Hi, it's-a me, TonicShadow!
…wow…I didn't notice how well my first original story would be this popular. I really didn't expect allot of good reviews. Thank you. :D
Also sorry about the chapter delay, I've been very distracted with new Disney films, upcoming games and such that I had to find a way to include them in the story. It took some time, but I think I've got that sorted…I think.
So without further delay, here's chapter 7 coming at ya!
Chapter 7
Ninja's, Pirates, and Ghosts. Oh my!
We find ourselves outside the town of Frontier Land in another part of the Forest Swamp, where we find the crew of Davy Jones and the captain himself searching through the muddy swamps looking for Naruto and his companions who ran off into these woods and are finding there tracks…but all they could find was nothing but the muddy swamps.
"Keep searching lads! They can't have gotten far!" Davy Jones called out.
"But captain, we don't even know where they went-…we can't find there tracks!" One of the crewmates replied. "We could be out here searching for them who knows how long!"
Davy Jones walks up to him. "Then you better make sure you find them quick then! Unless you want to see what the insides of a Kraken's stomach looks like now do ya?!" He yelled out.
"…no captain."
"Then keep looking!"
The crewmate nervously nods his head and he continues to look. Davy Jones turns around to keep searching only to stop as he sees a shadow of someone with a top hat and cane on the tree.
…but no one standing there to make it.
"I'm surprised to see you and your crew out here in the swamps, Mr Jones." A voice called out making Davy Jones look to his right to see the witch doctor leaning against another tree twilling his Kane.
"…good evening Mr Facilier." Davy Jones growled out.
Dr. Facilier stops his Kane and snaps his fingers making his shadow join back to him before he walks towards Davy Jones. "But last I checked, I told you that the boy would be in the towns Tavern-…not in the swamps!"
"And the boy was there-…that much I can't deny." The captain answered. "But he somehow escape-…him and his companions, out here."
"Escape?! You mean you lost the boy and let him escape?!" The witch doctor cried angrily. "How can you lose him-…he and little friends were trapped with no way out!"
"And they were trapped-…like you said…but the boy was not normal." Davy Jones replied. "He seems to have some sort of magic you didn't tell me and my crew about."
The Shadowman raises an eyebrow hearing that before he rubs his chin in thought. "The boy has magic…? Hm, she never mention that detail…" He muttered to himself before he shakes his head. "That doesn't matter Mr Jones! What does matter is that you failed to capture the boy and grab the key he has!"
Davy Jones steps towards the witch doctor with a glare. "You best beware who your talking too, Mr Facilier." He replied.
"I know exactly who I'm talking to, Davy Jones." The witch doctor fired back. "Unless you want to make sure that your precious treasure is kept safe from any harm, you'll follow my orders to a T. That was the deal you made with me, did you forget? Or do you want an express one way trip to my friends on the other side?"
Davy Jones narrows his eyes in anger after hearing that. "You wouldn't dare."
"I will Mr Jones…just try me." Dr, Faciler answered before turns around a walks away from Davy Jones. "Remember Mr Jones, I want the boy and the key he has brought to the ship…alive."
"And what of the boys companions-…what shall we do to them?"
The witch doctor stops and slightly turns him head to him. "…well you know the old saying here in Frontier Land…dead men tell no tale." He replied with a smirk before he carried on his way with his shadow tipping his hat to Davy Jones.
Davy Jones grins at that before he turns to his crew. "You heard him lads! Keep searching for the boy-…and don't stop until you do!" He barded his orders making the crew set out. "And while you're at it-…if you find Jack Sparrow along the way, tell him his future pirate days will soon be at the bottom of the ocean."
-: Outside the Haunted Mansion :-
We find our heroes-…with Tinkerbell on Naruto's shoulder, walking up to the iron ornate gates that lead to the Hunted Mansion…the only problem though for Naruto was one small thing…
"A Graveyard." Naruto muttered as he grips the gate bars with his hands as he looks at the tombstones. "This place just happen to have…a Graveyard."
"Well it not called the Hunted Mansion without a few tombstones lying about the place." The pirate captain replied. "It wouldn't be called the Hunted Mansion then-…it'll just be called…the Mansion." Jack then makes a face after saying that. "…I don't like that name-…it's too plain."
