Chapter Four: Finding a Beast
After swallowing my bread I look over at the girl, her left eye is slightly swollen while her tiny hands and knees are covered in scabs and scars. Long faded bruises cover her smaller form in some kind of sick poca dots of yellow, purple, and black. A strong breeze blows through the warehouse causing shivers to rack through her and my boys bodies. A surge of strong protective instincts takes over causing me to get to my feet. Grabbing my pack I flip open the top and dig past our family scrolls until I find two fur lined blankets. Taking the larger of the two I wrap it around my boys shoulders and tuck it closed.
"Thank you, Ane." Nariko whispers meeting my eyes, reaching out I pat his cheek before standing up at my full height. Turning I grab the other blanket and head over to the smaller girl. Her eyes widen as I approach, her hands move up to cover her head as she tries to cover as much of her body as she can. Swinging the blanket around her I start to pull it tight and tuck it around her body just like my boys. Slowly she looks up at me through her hands, my eyes met hers and I see a glimpse of that girl from before. I feel my eyes soften as I gently reach out and pat the top of her head.
"It's okay now kingyo." I say keeping my voice genial.
"Your safe with us." Patting the top of her head again I stand up and start to look around the warehouse. Heading to one wall I place my hand against it as I walk the inside perimeter counting my steps. Slowly as I move away from the entrance it gets darker. Activating my kekkei genkai I watch as the world lightens as my eyes pick up the slightest bit of light and movement. 'Okay so this one side is about 40 feet or 12.192 meters.' I think as I start to walk the other side keeping count of my steps. 'So this side is about the same size. So this is either a tiny warehouse of this was something else.' I think tapping my chin, a habit from my first life.
"Either way it doesn't matter we need a room or area that will hold heat better or at least keep the wind off us." I say ignoring my own goosebumps from the cool damp air. 'Tetsu No Kuni was a lot colder but we didn't have all this damn moisture in the air that seeps into your bones.' I think clenching my fist.
"Ane, I'm sleepy and cold." Kosuke whines drawing my eyes to his tiny body as he rubs at his eyes and huddles closer to Nariko for warmth.
"I know Kosuke. Ane is working on it." I say walking the next wall, my foot hits something halfway down it.
"Fuck." I whisper, looking down I find two wooden beams that are around six feet long. Moving them to the side I move on taking in everything around me especially around my feet. When I make it to the other wall I turn and head back to the wooden beams. Grabbing one side I drag them one at a time over to the corner, grabbing one end I lean the beam against the wall. Moving down to the other side I cover my claws in what little bit of chakra I have left and dig a hole for the other end of the beam to set in. Pushing the end into the hole I push the dirt back in around the beam and start to pound the dirt in tight. Stepping back I look over the beam then slam my body into it. Jumping back I smile and nod as the beam stays in place. Moving to the next one I do the same and use the rest of my chakra to dig its hole. The darkness starts to come back as my kekkei genkai starts to deactivate. Grabbing a small piece of old wood I place my hand on the wall and head back towards my boys as my sight goes back to normal.
"Ane did you find something?" Nariko asks hold a sleeping Kosuke in his arms.
"Yeah I just need some light to finish it then we'll all have a temporary place to sleep." I whisper digging around for the scroll I made with our survival stuff from Bo-Chen's ship. Grabbing the scroll I pull it out and unroll it until I find my flint and steel. Unsealing them I hear the awe filled gasp from our Kingyo. Rolling up the scroll I put it into the back pocket of my shorts before hitting the flint and steel together over my board. A spark catches on the board, bending down I start to softly blow on it to spread the spark into a flame. Grabbing the torch I head back over to the start of the lean to. Waving the torch around I find some old rotten crates not to far from the lean to, more towards the center of the room. What looks like the corner of a tarp hangs out of a hole in the side of the box.
"That will work." I mutter walking over to the box, sitting down my torch I grab the side of the crate and pull the aged rotten wood. It breaks easily in my grip exposing forgotten tarps. A relieved smile spreads across my lips as I pull my find free of the box. Looking the trap over I luck out to see very few rips or tares, tucking it under my arm I grab my torch and head over to finishing the lean to up. Wrapping the tarp around the beams I start to gather loose board from the rotten crates and other things to make a fire. Once I have enough I head back over to the lean to and start to hand dig a pit for the fire. Once it is deep enough I place the wood into a teape shape and place my torch under it in the center.
