"HI EVERYBODY!" Edward said cheerfully. Sasuke's dull eyes lifted to him. Naruto was asleep in a tree.
"Where's Sakura?"
"She felt bad energy coming from…"
"I know. I can feel it too. Just forget about it." Edward got off his bicycle and knelt by Sasuke. "Which ankle?"
"Left."
Edward clapped and gently tapped Sasuke's leg. The skin sealed over the wound.
"I feel bad chakra coming from Cynthia." Sasuke said before Edward left. Edward turned his head to look at Sasuke.
"You don't say."
"This chakra is stronger than Naruto's when he gets angry and becomes the nine-tailed fox." Sasuke went on. "Has Cynthia been cursed, too?"
Edward was silent, staring at his bicycle.
"Yes. Cynthia has been cursed with the spirit of a dangerous demon called the Lalaurana. Yeah, it sounds like a girl's name, but this demon has been passed down through generations of the Suhn family tree. A Lalaurana is sort of a cross between a cat, a fox and a wolf. Intent on breaking the curse, her father did not name her Lalaurana, but Cynthia. Unlike Naruto, Cynthia's power can return at any time."
"How do you know about Naruto?" Sasuke asked, alarmed.
"Your sensei told me. Cynthia's power has awakened to its fullest."
"Does Cynthia…"
"No. Lalaurana—her aunt—told me before we left to come here. Thought I should know." Edward's eyes looked to Sasuke. He smirked. "Just be careful, y'know? She likes you a lot, you and Naruto. But when she transforms, don't hurt her. You want to try to bring back memories from her human half. That will turn her back."
"I know what you mean." He replied. He rubbed his ankle. It felt like nothing happened. He paused. "He likes me AND Naruto?"
"Yeah, so?"
"…How can she like two people of such different personalities?"
"I dunno. Hey, she likes me, doesn't she?" Edward winked. "You shoulda seen how weird I was before I came back."
Edward jumped on his bicycle. "Well, I got to go. I need to get reservations at some restaurant…"
Sasuke raised a hand in acknowledgement as Edward pedaled away. He finished his lunch and woke Naruto, telling him about his conversation with Edward. About halfway through, they were interrupted by an anguished human cry, that soon deepened into an inhuman growl.
"…Cynthia!"
Sasuke and Naruto arrived minutes after the shriek was heard. What they saw was anything but their friend.
Sakura lay not too far away. Her face was scored with claw marks and she seemed unconscious. Naruto rushed over immediately and looked at her "Shit…"
Sasuke was still staring at what was now Cynthia.
Her jaws slavered demonically, her tail whipped back and forth. She was huge, and her eyes were a scarlet red and glowing. Her pupils were mere slits. Cynthia looked at Sasuke and roared, her great teeth flashing in the fading sunlight.
Sasuke put his fingers together to form a seal, but Naruto stopped him. "REMEMBER! Ed said not to hurt her!"
Cynthia snapped at Sasuke, but Sasuke jumped back.
"Cynthia!" He burst out. "It's me! Sasuke! And that's Naruto! We're your friends!"
Cynthia batted a massive paw at a tree, knocking it from its roots.
"Cynthia! You're not a Lalaurana! You're human!"
Cynthia snapped her jaws at him again. Her eye twitched, as if she was uncomfortable, but she shook her head and roared.
Sasuke closed his eyes. Damn… What to do? (A/N: I created an "Inner Sasuke"… hah! Inner Sasuke is in BOLD ITALICS) Easy! You know what to do. …Never. DO IT DAMMIT! Shut up!
He gulped. This could mean his life, and he should just let Edward do it… But it would be too late. So…
He leaned over and kissed Cynthia's cat muzzle.
Cynthia froze, and Naruto stared. "Sasuke's got…"
Sasuke shot him a 'shut your face.' look.
Cynthia!
It was calling to her. Cynthia!
Cynthia growled, but not really. In reality, she was frozen. But in her mind, she was chasing this voice…
Cynthia! You're not a Lalaurana! You're human!
Sasuke's voice.
