Paradise Lost

By Rizember

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Beta'd by iloveme5895

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Wraiths, Rogues and Freelancers

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Death and Spring were smiling at the overly drunk Cupid. Cupid was singing Irish ballads, badly. "Crap. Thanksgiving alert." Spring turned and saw the Thanksgiving turkey stuffing itself on breadcrumbs. She wondered why the delicious looking turkey was immortal. It wasn't fair. What a waste.

"Stupid turkey," Death sniffed.

"I thought you liked turkey," Spring teased.

Pein glared at Konan, "You know I prefer blood and gore....and chicken."

"Of course. And chicken." Spring laughed.

"I want my scythe."

"Shut up. Cupid's coming."

Death chuckled, "Let the games begin."

Cupid stumbled toward them and Spring nodded over at Death. "I bet you two deaths that this will work."

Death smirked, "Three deaths say it doesn't but hell, I'll give it a shot."

(I am a page break. I like pie)

His breathing was getting heavier, less consistent. A blue flash lit up in the darkness before the blonde heard an anguished cry. It was strange how much he loved the dark. Naruto grabbed another attacker and shoved him forcefully at a wall. He heard a crack and wondered if it was the guy's spine or the wall. It didn't matter either way, they obviously both had it coming. He continued to fight out his frustration and let his mind wander. 'Rogues.' He hit another man unnecessarily hard and kicked him for good measure. He was 'pissed'.

Naruto's POV

I don't understand Rogues. They are Wraiths like us, like me, and yet they ignore our rules and purpose. That's not completely right though. There are three kinds of Wraiths. Truebloods, Rogues and Freelancers.

Truebloods are Wraiths who stick to the rules, we are Wraiths who stick to our purpose. We should never forget who we are but there are fools out there, whose sole reason for being is to oppose us. The Rogues. Bloody self-righteous hypocrites. I punched someone violently and stepped back. Then we have the Freelancers. They apparently don't choose one side. These Wraiths tend to be spies and backstabbers. But for all that, I respect them.

Freelancers are opinionated and always stick to a contract, which usually involves assassination. They at least have the decency to admit they have fallen from grace. Freelancers can decide on which side to help, and they can even help both sides if they wish.

I sighed. They're free; that's a life I wouldn't mind. Shaking my head at these thoughts, I groaned. I can't dream of being free. There's no hope for that, at least not for me. Even if I wanted to kill the Rogue, I couldn't. I am bound by a treaty to have all battles declared and observed, if between Rogues and Truebloods.

Apparently we're such a minority we can't go around killing each other on a whim unless an official war has been declared. But accidents happen; I should know. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the crushing desire to kill, but I keep kicking butt instead. I can sense Kyuubi nearby, and I don't want him to worry. Though, I think he must be impressed by my killer intent, it's been awhile since I gave off one so strong.

(I am an awesome page break. Love me)

"I'm impressed by his killer intent. It's the same one he gave off just last week when I ate all his cereal. I'm lucky to be alive." Anko ignored Kyuubi and watched Naruto train in the simulator. The thick glass separating them made sure Naruto couldn't see them. It was his first training session since they moved. Anko's eyes looked into the dark room where Naruto was using close combats techniques instead of his powers, although the occasional flash of electric blue lit up the room.

Kyuubi was in a chair beside Anko, making spit bubbles. "He's upset about something."

Anko nodded. "His fighting is sloppy today."

Kyuubi yawned. "I dunno...he's not bad for a black cord."

Anko scowled. Teenage black cords were dangerous when they went emo. She needed Naruto to concentrate. "Pay attention Naruto!" Naruto acknowledged Anko with a slight nodded and proceeded to blast a crackling ball of lightning through another man.

Cords were level assignments. In the rare occasions where Wraiths met in an approved monitored battle, colored strips of cloth were tied to their upper arm, displaying their power level. These strips were called cords and were of five colors.

White cords were worn by first level Wraiths. These were either young children just discovering their powers and hardly a threat to anyone, or they were adult Wraiths, stuck at that level. Basically, these were the weakest of the Wraiths. Purple cords were level two Wraiths. These were usually the second line of defense in battle.

