Chapter one: Pilot.
In a certain clearing on the outskirts of the village, far from the carnage that the Kyuubi no Kitsune had caused. Kushina was barely clinging to life with a massive hole in where her stomach used to be. She cackled to herself in grim amusement, knowing that if she hadn't been exhausted from giving birth and having Kurama ripped out of her, she would have torn the head off that masked bastard and shoved it up his own anus.
But that wasn't an option now. He was long gone since Kurama had been sealed away. Sighing to herself she held the crying form of her child close to her bosom, her Precious baby sleeping soundly as he snuggled ever closer to her as though he were seeking her warmth. All of a sudden he began to wail in distress as a figure approached them.
It seemed her child had good instincts if he could already sense the presence of vile people. "Finally decided to show up Pervy Sage? Why am I not surprised a chickenshit coward like you would wait to take my boy when I'm knocking at death's door?" She spoke, openly mocking the Toad Sannin as he stepped into view, she spat at his feet and cackled. Her violet eyes promised him eternal pain and torment if he ever touched her boy.
The Sannin glared at her as he crossed his arms, waiting patiently for her to expire. Not dare risking any chance of her saaaaaay tearing out his throat. "Won't matter. In just a few minutes I'll be Naruto's only legal guardian. I'll be sure to steer him in the right direction and ensure Konoha's future." He spit back, seeing the light slowly leaving Kushina's eyes as her breathing slowed.
However, he was surprised when she stood to her feet defiantly and flipped him the bird while speaking "None of it will matter. I have seen the future. I know what's coming and what is going to happen. And you won't be a part of it. I'll be gone for a time, but I won't be leaving. You have no fucking idea what's coming. Your so-called Precious village, no, the whole world has no idea about the forces at work."
"What are you talking about? That's crazy talk!" He shouted in denial, becoming perturbed by the cult-like fanaticism and conviction in her voice. See the future? Claiming to cheat death? Ridiculous. She was obviously hallucinating.
"Doubt me if you want. The results will always be the same. You'll always be a failure. And I'll be the one to get the last laugh!" She spoke with a wheezing laugh, a wicked grin spreading across her face, threatening to tear her cheeks apart.
Before he could speak, a bright pillar of light shined far to the south, the earth rumbled and shook beneath their feet. Just what strange phenomena had occurred? "Too late. She has just entered this world. You can't fight destiny Jiraiya. And yours is to lose in disgrace." She spoke as she gently set her child on the ground and cracked her knuckles.
Before the Sannin could react, the Red Death pounced on him, pinning him to the ground as her fist smashed hard against his face, the sounds of cartilage snapping could be heard as she broke his nose. She then grabbed his neck and started to squeeze hard, slowly choking the life out of him. He tried to push her off, but she refused to budge, he tried summoning a Rasengan to blow her away, but she pinned his arms beneath her feet with surprising dexterity.
Just how could a woman on the brink of Death still be so strong. "Remember this moment Jiraiya. Remember this as the time I could have killed you before this body of mine perished. Someday soon, I will be back. It could be tomorrow, a month, or even a year from now. But someday soon, I swear I'll claw my way out of the great beyond and kill you. Now you get to live in fear of my shadow until the day you die, and every day you shall question yourself 'Will I die today?' Hahaha. It's the end of days Jiraiya! Saviors and Destroyers are coming. Saviors and Destroyers." She muttered with her last breaths.
The light in her eyes finally dimmed as she gave a final croaking laugh until she fell into silence, and in terror the Sannin managed to throw off her now limp form. Clutching at his throat as dark purple bruises formed as he gasped for air. Just what in the hell was Kushina prattling on about? Was it the insane blabbering of a dying woman… or was there something darker at work here that he wasn't aware of?
In any case, at last he had free access to the new Jinchuuriki. He got up from the ground and reached over to the boy… only for a tendril of crimson energy to lash out and catch him by the throat. "Why do things want to keep strangling me?!" He yowled in pain as the crimson tendril squeezed tight, his skin felt as though it were caught on fire as he tried to slip away. After a few seconds he managed to replace himself with a log using the Substitution technique which freed him at last.
