Broken Faith 11
School Life. Very Hard Apparently.
Disclaimer : I don't own anything, Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto as much as his screwing it up nowadays anyway, Negima belongs to Akamatsu Ken.
AN : I'm rather disappointed, only 4 reviews since chapter 10 went up. *mopes in a corner* luckily for you, i'm not as mean as my brother, who told me to delay the release until i get more reviews. of course he would say that, he already read the rough draft next 4 chapters. Anyway ~
Part 2 of 3 of my Christmas Special back to back release. Enjoy.
Soundtrack List
Us Against the World - Westlife
****Broken Faith****
Naruto woke up just short of daybreak, his usual time for most days. Glancing down at the contents of his arms he smiled softly.
Chachamaru was cuddling Akako while they were both enveloped in his arms.
Slowly extracting himself so he didn't wake either of them, he placed a gentle kiss on Chachamaru's cheek and Akako's head before gathering his stuff and walking out to get the day started, once he had cleaned up he left a note for the gynoid just in case she woke up before he got back.
He took a deep breath and stretched when he heard a small yip and a slight weight settled on top of his head.
Looking up he saw a yawning Akako, "You wanna come exercise with Otou-san?"
Getting an affirmative yip in reply, he cricked his neck, "Alright, hold on tight, Akako." feeling the small paws and nails dig deeper into his hair; he started a fast paced sprint around the Academy while wearing a bucket load of weights.
Akako yipped in happiness as she almost flew.
Anybody watching would have been forgiven for thinking they were dreaming. A tall blonde was running as if he was in an athletic track meet with a small red fox dangling from his head like a red flag blowing in the wind.
A few hours of nonstop high speed running later he came upon a strange sight; Negi practicing his kenpo while being cheered on by a small pink haired girl. He couldn't remember the name.
Slowing to a stop, he jumped atop the branches of the World Tree nearby them to cool down while he watched the couple train. Or at least one trained while the other cheered, complete with cheerleader uniform and pom poms.
Soon he noticed another energy signature arrive and he smiled. This promised to be interesting. A trio consisting of a small blonde girl, a tall elegant green haired girl and a puppet riding atop her head; approached the training duo and it seemed some words were exchanged before the taller girl charged forward, easily distracting Negi with a hand swipe to hide a straight forward kick to the abdomen.
The blonde smaller one spoke a few more words before the trio walked towards where he was hidden in the leaves.
All three of them stopped under what was actually his gravestone while the blonde one leaned against the tree.
"You're not going to stop me from forcing that idiot into a fight he cannot win for his apprenticeship?" she seemed to speak to no one before a voice replied.
"It's your business how you decide your apprenticeship isn't it?"Naruto said before leaping down while Akako left his head for Chachamaru's arms with a happy yip, "Besides whether or not he passes is of no concern to me."
Evangeline bristled at his callous words, "But I thought he was close to you! You don't care about his progress?"
Chachamaru would have bristled as well but she knew the taller blonde well enough by now to realize that despite his oft callous and laid back attitude, there was usually a reason for anything he did.
Naruto raised an amused eyebrow, "And exactly why are you being so defensive of him?"
Evangeline spluttered, "I-I'm not! He-I-You're his role model! You're supposed to care!"
He simply shrugged, "If I know him, whether he becomes your apprentice or not doesn't matter. He will still progress. The only difference it will make is the amount of his progress. Of course being apprenticed to you, his growth will probably be a lot faster and structured in a way that you would approve. If he doesn't, he will still progress but not in the way you wanted him to."
Naruto slyly glanced at Evangeline, "Of course that also means that you can't groom him into the perfect sex slave that likes to lick your foot and tie you up."
The taller blonde laughed as Evangeline spluttered impotently and could only growl as she watched the tall blonde walk away to join the duo still on the hill. For some reason the taller blonde could push her buttons like no other and render her speechless every time they spoke. And she had to admit, sexual innuendo aside, she wanted Negi to grow the way she had taught him to.
Negi looked up as he felt his nii san approaching.
"Yo. Negi. Chibi pink haired girl."
"Nii-san!"
"My name is Makie! Ma-Ki-E! I told you that on the bus in Kyoto! Not Chibi Pink haired girl!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Chibi pink haired girl."
Makie fumed and was completely ignored.
The taller blonde sat on the grass beside a dejected Negi.
"You saw me get beaten by Chachamaru-san huh nii san?" Negi said.
"Yeah, so?"
Negi poked his fingers together, "I-I'm still so weak. Even after Ky-" he was interrupted when a fist slammed into his head.
"Of course you're going to get beaten, you haven't even been training in Kenpo for a full day, what the heck do you expect to do against someone like Chachamaru. That's why you're training now isn't it, so someday you can defeat her. And not just her, so some day Fate, no, not just him, so someday you can defeat anybody wanting to hurt your students again."
Negi went stony, "Let's kick ass."
Naruto smirked.
"Alright! I'm gonna help you. Go start doing those Kata you were doing before Evangeline came."
"Hai Nii-san!"
Makie was off to side, crying anime tears at being ignored although she perked up when she heard her newest nickname being called, "Oi, Chibi pink haired girl."
She stomped towards her blonde classmate, "I. Am. Not. Chibi! I am Makie!"
"Yeah yeah, whatever, you want to help Negi right?"
Uncertain at the sudden change in topic she replied, "Ye-yeah?"
"Good, go pick up some stones and throw them at Negi while he practices."
He heard two loud "What!"s coming from the duo. Digging at his ear to clear the ringing he clarified, "Not so loud, it's still early dammit. The reason I asked you to throw stones at Negi is because it will help him increase his focus while he keeps up his attacks as well as his situational awareness. Earlier Chachamaru got him with a simple kick because he let his guard down, he was distracted by her hand causing him to break his combo and all those gave her an opening a mile wide."
Negi's resolve firmed, he hadn't noticed earlier but now that his Nii san mentioned it, he realized the blonde's assessment was on the spot.
Turning to the pink haired gymnast who still looked uncertain he spoke, "Makie-san, please do as Naruto- nii san asked. He was right, I was easily distracted."
"We-well…if you're sure."
As soon as she started throwing stones, he practiced his moves while avoiding the stones as best he could. After a while and a few extra bruises, he was slowly getting used to the stones, able to continue his moves while automatically avoiding the flying obstacles when he suddenly felt something heading at him from behind.
Quickly ducking into another move of the sequence he stared at a knife that had pierced the ground in front of him.
"Nii-san! Are you trying to kill me?"
Naruto stared at him blankly, "You won't die from a small knife like that, besides Chibi Pink throws like a girl, so get back to work."
"I AM a girl!" and was again completely ignored.
"Even if I won't die, that will hurt!"
