Hello everyone!
Welcome to my first fanfiction. I've never really written anything on this scale before, so criticism is welcomed. I hope you, the reader, enjoy it.
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own the people and such that are not part of the original story. (OCs)
Prologue
Joyous song and laughter floated around the compound as the day's celebration came to its conclusion. The day signified their young heiress's 7th birthday and her soon to be entrance to the Academy. The small girl showed promise, even above the clan leaders before her. She realized what a great honor it was to be able to become a kunoichi. Only the head family can become shinobi, she remembered her mother tell her. People sang their congratulations as she walked by, a smile playing on her lips the entire time. Her legs strode gracefully down the main street to the main house. A feeling washed over her and she stopped to look up at her mother walking beside her.
"What is it Mirai-chan?" the woman said, her kindness and slight concern showing in her voice.
"… It's nothing 'kaa-chan," the child said with a smile. She pushed down the sudden feeling of foreboding when her mother returned the smile with one of her own.
"If you say so. We're almost home, and I know you must be tired after today," her mother teased.
"No way!" Mirai ran ahead to the entrance of their home. She waited for her mother and they said their last goodbyes to the rest of their clan. Both then entered the large house.
"You had a big day, so time for bed, ne?"
"Yes 'kaa-chan."
Mirai skipped down the main hall, turning down an adjacent hall to the wing that held her room. She began to run, only to be tripped by a young man with the same resemblance to her.
"How do you expect to become clan leader and a kunoichi when you're such a klutz?" he teased. She looked up at him, puffing out her cheeks.
"That's cruel, Akira-nii," she huffed.
"Then watch where you walk." He shrugged before helping her off the floor. She stuck her tongue out at him enticing a chuckle. Akira placed a hand on his younger sister's head. She smiled and gave him two thumbs up.
"I will, Akira-nii! Promise!" Mirai hugged her brother tightly. He laughed and returned the embrace.
"Now, go to bed. I'm waking you up extra early to start training. You have only seven months until the Academy starts and I want you to knock 'em dead on your first day." Mirai stared up at him horrified.
"D-dead?!"
"It's an expression…" Akira deadpanned.
"Oh! Hai!" Mirai saluted to him and ran to her room. She opened the sliding door and turned.
"'Night, Akira-nii!" she called out before closing the door and jumping onto her futon, falling asleep seconds later.
Akira let out a chuckle
"Goodnight, Imouto," he lightly said, entering his own room.
Mirai awoke to the sound of voices in her room.
"Is that really the darkness child?" one said in disbelief at the sight of the small girl on the futon.
"Oi, looks can be deceiving. That fox demon brat looks like a normal kid," the other warned.
"At any rate, let's snag the little bitch before she wakes up and screams." Mirai feels herself being picked up by one of the men and carried out the window.
"How much do you think we can get for her on the market?"
"Don't know, but that black chakra could get us a high price if we can get her to use it."
Black chakra? Mirai thinks to herself. Having enough of being carried, Mirai screams at the top of her lungs and twists around in her capture's grasp to bite his arm.
"Ouch! You little-"the man shouts, effectively dropping her.
"You'll pay for that." He readies his hand to strike her when a kunai flies past his head into a nearby tree.
"Leave her alone, or else the next one won't miss," Akira growls, stopping a few meters behind them. Mirai sees her brother and goes to run to him. She's stopped by her other kidnapper.
"You little shit, you'll pay for that!" the man originally carrying Mirai exclaims, pulling out a kunai of his own and rushing at Akira. Akira pulled another kunai from his weapons pouch, clashing with the man. They clash several more times before Akira manages to slash a cut on the man's cheek. He stumbled back with a sneer, then a smirk. The second man appears behind Akira, grapping him. He struggles against the grip, but fails to break free. The cut man's grin turns to an evil smile.
"This will teach ya not to play hero, 'ya little bastard."
The man punches Akira in the gut, making him cough blood. He beats the young man. Mirai stands in shock, wide-eyed.
"Time to end it."
The man takes his kunai in hand, tracing Akira's jaw with it. He quickly slashes it across his neck. Blood pours from the gash and the second man drops Akira. Mirai breaks from her stupor and runs to his body. She drops to her knees in her brother's blood and shakes him lightly.
"Akira-nii!' Tears stream from her eyes. He looks at her with glazed eyes and speaks softly.
"B-be g-g-good for 'kaa-san… I-I'm s-sorry, Mirai-chan," He smiles slightly and closes his eyes, taking his last choked breath.
"Akira-nii? A-Akira-nii!" Mirai shakes him harder.
"AKIRA-NII!" she screams. The man who killed her brother walks up behind her.
"Looks like there's no one to save you now." He reaches out to her, but recoils when he notices the black aura surrounding her. Mirai slowly gets up, her crying stopped. She turns to them. The men shriek in fear as the last thing they see is the crazed smile she wore as she rips them to shreds.
