A/N: This is a story that a friend and I are co-authoring, I figured I've been around here long enough I might as well post something and here it is. I hope you enjoy the story and the different twist on things that's going on in the story. Also this is VERY AU and the characters are very OOC, well some anyway, you might start reading it and think WTF? But I ask that you please give it a chance.
"XX" Thought
"XX" Speech
(XX) Flashback
I don't own Naruto.
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One: The summons
The doe cautiously stepped out of the dense foliage in the Lesser Hell's Forest. Its ears swiveled about as it listened for any signs of danger. There was a strange scent in the air, but the smell of the fresh greens was too tempting to pass up.
Moving carefully, it stepped forward, trotting over to the pile of vegetables laid out for it. It was followed by two speckled fawns trailing closely behind their mother.
The doe bent her head down and began to nibble at the greens. One of her fawns kept walking in a circle, trying to find the source of the strange scent.
THWANG!
With a loud twang, followed by a terrified squeal, a small hoof caught in the trap. The rope closed around the fawn's ankle, jerking it to the ground. The doe and its other fawn fled, bolting into the forest. The trapped fawn called plaintively after its mother.
The hunter swore quietly under his breath and stepped out from the bushes he had been hiding behind. The fawn saw him, and caught his scent, and went crazy with fear. It squealed, eyes rolling wildly in its head. It got to its feet and lunged away; but the trap snapped it back to the ground again, where it lay squirming and struggling.
The hunter looked at the fawn, irritated. He'd wanted the doe, not this scrawny little fawn.
The hunter crouched down from his massive height. His stomach rumbled as he looked the fawn over. Game had been scarce this week. The hunter hadn't had anything to eat for a few days, now.
The hunter sighed. Even if he took the time to clean and cook the fawn, the meat would barely take the edge off his hunger.
The fawn shrank back as the hunter reached down. As his large hand closed around its leg, the fawn started kicking and calling loudly, trying to break free.
"Hold still." The hunter rumbled. His deep booming voice sent the fawn into a stunned fit. It didn't move.
The hunter flicked his wrist, and a long, serrated blade slid out of the gauntlet on his arm. With one careful swipe, he cut the fawn free.
The Hunter stood up, but the fawn lay at his feet, too scared to move.
"Go on, get out of here." The hunter said. He nudged the fawn with the toe of his boot. After a few seconds, the animal stumbled to its feet, then, it sprinted off as fast as it could, following it's mothers scent.
"Come back when you're bigger!" The hunter shouted after it. He watched the fawn go, and then shook his head. Muttering to himself, he knelt down to re-set the trap.
A few minutes later, the sound of hoof-beats made the hunter look up. He frowned sharply at the sound of human voices.
The hunter watched as four armored soldiers on horseback appeared, carrying the flag of Kind Modred.
The hunter watched as looks of fear spread slowly over the soldier's faces as they caught sight of him. He recognized the looks of disgust that they barely tried to conceal.
The hunter rose to his nearly eight-foot height. His blank, white eyes narrowed as he looked down at the soldiers.
For a second there was a long silence. Then, one of the soldiers spoke up.
"Are you the gargoyle Half-ling known as Naruto?" the soldier demanded.
The hunter looked at the soldiers with suspicion. "I'm Naruto." he said after a moment.
One of the soldiers dismounted from his horse. He approached Naruto and stood a few feet away from him; a scroll clutched in one hand.
"We have a summons for you, Naruto." said the soldier, "King Modred requests the honor of your presence. It's a very important matter. Will you come along willfully?"
Naruto took the scroll and looked at it for a moment. "I don't have a choice, do I?" he stated. From the uneasy looks on the soldier's faces, he knew he didn't.
"The king would greatly appreciate your cooperation." said a younger soldier. He looked nervous, and his hand kept straying to his sword hilt.
Naruto fell silent. He looked over the soldiers. All four of them were dressed in full armor, with chain mail beneath. They all carried swords. Naruto stared at the weapons for a moment, and then shifted his gaze to the soldier's faces. They looked afraid.
"Perhaps I don't wish to go?" Naruto suggested. The soldiers looked at one another for a moment.
