General Badaxe- Amazing, I plan to get away with a short A.N. on this Naruto fic, for the first time in about eight Naruto chapters. Thank God. Anyway, Kayla, please don't tell me how to write my fic. I would be willing to do a little side quest for something you wanted to see for one or two chapters, such as a ghost contacts him and asks him to put his soul to rest, I would be willing to do something like that for a chapter or two. Other than that, please don't tell me how to write a fic. Thank you. Hoyt, is it such a bad thing they are slow moving? It means I can put some more detail, and it also doesn't make the storyline seem rushed. If I wanted to, I could make him leave the village in 1k words, but I like to flesh things out a little more. So, all reviews answered, on with the fic! (Yep, short A.N.)
Ok, I know I should feel bad for breaking Hinata's spirit, but should I feel bad for three days! I know I was a complete ass, but come on, this guilt trip is lasting a little too long for my liking. On top of that, I forgot my map. I can't believe I forgot my map. How did I plan to know where I was traveling without one! This week isn't so hot for me. Well, let me rephrase that, it wasn't a good week for me. I was pretty hot; being in the desert will do that to you. I need to find a town, purchase a map, and then decide where I am going. I also need to refill my water canteens; I was down to my last two.
Things could be worse, I could be wearing black. Well, with that thought, I continue down the road. The sun was overhead as usual, it was a blazing day. Felt about two hundred degrees out, but it was probably about one hundred to one hundred and ten degrees. Maybe a little warmer. I saw a cactus about ever one hundred feet, and sand was everywhere. It got into everything as well, I swear, if I pull out my canteen and accidentally pour sand in my mouth one more time, I am going to run all the way to the next stupid town! Ok, maybe not, I would dehydrate a lot faster that way.
Wait, there is a sign. Let's see… Cargenten town, next mile. Never heard of it, but if it has water and food, I am willing to go there. So, continue walking the path I was taking. Well, it was nice to know a town was ahead, but did they really have to put a sign telling you where it is when there is only one path to take? I suppose some nut would try walking through the desert, but they would probably die before they got too far. Good riddance, one less idiot for me to deal with.
Well, I was in the town, now if everyone would stop glaring at me. I swear, I walked through the gate at the entrance, and every pair of eyes in the town locked on to me. A little unnerving, and so I was planning to get out of the town as quickly as possible. Pay for food, pay for extra water for my canteens, buy a map, and be off. Sounds easy enough, but knowing me, trouble is following me around.
I think I will stop at the local tavern first, there s the best place for food and water. Possibly a map if it is good enough. This place was a little old fashioned as well, the buildings were all made of wood, but most of them didn't have any windows, the only places that did appeared to be the places that looked like they made money. Some of the homes didn't even have doors, just a blanket covering them to make sure no one got in. That wouldn't stop robbers. And, the only doors I did see appeared on the tavern, and they swung open both ways, and didn't have locks. They also didn't have a bottom, and didn't have a top. Not a place for peaceful people, that much is sure.
Before I walk into the tavern, I double check my shurikens and kunai, I have enough. This place didn't have a store that sold them, so I was going to have to be sparing on them. Well, I was going to avoid a fight altogether, but some things just couldn't be helped. Well, since I have everything, I walk into the tavern.
Well, this scene looks familiar. I walk in, everyone stares at me. However, these men look like experienced killers, so I was hoping a fight wouldn't start. I could probably beat them, but I didn't want to find out one of them secretly has ninja training. I might have to get a little rough with that one and I didn't need to fight in this heat. Most of their eyes held the same question 'What is a kid doing in here?' But, I didn't pay them any mind. I was looking at one of them, he didn't have that question in his eyes, no, his eyes were appraising me, how I walked, and eyeing the kunai and shuriken pouches I had.
I looked him over, and well, he wasn't that intimidating. He had reddish-brown hair cut short to the back of his neck. He had green eyes, not the piercing kind though. He had a kind face, and had wonder in his eyes. He had a soft smile on his face, as though he knew why I was here, and didn't mean any harm. He had on a light red short sleeved shirt, it had a small opening on his chest, and it appeared to have been cut out with a sword. The color was almost verging on pink, but somehow screaming that it is red, and if you think it is pink, it will kick your ass. A strange feeling, but I ignored it. He had on a pair of white pants, except that they appeared to hold someone who had wider legs, but then it fit snugly around his waste. A strange appearance and he had a katana at his belt. It appeared to belong there, as though he was born with it on. He probably knows how to use it too, so don't tick him off. The katana appeared about a four foot blade, and a one and a half foot hilt. A little short for a katana, but he didn't seem to care. He also had scars, and from what I could tell, quite a few. He had one starting right below his right eye, and going down to the top of his neck. Another scar going from his forehead to the tip of his nose. He also had another scar running from his fingers, to about halfway up his left arm. A strange scar on his chest, in the shape of a horned demon. It appeared to be more of a birthmark, but the darkness of it could only be a scar cut. He probably had more, but I could only see those major scars. He had too many minor scars to describe.
He saw me looking at him, and motioned for me to sit down. I shook my head no, but he just got an earnest smile on his face, and motioned for me to sit again. I shook my head no again, and then went to the tavern bartender. "Bartender, how much will it cost to refill eight canteens of water?" I ask him. I felt some people behind me stiffen. Not a good sign.
"It will cost you about ten thousand yen." He told me. I looked him over, and he wasn't impressive. He was a bit pudgy, but it looked a little more like muscle than fat. He had small beady brown eyes, and no hair. A light green shirt, and sweat pants on. Nothing truly distinguishing.