The blank expression never changed as he continued ignoring a currently hopping mad Makie, "Soooo? More incentive to learn faster isn't it? Besides, if I did that even 10 minutes earlier, you wouldn't have been able to avoid that at all. The best place to learn where to fight is on the battlefield. And I plan to simulate that as close as possible."
Negi stared at the knife in realization, his nii-san was right. Again. Squaring his shoulders he continued his moves.
The blank expression changed into a smirk at the expression on Negi's face before the blonde flicked another even faster knife.
Just because he didn't care whether or not Negi passed didn't mean he couldn't help the kid a little.
"Gwaahh!"
He cursed the day he accepted his Nii-san's offer to help for the rest of the week.
Of course it took that long for the cuts he suffered to heal as well.
****Broken Faith****
The day of the test
"Negi Springfield is here for the apprenticeship test!" Negi declared confidently. Well as confident as he could with numerous scratches on his face.
"Heeh, so you actually came. Well then, let's get started, you just have to land one hit on Chachamaru for you to be my apprentice. The match continues until you're dead and you can't attack anymore. "
Negi gave a smirk that was very similar to a certain blonde, "Is that all the conditions?"
The smirk unnerved Evangeline for some reason, "Ye-yes, that's all….. More importantly, what's with the audience!"
Negi laughed sheepishly, "Hahaha…. They just followed me."
All of them cheered for Negi causing the boy to blush sheepishly.
Stepping forward he bowed to Chachamaru who had taken off her skirt to reveal shorts. "Chachamaru-san, I'll be pleased to be your opponent!"
Chachamaru bowed back.
"Let the fight begin!" Evangeline declared.
Chachamaru dashed forward, a hand swipe in the progress while her leg was already lifting for a straight kick only for her hand to be blocked by an elbow while her kick was stopped by another hand. Negi took the chance to head butt the gynoid, causing her eyes to widen before she snapped her head back to avoid the head butt. "Heh, you can't get me with that same move again Chachamaru-san."
The sudden move allowed Negi to slip a leg behind her knee and flick the arm blocking her hand swipe back in an effort to unbalance Chachamaru only for her to completely back flip rather than stumble. She flipped a few steps before gaining purchase and dashing back into the fray.
Evangeline seethed, that head butt move had Naruto written all over it.
As Chachamaru ran forward, Negi suddenly faded from sight with a sudden burst of speed as he appeared underneath the gynoid, already in a handstand, ready to kick Chachamaru into the air, a move reminiscent of the Kage Buyo. 'Activate contract for Negi Springfield for 10 seconds.'
Listen Negi, that spell you use to boost your abilities. Keep practicing it until you can do it silently. When you invoke it like that, it tells everybody save the blind and deaf and then some that you are about to try something. Don't use it at first, let your opponent believe that you are slow and drop their guard before going in with a burst of combos.
Hai Nii san.
Chachamaru skidded and jerked her head back to avoid the sudden kick but Negi didn't stop there, his legs spread wide open and he spun in a tornado kick, blocking a kick, Chachamaru snapped a foot out to kick his support out from underneath Negi.
Pushing away from the ground Negi back flipped to find his own purchase.
Kenpo is a balanced martial art. Its greatest strength and its greatest weakness lies in its dependency on balance and stability. A close second is their ability to use your attacks against you as well as the least amount their own energy for attacks, amplifying it by using the body's economy of motion. A kenpo user with the stable high ground can and will reverse almost any attack you throw at him. Don't lose that advantage.
Hai Master Ku.
Chachamaru dashed forward before Negi could properly stabilize himself, a literal rocket punch headed for his head, only for Negi to shift his body, allowing the punch to land on a shoulder, using the force from the blow to spin his body in a full rotation that ended with one leg wedged between hers, not allowing her to retreat and an elbow heading for the back of her head. 'Hyakkouken Tenshikoda'
Chachamaru fell forward, avoiding the elbow as she spun on a handstand, throwing Negi away from her. That was dangerous, she was almost hit. She ran forward again, intent on finishing the match before her teacher got too hurt.
Right as Negi landed, she launched another punch boosted by thrusters, only for Negi to deflect the punch before gripping the outstretched hand and pulling it towards himself with an executing an elbow thrust with his free arm. 'Kakutachouchuu'
Chachamaru's eyes widened before her processors immediately gave her a path to take, leaping up slightly with her back leg, she followed Negi's pull to throw her completely over his shoulder, avoiding his elbow thrust before landing a direct kick in on Negi's back while she was in mid air.
Negi flew forward, skidding on the ground before lying there motionless. The first direct hit so far.
"Tch, so that's all you got. Wrap it up bouya and go back home."
Negi's students ran forth, worried for him when they noticed his hand twitch. "Negi.."
Said boy, struggled to stand up, "Heh, it's not over yet Evangeline-san. You didn't give me a time limit. You said until I *cough* until I died right?"
"Wha? Don't tell me that… you're already beaten up boy! Go back home and rest!"
"Heh, not yet. Like nii san always said. I don't give up. And I'll keep trying until I land that one punch to force you to accept me as your apprentice. Believe it."
Up in the tree a figure sweat dropped. Of all the things to copy, he had to go and copy that one stupid phrase didn't he?
Negi wasted no time and charged forward at Chachamaru with a straight punch, she side stepped the rash charge before landing an elbow on the back of his neck.
This went on for nearly an hour as all the girls watched Negi get beat for almost an hour. All of them winced whenever a particularly bad hit was landed. it didnt take long for the Negi's cheerleaders to snap.
"I can't take this!" Asuna shouted as she pulled out her pactio, "I'm going to help him!"
Makie stepped in front of her blocking her charge forward. "You can't do that! Even…even if his really badly injured… Negi-sensei tried his hardest to get to this point. You heard him right? He won't give up! I watched him train hard under Ku Fei, everyday that evil Naruto-san throws knives at him and makes him do the most humiliating exercises, like running around the campus naked as fast as possible if he doesn't want anyone to see him! If you help him now, all that effort will be wasted!"
Up in the tree, the shadowed figure planned retribution while a smaller figure beside him yipped in what suspiciously sounded like a snigger.
"But he still won't give up. This is his dream, he wants to get stronger on his own, if you help him, doesn't that mean you are spitting on that dream Asuna-san! Do you want someone helping you seduce Takamachi because they said you are too young and childish for him?"
Up above them the figure sweat dropped again, "I think Chibi pink has been spending too much time around me."
"Maki-chan…You didn't have to go that far!" Asuna cried anime tears.
"Anyway, I can't let you help him. Negi-sensei told me. He has someone to catch up to. Someone he wants to surpass. That every day he felt like he was overshadowed by that broad back of whoever he is trying to catch up to. This is his way of catching up to that person."
