Papa Constantine

Chapter 1

Night had already fallen by the time Constantine has reached the outskirts of his destination, a village with unusually high dark energy levels and an even more secretive populous. He had received information through some trustworthy sources that a week prior that something bad was happening in this village and not being one to miss a beat Constantine jumped on the earliest unlicensed available and headed to Konoha. He reached out to his local contact to arrange transportation to the afflicted area. At this moment in time, he was trudging through a dense forest whilst rain was falling on his dishevelled hair and soaking through his jacket. The rain was cold yet the climate was warm, which left Constantine believing that this rain was linked to the energy he searched for. He reached his hand into his tanned coat and pulled out a small amulet in the shape of an owl. Clasping the amulet in his hands, Constantine closed his eyes and began to recite an incantation. It was a simple spell that would speed up his search as Constantine felt this energy was different, malicious yet not something he had dealt with before, maybe it wasn't even from hell. Constantine opened his eyes and could see clearly in the dark environment, the spell worked and he could not move on without fear of tripping over something, or bumping into a local.

Constantine had heard stories of this area from many people in the occult field. Many would state that the people in this area were highly secretive to the point that put many occult societies to shame. Constantine never put much stock in hear say, but better to be safe than sorry. Trudging towards where he felt the energy emanating Constantine could feel a change in the air, not the typical sulphur taste that appears when a demon was around. It was more like a sweet taste but heated. He could tell something was on fire, his eyesight lit up and he could feel the embers in his throat. Constantine could see shapes in the flames but even with his enhanced eyesight, he could not make them out. He could hear something though; heavy breathing and something that sounded like an animal yet when it roared Constantine could feel the energy emanating from it. Constantine threw the locket back into his coat and began running towards the shapes fearing whatever was releasing that energy.

Constantine approach and opening, he could see that the fighting was up ahead yet as he drew closer, he could feel the energy fading away, like it was being sucked away by a cosmic vacuum. He doubled his pace and burst through dense woodland environment into a lush green clearing. There was no sign of fire here yet Constantine could feel the air was heated, whatever caused the fire was here yet he could no longer sense it. In the centre of the clearing, Constantine could see the body of a man and woman who appeared to be gone from this mortal world. Constantine approached the two people and knelt down beside them getting a better look at their faces. The man appeared to have been impaled through the stomach whilst he was performing some incantation. Maybe that is what sucked the energy away from here, unfortunately this poor soul wasn't able to save himself. He had spikey blonde hair and blue eyes, which seemed unusually more at peace than what Constantine was typically used to.

The woman on the other hand had fiery red hair and violet coloured eyes. Having not seen someone like this in London, he assumed she must be a local or perhaps linked to the events, which had just occurred. Constantine saw the way the woman was holding onto the man's clothing, in fear yet it showed happiness and care. These two were obviously in love yet how did they die, or better yet why did they die. They both appeared healthy with no reason to summon a demon for their own betterment yet they had both died at the hands of a powerful occult being the likes of which Constantine had never even heard about. As he surveyed the area for any signs of the entity, he could see small flames coming through the woods in his direction. This must be the lovely locals he'd heard so much about. Constantine rummaged through his coat pocket for a small trinket he always held, pushing many scraps of paper and other occult items out of the way he finally grasped it in his hand. He placed the trinket against the man's forehead and began to speak in Latin, nothing happened. He smiled at least the smile on his face was not ruined by a demon. He moved the trinket and repeated the incantation over the woman's forehead; a small vibration hit Constantine's hand but quickly faded away. Constantine guessed that this woman had been possessed by whatever entity and her partner had fought it and managed to banish it but not before losing their lives. He bowed his head towards the couple and said a few words, moreover for his own conscience.

"Dammit why does this world love fucking up nice people like this! Well I assume you're nice guys but still I hate losing people who fight the good fight. Well I can say to you both I consider you friends as my friends usually die and I would have loved to have met you sooner, might've fixed this fucked up situation. Rest in Peace friends and enjoy your rest."

He palmed the trinket and turned away from the couple and started to walk towards the woods he entered when he heard what sounded like crying from behind himself, not an adult crying but a child. He returned to the couple and looked beneath the woman's body. Nestled beneath her bundled in a blanket and protected from the rain was a small child, no more than a few hours old with blonde hair sprouting from her scalp. The child did not understand what had happened but obviously wanted attention. Constantine leant over and picked up the child, the sudden vibration from the trinket nearly causing him to drop the child. Constantine's faces turned pale and his wrinkled forehead grew deeper.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! What the fuck has this kid done to deserve this!?"

