Summary ~ Naruto that for some reason, is in Otogibana city along with his previous burden along the ride. So far he still did not figure just how he got sent here since his memories is still a bit blurry. The previous Rokudaime Hokage try to settle in this city without causing too much trouble, that for some reason keeps on finding him and always make a turn for the worst.
Reviewers reply...
to sh8ad8ow ~ Thx :) as for your question, since it is in the story, I would suggest you read it rather than having me answer it.
Diclaimer ~ I don't own anything from either Naruto or Ookami-san or DMC or Spice and Wolf in this story aside from the plot.
So without further ado, on with the show…
'Internal thoughts'
"Speech"
"Demonic speech"
Jutsu/technique
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Long, long ago… I think you already know the introduction by now.
Today, we start off the story at the girls' dorm. Ryouko is preparing herself for the morning practice session at the gym, seeing that today is Sunday, meaning students got the day off. She stuffs her bag with towels and spare clothes to changes to after finishing her workout. Along with those is a bottle of energy drink. Done with that, she gives a satisfied nod before picking up the bag.
"I'll be going than. Take care of yourself, kay?"
"Hai desu-no. Don't push yourself too hard as well ne, Ryouko-chan."
"Ossu."
Giving a short nod to Ringo, she heads out of the room.
"Ahh… man that hit the spot."
Naruto is currently in a ramen stall that had just been open for the last week. Of course being the ramen enthusiast he is, that stall is surely in his hit list. Just not the violent one. The owner is a middle age man with tall white chef's hat that he always saw Teuchi-ji-san wear. The man just stated his name as Koji. Naruto didn't really manage to get him to talk much since he is the only one in the kitchen to make all the dishes for the customers. In front of Naruto is one of the waitresses that works here though for some reason look VERY familiar. But with those revealing clothes it couldn't be here, right?
"Ne ne, Momo-chan. How come you never tell me you work as a waitress here?"
"Ara, is Naruto-kun worried I might forget him when I work here?"
So it IS her. Looks like that *ahem* event with Horo had her to do a 180 degree turn, personality wise. She is not shy anymore, if her state of dress means anything. She still wears her school uniform, though with slight adjustment. Her top had the lower half to be tied just under her bust with her fair mid-riff to be exposed. Her skirt is also considerably shorter. An apron is done on the uniform which is white with the shop's logo on the middle top.
"… not really. Though you can only have one type of work, so you need to choose it wisely."
The encrypted massage was clear. She needs to choose either her current work or the Otogi Bank. Momoko already catches on could only lower her head down a bit. She understandably upset. She would not have enough time to be able to do her part in the Otogi Bank if she decided to keep her part-time work. Reluctantly, she answers his encrypted message.
"Hai I understand. I am sorry senpai. But I need to work here for the extra money. Tou-san is getting in trouble with his debts again. So I need to help bail him out a bit."
Naruto watches Momoko's face turns away from him. Most probably, to hide her grimace in remembering her plight that made her works here in the first place. To be honest, he was thankful for that, or his snarl would have frightened Momoko. Talking about that failure-of-a-father left a bad taste in Naruto's mouth. Having heard Momoko's childhood reminds him of Haku in some strange way. Momoko is also an orphan, being the only child to survive a terrible earthquake that brought a whole block of apartment down. She was found by the rescuer, alive under a pocket that large pieces of rubbles create. She was barely 3 at that time.
As she had no known relatives, she was placed in an orphanage. That good-for-nothing-man came to adopt her when she was 6 years old. Though the reason for him to adopt her became clear after several months. She was forced to be a maid with no payment in a sense. The man will force her to clean up his house which the two live in, seeing the man had no wife while he goes off to who know where to gamble the money he had. If she does a work that he was not satisfied with, she will be punish. Even if Momoko never said more about it, Naruto know instinctively that the man gets physical. Momoko might not notice it herself but whenever she felt insecure, she will hug her body all the while shaking uncontrollably.
Naruto had seen it before, this body subconscious reaction. And while he cannot know for sure, it still brought out a big alarm that Naruto cannot ignore. He already had seen what this will eventually lead to. The sign he had seen on kunoichi that was sent to a mission that gone bad.
Sign of rape.
