Chapter Two. Two to Go.

Note: Most of this chapter was originally intended to be included in the previous chapter, but since I lost the mostly complete file, I went ahead and posted the file copy so I can start getting some important stuff done. I'm suprised that none of the first three reviewers complained about my paragraph formation. Usually the first or second person that reviews demands that I change my traditional paragraph story format into a more movie script-like format, but I don't seem to come across many fanfics that write like the latter. Well, enough ranting and on with the tortu...story!

The two sit in silence as they wait for Ichimama to finish their order. Naruto does not so much as look at Rekka. Likewise, Rekka does not look at Naruto. Contempt looms overhead like a heavy cloud about to explode into a storm.

-He's cute...Arg! Don't think that! He's a pervert! Besides...you don't even know the guy other than he's a ninja. Uzumaki Naruto might not even be his real name. Plus, he's been a real jerk to me so far. No doubt he'd be groping me and the like if I wasn't so underdeveloped and not very attractive. I suppose he is slightly cute...for a perverse pain in the butt.-

-What's with this crazy chick? Some samurai. Why am I even following her around? I'm not some lost little kid. I don't need her. Heh, it's not like I'm gonna see her naked. Hell, why would I want to? She's got such a small chest, I can't even tell it's there. And it's not like she's...all...that cute. She's nowhere near as beautiful as Sakura, plus Rekka seems to enjoy hitting and yelling at me. She's still a samurai, and samurai hate ninja. She'll probably just betray me...but she's still buying me ramen! -

Rekka turns her head slightly and looks at Naruto with a curious smile. She can tell that the young ninja is in thought, but from the expression on his face, it is neither deep nor serious. Naruto notices her smiling out of the corner of his sleek, slanted eyes and coughs apprehensively.

-Why is she looking at me like that?-

-Why am I looking at him like this? What am I trying to do, freak him out or something?-

"There you two go. It's on the house today.", Ichimama informs setting two large take-out barrels on the counter. (Now THAT'S what I call SUPER SIZE! ) "Eh! Are you sure?", Rekka questions taking hold of both orders. "Well of course I'm sure. I have a feeling that you need to say your money." "Thanks Ichimama!", Rekka replies with her eyes closed and smiling happily.

Rekka struggles as she removes their order from the counter. "They look heavy, maybe I should carry them.", Naruto suggests. "No, I'm...fine.", Rekka grimaces walking towards the northeast. "Forget about not trusting me. It's obvious that you're having problems carrying them. I can carry one if you want." "No thanks, Naruto. If I don't do it myself, how am I ever going to become strong? I do appreciate your concern...genuine or otherwise."

Naruto sighs at Rekka's stubborness. She had a point, nonetheless. The two slowly make their way outside of town and up a grassy hill some distance away. After what seems the be a two hour walk on poor Rekka's exausted arms, she stops and sets the orders down on a level area.

"You'll teach me here. It's a nice open area and it's far enough and away from the village so no one will be able to interupt. Also, this hill will allow us to see anyone coming and the trees down below will prevent anyone from looking up and seeing what we're doing.", Rekka remarks. "Wow. You're pretty good. After all of this walking, I'm starving. So, shall we eat?", Naruto replies. Rekka slits her eyes closed in a stern and firey glare at the young ninja. "No. Lessons first, Naruto-sensei." Naruto sweatdrops.

Naruto takes his position in front of Rekka. "There's a lot of hard work and practice needed in order to learn these techniques and correctly perform them. Doin't get upset if you can't do it right the first time.", Naruto proclaims. "Un.", Rekka replies with an affirmative nod. "There's also a bunch of technical and academic information blah blah and chakra and more blah blah, but I don't pay any attention to that. Just take a pose and say the words, 'Sexy no Jutsu!'" (Please forgive me if Naruto actually grows up in the series P) Naruto transforms demonstrating his technique.

Rekka humors Naruto-sensei by clapping, although she is now beginning to regret the deal she made. -He's not a very good ninja, is he? Well, if such an ability can be performed so simply...- Naruto transforms back into his normal form and looks forward at his 'student.' "Now you try.", Naruto instucts. Rekka nods and slowly places her hands, which are now blood red from the heavy weight and pressure of carrying their lunch, into the position Naruto-sensei had demonstrated. Planting her feet firmly into in case something terrible happens, she sighs deeply. "Take it easy and relax." Rekka nods with determination. "Sexy no Jutsu!"

Rekka disappears in a cloud of thick white smoke. The smoke slowly gives way at the top revealing beautiful, red and wild long hair. Slowly moving down, deep and intense green eyes are revealed. However, once the smoke clears down to her waist, Naruto falls over utterly and entirely freaked out. Rekka quickly transforms back and helps her sensei get back up on his feet.

"Did I do so poorly?", Rekka inquires. "YOU TURNED INTO A GUY!", Naruto screams. Rekka falls back in digust, taking Naruto-sensei down with her. Naruto briefly stares down at the awkward position he's in before meeting the deadly gaze of Rekka. "GET OFF ME!" Naruto quickly scrambles off for fear of a underdeveloped and extremely young looking lady's wrath.

"Eh heh heh," Naruto begins changing the subject, "maybe I should teach you a different technique instead. Maybe after learning another technique you'll be able to perform the Sexy no Jutsu correctly.", Naruto suggests. "Okay." Rekka remarks standing back up. "Let's try dopplegangers. This is a technique used to confuse your opponent by making a double. However, I'm so advanced that I can make multiple copies of myself that can even attack and gang up on my opponents!", Naruto brags, leaving out the simple fact that dopplegangers was once his absolute worst technique. "Uh-huh. Just tell me how to do it or give me a book on it.", Rekka remarks, not taking the ninja's boast seriously.

