To Tame a Different Dawn

Chapter 1

By: Fortress Maximus

--

Authors Note: Just something new to shake out the cobwebs that have been forming in my mind over the past few weeks. Not sure if I feel comfortable enough with the Naruto universe to play too deeply in it; but hopefully it will become more than the sum of it's parts.

I will be returning to "Cave of Wonders' after this is posted. "Say the Word" and " The Greatest Trust' will be following in the next few weeks.

Thanks in advance for reading, and please considering leaving a review if you see where my Naruto could use a bit of shoring up!

--

"So, six dozen loves at a ten percent discount per dozen sound fair?"

"Sure, unless you can go twenty percent!" replied the woman, a playful smirk on her lips.

"Keep it up and you'll get five percent off like everyone else who buys in bulk!" returned the lady who looked to be in her late 30's, a twinkle in her eye as she watched her best friend shake her head.

"Ten is fine; and I thought your husband tough!"

"My husband might be one of the village's greatest ninjas, but there's a reason MY name is on the front of the business you know!"

"Remind me to NEVER get on your bad side."

The sound of laughter filled the air between the two as they shook on the deal. "And you want that every Sunday morning?"

"I know you normally are only open a half-day on Sunday and probably have to get up earlier to bake such a large order...".

At that Yoshie smiled and shook her head. "Not really; to be honest I don't mind losing a little bit of sleep for extra sales like that!"

Shizue nodded, breaking into a grin of her own. "And it'll be worth it for us as well! Running a restaurant across town doesn't really put us in competition with your bakery, but as famous as your bread it our sales should increase well over what Tadashi has forecast for this quarter. And with Jeri wanting to upgrade some of her gear we could use the extra income."

Yoshie smiled, glad that Shizue's business was doing well. "How are they doing?" she asked, her voice dropping a little and now twinged with concern. "I know it's been almost eleven years, but with the anniversary coming up..."

Shizue nodded as a small sigh escaped her lips..."Tadashi's dealing with it better this year than the last few-but that's really to be expected as time goes by. Sometimes-though-I see how hard he's still taking her death; but between him and Jeri they're helping each other get through it."

"I know you two have had your...differences...but I truly hope she's doing better."

"She has...her good days and bad days. Thankfully most of the anger she's felt towards me has been defused. A few months ago we finally had that shouting match that we both knew was coming. It was...rough, but I think we finally cleared the air to where we understand each other a lot better now."

Yoshie took Shizue's hand in hers with a reassuring squeeze

"I just wish I could take all that anger she's still holding inside and make it go away! At times, when her guard is down, I can see the rage she has at the world for taking her mom away; it scares me at times Yoshie. Beneath that cheerful smile is a young woman who wants to lash out in revenge and God help anyone who gets in her way."

"Antea was one of the greatest Medi-Nins Kohona has ever known Shizue. I don't know a single person at the hospital that doesn't morn her loss every year. But what I don't understand is that Jeri was only two when her mom died; are the memories of her that strong?"

"You wouldn't think it, but she remembers things about her mom that even Tadashi doesn't until he stops and thinks about it. Sometimes...I wonder if her remembering so much is only adding to her pain."

"Have you taken her to see anyone...'special'...?

Shizue caught the unsaid meaning in the word and shook her head. "I can't force her to go; well, I CAN, but that would only make things worse. Right now we just dealing with it a day at a time."

"Sometimes that's all you can do..." replied Yoshi, not sure what else to say that would help.

Shizue nodded as the conversation fell into a lull. A few moments passed and she stood, feeling that it was time to go. "I need to get back; we're having a Kunui throwing tournament tonight and we're expecting a lot of ninjas to show up."

"Try not to work too hard."

"You're kidding, right?"

Sharing a laugh the two ladies waved to each other. As Shizue walked off into the crowd, Yoshie turned and looked for her wayward son.

"Takato!"

Looking through the mix of parents and children in the park she sighed, wondering what mischief he could have gotten into in so short a time.

"I think he's 13 going on 9 sometimes..." she whispered to herself as the search started. Weaving through the crowd for several minutes with no luck, Shituze was about to stand on a park bench and threaten her son with a public display of his baby pictures if he didn't show up when a flicker of light caught her attention. Narrowing her eyes, the woman sighed in grateful relief that her son's bizarre fashion choice of wearing goggles paid off for once.

(Why is it when you're looking for someone, everyone else seems to be wearing the same thing?) she thought as it seemed every boy in the park was wearing the same blue T-shirt and brown pants as Takato.

Walking over, she stopped next to the bench he was on..."Takato, I told you not to wonder off..." she started to lightly chide her only son when she pulled up short; the look on his face immediately set her mom-senses on high alert. Her voice softened in reflex.. "Takato, sweetie, what's wrong?"

The youth didn't respond at first-his eyes just stayed fixed on a shadow-hued corner of the park where the used playground equipment was kept. Yoshie wasn't able to see what had captured his attention to totally so she gently put her hand on Takato's shoulder to get his attention.

