The Princess
It is for the peace of the world, Kaguya Otsutsuki convinced herself as she looked at the fruit from the tree.
Her hands reached up to the fruit – the red fruit her clan had been protecting for years and years – and plucked it. The fruit was no heavier than a regular apple. In fact, Kaguya thought that she won't be able to tell the difference between the Fruit of the Divine Tree with a regular apple if not for the fact that the Fruit was blood red.
Blood of the humans, spilled, and absorbed by this huge God Tree.
Her lips went closer to the fruit, her breaths erratic. This was forbidden. She was not supposed to do this.
But it was for peace, for war to stop.
At first it was just one bite, and the sour-sweetness of the fruit permeated her tongue, but there was this taste – the taste of blood – that made her weary of eating the fruit.
But nothing happened. The fruit that was supposed to grant her unbelievable power did nothing to her.
Kaguya took another bite, then another, and another, the sour-sweetness of the Fruit entrancing her tongue. By the time she realized, the fruit was no longer in her hands.
But still nothing happened.
Kaguya scowled, disappointed at the lack of reaction from eating the Fruit of the Divine Tree.
There was a crack from the hole of the cave where the Tree stood, followed by another crack of thunder and the rush of wind. Kaguya screamed in pain – not because of the earthquake, not because of the storm – as her body twisted and churned.
It was painful
There was a rip of something – another dimension? – and slowly, surely, the Divine Tree, the tree that was supposed to be static and unmoving, danced.
Then, all of the chaos ended as suddenly as it started. Kaguya slowly gained back her bearing, feeling the slight trickle of power growing inside her. Her breaths came in heavy, labored, breath as she propped her body with her arms.
When Kaguya looked up, the Divine Tree was no longer in front of her.
And in place of the Divine Tree, lies a woman – an unconscious woman.
.o0o.o0o.
The woman was like a wisp of colored smoke. Kaguya could see her, but any attempt to touch the strange woman to help her somehow failed. Kaguya's hand passed through her, just like how it would in air. She searched for ways to carry her to an appropriate place for a lady to rest, but anything that comes into contact with the strange woman, either it be a wooden stick or her chakra, passed her like nothing.
So she settled on waiting the woman to wake up.
The woman, as Kaguya later found out, was from an entirely new dimension, which explains her spirit-like body.
It was a dimension where people tried to avoid war when possible, a dimension where the lands were divided into several mainland with the names such as 'America', 'Asia', 'Europe' and 'Africa'. A place where the buildings can reach the height of the Divine Tree. A world where humans are completely powerless, but was capable of creating things called technology that serves them as entertainment and aide and transport.
And Kaguya found herself intrigued by such world.
It was a world where the universal language that Kaguya used was labeled as Japanese, originating from Japan, which was located in Asia. And that this… 'Japanese Language' was one of the many languages in the strange woman's world.
The woman – Jessica Huang – hailed from a land called 'Korea', also located in Asia. It was by chance that the dimension traveler knew the bare basics of this 'Japanese' language, or else Kaguya wouldn't have understood a thing the other girl said.
She'll have to further educate her in this language, if only so that this stranger will tell her more stories about her world.
Kaguya brought her to this world, this woman is her responsibility. She'll teach her, protect her, and find a way for her to return to the other world. This was a small price compared to the peace of her world.
.o0o.o0o.
"Kaguya, don't you think it's weird?"
"What is weird, my dear Traveler?"
"You ate such a divine fruit but still required human necessities such as sleep and food, and yet I, a mere normal human who cannot even hope to do feats like you, does not require them?"
"My dear, you forgot, you are a traveler who was summoned the day the Divine Tree disappeared."
"I missed touching something… feeling the wind, eating foods, the feel of sunlight. I missed my world, were I can just manage my online shops and wait for cash to come."
"Shhh, child, I'll make sure to return you home. Don't worry, I'll rip through every dimension to find your home. This is one promise I will never forget."
.o0o.o0o.
