Okay, for those wanting FIREBRAND, Road to Journey to Now or Journey to Now Part I, I am taking a bit of a hiatus on it, mainly because I want to focus on this story and (maybe) a one-shot. Once I am done with this one, I will get back to writing for those series, so please be patient.
The reason for doing this is because crossovers between Naruto and Dead or Alive are rarely made. And even when they are, they are left unfinished, and very unfulfilling. I also hate that the main pairing is mostly of Naruto and Kasumi, or that Naruto has a Sharingan. If I see Naruto having a Sharingan, it's not Naruto to me. I feel that Ayane is left in the dark or plays second fiddle. I also think that no one compares her story with Naruto's and has ever attempted to make a story between the two. I have only seen one story with them getting together, but that's in a Ninja Gaiden crossover, which I like. There was a second one, but that has been deleted by the writer for reasons unknown. Fortunately, I managed to save the story in my notes. While it was a one-shot, it was a satisfying read.
With DOAXVV out and Dead or Alive 6 coming next month, it'd be nice to see more crossover stories with Naruto and Dead or Alive with a story that's both entertaining, engaging, and more.
Also, after looking at some DOA6 images on Twitter, I am fearing for Ayane's safety. Sure she's a fictional character, but I have a lot of care for her and hope that Team Ninja does not kill her, after making it this far since the first Dead or Alive game. Something also tells me that she will be central in the story of the upcoming game.
I feel that I should put this into detail, to help understand our Hajinmon kunoichi (Hopefully):
For Ayane, I feel that she can't be honest with how she feels or express them. She is so used to not showing her true feelings, after finding out about her true parentage by Ayame, her mother, that it was a norm for her. Same thing for Naruto. It was by meeting the blond that Ayane had someone she can express herself to, Naruto finding himself changing as well in the form of Kureha. Ayane will not show what she considers a "weakness" to anyone, not even her sister, well at least until their relationship changes in the 4th, 5th, and 6th installments.
I had based this relationship they have, which I officially dub, NaruAya, on the manga/anime series Domestic na Kanojo, something I had stumbled across this year, and it is a huge collection of emotions and drama, and I love it, especially the character Rui Tachibana, whom I based a part of Ayane's feelings on.
Vegeta was also another basis for Ayane, like how she loves Naruto and had thought about being more expressive with her love, but her former distant nature began to disagree with this, making Ayane feel weak, even ashamed of the change within her. She also feels useless, as well as obsolete to Naruto, after he gains so much power after the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Regarding Naruto unable to use his powers and the time intervals, this is mainly due to Naruto using his overall powers, Six Paths Sage Mode, Sage Mode, Ki Energy, Magic, and "another power I have yet to show off in any story", in a reckless manner, meaning if there was an enemy that required him to go over these limits, he pushes himself too hard, tiring after. The time intervals range from 3 days to a month. The first time he used his overall abilities recklessly, he had to wait up to almost three years to receive them again, and this is in Part II of Journey to Now.
I based this little drawback from Goku's use of Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken and Izuku Midoriya's previous use of One-For-All before he was able to control it a bit.
As Naruto gets older, the time interval drawbacks will happen less, eventually going away.
[気持ちの整理出来るまで (Until you can organize your feelings) by Maiko Fujita]
An hour ago
Tokyo
Nakumura Shipping Inc. Building
"Nakumura-san, you have a visitor. He says he's your older brother." Stopping his pen, the head of Nakumura Shipping tells his secretary to let him in. The man had slicked back brown hair and green eyes and wore a black business suit with a blue tie. Aiko pushed the doors open with enough force to make a loud sound that echoed the office as he approached his brother and slammed his hands on the table.
"You have some nerve to pull a stunt like that, especially during an important day for me!" he told Yuno, anger in his eyes and his voice.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he told Aiko.
"Cut the shit, I know you sent men to sabotage my car so I wouldn't be able to race tonight! They confessed to it! Do you really hate me that much to do this every year?" Yuno puts away his pen before getting up and walking towards the window, looking down at the city.
"You know the answer. After all, you're the reason I'm sitting on that chair, and father's not," said Yuno, sounding calm. "You're the one who killed our father. All because YOU ran out on him because you wanted to live like some king with no responsibilities because YOU wanted to drive."
"You don't think I feel bad about it?" said Aiko. "I recall that night, every time I close my eyes. Every time I get on the wheel...Yes, I was a piece of shit back then, but that was the past. It doesn't give you the right to ruin my life every single day a year. I should report you to the police for trying to sabotage me."
"And what physical proof do you have that connects the crime to me?" he asked his older brother, turning to face him.
"One of them told me that you hired him and two others to wreck my car. Those three are with the police as we speak. After I'm done with my race, I will see you in court."
"You would put me on trial? Your little brother? I feel betrayed." Aiko said nothing as he turned and left. As soon as he was gone, Yuno made a phone call.
Kamurocho Police Station
Ellis' eyes shot wide open as Naruto presents him with the three men in suits, tied together using a bent car bumper.
"You carried them like that...all the way here?" Naruto responds with a, "Sure did", as Trent enters and greets Naruto. "You know this guy?"
