Soooo this is the first fanfic I have written in my life and I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the community. I really hope that this common ground between us fellow fanfic…fans help us connect towards the formation of new friendships. I am open to criticism. Just don't be harsh. I hope you enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

The Mother, the Baby and the Beast part 1

Karura stood in the middle of a huge desert, sand covering every little thing she could see. It was a scenery so familiar with her, having spent the entirety of her life in a village hidden amidst the sand that it almost made her comfortable. She knew that the desert was not really the most inviting place to be but she didn't really mind for it was her home, and the sand her weapon.

She almost believed that she was awake but a few things told her that she was asleep and dreaming. For starters, there was no wind to be felt around her. The deserts near the Hidden Sand were famous for two things: torrid climate and brutal winds. The fact that there was barely a breeze to be felt told Karura that she wasn't in her own world. The second thing she noticed was that when she tried to walk her feet did not sink into the sand for it was as resolute as a harder surface like rock or cement. She knew that this was implausible because she's had her fair share of walking in the sand and knew that sinking was part of the experience. Lastly, she noticed—and this bothered her the most—that her tummy was flat. Karura remembered that she was seven months pregnant with a child, her third, and that her belly should have been bulging except it wasn't. She frowned as she held her stomach, trying to look for the bump that should have been there but she didn't find it.

Karura began to worry. She began to feel fear actually. She knew that she was in a dream but there was a dread in her heart and mind that she couldn't shake off. Dreams like these are often omens of things to come. She didn't really feel any sort of concern for herself. Instead, she thought of her unborn child.

"My baby. Please don't let anything happen to my little boy." She said this almost as if it was a prayer, a wish that she hoped some god would hear and somehow grant. But deep in her soul, she knew that her words fell upon the sand, scattered across the desert, never to be heard by any kind of deity. She grasped her tummy tighter but the looming absence of something—of someone—that should have been there only heightened her anxiety.

"This is just a dream," Karura whispered to herself. "Nothing but a strange dream. I'll wake up and everything will be alright. It's nothing but a dream."

"Are you so sure of that?" a booming voice said aloud in response to what she said.

Karura was terrified. The voice was hostile, cruel and untamed. "Who are you?" she answered back.

"You will know me soon enough woman. Not in a dream but in person for I am coming to claim something of yours." As the voice said this, the sky turned a bright yellow and a full moon appeared on the horizon. The sand beneath Karura's feet also began swallowing her but not after it gained strange black markings. She tried to steel her will but she could not fight the fear in her heart.

"Do you understand now, Karura of the sand blade?" Despite being gripped in terror, Karura felt surprised that the entity knew her name and moniker. "This is not a dream," the voice continued. "This is a nightmare!"

She was now up to her chin in sand and could only see the large, looming moon in the sky. Before she sank completely though, she heard the wailing of an infant all around her. The sound of the cries made her realize that worse things were yet to come.

Karura got swallowed by the desert completely and everything went black.

Karura awoke with a start. She looked out the window to her right and saw that it was the early hours of the evening, just when the sun had set and darkness started taking over. She then felt her heart thumping loudly in her chest and the veins in her head pulsing with the sudden rush of blood. She was breathing heavily and the pillows and sheets in her bed were drenched in sweat. The dream definitely terrified her and it was evident even in her waking moments.

Suddenly, she recalled the absence of the bump in the dream and she sat bolt upright. She hastily removed the blanket that covered her body, unknowingly throwing it to the floor. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw her baby bump.

"Thank goodness," Karura said. "Thank goodness that you're still here." She whispered this ever so gently to her belly.

All the fear and anxiety caused by the dream seemingly melted away when she saw her swollen stomach again. In the presence of her unborn child the terror she had felt became a distant memory. Karura covered her face with her hands and started crying. Her tears drenched the bed some more and her sobs filled the room. She tried to stifle the sound by putting a hand over her mouth but it only made her shake and shiver. She didn't even understand why she was crying. Was it because of the dream she had and the voice within it? Was it because of the relief of knowing that her baby is still in her tummy? Or was it because she was pregnant and her hormones were simply running high? Karura didn't really know nor did she care to know. She just let herself cry until no tears remained to be shed.

