Naruto: The Rabbit Prince.
This Fanfiction is a crossover with Naruto, Darkstalkers, Summer Wars featuring: King Kazma, and Watership Down.
Rated: M for violence, blood, swearing, physical combat, mentions of sexual content, murder, and death.
Fair warning, this fanfiction contains the following tags/clichés: Good Kaguya. Competent, Kekkei Genkai, Potent Chakra, Rabbit Summons, and Animalistic Naruto. Antagonist Sasuke and Sakura within.
Summary: Kaguya wasn't evil, the Chakra Fruit drove her mad. She had another son that was her true firstborn and was to be King of the Rabbit Summons. Naruto is adopted and raised as the son of King Kazma and named a Human Rabbit Prince nonetheless. Not only that, he has another Godfather that comes from a world long past in history. For knowledge, It's worth embracing the dark for.
Disclaimer: I do not own the following Anime, Books, and Games. Naruto is rightfully owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Darkstalkers is rightfully owned by Capcom. Summer Wars and King Kazma are rightfully owned by Madhouse. Watership Down is rightfully owned by Richard Adams.
Chapter 38: A Werewolf's Tale.
Morrigan was in the library of the castle. She sat on one of the couches with Felicia and her crew, who just got back from contacting the other nobles.
The library resided within the bottom chamber that made the blade that fitted into the mountainside. It was made entirely of wood, and it provided insulation to the internal structure from the cold stone of the mountain itself.
All around, there were red and gold shelves upon shelves of books filled with information about the old world, the demon world, history, weapons, martial arts, magic, and so many more to the point where it went up three stories; it was a bibliophile's dream come true.
On the first floor was the entrance that led down into the central part of the library. The others had to be accessed from a set of stairs that spiraled around to the top. At the bottom were red and gold chairs, loveseats, sectional sofas, and rugs spread throughout. There was a red and gold metal calendar in the shape of a sundial in the middle of the room, surrounded by all the lounging furniture. It had adjustable switches and texts and glowed as if it were some kind of fireplace.
The library was lit candle-lit metal lanterns. The scent of marshmallows by the fireside filled the room. There was a staircase that led down from the castle into it as a retreat of sorts. One could call this one of the biggest libraries to ever exist in Makai.
At the moment, Felicia was confronting her friend about invading the Werewolf's privacy while the others just sat on the other couches and loveseats. The Catwoman stood before the Succubus on the sofa with its back to the stairs. The Queen of Makai had a book in hand and curled up comfortably.
"Morrigan, what is wrong with you?!" Felicia questioned as she raised both her hands in exclamation. "Getting to know your employees is one thing; snooping through their stuff is another."
"Relax, kitty," Morrigan said, not even looking up as she turned the page on the book she was reading. "We'll just get Jon to talk about what happened over the past few years; he won't hold a grudge."
"You're insane. Like, honestly, you are."
"Define insane, Felicia. Because you and I have seen a lot of crazy things in our lives. I'm pretty sure this is just scratching the surface."
"Insane," the Catwoman hissed out as her eyes became slitted as she glared down at the Queen of Makai, her body tensing as if she was going to strike her. "Doing crazy things that might as well just tear this castle apart if Jon decides not to just growl at you and use his claws to tear apart your carcass."
Morrigan looked up from her book to give the Catwoman a confident look. "Felicia, I fought Dante, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and a whole bunch of heroes and warriors from other worlds alongside working with them more times than you did and helped save the world a few times before the Kami separated our universes." She cocked her head to the side. "What makes you think I'm not just going with the flow here?"
This wasn't the first time the Succubus pulled these shenanigans, and they certainly wouldn't be the last. And for the past ten thousand years, Felicia had seen crazy things. Universes temporarily coming together for the Kami to see how they would react to one another was just one of the things that Morrigan was responsible for, and she joined in on the adventure that came with it.
The Catwoman brought her hands up and slapped them to her sides in irritation. "You've got to be kidding me—"
Just as she said that, the door that led to the second floor entrance opened and revealed Jon entering the room and heading down the stairs in his new attire from Morrigan. Everyone turned to see the new arrival and very topic of conversation.
Piko jumped up onto the arm of the couch, a bit excited as she wanted to know if what the Queen of Makai was saying was true. "Jon, you're here!"
"Yeah." The Lycanthrope turned to Morrigan and Felicia. "I'm here as requested. What did you need me for?"
Felicia then stepped forward as the slits in her eyes disappeared, a bit worried. "Uh, Jon, there's something you need to know."
"What do you mean? What's going on here?"
"Oh, nothing much. We just have a lot to talk about." Morrigan closed the book and put it to her side as she got up from the couch. She made her way towards the Werewolf, a smug look on her face. "Now, how about you tell us all about how you got busy over the years."
It didn't take long for the silver-haired man to catch on to what she was saying. His face contorted from neutral to into a hostile growl in an instant. "How did you know?"
"I looked through your belongings and found cute little pictures of your kids, wife, and you holding a guitar." The Queen of Makai was unfazed as she said this, not even caring about the Werewolf's rage as the smug smirk on her face held. "So, you got any stories to tell?"
Jon took a deep breath and regained his composure. He knew Morrigan would be the type to undergo mischief like this; it was part of who she was, not as a Succubus or a benevolent Queen, but just a hedonistic person that found more innocent pleasures to thrive in. Either way, the silver-haired man knew that he wasn't winning on the fact that the green-haired Darkstalker would get a reaction out of him.
However, the pregnant pause in the air was enough to make anyone cautious about what the Werewolf would do next.
"Jon? Are you alright?" Felicia asked in concern as she came forward to put a hand on his shoulder. "I know, Morrigan can be such an intrusive jerk at times to the point where I'm at my wit's end. But please, just try to be calm."