Closing his eyes in a monstrous effort to keep calm, Naruto releases a long meditative breath. This is too much. Why does everyone he comes to care for always had the shitty past life. In this problem, Naruto couldn't lift a finger to the bastard. While he know he can get an appointment with the said man for a session of counselling with Naruto, he also know that said counselling will make Momoko upset. Even for the bastard he is, she still loves him. Damn. This is Haku all over again.
So… Naruto takes the other alternative.
"You know, you could always leave him be and come stay with me and Horo. I care too much for you like a little sister I never have to let you go to that man, Momo-chan."
Momoko smiles. A gently yet painful smile that yet again tell the same story whenever he pop out this question to her.
"I appreciate your offers Naruto-kun. But that would beat the whole purpose of me doing this part-time job in the first place."
"…"
Silence.
Naruto sigh. This is such a pain. If Shikamaru is here, he has no doubt the word "mendokuse" will pop out from his mouth.
"Fine, fine. You win. But if that man ever harms you in any way, just tell me about it and I'll be there to kick his ass, ne imouto-chan?"
Momoko just hugs Naruto tightly and lets out a few shudder of sobs, trying hard to make the tears go away. This man right in front of her now, had acknowledge her as his little sister in all but blood, trying his best to comfort her in any way unlike her only relative. This man, her crush, embraces her in his arm protectively, lashing out to any threats that foolishly come close to her with an unholy rage of an avenging demon. Figuratively of course, not that she know the true nature of the blond.
"*sob*… hai, Naruto-nii."
It's a good thing that in the shop, Naruto is the only customer left. Since for an outsider, it looks like a lover embrace, with Momoko sitting on Naruto's lap, who is still sitting on a chair, with her arm around his waist and her head snuggling to his chest. The truth is Momoko just buried her face to Naruto's chest trying her best not to show him her tears that is slowly wetting his shirt. Naruto on the other hand just keeps one hand on the back of her head, gently petting her and his other circling her back soothingly.
Too bad that someone saw this from a distance with no knowledge what had happened in the slightest.
"He is not here again. He wasn't kidding when he say he doesn't come often."
Ryoko had finished her practice for the day, again with no sighting of the blond fighter in the Boxing Gym Bear. When she started to ask about Naruto to the occupant of the gym, Kumada aside, many of them started to grin which unnerved her, in turn make her decided to not opened her mouth again. Not with the blond in her mind at the very least.
"Guess I can grab a bite along the way home. I haven't eaten much in the morning anyway. Hmm… there is supposed to be a new stall open near here. Might as well go there."
So Rouko heads off to the said stall which is near her current location.
"…It should be somewhere around here. Ah, there it is. Koji's Ramen and Tea."
Ryouko had heard it from our Little Red Riding Hood that a new ramen stall had been opened last week. While not particularly in love with the dish, it is quite a good meal once in a while. As she approaches one final corner that leads to the stall, she spotted someone that had been bugging her mind for a while…
… in another girls arm. Hooo boy.
"Naruto….senpai?"
She mutters out his name while overlooking them behind a wall. In her head, a lot of Ryouko-chibi is running around holding a sign with "WARNING!" while an alarm goes off with a siren and flashing red light. Eventually calming down from hyperventilation, she tries to keep calm and with the key word of "TRIES" and make a reasonable explanation to herself.
"Okay, senpai is obviously trying to calms her down seeing she is obviously crying so something must have upset her. Hmm, that's probably it."
Wow, right on the first go.
Too bad she remembered something that Ringo had said to her.
*flashback*
"Hmm… I also hear that he will marry anyone who can cook him ramen that satisfy him."
*flashback end*
1+1=2
Naruto+girl+ramen=marry
It's simple math really.
At least that's what Ryouko thought.
"…am I already too late?"
Ryouko slumps against the wall when her knee gives out under her weight. Was she too late to make a move? If she does makes a move, what about that girl? Will she be dump? Will she be hurt? Will Naruto take notice of her moves at all? What if he hates her for trying to break their relationship?
The bombardment of unanswered question lingers in her head.
"Tch. Why do I even bother with who he dates with? It's not like I like him anyway…"
Ookami-san lied to herself in an effort to evade the pain.
"…so why? Why does it hurt so much?"
