Naka za Kitsune
Chapter 2:
Life or Death Decision
By - Diamonds
It was very dark and gloomy; the only light was the light coming from in-between the trees, and even then it wasn't the best light. I looked around in slight amazement, wondering if this was just a genjutsu or something. But, where was this place?
Suddenly, a small kitsune ran from the bushes. I jumped and screamed—or tried to, at least. Here . . . I couldn't speak! I felt my throat in scared wonder, but decided to look back in the direction of the fox. Hey, he (I think it was a 'he') had to be going somewhere, and where that somewhere was, I needed to be. I'm not what you would call 'nature girl,' and I don't think I'd last for much longer. WAIT—how long have I been here? I heard a noise, interrupting my thoughts, and looked. It was where the kitsune had come from . . . . Only, I think that instead of the kitsune running somewhere, I think it was running from something to go somewhere safe. Yep, it's a kuma. On closer look, it turned out to be a higuma. So, I should run. Smart, though. The kitsune was running downhill. Wonder who, or what, taught him that. So, I tried to use my chakra to enhance my footing, but I couldn't.
I wasn't able to use any chakra!
/Where is that kitsune now? Oh, there he is!/ I thought angrily. This fox was starting to annoy me, and I don't know why.
There you are.
/Nani? What the hell's going on around here?/
Nothing that should be worrisome. Unless you don't do as I say.
/WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU, YOU FREAK?!/
Don't be so vulgar to someone who's going to save your life.
/. . . What the freak?/
Kitsune rolled his eyes and sidestepped around a small pool that was connected to both a mini-river and a mini-waterfall. /I wonder if this is just a joke. Probably is./
No, it's not a joke. He let me stare at him with my mouth open a bit before grinning a creepy kitsune grin at me. Look inside, he advised. I complied, aware of his chortling (probably at me.)
/Nani?/ I asked for the umpteenth time in about three minutes.
That is you. You're at your house, pretty beaten up, too. That jutsu was probably supposed to be used with a more suitable time on a more suitable opponent and with a person to guide you through the steps. You slipped up on your 'hare' seal. You twitched, he said, answering every un-asked question in the book.
/Don't be such a jamakusaikitsune. I don't need your help!/
/Man, was I writing my death page already?/
Yes.
/This sucks! Shimatta you old kitsune!/
You are wrong on both accounts.
/Nani?/
Never mind. Just look again . . . The pool, baka. Well, I forgot it was there. Kami-sama.
In the reflection was me—at my house—in my bed—and with Sakura-chan (Sakura?) kneeling beside me, shaking her head. Took me a while to realize that she was shaking her head about me and to my father and mother . . . otousan and kaasan . . . wait, Leiko, Takashi, and Sen . . . they're there too. /What's happening?/
You're dying.
That hit me like a ton of bricks . . . /I can't die yet—I'm only eleven and a half! I haven't even finished school yet! I only chased down this person because he taunted me to no end! He was from the Sound or something!!!!! Why me?/
There is one way to save yourself. I looked at him, waiting for him to tell me the answer. I would give (almost) anything to stay alive right about now. You could sign a blood contract with the kitsune and then you would be saved. I nodded and then patted his head, not sure of what I was supposed to do. He glared. Oh, well, I tried, didn't I? Just take out the scroll, bite your thumb, sign the contract, with your blood, in the nearest opening, and finally I will be able to heal you so you don't die. Wait . . .
/So, this whole thing is just so that I don't die? Nani . . . why?/
Because you will do something in the future to our benefit. Plus, you are a good person with a full life ahead of you. I have seen your future, and it is bright.
/How cliché./
What? You don't want to live?
/Hai! Yes, I would love to!—but, we're not talking too much blood, are we? And where is this scroll thingy? And how much time do I have left? And who will I marry?/
Kitsune shot me a foxy glare and then I shrugged. Hey, it was worth a try, wasn't it? That is not important. I would say you have a minute and fifteen seconds left by this time.
/A minute and fifteen seconds left? This is murder!!/
As, I fumbled to get the scroll (which had magically shown up on my lap) and unfold it, Kitsune said, All in due time, shoujo. Just sign. Fifty-five seconds left!
This was the fastest I had ever worked. I bit my thumb, wrote Hyuuga Kaito/Uzumaki Kaitou. The reason: my family had a hard time figuring out what to call me. So, I really do have two names. Once I had finished, the scroll disappeared in a plume of purpl-ish pink smoke and I felt a burning pain on my wrist, next to the top of my hand . . . it appeared to be a reddish gold-ish circle. When I turned to thank kitsune, he was gone. Actually, my surroundings were gone. I was on a vast pit of blinding white light. And, I was falling, falling, falling . . .
"Hinata," Naruto whispered when he heard her muffled cries, "we will carry on, you hear me? We will." He said the last part with confirmed pride, though he was breaking inside.
Just at that moment, Sakura came running into the separate room that they had walked sullenly into, though she was smiling broadly with tears streaming down her face. Hinata almost killed her.
"What the hell are you smiling for, you baka? My daughter is dead, yet here you smile and laugh at our pain and misery!" Sakura just laughed, holding her stomach. This got Naruto and (surprisingly) Hinata worried—was their friend going insane right in front of their eyes?
"Otousan! Kaasan!" Came the familiar sound of their daughters . . . only these daughters weren't Sen and Leiko. No, they were Sen and Kaito. Kaito.They ran into the room in a dead sprint, hoping - no, praying to Kami that this was not a cruel joke—praying that they weren't the puppets for a hoax.
"Kaasan! Otousan!" Came the voices again, though this time their daughter's pale face was tanned healthily again and her slight whisker marks were deeper. Her dulled strawberry-blonde hair was shiny again. For one heart wrenching moment, they both thought that the Kyuubi was in their daughter, also, but that passed almost as fast as it had started. It must have been something around her eyes. There was no possible way her eyes were golden just then. No way. They were blue. like Hinata's, only icy-blue. Like Naruto's. That struck more fear into them, but it passed easily when she spoke softly, regaining health; and fast.
"I'm so glad to be home," their daughter said, closing her eyes and falling back into a peaceful sleep. This one to be intervened by nightmares about a giant fox with eight, no, nine tails flailing about. But, she didn't care (at least not until that part where a man that looked like her father, only with longer hair, killed the fox—and himself) . . . she was at home. Home.
Good night,
Sleep tight—
Don't let the bedbugs bite.
Kill the fright,
And hold tight—
They can't hurt you tonight.
Play a tune,
Snooze 'till noon—
But remember Chishou no Mori,
Remember the whole entire story.
Well, was that good? I really am eager to know! And, don't laugh at my pathetic attempt for poetry. I know it's bad! xD but, that's why I'm in school for it. Literally. (And sadly.)
-Ace of Diamonds-