Pictures: At the Winter ball I will describe Yuna's and Rikku's dresses, my friend Emeraldus drew a picture of them, so please visit my profile, you will find a link that takes you to the picture.
Beta Reader: Still no beta reader, so you will find some grammar mistakes.
Special thanks: I want to give a special thanks to PshhAnonymous, it's all thanks to her I got the willpower to continue on this chapter and finally upgrade this story. Thank you so much. :)
Chapter Twenty-One: The Winter Ball
"You ready for this mister?" Naruto said threatening with a devilish smirk on his face.
"Yes I am." Sasuke said and active his Sharingan eyes, making his eyes turned crimson red with two wheel swirls. When he at first activated this eyes did he only have one, but after a lot of training evolved his eyes to a higher level. He started into Naruto's eyes and found a power he wanted to copy for this fight.
"Ready when you are." Naruto said.
The Uchiha nodded, lifted his arms gently up and at the same time picked up three heavy rocks that stood behind him. "See if you can dough this." He sends his arms forward, throwing the rocks over towards Naruto.
Naruto got in a defensive position, but his smirk only grew. He did a hirameki and arrived at the side of the room where it was two big buckets of water. He quickly made most of the water move to his command. The blonde quickly turned around and saw that Sasuke had changed the direction of the rock and they were now flying towards him again. Naruto threw his left arm at the side, sending the water like a thin blade through the rock. The water blade was so sharp it cut the rock in two.
However, Sasuke only laughed. "Making it smaller doesn't help you much." He quickly picked up the rock again. "What about this trick?" He asked, and made it so all the rocks smother into each other. The outcome was that the once big rock was now only small stones.
"Really Sasuke, those stones will not be able to harm me." Naruto said and picked up his water and made a ball.
Sasuke didn't listen though; he focused to pick up all the small stones. But he had to work fast, cause Naruto already throw a big water ball towards him. Before the big ball was able to reach Sasuke however, came something though the water, something small, fast and it was many of it. After just three seconds lost Naruto control of his water, the outcome was that the big ball of water becomes nothing more than a puddle on the floor.
"What the?" Naruto gasped shocked.
Sasuke smirked, his Sharingan eyes looking at his target. Floating in front of Sasuke was ten to twenty small stones. "With the speed and number on my side, I took your water apart." The Uchiha said and changed battle position, and many small things behind him started moving towards the blonde. Naruto could now see that Sasuke was sending hundreds of those small rocks towards him. The blonde started to jump and teleport away. However Sasuke was always fast on changing the direction of his rocks, so that they always went flying towards their target.
Thinking while he was on the run came Naruto up with a way to deal with this; he picked up the rest of the water, and made sure to make small but very strong bubbles out of it. He sends them out to each and every rock. It wasn't easy to control so many objects at once, how Sasuke with ease was able to control so many was a mystery to him. When one stone entered a bubble was Naruto was to turn them all into water. "Ah! What do you think of that?" Naruto said proudly.
Sasuke groaned, admitting it was a job well done. The Uchiha had only learned to control hard objects such as stones, water was little beyond his control, but, he had another plan in waiting. "Impressive. But ..." Sasuke ended as he squeezed his hands into fists. With a moment to gather up mental power, Sasuke jumped off the floor and went flying towards Naruto. "... What about this."
The blonde looked at his love with large eyes and gasped in surprise. "W-when did you learn to fly?!"
A small laughter escaped Sasuke as he went full speed over to his target, his fists raised, ready for a blow.
Naruto saw what was coming but was a second too late to teleport, to get away from the punch at least. Not wanting to give the face he loved so much a bruise, aimed Sasuke his fists at Naruto's shoulder. At the next moment did Naruto teleport, but since Sasuke was still in contact with him joined Sasuke in on the journey, this not being part of Naruto's plan, making the teleportation go totally of course. Instead of reappearing at the far side of the room, they did show up again just five steps away from where they first stood. Also, instead of standing, were the two boys lying and that on the top of the other.
"Well." Naruto started. "Let's call it a draw." He smiled warmly and looked up at his lover who was looking down at him. With his hand on the back of Sasuke's head pushed Naruto him into a loving kiss.
"Fine." Sasuke said once his lips was his own. He still was a little unsatisfied of the outcome of the battle, but the kiss somewhat made up for it.
"Okay boys," Said a voice that came from the other side of the room. "That would do for today."
