Chapter 4: Snow Fall

Was I dead? Again?

Those were my first thoughts as I awoke in a dark void.

Hell who was I to complain, I couldn't even remember my first death. Maybe if I really did die I could talk Shinigami-sama into letting me go to where Iyako-nee-sama, the head priest, and everyone else went. I winced at the thought, I don't think it was from sadness, but more from hollowness. For some reason I couldn't bring myself to feel anything. I was as empty as this void

But the thought of seeing them was nice, even if it was only for an instance, maybe then I could tell them I was sorry.

"How pathetic," a deep, menacing voice spoke from the darkness, "So young and already making plans for the afterlife, have humans become even more pathetic in the short time of my new imprisonment?"

Stilling I looked in the direction the voice came from, in the far distance there was a dim red light. A few beats of silence followed before it spoke again.

"Come here brat," it growled this time. Taking a shaky breath I made no move to go anywhere near the voice.

"Now!" now I was flying through the darkness towards the light. Towards it. I closed my eyes bracing for whatever fate had in store for me.

Maybe this was Hell

"Close, but not quite brat," the voice was so close now, warm air ruffled my hair, "Open your eyes."

Taking the voices command, I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was a large golden gate, right in front of me. At the very center of it was a piece of paper, from the calligraphy I'd guess a seal. The redish orange light in the room seemed to come from nowhere, yet was everywhere in the small area. The walls and ceiling covered in pipes, my small feet were submerged in what looked to be water. Was I in some sort of sewer?

Hat air once again washed over me, ruffling my short hair. Slowly looking up I was met with two large red eyes, thin black slits for pupils, and a large white, sharp grin settled just underneath them.

Kyuubi

"So my warden knows of me, how nice," with every menacing word, its miasmic chakra became thicker, "Your quite the interesting host, your soul especially."

That caught my attention fast.

"So…you know?"

"About?" it-no, he sneered with a condescending snap. Breathing deeply I let blue meet red, head on. Staring in to his eyes I answered, voice unwavering.

"That my soul is reincarnated," it wasn't a question, he knew, I knew he had knowledge about it. Meaning he would have seen some of the images from my past life.

"Don't look so serious brat, your not all that special, reincarnation is quite common actually," he sneered once again, "What isn't normal is that a soul is able to keep knowledge of their past life, or that a human as weak and measly as yourself is able to speak to a high ranking god like the Shinigami. That is usually only reserved for the most rewarded souls or the most punished ones."

From the way he was speaking he must not have seen all my memories; from this life or my last.

"So, where does that leave us," I snarled back, not very much in the mood to be degraded by a ball of malicious chakra, "Kurama?"

A dark chuckle echoed off of the water and walls that encased us, his claws inching themselves through the bars of his prison.

"Well, for starters brat, you're not dead," my eyes widened significantly, "I made sure of it myself."

"Why?"

Suddenly the air shifted and I was being pulled. Pulled back to the darkness; through the darkness I was being pulled even farther. Towards light.

I was waking up

"Because little warden, sometimes life is a crueler punishment than death."

His dark cackle was the last thing I heard before opening my eyes.

It was cold

Small shivers wracked my body, trying their best to warm me, but to no avail. The only part of me that's wasn't freezing was my head. Instead it was cradled in something much warmer. The next thing I noticed was that my body was lightly swaying back and forth.

I was moving, or more accurately someone was moving my body.

Cracking open my eyes I were met with a cloth ceiling. It too was swaying back and forth at the same rate.

"Ah! She's awake," came a hushed shout. I wasn't staring at the cloth ceiling anymore, but at a girl, probably around twelve or thirteen. Her face hovered just over mine. Her long ebony hair brushed the side of my face. Her wide purple eyes stared back into my equally wide blue ones. Her pink lips formed a small smile.

I also noticed a healing bruise on her cheek and dark bags under her eyes. I tried to right myself but found I had no energy for it, and when I tries to move my arms I was met with restraint. Tilting my head to the side I saw that small metal shackles kept my hands bound to a wooden floor. My eyes narrowed as I finally got a good look at my surroundings. Shoved in the small space were at least a dozen girls, the eldest being no older than sixteen, every last one of them looked under nourished and were also shackled to the floor of what I know knew to be a covered wagon. My breath was visible as I spoke.

"W-where am I?" my teeth clacked together in a jerking motion.