"Are you kidding me?" I ask him in a disbelieving voice. "Ten thousand yen for water!"
"Kid, this is the desert, we can't get water as often as other places. So, it costs more. Supply and demand you know?" He told me, finishing wiping a glass clean.
"Well, I suppose I will take it then." I told him, pulling out ten thousand yen. I handed it to him, and my canteens. I felt someone put their hand on my left shoulder. It was a big hand, with muscle behind it. The kind of hand people who think muscle solves everything get.
"Hey gaki, I will hold that money for you. Who knows what kind of bad men would come and take it from you?" He told me. His breathe stunk of alcohol, and I heard some drunken laughter behind him. Yet one more reason I hate drunks.
"When can I come pick my money back up kind sir?" I asked him, trying to keep my right hand from clenching into a fist.
"Why gaki, I am willing to hold it for you forever. Isn't that nice of me? So, are you going to let me have it?" He asked me.
I heard the bartender filling up my second canteen, and decided to time myself. "Why yes good sir, I will gladly let you have it." I told him in complete honesty.
I whipped my left arm around his right one, and wrenched it off of my shoulder. I clench my right hand into a fist, and slam it into his jaw. He went flying through the air, and landed on a table, and broke it in half. I checked, about half of a canteen. I looked back at the guy, and he was trying to stand. He seemed to slip on the hard wood floor. He was definitely very drunk.
"Hey guys, what are you doing?" He asked to the people who were laughing at me a little bit ago. "Are you going to just let him do that to me?"
I looked around, and everything else in the bar stopped. I really should have kept a lower profile. Only the people he was sitting with brandished weapons though, so I was very thankful. However, I still had to deal with four others with weapons, and I didn't want them to know I had ninja training. I took my forehead protector off when I entered the town. I didn't plan to put it back on until after I was done traveling either.
They all had short swords, but they were twice as thick as they usually were. Great, I didn't need this. "Hey, orange guy, I will deal with them." Said the man who invited me to sit with him earlier.
He stood up, and the used his thumb to push the katana a little out of it's sheathe. Then, he put it back in his sheathe. "I won't need it." He muttered more to himself than to anyone else.
The guy walked in front of me, and then said "You are an interesting character." Then, the drunks rushed him.
The fastest one got there first, and took a swing at the ma in front of me. The guy in front of me dropped to the floor, no…he dropped onto one hand, and swung himself around with his legs extended, and tripped the guy in front of him. The drunk started to fall, and the guy in front of me pushed upward with his hands, and did a back flip kick into the drunk's stomach, and sent him twirling into the three behind the guy. All of them stumbled to the ground.
"What is your name kid?" He asked me, standing as though he didn't really do anything.
"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." I told him, a little surprised. This guy wasn't someone you underestimate.
"Names Karell. Tsaratoga Karell." He told me, and then rushed at the drunks.
Karell dived onto his hands, and spun his entire body around, and split his legs apart, and kicked two of the drink in the head, and then he grabbed another drunk between his legs, and twisted his entire body and threw him. Using the momentum of the twist, he flipped onto his legs in front of another drunk, and jammed the hilt of his katana into the guys gut. The guy lurched over; and Karell jammed his knee into the guys face. The guy flew over the table, and onto the so called leader I already decked. "You guys are useless." The leader said, getting up in a drunken fashion after throwing his lackey off of him.. He pulled a blade off of his back, and it was huge. About twice as tall as me, how did I miss it? It was far above his back, was I that blinded by my anger? Memo to self: work on controlling emotions.
"If that is the way you want to play…" Karell said, as he pulled out his katana. It let out a clear ringing of steal leaving a scabbard, but it looked more like a sword returning home into his hands. Suddenly, Karell disappeared! I saw him on the other side of the drunk with the huge sword.
The drunk had wide open eyes, and appeared to be breathing heavily. Then I saw a strange crack on his sword, then another and another. Wait, they're not cracks, they are lines! Suddenly, the guy's sword topples over, and falls onto the ground, cut into 5 different pieces. Then, the drunk's clothes seemed to blow up, and he was standing there, in nothing but his underwear. Did Karell do that?
I saw him sheathe his katana, and then he said "You might not want to do that in public mister. People might lose the little respect they had for you."
The bartender came around, and then dropped my water canteens onto the floor. "Grageor!" The bartender hollered. "What the Hell are you doing in my pub in nothing but your underwear!"
This guy didn't hear his table break, or people get thrown around? He needs to work on his hearing. Suddenly, someone grabbed my hand, it was Karell. "We need to get out of here before people point us out for the trouble." He told me, dragging me outside. I was barely able to grab my water filled canteens.
He let go of my hand, and I followed him. We ran down the street, and rounded a corner into an alley. We pressed our backs into the shade, and waited a little bit. We barely breathed, only enough to stay alive and not pass out. We saw a couple drunken men pass us, telling each other this was the way we went. I felt some sweat trickle down my forehead, from the heat, or the worry, I didn't know. I wasn't sacred of the drunks, far from it. I was more worried about being able to get food and a map now.
We waited a good three minutes, or was it two? Anyway, we waited about that long in the alley, until Karell said it was ok to come out. "Do you enjoy starting trouble or something?" He asked me, and he appeared to be holding in a laugh.
"No, trouble usually comes looking for me." I told him, thinking of all the drunks in my village who have hunted me down.
"Well, maybe you should learn to keep a lower profile." He told me, fingering the hilt of his katana.
