Kitsune no Ken: Fist of the Fox
Written by Neon Majestic
(DISCLAIMER: The Naruto franchise and the characters therein belong to and were originally created by Masashi Kishimoto.)
OoOoO
CHAPTER 37 – Meeting
"I see…so Saiken the Slug is now dead."
The shadowy figure was watching footage of the fight between the whip-wielding serial killer and the blond-haired fighter, presented by his cloaked henchman. "Yes, boss," the other man replied. "After his encounter with Kurama the Fox, he was taken away and executed by Akatsuki. My camera-bird caught it all last night," and he indicated his mechanical bird, from which the video footage was being fed onto the screen.
"Hmm." The leader's eyes narrowed in the dark. "And what of Kurama himself?"
"Injured by Saiken, but alive," said the cloaked henchman.
"I see," said the leader. "Very well. Continue maintaining surveillance on Kurama. If he makes further contact with any other Kyuushingai, inform me at once."
"Yes, sir," said the henchman, and with that he disconnected the mechanical bird from the video feed and departed.
OoOoO
February 20, one week after the fight with the Kyuushingai code-named Saiken the Slug…
"Look what I gooooot!" Kushina exclaimed in singsong as Naruto ambled down the stairs toward the breakfast table. She waved a CD in a case, up over her head for him to see. "It's a burned copy of the Shadow Fox movie that was out in theaters the other day!"
"The Shadow Fox movie?" Naruto made a face. "What, people are still going gaga over that? And wait a minute, isn't it illegal to copy movies onto DVDs?" he added, giving her a shifty look.
"Only if you intend to sell them or otherwise make a profit off them for yourself," Kushina waved a dismissive finger. "If it's for your own personal viewing use, and you're not going to sell the movie to put a dollar in your pocket, then it's perfectly fine."
"Right…well, any day the cops come to arrest you, don't expect me to bail you out," Naruto grumbled.
Kushina gave him a more maternal look as he slid into his seat at the table. "How are your injuries?"
"Eh? Well, they're coming along all right, I guess," said Naruto. "I can't overdo it, though; the one on my back still hasn't fully healed yet. But at least I can move around without too much trouble, now."
"Well, that's good to hear," said Kushina. "That Saiken person really didn't spare any effort in your fight, did he?"
Naruto leaned over the table, eyes narrowed. The previous Monday evening, he'd crossed paths with one of his former Kyuushingai, the whip-wielder named Utakata, otherwise code-named Saiken the Slug; Naruto had had to fight him in order to protect Dr. Haruno, the chief surgeon at Konoha Hospital, who Utakata had been targeting due to the older man's involvement in the training project that gave birth to the Nine Terrors. The blond boy had not come out of the battle unscathed, as Utakata's whips had dealt him some serious cutting injuries due to their design.
"What happened to that guy, anyway?" Kushina went on. "You said he'd been arrested, but I haven't heard anything in the news since…"
"They're likely keeping it quiet—and I don't blame them," said Naruto. "Would YOU want to hear that one of the Kyuushingai bogeymen was in your town, trying to kill one of your prominent citizens?"
"Hmm…I get your point," said Kushina. "Well, in any event, I'm glad you're okay."
"I'd better be—because this weekend is the Hyuga dinner party," said Naruto.
"Oh, yes, that's right…" Kushina smiled brightly. "You'll get to see that girl you were talking about…Hinata, right?"
"Yeah," said Naruto.
Kushina lifted an eyebrow. "What's this, now? You don't seem very enthused about it…"
"No, no, it's just something on my mind," Naruto shrugged. Namely, those weird instructions in the invitation…and the fact that I have to keep those secret…
"And that would be…?" Kushina prompted.
"Just has to do with the invitation…I want to clarify something on it," said Naruto. "Did you get the name of the guy who delivered it here?"
"Hmm…I think he said his name was Kabuto," said Kushina. "A gray-haired guy with glasses. But why do you want to know all that?"
"None of your business," and Naruto stuck out his tongue at her.