"Yuna!" Naruto shouted out with a little unpleasant tone and stood up, helping Sasuke with him. "When did you teach this guy to fly? And when will you start teaching me telekinesis?"
The girl sighed. "Naruto you are still under the training of the other Jinchuurikis, you aren't ready for my powers yet. Sasuke just happened to be a fast learner. Really, I only gave him a tip or two; he copied what I did after seeing me doing it once." Naruto looked at her, still not fully satisfied. "And who knows," Yuna continued. "If Sasuke keeps showing this much progress, maybe he will train you when the time comes."
A few days later, within the Uchiha's home, a knock on the door of Sasuke's room disturbed the two young man inside. "I am sorry to disturbed you young Masters." The servant said. "But there is a Mister Naruto at the door, he is waiting for you in the living room Master."
"Thanks." Sasuke said back. "Looks like it's time for me to go brother."
Itachi looked up at his younger brother and smiled. "So it would seem, glad we got the chance to talk." The older Uchiha had arrived home this very day, and Sasuke had been very surprised and happy of this event. It had been over two months since Itachi was supposed to be home, but work had kept him away. Now that he was done Itachi would stay home for a while.
It was only a little sad he had to come home today, since it was the day of the Winter ball today, making it unable for Sasuke to stay any longer with his brother, but it had opened an opportunity Sasuke had been waiting for.
"So brother, now that Naruto is here, why don't you join me to the living room so you can finally meet him?"
With a kind smile on his face nodded Itachi in agreement. "Of course Sasuke, that would be great."
The two brothers walked together towards the place Naruto was waiting. Sasuke made himself ready to introduce his love to his older brother, this would be so great. He had been waiting for this moment a long time.
Sasuke placed his hand on the doorknob when Itachi spoke out. "Wait." Not just that, but Itachi had stopped walking a few feet back. "I just remembered... I have something I need to do, sorry brother, but I will be taking my leave to my room, see you later little brother." And with that, Itachi turned and walked away.
This surprised Sasuke, in a great deal too. Never before, as long as Sasuke had known his older brother, had Itachi made up an bad excuse to leave like that. Was it something Sasuke had said? Or done? Or maybe... Itachi just didn't want to meet his boyfriend, maybe... Itachi didn't approve of him? Sasuke felt a stabbing pain of hurt and betrayal.
Before Sasuke was able to think any more of this did the doorknob he was holding turn on its own, or more like; Naruto had felt Sasuke's presence and was wondering what took so long, so he went to get him himself.
"Wow." Naruto mumbled, with his blue glittered eyes looked the blonde over his partner. "You look absolutely stunning Sasuke." Then Naruto saw the troubled face on his love. "What is it?" he asked worried. "Something wrong?"
"I... don't know." Sasuke said, trying not to make things even worse for himself, but he had to tell Naruto. "Itachi is finally home, and I wanted to proper introduce you guys to each other. But... as we got there, he made up a lame excuse and went."
"Itachi is here?" Naruto asked in a mumble, but then spoke up in a gently and kind voice. "After all I have heard about him he doesn't sound like a guy that would just lie like that. Maybe... he really dose have something he needs to do, and talking to you made him forget it until now."
His lover's words made Sasuke calm himself, maybe Naruto was right. At any rate, he decided to forget about it all for now and just enjoy the evening. The moment the young Uchiha got Naruto into view, came a warm feeling in his hearth. Sasuke had to smile as he saw how handsome his date was, the tuxedo wasn't Naruto's taste in clothes, but that didn't mean he didn't look good while wearing one.
Understanding that Sasuke liked what he saw, Naruto turned his charm on, did a deep bow, picked up Sasuke's right hand with his right and very gently kissed it. Sasuke blushed when Naruto's soft lips touched his skin of his hand. "Today you make me the happiest man on earth to be my date."
The redness on Sasuke's face stayed for a few moments, he couldn't seem to calm his heart down by Naruto's kiss. Unable to do anything else looked Sasuke away, but he smiled as he mumbled back at Naruto. "You don't look so bad yourself."
The blonde laughed gently, and smiled with all of his face. He truly shone like the sun. "Now my love, let's move to my car, it is waiting for us." Naruto placed his right hand at Sasuke's waist, and together walked the two of them out.
Itachi and Sasuke were on their way to the living room to meet Naruto, Sasuke's boyfriend. Itachi was looking forward to see this person who had the power to put such a great smile on his little brother's face.
