Inside a small forest ringed by mountains a young boy knelt before four shrines, his head lowered in silent prayer. Each shrine was adorned with a multitude of candles and incense alongside small plates of food and cups of tea and sake. The ground around him was lush with various wild flowers and shrubbery. Small animals scurried through thick grass while flocks of birds sang in nearby trees. The light of the falling sun bathed the area in a luminous orange that was occasionally blocked by passing clouds. After awhile the boy lifted his head, his dull onyx eyes gazing softly at the shrines.
"I'm going now." His voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing the restful dead. "I-I want answers to so many questions, questions that you left me with. That I never got to ask." He lowered his head again, eyes clenched shut in a brief moment of pain. "And also... I've been alone for so long." I bitter laugh fell from his lips. "I know you must think it pathetic. You all taught me to survive on my own, to depend on myself but. I just can't take this anymore." He raised his head back up. Wet eyes staring brokenly before him. "I need to know why, I need to see for myself what you saw, to understand why you did it, to understand why I'm here." His eyes closed again. "To find what you wanted me to be."
He raised himself from the ground and stared into the dimming sky, feeling a gentle breeze caress his face. "I don't know everything you wanted from me but I swear to you this. I'll find some way to make you all proud." And with that said the boy turned and walked away. Wondering what awaited him in the dusk horizon.
Several Days Later
Panting and sweating Kushina Uzumaki sat on the rough dirt that covered her personal training ground, a small opening in the seemingly endless forest that surrounded Konohagakure she had discovered some months ago. She had been at it for hours. Trying and testing new jutsus she had picked up from the few people she new. Her light brown kimono jacket clung to her skin, sticky from sweat and her black thigh high socks were cover in mud and cuts. Catching her breath she reach behind her hip and pulled out a canteen of water only to be disappointed when she opened it. She had long since emptied it while training.
"Shit, I should have brought more water dattebane." Giving a heavy sigh she flopped back onto the ground and attempted to close her eyes and rest. Until the sound of multiple rushing feet drew her attention. She bolted up just in time to see six shinobi running towards her and barely registered that they wore the uniform of Kumogakure before a foot connected to her gut. Spit flew from her mouth as the blow lifted her off the ground. The momentum was reversed when one of the ninja rammed his elbow into her back, forcing her back to the ground.
The Kumo ninja wasted no time in restraining her limbs with rope as one of them placed several seals around her body. One of the ninjas, a rather large man whose face was covered in a full wooden mask, stepped in front of her. His arms crossed over his chest as he leered at her.
"So this is the Kyuubi No Yoko Jinchuriki huh, not very impressive."
Kushina stiffened. "H-how did you.."
"We have are methods that's all you need to know little girl."
Kushina struggled against her bonds and tried to flare what was left of her chakra, hoping to alert someone from the village. A chill raced down her spine when she realized that she couldn't feel any of her chakra. The man chuckled as he watched. "There's no use in trying to signal help. Those tags we placed on you are high quality chakra suppressors. Just one of them is enough to block half of an average chunin's chakra reserves but we decided to be a little cautious with you. You should feel honored really, those things aren't cheap but we felt that you were worth it considering your tenant. Which reminds me." He knelt down while reaching into a side pouch on his hip and kushina's eyes widened when he pulled out a syringe. "Lord Raikage gave this to us just in case. It's a wonderful little drug that we use on our own jinchuriki before their demon makes them go on a rampage. Helps to keep their chakras and thus their minds separate with the little bonus of making them...docile."
Kushina's struggles became frantic as the needle was cruelly jabbed into her neck. She let out a weak yelp before the effects hit her full force. Her mind began to fog over as her limbs slowly turned to lead. A lone tear leaked from her eye before it was wiped away by one of the ninjas. An older man with a poorly trimmed beard and several scars marking his face. "Aw shh shh don't cry it'll wear off. Besides, you'll be getting used to the feeling once we get back to Kumo."
At her Questioning gaze the ninja laughed darkly, a sound that sent chills into her soul. "Don't you know? Kumo isn't exactly known for its bloodlines, unlike Kiri, in fact I could count all the bloodline clans we've got on one hand. So the Raikage is always looking for the chance to gain more and you my dear have the bad luck of being not only be a jinchuriki but having a bloodline as well. One of the last Uzumaki's too. Any children born from you would be an incredible resource to the village."