"Just like my self-improvement magazines are none of your business, but you read them anyway," Kushina shot back.
"At least I don't need to learn how to use cucumbers for anything other than eating!" Naruto retorted.
Seconds later, he dashed out of the front door at terrific speed as Kushina flung various kitchen utensils after him.
OoOoO
"Oi, Hinata! There you are!"
"Eh?" Hinata turned at the sound of the voice calling her name, and immediately she blushed on seeing who it was. "Oh, Naruto-kun! Um…is everything all right?" she asked.
"Yeah, sure, everything's fine," said Naruto.
"Oh, well…that's good, because you weren't at school for most of last week…" Hinata looked worriedly at him. "First Ino-san, now you…I'm concerned about both of you, being gone from school so many days…"
"Don't worry about it, Hinata," Naruto grinned. "You already know about Ino and how she got hurt that time, and last week Monday I had a bit of a situation myself," though he refrained from elaborating on his own injuries. "But hey, I'm back here, aren't I?"
"That's true," said Hinata.
"Yeah…so, uh, Hinata…" Naruto started.
"Y-yes?" Hinata looked at him expectantly.
"Uh…" Naruto considered what he was going to say next. "Who's the person responsible for handing out the invitations to your family's dinner party? Mom said the guy who delivered mine was a silver-haired guy with glasses…Kabuto, I think she said his name was."
"Kabuto?" Hinata blinked. "That would be our butler."
Naruto nodded. "Do you think I could get to talk to him sometime soon?"
"Uh…sure, no problem," said Hinata. "But why? Is it an issue with the invitation you got?"
"Not really…I just thought I'd like to clarify a couple of things, that's all, especially since he's the one who was handing out the invitations," said Naruto.
"Hmm…well, he always comes with the limousine around this time to pick me and Neji up, so perhaps you could get to talk to him now," Hinata suggested.
"Then let's go meet him!" Naruto said brightly, grabbing Hinata by the arm and leading her out to the schoolyard.
"Uh…okay?" Hinata blushed brightly.
The two hurried to the front gate, where Neji was already waiting. On seeing them, he frowned. "Naruto-kun," he said formally.
"Howdy, Neji," said Naruto, only then letting go of Hinata. "Your ride's not here yet? I was hoping to talk to your butler."
"Kabuto?" Neji wondered aloud. "What for, I wonder?"
"He brought my invitation for your family's party to my house the other day," Naruto explained. "I wanted to discuss some stuff with him, about that."
Neji nodded, understanding. "Ah, I see. Well…" He thought for a moment. "Kabuto was only the messenger. Why not talk to the one behind the invitation?"
"Eh?" Hinata looked at Neji in surprise. "You would have Naruto-kun talk to Father? This early?"
"No, not Uncle Hiashi…me." Neji crossed his arms over his chest. "I was the one ultimately responsible for compiling the invitations, though I had Kabuto to assist me. So, it's quite all right if you talk to me. Now, what about the invitation bothers you, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto eyed Hinata briefly before turning his gaze back to Neji. "Actually…now that you've suggested it, I think I'd like to talk to Hiashi-san," and he deliberately tacked on the honorific, "since it's his party and he's the host."
Neji frowned. "I do not believe that's a good idea, Naruto-kun," he replied. "After all, it's no secret now that you're to be the Uchiha Zaibatsu's representative against our company, in the competition to be held on April 2."
"And you're involved in that, too, and yet here I am talking to you," Naruto countered.
Neji's eyes narrowed at that. "Well played, Naruto-kun. Very well…when the limousine comes, I'll let you have a few minutes with Kabuto. There'll be time for you to converse with Uncle Hiashi later."
No sooner had Neji spoken the words, than suddenly the familiar white limousine pulled up to the school gate and the car's back door opened. "Neji-sama, Hinata-sama," Kabuto greeted them from inside.
So that's Kabuto, Naruto noted—and in the car with the white-haired bespectacled servant, he noticed, was a young girl with gray eyes, in his immediate imagination a chibi version of Hinata. "Who's the pipsqueak?" he nodded toward the girl.
