Koudelka: Naruto
A/N Yo, I know I need to update some of my older works, but this crossed my mind and I promised a friend to get this out this week as he agreed to do a fic for me long before I even thought of writing this story.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own the idea of the game Koudelka. The only thing I own is the story and I cannot make money off of it as it is a fanfiction and is made for purely entertainment purposes. I also do not claim to know any characters that resemble people living or dead. Please do not sue me for not having a disclaimer as you wouldn't get much out of me anyway.
Chapter 1: The Medium and the Monastery
It was a dark night on October 30'th as two individuals come to an old building. Despite the Japanese setting of many villages they passed through, this building was exceptionally different in build. It was here that their destination was set.
"Are you sure this is the place? We've been traveling with no directions and this is where you bring us?" Said a boy with brown hair in a spiky ponytail looking at the large doors.
"I'm sure of it Shikamaru." Said a girl in a hood as she walked up to the great doors.
"Troublesome, It looks closed, and it'd be troublesome to move the doors." Shikamaru said to the girl as she moved towards the doors.
"If it's so 'troublesome' then scout around for another entrance." The girl said slightly annoyed at her companion's behavior. He started around the corner after muttering something about "Troublesome blondes" and went around the corner as she knocked on the doors. No one answered and the call was met with the dark silence of the night.
"Oi, Naruto, I found something." Shikamaru called out as the girl went around and took off the hood revealing her face. Her face was tanned but not overly so, with blonde hair that gave her a feral, wild beauty and blue eyes that could be made of sapphires. The only thing that detracted from her appearance was the slight amount of make-up upon her cheeks.
"Someone came here before us. How troublesome." Shikamaru said noticing the rope that was near some gear and a white horse. They both made a sign with their hands and simply dashed up the wall with no equipment. The site that met them was how massive and odd the place was.
"Never saw a building like this before in my life." Naruto said as she looked around while walking on the roof. She leaned on one of the ornamental spikes and yelped as it fell towards her.
"Troublesome" Shikamaru said as she dove towards a window to prevent injury. Sakura, after getting over her shock, always said that a girl's greatest gift is her body and it shouldn't be marred.
'Hmph, I heal up from almost anything anyway' Naruto thought as she kicked in a window.
"You're just going to break in?"
"Yeah, there's something here I know it, and the one that's calling for help is here as well." Naruto replied to Shikamaru's question.
-Inside the room-
Naruto quickly landed with an almost cat-like grace after losing her cloak. Her outfit was not like her normal, boyish attire. No, it was instead a simple dark blue skirt with a pouch on her rear of her hips with a strapless orange top, a belt with the Uzumaki spiral upon the front of her waist, and the necklace she won from Tsunade around her neck with the crystal itself laying upon her chest.
"Ugh, you're too early angel, I'm not dead yet." A man's voice was heard just as Shikamaru came down as well.
"Troublesome since it looks like you'll be dead soon, sorry that we can't help." Shikamaru said getting the man's attention. Naruto slightly blushed at the man's previous sentence.
"No one's ever called me an angel before, but what are you doing here?"
"Sorry to disappoint you two angels, but I still have some unfinished business." The man said his body covered with deep gashes and fierce cuts. Even one of his arms appeared broken. The one good arm held a weapon that neither had seen before. The strange weapon was held easily within the man's hand as he struggled to aim it towards them.
"What do you think you're doing?" Naruto said in some alarm as the man was clearly injured.
"I've got to shoot it five or six times to kill it." The man said as a figure approached the two of them from behind, and just as the two shinobi wondered 'to kill what' a horrible scream was heard from behind. Naruto sprung into action and stabbed it with a kunai as it struck her across the room.
"NARUTO!" Shikamaru yelled as he gathered chakra and formed a hand sign.
"Kagemane no jutsu success. WHAT!" Shikamaru exclaimed as the beast forced itself free as the man started firing the weapon. He only hit the beast once and every other shot missed.
"Use this!" He said as he tossed Naruto the weapon. Shikamaru did something he never thought he'd do. He jumped on the strange, human-like beast's back and stabbed with a kunai as Naruto shot three rounds in it's chest. It fell over dead, the monster was dead.
"I guess my time is up. Hey, angels, I'm not going to ask for you to take me to heaven, but will you pray for me at least." The man said with heavy breathing. Naruto looked at him with a kind of compassion and said
"You tried to save us. I wish I did this when I was younger, but I'll save you this time." Then she concentrated, and as she concentrated a strange blue light that was not from a medical jutsu washed over the man. He grunted form pain as arms reset and healed while the cuts and gashes were vanishing as if they were never there. Naruto panted as she finished her task.
"I'm completely healed. You really are an angel," The man said in complete awe as moments ago he was on death's door.
"No, I'm no angel. Just a girl with some psychic power that can kick ass." She said with a smile holding out a hand to help him up.
"So, who are you, and what are you doing here anyway?" Shikamaur asked the blonde haired man. He was up on his feet as he looked towards Shikamaru.