Constantine put the trinket back in his coat and looked at the child, nothing appearance wise stood out to him, only that the child had what looked like whisker marks on her face. He then realise this was a little baby girl he held in his arms. Much to his dismay, some form of demon also possessed her. Constantine looked away and wanted to cry, life was too precious that such an innocent life would be committed to ruin before that life had truly begun. He muttered a small incantation whilst placing a hand over the child's stomach. There was a small flash of light and some form of ward appeared on the child's flesh, which quickly faded away. Constantine's eyes went wide in disbelief and he quickly shook himself back.

The shouts of anger had begun to reach his ears at this point and he could see shadows brandishing torches coming from the treeline. He didn't think he just ran back the way he came, clutching in his arms an innocent life he vowed to protect and heal whatever it took. Bundling through the woods he kept his eyes pried for anyone or anything in his way, nothing thankfully he was in the clear. By the time he'd reached the main road the rain had begun to subside and the night sky seemed to be brightening.

"Well I don't know about you little one but I could use a smoke and some rest what about you?"

The child looked up with bright blue eyes and seemed to smile at Constantine. He smiled back and proceeded to pull out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. He paused and looked down at the child.

"Damn I'm not much of a guardian if you hadn't guessed but I'll give it a shot, just don't go calling me dad or anything. Call me John when you get older."

John put the cigarettes away and proceeded the walk in the direction of the local town he had departed from the previous day. Hours later he arrived, out of breath and a little crabby from not being able to smoke but happy. He walked up to his hotel room and fiddled with the lock whilst muttering the disarming incantations for his trap spells. John pushed the door open and flicked the nearby light switch on. The room was drab, no colour just the basics of a hotel, they did not even have any tea or coffee facilities. John walked over to the bed, put the child down, and threw his coat over a nearby chair. He walked over to the bathroom and splashed some cold water onto his face, the reflection echoing back a horror story of a man. John was not the best-looking man around but he had a charm and with his looks and his words he had been able to get anywhere with minimal fuss. But now the years were catching up with him, his hair was dishevelled and white hairs were beginning to spring up. His roguish good looks were now showing more age along with an accompaniment of scars from his numerous bad decisions. His body had taken the worst beating, usually quite athletic and well kept, John now looked like he had stopped eating and been hiding from the sun. He dried his face off and walked over to the child.

"Right you little tyke, what's your name, where did you come from and what the hell am I going to do with you?"

The little girl smiled and laughed at John, probably the accent most people in foreign lands either couldn't understand John's accent or laughed at it.

"Hey I didn't say you could laugh at me. I'm an extremely powerful sorcerer and I eat babies like you for breakfast."

John picked the child up and laughed, spinning around and feeling a renewed joy and happiness in his life. As he spun the child round a small piece of paper slid out from the blankets and landed on the concrete floor. John picked it up and looked at it. Whatever it was it wasn't in any dialect he knew and could say anything for all he knew.

"What this? A recipe for chicken noodle soup your parents left you or maybe it's something more important. Just pisses me off why nothing is ever in English anymore. Oh well least I can show you some magic."

John put the child back on the bed and placed the note on the bedside table. John quickly began to speak an incantation whilst slowly moving his hands over the paper. The characters on the paper began to rearrange themselves into their English equivalent. John picked up the paper and read it in his head.

"Please protect our child. She has so much to live for and we wished we could be there for her. She is not a monster and not a demon. She is our child and no matter what we will watch over her from wherever we are. Whoever you are we thank you and hope to meet you again one day as well as see our child."

John scratched his head at that last part, unless this kid's parents were in hell he probably would not see them again. John figured they would be sent to heaven for their self-sacrifice for their child. John had a cigarette in his mouth before he knew it and was already ready to light it. He looked down at the child and then walked over to the window, cracked it open and learned against the wall.

"Sorry kid, bad habit but I ain't planning on giving up anytime soon. Now let's see if this note has anything important on it, like what kinda thing is living inside you or your name. Either would be good right now as I'm getting tired of calling you kid."

John continued to read the note. It mostly contained the wishes of her parents to look after and care for her and to keep her safe from those wishing to obtain the power inside of her. The power didn't have a name, maybe the incantation had been unable to translate it into English but it did give John a symbol he could research. The note ended and the last words echoed in Johns mind.

"Do not let the darkness win. We are within you always our darling Nahiko. Forever until the end your loving parents."

The letter was signed by Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze. The Second name rang a distinct bell in John's head; he had heard that name before but where. Then it hit him, he rushed over to his suitcase and ran his finger along the spine of the suitcase before slamming his fist onto it. *Click*. This suitcase was special, magically sealed to only open to John and containing everything from magical tomes and elixirs to random items John had chucked in on a hunch that had never arrived. He opened a small zipper compartment on the side of the suitcase and pulled out his journal. It detailed every job he had ever done whether successful or not and detailed every person he'd dealt with. John was a stickler for ensuring he met the person before he agreed to do the work, but this time when John had ventured to the back end of the world he'd followed his gut and boarded a plane all based on a single letter he had received three days prior.