Did this guy plan to mug me? I hope not, I couldn't keep up with him in the bar. It might be a little different when I am facing him, but I don't need to deal with this right now. "Something wrong?" He asks me, never stopping his hand from caressing the handle of the katana.
"Are you going to try to mug me?" I ask him in a flat voice.
He gives me a puzzled look, and then asks "What? Why would I do that?"
"Well, you are playing with the handle of your katana, as though you are deciding if you should draw it or not." I told him, placing a kunai in my hands. I kept it hidden behind my back.
"What?" He asks me in a confused voice. Then he looks at his hand, and gives a start of surprise. He pulls his hand away and then gets a small blush on his face. "Sorry about that, when I have nothing to o, my hand tends to play with the katana I have. Sorry if I startled you."
I don't think he was lying, but I wasn't about to trust him. I looked up, and the sun was slowly falling below the dessert, and then it would be freezing. I needed to find a place to sleep, get some food, and find a map. I was going to get an inn as well I'm a little tired of sleeping out in the open. "Karell, I have to get going. I'll see you around." I told him. The chances of me running into him again were fairly slim though.
"Well, see you around Naruto." He told me, waving his hand, and then walked into a crowd of passerby's. I looked, and he seemed to have disappeared, camouflage by using a crowd? I'll learn how to do that.
Until then, I better get out of here. I walk out of the Alley, and into the crowd. I walked with hem, some of them left, others joined us. However, I needed to find a store that sold maps. Where was I going to find one of those? I could try the convenience store; this place really needs an information booth somewhere.
Well, there is my convenience store, but other than that, nothing really new here. Well, I suppose I might as well. As I enter the convenience store, a small bell above the door goes off to announce I was there. Well, it works I suppose. I walk up to the lady at the counter, she looked about fifty, with her gray hair done neatly in a bun. "Excuse me miss, do you sell maps here?" I ask her.
"Why yes we do sonny!" She exclaimed in an exuberant voice. "We have maps of the continent, and some of the islands around it, maps of small countries, and even maps that show how you use dentures! Just kidding about that last one, so, what kind of map do you need?"
Sonny? "I need a map of the continent, with some islands around it if you would please." I told her.
"Such manners sonny boy! Tell you what you can have this map for free!" She exclaimed in an excited voice.
Sonny boy? "Thanks." I told her as she handed me the map. This person made me a tad uncomfortable. "Well, I have to go now. See you later." I said walking out the door. I probably wasn't coming back.
I went back into the crowd, and continued to walk on. Getting the map was easier than I thought it would be. Now I need a place to sleep and some food. If I found an inn, I could probably get both. I round the corner, and so far, no inn. The streets grew thicker with people, trying to get shopping or whatever they were doing out of the way before it becomes frigid. Can't blame them, I could already see my breath as I huffed along.
I looked down for a second, trying to warm up and let the shivers pass, when I smacked my head into something hard in front of me. I started rubbing my head, and said out loud "What the hell?"
I looked up, and saw a sign for an inn. It had a bed, and an angel sleeping in it peacefully. It also had the word INN in big bold letters above the angel. Ironic how I am a Jinchuriki. Well, I don't think that Kami-sama will smite me for sleeping in here. So, I'll give it a shot.
The inn had the same double doors that the tavern had. So, don't rely on this place for protection. A couple people were sitting around, having what looks like a beef stew. Well, I might as well get some while I am here. I look around, and the person at the counter is a young man. He has short brown hair, and grey eyes. He didn't appear to have much muscle, but I didn't either so who was I to talk? "Excuse me," I say walking up to him "how much is a room and some food?"
"It is ten thousand yen for both." He told me. "An extra five hundred yen if you want water."
Wait, I paid eight thousand yen to fill my canteens. I really hate that tavern bartender. "I'll take it." I tell him, laying the money on the counter. I checked, I had about two hundred thirty five thousand seven hundred and fifteen yen left. I was going to need to find a place to get some money, or I would have to resort to stealing eventually.
"Thank you sir. You will have room seventeen, and your dinner will be ready momentarily. Until then, you can drop your stuff off in your room." He told me.
I wasn't going to ask for a shower, they are probably way too much to be worth it. I walk up the stair, and noticed a broken pair of steps going up as well. They probably needed money for repairs soon. Let's see, room fifteen, sixteen…here we go. Room seventeen. I open the door with the key the receptionist gave me.
It was a cozy room, it was a little bigger than my apartment as well. A nice little bonus. It had a small bed, made for only one in the room. Really glad I didn't bring Hinata. Guilt suddenly hit me like a kunai through the stomach. Damn it, stupid guilt, LEAVE ME ALONE! I'm sorry, but I had to do it! And now, I'm having an argument with myself. Today can only get worse with my luck.
After having the argument with myself, I drop off my back pack with my clothes and other accessories off, and walk back downstairs. I stumble on one of the broken steps, but other than that, everything is ok. The receptionist at the desk told me where I was supposed to sit, and I saw that the stew was already ready for me. I ate it, it tasted ok, but they went extremely heavy on the spices. I really could have lived without that. I finished it though, and then I went to bed.
The spices were thick on the stew, I was sweating heavily. Too heavily in this weather. Pain seared through my body in a sudden rush, starting at my heart, and racing through my blood. The pain engulfed my body, and I clutched my heart. The pain was the greatest there. I was panting, my throat closed, I was having a hard time breathing. I felt my eyes bulge, it was painful. Too painful, I couldn't take it. A dark swampy blackness engulfed me.