The Nine Tailed
When he first opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of his fellow brethren - the Tailed Beast, his mind supplied – all huddled around in a circle surrounding a grey skinned human with horns.
He stretched his paws forward, feeling the relief when his back cracked, before he straightened again.
"Now, you need a name, don't you? It's unpleasant to be labeled as only the Tailed Beast."
And he was named Kurama, Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox. He purred happily when the human – now known as Hagoromo Otsutsuki – scratched a certain spot behind his ears.
His ears twitched when he heard a sudden chuckle of a presence he had not noticed. His head swiveled to the direction of the sound, his eyes rested on another human, but this human was smaller and does not have the grey skin Hagoromo has. Instead, this human's hair of many color, from blonde in the roots of the hair, to light brown, to a darker brown, before ending in a strong blood red.
"They are not as what I've imagined," this other human chuckled, "They are cute, and not as big as I've imagined!"
His human – Hagoromo – sighed. "You cannot rely on the story you liked to read before you came to this world."
The other human chuckled, approaching them before resting the hands on the head of Shukaku the One-Tailed Raccoon of the sand, only for the hand to pass through. The human scowled, before shrugging and twirling away with wisps of smoke. "I only know how they'll be when they are all grown up, so to see them as cute as this… I can't really help it."
"Just remember that you are not allowed to change the future," Hagoromo said, "Not unless it will end in world destruction."
"2 of your descendants will be saving the world by that time. I was just offering a chance to prevent all of that from happening, but since you are against it…"
"There's no guarantee that the world will be truly safe. There might be other threats."
"Okay, okay. I don't want to listen to another one of your lecture, old man."
"I'm not old."
"Think what you will, Sage of Six Path."
And with that, the human turned around and disappeared in wisps.
.o0o.o0o.
It's odd…
It's been about 70 years, she had drifted along in this world – the Naruto world, a famous story back in her home world. Kaguya was dead, but she knew Kaguya will return back with vengeance in the far far future. Her hope to leave this world was now gone, she continued to drift aimlessly, but she had never needed to sleep and eat in the past 50 years, and yet now…
Now… her eyes where feeling heavy, as if she wanted to sleep…
She welcomed the now-foreign feeling of sleepiness, curling herself in the soft covers of the leaves, drowsing into nothingness.
When she reopened her eyes, she realized she had spent about 50 years in deep slumber.
"Ahh… it seems my body followed a different rule for time."
.o0o.o0o.
Kurama hadn't remembered much of his first meeting with the human – he was still young, and he understood only the bare basics of the human tongue. So in the next meeting with the human – even when the meeting was rather unexpected – he finally identified the human as a woman.
"Fancy seeing you here wrecking havoc."
Surprised by the presence, Kurama had tried to lash at her, thinking that she was one of those humans warring against each other and disturbing his rest. Thankfully, the human reacted quickly enough and disappeared in wisps, very much like how Kurama saw the first time, before appearing once more not far from him.
"You live stubbornly long for a human," Kurama stated absentmindedly. It has been about two century since his birth, and if his knowledge about humans served him right, she should be dead right now. Even Hagoromo, who he heard from human legend as one of the strongest, became wrinkly and passed away. This woman shouldn't be any different.
"I do," the woman hummed, looking around at the corpses littered around from his earlier outburst. "Do you know that these people are Hagoromo's grand-grand-grand-something-children?"
"Is that so?" Kurama asked, unrepentant of his deeds, "Their skins are white, not grey like Hagoromo. And they don't have horns."
The human just chuckled. "Their skin will lose their white color to the normal human tone as they give birth. It was a sign that the Otsutsuki blood in their veins are disappearing. The one with red eyes are Indra's descendant. The one that can change and summon wood are Azura's descendant. They will continue to war against each other."
"Hmph. As if I care."
"Geez, you were so cute back then. But now that you've grown, your attitude has also grown. You shouldn't have slaughtered humans like that."
"Humans are puny. They are weak and annoying. Look, you are only slightly taller than my knees." To prove his point, he rested his paw on the ground beside the human and measured her height. "See?"
