A long long time ago, in a tragedy
If ever comes a day that I go away
In a forest deep, you'll sink like a stone
From that moment on, you'll go alone
Feeling a warm temperature in the hands we hold
If ever comes a day they gently unfold
A dry bell will sound echoing on its own
From that moment on, you'll go alone
For we are two of a kind; When we walk, we are one
The sound of lies being told disappear like the sun
And now we both bow our heads; only a single shadow
Didn't you know that I'm also going alone?
You fell into love of a gentle kind
With a flower on top of a high, high cliff
"It's so hard to reach." I know you know.
So this time, you'll have to go alone
A long long time ago, in a tragedy
If ever comes a day that I go away
In a forest deep, you'll sink like a stone
From that moment on, you'll go alone
And I am one of a kind; when I walk, I am alone
I've grown weary of lying to the bone
Now I bow my head in this golden room
I was here with you, and now, it's gone too soon
In a forest deep, I sank and I knew
I'm a charred and dirty, forsaken fruit
And that is the end - there's nothing more to recount
From this moment on, you'll go alone- Song: Alice
I sniff, rubbing my eyes as I stood in the doorway for the third time this week. It's different and strange to be alone, to be isolated completely. Kikyo….mom… she was my one sole human company in this new world that I knew little of in this era. I miss my brother and sister. They were always filling the silence when our parents weren't home. They're also alive. Four years older than when I died. Amanda must be in college now. Aaron should be finishing high school. I don't have that family anymore. I had Kikyo.
And now I truly am alone. The silence became an uncomfortable presence every night I go to sleep. I hum just to fill that void. The food will get low soon and I'll be forced to leave home. I'm too afraid to go into the village since clans pass through it all the time. I'd be in danger if there was anyone that knew of your kekkai genkai.
Luckily Kikyo didn't wait long to educate me. To absorb one's strength to match them in battle. It explains why I, as a two year old, could kick that child into the wall. There were quite a few limits though. She seemed pretty okay with Akane so maybe the Senju won't target me but I have no idea about the others. Now that I think of it, Kikyo kept her shinobi skills hidden from all. Even me. I wish I figure it out sooner.
I have never been quick at putting pieces together. So of course I didn't figure out that her job was actually to fight. What battles? Against who? Will I ever know? Closing the door, I begin to walk. The cats might help me. All I have to do is remember the way there. Easier said than done. I walked into the direction I thought they were. Walked and walked and walked. No familiar rocks were in sight even after an hour of searching.
A clearing with wild flowers came into view so I decided to rest there. My weak legs ached from the journey and I may collapse if I don't take a break. So laying down on a bed of buttercups and what I think are dandelions, I close my eyes to sleep. Memories from the other world fill my dreams. Learning to ride my bike only to slam face first into the trunk of dad's truck. Planting a hydrangea with my mom. Petty fights with my brother over something so little but was somehow meaningful to my childish mind. My sister curling my hair and doing my makeup for me. Even while sleeping, I can feel tears building up and the stinging sensation in my nose.
A few minutes or hours must of past before something started to disturb my rest. The first shake in the ground was small which I ignored. Then there was more and more with the intervals becoming shorter. Footsteps. I curl up into a tight ball and try becoming invisible. My fear paralyzes me.
"Child."
After seeing the shadow come over me, I jolted out of my frozen state, scrambling to my feet and spinning around. There stood one of the important characters I would rather not meet. With his orange fur like fire against the morning sun and nine tails coiling like snakes behind him, was Kurama the kyuubi. I swallowed and looked around for an escape. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I'm so sorry!" Kami this cannot be happening.
Kurama tilted his head at my sudden outburst. "Oh?"
"Y-yeah. I didn't know this spot belonged to you and even so, I wouldn't have staid. I got lost and well, I needed to rest… sorry." I trailed off. I know the Kurama from Naruto's time and how angry he was, er, will be, over being sealed up but I have no idea how he's like in this time. Doesn't help that I'm a kid right now too. He was bigger too since Naruto only held half.
The fox sat down, head lifted to the sky as he bellowed his laughter. He was LAUGHING. Why? "No one who comes here has ever apologized. But I haven't decided if you'll be the first to walk away alive either." He grinned sinisterly at me. "So don't get your hopes up. So where were you heading?"
My shoulders slumped at that. Not because of the possibility of me dying so soon but from what he said struck a nerve. I know this era viewed the beasts as dangerous monsters but for not a single one to show any. "Um…. I'm trying to find the cat clans. I was supposed to go earlier but something came up so… yeah." His red eyes continued to stare me down like some specimen beneath the microscope. Man he just might squash me when he wants to.
"You went the wrong way."
….
"What?"
"Those felines are on the other side of the forest." He pointed a claw in the direction I came from. So…I was walking for all that time AWAY from where wanted to be? Fan-freaking-tastic. Not my overwhelming sarcasm. I get up, walk over to a tree, and slam my head against the trunk. "Kami-Jashin-Dammit! I knew something was up when I didn't see rocks." Kurama chuckled at my misfortune like the ornery jerk I knew him to be. "So… Can you let me leave please? I… don't want it to be night while I travel."
He lays down and closes his eyes. "I have no interest in keeping you here for that long"
"Thank you!" I quickly say and smile when he opened his eye in shock. When I got back to my home, night was falling. Even though I didn't find the cats today, I was surprisingly happy. Kurama is cooler in the flesh than on a TV screen. Scary but cool. I'm surprised he let me go. A free Kurama is a sensible Kurama guess.
