I would come out, and accept my mistake.
I am sorry, I kept you hanging all this time. I am sorry, that I didn't left any notice about the delay. And I am absolutely sorry for the frustration I caused to all my fans.
I know it wont change anything, but I still want to explain. The reason of delay would be my twisted life, I got admission in another university in another country, and I also cleared my Visa interview with flying colours.
But when I returned home, my mother so graciously said that I am not going to another country, I have to retry for the same college next year. This resulted in a little family disruption and I went to stay with my Uncle & Aunt. I have returned just yesterday after I finally relented that I will try for next year.
I know , it's nothing that glaring, but that's how it is. I almost felt like Araragi there, how my problems are so small like his.
Leaving that aside, Here is the chapter.
Hope you enjoy it. ^_^
...
Bakemonogatari- Naruto's POV- It will be like this throughout the story.
Bakemonogatari- Third person view.
"Bakemonogatari"-Dialogue delivery.
'Bakemonogatari'-Thought delivery.
No matter whom they are or what they are.
Everyone gets lost at least once in their lifetime.
I was too lost once, moreover I was driven astray by a senile old man.
A man so manipulative that he could make you kill yourself just by his words. The man that fill people with the feeling of fear and awe.
I never feared that man, since he never showed me that side of his. To me he was the kind Oji-san, who cared for the person no one cared about.
And that was from where I got lost.
Lost in the webs of paths that he has conceived for me.
When I realized what has happened, it was too late. The path was set in stone, it was either I follow or lose my existence.
You already might have guessed what I have chosen.
…
That was the first time, I was lost.
It was also the last time I was lost.
…
After all, after that I come to know the truth of this world.
…
"It was right here."
Silver hair flickered, argent eyes focussing on the black-clad girl, "Hm?"
"The house I lived in was right there."
There is a newly paved asphalt road where she was gesturing to.
He tilted his head, "Urban renewal, huh."
Taking a slight turn towards him, as Mayoi hid behind him in fear, "We sold it, so I didn't really expect it to still be here but it still leaves me feeling pretty blue. And to think it's been less than a year."
"I understand."
A sigh escaped her lips, as she glanced back towards him, "I am wasting your time crying over spilt milk. Let's go, Uzumaki-kun."
"Of course."
He glanced down at the little girl, hiding behind him, "Let's go Mayoi."
Twin tailed girl nodded meekly.
They again started walking.
…
"Oh, and Hitagi."
Her head tilted slightly, lilac hair flickering along her back, "Hai, Uzumaki-kun?"
"You have an amazing derriere."
…
She halted looking at him with those glossy eyes, her cheeks slightly aflame, "And you say I am a pervert."
Naruto just smiled, "Whatever you may think. But believe me…"
"I know what to admire."
…
Distracted enough.
…
Taking one last glance at his beautiful smile, she again started walking, 'Did he do that on purpose?'
…
…
…
He sighed softly, looking down at the ruck-sack carrying girl, "If you cling like that, I won't be able to walk properly."
Carmine eyes glared at him, "It's not like I am firmly attached to your leg! You are horrible! I am telling the PTA of you!"
Naruto smiled, "Fufufu…Your bad luck. Because I am a member of PTA."
Mayoi looked at him horrified, "Impossible, you are just an irresponsible underage civilian!"
To call me underage.
I don't think I have heard anything more amusing than that in…
Last 400 years.
That was when that child, what was his name again? Musashi yeah, Miyamoto Musashi foolishly challenged a hermit like me for a duel.
It was quite funny to see him cry in despair, to be defeated by a hermit of all things, without even laying a hit.
I heard he later spent rest of his life searching for someone, and died cursing me.
Ah, good times…
…
Most people might have understood by now of what he is.
…
He huffed, flicking his nose towards the sky, his shoulders squared with pride, "I have you know, that I am taking care of household my whole life. I am better than any housewife out there."
Hitagi paused in her steps, "I see. Then Uzumaki-kun, would you become my housewife? I will always treat you with harshness, and keep you at leash."
Her tone was little different there.
As if she is confessing to me indirectly.
Naruto stare deadpan, "Sorry, but I am a sadist as well. That won't work."
A sigh of disappointment escaped her lips, "That's unfortunate."
I can feel she is truly disappointed.
I was never happier before for being a Sadist.
I don't even want guess what she would have done to me.
…
They again started walking.
"By the way, Mayoi."