"Met him last night. Became pretty good friends after. What brings you here?" Looking at the scared men, Naruto tells Trent they were sabotaging a car belonging to a driver for tonight's race. "I see, well don't worry, Ellis and I will handle it."
"Thanks, I owe you one." The Erebus soldier tells him he didn't owe him anything, and that having people like the ones he brought in arrested to face justice is all he needs. Naruto smiles as he shakes his hand, Ellis watching from the sidelines, envying his partner's selflessness.
"Can I talk to Trent here, Mr..."
"Kayden."
"Right." Ellis allows Naruto to have some time with Trent, who tells him to put the men in a cell.
Waiting Room
Entering, Naruto uses a device to temporarily shut off the surveillance cameras.
"Listen, I need you to be my eyes and ears in the police. Let me know if anything involving anyone with UltraTech weaponry comes up. Inform me of any information you obtain. Can you do it?" Trent tells Naruto he can count on him. "Another thing. It's...personal."
"How personal?" Naruto tells him about Ayane, and that if she happens to come to the station, let him know about it, telling him he can't find her on his own, and that if she comes up, whether it's in person, radio chatter, or anything, let him know. "She has short purple hair, and red eyes, same age as me."
"Personal stuff like finding this Ayane girl, that's not free for me. I WILL ask you for something in return." When asked what he wanted, Trent turned red and told him he wanted a special backstage concert pass to go see ClariS, surprising Naruto about how trivial it was.
"That's it? Why haven't you bought them yet? They're almost sold out," Trent tells him he spent most of his hard-earned money on Comiket. "So you work to support your hobbies, huh...Very well, I can get you a ticket right away," Naruto told him, Trent thanking him.
"If I see or hear from her, I'll let you know as soon as possible."
"Thank you, I'm counting on you."
Now
Unnamed Alleyway
"What's with that getup? Are you some sort of cosplayer for justice?" asked the man, Naruto telling him it was his work clothes, and that it provided protection and more.
"Hmm...You look familiar..." Observing the man closely, Naruto's eyes widen when he realized who he was. "You...You're Kazuma Kiryu (EN: Darryl Kurylo)!"
"You've heard of me?" Naruto tells him how Jiraiya based a novel off of a former Yakuza he knew, intriguing the man known as Kazuma Kiryu. "I remember that man. Yeah, he sells those ridiculous books of his. Icha Icha was the series if I recall. Heard it's gotten more interesting after a new writer took charge." Naruto shocks him when he reveals that he's the new writer. "At your age?"
"Oh, now you're surprised..." Looking at the unconscious bodies, Naruto checks out the tech, confirming it as being manufactured by UltraTech. "I'm impressed. For a guy who's almost in his 40s, you managed to handle these guys pretty well despite their advanced exosuits and weapons."
"They were just overconfident men playing with toys. They didn't even put up a good fight," he told the blond. With a sigh, Naruto texts Trent and informs him of some gangsters he found beat up in an alley before putting away his phone.
"Any idea on who these guys belong to?" Naruto asked the Dragon of Dojima, who tells him that he didn't know who they were associated with. "They only told me that their boss wanted me disposed of since he saw me as a threat."
"Know of anyone who has beef with you?" Kazuma tells him he has several who have beef with him. "Hmmm, I guess I can narrow the search by finding Hayashi and interrogating him." Turning to Kazuma, he tells him, "Think you can help me out, Kiryu-san?"
"Having been dragged into this, and seeing these men armed to the teeth, it spells major trouble for everyone in this city. However..." Looking at Naruto, he asked him if a kid his age should be out fighting gangsters. Naruto tells him he could handle himself and to not worry.
"If you say so...All we need to do is find this Hayashi guy?"
"Yeah... "Turning to the unconscious men on the ground, Kazuma asks Naruto where they should start. Going over to one of the men, Naruto takes out the power core of one of the men's exosuits and scans it with his gauntlet.
"Simple, we're going to hunt down every single person who is armed with this tech and beat the crap out of them for information on Hayashi. With my scanner, it will detect the energy output the power cores give out." Kazuma tells him that sounds like a plan. "Glad to hear it. Now, let's go hunting."
Club Shine
Entering the club, all eyes went on Naruto and Kazuma as gangsters in UltraTech exosuits that were seated at several tables get up, their weapons were drawn, ranging from energy katanas, electric chains, and energy rifles. Aware that something was about to go down, the customers and employees all leave the club in a rush. Naruto and Kazuma crack their fists at the same time as they prepare to fight.
Okumura Foods Limo
"Thanks for giving us a ride, Okumura-senpai." Haru tells them it was no trouble at all before telling Yui to call her Haru-chan, a smile on her face.
"So Naruto had to go work?" Yui responds with a yes, telling her it sounded urgent. Hearing this, Hinami looked down, sad. "Hey, Hinami-chan? Let's have fun okay?" she told her, a smile on her face as the young girl looked at her.
"Sorry, Haru...I must be ruining the mood for-"
"It's fine. I know how much you miss Naruto. Knowing him, he'd want you to have fun. Listen, how about I buy you a large popcorn and drink while we watch the races?" Thinking about it, Hinami asked if instead of popcorn, they had nachos. "Of course. I'll buy the biggest size for us to share."
