Updating all my new stories today. Sometime within the next week updates for chapters of other stories will get post.
It was bitterly cold. Frigid didn't begin to describe how she felt or how the chilling air streaked around her. How the ice sapped her strength…
Ice? What?
Woman. Wake up. We must move now.
Her body went rigid as she clutched her left hand around the icy granules surrounding her, confirming her suspicions. Her right, however, clutched around something warm and moving… Squirming against her right hip…
That voice… Was not a pleasant voice for her to hear. She knew it well. It only led to pain and misery…
Stop lamenting and open your eyes! The voice deeply growled. You've already felt it… We are no longer home. So if you would kindly get your head out of your ass and begin to move, the child is awake and freezing in the cold. Take care of it.
Without hesitation, her eyes snapped open, recognizing what the squirming sensation as a soft cry echoed as snowflakes drifted through the violent winds that blew around her. "Naruto?!"
Kushina pushed herself onto her knees, feeling the burning of the Nine-Tails' chakra churning through her system, mending her wounds while she moved to tend to her son. It was one of the few times she felt grateful the creature was within her.
However, she immediately noted something was amiss. Her eyes sharpened at his appearance. The cleft whisker marks that identified him were visible, but new traits were now visible that confused her. Why did he have fox ears? And a bushy fox tail? What was this?
Hard to say. Something to deal with the aura of this planet. You have changed as well. The Nine-Tails gruffly announced, catching Kushina's attention.
She felt something stiffen on the top of her head, which caused her to snarl. She had fox appendages as well?! That was lovely! That was the last thing she wanted! Anything to connect her to the demon inside of her!
Heh! Whatever, vile woman. The boy, I could care less about. However, if you think I want you to be connected to my lineage, you have another thing coming! The Nine-Tails spat in response to her thoughts.
Scowling, Kushina growled as she cradled the crying child to her chest, attempting to keep him warm, taking off her torn apron, frowning, noticing the punctured hole through the chest, and wrapping it around her son for extra warmth. At least the Nine-Tails wasn't the reason for her change… But as she checked her chest, the wound was no more…
It didn't make sense. She knew the demon had punctured its claw through her…
Correction, I did. I took care of that wound after the incident. The Nine-Tails growled from within. I was not going to allow the child of the Sun to die in this cold wasteland. His mother, regardless of our relationship or not, is a necessity after that interloper forced my hand. It is unfortunate that with the introduction of my powers had consequences. Let's just say, with their spatial manipulation and my power, we were warped across the cosmos."
What? Kushina's eyes flickered, observing the chilling snowflakes drifting around her in this barren snowfield. Visibility was low, but she could make out enough. There wasn't anything she could see but snowdrifts.
This place wasn't anything like the forests of Konoha. But if what the Nine-Tails just informed her had any merit… They had warped a very long way from home due to the demon's intervention and her husband and that maniac's techniques.
Naruto's cry brought her focus to her son. She gnashed her teeth, tightly wrapping him into her chest to shield him as much as she could from the bitter cold. Regardless of what happened, he was too young to be caught in such weather. He wouldn't last long. She would need to find a shelter or make one soon…
North. Kushina nearly stumbled as she scanned through the storm, hearing the Nine-Tails growl within. Make your way in that direction as fast as possible. I sense a large amount of minor negativity radiating in that direction. The source is likely a large group of humans. Possibly a city.
Kushina's eyes sharpened. This didn't make sense. The Nine-Tails was giving her directions? It could sense negative energy?! After all the hate-filled speeches and declarations it had given to her over the years? Now it was being helpful?
Why are you helping me? Kushina demanded, unwilling to trust the beast that had been sealed within her for so long, ignoring the question gnawing her.
How did it get sealed within her again? Wasn't Minato's plan to separate the Yang half into Naruto and the Yin half into himself?
Who says I am helping you? The Nine-Tails snarled in response. No. I am serving myself. If you listened to what I said, you would understand better. All you need to know is that protecting the boy is in my best interest, and I sense what I believe to be many humans nearby. Go and find him shelter. My other half can only do so much for the child.
Kushina bit her retort. With a narrowed gaze, she orientated herself towards what she felt was north, tightly clutching Naruto to her bosom, keeping him as close to her core to transfer as much warmth as she could.
This cold would sap all the heat from his tiny body quickly. She needed to find this settlement soon.
Then she could worry about the rest.
Naruto's safety came first.
Where was she?
This cold abyss stretched on forever. The glacial winds chilled her to the bone. Clutching Naruto closer to her body, her eyes wavered. His skin was so pale. She feared what they were doing to her baby boy. No matter how far or fast she traveled at the behest of the Nine-Tails, she hadn't found this settlement! Where was it?!
We're almost there. Be on guard, woman. I sense highly negative entities approaching. They feel… Strange.
Kushina gnarled her lips. She still found it peculiar that the Nine-Tails spoke to her so familiarly. Offering her assistance and guidance. It didn't sit well with her. All the trials and tribulations against the creature… To now put her faith in the creature's words.
They come!
Deep azure, nearly violet eyes shifted through the snowdrift winds as she caught the sight of black shadows moving through it. Withdrawing a kunai instinctively while clutching Naruto firmly in her chest, she caught the shadow as it passed her and struck true, driving through the skull of the creature and withdrawing in one fluid motion. And in the next, she fired the kunai with a simple flick directly into the screeching mouth of the other shadow's skull as it bellowed and fell before her.