One of the more brave soldiers stepped forward. He pulled his sword out of its sheath. The metal gleamed menacingly.
"King Modred demands your presence. You're lucky the king lets your kind live in his kingdom. What do you think gives you the right to turn down a summons from him? " Demanded the soldier.
Naruto growled softly. It would be so easy to send these annoying soldiers running in terror. Even now they looked ready to jump out of their skins. He could just snarl at them; send them running. After all, what right did the king have to make demands of him? The crown hadn't done him any favors. Besides that, he could easily dispatch the soldiers if they tried to bring him back by force. Naruto looked at the arrogant soldier, then at his sword.
Calmly, Naruto reached out and wrapped his hand around the sharp sword blade.
The soldier's eyes went wide with terror. He choked back a gasp and tried to wrench the sword free, but Naruto pulled it out of his hands. With a stony expression, Naruto gripped the blade in both hands, and calmly broke it in two. Then, he handed the blade pieces back to the soldier.
"You're right. When you put it that way, what choice do I have?" Naruto said to the trembling soldiers. "Let's go."
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Kalias-Ker was the capital city. It was also the largest city in Modred's kingdom. Naruto knew this, but when the soldiers led him there, he was still startled by how loud and busy it was. The streets were lined with shops and vendors. The air rang with the shouts of peddlers, calling out the values of their wares. Other voices were raised in various arguments. Women in colorful gowns bargained for the vendors goods. And men sat on the side of the road or outside buildings. Beggars in rags sulked near the corners of several buildings.
Naruto blinked, looking around at the busy city. He was used to the forest; he was used to the quiet and the animals that roamed the forest. The noise and number of people he saw now was a little overwhelming.
"Keep going." Said a soldier when Naruto stopped. The four soldiers were positioned around him in a protective square as they started moving again.
The human inhabitants of the city were constantly at odds with the many Gargoyle villages around it. The two races clashed over everything from crops to hunting grounds. On any other occasion, Naruto would not have been able to enter the city without worrying for his safety.
Naruto knew this. As they walked by, the crowds would quiet down some. People stopped what they were doing to stare at Naruto and his escorts. Naruto kept his gaze focused straight ahead. His expression remained neutral. He knew that the humans were staring at him. After all, they considered him an abomination; a monster. It didn't matter his mother was one of them. They considered him unacceptable as a living thing. He did his best not to consider them at all.
"Out of the way!" Snapped the soldiers, shoving when the crowd didn't move fast enough. Naruto followed the soldiers.
The Soldiers led Naruto to Modred's castle. As they waited for the drawbridge to lower, Naruto began to have doubts. The king hated non-humans. Why would he invite one to the castle? Besides that, he was the king, the most important man in the kingdom. He had money, power, and thousands of soldiers at his demand.
What did he want with a half-breed who lived in a cave?
"Go on," said one of the soldiers. Naruto looked at the lowered drawbridge, then, uneasily, he stepped onto it. The Soldiers dismounted, and then led him inside.
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The soldiers took Naruto to a pair of large, decorated doors. Two knights stood guard outside the doors.
"We brought the half-breed, as the king requested." said one of the soldiers. The knights stared at Naruto suspiciously; then, they stood aside and pushed the doorway open.
Naruto walked into the throne room. The soldiers followed, and then they instantly dropped to their knees before their king. Naruto didn't kneel.
The throne room was filled with brightly dressed servants. A throne rested in the back of the room; seating a middle-aged man with long, dark hair and a gray beard. The man wore a crown
A group of soldiers stood on the other side of the room, flanking a young man, dressed in purple robes. The man looked surprised when he saw Naruto.
But the king didn't draw Naruto's attention. Neither did any of the other humans. Instead, Naruto found himself staring at a large box, set before the king's throne. The box was black, with rubies studding its silver trim. The box was draped in chains and padlocks, impossible to open.
For some reason, Naruto found himself staring at the box, feeling unusually curious.
He was snapped out of his trance when a soldier jabbed him in the side.
"You're in the presence of the king! Kneel!" The soldier hissed to Naruto.
Naruto glared down at the soldier. "I'm comfortable standing." he answered.