Sasuke felt the massive Lalaurana shiver. It was not long before he felt soft lips on his, and thin arms around him. Cynthia pulled away, shivering. She was human, but her eyes remained a Lalaurana's. She sat on her hind legs and put her arms ahead of her to keep balance. She whined unhappily.
"…So you turned her back into a human…" Naruto blinked. "But she's still a Lalaurana?"
Cynthia itched her ear with her foot.
"I guess so… NARUTO! What are you still doing here? Take Sakura back to the village!"
Edward strolled in. "Hello, all. How's life? …" He blinked and put on a look of mock outrage. "HOLY CRAP!"
Then he burst out laughing.
"WHAT THE HELL'S SO FUNNY?" Naruto screamed. "Sakura is unconscious and Cynthia's a raving cat-fox-wolf-whatever!"
"Yo, I'm called a Lalaurana, THANKS FOR SAYING!" Cynthia said smugly.
"GRAGGH! Cynthia, you're not catty anymore!"
Sakura sat up. "You totally fell for it." She wiped off her cuts with the back of her hand, laughing. "I can't believe you. You are so stupid! This is ketchup mixed with pine sap!"
Sasuke was just red, staring at Cynthia angrily.
"I didn't know you'd go so far, Sasuke!" Cynthia giggled.
"But… It was real… And… You were…"
"Yes, it was real. But just because I'm a freaky demon doesn't mean I don't have control over my mind!" Her face became grim. "However, all that Edward told you is true. My powers have returned, and I don't know when I will have to use them. Me being a demon was no joke." She looked at herself. She was barely dressed; there was a single Lalaurana skin wrapped around her, like any time she would turn into the murderous demon. "NEITHER IS ME BEING LIKE NAKED ED WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?"
"By the river." Ed laughed. "I left them in the tree so no one could take them."
"Thanks, Ed." She laughed. "Me and Ed and Sakura got you GOOD! You were SO worried!" She blinked. "Sakura, can you take me to the river?"
"Sure." Sakura jumped up and walked off with Cynthia. Before they disappeared, Cynthia looked over her shoulder. "And Sasuke?" She winked. "You're a good kisser."
"Yo, Sakura?" Cynthia began. She came out of the brush, typing the black belt around her waist as she did so.
"Yeah?" Sakura looked up from the water she was toying with.
"Are you sure you're okay with me kissing Sasuke?"
Sakura stopped. "W-what makes you think I would care?"
"I see how you act around him, you try to be the strong, sexy chick. Listen." She bent down to Sakura's ear. "Just stop trying. Sasuke's pretty into you, and pushing it won't help."
"Right." Sakura nodded.
"But there is one thing we agree on."
"And what's that?"
"Sasuke's damn hot."
"You got that right."
Meanwhile, back with Edward, Sasuke and Naruto…
Sasuke glared at Edward, "That was very bastardly of you…"
"Well, you know what I say. If they can fall for it, do it." Edward replied, still laughing. "Well, um, I never say that, but you get it. HAH!"
"THAT WAS NOT A GOOD PRANK!" Naruto complained. "You had us SO WORRIED IT WASN'T FUNNY! But of course I wasn't as worried as Sasuke, me being… Me!"
Sasuke was silent.
That felt GREAT! It did not… Stop lying, dammit. You like her more than I do. But you're me. I'm the ALTERNATE you. You just don't let me out sometimes. In fact, you've never even let me out ONCE in public! Shut up! I'm busy. I've got to find a way to get out of this training… And leaf Cynthia? Come on. You need this training anyway. So? I can learn it at any martial arts school. Really. Yeah, really. Yo. Outer Sasuke, you might want to look behind you. Sasuke turned around. What?
"SASUKE!"
Cynthia popped from the shadows. "What's up?"
Sasuke glared at her. "Leave me alone."
"What? Are you embarrassed?"
"Shut up."
"You are!"
"Cynthia, be quiet!"
"Why I…" She froze. Her eyes darted around, but her body was still. It can't be. She thought. Not here. NOT HERE! How can she be here? I can sense her strength… Cold sweat dripped down the side of her face.
