Clockwork.
By: hachico
Disclaimer: "Naruto" and all characters derived from said series are the creation and thereby intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. No profits are being made from the creation of this work of fan-made fiction.
Twelve O' Clock
Yawning widely, the weary youth set aside his tools on the sawdust covered worktable and narrowed his eyes at his creation. Blinking twice, he slowly examined the clockwork creature with keen, sky blue eyes, checking for any inconsistencies in the shiny, synthetic coat. He ran his fingers over its back and felt the red-gold, lacquered outer shell through its fur, marveling at his own delicately carved handiwork beneath.
If only the cogs and gears within the machine ran together as smoothly as the outer frame did.
With a soft sigh, Naruto confirmed that there were no grievous errors on the outside and sat back on the workbench, mulling over future events. Tomorrow was the day of the 26th Annual Clockwork Mastery Pageant, a contest that determined the best of the best in the local machine-making world. Of course he was bent on winning; he'd been the first to enter this year in fact. The problem was that Naruto's creation was nowhere near completion, though submissions were due tomorrow. What good was being the first one to sign up if he had nothing to present but a beautifully crafted yet pitifully empty shell?
Still, he was quite proud of what he had managed thus far: It was a moderately large replica of the mythological nine-tailed fox of lore, now a tangible mechanical creature...albeit a non-working one. Its molten, gold-red shine looked mostly amber under the small lamp at the table, but in proper lighting it bore an appearance highly suitable to the creature behind the myth.
The fox stood a good two meters tall fully assembled, and was about four and a half meters in length easily, a beautiful imitation of a real, live fox. It was realistic down to the feral gleam in its golden vulpine eyes -- until one came to the multiple tails. Naruto wasn't sure exactly where he had heard the myth of The Nine Tails. Was it from a childhood tale? Some story he had heard late one night in the tavern he frequented? He didn't read many books; unless they were filled with mechanical lore, the young man simply wasn't interested in them. Still, somehow he was almost certain that the idea for his creation stemmed from a story he had read or heard a long time ago.
In any case, it was brilliant. Not only was the design highly original, but it also lent itself easily to construction. The hard part was the gear-work. His plan had been to make a clockwork fox that when wound up would actually prowl around a small radius, waving its tails and baring its fangs fiercely -- a terrifying monster of an animal like the one in the myth. Unfortunately that task had proven itself quite impossible for Naruto thus far, and so there he sat in his master's workshop, long past the store's closing time.
Deciding that there would be little worth in trying to work when he was already so tired, Naruto opted for a break. Pushing back from the desk, he began to loosen the knots of his well-worn, muted green work apron. As the boy slipped off the dusty garment, he removed his protective goggles as well, placing them to the side, and ran work-roughened hands through his dustier, tousled wheat-gold hair.
"Early tomorrow morning. I'll definitely come back and finish it in time for the submission deadline," he willed himself silently.
And then, stifling a yawn, the boy extinguished the flame of the single lamp that lit his workspace. He didn't bother cleaning the place up, even though it was one of his duties as the clock smith's apprentice. His master would surely grumble and swat him hard for it later, but at present he couldn't care less. All that Naruto could think of right then was getting home to his tiny apartment and into his nice warm bed.
Making his way to the front area he realized that he had forgotten to blow out the lamp in the storefront display earlier. The window was supposed to be darkened during non-business hours to show that the shop was closed, but Naruto doubted that anybody would be coming by at such a late hour in this quiet town anyway. When his eyes finally adjusted enough to the contrast of the light in the display room, Naruto glanced at the large cuckoo clock in the corner. He could just barely discern the time in the dim room.
"Almost 12 o'clock.! Did I really stay up that late working?" he mused in mild surprise. This was the latest he'd stayed at such a task in a while. Usually he would close up the shop at around eight o' clock or so in the evening. 'Too bad I didn't get anything done..." he sighed, just a moment before realizing that he was talking to himself. For Naruto this was a sign of fatigue.
Just then the cuckoo clock sounded the hour loudly, causing the boy to practically jump in surprise. Somehow he always managed to forget just how loud that clock's chiming was, and was often caught off guard when it sounded. His tiredness did not aid the situation. Just as the apprentice had regained his composure from that shock there came another-- without warning, there was a knock at the front door.
At first he didn't believe his own ears. Could there really be a visitor at this late hour? But when the door sounded again he knew that it was no late night hallucination. Practically stumbling over his own two feet in his haste, the boy hurried to answer the knock.
"But who the hell's calling at this hour…a customer? Is it an emergency?" Naruto's glance shifted over to the clock once again.
"12 o'clock exactly." Just as the cuckoo had heralded.
