hold of his left. After a few quick seals from Siefer they fade into the growing shadows and out of Tsunade’s sight.

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Two hours later they step out of the shadows and into a heavily wooded area. Leaning against a nearby tree Siefer pops a soldier pill in his mouth before taking a deep breath. “I hate these long trips.” he grumbles just loud enough for his teammates to hear him.

“Just think how long it would have taken if we had to walk,” Squall reminds him. “You up to it?” he asks the Hiroku.

“Of course,” Siefer snorts as if finding the question insulting. He links his mind to the shadows of the forest as he scans the area for their targets. “The camp’s about a quarter mile east of here,” he tells the others as he continues to watch the bandits. “Looks like there are forty-five of them in all.”

“That’s fifteen each,” Squall says as he begins formulating an attack plan for them. “Think you guys can handle it?” he asks them knowing the answer before he even spoke the question. They don’t disappoint as they answer in the affirmative. “Okay then here’s how we’re going to do this,” he says as he begins drawing a map in the dirt. “Siefer you’ll come in from the east,” Siefer only nods, “Rinoa, you and Kelala take the south,” they both grin as they nod, “And I’ll hit them from the north west. We’ll meet up in the middle once we’re done.”

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Siefer steps out of the shadows at the very edge of the camp as he readies five of his shuriken. “Hey shit for brains,” he calls out and instantly gets the attention of his fifteen intended victims. “Watch this,” he tells them as he tosses the shuriken at them. He gives a quick seal with his left hand as he shouts. “Shadow Weapon Reproduction.” In an instant five become twenty-five as the shuriken hit and kill the ten bandits closest to him.

Siefer just stands there grinning as he quickly goes through a few more seals that cause his arms to morph into twin blades. “Shall we dance?” he asks as he takes up a fighting stance with his Shadow Blades pointed off to the sides.

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“Oh boys,” Rinoa sings as she walks into the camp. All eyes turn to her as she smiles sweetly at them. “We appear to be lost,” she pouts resting a finger against the side of her lip. “Can you big strong men tell me were the nearest village is?”

“Honey there isn’t a village for miles,” One of the fifteen men chuckles.

“Good,” she grins as her sweet and innocent demeanor give way to an almost predatory nature. “Then there will be no one to hear you scream. Crouching low she straightens her back as Kelala hops on while she gives a quick hand sign. “Beast Mimicry-Man-Beast Clone Jutsu,” she calls as her features twist and alter to become even more savage and animalistic then they already were.

A poof of smoke appears on her back before an also transformed Kelala leaps to her mistresses’ side. The two are exact copies of each other and both are now sporting fangs and crimson red claws while crouched on all fours. Charging towards the men they turn slightly before Rinoa roars out, “ Double Piercing Fang Attack.”

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Squall simply strolls into the bandits’ camp as he makes his way over towards the campfire. He squats down and retrieves a fish on the stick and takes a bite, ignoring the stares and glares directed at him. “You have but two choices,” he tells them as he continues to eat. “You can either surrender or you can die,” he says between bites.

He activates his Byakugan before the men can even think to speak and actually grins as they begins charging at him from behind. ‘Looks like breakfast will have to wait till after I kill them.’

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Five minutes after they arrive they are all standing in the center of camp covered in the blood of the slain men. Siefer looks down at the ground unable to meet the others’ eyes. “It-it wasn’t…I never thought… I never knew it would feel like this,” he finally manages to say.

“Me neither,” Rinoa adds her voice softer and far more fragile then it has ever been in her life. “I always thought killing would be… I don’t know what,” she admits. “But it was never supposed to feel like this.”

“We’re shinobi,” Squall reminds them though he seems to be talking to himself rather then to them. “We either kill them or they’ll kill us,” his words lack the usual self-confidence that he normally possesses.

“I still don’t like it,” Siefer tells him squatting in place as he traces circles in the dirt with his finger. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“And it never should,” a voice tells them from behind. As they turn around to see who spoke their eyes widen in shock as they see Raven and Kurenai step out of the shadows of a large tree at the edge of the camp.

“You ‘KNEW’ this would happen,” Rinoa accuses him. “You knew we would kill them and you ‘KNEW’ we’d feel like shit afterwards.”

“Kill who?” Kurenai asks with a friendly smile her crimson eyes twinkling with mischief. As they teens look around the carnage surrounding them shimmers for a moment before fading away.

“Genjutsu,” Squall says as he finally realizes what had just happened. “It was all an illusion,” he tells the others as he looks at the two Jounin. “This was all a test wasn’t it?” he asks their Sensei.

“Yes and no,” the older teen answers. “I needed a way to teach you one of the most important and tragic lessons a shinobi will ever learn. That the taking of a life is never something that should ever be taken lightly. When you take someone’s life you end their existence and destroy all hopes for their future. While there are times in our line of work that it becomes necessary to kill it should never be an easy thing to do.”

The teens nod sadly at his words. Though they are grateful that the men they killed weren’t real the emotions they still feel over the taking of another life are. “How do you do it?” Rinoa asks them. “How can you go out on such dangerous missions knowing that you’ll have to kill? How do you live with it?”

Raven walks over to the young kunoichi and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Because of you,” he tells her before looking around at the boys. “Because of all of you. We are all linked by the Will of fire that burns in the hearts of all the villagers of Konoha. That desire to protect and defend the lives of all those that live in our village. It is the Will of Fire that makes all of us a family and it is for that reason that we are prepared to fight, to die and if need be even kill to protect those most precious to us.

“As I’ve said, killing is never an easy thing to do, nor should it ever be,” he reminds them. “But when it is necessary to protect those that you love or those that can’t protect themselves it becomes a necessary evil. I admit that I still occasionally have nightmares about the men I’ve killed over the years but in all honesty I’d take their deaths over the deaths of innocent villagers any day.”

“When did you first take another life Raven-sensei,” Siefer asks as they begin walking back towards the shadows for their return trip to Konoha.

“It was during the invasion of Konoha nearly two years ago,” he tells them. “My team had just returned from a mission when that attack started and we hid until it was time for the counter attack. After that I don’t really recall much except the screams of those I killed and the blood that seemed to stain my hands despite my gloves. It wasn’t until a month later that the nightmares began to subside enough for me to even think about returning to active duty.”

Raven Shadow Walks them all back to the Hokage’s office were the five of them give their reports and Raven officially submits his team for the Chunin Selection Exams the following month.

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A/N: So Raven was just testing his team to see if they were ready for the Chunin Selection Exams. By inlisting Kurenai's help he was able to teach them a very valuable lesson. Now all that remains is the exam itself. Will Raven's squad pass or will they have to wait till next time to try again? Only two chapters left so please stay tuned to find out what happens.