Jerking awake as if he had been in some trance, the young ninja-in-training looked up, the shock on his face apparent. "Mom...what...when did you get here? Did you and Mrs. Kato finish your deal?"

Sitting down on the bench next to her son, the owner of Matsuda's Bakery smiled. "A few minutes ago Takato. It looks like with her special request becoming a weekly order we just MIGHT be able to get you that new bike you've had your eye on."

When such news seemed to fall on deaf ears, Yoshie grew more concerned. "Takato, sweeie...what's got you so spaced out?"

That concern increased even further as Takato's cheeks turned cherry red. "Uhm..nothing mom! Let's go cause..uhm..I've got all that homework you want me to do!" The boy stood up, but was immediately pulled back to his rear by a very wary looking Mom.

"You want to go home and DO your homework? Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"No reason! Come on, world history waits for no man!" he answered, tugging at her arm but to no avail.

"Takato Matsuda, sit down."

"But mom...".

"Now."

Knowing he was defeated, Takato sat back down and pointed towards the old equipment. Peering through the crowd, Yoshie tried to see what had her son WILLING to do homework...

It was then her blood turned to slush as the young girl came into view. (Oh God. It's)
"H...have you spoke to her Takato?" she asked in an uneasy tone.

The boy blinked, not expecting that as his mom's first question. "Uhm..no, not yet."

"Has she talked to you?"

"Mom, what's the problem? She's ju..."

"Takato!" Yoshie said though clenched teeth..."has she spoke to you, or tried to hurt you in any way?"

"What?!"

"Answer me!"

Stunned by the venom in his mothers voice, the youth could only shake his head as the mother he loved and adored turned into a total stranger before his eyes.

"No, Ma'am she hasn't...but..."

"Come on, we're going home."

"We can't go!" he started to protested but the icy gaze from his mother froze his objection in his throat.

"Takato, that girl is...dangerous."

"She can't be! She's just..sitting there.."

"Takato, listen to me. You are to NEVER talk to that girl or even get close to her! Do you understand??"

It was rare for the boy to talk back to his mother. Sure, he whined a bit when she wiped his face in public, or when she made him wear a sweater and a jacket as soon as the weather turned the least bit chilly, but he always knew she had his best interest at heart. But this; this was something he could not agree to.

"Darn it Mom, listen to me!" he half-shouted in a raised voice; the first time he had ever taken that tone with his mother. "That girl over there...I've been watching her. She's...so sad. I don't think she ever saw me cause of the crowd, but I...she hasn't even smiled once! That's just not right..." Takato felt his voice trail off, not sure of anything other than the fact that NO ONE should ever look like that.

(Not now Lord, and please not with HER...) Yoshi silently prayed. Her son's compassionate soul was something she had always been proud of, but now she could see that it might be much more than simple compassion that had found it's way into Takato's voice.

"Takato, if you're going to be a ninja you have to remember that you can't be given all the information about a mission. You must trust your Sensei and in your Hokage; you know this is true, right?"

Tearing his eyes from the girl with hair of crimson fire, he looked up at his mother and nodded.

"Then you have to believe me when I tell you she's dangerous. I can't say why but she IS. If you stay around her, you are at risk of being hurt or even killed..." it was all she could do to get the final word out..." I need you to come along with me right now."

Torn between wanting to help the girl that and loyalty to his mother, the boy sighed as the latter won out. He didn't say anything else on the long trip home, lost in his thoughts about the girl on the swing and what could have happened to make her so sad.

-

"I'm going out for a while to train Mom.." called out the youth as he trampled down the stairs towards the front door.

Blinking, Yoshi peeked her head around the corner and frowned at the sight before her. Bad enough Takato hadn't said a half-dozen words to her since they got home; now he was running out only a little while before dinner was ready. "Takato! Dinner will be ready soon. And have you forgotten you father is due home tonight from his mission?"

The youth frowned, pausing in mid-step to adjust his orange jacket. Sighing his hands found their way into his black pants..."Mom, there's still plenty of light left, and dad said he'd be home after dark at the earliest. Besides, it was just a 'C' class escort mission so it's not like there's going to be a lot to talk about."

Disappointed Mom-Pose number one kicked in as her hands came to rest on her hips. "That's not the point Takato! Your father has missed you and he's expecting his wife and son to be here when he gets back! Besides, I might need your help around here!"

It was then Takato turned and fixed his mom with a withering glare. "Help? Mom, you won't even let me take bread out of the stove! I have to ask before getting a knife to help you slice the cakes and God forbid that I carry a hot pie-with potholders-a half dozen feet without asking first! You don't need my help Mom, and you won't let me try to help people I can so WHAT am I supposed to do?! At this rate I'll be the only ninja in the village who can't pick up a kunai without asking his mother first!!"

Without another word Takato vanished out the door leaving a stunned Yoshi standing in the doorway wondering what had just happened and when did her sweet son become so angry a young man.