His heart pounded in his ears as he stood on tiptoes to gaze through the small window near the top of the door. "Who could it be?" Naruto wished he had a cup of something hot to calm his nerves right then. He had been at his work far too late, and now the memories of frightening tales he'd heard at the pub were beginning to fill his head, summoned by his tired mind. What if this was danger knocking at his door?
Glancing through the window revealed nothing but a tall, shadowed form, and a very intimidating one at that. He wanted terribly to ignore the knocking and pretend not to be there, but Naruto was no coward; With a deep breath the youth undid all the locks on the door save the large deadbolt and opened it just slightly so that he could peer out. He trusted that the door to the shop was heavy enough and the single lock strong enough to hold should the visitor try to push it open.
"Hello?" he called, forcing the tremor out of his voice, lest it give away his trepidation," Who is it?"
"A simple traveler,"came the shouted response, hardly audible over the howling wind outside. Naruto hadn't realized just how bad the weather had gotten while he was working. It seemed there was practically a full-blown blizzard going on. Suddenly he felt rather bad for having this person stand outside and talk to him, despite the late hour. After all, wasn't their village known for its hospitality in addition to its unrivaled artisans? He did not doubt the man's words, as he couldn't imagine anyone making their way through such messy weather merely to do him harm.
"Hold on -- I'll undo the lock and let you in."
So saying he shut the door momentarily undid the last large deadbolt, crushing down his reservations to usher in the mysterious visitor. As soon as the door was open fully he was blown back by a heavy wind that carried in plenty of snow and biting cold with it. It also carried in his visitor. The man was somewhat tall, with shaggy silver hair that seemed somehow in place despite the fact that it was clearly wind-battered and moist with snow. The snowflakes that clung to the dampened strands shone here and there like diamonds in the dim light of the shop, and Naruto realized how long the man must have been traveling in such weather. He appeared just a little bedraggled honestly.
Still, the stranger cut an imposing figure in the dim light of the shop's entryway. His face was mostly obscured by the dark muffler and heavy cloak that he wore, and his left eye was covered by a forbidding black eye-patch, giving him a dangerous air.
Naruto unconsciously shrank back a little bit. Maybe it was foolish of him to let a strange man into his master's shop so easily. Still, what was done was done. He resolved to be as welcoming and host-like as he could.
"Let me take your coat!" he offered as soon as the man had entered and closed the door. Noticing that he carried a large package, as well, the blonde tried to take it from him, but the stranger held fast to it. The manner in which it was slung across his shoulders implied that it was quite a burden, but the stranger handled it as delicately and easily as a bouquet of roses as he shifted the huge parcel into his arms and settled it in the corner nearest the door.
"That's not necessary." he assured Naruto, though it sounded more like a warning. He wouldn't let the boy take his coat either, which left Naruto feeling rather awkward and unsure of what to do or say next.
"It's so cold to be out this late at night, Mister…."he trailed off when he realized he didn't yet know the man's name.
"Kakashi. Hatake Kakashi is my name," the man supplied, in the wake of Naruto's awkward pause.
"Welcome to Konoha, Mr. Hatake! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and this is my master's shop." Smiling a bit uneasily, he gestured widely to the surrounding area.
"If I may ask, what brings you here at this late hour, sir?"
Kakashi's gaze swept over the entire place in a moment, but even so he seemed to be taking in every aspect of the shop with his calculating gaze. He seemed like someone who had learned to be very careful. Noticing this, the apprentice decided to be somewhat on his guard. Could this be a criminal on the run? Best not to take any chances. Naruto's mind flew to what objects he could use in self-defense should things turn sour. His eyes landed briefly on a poker resting against the side of the small fireplace.
"I've come from far away, actually. I'm a traveler, and I'm only passing through," the silver haired man explained, brushing a bit of the snow from his hair, "I'm afraid the storm is too bad for me to keep moving through it right now though."
"I see. Was there no room at any of inns then? Or are you lost?" the boy questioned, still suspicious.
"Sadly, they were completely filled. Not even space in the kitchen! Apparently there's some kind of event going on here tomorrow..."
The contest! Naruto had almost forgotten about it in his surprise at having a guest so late. The local inns probably were filled up with those who had come from near and far to witness this year's competition. Slowly he felt his suspicion of Kakashi dwindle. After all, his assumption was only based on things such as the man's appearance and slightly on-guard behavior. He really had no right to judge his visitor so harshly and so quickly.
"Well, this place isn't really made for hosting guests, but you're welcome to --" he began, but was cut short by Kakashi's quick interruption.
"I don't mean to stay here all night of course," he stated simply, causing Naruto's eyes to widen a bit in surprise.
