Timewalker
Or The Goddess of Thunder
Chapter 1. Knowledge Talks, Wisdom Listens
"'Tis interesting indeed, Amaya."
The old female black as night fox sighed in agreement towards her mistress and sat tiredly on the mossy ground. Her old body wasn't made for this kind of long treks, but since she was the one that had found the thing it was her honour to show it to the She-kitsune. Otherwise she would have been laughed at and no-one wished such, besides the younger females of the court of She-Who-Is-Thunder would have taken the chance to step on her and try to take her position as the mistress' closest advisor.
Amaya was no fool, for a kitsune youkai she was very old and her kind had unusually long lives already. Some said that being near She of the One Hundred Tails had made her longevity extend since the mistress' youki usually influenced living creatures near it. It was a valid theory, she mused silently, far-fetched but valid.
She gazed with respect and affection at their mother, not naturally speaking of course, but when she had arrived here, in what humans called Hi no Kuni, the kitsune population had flocked to her like lost sheep, revelling in her presence and youki. The female youkai approached the little bundle on the grassy field. It reeked of pus and putrefaction and of blood, both old and new. She didn't like her mistress near it, but it was her land and she needed to assess if the thing was a threat or not.
"'Tis a human kit, Amaya." Said the humanoid fox with bored amusement in her voice. Humans were like a plague. "Half-dead, but a human kit nonetheless."
"I don't think that's what they call their kitlings." She stated, being purely informative. After all, the She-kitsune hadn't met any humans or talked to them for that matter, but non-humanoid foxes had learned long ago that watching humans was instructive and brought a lot of profit to the den.
"Elaborate."
The old kitsune shuffled, making her hoshi no tama twinkle. "They do not use the term 'kit', I believe."
Sky eyes blinked twice in acknowledgement and a clawed pale hand gestured to the bundle on the floor. The human kitling was dying fast, very fast, not that Amaya cared, but it would seem that her mistress found the half-dead kit amusing and interesting to watch so the old fox sighed again and yipped low.
Two three-tailed bigger kitsune emerged from the woods after a while. While one-tailed foxes had normal fur colouring, which ranged from red to white, youki infused ones with more than one tail varied their fur to their personality. One of the three-tailed ones had mild green fur, matching his name while the other one, a female, was pure white.
"Hiroki, Rin." The old five-tailed black fox greeted. They nodded back and bowed low before the mistress, earning a pat on their heads from her. They approached the dying human kit and lifted it carefully, disappearing into the woods to carry their duties.
Amaya watched as the mistress gazed intently at the pile of pus, unidentifiable goo and dried blood that was starting to crack.
When Senju Yamamoto woke he felt wrong. His body felt wrong, his mind felt wrong. He only remembered being attacked by a wild and crazed bear that had mauled him to death. So, he should be dead, right? Or maybe he was in Heaven?
"Not likely, human whelp."
He jumped and looked frantically everywhere in the dark cavern he seemed to have waked in. The voice was male, that much he could gather but it was detached and cold. Amber eyes were glowing in the dark; he stiffened and waited for this dream to end.
"I shan't disappear by your whims, human whelp."
The Senju pressed his lips together and cursed inwardly. He now could see that some moonlight illuminated the den he was in and he was in for a surprise as he saw that what was talking to him was nothing else than a fox. A really big one at that, maybe the same size as a horse. He shuddered, this wasn't good at all. Animals weren't supposed to talk, were they? Unless…
Youkai.
They were supposed to be myths to scare children at night! They weren't supposed to be real! He scrunched his eyes shut, willing for this genjustu to disappear. It must've been a nightmare. Obviously, something wasn't working because the kitsune youkai was still watching him impassively.
"Go on, keep trying, human kit."
"You aren't supposed to be real!" he shouted without thinking.
The big sized fox tilted its head to the right slightly as if mocking him. Now, he had pride as a Senju, but having an actual real youkai in front of him made him sag and curl up slightly.