Noticing his old friend's discomfort, Jon knew he might as well play along. With a jerk of his head and a soft smile, he shifted and answered the Succubus, "Fine, Morrigan, you'll get your story."
The Lycanthrope walked over to an empty couch that faced the entrance he came from and sat down to see everyone. "Alright then, children, gather around. I'll tell you the tale of how I met the love of my life, and the mother of my children, Inuzuka Tsume."
Felicia sighed in relief as she sat next to Morrigan on the couch to his left. The other members of Felicia's crew leaned in with interest as they took to it like children by the campfire. Shadows covered Morrigan's clothing and began to shape themselves into plain black shorts and a purple shirt with a bat design on the front. The Catwomen reshaped the fur on their bodies into something akin to bed attire.
Jon sweatdropped and looked at everyone in a bit of annoyance. "What are you all, five?"
"You said you were gonna tell us a story. Might as well go through with it," Alto replied from his left and closest to him as she grabbed a pillow and snuggled into it, lying flat on the couch.
"Alright, then," the golden-eyed man sighed out. "Two hundred years ago, I woke up deep within the forests of the Elemental Nations. It was then I discovered that ten millennia had passed. But after almost two centuries alone, I knew I couldn't stay in the shadows forever after I encountered a lost boy in the woods thirty years before that. It was then and there that I knew I couldn't live like that any longer as the years passed..."
Flashback...
It was a bright sunny day in the middle of a forest, and there was not a soul around. Birds were chirping, rabbits and deer were frolicking, foxes were hunting, the wind brushed through the trees, a river nearby flowed with water, the sounds of the woods created a melody that would bring a state of calm to all that were there. However, there was a dirt path on the road, and only one person was walking on it this fine day.
A young boy with long, spiky silver hair, golden eyes, and tan skin, with a plain blue shirt and silver shorts, walked down the path. But his eyes held knowledge and an aura that screamed that he had been in battle once before. Quite unusual for such a 'young' boy. However, this wasn't just any child; this was Jon in a much younger state. How he managed to turn himself into a child was of mysterious means.
Soon he reached two massive green gates that were busy, open, and bustling with merchants, buyers, shinobi, and residents of all kinds just past them. Civilization finally in reach.
Jon quickly walked up to the gate only to be stopped by two shinobi in Chūnin attire.
"Stop right there!" a burly Chūnin shouted and came forward, considering the mysterious child a potential threat as the boy turned to him. "Where do you think you're going, kid?"
In an act to save face, the Lycanthrope played along and acted like a lost child. Jon gave the burly man a broken look. "My family's dead, sir. I saw this place from far away and followed the road."
In that instant, the man's gaze softened while a pink-haired female Chūnin jumped in to chastise her comrade. "Ease up, you dumb toad. It's just a kid."
The burly man turned to his coworker, enraged. "Jakuzure, we are in a time of war. For all we know, this kid could be an enemy sent to spy on us."
"Have you read this kid's body language? He's terrified and lost, you moron," the pink-haired kunoichi retorted as her gaze returned to the 'boy'. She bent down to his level and gave a gentle, warm smile. "Why don't we take you to the Hokage? He'll find a home for you."
The Werewolf innocently nodded as he kept his act up. Just a little longer. I'll get someplace to live and try to make a living somehow.
With that said, the female gate guard took him to the Hokage's office. The wind pushed them from behind as it seemed to direct them towards their destination.
A few minutes later... In the Hokage's office...
A Sandaime in his late thirties was standing before his desk. He had tan skin with barely any wrinkles or signs of age with an entire black battle attire with grey armor on his wrists. He had a pen in hand and a map that spanned over the table containing vital information regarding enemy strongholds. On the edges of the paper were dates written onto a calendar that surrounded it alongside a schedule.
The attack will take place in the east, which should give us just enough time to set up an ambush before then, Hiruzen thought. He was about to reach for a drawer to get his tobacco pipe when the door to open before him.
The gate guard came in with the boy following along. However, Hiruzen noticed something that the female gate guard did not as he spoke. "What are you doing here, Jakuzure? Shouldn't you be guarding the southern gate with Gamagoori?"
"Forgive my intrusion, Hokage-sama, but this boy here has lost his family. Most likely from the recent attacks in the southern villages," the pink-haired woman replied before giving a gentle push to the boy's shoulder. "He can enroll in the academy, become a shinobi."
"I'll take it from here. Get back to your position."
"Understood, sir."
With that said, the gate guard left the room. Hiruzen's gaze shifted over as he looked at the 'child' before him coldly. "Who are you, and why are you here?"
Jon was quick to respond in a stutter. "What-What do you mean—"
Without warning, The Sandaime blasted killing intent all over the room, making the Werewolf fake freezing in place as he tried to put up a fearful demeanor. It was only thanks to Jon's experience in combat and rigorous training that he was unfazed by the Hokage emitting such an aura.
"If you think lying to me is a good answer, think again. Those Chūnin weren't trained to see through that disguise of yours. You have the eyes of a warrior, a soldier that has seen battle. Now I'll ask, who or what are you? Because you're certainly not human—NO..." the shinobi squinted his eyes. "You're far older."
Jon almost stepped back in absolute astonishment. He knew he couldn't hide in this form forever, but to be discovered so soon seemed like an impossibility. He really underestimated the warriors of this new era he had awakened in. Damn, so this is a ninja... I should just say my intentions, try to convince him that I'm not a threat to this country or his person.
With that in mind, Jon's body began to shift back into his original adult form. A blue, flame-like aura covered his body, and his old purple pants with a golden belt and a black tank top took the place of his childish clothes.
The Sandaime widened his stance, ready to attack the potential threat if he so much as moved another inch.
