Disclaimer: The Land of War and the Land of Steel are my creation, please ask me if you want to use them or any aspect of my story please, thank you.
"So let me get this straight," Naruto took a big slurp of his ramen as Ryuen did the same without his handcuffs on but instead had two shadows waiting for him outside. Even if he wasn't in any position to escape, Tsunade wasn't about to let him off the hook for the string of oba-sama related comments he had continued to make even after she had threatened to disable both arms. "You've spent ten years to be avenge your family, traveling all over the place?"
"No, more of put their spirits to rest, I made periodic trips back to Kotetsu every now and then to check up, the first one was just a couple of months after the incident," The once energetic blue eyes met with soft red ones that were full of painful memories as Ryuen let out a shaky sigh. "Three attacks had been made to capture some of my generation of the Hotaru clan. I vowed from that day forward to ensure my cousins' welfare and I started first with the attempted kidnappers."
"You killed them?" Ryuen almost snorted in his chopsticks and had to be slammed on the back hard by Kaiten to prevent him from choking. Ramen bits along with some chicken were wiped off with a napkin as Ryuen contained in his awkward snickering and shook his head. "Ne, but I thought you said you already took down forty seven?"
"Just because I said that doesn't mean I killed them all, and I'm not boasting about the twelve I've had to put to the grave." He's not like any other shinobi I've met, he regrets killing…Sakura noted to herself as Taka inhaled two more bowls of ramen as if they were air. "Kenaku left me with no choice, and there is just one I plan to kill."
"Who is it; I mean the fact that you aren't giving him a second chance is pretty harsh." All five of them had left Tsunade's office and right to Ichiraku at Naruto's pestering, along with the incentive of Ryuen paying for it without the slightest bit of care.
"Deidara of Iwagakure, he should still be smarting from that wound my oka-san gave him." Teuchi had just a moment's warning before ramen followed by spit rained upon counter as Ryuen and Taka blinked. Neither one had ever seen synchronized spitting before nor heard of it, and she grabbed three napkins and blew on them before holding them up to reveal a nine cut out by wind in the middle of each one.
"Are you crazy or just plain dumb, Deidara is an S-Rank and he's a whole lot stronger than we are."
"Your point?" Everyone's jaw hit the floor at Ryuen's lack of care, and with Taka humming away as she enjoyed her seafood ramen Sakura jumped Ryuen who opened one eye. Both Kaiten and Naruto watched the scene unfold as Sakura's fist was almost upon Ryuen when his arm snapped outward to hold her back with just two fingers in a manner Naruto had seen far too often. With a tiny flick Sakura had switched from the attack to rubbing her forehead as Ryuen smiled. "I've been training myself for the past ten years in between resting and tracking, besides, what makes you think all I have is sword skills?"
He can't be serious about trying to take on Deidara; doesn't he know how dangerous that is? Sakura's eyes softened as she thought of another dark haired boy who had been in a similar situation. Ryuen stood up with both chopsticks sticking out of the side of his mouth as if they were toothpicks, well the least I can do is put them at ease.
"Aside from the fact that the five nations have decided to put a dossier out on you due to the combined targets you've taken down?" All heads turned to Kakashi who had Toriai in tow as Teuchi went into the kitchen to make some more ramen for his regulars. Kakashi pulled out a dark green book with a bookmark sticking out and he flicked it to Kaiten who flipped it open to the bookmarked page. "Go ahead and read it out loud."
"Nickname; Tonbo of Kotetsu, Origin; Kotetsugakure, Rank;…S…Jutsu; uses a balanced combination of Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and specializes in Kenjutsu and Ningu, rumored to be skilled in more than two elements, Record; has killed six A-rank nukenin and five B-rank, has also turned in a total of forty nukenin and criminals, average of A to B rank…"
Even Teuchi's head popped out of the kitchen to stare at Ryuen, the one person who wasn't staring was Taka who now was creating a small orb of wind to play with, oblivious to the entire situation. Lowering his chopsticks, Naruto slurped up the last of his ramen as he reached for his fourteenth bowl while Ryuen sat back down and grabbed his thirteenth.