The small girl clenched her fist tightly, "Do you know what he said when I asked why he wanted to do this alone? He told me that he trusted you, Setsuna, Naruto, everybody to cover his back when he needed it. I was so jealous, I felt so useless because I couldn't do anything to deserve that same respect he had for you. Negi-sensei knows you will be there to help him but this once. Just this once, He wants to cross this bridge by himself."
Makie took a deep breath, and furiously wiped away the tears from her own admission of uselessness before she shakily spoke, "So…. So… even if I'm useless, even if I don't know how to fight, I'll fight you Asuna-san because I can't let you help him."
A hand landed on Makie's head and ruffled her hair. "Heh, well said Chibi Pink."
The owner of the hand shouted so the tired Negi could hear him, "You heard your girlfriend Negi. Go kick ass."
Negi grimly smiled. His resolved strengthened by the faith Makie showed in him. "You heard her Chachamaru-san, don't go easy on me."
Chachamaru's eye twitched. "I see… Ve-very well…" the gynoid charged forward for a punch.
"Negi, when all else fails…."
"Yes?" Negi asked with big shining eyes in hope for some great secret technique.
"Do the stupidest thing you can think of."
"Nii san….what the hell?"
Ducking under the punch, Negi latched on the hand like a koala and fired off point blank kicks at Chachamaru. The gynoid flailed her arm like a windmill trying to get him off while trying to stop the point blank attacks until she successfully flung the boy off.
Everyone sweat dropped and Evangeline gnashed her teeth, this totally had Naruto's name all over it. Not bothered her ass.
Shaken but not out, Negi went with the throw, stopping the fall with his hands and flipping before lashing out with a bicycle kick.
Chachamaru's eyes widened and barely managed to lift on hand to block the kick only for that one leg to curl around her arm, Negi gritted his teeth, Activate contract for Negi Springfield for another 10 seconds. Using nothing but his abdomen muscles and the leg curled around her arm for leverage, the boy spun on his hands and threw Chachamaru away from him, flipping up again; he ran to the gynoid his hand raised in a fist. Chachamaru tensed for the attack but instead of a fist he suddenly ducked down and skidded in between her legs, right as he passed through he leapt up, intent on doing what he didn't know. As long as it did something.
The back of his head bashed against Chachamaru's metal one.
Everyone stared at the incredibly stupid but for some weird reason effective move.
A shaky thumbs up rose from the currently dazed and face down on the floor Negi, "I hit her."
****Broken Faith****
A depressed Naruto moped in a corner, drawing little circles in the ground, "When I said stupid, I didn't mean….stupid….. that- that was so….. embarrassing."
A bandaged Negi sat on his bed and laughed sheepishly as Konoka tended to his wounds.
"I mean come on…. I just told him to do what I did when I was younger. It didn't look that stupid when I did it? Right? Right Akako?" he asked the sniggering kitsune.
Naruto kept on moping until he felt a shadow fall on him. Looking up he saw Asuna with flames of righteousness burning in her eyes, her harisen already in her hand, "So...what's this I hear about you making Negi run around campus naked?"
"Um….mercy?" Naruto squeaked.
"Sorry…all out of mercy…."
A while later Chachamaru arrived to find Negi, Asuna, Konoka and a tenderized lump of flesh.
****Broken Faith****
*Knock knock*
Evangeline opened the door and her eyes widened in surprise. Standing there was a heavily bruised Naruto with two black eyes, Chachamaru and a still sniggering kitsune in her arms.
"Na-naruto? What happened to you?"
"Asuna beat me up after Chibi Pink told them about me training Negi."
"Ohohoho… serves you right for helping the brat even after you told me that you didn't care."
"Meh, I woulda helped him either way."
"Humph, whatever. What are you here for?"
"Decrypting that seal, what else?"
Evangeline let them in, while Chachamaru went to ready some tea, Naruto sat at the table, tenderly touching some of his bruises. "How far have you gotten into the seal?"
"Hmm? Oh, I actually already decrypted the whole thing yesterday."
"What! Then why aren't you doing something about it?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head and frowned, "That's the thing. There are parts missing as a failsafe. That's why neither you nor the Dean could do anything. That you even found a workable loophole is a near miracle. Until I can find the missing parts and update it to the existing seal matrix, I'm stuck. The only clue given was in the last part of the schematics, decrypting it gave me some coordinates of a place somewhere under this school but I don't have any maps of the school in its entirety 15 years ago, so I can't tell the exact location yet and I'm still looking."
"What! Why didn't you tell me earlier? I was so bored years ago that I already mapped out most of the school 15 years ago!" Evangeline demanded angrily.
"Whoa whoa, relax." Naruto held up his hand in surrender, "Even if I find the parts and try my level best, there's no guarantee I can release you, fully or partially. Don't get so excited. If I fail it'll only hurt more."
Evangeline glared at him for a while before taking deep breaths to calm down and a few sips of tea.
"It's probably my fault; I thought everything I needed was in that library so I didn't bother looking any further."
Evangeline rolled her eyes, "Who said I just had one library."
"Huh, didn't expect that. Anyway, on to business, where is this map?"
Together the vampire and the shinobi walked to another part of the cottage, into a room full of scrolls. Evangeline pulled a dusty scroll out before unrolling it. "Here, a complete map from 15 years ago."
She watched the blonde bring out a few rulers and mumbling some numbers as he matched the coordinates to the location.
"Here."
She looked at where his finger had landed, at a part where she had never been to before.
"Bu-but that's…"
"At the very bottom of Library Island."
"Let's go now!" she started moving towards the door before a black blur appeared in front of her and finger flicked her forehead.
"Calm down, Evangeline."
She stopped. The blonde had never used her full name before.
"The fact that you never mapped that part tells me it was too dangerous for you 15 years ag-" he tried to say before being cut off by Evangeline.
"But I have Chachamaru now!" Evangeline protested.
"And do you expect her to piggy back you while avoiding whatever is trying to kill you at the same time?" Naruto said with a quirked eyebrow.
Evangeline slumped down dejectedly into a nearby chair.
Naruto sighed, for the so called Queen of Blah Blah Blah, she could really act like a 10 year old at times. Walking over to the blonde he ruffled her hair. "Relax, I said I'd do my best already, and I won't accept anything less from myself. Right now I'll bring Chachamaru down with me; if there isn't anything really dangerous we'll bring you down tomorrow."
He smiled softly at her, "If I can't release you even partially, I'll stay at Mahora with you, how's that?"
Evangeline quietly scoffed, "People have been lying to me for years. It makes no difference no matter what you say."
Naruto heard what she said but he also felt the small quiet hope that Evangeline didn't allow to burn out and the hidden vulnerability. Smiling again, he bent down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, causing her to look up at him in surprise, "I'm not lying, if I fail, I'll really stay here at Mahora with you, but if I succeed you become my little sister. Deal?"
Evangeline didn't say anything but kept staring at the blonde in shock.
