Thank you to all those who read Let Me and enjoyed it. I know I'm not exactly the best writer out there but the warm fuzzies from people who did like it are much appreciated. And as I promised, here is the next installment. *bows*
Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I'm not rich, I don't spend large amounts of time drawing manga, nor is my name Mishashi Kishimoto. Thus I cannot be the owner of Naruto.
In the end, Naru and Kurai ended up staying several days. Not because of difficulties in Naru's recovery, but simply because they could.
Bloody women.
Although he probably could've done without the surprise visit from the Hokage.
It was the day after the Kyuubi festival, Naru having completely recovered over night - proving Kurai's excellent chakra control and healing abilities as well as her larger than the normal academy student's chakra reserves - was demanding him to prove that he had learnt how to cook by making them breakfast.
He could still see the hurt and sadness hidden underneath the loud cheer that she was projecting. Why was she hiding it? Why did villages hurt her in the first place? Why did they hate her so much?
Kurai was being her ever sarcastic self, although the dark bags under her eyes and the fact she had raided his kitchen for coffee the first thing in the morning gave more away than the melancholy air she hid underneath the biting remarks. Kurai never drank coffee straight.
Figuring that whatever had happened last night would be explained later, Sasuke simply replied to the blonde's words with his usual half insulting, half complementary jabs, complying with her request to make breakfast any way. Partly as a way to make Naru feel better after last night, partly because he did not want a half-asleep Kurai anywhere near the stove. He didn't care how good she was doing things while half awake, but sue him for not wanting to avoid paying any repair costs because of her not quiet awake unawareness.
Having made a simple breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon, the three settled down to eat when there was a knock on the door. Disgruntled and annoyed, the boy went to get it - after all, he was the host of the house - and after opening it, was greeted by the sight of the Hokage and several ANBU.
"Hokage-ji!" came an excited shout and there was a blur of orange and blond that zoomed past him and tackled the Hokage in a hug.
"Mah~ I thought you had forgotten again old man." greeted Kurai as she also padded to the entrance.
The Uchiha was surprised at their informality to the leader of their village, and was even more surprised when the old man just chuckled along with his ANBU guard.
"I'm not going to forget again after what had happened last time I forgot, my paper work actually tripled because of your little prank."
"I simply reminded you what day it was, the other ninja were the ones who blew it out of proportions." was the mild reply
Looking at the dark haired girl's smirk, the boy asked carefully, "Do I even want to know?"
The looks of dark amusement from everyone else said it all.
Remembering that they were still standing outside, Sasuke invited everyone in, mentally groaning at the cleaning the girls were sure to put him through later.
"May I ask for the nature of this visit?"
Naru blinked owlishly at him while the Hokage gave Kurai a look.
"You haven't told him?"
The kunoichi just shrugged and replied, "We don't exactly broadcast our birthdays, Naru's especially seeing as people hate her enough already."
The boy gave them a rather injured look - as hurt as his Uchiha pride would let him anyway - before asking "It's Naruko's birthday?"
The response from the blond haired girl was oddly minor, "Actually it was my birthday yesterday, but due to connotations that it gives to some of the villagers, I generally don't go telling people left, right and centre." she said before launching herself at the ANBU gibbering away while pleading for her presents.
Glancing at the other female for further explanation, she sighed and began to explain while the blond practically clawed her way all over the visitors for presents they had brought for her.
"As you know the Kyuubi was defeated on October the tenth nine, no, ten years ago now. Naruko turned ten yesterday." was all she said, her face a completely blank facade.
Confused by the information, Sasuke frowned as he considered her words. What was the link between the two facts? Suddenly it hit him, further enforcing the fact that the villagers were idiots for him.
"Are you saying that because Naruko was born on the same day as the Kyuubi was defeated that she is the Kyuubi?" he asked incredulously.
"Yup, something along the lines of that." something dark flashed through her eyes, sending a shiver down his spin. For a moment a second image overlay the original, one of a demonic form with inhuman yellow eyes.
"Either way, we celebrate her birthday a day afterwards seeing as the old man is busy on the actual day. Seeing we basically are friends with the ANBU, they generally pop by and drop off presents." she added nodding to the now growing pile of cheerfully wrapped parcels at the foot of the table as they were unsealed from sealing scrolls. As a particularly large parcel was gifted to Naru, Kurai paled.
