This idea wouldn't leave my mind. No matter ho many times I tried to get rid of it.
"I'm off to school! Okaa-san." Sakai Yuji shouted, he waited for his mother's response, while he held the door to his house.
Receiving a cheerful response from his mother, he quickly shut the door and went on his way. While he way towards his new school, he thought of his life until this point. He, so far, lived a pretty normal life. He passed his middle school with quite good grades, and as accepted into Misaki City Municipal High School with his best friend Hayato Ike, a genius in his own right... And an over achiever as well.
His second best friend was... Strange to say the least. Who is his second best friend you may ask? His other best friend as Namikaze Naruto.
Naruto was a great guy to be around, and he was just as smart as Ike, a possible genius. Not to mention that he always made the teachers seem like fools. but... The only problem with Naruto was that he was cold towards everyone for some reason. When Yuji first met the blonde, and extended a hand of friendship to him. The blonde merely stared at his hand, before he completely dismissed him with a cold glare.
Even though Yuji was a bit disheartened by his cold dismissal, he didn't give up on trying to befriend the blonde. It took awhile... But he finally got to be the blondes friend. The story of how it happened was quite simple.
One time Yuji spent to long hanging out with his friends, so understandingly he was late for dinner. He had missed the tram, and as such didn't have time to wait for another. So he took a short cut through the bad side of Misaki. And of course, a couple thugs had him at a dead end, and they demanded all of his money. But he had spent almost half his money with his friends in the arcade.
The thugs weren't very satisfied with the amount he had, so they began to move on him, so that they may beat him a little. However before they could get any closer at all. Another voice that Yuji knew all to well, because of the amount of coldness in them, interrupted them. To Yuji's surprise and shock... It was Naruto who interfered, his trademark cold glare on all of them.
Yuji not wanting the blonde to get hurt, yelled for him to leave and to save himself. However the blonde merely scoffed at Yuji and told him to shut his mouth. The thugs apparently didn't like the blonde's attitude, and moved to jump him.
And Yuji much to his shock and disbelief, witnessed the blonde take on at least five other guys down like they were nothing. The way he deflected and countered all of their strikes against them were simply amazing and quite simply... awe-inspiring. For every strike and move they made, the blonde merely deflected and countered at the last moment where they seemed like they would get away.
Every time they tried to attack him at once, the blonde merely use that to his advantage and force them to attack each other. The fight, if it could be called such a thing, didn't even last four minutes. And by than, the thugs were covered in bruises and blood, and were panting in exhaustion. All while the blonde himself looked fine, not even a scratch on him. His eyes never lost bored cold indifference in them.
When Naruto had enough of them, he simply told them to scram and to get lost, and that if he ever saw them again he wasn't going to go easy on them like he had now.
That shocked Yuji. He had basically taken all of them on, for four straight minutes, and was basically saying that was a warm up. The thugs were quick to obey the blonde, they scattered like the cowards they were.
Yuji got up to thank the blonde, only to have his backpack and remaining money shoved in his face. The blonde merely told him to get up, and that he was escorting him home since they were still in the bad part of the city. Yuji agreed, and during their little walk, Yuji tried to speak with the blonde.
But to his dismay, the blonde merely stayed silent for most of the trip, only speaking when Yuji said something that caught his interest.
When they reached Yuji's home, Yuji thanked the blonde repeatedly, but the blonde merely scoffed and said that it was no problem and to not go through the bad part of the city again. Yuji agreed, and thanked him once more, before he entered his home, he turned around to offer the blonde dinner, but to his dismay the blonde was already gone.
The next day, he saw the blonde walking to school and walked with him. Offering small talk along the way. But the blonde was silent throughout the walk, but he did stop and tell Yuji that just because he saved him, didn't mean they were friends or anything of the sort.
But Yuji wasn't deterred in the slightest, and constantly spoke with the blonde, after several weeks the blonde to mellow out.
And after two months, the blonde actually began to start small chats with him, until they turned into conversations. Than Yuji introduced the blonde to Ike. The blonde merely stared at Ike for several moments before he gave him a small bow of acknowledgement.
The three of them, became good friends over their time together. At one point Yuji became curious of the blonde's life and spoke to the blonde about his life. What he learned was a bit disheartening.
He learned that his parents died when he was only the tender age of twenty minutes, in a crime that was tragically to close to the hospital they were in. The doctors tried the best they could to save their lives, but they were to late, as the bullets hit major organ, and they died shortly after saying their tearful goodbyes to their son.
The blonde than spent the first nine years of his life in an small orphanage run by an old man name Sarutobi Hiruzen and his wife Sarutobi Biwako.