However the effort was futile. She hugs her knees with tears running down her cheeks, staining her face with the stream of liquid that represents her sadness of seeing a man that she admired his strength in another girls embrace. Unable to bear it any longer, she leaves the place.
Naruto walks to the gym after the heart-warming conversation with his new imouto. Still, there is the lingering frustration in him that just wants to smashes in the so-called father's face. It's a good thing a miracle happen and that nothing breaks in the gym. Well, yet anyway.
"Oii Naruto. You break it you fix it, you hear me?"
Naruto still panting a little after the brutal beat down of the punching bag, he turns his head to Kumada that stands behind him, with what looks like a smirk.
"…
…ossan. That look is scary."
And he is right. That look is scary. It looked like when someone had approaches you with an innocent face but was holding a bat behind his back and was eager to use it too. On you of course.
"Ryouko has been asking around for you, you know? Hell, even if she does it secretly I know that she had been asking for you every day for the last couple of day."
The smirk widen.
Of course knowing Kumada, he rather does this than beating him with a bat. At least he won't die a horrible death by The Bloody Fang. It help this is not the first time as well. Naruto groans.
"What are you implying you old cyclop? I have yet another girl chasing my pants?"
Doe to his heroic nature, he had saved more than a dozen of female from their distress. In conjunction with this, he had his very own….
*everybody shudders*
Fan girls.
That have official club.
On the net.
That attracts some fan boys.
Okay, I think I'm gonna be sick.
Of course he has the rights to be sarcastic with the said old cyclop.
"Well one thing for sure, she is no fan girl. That girl can take care of herself just fine. It looks more like she wants to meet you. You know, hanging out, having a spar?"
"… true enough. I guess I haven't seen her for a while."
Acknowledging with a nod, Naruto turn back to the punching bag. He drop in to a horse stand, a stance where the legs are bent and spread apart to give him a lower and more stable stance. He put a close knuckle on the punching bag and pulls the other hand to back. A visible wave of air slowly expands away from the still Naruto.
"Hakke Kushou(Vacuum Palm Strike)"
Naruto strikes the punching bag with his pulled right arm palms open. His body followed the movement, making it to rotate along the waist to empower the strike. His palm was rotated from the position where the fingers pointing downward to a new position of fingers pointing to his left with a counter-clockwise motion. Many didn't know that the twist in one's hand increases the power of a strike significantly, and it can be done as a fist or as the finger knuckle, a strike where the finger is left parallels along the arm and all the fingers are bent at the joint with the wrist lock in place. This strike is very effective if targeted at a cluster of nerves.
Naruto's strike connects the punching bag with a shockwave of dust coming out from the place his palm comes in contact with the punching bag. As if that was not enough…
… another similar shockwave also formed at the opposite end of the punching bag.
"I still don't get it. Why the hell they called this as "Gentle Fist"."
Naruto's perplex is justified. That was far from gentle.
"*whistle* Damn. That was some heavy hit. Lucky for me the bag still stands. So, what's the plan gaki?"
*tick mark*
"Oh, I don't know Kuma-jiji. Maybe a trip to Ryouko's would do me good?"
*twitch twitch*
"Hell yeah it would do you good. She would need to patch you up after I'm finished with you!"
The bickering between two calamities produces a burning aura on the back of both of them albeit at a different colour. Bloody red behind Naruto with a fox having a bloody grin versus blue cold-fire bearing a bear having a scar the shape of an 'X' with one line longer than the other on its left eye.
Truly a terrifying ordeal. I think I might need to change my pants.
"Hnn, consider yourself lucky to be the beloved coach of Ryouko."
That said, Naruto moves past Kumada and grabs his sling bag in the locker. Not bother to take a shower he leaves the gym. Strangely enough he got a smirk on his face.
'I wonder when my gift for him will be noticed?'
Back in the gym, Kumada is still upset with the blond. Cursing him again and again he makes way to his office before stopping to hear a strange sound. The sound is a familiar sound that sounded like a sound that was produce which he always heard whenever the blond was in .The sound of sand pouring onto the floor from a hole in the punching bag.
"NARUUTOOOOOOO!"
"That was faster than I thought it would be."
Ringo is currently in a jam.
Ryouko left the house this morning with a relatively good mood and coming home with a depressed one. That and she refused to speak not one word for the last half of a day. She had never seen her being this depressed. Ever.
