A/N: this is my first multi-chapter fic for Naruto, just like my bleach fanfic, the main character here is my new OC but all the old ones are still here too. I'm trying my best to put in drama, action, comedy and mush in this one! Enjoy!!!
Ink-splatter: on with the show!!!!
Path of Legends
Chapter 1: Legacies
Who would've thought that the clueless blonde and blue-eyed-whiskered-loud-mouthed shinobi (not to mention the most feared/hated vessel of the kyuubi) would really become the hokage? Of course, those people who actually cared to know Naruto cleared those doubts years ago. But the skeptic people of Konoha learned to accept and respect him as they prospered under their very much capable (yet still childish) Rokudaime. Another startling fact about the famous Rokudaime is that, he managed to snag a wife, mind you, not just any wife but an heiress. Yes. After much stuttering and fainting, Hinata did confess her love to Naruto and much to both their surprise, (Naruto being too thick-headed to actually realize that he did love the Hyuuga girl even years ago) Naruto accepted and confessed his feelings as well. After being officially hailed as the new Hokage succeeding the Godaime at age 20, Naruto proposed to Hinata and they were promptly married (after Naruto beat several Hyuuga shinobis including Hinata's father to prove his point) and not before the year was out they had their first child, a black-haired boy with milky-blue Hyuuga eyes. They named him Kaze just because Naruto thinks that the name would make his son a strong shinobi. Kaze turned out to be quite a genius and a little too serious for Naruto's taste. If not for his face which is an exact copy of Naruto's, he would've accused Hinata of sleeping with another man (which he did voice out one day as he lazed about admiring his son's skills at the young age of 3; it earned him a painful-chakra-precise blow from Hinata which almost knocked the kyuubi out). The boy is a true-blue-blooded Hyuuga heir which made Hinata's clan rejoice as she had successfully secured the continuity of their bloodline.
And now, five years after Kaze was born, another one is on the way and never in Naruto's lifetime did he dream of the events that followed.
It never snowed in Konoha, ever. That is why every citizen panicked when it started snowing suddenly. It was also on the day that Hinata started to labor for their 2nd child. Naruto paced nervously outside the hospital room, Kiba watched him with great interest, reliving the moment his son was born just a couple of months ago. Pretty much everyone in the rookie nine was present at that moment, except for Shikamaru whom Naruto sent to Suna for some diplomat talks along with his firstborn, Kaze who insisted on visiting his Gaara-oji-chan. The kyuubi's seal on his stomach burned like hell but he did not dare say that to anyone, not even to his closest friend, Kiba. He can somehow foretell that something ominous will come sooner or later. He can hear Hinata's restrained, yet painful shrieks of labor from inside the delivery room. He cursed as beads of perspiration formed on his forehead from the burning sensation on his seal and his anxiety over Hinata. Kiba gently tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the window. Outside was no ordinary snow, it was a snowstorm! By then Naruto knew that his job as the Hokage would tear him away from his beloved wife's side when she needed him most.
"Rokudaime-sama, it's starting to snow pretty hard. The hospital is filling up with people who're suffering from hypothermia. Sir, we're not prepared for something like this…it's, this is the first time…." A disgruntled anbu appeared out of nowhere and bowed down before him bearing the bad news.
"I'll go see what I can do Naruto…" Kiba hastily prepared to leave and do something about the situation.
"I think we should all go, save you off course. You can't leave Hinata-chan at this time Naruto." Ten-ten said with her as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
"No, we should all go, me in particular. Sakura-chan is with her so I know she's in good hands. Besides, Hinata-chan would knock the chakra out of me if she discovered that I uselessly paced outside that room while my people die." Naruto said with his trademark grin, lightening up everyone's somber mood. And so they left the hospital and went out to help Konoha's citizens.
"Kiba, how's your wife and son doing? Maybe you should go to them first…" Naruto grabbed Kiba's arm after everyone else went ahead of them. Kiba gave him his fanged-grin showing those canines of his.
"Relax, Rokudaime-sama. Akamaru is with them, you know how he guards little pups. He won't even let a fly harm little Takeo. I'm sure my family will guard them with their lives.
"I see, let's go then." Naruto declared, looking every inch the Hokage that he is.
The sight that greeted them chilled their bones. Many people were caught unaware of what hit them. Most were buried deep in the snow, hard as frozen icicles. Naruto blazed with fury, how can he fight something like that? How can he go against nature? Naruto dug up about 3 dozen people and were able to save them by transferring a portion of his burning chakra so that they'll live once they have been warmed properly. The rest of his friends went on their separate ways so that they can save more. Naruto was on his 30th casualty when Kiba came rushing to him, slightly out of breathe looking pale and quite frankly, like a dog running with his tail between his legs.