She felt shaken. Who knew that a nap would be so stressful?

Karura stopped crying and wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks. She also started caressing her baby bump. Ever since her belly started to grow larger and rounder, she noticed that she would rub her hands tenderly all over it whenever she felt upset in an attempt to comfort herself. Somehow, it works like a charm every single time.

As if on cue, the doors to the bedroom opened and Temari and Kankuro came running in with Rasa in tow.

"Mama, you're awake! You've been sleeping aaaaall day!" yelled Kankuro as he jumped onto the right side of the bed and cuddled with her.

"No, I wasn't. I don't sleep that much you know." Karura jokingly said to her two year old as she pulled him closer for a hug and a slight peck on the forehead.

"But you were! You were sleeping! And you were rolling! And you were snoring really, really loud!" exclaimed Temari—her eldest—as she also made her way atop the bed beside her.

"Hey, I don't snore. Only your dad does that. Stop telling stories." Karura said with a smile as she started tickling both her kids. She felt even better now. This is truly the magic of her children.

Her eyes flitted over to Rasa. There was a slight smile on his face as he watched them play but Karura knew by the look in his eyes that he had something urgent to discuss. She nodded slightly towards her husband and he stepped forward towards her, Temari and Kankuro.

"Alright kids, that's quite enough. Mama needs her rest." he said in a raspy voice.

"But she just woke up." protested Temari.

"I know. But she needs some more rest. For your little brother."

"But-" Temari started again.

"No buts." Rasa replied in his usual firm tone. "Go wash up and eat dinner. Then you can play some more."

"What about you Mama? Will you eat dinner?" Kankuro implored.

Rasa answered for her. "Mama and I will eat dinner later. Go now."

The two children each gave her a kiss on the cheek and sauntered off.

Karura's gaze followed their small frames until they were out of sight. "It always breaks my heart a little when my time with them is cut short." she said to Rasa without really looking at him.

"Yes," Rasa took her hand and started fidgeting with her thumb and her ring finger. "They're smart and talented but both of them are too young to know what we're trying to do for the village."

"I know." Karura croaked out. She saw Rasa's expression turn into a mix of affection, exhaustion and pity when he heard her voice crack. He must have known that she was crying. This wasn't exactly the first time she bawled her eyes out in her seven months of pregnancy. Besides, he was her husband and he knew her too well already.

"I'm sorry," Rasa said as he squeezed her hand lightly. "I wasn't able to check up on you all day. I was too busy dealing with the elders and the Wind Daimyo." He started fidgeting with her fingers again. "Politics is turning me into a lousy family man." He chuckled ironically.

"It's alright. It's okay, Rasa. I understand." Karura replied to her husband's apology. Her voice cracked again and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying. She did understand. He was the Kazekage and it was his duty to see to the welfare of the village and the Country of Wind. It was a job fitting of a devout and focused man like Rasa. She knew that sometimes the sacrifices he made would extend to his family and even then she understood. This is because she was also a ninja, and she loved the Hidden Sand.

Rasa let go of Karura's hand and said "Lady Chiyo and Lord Ebizu are here."

The two great elders. Their visits always spooked Karura though she holds a great deal of respect and admiration for their power and jutsu style. It's just that the two of them aren't exactly advocates of good news.

"Oh? And why are they here?" Karura asked. "Dinner visit perhaps?"

Rasa smiled lightly at her joke, obviously amused by her humor. "No, as much as I'd like it to be that way. They're here for us. They want a dialogue."

Karura swallowed. "Let's dialogue away then. Where are they?"

She knew that Rasa could see through her act but he answered her anyway. "In the receiving room, down the hall." he said.

"Let's go then! Chop chop, Kazekage." Karura pulled Rasa by the arm towards the meeting. When they entered the receiving room, she had to squint for it was brighter there than in her bedroom. There were four people inside. These consisted of the two elders and two of Rasa's personal ANBU operatives. She was still adjusting to the light when one of the ANBU went near her and hugged her. Karura was fairly taken aback by the show of affection until she realized who the man was.