"Cynthia? What's wrong?"
"…" Cynthia's eyes looked at Edward. Edward was alarmed to find them dark and bloodshot. "…She's here…"
"CYNTHIA!"
Cynthia darted behind Sasuke. "DON'T HURT ME!"
The bushed parted fiercely and a female head popped through, followed by a tall, slender body. Her face was screwed up in infinite anger. "Cynthia Suhn! You little bitch!"
The woman's face was pretty, but her personality was stern and fierce. Her black hair fell in a messy braid down her back, some of it hanging in unruly locks around her face. She wore a simple black-and-red striped t-shirt and jeans ripped at the knee, giving her a ratty look. There was white medical tape wound around her wrists then up around her palms. Her dark eyes were pierced with ferocity. A chain hung around her neck, but the charm fell into her shirt.
"Eek!" Cynthia cowered behind Sasuke. "Mihoshi Sensei! I…"
"Didn't stop to think!" Mihoshi interrupted. "Cynthia Lalaurana Suhn! You are in SO much trouble!"
"Sensei?" Naruto muttered. "I thought she went to that school…"
"Apparently this was her sensei before she went to the school…" Edward replied quietly.
"I could feel your energy from Tokyo! And once I got to Lalaurana's? I had to follow you BACK to Amestris and THEN to this god damn place! How could you release your power like that? I TOLD you NEVER to use it UNTIL you master it!"
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi Sensei!" Cynthia squealed. "It was a prank!"
"THEN IT WASN'T A HARMLESS ONE!" Mihoshi shouted in a shrill voice. "Your demon? YOUR INNER DEMON? Your inner demon is NOT yours to toy with! How could you use your demonic energy for a PRANK? You're even more foolish than you were before she left for Lalaurana's!"
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi Sensei!" Cynthia hid her face behind Sasuke. "I thought…"
"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD CONTROL IT?" Mihoshi continued in the same shrill voice. "Your could have KILLED these people! Lalauranas are dangerous creatures! Lalauranas are second in danger ONLY to the nine-tailed fox that was sealed away sixteen years ago!"
Naruto froze and listened. His face grew more and more sad as Mihoshi went on.
"That nine-tailed fox had to be SEALED AWAY which made it undefeatable! Lalauranas are this kind of creature. Lalauranas and the nine-tailed fox are close relatives. They are both capable of destroying COUNTRIES! They are unmerciful, they are evil, and most of all… THEY ARE JUST PLAIN EVIL!"
Naruto's blood began to boil, and his eyes became slits. It was one of those times when he was so angry he could just…
Kill someone.
Naruto threw himself at Mihoshi, tearing with his hands and biting with his teeth. His chakra was so strong it was visible.
"Mihoshi Sensei!" Cynthia cried in alarm.
Mihoshi laughed and skipped to the side. Naruto hit a tree. "This is the power of the nine-tailed fox?"
Sasuke shifted his weight on one foot. "You knew?"
"'Course I knew, dimwit."
"Don't call Sasuke-kun a dimwit!" Sakura complained.
Naruto growled demonically. Mihoshi just smirked. "Fox, my dear little fox." She jumped back, crossing her arms behind her back. "I could defeat you like this. You need to learn to control yourself when you're anger shows, like my idiot student."
Cynthia looked at the ground. Once she learned how to control her inner demon, she would become something in Mihoshi's eyes. That's the way it had always been.
Naruto lashed out with his fist, but Mihoshi caught it. She deftly twisted it violently to the side. Naruto gave an awkward yelp with pain.
Mihoshi laughed. "Little Naruto. You are weak, like Cynthia. Much like Cynthia, even weaker!"
She cocked her head towards Sasuke. "And your little Sharigan friend probably already guessed. I'm a ninja too, from this very village."
"What?" Sasuke's eyes widened. How did she know? "Why don't you have a head protector then?"
With a single hand, Mihoshi pulled the charm from her shirt. It was the same symbol as the Hidden Leaf Village.
"I prefer to go feminine."