Twin tails swayed in the wind, as she looked at the tall boy, "What, Uzumaki-san?"
"Just what is at this address?'
She hmph'd exaggeratingly, "I am not talking! I plead the fifth!"
Why does she have to make everything so hard?
"You are lost, aren't you.", he pointed out.
She glared balefully, "What of it?!"
When she is angry, she almost looks like a cow with a shell of the snail with that ruck-sack bag of hers.
He softly sighed at her reply, "You should ask others if you are lost."
Her eyebrows furrowed, "You can ask people all you want. But I feel no need to do that! For me, this is just like using an everyday vending machine!"
So she gets lost that often.
…
Well no need to worry, I have other methods to get it from her.
He smiled kindly, almost glowing with innocence, "Wouldn't you tell Onii-chan, what is at this address. So he can help you better?"
She huffed.
…
That would have been more than enough to get anything from my sisters.
Hm, I can't treat Mayoi like she is just a stupid kid.
Incidentally, yesterday I went to an ATM to stock up my money.
And also, ATM stands for Automated Teller Machine.
I realize that piece of information wasn't important, but somehow I felt like something like that was supposed to be here.
...
I am starting to feel like a character of some ridiculous story...
…
He brought out a 10000 yen note, "Ojou-chan, I will give you allowance."
Twin-tailed girls eyes twinkled like stars, "Yahoo! I will tell you anything!"
She is just a stupid kid…
…
They walked towards the still Senjougahara, "Someone named Tsunade-san lives there."
Tsunade of all things…
I just hope this person doesn't have the same tendencies as the one I know.
He tilted his head, "So, how do you know her?"
"She is a relative."
"Shouldn't you be at home showing some respect to your family on mother's day?"
She looked at him furrowed eyebrows, her hands on her waist, almost like an angry mother, "I don't want to hear that from you."
He blinked, "Why?"
"You have been wasting time on a park bench all Sunday. That is nothing a decent person would do.", she accused.
So, she does realize that I was there since morning.
Looking down at the ruck-sack carrying girl, he slightly huffed, "I have you know that I was…working out."
Her eyes glittered in awe, "Working out? Awesome!"
She praised me…
Somehow I find this praise hollow.
"Well…I do it every day, but on Sundays it's special."
She nodded, "Really? So you have to get out of your work place on Sundays to Work-out, that so cool!"
She seems to has quite lot of misconceptions about working out…
Now I also understand why the praise felt hollow.
He gazed at her innocent smile that only a child could manage. The one beautiful enough to extract a smile from him as well.
I was wrong at calling her dumb.
…
She is adorably dumb.
…
He finally looked around the area they were into.
This area seems to be the nest for the rich people, since most of the houses here are quite big.
That's other thing that the streets seems as barren as desert.
Looks like people here mostly live cooped up in their homes.
It's not like we live in a small house or something else. It's just that staying on the middle line keeps most of the attention away from us.
…
"By the way, Uzuki-san."
"Yes, Yaken."
"You again called me that!"
"You started it."
"I just stuttered!"
"I too stuttered."
"You can't stutter someone's name that much wrong. It didn't match even slightly!"
"It has 'Y'."
She gibbered, "T-T-That's just…"
I think I like pulling her leg.
…
"Hey, Uzumaki-kun.", her soft voice, reaching to his overly sensitive ears, without any trouble, as Silver-eyes looked up towards the black-clad-girl.
"Grk!", Mayoi instantly stopped what she was saying, as she hid behind the pole.
"Can you give me the address again?"
"Of course.", he bring out the piece of paper from his pocket.
Asfaslfhueaflasalfnslsdhgbf….
Hitagi rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "Seems like we went a little too far."
He tilted his head, "Really?"
Hitagi walked past him, her lilac hair brushing along his arm, "If you want to blame me, go ahead and do it."
He too turned, following her, "There is nothing to blame you for."
"I see."
…
Looking down at the girl clinging to his arm, the meekness he could see in her eyes, "Why are you so scared of Hitagi."
Mayoi looked at him like he was insane, "Can't you feel the fierce animosity emanating from her?"
"No."
It's also possible that I couldn't sense it because it isn't directed at me.
After all its not killer intent, it's just Mayoi's instinct screaming at her.
Mayoi glanced up toward the elder girl, as she spoke in hushed tone, "I feel like she hates me. It feels like she thinks I am in the way and she wants me to disappear."
I don't think it could be that extreme.
He too looked towards Hitagi, "Well, we can't be sure."