"You're in a caravan heading towards the capital of the Land of Iron," chirped the girl whose lap my head was currently resting in, "We'll be sold there."

Sold?!

"W-what do y-you mean by s-s-sold?!" my cracked voice cried out, "How d-did I get here?"

I remember falling in the river after one of those rogue grass ninja 'finished' me off, but after that nothing, well nothing besides the conversation I had with a certain fox. That had reminded me. Glancing down I noticed I was placed in a different yukata. This one was wooly and worn down, an unexciting shade of dirt brown, but that didn't matter at the moment. What did matter was what was on my chest. True to his word Kurama did heal me, but not entirely. A jagged white X marred my chest now, how far down it was, was still a mystery, but I could see the top of it. Well, the top of one of the points of the X, the other side, my right side, reached farther up, all I know is that I couldn't see the top of it.

"Yes, we are to be sold to courtesan houses of the red light districts," aka prostitutes, " Teichi and Suichi picked you up on the bank of a river a little ways back."

"Teichi? Suichi?" I quirked my eyebrows at her, she gave me a gentle, but sad smile.

"Yes, they are the slave traders," regret permeated her next words, "Most of us are here because our families could not pay a debt off, and the rest were merely found without families, like yourself."

I was going to be sold as a sex slave. I knew that there were no age restrictions like there were in my world for marriage and things of that sort, but to sell a six-seven year old into prostitution? At this point I was hyperventilating. I couldn't breathe. Hadn't I been through enough?!

First I died and then I was shoved into a body that wasn't mine, although I couldn't even remember my first body! My home and everything I had ever loved was taken from me and now I was going to be sold as a child prostitute and Shinigami-sama was nowhere to be found.

Streams of hot liquid slid down my face.

Tears

It wasn't like I was sobbing, but they just wouldn't stop! They just kept sliding down my face. I hadn't had time to mourn my first death, the death of my family, my near death in this life, and now this. Although I knew this wasn't the time for this, my body just couldn't let me be.

It was just too much

"Oh! Oh no, it'll be fine, shhhh, its okay," the older girl tried to re assure me, gently rocking me, "I promise I'll protect you until we get there! You have my word!"

Staring into her wide earnest eyes I couldn't help but crack a small smile, despite my situation.

"M-my name is Menma," I softly whispered.

"What a pretty name," she smiled back, "My name is Mai."

It had been two says since I was taken from the river and put into a human trafficking caravan, and in that time span I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting my captures.

They were a pair of twins, from the looks of them and their chakra reserves they had no formal shinobi training, but had weapons on them at all times. Most likely bandits. They were a pair of average looking men.

They were identical, gently tanned skin, unruly brown hair, brown slanted eyes, straight noses, and identical set of straight slightly yellowed teeth. Nothing remarkably attractive, nothing remarkably unattractive, but what they were was evil. I first learned this on the first night of my stay. They had brought us all poorly made rice balls and cans of water. When one girl reached for a can of water before they gave her 'permission', it ended in her having what looked to be a broken arm and a few fractured ribs.

If the girl didn't get treatment soon she would probably die from her injuries.

I was lucky that they seemed to have forgotten about my existence all together, because they never bothered to assert themselves over me specifically or make my presence known to the rest of the girls.

I was slowly starting to plan my escape, and consequently the escape of my fellow captives, when things took a turn for the worst.

It was the night before we were about to reach the capital. Teichi and Suichi had us all pile out of the wagon so that we could do our hygienel business as usual. It was always tough seeing as the whole Land of Iron was blanketed with powdery snow. It was fairly unusual for the Land of Grass to get snow seeing as it was so close to the Land of Fire, before this I had only seen it once before in this world, but my memories were different. Where ever I had been before I came here received a large amount of snow annually, so it didn't really bother me, but the fact that I had no foot wear made the task that much harder on my undeveloped body.

As we lined up I noticed it was almost dusk. Both brothers set up their tents around a fire, we were usually made to sleep in the cold wagon. Everything was as it usually was, except for one thing.

The brothers were smiling

Before I knew it one brother had an older girl by her short auburn hair, she cried out, too weak to fight back. The other one snatched Mai from my side. A cried out for him to stop, but all I was met with was a swift and heavy kick that sent me sliding back a few paces. Curled on my side I watched as the other girls huddled closer together, panic and fear etched on each of their faces. Each brother was dragging the girls to their tents.