As soon as he finished transforming back into his adult form, the Lycanthrope quickly put his hands up in surrender. "Hokage-sama, I mean you no harm. All I desire is sanctuary within this village."
"And why should I believe you?"
"Because If I wanted to kill you, I would have already done it by now."
Moments passed, and not one word was said as the Sandaime looked him over, trying to find any signs of deceit. The silence took the room. If one focused, they could hear the people down below in the office busy with paperwork or war plans, their thumping somehow taking the place of what could be someone's heartbeat as both individuals could hear their own breath.
Hiruzen finally spoke, his voice breaking the silence. "Why should I grant you asylum here in Konoha? What are you? And I know that wasn't chakra you were using, so what was it? If you want to seek refuge here, then you will have to gain the benefit of the doubt."
Jon then breathed a sigh of relief and put his head down, but he knew he wasn't out of the woods yet. He knew that he would have to explain a part of his past. "Do you know anything about demons?"
"What do demons have to do with anything?" The Sandaime's glare only seemed to harden as he folded his hands behind his back. "I have a good reason to just throw you in a cell and have our top interrogation experts have a field day with you."
"It's a long story," the Werewolf admitted, meeting the Sandaime's gaze. "You might want to sit down and have some sake for this."
Thirty minutes later, Hiruzen had found himself sitting up against the wall where the pictures of the late Shodaime and Nidaime were hanging. He was baffled to the point where he had to pull out a bottle of sake as per the Lycanthrope's advice. Hiruzen stared at the other wall while Jon had pulled down his shirt and approached after having revealed to the Hokage his Werewolf form.
"Do you believe me now?" Jon asked, trying to see if the leader of this village could see reason.
"K-Kami... this is really happening..." The Hokage abandoned his manners and raised the goard up to drink the alcohol within. He didn't turn to face the Werewolf as he brought it back down. "Why would you even want to come here if you can kill us all?"
"That's the thing, I'm just trying to start a new life." The silver-haired man sat down next to the forty-year-old Hokage, his back against the wall. Jon, at that moment, looked like he was ready to accept whatever was to come. "I've already lost everything from my old world, and I've got nothing else left to lose here. So what are we going to do?"
Taking a moment to gather himself from his shocked and bewildered state, Hiruzen knew what he had to do with such an asset. However, with the Werewolf's younger form being known to the two gate guards, it would arouse suspicion if they suddenly saw an adult version of the kid. For right now, it would be best to keep a leash on the Lycanthrope until he proved himself trustworthy.
"Alright, since you've already taken the form of a child, I will let you enroll in the academy. But out of all the forms you could have taken, why a child?" asked Hiruzen as he shifted towards him, skeptic of what the Werewolf's answer.
"Like I said before, Hokage-sama, I'm just trying to start my new life," Jon honestly answered as he looked towards the window.
"People will find out about this eventually, Talbain."
The silver-haired man crossed his arms, net even turning to face the Hokage. "Well then... I better start finding a way to expand my circle of trust."
Behind the academy... in the backwoods...
Jon was walking through the backwoods of the academy. He was heading to a specific lake to train how to use chakra. Much like the entrance to Konoha, there were thick, beautiful forests that held harmless, colorful flora. And like before, a calm breeze brushed through the trees while birdsong took the place of its voice.
In just the midst of a few days, the Werewolf was bombarded with a ton of work regarding chakra, how to control it, ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, just an overall sweep of the ninja arts, and was beginning to adjust to it. He maintained the act of a child that chose to isolate himself and dedicated his time into training. It wasn't an option to not become a shinobi, especially in a time of war.
Hiruzen had admitted Jon into the academy, allowing him to start his life anew under the same name in the form of a child. At times, the Lycanthrope could feel the Sandaime's presence watching over him. He didn't blame the Hokage because he could understand not trusting a Darkstalker. It would be better to gain his trust, even though it might seem like an impossibility.
As Jon walked down a dirt path, he sensed a presence from behind him. With a roll of his eyes, he quickly addressed whoever was behind him. "You can come out. I know you're there."
Not more than a few seconds later, a boy emerged from behind the tree on his left. The Lycanthrope turned around to see that the boy had spiky blonde hair, blue eyes, and twelve years of age. He was wearing a white jacket with a blue shirt, shorts, and shoes to match. Namikaze Minato, the top student, was standing before him.
"Why are you following me?" Jon asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Sorry. It's just ever since you showed up, you've only been keeping to yourself. You never speak with anyone. Are you okay?" Minato asked with a worried look, taking a small step forward.
The Werewolf then noticed two other people were slowly coming up from behind the blonde boy: A girl with long red hair and another with spiky brown hair and fang markings, both donning black and blue.
The red-haired girl put a finger to her lips and shot a fox-like grin at the Lycanthrope, requesting his silence. Needless to say, Jon caught on as a small smile made its way into his face; he wasn't without mischief, that's for sure.
"Look," the silver-haired boy responded, a bit grateful that someone cared enough to get to know him. "It's nice that you thought about me, but we're training to be shinobi. I don't think you need to worry about me. You should worry more about watching your back."
Minato quickly turned his head and squinted his eyes. "Wait. Why do you say that—"
"BOO!" both girls screamed from behind the boy, scaring him.
The blonde boy jumped forward and turned around, screaming like a little girl, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
At the Amusement Park...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto screamed in a high pitch with a few others as they went down a railed slope while wind hit his face and ran through his hair. He was in the front of a black roller coaster in the shape of a demonic bat, his hold on the overhead protection that locked him in place tight as they twisted and turned. Lilith was right next to him, laughing her heart out. The sound of chugging filling everyone's ears as they rode on the mechanical marvel.