"Yet you believe in kami, don't you?" Asked the demon in boredom.
"Humans tend to follow that kind of behaviour, Yuudai." A female voice stated calmly. This snapped the male kitsune into attention and he bowed low, four tails swishing around in happiness. Now that he noticed, his fur was a sandy brown.
"Broodmother." He greeted respectfully.
This Broodmother was a woman finely dressed in a multi-layered furisode that glittered in the night. The glitters, he noticed, were precious gems and pearls and stones of different status. When he saw her eyes his mind reeled. That was no woman. Her eyes were eerily blue, that alone was scary, but what made his neck hair stand was the narrow pupil that adjusted itself to the light. Cat-like eyes stared back at him in silent reverie.
Suddenly the four-tailed sandy kitsune snarled at him dangerously, eyes promising pain. He shuddered and looked between the she-kitsune and the male fox in confusion and utter fear. The fox snapped at his incompetence.
"Bow, whelp! You are in presence of a goddess!"
His eyes widened in wonder and he looked at the woman again. She had a mystical glow to her aura, which was pleasant to the soul, and striking features. Molten precious gold for hair that shimmered in the dark, sky blue eyes that glowed in the dark, knife-like ears and an elegant poise and manner.
He gaped as the woman-goddess went to stroke the male kitsune's fur in praise, eliciting a proud purr from him. A goddess. There was no way in hell that the woman was a goddess.
"Nine hells, not one." She said.
"What?" he asked incredulously.
"There are nine hells, human kit." She tilted her head, reminding him of the sandy kitsune. "Nine rings of hell connected to each other, actually."
He gaped again but absorbed the information that the she-god had decided to bless him with. As a Senju he had been trained to gather whatever would be useful for the clan, be it weapons, cattle or information.
Who was she?
"I am known, was and will be known to humans as Kaminari."
The young Senju froze on the spot. Kaminari-sama was supposed to be the goddess of storms and thunder, also known as the Heavenly Noise. But what he couldn't understand is what was doing a god in the human realm. He had always believed that the gods lived in another plane of existence.
"I believe you would need to be returned to your pack, yes?" She didn't wait for the answer. "It has been quite interesting having you here, human kitling, but I believe that imposing your stay might trouble your pack." She mused and twirled gracefully towards the entrance of the den while the four-tailed kitsune followed her dutifully.
He followed dumbly after them, scrunching his eyes at the sudden moonlight that flared into his eyes. The burn was worth it, as what he saw afterwards would remain in his memory for decades.
The clearing was eerily calm and guarded with gargantuan and ancient trees, whose knotted roots made a small labyrinth. A small pond reflected the moonlight and he could see little foxes prancing around, splashing each other playfully but careful not to bother the elder kitsunes.
The little ones had only one tail, he noticed absently, while the older ones went up to five tails. For a moment he thought he had seen a six-tailed one but it had disappeared in a flicker. Maybe tails made a difference in power. He then looked at the she-god and noticed than other than her eerie eyes and pointed ears she had no tails.
"Broodmother, look what I learned to do!"
Yamamoto was startled to see a young kitsune prance around the goddess in giddy happiness. The woman halted and waited patiently to be shown whatever sly trick the little one had learned, afterwards she spoke few words of praise and subtle encouragement making the little fox ecstatic.
"What pack does the human kit belong to, Manabu?" the she-god asked pleasantly to a four-tailed kitsune with copper fur.
Said youkai stood proudly but calmly before their mother-leader and nodded to her while his gaze swept to the frightened Senju. The fox approached him and took a whiff of his scent and returned to the goddess with a thoughtful look.
"He seems to be from the pack of the wood users, Haha-ue." He answered promptly.
The woman rested a clawed hand on the big kitsune's head and hummed in acknowledgement and praise. The four-tails was a bit smaller than the four-tails that had been guarding him in the den. His name was… Yuudai.
