A/N: Why hello there! I know I've got a bunch of other stories that I should be working on, but this one has been bouncing around my hard drive for ages now, so I figured- why not? This isn't going to be a short story, but hopefully someone else out there likes it. If it isn't your cup of tea, thanks for stopping by anyway and giving it a try. I appreciate the visits regardless- all I ask for is minimal flames. With that in mind, this is an eventual pairing of OC's with our favorite bored out of their minds gate guards. As always, I don't own any of the characters other than the ones that my weird little mind has created. Definite liberties have been, and will be, taken with the story and events/timeline, so I ask for you to roll with it and come along for the journey if it interests you.

XXX

Her snarl of anger and outrage rumbled deep and threatening as she launched herself into the fray. The Kyuubi wasn't going to win out, not if she could help it. Minato had asked for help- for time- and if it killed her, she would give him that. The masked man seemed hellbent on their destruction and she wasn't inclined to allow him the satisfaction of success. This village was her home now and if it took her life, she would protect it. She refused to lose another home, another family.

Blood spattered through the air and she ignored the horrified gasps of the shinobi around her as a deep rent was ripped open in her side. She forged on, her fangs seeking purchase anywhere they could, dealing as much damage as she was able, wishing desperately that she could draw the creature away from the brave men and women who were sacrificing their lives to defend their home and families. Still, she knew they wouldn't listen. Everything was chaos around them, men and women dying, their last gasps of life searing into her brain.

She had seen the sad smile that twisted on his normally cheerful face and repressed a whine. She had reined in the desire to nuzzle him and his laboring wife, to try and reassure them that all would be well. But she knew it would be a lie. And so did they. As Minato teleported the fox away from the village, she followed her nose to where the scent appeared. Her wounds burned sharply as she struggled to stay on her feet as she sealed the monster inside once more. The wolf snarled in the recesses of her mind, still fixed on attacking the creature that had wrought so much death and destruction upon its newfound home. From outside Kushina's barrier, she watched, her heart aching.

She knew that, without a doubt, it would be the last time that she would see the kind man, the Hokage of the village she had been tasked with guarding, alive. The blond haired man formed the signs for the Reaper Death Seal and she felt her heart sink. His wife, always so kind and loving, even towards a creature such as herself, would not survive long past her beloved. The Third and the remainder of Minato's guard's appeared nearby, but none could break through the barrier. They watched as the Nine Tails attempted to attack the infant and saw both parents sacrifice themselves to protect their child. Tears poured down Kushina's face as she spoke to the small bundle, Minato's arms gentle around her as they began the process of sealing away the beast.

As the sealing was finished and the wails of a child reached her sharp ears, Kana fell limp, her knees thudding heavily into the blood soaked soil. Tears built in her eyes as she stared blankly at the desolation around her, one arm clutched across her stomach as she fought to keep the bile down. Stumbling, she forced herself to her feet and towards the thin, reedy cry of Minato and Kushina's child.

Blood covered, she was no suitable visitor for such a innocent soul, but she had to see him. A shock of blond hair peaked out of the bundle he was wrapped in and she sagged in relief. One of the shinobi, an auburn haired teen that she vaguely remembered meeting, caught her, his senbon clicking in his teeth. His brown eyes were worried as he watched her, but hers were fixed on the small child that was carried gently in the arms of the Third.

"You're the newest owl mask, aren't you?" Genma commented, his eyes studying her. He remembered watching her as she took her mask from Minato months ago, the proud and solemn way that she carried herself catching his attention. She had the look of a soul who had seen far more than her young years should have permitted, or so he thought at the time. Looking out at the devastation of the battlefield now, he couldn't help but wonder how many others would bear that same haunted look that aged them beyond their years.

Her eyes, a bright golden amber mixed with gray met his wearily and he saw her nod. "I am. I ask that you keep that to yourself though."

Genma shrugged indifferently, his eyes moving to the rapidly staining red that was flowing from her side and staining both of their clothes. "Suit yourself. We should really get that taken care of though."

Kana's eyes followed his and she gave a hollow laugh as she straightened, grimacing. "Probably. First things first though..."

She approached the Third and the small bundle he held, ignoring the stench of fresh tension that washed through the air. Although clearly hesitant, he let her see the fussing child and she smiled, her weariness washing away for a moment. His mop of blond hair, bright blue eyes, and his gurgling smile were so like his parents that she felt her breath catch. Then, she saw the seal on his rounded belly and understood what Minato had truly done. Her eyes were bright with tears as she met the Hokage's anguished gaze and he nodded to her unspoken question.

