Red Wind Lullaby

“I’m gonna kill that Dobe.” He turned away from the opening and glared at nothing. “I should’ve died…”


“Say Ah…” Tsunade’s irritability rate was now sky high. She had called the girl in to find out more about her son’s ability; the one that had been reported to her only a few hours ago. Well the girl came and came looking awfully peaky. Shizune had been quick enough to reign in Tsunade’s temper before she started assaulting the sickly looking girl.
“Ah….” Kanna opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. Tsunade glanced up at her eyes, while looking at the blonde robust woman before her she was not really looking at her.
“Seem well enough…” Tsunade went back to her desk and looking at the dog-Nin and the bug-Nin both behind the young lady.
“I never said I was sick.” Kanna sighed and looked at her hands. She was being cheeky, she knew that, and with the head honcho at that. “I’m sorry. I take that back.” Kanna’s voice dipped lower in volume as she raised her gaze to look at Tsunade, whose eyebrow was twitching like mad. “May I ask what have I done to be requested in your presence now Godaime-Sama?” something about her tone didn’t take away her cheekiness.
“I’m sure by now you should know about what I’ve called you in for.” Tsunade clasped her hand finally bringing her nerves down. She was met with silence. “About your son and the occurrence…”
“It’s about this afternoon.” She looked at her. “Please understand I don’t know how he does that red eye thing… He gets it not from me…”
“Of course not, it would come from his father.” Tsunade’s hand brought up a scroll and presented it to the young lady. She made no movement to take it so Tsunade placed it on the desk before her. “His father being one of the two remaining Uchiha, males.”
“Uchiha…” Kanna repeated the word her body trembling. “You know of his father?” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Hey, Kanna…” Kiba dropped his hand onto her shoulder and she eeped her surprise before bringing her hand up to grasp his. Kiba merely frowned. In the five years she’s known her he had never seen her so… jumpy.
“You mean you don’t?” Shizune uttered, the words of Kanna finally clicking. Kanna dipped her eyes to floor. “His father, you don’t know anything about him or his family?”
“No.” She murmured in a tone soft enough to rival her best friend, Hinata. I don’t think I want to.
“The Uchiha were a prosperous family here in Konoha…” Shizune’s face portrayed her confusion. How could the girl allow a man to impregnate her and not know his family? Kanna’s head jerked up.
“Here?!?” Her voice grew louder in her shock. “I-in Konoha?!?” Her bottom lip got sucked into her mouth as she stared wide eyed. Her trembling increased.
“Kanna.” Tsunade eyed the girl who was squeezing the Dog-Nin’s hand looking sicker as the moments passed. “Who is that boy’s father? How did you meet him?” The words were like lightening to Kanna’s system. It was like this day was chosen in particular to have her relive that horrible night. She was an ugly person for it. He took her virginity and left her to sleep in his sticky seed and her blood from the rough treatment.
“I don’t know what this Uchiha person has been saying but he cannot have Ichiro.” Her words were meant to have confidence, but came out shaky, like the rest of her. She was met with silence. So many questions lingered in the air. Uneasily she glanced around the office she had seen many a-time in the past five years. World maps, sake cups, papers strewn about… all of them the same day in and day out.
“Kanna…” Kanna said nothing and began to fidget before snatching up the scroll from earlier and opened it. At the top of the scroll it was what appeared to be a fan of weird design; a moment later she realized it had to be the family crest. As she continued to look she saw two young men obviously of different age groups, one resembled her Ichiro, the other a distant resemblance.
“Who are these men?” She asked suddenly, more likely than not, trying to take her mind off the occurrence. More silence followed.
“Kanna…” Kiba’s voice came out soft. She looked up at the boy and saw a mixed look of confusion in his eyes. One glance around the room saw everyone but Tsunade wore the same confused stare.
“What?”