"Uh...just focus. Simply imagine an exact duplicate of yourself in your mind's eye somewhere nearby. Relax, but concentrate.", Naruto instructs. Rekka nods. Several minutes later she is still standing unmoved. Naruto looks around. Silence. "Hey, I think you messed up." Rekka does not respond. Naruto shakes his head and waves his hand back and forth in front of his face. He shrugs and makes his way to their lunch with gluttenous glee.

"Meow!", a cat calls out and leaps on top of Naruto's shoulder. "YIKES!", he exclaims in shock, his face radiating with terror. "You think it's going to be that easy to get that lunch?", the cat speaks. Naruto falls flat on his posterior in surprise. He had not expected a cat to pounce on him from out of nowhere, but certainly could have never imagined a talking one! "A...a...a talking cat!"

The cat carefully and gracefully leaps off of the young ninja's shoulders. "I'm a bakeneko.", it informs. "Hey, Rekka, look at the talking cat!", Naruto proclaims. The cat sighs in agitation. Slowly the cat grows larger and larger and takes on a humanoid form. Rekka vanishes as the cat becomes Rekka. "Shesh, I thought a ninja would understand what I just did. I created a double as you instructed. I placed the double in front of me and then I transformed into my neko form.", Rekka informs. "You can turn into a cat! Cool!", Naruto exclaims. "No, I AM a cat. I'm a bakeneko, a cat spirit. Speaking of spirits, when I was on your shoulders, you smelled a little like kitsune."

"A little like kitsune?", Naruto asks wondering how she would be able to smell something like that. "A little. I didn't exactly get a good wiff though. You're not part kitsune, are you?", Rekka speaks. "No way!", Naruto retorts. "So you're an actual kitsune then?" "NO I AM NOT!", Naruto fumes.

Silence ensues. Rekka quietly creeps over to her container and cautiously opens it. She begins by setting up her placemat and plates before kneeling down to eat. Seeing her about to eat, Naruto takes his cue and does likewise with quite possible the world's larger, and most delicous of course, container of ramen. "I'm sorry. You must not like kitsune, do you.", Rekka inquires recklessly breaking the silence. "...A kitsune attacked the village when I was born. The last Hokage died sealing it.", Naruto answers. "So...that's why you hate kitsune?" "...Actually...I'd...I'd rather not talk about it.", Naruto remarks.

"That's okay. I understand. I'm sorry for bringing it up.", Rekka appologizes. "...The villagers think that I'M the kitsune!", Naruto blurts out. Rekka blinks then slowly smiles comforting at Naruto. "You didn't have to say that." "...The last Hokage...he sealed the kitsune inside of me. The adults...believe that I'm the kitsune in human form. That's why I was treated like shit. I was the vessel used to seal the kitsune that attacked the village and killed the last Hokage.", Naruto confesses.

"Why tell me? I'm a stranger. How can you trust me?", Rekka wonders. "I...I honestly don't know. Well, you're a bakeneko. Maybe I feel you can relate." Rekka giggles. "Perhaps. For now let's just eat. Your ramen is getting cold." As soon as Rekka says the 'magic word,' Naruto begins diving into his ramen devouring it most fiercely. Rekka giggles to herself and quickly digs her chopsticks into her rice before making her way through her chicken and broccoli then to her chicken teriyaki, and then finally into her yakitori."

"No sushi or sakana?", Naruto inquires. (Note: Sakana is Japanese for fish, and no, sushi isn't just raw fish, but sushi connoisseura probably already knew that. .) "To be honest, I'm actually allergic to most seafood. It's because I live in a mountain region inland. Seafood is rare and expensive here. It's more economical to eat food native to our region and to grow produce suited to our enivronmental habitat.", Rekka explains. "Huh?" "Seafood isn't available here.", Rekka simplifies. "Ah, okay. So now what are we gonna do?", Naruto asks. "What---WHAT! You're already finished with your ramen! You beat Inuyasha's record by two and a half seconds!", Rekka exlaims. "Inuyasha? Didn't you mention that name at the ramen shop? Who is he?" "Well, he's actually someone you can relate to and not just on the ramen devouring level.", Rekka admits.

"So he must be a cool dude like me than?", Naruto smirks. "Well...I suppose he is. You see, Inuyasha is what is called a hanyou. A hanyou is someone who is half demon and half human...at least most of the time. Not only do most humans hate him, but demons do too.", Rekka informs. "Man, that must bite, but I bet he's pretty powerful ain't he? So nobody messes with him, right?", Naruto inquires. "Well, he's strong, but there are plenty of demons out there that could take him on." "Well that bites, but I bet he's not nearly as tough as me though.", Naruto boasts. "Oh yes, he's not nearly as annoying as you.", Rekka remarks. "HEY! That's not--!" "It's starting to get late. You should probably get going.", Rekka suggests.

Naruto blinks as he takes a glimpse at the sky as the sun slowly begins to sink down. "Yah, but what about your lesson?", Naruto questions. "Well...I think you've taught me enough about forbidden ninja arts. I suppose it was kind of stupid of me to think I could learn ninja techniques.", the young samurai admits. "Hey, it's not that difficult. The only problem with your Sexy no Jutsu is that you think like a girl. You need to think like a guy." "Well, I'll try to keep that in mind if I ever attempt it again.", Rekka notes. " Hey, I can always help you out.", Naruto suggests. "Yah, but I've got nothing else to give you. The payment has already been given.", Rekka admits. "Hey, that's alright. You could always buy me so more ramen later...or you can teach me some...uh...samurai fighting move thingies." "Maybe.", Rekka smirks smiling.