The human sighed. "Fine, fine. Do what you wish then."
It was only after the human disappeared that Kurama remembered to ask her for her name.
.o0o.o0o.
She was in a panic.
There was a girl, in front of her, unconscious, and slowly dying of blood loss.
And she can't do a god damn thing because she was just that – a ghost, an apparition, someone who will pass through any object and continue to float in air.
But she continued to hover around her, until she accidentally lost her balance in air, her body falling into the unconscious girl's body.
And then she could feel it, the breezes of the wind, the dancing grass, the pain in her head where the blood was dripping.
She ignored the exhilarating sensation of being able to feel once more in favor of going to the nearby village.
.o0o.o0o.
Their third meeting was hundreds of years later, in a place that all the Tailed Beasts considered as home. Kurama had stayed here for the first 100 years since the death of Hagoromo before he had gotten bored and decided to go out of the barrier.
It was the Main Otsutsuki Clan compound, in the depths of the earth, protected by the thick barriers that all the Otsutsuki clan members helped put up before they disappeared. It was cut off from the world, as if this place was an entirely new dimension. No human knew of this place, and the barriers prepared the illusions, traps and protection against the outside world, not to mention the fact that it was a huge underground cave, with no connection to the upper ground save some well guarded secret entrances and a huge, well hidden hole that showed the moon.
It was the only place that the Tailed Beast agreed to not fight in.
Kurama lied on the clearing, head swiveling around to take in the sight that he had left long ago. There were those old human houses made of stones and wood, but the woods are old and rotting. Then to his right was a lake he didn't remember existed. Water dripped from the cave stalactites into the lake. Curious, he stood up and approached the lake.
The water in the lake was red. Blood red.
Kurama leaned his head forward to the water and sniffed at the water.
"It's blood. You don't need to smell it."
Kurama turned around in surprise, his gaze landed on a familiar human before he growled. "You shouldn't do that."
"I didn't mean to do this." The human smiled, "I am naturally unnoticeable. Hagoromo and your siblings have trouble to spot where I am. You're not the only one."
Kurama faced the lake once more, ignoring the puny human as she talked.
"I was blending in well with a certain clan, possessing the poor soul of a girl," the human continued, "It was just yesterday that I went out to collect the berries for the clan, and then when I went back to the clan compound, I found it in ruins under Shukaku! After I talked to him, I found out that he destroyed my temporary clan because of you! I had to leave the girl's body because her mentality took a huge hit!"
"Me? And what did I do to deserve that accusation?"
"Shukaku said that Kurama believes that the number of tails determines the strength. And Shukaku told me that if that is so, doesn't that mean he will be the weakest among the Tailed Beasts? That was why he started razing around like crazy! You are the root!"
"It is the truth. I am the strongest."
The human sighed as she walked closer to the lake, mumbling something about 'insufferable stubborn beasts'.
"Shinju, the Divine Tree, used to stand here, protected by the Otsutsuki Clan." The human said as she gestured the vast lake. "The tree grew from the spilled blood of the humans all over the world. The blood was absorbed by the ground, and was brought down here through the stalactites and stalagmites."
Kurama had heard of Shinju. Hagoromo said that it was a tree that bears a powerful fruit. But Hagoromo had never mentioned about the Otsutsuki's protection.
"So where is the tree now?" Kurama asked, curious.
"The tree is in several places now." the human said as she pointed up to the moon. "One of the places is up there."
"And the other places?"
"Somewhere in this earth, prowling," the human said as she stared at him, as if taunting him with something that only she knows. "Who knows? They kept on travelling, but I do know of the current location of one piece of the tree. Though I am not telling you."
Kurama clicked his tongue.
"Hagoromo had never mentioned how you were born, hasn't he?"
Kurama shook his head.
"Then it is no place for me to tell you. I need to go in search of another human civilization, and another poor body to possess. See you next time then."
"Wait! Human. Your name."
The human stopped from her steps. "Hmm?"
