A/N Welcome to my first ever Fanfiction. I hope you enjoy it. Now settle in. And Enjoy!
Chapter 1 - Flames of Tragedy
Birds could be heard chirping in the trees. Vibrant flowers, fiery reds and passionate oranges, lining the edges of the peaceful village streets. Further down the street lay the market, people could be seen bustling about in the distance, the occasional shout of a trader carried on the light breeze.
On one side of the street, a ornate wooden gate stood, a spiral design carved perfectly into the wood. Ornate stones in the ground led up towards a modest house, constructed of a dark wood. All in all, from the outside with the blooming rose bushes that were clustered together around the garden, the house looked simply beautiful.
The door slid open and a beautiful woman stepped out from within the home. She was wearing an elegant light blue kimono, that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, her sleek, long red hair fell to her mid back as she turned to look through the still open door.
"Kuro! Come along!" She spoke in an almost serene tone, her voice sounding peaceful and happy. A small smile graced her face, her blue-green eyes seemed to shimmer.
"Coming Kaa-san!" A younger, more boyish voice answered from inside, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Another redhead appeared through the doorway. Hopping on one foot as he tried to get his other sandal quickly on. A wicker basket swinging precariously from his other hand, managing to get his sandal on, he quickly hops a little on the spot, a huge grin on his face. The boy was dressed in a kimono that was very colourful, blue, red and orange in a rather elegant combination. A blue charm necklace was around his neck, the charm resting against the kimono.
The woman slid the door shut behind her son, before taking the wicker basket from her son, extending a slender hand to her son.
Kuro slipped his hand into his mother's and together the two made their way down the garden path towards the street. Kuro jumping from stone to stone, humming happily to himself.
Reaching the street, the pair, turned to their right, heading towards the market. The shouts of traders grew more prevalent, the closer the two drew to their destination.
"Airi-san! Good morning!" One of the traders said to the woman as the two passed.
"Good morning.." Airi said serenely, her eyes seemed to shimmer and smile.
Kuro grinned widely and waved to the trader as the two passed. The Uzumaki's always seemed to brighten the place up wherever they were. Clinging to his mother's hand, Kuro smiled to the other villagers. Politely saying "Good Morning" whenever required.
Airi Uzumaki, seemed to almost elegantly glide through the marketplace. Expertly handling the weekly purchasing of food for the family.
"Come along Kuro.." Airi said softly, the basket now heavy with the purchases of that day.
"Ok Kaa-san!" Kuro said energetically. "When we get back we're gonna practice Shuriken throwing. Right Kaa-san?" Kuro was brimming with energy.
Airi smiled widely. "Of course! Just as I promised." She says softly.
"Yatta!" Kuro cheered, bouncing on the spot in delight. He loved training.
The two Uzumaki's turned, heading back through the busy market, Kuro holding his mother's hand obediently, not wanting to get separated.
The pair were almost out of the market, the crowd slowly thinning out. Kuro's smile widened, they were closer to home and closer to training.
"BOOM!" The ground seemed to heave, the sky flashing a bright orange momentarily.
"Ahhhh!" Kuro cried out, losing his footing and hitting the ground.
Airi remained upright, but was visibly shaken, her serene appearance vanished, replaced by one of fear. Her wide blue-green eyes transfixed on something behind the two.
A huge fireball seemed to be rising up towards the sky, rising from a now smouldering mass of wood, formerly several homes.
There was silence, aside from the crackle of flames. Then the screaming started, people stampeding to find safety.
Kuro managed to find his way to his feet again, his legs shaking. "Kaa-san we gotta get out of here!" His voice quivered in fear. He was tugging on Airi's arm, trying to get her moving.
Airi seemed frozen on the spot, her eyes wide. "I.. It cannot be…" She said, her voice quivering ever so slightly. An emotion in her voice that Kuro had never heard before.. Fear.
The flames seemed to be racing down the street towards the two. Kuro doubled his efforts, relentlessly tugging on Airi's arm. "Kaa-san! Come on!" Kuro's own voice seemed to crack with fear, his blue-green eyes, glowing a flickering orange from the flames rushing towards them.
Airi seemed to come back to herself, her eyes seemed to focus, a very subtle adjustment to her limbs, tensing her body like a spring. Suddenly she turns, channeling chakra to her hand, and puts all her might into pushing Kuro away, just as she felt the flames licking at the hem of her kimono.
"Ahhhh!" Kuro cried out, as he was sent flying several feet, hitting the street hard, and rolling for a few yards. He came to a halt, and slowly raised his head groaning in pain. Smoke and embers jumped into his face, forcing him to shield his eyes. Coughing, Kuro forced himself to his feet. His kimono was slightly singed from the flames.
"Kaa-san!" He shouts out, looking for her through the flames and smoke, before spotting her.. Lying on the ground. Kuro let out a gasp, his legs moving without any conscious thought.
"Kaa-san!" He cried out, the figure of his mother coming into focus, lying on the ground, her kimono was on fire, and yet she wasn't crying out.
"No…. NO!" Kuro shouted, before he focused his chakra as best as he could. "Come on… come on.." He seemed to plead. Nothing happened. What Kuro had been aiming for was to use some water from the nearby stream to extinguish the flames, using his Suiton nature affinity. However, what Kuro didn't know was that the heat of the flames had caused the stream to completely dry up, the water evaporating.