"Kiba! Oi! What happened to you?" Naruto asked, alarmed.
"Na-naruto! Hurry! Hinata-chan!" Kiba gasped as he struggled to form words which seemed to elude him at that important moment.
Naruto paled upon the mention of Hinata, "Why? What's…" just before he gets to finish his words, he doubled over in pain as the burning sensation on his seal multiplied about a hundred folds.
"Naruto, what's happening to you?!" Kiba rushed to steady Naruto when he dropped on his knees.
"I-it's nothing….what happened to Hinata-chan?" Naruto gritted his teeth and forced out the words despite the pain blurring his mind as he clutched at his abdomen.
"So-something is coming to the hospital, something big and made of snow! Like a giant blizzard tornado! It's moving right to the direction of the hospital and Sakura-chan said that she can't just bring Hinata-chan out of the hospital, not when the baby is halfway-out already!"
With that, Naruto straightened up and summoned the Boss Frog. He'll be able to get to the hospital in no time using his giant leaps. He told Gamabunta(?) of the situation and he was right in front of his destination in five eye blinks.
"Thanks buddy, go, leave this to me…" Naruto said with a deadly fire burning in his eyes as he stared at the ice phenomenon. His nine-tails chakra started to unfurl as he readied himself for an assault.
"You're not getting anywhere near my family, whatever you are!" he screeched at the approaching ice-threat, baring his fangs even as his eyes turned to fiery red. Much to his surprise, the giant tornado stopped, 20 paces infront of him and slowly dissipated, leaving him surrounded in a foggy-death-cold mist. Naruto's seal burned more than ever but his resolved remained strong and he was able to keep standing by sinking his claws on his palm to divert himself from the burning pain.
"Why don't you show yourself-you coward!" he yelled through the thick fog engulfing him. His senses were heightened and alert for every sound, trying to pin-point the enemy's location. Slowly, the fog parted, revealing a tall and slender figure approaching him in a slow, graceful walk. Then Naruto was paralyzed. He couldn't move. The nine-tails chakra inside him simmered down, leaving him drained and defenseless.
Oi! What's happening?! Where are you damn kyuubi?! He mentally searched for the presence of the kyuubi.
The figure kept walking until all of her was revealed to Naruto's eyes. His blood chilled not because of the temperature but because of what he saw. Standing before him was a woman with beauty so unearthly Naruto thought he was dead and was being greeted by an angel, but not after he saw what was behind the beautiful woman. She had tails. Nine gloriously white, bushy tails. He would've fainted if not for the fact that his body wasn't obeying anything he wanted it to do. So he remained there standing frozen and vulnerable against every fiber of his being.
At long last, I found you… she said with an equally unearthly voice. It was soft, yet it hurt Naruto's ears, like she was screaming the words out to his very soul. Naruto stared dumbfounded. Certainly, he couldn't remember if he did something bad to a nine-tailed woman years ago, then why say "I found you" ?
Brother, your misbehaviors had gone too far. Last time I heard was that you almost destroyed a village and killed hundreds of innocent people. That was a dreadful act, and just because you wanted to prove yourself strong. The lady continued as she reached out to touch Naruto's abdomen.
Brother?! Then Naruto's mind clicked like an oiled machine. Almost destroyed a village and killed hundreds?! It can't be! She's talking about Kyuubi?! Naruto blacked out as the strange woman entered his soul, where the Kyuubi is sealed. He was there too, just outside the gate. He could hear and see the Kyuubi, who surprisingly turned into a young man with fiery red hair and eyes and nine-fiery-red bushy tails.
Si-sister? You came! Kyuubi had a nice warm voice, so unlike the thundering harsh one he always use when talking with Naruto. The beautiful lady was there inside the gate sealing the Kyuubi.
Aye, but not to free you from this bondage. You shall live your life like this until it is your vessel's time to leave this plane. You must learn to atone for the grisly things you have done. This vessel seems to do you good for I can see what you have become.
The lady said and Kyuubi seemed to shrink back from her words, he looked pretty much like a grief-stricken Naruto.
"E-excuse me…Just who-what the hell are you?" Naruto couldn't refrain from asking. The lady smiled and she was suddenly outside the gate and the seal, face to face with Naruto.