The crimson tendril angrily whipped about before vanishing again. The Sannin checked the damage to his throat and immediately found that the flesh of his neck had been badly burnt. There was no question that strange energy could only be Bijuu Chakra. It stood to reason that Kushina may have tampered with the seal, and somehow or other the Fox had some small influence on the outside world. Why the beast even bothered to defend the boy was utterly beyond him.
Not that it mattered now. Deciding on a plan B, he summoned a Shadow Clone to try and pick up the crying infant, but once again that same tendril appeared and swatted the clone like a fly causing it to disappear and make the Sannin growl in frustration. He tried a second time, then a third, a fourth and even a fifth, and each attempt was met with the same results. Sweat covered his body as he was getting exhausted from summoning Shadow clones.
A familiar voice chuckled and said "It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result." The toad user looked to the side and spotted his old teammate Tsunade and her apprentice Shizune approaching.
"Tsunade?! Why the hell are you here? Didn't you swear that you'd never come back to Konoha?" He yelled out in surprise and then winced due to the pain in his neck. The Slug Sannin ignored him, her attention focused solely on the poor infant crying out for his mother. She slowly reached down to pick him up, and much to the Toad user's shock, she successfully picked him up, the infant instantly calming in her arms.
"What a handsome boy you are! Ohhhh yes! You'll be quite the lady killer." Tsunade cooed and gently booped the infant on the nose, making him giggle happily. She rained some kisses on his head, planting numerous lipstick markings while her apprentice tickled the boy's belly which only made him giggle and squirm giddily.
Tired of being ignored, Jiraiya shouted in frustration "Tsunade! Did you hear me?" At his voice, his ex-teammate rolled her eyes and answered in annoyance "I was deliberately ignoring you. I am here because Kushina asked me to be his godmother. And what can I say? People say all sorts of things when they're angry or grieving. Now go away, you're spoiling my mood and more importantly, I don't want this precious bundle of joy to get sick breathing the same air as you. Doctor's orders."
At that, Jiraiya sputtered, he wanted to deny her claim but he was so outraged that he couldn't force out the words. His face turning an angry crimson that Kushina had gone behind her husband's back like this, Minato promised that he would entrust his child to him, and only him. And now Tsunade was here. Things could not get any worse.
The universe however, had other ideas as the form of the Sandaime appeared with his personal Anbu guard, Hiruzen observed the scene for a brief moment, seeing the lifeless form of Kushina and Minato a short distance away, he saw his two students as well, and took note that Jiraiya seemed to be injured around his neck region and had a broken and bloody nose. Funny enough, he wasn't aware that Jiraiya was even in the village. And more surprising was Tsunade was present too.
"What the hell happened here?" Was the only intelligent question he could ask to get to the bottom of this as he approached his students, his eyes narrowed with a sharp and ferocious edge to them. Making it obvious he would not accept anything less than the facts.
Tsunade was the first to speak and stated "Last week I received a letter from Kushina who asked me to come to Konoha to see my godson's birth. I got here as quickly as possible, but I'm afraid I was too late to save Minato or Kushina."
Jiraiya was next to speak and his voice was full of anger as he almost shouted "She's a liar! I am supposed to be the boy's godparent! Minato named me as Naruto's godfather and…" The Toad Sannin wanted to say more, but he was silenced when his sensei raised his hand. He was already aware that Minato had nominated Jiraiya, but it was a well-known fact that Kushina refused said nomination.
Tsunade clicked her tongue and spoke in an even tone "Screw this. I'm not gonna play a game of 'he says, she says'. This should be the proof you need to see I'm Naruto's rightful godparent!" The Medic nin reached into the valley of her breasts and pulled out a letter attached with a document clipped to it.
The Sandaime skimmed through the Contents while muttering to himself "I, Kushina Uzumaki of sound mind and body hereby declare Tsunade as…" He continued on more quietly as he continued to read through and then spoke "No question about it. This is definitely Kushina's handwriting. Additionally there is an extremely graphic and colorful death threat directed towards Jiraiya warning him to never touch her boy, that I dare not put into words. But it is so horrifying and disturbing that there can be no doubt that it came from Kushina. I mean, I have seen some twisted things in my time, but this threat gave me a brand-new perspective on unadulterated anger and casual cruelty."