With his Suiton inaccessible. Kuro launched himself towards his mother, using his bare hands to try and beat out the flames. He barely managed to hold back a scream of agony, as he felt his skin burning and blistering from the heat.
"Kuro…" Airi murmured weakly, she looked up into Kuro's wide pleading eyes. She reached up with a burnt hand and stroked Kuro's cheek. "My son… be safe…" Her eyes slowly started to slide shut.
"N.. No! Please.. Kaa-san.. Don't leave me!" Kuro pleaded, he kept up his relentless assault on the flames that were claiming his mother's life.
"Kuro… you are….. A strong young man.. I know…" She coughed, the smoke having irritated her lungs, the flames crept up her body, attacking her torso. "I know… you will do great things…" Her voice was growing fainter, the light in her eyes was slowly dimming. She grasped Kuro's hand, grasping it tightly, her other hand lightly touching the necklace around Kuro's neck. "I… will always be with you… my son.." Airi said, with the last of her strength. Before her eyes slowly closed, with one last shudder, Airi Uzumaki.. Breathed her last. Her hand went limp in Kuro's grasp.
Kuro had tears falling down his burnt cheeks, his hand still grasping his mother's. "No.. please… don't leave me.." He murmured in shock. He could hardly believe it.. His mother.. Whom had always seemed.. Invincible.. Was.. dead.. He felt numb, nothing else seemed to matter, not even the flames roaring around him, demolishing the remains of the village buildings. The screams and shouts of the villagers, were gradually fading away, silenced by the roaring flames.
It felt like hours later, that Kuro finally stood up, he felt.. Strangely cold.. Despite the intense heat surrounding him.
All of his exposed skin was covered in burns. His kimono was heavily singed and flame damaged. His entire body hurt, but the pain seemed almost dulled by shock and adrenaline.
Kuro knew one thing, he needed to get to safety. Away from this village that was now tainted by the Shinigami.
Kuro was panicked, his breathing was ragged, from the damage, smoke inhalation had caused damage to his lungs.
Konoha! The word seemed to descend from Kami himself, into Kuro's mind. The Hidden Leaf Village, he could go there.. He would be safe there.
Kuro looked around, through the flames, trying to orientate himself. He remembered that Konoha was several hours travel in a North West direction.
Finally managing to get his bearings, he starts to walk. Every single step, sent waves of agony shooting up his spine. He whimpered in pain, trying to be strong. He had to be strong!
Time passed.. It felt like eons to Kuro, just focused on the monotonous task of placing one foot in front of the other, just to keep moving. He whimpered and sniffled every now and then, the pain now seemed to have settled down into something more akin to a dull ache all over his body. The surrounding grassland gave way to heavy forests as he kept walking as best as he could, stumbling several times, he had lost his sandals somewhere in the carnage earlier. His bare feet were burnt as well, and scratched from the rough terrain of the road.
Kuro was numb to the pain, nothing mattered, he just had the single goal in mind.. Of getting to Konoha, getting to safety.
He coughed, a great hacking cough, that caused his entire body to tense up and bend over. Breathing was somewhat hard, but Kuro could manage.
"Just… need….. Safe….. Ty…." He murmured, almost in a trance, just entirely focused on this one goal.
Kuro was exhausted, every part of his body was demanding that he rest, but he couldn't rest! Not now! He wasn't safe yet. It was taking more and more effort just to keep moving, his feet dragging a bit more on the road.
The edges of his vision was slowly fading to black. "N… no…" He was overwhelmed by another fit of coughing, that had him stumbling and the next thing he knew, he had fallen to his hands and knees, his entire body shaking and quivering from all the effort behind each and every cough.
Finally the coughing settled down, but Kuro was starting to feel weary. He had to get moving.. Quickly!
With an effort Kuro forced himself to his feet, his hand gently grasped his blue charm necklace, it was cool to the touch, as his burnt fingers lightly ran over the engraved spiral and immediately Kuro felt soothed by this little contact. Determination flowed to every inch of his body. With a renewed energy. Kuro forced himself to move, he was taking several steps, growing more and more confident to keep moving.
Eventually after great effort, Kuro could see the great gates of the Hidden Village in the distance. 'Just a little further!' Kuro thought to himself, relief filling his body, he was so close to his goal.
His legs however, chose this moment to give way, Kuro choked out a yelp of pain as he went down, hitting the road hard. The breath knocked out of his chest. He gasped for breath, wheezing in exhaustion. His vision was blurring and fading at the edges. This time.. There was no recovery. Salvation was so close.. But.. Kuro.. couldn't keep going.
Kuro was then aware of being picked up, by.. Someone. He wasn't sure who. Whoever it was, they were gentle so as to not aggravate the burns on his body.
Kuro forced his eyes open, he couldn't make out the face of his saviour, a mass of blurry colours before his eyes. He turned his head, just this little movement took all his strength, he saw the gates growing closer.
The mental and physical exhaustion that Kuro had been fighting for hours, finally claimed him, his vision fading to black, as he went limp in his rescuer's arms.
Author Notes
Lemme know what you guys thought of the first chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it.