Than he was adopted by his adoptive parent. Yuji inquired about his adopted parent, but the blonde remained tight-lipped about him.
Yuji understood, and didn't pry seeing as it wasn't exactly his business. Over the years Yuji learned one important thing about Naruto.
He treasured his friends above all else. Every time he and Ike were bullied in school the blonde would always beat the snot out of anybody who messed with them. Pretty soon, the entire school knew to never bully, or bother Ike and Yuji again.
The blonde even got some fan-girls because of how passionately he protected his friends. Most girls wanted to be the blondes boyfriend and often at times tried to get a date with him. But the blonde merely gave them all a cold dismissal.
The blonde still kept his cold attitude towards everyone, but around Yuji and Ike, he softened up a little and sometimes acted like a true and great friend to them.
The blondes grades were excellent as well, nearly all A's, with a few being a B+, no one knew how the blonde was so smart, but teachers soon stopped trying to get the blonde to answer questions seeing as he got them all right. Heck the only reason he got a B+ was because of his lack of interest in most classes.
Yuji was pulled out of his reminiscing when he heard his name being called.
"Yo Yuji." A voice casually spoke.
Yuji turned his head in the direction of the voice, only to see the object of his thoughts leaning on the traffic light pole.
The blonde in questioned had on the same uniform as Yuji. He had wild spiky golden blonde hair with two bangs framing his face. He had a set of whisker marks on his cheeks, that made most of his fan-girls go wild imagining what it would be like if they scratched them. His cerulean blue eyes held merely indifference in them, though when he stared at you it would feel like he was looking in your soul.
Around his neck, he wore a beautiful blue gem as a necklace.
"Hey Naruto." Yuji greeted with a smile.
Naruto gave him an indifferent look, before he jerked his head to the side. "Let's go, the light just changed." He replied. "That, and the air around us just got rapid with bugs." He added.
Yuji rose an eyebrow, before he noticed a couple of girls giving him friend the terrible heart eyed expressions.
Yuji chuckled at his friends hidden annoyance before they before resumed their trek towards the school making small chat along the way.
"So Naruto. Any girl in the school that you like?" Yuji curiously asked.
Naruto gave Yuji a deadpanned look. "Yuji... You know that none of those girls even remotely interest me." He answered.
"Oh come on. There has to be someone whom you may have an interest in?" Yuji persisted
"I said that there is no one whom I even have the slightest dim of interest in." The blonde replied, annoyance seeping into his voice. Why couldn't this guy just understand that he wasn't interested in dating any of the girls here?
"Naruto how are you ever gonna find a girlfriend if you are always like this?" Yuji said shaking his head.
The blonde merely scoffed at his friend before they both rounded a corner, catching sight of the school and many students entering it.
"Oii!" Called a voice at the other end of the school gates. A boy with light brown hair, light blue, almost gray eyes with glasses fitted under them, and in the their school uniform ran up to them.
"Yo, Ike!" Yuji greeted. Naruto merely gave him a small nod of acknowledgement before he remained silent.
Ike gave his two friends a small smile. "Being with you two doesn't make me feel like I'm at high school, it lacks in freshness." He commented.
Yuji made a face "Don't blame it on us, you should have gone to a higher level school." Yuji proclaimed.
Ike looked ahead and stuck his chin in the air. "Well, closer schools are easier to commute to." He replied
Yuji sighed. "What makes it worse is that you would chosen here for that reason." He said.
Ike brought his chin down. "I barely made it in." He solemnly replied.
Yuji laughed. "Whatever you say, you're the type who gets what he wants." He retaliated as all three walked through the doors into the school.
"I might just be lucky. It can also be said that you're shrewd." Ike shot back
Yuji smiled lightly. "you think?" He asked as he replaced his shoes with his white ones. As he closed his locker, he looked over to see two young males with dark hair, with the shortest of the two having his a bit darker. The taller one closed his locker and smiled lightly. "Yo." He greeted before, he then turned and moved away with his his darker haired friend in tow.
Yuji stood for a second, before smiling. "Morning!" he greeted.
The taller boy's companion turned to him with a bored look. "I can hear you." than the darker haired boy moved around the corner. Yuji heard Naruto mutter asshole, and he gave his friend a look.
"What?" Naruto quietly demanded, giving his friend a annoyed stare.
"Nothing. It's just that he's hard to talk to." Yuji answered, before he turned back to his locker. While Ike spoke to Yuji about the dark and mysterious boy named Satou, Naruto quietly picked up his gem, as it was pulsing slightly.
"What is it?" Naruto quietly asked, as to not draw attention.
the gem instantly lit up with crimson flames and the gem turned from blue to ruby red with a slitted pupil in it. and a bestial voice rang out, but only loud enough for him to hear.