"I made an oath to my parents to ensure that their spirits could rest in peace, knowing that I would watch over the family as they had done." He reached into his wallet and pulled out a small wad of yen and placed down on the counter as he stopped a little ways outside of Ichiraku. "Don't worry about me, I've managed to survive so far and my luck hasn't run out yet."
"The Akatsuki aren't to be mistaken for any of the nukenin you've fought before, make a mistake, and your dead." Kakashi's words echoed in Ryuen's ears as he froze in place with his head lowered. He's right though, Deidara won't be like any of the previous targets, and he'll be prepared for me with his own techniques…
"All the more reason to perfect my techniques, and if I survive, " Lifting up his head revealed a broad toothy smile almost imitating Naruto's as the two ANBU appeared beside him ready to follow him around again. "You have to teach me a technique…"
With that being said, Ryuen ran off towards some of the training grounds with his watchers in tow as Kakashi smiled to himself. This one will truly become a legend in his own time, along with a certain blond jinchuriki…He though as the blond in question had just been smacked by Kaiten for commenting on Taka's odd child like behavior.
"Okay, ground rules, separate shower times and ask me before you go swiping any of my ramen." The words fell upon deaf ears as Taka marveled at the simplistic apartment Naruto lived in. Before they had arrived there, Sakura and Kaiten had dragged Naruto along with them to help Taka shop for some extra clothes other than her own green combat outfit she currently wore. So after ten stores later along with Naruto about to shell out money, Taka had whistled and called down Ryuen's own falcon which had a small pair of bags attached to the wrists carrying a small fortune inside each. Most of the money went to clothes but the rest was saved up for getting some new gear she was in need of even though Ryuen himself seemed to be better equipped than even Tenten. "And Nanabi won't try to get control?"
"Why should she, I've got a seal to keep her in, see?" Naruto stared at the same Shisho Fuin and Hakke no Fuin Shiki on Taka's stomach but instead of a spiral like his own, hers was in a reverse spiral with the lines being more jagged. Wait a minute, Taka said she…Within a minute later Naruto had jumped up onto the ceiling with his chakra sticking him right to it as his shout almost woke up the dead.
"NANABI'S A GIRL!?!" Taka blinked while snickering before she exploded into laughter while nodding as best she could despite holding together her poor aching sides. It took a couple of minutes for both of them to calm down along with Naruto to get down as Taka started to look up at Naruto and study him for a minute before looking away but then she looked back, starting the whole process all over again. Upon the sixth time, Naruto's patience died as he got right up in front of her face to stare her down. "Ne, why do you keep looking at me?"
"Gomen, but aren't you…like me too?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you…have Kyuubi in you?" Silence filled the room as Naruto's eyes widened in both horror and surprise. How does she know about Kyuubi? A loud shaky shriek caught Naruto's attention within his mind as a large outline appeared in the dim light. By squinting his eyes, Naruto was able to make out the form of a giant bird with an entire green body and seven long tail feathers with a pair of fierce amber eyes drilling into him.
Konnichi wa Kyuubi-sama!
Nanabi, what are you doing in this kit's mind?
Get out of my mind! Despite the volume of his thoughts, Nanabi let out a long shrill shriek while shaking all over almost as if she were to fall over dead. Gomen Naruto-kun, she manages to escape every now and then…Naruto spun around to see Taka in his mind too, wearing a more simple green kimino while taking in a deep breath of air. NANABI-SAN, LEAVE NARUTO-KUN'S MIND NOW!
Fine, bye Kyuubi-sama!The large bird disappeared while Naruto opened his own eyes to see Taka smiling at him despite having been in his mind.
"How did you get into my mind anyway?"