I woke up, in a room filled with water. There were narrow corridors, and random pipes going this way and that. Where was I? I use my hands to push myself onto my feet. The pain from earlier was gone, and so was the hopeless feeling. I felt at home in this place, however, this place was also like a cemetery to me. It was a little dark and eerie. I saw a couple corridors leading around the place. What choice did I have? I walked through them.
It was pretty uneventful, and my feet were soaked. Then again, my front body was soaked as well, landing in this water will do that to you. Was I still in the desert? If I was, this place has more water than I think it should. Something strange was going.
Well, I found something worth mentioning. I found a pair of HUGE steel gates, with a piece of paper over them that said 'Seal.' Where was this place, and why is that gate sealed? Is it the way out? If it is, why is the seal on the side where I can rip it off? Oh well, I shouldn't complain, just get rid of the seal, and get out of here. Should be easy. Then why did I feel like I was killing myself doing this?
I walk up to the gate, and apply chakra to my feet. I walked up to the gate, to the seal. I grab a hold of the seal, and then rip it off. I drop to the ground, smacking my head, and clutching my stomach. Searing pain was at the center of my gut, as though someone had torn it in half. Damn it hurt, what just happened? The pain went away, just as suddenly as it had come. This place was strange.
Suddenly, the two gates swung open, and they smashed me across the room, and into the wall. I hurt my head seriously, and my body didn't feel good after being hit with a pair of steel doors. Doors that swing both ways are a hazard to your health. This has been proven in the desert, and in…wherever I was.
I heard a feral growl, and froze. What was that? On second thought, I didn't want to know. The room began to shake, small tremors linking together as though someone was creating them. I heard another growl, closer than before. I whipped my head back at the gate, and saw a massive head there. To be more specific, a massive fox head. Well, things weren't looking good; I could already tell people that.
It moved closer, slowly, and I saw tails on it. More than one. Seven, eight, nine. Nine tails. Nine damned bloody tails. Kuso. Fear paralyzed my body. This was the Kyubi? Damn it, was I inside of myself? Was that possible? Well, judging by the looks of things, yes, it was entirely possible. It came closer, some droll dripping from its massive mouth. It's massive mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Don't think like that! You will only scare yourself further! Too late, even more fear lanced through my body.
"Are you the mortal who I am sealed inside of?" it growled out at me.
"If I am?" I asked it in a scared little tone. I was scared, so sue me. Here was a demon that could destroy villages; what was I supposed to feel?
"Then I have one thing to say to you." It growled out in a feral voice, and some more drool dripped off of its mouth as it said that.
"W-What is it?" I ask backing against the wall as far as I possibly could go. Damn it, was I going to die like this? What a sad way to die, I couldn't really accomplish anything.
The Kyubi stepped closer, and closer. My heartbeat increased as it moved closer, a throbbing reminder of how I was going to die. I just hope it is painless. It moved its giant mouth in front of me. I closed my eyes and turned my head. I didn't want to see this. "I just wanted to say thank you."
Huh? I opened my eyes, and turned my head. I saw the same giant fox head. Did I just here it right? "What did you say?" I asked it, wondering if my ears had deceived me.
"Do I have to repeat myself? I said thank you. As in, I am grateful to finally be free." It told me. Suddenly, a huge amount of smoke filled the room.
I closed my eyes, and held my breath. Some smoke still caught in my mouth though, so I had to cough it out. What the Hell was that? "Did you do that?" I asked, my voice a little shaken.
I was still a little scared, the demon was still free, and I still could very well die from the thing. "Yes I did." Said a human voice. A human voice that sounded like a girls I might add. I looked up, and I had to double check my eyes to make sure that tricks weren't being played on them.
In front of me, was about a fifteen year old looking girl. She had creamy looking skin, and blood red eyes that were slits. She had some fox ears on top of her head. Curly red hair cascaded down her to the middle of her back, and I saw that nine tails went to meet it. She had on a teal looking shirt with short sleeves, a silver fox running across the shirt. Her breasts hugged against the shirt, they appeared to be somewhere in the C size. She had on some light yellow pants, and they had orange flames running up the pant legs. Her tails were mostly wrapped around her waist, except for three which were waving behind her. She had a grin on her face, as she watched me. She didn't have any scar on her that I could see. Her hands had sharp nails; I suspected they were actually claws. "Anyway, as I said before," She said to me. "Thank you for freeing me!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around me in a hug. She was a little taller than me I noticed.
Now, not only did I have a free demon inside of me, she planned to kill me by suffocating me to death. "Can't…breathe…" I said.
"Whoops, sorry!" She said dropping me, then giggling.
"Are you planning to kill me?" I asked her, still on my guard. At least, I wanted to assume I was on my guard. Her hugging me was just a slip up. Yeah, keep telling yourself that.
"Silly little boy, I'm not planning to kill you." She said with a giant smile on her face. It was getting really hard for me to believe she was the Kyubi no kitsune.
"Um, my name is Naruto, not 'little boy.'" I told her.
"Naruto is such a mouthful, how about I just call you kit instead?" She said with a giggle.
"But you just said my name!" I told her in an indignant voice.
"I know I did kit." She said, stifling another giggle.
"Kit isn't my name!" I yelled at her.
"It is to me." She said in a playful voice.
"It just… I mean… grah! Just forget it. You are calling me Naruto, and that is final!" I said yelling at her.
"Naruto…" She said with a smile on her face.
"That's better. What is it?" I ask her.
Suddenly, her tails unfurled, and grabbed my arms and legs; she slammed me against the wall, and pinned me down. She held my hands and legs in place, I couldn't budge. She walked up to me, and then said "Naruto, may I have permission to call you kit?" She said it in a sweet voice, which promised pain if I didn't agree.
