Letters to Moirae

A Yondaime Tale

by midnightdragoness

Disclaimer: When pigs fly.

"The world turns on its axis, and our fates weave just as crookedly. I look at what we have become now, and wonder where this all began."

Fire.

For all the light it gives, it would destroy too. The price of its brightness is the wood which it devours.

Screams eclipsed the unnatural rays of the crimson night. The smoldering glow of flame ate away at Konoha, thrashing and consuming with hunger. The air was charged and chaos excreted from the pores of every person. The smell or burnt corpses coughed up.

The door opened and blue eyes darted to the man standing in the frame of woodwork; a chuunin, young and with a long scar across his cheek.

"Lord Hokage?" There was fear and trust in his brown eyes.

He nodded, speaking in the quiet, calm voice he was renowned for. "I will be there in a moment."

Without hesitation, the ninja nodded. As a far-off crash sounded, he sprinted off.

Blue eyes turned downward again, to the sprawling parchment holding neat, easy handwriting. He returned to his penmanship.

—A moment sooner, and I will be gone. Off to end this tragedy which has become my life. My life? No, ours.

Sakumo. Amaya. I.

I still love them, you know. Even when you have taken them beyond grasp, I feel for them more than any other person. Masako knew. It is what killed her in the end.

What killed us, I wonder?

I know Sakumo died from the toxicity of her absence. He became White Fang, and then one day... Sakumo woke up, unable to recognize himself.

Amaya. I suppose we killed her a little. By loving her, by giving her capacity to hurt.

And me? I am nothing but a man with a son, going to kill the shell of the woman he loves.

My son. That is why I write to you now.

It is strange, sending this letter now when all our dreams our beyond reach. In truth, I never believed in such a thing as fate. That was Amaya, her gods and her demons. But after all that has happened, I cannot help but think that perhaps there is someone out there. Someone who hates us, someone who exstinguished us. She called you the Moirae, the three sisters of fate. I know now that you have ended this story. There is nothing left to salvage. So I will not ask. I plead now only for my son,

Naruto Uzumaki.

You hated us, so pity him in penance. Do not let his name decide his fate. Do not let this story circle over upon him.

Give him no Amaya to protect, or Sakumo to admire. Keep lovers and brothers such as mine from him. Because I ended in tragedy, protect him.

Three Sisters, listen to me who you have scorned.

And please, let him not be a ninja. It is a scarred existence, a half-life.

I go now to end what you have created. It must stop, I beg with nothing left.

This is my last and only Letter to Moirae. My only call to the fates.

Sakumo, Amaya; Forgive me. I love you both.

But this dies with us.

A shaking hand released the pen, and he gathered up the parchment into a tiny roll. Stringing it, he tucked it carefully on the stomach of his sleeping infant. Those blue eyes so like his do not open. A thankful smile lines the father's lips.

"It's time, Naruto."

The air was acrid with sulfur. It's roar was resounding among the screams, a tremulous sound of blood-lust.

Bright scarlet tails lashed around the village, defiant to the work of resistant ninja.

The Kyuubi had come.

The chuunin from before spotted his emergence, babe in hand, and managed to tread over.

"Lord Hokage," He greeted with a questioning look at the child.

"Send the message," The Yondaime commanded softly. "that all forces are to retreat into a wide circle. Get out the beast's range and tend to the damage on the village."

He blinked in surprise. "M-My Lord are you—"

A sad smile was sent to him. "Please trust me this last time."

Swallowing his protest, the chuunin bowed. "As you wish."

The deep, compassionate eyes of cornflower followed his trek to Sarutobi; who frowned but signaled for the forces to retreat. They were so loyal, these ninja. His heart swelled with pride and felt like shattering; for it had grown smaller in the years. He turned to the boy in his arms. Long, golden hair touched his cheek.

"For them, I hope you understand one day."

Asleep, the child gurgled a little as if in agreement.

He bit his lip and focused on the fiery incarnation ravaging his home; stepping surely towards it.

The Kyuubi caught sight of him, and scorching eyes of sienna snarled at him. He looked, resigned, for a flutter of silver in those orbs. They were all animal, all fire and rage.

"It's okay now," He whispered in the face of death. "I am finally here."

The demon only snapped in response, forcing the man to jump in avoidance. With care, he sat his son on the ground. He was stirring, waking from the noise. The hourglass was emptying.

Capable, warm hands moved in complex seals. Toad-Monkey-Vulture

I do this for you:

Fingers slid across one another in rhythm, betraying their owner. Dragon-Wolf-Snake

Sakumo Hatake, you cheated; didn't you?

Nine-tails flashed past him, and he was thankful for the gennin days of learning how to keep up a barrier with minimum chakra by drawing from the earth's natural resources. Raven-Fox-Slug

Amaya Necro, forgive me for making you wait.

Sparks created from the attack on the dirt-barrier swirled around. Kyuubi hissed in rage, baring its teeth. Dolphin-Tiger-Rabbit

For Konoha, and for you ,my son...

The final seal burnt his hands, as if they rebelled from what he was about to do. His fingers glowed with the power of the seal, blue chakra forming. However, it was quickly stained red.

There were voices, calling and far-off; as he dropped the barrier and used the jutsu which he was so named for.

Yellow Flash.

Despite his speed, it seemed time had stopped so that everyone could watch with clarity. He was beside the head of the beast, hovering in the air for a pause. Blond hair swirled in the heat and determination etched on his well-carved face. Bleeding palms touched the forehead, the third eye, of the fire creature.

And then, as if to compensate, time sped up.

Kyuubi yelped to the skies as the red chakra ran like venom through its system, dousing the flames and searching for the core. The Yondaime took both bleeding hands and circled the disintegrating creature, as if lovers embracing. The fire was smaller, fading. He pushed the writing mass of red flame into the tiny body of the infant. By the time his bloody fingers were caressing the child's skin; black swirls had appeared and he was crying.

His son must be crying, the Fourth knew. But for some reason, he couldn't hear. All sound had ended, and his sight caved next. He was falling—splashing into a gray river and swiftly running towards the tall spires of colorless gates.

I love you... Naruto.

And on the other side of the gate, in the world of light and color; a cardinal-haired woman pushed herself up from the ground. Silver eyes scorched with agony

"Damn you, Arashi." She breathed, before she too fell. But instead of familiar waters, the air caught her and pulled her out of reach.

Few noticed her leave, as fewer saw her appearance.

And now all that was left, of the greatest team Konoha had ever known; was a blond-haired baby, crying under the pain of his burning skin.

The chapters get a lot longer after this. This is actually the ending scene, so the story is explaining how it got to this point. Hope you all liked it!

Chapter 1: A boy with no shadow, a girl with no heart, a boy with no tolerance, and a teacher with no morales. How will Konoha survive this match?

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