His sensei came at him fast. Mitsuo barely had time to pull out his trusty Katana before the onslaught began. He wasn’t prepared entirely for this, but he also wasn’t completely unready when he was attacked, preparing to defend with all of his skill. Takeshi had leapt into the air, which was never a smart start to a match. Mitsuo took his blade into a high guard, laying the flat across his bracers so he wouldn’t cut his sensei as he attacked. The left leg was easily deflected by the blade and a movement down and forward to soften the blow and counter by pushing Takeshi off of him. After this Takeshi crouched and Mitsuo kept his high guard, preparing to bring the blade down to counter the next attack, which ended up being an uppercut, which he rolled to the side and hit his sensei’s hand with the flat of the blade once more to block.
"In order to be the best, you must sweat and bleed Mitsuo!” A few jabs came at his torso, which he twisted and turned to avoid, bringing himself backwards and turning his hilt so that he could use that to block the jabs instead, each jab being returned with a smack from the flat of the blade or swatted aside by the hilt. Mitsuo knew that his sensei was doing this as a demonstration, but it was also good to do slow work to improve your fighting, knowing that the muscle memory would grow and he wouldn’t forget these blocks.
“You can't use I'm weak as an excuse anymore.” Another jab, this one aimed to his side, which he rolled to the left to avoid and swatted with the flat of his blade. “You must be ready for anything, that's what you signed up for when you became a shinobi.” Two jabs, rapid succession towards his face. Mitsuo ducked and brought his high guard back up, the jabs being deflected by the blade once more. “The duty of the shinobi is to protect the village, but you can be so much more Mitsuo, I truly believe that!” Left, right, right, dodge, dodge, parry with a wrap to the knuckles. “Never take your eyes off the opponent, you must be able to work your way out of every situation.” Familiarity was setting in. Shit, he knew that that wasn’t ever good. His sensei would be able to use it to his advantage if he picked up on the fact that Mitsuo wasn’t thinking to block, which was something he couldn’t have happen. He kept his eyes peeled and made sure his reflexes stayed sharp, continuing to block punch after punch, jab after jab, his eyes never leaving Takeshi.
“Watch my fists, keep you eyes on them, and don't blink. These fists of mine are the only thing I have, you must be aware of everything that's happening. That even means paying close attention to the smallest detail.” They were going back and forth now, Mitsuo was rolling with the punches and getting in counter jabs himself, his blade pointed back so that he wouldn’t be hitting Takeshi with it. Duck and weave, block, block, parry, counter, reverse, sidestep, duck, it was a never ending dance, or at least that’s what Mitsuo thought until a man approached them from behind and requested the Hokage’s attention. Mitsuo knew stuff like this was bound to happen now that Takeshi was Hokage and he didn’t complain, just moving aside and focusing on his blade techniques. His eyes did wonder over Takeshi, who although he would never mention or admit to it, looked a little distressed at the title. Mitsuo had become much better at reading his sensei in their time together, though it was uncommon for him to seem anything but determined and, at times, even cold and distant.
Mitsuo knew something was wrong and it didn’t take him too long to figure out, knowing from the look on Takeshi’s face that he wasn’t going to like this. He noticed that the man speaking to the Hokage was clutching a piece of cloth that looked oddly familiar to him but he couldn’t quite place his finger on why. The messenger stood perfectly still as Takeshi approached Mitsuo, a pained look on his face though he initially tried to hide it. Mitsuo wasn’t sure what was wrong but if it had bothered Takeshi so much it had to be something personal to him. Mitsuo was trying to think of the things that would upset Takeshi so much and honestly couldn’t think of something off the top of his head that would get his sensei so upset and bothered. When he found out what it was, though, he wished he didn’t know.
“Listen, Mitsuo I need to tell you something important. It’s about your father. He was found dead today, he was trying to help a woman and her daughter but...It didn't go quite as planned and he was crushed by a building.”
He was….dead?