Turning around, he walked out the library, leaving a still stunned Evangeline behind, "Chachamaru! You heard us right?" he asked as the two of them walked out of the cottage.
"Yes."
"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were some kind of voyeur."
"There is no sexual pleasure to be gained from watching you seduce my Master. Please refrain from such comments."
Naruto stopped with a stunned and squicked out expression on his face, mouthing speechlessly, 'Seduce?'
Chachamaru kept walking, hiding a small smile.
"Oi! I'm not a paedophile. You can hear me right? Hey, wait up dammit."
****Broken Faith****
Later that night
A dark figure slipped into Naruto's tent again.
She stood there for a while, to watch the sleeping blonde and fox, both again splayed out on their backs and quietly snoring.
Smiling a little as she saw the fox's leg twitch in the air, as though she was chasing something in her dreams if her yips were anything to go by.
The figure slipped into the futon next to Naruto like every night before this one and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you for trying so hard to make Master happy, Naruto…" she whispered quietly before going to sleep.
Until she felt his warm arms envelope her again and a quiet reply, "Everyone deserves a measure of happiness. Even your Master, she's been punished enough already."
Chachamaru gave a tiny smile with a bright red blush.
****Broken Faith****
"Huh…. What in the world are these three idiots doing here?" a tall shadow said as they watched Negi, Nodoka and Yue make their way through the traps which he and Chachamaru avoided yesterday.
"See… that's what you get for making us wait; now these three are here to disturb us." A shorter shadow said.
"Weee...ll, I didn't exactly know how to fight that big lizard, and neither did Chachamaru, so I had to go back and ask for your opinion cause I didn't know what worked and what didn't. And you still insisted on coming even when you know there's a dragon down here." The tall shadow replied.
"Pah, it's just a dragon, just do what you do best and beat it down, you can't use magic so it wouldn't have mattered either way."
The taller shadow sweat dropped, "What do you think I am? A bulldozer?"
"Yes, all muscle and no brain." The shorter one swiftly replied with no hesitation.
"That's mean Eva-chan~ your Onii-san is hurt."
"Tch, just because we made a deal, doesn't mean I'll do it, especially since you haven't fulfilled part of your bargain. Anyway let's hurry and leave these idiots behind."
"Master are you not worried for your sex slave?" a third shadow interrupted the other two.
"Buhah? Cha-chachamaru! What are you saying!"
"Are you not worried for your se-"
"Kyaaah! Don't say something stupid like that!"
"Very well. Are you not worried for your future bed partner?"
A stifled snort came from the tallest shadow.
"Krk…" A strangled choke came from the shortest shadow.
"Eva-chan's speechless. Bwahaha," Naruto wiped the tears of laughter away before standing up, "C'mon, let's go, these idiots are flipping every single trap with each step. I don't want my classmates and teacher to be turned into pancake before tomorrow."
They finally followed the bumbling trio of Negi, Nodoka and Yue until they arrived at the bottom most part of the library and were confronted by the dragon.
Naruto sighed, "Chachamaru could you please go rescue those idiots and your Master's future bed mate?"
"Grrk!"
"But Master?"
"I'll keep her safe, you go ahead."
"Very well."
Once the group had left, the dragon started to chase them. A tall blonde stepped out unnoticed from the shadows and cricked his neck before looking up at the flying dragon, "Mah, mah, I can't let you turn my cute classmates and teacher into roasted pork, so I'll need you to come back down here."
His eyes flashed purple, "Bansho Ten'nin!"
The dragon's eyes widened in surprise as it was completely wrenched out of the air and crash landed.
Roaring in anger and indignation, its snake like head swivelled about looking for the cause of his crash landing, he found a tiny blonde man casually looking up at it, "Huh, I really didn't expect that to work. Although I must admit pulling something as big as you was pretty tiring."
The dragon roared in reply.
"You're not too friendly are you?"
It charged.
"Meh, suits me just fine," forming a few clones to the side they all charged the giant dragon while Evangeline looked on with wild eyes.
The blonde had some weird sort of magic to clone himself out of thin air. Clone magic wasn't rare, but that wasn't the problem, it was the fact that he apparently forgot to tell everyone he could use magic. It was...annoying. Her left eye twitched, she just knew the reason he was suddenly using some weird magic was to simply spite her earlier statement. The blonde was petty like that.
Her left eye twitched again.
If that wasn't insane enough, he and every one of his equally insane copies charged a rampaging dragon that was nearly 7 times taller than him head on."
All of them formed some sort of weird blue balls in both palms of their hands and thrust them at whatever part of the dragon they could reach, "Rasenrengan!"
Evangeline's eyes widened comically as the dragon was thrown back by the glowing orbs that looked tiny in comparison despite their numbers. She spent the next ten minutes watching an insanely laughing blonde and his similarly somehow unlimited cackling copies pound a 5 story tall dragon into the floor with nothing but glowing orbs and the occasional bigger than normal orb.
When he was done, he casually walked back to her, dusting his pants, "Sorry, it's been a while since I got a good fight so I went a little nuts."
"A little? A little?" Evangeline managed to reply in a strangled tone.
The vampire face palmed.
"Oya, oya…. I don't think my kawaii guard dragon deserved that kind of beating do you? He was just doing his job." A sudden voice shocked Evangeline out of her slump and Naruto to tense before both of them spun around to face the owner of the voice that just walked out of the giant gates the dragon was guarding.
Silence reigned for a brief second before being broken by the shortest person present.
She pointed an incredulous finger at the figure, "YOU!"
"Yes. Me." He calmly replied.
It was too much for the poor blonde girl to handle and she fainted.
The two tall men looked at her before the blonde one pointed at her prone body, "She fainted."
"Yes…. I can see that. Would you like to come in for some tea?"
"Sure. You got Japanese tea? I don't like the Western kind."
****Broken Faith****
"Evil Naruto-san!"
Naruto skidded to a stop and felt like banging something. There was only one person with enough balls, or dumb enough depending on your perspective, to call him Evil Naruto-san to his face, he sighed, "What do you need Chibi Pink? I thought you had some sort of monkey dancing thing to do?"
"Its not monkey dancing thing! It's called Rhythmic Gymnastics!"
"Yeah, yeah whatever Chibi Pink, what was so important it couldn't wait till class and you needed to look for me so early in the morning?"
Makie fidgeted in front of the blonde before bowing low, "Please train me!"
Naruto's eyes bugged out, "Train you? In what? Monkey dancing?"
Makie ignored the comment about monkey dancing, gritted her teeth and ploughed on, "I know I'm stupid, and-and sometimes people laugh at me behind my back because I'm not very smart. I know I don't have a noble goal like Negi-sensei or Mana or Ku Fei." Her fist clenched, "But after spending time with Negi-sensei for one week, I realized something. Negi-sensei has something important he needs to do, a place where he needs to go. A place where normal people can't follow. And to achieve that goal he needs to learn how to fight, that's why he tried so hard to be Eva-san's apprentice."
