Hey guys! This is my first attempt at writing Naruto thus I obviously don't own the franchise. I would like to thank my two beautiful, wonderful, ever self-esteem crushing unofficial betas, The Shuiro Amaya and Nebula, for catching a lot of my grammar errors, pointing out plot holes, and encouraging me to write this story! Now onto the main action! I present to you: Cold.
Cold. That was all Shibuki felt as he stood encased in a frozen crystal staring helplessly at the unconscious bodies of Taki shinobi lying around him as the boy claimed the prized Hero's Water. The boy took the specialized liquid and turned walking away toward the cave's entrance where a ragtag group of burly men lurked. He raised an eyebrow at the men before gazing past and upward at a man dressed in a business suit.
"Gato, I thought we had a deal. I would get you the Hero's Water for —" Gato waved his hand and laughed.
"Foolish boy, did you truly believe I would pay such an exorbitant sum for a simple elixir? Of course not when, I could hire common thugs for a much cheaper price. I just needed you to go through all the ninja and get the water. You must be drained of chakra now and will hardly pose a challenge to me." The boy's eyes simply narrowed before he set the water down. Gato's cruel smirk only grew larger.
"That's a good boy, but I'm afraid I'll have to kill you. Can't have you seeking revenge on me. Get him!" With a wave of his hand, Gato's thugs charged the boy. The boy's gaze hardened as his hands weaved an intricate set of hand signs. The boy drew in a deep breath, holding it in as the thugs rushed towards him, before whispering,
"Hyoton: Absolute Zero." A blizzard shot forth swirling into their ranks and halting them in their tracks.
Looks of horror adorned their faces as ice crept up their sides, freezing them in place their weapons still poised to strike. The boy calmly raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
"Hyoton: Shatter." The blocks of ice instantly shattered, leaving behind nothing but pools of blood and frozen ice cubes on the ground. Gato quickly backpedalled from the scene, his stomach churning at the gruesome sight.
"How… that can't be possible, this can't be real." The boy slowly meandered his way through carnage, each step cracking the ice on the ground. Gato sunk down to his knees in fear.
"It was all a joke! I was just playing a prank on you! I'll pay you double, no, triple what I offered; just please spare me," he wailed. The boy towered over the cruel business lord, before smiling.
"I am a missing-nin after all, and I can never say no to more money." Gato allowed himself a sliver of hope as the boy continued to smile benevolently.
"But you see Gato, you lied to me. I hate people that lie to me." The smile vanished like ice melting in the sun as the boy put one hand on Gato's head.
"Hyoton: Freezing." Gato seized up as his body temperature plummented. His breath turning labored as his heart struggled to pump blood through his frozen veins. The boy removed his hand from Gato's icy corpse.
The boy turned around and made his way back to the Hero's Water picking up the vial and swirling it in his hand. Against his better judgment, Shibuki called out to the boy.
"What are you going to do with that?" The boy faced him. Somehow Shibuki felt even colder. The boy walked over to Shibuki and stared at him, carelessly flipping the vial in his hand.
"I'm telling you, that vial won't serve you any good. It may temporarily boost your powers but it'll also decrease your life span." The boy raised an eyebrow at that.
"I wasn't planning on consuming it. But thanks for the knowledge. Tell me, why do you work so hard to defend such a cursed elixir? Surely no one is foolish enough to drink it?"
Shibuki's eyes hardened with slight anger as he retorted, "My father wasn't foolish. He drank the elixir to protect the village from invaders!"
The boy's brow furrowed together, impassive gaze unwavering, before raising his hand. Shibuki closed his eyes, and waited for the deathblow to come. Only to feel his body become mobile as the block of ice melted around him. He slowly opened an eye to look at the boy. Pale blond hair shadowed the boy's own eyes as he placed the Hero's Water in front of Shibuki. Turning, he slowly strode toward the cave entrance. Shibuki blinked rapidly before calling out after the boy.
"Wait… why didn't you kill me?" The boy paused at the cave opening and looked back pale, cerulean eyes boring into Shibuki.
"Because I also know the pain of losing a loved one," he murmured before exiting the cave.
Shibuki snapped out of his musing as he glanced over the young man before him. His pale skin, light blond hair, and icy cerulean eyes — everything about the boy radiated a chilling breeze.
"I see you still remain as cold as ever."
His guest gave the barest hint of a shrug, standing stiffly. "I see you have recovered from your wounds. "
Shibuki winced slightly at that, rubbing his arm. "Yes… there were some lasting effects but they faded away eventually."
The boy merely nodded at that. "Last time I came as an unwanted intruder. This time you have invited me as a guest. I would like to know why."
Shibuki pondered again if his choice of inviting the boy was a wise one. The last time he had appeared, Shibuki had nearly lost his life protecting the Hero's Water from the boy and he still remembered the ease with which boy had defeated several Jounin before decimating the thugs. Steeling his resolve he stared the boy right in the eyes.
"I have a job for you."
The boy made no movement. Shibuki took a deep breath before continuing. "I have a friend… she wants to participate in the Chuunin exams being hosted by Konoha. The issue is she is a Jinchuriki."
"So you want me to protect her," the boy cut in. Shibuki nodded at the statement.
"I've tried to convince her to stay. Within Taki she is protected, both by our location, and our ninja. Outside however I fear I cannot protect her adequately without drawing attention to her status. As you may know, some villages look upon Jinchuriki with hatred and I don't want my friend to experience that." The boy was silent again for a brief period, a scowl forming on his lips. Shibuki feared he had upset the boy somehow.
"Have you tried reasoning with your friend?"
Shibuki released a sigh. "She is stubborn. For as long as I've known her she has had trouble making friends. The civilians in particular fear that the beast within her will become released and wreck havoc on the village. She believes that if she can prove her strength she can attain more friends."
The boy said nothing before slowly striding toward the window, his face hidden. Shibuki held his breath, hoping, praying that the boy would accept his request. The boy seemed to be shaking, debating with himself before slowly turning around.
"I'll accept." Shibuki breathed out a sigh of relief.
"On one condition."
Shibuki's heart nearly stopped at that. "If it's money—"
The boy waved his hand lazily.
"I have grown out of the need for money. I find myself having more than I can spend these days. No, what I need is a promise."
"A promise?" Shibuki squeaked. The boy's face slowly split into a grin, the whisker marks on his face crinkling with the action.
"Yes: that I may use whatever means necessary to protect your friend's pride as a Jinchuriki."