"Were goin' to have a little initiation for you girls," the one on the left leered at Mai as he dragged her, "We'll give you some good practice~"

My breath hitched in my throat. My heart began to race.

They were going to rape these girls, and possibly myself, before selling us off, and there was nothing I could do. I watched in horror as they dragged Mai, the only person to show me kindness since my awakening, closer to his tent. I was too weak to stop it.

Why was I so weak?!

"You don't have to be," a familiar dark voice called out. In an instance time seemed to halt as he continued, "I can give you power."

Why?

"Because your pathetic chanting caught my attention."

My breathing slowed as I listened to him. Unlike my main character, hero complex, of a brother, I had no problem hearing Kurama out. Especially in this circumstance.

Then do it

Suddenly chakra filled every pore, every muscle of my body. My vision went red, my mind went fuzzy.

Make sure you don't hurt the girls!

"I do what I want brat!"

If you ever want to be free again you'll listen to me!

"Fuck off brat, I'm having too much fun right now!"

His voice sounding too crazed for my liking, I reached my small reserve of chakra out to the seal on his prison. Not quite knowing how exactly to go about delicately activating the seal, I just shoved all my chakra in it. Whatever I did must have worked because I felt it lock up as it started dragging Kurama's chakra back to the depths where it came from. His accosted shouts following him.

"You weakling! I'll be back! This body will be mine! I will be free!"

I have no doubts about that, but until then you work for me

My vision began to clear up again as I was brought to the present.

The first thing I saw was a deep red. It was splattered all over the once white, untouched snow. As I slowly looked up I saw the horror stricken faces of the girls from the caravan. All of them huddled together, even Mai and the other girl. The last thing I noticed were the bodies.

There at my feet were the heads of Teichi and Suichi, their mauled and mutilated bodies strewn all over the clearing.

Kurama did this?

No, I did this. Bile rose from my throat and spilled out of my mouth as I hacked up whatever measly food I had been given this past week. As far as I knew, or could remember, this was my first kill, but somehow I couldn't make myself feel bad for it. Even sitting there hunched over puking my guts out, covered in their blood, I knew it had to be done. That this is what the strong do.

I was going to be strong!

Once everything was out of my stomach, I righted myself and tried my best to shakily clean the blood and bile off of me. I tried taking a few steps towards the girls, my hand outstretched to tell them it was over, we were free to leave and go back to where we all came from. I wanted them to be happy, but as my hand was about to reach Mai, her hand lashed out.

A crisp crack echoed though the small clearing, as I quickly retracted my small throbbing hand. Holding it I stared into Mai's once gentle eyes; now they were only filled with disgust.

"D-don't touch me y-y-you monster!" she cried out as she huddled closer to the equally horrified girls, "Don't come n-near us!"

For a moment I just stood there. My eyes wide, my small figure hunched over my small hand. The physical pain subsided, my chest tightened. Didn't they understand I just saved them? Didn't they get that I was helping?

That I wasn't a monster?

I wanted to shout, to unleash the betrayal and anger that was swelling in my chest; but as quickly as it came, it left, and with it went any emotion I had on my face. I suddenly felt so much older, and so tired. I could feel the weight of my aged soul, and it told me that they had every right to fear me. To fear Kurama.

Because fear is the most basic, primal instinct of humanity

And because they feared, they didn't understand

Turning away from the blood splattered scene and the girls I began to head in the other direction. I didn't know where it lead, but as long as it away from here that was fine. Tilting my head slightly I called out to the still huddled group of girls.

"Your free now, do what you want with this freedom."

With that I entered to forest, making my way god knows where. As I passed a few trees I caught a glimpse of something.

Shinigami-sama

Not changing my expression from the blank mask it had become I began to talk.

"And where have you been this whole time Shingami-sama?" my monotone words picking up a hint of contempt, "Out having a nice vacation?"

"Not quite little one, the Heaven's called me away, informing me that I won't be needed to train you," his ghoulish face turning upward into a twisted smile, "It seems that an earthly one will be provided to you soon enough, but it seems you had quite the little adventure in my absence."

At this point large, fluffy pieces of snow started descending from the grey sky. Not even looking up I kept walking, my feet long growing numb to the frosty underbrush. As I passed his figure he chuckled.