Naruto turns his head to see a plaque on the brick stone column holding the gate up and see's the letters "H.M." written on them…this was the place alright.
He turns back to the graveyard before sighing in defeat. "Great, just what I need. More reasons to hate ghosts." He muttered as Tinkerbell pats his cheek to calm him down.
"No way to avoid it mate." Jack said as he opens the gates and starts to walk towards. "Onward and upward-…and the other stuff they say in situations like this."
The young ninja sighs as he quickly follows the pirate into the Graveyard, not noticing that the gates closed by themselves.
As they walk down the path Naruto looks around as he sees ghoulish trees with knotted expressions, tombstones of names of people he didn't know-…as well as animal tombstones for there pets. He even took notice a few crows in the trees as if they where watching them, either that or they where looking at five burst heads who were singing a tune he never heard of-…
He suddenly stops and blinks a few times…singing head bursts? The hell?
He slowly turns his head to see five head bursts singing in sink. "…the hell?" He muttered.
"Oh, well the crypt doors creek and the tombstones quake~
Spooks come out for a swinging wake~
Happy haunts, materialize~
And begin to vocalize~
Grim Grinning Ghosts, come out to socialize~"
Naruto stares at the singing heads for a few moments before he shakes his head. "Nope. I'm not gonna ask." He said before he quickly follows the pirate captain to the mansion.
When he caught up to Jack he asked. "How you know about this place anyway?"
"Anyone who is anyone knows about the Hunted Mansion." The pirate captain replied. "It's been here ever since that old man of yours built the place."
"Built it for who exactly?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
Jack stops and turns to the ninja with a look. "…for the ghosts of course." He replied getting a surprised look from Naruto. "Who else would he built it for-…himself?" And carries on towards the mansion.
"…seriously?" The ninja asked before he looked to Tinkerbell with a look.
The fairy nods with a smile confirming Jack story.
"…just when you think you've heard everything." Naruto muttered to himself as he follows the pirate captain.
They carried on walking pass the graves until they stopped as they reach the front of the mansion and took a closer look at it.
The mansion itself looked to be a Antebellum theme that looked like it was from the 19th century, with its huge pillars, a green balcony that ran along the whole outside edge of the house at the front, evenly spaced large windows, and a big centre porch entrance at the front mansion which gave it a box like style.
'…okay I'm just gonna go with the flow and not ask about how I know these things-…because I'm not.' Naruto mentally told himself after realising it.
They then walked onto the porch to the front door of the mansion.
"…already I have a bad feeling about this." Naruto quietly said with Tinkerbell nodding in agreement.
"There's nothing to worry about-…all we're doing is knocking on a door…of a mansion that hunted…that's filled with ghosts…and such-…nothing to be afraid of." Jack answered with a wave on his hand. "…but just to make sure-…why don't you go first?"
Naruto and Tinkerbell both give him a deadpanned look before they look to the front door with nervous expressions.
Naruto the reaches the door knocker and starts knocking on the door.
KNOCK
KNOCK
KNOCK-CREEEEEEK
After the last knock the door slowly creeks open showing the inside of the mansion.
The young ninja nervously gulps as he leans his head forward to look inside. Inside was the Foyer that was lit by a large, flickering, cobweb-covered chandelier and surrounding candelabras.
…and no one around that could open the door.
"…hello?!" Jack called out into the Foyer.
"…hello…hello…hello…hello…" Echoed out.
Jack raises an eyebrow at that. "Hm…echo!" He called out.
"…echo… echo… echo… echo…" Echoed out.
Both Naruto and Tinkerbell turn to the pirate with a look before the ninja asked. "…what are you doing?"
Jack looks to them with a puzzled expression. "…what? I always wanted do that." He answered making Naruto sweatdrop.
"…are you done?" The ninja deadpanned.
The pirate captain raises a finger up gesturing that he was gonna do one more echo and calls out. "Is there anybody home?!"
"…no…no…no…no…"
…THAT got spooked looks from everyone before they share a look.
"…I think I'll stop now." Jack muttered out.
With that they walked inside the mansion being cautious of who…or what, could be around the corner.
SLAM
They where startled be the noise and quickly turn to see that the front door was slam shut behind them.