"Ryouko-chan, please talk to me. What is wrong?"
"Go away."
Well that's a start.
"Is Naruto not there again?"
Ryouko, laid on her bed stiffen with said name. She had been trying for the last 6 or so hours trying to erase the event from earlier today finally gives out a reaction. Ringo notices this and while one part of is relieved to know just what seems to bother the girl another part also unconsciously fearing to hear what will happen next. Ryouko still facing the wall grits her teeth and almost shout out her answer in frustration…
…but stop when there was a knock on the door.
Confused with the unknown visitor, both of the girls stare each other asking the silent question of expecting said guess. With both having the same 'I don't know' face, Ringo decided to go check the waiting guess.
"Who is it?"
"Ore da. (It's me)"
The voice of the unexpected guess was recognised by both of the girls. Ringo gives Ryouko a silent glance as if to ask for her permission to grant access to the visitor, since said visitor is the source of the problem for Ryouko. She still look a bit surprised, just gives a brief nod. That's enough for a green light. Opening the door, both occupant of the room looks toward the now opened door seeing Naruto stands there with a grin on his face.
"Yo."
He gives a simple greeting with a raised hand.
What a carefree man.
"Naruto-san? What are you doing here?"
Ringo voices out both her and Ryouko's question to the blond as she invited him to get inside. The room look tidier than the last time he comes in. Must be Ringo cleaning the place up.
"Well other than not seeing both of you for quite some time, I also heard Ryouko had been asking around for me. So, here I am."
"Tch, took you long enough…"
Ryouko mutters while hugging her pillow on her bed. She is sitting against the wall, while both Naruto and Ringo sit by the table at the centre of the room. Naruto heard her tone looks toward Ringo, giving a stare, asking some kind of answer. Ringo just shakes her head and shrugged her shoulders.
"She had been like this the whole day, desu-no. Though it is somehow involves you as well, Naruto-san."
Naruto nods. He then turns to face Ryouko giving her a concerned look. He does not know any incident that might upset Ryouko that he is aware off. Silently giving her the 'go on' look, he focuses on Ryouko. Said girl is having trouble herself with all the attention she is getting from the blond blushes a bit before turning away. Though she keeps on giving him glances from the side of her eyes. Ryouko is between a rock and a hard place.
"Ano-sa Naruto-senpai, who was the girl this morning?"
Naruto being the (sometime) dense man that he is, gives a confused look.
"Girl? Which one?"
Again silence fall.
Geez, somehow I wonder why all the girls like him in the first place.
"…t-t-there's more?"
Ryouko looks absolutely horrified. Ringo is just one step behind her with an only regularly horrified. Naruto just look dumbstruck.
Naruto was in a meeting with all the Otogi Bank members earlier this morning for an informal discussion. Of course being in the meeting means all the members to be there as well. Not that it actually the question ask.
"Hmm? More of what?"
"…no…no, never mind that. So~~, where had you been all this time?"
Ryouko tries her best to divert the awkward situation from before. The info of even more girls around the blond had been…devastating for her. But she pushes on, bringing back her mask to obscure the pain that filled her.
"Aside from school? Well I've been recruiting new member for the Otogi Bank. Man all those pile of resume had been stacked higher than me."
Naruto gives out a chuckle that eases the room occupants. So, Naruto decided to tell them all the interesting thing that he found out about the new recruits. Of course with personal things aside. About how Urashima that leave for his perfect harem, about Liszt that is a reliable lazy person, Alice the strict but easily embarrassed if Liszt is mentioned, the crazy scientist with a knack for explosion Majolice, the maid that loves to return a favour Otsu, Horo, the currently hailed goddess of Otogi Academy, and the now playful and flirty Momoko.
"Eh… Momo-chan-senpai is a member too? But why are you saying her as flirty? Last time I saw her, I donno but she look kind of reserved of a person desu-no."
Ringo questions Naruto with Ryouko nodding as well, wanting to know the answer. At this point on, Naruto looks sheepish with one hand on the back of his head.
"Well you see after a… um, event with Horo-chan, well… she kind of… um, changes."
"What event Naruto-san?"
"Well, you see, Momo-chan kinda confessed to me. But she was saying it so quickly I have trouble understanding it…"
You're still lying about that?