Death…
Pain…
Family…
Mitsuo understood now, as he looked on through tear stained eyes and fogged up glasses, why Takeshi was so upset, as he had placed his hand on Mitsuo’s shoulder and shed a tear himself. He looked to the man behind Takeshi, who was holding the cloth and Mitsuo knew why it was so familiar. His father had worn it at all times, it was to symbolize that he was the head of the Sarutobi Clan. Mitsuo couldn’t think of anything to say, his reaction simply being. “No…”
“I'm sorry Mitsuo, I really am, but he can't be saved.” Takeshi was crying, it just made the situation that much more real, that much more painful to Mitsuo. Mitsuo moved in and wrapped his arms around his sensei, not knowing what else to do. His father was all he had left, his sister having left the village long ago, and his mother and brother both having been killed. He cried heavily onto Takeshi’s shoulder, not being able to help himself at the moment and the release being truly needed. He thought back to right before the exams, when he had last spoken to his father…
I step out of my quarters in the Sarutobi Compound; my father is nowhere to be seen. I grab myself a bite to eat quickly, assuming that he is probably outside and there is work to be done. I only have one day before I leave for the Chuunin Exams, and I know my father is leaving tonight as well for a few days. As I walk out the door and through the courtyard I notice my father is sitting in the training area, meditating and completely silent. I do not wish to disturb his meditation but it seems as though he has sensed me, standing up quickly and holding out a hand, smiling to me in greeting.
“Come here, Little Mitsuo, and sit with me. I have something important to tell you before I leave, and I hope to get some work in with you as well.” Mitsuo does as his father asks. He is the Head of the Sarutobi Clan, a prestigious position to hold for one of the most well-known clans in the village. “You will be leaving for the exams tomorrow morning I take it Mitsuo?”
“Yes Father, I am meeting Kichirou at the village gates, and we will depart early.”
“Good, good. I’m sure he will make a good companion on your journey. That is not what I wanted to tell you though son. You are my legacy, the one who will carry on my name and head the clan when I pass on. I want you to know that I am extremely proud of you. There are a few things I need you to work on though. You are a Sarutobi, and as such, you should be able to use powerful Katon jutsu. Remember son, no matter what, that the Will of Fire burns brightly in us and you can draw your strength from that Will of Fire. It will never let you down, as long as you believe.” He takes an offensive stance, looking towards a pillar in front of him, and releases a large fireball, igniting the pillar instantly and leaving it charred. He then picks up a length of wire and runs a flame stream down it, making a pentagram out of fire around them. He looks to the fire and makes three clones of himself out of it. “I want you to be able to do these jutsus by the time you return Mitsuo; these will help you greatly in your journey in life, the rest I will leave up to you. I am proud of you son, and I love you deeply. I know you will make the Sarutobi Clan, and all of Konohagakure no Kato, proud at the exams.”
Mitsuo let go of his sensei and wiped his eyes, taking of his glasses and wiping them down. He then placed them back on his head so he could look at his sensei once more, and smiled through the sadness. He was hurting horribly and he imagined Takeshi knew this to be true, but he had never let anything bother him so much that he couldn’t smile through it before the exams, and had resolved to not let it happen again. He shook his head slightly and looked towards his sensei. “I’ll be alright, sensei…My father left me something very important before I left for the Chuunin Exams… He left me his Will of Fire, and it will always burn on inside of me.”
He faced towards one of the faces and pulled a length of wire from his pouch, quickly creating two clones of himself, the two running forward and looping around with their two lengths of fire, and Mitsuo himself doing the same. Each of them made a crescent with the wire, interloping with one another. As they did so they each ignited their wire and when all was completed they had made the symbol of the Sarutobi Clan high upon the Hokage Mountain, where nothing would be able to burn away. Mitsuo smiled and launched a fireball into the air, his father’s final request to him having been completed while he was in Sunagakure. He walked up to the messenger and looked him in the eye, the messenger with a solemn look on his face still as he nodded to Mitsuo and handed him what he had in his hand.
‘I am sorry for your loss, Sarutobi, Mitsuo. It is my duty to inform you that, as of now, you are the head of the Sarutobi Clan. I hope you will be able to pass through the grieving stage with little pain, and that you will be able to move on after this tragic loss. The village will be looking to the Sarutobi in these times of trouble, as they always have, so you must be a rock.”
Mitsuo took the sash and removed his own, tying this one around his waist and making sure the Sarutobi Clan symbol was clear for all to see. He was the new head of the Sarutobi clan, he would not let his clan down, and he would make his father proud. He bowed to the messenger and walked back up to his Sensei. “Well this has been an eventful day indeed, eh sensei?”
(3258/3000 Katon B>A 258 towards A>S)