Alright, here's my first official Naruto fic, not like I haven't TRIED to complete and post them I'm just...lazy, LOL.
It's back up again. My account had been banned (not for this fanfic though) so here I am...revived.
Thanks to Erin for being my beta with all of her bitching...makes the fic so good. :)
Please note this is a slightly AU fic. Some things to note is that the sand trio lives in Konoha, as well as my own personal take on the events pre-series, during the series and post-series in this little fanfic world.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting, because if I did, this would BE the manga. Alas, we must all bow to Kishimoto instead.
Do watch for possible spoilers in Volume II and beware of shounen-ai couplings as well as het couplings. Also, possible yaoi scenes, it being rated R and all.
Sheltering Demons
Volume I: Childhood
Chapter One: The Melody of Birth and Creation
By: Akirafan
The crystal sky lit up with shining stars, the cool breeze ever so lightly coming through the living room window. Uzumaki Keitaro was relaxing on his couch, waiting for dinner to be ready with his eyes closed. A knock at the front door interrupted his reverie. He stood up, his tired bones protesting as he answered. "Hello?"
"We're sorry to interrupt, Uzumaki-san, but this is an emergency."
Keitaro's expression grew serious. "What is it?"
"A demon fox is attacking our village...it has nine-tails...we're...we're losing. Please come, Uzumaki-sama!" The man bowed low.
"Ah I -" Keitaro was cut off by his lovely, very pregnant wife entering the living room.
"Keitaro, dinner's read-" Her voice cut off as she noticed the visitors at the door.
Keitaro's sigh was so loud it could probably be heard around the world. He walked over to his wife and hugged her gently, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Sierra, I have an emergency to attend to...I promise, I'll come back and our son will be born then. Sierra...I love you."
It took all the strength in the world to let go of her before taking the parchment, signing it and he walked out the door, prepared to face the dangers ahead.
Sierra sighed as she watched her husband go. She was used to it, sadly, and went to enjoy their meal in peace before she had to clean it up. Once the meal was consumed, she cleared the table and washed the dishes before taking up a broom and dust rag to begin her evening cleaning ritual.
A long, loud groan filled the small home as Uzumaki Sierra's contractions took over her thoughts. The sweeping and light dusting she had been attempting to do had to be dropped as the blonde stumbled to her bed and lay down, exhausted, and used the pillows to prop herself in a semi-sitting position. She closed her eyes. Oh Keitaro...our baby is coming now. Sweat beaded on her brow, the room gradually getting warmer as the contraction set in, the intervals becoming shorter and shorter.
Sierra's back arched as another wave of pain was sent through her body. She looked around the sparsely decorated room, wondering why she hadn't thought to get a midwife to help her. Keitaro, why can't you be here now?
A scream escaped her throat as the water broke. The amount of pain she was in was nothing like she had imagined and the warnings never mentioned this kind of pain! Had she looked between her legs, she would have noticed the blood pooling on the sheets in a circular pattern around her buttocks, the sign that something was awry and that immediate medical attention was needed. However, in her altered state, she missed the blood altogether, blaming the moisture on the fluid from the amniotic sac, which had just broken.
Sierra focused on her breathing, like she had been taught, the pants coming out in loud gasps as her chest heaved repeatedly. Sweat trickled down her face, neck and breasts as her eyes clenched shut in the pain of childbirth. Somehow this didn't feel right...it hurt too much. Someone help me...Keitaro...please help me!
The blood continued to trickle out.
It took three long hours before the final push dislodged the screaming baby from her vagina. Sierra was relieved and relaxed for a moment, glad the contractions were finished. She cut the umbilical cord with a nearby kunai her husband kept on the nightstand and set the newborn in a bassinet beside the bed.
Keitaro, our son is beautiful. He has your eyes. Come home and see him soon...please come home and see him soon.
The battle wasn't going well, truth told, and Keitaro could see that from the beginning. His brow furrowed he performed a chain of hand seals and bit his thumb and summoned his frog ally, Gamabunta.
"Gamabunta! I need your help stopping this kyuubi!"
With the frog's agreement he looked up at the fox, trying to think of a solution. The only thing that came to mind was sealing it before it killed everyone off completely and closed his eyes as he performed the seals. Take this kyuubi and seal it in the newest born baby in the village. That baby will be our hero...our saviour and this demon's cage. "In return take my life!"
He watched as the translucent summon prepared to do the deed. Keitaro closed his eyes. I'm sorry Sierra...I know you'll understand. Look after our son for me...Within minutes, the fox had disappeared from sight and the translucent creature turned it sights on the young Yondaime candidate.
I was never good Sierra...at keeping my promises to you. I'm sorry.
A young woman ran through the woods, her long brown hair flowing behind her. It's too soon for Gaara to come...it's not time! I might... She felt the pangs of childbirth torturing her body and she finally stopped, allowing herself to collapse and settle against a tree. You're...so persistent Gaara...I...I hate you. Get out of me then! But I swear to God if you kill me doing so... She panted, resting her head in her hands and screamed as another contraction took over. "GAARAAAAAAA!"
