A/N: I have a thing for villains, although I do hate Obito with passion. I love Kaguya and don't think they did her justice. Villains are made, not born and that's what I believe happened to Kaguya. It may be slow, and it may seem like she's going to just copy the real Kaguya, but believe me this is AU. But haven't you ever just wondered what made her like that before chakra?
..
EMBER
残り火
I do not have a chance to see my mother for months after my twelfth birthday, and I do not mind it much seeing as we no longer even pretended to get along, seeing as she was still an aloof, hurtfully bored spirit whose only concern was the latest fashion trends to continue to be a perfect flower in my father, the emperor's garden of beautiful woman. Her only concern is to bear the emperor a son before the empress or the other concubines, and I have never felt more uncomfortable in this situation, seeing as my world had polyamorous relationships, but those were few and far between. I have many different mothers in the form of the empress and other concubine. The youngest of my father's women is only sixteen, and we do not get along, but I still like her better than my own mother, and Mother knows it.
With this said, it is my great surprise when I am summoned into Mother's chambers with Asahi at my side, looking older than he should be at eighteen years old, and I would secretly say he was handsome, more so than any of my boyfriends in the other world, and I would try to give him small bouts of flirting that wasn't so much rejected, but confusing in a way he didn't understand. He walked obediently by my side, his newly installed armor and sword shining in the morning light as we walked down the hall.
"What would Her Ladyship want?" He wondered aloud, a sharp look hurrying the other servants down the other end of the hallway just a little faster, and I shrugged, tugging the ends of my kimono up, and my silk slippers sliding me down the hallway, and what I wouldn't give to have real genin sandals or tennis shoes rather than pinched silk and hard bamboo sandals. I tried not to notice the tug of his lips at my effort not to go flying down the hallway, his steps more defined to show off his Shinobi sandals, and I swear if he didn't mean my survival, I would strangle his quietly snarky self in a heartbeat.
I hitched the rest of the dress up, tucking it into my obi. "Most likely Mother wants to torment me with more criticism." I murmured under my breath, but he had heard if the twitch in his face said anything about it, and he gave her a comforting nudge on my shoulder. That was our system, because someone like him wasn't supposed to someone of my rank unless necessary, and the same goes for me or there would be consequences against Asahi that I couldn't protect him from. These small touches are as much as a hug as I could get, and I sort of understand in a way. I wouldn't have been able to just go on and hug Queen Elizabeth anytime I pleased or at all with her status, and the same for the young Prince...James? George? Yes, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Asahi opened the door for me, cutting off two of my mother's ladies who were to do for me, just to prove his efficiency, and I ignore the girls. They were young, like Asahi, but they too were only concerned with men and pleasing their mistress, my mother, so much like little girls who wanted a treat from a candy shop from their mommy. It reminded me of high school girls with their teachers, leaving apples on their desks.
The door shuts behind me as the sweet scent of perfume interrupts my musings, and I forgot how awful it was to be around this woman, and she stands to greet me with her retinue following after her. It is the first time I have seen her in almost two years with only a glance or two in the hallway. I wasn't so much dazzled as I was shocked to see her. She was still beautiful, but something huge was different. She had gained weight, her make up was fully done, painted on her thickly like a geisha, and her silvery-blond hair piled high on her head with flowers layered throughout, and an elaborate kimono grander than anything I have ever seen, alongside jewelry made of jade and silver. I had seen many pregnant women in my time, but those were more of child support babies than actual planned children, so I had never seen someone glow like her, and she's smiling brightly at me, motioning for her entourage to sit down on the ornate pillows around her chair, and they fell to their knees around her life dying bees.
"Kaguya..." She says softly, pausing before she chooses to speak, her arms moving to go around me in a hug that I have never received from her before, and I stare at her in confusion as her swollen stomach pokes into my chest, looking away awkwardly. "As you can see, I'm carrying your little brother." She releases me from her hold to put both of her jeweled hands onto her stomach in her excitement, and I've never seen Mother like this before in all of my life, and I would remember (living in infant years in horrific, by the way), so I remained like a statue, waiting for her to speak more over what she wanted from me at this point.