"It's a bit hypocritical to call that young man an asshole. Seeing as you were or rather still is the same." The voice stated in a matter of fact tone.
Naruto gave a glare, and flicked it making yelp from the jolt. "Shut it Kurama. Now what do you want?" Naruto silently hissed.
Kurama, other wise known as the Kyuubi no kitsune in the crimson world, huffed a bit. "I get no respect around here I tell ya." He muttered. "Look outside and you'll see what I'm trying to tell ya." Kurama ordered.
Naruto looked out the door and just spotted a mop of black hair belonging to a small lolita girl, before she suddenly vanished, unseen by everyone except the blonde. "I know that flame haze has been following me for the last few days." He said.
Kyuubi let out a quiet hum in understanding. "She's just curious. Its not every day you find another Flame Haze in the same city as you now is it?" He replied.
"Curiosity killed the cat Kurama. If that flame haze begins to annoy me I will kill her." Naruto darkly said.
Kurama gave a sigh "like I said Naruto. She's only curious, she'll leave you alone after a few more days I'm sure of it. Though I can't help but feel a familiar energy around her." Kurama observed.
"Regardless, if she gets to curious to my liking than I will confront her." Naruto said, a tone finality in his voice, effectively ending their conversation.
"Naruto you ready to go?" The blonde in question turned to his to friends to find them ready to head to class.
The blonde merely nodded, and the trio silently began heading to their classes.
Naruto twitched as he felt the girls presence once again. This had been going on for a whole WEEK! Every time he thought he was alone, he would feel the girl's presence watching him. It annoyed him to no end.
The girl seemed to know that he was sensing her presence but never did anything, just watched him. And that annoyed the blonde, he felt like he was being stalked!
Every time when he was about to eat his precious ramen, he couldn't as he old feel the girls gaze upon him. It pissed him off. Kurama constantly told him to be patient and that the girls curiosity couldn't last so long. That was over a week ago!
Naruto idly noticed Yuji talking to a girl in the midst of class, and the teacher called on him seeing as the teacher must have heard them talking.
But Naruto could care less at the moment. He turned his head towards the window, and he paid special attention to a rooftop near the schoold building just a short walk away. to be more specific the small figure currently gazing upon intently.
The same girl that was watching him for nearly whole week was there watching him... AGAIN! Naruto twitched. He stared at the girl.
The black haired girl seemed to notice him looking at him, but didn't do anything but stare back.
Naruto gave her the darkest and most intimidating glare he could muster. This was the glare that made other students instantly shut up, made teachers sweat, made street gangs cringe, and made crimson denizens and their Tokugoma stiffen in pure fear.
In a nutshell, this was Naruto's strongest, darkest, and most intimidating glare he had. No one has ever been immune to it's effects.
So imagine his shock, and surprise when the girl glared right back at him with equal intensity. OH HELL NO! He was not gonna let this girl glare at HIM! He was the one who was supposed to do the glaring! He glared right back at the girl. If any other student or the teacher bothered to pay attention they would see the girl and Naruto seem to exchange lightning between their eyes.
Naruto's gem changed to ruby red as Kurama silently chuckled "Well, well Naruto. Looks like their's someone who can take your glare and throw right back at you." He silently commented.
Naruto's eye twitched before he flicked the gem, causing the crimson lord inside it to yelp once again. "Shut it Kurama." He silently hissed, before he went right back to having his glaring contest with the girl. The girl was all to eager to resume it seemed, as she readily returned his glare.
Naruto tightened his jaw as he tried to increase his glare's intensity. But the girl merely intensified her girl to match his!
A deep growling noise came from the back of his throat, making several pair's of eyes start looking around the room in confusion. But the blonde could care less, he was gonna show that girl that you do not! Mess with him.
Kyuubi chuckled, looks like his flame haze found a girl he could actually take an interest in.
"So, what are you doing today?" Yuji asked his friends as they walked out of the school, the bell ringing behind them.
Naruto grunted "No idea." He answered in an indifferent tone, though he twitched when he sensed the flame haze... again.
Ike took his chance at boasting a bit. "I'm taking a mock exam at cram school." He stated. Yuji looked at him like he had grown a second head. While Naruto looked as if he could care less. "Your preparing for College already?" Yuji asked.
"Over achiever." Naruto muttered. He twitched again when he sensed the girl wasn't leaving any time soon.
Ike chose to ignore him and continued. "I have to keep my parents happy, or it affects my allowance. What about you?"
"I got nothing to do, so I guess I'll walk around the station and check out CD's." Yuji answered.