As if to prove his point, he showed the letter and pointed towards the rather lengthy paragraph to Jiraiya who looked at the designated spot… and the Toad Sannin instantly felt at least thirty years of his life span drain away. He was certain that he'd have nightmares for months. "I'd say this proves that Tsunade is Naruto's guardian." The Sandaime spoke, having a strong feeling that the Toad Sannin didn't have such documentation, and word of mouth from a dead man would not be enough. And frankly he felt more comfortable if the boy were in the care of not only a professional doctor, but another Uzumaki.
That aside… it seemed like the two were now inseparable given how she was now nuzzling him while Shizune blew raspberries into his belly. The Busty Sannin handed the baby over to her apprentice and spoke to the aged Hokage "We should go and make certain arrangements Sensei. Kushina left me with very clear and specific instructions if anything happened to her." Hiruzen nodded in understanding, ready to listen to his student, knowing full well that Kushina must have made certain arrangements.
It is often said that Minato was the type of person things as they 'could be'. But Kushina saw things for what they really were, and so she always planned everything at least fifty steps in advance. If she hadn't become pregnant and decided to spend her days raising her child, she would have made a fierce Hokage indeed.
Jiraiya could only watch in silence as he was now completely ignored. He wanted to shout and say something… but then he felt a chill as he saw a shadow and a flash of crimson hair flowing in the wind. He blinked his eyes a few times and wondered if he was seeing things. He was about to chase after his sensei and fellow Sannin but stopped when he felt pain in his gut, like a hot knife had been stabbed into his belly and was being twisted around inside the wound. "Ohhhhh no you don't." he heard a quiet voice whisper. He slowly glanced over towards the body of the Red Death herself which was now being tended along with the Yondaime's body by the Anbu who were paying their respects to their fallen comrades,inspirations, and leaders.
Even with the spark of life gone from the eyes of Kushina's corpse, he felt as if those violet orbs were still staring through him, piercing through him. And that twisted smile that was etched into her lifeless face was somehow promising that his torment had only just begun. It didn't take him long to realize now that Kushina was keeping her promise… she was gone, but she hadn't left.
Swallowing hard, he directed his attention towards the south where that strange light had emerged. What was it? And what forces was Kushina referring to? He would need to investigate… and maybe seek out an exorcist to shake off the spectre that was now obviously haunting him.
Unknown to Jiraiya, powerful forces were indeed at work and they would soon be gathering. It was only a matter of time now.
15 Years later. Konoha Academy.
Fifteen long years had passed since the Kyuubi attack and the many casualties that were incurred on that fateful and unfortunate night. Many questioned the fate of the infamous Bijuu that had caused such carnage, with the Shinobi populace knowing full well that Bijuu were strange creatures beyond death, even in the off-chance they were killed in battle or died with their host, they would reform again someplace else.
After a while, it was later revealed that the Kyuubi had been successfully sealed away into a new host by the late Yondaime as a final act to save the village, but for security reasons, the new Jinchuuriki's identity was a tightly kept secret, and any attempts to investigate the matter would be met with harsh punishment.
It was widely celebrated amongst the community when Tsunade Senju had returned, and had taken the mantle of the Godaime Hokage. She made promises to fight the corruption in Konoha's governing structure, harsher sentences and punishments for the criminal element in the village, new tax reforms, a stronger and better Academy curriculum, and reforms and updates to hospitals in Konoha.
Tsunade was regarded as a strong, tight-fisted Hokage with a fierce love for the village her Grandfather and Uncle had built, and its people. And she had no tolerance for any that threatened it, making her a highly popular and well-respected leader… even in spite of her vices in gambling and drinking.
One of her most famous acts was the abolition of the Civilian Council after it was discovered they had been tampering with Shinobi matters, most chiefly in the Academy school system. Ask any Kage, past or present, and they will all tell you that the next Generation of Ninjas are one of the most vital components of a strong village.
