Prologue

Your first memories were of your mother and her bright red hair. She was always at your side day or night. Her presence was simply something that was a constant in your life.

If she wasn't teaching, she was playing with you. If she wasn't playing, she was traveling with you in her arms. If she wasn't traveling, she was sleeping. Such was the life you were accustomed to.

You both never stood in one location for too long. Always being on the move. Only staying in a single place for at most a month. You never asked about this, because this was simply your life. You assumed most others did much the same.

When you said she never truly left your sight, you meant it. The only time she would leave the newest home was either to go get more supplies or because you wanted to go on a walk. Either way she'd always tuck you under her arm when you went out.

It depended on the town for how peculiar the pair of you looked. Sometimes they would recoil with shock at a mother carrying her son under her arm like a bag. Sometimes they wouldn't even give it a second glance.

You of course thought nothing of the action. It was what you were accustomed to. The only time you did mind was when you were used as a weapon to combat thugs.

Your mother was strong. Something most children tend to think to themselves.

But you were weak.

An affliction most children are prone to.

It was a problem you found yourself with, but not one without a solution. Your mother too had a problem that she had to solve. And as fate would have it, you were her solution as well.
She taught you that nothing in this world is free. If you wanted to be strong, she would teach you, but in return you'd do her one thing in return. You'd become the strongest in the world, and help her bring back the clan.

An easy promise to make.

But difficult to keep.

There were many things that you learned about under your mother. You were too young to truly learn actual clan jutsus, but not the theory behind them or others. You were to excel in all subjects. First would come the knowledge then would come the more practical applications.

And after that?

She'd teach you the real clan techniques. You simply had to study, get stronger, and get older. Each one taking time.

This wasn't to say you were constantly studying of course. Whenever you wanted to play she would usually allow you to do so. Which meant outside, the park, or even just wandering around the town was an option. With of course the permanent fixture at your side in the form of your mother.

It was a perfect childhood for you. Or at least it had been.

One day, a neighbor came over. It was a man, about your mother's age. Despite not knowing your mother he would occasionally come over and greet her. These small interactions started to build up. Each conversation becoming just a tad longer and longer than the last.

It didn't really bother you one way or the other. Despite the conversations getting longer and your mother becoming happier each time, she never allowed him in. He only asked twice, but both times he was refused. For what reason you didn't understand. When the month time limit came up you were both surprised to notice said neighbor was moving as well.

Your mother only catching him at the last second as he intended to leave. He confirmed mom's thoughts that he was leaving and upon learning that she was leaving as well offered to accompany her. After a few light refusals she finally gave in.

Which began the last trip you would ever take with your mother.

*~o~*

The path the three of you took out of the small village was a little winding road going south. You had left at around sunset, which meant after a few hours the road that was incased in large stretching shadows was simply one big one.

The three of you road in a small carriage pulled by a spotted horse. It creaked and was overall less comfortable than most other rides that you had gone on with your mother. Though maybe that's because usually you were in her lap.

Regardless, you weren't in such a position anymore. Instead you were in the back. Your mother and the man sat in the front. They talked in hushed whispers as you sat in the back practicing your calligraphy for sealing. Something that challenging due to the shuddering and shaking of the carriage.

Your mom said it was good practice, but you had a sneaking suspicion that she just wanted you kept busy and out of her hair for a bit. The ride continued on for awhile in the darkness. The conversation the two adults had risen in volume. With your mother's voice occasionally reaching higher pitches, and then sometimes following with hushed whispers that you could barely make out.

Then suddenly the conversation stopped. You didn't see it, but you could feel your mother stiffen up, becoming suddenly much more alert. She immediately hushed the adult next to her. When he loudly asked her what's wrong she immediately jumped in the back grabbed you and ran into the forest.

Just before you two reached the edge of the trees, you noticed a few dark figures coming out the shadows. Due to the moonlight being caught in the trees overhead there was little you could make out. The man in the carriage was also rather quickly following behind your mom, asking her to slow down.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a kunai to the back of your mother's leg. Before it could connect she sent one back as well without turning her head. While his kunai entered her leg, hers hit him in the throat. He immediately stopped in his tracks and reached towards his windpipe. Your mother upon being pierced grunted but didn't slow her pace.

She was chased into the forest with dark figures always at her back. Your mother first tried a smoke bomb in order to get away, but that didn't seem to work. Then she attempted a clone jutsu. That worked in splitting up a few of them, but the ruse didn't last very long.

When she attempted to attack them they would block and respond in kind, forcing her to push herself even faster. After a few hours of the same thing, your mother started to slow down. Struggling a bit for air and having trouble avoiding the periodic attacks of the dark figures.