'I can't help but thinking that the name sound so familiar.' Itachi thought. And it was then he felt it, a feeling he was always trying to find but to feel it now ruined everything. 'No...' Itachi froze in his steps. From the living room, a few feet away... were a Jinchuuriki. 'Of course, Uzumaki Naruto! The son of Minato and Kushina, makers of the Bijuu project. Oh why Sasuke have you gone and fallen in love with him... any other person and I could be ok with it, but a Jinchuuriki ...' Itachi imagined all the other Jinchuurikis, and how they had died. But Sasuke loved this man... what was he suppose to do? At any case, Itachi couldn't let Naruto know of his presence.
The older Uchiha brother had felt Naruto before him because Itachi was trained to feel other Jinchuurikis, and if he got away before Sasuke opened the door everything would be fine ...for now.
No really thought of explanation entered his mind, so Itachi only found himself telling a bad excuse and walked off. His goal was only to get away from Sasuke and his love, but for how long could he keep this a secret? It was his job to find all the Jinchuurikis and bring them back to his boss. However... this was his dear brother's lover. Itachi punched a nearby wall in anger and frustration. 'No damn Bijuu we will not meet him, so stop pestering me!' since Itachi had felt the present of Naruto's Bijuu, it made things so much more complicated, since his own Bijuu now demanded him to go to him. 'I need to get away.' Itachi took his car and drove off, off to a place so he could calm his mind and try to think it all through.
On there way to the winter ball, Naruto and Sasuke was simply enjoying each other's company and looking forward to have a great time together. In the back seats of the car rested Sasuke his head on Naruto's shoulder, and at the same time was the Uchiha's right hand holding Naruto's left. The one that drove the car was Iruka. Sure Naruto had someone else back in his mansion that could have drove him, but Iruka personally wanted to do it this time. This wasn't their first Winter ball, but it was the first they was going together.
Finally arriving at their destination went Iruka out and opened the door of Sasuke.
"Thanks Iruka." Sasuke said kindly.
Naruto went out the other door and quickly walked around to Sasuke's side. "Ready Sasuke?" Naruto asked with a sexy grin.
To which Sasuke only nodded.
Iruka couldn't hold back a smile; he had waited for a long time to see his master go on the winter ball with the Uchiha, and now was the time finally here. "I will pick you two up at twelve; the latest I will wait is to one am. If you two aren't in the car by then I will call the police or a search party. Go it?" The servant was still smiling, but his voice told them he was death serious.
"Yes, yes Iruka, I hear you." Naruto mumbled and just waved to his servant. And with that went Iruka in the car again and drove off.
It was now Naruto and Sasuke was able to remove the gaze from each other and looked towards the school. The red carpet that met them wasn't that immersive, that one was a tradition, but what made the boys gasp was the two lines of small blue flaming torches on each side of the carpet. Combined with the white snow on the ground made it the school looks mysterious and almost... magical.
Walking on the carped started Sasuke to wonder. "What do you think is the theme is this year?"
"Hmm, not sure." Naruto mumbled and gazed on the decoration that was outside.
Two guards were at the door and opened it for them. "Thanks for coming. We hope Uzumaki-san and Uchiha-san will have a good evening." The two guards said in a union.
They were welcomed in and the view of the great hall made the two boys gasp. It was now not difficult to guess the year's theme. Everything from the furnisher and tablecloth was in all kind of blue, white colors, looking like ice and snow. Silk and crystals where hanging from the ceiling. The school had saved no expense on this year's ball. The theme was "snow castle" and it made the great hall look like a magical ice palace.
"Hello man." Kiba said as he walked up to them. "Looks totally awesome, right?" he laughed and seemed to be in a very good mood.
"Indeed Kiba." Naruto smirked and lifted up his free hand and Kiba gave him a high-five.
Kiba winked at the blonde and started to walk away. "But I need to be some place, see you two later."
The Uchiha only looked at the brown-head dog boy walking away, but that reminded him of some one. "Where is Gaara?" he asked. "Didn't you say he want ahead of us?"
"Well yes." Naruto mumbled. With a quick glance looked Naruto over the crowd, it was so many people here, but sure, he was able to pick of the presence of his brothers. "Over here." He said and dragged Sasuke with him.
They walked across the room, passing a bunch of people that was enjoying the great party. It didn't take long until Sasuke could recognize Gaara's red hair, even though he still was that used to it yet, was it easy to spot amongst the people.
"Hello there." Naruto said, getting the attention to his brother.
"Oh, Naruto." He replied, apparently not even noticing his brother up until now.
