Chapter 4:
"Each friend represents a world in us,
A world possibly not born until they arrive,
And it is only by this meeting
That a new world is born."
-Anais Nin
The Rikudou Sennin suddenly got a questionable look on his face, then he marched over to the left of me and kicked the Rat-Blue Veined thing next to me, "Wake Up Shukaku! I know you are listening!"
"Hehehe!" The beast raised its head from its slouched position, "Extraordinary! You got me again! Hehehe…"
I blinked, "Shukaku…is it?" I tested the waters with my "brother," who was in fact, shorter than I was. Though technically…older?
"Hyhaaaa!"
I sweat dropped, "I take it that's a yes?"
"To the right, up the stairs…" He started ominously, "I smell human blood!"
I blinked, then swatted him upside the head, "We are in the basement of a shrine. Duh. Stop acting like an idiot." I huffed, for a second there-he really buggered me out.
He shot me a glare with his unnerving yellow eyes, and growled, "You underestimate me?! Calling me an idiot?!"
I glared right back, "Yes. The first thing you say when you meet me is that you smell human blood. Psychopath."
"Gyuuaahh-I hope you are ready to die!" He hissed, back haunches up and ready to pounce.
"You act like an animal." I insulted. Not only had I made an enemy right off the bat, but I had pissed off some super powered…dog thing. But he was a psychopath, and I was never good at retaining my smart mouth.
"I AM an animal!" He pounced-and as if on cue the Rikudou Sennin appeared and smashed his snout into the tattooed ground of the basement. But what happened was the strangest thing-the Rikudou's foot almost went through his snout like it was made of…sand…
"That's enough, Racheal, Shukaku. No fighting today."
"Hm."
"Racheal, what a weird name." Shukaku commented offhand. (1)
"Shukaku-means to be drunk. I wonder what that says about you." This ugly dog rubbed me the wrong way. Though it was not like I had anything to say to that really, Racheal actually meant "sheep" in Hebrew. Ironic, not that I'm a giant demon monster fox who had the name of a tiny sheep... But Shukaku didn't know that.
"Hyahh! So uncalled for! I'll crush the life from your throat!" He scowled.
"Shukaku, remember our conversation." Sensei said sternly.
He shut up rather quickly after that, "Finally." I sighed happily. The horrible screeching grate in my ears gone, like an annoying twat that has been put to death. He rounded on me, "Racheal. I expect you will do more of an effort to know your brothers. If you don't…" Slight killing intent reached me as I gulped. His intent was like drowning in an icy river- you couldn't breathe and every inch of your body became ice.
I nodded quickly, and the intent was off. My black lips twitched up allowing myself a bit of peace.
"Well, that was amusing." The blue two-tailed cat spoke up, raising its head from his paws. "Sir," It addressed the Sennin, "I would like to make an request, if you will."
"Matatabi…This is Shukaku and Racheal." He gestured to both of us,
"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." (2)
"Erm…Right. A pleasure." I commented, since when did cats have manners? "Call me Racheal."
"Pssh- Hyahh! I'm Shukaku-don't listen to this asshole over here!"
"Asshole? I'm an asshole now?"
"Hyah-yeah! I shall crush you asshole!"
"Ata! Like you could beat me you-you madman!"
Sensei pinched the bridge of his nose together with his pointer and ring fingers, the vein on his forehead dangerously close to bursting.
"Rikudou-sama, may we enter outside? I feel a little cramped sitting in this room, which is vast- however boxed in." The Matatabi asked quietly.
Sensei nodded sagely, "In a bit, I would like to talk to you all before you go your separate ways."
"Of course, I'd like to clear myself of this idiocy." A new voice chimed in.
"Son Goku." Sensei greeted.
"Hyahhh! Look! It's the Four-Tailed Ape!" Shukaku did an awkward version of a doggy smirk.
"Four Tailed…? How dare you! My name is Son Goku! You'd do best to remember it-"He boomed. (3)
"My fellow brothers! Please listen, can we not hold our arguments until-" Matatabi started.