'If I remember correctly, my father used to do this all the time. He always said use the smallest twigs first until you can keep a nice flame then slowly add the bigger stuff.' I think following those instructions from my previous life. Soon the fire is big enough to keep us warm, standing up I head back over to kids.
"Okay, I got us a shelter and fire set up." I say grabbing our packs and slinging them over my shoulders. Nariko stands up holding tightly to Kosuke as he sleeps in his arms.
"Thank you Ane." He whispers with tears in his eyes heading to the lean to. Guilt gnaws at my gut at the thankfulness in his older looking eyes. Shaking my head of dark thoughts I turn to Kingyo and look at her questioningly.
"Aren't you going too. There is enough room and warmth." I asks watching as she jumps then looks down at the dirt under her bare feet.
"I'm not worth it." She whispers digging one finger into the ground and making marks.
"I have very little chakra, nor any skills" She whispers tears darkening the ground around her feet.
"Hey" I whisper crouching down in front of her.
"You are worth it. So what if you don't have much chakra? I don't have much either and besides, I can teach you a different way to protect yourself." I say placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I told you, you are safe with us. Your part of my pack now Kingyo. You're my responsibility just like my two Ototo's." I tilt my head to make eye contact with her.
"I'll keep you safe, for however long you choose." I say holding eye contact. Her eyes fill with tears as she nods her head in agreement.
"Thank you." She whispers before standing up and following me to our lean to. That night we all snuggle up on the hard ground keeping each other warm with our body heat. That night I learn my Kingyo is actually a bastard member of the Hoshigaki clan. Her Okaa-san was a whore in the red light district while her Otou-san was a ninja. Her Okaa-san died from a client getting to rough and choking her to death. After that she was taken in by the Hoshigaki clan only for them to mistreat her one they found out she didn't have the massive amounts of chakura like the rest of her clan. They started to call her Kainashi, the poor child was only six and forgot her name because of those people.
"Well lets just choose you a new name." I whisper running my fingers through Kosuke's hair as he sleeps curled up to my chest, Nariko is snuggled into my other side his head laying on my shoulder with his back against the wall. Kingyo sets up next to us and looks at me with wide expressive black eyes.
"So just pick any name I like?" she asks tilting her head to the side in a cute confused way.
"Well yes. Do you have any thoughts on a name you like?" I ask watching as she looks away from me to the fire.
"I got one how about Hama?" Nariko voices only for her face to scrunch up in distaste.
"Okay then Kishi? No." I chime in only for her to shake her head.
"Nami? R-Ran? Taura?" Nariko asks with a yawn, only for her to shake her head again.
"Alright, well how about Umiko its a cute name." I say going to one of the last names I can think of.
"Umiko? I think I like that one." She says with a soft smile on her face.
"Good. Now sleep Umiko tomorrow is another day, and we'll have to find food first thing." I say placing my other hand on Nariko's head. Umiko nods her head before laying down. 'Maybe I can make her into Nariko's right hand like Lord Akio was for Otou-san.'
"Thank you, Mika-san, Nariko-san." She whispers laying down away from us.
"Your welcome Umiko." I whisper closing my eyes. 'She's just a child, so I have to be careful. I won't become like Danzo.'
"You can always move closer to us too. It will be warmer if we all share our body heat." I yawn out before allowing myself to fall into a light sleep.
Days and weeks blend together as I keep my small pack safe. Umiko slowly grew to trust us and became our shadow. With her help I found streams that ran through the village and was able to pull out all kinds of freshwater seafood. Her eyes light up as she watched me catch small fish, shrimp, eels, snakes, turtles, and crayfish and explained how to catch them and ways to cook them. I even showed her how to make small traps to catch any birds of small mammals that were running around. The first time I roasted up a rat and handed it to her, I laughed up a storm.
"Don't turn your nose up at meat, Umiko. Food is food, you have to make do and eat what you can when you can or you'll die." I said handing a rat to each of my brothers only for then you tear into it with a vicious hunger of growing boys. Taking a bite of my own I ignore the small part of my mind that screams in disgust for what I'm eating. My stomach thanks me for that. After that I started to teach Umiko the samurai way along with Nariko and Kosuke, just like my Otou-san taught me and Rinku. Umiko has no talent for a katana like Nariko. So I started to teach her to use a Naginata like one of the clans that served my Okaa-san. Remembering the moves and how to hold the Naginata like the Goda clan was difficult but it was drilled into my head by Lord Akio. Everything about the clans that served under my Otou-san and their fighting styles was pounded into my mind. Little Kosuke started to learn the Kusarigama like the Doi clan and some of the Uzumaki stanses. After about four months of this, and seeing that Nariko and Umiko knew enough to protect our "home" I finally went farther than two blocks away and entered the red light district.
