Clare, designated number 47, the Organisations weakest Claymore was heading through a forest path.
There were no bandits, no humans shooting scathing looks, no Yoma thankfully, and no signs of life apart from the animals either cautiously gazing at her or trying to hide.
All in all it was a rather relaxing moment, yet somehow she just knew it wouldn't last. A Claymore just can't catch a break.
She had just finished hunting a small pack of Yoma earlier in the day. Killing them was easy enough. Finding and luring them out was the hard part. Eventually they got tired of hiding and tried to ambush her.
Not one lived.
After giving the classic 'pay-the-creepy-dude-in-black' company motto she left without even a backward glance.
Since then things were rather quiet. She still had to meet up with her handler later, but till then she could relax.
That was worrying to her as everytime she let her guard down, something always happened. Something unexpected. She wasnt too good at expecting the unexpected.
Just good enough.
Clare ducked suddenly narrowly avoiding a lunge from a...frog?
Whilst it wasn't uncommon to run into animals this deep in the woods. Animals usually knew better than to attack Claymores. That and the fact that most frogs weren't as big as dogs.
The frog landed on its fore limbs swerving to a halt in front of a tree.
It allowed her a space of seconds to take in its form before pushing off in a large leap towards her at breakneck speeds that she couldn't anymore.
She had only enough time to draw her sword before it struck her in the side, sinking a tanto into her abdomen.
She felt intense pain and shock. Though she felt the former more than the latter.
No frog should be able to wield swords.
"What are you? Some frog breed of Yoma?"
The frog looked towards her like it could understand her. Then its eyes narrowed in fury and it charged her again.
Thinking quickly she swiftly elbowed it on the head, stunning it considerably. And once it released its grip, batted it away with the sharp side of her sword.
The frog didn't stand a chance. The sword cleaved it into two clean halves. It fell limply to the floor...and burst into smoke?
"What...just...happened?"
That was the only thought forming in her head. Animals didn't just turn into smoke.
Hell, animals didn't attack Claymores. Period.
She stared at the spot where the frog 'died' with great suspicion.
In retrospect, she should have just forgotten about it and left it alone.
She placed a hand on her abdominal region, the tanto in her stomach having turned to smoke. Blood flowed freely from the wound.
Covering the wound with her hand, she walked slowly forward. The wound healing at a fast rate.
Just as the wound finished closing up, she heard a loud puff sound. Turning her head she was greeted with, a headbutt, to the gut, by a much larger frog.
The impact launched her straight though several dozen trees causing her to grunt.
Planting her legs into the earth, Clare tried to slow herself from flying.
She ended up landing at a cliff ledge just millimeters from a terrible descent.
"What the hell? That was close." Clare muttered and secretly said a prayer to every deity in existence.
"How could a frog pack such a punch."
Just then there was a large impact that spurred up a dangerously loud rumble. Large amounts of dust was spurred up as a large toad the size of a horse landed in front of her.
Clare's legs shifted dangerously close to the end of the ledge.
The frog was huge in her eyes. Its skin was a dazzling blue with orange spots on its head and most of its back. It had a straw hat attached to its back.
She noted that it didn't seem to have any weapons. Then again the previous frog didn't have any either. So she was still wary of it, for that and its size.
"Oi woman, I'm not a damn frog. I'm a toad!" The toad yelled in indignation.
Clare was stunned silent. She couldn't begin to comprehend what just happened.
"Uh...uh...d-did you...j-just speak?" Was her most intelligible response to the situation.
The toad froze for a second as if remembering something, suddenly looking nervous.
"Uhhhhh... no?"
Unable to bear the shock of the situation, Clare's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted.
"Holy shit, she fell off the damn cliff. Well that was the plan, yeah I'm the man."
The toad said rhyming.
As Clare plummeted down the cliff, the toad dispersed into smoke.
She fell rapidly towards the deep lake at the bottom of the cliff. Her unconscious body landing into the lake with a large splash.
Timeskip (3 hours)
A body stirred slightly, eyes fluttered open as light shone upon them. Almond shaped silver irises shone reflecting the present sunlight.
A splitting headache impacted her skull. She tried to stand but her legs were too sleepy to respond.
A feeling of numbness spread throughout her body.
"I have to get up... if I don't I might die here." A sudden thought flashed through her head.
"I can't die until I kill her." Slowly a strange energy started flowing out of her. At an alarming rate the wounds and bruises on her body were healed.
She stood on one foot and then the other balancing herself. After a few seconds she could stand perfectly. The strange energy receeding inside her.
"Where am I?" she wondered aloud.
"I don't know. Don't you have the answer?" A voice answered.
