Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form. I don't own the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy ether. So get your lawyers off my lawn.
Hidden by the Fox
Chapter 11: Remembrance
The Guide has this to say on True Superstitions: Superstitions vary from land to land, quiet a few are truer then people will admit. The truest example is a Wave superstition that said when Ninja set foot on wave country; it would herald the arrival of one who could control the Kyuubi's power. When Ninja did set foot on wave country it was the band of missing-nins lead by Arashi Uzumaki, who brought his son Naruto Uzumaki; the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi.
Other superstitions that have a measure of truth to them are the ninja belief that if a snake slithers across your path, you will have a confrontation with a nemesis, or the Mist belief that if you get hit by a fish, you will die. Both of these beliefs are true or are merely a result of reoccurring chance. But, every ninja that had a snake cross their path had a confrontation with their nemesis, and every Mist-nin that was hit by a fish has died shortly after.
Yashamaru lit a stick of incense that sat beside a picture of a woman with short light-brown hair.
"Hello sister," Yashamaru said, bowing his head respectfully. "Kankuro and Temari have become powerful Genin. Gaara has also become a Genin; he has made great friends and has become powerful in his own right. I can only wonder what would have happened if you didn't decide to leave the Sand."
Flashback 13-some years ago
Yashamaru paced outside of a room in the Sand Hospital. A few moments later, Chiyo, one of the village elders, walked out lugging a large black kettle behind her.
"What did Chiyo-sama doing with Shukaku?" Yashamaru thought, as he walked into the room. A vase whizzed by his face and shattered against the wall.
"Sorry, brother, I though you were that bastard of a Kazekage," Karura hissed.
"Why are you mad at Kazekage-sama?"
"That #$ had Shukaku sealed in my child," She spat, rubbing her bulging abdomen.
"What!"
"You heard me. He felt that the Sand needed a new weapon. I'll be damned if he turns any child of mine into a weapon, even if I will die after the child is born." Karura started to get up from the bed she was lying in.
"What are you going to do?" Yashamaru asked.
"I'm leaving, and if you don't help me I'll come back from the grave to make your life hell," Karura threatened grabbing a scalpel from a tray. "So, you going to help?"
Yashamaru gulped, "Y-yes."
"Good."
Later… at the camp of the Fox Ninja
Yashamaru waited outside of Arashi's tent. Temari and Kankuro were being entertained by a woman with red hair.
Karura walked out of the tent followed by Arashi.
"Thank you for providing sanctuary for me, my children, and my brother," she said.
"It's not a problem, we're glad to have your help," Arashi responded.
Border of Wind Country… half a month later
Yashamaru ran into the medic tent; he had received word that his sister was giving birth.
There was sand and blood everywhere. Yashamaru gave a startled cry when the sand coving the ground rose up and latched on to his leg. Sand began to rise from the ground and grab on to the medics. Suddenly, Arashi zoomed into the tent. Seeing the sand move he made a series of hand seals. His fingers were alight with purple flames. "Five Element Seal!" he yelled, as he pressed the seal onto Karura's stomach. The sand died down and sunk back to the ground. "That should contain Shukaku, for now,"
End Flashback
Yashamaru snapped out of his recollection as he remembered his sister's last words.
"I name this child Gaara. May he be a blessing to you Arashi, but a curse to the Sand and to one who sealed this demon within him."
Those words echoed through Yashamaru's memory, as they brought back another memory.
Flashback: Unmarked Grave on the borders of Wind Country
Yashamaru stared at the mound of sand that marked his sisters grave.
In Wind Country the rich had their bodies preserved with an expensive and complicated process. The poor were merely buried in desert. "It's ironic," he thought, "my sister, wife of the Kazekage, buried like a commoner in the dessert."
He looked at the baby in his arms. The child had a tuff of red hair on his head and a five point seal on his stomach, which, was reinforced by a more powerful seal surrounding it.
"It is a good thing Arashi reinforced the seal," he thought.
"Hey."
Yashamaru turned to see Arashi walking towards him, carrying a small bundle in his arms. There was a long suffocating silence.
"Don't blame Gaara for your sister's death," Arashi said at last.
"How…" Yashamaru started to say.
"I know because I'm in the same boat as you," Arashi answered. "This boy is my son, Naruto; he contains the Kyuubi, the beast that killed many of my friends and family. I hate the Kyuubi for what he did, yet I do not hate Naruto. Naruto is the Kyuubi's jailor not the demon. If you want to blame someone for your sister's death, blame the Kazekage, blame Shukaku, but do not blame Gaara. He is merely an unwilling player in this business."
Arashi turned and walked away. Yashamaru looked at the sleeping Gaara. "Arashi is right," he thought. "It is the Kazekage's fault."
He turned around and walked back to the camp.
End Flashback
Yashamaru stood up and looked out the window. He got a front row seat to a pink Genma chasing Gaara, Naruto, Kimimaro, Haku and Hinata.
"I wonder how things would have turned out," he thought.
Authors Note: The well awaited explanation to Gaara's arrival, hope it is okay.
Looking back I realized the last chapter wasn't exactly my best work.
Also… I'm starting the Chunin Exam arc. So I need suggestions for possible tests the gennin have to go through. It would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to use the Cannon tests.