Ike nodded to his two friends before they separated at an intersection. "See you guys tomorrow." He said, giving his blonde friend a glance before walking around the corner.
"Mind if I join you at the CD's store?" Naruto asked, wanting for something to distract him from the girls presence.
Yuji smiled and nodded at his blonde friend, before he began to move through the multiple crowds, with his friend stepping beside him.
It wasn't long before they were in the denser part of the city and moving down the street in silence as (to Naruto's immense relief) the crowd had all but disbanded. As they entered the CD store, Yuji noticed the girl from his class. Naruto rose an eyebrow but kept silent, moving to some CD's he saw on the rack. He twitched... That girl was following him even through HERE!
The girl turned her head and smiled. "oh, so your house is on this side, too, Sakai-kun?" She questioned him but Yuji shook his head. "No, I'm just here with Naruto to check out CD's" He answered.
The girl tilted her head, and looked around for the blonde and spotted him browsing through some CD's The girl gave a unnoticeable blush, before she quickly returned to her conversation with Yuji. As the blonde looked up for a moment, before he returned to browsing through the racks.
While Yuji and and the girl spoke, Naruto felt a slight pressure. 'Teh, another damn Tomogara.' He though in annoyance.
He tuned in on Yuji's and the girl's conversation, and he twitched when the girl asked about him. 'And another girl who has a stupid crush on me. Oh joy.' He sarcastically thought.
They spent some more time in the store, before it was time to go.
"I'll see you in school tomorrow Hirai-san." Yuji said, waving good-bye to the girl.
"Good-bye Sakai-kun. And take care." She cheerfully said, before she turned around and headed for the station.
"Teh. Who would have thought that girl would have a crush on me. If you ask me, she's just wasting her time." Naruto stated.
Yuji looked at Naruto in annoyance, seriously it's like his friend didn't care for others feelings. Didn't he feel guilty for denying his fan-girls dates? He saw the heart-broken expressions on their faces when they were denied dates before they could finish their sentences. It made him wince at how harshly his blonde friend rejected them, but his blonde friend didn't seem to give a damn.
They soon, began to move through the crowds once again, but than suddenly The ground glowed with a circular seal and suddenly, everything froze as it all gained a red hue. It was as if time itself had fallen still.
'Teh, it's here.' The blonde thought in annoyance, as he heard it's irritating laughs.
"W-What is h-happening?" Yuji stuttered. A large crash sounded behind him. He quickly turned... Only to see some type of huge creature that remarkably resembled a human child only it was hideous to look at.
The monster like child grinned evilly and the creature spoke in a childish and distorted voice. "Yes! Preparation complete." The monster child said in a gleeful tone.
Another creature only it was ball sized, which seemed to comprise of mostly human faces spoke. "Its not a lot of humans, but its enough to sustain master for awhile. Lets have some dinner shall we?." The ball sized creature said, as all of the faces grinned maliciously.
The monstrous child grinned, exposing sharp and deadly teeth. "Chow time! Chow time!" It cheerfully said.
It opened its mouth and suddenly, every human, besides Yuji and Naruto, all burst into blue flames and started to be inhaled into the creatures mouth. It grinned gleefully through its strange... Feast, (If you could call it that) "Its so good! so good! Master will be pleased!" The child like monster exclaimed.
The ball with human faces turned and scolded the child monster. "Do not speak with your mouth full! It's disgusting! Shame on you."
The monstrous child put his head down, and obeyed it's apparent master. "Yesss."
Naruto heard Yuji mumbling something but he could care less. He was to busy looking at the flame haze that was watching the entire thing from her perch on a nearby rooftop. He narrowed his eyes at her, why wasn't she doing anything? The girl turned her eyes to him, and they narrowed as well.
"Hirai-san!" Yuji yelled as he caught sight of the frozen Hirai, though looking back, it wasn't such a smart decision, as he now had the attention of both monstrous creatures.
The child monster choked a bit before it turned it attention on the both Naruto and Yuji, the latter looking like he was gonna shit himself, while the former kept his eyes on the girl.
"Huh? What are those?" It asked.
the ball of human faces flew over to inspect them "I don't know. They are not Tomogara" The ball sized monster answered.
"But they're moving within the Fuzetsu." The monster child retaliated.
"They must be Misteses." The ball replied sinister tone of sick glee, and anticipation.
The monstrous child turned to the ball of human heads. "Misteses? You mean a torch with a treasure in it?" It asked in slight confusion.
"That's right and its a real special one. We haven't had a good souvenir like this in a while. Our master will be extremely pleased." The ball answered it's tone going from lecturing to gleeful.
