[Archive] Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom [Naruto/Exalted]

[MerelysSoul]

Who am I? Some call me Anathema: protean demon that stole power from the moon; Dark Stalker, those who are damned and fight their own kind and others to protect the Elemental Dynasty; Lunar Exalt, Champion of the Incarnae Luna, given the power of change. I am all these things and more, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. This is how my Legend began.

=Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom=
Age of Sorrows, Year 750, 10th of Ascending Air


In a room overlooking a village that had recently been under attack, a man with golden hair sat in the darkness. Tears stained his face. His sky-blue eyes looked down. In his arms laid his few-hours old son, finally sleeping. What was supposed to be a day of joy had turned into bittersweet tragedy.


"Forgive me… I robbed you of a mother's love…" The man spoke before feeling the presence nearby. "Jiraiya…"


"Minato…" The now named older man appeared from the shadows. He had long, spiky white hair and purple eyes that seemed reflect the stars.


"Why? Was this decided by the Maidens of Fate? Why did Kushina have to die?" Minato asked the man, his tone filled with grief.


Chosen of Endings shook his head. "No. This was not in the Loom of Fate. That person was Outside Fate. He had those eyes, the Crimson Eyes of the Uchiha Clan."


'Could the Uchiha Clan… No. Kushina was friends with the Matriarch of the Great Clan.' With that thought, the Air-Aspected Dragon felt cold. 'It can't be...'


"Jiraiya. He is back."


The older man sighed before looking down at the newborn. "I thought the First Shadow of Fire finally ended him."


This meant that either the Sleeping Forest Dragon failed to end the Dragon of Black Flames or this was a new Akuma from the clan. Neither possibility was good news. The only other explanation was someone somehow got ahold of those eyes and made a deal.


"What do you plan to do?" Jiraiya spoke before taking a closer look at his godchild. Looking like his father, there was marks that looked like whiskers. He was the son of a Lunar and Terrestrial Exalted host, a Half-Caste.


There were several courses of action that the Fourth Generation Shadow of Fire could take. One was to summon the Uchiha and try to take care of this matter discreetly. However, he didn't really know if the man in the mask was still in the clan. Another was call a meeting of the Advisory Counsel and other important people to. This would most likely alienate the Great Clan. His predecessor was still around so he could hand over the Office to the Professor of Ten-Thousand Arts. Since responsibilities as a Shadow forbade him from hunting down the man himself, this would give him room to do so.


[]Uchiha Clan
[]Meeting
[]Predecessor (Can't vote Raising Alone)
[]Other


"There's also the matter of your son's future. While we know the truth about the other Exalted Hosts, others still believe the Immaculate Order's teachings. To them, he is an Anathema, spawn of a Dark Stalker. Plus he is a son of a Shadow of Fire, people will try to force him to exalt as a Dragon-blooded. We could hide him in the orphanage, change his features and pretend he's a lost egg like you were." Jiraiya felt bad for the newborn due to his Half-Caste status.


"I promised Kushina I would take care of him and he is my son. I can't just abandon him, his life will be hard enough as it is. Is there no other way?"


The Fire's Shadow could raise Naruto on his own even with the responsibilities of Office. However, that meant that his son would be pushed harder than most to exalt. With the orphanage, he could have more freedom but would never know his father. There is also a chance he can become a Lunar or another exalt, which meant a harsh life as a Dark Stalker or worse.


[]Orphanage
[]Raise alone
[]Other
=Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom=

 

[MerelysSoul]

[X] Plan Maximum Derail


=Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom=


After some thought, a decision was made. "Call the Uchiha Clan. This matter involves them as well and they are the best to deal with it. I have responsibilities as the Land of Fire's Shadow as well as those of a father so I can't deal with this myself."


"Are you sure?" Weaver of Stories asked before seeing the look in his student's eyes. "There will be those in the Immaculate Order, Bronze Circle and elsewhere that will put great pressure on you both. I know that you can protect yourself but what about your son? Especially when you are places he can't follow."


The Yellow Flash gently touched his son's face. "I am not going to abandon my own flesh and blood. That is why I am going to have some help. Both Kushina and I have people who we can count on, with them I can lessen the pressure on our son. See if Lady Mikoto can accompany her husband, I will start with her."


Jiraiya nodded before starting to leave. "Alright. Don't think I am going to just watch my greatest student struggle alone. I will handle matters with the Bronze Circle and the Order."


"Thank you." Minato spoke before his mentor left. "Don't worry, I won't let them dictate your life. Whatever path you may walk, I will always be proud of you."


=Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom=


If there was one word to describe today, it would be deteriorating. The Lord of Uchiha Clan originally was have a pretty decent day. His wife was helping her best friend who was with child. Today was predicted to be the birth of the child. Their eldest son was current watching over their youngest since he wasn't on any missions. It was going to be a great day for the village.


Then the first incident happen, a patrol went missing near the Mountain of Eternal Flames. A search found that patrol dead, their bodies burned up. Next was Kushina going into labor and taken to a secure location for safe delivery. During this, someone broke in and stole some of the clan's secret. Several more clan members were killed. He ordered the clan to find the person responsible and retrieve the secrets.


Only if he knew. It was the middle of the search that he got the message about the Red-Hot Fox. Recalled the clan back, Mikoto was devastated about her best friend's death. She laid in his arms, silently crying since such moments of weakness were frowned upon. But for the lost of someone that the Uchiha consider both a great friend and worthy rival, it was fine in private.