"Then why did you come? It's really late!" he couldn't fathom where Kakashi meant to go at such an hour, especially with a storm raging outside.
"I merely need a place to rest temporarily until I can get going again. The taverns are closed, the inns are full, and it seems nobody is awake at this hour," the man continued, "I saw your lamp on and came thinking that I might be able to stop here for a short rest." He concluded the curt explanation with a facial gesture that, judging by his visible eye, might have been a reassuring smile had his face not been partially obscured.
Understanding flooded the boy's features and his demeanor lightened a bit as he took stock of Kakashi once more. It actually didn't seem like he was out to hurt anybody. He was merely a simple, though tough-looking traveler stuck in the snowstorm.
"You should stay here until the storm lets up then," Naruto suddenly chimed, his decision made, "Wait here and I'll go make us some hot cocoa."
Before the man could agree or disagree with the suggestion, the now vibrant-seeming blonde was off and shuffling around in a tiny room set behind the shop's counter, apparently making hot drinks for them both. Kakashi wasn't particularly fond of sweet drinks, but as the distinct scent of boiling chocolate wafted out to tease his nose he decided not to spoil the other's bright mood. It might be nice to have something warm in his belly after such a long trek after all.
"What a strange state of affairs," he reflected. All the taverns closed before 12am? The inns were completely full, despite the fact that the place was not exactly a tourist attraction.
Of course he had some idea what was going on. He'd known beforehand about the amazing artisans in this small town, and the fact that it was home to one of the greatest clock smith competitions in the land. Still, he hadn't imagined that this little town could become a place that people would flock to after all these years.
At any rate, this might turn out to be just what he was looking for.
Curiously, the man eyed his young host as the boy busied himself in the small room just barely visible behind the sales counter. He sure was lively enough. Even though it was late, Naruto seemed to be bristling with energy now that he had somebody to entertain – in truth he seemed like someone who was hungry for human interaction.
The late night traveler wondered if that could be the case. The place where the boy worked was interesting too. The storefront area was full of assorted mechanical objects -- clockwork toys, appliances, and all sorts of gadgets occupied the many brightly colored display tables and cabinets in the shop.
What was more, it seemed that either Naruto or his master had a soft spot for animals. Especially frogs. There were frog toys and paraphernalia everywhere – in all shapes and sizes! The amphibians were by far the most well represented animals among the many mechanical creatures that littered the shop.
Suddenly, Kakashi's single eye widened as realization began to dawn on him.
Perhaps this was no ordinary shop after all. Intrigued, he picked up one of the mechanical frogs to examine it more carefully.
He was not disappointed. The genre was different, but the craftsmanship was the same.
"Master Jiraiya...?" he mouthed to himself. Glancing back at Naruto, suddenly things began to make much more sense. He had felt right away that there was something familiar about the spritely blonde boy.
"Cocoa's done!" Naruto called soon, as Kakashi heard the distinct rattle of two full mugs and a pair of spoons being placed on a metal tray. As expected, the golden haired one soon emerged from the little back room, carrying a well-worn brass tray that was loaded with a slightly smudged tin kettle and a pair of ceramic mugs, each bubbling over with steaming hot cocoa. He hadn't really wanted any before, but now that he smelled the hot drink and witnessed the tasty looking, though messily presented display, Kakashi felt grateful for Naruto's generous offering.
"Thank you very much," he said earnestly, as he gingerly accepted one of the steaming mugs.
The boy was practically beaming right now. His excitement seemed to well up in a manner rivaling the hot chocolate froth, which bubbled over the edge of his mug and dripped down the side, nearly burning Naruto's hand before he swooped down to capture it with an eager tongue. Kakashi couldn't help the smile that came to his eye at the sight of the pleasant youth.
"I make it really sweet, so tell me if you want more hot water," the boy warned, blowing on his own drink to cool it a little. He licked a little bit of foam from the corner of his mouth and smiled genuinely.
Nodding in kind, the man finally removed his scarf to reveal a handsomely formed mouth, before blowing on his cocoa as well. Taking an experimental sip, he waved Naruto off.
"This is fine."
They drank in amiable silence for a while, neither eager to disturb the comfortably warm and relaxed atmosphere with speech. In addition to that, Naruto really wasn't sure what to talk about with the stranger. Now that he was seated in the warm front room, with the mechanical heater puffing away in the corner, he was starting to become tired again, and the storm outside didn't sound like it was letting up very soon.
"So like I was saying before," Naruto began, when the silence had stretched on for long enough, "What brings you to a tiny place like Konoha? We're really not on the way to anywhere so you can't just be passing through."