She looked straight into her classmate's blue eyes, "I don't want to be left behind. To be just another normal person. I want to grow strong and help Negi."
Naruto quirked one eyebrow in amusement, this girl was interesting, "You do realize whatever his doing its dangerous right? And he doesn't want to involve you in more danger? Are you sure you want to do something like this, to devote your life to something that may be nothing more than a passing crush? Even against said crush's wishes? To sacrifice your gymnastics because you put Negi in front of that?"
Makie didn't falter. "Yes."
Stupid, young, brash. But honest, straightforward and sincere. Huh, it reminded him of something. Something he stopped seeing in the mirror 1 year ago.
A paw landed on his cheek, and he glanced at his pseudo daughter. She gave him a small yip and a commanding glare. Naruto silently made a note to stop Akako from spending so much time with Chachamaru, Zero and Eva.
Little girls should be dressing up in uber cute kimonos and playing with flowers. Not learning how to sharpen knives and command their father's with a look.
"Sigh, very well. Come with me. Let's see how far that resolve can take you."
Makie's face brightened, "Hai, Evil Naruto-sensei!"
Face palming Naruto reckoned this was how Jiraiya felt every time he talked to his mentor. He wondered how the old pervert dealt with it, and whether the Toad Sage felt like strangling something too. He just knew somewhere up in Heaven there was a white haired pervert laughing at him.
****Broken Faith****
"Enough, you can rest now. I'll see you again tomorrow at the same time. Oh and before I forget, there will be another person joining us for training."
Makie collapsed, "Ev-evil…" she managed to wheeze out.
Naruto smirked at her, "Well, you did ask for it."
His smirk changed into a genuine smile, "But you did well for your first day. You kept in top shape through your gymnastic training and your body is highly flexible and you know how to instinctively keep your centre in most situations. We already have a good foundation to build on. Give it a few months and you'll be able to beat even Negi in a straight up fight if you keep this up."
"H-hai, Evil Na-naruto-sensei."
Cue sweat drop, "You're never going to drop that first word are you?"
"No-nope."
"Tch, whatever Chibi Pink, I'm got something to do. See you here same time tomorrow, don't be late for class."
Naruto left a panting Makie that was still sprawled out on the ground as he strolled away from the field they were using towards Evangeline's home.
Play Us Against the World - Westlife
"You know, if you wanted to watch me, you could have done it from beside me as easily as from up there." Naruto stated conversationally as he walked.
"Not likely, if I were there, you would be disinclined to act like you would without me watching."Mana who was wearing the Mahora girl's uniform calmly appeared beside him midstride.
Naruto gave the dark skinned girl an amused smirk, "You do realize you basically just confessed that you spend a lot of time stalking me don't you?"
A light pink dusted her cheeks but her stoic expression didn't change, instead she changed the topic.
"Pardon my ignorance but I was just curious. Why are you training someone like Makie-san? It wasn't something I would have expected from someone like you, especially since most would just ignore her since she doesn't have any martial arts background, no potential, no special powers and no money to pay you for your efforts, nothing. Just another normal middle school girl."
Naruto looked at her for a while as they walked in silence, "Do you think training her is pointless? More trouble than it's worth because you won't get anything from her?"
Mana nodded.
The taller blonde gestured back where he left the pink haired girl, "She reminded me of someone I once knew. He was a stupid, brash, weak and headstrong kid. But he was also straightforward and pure. And they both didn't know when to give up."
Naruto gave Mana a wry smile before speaking a slightly bitter tone, "He was so weak and stupid that he head butted a 50 foot demon in the head, it was pure luck and stubbornness he didn't die that day. Everyone that saw him immediately labelled him as stupid, everyone labelled him as weak, thought that he didn't have potential. They were completely right. He was rude, he couldn't read, he couldn't do math, he couldn't even throw a proper punch. He couldn't do any of those even by the time he was 12, but he didn't give up. Even when he didn't know how to fight, how to formulate strategies, even when he was outmatched and outnumbered, he would still willingly charge at an army all by himself. People told him to give up. He told them to find a brick and stuff it."
"Like your opinion of Makie, no one gave him a chance because it was more effort than it was worth. To a certain degree, even the one person who proclaimed himself as his mentor didn't think he was worth it."
Mana raised a curious eyebrow at the suddenly sad smile that spread across the blonde's face, "Until one day he found someone that gave him a chance without judging him. That believed in him. She trained him, healed him, loved him. That person even died for him."
He stopped walking; prompting Mana to do the same, the fire in his eyes burned and Mana felt a shiver run down her back as his aura ignited with all the force of a raging God.
"I stand here today because I worked hard, every scrap of power, intelligence, everything I achieved that you see in me today, everything that for some reason interests you and Nagase-san, I got with blood and sweat. I fought for everything I believed in. Even when I was weak, stupid, brash and universally scorned. Even today I'm still fighting but at least I'm willing to give her that same chance to help her achieve her dreams. It may just be puppy love and she may regret it later on, but the important thing is: I'm giving her a chance now."
He pierced her with a resolved gaze that made Mana feel like she was a child again.
"One day when you are backed in a corner, when money can't help you, your arms can't even lift a gun to save yourself and she saves your ass, remember my words."
Naruto left a parting wave over his shoulder towards a stunned Mana behind as he continued to walk away.
Silently as he walked, he tried to get a handle on his emotions, but the peace and quiet that allowed him to gather his thoughts didn't last long.
"She doesn't want money for money's sake you know."
Naruto glanced at the girl who had suddenly joined his side a few minutes after leaving Mana behind; it was a tall auburn haired girl with a developed body and slanted eyes, "Probably." He admitted with a little shame. "But her words cut a little too close to home for me, so I might have been a little too harsh, in any case, do I know you?"
"Ara… I'm a little sad you don't even know your classmate."
"That still doesn't answer my question; to a dumb hormone filled male like me, all my classmates are beautiful blooming women. You are no different." Naruto pointed out.
"Fufufu, you know how to say the most interesting things. I'm Chizuru Naba, seat 21 of 3-A. Nice to meet you." Chizuru gave him a slight bow as they walked.
"Seat 32, Naruto Namikaze, you were saying something about Tatsumiya-san?"
"Nothing, I just thought you were a little harsh so I thought I might provide you with a little perspective. You see, I volunteer at a day care centre which is associated with the Mahora Academy Church. The church also runs an orphanage; Mana-san quietly donates a lot of money every month for their upkeep."
"Be that as it may, I disliked the way she put down Makie-san." Naruto answered curtly.
"Oh my, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you were at fault. I was simply saying that she likely didn't mean to insult either you or Makie and that there are extenuating circumstances." The tall brunette answered.