The soldier looked angry, but before he could respond, the doors swung open again.
Naruto glanced over his shoulder. A figure stepped into the room. The figure wore a uniform that consisted of black boots, pants, tunic, and a cape and hood that concealed its head and shoulders... All Naruto could see of the figure were two green eyes, glowing from deep within a black cowl and veil. In its arms, the figure carried a clay jar.
Naruto glanced at the jar, then glanced up and was surprised to see a pretty young woman stroll into the room, following the cloaked figure. The woman wore a soft, cream-colored gown. Her skin was tan, and her blond hair fell to her shoulders in waves. Her sharp features were pulled into an angry expression. She was glaring at the robed figure.
Naruto frowned, forgetting about the box for a moment. He could tell the woman was anxious about something. Naruto didn't like that. Ever since he was young, he had this odd instinct to protect women who were in danger. It didn't make sense, since he rarely met any, and when he did he never knew what to say. Usually they just ran away screaming after they got a good look at him.
"What took you so long, Vaguer?" The king demanded as the robed figure kneeled.
"Forgive me, your highness." said Vaguer. He shifted the clay jar carefully from one arm to the other. "The maidens needed a little... Persuasion."
"You beast!" The tan woman blurted out, looking like she wanted to attack the robed figure, "Let my sister go! You promised!"
The robed figure looked at the tan woman. "At ease, Lady Temari, Your sister is fine."
The woman, Temari, shook her head. "You said if Ino and I came here, you'd let her go, now keep your word."
Vaguer looked at the girl for a moment, then nodded. "Very well." he said. Vaguer reached up and removed the lid from the clay jar. Then, he calmly turned it over, dumping out what looked like water.
Naruto and several soldiers stepped back in surprise as the water splashed across the ground, forming a large puddle. Naruto looked at the water in bewilderment, and then glanced at Vaguer and Temari. The young man in the purple robes watched as well.
Temari started toward the water, looking worried, but Vaguer grabbed her arm.
"Stay where you are." Vaguer said. "Let go of me!" Temari said to him, trying to pull away. Vaguer would not release her.
Naruto reacted instinctively. He moved toward Vaguer to make him release the woman. But something in the water caught his attention.
The pool of water seemed to be moving. It shifted, gathering together. The water started to take on a strange shape, that of a woman, lying on her side.
"What kind of sorcery...?" Naruto started to say, but then the water-shape stirred.
Then it coughed.
If the king was surprised, he didn't show it. The waters colors changed, until the shape had become real.
Where the puddle of water had been; now there was a woman. She looked to be about the same age as Temari. The woman had a pale complexion, and light-blond hair. She wore a tan gown; the color of deerskin. The woman was soaking wet and shivering.
"A shape-shifter!" Naruto thought in amazement.
"Ino!" Temari exclaimed her voice filled with concern. She tried to pull herself away from Vaguer again, but he tightened his grip, sinking his sharp nails into her skin.
Suddenly, Vaguer let go of Temari, stepping back like he had been burned. Temari rubbed her arm, looking surprised.
The man in purple robes lowered his hand. One of his fingertips was glowing, like a dying coal.
"You should learn how to behave around a lady." The man said, looking firmly at Vaguer. Naruto realized that the man was a wizard. And he'd just attacked Vaguer.
Temari walked over to Ino and knelt beside her.
"Are you all right, sister?" she asked, helping her up. Ino nodded. But she had to grip her sister to keep from falling.
Vaguer glared at the wizard. He raised his hands to do a counter spell. "Why, you--"
"Vaguer," The king spoke up, "Be more polite to our guests."
Vaguer growled slightly, but lowered his hands. "I'll deal with you later, mage." he said to the wizard. The wizard just smiled cheerfully.
Naruto was unsure what to do. He knew he had been summoned for a reason, but he wasn't sure whether or not to speak up and ask what the reason was.
"What do you want from us?" Temari asked the king; holding her sister up.
"Patience, my dear." said the king, looking at Temari with a smile. "Not all of our guests have arrived yet."
Then, the king's smile faded as he glanced at the assembly gathered in the room. He looked at the Wizard, then the shape-shifter and her sister. After that, his gaze settled on Naruto.