With a sudden spiral, they leveled out and dropped down once more on the intricate tracks. Naruto saw a well-lit cave up ahead and knew that the end was in sight as tears of joy and fear filled his eyes. They were on a ride the Princess of Makai called Bat out of Hell. Up to twenty-eight people in the cars screamed from the thrilling sensation in terror or joy.
As they had dropped down only to enter a small lit tunnel. Not more than a second later, everyone in the cars was met with the end of the ride as they came to a stop, a squeak of metal filling their ears. To everyone's right, there were a bunch of people in line waiting their turn to get on. To the left was an exit. Naruto eager waited to get off as he felt sick to his stomach.
An Incubus that served as the ride attendant spoke through the speakers of a booth nearby as the bar raised and everyone sitting got off on the left. "Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you all enjoyed the Bat out of Hell. We hope to see you again so I can hear your screams of terror all throughout the eternal night of Makai. Can I get a cheer?"
The people alongside Lilith shouted out in joy and excitement while Naruto gave an unenthusiastic whoop, weakly pumping his fist into the air as they walked down the hallway.
Everyone walked down a path as a group while Naruto and Lilith walked behind the crowd. The Human Prince was holding his stomach; he could feel the motions of the ride churning in his gut. And without warning, he slapped a hand over his mouth.
Lilith then took notice of the boy's sickness as she turned to him, concerned. "Hey, are you okay—"
The Princess of Makai was cut off as Naruto jumped onto the wall on his left and ran past the crowd. It wasn't until he reached the end of the cave that he found a trash can right outside, jumping down and grabbing both sides of the can to unleash the contents of his stomach into it.
Everyone stared at the boy, and a few were snickering and cackling.
"Oh man, looks like that kid's gonna be driving a porcelain bus for a while," a black-clad Vampire said from a distance, making a small portion of them burst out howling in laughter. "But he must hate puking though; it's a bile substance."
The crowd burst into even louder fits of laughter at the awful pun.
Lilith flew out from the cave to catch up to the boy and saw that he buried his head into the can, the sounds making her feel sympathy for the boy. Oof, I shouldn't have made him get on...
"Naruto, are you alright?" the Princess of Makai worriedly asked as she approached and put her hands on the boy's shoulders.
The boy was beginning to catch his breath, his hands holding the sides of the cans. "Yeah... I'm... I'm good."
"Maybe I should have kept you from getting on a few rides until the food digested..."
Naruto quickly recovered as he turned to Lilith, putting his hand on his mouth to cover his breath. "It's okay."
"C'mon, you nut." She offered a small, cheerful smile and pulled him away from the garbage can and towards one of the gift shops nearby that had a purple and black bat motif. "Let's get you some toothpaste and mouthwash."
The Princess of Makai then guided the boy towards the mini store that possessed items for just the incident if it were ever to occur. For the Human Prince, he was beginning to trust Lilith. And by that extension, his trust was going into Morrigan.
Back with Jon and the others...
Everyone in the room gazed at Jon, enamored by the story as it was just picking up.
The Werewolf they knew was chuckling in reminiscence of his old friend's skittish underside. "Kushina, Tsume, and I have always known that Minato was a bit of a girly-boy, but his reaction was priceless."
It was then Lucy, who sat next to Alto on the Lycanthrope's left, intervened. "I'm more concerned about how the Hokage just let you in. Shouldn't he have at least tried to kill you?"
"I told him that a demon was far more superior to a human in terms of strength. Having me as one of his shinobi would prove to be the best choice he ever made as soon as I made it as a prodigy just under Minato," Jon explained, an out-of-character grin etched on his face as the funny memory was still lingering. "Over time, I managed to gain his trust. It wasn't easy, but he was always civil."
Felicia perked up as she intervened, changing the subject. "So that was the day you met Tsume?"
Jon then faced to his old friend. "Yeah. She and Kushina were best friends. Soul sisters, to be exact."
"So," Morrigan cut in as she now sat crisscross on the loveseat, leaning in and wanting more. "Skipping the new childhood, let's get to the moment where you and her got together."
It really didn't surprise him that Morrigan just wanted to get to the good part.
The Lycanthrope sighed as he shook his head. "Alright. During the third war, Tsume and I had feelings for each other, but we never really did anything to become lovers. We only ever realized our feelings towards each other when She was captured and separated from Kushina's squad..."
Flashback...
It had been years since their time in the academy, and Jon had proven himself to be a worthy adversary and a respectable comrade. Jon had changed from an isolated man to one with friends that cared for him and his wellbeing.
Minato and Jon had become best friends over the years and had a brotherly bond. However, the blonde was occupied with his teacher, Jiraiya of the legendary Sannin. The once skittish prodigy at the top of his class was now becoming a war hero alongside a few others.
They both were young teenagers only seventeen years of age donning Jōnin attire. They were now running through a forest by the border of Iwa to aid another squadron as per their orders. It was a cloudy day, with the sound of thunder rumbling through the air.
"Do you think the enemy got to them?" Minato asked as he kept his eyes forward, never once straying from the path as he held a tri-pronged kunai in hand.
"No," Jon responded. "They're strong. They more likely sent a good portion of them home with their tails in between their legs."
Minato couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. "Like the time I found out that you had a tail."
"I thought I said to keep quiet about that."
"Well, I see fit to bring it up."
Jon groaned. He knew his best friend was never going to let him live it down. Minato had known about his Lycanthropy for a long time now. And instead of rejecting and detesting him, he accepted Jon and his bloodline as a Darkstalker.
"So, have you and Tsume got together yet?" Minato asked without any restraint as the dirt path they were on ended. They jumped into the trees from branch to branch, getting closer to their destination.
The Lycanthrope growled as he cartwheeled over a branch just to continue their regular pace. "No, I haven't even told her how I felt."
