Of Shinobi and Soulmates
Extra Disclaimer: I don't Own Linkin Parks What I've Done
A//N: Okay, first chap of the story with an actual songfic section, and yes, I know I am only using parts of the song, but not all of it was relevant. I should not edit that much of the song out every chapter, but be aware it might happen.
EXTRA IMPORTANT A//N: all this is happening about 10 years before the canon Kyuubi attack, keep this in mind for the next few chapters
Bold is any voice containing a presence that overwhelms all other nearby
italics are emphasis without volume change in a normal sentence, if an entire block of speech is italicized, it is a more mystical voice.
Centered italics are song lyrics
(A//N: from here on out, Kyuubi's presence is eclipsed by the Shinigami's, and his voice is reduced to normal levels.)
With the appearance of the great Shinigami came the loss of the rest of the world. Only the man, the demon, and the God himself remained, floating there in an abyss of pure darkness.
"Who here dares to call upon the Shinigami?"
At the sound of the Great Spirit's raspy, yet all-encompassing call, the formerly dreadful form of the Kyuubi cowered, becoming more frightened by the second and Minato, straightening his pained body as much as he could, proclaimed. "That would be me, oh great overseer of the afterlife."
"And why would one such as yourself summon me?"
This time, the Kyuubi was the one to respond to the powerful being's inquiry. "I killed his wife in battle nearly a fortnight ago, Shinigami-Sama, and he wishes me obliterated for that transgression."
"Mortal, does your idiocy know no bounds?! You called forth a God for petty revenge!?"
It was now Minato's turn to cower under the force of the Shinigami's accusing bellow, before timidly replying. "I am sorry to admit that yes, I brought you to this plane for revenge, but I must protest that it was not petty, that Kushina was my soul mate, not merely my wife."
"Not petty you say! Poor, misguided human, ALL revenge is petty! I should just eat your soul and release Kyuubi with no restrictions just for attempting to abuse my authority in such a way!"
However, just as one skeletal limb began to rise in order to carry out the being's furious threats, an even more piercing, yet somehow entirely soothing and melodious utterance froze all three forms in place.
"Now now, wait just minute oh hasty one. I think this particular decision requires a more...feminine touch."
With that declaration, a woman clad in a pure white kimono phased in through the curtain of black the Shinigami exuded, again altering the landscape, this time to a calming gold tint, as if composed of light. Along with his aura, the Shinigami also shrank to a less menacing, yet still altogether imposing size, one which allowed his shape as a humanoid skeleton shrouded in a pitch-black cloak to be revealed. Bowing deeply, the dark figure quickly recollected his functions of speech.
"Milady...? May I ask why you grace us with your presence today?"
This prompted the female to chuckle merrily for a short time, admonishing the spirit.
"Quit with all that stiffness, we have known each other far too long for that!"
"But Kami-Sama...There are others nearby, I must be respectful to set an example!"
After yet another round of giggles, the newly identified Kami relented.
"Oh fine you spoilsport! Anyway, to answer your question, I couldn't help but notice that you were about to make a mistake and punish this poor soul needlessly, while letting a more corrupted one roam free. However, that does not mean you were entirely wrong, either."
"Thank you Milady."
"Minato-san, I must apologize in advance, for I am not going to carry out your original request."
At this statement, the man she was referring to looked up in terror, ready to protest heavily. "But...!"
Kami, however, prevented him from continuing.
"Before you fret, I assure you that Shini-chan will not eat your soul without having performed your request, and nor will The Kyuubi simply roam free, not as you know him anyway.
Here, the Shinigami felt it was his turn to interject, "Milady, you can't just..! He wanted to use me for revenge!" But he, too, was stopped from further argument.
"If you can recall, Shini-chan, it was summoning ME for revenge that got you the status of death-god in the first place! We must respect his dedication in finding, learning, and performing the rites, as well as take into account his mostly virtuous soul, and that Kyuubi here killed his soul mate."
In the face of that much logic, the Shinigami had no choice but to give in to his superior's will.
"Now, as I was saying, I will not allow your soul to be devoured, and will take care of mister demon here myself, okay?"
Finally believing the fate of Kyuubi to be in good hands, Minato had only one last point of contention. "Does this mean I will be reunited with Kushina?"
Sensing an opportunity to re-involve himself, the Shinigami was the one to reply.
"Yes, now that I have overcome my irrational anger, I agree with Kami-sama, you have a very pure soul, and deserve to spend the afterlife with your love. Have a nice eternity!"
With that final send-off, the Honorable Yondaime Hokage began to weep with joy, mere moments afterwards dissolving into particles of light and departing the world forever. Once the last sphere had disappeared, the two omniscient beings turned their attention to Kyuubi, who they found to have shrunk even further into himself with Kami's entrance, and stayed as such in the time since.
