First off, thank you so much for reading my work. I'm no stranger to writing, but this is my first time publishing on this site so I hope this story is received well. It isn't necessarily going to be a nice, feel-good read - it's the dark, tragic choronical of an innocent girl thrown head first into the darkest of evil. There will be explicit language, torture, rape, and other unsavory topics, just giving you fair warning. But darkness cannot exist without light, so it won't be entirely depressing.

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any affiliation with the world of Naruto or any of it's characters, but the OC is my creation.

I. Awakening

The spring sunlight felt pleasantly warm against Kanon's skin as she basked in it, her small form nearly lost in the tall grass she lay in. The air smelled rich, the nearby woods combined with the crisp scent of the grass forming a heady odor. It was almost intoxicating, and she had long since lost track of how long she had been staring up at the clouds.

Her pale blue eyes were glazed over and unblinking as she gazed skywards, the dark shadows beneath them a testament to the physical and emotional fatigue she carried that was far greater than a girl of seven years should carry. She had had another one of her fits last night – the aching pressure of a migraine serving as a reminder.

After awakening in the early hours of dawn from what one could hardly call a nightmare, Kanon had come to the meadow for some peace. It was nearly noon and she hadn't moved, but her mother and father never said anything about her comings and goings. Her malady was their family's best kept secret, and the most scolding she ever got was for getting leaves tangled in her hair or maybe a sunburn if she dozed off, since her skin was like alabaster. No, her parents adored her immensely, and she them. She wouldn't give up her simple, love-filled life for the world.

"Kanon."

Her father's voice shook her out of her reverie, and she sat up immediately to look up at him with wide eyes. Something was wrong – that much was apparent, with the uneven, shaky tone of his voice. "Otosan?" Her voice came out as barely a whisper, terrified as she took in his fretful, worry-creased face. The situation felt hauntingly familiar, as if she had dreamed it.

"Come quickly," her father said, beckoning frantically for her to follow. "It's time."

Kanon scrambled to her feet, the ache in her temples becoming a throbbing pain. "Is okasan ok?" she asked, trying to keep up with his long strides as they made their way back to the family cottage.

His face was like stone. "Just come quickly."

Something was wrong. Most definitely wrong.

Latching onto his hand, Kanon's father halfway dragged her through the thresh way of their home, her heart seizing up as she detected the low, pained moans of her mother even before they had stepped onto the porch. They wasted no time as they followed the sounds of agony to the source – her mother was in the bedroom, hunched over as much as her swollen stomach allowed as Kanon's grandmother, serving as the midwife, urgently tried to coach her into the proper birthing position.

Her mother looked up as Kanon entered the room, and though her skin shone with cold perspiration she attempted to relax her beautiful features were twisted with pain into a smile. "Don't look so worried, Kanon-chan," she said, voice gravely and strained. "Everything is alright. Your little brother is just giving me a hard time at the –" Her sentence cut off as she grimaced, gritting her teeth as she tried to swallow another pained wail.

"Kanon," her grandmother called briskly. "Bring me clean towels and a bucket of hot water."

Kanon was scrambling to leave the room as her mother let out a full, blood-curdling shriek that stopped her in her path. She turned around slowly to look at her mother, a patch of crimson slowly soaking the fabric of the sheets between her legs.

"No, no," her mother wailed. "It's too early – this shouldn't be happening for another two –" She broke off in a choked gasp, color draining from her face.

Kanon's father took her roughly by the shoulders, spinning her to face him. "Kanon, I need you to go to the village and find the doctor – any doctor. As fast as you can," he told her, voice cracking. "Can you do that?"

With a jerky nod, Kanon stumbled from the room, falling to her knees as her foot caught on the door jam. She scrambled to her feet and flew from her home as fast as her legs could carry her, ignoring the sharp rocks and other objects impaling the bare soles of her feet as she set off towards the village.

It was a Tuesday, so there was no shortage of people in the village center, milling about perusing the market stands. "Doctor!" Kanon shrieked as loudly as she could, disturbing the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. "My okasan – she needs a doctor!"

Her vision began to blur as curious bystanders warily approached her, panic setting in as she realized why the situation seemed so familiar. It was suddenly so vividly clear – painfully clear – as she recalled the terrors that had woken her that morning.

She had dreamt of her mother's death.

"Doctor! Is there a doctor?" she cried out, stumbling on weak legs through the marketplace.

A kind-faced old man approached her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What is wrong, sweet child?"

His eyes grew wide as she whirled to face him, her hand closing around his wrist in a bruising grip. Kanon's eyes were no longer their normal soft baby-blue, but rolled back into her head, bloodshot. Her skin was as close to true white as humanly possible, and her body convulsed as she collapsed onto the dirt.

"Death."

***Author's Note***

I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but this beginning is an integral part of Kanon's arc and development. There will definitely be more to come, and I won't skimp on the gruesome details so be warned. This story is not for the faint of heart, but I hope you enjoy!

Thank you again!

-bettablocker