"Extra cheese?" Haru nods yes to her, making her smile a bit. Seeing how cute she was when she smiles, Haru lets out a "Kyaaah!" as she hugs the girl.
"Oh, you are just the cutest!" This made Hinami embarrassed as Yui looked on, smiling at their little interaction.
Train to Oyama
Ayane sat with Hotaruko in silence, the latter wondering what to talk about with her as their train made their way towards its destination.
"...So..."
"Yes!?" yelled Hotaruko, surprising the Hajinmon kunoichi. "I-I mean, what do you need?" Ayane asked her how she was doing at school. "Oh, school's great. Everyone, even my friends, was glad that I came back. The professors, well...I was given a huge lecture by them before they agreed to have me take a big test two weeks from now in order to catch up and hopefully bring them back up to an A."
"Good to hear..."
"...Ayane?"
"What now?" Hotaruko asked her why she agreed to come with her to see the races. "Because that ticket would've been a waste."
"Maybe, but you didn't have to come, yet you said yes." Ayane asks her what was her point, Hotaruko telling her, "You enjoy having someone to hang with."
"No, I don't. Don't make assumptions." Slightly annoyed, Hotaruko asked Ayane why she couldn't be honest. "I am being honest."
"No, you're not. You're being evasive with me. Come on Ayane. If you don't tell me why I will bug you."
"What could you possibly do that will get me to talk?" To her horror, Hotaruko starts singing "Fairy Party" by ClariS out loud, being horrible at it. Unknown to the girl, Ayane loved ClariS, and to hear it being sung by a complete amateur was a nightmare. Ayane covers her ears in an attempt to down out her singing, but Hotaruko leans her mouth towards her left ear and sings louder.
"Okay! I felt bad that your father wasn't able to go with you okay!?" Abruptly stopping her (horrible) singing, Hotaruko looked surprised. "It bothered me, to see you with that face..." With a smile, she told Ayane she was kind.
"Underneath all of that attitude of yours is a very nice person who's capable of caring. You should bring it out more." Recalling how Naruto said the same thing to her the night she consoled him on Hokage Rock, she rudely told Hotaruko to keep her mouth shut, confusing her.
"Did I say some-"
"Not another word...Do you hear me?" Ayane interrupts. Silence takes over a bit as the two looked away at each other. Sneaking a peek at Ayane to see how angry she was, she sees tears in the girl's eyes as the kunoichi pulls her hood over her head so no one saw her at her vulnerable, unaware that Horatuko saw them.
"I must've reminded her of something sad..." Pretending she didn't see them, Hotaruko hears Ayane apologize to her.
"It's okay Ayane. I said something I shouldn't have said..." she told the Hajinmon kunoichi.
"You did nothing wrong..." said Ayane, sounding sorry for getting angry with the girl. "...Hey..."
"Yes?"
"When we get to the speedway...What would you like to eat while we're watching the races?" Hearing this, Hotaruko smiled as she told the girl, "A large tub of buttered popcorn and a large soda."
Oyama
Fuji Speedway
Woooow.." said Hinami as she marveled at the speedway and the crowds of people who were walking in to watch the races as Yui and Haru walk behind her. Yui suggests they take a picture and send it to Naruto, Hinami agreeing with her as the Sainan student takes out her phone and takes a selfie with Hinami and Haru.
After taking the picture, the girls look at it, smiling at how good it turned out. As soon as the three walked in to get their tickets, Ayane and Hotaruko arrived, the latter telling the Hajinmon kunoichi if it was possible to meet Tina.
"Don't know, let's find out, shall we? If we can't, I'll just knock out the guards."
"Knock them out?" Ayane tells her she'll use a sleep ninpo to knock them out for a few minutes. Once she and Hotaruko head out to meet Tina, Kouta arrived with three of his men, voicing how excited he was to see Tina win, having bet a lot of money on her winning after helping Yuno sabotage Aiko's car, unaware that Aiko's car was repaired before he arrived.
Club Koakuma
Naruto slams a man's face on one of the club's tables before avoiding the swing of a gangster's energy katana. Taking an unopened wine bottle, Naruto swings it at his attacker's face, breaking it as the man reels back in pain, small shards of glass embedded in his face. Kazuma grabs one by his left leg and swings him around like a flail, knocking down several men that were about to surround him before throwing the man to a wall, making a large crack.
"You're pretty good in a fight, kid."
"Thanks, you're quite a fighter yourself. I'm glad that you're on my side, Kiryu-san." Naruto instinctively dodges a punch from behind before kicking the men forward before Kazuma kicks the man down onto the floor before he and the blond plant their feet on the man's chest, intimidating them with their glares. "Now listen here, buddy. We've been through 6 clubs now. You better know where Hayashi is, or you're going to end up like your friends."
"O-Okay! He's at the Stardust host club!" said the man, scared for his life. "He had some business there with a member of Talon!"
