To Have a Mother [Slow Updates]

Episode One: Akari Enomoto

The Village of the Hidden Leaf grew illuminated by the Nine Tail's chakra. Fire roared over the homes of innocents, becoming engulfed by its flames and suffocated by the smoke. The fox demon unleashed its wrath aimlessly among anyone in its path.

The head of the Emomoto clan stood at the door that separated him from a peaceful night with his beloved family, and the cold one of bloodshed and death. However, before he could cross the threshold, he heard a small voice call out to him.

"F-Father?" It was his four-year-old son, rubbing the weariness out of his eyes as panic quickly replaced it. "Are you going to fight the monster out there?"

The man looked back to the boy with a gentle frown as his wife rushed into the room and scooped him up. She held him to her heart and rubbed away the tears that began to fall over his cheeks.

"Stay with your mother, my son," Enomoto spoke tenderly to the child, "Father will return soon."

"I should be fighting alongside you, Eito!" His wife cried out. "With my genjutsu, maybe I--"

"No, Akari." Enomoto rejected firmly, "You are a skilled jōnin, but you have a duty to fulfill. You must stay to protect the next generation."

Akari nodded with hesitance as she cradled the now sobbing boy in her arms. "Yes, with my life!"

Without a second look back, Eito Enomoto sprinted, arms trailing behind his back, as he united with the rest of the clan and sprung into action. Akari sat in her rocking chair by the window, swaying Daichi on her lap.

"Will everything be alright, Mother?" the child inquired with doubt in his big, teary blue eyes. "Will father truly return?"

"We are ninja of the Enomoto Clan, my darling Dai-chan." Akari smiled proudly to hide the worry in her features. "Everything will be just fine."

"I love you billions, Mother," Daichi said, expressing no trace of fear whatsoever.

"I love you too, little one," the mother returned, holding the boy to her breasts and caressing his back. "Shall I sing to you?"

Daichi nodded, hoping her lullaby would drown out the sound of terror outside and the racing beat of his mother's heart.

When your tears are heavy
Like rain in the sky
Your eyes are laced with worry
And the tears that you cry

The battle against the Nine Tails continued with the sound of men, women, and children alike being murdered by the beast. Akari could only watch from the windowsill as it was her duty to protect Daichi and the rest of the Clan's children who where all sleeping in the safe house a good distance from the demon.

I am here to hold you
Stay close to me sweet boy
All your pain will fade away
Just listen to my voice.

However, Akari witnessed their entire clan become annihilated, friends, family, rivals, just before her eyes and she could not do a thing about it. She could only watch as they were all burned, crushed, or consumed by red chakra, including her husband. She watched him take a direct blow from one of the beast's tails and engulfed in the fire below. She wept quietly as to not wake the sleeping boy in her embrace, humming the lullaby to herself for consolation.