The king's expression changed. For just a second his face darkened, and rage filled his eyes. Naruto returned the gaze, not letting any emotion show. Naruto knew he hadn't done anything wrong. The king had summoned him. The king's soldiers had threatened to use force to bring him back. But that didn't matter. He was a half-breed. That alone was reason enough to be hated.
"Vaguer!" The king snapped, taking his gaze off Naruto, "Why hasn't the Gargoyle Chief arrived yet?"
"I'm not sure, my Lord." Vaguer answered, even as the doors opened behind him.
Two Gargoyles walked into the room, one small, his body concealed by a brown cloak and cowl, the other so tall, he had to duck down to fit through the doorways.
A murmur rose from the kings attendants, who whispered to each other as the two gargoyles entered.
As Naruto caught sight of the Chief, hate surged through him like a hot wave. His lips pulled back over his teeth, and a growl rose from deep in his throat.
"Sasuke!" he whispered hatefully.
The Gargoyle chief was nearly nine feet tall. Pale blue hide rippled over a broad, muscled body. The chief was dressed in warriors' garb. Iron armor, a long cape made of animal fur, four different weapons at his side. Dark blue wings folded over his shoulders like a cape. His black hair was tied back away from a harsh, monstrous face. The chief's wicked-looking horns had been polished. They gleamed as he stepped forward.
The chief stopped walking as soon as he caught sight of Naruto. The chief scowled.
"I thought I recognized that stench." The chief snorted, "The smell of a filthy half-breed."
"What's this slime doing here!?" Naruto snarled, turning to look at the king. As he spoke, he extended his gauntlet blade, ready for combat.
"It's good to see you too, little brother." sneered the chief.
Naruto stepped toward the chief, "You're treachery isn't welcome here, Sasuke!" he growled, brandishing his weapon.
"I was summoned here!" Sasuke laughed, "What do you think you're going to do about it?"
Naruto snarled and started toward Sasuke. A few soldiers drew their weapons, ready to intervene if a fight broke out.
Naruto ignored the soldiers. He would've attacked the chief, but the smaller gargoyle stepped in front of the chief, holding a small sword. The smaller Gargoyle took a protective stance, raising the sword in warning.
Naruto paused, looking down at the gargoyle. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This gargoyle was at least two heads shorted than Naruto. Probably more if he wanted to, Naruto could probably break this little one in two.
"He must be a Gowordon." Naruto thought, using the Gargilian word for 'bodyguard'. Naruto studied the Gowordon. He could see the small gargoyles face. The gargoyles hide was reddish-brown, like sandstone. His face was decorated with dark markings. Perhaps war paint. His eyes were odd. Most gargoyles had slanted eyes, either solid white, yellow, or red. But this one had large, dark irises and pupils. Naruto could tell this Gowordon was very young. Just barely out of boyhood.
The young gargoyle's expression was concerned and determined. He looked up at Naruto without fear. His gaze told Naruto that he didn't want to fight. But he would to protect his chieftain.
Naruto glared at Sasuke for a moment, but then stepped back. The younger gargoyle relaxed slightly.
"All right, human." Sasuke said, turning to glare at the king, "Tell me the reason for this summons, before you waste any more of my time."
"He's a humble one." Ino whispered to Temari. Sasuke glanced at the two women, for an instant, he looked like he was deciding whether to laugh or be angry. Then, a nasty smile spread across his face and he winked at them. Ino shuddered.
The king stood up slowly. He clapped his hands twice and any talking going on in the room stopped.
"My subjects," the king announced, looking at the non-humans gathered in the room. Sasuke prickled slightly at being called a subject, but he said nothing. "I'm sure you all want to know the reason I called upon you. If you all look closely now, the reason will be revealed."
The king looked at some of his attendants, and then nodded to them. Two of his servants stepped forward. They were dressed in full armor, and wore thick, metal gloves. The attendants knelt beside the black box. Vaguer handed them both two rings of keys. They went about unlocking the box. Then, the attendants slowly opened the box.
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Well that's chapter one, what do you think? Should I continue or just stop here?
Please R&R Thank you very much.