"Yashamaru!" she exclaimed. "You're back!" She hugged back the masked man. "How went your mission?"

"It went fine sister." Yashamaru answered in the sweet tone Karura have known growing up. She could almost see him smiling beneath the garb covering his face.

"Karura," Lord Ebizu interjected. "How wonderful it is to see you. I see you're coming along just fine."

"Lord Ebizu, it's always a pleasure to see you too sir." Karura bowed to the old man. She felt a lump in her throat because she knew that what she just said is a lie. She turned her attention to Ebizu's sister and said "You too Lady Chiyo."

The older woman wasn't as warm as her brother. In her taciturn and tough tone she answered Karura. "Let's skip the formalities dear. You know we have an urgent matter to talk about."

Chiyo's eyes went to Rasa and she said "Shall we start now?"

"We shall." Rasa answered. He nodded to Yashamaru and the other ANBU. Yashamaru gave Karura a last quick hug before jumping out of a large window along with his companion.

Karura prepared herself for the impending dialogue. "So what was it you wanted to discuss?" she said to the elders.

"You know full well what it is Karura." Chiyo said. "The child in your womb," She pointed to Karura's stomach. "It's compatible as Shukaku's host."

The world fell apart when she heard those words. Karura's worst fears had been realized, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Compatible?" Karura asked incredulously. In her state of shock she didn't really know who or what she directed the question to. She started rubbing her tummy again.

"Yes," Ebizu was the one to answer her. "We found out that your baby is the ideal vessel for the One-tailed beast. It is the perfect container, a jinchuuriki."

"And you found this out how?"

Chiyo took a step forward. "Do you remember the chakra extraction test we ran on you and the baby a month ago?"

"The one where you made me strip naked and lie down in the middle of a large seal while you squeezed out my and my child's chakra?" Karura scoffed at the memory that the old woman brought up. "How could I possibly forget?" she added as she furrowed her eyebrows at the elders. She was through with being polite now.

"Yes, that's the one." Chiyo replied matter-of-factly. Whether the old woman noticed her rhetorical tone or she simply chose to ignore it didn't really interest Karura anymore. "They took a small sample of chakra-"

"A small sample?" Karura interrupted. "I remember being sucked dry of chakra after an hour of lying there."

"Well yes, it did have an adverse effect on you but I assure you Karura, the child was unharmed. The small sample my sister was referring to was a portion of the baby's own reserves." It was clear that Ebizu was trying to be sympathetic to Karura. Chiyo, on the other hand, wasn't as kind.

"That's all well and good Ebizu but the point here is that the test results show that the child is not just a good candidate for Shukaku's jinchuuriki." Chiyo squinted her eyes at Karura. "It is the only candidate we have." the old woman finished.

Before, Karura was only eyeing the elders badly. Now, she was full on glaring at them. She opened her mouth to speak and the words came out in a sharp and murderous tone. "Stop calling my baby 'it'." She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, never breaking the glare she was throwing at the two elders. "You keep on calling my child 'it'.'It' this, 'it' that, and you throw around words like 'vessel' and 'container' as if he was nothing but a damn object. What is my child to you geezers? A jar to be used at your convenience?" She clenched her right fist even harder and her fingernails drew blood. "Have you old people become so jaded that you've lost all sense of sympathy?"

Karura's anger became more apparent when wisps of sand started swirling around them. It was only a small amount; nothing but a few particles scattered here and there. Rasa knew however, what Karura could do with even a miniscule amount of sand. She was not called 'Karura of the sand blade' for nothing after all.

"Karura, please clam yourself." the Kazekage said to his wife as he took her bloodied fist in his own hands.

"You too Rasa?" Her glare shifted to their hands and then to his eyes. He finally understood how livid she is. "Do see our child simply as an 'it' too? Is he nothing more than a means to an end to you too huh? Lord Kazekage?" The last two words—Rasa's title—were spat out by Karura in the most disdainful manner she could manage.