Flower pressing, Lectures, Shinobi theory, BAH! The true realities of being a Ninja were glossed over and watered down by the Civilian council's tampering. The students didn't need to be coddled in the Academy, they needed training, discipline, and the tools needed to survive and thrive. If they didn't have the drive to train harder, improve themselves, and to grow as both a person and a warrior, then they weren't fit to be Ninjas.
You can't simply 'learn' to be a Ninja. It is something you have to live and experience for yourself. Abolishing the Civilian council was a highly controversial move since they were heavily involved in trade, markets, and such other economical related business. But at the same time, it was no secret they were heavily mired in corruption and embezzlement, even if evidence for such crimes was never found.
In any case, Konoha was now enjoying a period of wealth and prosperity and Among the populace was the boy known as 'Konoha's favorite son' Naruto Uzumaki, the godchild of Tsunade herself, and a rising star. In the Academy, Naruto excelled in every class and training course, mastering techniques and materials that would take the average student weeks to learn in only a fraction of the time.
Many were jealous of his talents, but no one could bring themselves to hate him due to his kind-hearted and friendly nature. He even had his own fanclub of girls that would sing his praises, most of them being his fiancees. Apparently Kushina had already made arrangements for political marriages with numerous girls, many of which seemed to be foreigners who readily transferred to Konoha. Others were of course the daughters of some of Konoha's clan heads.
Overall, life was good and the future of the Uzumaki clan was very strongly secure. But of course peacetime is a fleeting thing like the changing of the seasons… it's only a matter of time before something or someone shatters it. But that wouldn't be a problem for them… oh no. They would be ready.
Meanwhile. Konoha Academy.
Naruto Uzumaki sighed in relaxation as he rested his head in the lap of a young woman dark skin that was seldom seen in Konoha, her hands lovingly stroking his head as she smiled down at him, and then she looked over towards the other girls who were all giving somewhat jealous glares that they weren't the ones giving their Fiance a lap pillow. The pony-tailed girl mockingly stuck her tongue out at them, but they paid her no mind since they had all lost the Janken tournament fair and square.
Now if only they could figure out how Korra can successfully guess each and every time, that would be wonderful. A shadow fell on the Jinchuuriki's face making him turn his head and see a familiar face "Well, well, Itachi Effing Uchiha. So nice to see you again. What brings you to the Academy today?" The whiskered teen asked with a small smile.
"Academy isn't your usual stomping grounds." Korra pointed out with a smirk, causing Itachi to give a barely noticeable smile since that was true. It wasn't often he would come by the Academy, and when he usually did, it was for his brother. Though it seemed they had already guessed that wasn't the case.
"Tsunade-sama requested for us to meet privately in her office after classes end for the day. I'll meet you there." Itachi briefly summarized before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.
"What do you think that was all about?" Asked the form of Toph, a young girl who despite being born blind was fully capable of handling herself. In fact, if it weren't for her milky and sightless eyes, one would never even she were blind. A fact which the Academy teachers often forget much to their embarrassment whenever exams came around.
"Not sure yet. Must be important if Itachi came as the messenger himself." Naruto replied briefly as he closed his eyes to enjoy the warm sunshine on his face and the company of his female companions. That is until he sensed another presence approach. One that he had little patience for.
"Oi. What did my brother want with you?" Spoke the familiar voice of one Sasuke Uchiha, the younger brother of Itachi and a perpetual thorn in Naruto's side. When he was younger, Naruto received private training from the legendary Uchiha prodigy himself, much to the chagrin and jealousy of Sasuke who believed that he should be the one to get said training, on account Itachi was his brother. The younger Uchiha brother seemed to harbor a petty little grudge over this, and obviously hadn't let it go.
"Hokage summons. Can't say more than that." Naruto bluntly replied and then made a shooing motion for Sasuke to leave. He didn't even need to look at the Uchiha boy to see that he was scowling deeply. He was about to say something, but Toph and two other girls got between him and their fiance, forming a protective barrier that seemed ready to repel the so-called 'Elite' if he tried to mess with Naruto… not that he couldn't handle himself of course. Especially against an entitled brat.
"Say hi to Mikoto-chan for me." Naruto spoke with a smile, the mentioning of Sasuke's mother putting the Uchiha on edge. He stiffened up when he realized that the Godaime's godson referred to Mikoto as 'chan'.