I see. It is only fair for you to know me. I am the nine-tails of snow and my brother, the one you referred to as Kyuubi is the nine-tails of fire. We are both the children of the Ancient Ones born before men came to inherit these lands. We were supposed to help you, not make you suffer. My brother had been misled into the dark path but I can see how you mend his ways. For that you have my gratitude and I came to help him atone. I have been waiting for you to bear a daughter and the time has come at this very moment. I shall seal myself inside her and in return, protect her at all times. I shall also protect this land that you love so dearly.
"Seal yourself? Inside my daughter?! You have got to be kidding me! You want me to seal you inside my daughter?! There is no way in hell I'll allow you to do that! Didn't you know the hardships I went through because your brother was sealed inside me by none other than my own father?! I'm not about to repeat that!" Naruto bristled and took up a fighting stance. He'd die if he has to just so he can end the nightmare.
Uzumaki Naruto, it is I who shall seal myself voluntarily. If you will not allow it, then I am deeply grieved to inform you that Konoha shall be buried in snow within a few candlemarks. As the Nine-tails of Snow, I bear that curse with me. No village shall live if my feet had grazed its land unless I get sealed and tied to it by one of the people who love it so. It is your daughter, I'm afraid, and only her who is capable of saving the people you love so much and the land you had come to link with your soul.
The nine-tails of snow declared in a grave tone. Naruto was torn between attacking her and killing himself. He does not want his daughter to live the life he did by being scorned as a monster! He simply can't, and yet, she wouldn't live at all if what the snow-kyuubi said was true…
"Isn't there any other way? Take me instead! Use my body the same way your brother does!" he screamed.
That cannot be, for you will surely die and Konoha and everyone else will fall into death's cold slumber. If it will ease your mind, I have foreseen that there will come a time when Konoha would need my abilities badly to survive and your daughter would be loved despite your fears-even just for the fact that she is your daughter.
Naruto was deep in thought and yet he already knew what he'd do, just like his father did. He'd sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of Konoha and its people. He only prays that she won't hate him and his wife would forgive him for such an act…
"I see…so be it…" at those words Naruto coughed into consciousness. His stiff and frozen body slowly gaining life in the arms of Hinata who was bundled in layers of blankets; beside her kneeling, was Sakura who was clutching a blue bundle in her arms. Naruto looked around him and was surprised to find every citizen of Konoha, those who were able to stand on their feet stood with protective and proud gazes directed towards their Hokage. Most of the women, had tears in their eyes.
"We heard everything Naruto…we heard everything…" Hinata sobbed, "It's alright. She won't hate you for it, because she's your daughter…" she added giving her husband a weak smile.
"Hinata-chan, you shouldn't be up already, you're still weak from giving birth…" Naruto coughed again as he struggled to fill his body with warmth by moving.
"Here Naruto, look. She's truly yours you see…" Sakura handed the bundle to him and supported Hinata. His heart constricted with a father's pride as he gazed into his daughter's strikingly blue eyes, so very much like his own. He stood up, eyes ablaze with determination, pride and love despite the tears that flowed so freely from them. The citizens of Konoha know how much their Hokage feels for other people. They wouldn't look down on him just because he was openly crying as he was about to sacrifice his own daughter for their sake. They all bowed their heads in submission and appreciation for they know that Naruto is only forced to do that in order to save them.
"This is my daughter, if she dies when you seal yourself within her, I die and so will your beloved brother." Naruto's eyes bored into the nine-tails of snow's crystal blue ones.
I see. I did not make a mistake by choosing you Naruto. I did well by waiting for this day. No harm shall befall your daughter as long as I'm sealed within her. That is my bond to you, Rokudaime.
With that, the kyuubi of snow slowly dissipated before everyone's eyes. Shining snowflakes gathered around Naruto and his daughter while her abdomen glows with the familiar seal. Not once did she cry, and for that Naruto was thankful. The baby in his arms yawned and closed her eyes as she snuggled deeper into her father's warmth, unmindful of what just happened to her.
"She will be called Hime…Yukihime as only fitting for a child who gave up a normal life to save this land…and she is my daughter…" Naruto cradled his daughter closer to his heart as the last traces of snow evaporated and the skies cleared in Konoha.
A/N: how's that for my first chappie?? I'm not exactly sure if it snows in Konoha or not but in this fic, let's assume that it doesn't, neh? Oh, I was a bit torn between Hinata and Sakura as Naruto's wife but again, Hinata has to be his wife in this fic because of her bloodline limit about the kyuubi of snow, I made that up! In case there's an existing myth about it (I only know that there's a Yuki-onna or snow queen, but that's pretty much where I got the idea ) it might be different from the way I portray my kyuubi. the reviews would judge if this one's worth a read or I need to bang my head and rethink a new story that hooks readers if you have gotten this far reading my ficthanks for reading anyways!!!