As far as I knew, Kaguya didn't have a little sibling, but then again I didn't even know she had four older sisters either, so I couldn't really say anything against this, so I gave her a forced smile, which Mother took in stride. "I can see your excitement; you will no longer be looked upon as the infant of the family. This is what I have been fighting for all of our lives. With this son, we will be favored even above the empress with only a decreased daughter to her name." She was giddy with this achievement, but she did have a history of miscarriage and had a girl, so I wouldn't count on a son too much, but this did soften up my heart enough to think I may have a sibling. I may have a little sister or brother, and that was enough to get me excited too. But of course, my mother could feel my blooming happiness and decided the best course was the rid me of it.
"Oh! Untuck this!" She tugged my dress back down, then resumed her conversation. "The emperor has summoned you." She avowed, looking as regal as a queen, with a smile as she moved back to sit on her throne-like chair that was most likely a gift from my father. "He realizes his mistake of overlooking you and has decided to put you back into his favor like when you were an infant. You don't remember, of course, but he named you Kaguya out of great pride in you, dear." She recounted, looking like she was remembering a dream. I gave a tight smile, because oh yes, I did remember. I also remember his messenger being the one to give me a name on his behalf. Paternal love isn't high on the list of the emperor, since I've never even seen the guy, but I smiled awkwardly with a nod.
She must have taken my silence as a stunned amazement. "Yes, yes, dear, I know. You are in his favor! Now, he's already married off all of your sisters to less than proper men of different rulers, for alliance, but he's considering a proper marriage for you. You are twelve-"
"I don't want a marriage!"
She looked appalled at my outburst, and then slowly her arms slumped down in a calming manner. "I understand," She told me calmly. "I understand, Kaguya, because his is a worrisome subject at such a fragile age, but it is necessary for you to understand the situation. HIs other daughters were expendable, they could be married off to other daimyo, but he needs you. If he has a daughter with a son in a bloodline here, he will have a second heir after your brother." She rubs her stomach fondly, not quite looking at me, but thinking of only herself and my unborn brother in this matter, so I give her a hot stare that was taken a threatening to the spirit of the baby, seeing as all of her ladies and maids rushed in front of her, begging me to stop my bad spirits.
"Why not just have one of girls have another daughter?" I asked sarcastically, all my teenage rebellion rolling into one bitchy soul, and I all but sneer at this woman who gave birth to me and to the former Kaguya. "I don't want to marry a cousin or neighbor or lord, just so his grandson can take the throne after your son; IF it is a boy and if it lives long enough to take the clan over." I spat out with contempt, not towards the unborn baby or even towards my mother, but to the system that takes over this world before Shinobi, where little girls could be married off and emperors could have more than one wife. I was used to freedoms and rights and here, I am controlled and watched.
I am a bird in a jeweled cage.
Mother jumps to her feet, wailing like a madwoman, pointing at me dangerously. "Get her out! Get her out! Her aura is threatening her brother, my son! GET HER OUT!" She spluttered out, loudly, her arms flailing like a drowning man trying to save themselves from their watery death. Two of the older ladies who were there for my first birthday and my birth cling to my arms, while the younger teenagers open the door for me, and they reassure me with rushed, incoherent words that it was hormones and I needn't be upset; although, that did not stop them from basically throwing me out of the room and I turned around just as the large door was slammed, while Asahi came towards me, tenderly nudging my arm, but for a moment, I didn't care for anything else and I slammed myself into his arms, my shoulder shaking with tearless, soundless sobs over everything I lost in my old world and everything I have to lose in this one.
残り火
Horses whined.
The litter jolted and jostled in an unsteady, erratic manner that left me uncomfortable and upset, and I would give up my entire supply of silks and jewels for a small chance to just get out onto one of those horses or stretch my legs just a little, because this was maddening. I tried to readjust no more than once or twice, because it inconvenienced the servants carrying me, and I wondered if this would be easier with chakra. Asahi rode his horse next to my litter, glancing in to look at me since I had the windows with the mosquito nets and privacy silks rolled up to get fresh air. He may be my friend, but was my guardian first, so if protocol said I had to sit in this Godforsaken litter, I was sitting in the litter and no amount of persuading would convince the man otherwise, even my emotional attempts at begging.