"Jon, the longer you wait, the more likely she's going to give up and go for someone else. You know she has a crush on you."
"Minato, drop it."
"Okay, okay, I'll stop." Minato put his hands up in defeat as he backflipped to duck under a branch just to jump off the next. He gave his friend a concerned look. "But you can't deny this. The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be for the both of you."
The Lycanthrope only rolled his eyes, knowing that this was a subject that wasn't going to be dropped by his best friend. Just as their conversation finished, they could hear the grunting of men in battle up ahead.
Jon and Minato jumped down from the trees and landed into widened stances, ready for whatever was about to come their way. However, they were met with a red-haired kunoichi that was fighting off her opponents. She had grey eyes, fair skin, donned Jōnin attire, and wore her headband on her forehead while her hair was braided back.
The kunoichi had a black sheath in her left hand and a blood-red O-katana in her right. In front of her were Iwa nin, all ready to take her down. Grey eyes were slowly glancing around, waiting for at least one of them to try to kill her. The sword she wielded as if it were a person yearned to bathe in the blood of its master's enemies.
Minato's eyes widened as he gripped the kunai in his hand, ready to jump in. "Kushina!"
"Wait!" The Werewolf quickly put his arm out to stop his comrade from doing anything as he kept his eyes on their red-haired friend.
Meanwhile, Kushina was getting impatient with the Iwa nins as she glanced left and right, looking for something to be used against them when she noticed a tanto by her foot. She didn't take her eyes off her opponents for one second. She goaded them on. "Show me your motivation."
And just like that, the battle began. A burly nin ran snuck up from behind with a kunai and ran to stab it into her throat. Kushina weaved to the left and picked up the tanto by her foot with her chakra. She spun around and slashed it through the man's throat. He fell to the ground bleeding and choking on his own blood.
Every Iwa nin became enraged that one of their own was sent to an early grave. She didn't even use her sword, and she killed one of them effortlessly.
That was the breaking point for Kushina's opponents as they charged her, the leader in the middle screaming as he flew through a few handseals. "C'mon, let's kill the bitch!"
Just as he said that, Kushina jumped back in a red blur. Her stance widened as she sheathed her blade. Her eyes turned red as she drew upon the Kyūbi's chakra to flood her body, a stinging, burning sensation enveloping her.
Some enemies jumped into the air and charged the redhead while others slammed their hands into the ground for earth ninjutsu.
Kushina poured the chakra into her blade. The world shook as she rushed forward and unleashed her attack in a demonic voice, "You shall die!"
"Judgement Cut End!"
Kushina was a blur as she disappeared as she slashed through every one of them at blinding speeds; the world seemed to have stopped. She reappeared, kneeling on one knee facing Minato and Jon as she slowly sheathed her blade.
The Iwa nin fell to the ground afterwards; they felt as if they were pushed or punched. Regaining their bearings, the leader led the charge once more against the redhead, drawing a kunai from his back pouch. "You think that sword did anything to us, you little bitch!?"
Kushina's eyes were closed continued to slowly sheathe her blade, uncaring and calm. She muttered under her breath, "Beyond time and space... this is payback for Tsume, you bastards."
The Habaki met the Koiguchi in a finishing display. A click was all that was heard as Iwa nin exploded in a burst of bloody chunks; arms, legs, heads, all were cut to pieces in Kushina's wrath as the area behind her was dyed red in the blood of her enemies. Minato and Jon just stood by the forest nonchalantly, completely used to death on the battlefield.
The Red Death got up from her kneeling position and opened her eyes, knowing that the job was done.
Minato was the first to run over and see if she was okay, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Kushina—Kushina, are you alright?!"
"I'm fine..." the Red Death drawled out as she glanced down to the dirt below, a cold, dead look in her eyes. Kushina couldn't help but grit her teeth as she slowly began to lose her composure.
There was a tension in the air, every breath made the knowledge she had at hand something that would tear their relationships apart at the seams and chew them out like yesterday's rations.
Jon's eyes widened when he figured out what was going on. He walked up and shoved Minato off her shoulders and replaced it with his own, his grip tight like a vice as he began to shake her. "Where's Tsume? She was with you, wasn't she?"
Kushina had an expression of self-hatred in her eyes as she gripped the scabbard of her blade. "That's the thing... I lost her."
"Lost her? What do you mean lost her? Answer me, Kushina!"
The red-haired woman lashed out as she shoved his arms off and screamed at him, her eyes glaring in absolute rage. "I LOST HER, OKAY?!"
Minato intervened, not wanting his lover and his best friend to hurt each other. He separated them using his arms, trying to mediate the situation.
The blonde quickly looked back and forth between Jon and Kushina before finally resting his gaze on the redhead, the tone of his voice grave yet calm. "Kushina... when did you last see her? Did she have Kuromaru with her? And what did she do for you to lose her amidst the fighting?"
Every breath they all took were filled with shudders and dread.
"She went after a few Iwa nin that were getting away. They were probably heading for reinforcements, but Tsume said she was going to go after them and kill them before they even got the chance." Kushina brought her hand up. Her gaze shifted as if she was looking straight through her boyfriend's chest in regret. "Kuromaru wasn't with her. He was poisoned and needed to be left back home. The last I ever saw her was... three hours ago..."
Jon closed the gap in between them, despite Minato's physical protests. His taller frame dwarfed hers as his golden eyes began to glow. "In what direction? Where?"
The Uzumaki brought up her right hand and pointed her thumb behind her.