…
"Hey, Hitagi."
"What?"
"Do you hate children?"
Senjougahara Hitagi abruptly came to a halt like she was asked something hideous.
"I hate them. I loathe them. I'd like it if they all died."
Wow, she showed no restraint there.
"Eek!", poor child let out a short cry of terror, as she hid behind him.
Mayoi is looking quite scared at her comment.
"I don't understand how to connect with them. It must have been back in middle school. I went shopping at a department store, and ran into a kid who must have been around seven."
He tilted his head, "And the kid started crying?"
"No, that's not it. Then I said to the 7-year-old: 'Are you okay? Are you hurt at all? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' Not knowing what to do with a kid, I lost my head."
Mayoi is shivering now…
"But because of that, because I handled it so poorly. It left me shocked. From then on, whether they are human or not."
Her head snapped back, as she gazed at him with ferocity she hasn't shown ever before, "I have hated kids!"
I understand the reason but not the emotion…
…
I think Mayoi just died and went to heaven.
…
"I am not allowing you near my sisters." He deadpanned.
…
They again started walking.
Dragging Mayoi by her leg, he glanced towards the Child-hater, "Then, what are you going to do after getting married?"
She halted, looking back at him, "What?"
He shrugged lightly, "You are going to have kids after getting married, right? If you hate kids so much, what are you going to do?"
Why is there such a conspicuously coy smile on her face all of a sudden?
"I will leave them in front of your house, for next 15 years."
He stare deadpan, "I shouldn't have asked."
…
She looked away from him; she didn't want him to know just how serious she was about that, "Anyway, Uzumaki-kun."
"Hm?"
"I think we've gone too far again."
A slight frown marred his features, "It has happened twice now."
She glanced at him with lidded eyes, "If you want to blame me, you can keep on blaming me."
His eyes slightly narrowed, "That line was different from the last time."
She almost smiled at that, she knew he would caught it almost instantly, "Yeah, that's right."
Argent hair flickered, as he tilted his head, "I don't think urban renewal can cause you to misguide like this."
If she could still tell where her home used to be.
"That's not it. It's not like Old roads aren't completely gone. I am not lost."
Hm, there is a chance that she thought of torturing Mayoi by taking her round and round.
"What? From your expression it seems like you are smiling at some kind of idiot. Be a man, and say it. If you like I will strip naked and prostrate myself before you right here right now."
This girl…
An amused smile dragged onto his lips.
Is so much interesting…
He lightly shrugged, the smile still in place, "Not really."
"Really?", slight surprise accompanied her tone, she knew he do like her body.
"If I want to I would rather be the only audience."
Her cheeks felt on fire, as she stared at his smile.
"Isn't that what they say? To be selfish you have to preserve the thing you like away from prying eyes."
And that fire spread down her neck, quickly enveloping her whole body,
'How could he be so blunt?'
…
She brings out her cell-phone.
He smiled amused, "I think we can exchange numbers later."
Hitagi stared deadpan, "I am gonna try using my GPS."
Ah, that…
Well, it's not like I use my Cell-phone for any other purpose.
And absolutely not for finding directions.
Sun is enough for me.
…
The slight gasp that escaped her lips wasn't missed by him.
"What's wrong?"
Her sapphire eyes trailed towards him, focussing on his, the surprise clear in them, "It suddenly went out of range."
So…It finally came out.
…
Naruto looked down at the little girl, that sadness flickering across her face, as if she just comes to realize that the pleasant moments she was bestowed with has finally come to an end, "I guess it's impossible."
I could feel her dread, it's almost chocking.
And to think it was carried by a child…
"Because we can't get there no matter how many times we try."
"I'll never find my way here. I will never make it to where Okaa-san is."
…
"Because I am a lost snail."
Unable to reach our destination no matter what, not being able to help even with the technology this Modern world is so proud of.
Even after trying every solution we can come up with, using different routes, using long routes, using separate routes, but all was naught for nothing.
There is only one way left.
Oshino.
"You remember where it is? Maybe I should go?"
She glanced back towards him, "It doesn't make me happy that you are worried about my memory being as poor as yours."
"I do not forget." He quipped helpfully.
"If it's that, it's enough to make me sad."
Her expression doesn't seem sad, more like she look quite exasperated.
Her voice softened, as she glanced back towards where Mayoi was supposed to be sitting. Leaning toward his ear, her hot breath tingling his skin, "And I mean...don't leave me alone with some kid."