"Talon? The hell is that?" asked Kazuma. Naruto informs him of the organization before turning to the man and asking him what sort of deal was going down and who he was meeting. "A woman named Moira. I don't know much, except that she was paid by Hayashi for some modified UltraTech arms of her design!"
"What for!?" The man tells Naruto that was everything he knew. Naruto applied pressure on the man's chest, cracking some bone. Seeing this, Kazuma tells him to not lose his cool.
"I don't know! I swear what I've told you is everything I know!" Pulling his foot away, he thanked the man before knocking him out with a kick.
"The club is on Tenkaichi Street. We should head there now." As Kazuma took the lead, Naruto got a call from Trent.
"Talk to me."
"The men you brought in two hours ago...They're dead." Naruto's eyes widened. "They were found in their cells 5 minutes ago, their heads blown to pieces. Surveillance cameras were scrambled before the deed was done. From the splatter of brain matter and the empty casings, it was from a blast of a shotgun at close range. A double barrel or two."
"...Reaper. Do you see any air vents?" Trent tells him there was one under one of the cameras. "He must've snuck in through the air vents in his shadow form. Inform Kirigiri about it right away. For Reaper to come all the way to Kamurocho to execute three men...They must be involved with the UltraTech dealings somehow. Right now, I'm on my way to Stardust to stop a deal going down between Talon's geneticist Moira, and a gangster named Hayashi."
"Right, talk to you soon."
Oyama
Fuji Speedway
"Ayane hey!" Tina yelled as she wraps her arms around the annoyed kunoichi as Hotaruko looked at Tina, awestruck. "It's been a while since New Zack Island." When Hotaruko asked what New Zack Island was, Tina informed the girl of a small tropical island she and the other female DOA fighters went to for vacation and how they got well-acquainted over volleyball. "It got destroyed by a meteor shower...before that, it was a volcano."
"Y-You don't say...Just what did these girls go through?"
"So who's your friend?" Hotaruko shyly introduced herself to the daughter of Bass, who noticed her dyed purple hair, forming an intrigued smile on her face as she turned to Ayane. "Is she a fan you've become friends with?" Ayane looked away, annoyed as she rests her arms under her breasts.
"As if..." Going over to Tina, Hotaruko whispered in her ear, "We're kind of friends..."
"So just like me huh?" Hotaruko nods in agreement.
"To all racers, the race will begin in 5 minutes." Looking at the two, Tina tells them they should go take their seats as she prepared to head to her car.
"Hey..." Turning around, Tina looked surprised when Ayane told her to do her best. With a huge smile, she gives her a thumbs up.
At the bleachers, Hinami, Yui, and Haru took their seats, the latter holding a large box of nachos covered in melted cheese and three large soft drinks. When Hinami asked who they should root for, Haru told her she should root for the racer who was sponsored by Okumura Foods.
"Which racer is that?" asked Yui, Haru telling her the racer's name was Aiko Nakumura. On another part of the bleachers, Kouta looked in disbelief as Aiko gets ready to race.
"How the hell is that man's car in working condition. I thought Yuno said he made sure it was sabotaged! I'm going to lose money!" One of his men tells him to calm down, he snaps at him and tells him not to tell him to calm down as he knocks him down with a punch to the face.
"So-Sorry sir!"
"First a shipment got destroyed last night, now I'm going to lose more money. Hayashi better finish that deal with Talon or the Yomei Alliance is going to have my ass for this."
Kamurocho
Stardust
"And you're certain that this will work?" asked Hayashi as he sat opposite of Talon's geneticist, Moira O'Deorain at a table. The club was reserved by them so they could speak without any interruptions as the geneticist shows him a display of a gas that was used on a Kumo-nin they captured for experimenting.
"UltraTech may have created a gas that shuts down a ninja's ability to use ki temporarily, I've perfected their work, allowing it to work on chakra as well. With this, their whole network gets shut off. Enhancements, techniques, they won't be able to use it." Looking at the holographic screen, Hayashi could see the Kumo-nin unable to use his jutsu to protect himself after inhaling the gas before being killed by Talon mercenaries. Hayashi had a huge grin on his face as he pictured Ayane powerless to fight him.
"How would we solve their fighting capabilities?" Moira shows him another recording of a Talon mercenary who was armed with an UltraTech exosuit of Moira's design. In it, another Kumo-nin tried to use a lightning release jutsu on him, only to have it absorbed by the armor.
"Talon has upgraded the UltraTech exosuits we recently got our hands on from some group who call themselves the League of Villains. Able to absorb chakra from the many techniques they use and..." When the Kumo-nin throws a punch at the Talon mercenary, the latter catches it before punching his face to a bloody pulp. "Increases the wearer's reaction time and strength using the energy stolen from them."
"Excellent! Just what I- Just what Kouta needs. With this, the Yomei Alliance will finally end the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance, and take over Kamurocho, maybe this whole country!"
"I have shown you what I can offer, can you deliver on your promise?" Hayashi tells one of his two guards to wire the money to Moira. Checking to make sure the money was transferred to her, Moira formed a satisfied look on her face as she received the wired payment. "As promised, some of our men are shipping the tech to Kouta's hideout as we speak."