Let me see, let her call me kit, or she beats me into the ground until I do agree. Well, this was a no-brainer choice. "You have my permission to call me kit." I told her, some panic in my voice.
"I do?" She asked me. "Thank you!" She squealed, using her tails and dragging me into another bone crunching hug. She makes it seem like I did it out of the goodness of my heart.
She dropped me shortly afterwards, and then she giggled again. "Out of curiosity, are you drunk?" I asked her.
"I don't think I am." She said, poking her finger to her cheek in a thinking motion.
"Are you sure you are the Kyubi?" I ask her, disbelief in my voice.
"Let me see, I have nine tails, and I have a giant fox form. Yep, pretty sure I am what you humans call me." She said, nodding her head.
"What do you mean 'what you humans call me'?" I ask her.
"Well, Kyubi isn't my name! What kind of person has the name 'nine-tails'? It is a really bad one. My real name is Syotera Eftchen Xrebthen Yernsa, or you can call me by the acronym Sexy." She told me with a giggle.
"Um…Sexy, how did I get here in the first place?" I asked her.
"AWW!" She exclaimed suddenly. "You just called me sexy, how sweet! You are pretty cute yourself." She said with a wink.
I couldn't speak for a second. When I could talk again, I said "You didn't tell me your real name did you?"
"Nope!" She said, and the she giggled.
"Are you sure you're not drunk?" I asked her again.
"I don't know. Have I tried to kill you yet? I mean really kill you by the way, not threaten you." She told me.
"Um, you haven't tried to kill me yet then. I think." I told her.
"Phew! Ok, I'm not drunk." She told me.
"How would you trying to kill me tell you if I was drunk?" I asked her, a little confused.
"You see kit, when I get drunk; I have a tendency to get really violent. When I'm not drunk, I'm usually a lot more peaceful." She told me.
"Wait, so when you attacked Konoha all those years ago…" I said, letting the thought trail off.
"Yep!" She exclaimed. "You got it; I was very, very drunk! And let me tell you, I woke up to find myself sealed inside of a cute little baby! Well, I suppose you would know, after all you were that baby. Anyways, let me tell you, for the first two years I wanted to kill you so badly!" She said, as though it was a prize.
"Um, why did you want to kill me?" I asked her, a little bit…disappointed from this entire ordeal. I was expecting the Kyubi to be a monster, not some cute little girl who got deadly when she was drunk or didn't have her way. Not to mention, her story of being drunk just gives me another testament on why I shouldn't drink. With stories like that, why would anyone want to drink in the first place?
"You see kit; I had one of the worst hangovers I have ever had for those two years. I just wanted to kill something, and you were the closest in a manner of speaking." She told me, a positive grin on her face.
"I expected you to be a little more…menacing." I told her.
"Why?" She asked me, some puzzlement on her face.
"Well, the stories of you destroying other villages, the way everyone in Konoha talks about hoe evil you were, so on and so forth." I told her.
"Geez, you get drunk once or twice, destroy one or two villages, and suddenly the world thinks you are an evil rampaging demon." Kyubi said more to herself than anyone else.
"Will you at least tell me your name?" I ask her in an impatient tone.
"Sure. My real name is Prelait." She said with a smile on her face. Then she turned her smile into a grin, and said "But you can still call me sexy of you like."
"Well Prelait, would you like to explain to me how I got here?" I asked her, ignoring her other comment.
"I have no idea kit! As far as I can tell, you should only be here when you are in a life threatening situation. Well, since you freed me, I get to talk to you anytime I want. Aren't you lucky?" She asked me, and seemed to mean it.
"About as lucky as a mouse that has been cornered by a cat." I mutter under my breath.
"I heard that." She told me with a sweet smile on her face. "These fox ears aren't just for good looks you know." She told me, pointing to them.
"Anyways!" I said in a louder than needed voice. "Why am I here?"
"Well, like I said earlier, you should only be here when you are near death." She told me. "Did you do anything that might get you killed?"
Besides piss off a couple guys with weapons? "I don't know. Last thing I remember, I just ate the stew, and then went to go to bed."
"Oh! I see what happened." She told me with a grin.
"Then what happened to me?" I asked her.
"You see kit, judging by your story; I think that there was poison in that soup." She told me, rubbing her chin.
"NANI? Why would they poison me?" I ask her.
"I don't know. You don't really have enemies out this far, you hid your forehead protector, and you didn't have as much money as other people on you." She told me.
"Is there anything else that is a possibility?" I ask her.
"Kit, there are thousands of probability's, but poison is the highest chance right about now. Well, the poison is still killing you right now." She told me, as though it should be good news.
"You don't really like to be depressed or serious do you?" I ask her.
"Not really." She told me, sporting another grin.
"Well, if poison is going through me, how am I supposed to live?" I ask her, wondering if I am still going to die.
"Well kit, I can heal you. However, I want something in return." She told me, a small smile on her face. And…a blush? No, I'm just imagining things.
"What do you want? I'm not going to give you my body, my soul, I'm not going on a killing spree, I'm not drinking, I'm not doing any kind of drug, and I am not going to do anything really stupid." I told her right away.
"No kit, I don't want you to do anything like that!" She told me, laughing while she said it.
"Then what do you want?" I asked her, wondering the same thing. What does she want? I hope it isn't something too ridiculous.
Her face definitely had a blush this time. "Well, I want a kiss." She told me.
My jaw dropped. I put it back with the rest of my mouth, and then I asked "A kiss? Why would you want that?"