"Where, oh where did Inari-kun go wrong with you my violent young friend? Spiritual ambassador to humans turned genocidal devil, what could possibly have caused such a drastic change? You were such a nice little kit when Lady Tsukoiyomi first blessed you and your race with her abilities, and she would never have done so if she could have foreseen events such as you have caused in recent millennia!"
Upon hearing his mistress's plaintive inquiries, Shinigami couldn't resist the urge to voice his own pragmatic views on the matter.
"Are you kidding Milady? The answer is simple! Tsukoiyomi was wrong, it is entirely possible, after all, I was similarly afflicted mere moments ago, was I not? This Youko in front of us is a vile creature, through and through, and must be obliterated or ignored, depending on if we think he or the humans are the greater evil towards Earth!"
This diatribe of anger and hate wrung forth a pained whimper from the formerly all-powerful Kyuubi's snout, and had a secondary effect of finally shaking him out of his fear-induced stupor.
"Kami-Sama, Shinigami-Sama, I know I have no chance whatsoever of simply leaving here unscathed, and I accept that wholeheartedly, but onegai, let me explain myself and make a suggestion as to my punishment!"
"That sounds perfectly reasonable...Shini-chan, don't you even dare interrupt! *ahem* As I was saying, if you can explain yourself reasonably, and then propose a punishment that will both fix that problem and make up for your misdeeds, I see no problem with it. Go on ahead and begin with just what caused you to fail in your original purpose so spectacularly, will you?"
Straightening and sitting on his haunches, the regal spirit steeled himself for the ordeal to follow, and acquiesced to Kami's request.
"My lord and lady, Inari and Tsukoiyomi created and empowered me with the intention of being an ambassador and peacemaker between the Higher Beings, spirits, and humans, so as to reduce conflict and allow for a more enjoyable world. However, they did not take two dangerous factors into account. First is that humans are driven by emotions, the most pertinent of which are love and greed, and the second is that they did not grant me the ability to understand said emotions. Without the ability to understand their motives, I was a poor peacemaker indeed, and once their greed lead to multiple attacks on my person... My ingrained instinct for self-preservation I had retained from my time as a simple woodland Kitsune reared its ugly head, and overcame all rational thought for a good few centuries.
"Even once I regained control over my thoughts, however, I still held a grudge against the humans as a race, and was mistrustful towards other spirits since, in the absence of a controlling force, they had begun to slip into the demonic mindset. On top of all that, around this time was the onset of Jutsu, only difference being it was powered by the very spiritual energy my brethren and I used to maintain our very existence instead of the human-generated Chakra that Shinobi are used to using currently. I would have simply ignored that fact, chalking it up to normal human idiocy; after all, what spirit would think mere Ningen could wipe out an entire race of divine creatures? But I couldn't ignore them, for that is exactly what they did.
"A small group of powerful men with stories of my original purpose and subsequent rampages decided to exact repentance from me by using their newfound draining abilities to destroy and absorb every single Kitsune besides myself, leaving only their tails behind as trophies. Once they heard of my return to reason, the group proceeded to taunt me by constructing messages with the grisly mementos, 'come get us!' they wrote, 'even demons are not immortal!', 'It is your turn soon!' and with every teasing totem built from my dead comrades, my anger inflamed to ever higher levels. By the time I reached their primitive village of skin huts and wooden palisades, my Youki was flaring to the point of setting fire to all it touched... I massacred that village, avenged the souls of my fellow Kitsune and put them to rest, but with their passing, so, too, parted what little faith I had left in humans, and with that day began my legacy of fire.
"In the time following those events, I continued my…exploits, most following a vein similar to that fateful experience, but others couldn't be more different. I committed many a deed…
"…Some I'm proud of…"
"Ariagatou Gozaimasu for the thought Jii-san, but we could never accept this much...Jii-san?"
"…Others, not so much…."
"Milord, it has come to our attention that over half of your money has vanished, along with your wartime advisor!"
"…And yet more that are simply too horrible for anyone decent to consider."
"Today...is a day for remembrance, of the brave ones who defended our home...Today, is a day of love, when all can cherish those they still have.... TODAY is a day of Hate! Of Loathing! A day where all shall sharpen their blades, and stoke the flames of anger...But above all else, today is a day when spirits rage, when blood boils, and when one more generation is brought into the fold, for WE are the Senju, and WE SURVIVED!"
"But the worst part is, I never truly was a part of any of it! No, it was always the kindly and rich old man never seen again, the intelligent strategist with a hunger for wealth, the indestructible Youkai masquerading as one of the great spirits of old, or another of my many persona's. Never, never was it Shinrei, ambassador of Inari and the only Kitsune to be directly blessed by Our Lady Tsukoiyomi. That anonymity, that disassociation, from all responsibility for my misconduct is what made it all the more corrupt and wrong, and is what I truly regret about that time."