"This poor child." her voice was pained as she studied his tiny features, her lips tugging upwards as he made a grab for her hair, his chubby fingers tangling in the long strands.

"His name is Naruto." His voice lowered as he studied her carefully, "Are you the guardian Minato referred to?" he asked softly and saw her tense before nodding slowly.

"I will continue to guard this village with my life, if allowed. We can discuss this at a later date." She said shortly, untangling Naruto's chubby fingers from her hair as gently as possible. "For Minato and Kushina's sake, I will protect him and this village as best I can."

The Hokage nodded, but she had already turned away. She ignored the gaze of the other shinobi and the only one who made any effort to follow after her was the one who had caught her earlier. The thin needle in his mouth clicked as he clenched his teeth in irritation and he caught her arm as she stumbled, slinging it over his shoulder as he scooped her into his arms.

"I told you."

"Who are you, my mother?" she groused, her head lolling tiredly against his chest, not bothering to fight for once. The day had drained her and although she hated to admit he was right, she wasn't doing well. Black lapped at the edge of her vision and she felt his eyes settle on her once more. She heard him chuckle and then fall silent once more as an unseen expression of seriousness crossed his face.

"Haven't seen much of you since you joined up. Never knew where you came from either. You didn't move up with a class like the rest of us, nor did you take the exams with a true team."

His questions were asked lightly enough, but she felt the underlying demand for answers as clearly as if he had interrogated her. She ignored him, focusing instead on calming the inward struggle between her and the beast that shared her mind. Distantly, she heard him tsk in annoyance, his gait lengthening slightly as he hurried towards the already over-packed hospital. She snorted faintly in exasperation, knowing nothing there would be able to help her right now and wanting nothing more than to let sleep claim her.

"Hey, don't be falling asleep on me!" alarm colored the teen's voice and she cracked open a tired eye.

"I'm tired. It's been a rather draining day." she retorted with a sigh, her grey eyes locking with his light brown as he frowned down at her.

"Just stay awake until we get to the hospital." his voice was curt and her lips quirked in a faint smile.

"Worried about me?"

She heard him snort, teasing a laugh out of her before she winced, a sharp pain lancing through her as her wounds tore further from his jostling. Her gaze wandered over his features and she could see the man he would grow into- handsome and self assured, and above all else, powerful. An almost frightening amount of power pulsed in him and she repressed the urge to shiver. His eyes tightened as he looked down at her, feeling her curl into herself as he ran and saw the pallor of her skin. His pace increased until he reached the doors of the hospital, his gait slowing to a purposeful walk as he strode through the lobby.

The scent of blood was heavy around them, so heavy that it nearly overwhelmed her senses and she fought the urge to gag. He carried her though the double doors after a nurse gestured towards him and gently settled her onto the tidy white bed. A second nurse rushed in, her face paling as she saw the rapidly staining sheets beneath her newest patient.

"I can help if you need me to." The young man offered, and Kana glanced at him in confusion, the nurses looking relieved.

"Do you have any medical training?" the first nurse asked and both looked relieved once more as he nodded. The second bustled out of the room to help with the next flood of wounded shinobi.

"Technically, to the opposite of healing, but the concepts are the same." he muttered and Kana's eyes narrowed at him.

"I'll be fine." She informed him tersely, forcing herself into a sitting position. He flashed her a lazy smile, the needle in his mouth glinting dangerously under the bright hospital lights.

"Sure you will." he agreed easily, "How about you hop on off of that bed and show me?"

Kana's grey eyes narrowed at the challenge in his question and she grimaced as her feet touched the ground and she held herself upright with a stubborn glare. The nurse protested and she gave the woman an irritated glare, ignoring the woman's continued efforts to push her back down on the bed. She forced herself to walk towards the door and heard a bark of surprised laughter come from behind her. Her hand barely brushed the door when his warm palm wrapped around her wrist.

"You've proven your point." his brown eyes were gentle and half amused, the senbon quirking upwards as he grinned. "Let me try to heal you before you go at least."

"It won't make a difference." she said tiredly, "You won't be able to do much."

Although confusion flickered in his gaze, he held her. "Let me do what I can then."

