Chapter :Zero: Storytime
— N: O —
Uzumaki-dono, tell us a story! tell us a story!
A story? Does the Hall of Lives not have enough tomes for you to find your own stories?
...
... Do not look at me like that... I said... Fine! But one story and then you must go bother someone else, your parents hopefully.
YAY! Story time! Story time!
Be quiet little ones and let me think of where to start... Oh I know. Well, this story, like many, begins with a woman by the name of... Kushina.
Kushina? Isn't that- Shhhh!
An eagle soared high in the air above looking for prey. The pale moon illuminated the forest below it. It caught sight of two tall figures moving through the great forest; one leading the bumbling other with precise steps.
"Uzumaki Denka, a-are you sure doing this now is well advised?" The man in black looked out of place in the greenery they were passing through. His sinewy trouser clad legs struggled for purchase with each step.
The women, however, seemed an unstoppable force, her red hair was a near perfect complement to the greenery and her deft steps were akin to a predator's. Even her slight nod in response to the man's words couldn't be described as anything but graceful,
The only flaw in her figure the eagle noticed was the large bulge that seemed to replace what should have been a flat abdomen. Her dress covered it well but it wasn't beyond noticing.
The eagle soon grew bored of following them in circles and flew away in search of smaller targets
"But Denka-" The man ducked under a hanging vine and brushed himself off yet again.
"I'm quite sure I made myself clear enough. I've made up my mind so stop worrying." Then redhead abruptly stopped forcing her companion to come to a sharp clumsy halt. She turned to face a grand tree with shimmering markings all over it.
"Ku-"
"Be quiet Seras. You'll wake things that should not be woken. Make as little noise as you can." She walked forward a bit and placed her hands on the tree trunk. It glowed and she disappeared beyond an unseen veil.
To her companion, it seemed as if she had simply sunk into the tree but he knew better than to stall. When he entered, he realized up had become down and that the formerly black sky had become a dull purple writhing mass that he could not bear to stare at.
The starch white grass crackled underneath his feet but he walked diligently behinf the woman. After quite a distance, and a walk on a sea of bones, they both arrived at the entrance to a decrepit Shinto shrine built into the trunk of a tree.
The redhead began to strip. The man schooled his eyes on the shrine then found it maddening and so looked at his companion who was kneeling back with her hands on her protruding belly.
Finding nothing pure, he screwed his eyes shut.
Everything in this world was wrong but the sight of unnatural tubes writhing in her body was one that invaded his mind even as his eyes were closed.
"For what reason do you step within – oh, Little Kushina, you've returned." A disembodied voice greeted from inside the darkness of the shrine's halls with a peculiar upbeat tone. "That is the man who would be your sacrifice for the Floccinaucinihilipilifictation ritual?" She nodded and the voice continued, "And what cost would you derive from your sin?"
"Omophagia; that their blood would become his." The voice stilled as the whispered answer reached it. For a full minute, it said nothing and then everything seemed to fleer at them.
"Let him step into me then and I shall receive your sacrifice."
The man had been stilled by the conversation until he realized his time had come. He could not say anything to give his mistress comfort and could not touch her either for fear of tainting her. His only attempt was briefly stopping next to her on his way into the darkness of the shrine.
Before the darkness consumed him and the taste of rotting blood filled his mouth, he finally opened his eyes
And he beheld hell.
— N: O —
You see, this brave woman had to sacrifice her oldest friend in order to protect what we believe in. But there was a deep resolve in her steps when she stepped out that had been faint before.
Where was the woman going back to?
Where? Why the Leaf City where she was raised – Konohagakure.
But why didn't she just run away with – shh! You're stopping Uzuamaki-sama's story.
Perhaps I should stop here for today?
No~! Please continue. We won't make any more noise.
Okay then, most of you should be aware of the Leaf City and what it looks like today. Well, back in those days it was a very different place.
Kushina stumbled out of the forest into the large clearing that housed Konohagakure's Great Entry Gate.