She was instantly on guard, looking left and right for the source of said voice.
"Who are you?" No response. "Show yourself."
"I would if I could, it's not like I like being a voice in the forest 'ttebayo." The voice replied with childishly
with a verbal tic.
"You're strange, whoever you are." She just had to comment.
"Oi, who are you to go around judging people. When I get my hands on you..."
"You can't touch me though." She replied snarkily, secretely shocked that she could respond as such to a stranger.
"Yeah, that's a bummer, hey I just got a brilliant idea." The voice answered excitedly inciting Clare's interest.
"And what would that be?" She asked curiously though it was well hidden in her tone.
"You come find me." The voice stated happily like it was the smartest plan in the universe.
"Why would I do that?" Clare asked somewhat disappointed.
"Because... you'd be doing me a favor." was the reply.
"I don't even know you. You're just a voice I heard."
Clare answered back.
"That's another reason, you could get to know me." The obviously excited voice answered.
Clare immediately turned to leave.
"Hey, don't leave me here!" came a loud yell.
"Fine, I'll look for you strange voice." Clare replied while huffing.
"Really, that's awesome, just follow my voice."
"What else was there to follow." She muttered whilst walking.
After 10 minutes of navigating the forest, she came upon a canopy of trees. Inside it was a young boy of anout 17 years.
His black shirt and orange jacket were in tatters. He had on a pair of black shinobi sandals, and several weapon pouches hung loosely from his waist.
He had a very lean athletic build and a rather feminine frame. He seemed to be quite tall though a bit shorter than she was. His face was beautiful. Three whisker like marks on eack cheek, beautiful cerulean eyes and shoulder length blond hair framing his face in long bangs.
He wore what appeared to be a forehead protector with a strange symbol on his head. And he was chained to the ground in a complex matrix. A piece of paper with a strange marking on it at the centre of the matrix.
"Glad to see you make it." The boy said with genuine joy.
"Would you mind getting me outta this." he asked
"Actually the deal was to find you, which I've done." Clare answered
"Wait so you just came all the way out here to look at my face." he stated in disbelief.
"Well when you put it like that it makes me sound stupid." Then she shook her head and responded.
"How do I get you outta this..."
"It's Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."
"So how do I get you out of this, Naruto Uzumaki." she asked again.
"What species are you?" he asked interrogating her.
"I'm human...mostly." her bland monotone carrying the message.
"Then it should work. Alright I want you to cut your thumb slightly and let the blood drip onto that paper."
She didn't question it and simply reached for the sword attatched to her back. Bringing it to her thumb she nicked it slightly wincing at the sharp pain.
Blood dripped from the cut onto the paper reddening it. Just as she was about to kick herself for expecting anything other than that, the seal began to glow faintly.
"The hell?" That was her only response to the situation as the character on the paper spread out into numerous tiny characters on the chains. Then they broke off dissipating into dust.
Naruto fell towards the ground his legs hasn't gone to sleep. Clare rushed towards his falling form suprising even herself at her urgency.
She placed his head on her lap as he tried to regain his bearings.
"Thanks for the assist erm..." he drawled out
"Clare." was the curt response.
"What a beautiful name. Anyways thanks for the assistance Clare. You're my most favorite person in the world."
"How'd you get chained to the ground over there."
Naruto's mood took a dramatic turn at that question.
"I was sealed away there by that bastard." he snarled.
"You seem to hate this person."
"Its actually people. Besides you're one to talk. You seem to truly despise someone. A certain Priscilla."
Clare's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"How are you familiar with that name?" she asked tensely.
"I read your mind. Haven't you noticed I've been speaking to you without moving my lips." She looked down and realized that his lips hadn't moved at all.
It was awe-inspiring to her.
"Since youve helped me today let's make a deal." he offered.
"What kind of deal?."
"Why don't we partner up. I'll help you find this Priscilla."
"And in exchange?" she prodded.
"In exchange you help me destroy Konoha."
"Deal."
While Clare didn't know what Konoha was she had a feeling she'd find out later.
"Cool. Well now that were partners, you'll have to carry me for a bit cause my body won't move."
"Fine."
She lifted him up supporting his body with hers and then place him on her back without obstructing the sword on her back.
"By the way Clare where the hell are we?" Naruto asked.
"If I'm correct in my assumption then I believe that were on the outskirts of a nearby city." she replied.
"Oh, so that's a good thing right?"
"Yes it is. In fact I have my next assignment there, in that city."
"Well since it's gonna take a while to get there, why don't you explain more about this place to me." he asked sonewhat politely.
"Why not? It wouldn't hurt to get to know my new partner a little bit more.