There was a silent moment, Sasuke looked at the person Gaara had been talking to, and Sasuke's eyes got wide. Naruto did the same and gasped surprised.
"Yuna?" he asked while pointing it out. "Is that you?"
"Why yes." She answered shortly.
Sasuke now understood why Gaara hadn't been paying attention to anything else, Yuna looked very beautiful. She wore a no arm, silky dress. It had a split at her left side, showing off one of her feet. Her finger nails and a light pink color, and around her neck was a silver necklace with a purple amethyst gem. From her ears was a set of long eardrops. Yuna's hair was tight up in a pony-tail, and her long tail was left free, and her brown hair almost seemed to sparkle. Sasuke know Gaara preferred guys over girls, but hell... even he wouldn't be able to resist that piece of art.
"Nice dress." Naruto said, eyed it closely, it looked almost too expensive to be used in such a party.
"Thanks." She smiled and turned around showing of the whole thing, showing that the dress was very low on her back. Her skin was flawless, with no wonder thanks to Triinu and her powers. Must be good to have a friend to change your appearance if you ever were to get an scare or other unnecessary things you wanted gone from you body.
The two boys excused themselves and let Gaara talk alone with Yuna.
"Those two seem to get along well." Sasuke said and he thought back on how Gaara had never really been interested in a relationship before or anything of the sort.
"Well," Naruto started. "They have been online friends for a long time, and it wouldn't surprise me if our bond to stay together is playing a role in this."
Sasuke nodded understanding that the blonde was talking about the Bijuus, so didn't bother with asking more, it was too many ears at this place to discuss it further.
The party went on, people was having fun and really enjoyed themselves. The two couple had even meet Rikku in the crowd. She wore a no arms, no shoulder dark green dress, but compare to Yuna's didn't it reach the floor, but stopped at her knees. The dress had pattern of light green starts on it, and she looked as lovely and cheerful as always. What surprised Sasuke a little was the tall, muscular brown head man that stood next to her. Naruto explained that it was just Terry, and that he was also a part of the "group".
Later dragged Naruto his love and himself out to the dance floor, and they started to dance together. At first it was a slow song, but the next one was a very fast and rock filed one. Without any thought went Naruto all out and danced with Sasuke like it was no tomorrow. Their bodies moved together, and they even started to sweat.
The blonde smirked, he was lost in the music of the dance and didn't think on what to do next, his focus was on Sasuke, and Sasuke only. Many of the other dancers had stopped what they were doing and gave them room, just looking at them. Some even cheered them on, saying it was one awesome dance.
Naruto's smirk grew and the dance went even faster, but it all still looked so graceful. At some point however, at the corner of Naruto's eyes he could see something black. But every time he got to turn, was it gone. Also was there a pressure like feeling that pushed on this brain. Some few whispered words came to his ears, but he couldn't figure out the meaning of the them. The dance continued nonetheless, but Sasuke started to notice Naruto wasn't completely with him in the dance anymore.
'What is going on?' Naruto thought, then turned the pressure to nothing but ...pain.
'Hee...ee...el' the whisper got louder and got more comprehensively, Naruto could at least hear it was a female voice, and it sounded young. The sound of the whisper rang in his head for a long moment. The song ended and the dancing stopped. Without warning fell Naruto into blackness, he feel into his own unconsciousness. Unwillingly he was now trapped in his own mind. It was then it happened, the whisper didn't come as a whisper, far from it, this time it came in full force, and loud and horrible, desperate voice. 'HEEELP HIM!' The pain in his brain become even greater and a feeling of falling down made it feel like the cry for help was swallowing him up.
For one second was it all quite for Naruto, until he started to open his eyes, the pain was gone. It took a few second before his eyes focused, and slowly was he able to take in his surroundings. There was a bunch of people looking worried down on him.
"Wha..." Naruto mumbled.
"Lay still." Ordered a sharp voice.
Naruto looked up and saw he was resting his head on Sasuke's lap and that the Uchiha didn't want him to do any sudden movements, he was very worried. "Wh-at happened?" Naruto mumbled and just looked up at the dark worried eyes that looked down on him.
"You fainted." Gaara said and bend down next to the two boys. "Or it looked like it." He looked up at Yuna who just looked down on the blonde, examining his expression.
"Why doesn't everyone give him some air?" Yuna said in a calm voice, and the group that stood around them quietly broke up. Sasuke got help from Gaara to lift Naruto up and they placed him down on a chair, at the far end of the great hall.