…
Sitting back on the bench of the park again, he glanced towards the sullen lost child.
After Hitagi and my conversation, She has gotten her guard up again.
"So this Tsunade person is your mother."
Didn't even react, looks like I have to use my special weapon.
…
Naruto smiled kindly, "Mayoi-chan, I will buy you ice cream later, so won't you come a little closer?"
"Okay!", Mayoi was instantly by his side.
I think just now, she was faster than a bullet train.
…
"It's your mother, right?"
The Grade-schooler leaned back, for the first time allowing her ruck-sack to sag on the bench willingly, "Even If I call her Okaa-san, it's sad because she is not Okaa-san anymore."
"Hm…"
"Tsunade was my last name until third grade. When daddy took me, I changed it to Hachikuji."
Now I think about it, everyone has the same problem isn't it.
Hitagi, Neko and now Mayoi.
The root of problem is always the family.
"And I told you to go to your mother.", there wasn't an apology in his voice, he was just stating it.
"Nah, I'm not just going because its Mother's day. I can go to Okaa-san's whenever I want."
"I see."
I don't think it's that simple.
She gazed towards the sky, "But no matter how much I search, how many times I try, I never make it there."
He gazed towards the little girl.
Is that the love the parents have for their children?
I used to hear, that parents would do anything for their children.
But now, how could they let their children drown in despair like this?
I know that this is a concept I don't understand a bit, but for them to repeat the same mistake over and over.
That it's almost disgusting.
…
And this child, not even 10 and she is out here, just for her mother, just for her family. Struggling over and over just to get a glimpse of the woman that she called Okaa-san for years.
The same mother who left her behind just because of differences between her husband and her. Shouldn't the love this child has for her should be enough to keep her close.
Then why…?
Why…?
It's so confusing…
…
Tilting his head, "And you met the snail?"
She wasn't in complete agreement, "I don't know if we met or not…"
He reached out with his hand, going towards her head so he could pat her, "You must have had a lot of trouble."
It's the least I could do for her, sometimes even a little comfort could feel like heaven.
Looking at his fingers, that looks so soft, so clean, so beautiful. Her lips parted…
And she bit him.
Thunk!
And her teeth fell out of her mouth.
She passed out, falling onto his legs, as she slowly slid down off his legs onto the ground.
He stared at the unconscious child.
Hm, she has quite mature body for an adorably dumb grade schooler.
But I can't guarantee if she is in heaven or hell right now.
…
"You look scary, Uzumaki-kun.", a tantalizingly perfect voice reached to his ears.
Looking at the girl with Caged-eyes, standing there with that perfect smile of hers, "Neko."
"Now you look amused.", she smiled, walking towards him, "I don't think that's an improvement."
I couldn't help but sense the happiness she felt at seeing me.
I also noticed that she is wearing her school uniform even today.
Does she like wearing these clothes, or she doesn't have anything else?
Tilting her head cutely, she smiled, "What's up? Why are you here?"
"Working out."
She blinked, "In those clothes?"
Well I couldn't deny her logic, after all I am wearing Jeans and a black T-shirt.
He shrugged, "Mind workout."
A smile broke onto her lips, he always like twisting his words, didn't he, "I see. Um, I am not doing something that interesting, I am just killing time. I don't like staying at home, So I go out for walks on Sunday since the library remain closed on Sundays."
His eyes soften, "You are being too anxious for a high-schooler."
And Neko just smiled, filled with happiness. After all there is someone who cares for her.
Even if she is living with people whom she know nothing about.
There is massive difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone.
…
"Oh, by the way, Uzumaki-kun. Is that girl your little sister?"
"My little sisters are in middle school."
"Oh…"
He glanced down at the unconscious child, "She is a lost kid. Her name is Hachikuji Mayoi."
Crouching beside the child, she hummed, "Hachikuji? That's pretty common in Kansai. Now that I think of it, wasn't the temple in 'Shinonome Monogatari'… No, wait that was written differently."
I just realized that my Neko made a little mistake.
The name is related to the 'Shinonome Mongatari'.
An amused smile dragged onto his lips, "As expected of my all-knowing Neko."
Looking back at him with warm eyes, "I don't know everything, I just happen to know this."
…
Hachikuji Mayoi came back to the living. Her eyes fluttering, as she slowly got used to the brightness of the world, looking around warily, as she slowly sat.
Mayoi blinked looking at the Caged-eyed girl.