"You have my thanks, Manabu." She murmured. "I'll have Chiyo bring you a human scroll, yes? Which one do you wish for?"
The fox, named Manabu, perked up and smiled showing a row of sharp teeth. "I would like one about human anatomy next, if it pleases Haha-ue."
"It does. I shall ask Chiyo about this scroll later, I shall return the human kit to its pack now." She answered.
Yuudai growled low and soft but nevertheless the she-god's eyes shifted towards the sandy fox in silent question.
"Haha-ue shouldn't be concerned about human whelps. I shall deliver the human kit safely to its pack, there is no need for Haha-ue to be bothered."
She blinked. "Explain."
"They aren't worthy of Haha-ue's priceless time!" he snarled.
"I see." She blinked slowly, too slowly for it to be human-like. "I am grateful that you shared your thoughts with me so openly, dearest Yuudai. But as pack 'tis a must that I present the human kit to his pack unharmed, yes?" she explained serenely.
He saw the four-tails nod and sigh in exasperation and resignation. It would seem that the pack of kitsune youkai had some kind of hierarchy and something akin to laws or customs. Senju Yamamoto recorded this into his brain, doubtful that this would be of any use but memorizing it anyway. Knowledge was power, after all.
"Um… we're here… err…" he shuffled uncomfortably. He was relieved that they were near the Senju compound but the goddess was waiting for something that he didn't know. He also didn't know what to call her. She was Kaminari-sama, but he had heard the kitsunes call her Haha-ue. That wouldn't do, she wasn't his mother or he his son. Broodmother was out of the question…
"Call me whatever you like, human kit." She answered softly.
"Then… um. Not Broodmother, no. Err… what about…" he scratched his head in embarrassment. "Kaminari-sama? Or maybe not…"
"I have many names, human kit, choose what you like."
"I-I see…" he bit his lower lip. "Haha-ue?"
His eyes widened and he clamped one hand over his mouth, a whimper dying behind his lips in terror. He was so dead; he didn't have the right to call a goddess honourable mother! Kami-sama help him… He was surprised to find that he was still alive and breathing and that the woman was staring at him, eerie blue eyes drilling through his brown ones in direction towards his soul. Her face was a porcelain mask without any feelings.
"If that is your wish." She stated calmly.
He released the breath that he hadn't realised he had been holding all this time in relief. He wasn't going to die, it would seem. But calling her Haha-ue was a bit embarrassing.
"Um… what are we waiting for? …Haha-ue?" he asked, voice cracking.
She tilted her head slightly to the right, surely pondering the answer carefully so that he would understand. Sometimes she would use terms he couldn't relate to human society or behaviour.
"We are waiting for your sire." She blinked. "Your alpha male."
He pressed his lips in a thin line in worry. They were waiting for his father to pick up his chakra signature. But there was something off. He blinked. Of course! They weren't waiting for father, but for the leader of the whole Senju clan!
Yamamoto paled suddenly scratching a curious look from the goddess-in-flesh. This was very bad. If Senju Hashirama-sama played this wrong his life, Yamamoto's, would be on the line. So maybe, the woman was holding him as a hostage so that she would be unharmed. He shook his head. This was a goddess, there was no way she could be wounded so easily.
Haha-ue didn't even seem surprised when a group of ten people landed suddenly in front of them, security meters between the two little groups. He noticed that his father was indeed within the group. He paled. Senju Hashirama-sama and his little brother Tobirama-sama were also within the group. No doubt the strange energy that the woman emitted sent alarming bells in the Senju compound.
He felt a delicate touch on his lower back, prodding him to go forwards. Yamamoto glanced up and found that the woman was staring at him, disregarding the threat of the shinobi in front of her eyes.
"Go, human kit." She beckoned. "'Tis your pack, yes?" she asked evenly.