To say I was pleased about this visit to the Emperor's palace would have been a lie so great; it could be considered a sin. This outer world is almost like the Elemental Nations, except no Shinju Tree as far as I can tell from this portion of my trip. I also learned how horrible it is for those not born into the status of royal, noble, or warrior. The last village we passed through that was under my father's rule was scarcely surviving, with their arid lands cracked from the blaze of the sun, and the greenery was withered and dead. Asahi almost had a heart attack as children prostrated themselves around my litter while adults tossed themselves in front of my entourage of soldiers and carts to beg, and it didn't help that I started throwing them stuff out of my large litter like silks and gold and snacks. The children wore rags with sunken little cheeks, and I pitied them until my heart clenched painfully for their sakes. It was after that, I swore that something would change, if not for my sake, but for these people- my people- because they deserve better than throwing themselves into the danger of being trampled by horses to get basic survival necessities.
"Can I take a small walk, please, Asahi?" I begged softly, giving him my sweetest look, but he chuckled, shaking his head at me like I am a little child, even though I am would be officially twenty nine in my other world if I had lived, and twelve in this one. I shot him another annoyed look, wondering if I 'accidentally' got my protector killed, would I get a new one? I mumbled my idea aloud, prompting a noisier than the first since he heard me, and trotted his horse slower.
"Excuse my free speaking, Kaguya-hime, but we both know you would not survive with anyone other than me," The man rolled his eyes at my words because we both knew it was true, because I needed him for my safety and as my closest friend, and admittedly, he needed me too. At eighteen, he still couldn't read at my level, but he at constant lessons whenever we had time to sit down.
"Stop being such a scrooge and let me have my fun. I want out of this litter."
"A..what, Princess?" He repeats, "Sc.. ."
"A scrooge." I told him firmly. "Now, I wish to walk, let me out."
Asahi sighed knowingly, like he was so used to my weird behavior that he gave up on me, but then again, what did anyone honestly expect out of me? I was one of those weird kids who liked anime and cartoons and action movies, but still maintained their good girl act of documentaries and learning channels. I was the type to listen to classical on my playlist only for it to turn into screamo the next song. I was still me, sort of, and I would act like it until someone caught on to it, and made me stop.
"No."
At that rejection of my wishes, a thought came flying through my mind like a burst of ninjutsu (slow your roll mind, that hasn't been invented yet!), as I realized something that made me smile excitedly. I am Princess Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the daughter of the Emperor, and I have royal blood in my veins, and I am the boss of them. Every man and woman, whether be guard or lady, peasant or noble, they all fell under my direct order as members of my household and my kingdom.
"Yes." I leaned out the other window on my left where the main young man who directed my litter was carrying the wooden stick that kept me in the air. "Stop this litter, please. I want down." I directed, using my manners more as instinct that anything else. The man gave a shout towards the other three men holding the staffs, and they stopped, relieving themselves of the weight by setting me down at my order. Asahi's horse gave a huff of air out of its nose, noisily trotting in place when my guardian stopped him. I smirked knowingly at him, the excitement bubbling in my chest, because I win! Against the odds, I have this game, and I know for a fact if this was chess, this would checkmate against not only my mother (who is under me in rank, now that I think about it), but also against Asahi who is my best playmate and fiercest opponent when it came to protocol and safety.
"Kaguya-Hime, what are you-"
"I'm the princess, right?" I inquired of him as I got out of the littler, stretching my sore legs that had been tucked under me the entire ride as I kneeled in proper positioning of a girl of my rank. I moved them around, trying to bend down and rub them, but the many layers of this kimono made it difficult. "You follow my orders don't you?" I continued, innocently, staring up at him with my unnerving, pale eyes.
