Hi everybody, once again, thank you very much for reading my story and a special thanks to everyone who reviewed it... I really appreciate that!
This chapter is very short, but I felt like it should stand alone as it is about Amanozako's story that will be revealed little by little in the next chapters. I'll maintain the alternance between present and past, so next chapter will focus back to Konoha.
Out of all the altars and temples dedicated to her, Amanozako preferred the simplest ones. Her favorite was one by the river, where a natural bend in the water stream had created a small and quite clearance, where animals would graze the grass and children play happily. Luckily, war still had not touched that tranquil spot.
The people that came to pray Amanozako were simple and genuine: pregnant mothers who prayed for their unborn children's future, young lovers aspiring to a long life together, devoted wives praying for their husband's security in the war. When she saw those people approach, Amanozako would gladly exit from her celestial palace and observe them, then she would actively try to fulfil their prayers. She couldn't kill enemies of eliminate threats, but she would try to protect their dear ones.
Among these worshippers, there were two siblings. A teenage girl, with long, raven hair and a gentle face, and her younger brother, who was always wearing a smile, even though bad luck had already taken its toll on their young life. Their father, a ninja, had died a few years ago, killed in action. Their desperate mother had shortly after committed suicide. They had no money and very little food, but they would always spare some to give as offering to Amanozako. Sometimes she would make herself visible and play with them along the riverbank, then she would braid the girl's hair and sing them a lullaby until they would fall asleep.
Once, Amanozako was strolling alone by the river at night. Her long, silky black hair was moved by the wind, and her almond-shape eyes were scanning the water, to guard the tranquility of the place. She was suddenly approached by an oni, who had been enthralled by the spirit's looks.
"My Goddess," he said, kneeling in front of her, "I've seen you many nights walking alone down the river. Your beauty and grace are now stuck in my head, and I cannot help but think of you every single moment of my existence. Please, accept me as your lover, or let me walk forever with you and be your guard."
Amanozako stopped and looked at the kneeling figure in front of her. "If your soul were pure, I would gladly accept your friendly company, as I'm often alone in my wandering on this earth. However, you're indeed an evil spirit, and I would be corrupted and slowly die of your proximity. Just staying next to you right here, I get an uncomfortable sensation. I'm sorry, but I cannot accept your offer."
The oni seemed disappointed by the spirit's reply. His head sank lower. "My Goddess," he urged, "I can read sadness in your eyes. The last thing I want is for you to die because of me, but if you let me, I will be satisfied with watching you from afar, so that my evil soul will not corrupt your pureness, but you will always know that, wherever you go, I will be there with you, as your faithful servant. I'll protect you from all evil. In turn, your benevolence will affect my wickedness, and I will be saved by you."
Amanozako smiled kindly at the creature. "Your desire to be redeemed is admirable. Please be my companion and take care of me. What is your name, my friend?"
The oni bowed deeply. "Kintaro, my Goddess."
Since then, wherever she went, Amanozako would be followed by Kintaro. They would chat and wander together, but after a while, the goddess would be overcome by discomfort and Kintaro would have to get away from her. Also, there were times when the oni suddenly disappeared. When he came back, he would always smell like blood. Amanozako never scolded him, as it was his nature. He was a men-eating creature, and he could not fight his urge, or he would die.
One day, after being away for some time in their wandering through the earth, Amanozako and Kintaro reached the clearing at the bend of the river. The Goddess had spoken at length about the altar people had erected there in her honor, and about the two siblings she had grown fond of. However, they were met with a sorry sight, as the clearance had clearly been the theatre of a war massacre. Dead bodies were sprawled on the ground, the once green grass was stained red, the trees had been cut down and her altar was now a heap of rubble.
Amanozako turned her head towards the direction she heard screaming from. Her heart clenched as she saw people running in the distance over a hill, coming towards her. She recognized the two siblings among those people. They had grown up in the years she had been away, but their looks were still the same. However, she shivered as she realized that the group of civilians running was chased by several ninja. It wasn't long before the shinobi caught them. The boy was the first to die, a kunai slashing his throat, his body falling limply on the ground. His sister tripped and fell beside him, but she had little time to mourn her brother, before her head was violently thrusted onto the ground and she was stripped. Amanozako could hear her piercing screams as the shinobi had their way with her. The females in the group shared the same torture, while the males – they had to be all children, no older than twelve – were killed instantly.