Her floral patterned dress, now more rips than fabric after her trek through the bushes, was drenched in the pouring rainwater. The young woman shivered and clutched at her shoulders, pulling what was left of her outfit into a closer embrace.
What tears fell from her eyes could not be discerned from the streaks of water that slid off her hair unto her face. The shivers that wracked her body appeared to be from the cold but they simply covered the rumbling in her soul from losing someone so close.
What thoughts she had were overtaken with two singular desires. One conveyed by the hateful glint in her eye as she gazed at the gates and the other made clear by the hand on her belly.
Soon, in her confused pace, she tripped upon a bump in the stone road and fell to her knees. Her piercing scream was almost masked by the crack of thunder that followed the white forks of lightning that illuminated the night sky.
It also alerted the blonde and younger brunette standing by the gate to Kushina's haggard presence. They rushed to the distraught woman's side with an umbrella. The blonde knelt and hugged the pregnant redhead with one hand causing her to break down further.
"Kushina, can you walk?"
The redhead gave no answer, instead leaning into the hug and burying her face prompting the older woman to hug her tighter. "It hurts Tsunade-s-sama... It hurts so much."
The woman, Tsunade, shushed her kindly and curtly picked her up in a bridal carry; the umbrella found new purchase in the hands of the brunette who followed and watched her teacher and fellow student with a somber look.
That's Shizune! Keiko's –
Yes, yes... Anyways, we move from that night to an even more tragic one, a month later, where the screams that would go on to fill the night started with those of a newborn baby.
— N: O —
"Kushina-dono, Arizawa-sensei asked me to inform you that the child was a boy." The redheaded mother breathed a sigh of relief through dry lips. If the young nurse noticed this, any thoughts about it went unsaid till she was safely across the room from the pale woman, where she muttered about how she'd much rather prefer a girl.
There was a knock not long after and the nurse rose and strode to the door in one fluid motion. "You have a visitor Denka, one Uchiha Mikoto."
Kushina sighed again before nodding. The door slid open and a brunette with bangs and a scar peeking out of the collar of her blouse rushed in, stole the nurse's chair and placed it beside the bed before fussing over the newly minted mother's frail figure.
"Oh Kushina... what did they do to you?" Mikoto held one of Kushina's skinny arms to her forehead. There was a brief moment of silence before they both turned to the nurse standing awkwardly across from them, "Could you perhaps give us a moment, sweetheart?"
There was no steel in Mikoto's voice but the order was clear to the nurse who had no illusions that the woman in front of her was anything but her superior. Within seconds, there were only two women left in the room.
"They... they wouldn't even let me hold him Mikoto..." Kushina rasped out to her best friend who closed her eyes in disgust.
"I-I am sure this will only last a night. Hiruzen-"
Kushina slammed a hand uselessly against the blankets, "Hiruzen is not going to help. Everything and everyone has been corrupted in this bloody village!" The outburst took the breath out of her. As she took deep breaths to recover, Kushina made the decision to tell Mikoto her plans.
"That's... Are you sure you want to do this, Kushina? This... this would be disastrous, hell even catastrophic if you lose control over the–"
"I won't. I can't. The life of my son and everyone – the clan – depends on my success."
"Look at yourself, Kushina! Please! You're barely able to move a finger let alone take on the entire village."
"I just want to save them, Mikoto... what would you have me do? What can I do?"
"Not aid the destruction of our home for starters, maybe!" Mikoto pleaded back, "Don't do this, Kushina. There are other ways. Can't you see? This is what the crags on the Council want you to do."
"Those crags... are going to take my baby... and turn him into a mindless weapon. I don't care what they want from me at this point." Kushina's wide eyes were as dry as her throat. "Would you take your advice if this was Sasuke in trouble?" Kushina went silent and so did Mikoto.
No one said anything for a long while till, "When it starts, get somewhere safe, Mikoto... your family too, somewhere safe. Maybe... maybe tell that annoying husband of yours to stand at the city gates." Mikoto chuckled despite herself and tapped her friend's forehead lightly knowing there was some seriousness in her tone given how they caught each other staring at the scar.