She blushed a little deeper, and then said "Well, you see, I have never actually kissed a guy before. I wonder what it is like."
I looked her up and down. Then I looked at her face, and said "You had problems getting a guy to kiss you?" I asked her, my eyebrow quirked.
"Well, I didn't really, I just never asked for one." She told me, rubbing the back of her head with one of her tails.
"Let me guess, you are also going to tell me you are a virgin?" I ask her.
I saw her go a little redder, and then she said "Yes, I am a virgin."
I couldn't believe it. "Aren't you female demons supposed to be masters of seduction, and always trying to seduce men and have sex with them?" I ask her, wondering if I misheard that about them.
Prelait chuckled, and then told me "Kit, that is a common myth. The only female demon seductress I know of is Neral, or Nibi as you humans would call her, and she is stuck in a female if I recall correctly. That has got to piss her off." Prelait said to me.
Great, what else about demons was a lie to me? Well, I could die to poison, or I could just kiss Prelait. Hmm….choices, choices. "Fine, I will kiss you, just save my stupid life." I mutter for her to hear.
"Ok, kit!' She said, and moved closer.
Right, I have never kissed a girl before. So, was there something special to do? Well, I might as well try and hope for the best. I leaned my head toward her, and connected our lips. I didn't really feel anything different. Just someone else's head touching mine at the lips. Nothing great, so why did people do it all the time? Maybe it is beyond me or something.
"That's it?" Prelait said, sounding disappointed. "From what Neral kept telling me, it was supposed to be an amazing thing. Oh well, a promise is a promise I suppose."
Red chakra flew around Prelait, and then launched itself at me, and seemed to flow around me. It looked like a river with the sunset reflecting off of it, I found it beautiful. Until it all converged on me, and engulfed me. Then I got scared, feeling it engulfing me. It began to fill me, eating away at everything inside of me, cutting me, healing me, and forever tearing me apart. Suddenly, it stopped.
I jerked my head up, and looked around. I was back in the room I rented. I heard someone coming down the hallway, and stop in front of my door. I put my head back down, wondering what they would do with me, or my corpse as it was supposed to be I suppose. The door creaked open, only slightly though. As though the door was trying to protect me, it seemed to protest the person barging in. However, doors couldn't keep my unknown assailant out, and the door groaned open as though it was apologizing to me.
"Are you sure this is ok?" I heard a feminine voice ask someone, I was assuming her companion.
"I hate doing it as well, but we have to. We need the money." The guy told her.
"I know, but killing people?" She asked.
"Would you rather go back to Gerth?" He asked her in a harsh tone.
"N-No! Of course not, but I still think killing others for money is wrong." She said.
"I know, but in this world, it is either them or us. I would rather it be them." He told her, conviction in his voice.
Buddy, I have to agree with you. I would rather you two die than me. However, I wanted to hear more.
"But Jell, are you sure about this?" She asked again.
"Katalyn, I'm sure." He told her. Suddenly, he moved to her quickly, and I heard her gasp. Was he trying to kill her? I slowly peek my eyes around, hoping they didn't notice. However, they seemed too busy with what they were doing: kissing. I'm not sure what they did differently than me, but their kiss seems to be a little more…fun than mine.
"Jell…" She said his name slowly.
"Katalyn, I'm taking this chance to build a better future for us, for you! Will you take it with me?" He asked her, getting on one knee.
The guy Jell, he was about six feet tall, and shaves often. He has one or two cuts from it, but other than that, nothing much. He has crystal blue eyes, and brown hair. Doesn't have a muscular build, in fact, he would be considered scrawny. He had a brown tunic on, as well as black pants.
The girl, Katalyn, had on a white dress going to the bottom of her feet. She had raven black hair going to her shoulders, and full red lips. She didn't need makeup to look good. She had brown eyes, full of innocence and wonder.
'Aw kit, I do believe he just asked her to marry him! Isn't it romantic?' Prelait thought to me in a romantic sigh. 'I wish I had a man to sweep me off my feet.'
'Then you aren't going to like me when I ruin the moment are you?' I thought to her in a question.
I heard her laugh, and then she thought to me 'Kit, I won't mind at all. A twist of the plot, who doesn't like that? Especially when the bad guy who everyone thought was dead returns, and crushes the moment!'
'Do you want to make me seem like the bad guy?' I ask her in my thoughts. 'They are the ones who poisoned me after all, and I don't even know these people!'
'Well, just make it seem interesting all right? I want you to seem like a badass when you surprise them.' She thought to me.
'Prelait, life isn't like in the books! Why do you want me to do that?' I thought to her.
'Kit, let me have my fun ok? I just want you to seem like a badass when you do this, is that so wrong?' She asked me.
'And if I don't do as you wish?' I thought to her.
'Ohhh…I could find something…unpleasant for you.' She said, and then I swore I heard a maniacal laugh.
'Fine, I'll do it your way.' I thought to her. I know I heard her giggle victoriously.
"Jell, does this mean what I think it means?" Katalyn asked him.
"What do you think it means?" He asked her.
I stood up swiftly and quietly. I didn't alert either of them, they were too caught up in their moment. They were going to hate me, be shocked, and probably be scared. Sometimes I enjoyed life for the wrong reasons. Is that a bad thing?
"It means I want one of you to get me a glass of water." I told them while leaning against the wall.
Both of the whipped around, bug-eyed. They looked at me, their mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out. "What? Do I remind you of someone you know or something?"
'Thank Kami-sama kit, I thought you were going to use the overused 'you two look like you have seen a ghost' line or something.' Prelait thought to me.