Kakashi seemed slightly startled by the sudden question. In truth he had eased into the silence a little too much -- something he was apt to do when offered the opportunity. His eye had a lethargic yet keen look to it, which unnerved Naruto a little and sort of tantalized him with curiosity at the same time. What a strange guy this Kakashi was.
"Well, I was born here."
He phrased the answer so plainly, as though it were nothing, but it nearly floored his poor young host.
"B...Born here?" was the boy's loud cry – almost too loud for Kakashi's tired ears in fact. It was quickly followed with an obscene exclamation, for in his surprise Naruto had burned his fingers on his hot mug.
"Yeah. But I left. A long time ago, when I was about your age, I left to serve a kingdom far to the west of here." Even though Kakashi's voice was carefully flat, Naruto was sure he could sense some emotion in the man's expression.
"A land to the west? Why? What's it called?" This was said in between bouts of Naruto sucking on his own seared fingers in an attempt to soothe the burn.
How inquisitive the boy had become! Kakashi felt a little of his pessimism disperse in the wake of Naruto's exuberant questions. A kid like that could make anyone forget his or her problems, if only for a moment.
Kakashi could feel himself warming up to this boy just a little more at that realization. He wondered if a story might be in order. It was late, and Naruto seemed like the type to forget half of what he heard anyway. The silver haired man eyed the large package that he had carried in with him then. Suddenly he knew that he was on the verge of making an important decision. This was quite ironic indeed – perhaps appropriately so. Kakashi stifled a chuckle and trained his eye on Naruto again.
"Instead of me answering all that," he offered, "Would you like to hear a story?"
Stories were always popular in small towns, especially when a stranger came around with new information to share. Kakashi could remember from his childhood the excitement that would suddenly infuse Konoha when a new visitor arrived with tales from abroad. Sometimes that was the only way news could spread to this place, which was considered somewhat on the fringes of civilization.
That was why he knew Naruto would accept the offer. Those bright blue eyes were already shining with anticipation as the apprentice's small pink tongue darted out to wet his lips quickly. He both accepted and encouraged the story-teller with a short nod.
And so the man settled himself in for a nice long narrative. It was no difficult task to recall the tale, for he knew it quite well. The real challenge was in judging how much to reveal and how much to hold back from his eager listener.
At last he began:
"It is said that long ago, before the second Great War, and even long before the preceding one, the revered Uchiha clan formed, broken off from a lesser strain of the famous Hyuuga bloodline.
"Unlike the Hyuuga, who were known for their skill in the medical craft, and who some say were even able to raise the recently deceased, the Uchiha were masters of machinery. It is rumored that their greatest family had even mastered the art of making machinery so realistic that it could pass for living things.
"They established themselves in the Western region of Fire Country, far from here, and made a great empire. Yet the Uchiha were secretive and suspicious, and they sequestered themselves from other kingdoms, which is doubtless why you haven't heard of them.
"Their leadership was divided into a few ruling houses, but all served the main house – comprised of those who had the most pure Uchiha blood. This special house contained a single family, who had carried down not only the most pure Uchiha blood, but also the most skill in mechanical work. The head of the house ruled strictly, but fairly, and had a kind wife, as well as two obedient sons. But their story wouldn't be interesting if nothing happened to them, right?"
Judging by the look on his face and the light in his eyes, Kakashi could tell that Naruto agreed, but was much too enthralled to answer vocally. The boy had probably heard stories of the Hyuuga, as there was a famous fairytale about them that most children heard growing up—but the tale of the cursed Uchiha clan was a lesser known one.
"So it came to pass that when he was still very small the younger son fell sick. He was only eight years old, and a very loveable, lively little boy at that, but he experienced heart problems. All the best medics were summoned - some from the Hyuuga clan itself! Yet still, it was proclaimed that the boy would certainly die by his ninth birthday.
"The clan was in a fury. They treasured the two Uchiha heirs dearly and did not want to sit by and do nothing. But it seemed there was nothing to be done. The boy's ninth birthday drew close.
"Just a few weeks before the child's birthday he was terribly sick and confined to his bed, when a strange visitor came to the Uchiha village. None had ever seen his kind before, and it is said that he had long hair the color of coal, glimmering eyes that were as sharp and cold as a snake's, and bore somewhat wicked looking features. What was more, the stranger claimed he knew of the clan's predicament, and that he alone could save the young Uchiha heir.
"Of course they were all suspicious, as the Uchiha were admittedly a very cunning bunch, but in the end, the boy's family was utterly desperate. The leader of the clan had an audience with the man, and it is said that afterward he looked terribly distraught. It was an uncommon show of emotion, and so it was well remembered. But nobody knew what it was that he had talked about with the stranger. However, the snake-like man was allowed to stay in the guests' quarters at the main house, so he must have told the ruler something hopeful.