"Great, Kouta will-" Before he could finish, two of his men come crashing in from a kick delivered to them by Naruto and Kazuma. Hayashi looked at them, fear on his face as he focused his attention on Kazuma. "Oh shit, it's the Dragon of Dojima!" Turning to Moira, he asks for her help.
"Sorry, but this wasn't part of Talon's agreement. You're on your own now," Moira told him before "fading" away in a burst of purple smoke.
"You bitch!"
"I take it you must be Hayashi," said Naruto. Abruptly getting out of his seat, he tells his men to protect him, only for Naruto to swiftly throw two kunai at them, hitting them in the head before they could activate their UltraTech exosuits. Hayashi tries to run, only for Kazuma to throw one of the small round tables at him, who ducks down like a coward. With a quick step, Naruto appears in front of Hayashi, who pulls a gun on his. Naruto swats the gun away from his hand before holding him up by the collar of his suit.
"My new friend and I have been looking all over for you. We have questions, and YOU will answer them for us." The blond Chunin then threatened to cut his fingers off by sections with a cigar cutter he took out from the gangster's pocket before slamming him down on a table and holding up Hayashi's right hand. "Kiryu-san, you go first."
"Some of your men tried to kill me earlier. Who sent them?" asked Kiryu, sounding demanding as she raised his voice a bit.
"Ko...Kouta! It was Kouta!" Kazuma looked surprised when he heard the man's name before narrowing them. "So it's that bastard..."
"Who's Kouta?" Naruto asked Kazuma, who prepares to tell Naruto about him.
"He was a former member of the Tojo Clan. A coward who lets his money and those under him do the dirty work. He did nothing but eat, sleep, fuck, and gamble. While he was the true definition of a coward, once someone is powerless before him, you'd wish for death as soon as he's done with you. He'll torture and humiliate a man to death, using any means necessary. For women, he and his men will rip their clothes off, take pictures for keeps, and then..."destroy them" inside, over and over again, until there's no life in their eyes, all while recording it for their own pleasure. One day, he tried to force himself on a clan head's daughter during her 18th birthday. I was able to stop him before he could do any harm to her, beating him with an inch of his life. Before he could be presented to the clan for judgment, he escaped with the help of those still loyal to him. Last I heard of him, he became a member of the Yomei Alliance."
"Yomei Alliance?" Kazuma tells him they were a syndicate of multiple Yakuza clans.
"They're said to be so powerful that not even the Tojo Clan or the Omi Alliance can touch them. They must've taken him in for his knowledge on the Tojo Clan." Turning to Hayashi, Naruto asked him if Kouta planned to use the UltraTech equipment they obtained to wipe out the Yomei Alliance's enemies, threatening him with the cigar cutter once more.
"Yes!"
"Where is it? The equipment?"
"It's already on its way to Kouta's as we speak. I just finalized a deal with Talon." Naruto had a look of anger in his eyes when he mentioned Talon.
"So the Yomei Alliance hired Talon to secure the UltraTech shipments...Where are they being dropped off?" Hayashi told him to kiss his ass since he wasn't going to rat out Kouta. Naruto retaliates by using the cigar cutter to cut off a section of the man's right pinky, making him scream in pain.
"AHHH YOU FUCKING FUCK FUCK FUCK! I WILL SUE YOU!" Naruto tells him he'll simply make it look like Hayashi severed it himself, seeing as how the gangster was a Yomei Yakuza.
"Now I'll ask again, where is it?" When he refuses, Naruto cuts off the rest of his right pinky before asking again.
"FUCK YOU, YOU PSYCHO!" Naruto tells him it was the wrong answer as he cuts off a section of Hayashi's right ring finger. Kazuma tells him to stop after that.
"Even if you cut off all of them, he won't say anything. Now that we know who we're really after, we can focus on that. Hayashi is of no use to us anymore." Naruto grits his teeth in annoyance as he tells Hayashi they were taking him in.
"I won't be in bars long. I will go free, and I will sue you!" he promised Naruto, anger in his voice. "Not only that, I will find Hotaruko and that Ayane bitch, and I will-" Hearing the kunoichi's name, Naruto throws him down onto the floor, demanding to know what he knew. "What's it to you?"
"Everything..." Naruto told him, glaring at the man's soul. Realizing this, Hayashi formed a smile on his face. "Oh, I see, you know her...I want to know, is she single?" Instead of answering, Naruto picks him up and knocks him down with a punch.
"I take that as a yes. I wonder, is she a virgin or-." Naruto slams his foot on the man's chest hard.
"OOF!"
"Shut up..."
"She is, isn't she...I wonder, are you unable to perform well in bed? Maybe your dick is too small to enter her." Naruto angrily stomps on the man's chest, who painfully chuckles. "A guy like me? I can give her what she wants. Show her a real man, not some-" Pulling him off the floor, Naruto slams him against a wall before punching him in the face hard, the force of it crushing the man's left eye socket. Not stopping there, the blond throws him over a counter, knocking down several expensive bottles of alcohol from the shelves they were on. As Hayashi struggle to get up, Naruto grabs him by the hair and slams the right side of his face onto the broken glass-littered floor, dragging his face across the broken glass pieces, ripping the right side of his face apart as Hayashi screamed in agony. Before he could kill him, Kazuma stops Naruto.