"Nanabi was a famous trickster who could enter into a person's mind and tell their most embarrassing secrets, and I can use her power too." And of course young kit, Nanabi is also able to cloud the mind as well, not that it would work on you…Ignoring Kyuubi's insult, Naruto felt relief that Taka didn't seem to care about Kyuubi being inside Naruto at all, she even felt happier that another Jinchuriki was around. Each question began to center around their own childhood, and when it came to Taka she went into a fountain of tears leaving Naruto to embraced the poor girl and comfort her, Being ignored by all of your family is worse than not having one at all…he thought. As she calmed down Naruto felt an attachment to the young child, both were Jinchuriki as well as despised for it, but now they had a friend in the same situation. Most of all for Taka, she now had a brother who could help her learn more about her Jinchuriki powers as Naruto had his own experience too. Kyuubi-san's being quiet all of the sudden, why? Kyuubi was sitting in his cell in a meditative position as his mind continued to race, That boy, Ryuen…he knew of this girl's situation and yet he took her in…but how was he able to live so long with Nanabi around too? "Naruto-kun, can I ask you a question?"
"Hai."
"Can I call you onii-san?" He blinked for a moment in surprise before nodding, and he witnessed the first hand experience of the all powerful Taka-glomp, knocking him down hard to the floor. After getting Taka to release him, Naruto handed her one of the towels and one of the bags carrying her pajamas and pushed her towards the bathroom. Well, well, aren't we the good onii-san? Kyuubi-chan, leave onii-san alone! Naruto was on in the floor in tears as Kyuubi went into a full blown rant on the respect that he as the most powerful kitsune bi should have. Gomen Kyuubi-san, but Taka can't be intimidated by us, trust me…
"The great Kyuubi and Nanabi, unable to even scare a little-
A massive explosion followed by a roll of thunder knocked Naruto flat onto his back as Taka shot out of the bathroom, half-dressed in her pajamas with fear in her eyes. That came from the training grounds…Ryuen! Both of them shot out of the apartment and in a straight path towards the origin of the explosion which somehow didn't wake anyone else up although Naruto noticed the familiar blur of Kakashi and Iruka-sensei as they all joined up.
"Impossible, not even the strongest spring storm could have done this…" On one side of the field all was peaceful, serene and calm while the other half was a giant crater that looked like a massive lightning bolt had ricocheted down and straight out for ten yards. Not even the stone remained on the field, and every minute a small crackle of electricity sparked from the crater as Naruto stared in awe at the field. I'm the only one who could produce a crater even equal to this…
"ONII-RYU!" All three ran over to Taka's scream as she looked down at the still form of Ryuen who didn't even move. His entire right arm was clean of any injuries but his chest and shoulder blade were darkened as if he used his arm for a lightning rod. Kakashi placed two fingers to his neck, and everyone waited with baited breath until Ryuen wheezed and his chest began to rise. "Arigatou Kami-sama…"
"Welcome to the land of the living Ryuen-no-baka…"
"…Sorry about that…Hageshii was a little stubborn but I managed…" His eyes managed to open up a little as he stared up at everyone and he smiled at Kakashi. "I'm still alive…and I perfected it too…"
"Iruka sensei, take Naruto and Taka home, I'll make sure Ryuen gets some rest." With a quick hug from Taka and a thank you from Naruto, the three left leaving Ryuen alone with Kakashi who lifted up his hita-ate while staring at Ryuen's eyes. That explosion, only a S-level raiton technique could have made a crater that large or Naruto's new rasengan…His eye flicked over to Ryuen who managed to sit up despite the current state of pain shooting up through his body. "Hageshii…you perfected your technique?"
"Yep…cost me a day of rest…but it was worth it to master Hageshii…and my own new move…" Kakashi picked up Ryuen who smiled before muttering about proving a lizard wrong causing a smile to appear under Kakashi's mask. Incredible, a shinobi who is willing to risk his life to complete his mission…He noted while running off, He may be what Naruto needs the most right now…a brother.