"Oi old man that better not be what I think it is."
The old man smiled innocently, "Well, you'll just have to wait and find out wouldn't you?" was his reply before producing a more mundanely wrapped parcel from under his robes. "And this is for you. Serpent was rather adamant that you get it as soon as possible."
Quirking a brow she accepted it, hefting it several times to check the weight. Still unsure as to what it contained, Kurai began unwrapping the gift, and when the gleam is a blade peeked through she smiled.
"What is that?"
"A kyoketsu-shoge" she replied a satisfied smile on her face as she freed the rest of it from the confines, "It is considered as the predecessor of a kusarigama although I like to think of it as the better version. I outgrew my last one and while Tenten's father can make adequate ones, the quality of the ones Serpent's favorite blacksmith makes are somewhat better, might have something to do with demand."
The weapon resembled a dagger with a long weighted chain attached and Sasuke had no doubt that Kurai could wield the weapon to a deadly degree.
"Naruko! Heads up!" was the only warning the other girl got before with a flick of her wrist the dark haired girl sent the blade hurtling towards the blonde. Jumping out of the way with a piece of toast hanging from her mouth and arms around a half unwrapped present, Naru scowled at her friend.
"Hey! You could have destroyed my present!" shouted the girl after shoving the rest of the bread into her mouth.
"Oh please," was the drawled reply, "like it could have. That's a new set of kunai, I can hear them clinking from here."
"Why you...!" was all the foxy girl could say before ripping the rest of the wrapping off the present and grabbing the kunai within, "I'll get you for that!"
The boy could only sigh as the two launched themselves at each other, thankfully keeping it small until they exited his home via window and got serious once outside. At least they had learnt their lesson about fighting indoors, paying for repairs were a pain. That was until he spotted the gash on the floor from Kurai's initial attack. Temple pulsing, the last loyal Uchiha threw himself out the window as well, unwittingly teaming up with his blonde friend against the assault against Kurai.
"You Bitch! You made another hole in the floor!"
From within, sipping a cup of tea, the Hokage and his guard watched the battle unfold as the dark haired girl tried to defend herself from her friends with amusement.
After that episode had past, life went on as usual. Naruko pulling pranks on the general populace, Kurai being better than any of the academy kunoichi by a large margin, Sasuke just beating Kurai be a tiny bit.
He suspected that she threw the scores so that he would come out with the top scores. Why? He didn't know, but it did mean he was one step closer to his goal of killing that man.
Until one day, a new student was introduced to the class.
"Ok, this is Ayakashi Shigure everybody, be kind to him."
Instantly, the two girls he reluctantly called friends froze up, going from relaxed caution to high alert. Oddly enough, the new boy narrowed his eyes when his gaze swept over the pair.
It could've been directed only at one of them, but seeing as they came as a pair majority of the time it was hard to tell.
The new boy was seated next to Kurai, who systematically ignored his presence, even as he attempted to be kind to her. The class proceeded without too much drama, but almost everyone could feel the sizzling tension underneath. Evidence was even Naruko and the Inuzuka actually remained quite and behaved in class which was normally full of disruptions of all sorts.
Finally lunch arrived, at which, Naru and Kurai promptly disappeared outside, Sasuke following them at a more sedate pace to give the illusion of them not being friends. Finding the two at their usual lunch spot - a grove of trees that was well hidden from the outside - he joined them with a questioning look.
"What was that about?"
"None of your business." the dark haired girl snapped, the tone of finality warning him not to push the matter. Shrugging it off as a personal matter that wasn't too major, he ate his lunch, listening to Naru as she carefully steered the conversation away from topics that could lead to potential explosion and calmed the obviously agitated girl.
Personally, he couldn't see what was wrong with the boy. He was open and polite, good at certain parts of the curriculum and bad with other parts, a fairly normal person with likes and dislikes, who could get along with majority of the class. Non-descript shaggy brown hair with matching brown eyes and an easy smile, he really couldn't see why she seem to hate him so much.
The next few days were similar, the underlying tension slowly building up as time passed. The only change was Kurai's scores had plummeted down to rock bottom. The way Naru skirted around subjects and the way she avoided antagonizing the irate girl was telling enough. Anyone who annoyed her in the slightest way immediately had their head chewed off, quickly, painfully and mercilessly.