Asahi's head jerked. "Yes, Kaguya-hime, you are, and yes, I shall do whatever is asked of me." He seemed to understand what I was saying, because he looked angrily at the ground, but I nudged his shoulder (it was difficult at my short height), and smiled at him the biggest that I could.
"Don't worry. I won't walk very slowly. I'll be fine; we're halfway there, anyway." I told him gently, and to my utter joy, he nudged me back, a smile on his face at my victory, and he gave me challenging glance.
"Stay by me at all times, please, Kaguya-hime." He directed me, handing off his horse to another young boy, obviously going to take this long stroll with me, and I beamed, before he added, "If you are so sure you can make it."
"Of course I can!"
As I have done a thousand times before, I hitch up my skirts and tuck them into my obi, marching on defiantly.
..
Only fifteen minutes later, I found out that rocks will destroy your feet if all you are wearing are silk slippers. I got back into my litter, just as defiant as before, but the feeling of victory had long since faded around the time I tripped and fell.
I pretended not to hear Asahi's laughter.
残り火
Before I was forcibly taken away from my nurse Ishii, she taught me everything I would need to fully be able to shine in this world of the Emperor, and I knew everything there was to know. I was trained as intensely as a warrior, except what I learned was for the mental capacity. The great curtsey, the slow walk, the fast walk, how to treat those of my ranking, how to speak to the Empress, how to speak with Emperor, how to look at him, even how to breath, the glided walk, I know everything that there is to know when I am here.
In life before this, simple natural things were not even though of, but this place is much different than my old life in America and the life at the palace where the women and children stayed. Eating, drinking, sleeping, sitting, speaking, walking, rising- the mundane acts of my natural life were carefully and meticulously monitored by codes and protocol. Ishii had prepared me for the quiet scrutiny that would come when I entered, but never had I expected to be watched so thoroughly, where even Asahi could not walk beside me, and I wasn't even summoned to my new father the first few weeks. I lived and breathed in this palace, I even turned thirteen here, but no on summoned me for almost two months. I had people sent to inform him of my arrival, and still, no one arrived to summon. No one even pretended to care I was here. To my surprise, I was summoned one day, but not by my father, but by his new wife, The Empress.
Her name has been changed, just like mine was when I was younger, and the last one I had heard of was something my new father had called her Yūgana tsuma, or the Gracious Wife. It wasn't a compliment per se, but it was better than losing his favor all together.
Even Asahi is not allowed to come inside her chambers with me, and all of her ladies are gone away from the area, leaving in a quiet privacy. The room is- as is the rest of the world- a mix of some Chinese and different era of Japan history all crushed into one place. The Empress is sitting in a chair, a worn scroll in her hands, and she does not even look at me or my curtsy when I enter, and I am given time to just examine the woman called Yūgana tsuma.
From what I can see, there are no defects in her limbs, and her body isn't deformed, with a delicate frame, and a pretty face. She isn't older either, maybe mid-middle aged with nice skin with the exception of some wrinkles, caused more by anxieties than by age, which makes her appear some years older. Her hair is still black and color with pale eyes like mine. It takes her several minutes of reading whatever it was that she is reading until she looks at me, still in my low curtsey and head slightly bowed. The Empress motions me over to her, and I smile brightly, if only a little nervously.
"I've been studying this prophecy written by an old monk who once appeared out of the waters of Konran no Mizūmi." She tells me nonchalantly, looking at me like she is peeling my skin off and seeing me as a whole, like she knows of what I am, and she has seen every sin I have ever done in this life and my past. "Of course, he's dead now, I only met him when I was pregnant with me daughter and I swore that it would be my daughter who would become-" She stops dead in the middle of the sentence. "Kaguya, how many sisters do you have?"
"Four." I answer quickly, but I know that she knows, because she is the Lady of the Empire and the clan, and we belong to her as daughters as well.
"And how many have pale eyes?"
"Two of them, and myself."
"Yes," She replies. "Don't forget my daughter, your fifth sister, and the fourth person to bear pale eyes."