It didn't take long for her insistent pushes to get the baby out of her, but it was in delivering the afterbirth that the kunai pierced her chest. It wasn't surprising that an enemy had found them; she had been screaming her head off. The blood trickled like a river down her chest and landed into the dirt below. Gaara...you didn't take me...thank you...I will protect you...I MUST protect you! Another kunai pierced her heart and exploded from a seal and the blood fell all over the baby and the ground, the woman meeting her end quickly.
Gaara cried and cried. He was an easy target. The enemy grinned and aimed a kunai at the child before throwing it. A torrent of sand blocked it to protect the baby and went a step further to charge up from the ground and encase the enemy within it before crushing him and letting his corpse fall to the ground. The sand then wrapped itself around the baby, forming a sand egg with a few air holes so as to protect its young master.
The baby was crying. Its screams filled the air, having replaced Sierra's easily. Its wails demanded attention and love.
"Just...a moment...son..." Sierra choked out, a sharp pain suddenly radiating from her abdominal area. "Just give me a moment...please..."
She fell to her knees, bruising them. Screams escaped her mouth as blood trickled down her thighs. "What's happening? No! Keitaro! Keitaro please come home!"
The baby kept screaming.
Hitake Kakashi leapt from tree to tree. This in itself was nothing new. He did this almost on a daily basis, on his way to missions, or on his way home. It truly was the ultimate mode of transportation. Quick, silent and it was good for concealment. However, what wasn't normal was that in dawn's early morning light, up ahead, he could see a very large, brown...rock. At least...it looked like a rock. An egg shaped rock.
Kakashi approached with caution, his instinct telling him this was not just some rock. It seemed even stranger when he could hear crying from the rock...but of course rocks didn't cry...Kakashi dropped down beside the rock and peered at it from every angle, also keeping his eye out for enemies. The rock however, kept screaming.
Kakashi kicked the rock...and promptly hurt his foot. "Okay...this is a really weird egg-rock." Kakashi picked up the rock, surprised to find it light enough to carry and strapped it to his back. "I guess I'll get the Hokage's opinion on this one."
And like a small breeze passing through, in seconds Kakashi was gone.
Sierra fell forward, the blood loss making her feel weak as she lay on her stomach. "Hush little one...I'll be...right...there..." Her head nodded as she felt consciousness trying to slip away with her. Her bloody fingers moved weakly, forming three katakana characters before she succumbed to the darkness.
"Keitaro! Keitaro!" The young blonde girl ran through the village, calling her friend who was missing. "Where are you Keitaro?" Sierra looked around, worry creasing her brow already at such a young age. "Keitaro! This is NOT funny!" Suddenly arms encircled her from behind and she let out a scream.
"It's just me." The other blonde grinned, his puffy hair making him seem taller than her. He watches her whack his chest.
"Don't DO stuff like that! Where were you anyway? You were supposed to meet me to go play!" Sierra placed her small fists on her hips.
"Training." Keitaro says seriously. "I'm going to become Hokage after all."
"Not if you can't keep your promises to girls!" Sierra stuck her tongue out at him.
A nineteen-year-old Sierra smiled now as she walked down the aisle, her long white wedding gown trailing behind her. The man that stood before her, waiting at the front of the temple was her beloved Keitaro. He'd finally had enough time off from missions to marry her and her heart fluttered at his handsome looks. His suit was perfect, his hair was just as unruly and spiky as it had ever been, his skin a nice, natural tanned color. Throughout the ceremony she willingly lost herself in his deep blue eyes and the kiss they shared sent electric sparks down her spine.
"I'm pregnant!" She squealed at him, holding up the test results. "We did it! We're going to have a child!"
Keitaro's eyes lit up and he scooped Sierra up in a hug, twirling her around. "I'm glad."
"Keitaro, dinner's read-" Sierra stopped as she entered the living room, her stomach quite distended with the presence of the child within her. Two men were at the door, a parchment in their hands and Keitaro sighed sadly. He turned to her and hugged her tightly and brought his lips to hers. "Sierra, I have an emergency to attend to...I promise, I'll come back and our son will be born then. Sierra...I love you."
Keitaro...look after...Naruto...
The newborn's screams remained the only thing to break the silence in the house.
Kakashi walked into the darkened building leaving the cool night air behind him at the door. He had the sand egg on his back and it seemed strange to all other ANBU he met along the way, but Kakashi just smiled and nodded to them as he passed, heading slowly up the stairs to the Hokage's offices.
Upon arrival he announced to the guarding ANBU that he had urgent business to attend to with Sandaime. The man sighed and told him to wait and then entered the chambers. Kakashi waited somewhat patiently after whipping out his favorite book.
The ANBU guard came back and nodded to Kakashi to go in and the book was tucked into his vest pocket before he entered the chambers. "Yo!"
Sandaime stared at the sand egg on Kakashi's back. "What's that?"
"Ah, I found it...it was crying."
"Crying?" Sandaime looked skeptical.
"Aa...you know...like a child...only I can't get it open." Kakashi set the egg down on the ground and knocked on it. "See?"
Sandaime sighed and went over and began attempting to open the sand egg, finding it far harder than it looked initially. Eventually he cracked it and the sand dissolved into a pile around and beneath a child, a newborn with fiery red hair. He reached down and picked up the child. "This must be Gaara of the Desert."
TO BE CONTINUED