The whole thing just stagnated, like pressure building up in a pressure cooker, waiting to explode.
About two weeks after Shigure's arrival, excrement finally hit the fan.
It started at lunch; the low buzz of conversation began as everyone brought out their lunches.
"Ne Shigure, would you like to join us for lunch" asked a Sasuke fangirl member who had seen error of her ways and promptly switched to the new boy instead.
"No! Join me!" cooed another one.
Eventually there was a crowd of females gathered around the boy as Sasuke looked on in pity.
"Fuck it."
Suddenly Kurai was standing on the boy's desk, one foot braced on the table, hands fisting his shirt as she yanked the boy up to face level.
"You will drop the fucking illusion and face me like a man you son of a bitch instead of sneaking around like a goddamned coward." She growled, eyes seeming to glow with a feral light.
The surrounding crowd gasped and immediately a hubbub arose as the class protested against her actions.
"It's alright," placated the boy, his gaze never leaving hers, "she's right you know."
Suddenly he pushed the girl, sending himself to the other side of the room where his image flickered and became a man of around 18. He looked similar to before, same features on an older body. But now furry ears peeked out beneath the hair as well as a swishing tail, lazily wagging behind him. Strangely enough, he wasn't dressed in a standard ninja outfit, instead was dressed in civilian clothes with a breastplate over the top.
A smug smirk on his face, the former classmate drawled condescendingly "My, you took much longer to respond than I had expected, although I do suspect you knew who I was from the moment I entered the class Ku-chan."
"Of course, as if the surname wasn't obvious enough, after all, no member of the prestigious Ayakashi clan would lower themselves to be a ninja" she spat in reply before delicately covering her nose, "You also happen to carry the perpetual smell of a dog drowned in sewerage."
"You wound me dear sister."
Heads swiveled around so quickly it was a surprise no one got whiplash.
Kurai's response was to laugh bitterly, "Dear sister? I haven't been that since I was five you bastard."
It was obvious that there was something between the two that none of the class knew about, although the bristling Naruko suggested that she at least knew something about what was going on.
"I don't know why you're here but all I have to say is to stay out of my life. Which ever elder set you up to this can go die in a hole for all I care." She dismissed, "And don't bother pretending you care, I know for one you don't."
"Mah~ you think an elder sent me?" mocked the man, "Unfortunately for you, you're wrong."
Her body tensing was barely perceptible, but it was there.
"No, I'm here to finally cleanse the world of your filth," each word was sharp as a dagger, "I couldn't do anything before, but now I can finally do what I was fated to DO!"
Lunging for the girl at incredible speeds, the Uchiha briefly caught sight of out stretched claws before the two connected, sending them flying through the wall.
"KURAI!"
Gathering around the hole in the wall, majority of the academy students were stunned at the battle going on outside. Even though they had only been fighting for moments, the area was littered with destruction; broken branches, craters in the ground with sharp rocks littering the area. It looked more like one of the battle scenes from the second war than a fight between an academy student and someone who was most likely a higher ranked ninja. Who were seemingly on equal ground.
Flashes from Kurai's weapon and what were most likely attack jutsu's from her opponent as well as blurs of colors that were the two fighters was all that the students could see.
It seemed Shigure had landed a solid hit as suddenly the girl slammed into the wall next to the hole.
"Dammit!" she swore under her breath, clutching her ribs. The next moment Naruko was next to her, eyes wide with worry.
"I think I broke a couple of ribs," Kurai replied in a pained hiss.
"See little sister, you can never defeat me."
Instantly the girl glared at the man. Then to everyone's surprise Naruko growled at the man.
"What's the big idea beating her up? It's not like she asked for it to happen you crazy bastard!" she snarled as she moved in front of Kurai, ready to defend her friend.
"No Naruko, he isn't someone we can fight one on one with at our level." pleaded the injured girl, eyes wide with concern.
"How about two on one then?"
Sasuke stepped out onto the battle field as well, joining Naruko protectively in front of Kurai as Shigure narrowed his eyes at the new players.
"You two…" she murmured dazedly, trying to comprehend what was going on.