-

Henry blinked in surprise as he felt an all-too familiar chakara rush by his home. Rushing to the window, he only caught a passing glimpse of the orange-clad Takato before the boy vanished from sight towards the training grounds.

(It's not like Takato to be giving off that much chakara! He's either really pissed or worried about something!) thought the youth before looked down at his faithful canine companion who had sensed the surge in chakara a few seconds before Henry had.

"So Terriermon..." he asked the 'terrible monster' that had totally invaded his house and life over the past few months. Ever since his dad had found the cream and light olive speckled pup sniffing for scraps at the family's favorite ramen place, the dog immediately became part of the household..."...you want to go play with Takato?"

With a high-pitched 'ruff' the small dog with long ears jumped on top of Henry's head and almost seemed to grin at the thought of playing with his Master's best friend.

With a quick call downstairs, the ninja-in-training donned his own training gear and vanished from sight following the fading trail of chakara from his best friend.

-

The Forest of Death was aptly named.

It was in this dark and foreboding section of Kohona that the most rigorous of tests were assigned to make sure the graduating class of ninja candidates would be able to survive even a taste of the life they were about to enter.

There were creatures in this place that made those of fiction cower in comparison and would be nightmares to even the staunchest of souls.

Creatures so powerful that nothing within dared to stand before them.

Yet none of them came /here/.

Under the grace of several overlapping and locked branches, a natural shelter had been formed. Reinforced with scrap sheets of metal from the town dump and fused together with 'borrowed' equipment from unguarded trucks, the hole now served as home and fortress for a single occupant.

A young woman with crimson hair that could destroy the village and-quite possibly-the world.

Within the sanctuary Rika Nonaka rested, half-asleep on the pile of discarded and stolen sheets that served as her bed. Floating uneasily between reality and the dreamscape, the black-clad girl with the broken blue heart on the front of her dingy white shirt dozed restlessly despite exhaustion from stealing what she could for breakfast.

+Rika?+

The girl frowned, muttering 'Go away Fox' before she snuggled back into the mound of mismatched sheets.

+And just how am I supposed to do that when you know very well I am trapped here for the rest of your life?+

Rika blinked, sighing as she stood once more at the dream-jail that held her lifetime prisoner in place. "What do you want now?" she asked, the weariness in her voice almost tangible.

Ignoring the tone of her jailer's voice, the yellow fox walked towards the human as her nine-tails swished in displeasure. "Why did you not say hello to the boy?" she asked, pausing on when she reached the sealed-laden bars of her 'home'.

"What boy?"

"Don't play games with me Rika. You and I both saw the rather cute boy watching you from across the way."

"You're getting senile early Fox. There was no boy in the park watching me."

"You're lying Rika. He was right there across from us, sitting on the bench watching. Even you couldn't help but notice the sunglasses on his forehead...".

"Stupid Fox, those were gogg..."

The Kistune just smiled as Rika realized-too late of course- the trap she had just blundered into. "Liar. You DID notice him." the yellow fox teased as she crossed her arms.

"So? A lot of boys notice me...until they find out who I am." she countered, hurt tinting her voice. "Besides, they all just want one thing and you don't have to be an all-powerful Elemental Beast to know what THAT is...".

"Rika...you saw his eyes as did I. They contained no desire or lust; not even hate or pity. They were filled with concern."

"So?" she half-snarled in reply as what little patience she naturally had was by now wearing thin. "What does that hell does that mean to me?!"

"It mean he might could have been a fri..."

The air around the two seemed to grow heavy as Rika's temper exploded..."How dare you presume to speak to me about friendship! You FUCKING killed hundreds of people that my parents considered their friends! Did that stop you!? Did THEIR death stop you?! Did it!?" she screamed at the Fox, her fists trembling in rage.

There was no answer; at least, not one Rika wanted to hear.

Kyuubimon could tell Rika once more that she was no longer the horrid monster she once was. She could explain again that it was an accident she killed so many humans as the pain from her sudden evolution drove her temporarily insane.

She was not the same creature who had been imprisoned in a young infant girl a little over a decade ago.

But to Rika Nonaka, she would always be the terror that destroyed her life before it even truly had a chance to begin.

The Fox said nothing else, knowing Rika's anger was too great to listen to even the most reasonable of arguments. Like a thief in the night, she drifted back into the shadows of her jail, leaving the girl alone in her forest hideaway once more.

It took nearly an hour, but Rika finally cried herself to sleep trying desperately to not think about the stunning brown eyes that had seemed-for a moment-.to offer an end to the loneliness that defined her existence.

+Do not worry Rika; it will happen. I /swear/ it!+ thought the Fox as her smile glinted in the darkness of her prison before disappearing completely. She WOULD find a way to heal the girl's tormented heart and soul and hopefully regain her freedom in the process...

No matter what-or who-stood in her way.

To Be Continued...