CSA Version 10Parallel ContinuityEternity is Not What it Seems

Parallel: Continuity

Summary: When the Kazama Clan fell, one Hatake Kakashi was sent to the past by the will of his dead love. He changed everything by dying in the place of a friend, and it falls to those who are left behind to complete the Oracle's will…

Chapter 10: Chizuru

The year Kakashi died had been the year that the Leaf-Stone War ended. Arashi and Chizuru had doled out such vengeance against the Stone for an unborn Oracle's Mouth that Hidden Stone had no choice but to surrender. Almost immediately after the war ended, Arashi had been inaugurated as the Yondaime, and Obito was recruited into the ANBU while Rin began training under Hiyohime, the Commander of the Oinin. Chizuru had reached the end of her use, and despite that, lingered on, with only her Mouth and her brother to keep her sane. Without Kakashi, Konoha needed an Oracle to ensure that Fate did not undo what Kakashi had changed.

Almost three years after Kakashi's death, Arashi married Magami Tokiko, and Arashi had summoned his students to him, and had them promise him that they would protect his children no matter what.

Obito and Rin both promised most solemnly that they would protect their teacher's family to the best of their abilities.

Three months later, Obito and Rin were told that Kazama Tokiko was pregnant. Two months after that, Rin discarded her name and apartment in the Citizen's (where the ninja lived) Sector for the unadorned mask of a Hunter Ninja and the codename Suzaku. Obito was promoted to Vice-Captain of his ANBU squad.

Seven months later, the Kyuubi came to Konoha…

Chizuru stood on the roof of the Kazama Clan House, her face turned toward the red glow on the distant horizon. There was a sudden explosion followed by a plume of smoke, and a howl of rage and the screams of the dying. Her Yochigan spun rapidly in her eyes as Ibiki stood behind her, his entire posture tense from the inhuman killing intent flowing over the village. This event was one that had been expected, long before Kakashi-kun had traveled to them from the future, a future that would never be if the Kazama Clan played their parts correctly. The war with Hidden Stone had whittled the Kazama Clan from their initial dozens to the current three, well, four, if one counted the soon to be born child.

Even despite that, the Magami Clan's numbers were falling as well, and Chizuru wondered absently if Naruto's Kazama blood overpowered the Magami Clan's own bloodline limit. If so, then one would have to hope that his Magami Cousins survived, because Naruto would likely be unable to continue the line of Shadow-Sacrifices, especially if he was the Last Oracle as Kakashi had claimed.

There was so much to do, so much to change…

Chizuru wondered absently if Naruto would grow up to be in anyway similar to the version she had connected with in the Collective. It was quite possible. There had been one or two situations where an Oracle had traveled back in time, and each time, said Oracle had left another imprint, which eventually merged with the previous imprint. Never before had an Oracle sent their Mouth to drastically change things before they were born. It was highly likely that the first time Naruto tapped the Collective; he'd merge with the imprint that his no-longer-existent future version had left behind. It would be a fascinating study, but sadly, she wouldn't be around to see it.

She had overstayed her time anyway, but she had one last thing to do before she died, and she would ensure that her nephew would have family, blood family, instead of a hodgepodge of adoptive/surrogate family, and what blood family he did have would not be an aunt driven half-mad from her Yochigan. No, he would have a father and mother to spoil him, and cousins to play with. If things went well, there would be no reason for this village to hate the poor boy, and this village would be safe from the destruction that was to come. It was all she could do for the poor broken boy who had lost everything and went back and regained so much only to die before he could properly love, and for the other young boy who had suffered so much, only to be thrown into the ghosts of his path to serve someone he would have to wait years for, only to never get that chance.

She would ensure that Kakashi and Naruto's sacrifices weren't in vain.

She would ensure that the Kazama Clan would continue on, even if they would no longer produce the Yochigan…

It was really all she could do now. In a few more weeks, she would loose her mind altogether.

Therefore, for as long as she still had some sanity left, she would use it to complete and anchor the changes made by Naruto and Kakashi so that there would not be as much suffering. And maybe, just maybe, Kakashi and Naruto would be able to meet again in the future.

An Oracle and their Mouth was bound to one another, mind, body and soul, after all…

Kazama Kazuki Naruto came into the world, a squalling babe, wailing at the top of his admittedly very strong lungs, his eyes shut tight and his entire body slick with blood and fluids as he flailed his clenched fists about, angry at the sudden transition from the warmth of his mother's womb into the much colder air outside.

"He looks like you, Sensei," Suzaku had said, holding the cleaned infant wrapped in a pale blue blanket out to his father.

Arashi's face was a mask of determination, adoration, fear, and more than a little self-loathing as he swept the newborn into his arms. He held the child, rocked him, and crooned lovingly at him for a while. Then he looked Suzaku in the eye and said curtly, "You promised."

Suzaku nodded. "I will protect him, Sensei," she said.

"Take care of Obito and Tokiko also," he said.

"I will do all that I can," Suzaku replied.

Arashi nodded and left, leaving Suzaku to clean up and see to Tokiko after the difficult labor. Kazama Tokiko was a proud mother of the next generation of Oracles, but she was exhausted and bleeding heavily. It was all Suzaku could do to keep the young mother alive.

Chizuru met with her brother just inside the lobby of the Hokage's Tower and held out her hands. Arashi placed the baby in her arms, and she smiled at the child, gently tracing a rounded cheek with a finger. She looked at her brother.

"Do you really intend to do this, Arashi?"

"There is no other way."

"Are you sure of that?"

Blue eyes narrowed. "What are you planning, Chizuru?"

"Forgive me, Arashi."

"What?"

Chizuru's eyes flashed with the Yochigan, and faster than Arashi could see, her fist lashed out. Arashi gasped, doubled over his sister's fist in his gut, and his eyes slid shut and his body went limp. Chizuru allowed her brother to collapse to the floor, and clutched the child close as she leapt onto the roof of a nearby building, her eyes filling with tears.

Forgive me, Arashi...

I'm so very sorry, Naruto-kun… You won't have a Mouth because he has already died, but the least I can do is ensure that your life won't be too difficult… If I can smooth the way for you, then nothing else matters…

Please forgive me, brother, nephew...

Farewell, Ibiki…

TBC…

Totally Random Babbling… Or Not: Another short chapter…. Facefaults… It was so hard trying to write Chizuru's part. I'm actually surprised by how reasonable she came across as since by this point, she's half insane from the Yochigan's effects. On the bright side, starting with the next chapter, the chapters will be getting longer.

SanadaSayuri