"I see you've become acquainted with your prisoner, quite the show of chakra control back there, not just anyone can rein in the Kyuubi's chakra, not even Hagoromo-san; perhaps you are a little moster."

I suppose it would only be natural that two anomalies would be able to coincide better together.

"Why did you even come back?"

"To watch the show," he tauntingly replied, "I knew you wouldn't need my help, but it seems you've finally experienced the travesty this world can bring; and what your part is to be."

"And what exactly is that?"

" A judge of sorts. You haven't received all the informational visions of this world yet, the Heavens don't need you meddling where you are not needed, but there will be cases in this world where you will be called upon to judge the humans here," his voice became more serious, "Like you just did. You judged those men guilty and carried out your punishment on them. Of course until you are no longer needed you will remain able to perform your duties and judgement, so do not worry about dying again, you aren't able to; at least not until the Heaven's allow you to."

I didn't care about judgment and the whole spiel. Now that I knew what kind of world I was in I had to make a decision. I wasn't going to be weak, I was going to be strong, a warrior, like Tobi.

A light headache followed the name, but at the present time I ignored it. There was one last thing I needed to know before I finally stopped my childish denial.

"I'm being punished too, aren't I" it wasn't really even a question.

"That damned fox never could keep his mouth shut."

"I won't fight you anymore if you answer just one thing for me,"

"Hm?"

"Why am I being punished by the Heavens?"

"Because you killed."

I almost stopped breathing

"So I have killed before,"

"Yes, you took a life that wasn't yours to take."

"Whose life?"

There was complete and utter silence, nothing made a sound, before he answered.

"Your own."

Then I was met with nothingness

Again

Kakashi stood and watched as his sensei, his last remaining loved one, rocked his now seven year old child from behind his desk.

It had been a month since the masked man's seal finally faded and Minato was allowed to awaken. News of his revival spread like a wild fire all across the land. With a two weeks of full blown physical therapy Minato was allowed to take his rightful place back as Konoha's Fourth Hokage. Grateful, the Third stepped down, but remained by Minato's side as one of his council men, trying his best to comfort his student through the overwhelmingness of it all.

But like always Minato smiled through it all, giving the people of Konoha, and his son, new hope for their futures. He still had a bit of recovery left, but Minato was well on his way to regaining his former glory.

But none of that helped the deep sadness that hung in the air when his sensei thought he was alone.

Now he himself (captain of ANBU), Lady Tsunade (Minato's health and recovery overseer), Lord Jiraiya, the Third, and the council were all present. With a sleeping Naruto in his arms, Minato allowed his shoulder to sag just a hint, he allowed that perfect mask to slip, if only for a moment.

Underneath was a burning man

"Form this day forward Uzumaki Menma is hear by pronounced dead, no further resources or man power will be used for her recovery."

A heavy silence thickened the air. Tsunade was the first to speak.

"Your own daughter and you turning your back on her," she clenched her fist, "she could be out there right no-"

She never got the chance to finish. A solid and final bang echoed though the office and Minato's fist made contact with the desk. Naruto only stirred the slightest.

Staring eye to eye Minato enunciated each world sharply, clipping each one off.

"Enough, as your Hokage this is an order. Madara might have gotten two of my Uzumaki, but he will not get another!" his voice steady and with purpose the whole time, the voice of a Hokage, "This will be the last discussion I have on this matter, now I will mourn with the village later during the funeral, but for now that is all, you are all dismissed."

With that, one by one everyone left the room.

As Kakashi made his way to the ANBU barracks to deliver the news he swore one thing.

Madara might have gotten two of his sensei's loved ones, but Kakashi would make sure, until his dying breath, that he would not get another.

And if he tried, the relic Uchiha had another thing coming.

A/N so im super tired but just wanted to update before my new job started. So we see the Menma is now completely reincarnated and her childish demeanor is now leaving her as her older soul is now taking root. We see Kurama and the beginning of their relationship and get some information about her past. Shinigami is telling her about her second purpose, which will get more detail later. Also shes in the Land of Iron, which is a neutral territory full of samurai and lacking ninja, so that will be a big plot thing latter, and this is the first time she is experiencing the hatred the world has to offer. Shes being exposed to the two sides of the world, and her slow decent into emotionless and coldness territory. And then finally some kakashi at the end with some sad new.

Please review and critique nicely!

Cant wait to cya next time

baibai