The girl heard and took clear offense. "Who're you calling a pipsqueak, straw-head?"
Neji barely managed to cover up his amusement at the comeback to Naruto's address by putting on a frown. "Behave, Hanabi," he called to the child.
"That is my younger sister, Hanabi," Hinata explained to Naruto. "And this is our butler, Kabuto, as I told you."
"Oi, Kabuto, please come out and say hello to Naruto-kun…he said he wants to talk with you," Neji invited the butler.
"Ah…" Kabuto adjusted his glasses as he came out and appraised Naruto. "So you are Uzumaki Naruto…I had the pleasure of meeting your mother when I came to deliver your invitation the other day."
"Yeah." Naruto didn't waste any time. "Say, you mind if I talk to you about that?"
"Of course not." Kabuto looked over his shoulder at Neji and Hinata. "My apologies for the inconvenience, but could you wait in the car for a bit? I should not be long."
"Take your time," Neji nodded, before taking Hinata's arm and guiding her into the limo.
Nodding, Kabuto stepped a little distance away from the car with Naruto. "Now, then, Naruto-kun, about the invitation," he said.
"Yeah…" Naruto frowned. "It said I could talk to either the party's host or the rep that brought the invitation, concerning the stipulations for my attendance. And as much as I'd like to have a chance to chat with the old man Hyuga, I don't think I'll get that chance anytime soon…and you're the one who talked to my mother, so…"
"I understand," said Kabuto. "And your concern is…?"
"A golden tuxedo? A random puzzle before the party? A riddle to enter the party? And all of that to be kept secret from everyone except you and the party's host, or else I can't get in?" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. "Is everybody else who's attending this gig supposed to follow those crazy rules?"
"Oh, I wouldn't call them 'crazy rules', Naruto-kun," Kabuto said smoothly. "However…" His tone went low. "I was not given any orders that I should not tell you this, so I am at liberty to speak. Quite frankly, those stipulations were meant especially for you."
"Why? Because Hinata's the only one in the family who's not auditioning for snobbishness?" asked Naruto.
"No. Because Hinata-sama is the only one in the family who has an affection for a Kyuushingai." Kabuto adjusted his glasses again. "I was told this by Neji-san, when he crafted your invitation."
"…I see." Naruto's expression was dark.
"Please understand, Naruto-kun…the Kyuushingai have never had a good reputation, as you should well know, and Hiashi-sama is not enthused about one of the Terrors associating with his family," said Kabuto. "The logic, therefore, is that if you fail to meet any of your invitation's requirements, you will be utterly barred from entry into the party. And even if you do get in—you are not versed in genteel societal practices, unlike the Hyuga family. They will hold it against you, hold it over your head, and make sure you never forget it."
"Hinata wouldn't do that." Naruto's voice was firm.
"Ah, yes, forgive me. Of course Hinata-sama would not do that. She's too sweet-hearted to hurt other people, maliciously at least." Kabuto shook his head. "Still…I have worked for the Hyuga family since I was fifteen years old, Naruto-kun. I can say with certainty that, as uppity as he may be perceived by others, Hiashi-sama is not an evil man. He merely has the well-being of his daughters and nephew at heart, and he will do anything he sees as correct and proper in order to make sure they get the best out of life."
"So he's not a corrupt executive, then," Naruto deadpanned.
"Not at all. Ruthless and harsh, perhaps, but not corrupt." Kabuto shrugged. "Of course, if you want to earn the family's respect and get them to look past your Kyuushingai past, you will have to prove that you are better than they think you are. And as the family bodyguard and butler, I will say this: you have certainly had a tremendous impact on Hinata-sama, for the better. She seems happier these days…she smiles a little more readily…she is not as reserved as she was before you came into the picture. She is just as her mother was."
"Huh? Her mother?" Naruto blinked.
"The good Lady Hyuga died in a car accident when Hanabi-sama—the 'pipsqueak'—was four years old," Kabuto explained. "Hiashi-sama has been very protective of both his children since then…it increased after his brother—Neji-sama's father—passed away from cancer two years ago. Hiashi-sama does not take loss well…and he fears that, with a person like you in such close proximity, he may lose his family again." His eyes narrowed. "Many people lost loved ones during the 365 days, you know."