'What did you hear Naruto?' Yuna asked telepathically, letting all the Jinchuuriki in on the conversation.
Though Naruto is still unable to talk back telepathically he did just answer back with a low voice. "There was this female voice. At first just a whisper but then... a big deafening cry. "help him" and then I got the worst headache ever."
Everyone looked at each other, and at the back came Rikku and Terry walking towards them. They had heard it from Yuna and wanted in on this.
"What's even stranger..." Naruto mumbled, and thought back on the feeling. "It felt like I was... seeing the future again... but at the same time, not quite." He started to think over the matter, but there was just no answer he could find at the moment.
"Do you feel better Naruto?" Sasuke asked. "Or do you want to return home."
The blonde stood up, smiled and reached out his hand towards his love. "Not before I have finished dancing with you."
Sasuke smiled at Naruto's words and took his hand, following him back to the dance floor.
'What do you think Yuna?' Rikku asked, in a conversation only for the two of them.
'I don't know.' She answers back. 'But he didn't seem to be lying. I just hope this was not supposed to be a warning for something horrible to come.'
'We must just be exstra careful from now on.' Rikku answered back and the conversation between the girls ended.
With a smile on her face turned the brunette to Gaara. "Want to dance with me?"
A smile came on his face too as he nodded. "Sure." The two of them followed closely behind Naruto and Sasuke, but found their own spot on the big floor.
"And you're going to dance with me." Rikku said and dragged with her Terry to the dance floor and started to do some crazy moves.
In a world filed with violence, it is doomed to have incant children without parents. A long fly ride away from Japan, in a distance country, on an orphanage filed with children. This special orphanage was one of the lucky once, they got money from a rich owner, so all the kids got somewhat enough food and had toys they could play with. Compare to some of the worst places was this almost paradise. However, even though with more than enough energy to run around playing was there one child that was just sitting in the sleeping room. He had gotten news any other child would die for. But he was a little nervous to all the good things that were suddenly happening to him, what if it was too good to be true?
"Today is the day." said a female voice; her tone was gentle and kind.
"Yes, it is." He mumbled weakly back.
"Why so down?" she asked, thinking that any other child would be trilled and happy about it.
"I can't stop thinking... what if those people that adopted me are... bad?" in his arms was a plush animal of a lemur. Inari hugged it close, but made sure he didn't destroy the old toy.
"Don't think about that Inari." She said gently. "I am sure they are wonderful people. And besides, isn't this the perfect opportunity to search for those other people that guy told you do to?"
"Other Jinchuurikis..." Inari mumbled and thought back to how he had become one in the first place. It had been a war in his home town, his mother Tsunami had been killed under one attack. Right before Inari was killed too came a young man into the rescue and saved him. The young man's name was Haku, and he looked more like a woman then a man. He had been the original Jinchuuriki, and he and another man named Zabuza kept Inari alive for weeks. Until on cold winter day the two of them got each other killed by the war too. It had happened close to where the three of them had lived, so when Inari walked outside he saw the two bodies in the snow. What had happened once he walked out of the door that day Inari had forgotten. Basically what had happened was that Haku's Bijuu had gotten its survival instinct kicked in, and thanks to the top of Haku's head had been cut off made it all so much easier. The Bijuu got Inari in a trance, and makes him walk up to itself. And the next thing that happened was that Inaru become the new Jinchuuriki, and he awoke in one of the orphanage's bed, which were two coteries away from his home town.
"I hope s ..." the little boy's sentence was cut off by a loud shout.
"Yo, stupid Inari." Called a boy name Kaiza from the hall. "If you don't hurry will your new mother end up adopting someone else here. Like me! Haha!" while laughing went the boy off. Kaiza was one year older then Inari, but compare to him, Kaiza been there whole his life, Inari only got there when he was eight years old, he was now ten.
With a little hesitation grabbed Inari his beg with on hand but still hold onto the lemur with the other. For a moment he did just stand still, next to his bed. "I just hope ... everything will go well." He mumbled weakly and gazed upon the girl who stood in front of him.
"Hehe, good luck!" she said and smiled.
"Will you be joining me?" he whispered low, holding the lemur tighter.
"Of course!" The girl said with a confident voice and winked at him. "Where ever you have little Mr. Lemur there, I will follow."
The boy smiled. "Thanks." Before Inari could say anything else walked a grown up over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking down on him with unpleased eyes.