The monster child threw his arms up in the air, and began waving them like a baby... A very disturbing baby, but a baby nonetheless.
"Yay! Yay! yay! We did a great job!" It exclaimed before it picked up Yuji and began inspecting him.
Naruto growled, and held up his blue gem. "Looks like I actually have to step in, seeing as that blasted girl won't do anything." He muttered in annoyance.
The ball sized creature glanced at the blonde, and it noted the gem he held, and as it realized what it was, it felt a surge of pure panic. "NO! WHAT!? A FLAME HAZE ALL THE WAY OUT HERE!? IMPOSSIBLE!" It yelled out in terror.
"Teh, I'm gonna enjoy ripping you apart for yelling in that irritating voice of yours." Naruto darkly stated. There a bright flash... And suddenly Naruto's entire appearance changed.
His eyes were crimson red with sltted demonic pupils. His hair was a crimson red color just like his eyes, which was letting out small embers that burned away as they floated in the air. Over his school uniform was a long black robe with a blood red nine tailed fox adorning the robe, with it's tails seeming to curl around the blonde in a protective manner, and a angry snarl on it's face. two Katana handles jutting out from either side. However... nothing came out the other end.
The blonde gave his Katana's a displeased look, before he returned his attention on the monstrous beings. However a signal glance to where the girl he was keeping his eyes on, was revealed that she to decided to stop lazing about it seemed.
The blonde slowly removed one of his Katana's "I'm gonna rip off that disgusting mouth of yours." He stated in a matter of fact tone.
This time, there were two flashes, and suddenly Yuji fell from the height he was being manhandled from and he gazed up at Naruto and a girl with the same hair and eyes, minus the slitted pupils as him. He looked over at the creature to find it had its arm sliced cleanly off, however, said arm was now in two pieces on the ground.
"Teh. What took you so long in acting flame haze?" Naruto asked, keeping his dark glare in the ball of faces and child monster.
The girl next to him gave a huff of annoyance. "I should be asking you that. Why didn't you act huh?!" She demanded.
"Teh... Curiosity. I wanted to see what you would do." Naruto answered in a huff. "And besides, You were the one standing on a fucking rooftop and watching this entire thing. So tell me. Where. The. Fuck. Were. You?" He asked, a cold edge in his tone.
The girl glanced at him "I was waiting... Urusai." She answered in embarrassment.
"What were you waiting for? Summer? Sorry to burst your bubble but summer isn't for a whole fucking year." The blonde taunted darkly.
"Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!" The girl angrily exclaimed. "Why didn't you do anything!? HUH!? Don't put this entire blame on me!" She yelled in rage.
"As I said. Curiosity." Naruto indifferently stated.
"That doesn't mean you couldn't have done SOMETHING!" The flaming haired girl exclaimed.
Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Kurama however spoke. "She has a point Naruto, you could have done something."
Naruto let out a huff of annoyance, "Shut it kitsune." He said.
The pendant around the girls neck suddenly spoke "Kyuubi? Kyuubi no kitsune? Well isn't this an interesting development. I never expected to be meeting you here. I knew I sensed something familiar about this boy."
If the Kyuubi could blink outside the gem he was currently residing in. The large fox would most certainly have. "Is that Alastor? Alastor, that you? Goddam! I hardly recognize you. Hey I have to say, the form of a pendantm is strangely fitting for your arse." Naruto sighed in annoyance as Kurama spoke with his old friend. and kept an eye on the creatures as they eyed them warily.
If Alastor could grin he would have shown a demonic grin that would have no doubt frightened off little children. "Why yes, I rather like this form as well. This form is my favorite one by far. I haven't seen you in what? Five hundred years or so? Since my last flame haze. And Speaking of Flame hazes. Is this one your Flame haze now?" The crimson said, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
Kyuubi grunted "Well what can I say? I got bored one day, and got myself another flame haze. This brat was just fortunate enough that I came across him that day" Kyuubi stated.
Alastor released a curious hum, before he dropped the subject when Kurama wouldn't elaborate more.
The girl spoke up with anger and impatience evident in her tone "Can we please get back to the Tomogara?"
Naruto scoffed, but nodded to the girls questioned. and gripped his second Katana, and slowly drew it from it's sheath. His bright red eyes dulled. And suddenly the feeling of indifference around the blonde disappeared... There was just... Nothing about the blonde now.
Nothing. Not even a speck of emotion could be felt around the blonde... It was as if a black void had just replaced the blonde. His eyes were blank, devoid of any and all emotion.
Yuji shivered at his friends new attitude. Before the blonde would give off emotions such as, annoyance, indifference, and sometimes though it was rare anger... But now... There was absolutely nothing about the blonde, he felt so cold and... Void.