He saw as the Senju group tensed and looked at the woman warily. Yamamoto frowned, suddenly feeling as an ungrateful git. This goddess had nursed him back to health and saved him from his death and now was taking her time to bring him back to his clan. Taking a leap of courage he turned towards her and hugged her midriff, since the woman was taller than he.
She froze, he felt, but didn't do anything to push him away. He suddenly felt clawed delicate hands running slowly through his scalp, sending shivers through his spine and he almost wanted to purr in delight. Never mind that humans couldn't really purr.
He let go slowly and smiled shyly towards his Haha-ue who patted his head twice and beckoned him with a clawed hand towards the Senju again. So he obeyed and walked towards his father who received him with warm arms, the arms of a human, he noticed. When with the goddess he had noticed that her body temperature was quite high, at first thinking that she was feverish but noticing that this was natural so he had shrugged and welcomed the warmth.
"What are you?" the Senju clan head asked curtly.
The she-god blinked and tilted her head to the right, scanning the group of humans before her. She had meet many humans before this time, but it had been very long since she had actually talked to one of them.
"To humankind I am known as youkai." She answered pleasantly.
Murmuring between adults in the Senju group that Yamamoto didn't quite catch. He was more concerned about Haha-ue. His knowledge of her as a goddess would do no good to her credibility. Of course, she could pass as a youkai, as far-fetched as it seemed.
"She's a kitsune youkai, brother." Tobirama answered evenly.
Several gasps where heard. Kitsune youkai were known for trickery and cunning. Having one as an ally and friend was rare, as they were known for treachery too. Yamamoto was bothered by the fact that no adult denied the fact that Haha-ue was a she-demon. Had they been lying when they told children that they didn't exist?
"Indeed." She stated calmly while gazing at the younger brother. "You have been in contact with a tengu, have you not?"
Tengu scent was quite unique. Musky, feather-like and fiery. With an undertone of youki and bloodlust. She had smelt it many times before, as it was also present in a group of humans. Before this time.
"You mean the Uchiha." The oldest stated, frowning slightly.
Yamamoto watched as Haha-ue shook her head delicately. "No, 'tis a real one you have met." She claimed making the Senju leader stiffen.
"Well, if this isn't awkward I don't know what this is!" said Tobirama. Hashirama sighed quietly and, to the surprise of everyone present in the woods, the kitsune youkai chuckled slightly, the sound of twinkling bells soaring through the air. "I'm Senju Tobirama and this is my older brother, Senju Hashirama. It is a pleasure to meet you…"
"I have many names." She said, a deja vù coming to Yamamoto's mind. "Call me what you like."
"Um… Haha-ue?" said Yamamoto, and cursed himself for his loud mouth. "Don't you have a given name, like, by your parents?"
Maybe it had been his imagination, but Yamamoto saw chips of ice and hatred flash in Haha-ue's eyes. It chilled him to the bone, but he stood firm in his question. Never mind that the adults were almost gaping at him.
"I have no sire, thus I have no 'given name'." she said detachedly.
"Every youkai has a sire." Said the Senju leader, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"'Tis true." She nodded. "'Tis also true that I have no sire."
Suddenly a small fox kit stumbled into the little clearing pouncing towards the kimono-clad goddess. In mid air a mid sized root caught him and pinned him to the ground. Yamamoto turned to see Hashirama-sama holding his hands in a seal. Crap.
After the fox came rushing a rather big raven that halted and hovered over Haha-ue's head. The woman ignored the bird, looking thoroughly bored. He didn't see anything but suddenly the raven was in the goddess' hand, clawed hands squeezing the poor animal.
He watched in horror as the raven exploded from the pressure, bird guts and blood falling to the floor. Haha-ue opened her hand and let the corpse of the raven fall to the floor unceremoniously.
"Release my kit, human." She said, voice empty while flickering her hand to get rid of the bloody mess.