'Give me some credit here!' I thought to her.
"W-What? H-How?" The woman, Katalyn gasped.
"Are you going to get me a glass of water or not?" I asked them again. "Do you people need help doing that?" I asked them as well.
"You are supposed to be dead!" Jell screamed at me. His eyes were unfocused, his mouth worked randomly, he couldn't think of what else to say. Suddenly, he grabbed a nearby chair, raised it above his head, and rushed at me. Big mistake.
I whip out two kunai, and throw them at him with as much force as I can muster. They hit is two arms at the wrist, and sheared them completely off. I rush over, and close the door to prevent the girl from escaping. Then, I turn around slowly. When I was completely turned around, the girl had soiled herself, cringing in fear sitting on the ground, while the guy wouldn't stop yelling about the pain he was in.
"If you don't shut up, I am going to cut out your tongue." I told him in a cold voice.
"W-W-What did we ever do to you!" Katalyna screamed at me.
"You tried to poison me." I told her in a dry voice.
Her face turned a little red, but not enough to make her look like she had color. She was still scared shitless of me. Couldn't blame her, it wasn't everyday you saw a twelve year old boy cut the arms of someone else off without reacting. "So, if humpty dumpty over there is done crying, are you two going to explain to me why you tried to kill me?" I ask them.
Both of them looked away, both not willing to speak. So be it. I pull out a shuriken, and throw it hard into Jell's right leg. He crumpled to the ground, gasping out loud. I brought out another shuriken, and throw it into Katalyna's arm. "If you two don't want to talk, I can do this all day." I told them in a cold voice. Please talk though; doing this is making me sick to my stomach.
I pull out another shuriken, and this time, I dip it into an herbal concoction I had in my pouch. The herbal concoction is made for disinfecting wounds. "This is a slow poison." I told them. "It starts by paralyzing the body. Then it slowly eats away at the internal organs. It attacks each one until it is just enough to keep you alive. Then, it attacks your mind, and gives you nightmares for thirteen hours. Extremely painful and considered one of the top ten worst ways to die. Now, are you two going to talk, or Jell was it? Do you get to see your little girlfriend suffer for a full day before dieing? There is no cure, and you are next. I'm doing her first, so that she doesn't see what is in store for her."
I lifted my arm, in a throwing motion. Katalyna shrieked, and Jell screamed out "Alright! Alright. I'll tell you." He said, drawing in his breath.
"Jell, don't! You know what will happen if you tell him." Katalyna said, worry on her face.
"Katalyna, it is worth it. I would rather die than see you suffer." He said, looking her in the eyes.
"Jell…" She said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
I have had enough of this. "All right, if you two are done with the touching moment, what the Hell is going on, and why did you two try to poison me?" I asked them in a gruff voice.
'You had to ruin the moment didn't you?' Prelait said in a pouting voice.
'I'm not a romantic kind of guy.' I thought to her.
'It's a wonder no woman in her right mind would fall for you.' She thought, her voice said, oozing with sarcasm.
'I will gladly keep it that way as well.' I thought to her.
"So, any one of you two going to spill the beans, or do I have to use this?" I ask, indicating the shuriken. "Oh, and I would hurry up. If that guy doesn't get medical attention soon, he will die of blood loss." I informed them.
Jell gave a sour look, and then said "We were sent by a man named Gerth. He told us that if we killed you, we wouldn't have to listen to him any more."
I don't know of anyone named Gerth. A nickname or something? False alias? However, my only enemies I know of are the drunks in Konoha. They wouldn't go this far to kill me, at least, I don't think they would. "I don't know of anyone named Gerth. Is it a nickname?" I ask them.
"No, that has been his name since we have known him." Katalyn said, her eyes filled with worry looking at Jell's arms.
"Why does he want me dead?" I ask them.
"We don't know. All we know is that we will get paid a lot of money for doing this." Jell told me.
Of course, this world is all about money isn't it? Money rules the heart; greed consumes the soul, and only the lust for coin remains. Sad how it does it to people. "Are you sure it was me you were supposed to kill?" I asked them.
"The kid with an orange suit, red spiral on his back, whiskers for a birthmark, blue cerulean eyes, and yellow spiky hair. We are positive." Jell told me, cringing at the pain his arms must be giving him.
"How did you people know I would be out here?" I asked them.
"He told us he has a reliable source tell him." Jell told me. That was all the information he was probably told, after all, you don't let a pawn know anything important.
"Very well then, leave." I told them, opening the door for them. Before they walked out though, I stopped them with one of my hands "Oh yeah, and if you tell this Gerth guy I know about him, or anyone else I know what is going on, I will hunt you down, and kill you." I told them in the coldest voice I could say.
Both of them went wide eyed, and then quickly ran out of the hall. I close the door, and survey the room. Blood was all over the floor, thanks to the guys stumps. The chair he lifted above his head was broken, and in pieces when it landed on the floor. It barely missed his head as it fell. Well, at least there wasn't any blood on my bed. However, there is a puddle of urine mixed with blood near it. I don't think I want to stick around. I just hope being knocked out counts as sleeping.
I go to the window, and jump out. The window was only a square hole in the wall, nothing to keep me in or out. Bugs must love this place. "So, are you the reason there is the smell of blood in the air?" I heard a familiar voice say behind me.
I whip around, kunai in hand. Leaning against the wall was the warrior from earlier, Karell. "And if I am?" I asked him, holding my kunai in a defensive position.