"…and I, um kinda upset her when I told her to repeat again. Then Horo-chan came and…."
Wait.
Did she just hear him right?
Momoko confessed to Naruto-senpai?
Now that she think about it, the girl from earlier did have the same shade of blue for her hair. Other than revealing clothing, she would match perfectly with Momo-chan-senpai.
So that's it…
"…I see. So the girl at the store earlier is Momoko-senpai."
Naruto stops telling them the story, focusing in what Ryouko is saying. The tone she uses stuns him. It feels like the energetic mood that was in the room from all the story earlier is sucked up and in turn a cold wind swept across the room. In simpler word, it sounded dead, devoid of any emotion. Similar to what he had heard from the private soldiers of Danzo Shimura, the army of ROOTs. Reminded of the mindless drones makes Naruto worried about his kouhai.
"Yes. The girl from at the ramen stall is Momoko. Why are you asking me this, Ryouko."
Naruto's tone is serious, comparable with the time under the bridge. He even drops the nickname of Momo-chan instead using Momoko. Ryouko even with all the emotions in her is still unnerved by his tone. Ringo as well. She is still a bit unsure how the somewhat happy conversation just now turned to this cold and dangerous one. Momoko is still a sensitive subject to Naruto. He had heard some rumours of how Momo-chan-senpai will take anyone to her bedroom. He had to obliterate a hill to fine dust that is unseen from Otogibana city to finally cool down enough to hunt the one that started this rumour. Without killing him. Even if accidently.
Let's just say the one responsible for it is in a really, REALLY in a bad shape right now.
Ryouko, determined to find out exactly what is their relationship pushes forward.
"Why is she hugging you like that? So she really is…"
Ryouko question trails off. While she is afraid that the answer from him finally confirms her suspicions of their relationship, Naruto on the other hand takes the trails a bit more seriously. He thought that the question meant to ask him whether the rumours about Momoko to be true with the hug to be the confirmation.
"Ookami, are you saying that Momoko will take anyone that asks her to a bedroom?"
Naruto's voice is cold, dangerously so. He might be somewhat acquainted with Ookami, but he will not take an insult that involve his now, little sister. Not with him doing nothing.
Ryouko and Ringo are startled with his voice. They would never thought of Momoko that way. Even if it is true, which is not they will never believe it. Ryouko quickly tries to dissolves the confusion.
"A-a-ah, t-that's not it. W-what I'm trying to ask is, is Momoko-senpai involved with you romantically. As in, a lover?"
The previous pressure seems to let off completely. Naruto gives out a tired sigh before trying to clear things up.
"Sorry about just now, I'm a bit protective of Momo-chan. Truth is I rejected her, though I continue to take care of her, you know like a big brother. She had a rough life so I tried whatever I can to cheer her up. At that time she just breaks down when I told her how I view her as my imouto-chan."
Naruto explains it while looking at his right hand.
"I told her how I will protects her from any harm, how I will hunt down any one that hurt her. Guess that was a bit overwhelming to her."
Naruto finishes off his explanation with a soft smile. Ryouko seeing that smile blushes, imagining how it would felt if it was her instead of Momoko to hear him declares those promises, no more like oaths with that determined face to her. Such thought filled her head, replaying it again and again and again and again and…
Ringo and Naruto look at Ryouko who supported a full body flush with steams coming of her ear. Though it only last for a moment before she finally passes out on her bed. Naruto and Ringo panic seeing her passes out so suddenly argue with each other on what to do first, with Ringo deciding to call a health inspector of the dorm and Naruto keeps on saying CPR.
Of course he got whack on the head.
With both panicking, none of them sees the smile that is on Ryouko's lip as she passes out. She keeps on dreaming about how a young prince of a kingdom (not that far-fetched), comes to her for his quest in waking up the princess, which is her.
With a kiss.
Leaving the room's chaos aside, they live happily ever after.
AN~ another chapter completed. This chapter lacks any action at all. I'm sorry for that, but in this chapter I want to concentrate on character development more. There will be time for action, just not now.
Another thing is, I appreciate all the reviews on my story so far, and for any anon reviewer, as long it is not a flame, I will answer it in the next chapter at the top just like this one. So please review a lot for me.
Shawn-san out~