Kushinas eyes grew larger with fear, tears pouring down her face. "I see you understand. Normally we would just brainwash you into using your tenant for the good of Kumo but with your bloodline and all I doubt you'll be that lucky. No, we'll probably have you locked away somewhere to be used as a breeding factory and...stress release for some of our men." He stated, slowly sliding his tongue across his lips while the others began laughing. Kushina sobbed as she tried in vain to move away from the monsters. But it was pointless, the drug was to strong.
"Hey boss you think we can just get in a practice run before we have to share her, I aint a big fan of messy goods." The others broke into laughter while the ninja in the mask, their leader, shook his head. "As much as I would love to Lord Raikage gave us orders to bring her back unharmed and unused, and I'd rather not test his forgiveness." Several groans were herd but no one voiced any protest.
"Now let's get her back to Kumo before any leaf patrols show up." With nothing else needing to be said one of the grunts slung a crying Kushina over his shoulder and they took off. Kushina could do nothing as they carried her farther and farther away from her home. 'Please, someone, save me.'
A Few Hours Later
The boy jumped lazily from branch to branch in the ocean that was the Land of Fire's forest, enjoying the calming quiet of the night. That was until he felt a strange sensation deep inside his mind. It was like a burning tug trying to draw him somewhere. He knew the spot from which the feeling emanated but was not sure as to the cause. "The only reason that would be acting up is if..." The feeling of six separate chakra signatures gained his attention. They were suppressed but not enough to avoid his detection, and when he concentrated he could feel a weak, barely present seventh. All of which were in the same direction that the tug was pulling, somewhere before him but farther to the south, and as the burning grew more noticeable he was certain that they were getting closer.
"Well, fortune smiles on her unfortunate son." He changed his course and jumped higher into the trees intending to meet whoever was coming his way head on.
Kushina gazed mournfully at the moving ground. She had spent what felt like hours bobbing roughly on her captors shoulder as she listened to them talk excitedly about their return home, about the fate that awaited her. Her eyes were red and puffy, her tears long since dried. She had long since given up on struggling, though she could feel part of the drug's effects wearing off it wasn't enough to return her motor functions to an actually working state and she was sure that if she tried to escape her captors would just drug her again. As she swayed uselessly her thoughts returned home, thinking of all the people she would never see again.
'Mikoto-chan, Hitomi-chan, Tsume-chan, Jiji, I'm sorry I..' Her thoughts were cut off when her captors stopped suddenly. The one that was carrying her dropped her unceremoniously onto the ground and pulled out a kunai. Twisting her now bleeding head she gazed up at their reason for stopping.
"Who the hell are you." Their leader yelled out.
In front of the group was a young man leaning back casually against a large tree, his arms crossed. He looked no older then fifteen with long spiky hair that reached his shoulder blades and framed his face while covering his right eye. His hair was black but had a noticeable bluish tint to it. His face was sharp, devoid of any possible baby fat, and his eyes were a dull shade of onyx. What had the Kumo ninja on edge though was what he was wearing. The stranger had on a deep red set of old fashion plate armor that covered his chest, shoulders, waste and thighs. It rested on top of a deep blue long sleeved shirt and covered a pair of baggy cargo pants of a matching color. The only thing that he wore on his feet was a pair of black open toe sandals. He carried a large bag on his back and had a sword strapped to his thigh.
"I asked you a question, who are you?" The Kumo leader yelled, his hands holding an overly large kunai in a white knuckled grip.
The boys eyes traveled over the group in an uncaring fashion, his lips set into a displeased frown. "I do not give out my name to trash." He said simply in a light, smooth voice that made some of the Kumo nin growl. He ignored them however and instead locked his eyes with a squirming Kushina. She gazed back at him, her eyes wide and hopeful. 'Help me, please.' Noting her red eyes, pale skin and the multiple seals on her body along with the dried trail of blood on her neck it was very easy for him to connect the dots. His eyes hardened as he glared back at the group. "I didn't realize Kumogakure was so pathetic that its men had to resort to kidnapping little girls." He sneered as a dense wave of killing intent began to fill the surrounding area.