"I'll take care of him if this falls apart. I swear it." Kushina sighed, a bit relieved at Mikoto's words, but she couldn't stop her mission so late in the times.
Konohagakure would burn either way.
— N: O —
The local myths play the night off as the fault of the Great Demon Fox and his army of shrill foxes.
The more educated civilians blamed the destruction on an invading enemy army.
Aspersions were cast by the nobles and the die was set rolling on which of the Outer Clans had failed at their job.
But the War Council had seen no demon fox nor was it an invading army, all they saw the aspect of chaos that is entropy and the madness that followed it into their great city.
Inuyashiki Sarada was a man of forty long years, a ripe old age for any who lived their lives as a commoner in the third Shōgen – let alone its outer district. With its crowded flats and population of rats, it was far from a quaint home but it was kept orderly by the Hyūga Clan. They acted as the Pariah Clan for this particular Shōgen.
On his way home, Sarada couldn't help but slouch. The day had been long and dreary just like all the others he spent at the factory. A chill swept through his body as two Hyūga guards stepped out of on alleyway, straightening their robes on the way out. He pushed his head down further and ducked into the shadows of a flat hoping they would not notice him in their post-coital bliss.
Fortunately for him, they passed by him with no more than a slight glance. In that moment, he saw the scarring of the captivity seals on their foreheads and grimaced. He eyed Red City – the name of the district he'd just left – behind him longingly deciding to stay in the shadows a while longer and admire the grand casino lights.
He stayed until the laughing began.
It was at first just an incessant giggling from the alleyway beside him. Then it seemed to spread from one decrepit alley to the next till it was pouring out from every street corner around him
Sarada started to run, then he felt it again – that chill from earlier. His mind calmed enough to turn his legs around – towards Red City.
Because Red City was big and big meant people; people meant safety.
But as he ran – as his legs started to burn with every step – he realized the towering structures of the City were getting no closer. He shut his eyes and kept sprinting till he started falling backwards.
Backwards was where the laughter came from and the laughter was evil. He wasn't sure how he knew but he knew he had to run.
Run faster.
FASTER.
And so he ran – using all fours whenever he stumbled.
Admirably enough, he kept his silence – right up till his feet started to bleed and his lungs felt full of acid; he could not hold back his screams or his bladder.
His misery quite the sight for what lied beyond the curtain of darkness slowly approaching as the giggles warped from childlike innocence to an unnaturally heavy silence. The giggles resumed, angry and sad, as he slowed and stumbled over and over and over again.
In his desperation, his eyes flew open and he took in his last sight – the lovers from before seemingly kissing in the moonlight. A red moon hung in the backdrop and made their usually pale eyes look blood red.
Why are their eyes open? That is supposed to be a kiss... w-why is he chewing? Why are their faces leaking?
Why?
No one heard from Inuyashiki Sarada ever again.
And none who knew him were spared to remember him.
Because that day... that night...
Konohagakure went mad.
...
Or at least, a fourth of it did.
What happened to the rest of the Leaf City?
Well...
The city alarms went off as the first wave of spears decimated Red City's biggest businesses. They woke the slumbering city up but the splash of water that followed were truly the screams of the unfortunate souls who found themselves in close proximity with any of these spears.
Sarutobi Ai was one of the citizens that witnessed the cause of these screams in action. Being a retired Shinobi, she was able to step out of harm's way. However, being the only shinobi present, she was hopelessly out of her depth.
Ai had come to this Shengxuan Casino expecting no more trouble than a few drunken men. As such she had left her husband's primary emergency kunai at home with her other killing implements.
Not that it seemed they would help her here. What was killing these civilians seemed to be the acidic cloud of purple pouring out of the spear stuck into the green topped billiards table. The cloud seemed to warp and pulsate sickly with everybody it swept over. As a shinobi with sensory talents, she couldn't help but be captivated by the cloud's chakra pulsations.