"That's as far as you go, Naruto. If you do this, you're no better than him...He's not worth killing, at least not yet." After thinking about it, Naruto relents before he told Hayashi, "If I ever see you near Ayane, or lay a hand on her, you're going to wish you didn't say all that shit to me and wish that Kiryu-san didn't stop me." Handing Hayashi to Kazuma, he tells the latter they should head to the police station. Looking at the damage Naruto inflicted on Hayashi, Kazuma notes how similar the blond was to (Goro) Majima in terms of ferocity.
Oyama
Fuji Speedway
Kouta panicked as the race was 30 laps away from ending as Aiko took the lead. Deciding to take drastic measures, Kouta tells one of his men to place an explosive on Aiko's car once he goes for a pit stop.
"Once they're on the final lap, I will make sure that I pull the trigger." As one of Kouta's men walks off to handle it, Hinami sips her drink, only to find it empty.
"I'm out of root beer..." Turning to Haru and Yui, she tells them she needs to go get a refill.
"You may miss out of some changes in-"
"That's okay. I have faith that your racer will win. Besides, I'm old enough to go refill my cup." Haru tells Hinami to hurry back when she can. Arriving at the dining area, she finds a long line in front of her, letting out a sigh.
Back at the bleachers, Hotaruko voiced how good it was for Tina to be in second place as Ayane stayed silent, focusing on the race in front of them.
Aiko, running out of gas, makes it to the pitstop, where Sal, Lorenzo, and other fellow pit crew members gather around to refill his tanks and replace his tires. While they were focused at the task at hand, they didn't notice an extra pair of hands, belonging to Kouta's man, disguised as one of them, placing a bomb underneath the back of the bumper.
"Alright, you're good!" yelled Sal as he gave him a thumbs up. With a nod, Aiko drives off to finish the race.
Kamurocho
Police Station
"Geez Naruto, you did all that to him?" asked Trent as Ellis handles the facially scarred gangster. "You're lucky to have a high-ranking official like Kirigiri to cover you, or else you'd be arrested.
"I know..."
"And you're lucky that Kiryu-san was with you." Naruto tells him he knew once more.
"How bad was the damage?" asked Kazuma. Instead of Trent answering, the nurse Trent called over, Mikan Tsumiki (The Ultimate Nurse)(Cameo), who was about ready to go home, told them she did her best to remove all of the broken shards from Hayashi's face, including the very small ones, before trying to repair the tissue.
"The damage he sustained on his face...it's very lacerated," she informed them. "He'll need to wear a mask from now on." Trent thanks her for trying before letting her leave the station.
"Alright. Now, regarding the shipment Moira promised this Kouta guy, we are unable to locate it, mainly due to the stealth tech Talon used. By now it's already at his hideout, wherever that is. They knew what they were doing when they enlisted Talon's help."
"We have to stop that bastard Kouta before he initiates his attack on the Tojo Clan." When Trent asked him what he means by "we", Kazuma tells him since Kouta tried to kill him, unsuccessfully, he will help find leads on where he was hiding. "I have several informants, friends I know, here in Kamurocho and elsewhere. If any of his men let something slip out of their mouths, I'll let you two know.
"Thanks, Kiryu-san, we appreciate your cooperation," said a grateful Trent. Noticing Ellis walking towards them, Trent asked him how Hayashi was.
"Pissed," he told his partner.
"Where is he now?" asked Naruto.
"He's awaiting interrogation," said Ellis, telling them he had two guards watching him. Going over to interrogation, they see a dead cop in front of the now-open room Hayashi used to be in. Inspecting the body, Naruto noticed a cut on the man's neck and a stab wound on his chest.
"He's gone!" yelled Trent.
"The other cop must've been part of Kouta's gang," Naruto said, sounding pissed as he punched the marble floor, leaving a crack. Ellis looked on, shame in his face. He knew the man who helped Hayashi get out of the interrogation room. It was Kouta's second in command, Haruka. He let the man kill the cop as he made sure no one was around to see before he went over to grab Naruto and the others.
"We'll put out a warrant for his arrest..." With a sigh, Kazuma figured he'd call his "daughter" and tell her he was not coming home for a while.
Stolen Police Car
"What are you supposed to be now? Pirate Captain of the Opera?" Haruka joked as he drove Hayashi back to Kouta's hideout, the scarred gangster riding at the back.
"Don't you dare make a joke out of this!"
"I knew you were ugly on the inside, but now you're ugly on the outside," he adds, further annoying Haruka.
"You're lucky that I'm in the back, or I'll-" Turning serious, Haruka asked him what he could possibly do that would scare him.
"I dare you to finish your sentence. Tell me, what would you do to me that would scare me?" Haruka said nothing. "That's what I thought."
"That blond...He'll pay for this...I'll make sure of it!"
Oyama
Fuji Speedway
Hinami had a satisfied look on her face as she finished filling her large cup up with root beer before putting on a new lid and straw.
