The Red String of Fate: New Generation

Inari - Mizuka

Mizuka couldn't believe she was doing this: sprinting through the forest with a newborn tucked safely in her arms. Occasionally, she would untuck the top of the bundle to check his sweet face. He had a head full of brown hair and he couldn't have been more than five pounds, small for a week old baby. So far, he had slept the entire trip, but they were still a day away from home.

"Hey, guys, let's stop for the night. There's no need to travel until morning. The Land of Steam is just ahead; we can spend the night there."

Even though they had only been travelling for a couple of hours, Team Mizuka looked exhausted. She got two rooms, one for Ino, Sakura, and herself, and the other for Kiba and Akamaru. This week had been defeating to say the least. They went to the Land of Tea because a natural disaster struck the area, leaving many dead and even more wounded. They spent the week sifting through debris, finding survivors, healing their wounded, and helping to bury their dead along with several other crisis teams from other villages. She wanted to take tonight and boost the team's morale.

"Hey guys. Hit the hot springs and come back in a couple of hours. Dinner's on me tonight."

"Thanks, Mizuka!"

After everyone left, Mizuka unswaddled the tiny baby. He was covered in dust and blood from the debris and death that surrounded him for days. She inspected the tiny baby, watching his little chest rise and fall weakly. He was suddenly overwhelmed with sadness; she wasn't sure if she could save this child. He was so small and weak, having spent days under the debris with his mother, only eating until she ran out of milk. She ran a warm bath in their private bathroom and settled in with Inari, offering him a boob. She was engorged with milk from no breastfeeding for the week, so it was nice that she was getting relief from that. As he suckled, she brushed water gently over his tiny back and shoulders, washing the debris off of him. His body was knicked and bruised, but it was nothing too serious looking. 

He was a beautiful little boy, with a thick head of brown hair and big blue eyes. Soon, he was finished suckling and laid on her chest, milk still dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His big eyes were curious of this new stranger who was feeling him. She burped him gently before holding him on his back, cupping water over his tiny head, cleansing him of the debris in his hair. She could already feel her heart swelling for this tiny baby.

Mizuka was surprised when Sakura cracked open the door, popping her head inside.

"I wasn't sure if I should leave you alone; you didn't look good earlier today."

"I'm okay. Just a little tired."

She could feel Sakura's eyes scrutinizing her.

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm in so much pain in my back and pelvis."

Mizuka chuckled.

"I hate to admit it, but Kakashi-kun may have been right about this trip. It was too much too soon. And I knew it; I just didn't want to believe it. But, if I hadn't gone, I wouldn't be holding this precious little boy."

Sakura came over and sat on the edge of the tub.

"Z? Can I ask you what that woman's dying wish was?"

MIzuka smiled sadly.

"She asked if I would raise her child as my own. I told her that I was the Sixth Hokage's wife and also a new mother, and he would grow up as the Hokage's son, with a loving family to protect and raise him."

"Did she mention his name?"

Mizuka couldn't hold back the tears.

"Inari. His name is Inari."

"What do you think Kakashi will say?"

Mizuka could tell that the silence after this question made Sakura anxious. When she finally spoke, she spoke quietly.

"I'm not even sure if this child will live through the night. I'm not sure if I can pull him through."

Sakura's face looked as if she were going to be sick.

"C-can't you use your Rhapsody of Life jutsu?"

"No. He's not injured; he's starving to death. Right now, breastfeeding him in a warm bath is all I can do to save his tiny life."

 He was impossibly small and skinny. As she rubbed his back, she could see every rib under his thin skin.

"What other symptoms are you having, Z?"

"My post partum bleeding started again-"

Sakura grabbed a towel.

"Then get out of there. You know better."

"I'm just getting Inari warm and clean-"

"You're also opening your already fragile body to a greater chance of infection."

Sakura offered a helping hand to her sister, who stood up to a stream of clotted blood running from between her legs. Sakura wrapped her sister and Inari before rushing to one of the beds, turning down the covers and laying towels down. Miuka followed, climbing into the bed, Inari still tucked into her chest. Sakura pressed into Mizuka's still puffy post-partum stomach, feeling for any abnormalities.

"Everything feels normal, but I'm not a birth specialist. You need to rest a couple of days, though. Between your chakra depletion during pregnancy, labor, and having a new baby, you just need to lay there. I can send Kiba and Akamaru back to the village to let Kakashi and the others know whats going on.  Ino and I will stay here with you and Inari, and fight to keep him alive."