"What is your name, human."
"My name is Jessica Huang. Just call me Shika, because my name is unusual in this world."
With that, the human, now known as Shika – Deer - , disappeared in wisps.
.o0o.o0o.
She no longer bothered to keep track of the time she spent in this world. The only thing she looked forward to is only the return of Kaguya, which was still far in the future.
Her wish remained the same, she wanted to go home, to stop this mess and return to her beloved routine of earning online cash, and only Kaguya proofed capable of ripping dimensions.
She found out she can possess any human, so she possessed an unlucky soul, changing bodies as they got old or close to death. She may be a ghost, but she yearned the little things like human contacts, the feel of nature, a slight pain, everything a normal human needs to do.
She would've gotten insane without these little things. It reminded her that she was human.
The only time she didn't possess someone was when she had gotten sleepy –truly sleepy- after about 70 years, a cue for her to slumber for about the next 50 years. It was at this period that she returned to the Otsutsuki Cave and sleeps her share.
.o0o.o0o.
The Ghostly Traveler
It was one of the rare times that she was without any host while being awake.
Usually, when she was without any physical body, she was always careful to not appear in any human view. She had always watched out, careful to hide.
That was why it came as a shocker to her when a couple of merchants burst into one of her well hidden caves, hidden under an old tree, shielded by its roots and the surrounding grass.
The merchants, two men in their prime, together with a teenage girl, were all disheveled, clothes torn, scratches here and there, occasional bruise, their hands holding some sturdy and luxurious box, perhaps some sort of treasure inside…
Shika contemplated of possessing the teenage girl or the younger man, but she shook her head at the thought. Possessing someone when there are other people in the vicinity doesn't bode really well for her. She might need to kill those she does not possess, and killing had always left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Well, what do we have here, runaway heirs of a prominent clan?" Shika leaned forward for a better look of the trespassers. "What's inside this pretty little box, hmm?"
Without any sort of warning, the oldest and fattest one took out his huge fist and charged at her. Shika calmly took the attack, letting the huge brawler pass through her harmlessly.
And then it was followed by the girl, who calmly collected some sort of black substance into the form of a scythe, twisting the scythe as to off her. The scythe passed through her harmlessly.
That was when Shika realized that the girl was actually materializing her shadow.
Shadow.
Nara Clan
The fat one
Akimichi Clan
Then the last one, who didn't involved himself directly in the fight, whose eyes kept on observing and watching for a slight weakness.
Yamanaka Clan
Shika laughed, causing the whole occupant of the cave to freeze in astonishment.
"How about let us stop this fight?" Shika offered, "Since you've proven yourself interesting, I'll help you little runaways."
Right now, the only one who has their own clan's special skills was the Nara ancestor. The Akimichi and Yamanaka ancestor doesn't seem to have any special ninja skills their descendants will have.
The Yamanaka ancestor stepped up, "Our Young Mistress is the Kuroikage heir, Mina Kuroikage, and our other companion is Chouga while I am Inozumi. The both of us serve the Young Mistress."
Her guess is right.
As it turns out, Kuroikage is a well known merchant family, but was recently wiped out by ninjas. It just happens that the Kuroikage teaches their young with a technique they had accidentally found out, the technique of chakra control to mold the shadow. It was only thanks to this that the Young Mistress managed to escape.
The Young Mistress swore on revenge, and that she will rebuild her clan.
And Shika offers her help.
.o0o.o0o.
The Young Mistress had her wishes fulfilled. She settled down and has a family of her own. The same goes to her two faithful body guards.
To forever remember the spirit that had aided her, she built a shrine in remembrance and thanks. The shrine was guarded and well taken care of, even after hundreds of years passed.
To forever remind her descendants of the spirit that had rebuilt her clan, she created the tradition of naming the clan heirs with the name 'Shika'.
And in her obsession with 'Shika', she grows an obsession with Deers, and she scourge for the Deer Summoning Scrolls.