In this farewell
There's no blood
There's no Alibi
'Cause I've Drawn Regret
For the Truth
Of a Thousand Lies
"However, I am not truly asking you to take any of this into account for your verdict on my punishment, Oh Great Ones. Nay, I am instead asking you to forget all of it! Begin from scratch once more, and let my mistakes simply set a guide for just what I need to fix this time around. After all, what I've done in this life makes my original purpose no less relevant; indeed it makes it more so! If you create a new Kitsune, one imbued with the same inherent powers and potential for growth I was so blessed with, along with the ability to understand human emotions, and at the very least a subconscious knowledge of what I did wrong, the dream of a peaceful existence for all may yet be realized in this realm. By dissolving my essence, the creation process will be much more expedient, and you can actually give life to this new being before your avatars fade.
So let Mercy Come
And Wash Away
What I've Done
"I realize full well that this proposal sounds closer to a second chance than a punishment, but isn't voluntarily obliterating my very soul both enough repentance for my wrongdoings and the necessary self sacrifice required for such a request? I merely ask for my purpose to be accomplished at last, and have even offered to help facilitate the process through the use of my spirit as raw materials! So, here I plead, Heart and Soul, to the very guardians of the realm. Don't let the Kitsune race be lost! Let one of my brethren...nay, my reincarnation, redeem the once noble children of the moon and bring them back to strength, repairing the world itself all the while. Allow me to be lost to legend and mystery, as long as my legacy of destruction and fire follows me to oblivion."
For What I've Done
I'll start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm Forgiving What I've Done!!!
Shinrei found himself shocked out of his prostrated position when Kami's musical laughter filled his ears.
"You needn't fret, my child. Shini-chan and myself are fully aware of your numerous plights, as well as their causes, and find no opposition in our hearts to your small favor. You will have your rebirth, and along with it will come all the answers to your other difficulties as well. I will summon your lord and lady here, and together we shall give rise to a new Kitsune, one with not only the destiny to become the Kyuubi, and the ability to comprehend emotions, but to feel them as well! As a reward for your heartfelt remorse, I'll even make sure 'you' meet your soulmate!"
Greatly relieved by these assurances, Shinrei finally allowed himself to relax, letting out a sigh with a smile on his face.
"Thank you both, so very much."
That statement from the happy Kitsune drew out something he'd never imagined he'd hear, the Shinigami's laugh!
"Hey! Stop with the mushy stuff, I can't look like I'm going soft, can I? Anyway, have any final words before you get recycled?"
"Just four.... His name is Naruto"
Here was written the legacy left by Shinrei, first and last of the Kitsune. But as with all else, whenever one story ends, another one begins. From the ashes of the great Yoko was raised a fresh soul, untainted by the hardships life brings. Will Naruto succeed where his predecessor failed? That, my friends, is a story for tomorrow.
Closing A//N: Well, Finally another chapter is finished, and however the end of the chapter may look, the story is far from over. Once again, please review, whether on the chapter itself, the idea of an epic songfiction, or some singular idea, specific or general in the story, I'll read and reply to them all! Heck, even flames are acceptable! ( Though not appreciated nearly as much...)
Till next chapter...
-the connoisseur of all things FanFiction,
AnimeAwesome
Translations ( these will be cumulative, and include all words from previous chapters)
Japanese
Kyuubi: Nine-tailed
No: Of, connector word of sorts
Kitsune: Fox ,usually of Magical, Divine or Demonic origin
Hokage: Fire-shadow; the leader of Konohagakure, the village hidden in the leaves.
Ashikase no Shukuen: Shackles of karma
Youki: Demonic energy
Kunoichi-San: Female ninja, -san shows there is no close relationship, equivalent of mr./mrs.
Shinigami-Sama: The god of death, -sama denotes extreme respect
Kami-Sama: God (Her) Self, the supreme being of the universe. Also, if using her, or making her a female offends you, I am sorry, but I require her for my story, and the role she occupies is better fit as a woman, not to mention disconnects her from most established, real life religions, so try not be offended, and if you are, good bye, and good day!
Shini-Chan: Kami's pet name for the Shinigami, -chan denotes either affection for a female (not here though), or a childish add-on, as in a nickname(that's more like it!). So come up with your own funny nickname involving death, and that is what Shini-Chan means.
Inari: Patron god of foxes and the harvest, said to be a fox who gained ten tails, ascending to godhood.
Tsukoiyomi: God of the moon, I have changed him to a goddess for the sake of my story so that the kitsune race could have both a lord and lady, since that flows better than two lords. Don't worry, she is not an actual character, but will be referred to often, which is the very reason for the gender switch.
Youko: Spirit fox, much the same meanings as kitsune, but cannot be confused for a normal fox like kitsune can
Onegai: Please
Ningen: Human(s)
Ariagatou Gozaimasu: thank you very much, slightly formal
Jii-san: Grandfather, respectful reference to any old man, especially if his name is unknown
Youkai: Demon, Phantom
Shinrei: Divine Spirit
Latin
Totus - Validus Nex Deus! Ego dedi vos meus animus pro is creatura proprius exsilium ex terra!: All-Powerful Death God! I offer you my eternal soul in return for this creature's permanent banishment from earth!