Silence took the air as the wind suddenly picked up and the clouds had moved in. The air became tenser as seconds passed, and the pause only left desperation and unease in their hearts. Jon's eyes darted back and forth between Minato to Kushina repeatedly as the reality of what was a possibility began to skin in. He tried to control his breathing and the beast within as he felt dread weigh down his heart while a pit formed in his stomach. It was something he hadn't felt in a long, long time.
"Somewhere northwest of here, most likely back to their village," Kushina answered nonchalantly. She then gripped the scabbard of her blade tightly as she grit her teeth, angry at herself, at Tsume for going in alone, and just at the fact that her best friend might be dead.
"I'm going to find her and bring her back," the Uzumaki apathetically stated, drive slowly building in her voice as she looked up to her two friends. Cold, hardened determination and red-hot anger brimmed in her eyes like she was going to start a massacre. She took a step back and was ready to start moving out.
"No." Jon quickly put a hand on her right shoulder, getting her attention and stopping her from moving. "I'll bring Tsume back. There's a lot I have to tell her. I need to do this. You just sit back and let me handle things from here."
The blonde man put his hand on her left shoulder as her gaze shifted towards him. "I'm with Jon on this. He's a better tracker than any other Inuzuka. If anyone can find Tsume, it's him."
Kushina blinked a few times as she stared at her blonde lover. She turned her head while the Lycanthrope took his hand off her shoulder and began to walk past her. She raised her arms up with the weapon in hand, trying to make sense of something she didn't know. "How can he track down Tsume better than any other Inuzuka?"
The Red Death didn't know Jon's secret as a Werewolf, but she did know as her friend that he had techniques and a fighting style that made the Inuzuka respect him. Throughout their time on the battlefield, the silver-haired Jōnin had proven to be an assault-type with a plethora of unique skills.
Minato didn't say a thing. The couple turned towards the Werewolf that faced away from them. He was already at work.
Jon closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose, focusing on his intended's unique fragrance. Multiple odors in the air lingered as he focused on Tsume's diluted one. All the scents took on colors that seemed to match them in terms of personality, nation, and attitude. They spiraled in the air, scattering and spreading throughout the area as they seemed to fade away. The lost Inuzuka's redolence was a purple hue with a hint of red from Kushina. The scent of lavender, honey, hounds, and a few other herbs thrown in began to cling to the Lycanthrope's nose.
I've got it, the Werewolf confirmed as he then took another deep breath in. He had to get a layout for what happened.
For a while, Jon possessed an ability known as Psychometry through his sense of smell. It was the ability to obtain historical memories or sensations concerning beings or objects. And with the way he was using it now, he could find out where Tsume was.
Without warning, the Lycanthrope leapt off into the trees, his eyes still closed as he tracked her scent. Images came into his mind as they took form. He could feel, smell, and see these wispy, smoke-like projections begin to take shape as Tsume's scent took form. He jumped branch from to branch, piecing together what went down.
Minutes passed, and Jon followed the Psychometric projection as he saw Tsume in hot pursuit of a burly Iwa nin. Her claws were out, and her body lurched as she prepared to tear the enemy open as soon as she caught him in her grasp. As soon as the projection so much as touched the cloth of the Iwa nin's flak jacket over open space as they both jumped above the treeline, three other allies from the enemy side ambushed her on all sides.
Tsume was smacked down from a tree limb and landed on all fours, ready to fight off her enemies. However, she did not stand a chance as she was swarmed. Punched in the stomach as she got up and struck in the back of her neck, knocking her out.
Jon then stopped, opened his eyes, and jumped down from the trees and directly where the scene took place. Left and right, even below his feet, he saw the broken branches and scattered leaves. He was getting close.
Somewhere else... with Tsume...
The Inuzuka heiress was in a dark, damp cave with her captors. Many of them were hardened Iwa nin, dedicated to the job and what it meant to be a shinobi. The wind seemed to howl and resonated throughout the cave. All around, the walls had been smoothened out. The dirt below was made soft and bearable thanks to Earth Style. Two of them guarded the entrance while another was spotting the interrogation, making sure their hostage didn't try anything funny.
Tsume, at the moment, was sitting tied up and against the wall at the back of the cave. There was a brunette Iwa nin before her. The enemy tried to coax information out of the feral teenager but was having complications due to her stubbornness. Bruises littered the left side of her face, and she glared at the enemy before her in hatred and anger from a beating she had taken earlier in the forest as she was captured.
"Look, tree-hugger, it's real simple. You either give us the information we want or else we'll find your squad and kill them all," the enemy nin threatened as he leaned in, his brown eyes looking at her coldly. "If this goes on any further, you're going to end up in pain. Make it easier on yourself. Just tell us what we want to know, and we'll leave you somewhere your comrades will find you."
Taking hostages and negotiating for information was a part of war, one of the better aspects that is.
Tsume sneered at her current captor. "They'd more likely tear your stomach open and let your entrails out onto the floor! I'd rather die than give you anything!"
Taking a moment to calm down, the Iwa nin sighed as he looked down in disappointment. "Look, I'm trying to make this easy for you—"
"My ass! If you really wanted to make this easy for me, just undo these ropes and let me kill you all." Tsume lashed out and tried to bite the enemy's face, but they leaned back and got out of harm's way. She growled and glared death at her opposer.
Without warning, the man raised his hand and cracked her across the face, sending her back towards the wall. Tsume's head met the rock and she closed her eyes in pain as the scent of iron filled her nose. She looked up and seethed, hatred burning in her eyes. "You think you're gonna break me just like that?"
"Nah, but we have our ways of breaking you," the red-clad man swiftly retorted. He looked towards his female friend. "Your turn, Suzume."
"Got it," the fellow brunette responded as her ally passed.
Before she could even speak, Tsume screamed, cursed, did anything she could to piss her current interrogator off. "Just try something, you little bitch! I'll tear your throat out!"