"What did you say? What was that about my mother? Where do you get off on calling my mom 'chan'?" The lowly 'Elite' asked with an angry glare, his face burning red in rage as he tried to take a step forward, but was shoved back by Toph.
The whiskered teen refused to answer and pretended to ignore the raven haired boy, he seemed more interested in playing with Korra's ponytail than mincing words with a spoiled boy. After a few seconds, the Uchiha scoffed and angrily stomped away. For as long as he could remember, that damned Naruto had everything handed to him.
He had money, he had popularity, he had a horde of women at his beck and call, he had the Hokage herself in his pocket, and perhaps most infuriatingly, both his mother and Itachi seemed to favor that bastard over their own flesh and blood. Sooner or later, he'd show that arrogant prick his proper place.
As the Uchiha faded from view the Uzumaki cracked an eye open and muttered bitterly "Definitely takes after his old man." His girlfriends all nodded their heads in agreement with the blind Earth-bender hocking up a large amount of saliva and spat it on the ground like a bullet to show her own form of agreement.
Korra looked down at her favorite blonde and whispered to him "Do you think we can do it this time?" She asked him in a worried tone, her eyes filled with a sense of fear. The kind of fear one may have of being seperated from someone you love and care for. The whiskered teen in her lap said nothing, he only brushed his fingers against her cheeks to feel her soft skin. It would seem he wasn't able to give her an answer. Even so, she would spend her every moment by his side.
"Well, regardless if we can or can't, everyone is aware of the Situation and has been in preparation the whole time. For now we should deal with any persisting threats that come after Naruto and Korra before we move onto our main target." Spoke the form of Asami Sato, prompting everyone to nod in agreement.
"Asami's right. We'll soon show the world exactly what we can do." Katara spoke confidently as she struck a pose, making the others giggle in amusement. All the while, Naruto was grateful to have such loving and loyal companions, he wasn't sure where he'd be without them. And he'd be devastated if he lost any of them. But he wouldn't let that happen. Never.
Later. Hokage office.
Naruto yawned tiredly as he walked towards the office of his godmother, his loyal and ever-present friend and Fiancee Korra at his side as she followed close behind him. Neither of them knew why the Godaime had summoned them, but it had to be something of great importance if Itachi came to them in person. He was after all, one of the Hokage's elite guards, and not just any Anbu could receive such an important post.
When they entered inside, they found the Godaime herself sitting behind her desk, a bottle of sake in one hand while her apprentice and assistant Shizune tried to discourage her from drinking too much. Additionally, the forms of both Itachi and his mother Mikoto were waiting as well. It didn't take long for them to put the pieces together and realize why they'd been summoned.
"It's happening isn't it?" Naruto asked as he slowly walked forward, a low growl escaping his lips. His godmother sighed tiredly and in a frustrated manner as she replied "It is. Fugaku is planning to pull a coup against me. Believing that Uchihas should rule Konoha. Our friends Mikoto and Itachi here have already brought evidence and a list of names of the top leaders of the coup supporting Fugaku."
"It won't be enough to kill them. We'll only make martyrs out of them. We have to break their will." Korra stated as she crossed her arms, her words earning murmurs of agreement from everyone in the room.
"I want this problem to go away. Tonight. The last thing we want the other village's to know is that there's internal conflict within our own homes." Tsunade spoke angrily, the sake bottle exploding in her grip as she got up from her seat and stared down towards the Uchiha district from the window.
"We'll continue to have problems like this unless we cut out the cancer infecting this village. I think Fugaku and his little coup will be a good start. You just leave everything to us." Naruto spoke with a slightly sadistic smile, very eager to brutally punish the Uchiha clan. Traitors should never be allowed to prosper.
Mikoto then piped in "I think me, Itachi and Sasuke will go on a weekend retreat to the hot springs. I don't want Sasuke to see what becomes of his father." Itachi scratched his chin thoughtfully, a part of him wanting to see cold and unyielding justice done upon his father, but a larger part of him yearned to protect his brother. And it would be easier to convince him to come along if he were present, so he chose to shield his younger sibling from what may be a traumatizing event.