"Of course not," Rasa replied. "I love our little boy with all my heart." He raised Karura's fist to his chest. "But you must understand Karura. Our resolve cannot waver for the sake of the Sand. I know that we have duties as parents, but as ninja, we also have an obligation to our village." He tried to coax her fingers out of the fist they had formed. "So please," he continued. "I ask that you listen and calm down."

Karura evidently heeded her husband's request because her gaze softened and the swirling sand stopped and returned to the ground. She walked away from Rasa and sat down in a nearby chair. She held her head in her right hand while her left instinctively went to rub her stomach. A few seconds of silence passed before she spoke again. "What exactly did you find that made you think my baby could handle the sand beast?"

Rasa was undeniably curious too as Karura saw him perk up when she asked the question.

Ebizu was the one to grace her with an answer. "It was the sand. We discovered that the child had inherited your chakra and talent for using sand based jutsu. It's an ability that's a direct reflection of Shukaku's sand manipulation."

"The sand? You're joking right? You're deciding my boy's future due to chakra he inherited from me?" Karura's tone was indignant. "You of all people should know that the magnet style I use in controlling the sand isn't exactly a rare ability in our village. The third used it for his iron techniques and the fourth Kazekage," She pointed to Rasa. "Is literally a living example of a magnet style user."

"That is a fact," Chiyo said. "But all magnet style users I know of never really had the ability to control and weaponize the sand the same way you do. All of their versions used something other than sand like iron or gold dust." She looked over to Rasa when she said this. "Karura, you are the first and only human in the history of the Hidden Sand to emulate Shukaku's techniques. It's a feat even the former host could not accomplish."

The former host of the One-tail. Memories of an old monk trapped inside a jail cell started to flood Karura's head. The fate that the old man had met was one of the things that added to her fear. She doesn't want any of her children to have a monster forced inside them and then spend their lives in isolation either as a tool or as a prisoner.

"What other factors did you consider before coming to this conclusion of yours?" Karura asked further.

"The child's physical parameters." Chiyo replied.

"What?"

The elder continued. "Patterns in his breathing, his heartbeat, his movements, everything and anything that could give us a clue whether he was a suitable host or not."

"You people were observing me?" She gestured to herself. "Without my knowledge or consent?"

"It was for your own good Karura, that we decided not to tell you. Knowing you were being observed could cause stress to you and the child." Rasa explained.

"You knew?" Karura said to him. "Am I the only one in here who doesn't know a bloody thing? How in the name of hell did you even keep an eye on me anyway?"

"Your attendants," Rasa started. "Your nurses, your doctors. All of them are medical nin under Lady Chiyo's direct command."

"So that's why I didn't notice them. They were also ninja." Karura mumbled. "How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you been keeping an eye on me?"

Rasa looked very guilty. "Since we confirmed that you were pregnant. Seven months ago."

"Seven months." Karura whispered to herself. She looked to the elders. "And what did you find this time?"

"The beating of the child's heart would often synchronize with the pulsing of Shukaku's chakra inside the seal." Ebizu looked outside a window. "And it happens every time the full moon rises, when Shukaku's power and consciousness are at their peak. It's consistent. As if they were calling to each other."

Karura looked outside. The moon was not yet full tonight but it filled her with sadness and rage. She spoke. "For the longest time, I have prayed and wished and begged that none of my babies would be compatible with Shukaku. But my prayers were ignored, weren't they?" Tears fell down her eyes as she looked over to Rasa and then the elders. "Is there really no other way? No other option? No other person who could serve as the beast's host?"

The question was met with silence. The stony expressions she received were answers enough. Karura yielded for she understood the sacrifice she had to make for her village, her country and her kin. Tears continued to fall from her eyes and she started rubbing her tummy. This time though, she was not trying to comfort herself.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the baby in her womb. "Mama could not protect you." She bowed her head and tears fell on her belly. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

That night, Karura had consented to make her unborn child a jinchuuriki. She cried herself to sleep as feelings of guilt and regret gnawed away at her grieving heart.

If anybody read this, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'll get to working on part two and I really, really hoped you liked it. Once again, thank you.

P.S. I dunno how to make line breaks

-Nessy