Senju Hashirama complied reluctantly and watched as the kit pounced and climbed the woman's body up to her shoulders, where he settled in a furry ball, trembling. The little fox yipped in frightened tones and the woman nodded once.
"Thou hast been housing tengu without the consent of the kitsune, human." She stated, no question in her voice. "Thus, shall be punished accordingly."
"Wait." Tobirama exclaimed. "The tengu were brought here without our knowledge! The Uchiha came with someone we hadn't meet before, so we didn't know they were trespassing Hi no Kuni."
The air sizzled and calmed and the she-goddess whistled low which ensued a chaos of leaves in the clearing. The leaves were suspended in the air, floating lazily and they noticed a gigantic blood red fox besides the she-kitsune. Yamamoto gaped, it was even bigger than Yuudai! But then again this was the six-tails that he had seen before in the clearing.
"One Hundred Tails." The fox bowed and said. "What is your desire?"
"Konoha." She acknowledged, fondness in her voice. "It would seem tengu have trespassed."
The fox smiled slyly big rows of sharp teeth and big fangs gleaming in the sun. Yamamoto shuddered. The she-god had shown him nothing but kindness but that didn't mean that the other kitsune had to be as gentle as the she-kitsune was. If she gave free will to one of them…
"As you wish, Haha-ue." He said and disappeared in a flurry of green leaves.
Then the woman proceeded to grab the little kitsune's scruff and lifted it to face-level. Grey innocent eyes stared back at hers in love and she allowed herself a small smile of affection.
"Kitling, it would seem you are about to gain your second tail." She said pleasantly, making the little one yip in happiness. "Thus you shall be rewarded with a name and your hoshi no tama."
"Thou shalt be named Kiyoshi." And a bright ball of light glowed on top of the little kitsune's head.
While the ceremony was going on the Senju stared avidly. No one had actually seen a kitsune youkai receive his or her hoshi no tama. It was a sacred day for the youkai races so while naming ceremonies were on waging wars or political warfare was put on hold until it ended.
Youkai were noble creatures, after all.
"Watch carefully, for you are beholding a naming ceremony of the youkai race." Senju Hashirama murmured. "Watch and learn."
The little youkai floated in the air, his hoshi no tama taking the shape of a small smoke bomb. The glowing ball descended and nestled comfortably under the kit's snout, right on his neck. He yipped and landed on all fours gracefully.
Kaminari-sama proceeded to tuck her clawed hands into her kimono's sleeves and nicked something. Afterwards he offered the thing, which happened to be a regular leaf, to the kit's hoshi no tama. It absorbed it and glowed for an instant before it flickered out, dulling its blue colour.
Kaminari the Thunder Queen and the Heavenly Noise, She of the One Hundred Tails, Mate of Him who is Fire and Rage, the Broodmother, She-kistune and Empress of the Night, also known as Namikaze and Uzumaki Naruto, bethroded to Uchiha Itachi by Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina and Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto.
Her female court and advisors:
Amaya: night rain (five-tails, black fur)
Beniko: vermillion child (two-tails, blood fur)
Chiyo: eternal, 1000 generations (three-tail, grey fur)
Haruka: far away (two-tails, faint blue fur)
Kasumi: mist, fog (three-tails, translucent fur with specks of grey)
Rin: cold, dignified (four-tails, ice-like fur)
Tomoko: child of wisdom (three-tails, brown fur)
Umeko: plum child (two-tails, peach-like fur)
Akane: deep red (one-tails, red fur)
Her male court and advisors:
Isamu: courage, bravery (three-tails, mauve fur)
Manabu: studious (four-tails, copper-like fur)
Hiroki: big tree (three-tails, green fur)
Masao: righteous (one-tails, white fur)
Takeru: warrior (two-tails, pale brown fur)
Yuudai: grandeur (four tails, sand-like fur)
Konoha: leaf (six-tails, blood red fur)
The kitlings:
Kiyoshi: the quiet one (two-tails)
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