"My apologies," I babbled. "I forgot that you had-"
Yūgana tsuma stared at the scroll in her hand, slapping it against the wood of her chair, and it was like a gunshot had gone off, because it shut me up automatically. "The blind man hadn't been distinct enough in whom would be bringing peace to these lands as a goddess, but as to what they would possess as a person." She looked at the scroll in bitterness, but never did regard me with any distain or contempt, at least.
She recites it from memory. "The daughter of an Emperor, a princess to her people, and a savior to this world, with eyes pale and strong soul; a rough translation, but enough to hint as to who it will be."
"Your Majesty, I-"
"Had four sisters with pale eyes, so it couldn't possibly be you, right? You're the youngest and smallest, so it couldn't be you who would taste the fruit of a tree that was cast away into a world not like this one?" She cackled, more to herself than anyone else. "Your right, you know. You weren't my first choice. It was my daughter, Taketori, but then she died in a raid on the castle over a land dispute. She was murdered over land, Kaguya!"
I flinched back violently at the words coming out of her mouth, because I knew what she would say, I knew that I would be the one to eat the fruit and become the Mother of Chakra to bring peace to the war torn world, only to get overwhelmed and cause destruction by my craziness. But to think of what Kaguya had to go through, to have a half-sister killed over land and power, and I felt so horrified for her. She had a crazy, son-obsessed mother, a man-made nut of an empress, a marriage impending at twelve, and a father who didn't even want to be in her company after inviting her there. Kaguya was so young and impressionable, and here is her Empress telling her that she's destined for this (and she is), but to tell her about a sister she didn't even meet? Horrific. The pity I feel for the former Kaguya is intense, even after all the terrible things she did. No wonder she went crazy after living with these people.
"So I looked at all of your sisters, and they were all too weak." She gripped the edges of her kimono, tugging it in her madness. "It was you! Its taboo, you know, to eat from the Shinju Tree, but in a few years a fruit will grow and you will bring peace by killing those who defy the idea!" Jumping at me, Yūgana tsuma grips my face with one jeweled palm, pressing the scroll into my hand as forcefully as she can, shaking in her crazed hallucination. "This will tell you how to get Konran no Mizūmi in exactly seven years, and eat the fruit, okay? Kaguya-"
The door is opened forcefully, two ladies rushing in with two men with the Ōtsutsuki lower family crest that means they are the servants of the Emperor. "Kaguya-hime," The bearded one says, his prayer beads swinging on his hands, and I hid the scroll in my kimono because it would be useful later. He grabbed onto me gently, ushering me out as the Empress wailed when the ladies and other eunuch tried to convince her to drink whatever that tea-like liquid was in a clay cup, and she dove for me again, her eyes dim, and I stared at her, stunned as I am pulled from the room and she is pulled from me.
"I am sorry, Your Highness. The Empress is very sick and needs her medicine-"
"Kaguya! KAGUYA! Do as you are told!" She shrieked madly. "Avenge your sister! Bring about peace-"
The door is slammed shut behind me.
残り火
I hide with a candle in the closet of my chambers, crouching down, hidden from any prying eyes even if I am supposed to be asleep. Asahi is on a small cot outside my door, protecting me and lightly sleeping to listening to if any noise happens in my room incase an enemy sneaks in while he is not allowed in my bedroom.
I skim through the instruction to get the Konran no Mizūmi, and instead look at the rough sketches of this tree and the forbidden fruit, thinking over what the Empress said, and I couldn't even begin to comprehend how horrific a death this girl, Kaguya's (my ) half-sister must have faced to get to break her mother like that; over land, of all things. The picture of the fruit if vivid with crushed berries as coloring, and I can just see it in my head. Innocents like Taketori couldn't have to die in war, and innocents like Naruto shouldn't have to be destroyed because I wasn't sure of being the Mother of Chakra. If anything, besides Neji, in the end everything goes well and peace is won for ages and ages, if not forever. I clutch the picture tighter, bringing it closer to the flickering light for a better view.
I stare at forbidden fruit of the Shinju in front of me and realize I can't change some things. I have to do this, for peace, even if I become like her.