'Naruto... Is this really you? the Naruto I knew was... Distant, but kind now doubt when he wanted to be... but now... What are... You Naruto?' Yuji thought, swallowing a lump in his throat.
The flaming haired girl noticed the change in Naruto, and glanced at the blonde in curiosity. Though a shiver did run down her spine, when she caught sight of his void, and emotionless eyes... It was almost as if all of the life and happiness was forcibly taken from the blonde... Like someone didn't want him to have any type of emotion or attachment.
The child monster roared as it furiously sprang to it's feet. "I'll kill you for this!" The monstrous being wailed, before it lifted it's last arm to smash it over the two flame hazes.
The girl brought her sword back till its point was inches from Yuji's face. Naruto like the girl brought one sword back until it's point was inches away from Yuji's face. He placed his other sword in front of him, until it was merely inches above the ground, the point merely hovering above it a few centimeters.
Then both he and the girl seemed to phase out of sight and appear behind the huge monster child, as two large vertical cuts appeared on its body on either its shoulder or chest and let out large amounts of blue fire as it's blood.
The monstrous being fell to the ground as Naruto and the girl landed gracefully on the ground, and turned back to face the creature. As the monster child pushed its self up, the girl moved towards towards it, her Katana gleaming with bloodthirsty intentions.
However, the large ball sized creature of human faces decided to finally act, it sprang into action and rushed towards the girl's position. However Narut had other idea's it seemed, and the blonde brutally kicked by the monster higher in the air. The blonde seemed to be playing with the blonde merely kicking around for a little while he finished it off with a brutal and bone shattering kick to a nearby building.
As the ball sized creature of faces crashed into the buildings 5th floor, the girl continued to move towards the child Monster as it struggled to obtain a proper footing. Her Katana gleaming menacingly as she leisurely moved towards the monstrous being.
"What... What are these guys!?" The child monster yelled in fear and pain. Then realization crossed the creatures hideous face, and it fearfully looked towards Shana's direction. "I understand what these two are now!..." The small girl slowly raised her Katana up above her head, in a almost judging, and taunting manner. The creature had just enough time to yell, "WAIT!" before the girl severed its head from its body, causing it to explode into more of the blue fire.
And for it's life to come to an abrupt halt, as it's face stayed in it's expression of sheer terror, and horror, right before it faded into blue flames.
"It was a shell..." Naruto spoke up from behind her. His blank, and void eyes searching the area.
If Alastor could nod, he would. "Yes, it seems the main body left at the last moment."
Both Naruto and the girl looked over to Yuji and looked back at the girl's necklace. "Is this a Mistes?" the girl asked. "Yeah, and it seems like a unique one." Alastor answered. Naruto suddenly rocketed from his place behind the girl, moving at speeds that that pure shocking as shana was sure that it must have broken the sound barrier, as a small sonic boom was heard.
The blonde hesitated for a small moment, before he struck his gleaming Katana towards Yuji's direction.
Yuji gasped in shock, before he covered his eyes. However, when he felt no pain he looked towards Naruto, and then behind him when he heard a scream of pain. Only to see a human like arm fall to the ground beneath him, blue flames bursting from the arm. He looked back to find a older woman, in her early thirties at least, holding her severed arm and screaming in pure agony.
The girl stepped forward and menacingly pointed her sword at the screaming woman. "You wanted what was inside the Mistes didn't you?" She stated more than asked, red eyes narrowing dangerously.
The woman spoke with fear evident in her eyes and voice "Flame hair and red-hot eyes... no... two...? that's not possible. Unless, you're Alastor, the Flame Haze of the Holy Flames, and you-" She paused, and looked in Naruto's direction. "-are the Kyuubi, the Flame Haze of Cursed Flames... You're both tools of hunting." She finished in fear.
The girl opened her mouth to speak but Naruto spoke. His emotionless voice sending shivers down everyone's spines. "Your right about the girl being a tool of hunting... But your wrong about me. I'm not a tool of hunting... I am the flame haze of cursed flames... I am... a tool of destruction." He proclaimed.
Everyone's eyes widened, except and Alastor and Kyuubi, at that statement. "Now you will be silent, as I destroy you denizen." Naruto stated, taking a small step towards the woman.
The woman snarled fearfully. "My Master won't stay quiet about this! He'll hunt you down and destroy you like the dogs you are!" She yelled.
The girl smirked "You're right, he will be screaming his last words soon... After I slice his head off." She said.
the woman's face turned into a more angry but still fearful snarl. "Why you-"
she couldn't even finish her sentence as Naruto suddenly rocketed from his position, once again creating a small sonic boom in the process, and brought his sword forward to slice the woman in half.