"It was a long wait, but I got it," she told herself before making her way back to Yui and Haru. Back at the races, there were only three laps to go, Aiko still in the lead, with Tina still in second place. Kouta had a large smirk on his face as he prepared the detonator. Two laps were left...Now one...
"Your luck runs out now..." said Kouta. Before his thumb could press the trigger, Hinami accidentally slips on a strawberry ice cream cone and spills her drink on Kouta and the detonator, ruining the device, rendering the bomb useless as Aiko finished in first place, the crowd going wild.
"Oh my gosh, I-I'm so sorry, sir. I-"
"You...YOU LITTLE RUNT!" Hinami's apologetic face turned into fear as Kouta and his three men got up and directed their attention towards her. "Not only did you ruin my suit, because of you, I lost a lot of money! Stupid girl!" Hinami moves back as Kouta and his men ganged up on her. Walking back enough, Hinami stops as her back's against the wall.
"I should teach you a lesson," he told her, pulling out a brass knuckle out of his pocket to put on his left hand as prepared to hit Hinami. The girl puts her hands over her head as she closed her eyes and yelled for someone to save her, just as Kouta threw a punch at her. However, it never came. Opening her eyes, Hinami looked shocked, even relieved as Ayane appeared in front of her, having caught Kouta's left fist.
"You...You're-" Ayane doesn't let him finish as she slowly starts twisting his arm, forcing him onto his knees as his men move back in fear.
"A...Ayane-san..." Hinami got teary-eyed, having been reunited with the Hajinmon kunoichi, who is left fuming with great anger as she punched Kouta in the face, sending him flying to his men, knocking them down.
"OW! THAT HURTS! THAT HURTS!" Walking in on them, Hotaruko asked Ayane what was going on.
"Just knocking down trash is all," Ayane told the girl as Kouta ran off with his men, letting the girl know she'll pay for punching him. Turning to Hotaruko, she tells her they were leaving, only showing herself to Hinami because she was in trouble. Hearing this, Hinami tearfully tells her to not leave, having just reunited with her, only to part ways.
"Ayane, this girl, she-"
"We're going!" she tells Hotaruko, before taking her hand and preparing to leave. However, Hinamai stops her by holding onto her hoodie. "Let...go Hinami."
"Don't leave me again Ayane-san...I don't want you to go..."
"...I'm sorry, Hinami, but I can't do that for you." Ayane knocks her out by putting her to sleep with a genjutsu.
"Ayane!?" Yui was shocked to see the Hajinmon kunoichi as Haru stood next to her. Before the Sainan student could say anything, Ayane teleports away without Hotaruko, leaving behind a few lilac petals.
Sainan Town
Uzumaki Residence
"I'm home," said Naruto, sounding tired. Entering the living room, Naruto finds Yui, Haru, and Hotaruko waiting for him, Hinami sleeping on the couch.
"Oh, hey girls..." Naruto's eyes widen when he noticed Hotaruko. "Who...Who are you?"
"Hotaruko Rinko...You're Naruto Uzumaki?" Naruto nods at her. "You're very handsome."
"Umm..." Turning to Haru and Yui, Naruto asked them why they brought a stranger into his home. Yui tells him they saw Ayane earlier.
"Ayane!? You saw her!?" Yui adds the part where Ayane was with Hotaruko, watching the races.
"She saved me from my ex-boyfriend and had dinner with her last night. I want to hear what you have to say. About her...I want to understand her relationship with you. She's not willing to talk to anyone about it. She's...stubborn."
"Yeah, she's like that most of the time," he told her, lightly smiling. "She rarely shows any expression, but...I could always tell how she's feeling..."
"...If it's okay with you, you think you can tell me about Ayane? Anything you know."
"Oh, seems I'm not the only one who wants to know." Turning around, the others are surprised to see Kasumi enter, making Naruto wonder if it was that easy to enter his home and thinking he should ask Lala to build him some security for his house.
"Kasumi? Where have you been?" She tells him she was out looking for Victor Donovan, and that along the way, she "met someone". When Naruto asked who he was, she shyly told him it was a girl. "A GIRL!?"
"I'll explain it to you some other time. All I can say is that she and I are dealing with her personal demons and that we're waiting for some leads. Ayane had helped us out a bit on our investigation while you were busy dealing with other situations. I noticed she had gone back to her old habits, and it worries me. Knowing her, she won't tell anyone about what she's feeling. I figured you would shed some light into this."
"I hope so too...Alright, where do you want me to start?"
Five-Story Tower
Fifth Level
Entering his spacious office, Kouta and his men see Hayashi waiting for him, sitting at a couch on the left side of the room. Haruka was also there, standing opposite of Hayashi, the latter looking out the window as Haruka poured himself a glass of expensive red wine (Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru 1949). Noticing his eyepatch and the mask covering his right side, Kouta asked him why he was wearing them. Instead of answering, Hayashi takes off his eyepatch and mask for a bit, showing his colleagues the damage Naruto did to his face. Kouta almost puked from the sight of it, as did his men before asking what happened.