Amanozako started screaming to the ninja to let them live and to stop hurting those kids, but they wouldn't hear her. After raping the girls, the ninja would kill them, too.
Amanozako could not do anything. She could not hurt people. She was a benevolent spirit, her duty was to protect, but in this case she was useless. Tears started falling down her face.
"Amanozako-hime, let me kill those men for you. I can assure you they will go through hell," Kintaro tempted her. She couldn't get her eyes away from the gruesome scene in front of her, and she collapsed to the ground, trembling. That was not supposed to happen. That place was sacred. How dared those ninja… those filthy ninja… mar it? How could they kill and hurt innocent people?
A new feeling seeped in her chest. She felt Kintaro's hands on her shoulders, and it all happened in an instant. An intense hatred overcame her, and she was suddenly flying over the shinobi. A few seconds later, they fell to the ground, dead.
When she blinked, she was back to the altar by the river, looking at the now still scenery in front of her. Kintaro was kneeled by her side, but she did not have that tingling feeling upon staying in his presence anymore. She walked to the river and looked at her image on the water. She didn't have fangs before. But, somehow, she didn't find them repulsive.
Breathe. Imagine a square, color it in a warm, earthy tone. Inhale, imagine yourself tracing a side of the square. Apnoea, trace the second side. Exhale, trace the third side. Apnoea, trace the fourth side. Repeat it all over again. Each time, try to slow the rhythm. Concentrate on your breathing. Calm all sensation. Detach your mind from what you've just seen. Inhale. Apnoea. Exhale. Apnoea. Inhale. Apn-
"Fuck!" Asuka exclaimed, collapsing on the ground. What was the thing she had seen? Amanozako's memories? She grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it. The seal on her stomach was glowing, bright blue in color.
'You said you wanted to understand, Princess.'
When had that happened? Ages… probably centuries ago. She passed a hand on her forehead, feeling the thin layer of sweat that had formed there.
A week had passed since they had arrived on that island. Her training… she had imagined it would be very different. She was basically only doing yoga and meditation, B said they would get to the actual fighting part only after she tamed Amanozako. And, apparently, she was going to tame her inside her mind. But she still couldn't figure out how to do that. B had claimed that, in order to tame a creature residing inside you, you first need to understand it. How it thinks, what it feels, their past experiences. So, Asuka had tried. It had taken a week, but at least she had finally been able to see something. That was a start. But she needed to accelerate the process.
'I want to see more. I want to understand. Without judging. I just want to know… why you became evil. Why you don't trust people.'
Asuka had not been convinced that words would get her anywhere, but she was being proven wrong. Each day, Amanozako opened herself a little more, and that day the woman had finally seen a whole memory from the spirit.
Not that it had made her feel better. Asuka was shocked at what she had seen. She was filled with extreme sadness. Amanozako had been desperate then, and Asuka had felt every single bit of her desperation. She could certainly justify the spirit's action, and possibly relate to them. Her heart clenched when she thought about the massacre she had committed when she had used Gashadokuro. She shivered remembering how powerful and good she had felt.
She had vowed not to summon it ever again.
Asuka sighed and stood. With shaky steps, she reached the exit to the cave she was in and was blinded by the daylight.
"Asuka-chan! It's so good to see you!" B beamed, upon seeing her.
"You've been in there for two days straight. How are you feeling?" Shikamaru asked, his practical side making him appear as a responsible parent.
She plopped on the ground next to the ninja who were having breakfast.
How was she feeling? Her muscles ached from staying in the same position for two days. She needed to pee, and to poo. And she was broken in the inside. Her chest ached as she replayed Amanozako's memories.
Asuka recognized the preoccupied look in Shikamaru's eyes.
"I'm starving," she said, smiling.