The enemy nin raised her hand and cracked her across the face, Tsume's head meeting the wall in a violent display once again. The newly named Suzume crossed her arms with disgust written all over her face as she looked down at the feral woman. "Listen here, tree-fucker, it's either this or death. And we have ways of making you talk."
Tsume had to bite her lip to hold back from saying anything that would piss her enemies off. All she could do was wait and try to bide her time until backup arrived. The Inuzuka heiress closed her eyes as her thoughts went elsewhere to a certain silver-haired man she liked for a while now. It was pointless to think about love and relationships in the situation she was in, but it kept her mind busy.
Jon... if anyone could find me, it's you. I know it's you, the feral woman lamented as she stared forward blankly, pretending to listen to the enemy.
Despite the situation, it was like a prayer had been answered by the Kami. She didn't know it yet, but her fellow shinobi was already on his way.
Outside the cave...
The Werewolf jumped from branch to branch as he caught Tsume's scent. He was hot on her and the enemies' trails and knew that they would have to take refuge somewhere in the meantime.
The darkness of the clouds got more intense as time passed. The deep rumbling of the sky seemed to shake the earth below as it resonated throughout the area. A storm was coming. And it served to paint a vivid image in the Lycanthrope's head.
No, Jon thought, coming to a stop. He looked down towards a cave to his left, personal resolve hardening like iron. She's going to be alright; she's strong. And I'm going to bring her back!
A younger man's voice came from within the cave. "Let's just kill the dog-whore already! She's not going to spill anytime soon."
As soon as Jon heard that, his teeth ground together as they sharpened. The Jōnin's pupils became slit yet rounded like a wolf. His undershirt and shoes tore as he transformed into his Werewolf form. Blue and white fur grew unto his body and reshaped as he closed his eyes, letting the primal force within him come out.
Jon opened his eyes in a controlled rage, raising his head to the sky as he let out an earth-shaking howl, "AWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Meanwhile, the Iwa nin inside were shaken by the sudden howl. They all looked towards the entrance of the cave. The only things they could see were the black clouds in the sky, indicating a big storm approaching.
"What the hell was that?" one of the red-clad kunoichi said in a rough voice as she slowly approached the entrance of the tunnel.
"It sounded like a wolf," another nin by her side responded. "It can't be. We got the layout of this region. There shouldn't be a den of wolves anywhere nearby."
The female nin that was interrogating Tsume jerked her head to the right and spoke up, grabbing their attention. "Just go out and kill them if you're so scared."
With that said, the ones closest to the entrance of the cave left to find the source of the noise. Little did they know that those would be their last moments of living.
The two ninjas within turned back to their prisoner. They didn't know what was out there, but they didn't care. All that mattered at this moment was getting information out of the Inuzuka.
Tsume looked at the entrance of the cave, a gleam of hope shining in her eyes.
Slap!
The sharp sound of flesh hitting flesh resonated throughout the cave as the clan heiress was forced back once more. Tsume's left cheek turned red as a result. The Inuzuka's gaze returned to the enemy kunoichi with hatred in her eyes.
The Iwa nin returned the glare, her fist raised as she was ready to strike the Konoha nin again. "If you're not gonna talk, we have other ways of making you scream. It's going to be hell from here on out—"
"AAAHHHHHHHHHH, AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" the bloodcurdling screams of the shinobi that went on outside cut them off as everyone turned to the entrance. The screams came to a sudden end, and thunder began to rumble throughout the sky, shaking the earth around them. The growling of a beast echoed throughout the tunnel.
The shinobi spotting his female cohort stepped forward as he drew two kunai knives in hand and went towards the entrance, only looking back towards his ally. "Somebody's gonna die today. Suzume, keep the prisoner here. She's your last line of defense and leverage you can use."
In an instant, a flash of lightning brightened the cave to the point where the Iwa kunoichi and Inuzuka heiress had to shield their gaze from the brightness. And not more than a few seconds later, the ear-splitting sound of thunder rumbled the cavern.
A blue and white blur burst into the cave without warning and grabbed the closest nin by the throat with his right hand, its claws embedding itself into his skin. Blood flowed down the Iwa nin's throat as he was violently raised into the air by the demon that had him in its grasp. He raised his left and slashed the man's throat open, and blood pooled around his feet, his life draining.
Everyone screamed as a white and blue wolf-like beast threw the man to the back of the cave, his body slamming and staining the wall red with his blood. Killing intent blasted all over the room; everyone could see their imminent deaths at this demon's hand. It was Jon, but Tsume didn't know who or what he was at the moment.
The Werewolf went towards the second man to his right and appeared before him with his right arm reared back. The second man didn't even get the chance to move as Jon punched straight through the enemy's chest and tore out his heart.
While Jon was distracted, the spotter flew through a set of handseals as he charged forward and slammed his hands onto the ground.
"Earth Style: Earth Blades!"
All around Jon, the tunnel began to quake violently. Spikes of stone shot from every direction with a rumble, trying to impale the Werewolf and on contact came together with a violent clash. The area was now clouded with dust ground from the rock, blinding everyone.
For a moment, the Iwa nin who'd cast the jutsu smirked in victory. He quickly turned around in relief, and his eyes wide as shock and adrenaline ran through him. "Look, Suzume, I killed the bastard! We can finally—"
The poor man was cut off as Jon appeared from behind unharmed and knocked him back to the wall with a brutal backhand, a spider web crack forming as a result. The enemy nin fell to the ground unconscious with a bleeding head.
"Houka!" Suzume exclaimed in fear. She turned back and quickly pulled the Inuzuka to her side, using her as a human shield and keeping her eyes on the beast before her. The enemy kunoichi tried to look tough. "Get back!"