"It will be okay Mikoto. You just leave everything to us." Korra promised with a comforting smile, making the Uchiha Matriarch bow her head in appreciation. Knowing what they had to do, Naruto spoke up "Time to assemble the troops."
Later that night. Uchiha district, Fugaku and family's residence.
The clan head sat quietly at his desk as he went over the plans for the coup, while the Hokage was known for her Herculean strength that could easily shatter mountains, she was also known for her vices. It would be a simple enough trick to poison her with Itachi's help, and then take advantage of the power vacuum.
The real trick would be getting the other Clan heads to bend the knee to the Uchiha clan if foul play was suspected. If it came down to it, the combined might of both Itachi and Shisui could easily make them see things his way, especially through a Sharingan induced hypnosis. It was actually rather fortunate that his family went off on their little retreat, it actually gave him a little peace of mind.
While it was a tad strange that Itachi went as well, it wasn't a huge concern since he had earned it since he had supplied valuable information on the Hokage and her Anbu guard. His musing was interrupted when he heard the sounds of movement nearby, like the quiet shuffling of feet. He turned around to look towards the source of the noise and called out "Someone there?" unsurprisingly, he received no answer.
He waited quietly for almost a minute, but heard no more sounds. He shrugged his shoulders and believed he may have heard the wind, as he returned to reviewing the plans, and then he heard music begin playing down the hall making him jump in his seat. (A/N: Play 'Should I stay or should I go' by The Clash.)
Activating his Sharingan, Fugaku got up from his seat and went to investigate the source of the music. He drew a Kunai hidden in his sleeve and slowly crept forward, checking any corners he passed by for signs of any hidden intruders. When he reached the living room there was a boom box sitting on the floor, and in front of it was a message painted on the floor that read 'Kushina lives'.
The mentioning of that name made the Uchiha swallow a thick lump in his throat, panic filled his eyes as he backed away from the boom box. "You stay away from me! The bitch is dead! She's dead! She won't be getting in our way! She won't be able to protect that Senju whore!" He shouted fearfully. He felt something tap his shoulder making him yell out and spin around, wildly slashing at the assailant with his Kunai… only to find it was a coat hanger he'd bumped into.
Through the music he heard some laughter but was unable to figure out the direction it came from. Sweat began to roll down his forehead as he slowly crept over to a phone to call for assistance. He picked it up and dialed in a number to connect to the Uchiha police force… only to find the phone wasn't even ringing. He looked down and saw that the phone line had already been severed. He was alone.
A television screen clicked on, as static danced across the screen, the sudden noise making him jump in fear. He felt his blood run cold when he saw the words 'Kushina lives' painted across the TV's screen. He blinked his eyes and then suddenly a group of people dressed in crimson robes appeared in front of him as if they had stepped into existence out of thin air.
The Uchiha stiffened up as he took a defencive stance… and then felt himself being lifted off the ground as a noose of wire cut around the flesh of his neck. He tried to cut himself loose with his Kunai, but an unseen object hit his hand, making him drop his weapon. With the Wire cutting into his neck and his air flow, he could only flail and kick about as he dangled in the air, his assailants watching in silence as his struggles grew weaker and weaker. Darkness crept into his vision as he felt his life about to end… and then suddenly he was dropped to the floor with a loud thud.
He sputtered and coughed as he wheezed for air, trying to pull the wire noose from his neck before they could hang him again. Instead, more wires were caught around his wrists and ankles and forced him into a spread eagle position. "Who… who… are… you? What… you… want?" The Uchiha croaked out, trying to plead for his life.
One robed figure pulled out a fire poker, the tip red hot as he replied bluntly "Damnation." Fugaku trembled in terror as the burning tip approached his eyes and he pleaded with them, promising to give them whatever they wanted. But his pleas fell on deaf ears as the burning poker was slowly pushed into the first eye socket. Fugaku's screams echoed throughout his home as he writhed on the ground, quickly losing control of his bladder and bowels.
There were no words to describe the pain he felt as his eyes were jabbed and burned out of his skull, robbing him of not only his sight but his precious Sharingan. With the sockets and nerves burnt out, not even medic nin of Tsunade's caliber could restore his sight.
