Shukaku: Shifting Sands

[Lucifer]

((This is a personal fanfiction which I started to write on and off around about October 2008. Due to different things, as well as a general on-off interest, I haven't gotten very far in it. Needless to say, this was easily started before the revealing of the actual Bijuu etc., and I've been reading the actual updates on the manga for about 100 odd chapters, and know the full, complete story behind it.

Anyway, I have decided to use my own version of the Bijuu. No, there probably won't be either "Hachibi no Okami" nor "Gobi no Okami". I hate the wolf idea - it's stupid and wolves are not in any way, shape or form, depicted personality-wise of my Bijuu. That's what the creatures will represent: their abilities and personalities. Wolves have no natural ability over a dog, and they have a similar enough personality to a dog that they won't be used. For a change, this will be a Bijuu-centric fic without using Kyubi no Yoko. I don't understand why Kyubi is considered the most powerful - after all, with all the "artefacts" that you can place in the world and have it still make sense, such as the fabled Sands of Time, Shukaku is strongest.

If you want a full story, you shall need to follow the actual version of this, which is running parallel upon Fanfiction.net, under the username Luci-Sempai. Simply put, I'm lazy, and FF.net is more rewarding in terms of audience and interest than here, as well as having better tools geared towards writing.))

Disclaimer: Naruto is the product of Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing in my fanfiction which has been revealed in the manga (up to and including chapter 468), though anything past this point, unless I credit Kishimoto, will be pure coincidence. Shukaku's name and Tanuki form are owned by Kishimoto, however I own his personality and human looks. Same goes for other Bijuu, and I own personalities of existing Naruto characters if said personality is changed from what is depicted in the manga. I completely own any original characters told of in the fanfiction, though most of these will not be given set appearances if only having bit parts. That is all.
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Shatter, then scatter unto the winds of the world,
While I call upon the Sands of Time,
To help to desecrate this land,
And turn it from luscious jungle to barren desert,
A climate truly fitting the Lord of Sand.
And once done, you shall all bow down and worship me,
For regardless of what you do, I will control your destinies.
And as you betrayed me once,
I shall seek swift retribution,
And will crush all who oppose me.
So says I,
Lord Ichibi no Shukaku, Master of the Desert. ~ Shukaku, the Desert Lord

Shukaku: Scattered Sands
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Prologue: Sands of Time

The wind blew all around the single figure, standing still and upright in the desert. In his hands, he held a simple hourglass, full of cobalt-coloured particles of sand, which differed to the many multitudes of sand grains situated in the Great Desert. This figure was a human, and was none other than Shukaku, the Desert Lord and one of the Bijuu. He was almighty in the eyes of the people, even despite the fact he was only a small age of thirteen, as his power dwarfed that of anyone else in terms of potential ability.

He was the Desert Lord, which made up over a quarter of The Continent, the last refuge of life left upon the planet, and one of the Nine High Lords, or the Bijuu as they were known. Each was a power unto themselves, and yet Shukaku was youngest but in terms of power was about the third most powerful there, behind only Mikoyose, the Dame of the Dead and Olesse, Warlock of the Circle. Each Bijuu could control something, which made them deadly – Mikoyose was a Necromancer of the highest calibre, while Olesse was a Magic-manipulator to the finest of measures. Shukaku’s signature gift was his manipulation of sand grains, something unique to him. Thus, in his or her chosen element, a Bijuu was God. Shukaku’s gift was unique compared to all the others. While they could use their own gifts to sustain their lives past that of mortal man, only Shukaku could become an immortal, due to the mythical Sands of Time.

Both had been lost, and the records of each had only been discovered accidentally by Shukaku when he had spent his time researching inside the Tower of Babel and the Pyramids of the Ancients. They were, among many other ageless artefacts, things of wonder and beauty, and had inspired many things after their existance had been made. Legends foretold of each artefact, but the Sands of Time were the most sought after and most "powerful", in the sense that as long as you kept them upon your person, you would never age, and become near immortal, with the only chance of death being an instant one.

The Sands of Time were a legendary artefact of ancient times, predating even the last two Great Wars and certainly predating the oldest existing structures of the planet. It was said that there were exactly one million tiny grains of blue sapphire-coloured sand, which were kept in a golden ruby-studded hourglass, accompanied by a device known simply as The Timepiece, which was shaped like a stopwatch. The Sands of Time were constantly flowing, via usage of the special hourglass. It was said that the one who could manipulate the sand would be able to alter time for their person alone, though the world around them wouldn’t be directly affected.

And in Shukaku’s hands was the legendary artefact itself. He cradled the artefact as if it were a newborn child, which to him, this would be equivalent. Using his sand, he slowly and tentatively cracked the fragile glass holding him away from the mystical cobalt grains, before manipulating them to form his indestructible shield. No longer could he be hurt, nor could he ever die. He was now Shukaku, Desert Lord for time immeasurable. And with this new power, he would create a new world. A world shaped as he desired. And in its epicentre, a great desert to personify his person, and the world… it would have peace.
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((A/N: Before you comment on my lousy chapter length, this is a) a prologue and b) just a taster. I will not write massive-length chapters if I don't wish to, and most will not be left on cliff-hangers shall I not wish it.

Fangirls and boys who wish to tell me I'm "telling the story wrong! etc. etc." should go and read something else then - I'm writing this as I see fit, and it's my story, so what I want will go into it. Polls will be uncommon if in the story at all, on the simple basis that anything that needs it will probably be something I'll change before releasing the chapter. Updates will vary in length and time taken to publish them: I don't have all the time in the world, and would prefer to have something I liked reading down on paper rather than something rushed or something I don't feel will fit in properly. Unlike most authors, my favourite thing I do at the moment is roleplaying, then writing poetry, then reading, and then writing fanfiction. This is not including obvious usual things such as gaming, going to the cinema etc.

Though all reviews are welcome, if you critique my style, I'll be more likely to take heed of the information given. Otherwise I'll go "yeah, thanks" and ignore your reviews from then on in general.

Finally, don't gripe about Shukaku's age - it's that young as I like the age of thirteen being almost a joke at the manga's expense. You know, Kakashi's line about how young people can defeat experienced people easily from time to time? Plus, people at the top of the food chain tend to get lazy, and someone who is only thirteen is more likely to, no?))