Which eventually resulted in her building up a slight lead on her assailers before finally dropping you and her to the ground. She gave you the order to run, and that she would quickly follow after a bit. You knew better than to second guess your mom, and decided to do exactly as she said.

You ran deeper into the forest. Going this way and that in order to build more and more distance between you. You knew it didn't matter how far you went your mother would be able to find you. Such as it's always been.

She could do anything as long as she felt like it. A phrase your mother insisted on constantly reminding you of.

So you continued to run into the forest without stopping.

…well, you didn't stop more than a few times. Breaks were important after all. The next day came and you decided to hang around a small lake deep in the forest to wait for your mom. Drinking from the lake when you got thirsty, practicing your writing when you got bored, and eating random things you see in the forest when you got hungry.

A few days passed like this, until you started to get worried. What if your mom hadn't been able to find you because she expected you to run farther? Or maybe there was a village nearby that she was searching. Which meant you had to start your path again!

…right after you use up the rest of your ink. Your mom will probably punish you for not having a good reason for not immediately meeting her.

So you started to walk once more.

You traveled for a few more days until you came across some people in the forest who seem to be chatting and loudly having a good time. Your attempts at avoiding them were in vain as they quickly noticed you and upon loudly noting your red hair they decided to tie you up.

Well dang.

Soon afterwards they questioned you about your family but you made sure to tell them you're an orphan like your mom taught you. They seemed quick to believe you and decided to bring you with them.

Instead of carrying you the way mom did, they instead tied you to one of their backs. While you were silently taking in your situation, you learned that your budging suspicion that they might be ninja was correct. Not only that but apparently they were from the cloud village.

They noisily talked about how they were already on a mission currently and how bothersome it was. The specifics of the mission itself escaped you but they seemed to imply it would be bloody. They then mentioned that afterwards they'd bring you back to their village to become a ninja.

You didn't know where the cloud village was, but you found it likely that your mom might not think to look there for you. Which began your struggling. The ninja didn't like that, and they liked you yelling for help even less.

Your mom said you were a quick learner, so when they hit you the first few times you decided to stop and patiently wait for an opening to escape.

You traveled with them for about a month before you realized that there probably won't be a opening. So instead you decided to simply wait for your mom to find you instead. As it had been awhile since you were last able to stand or really use any of your muscles, they began to feel and get smaller. Your chubby stomach that mom liked to pinch faded a way a tad.

Despite the treatment, the cloud ninja weren't really all that bad. Yeah you couldn't yell or attempt to move, but at least they gave you the same food they ate. Which was...alright. Definitely a difference from what you were used to. When they weren't in a rush they'd also give you a sleeping bag. One that would be tied up snuggly but still maintained it's softness.

This continued until their mission had been complete, which they celebrated with a party.

During which they decided to tie you to a log in the center of their camp while they partied in their tents. Usually going in pairs to a tent, but occasionally three or four would go in once.

They didn't really seem to say much of anything, only making sounds that weren't actual words. Most of the time anyway. Sometimes they'd mention god or their dads.

Perhaps this was how Cloud ninja pray?

Your musings was interrupted by familiar color of red in the darkness. You knew that color anywhere. You looked at the figure of your mom as she seemed to quietly enter one of the tents. One by one the tents slowly became quieter and quieter. Until finally one of the cloud ninja immediately bolted out of his tent.

Looking around wild eyed calling for his friends names. Upon not hearing any acknowledgment he started to look around and point his kunai at the shadows. Unfortunately the only thing he seemed to be able to find that looked back at him was you, and obviously you weren't the biggest threat here.

…yet anyway.

His looking around was interrupted by quickly being subdued by what seemed to be chains. Quickly he was approached by a red blur and had his head pulped into mush.

You blinked at the rather graphic display of violence. You blinked even harder when the woman looked up at you and it was apparent she wasn't your mom. Only having a similar color hair to her.

"…Are…are you alright?"

You didn't respond as she quickly rushed to your side. Quickly cutting the ropes that entangled you. She smiled as no piece remained longer than a few inches.

Of course then you quickly fell on your face. Your muscles were sore from disuse and had trouble holding yourself together. it didn't help that you had just realized it wasn't your mother who saved you.

Despite being devastated in not having your mom near you at all times, you made sure to not show your emotions to others like your mom taught you.

"H-hey, I'm sorry. You're safe now, okay? I'm going to take you home you know!? Please stop crying!"

…Of course you failed rather miserably and cried onto the closest thing nearby. Which was the woman who was most definitely not your mom. She comforted you and whispered in your ears until you stopped crying and fell asleep.