Level three Wraiths were black cords and most were trained to be assassins- the first level of defense. Silver cords were level four, deadly assassins who specialized in different fields. Anko was a silver cord whose specialty was close combat assassinations. She killed Rogues in her spare time, for fun, and so far, had never gotten caught for anyone to shove the treaty in her face.

Gold cords were the strongest. These fifth level Wraiths had imposing auras about them, calling attention to themselves by weakening lesser Wraiths with their presence. They never fought in battles as the number of deaths always trumped the number of survivors. Gold cords were born at that level there was no amount of training that could raise the level of a Wraith to Gold, with one exception.

There is one other level, one that was completely off the charts, so to speak, The Hybrid Level. It was highly rare for two Wraiths to marry and have kids. There was even a time it was forbidden. It was believed the when two Wraiths reproduced, a Pureblood was born. Purebloods were said to be mentally unstable and majorly powerful, possessing multiple abilities.

Because of this, they were sometimes spitefully called Hybrids. In the past, whenever Hybrids were born, they and their parents were killed. Even though centuries had passed since that time, it still wasn't approved of which was why Naruto had to claim being adopted by his mother who he shared no resemblance with at all.

Gaara's brother and sister, Kankurou and Temari were each from a different marriage. When Kankurou's father and Temari's mother, who were both Wraiths, married, they had Gaara. Gaara and Naruto had grown up knowing they were Hybrids- and that that was a secret they should never tell. There was another name for Hybrid Wraiths, demons.

Anko scowled. "His fighting is animalistic today. It's like he's attacking anything that moves."

"He is."

"The report will NOT look good."

"I know!" Kyuubi exclaimed.

"What?"

"We need someone to blame!"

Anko raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm listening..."

" We could blame Pete the pizza guy."

" Nah. I blamed him just this morning."

"Bad weather?"

"It's been disgustingly mild."

Kyuubi nodded, "We could blame global warming..."

"Government already called dibs."

(HAHAHAHA nice)

"Damn. I guess we could just blame the Uchiha."

Anko shrugged, "Yeah sure, why not."

"Which Uchiha?" They both turned toward the door. A tall male with his dark hair tied back was staring at them. His eyes were red. Kyuubi got up and faced him.

"Itachi." Before Anko could react, Itachi pulled out a gun and shot Kyuubi.

(I am a page break. Fear me)

Sasuke knocked on the door. "Enter!" He walked in, followed closely by Shikamaru and Neji. "Ah, hello guys." Sasuke wasn't paying attention to him, he was looking at Kurenai.

Kurenai looked up and smiled, "Hi guys. The girls will be here in a minute."

Sasuke turned sharply back to Kakashi. "You're planning an assassination?" Kakashi blinked then he laughed.

"No, he isn't," Kurenai glared at Kakashi. "He wants to do something much worse."

"What?" Neji asked, seeing that Kakashi was still laughing uncontrollably.

"He wants to kill Lady Fluffles."

The boys stared. "Lady...Fluffles..."

"Yes," Kurenai sniffed, looking at the class pet on the desk she was standing in front of. Apparently Kakashi wanted to kill Lady Fluffles, the pet gerbil. Shikamaru sat down and immediately rested his head on the desk.

Sasuke and Neji sat on the desk tops, watching Kakashi. "Why?" Neji asked.

"She's old," Kakashi smiled, still giggling a bit.

"So?"

"Well, instead of going through all the girls in class freaking out and getting depressed thus deciding to start drinking and eventually becoming prostitutes because of their grieving, I suggested we should kill Lady Fluffles and replace her before anyone notices." They continued to stare at him.

"So, you figure Lady Fluffles will be the cause of their prostitution."

"You can't underestimate the power of fluffy animals on females." As Kurenai threw a sharp pencil that jabbed Kakashi in the arm, there was a knock on the door. Tenten and Sakura both came in carrying sodas.

Kakashi sighed, "Tenten, how many times have I told you not to influence the vending machine?" Tenten tossed him a pack of gummy bears. "My favorite! Thanks Ten."

Kurenai shook her head and looked at Tenten. "Did you pay for those?"

Tenten shrugged, "Someone did. The machine ate their money and didn't put out."

"Is it just me or did that sentence have sexual innuendo?" Kakashi whispered to the guys.

Shika opened one eye from where his head was resting and said, "She DID say the machine didn't put out, but no, it's still just you."