"Isn't that the same for everybody?" Naruto said in a dry tone, "But I'll honestly admit that I was wrong and apologize to Tatsumiya-san as soon as I can."
"That's probably the best you can do for now," she admitted before stopping, "I reached my dorm, it was a pleasure talking to you Namikaze-san. I hope to get to you know you better in the future."
"Likewise." Naruto said shortly and was about to turn and leave when a gentle hand touched his cheek. Startled, the blonde could only stare at softly smiling brunette, "You're a good person Naruto, but it's easy for anyone for to see that the self loathing you hold for yourself. If you don't let go off your past, if you keep hating yourself, it'll only eat you from inside slowly until you are nothing but an empty husk."
The brunette gave him a sad smile, "Let it motivate you, but don't let it be the reason you try so hard, push so much because you can't stop beating yourself up from the inside, because you can't forgive your past mistakes. You'll burn out and then who will Negi-sensei and Makie-san look up to? Not just them, I don't think the person that loved you would want that. Fight as hard as you need, protect who you want, but when you finally fall because you pushed too hard, who will protect you? Who'll catch you now that she isn't here? Take that advice from someone that knows how futile hating yourself is, wont you?"
Naruto stared disbelievingly. For a split second the brunette's gently smiling face was overlaid by the image of another woman, also with red hair but with ruby eyes. The way they both spoke and acted was eeriely similar. Gentle but elegant, caring but firm.
The brunette gave him a soft kiss on his other cheek before going up the stairs.
Rooted to the spot by the image that had suddenly passed his mind's eye, the tall blonde watched until the strange girl disappeared from his line of sight, before finally leaving, muttering under his breath about weird classmates with weird advice.
****Broken Faith****
A few hours after his talk with Chizuru found Naruto sitting at the table he had claimed for himself in Evangeline's library as he researched the seals again, in the hall Evangeline was wrapping up her lesson to Setsuna, Negi and Konoka , although it seemed like it wasn't going well.
Not making any progress whatsoever, the blonde slammed the book closed and buried his face in his hands before sighing in frustration. The brunette's earlier words bouncing around inside his head, only this time it wasn't Chizuru who spoke. It was Akane. He just couldn't get it out of his mind, even hours later.
"Bad day?"
Lifting his face from his hands he wryly smiled, "Yeah, you could say that. You done with the rest?"
Evangeline banged her head on the nearest wall, "Those idiots were barely listening to my lecture. Although I'm happy that Asuna and Negi had a fight, hehehe…" the vampire chuckled evilly.
"Meh, the first time something happens that shows them they are inadequately prepared they'll either wise up then appreciate your lessons more, or they fail." Naruto casually said from his seat.
Evangeline stared him, "I really can't tell whether you're lying or not when you say things like that."
Naruto smirked, "You weren't meant to."
"Che, whatever." She observed him a little longer, "Come with me for a while, since your bad day is apparently stopping you from making any progress, this might help you clear your head."
"Oh?" Curiously the taller blonde followed his shorter counterpart, "What do you have in mind?"
"Ever since I saw you fight that Dragon I've been curious of exactly what you are truly capable of, even if it isn't truly magic that you can do. So I want to fight you."
Raising an eyebrow in confusion at the vampire, Naruto spoke, "I thought you can't use any powers? How are you supposed to fight me like that?"
"With this." She opened a large thick door into a room that was occupied by a single glass sphere and what looked like a tiny model of a resort on top of a cyclinder. "Step into that circle." She curtly ordered.
"Here? What's this suppo- whoa!" satisfied that Naruto was teleported inside her resort, she followed him in.
Both of them appeared on a platform that only had a small bridge that led to a building in the distance, "Wh-where is this?"
Evangeline scoffed as she and Naruto started walking towards the building in the distance, "We're inside that glass orb you saw earlier." Naruto looked at her dubiously, "Don't worry about the details, its Magic."
The short explanation was apparently enough and the blonde just shrugged, "This is how we're going to fight. Inside this orb, I can control anything, level of magic, weather, slow down time inside here. Anything. Even say, lift the restraints that are holding both of us back in Mahora."
Naruto went wide eyed, "That's so cool! But you can't replicate the effects outside?"
Evangeline shook her head regretfully, "If I could I would've done it long ago. Anyway, I want to fight you, both of us, full power, nothing held back."
Naruto raised an eyebrow at her, "Errr… not to sound cowardly or anything, but if we do that, one of us will most likely die." By this time they had both reached the arena.
Evangeline shook her head, "You won't die, it'll hurt like you did, but you won't. So you ready?"
Naruto walked to the opposite side of the arena and stretched, "Sure, this seems interesting. I haven't been able to let loose for a while. Although, promise me you won't tell anyone what I can do."
Evangeline growled, "Yes, I promise! Now are you ready?"
Naruto smirked, "Ladies first."
"Hmph don't regret it," She started chanting, knowing the blonde as she did now, nothing less than her best would do, if he couldn't match up, well… she had overestimated others before. Surprisingly she felt a pang in her heart at that statement. Even more surprising was when she realized the pang was because some slight part of her secretly hoped that he would match up, maybe even beat her, "Emissa Stagnet, Ice Majesty of A Thousand Years!"
Maybe she would finally find someone to look up to. She never said it, but sometimes, the pressure of being the one that everybody looked at for answers pressed heavily on her tiny shoulders.
Maybe here was someone she could depend on rather than the opposite. Rakan may have been more powerful than she was, but he was flakier than corn cereal, she thought with a sweat drop.
Even a God would get lonely at the top, and she was no better.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at the rocketing amount of magic the small girl was radiating.
"Pro Armatione, Queen of Ice!"
The result was nothing short of awe inspiring and impressive.
"Impressed yet?"
Naruto smiled, "Yeah, my little sister did good."
Evangeline stomped her foot, creating a crater and an ice spire in a tantrum, "I'm NOT your little sister!"
"Yet." He pointed out with amusement colouring his tone.
"Grr! Are you just going to stand there and talk or fight?"
Scratching the back of his head, Naruto wondered if what he had in mind would work, deciding it wouldn't hurt to try, especially with Chizuru's words still resonating in him. He started gathering his own not unimpressive amount of power, Evangeline watched stunned as the blonde literally exploded with a sea of power with a roar to the heavens that vibrated in her ribcage and somehow sounded sad.
"Tha-that's….!"
Naruto looked at his arm with a sad smile as tears started running down his cheeks; he hadn't been in this nostalgic form in a while.
It seemed like today was a day for buried memories to resurface.
Looks like Eva-chan wasn't joking when she said she could lift all the restraints.
"I'll tell you if you can beat me. Deal?"
"Grrr, Deal!"
The two titans charged.
****Broken Faith****
Naruto raised an eyebrow from his desk in class. Asuna was sitting as far away from Negi as she could, right at the back of class. Which happened to be beside him.
