Chapter 2

Previously…

As the sun rose upon the gathered seven a light so bright, so pure, descended from the heavens upon the circle of people gathered.

Light illuminated the ground around them, their forms casting great shadows that reached the window where the two men observed.

If one looked closely, they could see that the light was made from condensed Sky Flames. Flames that appeared to be coming from a portal in the clouds, pointing downwards from a distant location and unbeknownst to them, across the rift in dimensions to Konohagakure (The Village Hidden in the Leaves).

The seven strongest, shielded their eyes from the now immense brightness and felt their very energies being tapped into and fed into the unknown...

Little did they know that this would be the beginning of the Arcobolano.

The heat now radiated from Naruko in visible waves. Waves which easily pushed the dumpster away from her and sent it tumbling towards the oncoming villagers.

A circular area wide clearing cut a path around her. Heat and orange flames so intense they formed a transparent wall, pulses of power flowing freely in ebbs and flows, like the harshest of seas.

In the epicentre, Naruko had her eyes closed in concentration unaware of the chaos happening around her. She placed her trust completely in her power and in her intuition to guide her as it saw fit. Not caring that her actions had likely alerted the entire ninja force to the happenings of the alley.

Then she felt it, an echo of a heartbeat she thought she knew reaching out to her. The clouds in the sky parted and a powerful beam of light erupted from the atmosphere.

The light fell upon her and her dome of Flames and began to merge together. Her Flames fed the light and the light, in turn fed her.

Power unlike anything she had ever imagined began to sink into her pores. It jolted her at first and she tensed at the intrusion until she gradually relaxed and let the power flow. Through her veins and into her lungs it went. It swirled through her heart and lungs, firing around the synapses in her brain. She felt it rush across her vision and as her eyes began to spark with light, she felt herself teetering on the edge of consciousness.

The villagers panicked, thinking the Fox was trying to return and scrambled to get away, their mission to see an end to the girl, now, long forgotten. They shouted unnecessarily for their ninja protectors, who upon arriving, struggled to take in the scene in which dozens of villagers were surrounding one little girl - this certainly did not paint a pretty picture. But it was the Fox child, so exceptions could be made, and their consciences could remain clear.

A few of the braver ninja had tried to reach the girl but had gotten burnt for their troubles. Some ninja flew through water jutsu ranging from C up to A rank, in an attempt to extinguish the flames around the girl, but the heat was such that it simply evaporated anything they threw at it. So, they tried a multitude of different jutsu to advance through the transparent wall. From Earth jutsu endeavouring to go under the Flames to Lightning attacks meant to penetrate directly through it, nothing worked at all.

To the shouts of "Hokage-sama!" The Third Hokage landed outside the ring of Flames in full battle armour with his staff 'Enma' in hand. The Sealing squad at his back all held multiple large scrolls with the word 'Seal' upon them and grim expressions were held all round.

The Third Hokage let loose a breath, thinking the worse had happened, he had moments before donned his armour and alerted his long-time friend and contract partner, the Monkey King, Enma (who had turned into his staff form) and rushed to the disturbance.

As an old man, he had seen many unbelievable sights both as a young shinobi and throughout past Shinobi wars, but right now he struggled to comprehend the sight in front of him

From a Hokage's perspective, he saw a possible threat and that an unknown power was awakening and right in the centre was pariah of the village. Should this turn sour, then he had the Sealing team prepared to do what was needed for the good of the village and if that meant he had to order the Sealing of this frail-looking child, no matter how cold it may seem - then so be it.

From the perspective of Hiruzen Sarutobi, through his aged brown eyes he saw his successors 4-year-old child enveloped in these Flames. Her eyes were closed, blonde hair flowing behind her in soft waves down to her tiny waist and her bare feet hovering inches off the ground - suspended in the dome of power and was at a loss of what to do. His conscience was at war with itself.

He tried to call out to her through the barrier.

"Naruko!" he called and approached as close to the barrier as he dared, the heat was nearly unbearable. "Naruko, can you hear me?!"

At first, he thought she couldn't hear him through the barrier, but within moments her eyes snapped open and to look in his direction, recognition filtering across her gaze. Hiruzen startled, he has always thought her blue eyes beautiful, but now they were a shade of sunset orange with an ethereal glow. 'Angelic,' he thought and knew that this very memory is sure to stay with him.

"Naruko, wh-?" He began but stopped when he realised she was grinning. It may have, in fact been the first genuine smile he seen from her in a long time and it was this that made him hesitate, for just a moment too long.