"Dattabane! What is this?!" Kushina murmured as she observed the strange black bird-like creature alongside the saber-tooth cat twitching in the snow for a moment, plucking her kunai from its corpse. Her eyes then narrowed, watching its body dissipate and turn to ash. "What are these things?"
Unsure. Little threat, however. All I can say is they radiate a pure negative aura. The Nine-Tails growled. Pay them little heed. Almost there. Look up. The storm is relenting. I sense we are almost there.
"What do you mean look up?" Kushina hissed upon hearing the Nine-Tails speak, turning away from the odd creatures that attacked her, checking in on Naruto's condition, wincing, and seeing it worsening. They needed shelter and quickly. As much as she hated to admit it, the beast was her only ally.
For some reason, he was assisting her. Something about Naruto being the Sun…
Lifting her head to follow the Nine-Tails command, noting the storm had begun to relent to a degree, her eyes shimmered. Her grip on Naruto faltered momentarily before reaffirming her grip on him and clutching him tightly.
It affirmed what the Nine-Tails had said earlier about the being sent across the cosmos due to his power warping with the intruder and her husband's spatial techniques. Now the question was how.
Standing before her in the barren wasteland of ice was a city floating in the sky above another fortress, far more technologically advanced than anything she had seen back home. She wasn't just sent to the Land of Snow and could simply find her way back home… No…
This was someplace else. But for now, none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered w as that it was shelter.
It had been a long, dull day of guard duty.
Leaning against the back of his chair with his guard helmet slumped over his head, the guard twiddled with his rifle as the storm swelled outside his station. Nothing of note ever really happened while on gate duty. It was always just snow and ice. Sometimes, he wished something would arrive to spice things up a little. Maybe a Grimm…
No, never wish the Grimm to arrive. When one came, there was always another to follow. They never came alone. Numbers were their advantage. The automated turrets could hold up, but if the Grimm came, they would need the rest of the Atlas military and the Huntsman to come to his aid…
"Huh?" A loud thump against the gate caught his attention as he sat in his chair. Hearing several more shakes and feeling his station rumble, he stood up at attention and brought the camera to the gate to see what was happening. Was it a Grimm? Was his wishful thinking about excitement too on the nose and…
"By Oum, what?" The guard scrunched his brow under his helmet before flicking on the microphone, seeing a single Faunus woman holding a bundle in her arms banging on the gate. "Who are you?"
"Let me in, Dattabane, or I'm busting in! My child and I have been stuck in this storm for hours, and those creatures have been on our tail for a while!"
The guard's eyes slitted at the Faunus' threat. She deigned to threaten to bust through their security… Wait, did she say…
"Your child?! Hours! …What do you mean creatures?! You mean the Grimm?!" The guard flipped the switch, opening the gate as quickly as he could hear a low whimper through the intercom confirming his suspicion. "Get in here!"
"I'll call for help immediately!"
She could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She could take a moment and think.
Naruto was safe. He was in a warm place, now fed and content, being monitored safely by their strange technology. It made her uncomfortable, but she didn't have to worry about any immediate threats.
What was a cause of concern was where she was at. She had no utter clue what this place was. Its technology was leaps above anything she saw back home. It was vastly superior. Just the gate opening mechanism caused her concern…
Not to mention the automatons that patrolled behind it! What were they? Did she somehow enter a science fiction novel?!
Be a nice change of pace, honestly. The fox muttered within her, causing her to scowl. Like I said earlier, woman, an accident occurred. My chakra mixing with multiple spatial techniques can cause anomalies.
That's what I don't understand. Kushina narrowed her eyes, scanning the strange tech in the room as she observed Naruto happily snuggling into the small bedding they provided him. Why would it matter that your chakra was involved? It is volatile, yes, but Minato has dealt with you in the past. There were no interactions before. Why would it change just because of the addition of that interloper?
By himself, no. However, add in a second rift in time and space, and things begin to change. My chakra is unique for… I come from a creature that was not born of your world. The Nine-Tails stated.
What? Kushina's azure eyes flickered at the beast's startling revelation. They then narrowed. Why are you telling me any of this?
It's a long story… The Nine-Tails growled. But as I said before, I care not for you… But for the child. You've been too busy saving yourself and him… Open the right palm of his hand. It will handle some of my explanation.
Scrunching her brow, Kushina glanced at her son. She was already miffed at their altered appearance. She had noticed a few strange looks, and that caused her some concerns. If this world had a problem with those with appearances like theirs, it would cause issues, for she noticed a few others with animal-like features….
Gently wiggling her son's palm open, Kushina pursed her lips. She hadn't seen it before when he was born, but she wasn't sure. There was now a marking there before—a blackened circle centered on his palm.
That is the mark of the one who has inherited the will of the Sun and inherited the will of my father, the Sage of the Six Paths. He has been blessed with their gift, which likely means you both are descendants of their lineage… Much as I despise you. The fox spoke with reverence as he spoke their names.
The air was sucked from Kushina's lungs. She knew of the Sage of Six Paths. While many considered it rumors, there was still vague knowledge left in texts about the man and his legend. Her family, especially Mito, kept old records; there was just enough to detail some of those accounts.
The man, in a lot of ways, what shaped their world into what it was. So for the fox to say her family had a direct lineage to him…
Nevertheless, I am willing to give humanity a chance again because the Sun stands before us once more. This time and this place, I will assist you in any way I can until he is ready. The Nine Tails snarled within her mind before scoffing.
Who knows, maybe this time he'll redeem you worthless maggots.
R & R