Poking her side he asked, "What's up with you and Negi?"
She frowned, "He did something stupid."
"Asuna, his 10 years old! If he didn't do something stupid I'd start checking if he had a fever." Her blonde classmate replied with mock exasperation.
Asuna giggled at his reply before quieting down again, "It-it's nothing, I'll handle it by myself alright?" she tried to smile at him.
Naruto shrugged.
****Broken Faith****
That evening he was walking back to his tent from Evangeline's when he saw Asuna practicing kendo with her harisen. That wasn't what got her attention, what did get his attention was the fact that he also saw her in the exact same spot, doing the exact same thing 6 hours ago when he walked this way to the cottage. Something was bothering the girl.
He sighed, why did he have to be so nice around girls with problems?
Walking over, he bonked her on the head, interrupting her mid swing.
"Ow! Naruto? What was that for?" Asuna cried in indignation.
Said blonde didn't say anything but motioned with a jerk of his head for her to follow him. Seeing him leave without waiting for her, the twin tailed girl reluctantly followed Naruto.
They walked for a while in silence until they reached his clearing, Asuna gaped at the tent, "This? This is where you stay?" raising an eyebrow at her exclamation he replied, "Well, yeah, I wasn't about to invade a girl's privacy in the dorms. Everything I need is out here, I like the forest and I just go to the dorms for a quick bath. I don't need anything fancy, no big swimming pool, comfy bed or anything. This is good enough for me." That reminded him, he should probably go check his bank account soon.
He pottered around a campfire, setting a kettle up to boil before sitting on a log, "Sit." He gestured at the log beside him.
Asuna reluctantly sat down, she had a fair idea what was about this was about.
"Ok, talk."
"It's nothing big Naruto. Me and Negi were just behaving like kids." Asuna tried to hedge.
"Behaving like kids doesn't cause you to practice the same thing, in the same spot for more than 6 hours, you know." Naruto said as he passed her a cup of tea.
Asuna sighed, "Remember when Maki-chan said Negi told her that he trusted all of us to have his back when the time comes?" Naruto nodded, "Well, Nodoka and Yue-cchi found a clue about his father somewhere deep in Library Island. I said we'd all go together to find out what this clue was."
Naruto realized this was what Negi and the two girls were doing there when he and Evangeline went down as well. Come to think of it, Asuna wasn't there.
"Well, he purposely went while I was doing my paper route, because he didn't want me to come. After that we had an argument and we both called each other some names and I got angry. Later that night he summoned me while I was bathing and Takahata-sensei saw me…um…you know… naked." Naruto winced.
Asuna's dam broke.
"But you know what? What really got me angry were two things; he acted like he didn't want me to come because I was some delicate little girl for him to save, I mean, even Nodoka and Yue were there. No offense to them, but not many things get more delicate than those two. And then he had to audacity to say that I wasn't supposed to get involved in stuff like this in the first place so I shouldn't have needed to come. I mean I practiced kendo so hard so I could help him in the future, but he acts like I was something to just use for Kyoto and ditch when things were done? He didn't say it, but his words implied it. Where's the trust in that?"
Asuna got up and started to pace, "Grr… even thinking about that makes me boil. Here I am worried about him, but he a 10 year old thinks I'm some delicate damsel in distress for him to save? And that I wasn't supposed to be there in the first place? After everything we went through together?"
Naruto sat on his log and pinched the bridge of his nose; sometimes he felt Negi would have done better in an all boy's school. If anybody had a problem, everybody would have just punched somebody. End of story.
"You know," Naruto started almost conversationally, "You're a brash, reckless and headstrong person. But of all those, sometimes your pride really annoys me." Asuna got angrier as each of her flaws were stated out loud.
"Wha? Headstrong? Pride?" Asuna spluttered.
"Am I wrong? You got angry because his words wounded your pride as a strong person when he implied you were some weak girl. Your pride was wounded because you felt he didn't need you when he left you out. Your pride was wounded because after all your efforts in learning kendo, he unintentionally belittles that effort when he said you weren't supposed to be involved in the first place. Face it, you are too prideful to admit you are worried for him, and he doesn't know how much his words hurt even though he is equally worried for you."
Asuna was already blushing but her face burned even hotter in added embarrassment at the wry tone Naruto was using to describe their idiocy and tried to argue, "But that doesn't change the fact that his wrong!"
"His ten years old Asuna, you can't expect him to know what his words really mean sometimes. He may act like an adult at times, but his still a kid in reality." Naruto said exasperatedly.
Getting tired of looking up at the girl from his vantage point, he pulled her down onto his lap while she was too busy spluttering.
"Wha-what are you doing Naruto!" Asuna cried with a blush as she landed in his lap.
"Settle down you idiot." Asuna stopped squirming in his lap and laid her hands on the arm around her waist, face burning brightly.
"B-but his still wrong, I can't go forgive him just like that!"
"Oh his wrong, I never said he wasn't even if it probably wasn't intentional," Naruto admitted then he gave her a mischievous grin, "I never said to forgive him immediately either, nothing wrong with letting him steam for a bit so that he'll think about what leaves his mouth next time." causing Asuna to give him a reluctant grin in reply.
When the moment passed, Naruto sighed and placed his chin on her shoulder, "Is it so hard to show how much you care sometimes, Asuna? You care so much that you don't want him to go do things without you there to catch him when he falls. Now look at it from his perspective. That idiot cares for his students so much so he tries to keep all of you safe by not trying to involve any of you in his world, even when he desperately needs help. Since you are you already involved he can't do anything about it, so his trying to limit that involvement. His failing spectacularly I'll admit, but it doesn't stop him from trying, his clumsy explanation being one of the latest examples."
The auburn haired girl stiffened at the feeling of his breath playing around her neck and the wramth pooling against her back before slowly relaxing and leaning back into the embrace. She would never admit it, but she missed the closeness they had shared in Kyoto.
It felt safe.
Asuna chuckled, "When you put it that way it really sounds stupid."
"It is stupid."
They relaxed.
Naruto was also enjoying the closeness when he heard Asuna mumble something he couldn't hear, "What's that?"
Asuna took a deep breath to steady her nerves, "It's not just my pride…. You know I'm an orphan. I was really anti social and I didn't really have many friends, still don't. Negi was the first male friend my age and we had dream like adventures together. But when he said he didn't need me, when he wanted to grow strong and fight Chachamaru alone, a part of me was afraid." Asuna shamefully admitted.
Naruto didn't say anything and just let Asuna unburden herself; this was something far more serious than her pride.
"I was afraid, when we fought Evangeline, when we were in Kyoto, no matter how scared I was, it was really fun fighting together. Then recently, he got stronger, and insisted on doing it alone. Deep down, I was afraid of being left behind. Like I was all those years ago, alone, no memories and no friends. When I got angry, a part of it was me being angry at myself for being so selfish, for wanting him to remain weak so I could stay at his side."