What used to be a clan of merchants rose in power and name, becoming one of the rare families of 'blessed' people, their business smooth sailing, and their powers evolving.
They spread the word of a wandering spirit who grants wishes, who brings fortunes to their family.
And the story reached far and beyond. Many people can attest to the existence of a spirit with red hair tips.
And the grandson of the Young Mistress smiled, sharing a knowing glance with his two companions. In his hands were the scrolls written by his grandmother when she was possessed by the spirit.
"Do not open the scroll. Guard it with your life. Shika-dono will need it in the future. Our descendants will need it." His grandmother said.
And the three descendants held their hands together, sharing a mission that the god – Shika no Kami – had assigned them.
.o0o.o0o.
The One Who Yearns for Peace
Hashirama Senju didn't believe it.
He has heard of the children's stories, about a 'Red-Tipped Shika', 'Shika no Kami', a wandering spirit who helps people fulfill their wish. The shrine of Shika was built in various places, her stories spread and passed down.
He didn't expect the story to be true.
Most of all, he didn't expect the story to come true in the form of a woman wearing a weird clothes with multiple color of hairs.
It seems that 'Red Tipped' refers to how her multiple colored hair ended in a strong blood red.
And he didn't expect her to be hollering at him angrily, even with his wife, Mito Uzumaki, present.
"Did you not listen to me, huh? I told you to give me a few more moments! I am capable enough to talk down the Tailed Beast! What are you thinking, sealing a sentient being? They will be ballistic when they managed to free themselves!"
Hashirama, in the presence that could be considered as god, can only prostrate and ask for forgiveness.
He was fighting against Madara, trying to convince him to stop his attacks, but it was to no avail. Madara had decided to betray Konoha, even going as far as using the Kyuubi to kill him. The moment his wood release pierced Madara's heart, the Kyuubi went into a rampage. Thankfully Mito was nearby, she quickly thought of a seal and sealed the Kyuubi.
Problem was, the moment Madara fell, and Kyuubi went into a rampage, this girl, god, spirit, appeared and told him and Mito to cease all actions, to let her handle the situation.
At that moment, he didn't know that this girl was the 'Red-Tipped Shika', and thought that the Kyuubi was way out of her league, ignoring her in favor of attacking the Kyuubi.
And now the god spirit was hollering angrily.
"Hah… forget it," she sighed, "That fox will be angry either way. He's too willful. Just don't. Don't ever try to seal sentient beings again. It won't end well in the future."
And with that, she disappeared in wisps of mists.
.o0o.o0o.
It was the Kage Meeting, and they were complaining about how unfair it was for Konoha to have a Tailed Beast as part of the military force.
He swore it was only in the moment of haste, the Kage Meeting was getting out of hand, and he was getting distressed, the promise he made with Red-Tipped Shika was shoved to the back of his mind, and he blurted out a grave promise.
It was a promise to seal every Tailed-Beast and divide them among the rest of the Great Hidden Village.
A day after the last of the Tailed Beast was sealed, 9 great shinobis of all the Great Hidden Villages, all 9 well known for their loyalty and services to their own villages, become a traitor.
They wrecked havoc on the village, killing everyone in their sight until they were killed. When their body was checked, each has a number marked on them.
The number '9' for the sole traitor in Konohagakure, the number '2' and '8' for the two traitors of Kumogakure, the number '1' on the body of Sunagakure's sole traitor.
His blood ran cold. He doesn't need to check the rest of the traitors' bodies to know what happened. The other Kages waved it off, and only he, Hashirama, truly know what was transpiring.
For every Tailed Beast in each village, there will be a traitor, their bodies marked with the number of tails of each Village's Tailed Beast.
And Hashirama belatedly realize just how angry Shika no Kami was with him.
.o0o.o0o.
A/N:
Jessica used the name Shika because the people there found her name odd, so she shortened it into Shika, an easier sounding name for them.
Coincidentally, 'Shika' also means deer. so 'Shika no Kami' means Deer god. It becomes her nick name, with her being an untouchable spirit and whatnot.