"They are not arguments, simply the proof of vastly different mentalities." I corrected, "It's perfectly healthy."
"I disagree-"
"Gosh all the prideful bastards around here!" Shukaku was having another verbal battle on the side-only with Son Goku-who seemed to have a shorter fuse then me. "I'll crush all of you!"
"You want to say that again, desert rat?" he growled.
"Good one!" I threw in with a foxy grin.
Sensei rubbed his nose again in the middle of the circle, "Whatever made me think this was such an intelligent idea?" He muttered to himself.
"A-Actually, I think you commented that it was part of how the seal was aligned-it's why all of these markings all over the f-floor isn't it Sensei?"
"Isobu!" Sensei seemed to welcome with a huge grin and evident relief written on his face. "So nice of you to join us!"
"Y-Yes." (4)
He casted a stern glare at the rest of us, like we were misbehaving children before a new kid. "Introduce yourselves." He ordered.
"Hello, you may call me Matatabi." He nodded his head in the tortoise's direction.
"I am the Great Son Goku!" the ape reared up on its hind legs in a proud poise. "Remember my name!"
"Shukaku is the name, Killin' is my game! Hyaahh!"
"Racheal, nice to meet you-brother." Out of all of them, I liked Isobu the best so far. He had this shy little personality which made me want to rip open his turtle shell and smile. He was cute, which that, was a feat in itself seeing as he was just so damn ugly. But give the one-eyed turtle some love here.
Shukaku was by far my least favorite, crazy madman out to murder people. Literally, murder. He was the definition of a demon! Something that deeply disgusted me more than any physical look, or personality could. He was going to grow up to be a sociopath, it was so clear. How had Sensei put up with him? As a matter of fact why hadn't sensei changed him? I took a minute to think, perhaps sensei tried? Knowing him he would've, or perhaps Shukaku's blood thirst had come on later when he developed-too late for Sensei to change anything? If I knew one thing was for certain-Sensei wouldn't stand for that kind of behavior under his rule. Even he beat me up when I got a little too morbid with myself…
Son Goku would come next, I liked the fact he had confidence, but he was overly arrogant when it came to himself. Yet from the snippets of conversation he had with Shukaku, he was calculative. In a bookish way almost, different from my kind of cunning.
In second, came Matatabi, I liked him because he realized the value of being polite-though sometimes he was still-too polite. A bit like the teacher's pet, the suck up. So, it was a bonus to mess with his head a bit.
H-Hello, Nice to m-meet you. I'm Isobu."
"Well, Welcome Isobu we'd all like to welcome you-"
"Shut it, kitten." Shukaku snapped. "What I want to know is why you only have one eye-?"
"O-Oh! Well…" If Isobu could blush he would have, and he ducked his head and muttered something.
"Whaa?" Shukaku asked rudely.
"Don't antagonize him." Sensei warned us sharply, a dangerous protective glint in his eye.
"If we are here, in the 'real world' does that mean your seal has broken, Sensei?"
"Gyuki…" The eight tailed Octo-Dog drew his eyebrows together and drew to his full height-just below my chine. (I was still by far the tallest over all of them. If I stood up Isobu would fit nicely in-between my legs.)
All of the beasts simmered down and turned towards the new speaker, "Doesn't that mean…you'll die soon, Sensei?" Gyuki-apparently interrogated.
"Hyahh! Old man!" Shukaku barked in frustration-and turned on the eight tailed dog…Octopus. "Old Man here's pretty much immortal, he won't die!" He said confidently.
"On the other hand," I murmured, "breaking the seal that once contained the Juubi is fatal."
"Racheal." Sensei warned me.
"Is there another way for you to survive sensei? I'm sure some of us could funnel our chakra into you-if you've dealt with our poisonous chakra before, you could again. Am I not correct?" Matabi questioned.
"I was never suited for immortality. I do not wish nor need it." Sensei said firmly.