However, Yuji foolishly jumped in front of the woman and protected her with his own body, forcing Naruto to stop his attack.
Naruto's eyes narrowed blankly "Step aside Yuji." Naruto blankly ordered. However Yuji didn't listen, and continued to try and protect the woman with his body. He didn't see the woman smirk behind him. And suddenly he felt her plunge her arm into his back. He let out a gasp and puked up saliva, blood, and some of his break-fest. he could feel the woman plunging her hand deeper inside her body, causing him to feel even more agony. 'what is this... S-stop!... Someone... Help me!?' He thought in agony.
A brief flash was seen, before suddenly Naruto vertically sliced Yuji in half with his Katana, The black haired teen heard the woman scream in agony. But that didn't matter to him, all he could do was look at his friend in betrayal, and hurt. 'H-He sliced me in half... One of my best friends... Cut me in half.' He disbelievingly thought.
as he hit the ground, a strange doll flew out of the woman's body. The doll flew up above Naruto and the girl's head, and it turned in the air to look down at them and it gave them disdainful glare.
The girl sprung into action and gave the doll a harsh, and cold glare, her Katana at the ready. "So that's the main body!"
"Behind you!" Alastor shouted. the girl quickly turned around and watched as the ball sized creatures of human faces, which had recovered from Naruto's attack, and rushed straight towards at her intent on killing her. But she was saved as Naruto jumped on top of it and harshly drove his Katana, which was ignited with pure black flames, into the its top. It let out a scream before it exploded, mixers of black and blue flames pelting the ground below.
The doll took the chance of their distraction and shortly vanished to return to it's master.
The girl sighed and placed her Katana back into her coat where it than promptly vanished. "It got away." her hair and eyes lost their bright shine. However, they remained the alluring red color they were. "From the way it was talking, sounds like someone strong is behind all of this." she commented.
"Hmm, You have a point flame haze of holy flames. Though you could be wrong, it could have been any Tomogara, and their crimson lord. Though I have a possible suspect." Kyuubi commented, keeping the last comment to himself, making sure that only Naruto heard him.
the girl nodded at Kyuubi's assessment, and she turned back to face Naruto and Yuji. The former having put away his own Katana in his robes. "Putting that aside. I'm surprised this could move." she stated, looking at Yuji with curiosity.
Yuji gave her a look of pure fear and shock as he held his hand out to her. "P-Please H-Help me." He pleaded.
They ignored him and it was Kyuubi that spoke this time. "Yeah, it reminds me of Tenmoku Ikko." Alastor grunted in agreement, the girl turned to look up at the sky. And she spoke "But that time, we knew we were going to fight and that it could move, too."
Yuji spoke again, having mustered up the courage. "Please, call an ambulance!"
"Shut it Yuji. It's your own fault your like that." Naruto stated in a nonchalant manner.
The girl turned to Yuji with an annoyed look "What he said! Urusai! Urusai! Urusai! You are the most annoying thing I've ever met!" She exclaimed.
Naruto turned to her with an indifferent and slightly annoyed look. "Then, all knowing Flame Haze, maybe if you take the time fix him loud ass, he'll stop." He said. The girl gave him a hard glare "And you! You shut your mouth to!" She yelled. Naruto glared right back at her. "Oh!? And what makes you think I will!?" The two flame hazes continued to glare at each other, and Yuji could almost see the lightning strike between their eyes.
Though he was more focused on the fact that he was dying... More lack of thereof.
"I've got to stop it from bleeding... The blood!" he whispered to himself. Then he blinked and did a double take... WHERE THE FUCK WAS THE BLOOD!?
"There isn't any blood! Whats going on!" he yelled at the both of them. Seriously, he can only take so much!
Naruto gave off a scoff, before he moved towards Yuji. "Hold still, baka." Naruto placed his hand on Yuji head, and suddenly Yuji lit up in blue flames. Yuji jumped and began screaming about the fire, until it vanished and all of his injuries were gone.
the girl lifted her finger in the air and it lit up with a bright light, so bright that Yuji had to cover his eyes. He surveyed the area and noted how nearly everyone was covered in blue flames again. Then the thought Hirai's safety crossed his mind "Hirai-san!" He exclaimed looking over to find her reappearing, however he didn't notice the dull expression on her face.. "she's back... Thank Kami..." He said in relief, holding a hand to his chest.
The girl lowered her finger, once she was sure she was done. "That's it for the torches, now all's that left is to repair this place. I'll just use them for fixing." She said.
"They sure ate a lot didn't they." Alastor stated.