CL-CLICK
…and the sound of the door locking.
"…that's not good." Jack said starting the obvious, getting deadpanned looks from the others.
"Greetings mortals." A voice called out surprising the three. "I am your host…your ghost host."
"Do Hunted Mansions always have a ghostly talking voices?" Naruto asked outload.
"That my little friend…is something I need to know myself." The pirate replied.
"When hinges creep in door less chambers." The voice carried on. "And strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candle lights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time, when ghosts are present, practicing their terror, with ghoulish delight." The voice then chuckled as it fades away.
"…just when you think this place couldn't get any creepier-…you hear that." Naruto muttered out as he facepalms.
Tinkerbell then flies in front of Naruto doing a couple of bell sounds getting his attention and gestures to the stairs leading to the second floor hallway.
"…what's she saying-…I don't speak bell talk." The pirate ask as he pointing at the fairy.
"I think she saying that Leota lady might be hiding somewhere on the second floor? Is that it?" The ninja asked getting a nod from the fairy. He looks back to the second floor. "…might as well take a look then-…unless you know anywhere else to look." He then starts head up the stairs with Tinkerbell not far behind.
"Oy-…you're not leaving me behind mate." Jack said and quickly follows them. "I don't do well in hunted houses."
When they reach the second floor they look down the hallway taking notice of the paintings hanging on the walls, two statuary busts depicting a strict-looking man and woman, and a few doors along the way.
As they started to walk down the hall, Kyuubi muttered. 'I've got to tell ya kit, in all years and living, this place is starting to make me feel…anxious.'
'Really? You the great nine tailed fox-…getting scared of a Hunted Mansion?' Naruto mentally replied in slight amusement.
'Ha ha, very funny brat.' The fox sarcastically said with a deadpanned look. 'I'm just saying you should be aware of this place. I don't want my jailer to die an embarrassing death like a heart attack from a ghost…even though I would get a good laugh out of it.'
Naruto's eyebrow twitches in annoyance after hearing that. '…you're a bastard-…you know that?' He mentally replied.
'Thank you.' The fox grinned before cutting the connection.
"Stupid fox." He quietly muttered.
As our companions walk pass the paintings in the hallway, they start to change from people and animals into ghost and monsters-…all the while there eyes are following there movements. Tinkerbell, being the only one who took notice of the changes become nervous and quickly flies to hide in Naruto hair-…with her head poking out of it.
As the pass the two statuary busts, the pirate looks to them as sees that they were turning their heads following…their…movements…
"Okay…that's creepy." Jack muttered as he turned his head away from the bursts.
When they came to the three doors they stop not sure which room to look in…
"Okay…which one should we look first?" Naruto asked.
BREATHE
BREATHE
BREATHE
Naruto blinks hearing the heavy breathing and turns to Jack to ask. "Um, Jack? Why are you breathing so loud?"
"…I'm not." The pirate replied getting a look from the ninja
"…but, if you're not making those breathing sounds-…and I know Bell-chan not making those sounds…what is?"
BREATHE
BREATHE
BREATHE
Hearing the sound again they slowly turn to the door on there left…to see that the door is actually breathing.
BREATHE
BREATHE
BREATHE
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…I vote not to go in there." Jack said breaking the silence.
"Agreed." Naruto replied with Tinkerbell quickly nodding.
'…a breathing door…now I've seen everything.' Kyuubi said before he cut the connection.
Suddenly the sounds of pounding, shrieking, screams, knocking, and maniacal laughter startles them from the door on the right, all the while as they see an green glow can be seen from the gap at the bottom of the door.
"…I like to quickly add-…that the second choice is gonna be the same answer to the first one." Jack added.
Naruto turns to the third door in front of him to see if anything would happen…but nothing happens.
"…then I guess, we'll take door number three." Naruto muttered as he reaches for the door handle and grips it.
He turns the handle and pushes the door open and step into the room…which turns out to be a balcony to the Grand Hall.
In the hall where a couple of broken doors, with equally broken windows above. A broken burst showing no face was sitting on a mantle of a fireplace…with a mysterious green fire, that lit the Grand Hall. A massive chandelier hangs high above the floor. On the other side of the balcony across the room, where a curtained doorway is situated between two portraits of dueling gunmen. And close to one side of the portraits was an abandoned pipe organ, covers in cobwebs and dust.