Her grin slowly slid into a meaningful smile, it was not one of pain but was full of an emotion he couldn't grasp in the heat of the moment. Her form wavered before Hiruzen's eyes and in the eyes of those around him. Wavered and then faded, as did the pressure on the alleyway which fluctuated and simply... fell away, like spores to the wind. He stood in shock, his arm reaching out mechanically to grasp the small form that was no longer there.

Gone. Gone without a trace – other than the area cleared by the Flames – there wasn't even the slightest hint of what had occurred that afternoon.

Blinking in disbelief, Hiruzen, on unsteady legs made his way to the exact place where Naruko was moments before and fell to his knees. Enma was dropped to the floor by his side while he felt the earth running the dirt through his fingers, it was still warm and the last clue that what he saw was, in fact, reality. He could no longer feel her or her presence or the presence of the Fox, which while hidden within the Seal was something that he could recognise.

"INU!" He gasped.

Immediately at his side was one of his personal Anbu, with the mask of a dog, on one knee and awaiting instruction. The Anbu's head was bowed as he glared at the floor. His fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white and his teeth ground together, this was his fault. "Find her...Please!" Said the Hokage.

The Anbu ninja, Dog (or Inu), known for his tracking ability vanished without a sound in a swirl of leaves. Inu intended to be the one to find her, not just because his Hokage ordered him to, he swore he would look out for her, it was a promise he had made before she was even born, to care for her. He should have stepped in sooner, regardless of orders or the irrational politics that rule the village. Now his pup was gone. Gone! It was all his fault. He wouldn't be able to look his Sensei in the eyes when they finally met again in the afterlife. So, he wouldn't rest until he found her or the ones responsible, there would be no saving anyone that stood in his way.

The villagers strewn around the street were shakily picking themselves up. With their realisation came murmurs and whispers which started between themselves, but then rose in volume, until the villagers elatedly began celebrating the demise of the Demon.

"We're free!" One villager shouted in glee. The Demon child was finally gone - though it didn't go completely to plan, the end result was the same!

"The Nine Tailed Fox is finally NO MORE!" His shouts were met with jubilation. Shouts were heard calling for this day of reckoning to be celebrated.

While pandemonium was erupting, no one noticed their aged Hokage had risen to his feet. His eyes were shadowed as he surveyed their reactions, now seeing the villagers' true selves.

He had of course been filled in by reports from ninja first on the scene as to how this began and felt a rage brewing within him. They had started this and he was going to finish it. He tightened his grip on Enma and raised his staff high. With strength a man of his age shouldn't possess, he spun the staff in a full circle and slammed the staff onto the ground where it cratered around him. The shock wave didn't cause any further damage, his intention was not to injure, but to instil silence.

Nobody moved but the Hokage and while old, he cut an intimidating sight to those around him.

"ANBU! I WANT EVERY SINGLE MAN OR WOMAN IN THIS ALLEY ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO INTERROGATION!" The Hokage fumed, heads were going to roll. Only when he clears each and every single one of them of their intentions, will they be released from T & I (Torture & Interrogation)! It was the least he could do for the girl he considered a Granddaughter. His eyebrows drew together in pain and regret, it was too little too late he knew, but he would stop this from ever happening again.

Anbu hidden within the surroundings, made themselves known and began to gather the now trembling villagers. Those that tried to make an escape were swiftly immobilised and taken away in handcuffs to Ibiki.

The alley was soon deserted and the Third Hokage, finally allowed his shoulders to sag, once again feeling his age. The image of Naruko slowly disintegrating into flame would haunt him, he knew, for years to come.

Once again, Naruko had fallen into unconsciousness. But this time all around her she could feel herself enveloped within a cocoon of Flames, embracing her in a blanket of warmth and comfort. And then nothing. Darkness. A deafening silence and an endless black void all around her, one that echoed as she called out. She wasn't standing, nor was she sitting. Simply floating weightless in her own conscience.

Straining her eyes and her ears, she began to make out silhouettes in the dimness and then sounds that slowly filtered within hearing range, before growing louder and louder. Whispers became Screams! Blood-curdling screams! Pleas for mercy! Sounds of gore and violence, splatters of matter on matter. Nightmare-ish pictures now being shown as shadows on a background filtered through her vision. All in black and white and grainy, like an old movie, except for the blood. Rose red syrupy sprays stained her gaze and she swore she could smell the distinct coppery tang. Gunshots and clashes of weapon on weapon, flashing around her like lightning in a storm. As the horror continued she clenched her eyes shut – she wasn't quite sure when she had opened them - and held her hands over her ears trying and failing to block out what was playing on her mind.