The memory of Tenten's rage about her parents flashed through Naruto's mind. "…yeah."
Kabuto adjusted his tie a little. "If it helps, Naruto-kun, I can give you at least one suggestion as to how you can fulfill those conditions in your invitation," he said. "Since you have a connection to the Uchiha family, perhaps you can at least ask them to have your suit ready for the party on Saturday evening. However, I cannot give you any hints to the puzzle or to the riddle that will be asked of you."
"That's all right…I'll just have to wing it with those, I guess," said Naruto. "Still…a golden tux…it sounds really stupid."
"Perhaps," said Kabuto. "But if it will help…I'll see if I can get Hinata-sama's fashion designer to fix her up with something that will complement your outfit for the party." Off Naruto's startled look, he added, "If Hinata-sama is smiling more easily nowadays, who am I to cause her undue unhappiness?"
"Heh." Naruto chuckled. "You're all right, man. Thanks."
"Another hint, Naruto-kun, since I feel generous today," said Kabuto, clearly feeling pride at Naruto's compliment. "Come to the Hyuga mansion this evening, say around 8:00, and prepare for an interview with Hiashi-sama. I will let him know you are coming; by the time you get there, the family will have finished dinner and be more relaxed for visitors."
"All right. I'll be there!" Naruto nodded, and now he turned and ran off.
OoOoO
"So that's the guy you're so smitten with, nee-san?" Hanabi questioned Hinata. "He doesn't look all that impressive."
"He's…an acquired taste," Hinata replied.
Neji frowned deeply. "How much of his taste have you acquired, Hinata?"
"Um…well…I…" Hinata blushed deeply, the memory of her accidental kiss with Naruto coming to mind.
"I don't think he's right for you, nee-san…I mean, he called me a pipsqueak," Hanabi groused.
"Because he doesn't know you. Like I said, he's an acquired taste," said Hinata. "Get to know him, and I think you'll like him."
"Nope! I've got better taste than that," said Hanabi.
Just then Kabuto re-entered the car. "Sorry I took so long, ladies and gentleman," he addressed the trio. "Shall we go?" and he tapped on the partition glass separating them from the driver.
"What exactly did Naruto-kun want to talk about, pertaining to the invitation, Kabuto?" asked Neji.
"Well…" Kabuto gave a mysterious smile. "I think you will get an opportunity to find out this evening, Neji-sama. Naruto-kun will show up at the house a little bit after dinner."
Hinata's eyes widened. "Naruto-kun's coming? To the mansion?"
"Oi, Kabuto, what're you up to, inviting that straw-head to our house?" Hanabi demanded.
"I'm going to let him get a feel of what Hyuga hospitality is like, in accordance with certain instructions he was given some time ago," said Kabuto, eyeing Neji knowingly. "I hope it is not a problem?"
Neji's brow furrowed. "Uncle Hiashi is not going to appreciate this very much…"
"That guy…coming to our house…" Hanabi eyed Hinata. "You're not pregnant, are you?"
"Hanabi!" Hinata shrieked, the hottest blush she'd ever felt in her life capturing her entire face.
OoOoO
"What brings you here, dobe?" Sasuke grunted as the other boy stood in his living room.
Naruto sighed deeply. "Look, I don't have anybody else I can ask on such short notice. Can you fit me up with something for the Hyugas' party on Saturday night?"
"Why? Don't tell me you're so poor you can't afford a suit?" Sasuke chuckled.
"Hey, I'm gonna be in the midst of old money. I might as well look good going there, shouldn't I?" Naruto demanded. "And anyway, I'm going to represent you guys in your little fight with Hyuga Corp on April 2. The least you can do is help me out here, as payment."
"You still have your wish from when you won the Uchiha Zaibatsu Invitational Tournament. Are you saying you want to cash it in now?" asked Sasuke.