“These…” Tsunade began. “…These are the two only surviving members of the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi.” Kanna froze looking back at the scroll one of these two men had to be Ichiro’s… “The obvious question should be, if you were involved with one of these young men you should’ve recognized one of the two…” Tsunade continued. Kanna rolled up the scroll and handed it back. “Unless you are a traitor sent to spy on Konohagakure in the meanwhile… biding time for an attack…”
“This Sasuke looks like the likely candidate right?” Kanna sighed. “But I can assure you, I know nothing of the Uchiha, or these Itachi or Sasuke men… especially since they appear to be bad men.” Kanna looked at the map and stood. “Being here in Konoha…” She started. “I have learned talk is cheap, especially when possible endangerment is about…” She rose from her chair and headed toward the map. “So please, allow me to introduce me to all of you.” She traced her fingers across the map and stopped on a part of the world so far away from Konoha. “But first a little story…”
*~*~~*~*~*~
“Oi, Teme…” A voice rattled from the outside of the cage. The sound just grated on his ears and soothed his heart in the same breath. Although he could see the eyes of crimson aglow. “Sasuke…” Naruto beamed sitting a ramen cup on the edge of the cage.
“Go away…” Naruto’s smile stayed in place.
“He’ll be coming here…” Silence. “For the past five years, while I was Orochimaru’s prisoner, he had been desperately seeking out the fox. Ero-sennin, he says his days are numbered. His vision is failing him more and more each fight, and even if that weren’t the case, his failure for me will earn his death. If I hadn’t come and gotten you… they may have killed him before Orochimaru killed you.” Naruto sighed.
“No, you would be dead.”
“I had a place to go to, a fort in territory of my own, I had the advantage no matter what.” Naruto beamed, proud of himself.
“Idiot…” Sasuke must’ve closed his eyes as they vanished in the dark.
“I’m not sure of all the details, but he’s on borrowed time. I’ll figure out a way for your jail sentencing to be reduced… something! Don’t worry… You’ll be able to exact your revenge.” Naruto declared finally able to understand the situation much more than what he had been able to do when they were all still Genin and part of Team 7. Before Naruto could blink the cup of instant ramen vanished from its spot. Sasuke ate in silence, eyes closed. Naruto sat down outside the cage. It won’t be long before they locked him away.
*~*~*~
“There was a little girl born to two somewhat prestigious parents. She was a disappointment, after all a girl was a disappointment, as it was much better to be a boy in her village. Boys brought honor in the form of strength, virility… girls were only strangers staying temporarily until one of those big strong men whisked her away to keep their home life in order and create more strong virile boys. Of course with this one sided thinking women were also to blame for lack of children, or rather lack of boys… So the girl’s parents tried again.” She paused and gave a bitter chuckle. “Nearly five years later they succeeded and fortune must’ve been in a good mood because they got the boy they so desired. And their world surrounded him while she was shipped off to her bridal training classes. From six she had to learn the ways to be a good wife and keep her husband happy.”
“Sounds like my kind of town…” Kiba joked but it died fast with the heavy silence.
“By time this little girl turned nine her brother had been trying to train with the other boys, but for some reason he tired easily. His chest would hurt if he tried too hard… He couldn’t be the strong virile young man they so desired, not with such bad lungs if he struggled too much. It was then she became the prized child again, after all she was healthy. With puberty striking early and from what they could see, she was promised a mothers body. Hips wide enough for proper birthing, breasts that would grow large enough for feeding, and for providing comfort if need be, not to mention she had striking features, making her “exotic” as they called her.” Silence still followed as they waited for the relevance here.
“Of course at this time after being neglected she wanted no part in this scheme of theirs… or more like right of her mother’s. She didn’t want to waste her days slave to some man who treated her like an object. She desired a life of freedom. She couldn’t pretend to want a husband so young in life. She couldn’t pretend it was all okay anymore, and she rebelled. She failed her classes on purpose to post pone “graduating”; of course this upset her mother quite nicely.” A giggle exited her lips and sniffle followed. “So naturally she was enrolled again and was forced back to being taught by a homo-man who would’ve been cool if not for his bitterness to the girls who would marry. Rebellion doesn’t vanish so easily.” Her voice began to waver, the end of the story it seems. “So she left her classes, sneaking off to the spring nearby and spent her time goofing off. She goofed off alright. So much she wore herself out and napped. When she awoke it was late and she had to go back home to her selfish family… along the way the earth changed. Sucked her up, melted, and trapped her in her place while unknown hands did as they pleased.”