"Now Inari, I don't want you to talk to your imaginary friends," she looked over the room and saw nobody there. "Remember this is a whole new chapter of your life, you will surely get new real friends as soon as you get settled in. So please don't scare your new parent with such nonsense as a not existing friend."
Inari didn't say anything as he only gazed upon the transparent sixteen year old girl that stood in his room waving at him and suddenly disappeared.
"How many times do I have to say it?" Inari mumbled. "Hiyori is not imaginary; she is the ghost of a girl who was murder a few years back. She used to own my lemur plush animal when she was alive, she is bonded to this lemur and will stay with me as long as I hold on to it."
The woman of the orphanage rolled her eyes. "A ghost or imaginary friend, both doesn't exist, and I know your new family wouldn't want to hear about it. So please keep your mouth silence about those things."
A silent fell over the little boy, there was no use talking back. He knew this argument very well, and it was never favorite his side. He followed the lady and soon stood before a woman he had never seen before.
"This is Inuzuka Tsume, your new mother Inari." She said gently at him, and at her side stood a boy that seemed to be older then Hiyori, but close.
The woman bend down at his level as smiled at him. "Hello Inari." She said. "From this day forward will you get Inuzuka as your last name, I hope that is ok."
He looked up at her, at least she was kind. His cheeks become slight red and he tried to hide them by digging his face down in his plush. "Ye...ah, that w-would be n-nice." He mumbled.
"And this is your brother, your older sister is back home taking care of our dogs."
With shy eyes gazed the small boy up at his other new family member.
"Hello there." the older boy said. "I am Kiba, nice meeting you."
"Why don't you two talk a little, while we do the small rest of the paper work?" Tsume said and walked off with the orphaning woman.
"I hope you will not be too sad, leaving all your friends from this place." Kiba said, as he sat down on the floor, now being on Inari's eye level.
"It's ok," Inari said with a small smile. "I don't really have any real friends here."
"You sure you want to talk about me?" Hiyori appeared at his side again, but of course couldn't Kiba hear or see her. She could see where the conversation was moving.
"I am not sure..." Inari mumbled, looking briefly at his only friend.
"Not sure about what?" Kiba asked, smiling like a good brother.
"Ehh..." Inari was unsure, but what harm could come from this? "I have only one friend." He started.
Kiba made a weak face, "too bad you have to travel from that friend... sorry."
"No, no." Inari interrupted. "She will be joining me to your place, you see, she is a ghost."
"..." Kiba didn't know what to say back, and before he could come up with a replay came his mother back.
Tsume smiled. "Let's get you home." She reached out her hand at him. It took a few moments but Inari soon enough grabbed her hand and followed after her.
Akatsuki had for a long while been going around and around without being able to find anything new about the last remaining Jinchuuriki, until now. The member named Konan had found a trace of lead, and with her was two of the other members; Kakuzu and Hidan.
"You boys ready?" Konan asked coldly.
"Hell yeah!" Hidan shouted. "Finally it's our turn to get some!"
"Be quite Hidan, you're making my ears bleed." Kakuzu mumbled irritated.
"Oh shut up!" Hidan called annoyed back.
"I will make you shut up if you don't ..." Kakuzu threatened by his sentence was cut off by another voice.
"Both be quiet! We have a job to do." Konan was normally a silent woman, but to be able to keep Kakuzu and Hidan from trying to kill each other was it needed to go all out.
"Inari..." mumbled the floating ghost worried. "Are you sure it's safe to just go outside like this?"
"I am sure it's fine." He said back, and didn't really listen to what his ghost friend was jabbing on about.
Inari had literally arrived to Tokyo hours ago, he had gotten to know his family well by this short time, but his mother had to return to her job, his older brother had plan with his friends and well the oldest sister was suppose to look after him but she needed to rush to the animal store she was in charge of to help her employee with an emergency. Being alone in the house made him start thinking about the other Jinchuurikis that were out there in the world, he needed to get out starting searching for them. So Inari sneaked out of his new home. He had never imaged Tokyo was such a big city; it would take him a good while to get over everything there was. He had already lost his way back home, but e didn't worry, before getting out had he begged Hiyori to keep track of where he was going and how to get home.
Three hours passed by and Inari was just walking around taking in all the great views, and at the same time did he get to know the city. On the other hand Hiyori was getting more and more worried by the minute.
"Inari... I am telling you... that woman is following us. She has been behind us for over an hour now." To be a ghost, she sure was worried for no reason, not that she could get hurt from anyone anymore, but... Inari could.