Taking notice of a some twisted stairs and travelled down them to the Grand Hall's ground floor, where they start to look around the place to see if anything off about the room, but find nothing wrong…or anybody for that matter.
"…kindly drag your bodies away from the walls to the dead centre of the room."
…except for the voice of the ghost host of course.
"Okay seriously-…does that voice have to talk like that? I'm already freaked out from this place already." Naruto asked as he looks to the ceiling. "Okay voice we get it! Your creepy and scary-…good job on that! But can you leave us alone, please! We're trying to find someone!"
"…then I bid you farewell, mortals." The voice answered. "…but you must beware-…there are many troubled ghosts and ghouls lurking about. So please watch your step…or it might be your last."
"…um, yeah, thanks for the warning-…and all." Naruto replied sounding uncertain by the warning from the voice before turning to the pirate captain who raises his hands and shrugs.
"At least he gave us a warning-…that's got to count for something." Jack replied.
Naruto sweatdrops at that before he sighs and looks around the room. "Okay, good news there aren't any ghosts here…bad news, no Madame Leota either." He called out to the pirate and the fairy.
"Except for the mysterious green fire-…that's already strange as it is." The pirate said pointing at the fireplace. "…speaking of which-…I'm freezing." He walks to the fire to warm himself up.
"…green fire…?" Naruto muttered before he looks towards the fireplace. "…why would the fireplace be on in an empty mansion?"
"…even ghosts need to get warm too?" Jack guessed not sure how to answer.
"No-…that can't be right." Naruto said shaking his head as he walks up to the pirate. "Ghosts can't feel any anything-…neither warm or cold. Doesn't anybody know that?"
"When your running away from a ghost-…you don't get the chance to ask." The pirate replied before he looks to the fireplace with a puzzled expression. "…so if the don't need the fire…why have it on?"
"…maybe the same reason why the fire is green in the first place." The ninja said as an idea came to him. "It's hiding a secret."
Naruto steps towards the fireplace and searches for any hidden switches that may reveal a hidden secret.
While he was doing that, the pirate captain takes a few steps back away from the fireplace to see if there was a bigger picture to this…he tilts his head to one side…then the other side…before tilting his head back again.
…but while they the searching, they never notice a mysterious shadow in the room looking from the window.
Tinkerbell-…feeling that they were being watched turns towards the window where the shadow was…but saw no shadow, or anyone that might be watching them which made her raise an eyebrow in confusion…before shrugging her shoulders thinking that it was nothing and turns back to the fireplace.
…unaware that the shadow took a quick peek before it set off into the forest to who knows where.
"Nothing." Naruto said as he took a step away from the fireplace. "There isn't any hidden switches or anything around here…maybe it is just a normal fireplace with green fire."
"…maybe the switch isn't on the fireplace then…perhaps something else here in this room opens it." Jack suggested making the ninja and the fairy to turn to him.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I saying-…why not look at the big picture, instead of the small details." The pirate saidn with a small grin. "It's like I always say mate-…when you searching for answers…always look underneath the underneath."
Naruto gives Jack a surprised look as he's reminded at the same advice that his sensei told him back in Konoha.
"…or it's when your searching for treasure always keep digging-…not sure which one it was, really." Jack added making Naruto sweatdrop.
Turning back to the fireplace, the ninja starts to ponder on what Jack said about looking at the bigger picture…what if there was something more to this then he thought.
"…look underneath the underneath…" He muttered being lost in thought as he also remembers what his sensei taught him…before he turns to look around the room to see something out of place.
After a while of searching he couldn't find anything…until he took notice that at the other end of the Grand Hall where four suits of Armor standing against the wall with the swords resting in there metal hands…all except one, who had its sword was pointing upwards towards the ceiling.
Naruto raises an eyebrow at that and starts to walk towards the suit of Armor. "Why is it that there's only one suit of Armor that has it's sword pointing upwards?" He asked as he reaches the Armor.
"To make it look like it stands out compared to the others." Jack replied as he joins the ninja. "That way when someone comes looking for something…"
"…they'll know where to find it." Naruto said ending the pirates sentence before they share a look.