So fascinated was she by the death cloud that she started to move towards trying to find a better vantage point. It kept moving hypnotically as if drawn to her and soon it had ensnared her to its tune.
Just before she could embrace the death cloud, a gust of wind blew into the room, sending her careening over to the side. The cloud seemed to emit a pained shriek as glowing rods landed in it.
So painful was the shriek to both Ai and her unborn child that it rendered the mother deaf and the little one non-viable. As a curse of extending her senses, Ai felt the fetus die within her and let out a wail to join the chorus that would come to be known as the...
Chi Zetsubou no Ka – The Song of a Thousand Despairing!
You've certainly done your reading Keiko, unlike the rest of these ruffians. I had expected all of you to have joined her chorus.
...
Hm – tough crowd. Anyways...
The screams would eventually peter out through the course of the night but not before each shinobi running rescue details and damage control was made utterly tone deaf to the melodies of the night. Such was the nature of the song as it melded with the shrieks of the dying and the dying clouds – clouds which began to retreat to the outer wall, taking the essence of their victims with them, and coalesce into a foul smelling ball on top of the wall itself.
Before any of the commanders or team leaders could react however, the ball burst upwards releasing a spray of blood all over the buildings of ninth and twelfth districts. Every man, woman and animal caught by the blood lost all knowledge of themselves and turned feral.
From the very top ranks, an order was given to strike down any and all persons exhibiting signs of this madness, so man turned on his fellow for the survival of the village (and more importantly themselves).
On the other end of the spectrum, children turned on their pets as feral pets fed on their owners. Mothers killed their babies and fathers slew their daughters. Brother fought sister and nothing sacred was left sanctified.
All the horrors occurred to the tune of one ever weakening redhead on her deathbed.
"Tsunade-sensei, y-you can't allow this to continue. Have you seen the... the massacre that is going on? The sheer scale of it... It has come too far, you have to stop her." The brunette could still taste bile in her mouth as she spoke but it seemed no relief would come from her teacher so she began pleading again. "You–"
"Shut up Shizune. Shut up and be quiet. Do you really think I would let Kushina give her life for something even – even remotely related to Konoha? Tell me, do you?" Senju Tsunade had so far been patient with her apprentice but no one would ever give her prizes for her patience.
And even though she understood the sentiment her student was trying to appeal to, she had no love left for the Leaf. None left for the corrupt council and none left for the scheming masterminds who called themselves kind leaders.
She knew Kushina would hate her eternally for foiling her plans but there was no way she could live with herself if she let the young woman die. Even so, Tsunade hesitated with the syringe in between her fingers.
Ever the coward Tsunade. Do it... Do it!
Tsunade pushed the needle in and depressed the plunger releasing a viscous blue liquid into Kushina's neck. Her head dropped down as the tenketsu in Kushina's body started to glow a vibrant purple then return to their natural pale blue.
Not long after, violent convulsions wracked the sleeping woman, twisting her limbs and arching her back to awkward angles. Tsunade and her pupil watched horrified with the realization that the blonde medic had made an error in judgment.
They had interfered in something beyond them, beyond normalcy, beyond sanity, and Kushina was paying the price.
As Tsunade worked hard to save her cousin's life, the shower of blood came to a slow stop and the green fires were finally put out.
— N: O —
The City, it seemed, would live to see the dawn.
But Uzumaki-dono, what about Kushina? or her son? or the village and-
All stories for another time. Now you all must be off. I do not want any complaints from your parents.
But-
No. Now off you go.
Thank you Uzumaki-dono. Come on guys, Ichinose BBQ is still open.
...
...
Why are you still here Keiko-chan?
I want to hear the rest of the story...
Hm... I take it you've figured out the riddle as to why my records are not in the Hall of Life?
Yes sir.
Well, come in then. Let me tell you about a boy named Naruto Uzumaki.
— N: O —
Shōgen - [lit.] Quadrant
Welcome to all readers, both new and old. I hope you liked this chapter. To all those returning, the next four chapters have been deleted and will be reposted with more content and fine tuning.
Watch out for that,
till next time,
TGE.