"The newcomer remained there until the son's ninth birthday. That night, the young child became even more ill as expected, and in the middle of the night he died."
Naruto suddenly frowned; disappointment was evident in his features. But Kakashi was not about to end the story there.
"Or so it seemed," he continued, "Yet the father would not let anybody tend to the boy's body—not even his mother and older brother who were in turmoil and wanted to see the child. Instead he and the mysterious man went into the dead child's room, asking one servant to attend them through the night. They stayed there for many hours.
"By the next morning they emerged again, and with them was the younger son - alive and seemingly in good health! How could it have happened, you wonder? Well, he couldn't seem to remember how he had been cured, and neither his father nor the other man would speak of it again. Even the servant who had been there would reveal nothing, for he had disappeared. According to the father, the attendant had lost his nerve during the procedure and fled."
"But that's crazy!" Naruto interjected suddenly, "How the hell could that guy fix the kid when not even the Hyuuga could? Can't they resurrect people and stuff like that? I thought you said he died." The boy was resolute in his objection and eyed Kakashi expectantly.
"Shh," was the dismissive reply, "Keep listening and maybe you'll understand."
So now Naruto was displaying a bit of a rambunctious personality, Kakashi mused. The boy seemed to have relaxed a great deal while listening to the story. He was like a small child, listening wide-eyed to the tale as if it might really be transpiring before his very eyes.
The man continued, wary of inciting any more outbursts.
"After that night, the boy's health quickly returned and his strength even exceeded what it had been before. He became fond of physical activities, like hunting and all the games boys like to play. He even became interested in clockwork. As most of the Uchiha clan members did when they came of age, he became an apprentice machinist, but unlike others he was allowed the expert tutelage of his older brother. It was an honor that no one else had received before.
"Yet there was something wrong with the boy after his recovery. Although he had been healed, he began to change. Where once he had been loving, naive, and warm, he was now very cold—especially for such a young boy. It was as if he had lost his emotions. He began treating others with less care, and none could fathom why.
"Still, all those of the village adored him, and showered him with praise for his strength, beauty, and grace - for he had grown to possess all those traits. And so the clan was at peace."
"And that was all? What a lame ending!" interjected the bright-eyed youth.
"No that is not the end of the story," Kakashi told his impatient listener, annoyance creeping into his voice. Apparently Naruto had a less pleasant side too.
"For the next seven years the Uchiha clan enjoyed peace, much to spite the fact that their youngest heir was a very cold hearted boy. However, I haven't told you anything more about the mysterious snake-man who had helped save him, have I?"
Silence. Naruto scowled slightly as there was a pause in the story-telling, so he quickly resumed.
"He left shortly after the boy had recovered, telling the father that he would be back to collect his reward at a later date. The family of course would have paid any fee, for they had their son back and nothing could replace him. Not all the riches in the world.
"The father seemed a bit troubled, but he kept his silence and continued to rule effectively. Still, things weren't completely right with the younger son, as I described earlier. Not only was he cold toward others, but also every year, around his birthday, he would mysteriously fall ill. It was an odd affliction indeed, but every year his father would lock himself in the boy's room, with an attendant of course, and by morning he would be cured. Unfortunately, nobody ever found out just what went on in that room, because the boy would have no memory of it, and the servants consistently vanished each time they were asked to attend.
"There was no way that rumors could be avoided in the secluded kingdom. Everyone knew of the strange circumstances and they were all eager to know what went on beyond that locked door. Even the boy's mother and brother were curious, since they had never been enlightened as to the conditions of his cure.
"Thus on the boy's sixteenth birthday, like clockwork he fell ill once again. By this time, servants were wary of volunteering to go into his room, and even more afraid of being picked randomly, so that many even quit in fear. But there was one brave young man from the clan who happened to be very close with the older Uchiha boy. He promised that he would find out what went on in there, and that he would certainly not disappear like all the others had. The older son seemed highly reluctant, yet the father agreed. And so that night the friend stayed to help cure the sick youth."
"I bet he found out something weird didn't he? Didn't he?"
Kakashi did his best to ignore the loud interjection and went on.
"Nobody knows what he saw, because he disappeared too. Just like all the others," he was pleased to see the knowing smirk disappear from Naruto's face. "Nobody ever learned what went on, but the older brother was furious. He went into extreme isolation in his workshop, letting no one see him and even taking his meals there. Not even his cherished younger brother was allowed to enter.