"My name is Edward J. Plunkett, and I'm here because I heard a rumor." Edward replied as he started checking Naruto out.
"A rumor?" She asked feeling a little conscious about his gaze. She didn't feel threatened, but she was somewhat uncomfortable in the gaze.
"Yeah, I heard a rumor that the son of a very rich family bout a monastery in a foreign land. He turned it into a house and brought a bunch of harlots. Seems like he was having a grand time. I know I look shady, but I can help. I've told you my name know how about you tell me your names; I'd like to know angel's name over there." the now named Edward suggested.
"I'm Nara Shikamaru. I'm here to babysit her." Shikamaru said as he pointed to Naruto. Naruto laughed sheepishly while rubbing the back of her hand.
"I don't really need a babysitter, but my name's Uzumaki Naruto 'ttebane." She said before they all decided to move out.
-Caretaker's Quarters, first floor-
Naruto and the others looked around the room they had entered and found a liquid of sorts.
"What is this?" Naruto asked after picking it up.
"Oh, that's just a potion. Those are handy items to have around when you need some healing."
"Oh" she said as she pocketed the potion in her unique pouch. They went towards the door to the south and entered revealing itself to have a ladder. They went towards the ladder and climbed the stairs when Edward picked up a box of sorts.
"Pistol rounds. It's what the weapon I tossed you is called. Can't be used without ammo. I'm just glad you guys came along when you did." He said happily enough.
"Troublesome, but it's more troublesome to get killed by that thing." Shikamaru said as they started climbing the ladder.
"If you two hadn't come when you did I'd be singing hymns in it's stomach. You probably missed out as when I was a boy I was a pretty good soprano." Naruto giggled and Shikamaru said "troublesome" at Edwards statement. Naruto picked up the map to the monastery at the top near the ladder. They investigated the room some more only to be attacked by more monsters that look like cockroaches. They were quickly taken care off by the three of them. They dropped some strange liquid that Edward knew of immediately.
"That's a high-telis. It's a medicine that relaxes and clears the mind." He then scarfed up some bread and downed some sort of liquor.
"I was hungry." He said to the two ninja that looked at him, but they didn't really care that he was eating and understood. They exited the room and went towards the north. This lead to a hallway and they went downstairs, but that was after something caught Edward's eye. That something was a dagger that was still in good condition.
"We'll head downstairs." Naruto said as she and Shikamaru headed down the stairway, and Edward quickly followed. Once downstairs Naruto heard something behind a door. They cautiously opened it.
"Oh my. Honey we have guests." An old man called out as he noticed Naruto. The other's quietly looked in ready to pounce in case she was in danger.
"Don't be shy, come on in. My wife was just 'bout finished with dinner." He said as his wife decided to take a peek at the group from the kitchen.
"Um, domo arigatou gozaimasu." Naruto said with a slight bow as the three entered the room and where seated in the dining area. The old man took a seat as well.
"The name's Ogden Hartman, and that there's my wife Bessy." Ogden said as his wife brought a pot to the table.
"We've been taking care of this place for a number of years." Bessy said as entered the dining area with a large pot of soup.
"It's still unusual that the three of you decided to come to our rural district. There isn't really anything interesting here." Ogden said as everyone was seated to get a few moments of rest.
"It's really gotten cold outside and we weren't expecting any visitors. The soup's all we have at the moment, but please have as much as you want." Bessy said as she motioned towards the soup.
"Oh yes, please."Ogden seconded.
"Thanks, smells great." Edward said helping himself to some of the soup. Naruto didn't get any and looked a little worried. Shikamaru didn't have any either after seeing Naruto's reaction. He felt that something wasn't right with how willing they were offering the meal. He didn't know what, but he didn't take any as he had eaten earlier that day with Naruto. He had no idea that Naruto was such a skilled cook.
"Wouldn't you like some dears? Don't you like potato soup?"
"NO!" Naruto said harshly at Bessy's suggestion.
"Sumimasen, it's not that, but my friend and I have already eaten earlier today. Thank you for your hospitality." Naruto softened and smiled thanking the two. Shikamaru sighed as he spoke
"She may be a troublesome woman, but she's a skilled cook. I didn't even know she had any girly habits at all."
"Mou, Shika-kun, it's every girls dream to be a beautiful bride." Naruto retorted puffing her cheeks out.
"Sorry for troubling you two though."
"It's no trouble at all. Please let us know if there's anything we can do for you. We are the only ones that live here, and it's so rare that we get any visitors." Bessy replied to Naruto's statement.
'That doesn't match up with what Edward said, and what about that monster?' Shikamaru pondered as he watched Edward stuff his face.
'Mondosuke, he eats about like Naruto does when she's at Ichiraku's Ramen stand.' He thought. Thought Edward ate he managed to between bites ask
"So, are you two really the only ones that live here?"
"Why do you ask?" Ogden asked him back not really answering the question.
"It was really foggy, so I couldn't tell for sure, but this building looked like an old church or something. It seems a little big for just the two of you." Edward stated confusing Naruto and Shikamaru on what a church was, but did bring up a point that the size of the place was larger then needed for two people alone.