"I saw a couple run out of the building. They were running as though death himself was on their heels. Care to explain?" He asked me, fingering the hilt of his katana.
"They tried to kill me, I took care of them." I told him, watching his feet and katana. Thos were the most dangerous parts about him.
"I see, and why did they want to kill you?" He asked me.
"A man named Gerth ordered my death." I told him. Not that he would care that much.
Karell started to chuckled, and then giggle, until he started just plain laughing. This pissed me off. "All right, just what is so funny?" I asked him.
"Not only have you managed to start a bar fight with a gang, you manage to be the target for one of the deadliest crime lords ever! Kid, I mean Naruto, you are an interesting one. I'm going with you." He told me, getting his breath back.
"Only a fool goes with a marked man." I told him.
"Correction," He told me. "Only a fool goes with a marked man, or someone looking for an adventure."
"You want an adventure?" I asked him. "Go create your own."
He grinned at me, and then said "Kid, so far, you have put more fun in the town than I could ever hope too. And you just showed up meaning no harm. Traveling with you should be fun."
"You really are a fool." I told him.
"A fool and a bounty hunter. I can take care of myself." He told me, gripping his katana even tighter. He seemed to be getting excited, as though an epic battle awaited him.
"Well, I suppose I shouldn't bother trying to stop you. However, I want you to know a couple things. One, don't call me kid. If you want to use me as bait for an adventure, you can't keep calling me kid. Second thing, I'm not going to protect you, or save you if you get hurt. You need to take care of yourself." I told him.
"So, it will be like it usually is for me, except this time I get to have more fun than usual? Works for me." He said, sporting a grin.
"Well, since you seem to know about this Gerth character, and you want to travel with me, do you know his location?" I asked him.
"Gerth is a man of mystery. Unless he himself comes looking for you, you will never find him. You have to take care of enough of his assassins to actually fight him." Karell told me.
"So, I have to kill enough of his people? Do I just have to defeat them, or do I actually have to kill them?" I asked him.
"Defeating them is the same as killing them. The guy doesn't like to keep failures among his ranks." Karell told me.
"You seem to know a lot about this guy. Any personal experiences with him?" I asked him, I didn't completely trust this guy.
"A bounty hunter has to know a lot about the tough bounties." He told me.
"Just how much is this Gerth worth anyway?" I asked him.
"He is worth ten million yen." Karell told me.
I felt my eyes widen. "T-Ten million! What has he done to be worth that much?" I asked Karell, still a little surprised.
Karell's face darkened, and he said "Don't ask. He has killed more noble families than I have collected bounties. He has destroyed small countries that looked like they would prosper. He has done so many things, most of which aren't even worth mentioning!"
Geez, this guy needed to be brought down. "Why hasn't anyone brought him in? I'm sure that being worth ten million, he has to keep a low profile, but someone must have at least a picture of him!" I exclaimed that last part.
"That's part of the problem, everyone who has seen his face has been killed. He has killed his own family, burned their house to the ground, and killed everyone else in the village he used to live. No one even knows his last name! So, hunting him down isn't easy, and it is expected the price of his head will go up soon." Karell told me.
When you are a guy who killed your entire village, just so you could commit even more crimes, you are someone that deserves to die. "So, I am marked by this guy?" I asked to no one in particular. "Well, looks like you are going to get your adventure after all." I told Karell, sporting my own grin.
"Glad to hear it." Karell told me, his eyes filling with lust, not the typical lust, battle lust. "I can't wait to see what strong opponents challenge you. I want you to give me one or two." He told me.
"You can have some of them. I don't really care about them. I only care about why this guy wants my life, nothing else." I told Karell.
"Well, if that is the case, I get first dibs on the really tough looking opponents!" He exclaimed.
"Only if I'm not interested in them." I told him, same grin on my face.
"Fine by me!" He cried with a smile on his face.
Damn it, I'm happy about discussing who gets the tougher looking opponents with a bounty hunter. Well, my life got flipped around in a short order of time.
'Are you forgetting about someone?' Prelait thought to me.
'No, you pretty much changed my view on female demons. I still don't look kindly upon you because you drink by the way. You only look fifteen!' I yelled the last part to her.
'Kit, I can look any age I want to. If I wanted to be eight, or eighty, it doesn't matter. However, I am vain. So, I want to look young, thank you very much!' She told me in a serious voice, and then broke out giggling.
"Oh yeah, Karell." I told him.
"Yeah, what is it?" He asked me.
"I should mention I am the container for a demon." I told him. Let's see how he reacts.
"For some reason, I am not that surprised." He told me.
"You aren't going to run away?" I asked him.
"Are you kidding me?" He told me in a voice that told me he thought I asked a really stupid question. "And miss seeing how a demon container deals with stuff? Not to mention, I might eventually have to fight you, and what fight could be more of a challenge than fighting a demon container!" He asked in an excited voice.
I just stared at him. "You really have a death wish don't you?" I asked him.
"No death wish, however, I don't want to die of old age. I want to die to someone who can actually kill me, not age. Fighting more powerful opponents is what I live for." He said, pulling out his katana, and staring down the length of it.
"Yeah, you are pretty crazy." I told him.
"Damn straight I am. Now, let's go. No point in hanging around this town, right?" He asked me, a goofy grin on his face.
"Nope, let's go." I told him, heading to the town gates. This was turning out to be a bigger adventure than I thought it would be.
General Badaxe- Ok, second chapter done. Damn it, you should be able o have more categories. Oh well, tell me what you people think I can improve in. Any comment, I would prefer suggestions, or anything else that can help me. Until next time, see you all later.