"One night servants claimed they heard what sounded like the older son having an argument with his father. They said that they heard angry voices coming from the father's private chambers, but all that can be said for certain is that he went back into hiding in his workshop the very next day. For over three months nobody knew what he was up to.
"Then one day, while the younger son was off on a long hunting trip with his most trusted vassal, tragedy struck. A mysterious force had killed everyone in the village. Upon his return the young heir was so shocked and distraught that he could barely move. But when he had recovered, they searched the remains of the village for clues, survivors... anything. But there was nothing. Finally, when they had finished laying their friends and family to rest, they resolved to search for the perpetrator and punish him."
"Did they ever catch the guy? What kind of a powerful person could do that to a whole village? "
Kakashi shrugged dismissively. "That's what they were trying to find out. But who could do such a thing? The Uchiha were a very happy and close-knit people. Due to their isolation they had few enemies. But mysteriously, the body of the oldest heir was nowhere to be found."
"So was it the older brother? I bet he did it because he was pissed off at his dad!"
"Perhaps, but the whole village? What madness could drive a man to commit such an atrocity? At any rate, directly after that they both began to travel, searching for answers and clues as to the person who had done this terrible thing. But the vassal noticed after almost a year's worth of searching that there was something wrong with his master. The youth seemed to be losing his energy and vibrancy daily. At last on the night of the boy's seventeenth birthday, as the vassal had dreaded, his young master fell ill again, and it seemed that he would die before avenging his clan after all.
"Until the strange snake-man appeared before them once again. He demanded to see the boy making claims that his payment would be fulfilled. What could his vassal do? He knew that the man could help them. Therefore he accepted the man's help. This time no servants were available, so the man asked the boy's vassal to find someone in the street who would attend to him while he cured the boy.
"Of course the vassal knew the rumors. He couldn't let a stranger take on that responsibility. Knowing that he might die, as he suspected all the others had, the vassal offered to do it instead. He wanted so badly to save the boy, because having known the heir since childhood, he had grown to love the boy almost as he would his own child, despite the fact that the boy had become so cold.
"And so because he was expendable, the vassal offered himself, even knowing that in saving his master, he might never live to see the boy get better.
"But the snake-man seemed surprised, and told the vassal that perhaps an extreme operation was not necessary. He advised the man to sit with the boy through the night and see if he might recover on his own.
"The boy's caretaker was furious. He was almost certain that his master would die, and cursed the snake man's name again and again before returning to his master's side that night. In the morning, the boy didn't move. He was as cold as ice, complexion drained and lips pale in the morning light. It would seem that he was dead.
"Yet when his loyal retainer placed his ear to the young man's chest he heard the faintest sound. Not a heartbeat though. It was a mechanical sound - the sound of gears turning slowly, almost creaking to a halt! What strange clockwork was this that kept his master alive yet not alive? The vassal was disturbed, and yet relieved. There might be hope."
"Seriously? That's so cool! So did the kid get super powers or something after that? Did he turn into a giant machine and go hunt down the killer?"
"Nothing so spectacular. The child was barely able to hang on to life. But what had saved the boy? What kept him just barely alive throughout the night? Was this the power of love?
"Obviously if that were the case, it would take an extreme amount of affection to properly revive the boy. The vassal cared for him, but this sentiment was not quite enough to recover the boy fully. Though he was no less faithful, perhaps he had grown somewhat cold to the difficult young prince.
"But then what kind of power would it take to revive him? The vassal pondered this...and he began to travel, searching for a cure."
Excited blue eyes gazed up at him from the boy's place on the floor. Naruto had shifted to sit cross-legged on the carpet during the stoy-telling, like a small child listening to a tale before bed. Obviously all this talk about enchanted clockwork and mysterious charms was particularly interesting to him. His expressive eyes voiced his anticipation well enough, but he chose to speak anyway.
"So what happened? Did he find it or not?"
The man merely shrugged his shoulders and blinked his single eye.
"I've forgotten the rest of the story from there. Sorry," he amended.
"Sorry?" the boy was positively fuming just as easily as he had been enraptured with the story Kakashi told, "You can't just say sorry and dismiss it like that! I want to know what happened. That ending…it's just too…sad."
Kakashi was quiet after the boy's outburst and instead seemed to be listening for something outside. When Naruto noticed that the man had no intention of speaking, he quieted down and listened carefully too.
The storm had calmed. The blonde's eyes rose to that of his visitor a bit balefully, questioning the man without word. As if on cue Kakashi gathered his discarded muffler and rose. Clearly he was preparing to leave.