Asuna furiously wiped away her tears of shame, "Heh, look at me now, I must look so embarrassing and pathetic."
Naruto just held her tighter. "Everyone has a part of themselves like that. A shameful part that isn't so honourable, that's selfish and greedy. Even me." He gently stated, trying to calm the girl down.
Asuna looked at him dubiously.
He smiled gently, "I'm not lying. At first, I honestly didn't want to get close to you. Part of it was because I didn't want to get hurt again. But I did anyway. When that happened I decided to tell you about my wife. A part of me wanted to just keep it a secret, so that nothing changed, so you didn't hate me. When I finally told you, a part of me shamefully wanted me to ask for more than friendship so you would replace her in my heart. But you didn't deserve that. You see, what makes the difference between you and that dark little secret part is whether or not you let it out to dictate what you do."
Asuna leaned back onto him, "Thanks for telling me that Naruto…" she whispered.
The blonde just smiled in reply.
Akako watched the two of them talk before cocking her head. Leaping off the log she had been resting on she scrambled up Asuna and nuzzled her.
"Heheh, it tickles, stop it Akako."
The blonde smiled, "See, even she wants you to cheer up."
Asuna cuddled the bundle of fur and kissed Akako's head before scratching her tummy, causing the little fox to purr and her leg to twitch. "Thanks for that you little furball. I needed it."
She got a cheerful yip in reply.
They sat there for a while in silence, "C-can you play your flute? I-I haven't had the chance to listen to you play in a while, since everybody is so busy." the twin tailed girl asked shyly.
Naruto chuckled before summoning his flute from a seal before starting to play the song he had played on Asuna's birthday.
Asuna fell asleep cuddling Akako on Naruto's lap while the sun set around them and the melody of a flute reverbrated around the clearing.
Seeing her completely asleep, the blonde resealed his flute and laid a small peck on her cheek, "You don't have to be afraid of being alone anymore Asuna. I'll always be there. I promised."
Lifting her and the kitsune in her arms up, he set off to let her sleep in her own bed.
****Broken Faith****
In the Dean's office.
"Ah, Eishun. Good of you to call, it saved me the trouble of contacting you myself."
"Father-in-Law, it's good to talk to you again, but I'm afraid this isn't a social call." Konoemon felt his eyebrows knit at the serious tone Eishun was using.
"Oh? This sounds important."
"I'm afraid so. Someone released Hermann and his subordinates. They tried to release Amagasaki Chigusa and Kotarou Inugami as well but failed."
"Sigh... this is bad, but on the bright side they didn't get Amagasaki-san and Kotarou-kun. How did they fail?"
There was silence on the other end of the line, "They...technically didn't fail. They managed to release both of them, but to be precise; Kotarou refused to help them in their goal and from eyewitness reports, he fought them before managing to barely escape."
There was more silence, "Amagasaki on the other hand... refused to leave her prison. To be completely honest, she is absolutely terrified of leaving the wards at all. Whatever Naruto-san did to her, Amagasaki can no longer sleep. From what we can tell, everytime she does, she suffers nightmares or more precisely, she feels every bit of fear and pain she ever caused to anything, even an ant. All this, from her victim's point of view."
Konoemon frowned, "I-I think that punishment is too harsh, should I try to get him to undo whatever he did to her?"
"Maybe, but I would prefer to let her suffer a bit longer. You see, when Naruto-san caught up to her, he found her abusing a small kitsune demon. Apparently she tried to summon a more malicious demon after her plan with Ryomen-Sukuna no Kami was defeated, but that failed as well due to her lack of magical power. Angry, she took it out on the nearest thing and nearly killed the baby kitsune that she managed to summon...to say that Naruto-san reacted badly would be an understatement."
'So that's where that small fox came from...'
"I see... Naruto... is an interesting person is he not? What did you think about my request?"
"I wondered for a while. Pactios are rather rarely used among the Eastern Mages so I was surprised, but your plan has merit. Giving a neutral party a pactio from the heads of the Western and Eastern Mage Leaders shows our trust in him and elevates him to Ambassador Status among all mages on Earth. When we cannot decide in an argument because we are both biased, we can turn to a neutral party that is aware of magic but has nothing to gain from siding with one side or another, in this case; Naruto-san. Something like that would greatly benefit relationships between both parties but I assume that wasn't your only reason?"
Konoemon chuckled, his son-in-law was rather astute despite his frail stature.
Correctly considering the chuckle he heard as confirmation of his theory, Eishun continued, "I assume that another part of the reason you wanted me to form a Pactio with him was to see if the same irregularities I felt in the Pactio I made with him was present in the one with yours?"
"That is correct. Do you think it will become a problem in the future?"
Eishun considered the question and carefully replied, "No... it's... irregular. But it definitely didn't feel malicious. Not to mention both Setsuna and Konoka are smitten with him. If nothing else, I trust their judgement."
"Oho? My cute cute granddaughter is finally interested in men? I wonder if I should arrange an omiai...hohohoho..."
Eishun sweat dropped on the other side of the line and felt like sympathizing with his daughter. Or at least sending her a red DANGER sign with Konoemon's face pasted on it.
On the other hand, she might actually like the idea and if he did something to endanger her chances, she would probably string him up by the balls.
He wondered if he should send Konoka her mother's whips.
Elsewhere; Naruto who was in his tent felt weird shivers run down his back, causing Chachamaru who was playing with Akako to look at him weirdly.
****Broken Faith****
AN
One particular reviewer asked me to write a part about when Akane was taken, and his tragic journey from suicidal to cold apathetic bordering mental using the song from Clannad OST : Uminari. Don't worry its already planned.
Unfortunately I won't be using his idea. I happen to know that song very well, doesn't stop me from trying to forget that particular song though, I try to pretend I never heard of Clannad sometimes. I didn't like it, and I never will.
That leads me to my response; I hate angst. And I will never write anything suicidal because I despise that particular act as cowardly and weak. Despite the heaviness in my fic as most of my reviewers call it, I will never voluntarily write angst or suicide. It may border angst quite a bit but I guarantee I won't knowingly write it. I never saw the point in brooding like an idiot, oh woe is me, my life sucks, so I have to walk around with my head up my arse before I die.
Tch, even just writing that way gives me a bad taste in my mouth.
What I write is about my characters facing their fears. Angst on the other hand is wailing when people try to make you face your fears and being a clingy coward for a significant period of time. One good example are people that write Naruto as someone who loves person A so much that he literally becomes incapacitated if Persona A suffers a tiny scratch. He hyperventilates at seeing Persona A bleed and mopes at being so weak and unable to stop Person A from bleeding. And it drags out the entire story. That example actually came from a fic I read before; I won't mention the author's name or his/her fic out of respect.
Have a Merry Christmas
John