"There it is! This must be your old man's doing little one. He requested my help with the entity and asked me to come immediately. Guess I was too slow. Why did I feel the need to just up and jet off around the world based on a letter from a guy I'd never heard of before?"

John re-read the letter and could not figure out what had stood out so much to him the first time. He flicked his cigarette out of the window and carried on reading. It looked like the standard letter he'd receive from someone asking for his help yet something jumped out at him the first time he read it. Then he caught it. The letter was long and full of details that sounded like a bog standard demon gig but upon reading the first letter of every line John found it, the one thing which could get him on a plane in minutes.

"John, Midnite seeks to unleash hell on earth. He has help. Hurry."

John figured Midnite might be up to something as he had been eerily quiet from Manhattan in recent weeks, but John could not figure out what power he was attempting to gain. Well John figured out what power Midnite wanted, this child. John picked up the note and put them together. The seams of the pages joined up and as John turned over the page he could see something written there.

"Teach her to defend herself John, Nahiko has a great power inside her that you will have to teach her about. John, understand that if something happens and you have to act. Choose to save Nahiko and take from her that power unto yourself. Be safe John, speak to you soon. Minato"

"Fucking hell, your dad is a right character. I don't know who he thinks I am but I'm more of a reckless dickhead who rushes in head first and figures everything out while I run."

John paused for a second. He had met Minato years before when they were both searching for a new incantation, John needed it to banish his daughter back to hell and Minato required it to save a village from a rival tribe. They had become friends on their journey and enjoyed one another's company until they reached the end of their journey. Minato had asked John to come back to his village and learn their skills with chakra and abilities. John had declined stating he had a lot to do in the world and with him gone new demons would attempt as much destruction elsewhere in the world. Minato had accepted this and given John a book on basic chakra techniques.

John smiled at the memory and realised something else Minato had said to him.

"One day John you will realise there is more to life than stopping demons and saving the world. You need to think smaller and enjoy what time you have alive and pass your knowledge on."

John originally thought Minato just wanted him to document his knowledge but now he understood. John had children previously, but they were more demon than human and were more inclined in destruction and following their mothers' orders to kill him than going on family days out. Maybe Minato had known this, he did seem knowledgeable about John's exploits and maybe he figured John needed redemption but nothing to do with heaven or hell. Maybe Minato had wanted John to be a father much like he had talked about on the journey and upon realising the end was upon him he had given John the hardest mission ever.

"Crap. How am I supposed to be a father to you kid? I can't even say your name properly. Is it Na-hi-ko? Jesus why couldn't it be simpler like Jill or Jane. Well guess we'll just have to make a go at it then. Are you ready kid?"

John pick Nahiko up and smiled, bringing forth a chuckle from her that made John laugh. It might be hard for John to pass her off as his daughter if he stayed in public with her but he had a hide away in America he could jump to and a few friends he could call upon to give him a hand. He put Nahiko back on the bed and then pulled out his phone and another cigarette. He needed to get them both out of the country and to American as soon as possible, who knew when Midnite would show up or someone else looking for power. John spoke with his local contact and requested four things, a car with a child seat, a flight to America for parent and child, a passport for the child in the name of Nahiko Constantine and finally nappies, toys, baby food and anything else a new-born baby might need.

"This is going to be a long night kid. You get some shuteye and I'll sort out a new life for you. It's what your parents wanted and it's the least I can do for Minato. Old bastard has a funny way of showing up after all these years with a kid for me. Not to mention that fucker Papa Midnite and whoever he's working with. I'll avenge your parents Nahiko and I'll look after you as best I can, but don't expect a miracle. I'm more of a guesswork kind of guy when it comes to new things."

Nahiko laughed at every word John said. He smiled and took a drag off his cigarette.

"Least you like me. Guess that means we're off to a good start. But listen up Nahiko, I'm a tough guy to live with. I eat very loud, smoke like a chimney in Newcastle and swear so much I'd make a fucking nun faint. But if you can deal with that then we'll get on famously."

John held up a hand to initiate a handshake with Nahiko. She just looked at this giant hand in front of her and laughed.

"Guess it was too much to hope for a super baby."

Nahiko grabbed Johns hand with both of hers and shook it with all her might. John smiled and looked at Nahiko. Nahiko smiled back at John and laughed before letting her eyelids get the better of her and drifting away to sleep.

"Sleep tight little one. I won't let you down."

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