"No—I'm still saving that up. And anyway, that's a separate matter," said Naruto. "Come on, Sasuke, a couple hundred or thousand bucks for a stupid suit won't mean that much to you."
"Hmph." Sasuke smirked. "What kind of suit do you have in mind?"
"Uh, hmm…" Naruto crossed his arms and pretended to mull it over. "Something gold-colored, maybe?"
"Yeah, right! Like your hair isn't gold enough for the rest of Konoha Town!" Sasuke snapped at him.
"Either that, or you find somebody else for April 2." Now it was Naruto's turn to smirk.
"Are you trying to blackmail me?" Sasuke frowned deeply. "Because it would be a simple matter to go to the news-houses in the area and tell them a certain Kyuushingai is living right here in town…"
"And would you tell them that your company has taken on that Kyuushingai to fight Hyuga Corporation? Now what would people think about that?" Naruto returned.
Sasuke's jaw tightened. "What're your clothing measurements?"
OoOoO
8:00 that evening.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang out throughout the mansion as Kabuto hurried to the front door and opened it. "Good evening, Naruto-kun," he greeted the visitor.
The Naruto standing there on the porch was very different from the one Kabuto had met earlier that day. This one had his hair neatly combed and patted down, and was clad in a simple blue suit with a matching tie and black laced-up, polished shoes. In one arm he carried a wrapped package which, from its shape, Kabuto guessed to be a bottle of wine. "I feel like a China doll," Naruto muttered.
"Never mind," said Kabuto, stepping aside to allow Naruto to come in. "Pray tell, how'd you manage to get that gift? It must have been very expensive."
"I save my pocket money," said Naruto.
"Ah, very frugal of you. That's one point in your favor, at least. Well, come with me." Kabuto led the way inside.
Naruto couldn't help but admire what he saw as he followed Kabuto. The walls were decorated with very expensive-looking paintings, and most of the floor in the different rooms was carpeted. On various small pedestals, vases and floral arrangements sat for all to see, and there were many pieces of heavy furniture that looked to be at least three decades old and still going strong. As they entered the living room, one of the paintings on the wall caught Naruto's eye—a gray-haired, gray-eyed man with a stern expression on his face, and the eyes seemed to sink right into Naruto's inner being.
"That would be Hiashi-sama's father, the original patriarch of the family," said Kabuto, in response to Naruto's unspoken question. "He was the founder of Hyuga Corporation, and one of the leading figures in the building of Konoha Town." Then he directed the blond boy to sit on a nearby couch, and took the present from him. "I will receive this, thank you. Make yourself comfortable; Hiashi-sama will be here shortly."
"Thanks," said Naruto, and with that Kabuto left him to himself.
Naruto took another look around. The room felt extremely rich, with all its decorations…too rich for his liking, he decided. He wondered how Hinata could stand living here all the time. Or how she could put up with a no-nonsense cousin like Neji every single day, both at school and out of it. Or how she could have such a pipsqueak for a sister.
"Oh, look, the straw-head's here."
Said pipsqueak was looking around the corner at him. "Does your old man know you're spying on me, pipsqueak?" Naruto asked her.
"Nope. I came to gauge you for myself. And my name's not 'pipsqueak'; it's Hanabi. That's Hanabi-sama, to you," she spoke up haughtily.
Naruto bit back a retort, for something else in the room had caught his attention and given him a better idea. "That painting over there…" He indicated the far end of the room, where the painting in question depicted an older woman with soft-looking gray eyes and raven-colored hair. "Is that your mom?"
Hanabi appeared taken aback at the question. "Uh…" She turned to look at the painting. "They say she is," she replied, some of the stuck-up attitude disappearing.
Naruto gave her a look. "You…don't remember her, do you?"
Hanabi shook her head. "Father says she died when I was four years old. My sister remembers her better than I do."
Naruto leaned back in his seat and fixed his look on the painting. "She must've been a great mom."
"I wouldn't know." The little girl's attitude was rising again.
"Well, she raised you and Hinata, didn't she?" Naruto's tone was genuine.