The Kumo leader pointed his weapon at the boy, trying his hardest to brush off the increasing weight of the strangers KI. "I don't know who the hell you are but you made a big mistake in interfering in Kumo's affairs. I hope you made peace with Kami because you're about to meet her." The rest of the group either readied their own weapons or set their hands in preparation for a jutsu.
Kushina's eyes grew in worry for the stranger but the feeling ended sharply. He began to laugh. He closed his eyes, completely unconcerned with the threat and laughed.
"What the hell is so funny?" One of the ninja roared.
"Hn, nothing really. It's just that..." His lids opened slowly to reveal a set of glowing red eyes, three tomoe spinning leisurely in each one. "I was about to say the same thing to you."
"Shit he's an Uchiha." The leader yell out. He was preparing to charge the boy, confident that his men would have his back, just like they planned in the debriefing. Until the Uchiha did something unexpected. He vanished. There was no movement, no tell-tale blur that signaled high speed travel, he just vanished. The leader was about to shout out orders when he felt a sharp pain in the left side of his chest. Disbelieving eyes gazed down at a large kunai embedded into his flesh. Noting in abstract horror that it was the same kunai he once held in his own, now empty, hands. An arm was connected to the weapon and he followed it up only to be met with the sight of eyes the shade of crimson death.
"My grandfather always told me that the lowest pits in hell are reserved for those that abuse children. I pray he was right." The arm twisted and push the kunai further into his flesh until it pierced his heart and the Kumo nin knew no more.
"Boss, you piece of shit you'll pay for that!"
The other ninjas yelled and as one they charged. The first one that reached him swung an excessively large katana in a downward arch, hoping to cleave the bastard in half. But the stranger lifted his hand and effortlessly caught the blade between his thumb and pointer. Instead of pushing his attacker away however he instead pulled him closer, allowing his hand to slide down the back of the blade and onto the ninjas arm while the other crossed over his chest to touch the swords hilt. When his first hand reach the center of the Kumo ninjas forearm he grabbed it in a vise grip and wrenched it to the side, effectively breaking the bone in half. The ninja dropped his weapon which the Uchiha grabbed before it could begin its decent. He took a long step back while simultaneously swinging his arm out and severed the man's head from his neck. The following Kumo ninja was left in a short state of shock but that moment's hesitation was enough to prevent him from acting when the Uchiha threw his comrades' sword at him. The blade pierced his heart, the force lifting him off his feet and back into two of his allies who were forced to jump out of the way.
They both flashed through several hand signs before calling out. "Lighting style: False Darkness." A beam of white lightning shot from their mouths and screamed towards the Uchiha. Acting fast the stranger jumped straight into the air and pressed his arm forward. 'Wind style: Beast Tearing Gale Palm.' A giant claw of chakra infused wind shot from his palm and easily disbursed the twin lighting attacks. Instead of ending however the technique continued to grow until it became massive in size and smashed into the airborne shinobi. With a simple downward flick of his wrist the Uchiha directed the attack into the ground, mercilessly crushing the two ninja into paste. He landed a few yards away from the last Kumo ninja and gazed at him in the same uncaring manner as before.
"You know. It ought to be common knowledge that you shouldn't call out the name of your attack before using it. It gives your opponent the time and information they need to come up with a counter." He stated, apparently unconcerned with the fact that the man was pressing a Kunai to the throat of his captive, using her as a shield. Kushina herself was trying to decide if she should be nervous about the blade scraping her throat or the fact that her apparent savior didn't seem to care that her life was in imminent danger.
The remaining nin, the same bearded man that had tormented her hours before held her in a tight but shaky grip. "S-stay back you-you demon, one more step and I swear I'll slit her fucking throat!"
The Uchiha stared at the man discontent, the fool was so blinded by his fear that he allowed himself to break the number one rule when it came to facing a member of the Uchiha clan. Never, under any circumstance, are you to make direct eye contact with an Uchiha. The man froze as a pair of bright red eyes seemed to emanate from the boy, growing larger and closer by each passing second. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, all he could do was focus on the eyes. The eyes were all that mattered, all that existed. They held him in a power, an authority, that no one not even the Raikage could pray to match.