Sakura sat by Sasuke, on the desk next to his. "Hey Sasuke."

"Hey." Neji shot Sasuke a worried look. He usually answered "Hn". Just then, they heard a loud unearthly cry. Kakashi rushed into the hallway and spotted Gai, the gym teacher, holding onto the wall to steady himself. Kakashi rushed forward while the others watched warily from a distance.

"What happened?!"

"My balls!"

Kakashi blinked. "Um...should I get the nurse?"

"NOOO!"

"Well...there's really nothing I can do. Not that you're not attractive or anything but-"

"I mean the Sports balls," Gai said dryly.

Kakashi sighed, relieved. "Oh that goodness! Well, uh...what about them?" Gai let loose a fresh wail and Kakashi steeled himself for a long youthful speech. The balls were probably flat and Gai was mourning their loss of youthful pumpedness. "Erm, do you need a pump?"

Gai stared, "No! The code to enter the equipment room! IT'S BEEN CHANGED!"

"Uh, yeah, and this is bad, how?"

"I can't get in to get the BALLS!"

"Ah yes. The balls, tragic story. Can't you ask Tsunade for the new code?"

"SHE DOESN'T KNOW IT!!!"

"Well-"

"Someone did this! Someone cold-hearted and unyouthful!!! It's the only answer!!!" Gai was weeping openly and holding onto the highly uncomfortable Kakashi. Kakashi looked pointedly at Tenten and sighed.

"We will use every non-violent way possible to get to the bottom of this."

"I'll get the chainsaw ready." Kakashi glared and Tenten smirked back. 'Smartass.'

The meeting had to be called off because Gai couldn't drive himself home in that condition. Both Kakashi and Kurenai left with Gai because Kakashi said there was no way he'd drive Gai home alone without anyone finding the green-clad man's body by the roadside the next day. Neji and Shika watched with open mouths as Sakura asked if she could walk home with Sasuke, who seemed deep in thought, and he nodded.

Tenten dragged Neji away on a forced date and Shikamaru yawned, not having enough energy to say how troublesome it all was. Sasuke was frustrated he hadn't gotten to talk to Kakashi about the new Wraith in town. He scowled just thinking about the blonde Trueblood. He hated that his body had reacted the way it did.

He usually had more control over his powers but just one day with her and he was disrupting Weathermen everywhere. But, he smirked to himself; at least he wasn't the only one with the problem. He recalled how the sparks had lit up from her and blasted him away. Lightning huh? Her power, it had stung a little, when he'd grabbed her hand.

But when she reacted, involuntarily spiking him with the bolt of electricity, he'd felt, tingly. He shook his head. Her power was easy enough to beat. She probably hadn't even noticed his. She was so obviously a level two. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura and raised an eyebrow at her, "What?"

"We're here." He looked up. They were at her house. "Would you like to come in?"

"No."

Sakura sighed, "Goodbye then." He nodded and walked away. Sakura looked up at the sky where a small patch of dark clouds were moving right above Sasuke. She smiled.

(I am a page break. I break pages)

Naruto ran into the room when he heard the shot and stared at the man standing over his brother. As lightning started cackling around his body, he heard a deep chuckle. Naruto looked down and stared. Kyuubi was on the floor, laughing. Anko sighed and stepped forward, startling Naruto who hadn't noticed her standing there.

Kyuubi got up and tackled Itachi. The gun fell to the floor and Anko put a restraining hand on Naruto, "Don't make a sound. What you're seeing here is proof that guys are idiots." Eventually, the wrestling match on the floor ceased and Kyuubi grinned at the pale guy with the red eyes.

Naruto stared, he looked familiar. "Itachi, what the hell! I don't see you in YEARS and then you just come in and SHOOT me!?"

Itachi smiled, "What can I say? I missed the old days." Naruto blinked. Was that the latest style of male bonding? Shooting each other? Kyuubi shrugged his shirt off and Naruto watched as the bullet was pushed out of the wound and it healed.

For Kyuubi to do that while Itachi watched- "You're a Wraith." Itachi looked up and smiled widely.

"This must be your shifting little brother!" Naruto glared at Kyuubi.

Kyuubi just smiled, "He's an old friend." Naruto nodded and shook Itachi's hand in greeting.

"Anko."

"Itachi."