"Some damn kid did this to me! He cut off my right hand's pinky finger, and part of my ring finger, he crushed my left eye and lacerated my right face. Now...Now I have to wear a damn mask and eyepatch for the rest of my life. He destroyed my beautiful face!" Kouta tells him he wasn't the only one who was suffering a humiliation.'
"I lost money because a stupid little girl dropped her drink on the detonator switch, and I got punched in the face by that Ayane girl," said Kouta, clenching his teeth in anger. "I can see why you'd want her to pay for what she did to you. To us...Break her down, defile her, body, soul, mind..."
"Yes...let's get ourselves a ninja," said Haruka. "Question is...How do we manipulate her into coming to us?" Thinking about it, Kouta recalls Ayane having a girl with her, having the same hair color as her, but with green eyes. Realizing he was talking about Hotaruko, Haruka smiles as he tells his boss, "I may have an idea. However, we'll have to use some of the tech we've stored up and obtained. Know her, we'll need to use everything in our disposal to get her on her knees."
"I'm sure the Yomei Alliance won't mind if we used some of them for "testing" if you know what I mean. We should also call our superiors and ask for more men. Just as a precaution."
Shibuya
Yakiniku Ikuta
"Dammit!" yelled Aiko, slamming his fist on the table as his pit crew wondered what got him so angry all of a sudden. When Sal asked him about it, he told them that the three men who sabotaged his car were found dead in the police station. "It has to be my brother! He must've hired someone to kill them. I know it!"
"Aiko, keep it down, people are staring," said Lorenzo. "Come on, you won first place. This is the time to celebrate."
"How can I celebrate when Yuno gets away with a crime by having three witnesses killed in their cell!?" he asked them. "He's not getting away with this!" Getting up, Aiko rushes out of the restaurant and recklessly drives off to confront his brother personally.
Shibuya 109 Tower
[Persona 4 - Traumerei]
Ayane sat by herself on the very top of the tower as she looked down at the people passing by below her, noticing a few young couples walking around, talking, laughing, and kissing. They looked very happy with each other. Pulling out the letter Kureha wrote to her, shortly after her death at the hands of Doku (Ninja Gaiden BLACK) during the Black Spider Ninjas assault on the Hayabusa Village, having received aid from the Akatsuki.
"Ayane, by the time you find this letter, I'll be gone. I wrote this letter with the intention to tell you the truth and trust you with it: The reason for the attack on the village and everything before that. The truth is that I knew my days were coming to an end. Instead of preventing it by telling the others, I decided not to, deciding to use all my powers to secretly protect the villagers. Had I avoided my death, the Black Spider Ninjas and the Akatsuki would've successfully lured Naruto to the village and capture him with the intention of extracting the Nine-Tailed Fox from his body. I also knew that you'd try your best to protect me as Naruto would. Though you have the habit of not showing your true feelings to others, I know you're in pain. You must be blaming yourself for not protecting me, and I understand that feeling. I want you to know that I don't blame you for not protecting me and that you can overcome this sadness, even if it continues to hurt you inside. I'm so glad I managed to live long enough to see you change, even if it was little by little. If it's not too late, I ask you, please be nice to your sister Kasumi. I want you to do that not for me, but for yourself. As for Naruto, I am well aware of your feelings towards him, don't deny how you feel. Be honest with yourself. Don't hide it. You will have to confront him about it eventually. You and Naruto share a bond that can never be severed. It would help me if you had his back. While he may not be related to the Hayabusa Clan, I consider him like a son I've never had so please, in my place, protect and watch over him, that is my greatest wish to you. I would also like to give you my permission to date him. You deserve to be happy Ayane."
"I can't do it, Kureha..." Ayane hugged her knees and held onto the note tight. Recalling seeing Naruto and Hinata kiss and how the Hyuga girl stayed at his side when he was bedridden, she says, "I'm not the one he wanted in the end...Hinata has that right...Even so..." At this point, Ayane tears up.
"I don't want to admit it...That I lost to her...You're such an idiot, Naruto...An idiot..."
[Music End]
Next two chapters...will be crazy, hopefully emotional. Truths will be revealed, Kouta and Hayashi make their move, Aiko confronts his younger brother, and I am having a lot of emotions right now. As for Naruto and Ayane...That will be something to think about.
Regarding Hinami, I compare her relationship with Ayane to Vegeta and Trunks, and Piccolo and Gohan. Ayane really cares for Hinami, something she developed right off the bat, and she views herself as a parent to Hinami, though she does not admit to it. SHe also fears this bond she has with Hinami, since it collides with her anger towards Naruto and the pain she feels inside.
The last part of this chapter was based on a scene in The Last: Naruto the Movie, where Hinata is all alone, the scarf she was planning to give to Naruto in hand, sad, assuming that she was too late to be with him. That scene, in particular, sold me, and I felt that the scene would go well with Ayane and how she really feels, just in a different setting/place.
Now I need to watch/read Goblin Slayer a bit, along with Devils' Line for Ayane's...She's going to have a tough time next chapter. I also need to look into Inuyashiki, Fuuka, Future Diary, Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower and Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. lost butterfly. The reference materials will be vital to Naruto and Ayane in the long run of this story. I just hope that CranberryVishnu-senpai approves of this alternate-telling of his story.