I admired him, not being afraid of death like the rest of us. Of just popping out of existence. He didn't want all this power he could have-all this power he was welcomed too.
"Die a hero, or live a villain." I murmured under my breath. His eyes flashed to me.
"But y-you like a f-father to us!" Isobu wailed, I was happy to see I wasn't the only one with tears gathered in my eyes. But I couldn't resist a shit-eating grin snaked it's way across my face, "No, more like a mother with the amount of worrying he does!" I commented, glad for the tension in the room seemed to evaporate.
Shukaku for once, nodded sagely with me "Mama!" He countered.
"I like it." Son Goku declared. "Mama."
"Hmpf, I little silly but I agree." Gyuki nodded.
"I-I guess it kind of describes h-him."
"Yes, I do admit, while he is of the male gender, he is the one who gave us a birth of conscious. Mother, is a suited name."
Sensei nailed another annoyed glare at me, I just grinned slyly again, my tails waving happily with the mischief I just stirred up.
"So…Who are you all?" Gyuki, Eight tailed Octo-dog asked us all.
"Ata! Why don't we just wait for the rest to awaken to do all the introductions?" I complained, "We keep having to say our names over and over."
"A very smart idea," a soft voice comes, I shrink back in disgust, oh great-the slug.
"Saiken," Sensei-Mama-nodded to the slimy thing.
'Saiken' sneezed, and a small ball of liquid shot out of his mouth and sizzled on the floor. The beasts watched in collective silence as the liquid ate a good chunk of the floor. I shivered, acid. I slowly inched away from the slug-I didn't want to become a hairless fox demon! Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Shukaku do the same thing.
Mama had the nerve to smirk at us.
"Oh, sorry." Saiken said, a slimy tail up to its mouth.
"Hey! That was kinda cool!" A happy voice butted in.
"Chomei!" Mama welcomed, a smiled adorned his face.
"Well, someone likes to play favorites." I murmured.
"Oh, it seems like I'm the last to waken to the party." A quieter reserved voice spoke in almost a whisper-but no doubt a low boom to Mama's human ears.
"Kukuo," Mama smiled.
"Greetings." He nodded.
Shukaku leaned back "Hyahh! Now we can get this party started!"
I shot him a lengthy stare, "I'm sorry but do you have some incurable speech impediment? I could punch you in the face if you want." I offered.
"Not like you should speak, you say "foe" all the time when you're upset." Gyuki commented.
"At-!" I cut myself off, "Well, at least I don't say it in every sentence!"
"Hey-Hey! It's okay-it's okay! Chomei's here to save tha day~!"
"Right. Like you could stop this zoo house." Son Goku scoffed.
"I'm Lucky Seven Chomei! You could never go wrong with me. Your number is Four-death!"
"I'd rather my symbolism mean "Death" than "Lucky." Son Goku retorted.
"Doesn't that mean I'm symbolize "Suffering?" I wondered. As nine was the superstition to "suffering"
"This is so idiotic-we are arguing superstitions!" Gyuki exclaimed.
"Easy for you to say, you have eight tails!" Son Goku shot back.
Matatabi sat back on its haunches, "Do all of our tails mean something?" His two tails flickered curiously.
"Probably not," Kukuo said, "We shouldn't base ourselves according to superstition."
"Besides," Son Goku added, "The Maneki Neko is said to bring money and fortune, so you're okay."
"So I'm going to be rich?"
"What do we b-base ourselves on?" Isobu asked.
Saiken straightened out a little, its slime still oozing all over the floor. "I believe Sensei wants us to find that for ourselves."
"Mama," I absently corrected.
"Mama?" Kukuo asked inquisitively.
Shukaku wheezed a laugh, "He's a mother hen!"
"Hehe!" Chomei laughed, "It's fits in a way~Mama!"
We all turned our attention back to our twitching Mama.
"Are you alright, Mother?" Saiken asked in a worried tone. Mama twitched again.