"Well, you're right about that as in the ninth century a saint from Ireland named Daniel Scotius built a place of worship here to appease evil spirits and monsters and to spread the word of The Lord to foreign lands. That was how Nemeton Monastery was started, or so I heard." Ogden said telling them about the origins of the place.
"Monsters! Is that right?" Shikamaru asked
"Yes, that's correct young man, but what about them?"
"You might not believe us, but we saw monsters on our way here." Edward said getting Ogden's attention.
"Is that so? You saw it too?"
"Hai, it is so. Edward was wounded, but fortunately I had enough knowledge on medical jutsu to heal him. He was injured with a broken arm and several superficial cuts and could have died if left alone for long enough, but even a lesser healer could have helped." Naruto said quickly mentioning the basic version of Edwards injuries, and being grateful that Tsunade gave her a decent crash course in healing when she showed her the unique power she possessed.
'Thank Kami that Tsunade did get me to study the basics to help heal others. Otherwise I'd have to make up random BS and hope they buy it.' She thought somewhat nervously.
"Well now, I didn't think you were a doctor. I've heard about the ninja of this land and the mystical powers they possessed, but I thought it was just a bunch of mumbo jumbo." Ogden said getting of track.
"I didn't know either, but you said something about how that monster's been here a while right?" Shikamaru said getting the conversation back on track. Ogden leaned back in his chair comfortably.
"We've been taking care of the monastery for a number of years, but, from about six months ago, monsters have been appearing."
"We see them more and more every night." Bessy confirmed Ogden's claim.
"And I used to be a sailor I'm not afraid of any monsters."
"Oh dear, what if something terrible happens to you?" Bessy asked with a bit of flirtation in her voice.
"We almost got killed back there, and we're low on bullets." Edward said as he finished up his soup. Ogden stroked his beard a bit before saying
"Hmm, that's not good. The monsters may try and attack you again. I'll spare ye some bullets."
"Thanks, that'd be great." Edward said as Ogden got up to grab a box of bullets.
"Looking after others; He's so wonderful at that." Bessy said.
"So, have you two been together long?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Oh yes, we've been together for quite a while, but now a days all he does is paint and maintain this old building. That's his daily routine, but back in the old days..." Bessy said as she told Naruto bits about her married life and what to expect while Ogden gave Edward the box of promised bullets.
"Thanks Ogden. I owe you one." Edward said as the three said goodbye to the two. When they were in the hall outside Shikamaru whispered to Naruto
"What do you think about them."
"They were nice, but something was off." Naruto answered as they went into a different room just down the hall and entered. They went up the stairs and found a bit of food.
"Now THIS would make good rations. Let's take some with us." Edward said grabbing the food.
"Mondosuke, you're still hungry?" Shikamaru asked Edward as he looked at the man stuffing some chicken and bread in his pack carefully.
"I didn't have anything to eat or drink for 3 days; OF COURSE I'M HUNGRY! Speaking of which, you both wasted all of that food." Edward said, but before Shikamaru could retort, Naruto interrupted them.
"I would of had some and ask for the recipe, but that's only if it wasn't poisoned." She said. That certainly got both boys attention.
"Pardon?" They asked at the same time.
"I said if the soup wasn't poisoned then I would've had some. Got it?"
'I knew something was up, but poisoning food?' Shikamaru thought as they looked at her.
"Poisoned? No way." Edward said laughing it off, but failing to hide the fear.
"Just a little bit. I smelt a poisonous plant mixed in with the other ingredients, and believe me this plant isn't going to feel good. Pretty soon you'll start having muscle pains and spasms. Then in half an hour your entire body will go numb, and unless you get an antidote you'll definitely die." As Naruto said all that all the signs started showing up.
"So they were really trying to kill us?" Edward asked through the pain.
"I'm guessing that they're used to it this way, but where do we find an antidote?" Shikamaru said as they contemplated on getting an antidote.
"We don't have to worry about an antidote as I'll heal you." Naruto started glowing, but instead of a soothing blue light, a green light enveloped Edward while he was on the ground in pain. Soon enough the poison was gone.
"Those bastards!" Edward said as he started to go back, but was stopped by a strange force.
"Kagemane no jutsu success." Shikamaru said as he used the famous shadow possession jutsu.
"What are you doing!" Edward asked in alarm.
"Stopping you from going back." Shikamaru answered. The room was dark enough that shadows were prevalent and that made the jutsu easier to use.
"Let me go!"
"As long as you don't go running back to that couple as soon as I let you go. It'll be more troublesome to let them know that we're still alive." Shikamaru said as he released the jutsu. Naruto lightly slapped him on the right cheek a couple times while saying
"Shikamaru's right. It'll be easier for us to 'play dead' for them at the moment and fake ignorance later. It just means something is here and they don't want us to find out." Edward reluctantly agreed, but the one question remained on the groups mind.
What else would be found in that place that night?