Kushina watched the tomoe in the Uchiha's eyes spin rapidly, forming almost solid black lines. He lowered his arm down and calmly withdrew a shuriken from one of his pockets which he then flicked at her captor. The bladed star flew through the air and with a silent thud embedded itself into the man's skull. Gravity kicked in as the man slumped backwards, his hold having been the only thing that kept the still weakened kushina from falling. Her body fell forward and she braced herself for another meeting with the ground but a light pressure and her chest halted her. She look up to see the calm face of her rescuer as he gently guided her down. Once she was seated he began removing her bindings and the multiple chakra suppressing tags.
"Are you alright?" His voice was low and gentle while his Sharingan spun slowly, filling her with a small sense of tranquility.
"Y-yes." Her voice was hoarse as her eyes began to water.
Taking note of this the Uchiha pulled out a large canteen of water from behind his back and held it to her lips. "Here"
Kushina wasted no time in gulping down the surprisingly cold water with a pleased, appreciative moan as her thanks. He paid no mind however as he used his unoccupied hand to remove the last of the tags. She pulled back with a loud gasp, the cold water having cleared her throat. "Thank you."
"Hn." Was his only response as he stowed his canteen away and brought the hand back up to trace the gash on her forehead. Kushina hissed sharply at the contact and the Uchiha retracted his hand for a moment before gently placing it back. As he did so the skin around her injury began to buzz while the pain lessened. A faint blue-green light glowed from above her brow. 'Medical Ninjutsu?'
"There" He said after a few moments. "I can't do anything about the drug they gave you. I don't know what it's made from so I won't be able to treat it properly."
Kushina nodded meekly, reminding her that she was drugged brought the full weight of the situation back to her. They had drugged and kidnapped her, beaten and taunted her. They were going to take her away to another village to be...to be..
The boy looked down at her as a choked sob escaped her lips. Tears began pouring down her faces as more sobs followed the first.
Kushina felt the stranger gently grab her chin and lift her head. She looked up to see that his face was scrunched with concern, his sharingan still spinning. It was too much for her. As time passed she had grown so certain that no one would get to her in time only for this stranger to appear from nowhere and save her. Burying her face into the strangers armor the poor girl cried her heart out, hard sobs quaking her body. Not knowing what else he could do the Uchiha ran a comforting hand through the crying girl's hair.
It wasn't until sometime later that she managed to calm herself. "Sorry." She said sheepishly pulling back from the boy. But he merely patted her shoulder and shook his head.
"Don't be. There is no shame in tears, especially after what you went through."
Kushina nodded, her breath still ragged. "Thank you."
"Hn. Did they...hurt you?"
Realizing what he meant she shook her head. "No they didn't. B-but they wanted to." She shivered a little. The stranger, fearing that she would start to cry again gently lifted her chin. Kushina looked into the boy's eyes and his sharingan seemed to glow brighter.
"It's over now." He said as softly as he could. "It's over, you're safe now. There's no one left to hurt you." The tomoe in his eyes spun faster.
Kushina bit down on her lip to stop any more sobs. 'Safe, I'm safe now, no one can hurt me.' Her mind chanted. Her body began to sway as the cloud of fear that began to fill her mind slowly melted away. Her eyes began to loose focus as the boy leaned back.
The stranger examined her, satisfied with the gentle hypnosis. It wouldn't do to have her break down now. Looking down at her it was clear that she wouldn't be able to move on her own and they couldn't afford to stay in one place for too long. While he was confident in his ability to fend off any back up the Kumo Shinobi might have brought with them, though he sensed none, he didn't want to risk dragging the girl into another fight while she was unable to defend herself. With the large bag on his back he saw no other alternative.
Kushina yelped in surprise as the Uchiha brought one of his arms underneath her legs and lifted her off the ground. "W-what are you doing dattebane?!" she squeaked, her face blushing a fierce shade of red. The boy looked down at her with an arched eyebrow.
"Isn't it obvious? It would be too dangerous to stay in one spot for long and you're in no condition to walk." Pulling her securely into his chest the boy leapt up into the trees and headed in the direction he knew the Hidden Leaf Village lied.
Seeing that he was going to go through with this Kushina squirmed around in his arms to get comfortable. As they soared through the air between branches a thought struck her. "Hey, I never got your name."
"My name is Yuu, Yuu Uchiha."
A small, eased smile formed on Kushina's lips. "My names Kushina Uzumaki, nice ta meetcha dattebane."