"I've been called a lot of things…But this by far is unique." The sage muttered exasperated by us. We had squabbled just like normal siblings-but he seemed pleased for some reason.
"Well we all can't share the title of your sons call you by." Gyuki reasoned with a stretched grin to rival my own. He glowered back at me, not quite forgiving me for my little prompt that was the start of this mess.
"Alright." He clapped his hands, "It's time to tell you the reason why you all are here."
"It's not to sell us cookies is it?" I asked sarcastically.
The next thing I knew- my snout was smashed into the stone cold ground. "Behave." Sensei hissed. After a second he jumped off and I sat back up rubbing my stinging nose. Damn ninja midgets.
"As you all know…I don't have long anymore. Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Kokuo, Saiken, Chomei, Gyuki, Racheal…"
As he said our names he turned to address each of us. My crimson eyes narrowed in confusion, I felt a strange Déjà vu in the air. Like I had seen this…before. Somewhere, but it felt off like I wasn't supposed to be here.
"Even though you've been separated, you shall always be together. Until eventually that time shall come when you become one…"
He was just trying to reassure us, but honestly, I think we all felt a little scared for going into a world we didn't know-all afraid for different reasons. But that fear of ripping our safe cocoon shells and spreading our wings is what bound us together in that moment.
"You each carry a name…And with a different shape you had up til now, you will be shown the righteous path, different from the time you spent inside me. You will learn what is true power… until that time…"
It was true, I wouldn't know until that time. I wouldn't recognize anything either-until centuries later, I looked back on the moment-and proceeded to smash my overly large skull into a mountain.
(1) Shukaku was always described as an incoherent madman, so here, without much character he is portrayed as having a natural thirst for bloodlust and destruction. Why would Rikudou Sennin allow this? Simply, he didn't. But not even he can control the insanity of the One Tailed Demon. Also, Shukaku is mentioned in the original setting how he hate Kurama/Kyuubi for the belief that the more tails you had the stronger you were. (Which Kyuubi was the one to start that belief.) So here, while Kyuubi doesn't start that belief they end up hating each other in a different way. It kind of reminded me of a Naruto and Sasuke thing, but much much more destructive with a dose of insanity.
(2) The Matabi is very polite when speaking, I may have made the cat a tad bit overformal but…from what I've gathered it is still relatively in character. If not a bit too polite, which, he will lose later on. In folklore the Matabi was a small yet relatively strong creature, in Naruto that is different. To blend these two together Matabi starts out the smallest and eventually grows to his full gigantic size later…
(3) Son Goku is a prideful beast, he hates being called the Four Tails and anything but his name. Mix in a little inexperience, and hence you have an arrogant Son Goku. I figured that later, his respect towards the tailed beasts would heighten the more he interacted with the human world and how the humans would use him towards their war and demands.
(4) Isobu is a soft spoken creature, compared to his brothers. I didn't know how to render him as shy in the English version, so to show his personality to be slightly underdeveloped I put him with a slight stutter.
(5) Gyuki is a little rude, and was known for it's wild temper and hatred against all human kind. I hoped I captured his side a bit.
(6) Saiken has always been the creepy one to me, so making the Kyuubi afraid of him seemed almost natural. Saiken was supposed to be the kind one, he was more patient and less self-preserving than the other beasts in the manga. I'd honestly rather take on Madara, Obito, the Juubi, Rikudou Sennin and Fourth Hokage all at once and get beaten in a flick of a finger rather than face Saiken. Yeah.
(7) Chomei is the happy beast of the lot, so place it in optimistic "Lucky Seven Chomei." It fits the character.
(8) Kukuo is a reserved individual, often quiet compared to the Matabi, but polite just the same.
Hoped you liked this chapter everyone-and the long explanations of why I had different character's say different things. If anything was too…OOC let me know. Any questions, comments, or concerns may go in the review box if you will J While I may not respond it always gives me a kick to the brain to get writing.