Not able to ignore her worrying talk, decided the young boy to figure out what was with this woman Hiyori was talking about. He pretended to turn around to look at something else when he was looking after her. And sure enough, he found her, but he noticed something else about her that Hiyori had neglect to mention.
Suddenly took Inari a run for it, forcing the woman to run after him as well. He went around the corner, disappearing from the woman's sigh. She followed and when she turned the corner was she met by Inari standing there waiting for her.
"Hello there." He said, smiling from ear to ear.
"What?" the woman asked surprised. "Ho-how? Y-you... can see... me?"
"Yes indeed I can." Inari said back. "You're a ghost right."
"I...I." the woman mumbled, she was really shocked. But soon enough a smile came on her face. "Yes... I am, a ghost."
"What is your name?" Inari asked gently.
"Konan." The ghost answer back.
"Ok then Konan, is there something I can do for you then? So you can rest in peace? Or so you can leave this life behind." Even just being twelve, Inari had a great understanding of death. In his mind the afterlife or what came after death was up for the person that died. If he or she wanted to go to a new life then that person could. If it was someone christen, they came to heaven or hell depending on their self image, and so on. So whenever a ghost asked him what came after this life, he would always ask what they themselves wanted, and if they were single-minded did he open for other options.
"My sister..." Konan said. "She is just laying there uncontained. I am not able to help her."
"Where?" He asked, getting serious, not worried about this sister's life.
The female ghost went floating away, but she was sure to allow Inari to follow her. It did take a while for Inari to get to the place where the ghost's sister was at. Inari was far too busy thinking that he was about to help someone indeed that he didn't follow where he was at now. Hiyori however did, and she didn't like the look of it. Inari was far away from anybody. He was at an abandoned shopping mall building area; the only thing that was up of the mall was the cement walls.
Inari scouted for a body. The ghost was gone, so he needed to look himself. Then he saw something at other side, he dashed over. And right enough, it was the body of a woman. She was very similar to the ghost he had seen, they where related that was for sure. He started shake the body trying to wake her up. A deep breath came from the body and Inari almost jumped back, he was happy at first, but as the woman looked up at him was there a feeling that told him this was wrong.
"Hey... you are not the sister... you are Konan, aren't you?" he backed up. "How could you have been a ghost and now be alive?"
"The answer to that is easy." Out of the shadow came Hidan. "She never was a ghost." He placed his large three bladed scythe on his shoulder. "That's just one of her Jinchuuriki powers."
"Jinchuuriki?" Inari gasped.
"Newly adopted Inuzuka Inari, eight year old, you are a Jinchuuriki, our next target."
The little and young boy felt anxiety get the best of him, he needed to get out of there now! He made himself ready to make a run for it.
"I wouldn't do that." Hidan warned.
Before Inari was able to run three steps away shoot Kakuzu out his hand, it took a hard grip of him and simply tossed him into some cement bags.
"You will not be able to get away from us."
Inari coughed hard from all the smoke of cement. He looked at his three enemies and felt hopeless.
"You need to get away from her Inari. Get help!" Hiyori appeared at his side.
"I can't possible... get away from them." The poor little boy stared to shake all over, he was frightened. "What do I do...?"
"Inari." Hiyori said calmly, trying to get him to relax. "Let me take over, I will try to get you away from here."
Still very much frighten looked Inari up at his ghost friend. "O-ok..."
"Do what you have to." she said with a smile.
The little boy folded his hands as if he was praying. He focused his energy.
The Akatsuki members noticed. "Looks like he is up to something." Kakuzu mumbled.
"Time to bring the heat up!" Hidan waved his scythe, ready for battle.
Once Inari had focused enough took he a deep breath, swallowing Hiyori's spirit at the same time. He opened his eyes and felt his consciousness fade. His dark eyes got a bluish aura glowing around them, which meant that Hiyori was in control. She wasn't slow with getting on her feet and dashed off to the only location that was open.
"Hell if it will be that easy." Hidan tossed his weapon, making it collide in the wall, the wall crumbled and fell down, blocking the way out.
Hiyori didn't slow down as she simply changed her direction. She had scanned everything about this area beforehand and knows where to run off to. There only escape was through the lower floor and then go up someplace else and then make a run for it. She went gliding down on her knees and fell through a hole getting down under her enemies.
"Looks like he is trying to get away." Kakuzu mumbled irritated and looked over at his partner.
