KARAS: The Shinobi
A response to seth8301985's Naruto Karas Challenge
This'll be my first challenge fic.
I'm a big Karas Fan, and I like Naruto, but I'm not a super big fan of it.
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Karas, or any related trademarks.
"Hito, futa, mi, yon, itsu, mu, nana, ya, kokono… and it is Tou. Sway, to and fro, sway."
It is night, the village of Konoha is silent. It is a relatively normal, populated not only by normal people of everyday professions, but also some of the finest Ninja in the world. But, unknown to the majority of the city's populace, there is another group that lives amongst them.
Youkai. Demons.
They secretly exist in the human realm for only brief instances. Generally they mean mankind no harm. However, there are those who break the rules and attack the human world. For those foolish enough to do so, there is a heavy penalty. They must face Karas, a human soul which exists in both the human and Youkai worlds to keep the peace.
In a small hut lives a simple family. A humble man who runs a Ramen shop, his wife and children. As they sleep, they are unaware that things unhuman near their hut. A group of three creatures, leaving trails of wet footprints in their invisible wake.
These creatures resemble humanoid turtles with sharp teeth and claws. They are a carnivorous band of Kappa, seeking a human meal. Their mouths water at the thought of fresh blood waiting for them within the hut.
"Come brothers," said one. "Our feast awaits."
"I call dibs on the younglings," said another.
"No!" exclaimed the third. "You always hog the younglings to yourself! I like child-flesh too you know."
"Fine," replied the second. "But if there's a little girl in there, she's mine."
"Deal."
The Kappa, moving faster than humans can even comprehend due to the nature of their existence in the human world, were able to reach the hut unnoticed. Just as the first readied to open the door to their feast…
"Hito, futa, mi…""What the…?" said the first as they searched for the source of the voice.
"…yon, itsu, mu…"
"Who is saying that?" asked the second.
"It sounds human," replied the third. "But who?"
"…nana, ya, kokono…"
"There!" cried the first, pointing to the top of a building across the way.
There the Kappa saw a young woman with strawberry pink colored hair in twin ponytails on the sides of her head, wearing a black colored outfit. A white cat's-tail swung from her backside.
"It's a Yurine," said the second.
"…and it is Tou. Sway, to and fro, sway."
"But… that means…" they said in unison.
They turned slowly at the sound of footfalls behind them. They turned to see a young man standing in the dark, staring strait at them. He had messy blond hair and wore an orange ninja outfit. In his right hand was what looked like a crow-themed pocket-watch.
The Yurine pointed towards the young man as the beads of the bands that bound her hair flashed brightly. "Now, go Karas."
"Hai, Sakura-sama," the young man replied.
The hands and face of his watch were replaced with a glowing eye. He tossed it into the air, let it spin a bit, then caught it in his palm and thrust it forward. Suddenly, the young man was surrounded by shining gold symbols. Before him, a golden shield of light appeared. He slowly stepped through the shield, emerging from the other side as a wholly new being.
The young man was now covered in ancient looking armor. It had segments of yellow and orange, with black on the arms and shoulders. The helmet resembled a crow's face with blue eyes. On his chest was a spiraling blue symbol of some unknown significance. The watch had transformed into a sheathed Katana. He latched the sheath to a slot on his shoulder.
"Release!"At the Yurine's command, the chains holding sword to sheath were broken. The Karas drew his sword and held it at the ready. "Karas is coming!" he stated, his voice fluctuating through his mask.
"Run for it!" cried the second.
The kappa began to flee. Karas gave case and caught the third with little effort, running it through. The second hid behind a tree.
"Why attack us?" cried the second. "We meant no harm."
"Just like you meant no harm to the last three families you slaughtered?" Karas replied as he honed in on his target.
"It is their own fault," said the kappa. "They made us no offering of cucumbers, that means we can kill them. It is survival, Karas-sama. Plain and simple."
The kappa gasped. He looked down and saw Karas' blade sticking through his chest. Karas stood on the other side of the tree, his sword penetrating the trunk and the kappa. "That excuse doesn't fly with me." Karas withdrew his blade and sought out the third.
He heard rustling in the treetops. He knew where the kappa was. Rather than just run about randomly in the trees, Karas made several jutsu hand symbols. "Shadow-clone Jutsu!" Suddenly an army of Karas appeared and leaped into the trees. The sheer numbers of Karas made impossible for the kappa to run away. Soon, it found itself impaled on a dozen Karas blades.
Karas' clones vanished as he sheathed his blade. His armor disappeared in a flash of light and all that remained was the young blond. He looked up at his pink haired master. She stared back with a blank look on her face. Oh how he wished she'd smile again, like she did when they were human. How he wished he could take her in his arms and ravish her. But that would never happen. Destiny forbade it. They could never have that back.
The Yurine walked off the roof and into the void which leads to the Youkai world.
The young man looked after her and sighed. "Sakura…" He resumed human level speed and walked away, hoping to find a late night Ramen shop.
R&R
Thanks seth8301985 for the inspiration.