Tucking a kunai into my shorts under the remainder of my kimono skirt, I grab my tanto and tie it to my waist. Pulling my hair into a tight bun on my head, I turn to my little pack.
"Don't worry. I won't be gone for long. Just need to figure out the lay of the village and possibly find us some supplies."
"Ane, can you get us some sweet bean cakes?" Little Kosuke asks with wide ocean blue eyes and dirt smeared across his pale skin. A wide grin pulls at my lips exposing my white teeth, my eyes to crinkle in the corners as I kneel down to his height and place my hand on top of his head.
"I will bring all of you back a bean cake. It's what you three deserve for all of your hard work." I say squinting my eyes as my smile widens, Kosuke throws his body into my own and wraps his arms around me.
"Thank you Ane." He whispers, patting his back I pull away and look Nariko and Umiko in the eyes. Walking over I place my hands on both their shoulders.
"You two are in charge while I'm out. No one leaves our base and no one comes in." I say squeezing their shoulders.
"We know Anue." Nariko says only for Umiko to nod her head in agreement.
"We'll be careful Mika-san." She says with a neutral face, her little hand holds tightly to her Naginata as she tries to stand strong.
"You can call me Anue too, Umiko." I smile down at her,
"Remember to keep our boys safe young one. Their not as smart as us." I whisper the last part earning a giggle from Umiko.
"I will Mi-I mean Anue." She says with a wide smile showing off her straight white teeth. Nodding my head one last time I let go of her shoulder. Turning around I head out the opening out into the cool, damp, mist. My right hand sits on the handle of my tonto while I square my shoulders. Passing by what is considered Civilians in this village, I duck into alleyways until I see the start of red doors. My grip on my tonto tightens as I make my way out into the crowds ignoring the hungry eyes that try to rip my flesh from bone. Keeping my steps firm I walk like a true predator through the roads. My blue eyes catch a stall that is selling meats. Small game, hang from the side of his stall while small fish lay on the table. Walking over to the stall I grab a scroll from my left side pocket. Holding it tightly I stare at the old man that runs it in his dark brown almost black eyes.
"I have what you asked for." The black leather digs into the flesh of my palm as my grip tightens on my tonto's handle. The old man's lips part in a grin exposing his toothless mouth.
"Ah if it isn't the little huntress. You have the meats and herbs I requested? Good, good." He hums clearing a spot on the old wooden table.
"Well what are you waiting for? Let me see." Ripping my fingers free of the leather, I roll out my scroll on the cleared spot of the table. Pumping my chakra into the seal three rabbits, four fish, two eles, three birds and a bunch of wild herbs pop out with a puff of smoke on the table. Grabbing the first rabbit in a swift movement he looks it over.
"Not bad, huntress." Reaching under his table he pulls out a stack of furs and hands them over to me.
"As agreed, twenty taned furs from the animals I have sold." Grabbing the stack I look them over, with a nod I look the man back into his dark eyes.
"Thanks Butcher, I'll be off then." His gummy smile twists his face into a sick look of glee as I seal the furs into my scroll.
"Oh! I almost forgot. There are rumors about a noble girl from Iron that disappeared during a purge with her two younger brothers." My hand grabs my tanto in a white knuckled grip, the leather bites into the flesh of my palm.
"The rumors also say that the clansmen that served that girls Otou-san are in revolt against the Shogun. The Silver Stain is on the move carving his way through the traitors lands. Interestingly enough another young woman with his feachers is gathering the revolting people." With a blank face I ask.
"What are you saying, old man." His smile turns serious causing the scars over the left side of his face to become more pronounced.
"You need to be very careful, Huntress. Not all that search for this girl are with her, yet not all are against her. Most wish to see her clan avenged and for that massacure to never befall another clan. While others would take out their revenge on her and her Ototo's. War is on the horizon, and this girl will have to work hard and fast to save those whose loyalty still lies with her." His eyes flash an amber color before dark brown takes back over. A trick of the light to anyone who doesn't remember that this is a ninja world and anything is possible.
"I'll remember that, Butcher. And if I find this girl you'll be the first to know." with a quick bow placing one fist over my heart I disappear into the crowd and head to the next merchant pushing the concerning conversation in the back of my mind. After tradeding the furs for two spools of cotton, the cotton for a spool of silk, the silk for a small blade, then the blade for spices and three bean cakes. I finally make my way back home. Passing by alleyways and ducking corners I stop when I hear a scream.