“Kanna…” Tsunade spoke up… she already knew what was coming next.
“A slap…” Kanna was gone in the memory. Her body slinking to the floor as she shook quite violently. “A slap produced eyes of the deepest crimson. Crimson that seemed so angry, so angry that the owner of the said eyes had to punish her…” Her voice cracked with tears. “Punish her in a way that did nothing but cause pain… blinding pain… numbing pain.” She started hyperventilating a little. “And when it was over all he could throw her, in his form of sympathy she supposed, was ‘it’s your own fault you didn’t like it. Next time will be better.’ God next time… fucking next time… She can’t even fight a next time… she didn’t know the face… she didn’t know who he was, nothing but unmistakable pain followed.” She inhaled deeply and held herself in the corner of the Hokage office. “Soon after she found the truest form of his punishment. A child planted within her, a child with no father who did nothing but cause the girl to be the talk of the town. Of course the girl’s mother couldn’t stand for this… “Let’s poison her, make her lost the child, the doctor was lying” She said.”
“That’s enough!” Tsunade spoke making Kanna jump. “Tch… kind of mother plans to off her grandchild.” Tsunade stood. The room was silent and she waved he hand dismissing the boys. Shino made movement to leave but Kiba stayed put, his fury radiating off of him.
“Kiba.” He touched the Dog-Nin’s shoulder who brushed it off and made to leave the office.
*~*~*~
“Ah! The night is good!!!” Naruto exclaimed still leaning near Sasuke’s cage. The Uchiha male was silent saying nothing to the happy dobe. “Huh? Who’s the kid?” Naruto looked straight ahead drawing the Uchiha’s attention forward. There was that boy again… His face taunting Sasuke once more in the innocent way it shone. The boy’s hands hung limply at his side, his face stern and full of determination at he stared into Sasuke’s eyes. “Hey kid, you should go home it’s late.”
“….” Silence as the kid stared past the loudmouth.
“What do you want?” Sasuke’s red eyes glared at the child, perhaps in an attempt to scare him away. The boy merely took a few steps closer to the temporary prison never once really breaking the eye contact, did he expect to find something in the pools of red, not knowing the blatant display of disrespect was further pissing off the imprisoned Uchiha. The boy stopped within attacking range of the shabby temporary prison.
“Red Eyes…” He stared; fortunately for him Naruto understood the stirring of chakra long before the boy realized something was amiss.
“KATON….” The yell started. “Goukakyuu no Jutsu!” The flame burned through the bars, which withstood the attack. Ichiro merely started barely registering the fact that the ninja in orange had pulled him from harm’s way. The flames eventually died down.
“Oi! Bastard! He’s only a kid!!!” Naruto yelled his temper flaring quite suddenly as he lowered the unknown kid. “What the hell is your problem?”
“That was cool.” Ichiro smiled rather kindly, a trait lost to Sasuke, a smile so wide his eyes actually closed with it. Ichiro remained out of harm’s way, he was no fool he could be killed by this guy, and bowed low the ground. “Mizuka, Ichiro.” He came back up. Silence was his response. Ichiro kept his eyes shut and as he continued to smile. “I’m the man in my house. It’s just my Momma and me.” He declared proudly. “My father is missing, I guess. So he cannot tell me what is so special about my eyes.” The smile slowly started to slide from the young boy’s face and his eyes started to peek open. “I couldn’t tell momma, I’ve been able to do this for a long time now.” He then looked Sasuke in the face. “It scared her the first time so much I think she forgot.”
“He…” Sasuke looked at the boy with renewed interest.
“They make me tired when I do this, but I know they’re special. You are the only adult who can show me how to make them more special. So, even if I have to wait to go to the academy.” Ichiro bowed down pressing his face to the dusty ground. “Will you show me how to use my special eyes, like you?” Sasuke merely looked at the white haired child before him.
“Sasuke, you bastard!” The voice of one Inuzuka Kiba growled exiting the Hokage tower. “When I thought you could get no lower!”