"Your mother never returned?" Tokunaga sighed and sat down in front of me. "Why didn't you come to us sooner?" His gruff voice made me flinch, my face heating up with his scolding. Kila treaded over and nuzzles my cheek. "It'll be okay. I'll go and live with her along with the cubs who are chosen." Oh that's right. My own familiars.
They lead me into a den where I could see the different cubs lay about. "How do I choose?"
The tigress Nods her head and walks to the center. "You will get a feeling and the cubs will come to you. Release your chakra and let them feel it." I did as instructed, closing my eyes, sending out a bit of chakra. It brushes over each cub and I know exactly where they are. So this is how sensing is done.
When I open my eyes, I see a tiger, two lions, and a cougar at my feet. The warmth in my chest made itself known. It was a bond. With a smile, I kneel down and wrap my arms around these four cubs. "Welcome to my family. Kialera, Kovu, Yuki, Saigo." The names jump into my head as I gazed into their adorable young eyes.
Kialera is the Tiger. Kovu was a dark brown lion so I named after the one in lion king while Yuki was white. Saigo is the cougar as well as the smallest. Kila nudged me gently on the shoulder. "From now on I will train you in our styles. You wish to make a name for yourself in this world yes? Are you prepared for the trials that lie ahead?"
"Hai!"
I pick up Saigo and place her on my head and carry Yuki in my arms. A plan forms in my head for these familiars of mine. It'll be more epic than Kiba and Akamaru. I also had other plans. One of them involves becoming friends with a certain fox but that will take a lot of time to do. When we return, I grab my kodachi from the shelf and unsheathe it. The reflection on the metal stares back. Kila chuffed from the doorway, tail flicking as a signal. I smile and follow her outside to begin training.
"Can you kill?"
"No? I never needed to before…."
Kila whipped me on the head. "Don't be foolish. You don't want to kill but in this world you have to in order to survive." She left the clearing for a moment before she returns with a rabbit in her jaws. She drops the wounded creature at my feet. It was so cute. "You will first kill animals. I'm not letting you near other humans unless I say you're ready. You will learn to live off the land around you."
Oh…I'm going to be a feral child raised by a tiger. Well this will be interesting. I look down at the rabbit. "So this is desensitizing me." Gently, I pick it up and sigh. "How should I kill it?"
"Normally I would ask you to bite the throat. But for now I want you to just stab it." She watched me intently with her amber eyes. I place a kunai against the bunny's throat before cutting through. I flinch when blood splats against my face. "You missed the heart vein. You must learn to have precision to kill swiftly and kindly." I bite m lip to try and suppress tears. I've never taken a life willingly before. Even if it's just an animal.
And this was only the beginning in this war torn land.
I stare up at the sky from on top of a tree. Who would have thought chakra control was so difficult. The anime sure downplayed the learning experience. It took me a month to get up to where I am now. It may be my young age and currently small chakra reserves that caused me to take so long mastering it. The way I climbed the tree was different too. Instead of just my feet, I was taught to use both my hands and feet. So I climb the tree like a cat. I asked Kila why she was telling me to do it this way at the beginning.
"Conceal your ability to control chakra. You'll be underestimated. It also makes stalking easier if you know how to crawl silently."
Training under a tiger is harder than it was with Kikyo. Seriously. I kept resorting to my kekkai genkai in order to defend myself from her attacks. That ability really sends me for a loop if used to much. The moment I lose an opponent's strength, my chakra loses a large chunk also. It was three times before I fainted from exhaustion. The weight on my lap shifted and I look down at Kialera. The sun shines on her fur, making it look so bright. My eyes drift towards the tree that made my home. It was so big and empty even with these new family members. There was another tree of the same size behind it.
Suddenly an idea came to mind. I can try and carve out the inside of the second tree into a home as well. Who would live there? Children. In this era is filled with children sent out to fight at the ages of five or six and few can survive to ten. I'll make myself known in a peaceful way instead of fighting for a tittle. I'll rescue children from the battle field. But first I need to build the rooms inside the tree, teach myself medical ninjutsu, and get stronger. Kila is the only one who can say I'm ready to leave the forest. I'll stop worrying about changing the story if I can make a better life for the innocent.
Only children that are fatally wounded and would be pronounced dead since it would be suspicious otherwise. With medical ninjutsu, the call of something being fatal changed due to the extent it can heal. High levels of control will be a challenge for me though. As for my strength…I can't depend on my kekkai genkai. I should only use it if there is someone stronger than me in a fight. Tsunade had that super punch thing… perhaps if I replicate it.
"Rei-sama?" Kialera blinks up at me with bright blue eyes. "Your face is tense… are you okay?" She paws my thigh as a nudge. I stare down and smile at the cub. "I'm fine. Just thinking. It's getting late so let's head back inside." She jumps onto my shoulder and grips my battle kimono with her claws as I jump down from the branch.
It seems I have quite a bit of work to do starting today.
A/N This is my attempt on a transition chapter and overview on what she will be doing over the time skip that happens in the next chapter. Blah. Self Inserts are harder than it seems. I'm trying to stay in my normal mindset, keep my morals like some unfeeling character, gah the poor bunny TT_TT, and a plan to weave myself into the canon story. I'm scared at what would be the repercussions to my future actions. Hehehe.
Fun fact: Songs inspire me to write certain scenes. This one struck me as fitting because of her mom.
Q: Funny nicknames for Madara and Hashirama? What are your ideas?
Kurama: Your going to be a pain in my side aren't you brat?
Vix: You'll learn to love me.
Kurama: Just try not to drag me into the drama.
Vix: No promises pumpkin.