She sighed, but allowed him to lead her back to the now stained hospital bed. Hissing, she lay back and grimaced as her side bled out anew. "What's your name?" his question startled her and her grey eyes snapped towards him, suspicion written in her gaze. He held up a blood covered hand in placation and a small smile touched his lips. On her other side, the nurse had begun healing her, her eyes weary as she felt her patient fighting against her efforts.

"We can't help if you're fighting us." the nurse said, frustrated. "Do you want to bleed out?"

"You had to have fought like a demon to be this badly banged up. I didn't see you, but that fight was hellish." his brown eyes were serious as he investigated her wounds. "Then there was that beast fighting against the Nine Tails...never thought I would see something like that. Such devastating power on both sides." he murmured, "I can't imagine why it was fighting against the Nine Tails though."

"Maybe it had something it wanted to protect." she said quietly, flinching as his fingers probed at a particularly deep wound.

"Mmmm." he hummed, "Either way, you never said your name."

"Neither did you." she said, groaning as he pulled shreds of fabric out of the gash down her side.

"Genma."

He grinned at her surprised look and she swore as he tried to gently wipe away the crimson liquid, her chest heaving as she panted. "Kana." she replied through grit teeth and as she cracked one eye, she saw him smile.

"Nice to meet you, Kana." he said mildly as he focused on slowing the blood flow from her side. He frowned as it slowed, yet he felt something resist his chakra and nudged a bit more of his into her wound. Kana felt her nails lengthening and swallowed back the low growl that had started to build in her throat. Calm. Relax.

"You're fighting me." Genma said quietly, his eyes tightening in confusion. "You have to trust me. I'm trying to help, no matter how much it hurts."

Her eyes were back to that unusual bright gold and there was a hint of wildness that showed through there. Trust me. His words echoed in her mind and her inner snarled in rebellion, both her and it shying away from the idea of letting anyone in other than their own. She swallowed thickly as he locked eyes with her, his hands warm against her skin.

"Just trust me."

"I barely know you." she retorted and saw his lips quirk upwards again.

"We could always change that." Again, his lips curled into that teasing, lazy smile and she glared at him.

"I'm not interested in being some... plaything." she spat out, earning a laugh from the shinobi.

"You're a different one, but I like it." he commented, still chuckling to himself. "Still," he sobered as he turned his attention back to her injuries. "I need you to calm down and stop fighting against me if I'm to help you at all..."

Kana closed her eyes against his steady gaze and swallowed back the urge to snap at him. Peace. He's trying to help. Her other side railed against her but she held firm. She was so tired of fighting. Of hurting. Both physically and emotionally she hurt- having to fight her own mind was more draining than she wanted to deal with at the moment. You are a part of me- in MY body and if you want that to continue, then knock it off! She slapped the wolf demon back with a silent snarl and the beast fell back, surprised. When she looked at Genma, her eyes had calmed and her irises had returned to their normal- or at least he assumed it was normal- grey.

Despite his abilities, he struggled to close her wounds. It was as though her very body was fighting against him and even though she swore she wasn't trying to hinder him, it still felt like he was pushing his chakra though molasses. Across from him, sweat had beaded on the nurse's brow and felt herself approaching the limits of her abilities. Slowly, almost painfully so, her bleeding slowed and then stopped, her wounds closing, although not fully. Sweat beaded his brow with the effort and he felt himself approaching the point of complete exhaustion swiftly. The breath tore from his chest as he gasped and he felt her cool hand cover his.

"You've done what you can." she said gently, "It's more than anyone else has ever managed."

"I can finish this." he replied stubbornly and saw her smile.

She struggled upright, wincing as her newly healed wounds protested. He tried to push her back but she shrugged him off, that same smile twisting on her lips. She raked a hand back through her tangled locks and shook her head. "Honestly, you're almost as bad as I am." She saw him open his mouth to protest and clamped her hand over his mouth, grinning as his eyes widened in surprise. "Hush. I can take it from here. You can rest."

Her other hand rested lightly on his shoulder and his mind felt a twinge of unease before everything faded to black. The last thing he remembered was falling forward and feeling her arms catch him.

A/N: And there we have it. The first chapter of some random ramblings that my mind had while watching the show. Like I said, it's probably going to be a long one, so hopefully someone out there will stick with me through it. Either way, I've been enjoying toying with the idea. I don't really have an idea 100% penned out, but it's getting there. Anywho, thanks for reading and if you liked it, let me know!