"Well, thank you very much for the refuge from that nasty storm tonight," he spoke, eyeing Naruto keenly. It seemed he was formulating some idea, "It's a shame I have nothing to pay you with..."
"Oh don't worry about it," Naruto said, dismissively, "The story was really interesting, and I'm sure it will give me some good ideas later. Consider it an even trade."
"No, no, that won't do," said the man insistently, suddenly bent on compensating his young host," Say...you said you're a clock smith, right?"
The boy nodded slowly. "I'm an apprentice, actually. I just really like clockwork things."
"Still, I think you'd appreciate what I have more than I can," Kakashi said carefully, shooting a meaningful glance toward the large package he had brought in when he came, "Why don't you keep it? Maybe you can get it working. I sure can't."
Naruto's eyes likewise shifted to where the large parcel sat.
"What's in it?" he asked simply.
"I'll let you open it after I leave," Kakashi almost whispered, as though confiding a deep secret of some sort, "Make sure you read the notes attached as well. They may seem strange, but they might also mean something to you if you think about them carefully enough."
"Um...are you sure you want to leave this with me?" Naruto asked. It looked like a highly generous gift for simply being given a warm place to stay this past hour. Then again, Kakashi seemed like an eccentric sort of person.
Or maybe he just wanted to get rid of the heavy burden to make his journey easier.
"Positive," the man seemed to smile at Naruto with just that one eye again, and then he was heading out the door, empty-handed, "Thanks again, and good luck."
Naruto smiled back as he watched the man go. "Nice meeting you. Hope you get to where you're going safely!"
Naruto watched as his new acquainance wrapped himself up again and disappeared out the door and into the blur of cold and white outside. As soon as the door closed, he hurried over to the package so quickly that he almost tripped over his own feet. It was like Christmas all over again as he tore through the thick packaging to get at what was beneath it.
As he came to the last layer of packaging, Naruto's face was beginning to contort with confusion. What exactly was it? When at last he tore away the final layer of packaging his mouth was already hanging open with surprise.
"A doll?"
All that build up and Kakashi had given him a doll? Granted it was no ordinary doll. It was life-sized first of all, and crafted in exquisite detail. Everything from the silk-like, obsidian hair, to the cold eyes, whose color resembled an overcast sky, gave the impression that this was a real live...boy? What the hell was he going to do with a lifelike replica of a teenaged boy?
'"hat a waste,'"he thought. What a cheap surprise...a trick even!
But then realization began to dawn on him. Kakashi had asked him to try and make it work…which meant that it was probably clockwork, right? Why else would the man give it to him, the apprentice of a master clock smith, to figure out?
Quickly he searched the device for a switch, a wind-up key, or button - anything that might turn it on. What he found was no switch, but he did discover just how well detailed the creation really was. Blushing slightly, even though he knew it to be merely mechanical, Naruto fell back from the thing, flustered. What could he do if there was no button or crank to turn? How could he turn on a machine that had no switch? He stared at it for a moment in frustration, right into those deep and frigid eyes.
It was a short time before the blonde turned away. It was so life-like that it kind of creeped him out. Rather than waste any more time on it, he decided to clean up the mess from the cocoa. The empty mugs clanked about on the metallic tray with their spoons cheerily as he conveyed them back to the tiny kitchen.
Still, whenever he glanced back at the doll it seemed to be looking right back at him. It was freaky, how its eyes seemed to follow wherever he went, though they never moved. When he returned from behind the counter, he was becoming more and more enervated by the thing's cold gaze. It almost felt like it was mocking him.
Finally the boy resolved to turn it around to face a wall while he cleared things up and got ready to go.
Approaching the object, Naruto considered which way to attack the problem. It seemed pretty solid, much like a real body. So should he lift it up from the waist, or push it from the side? Should he try picking it up by the armpits?
He wasn't sure if it was fragile or not, so he was afraid that it might fall over and break without something to brace against. Thus he decided to grab it around the middle.
Placing his hands on the doll was something of a disturbing event, for he could discern that it wasn't fragile at all, and it in fact felt kind of soft. It was a lot like holding another person. Of course it was pretty cold to the touch, as a machine should be, but something was strange about a thing this realistic being so...lifeless.
Carefully he wrapped his arms around it from the front and leaned back a bit, trying to lift the object. He felt its feet leave the ground, but it was much heavier than he expected, just like a real human!
And then as his chest was pressed tightly to the doll's he could have sworn that he felt something. It was like someone had stuck a dying clock right up against his ribcage. He felt something ticking. The sudden shock was enough to startle Naruto ,throwing him off balance. He felt himself wobble forward a bit, and suddenly he was pitching backward with the realistically heavy doll above him.