"STOP! Someone he-" I hear a young girl yell only to be cut off by a slap that echoes triggering past memories. Peeking down an alleyway I see a grotesque man with a ninja headband tied around his arm holding down a girl not much older than Nariko. He grabs at her pants trying to pull them off while pinning her by her neck on the dirty ground. Red blinds my vision as I pull out my tonto and sneak down the alley. He hits her again and she cries out, lifting my blade I dive it into his back causing him to choke and cover the poor girl in his filthy crimson blood. Twisting the blade I yanked it out flinging his blood against the alley walls in an ark causing as much damage as I can, spinning on my right foot I kick this lowlife against the wall. The lowlife looks up at me with a face full of fear as I feel my eyes change. Sheathing my tonto, I pump wind chakra into my nails as I snear down at this disgusting creature.
"You will not live for what you tried to do in my territory." I growl out in an almost inhuman voice like the metal singers from my memories. I take sick pleasure out of that things screams as I rip my claws across his face, arms, and torso. His blood covers my face in red freckles and streaks, while dying my hands red. Once he stops moving I stand back and look at the mess I made. With a pleased growl, I turn and look at the girl huddled in a mess of torn clothes. Her short platinum blonde hair frames her pale skin, while large lavender eyes framed in dark lashes look up at me in fear. Bending my knees so I'm squatting I release my Kekkei Genkai and look at her with my ocean blue eyes.
"Are you alright?" I ask keeping an arm's length of distance between us just in case she tried to run. Her eyes filled with tears as she tries to pull her torn clothing back onto her small body.
"Don't worry I won't hurt you." I say pulling off my outer shirt leaving me in a plain white undershirt that is stained tan. Slowly I wrap my shirt around her only for her to throw her arms around my waist as she wailes in fear. My blood stained hands rub her back as I try to calm her. After what feels like hours her cries die down to silent sobs. Pulling away from me she wipes at her eyes with her small dirty hands.
"I need to get back to my clan." She whispers in a horse voice. Nodding my head in agreement I stand back up to my full height.
"Let me leave a message then I will take you home." I say in a firm yet soft voice that allows no arguments. Walking over to the scum I tore apart I bind down. Reaching out with two of my fingers I dip my fingers in his cooling blood and write on the alley wall. 'Rapist. Child molester.' Turning away from the wall I face the young girl with a wide smile.
"Let's get you home." Slowly the young girl stands on shaky legs like a newborn dear. Once her legs are able to hold her, she stumbles past me and starts to head to her clan grounds. Sticking close behind her I keep watch as the tall square building or the red light district slowly turn into the round circular ones with the tall walls keeping that keep them contained of the clan compounds. All of the buildings and walls are made of white adobe and dark brown tiles and slats give it that very traditional japanese feel. The mist is thicker and swirls around our feet making it harder for me to see the small girl not even feet in front of me. Her frame fades in and out of the thick white mist like some kind of ghost. She stops as a dark shape of a door comes into view. Slowly turning she looks up at me with wide purple eyes before pushing the door open.
"Um T-thank you." The girl whispers out in a soft voice. Reaching out I rub my hand over the top of her head gently.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there sooner." I grow out in frustration, releasing a breath I soften my expression.
"You need to get inside." My hand moves down to rest inbetween her shoulders, with a soft shove I push her through the door.
"Take a bath and get stronger from this." I say turning around and heading back the way I came without a glance back.
After the day Mika saved that clan child and painted with blood on the alleyway walls proving the crimes of the scum that called himself a shinobi, more shinobi have been through the red light and trading districts. The civilians that live in both districts whisper about the demon that could do such a thing to a man. Whispers spread of him deserving it along with names of other scum that dishonor the title of shinobi that deserve the same fate. Naruko was furious when Mika came home covered in blood and told him of what happened. Umiko was not in much of a better state. But none of them would realize the spark she had started that would turn into a burning hot flame.