"My Lord. The Shadow has called for you." One of his clan membered entered.


"Thank you. I will see him shortly." Fugaku still comforting his wife turned.


The member nodded before leaving. "He also wished for the Lady as well."


"L-let me compose myself." That took Uchiha Matriarch out of her despair. "W-what does he want?"


"I assumed that he wanted some answers. However, if he wants you to come as well then I don't know his intentions." Lord of the Clan spoke.


Lady of Hidden Inferno had finally calmed herself, she knew that her best friend wouldn't want her like this. Whatever Minato wanted with them, she hoped it was good for her husband sake. "Well, we shouldn't keep our leader waiting. Shall I fetch our sons?"


"Yes. Make sure they are presentable." Dragon Who Burned Ice readied himself for the worst.


=Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom=


"Ok, I need to deal with the Bronze Circle. Better said than done. Time to see an old friend, hopefully they have a way." Weaver of Stories had arrived in Yu-shan, he had allot of work ahead. He looked around seeing the various gods, spirits and fellow exalts that made up the Celestial Bureaucracy. Where to begin?


[]Seek out the help of an Appropriate God or Spirit
[]Try to find a fellow Chosen of Fate
[]Attempt to hide information on Naruto.
[]Other


=Birth of a Lunar Maelstrom=


"Finally." The Fire's Shadow had calmed down his son after being woken up. "Somehow, I feel that you are going to take after your mother."


"My Lord, the Uchiha have arrived. Shall I bring them in?" One of his special ops had informed him.


Minato nodded before adjusting his son on his chest. "Yes. That is all for now."


"Lord Shadow. I ask your forgiveness with our failure in the security of the village. We had an emergency within the clan." The Uchiha Head walked in with his family.


The Air Dragon just looked at him. "I am not blaming your clan, yet. There is a few things we need to discuss. After that I have something for the clan to do. First what happened to make all your clan vanish?"


Fugaku would be lying if he was a bit surprised. He expected to be the focus of hate and rage but this didn't happen. Instead the focus was somewhere else, so he started to explain. "We had lost contact with one of our patrols, later finding them dead. Then while the birth was happening, someone came and stole important secrets. Our clan searched for the criminal and didn't find him."


After hearing about what happened, Minato realized that the same man must have taken the secrets as well. "The same person attacked us after Kushina gave birth. He had a Copy Wheel Eye and was Outside Fate."


Mikoto was currently attending to her youngest before hearing Naruto starting to cry. "Did you feed him?"


"No." In truth, Naruto hasn't been fed since his birth. So Lady of Hidden Inferno looked at both her husband and her best friend's before taking the newborn. She knew she still had some milk and she wasn't going to let the whiskered offspring starve.


The Fire's Shadow wisely turned to Fugaku while his son was being fed. "Is there anyone who went missing in your clan? If so then that is most likely the person."


Dragon Who Burned Ice shook his head. "No, all members currently alive are counted for and we have been care to make sure our eyes haven't been stolen. However, this does explain someone was able to get into our Clan Manses."


"So that leaves only one option, the Dragon of Black Flames is back. What did he stole from you if you don't mind me asking?" This was turning out to be a complete nightmare.


"If it is him then he stole a few artifacts that originally belonged to him." Fugaku knew that thing have taken a turn for the worst.


The Fire's Shadow simply closed his eyes. "Then I have a mission for your clan. You will find this man and bring him to him." Opening his eyes, he held a look that would frighten gods and demons.


Sometimes, the Uchiha Head had to remind himself why Minato held the Mantle of this Land's Shadow and all that comes with it. After all there are a few Dragon-Blooded with the potential to become Inheritors of the Immaculate Dragons. Those who are the Exemplar Paragons of what it means to be a Dragon-Blood. Normally his clan would deal with such a threat but he wouldn't dare deny the Shadow his revenge. "Anything else?"


"Anything else? You are forgetting about poor Naru." Mikoto had finished feeding said newborn. Both her newborn and her best friend's laid in her arms, resting.


"You are right, I need your help with my son. Due to his special heritage there will be those that target my son and try to pressure him into exalting. That is why I am trying to set up a circle of friends and family to help alleviate that pressure." Minato smiled at how his son was sleeping peacefully.


"Of course. I am not going to abaddon Kushina's child to the wolves." Lady of Silent Inferno was going to show why she has that name to anyone who tried.


"Thank you…" The Yellow Flash started to begin before another servant appeared.


"People are gathering in the Center of Dancing Flames. They are looking for answers about what has happened. What is your orders?"


"Tell them I will be there soon." Minato told his servant before getting up and gently taking his son.


Fugaku turned her gaze upon the Mountain and it's carved faces. This meeting didn't turn out as he felt it would. "What are you going to tell them?"


This put the Fire's Shadow in a tight spot. He didn't want to lie to his village but telling the truth might cause problems with the Uchiha Clan. Also there would be panic if people found out that a certain person was still alive. However, the alternative was not much better. The other clans, both Great and Lesser, would eventually find out and cause more problems. After all, their leader keep a secret that threatened them and would lessen relations between the Village of Hidden Leaves itself and it's clans. This also applied to other groups within the village.


[]Truth
[]Lie
[]Other