For a second, Jon relaxed his stance only to fade in an afterimage and appear right next to Suzume. She didn't even get the chance to move as a fist drove itself into her stomach, forcing her to let go of the Inuzuka as her ribs snapped under the pressure. The enemy kunoichi met the same fate as her living ally, coughing up blood as she fell into unconsciousness.
Tsume froze in place as she stared at the Werewolf before her. There was no use in running away. The Inuzuka heiress closed her eyes and tried to relax, accepting death at any given moment.
"Tsume," the Lycanthrope gruffly called out.
The Inuzuka heiress was surprised that the beast knew her name but didn't react. However, her thoughts ran rampant as she tried to decipher who this... thing was.
Jon stepped forward and bent down, reaching behind her to tear away at the ropes, being careful not to harm her. He then grabbed the young woman by her shoulders and hoisted her up. "Tsume, please, look at me."
His voice... Tsume mentally drawled out as she calmed down, curiosity beginning to take place instead of fear as she raised her head up to see the Werewolf that was talking to her.
The blue and white wolf-like beast wore stretched blue pants and a Konoha flak jacket. It didn't take long for her to piece together who it was as she looked at him with bewilderment and awe, but fear was still there. "J-Jon?"
"Yes," the Lycanthrope confirmed as he gripped the young woman's shoulders firmly.
"H-How did you—"
"I'm a demon, Tsume. And I know you wouldn't love a monster like me," Jon cut off sadly, getting the truth out faster than needed. His eyes looked dead; it as if he was killing himself off from the inside out. "For a year now, I've been harboring feelings for you. But this…" He shrugged his shoulders, referring to his Werewolf form. "I just didn't know how to break it to you. I understand if you're disgusted by me."
For the moment, thousands of thoughts raced through the Inuzuka heiress's head as her eyes darted around. She tried to find any lies in his body language but found none. She wasn't sure of what to do until she looked into his cold, golden orbs.
It's like... he's waiting for me to reject him... Tsume's eyes widened in realization. For so long, the Lycanthrope held romantic feelings for her. But not once did he ever try anything because of his secret. He really thinks I'll be disgusted with him.
By that point, Jon had let go of his intended's shoulders and quickly got up and turned away. "The Hokage and Minato are the only ones that know my secret, and now you do. Tsume, I can't stop you, but please keep this under wraps. This life is the only thing I have."
The truth is that at the moment, the Inuzuka heiress wasn't disturbed by his current form. She was understanding because she knew her friend Kushina was the current Jinchūriki for the Kyūbi since Uzumaki Mito's passing. The brunette woman could expect things both dark and out of the ordinary like this.
Tsume was knocked out of her thoughts as Jon began to walk away and shift back into his human form. But before he could take another step, the teenage heiress stopped him by reaching out to grab his hand. Jon turned back only to see tears stream down Tsume's face, yearning and desiring love. At that moment, she had never rejected him. She was heartbroken that he would even think such a thing.
With Tsume and Hana...
Back in Konoha, it was a beautiful noon. Both Inuzuka mother and daughter were sitting in bed in the same attire as the day before because they had the day off. Sunlight peered through the window by the foot of the bed where Tsume sat. Hana lied comfortably on top of her sheets close to the wall.
The feral woman was near the end of telling the tale of how she and her husband got together.
"I could hear the heartbreak in his voice. He tried to walk away..." Tsume lamented as she stared at the wall. Her fingers twitched as she remembered the pain and desire she felt after so long. "...But I didn't want him to go..."
Hana leaned up against the wall as she stared at her mother. "Kaa-san, it kinda sounds like—"
"A teenage girl's romance novel come true?" Tsume turned to her daughter with a confident smirk on her face. She raised her left hand and ran it through the girl's hair lovingly. "It all happened, Hana. Our feelings developed when we both turned seventeen. Despite being old enough to kill and drink, he was traditional and waited until I was eighteen so we could properly marry. Not long after, we had you. And I got transformed as a part of the process. I love him, Hana... and he will always have my heart."
Part of Hana couldn't believe it as it sounded so... fantastical, but the other part took it in as fact because of all that craziness. She wanted the truth, and here it was. Her father was older than the Elemental Nations. And out of all things, all he wanted was a life away from the past.
Tsume continued to talk about what happened during her rescue and pulled her daughter in close for a one-armed hug. "Afterwards, it began to rain. We sat in that cave and talked for hours. He spared two of the Iwa nin because he knew the fear in their voices meant that they had a family they feared leaving. But all I just wanted to do was go home and sleep in my bed."
"Wow..." Hana was deep in thought as she looked down, taking it all in. "Did Tou-san really hate himself?"
"Yeah, he did, but he learned to love himself and accept his curse. When you and Kiba came into the picture, it only hardened his resolve to give you two a normal life until your first transformation."
The two sat there as silence filled the room. The secret was out, and the daughter knew more about her mother and father than ever. Unknown to them, the tale of the former human woman and her romance with a Werewolf was being told elsewhere. And a godson was at an amusement park with the Princess of Makai. Life was crazy, and it was best to just live in it.
Alright, that's a wrap. This is my longest chapter ever made.
This chapter was thought up out of two things. Back when Jon and Tsume were having Hana's party, I saw fit to create something for Jon. My Beta Reader also got curious and wanted to know more about it, which was the driving point. In all honesty, this was really fun to make.
So, let's get some points across here. Jon is older than the Elemental Nations because he's from the old world, but he doesn't believe in the 'old enough to kill, old enough to,' excuse much less I as a writer.
I'd really like to thank all my commenters for their support. It really means a lot when I get to hear what you think, and I'm very grateful and appreciate the time you've taken out of your day just to read and comment.
And I'd also like to thank my Beta for all the help they had given me.