Itachi helped Kyuubi up and said, "I didn't mean to barge in and disturb you, though it was really easy-"

"YOU BASTARD!" Itachi blinked and looked at Kyuubi who was staring at the hole in his shirt, that he supposedly hadn't noticed before. "THIS WAS MY FAVOURITE SHIRT!" The others sighed and Anko picked up the gun and shot Kyuubi again. "Anko! Bloody hell!"

Anko just smiled and turned to Itachi, "It was EASY for you to come in because you were ALLOWED in. I could easily have you killed. Also," she shot Itachi. "I bought Kyuubi that shirt."

Itachi and Kyuubi were swearing at Anko and her kin (particularly her mother) and Naruto turned to Anko. "Can I shoot them too?"

"NO!" the guys shouted. Naruto shot them anyway. She was glad Itachi could heal because she got a weird pleasure from shooting him and Anko had to take the gun away. With their shirts full of holes and the bullets all expelled from their bodies, Kyuubi and Itachi glared at Naruto who smiled innocently at them.

Anko left the room and came back with two sweaters. One had a reindeer on it and the other, a puppy. "I call dibs on the reindeer!" Kyuubi shouted, and Itachi swore. They changed and Anko kicked them out.

"Naruto, I'll see you next week." Naruto nodded and followed the guys out.

"Aren't you going to Shift female?" Itachi asked when they were all in the car. He'd called shotgun.

Naruto frowned at him from the back seat and said, "No. I'll be living with my dad for awhile."

"He can't handle a daughter?"

Kyuubi snorted, "You should have been there for the birds and the bees talk."

"You asked if you were a bird or a bee, huh?" Kyuubi nodded, grinning.

"He called mom and asked her to continue where he left off," Naruto put in.

"Which was?"

"Right at the start." They got to the side of town with manicured lawns and pet poodles.

"You SERIOUSLY live here?" Itachi asked.

Naruto nodded, "Embarrassing huh?"

"No duh, my house is a few blocks from here."

"So is our mom's."

"Separation?" Naruto nodded, he wasn't sure if he could call it that. Their parents had been 'separated' for nearly ten years and he'd caught them making out many times.. Obviously they didn't understand the concept.

Itachi and Kyuubi left Naruto on the driveway with Kyuubi saying he'd drop Itachi off and come back. Naruto walked up the front steps and entered the house. His father never locked it. He trusted that burglars would lock up after themselves once they were done. "Dad?! Hello!"

"Naruto? I'm in here!" Naruto walked into the kitchen and stared. His father's head was under the sink and there was a box of tools next to him.

"Dad, I thought we discussed this. Hire plumbers to do the plumbing, it's a simple concept."

"Shut up and hand your dad a wrench." Naruto did as he was told and watched the scene unfold. In a matter of seconds, Namikaze was yelling for a bucket. Naruto, amused as hell, watched his dad dry off as the bucket filled up.

Namikaze had blonde hair and mischievous blue eyes. Naruto got his knack for pranks from him, and his skill for getting away with said pranks from his mother. "Hey Naruto," Namikaze smiled, drying his hair. "Good first day?"

Naruto laughed, "Hi dad. Yeah."

"Dont mention this DIY plumbing to your mother, ok?" Naruto looked thoughtful until a twenty was flashed in his face.

He took it and looked at the wet floor, "I blame global warming."

"You're a good kid."

"Namikaze?!"

"Go help your mom, she brought groceries." Naruto nodded and left. In the hall, he found a beautiful red head pulling off a magnificent balancing act with the shopping bags.

"Naruto! Hey, how was school?"

Naruto shrugged, "It was okay."

"Make any new friends?"

"Yes mom. Here, let me help you with that."

"Thanks love."

"Meet anyone interesting?"

"Mom..."

"What? Can't a mother wonder if her child has found their soul mate?"

"No."

"Aw, come on!"

"Mom!"

Kushina Uzumaki sniffed, "Fine." Naruto threw her a look that said he wasn't going to fall for her pouting. "I'll start dinner. Where's Kyuubi?"

"Dropping off a friend. He'll be back soon."

"Alright. I...WHAT HAPPENED IN HERE!?" Naruto snorted at his dad's sheepish look before escaping to his room upstairs. Ah, sanctuary.