"…doesn't this feel that it's a bit…easy to you?" Jack asked.
"I know-…this is too easy." Naruto replied agreeing with him with Tinkerbell nodding. "I mean this has got to be a trap, right?"
"…unless the Shadowman didn't make any traps-…and it is…this easy." The pirate added.
They stare at each other for a bit before they turn to the sword…not sure not to think.
"…if this turns out to be a trap I'll blame you for this." Naruto said as he grips the sword getting a look from the pirate.
"…I can live with that-…or not…in this case." Jack replied agreeing with that.
Naruto takes the sword before he puts it back the same way as the others sword before letting go of it and waits for any results…
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…unless it wasn't a switch at all-…and it's just knight made to point to the sky…what a let down." Jack said breaking the silence getting deadpanned looks from the others.
Naruto opens his mouth and to sa-…
RUMBLE
He pauses and blinks at the sound. "…what was that?" He slowly asked.
"…I would say that it's the sound…of something opening." Jack answered.
RUMBLE
The sounds rang again as a rumbling noice echoed in the Grand Hall…that was coming from back at the fireplace.
They slowly turn to the fire place and took notice that the fireplace was moving backwards into the wall and it's fire was going out. Just then the back wall of the fireplace was sliding open to the sides revelling a secret passage that was darkly lit.
"…I guess it was that easy." Jack muttered with a raised eyebrow.
Naruto smiles at the result. "Thanks you Kakashi-sensei." He said as he walks to the passage with Tinkerbell flying after him.
The pirate captain gives an odd look to the ninja. "…whose Kakashi-sensei-…I was the one who gave you the idea to look underneath." He muttered to himself before he follows them.
They stepped into the fireplace and walked down the secret passage…which revelled to be a narrow hallway which leads towards another door. When they reach the door Naruto grips the handle and opens it to revel a room he they didn't expect to see.
The room was darkly lit round Séance Room with a round table in the centre of the room, with a single chair and a living Raven perched on the back of it, and there resting on the table cloth was a crystal ball with green mist floating inside of it, surrounded with tarot cards all face up showing the pictures.
Naruto raises an eyebrow at that before he takes a few steps towards the crystal ball and leans in to take a closer look at it. "…I've got to ask-…is this Madam Leota some kind of fortune teller or something?" He asked the pirate while still looks at the crystal ball.
"Your guess is as good as mine mate." Jack replied as he looks around the room with Tinkerbell who flies towards the ceiling seeking for something. "…I like this room-…it feels…calm."
Naruto raises an eyebrow at him before looking back at the crystal ball-…
He freezes as he sees a head looking back at him.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…hello, keybearer."
"…AAAAAHHHHH!" Naruto screamed out surprising the others.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Jack cried out.
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
"AAAAAHH-…!"
"STOP YELLING!" The head yelled out stopping the screaming. "Geez, you two are both so load you would wake the dead…that is if they weren't already awake."
Naruto and Jack share a look while Tinkerbell flies down between them, and take a closer look at the head in the crystal ball.
Inside the crystal ball was a green women head with dark green curly hair surrounded by green mist hiding the back and the bottom of her head, all the while she was starting at them…
"…you don't see that every day." The pirate captain muttered out loud.
'I have to agree with the pirate on this one-…even I've never seen this before.' The Kyuubi said sounding surprised at what he was seeing.
Naruto blinks a few times before points at her. "Your…Madame Leota?" He asked. "The lady that the shadow person kidnapped and hid you here?"
"Yes, it is I." The head answered. "And yes, the Shadowman did kidnap me-…but I've got to say, for a witch doctor trying to hide something that no one can find, he does a lousy job of doing it-…no traps or anything."
Naruto and his companions all share a look.
"…was it was that easy." Jack replied. "That's a let down."
"Now then, what is it that you all want?-…so that I may answer the question that you need to ask." The head asked.
"…how are you even alive?" Naruto asked as he looked around the crystal ball. "Your just a…a head!"
"…seriously?" She said giving the ninja a look. "I know all that is magic, mystic and all things from the other side of the living-…and your asking how I'm alive?"