'Am I going mad? I remember seeing Grandpa and a tingling feeling then being swept away by a warm wind. Why am I seeing things that shouldn't be in my head?! Why won't it stop?!'

Then she heard it. A voice above the hundreds of others, but still muffled.

"Do you…?" Said the voice. It echoed about the void and then was consumed by the chatter.

"What did you say?" She couldn't make out the whole question and lowered her hands from her ears as the voices were reduced to loud whispers.

"Do you accept?" They said clearer still. "Will you take on the Sin of the Vongola? Will you take on our blood-filled past and use it to build upon your future?" The deep voice asked.

"Sin? Vongola? I don't understand what you're asking?" She whipped her head from left to right trying to locate the source of the voice. "Who are you? Where are you?"

As much as she reached out she couldn't touch anything nor feel anything underfoot. Gone was the encompassing warmth and all the remained were the echoes of voices, darkness and the chill creeping up her spine. She could tell the singular voice had gotten closer and strained her ears against the whispers, this time it began to explain.

"We once began as a vigilante group in Italy, the Vongola or 'Clam', we became known as. Our goal was to protect those who could not protect themselves, pure and simple. Our good deeds brought us fame and wealth and the land flourished under our care. But neighbouring lands grew covetous and in turn brought about greed, notoriety and dishonour. Our innocent views to protect the populous was swallowed amongst tides and became lost even to the lifeblood of our own. These sins of the past are our Sin. Our time is stored within the Vongola rings. We were once before you and may yet come after you. We are with you, should you choose to accept all that we are."

"Why me?" Naruko questioned. "I don't even know where I am anymore."

"You are our successor, a direct descendant of Vongola Primo. Holder of the Flames of the Sky and by purest blood, you are the last in a long line to inherit the Vongola Famiglia. To complete your inheritance and unlock the power of the Rings, you must choose to accept the Sin of the Vongola."

"So, you're saying that I cannot accept this claim without the Sin?"

"No…it is not done"

"Why? Who are you? If I am the last in line to succeed, then what happens if I refuse?" She questioned the voice rapidly.

"You have no choice. You must accept the past to build the future anew. The Vongola must live on."

"I am just 4 years old..."

"Age matters not, it simply means you may grow into your role. The rings are given to Flame holders of power and you, young Naruko have it in abundance. Now will you accept?"

"You keep asking 'do you accept?' Therefore it is a choice. My choice… and I decline. I refuse to accept this blood-filled organisation you speak of, why would I want to rule something built upon the sacrifice of innocent people? You say some of the blood spilt was on the hands of the Vongola themselves? Do you even know how that sounds?! You aren't exactly selling it to me, I'd rather burn it to the ground!" She said with conviction. Never again would she allow her freedom to be restricted nor anyone else's. This was her new start and it certainly wasn't going to begin with ruling a barbaric cult, she'd seen enough of that in Konoha. With the Flames behind her eyes showing her conviction, the figure behind the voice bade the theatrics to stop.

"Such conviction for one so young, never has there been a successor to pass the Test of Inheritance with such an answer!" He chuckled. "What do you think…does she pass?"

One by one nine orange Flames appeared in front of Naruko. Four on her left and four on her right with one directly opposite. Each of the Flames she saw differed from one another some were a plain orange, some a dark orange-red – 'Tainted?' she thought. But there was one that caught her interest above the rest, the one Flame directly opposite her, a golden-orange Flame. It resonated deep with her own and she felt she should know this Flame from somewhere. 'But where?'

Whilst Naruko's attention was lost amongst the Flames, she failed to notice the masked figures behind them were now quietly observing her.

A small smile played on the face on the tall man opposite her. 'Just like her mother,' he thought and continued to drink in her appearance. She was small for her age and her petite figure made her seem even smaller. Long, sunshine-blonde hair fell in gentle waves down to her waist, framing her thin face and curtaining her beautiful features. His heart clenched as he took in her face, a face he instantly recognised from that fateful night many years ago. Her soulful eyes were a deep cerulean blue, a mirror of his own and filled with pain and hope.

His brow creased adding up what he was seeing.

He had hoped after his death Konoha would treat her as a hero, but it seemed that that had not been the case.

His intuition had been right all along it seemed. He had gotten to her just in time.

His thoughts were broken abruptly when he noticed Naruko's eyes on him. She stared unblinkingly at him and he resisted the urge to fidget as his lips twitched upwards. He could see similar expressions on the people around him.

"Welcome Naruko, to the Halls of Succession." He gestured around him.