"Please… kill me…" He pleaded, unable to bear the shame of his Sharingan being taken from him. His words earned cold and humorless laughter from the robed figures, almost as if this were a sick joke to him.
"You don't deserve the release of Death." A voice spoke out, and unseen to the now blind Fugaku, two figures pulled out a sledge hammer hidden beneath their robes and raised them up. The Uchiha's torment had only just begun, and the nightmare would not end anytime soon.
The next morning. (A/N: End music.)
Screams echoed throughout the Uchiha district as the residents flooded the streets to see what was going on, causing a chain reaction of more terrified screams and gasps of horror. For stretching almost half a mile down the main street of the Uchiha district were the forms of Fugaku and his top supporters lined up on wooden posts. Crucified for the entire village to see.
Their eyes burnt out and their bodies beaten, but Fugaku had gotten the worst by far. His limbs were completely blackened, nothing but clumps of dead flesh as they uselessly flowed in the wind as though every bone in his limbs had been shattered into powder. And beneath each crucifix was written a message in red, 'Kushina Lives'.
Terror gripped the Uchiha district, knowing full well the stories regarding the infamous Evil Uzumaki. A woman so brutal and dangerous that she held the entirety of the Elemental Nations in a stranglehold constructed of fear. Some people said she was the illegitimate child of the Shinigami and a demon. Other's claimed she was the pure embodiment of Chaos and destruction sent by the gods to bring ruin and mayhem.
There were even some stories suggesting she had ties to the cult of Jashin. But regardless of what was or wasn't true… she was the most fearsome and ferocious Kunoichi to ever live. After the fall of Uzu, she was forged from suffering. After being bullied in school and her attempted kidnapping, she was hardened by pain. When she began her long and bloody career, she was tempered by hatred. By the time life had finished with her… she had become something less-than-human. It wouldn't be a stretch to say, she became a force of nature.
Many people who feared her, chiefly the Uchihas breathed a sigh of relief when they had heard she'd passed on. But there was still the occasional whisper that she may return with the belief that the woman was so vile and evil, that not even the Shinigami could stomach her and would eventually spit her out and back into the world.
The Uchiha clan now feared that she had returned, and that she was punishing them for attempting to pull a coup on Tsunade, who was also a relative of the Uzumaki clan and a known friend of the late(?) Kushina. With their leadership no longer in any state to lead them, they would need someone else to take control of the clan, and the only one fit to do so was Fugaku's wife Mikoto, another known friend to the Evil Uzumaki.
They all silently prayed that their old friendship could soothe the wrath of Kushina's ghost.
Elsewhere.
In an underground cavern, hidden deep below the village a crowd of robed figures had gathered in a circle some of them appearing in a semi-transparent state, and all of them chanting in a strange and alien language that has no known name. A lone book rested on a pedestal in the center of the chamber when Naruto could be seen, the hood of his robes removed with his eyes closed, as though he were uttering a prayer.
He suddenly clapped his hands together, and the room fell into silence. After a few moments he began to speak to the crowd surrounding him "My dear friends, my loved ones, my family. We have achieved a victory against one of our many foes. The heathen Uchihas have been brought to heel, broken by the phantom whispers of my sainted mother who shall be rejoining us soon.
However, do not allow yourselves to become complacent. There are many more threats that lurk in the shadows as we do now. Some have yet to even realize their potential for their own evil. But we will be ready for them all. And most importantly, we shall be ready for our ultimate adversary. We have seen the future, and we will learn from our previous carnations." After he was finished speaking, the whiskered teen revealed a golden orb with the others revealing the same orbs.
"Victory or Oblivion." They chanted in unison and then the transparent figures flickered and blinked out of existence with the others physically present taking their leave. After a few moments, the only two present was Naruto himself and another figure, who dropped her hood showing that Korra had remained present.
There was a worried expression on her face as she looked down on her own orb, which seemed to be heavily scarred as evidenced by numerous dents and claw-like scratches along the surface. As if sensing her distress, Naruto approached her and wrapped her in a warm hug, kissing her cheek to comfort her. "It will be alright." He whispered to her, gently rubbing the small of her back.