Said girl smiled kindly, "Konichiwa, Mayoi-chan. I am this Onii-chan's friend, Hanekawa Tsubasa."
Mayoi looked almost angry, as she took hold of her twin-tails, "Don't talk to me! I hate you!"
Does she say that to everyone?
"Ara, I did something she hates."
"There. There.", Mayoi felt her vision swimming as the kind Braided girl rubbed her head so affectionately. Something no one has done since last 14 years."
Neko squealed in delight, "You are so cute, Mayoi-chan! I just want to eat you up!"
I think she would taste quite good.
Suddenly her eyes furrowed, as she amended the child straight, "But you shouldn't try to bite his hand, Okay?", as she bonk her on head.
"A-Auu-h-h…", poor Mayoi was a confused mess, as she looked at the girl, that behave almost like her mother.
Tsubasa hovered over the scared girl, her hands on her waists, "Come on, say sorry."
Mayoi look down abashed, "I-I am sorry, Uzumaki-san."
He tilted his head slightly, "Don't worry; It's not me who lost few teeth."
It seems like she was watching for quite a while.
…
She looked towards him, "So she's lost? Around here? If you'd like, I can show you around."
I remember Neko too used to live in this area.
"Its fine, I sent Hitagi to find someone."
He did notice the sudden sharpness in her voice, "Oh, you were with her?"
I didn't think she could be like this.
"You were asking me about Senjougahara-san before, weren't you?"
I wonder if even the coldness in her voice is perfect.
…
Suddenly a cheerful smile dragged onto her lips, "Oh, that's it! That's how it is!"
Hm, even she can't fake a smile perfectly.
Naruto smiled unnoticeable, "You are better at fantasizing then even Yaoi fangirls."
Looking to the side, she searched her extremely large memory bank, "Yaoi? What's that?"
It's quite a shock.
That she doesn't know about such common word.
It's quite popular among girls, even my little sisters know about it.
Not that I am happy about it.
"It means homosexual male relationship.", he supplied helpfully.
A cute perfect pout formed on her lips, "That sounds like a lie. I will look it in dictionary later."
Isn't there a quote.
Tell the unexpected truth and they will believe it's a lie.
She turned to leave, "I will. Anyway, I will just be in the way, so I will get going now."
"Sorry to bother you. Say Hi to Senjougahara-san for me, and also tell her not miss school without a reason, it could get her in trouble, also don't forget to prepare for the History quiz, we are representing our class, also preparations for cultural festivals are about to begin, so we have to work hard, also…",
She added 9 more alsos to that list.
Sometimes…no, rather she went overbroad quite often.
As the list ended, she bowed one last time to him.
I should ask her about it.
"Do you know where someone named Tsunade-san lives around here?"
She tilted her head, "Tsunade-san?"
Holding her chin in thought, as she again searched her memory bank, "Umm…"
"I don't."
…
Holding his head dramatically, "How can that be possible my all-knowing Neko?'"
She smiled, it's rare for him to act out of his indifferent attitude, "Didn't I tell you? I only know what I know. Anything else, not at all."
"Hmm…"
"Sorry, I can't live up to your expectations."
His hand rose, as he lightly scratched her behind the ear, getting a purr of delight from the girl. "It's fine, if you know I might get the wrong idea of you being a stalker."
Or an Oddity.
"~Nya~, that's rude. Okay, then Bye-bye for real this time.", as she turned around walking way.
Hm, even the sway of her derriere is perfect.
He blinked as he felt his pocket vibrating.
Fishing out his Cell-phone, he noticed the new number.
I don't usually store numbers in my Cell-phone. As I could just remember all of them, since people have the habit of changing them so often.
And also my sisters won't leave me alone if they noticed another girl's number in my Cell-phone.
The first one was of Neko.
Last time they followed me allowed for one month, untill i give them an answer.
…
The groan that accompanied his voice was haggard, he was almost whining, "Oh man, she is screwing up my Sunday morning slacking. Tsundere-chan's such a mean girl."
Only Oshino has the gall to call someone like that right in front of them.
Among humans that is…
Naruto smiled, "Hitagi, huh."
He sighed, "You sure have been running into a lot of oddities, Uzumaki-kun."
Naruto shrugged noncommittally, "I was bored."
Another sigh came from the phone, "Then why don't you just mingle with one of your girlfriends-Gyah!"
It sounds like something just tried to kill him.