"Ne Kurai, your our friend aren't you?" asked the blonde cheerfully, adopting a battle stance, "Friends stick up for each other."
"And fight together." Added the boy as he took up his own stance, "So how long will it take to fix yourself up?"
Staring at the two for a moment longer, Kurai could no longer hold the thankful smile back.
"Moron," she replied condescendingly, slowly getting up, cuts and scrapes fading from sight and soon only her tattered clothes spoke of her fight from before, "I was healing myself the moment I hit that wall."
Picking her dropped weapon and tucking it away, the girl took her place among her friends, she grinned viciously.
"I may be low on chakra but I can still put up one heck of a fight!"
The man who called himself Kurai's brother watched them for a moment before raising a hand and flexing it, revealing that he indeed did have claws.
"Very well," he smirked nastily before charging towards them, "I'll just crush all three of you instead."
In response, Naruko and Sasuke sprung forwards, actions mirroring each other as they came from below.
"As if an attack like that could hit me." He gloated as he deflected the two children's blows.
"How about a three way attack?"
Suddenly the beast man found himself surrounded on three sides, each student bearing down on him with the intent to kill.
"GWAH!"
The attack hit, sending him reeling as pain flared.
Without pause, the three followed up with successive attacks, a flurry of movement as they wove around each other with perfect timing to deliver hits of varying degrees success.
Sasuke broke away, hands flashing through a familiar set of handseals as the two females dashed away leaving their enemy directly in the path of the technique
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"
The fireball quickly enveloped the man, Kurai and Naru came to rest besides the boy.
"Did we get him?"
"Yeah, but I swear that resilience is a family trait, he isn't going to get knocked out of a fight that easily."
Smoke cleared as Kurai unraveled her kyoketsu-shoge again, while the other two prepared themselves to continue the fight.
"Heh, that tickled brat." Laughed the man as he was revealed, arms crossed in front of him to absorb the brunt of the impact, completely unharmed.
Sasuke clicked his tongue in annoyance, making plans to get the information out of Kurai later as he sprang forward alongside his blonde friend.
Dodging the swipe at them, Naruko latched onto an arm pulling the man off balance as the Uchiha aimed kick towards his chin.
Growling, 'Shigure' grabbed Sasuke's foot throwing him into a nearby tree with Naruko following soon after.
"Damn brats, think you two can take on a fully trained member of the Ayakashi clan?" he snarled towering over the two.
All of a sudden, the weighted end of Kurai's weapon wrapped around his neck, tightening before jerking the man backwards, dumping him unceremoniously onto his back.
"Honestly you keep forgetting that there is three of us." Sighed the girl as she idly twirled the blade on the other end of the chain.
Growling, the man threw himself at the girl closing his claws around her neck while everyone else stared on horrified that she didn't react. Instead she just stood there, a victorious gleam in her eye.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!"
"And that you're at the academy." She added mildly as if it was an afterthought in a discussion about the weather, "Did you really think that the teachers wouldn't come and investigate the fighting?"
Iruka-sensei stormed over, forcing the man to release the dark haired girl so he could escape.
Before he left though he saw the girl mouth something at him with a dark smirk.
"I'm free my dear o-nii-chan~."
HOLY CRAP THAT WAS LONG! I'm not a very good fight scene writer so hopefully this is somewhere between decent and good… Just a couple of translations and explanations that may or may no help:
kyoketsu-shoge: literally "to run about in the fields and mountains". But no, it's a weapon, in fact it is a blade attached to a chain or rope (Apparently it use to be hair…) with a handle or weight at one end for the wielder to hold. It can be used as a short range weapon by holding the blade or long range by holding the end of the chain and well…throwing it? I came across it while watching Ninja assassin, which I swear has some of the best fight scenes ever but no plot…and why is a Korean guy playing a Japanese character?
Kusarigama: literally "Sickle and chain". Those who have watched Inuyasha may have seen one being used by Sango's brother Kohaku. And it actually is a sickle and a chain…
Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu: Fire release : Grand fireball technique. Sasuke's favorite jutsu, 'nough said.
Well hope that was helpful. A little more on Kurai's back ground coming up and a couple of other bits and pieces. And I fixed up a bunch of things in the first chapter so hopefully it's a better read now.
Oh! And clicking the button below will be much appreciated!