Mangetsu's pov
It has been a week since Fuugetsu came back in a strangers kimono top, her own clothes torn and ripped. Her left eye bruised and lips cracked flecks of crimson blood across her face like freckles. Large bruises in the shape of hand prints covered her arms and framed her neck in a sick necklace, yet the handprints of a child in blood sit lightly on her upper arms. Almost like they blessed her from more pain than my poor clanmate deserves to endure. I sat next to my Otou-san as he spoke to Fuugetsu hours later. She spoke of the ninja that attacked her and tried to force himself on her. The terror in her eyes and the quiver in her voice had anger and bile rising in my throat. When she spoke of how she screamed for help and no one came to her aid. My otou-sans fist clenched in anger, his jaw tightening as he grits his teeth. Then she speaks of a blade stabbing through the man from behind. Her eyes light up in a way I have never seen as she tells us of the splatter of the man's blood on the alleyway wall as the blade was ripped out of the man's back, then she speaks of him being kicked into the wall revealing a child not much younger than myself. She described her face as in a snarl showing of long canines that could rip out a man's throat. Her blue eyes glowed in the pale light reflecting amber like predators. She tells us how she sheaths her tonto and coats her claws in wind chakra and screams in an inhuman growl.
"You will not live for what you tried to do in my territory." Then proceeds to jump on the man like a savage animal and rip the man to pieces with her bare hands. Once the man stopped moving the demon because what else could this child be if it could rip a full grown man apart, turned to Fuugetsu and asked if she was alright. Fuugetsu laughs as she tells us that this demon had the face of a ten year old girl, crimson painting her flesh yet her blue eyes where wide and full of genuine worry about her. A girl she didn't even know. She spoke of how she wrote in the man's blood of his crimes in the alleyway wall then proceed to give Fuugetsu the old kimono top off her own back and follow her home, just so she knew that she made it. Otou-san took in this story with a thoughtful hum seeing the truth in Fuugetsu's eyes.
"Fuugetsu if you see this girl I want you to notify me immediately." With a nod of her head she was dismissed.
"Mangetsu, I want you to stay away from this demon."
"Why Otou-san, if she helped Fuugetsu shouldn't we find out why?" I ask only for my otou-san's cold violet eyes to look down on me from his blank face.
"Nothing good ever comes from people like this demon." He says standing up leaving the room only to stop at the door way.
"She will invite ruin Mangetsu, and no one ever does anything for free. Remember that son." He says leaving me to my thoughts.
'But what if she's nothing like the others? Otou-san could be wrong and she could be a savior instead of a distoryor.' I wonder, thinking over everything Fuugetsu said and how she described the girl.
'There is only one way to find out. I'll find this girl and see if shes a demon of destruction or a child that will bring about our salvation.'
My plan on finding this girl was simple. Find the girl with long brown hair and blue eyes in the red light district and follow her to see if she was the one. Only thing i didnt think through was how many girls there are with brown hair and blue eyes. Weeks passed with failure after failure as all the girls in the age group turn out to be just normal children or as normal as one can be coming from a village like Kiri. My instructors and classmates began to notice my mood change as disappointment hung around me like a cloud.
"Alright Mangetsu! Spit it out! What is up your ass and got you in such a funk?!" Zabuza a brat that butchered a whole class of ginin yells throwing a punch at me as I carelessly knock it to the side without a care.
"Do you know how hard it is to find one person when there are a lot of people that fit their description." I mumble out only to catch the ears of some of the other swordsman trainees.
"What does Hozuki have a crush on someone?" One of the kids laughs out.
"I feel sorry for the girl or boy that got his attention." Another laughs, Zabuza stops throwing punches to look at me with confusion.
"Why are you looking for someone?" He asks with a mad gleam in his eyes that reminds me of a hungry beast that will never be satisfied.
"I wish to find out what kind of person they are." I state.
"What will you do if they are not what you expect?" Kisame chimes in startling me with his unexpected commit.
"Then I'll deal with them how I see fit." I say in a sharp tone causing Kisame to nod and Zabuza's eyes to sharpen.
"Where are you trying to find this person?" Kisame asks.
"I've been told that they travel through the red light district everyday. Yet I have not been able to find them." I state turning to my two companions and ignoring the rest of them. Kisame rests his head in his hand as he thinks only for Zabuza to sigh.
"Really? Have you ever thought to pay one of the villagers for info? If its the red light district then they would all rat out someone for a price." Zabuza says it a disgusted tone that tells me he has had first hand experience with this fact.
"They would really turn in one of their own?" I ask in mild shock looking at the youngest nod his head in confirmation.
"You would be surprised what people would do for money Hosuki."
Hi everyone I know it's been awhile but i've had a busy summer with working and just started up school again so I should be updating again on a monthly bases. Next chapter we will see more of Mangetsu's pov and how the relationship between him and Mika will unfurl. I know this one is a little shorter than my normal but I really hope you like it and will send me feed back. Like I said I don't have a beta so if anyone would like to be it let me know. Again thank you for reading! See you next month!