He raised an eyebrow, listening to the noise going on the other side of call. "You okay, Oshino?"
"What the hell?! Why did you throw that bench at me?!", Oshino shouted.
I can imagine Hitagi would do that without any second thought.
…
Oshino sagged back on his make-up bed, "Uh… Let's just get over with. What was it again?"
He is really miserable in mornings.
"It was Hachikuji Mayoi.", he reminded Oshino.
"Hachikuji Mayoi, Hm? I see. It's all coming together now. What Tsundere-chan told me is coming back. It almost seems like fate. A pun."
"Hm, you mean Hachikuji being paired with Mayoi?"
There was a slight praise in Aloha-man's voice, "As expected of you, even in your indifference you know everything."
"I don't know anything about Oddities.", Naruto admitted.
"That's only because you haven't heard of them, until 2 months ago."
Oshino hummed, "If you say Hachikuji, you have to think of the fifth paragraph of 'Shinonome Monogatari'."
Naruto nodded, "We too reached to the same conclusion."
He blinked, "We?...Ah, I see. Ha? What was that Tsundere-chan?"
They seem to be talking of something, something secret since I couldn't hear what Hitagi was saying.
"Ah…Hm.", Oshino seem to agree with her on the topic.
…
"Uzumaki-kun, your kindness is so annoying.", Oshino said out of blue, as if he was talking something so glaring that it has blinded him.
My kindness?
"I don't know what you are talking about.", He admitted, his tone confused for once.
And Oshino gave out a throaty laugh, filled with humour as if he had told some kind of joke. As he finally calm down, a chuckle escaping now and then, before he let out another sigh, "Getting Tsundere-chan do this much for you, she is going to feel responsible."
"Apparently she insisted.", he replied flatly.
"Really, Uzumaki-kun, even with all the good looks you have, it seems like you still don't know how to treat the girls."
For a man who wears that outdated shirt all year around to say that to me...
"I don't want to hear that from you.", he deadpanned.
Oshino let out a sigh, "Whatever, Aren't you getting a bit full of yourself after resolving three monster problems in a row?"
Silver hair flickered, tilting his head, "You think so?"
"No, you are too indifferent for that. But like I told you before, everything you see is real, and everything you can't see is real either."
To me everything is real.
After all the things I have seen in my long existence, I just can't think any other way.
Naruto sighed exasperated, "Would you stop going round and round?"
He could feel the pout in man's voice, "And here I was chatting with you as your dear friend."
We are not hormonal teenagers discussing about our brand new girlfriends!
"We can do that later, first about the Snail?"
"Hai, Hai…a snail, huh. Then it has to be a 'Lost Cow'."
Naruto blinked, "Shouldn't it be a snail?"
"It is, but is called a 'Cow'. The Kanji for 'Cow' is part of how you write snail, right? Take the 'Uzu' of your name; replace the radical for 'water' with the one for 'bug', then follow it with 'Cow'. And you get 'Snail'."
It's just a play of words.
But I think that's what separates them from one another.
"There are a large numbers of Oddities that lead humans astray, but since it's a snail, it has to be a 'Lost Cow'."
"And the cure?", Naruto asked.
"Ugh…Well what can I do, it's so simple that anything I say would end up saving you, Uzumaki-kun. And that is not something I can do. You have to save yourself, Uzumaki-kun?"
Nodding his head, "As I told you earlier, it's not about me. I can get rid of my problems myself, it's about this child."
A grimace came to his lips, grumbling, "Ugh, Your annoying kindness again. Then, it's nothing like a vampire. That was truly a rare case. But the Cow is a bit similar to the Crab Tsundere-chan met."
"Hm…"
I don't dislike beef, so it would be fine with me.
"Oh, right. There is also the issue of Tsundere-chan. Ugh, I hate this. My role is an intermediary between humans and that side of things, so acting as intermediary between two people is outside my area of expertise."
What he is calling outside his area of expertise is called common sense.
"I think I shouldn't have become friends with you. It's so tiring. I never expected someone so readily rely on me or to have to resolve anything over the phone."
That's because you never have one.
"That's what normal people do.", Naruto deadpanned.
Oshino went on, like he didn't hear the jab, "I know you can handle yourself, but I would rather have you not contact me so readily, I can't always be by your side when you encounter Oddities. And this is a normal kind of advice; you shouldn't be sending a teenage girl alone to some old ruins of a building where a suspicious man lives."
It's shocking that he could give normal advice as well.