As soon as he opened his eyes the blonde found himself staring once again into the bottomless grey eyes, this time mere centimeters from his own. His face colored at his own stupidity and at the awkward situation that he had gotten himself into. Squashed under a stupid doll. Why had he been so surprised at the ticking? He of all people should know that machines' gears moved around when the structure was disturbed by something like being picked up. Of course they would tick a little.
It must have been that story Kakashi had told him. That was it. It was late, and he was so tired that he half believed that crazy tale. Enough foolishness. He needed to finish this and go home to get what precious few hours of sleep he still could.
Still, up close Naruto could really appreciate the thorough detail of the object. Someone must have made it with the utmost love and care. He could understand well the drive to create beautiful clockwork machinery, and the love that a well-made machine inspired in its creator. His gaze was settled on the doll's eyes for a moment, as he remembered the feeling he had gotten when he'd constructed his first moving toy -- a small hopping mechanical toad. What he felt toward it could certainly be described as one of the best feelings that he had ever had.
Then he thought of his Nine-tails. That was enough to jolt him back into reality. He had to go home and rest so that he could come back early and finish in time for submission!
Heaving with exertion, Naruto managed to lift up from the ground a little. He blushed and tensed a bit as dead weight brushed against his nether regions slightly. It seemed the doll's knee had slid between his legs when they fell. Carefully he tried to brush the artificial limb away, but with no luck.
Now was quite an inopportune moment to learn that the damn thing to had a stuck joint! Naruto wiggled against the contraption a little bit in hopes of freeing himself of the clockwork body. Instead of lifting it though, all he did was rub against it in a more, prompting an alarming reaction from his own body.
Naruto stifled a small moan as he was unwittingly reminded of adolescent urges. What a time to be beset with sexual frustration! But then again, when was that not the case for the lonely blonde?
He mouthed a short curse as he tried to move more slowly and more carefully to extract himself from the very compromising position. His breath came in slightly short puffs as finally and with considerable effort, he disentangled his arms and legs from the mechanical being and slid out from underneath it, letting it collapse to the floor. It really was just a pile of dead weight.
But why then did he get the feeling it was more than that? He closed his eyes and shook himself, hoping to be rid of any unwanted feelings of arousal that had begun to emerge. Putting a hand to his forehead Naruto willed himself to settle down, though he knew he had little control over his body's reactions at the moment. His face colored even though he knew nobody was present to witness his embarrassing state. Gathering his wits about him, the boy decided to leave the machine where it was and not mess around with it any more until he was better rested.
It was as he was heading for the coat rack that he noticed the discarded instructions that Kakashi had spoken of -- too late of course. Naruto snatched them up hastily and assured himself that he could get up within a few hours and race back there to clean up before Jiraiya came. With any luck the old man would be out peeping on innocent women at the hot springs early in the morning anyway. Managing a small grin, the young apprentice retrieved his heavy winter coat from the rack near the door and prepared to step out into the cold.
He tossed a glance back at the doll, but it remained unmoving near the front couter, where he had left it. Eyeing Kakashi's notes, he caught sight of a bar of musical notation near the bottom of the page.
Strange...what did music have to do with the doll? Could it be sound activated? What advanced technology that would be!
Naruto licked his lips as an idea formed. Struggling with the notes, he gave it a try; after whistling the tune printed on the page loudly, he then waited for something to happen.
Nothing.
He felt too foolish to make a second attempt, and so, shooting the worthless doll an agitated glare, he exited huffily into the cold winter night.
What Naruto didn't hear was the sound of the gears within the doll's chest creaking into motion until they were at a steady whir. Gradually the pale blue of the doll's lips began to redden. His cheeks began to thaw, and the life seeped back into his eyes again. The only place where it did not become warm was the place right around where his heart ought to be.
Author's Note:
Another resurrected fanfic...and another long prologue! ;; But I have to set the stage! I was editing this fic and "Red on Red" at the same time that I worked on the next chapter for the third (and final?) Naruto x Sasuke based fic that I'm writing, "The Ninth Seal," so I'm not sure if I caught everything that needed correcting. If I remember correctly, I had this one beta-read a long time ago, but that was before I revised it to my current tastes. ;;
I wonder if anybody even remembers seeing this. I remember posting it up in a few places, but it was never properly presented. (My fault...;;;;) This is a much easier write than the other two, because it doesn't require as much deep plot analysis and careful planning ahead. It's a nice story to work on when I start to get depressed while writing darker things.
I still like it as much as my other writings though! It's based on a very morbid and cute children's book of the same name, by Philip Pullman.
...XD; I'm such a sucker for cute children's stories.
-- hachico, October 2006