Again Hanabi's mannerism seemed to waver. "Um…"
"Hanabi."
The deep, authoritative voice caught both their attention, and then Hyuga Hiashi himself entered the room, his expression stern. "Hanabi, please excuse us," said Hiashi. "I have important matters to discuss with our visitor."
"Hai, tou-san," said Hanabi, bowing in acknowledgement of her father's instruction, before casting a brief nod toward Naruto and hurrying out.
"So…you're the head of the Hyuga Corporation," said Naruto, standing up before Hiashi. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."
Hiashi brushed off the introduction. "I know who you are," he said coolly. "I have been told quite a bit about you."
"Including about my past." Naruto did not mince words.
"…yes. Including about your past." Hiashi nodded. "I am a firm believer in honesty, so I will tell you straight-up…I do not approve of your association with my daughter Hinata. And nothing I have heard about you, to date, has improved my opinion of you."
"And may I ask what you have heard of me—other than my past?" asked Naruto.
"I have heard that you are lazy, undisciplined, and not inclined to minding your books," said Hiashi. "In my household, we do not tolerate sloth. And Hinata is a girl who is destined for great things…and I will not permit her to associate with someone who will put her academic future at risk."
Naruto cocked an eyebrow at that. "I can appreciate that concern, since you're her father," he said. "But do tell, Hyuga-san, if that is really the case, why did you enroll her in a public school instead of a private academy?"
Hiashi frowned at the question. "It was her wish. And I am not that much of a tyrant."
"Yet public school has as many dead-last students as the private schools have geniuses," said Naruto. "Isn't she still at risk of association with students of lesser academic talent than she's got, even with me not in the picture?"
"You're the first one she's been heard to hang around," said Hiashi.
"Hmm." Naruto put his hands in his pockets and looked directly at the older man. "Well, then, you can enjoy showing me up as the 'dead-last' I'm assumed to be."
"I intend to." Hiashi looked resolute. "And the puzzle I have in mind for you will do just that."
OoOoO
END CHAPTER 37
00000
NEON MAJESTIC: Okay, folks, I'm going to be very frank right about now. I have the basic outline for the whole story, from start to finish, in my head, and I know how I'd want for it to be done. However, recently I've had some reflections into why I had stopped watching or reading the actual Naruto series (mainly because the magical elements, plus the direction the story was going, bothered me and clashed with my own religious beliefs), and since this recent thought process, I've been wondering how to proceed with this story, especially since I'd abruptly ended my two previous stories, Velocity and The Flash 2055, for basically the same reason. So, what to do?
Well, I had said already that this story may very well be the last major fanfic I ever do, because there are more important things in my life and in this world that I need to do, and more important priorities that I need to focus on. At the same time, I'm not sure I want to just leave this story hanging, or give it an abbreviated end like I did with those other two, particularly since I have it jotted down as to the major storylines I want to include in this one. Then again, in life anything can happen, and if something were to happen to me tomorrow, the story would be left in limbo anyway, right?
Therefore, what I'm thinking to do, to ease the stress of writing on myself and to be able to get this off my head in general, is to have someone ghost-write at least some of the chapters for me, and what I'd do is give that person guidelines on where the plot should go, and also do whatever necessary editing is to be done. The writing style may be different, as a consequence, but the story will get done one way or another. So, I ask simply that everyone please bear with me.
So I ask: Is there anyone out there who likes this story and wants to cooperate with me? Let me know through your reviews. I'd intended to finish this story within a year; if someone helps me, I think that will be accomplished. I have a lot of self-searching to do, as it is, and I don't mind working together with another. Or should I take down this story, revamp the chapters and the whole plot by necessity, and then re-submit the chapters as a completed story?
Oh, and by the way, for those who have been wondering, the Kyuushingai are not intended to be SUPERHUMAN, like, say, the Justice League or the X-Men. Just basically think of Jason Bourne or Bryan Mills taken up to eleven, and that's what the Kyuushingai are supposed to be.
Chapter 38 is next!...or, at least, it may be.