"Fuck yes." Hidan cheered. "I always like it when they run." With that send went the white haired man off finding his own way down.
Konan and Kakuzu on the other hand looked out above, waiting for Inari to return to the surface.
For intense twenty minutes Hiyori did try her best to get Inari out and away from the enemies. But with no luck, no matter where she went was there always one waiting for her, and Hidan was continuing destroying everything downstairs, making it all change so she no longer who where she was going. With no other option returned Hiyori up again, and she felt her consciousness with Inari's body fade, she had run it almost out of all energy and strength. She didn't feel much of the bodies struggle, but she felt how it was gasping for air. And suddenly feel she down on the ground. Before she knew it was she once again staring down at Inari's body, the boy took over more and more of his own body.
"Sorry..." she whispered with a depressing voice. "I tried my best." She felt like she had betrayed him, and felt so powerless.
Inari only smiled, "it's ok." He looked up at her. "You tried, and I know it must not been easy, but you tried."
"So let's get this over with." Hidan called as he once again returned to his partner's side.
Kakuzu nodded and shoot out his hand again, but this time he got a solid grip around Inari's wrist. A grip that might been to tight cause it cased Inari to scream out in pain. To make it all worse did his imagination make up all kind of horrible things they would end up do to him. Trying to get away started Inari to mumble in protested of his awaiting faith. But Kakuzu only pulled him closer. "No, no, no, no, noo..." he took a deep breath in and yelled out with all his might. "NOOOO!" He felt a click in his brain and then a tremendous pain scorching through him. He summoned power that was beyond him, he and his Bijuu went into survival mood, but the power was far too great for the little boy. A great heavy pressure came around him, and with it did things suddenly become dark.
Hiyori who already was died saw what the darkness really was, it was spirits, souls, people who was lost and was bounded to this earth. With his willpower alone did he summon them to him, without knowing it of course, he just wanted to stay alive. But his powers did the only thing it could do, which was getting the help he needed, or was it? The pain of summoning spirits was one thing, but to demand a such great deal in numbers was unthinkable, his powers went berserk, causing Inari great deal of pain. Hiyori couldn't take it anymore. She went flying up in the sky with a great speed, once high enough cried the young girl out all her might.
'HEEELP HIM!'
She only knew of Inari that would hear her calls, but this was the only thing she could do.
At Naruto's house was the blonde walking towards his bedroom to look over some paper work, he was in the phone with Sasuke as they were chatting up for the three hours they hadn't talked with each other. Until suddenly Naruto head a horrible loud noise and dropped his phone. It felt like is ears were bleeding from that horrible loud noise, but for the life of him he couldn't understand where it came from. Slowly picked Naruto up his phone and only told Sasuke that the phone slipped out of his hands. Though a moment later came the loud sound again and this time even worse. It quickly passed, and to not worry his love pretended Naruto that he was just very clumsy today. "Man what is with me today?" Naruto asked himself.
"What happened?" Sasuke asked as he had heard the phone hit the floor.
"Nothing my phone is more slippery then I remember." Naruto know his words would make his Shinjitsu power ring, but his ears were in no way able to hear it. With thought else were looked Naruto out the window that was torward the town, what he saw... almost stopped berthing. "Hey Sasuke." Naruto mumbled, trying to keep his voice normal. "I will have to call you back, something just come up. Yeah, love you too, good bye." The blonde closed his phone, stood up and looked out the window. He opened his phone again and made a group call, calling all the Jinchuurikis he know. It didn't take long before everyone answered and Naruto didn't even let anyone say hello, as he took the charge right away. "Do tell me there are someone else then me who can see that big dark cloud out over the city!"
"What?" one of them said. "Eh... no, I see nothing."
"Same here."
"Me too."
"Damn." Naruto sighed. "Well, I can see a very big, big dark cloud over the city... and it gives me a horrible feeling."
"You think it might be another Jinchuuriki?"
"It mostly likely is." Naruto said confident. He remembered what he had heard at the winter ball, and he was sure he had just heard the same thing a few seconds ago. "Let's meet in the city, I will lead the way." With that ended the conversation and everyone rushed out towards the city.
To Be Continued...
Inari is in danger! Will Naruto and the other Jinchuuriki be able to save him? And what will the Akatsuki members do when a whole group of Jinchuurikis suddenly arrived out of nowhere? What is Itachi going to do about his brother's lover being a Jinchuuriki?
Chapter Twenty-Two: (not decided)