Smoke Signals | Naruto

Prologue

     A baby's cries echoed around the quiet forest. Soft footsteps could be heard underneath, a crunching of leaves and undergrowth. The baby rested in the arm of a shorter woman with dark eyes and a grey kimono. In her free hand, she held a large bag, obviously packed to the brim. Her black hair, long and straight and damn near pristine, cascaded behind her like a river as she hurried along.

     Eventually, she broke out of the forestline and faced the gates of a village. Though moonlight lit up the path, the green doors hung open, with guards perched on either side.

     "Akane!" A man with deep turquoise hair ran out of the village. The guards made no move to stop him; they just watched on while he embraced her. "Is this—?"

     "Our child," the woman whispered. She dropped the bag she carried and leaned into the man's arms. Her moonlit hair shimmered, revealing a strong bluish tint. She opened her mouth to speak again, only to shut it and watch the infant quiet down to soft coos.

     "Come into the village with me," the man said after a soft few moments. His golden eyes sparkled with determination, with passion. "Stay with me. Here."

     "Shigeru—" Akane whispered his name, her voice breaking. "I shouldn't. I can't."

     "Why can't you?" he asked. He couldn't keep the hurt from his voice; even if he could, his eyes would have betrayed him.

     "You know why I can't," she said, leaning further into his body. She tilted her head down in an attempt to hide from his gaze. "I wish I could, my love. It's all I want."

      "Our ninja are strong," Shigeru said and tightened his grip around her. "They can protect you, even more than I can. We would defend you to the last—"

     "Shigeru, please," Akane whispered again. She pulled away from him abruptly and cast a sad look at the child in her arms. "I can't stay. It's too dangerous. She can, though."

     "Wait, what? Akane—"

     "I named her Shiori." The woman hesitantly put the baby into Shigeru's arms, who could only comply, dumbfounded at the situation's escalation. "I can never have the life I so badly want with you. She can, though. I– I brought clothing and supplies for her. She deserves to grow up happy, without knowledge of this cursed bloodline."

     "Cursed? Akane, come on now," Shigeru grasped the baby in one arm and reached for the woman's hand with the other. "That's hardly accurate. Please, just stay. The Lord Hokage won't have any objections—you belong here. With me. We've talked about it a million times now."

     Akane hesitated, gripping his hand like he would disappear at any moment. Then, she stepped close and placed a hand along his jaw, pulling him in for one final kiss. When they parted, her face was red with the heat of a blush. Shigeru's cheeks mimicked it, his mouth parted with a silent plea. Akane took one look at him and quickly stepped back a few paces.

"I love you both, Shigeru," she said solemnly. "Take good care of our daughter. Make sure she knows that, no matter what. And don't let that man find her. Goodbye."

     With that, she vanished into the night, leaving both of her loves and the bag behind. Shigeru watched, frozen in his spot. He couldn't quite come to terms with what just happened. That it wasn't some screwed up dream or cruel genjutsu. When one of the guards approached him, however, and placed a hand on his shoulder, Shigeru frowned.

     "Don't worry, Akane," he whispered with his eyes still fixated on the empty space where she stood. "I'll make sure she knows her heritage is a gift. Nobody can take that from her."

     Eventually, he hoisted the bag onto his shoulder and carried little Shiori into the village. She let out soft cries and coos, to which Shigeru murmured quietly to her. The guards watched him leave and, when he vanished, they both shared a sympathetic glance. Neither offered a word, though. They just returned to their posts with crestfallen expressions.