"I'm scared Naruto. I can't stand the idea of losing you, or anyone in our family. We're dealing with forces beyond ourselves." She muttered in distress, she wanted to put on a brave face for him, she wanted to stand tall and strong. But she felt as though the weight of the entire world was on her shoulders, and she was slowly being crushed beneath it all.
"Do not fret. The others are doing their jobs, and we must continue to do our own. Eventually, our hidden foe shall be defeated and we can live in peace." He whispered to her, as his fingers stroked her soft chocolate colored skin.
"And what if we fail? What if HE wakes up?" She whispered, glancing over towards the book on the nearby pedestal. Naruto put a hand under her chin and pulled her gaze away from it and replied "Even if we do, at least we'll be together. Now stop thinking about what may happen, and focus on the present. We are here, our family is here, and we should spend every spare moment we can together."
She sighed and allowed herself to relax in his embrace as she muttered "I will always love you. Forever and beyond. I'm yours." She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him tenderly on the lips. She had faith that her beloved would lead their clan to victory… but she still couldn't shake off that small hint of fear gnawing at the back of her mind. Nevertheless, she would always be at his side. She would never allow anything to separate them ever.
Meanwhile.
Sasuke Uchiha believed that this would be a nice weekend, a rare retreat with his mom and elder brother… but that was quickly shattered when Shisui Uchiha arrived to break the horrifying news. With all haste, they made their way to Konoha General Hospital, and that's when they saw his father in the coma ward. The young Uchiha wailed in despair and horror in seeing a man he deeply loved and admired now reduced to a broken sack of meat.
The doctors had to remove what remained of his limbs, claiming that they had been smashed so many times the bones were almost gone. Bandages covered his father's eyes, but it was still possible to see the burns at the edges of the coverings. He heard his mother and brother talking in the background, something about new leadership and such, but he didn't pay any attention to it. He could only think about who or what could do something so horrible to his father. Whoever they were, they would pay dearly for this crime. Somehow, someway he would find out who did this to his father and his clan, and he would kill them.
Turning towards Shisui the boy demanded "Who did this? Tell me who did this to my father!" at Sasuke's demands, Shisui looked towards Itachi with a look of hesitance, a shake of the head from his longtime friend telling him not to answer anything. The two prodigies exited the room to talk in private leaving the young Uchiha to fume in anger at being ignored.
"This I swear on the honor of our family and clan. I'll find the person or persons that did this, and I'll kill them with my own hands. No one crosses the Uchiha clan and gets away with it." He muttered angrily, clenching his fist tightly.
His mother pursed her lips and whispered "If you go down that path, I may have to put an end to it." A lone tear streaked down her face as she stared at her youngest child's back.
"You say something mom?" Sasuke asked, believing he had heard her whisper something or other. She took a deep breath and replied in an even "Nothing Sochi-kun… nothing at all." Her son turned away from her and stared at his father, all the while Mikoto stared at him, her onyx eyes staring at him in a mixture of sadness and anger.
"Always… the same… nothing really… changes. Does it?" She whispered more quietly to herself. If her son could not be pushed away from his path of vengeance, then there would be severe consequences. She wanted to tell him what really happened, but if her son knew the truth, it was likely he would seek to take up his father's cause for Uchiha superiority. Fugaku's own hubris and beliefs in their lineage were his downfall, and now she feared her child would go down a similar path.
Sasuke may be of her flesh and blood… but there was only one family she truly belonged and felt loved. And she would be damned before she allowed anyone to harm them. For now, all that could be done was to wait and quietly assume and accumulate power for their cause. With the Uchiha clan now under her control, and in the grip of terror, it would be easy to make them fall in line.
The next phase of their plans, both in the short and long terms, were about to begin.
End chapter one.
A/N: I wonder if you can find any potential clues or hints that may have been dropped in the BT series. Good luck.
Next potential update(s)
Bound Together: Paradox.
Bound Together: Underground.
Bound Together: Cult.
Keys to the Kingdom. (Will attempt KH series playthrough for inspiration.)
Naruto x Yamata no Orochi fic.