At least he is aware of his status.
"But, you won't do anything to her.", Naruto stated.
"Your confidence makes it sounds like I am not interested in opposite sex.", Oshino deadpanned.
"Or I would castrate you if something like that happened.", he added cheerfully.
"I am happy that you trust me that much, but she doesn't.", he replied flatly.
…
"AGHHH! I won't do anything! I won't do anything at all! Put down the stapler, Tsundere-chan!"
She is still carrying that around.
I guess habits die hard.
Oshino took a relieved breath, "Hoo…That was scary. Tsundere-chan is pretty scary. She really is unequalled when it comes to being Tsundere. Well, Agh…I suck at phone, it's hard to talk about."
"You suck at everything that runs with electricity."
Last time he asked if my Cell-phone is a new Television.
Just to let you know, I just recently upgraded to one of those latest touch screen Cell-phones.
Not like I am interested in them, just my sisters think that it would look good on me.
I know I dot them too much, but I can't help it.
…
"While there is that, my point is while I am being completely serious on my end, for all I know you could be sipping a drink and reading a manga. When I think about that, it's just so empty."
He blinked slowly, "You are surprisingly sensitive."
He almost sounds like a Theatre team that entertains an empty hall.
"Let's do it this way. I will tell Tsundere-chan what to do about the lost cow. You hang out there for a little bit, Uzumaki-kun."
Naruto hummed, "Is it plausible to listen to it second hand?"
"The lost cow itself is a piece of Folklore."
"I am aware of that, the part too where they evolved to be resistant to salt. I was asking if there would be a need of a ritual like in the case of Crab?"
"Nope. Even though it's similar. But the snail isn't that much of a problem. For one it isn't a God, if I have to say, I would call it ghost. They are quite dissimilar to a monster or a bizarre phenomenon."
"I see."
So Ghosts are considered the small fry of this world.
"A ghost is still an Oddity, and unlike Gods, stories of Ghost aren't restricted to a region but are told all over the country. It's rather a minor Oddity, it has many names, but it originated as the snail. By the way, Uzumaki-kun, are you familiar with the term Hachikuji?"
He raised a slim silver eyebrow, "You mean about the Shikoku and Kansai Pilgrimage, and how the temples in Kansai region come to be known as extra, that are denoted as 89th as such."
"Yup, and we can also read 'Hachiku' as 'Yaku', so it became misfortune. Hachikuji was abandoned as that interpretation spread. Well most of the 89th temples were destroyed during Meiji restoration by Anti-Buddhist Sentiments. And those still do exist; try to cover up the fact that they were called 'Hachikuji'."
This country has gone quite ups & downs because of religion.
"Since you already know the long History. Seeing a name like Hachikuji Mayoi seems oddly meaningful and troubling, isn't it?"
"Tsunade also used to be her last name, until recently.", he quipped another piece of information.
Blond eyebrow rise towards the forehead, "Tsunade? Of all things… Threads are too tightly coiled around each other that they are starting to fray. It's gotten to be too perfect to say it was just fate. It feels like a plan going off without a hitch when that shouldn't have been possible."
I still remember the perfect plan that senile old man conceived for me.
That went without a hitch, even after his death.
"Like my name, huh."
"Yup, whoever named you did a good job at it. After all the words carry a lot of weight than we can imagine."
I can, the weight I still carry to this day is proof of that.
Oshino hummed, a tinge of excitement clinging to his voice, "This city is truly interesting. It's like a melting pot of all sorts of interesting things."
He smiled amused, "Now you see why I stay here."
"Of course, and it looks like I won't be able to leave for a while. Anyway I will give the details to Tsundere-chan, so you just ask her, Okay, Uzumaki-kun?"
"Fine."
He noticed the teasing tone in his voice, "Although, I don't know if she would tell you exactly what I said…"
He hung up.
Oshino isn't a man for parting words.
Glancing at the obediently waiting child, "Seems like your trouble is coming to an end, Mayoi."
Carmine eyes gazed suspiciously, "From what I heard of conversation. It seems more like two friends chatting about names."
Well, all this crap isn't going to make sense to a child.
…
"Leaving that aside, Uzumaki-san."
Argent eyes flickered to his side, "What is it?"
A coy smile formed on her lips, her cheeks a rosy red, as she gazed towards him.
…
"I am Hungry."
And also, I thank you for your continuing support.
The messages and reviews are what kept me going, to finish this chapter.
And Review!
Kindly please.