"Her Master must be a real big eater." The girl commented as she lifted her finger once again, and it lit up with a bright light. Yuji looked the entire streets, and sidewalks, only to find the battle scared area fixing itself. Craters were repaired, broken glass restored, telephone polls fixed. "finished." the girl said as she lowered her finger.
In a flash, everything returned to normal for Yuji, there was no longer a red hue, and everyone was moving, and going about their business once again. 'No one knows what happened?' He thought in slight shock.
He turned around and looked towards Hirai's direction, only to find her moving down the street at a sedate pace. He looked at her longer and more intensely and he found a blue flame burning in her chest. 'What... What is that?' He thought "Hirai-san..." He muttered
He surveyed the area once more. And to his shock, he noted that almost everyone had the same blue flame in their chests. "what is all this... What the.. Fuck is happening?" He sweared, having a bit of Naruto's influence on him. He turned towards Naruto's and the girl's direction, only to see them moving down the streets. However, they appeared to be arguing about something important.
Naruto scoffed as he gave the girl an annoyed glare. "You do realize he's gonna start asking questions now that you've shown him that? Why didn't you just erase his memories?" The blonde asked. His hair once again being blonde, and the girl's hair now being black. Now that Naruto could see her up close, he noted she had long black hair with a anntenna like strand sticking out at the top.
While her eyes were an enticing brown.
The now black haired girl glanced at him. "Curiosity." She replied, using Naruto's own word against him. "I want to see his reaction to the truth of the world." She finished.
Naruto let out an annoyed huffed, but he remained silent. After several moments of silence he spoke, almost teasingly. "You... Forgot how to erase someone's memories didn't you?"
There was dead silence for a few moments before the black haired girl spoke. "Urusai... Baka." she said, anger, and embarrassment evident in her tone as her eye twitched almost uncontrollably.
"Hey wait up!" They stopped and turned around to find Yuji running to catch up to them. and judging from the face he had. He wanted answers.
"What was that all about? Inside Hirai-san and others there are-" "Yuji began once he reached them, however he made the mistake of trying to take the girl by the shoulders. The result? Yuji's hand being held in a iron grip, making him yelp in pain.
"Shut up already...Alastor, should we dispose of this?" She asked, looking at Yuji in annoyance.
Naruto let out an annoyed scoff, before he poked her cheek, idly wondering why they were so soft. "No you most certainly... Cannot get rid of this. Do you know how reckless that is?" Naruto asked.
the girl's face turned slightly red at his actions, before she slapped his hand away with her hand. She was about to rant when Alastor spoke up "He's right, we mustn't open Mistes so carelessly. Have you forgotten the chaos of Tenmoku Ikko's case?"
"I know, but this one is so noisy." the girl argued back.
"You don't see me threatening to carelessly open a mistes just to it shut up." Naruto muttered, making the girl glare right at him. Naruto glared right back, making lighting shoot between their eyes again. Kyuubi if he could have would have sweat-dropped.
"Just tell it the truth. Then it should quiet down too." Alastor calmly said, though he was in the same state as Kyuubi.
Yuji pulled his hand free and took a jump back from the girl who was still glaring at Naruto, rubbing his now bruising hand. "Stop talking about me like I'm an 'it' or a 'this' like I'm an object." He said
The girl turn her glare towards him. "That's right, you're not human! Your an object." She began, and Yuji let out a surprised gasp at her seriousness. "You're not the only one." She continued. "All of those with a burning light in them are the same. They're replacements for the humans that got their power of existence eaten by Guze no Tomogara. They're Torches." She finished.
"Replacements, what are you saying?"Yuji stuttered, every cell in his body screamed at him to not listen.
"Basically Yuji. You are not really Yuji... Just a replacement until you are no longer required." Naruto took over, his tone cold and detached.
"So.. In other words..." Yuji trailed off fearfully.
"That's right." the girl interrupted him. "the 'real' you's existence was eaten a long time ago and has disappeared. The you right now is only the remainder." Yuji slowly looked down to his chest, and nearly screamed in terror when he saw the same blue flame inside his chest. "I'm... already..." He trailed off.
the girl looked at him for a moment, before she curiously looked around city.
Naruto sighed, and he clenched his fist, drawing blood. The girl noticed this, and lost any interest in the city and instead, looked towards him.
Naruto grit his teeth, and he looked towards the ground beneath him. The very thing he tried to prevent happened... His friend would soon not only learn the truth of this world... And he will soon learn of his importance as well... Something he has tried to prevent for quite some time... He just hoped he could protect Yuji well enough to prepare him for what's to come.
Chapter end. Did you like? I might continue it if people like it or not, but I can only work on this when I have time. That is if you guys want me to continue this.