"Oh, right." Naruto replied realising what he was asking. "I keep forgetting how crazy this mansion is with all the ghosts, and talking voice calling himself the Ghost host and all." Then gives the head a look. "…and I've just realise that you're a ghost too, aren't you?" He asked deadpanned.
"That's correct." She replied which made Naruto hangs his head.
"Of course." He muttered before the pirate captain took a step forward.
"Greetings…head of Madame Leota. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow-…of the famous Black Pearl…which I've currently misplace…and can't remember-…do you by chance know where…I might have misplaced it?" He asked her.
"To find your ship, you can look no longer." She replied as she rimes. "But the way to get there, you will must be stronger. So you must best beware, and have a plan in your head. Because the ship that you seek, is in the land of the dead."
Jack stares at her…opens his mouth…closes his mouth…turns to the ninja. "…I didn't expect that…at all." He muttered…then quickly turns back to the head. "Do you by chance kno-…"
"Sorry." She interrupted the pirate. "I'm only allowed to give one mystical answer to one person each-…no more."
"…seriously? Just one?" Jack muttered.
"Seriously?"
He turns back to the ninja and sez. "…there's always a catch to these sort of things."
"Your talking to a head of a ghost lady who is supposed to know all." Naruto answered. "Of course there's always a catch to these sort of things."
"…good point-…I must remember that next time." Jack replied before he smiles to the young ninja. "Your turn mate."
Naruto looks to Madame Leota who sits…flouts…there waiting, before taking a deep breath and steps towards the ghost.
"…um…Madam Leota?" Naruto started to ask. "I want to ask-…"
"Where you can find the artefact that your grandfather left in Frontier Land." She replied getting surprised looks from them.
"Wh-Wh-…how did you-…?!"
"I'm a ghost of mystic and magic." She answered. "It was easy to know what the question might when the kingdom keybearer is involved."
"…that's impressive." The pirate captain muttered with Tinkerbell nodding in agreement.
"So you can help me?" The ninja asked.
"Only little information on what you seek." She rhymed. "But I can tell on where to find that will give you a peek."
"…are you…rhyming the answer?" He asked with a bewildered look.
"It's what I do." She answered. "Do you want my help or not?"
"Oh, s-sorry, yes, I do." Naruto replied.
"What you seek to find, is in a place you will dread." She rhymed to him. "Because the place you must go…is in the land of the dead."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…eh?" The ninja muttered.
"Sorry to interrupt-…but did you say what he seeks is-…" Jack started to ask.
"In the land of the dead? Yes." She replied.
"EH?!" Naruto cried out with wide eyes.
The pirate captain raises an eyebrow. "Hm." He muttered before turning to the ninja with a smile. "…what are the odds of that?"
Naruto's eyebrow twitches. '…I beginning to think this place has it out for me.' He mentally muttered to himself.
'Considering that you faced a headless houseman, a town full of ghosts, and dead pirate version of the Shinigame and a ghost head telling you to go to the land of the dead?' Kyuubi replied. '…yes, yes I do. HAHAHAHAHA!'
'YOUR NOT HELPING FURBALL!' He mentally yelled back cutting the connection before taking a deep breath. "…is this the only option? There isn't any other way?" He asked the ghost with hope in his eyes.
"It is the only one that is the safest that I can answer, keybearer." Madame Leota answered giving his hopes up.
He narrows his eyes in thought before turning to Jack and Tinkerbell. "What do you guys think?" He asked.
"If you want my opinion-…I'll say this," Jack replied. "On one hand if we try and find another way-…will be hunted down and eventually caught by Davy Jones and become part of his undead crew." That got his looks from Naruto and Tinkerbell. "Or on the other hand-…"
"Okay! Okay! I get it!" Naruto interrupted him. "This is the only way we can take!"
"Glad to be of help." He said with a grin.
Naruto gives him a deadpanned look.
"Now that you know, what question do you want answered?" Madame Leota asked getting the young ninja's attention.
Naruto turns to her with a determined expression. "…okay." He muttered before asking. "Madame Leota, here is my question…how we get…to the land of the dead?"
-: To Be Continued :-
And that's chapter 6 done and dusted.
How do you like it, was it good? Please comment.
This is TonicShadow, signing off!