I do not own anything.
Poison Dove & Maelstrom Fox
Chapter 15 - Steam and Toxicity Pt.3
"Ow!"
Tsukino couldn't help but giggle alongside Han, who kept his amusement repressed to a single chuckle. "That makes twelve."
Even the stinging pain fades, annoyance had kept the scowl remaining on the blonde's face. "Seriously? How come none of you are getting bitten the same way I am?"
Almost immediately after asking his question, Naruto regretted it. Han looked at him with mild amusement before continuing onward. The clanking of his red armor was answer enough. Ontake gave him a sour glare then got back to walking side by side his fellow Stone ninja. Semiramis laughed in his ear, a trait he'd become begrudgingly used to. She wasn't alone as on the physical plain, Tsukino and Goichi were getting their laughs in before continuing.
"My village and the Hidden Village have had contact, so naturally we've developed ointments and such to keep the various insects away." Stated the white-haired girl. "I would have given you some, but..."
"You ran off before we could finish explaining. Once the bugs started coming to you, well, nothing like a good laugh to lighten the mood, huh?" Added Goichi before turning his back to the steaming blond.
As angry as he was, Naruto knew they had a point. He'd jumped the gun, again. Even his inner demon jumped in, though he was thankful that it was a light chuckle instead of roaring fit like he'd come to expect. Holding back his irritation, he continued to trudge through the literal sea of vines and tree roots that lay ahead of them. Tsukino moved to his side and held out a bottle with an insignia written on it. Naruto didn't need to think hard about what it was; granted, he told her he had no intention of slowing down. That was fine with her as she just applied the lotion to the exposed portions of his body. So far, he hadn't collapsed into pain or showed any signs of discomfort. On one hand, that could be owed to his natural robustness. On the other, it was owed to the spiritual entity that walked side by side with him.
The Servant silently noted how the landscape had steadily changed the further out they went. Rocky hills and meadows were gradually giving way to deeper and greener forests. They'd departed from the Hidden Moon Village going on a full day ago. In a little more than half an hour, it would be sunset. She knew without a doubt they could only press themselves a little further before having to stop and make camp for the night. Semiramis wasn't stupid, she registered the changing terrain and the fact that it was not theirs, but their soon-to-be enemies'. Crossing into enemy territory was dangerous, especially when they had little to go on. Even their guide, Goichi, outright told them that the closer they got to the village, the more dangerous things could become. Not even young Tsukino had batted an eye hearing this. As ninja, danger was something they were used to. As a Servant, well, Semiramis liked to think her station spoke for itself. While she may not have been a "frontline queen" like a handful of other Heroic Spirits, she had picked up a thing or two.
It wasn't quite the group she planned on traveling with, but she supposed it was better than nothing. Of the two Stone Ninja, Han had shown himself to be the more reasonable on account of not letting Naruto's Leaf headband stop him from treating the younger boy like an ally. Yet, that's exactly what unnerved her. She watched his armor-clad form more than his partner, Ontake. The two seemed to have a working enough relationship, but it was obvious that of a handler and his charge. Semiramis had long-since deduced that the hat-wearing shinobi was special in some way and was ordered to both keep an eye on him and keep him safe. Their clashing personalities didn't exactly make that easy. Having fought alongside him, Naruto seemed somewhat enamored with him. It was both amusing and frustrating since it made her protecting him a tad harder.
Tsukino had been an unexpected addition to the team. Even Semiramis had raised an eyebrow when she declared her intention to come with them. Naturally, her father had tried to shoot her down.
"Absolutely not! You have provided this man medical aid and seen to his recovery, that is more than enough, Tsukino!" Shouted the leader of the Village Hidden under the Moon with a deep frown on his voice. The gravity of his voice had shaken the meeting room and stunned nearly all its occupants into silence.
Not all of them though, especially the one his voice was aimed.
The brown-skinned teen sat there, defiant of her father's words and his anger. Semiramis had to give her credit for that. "Respectfully, father, I can do more. I want to do more." Credit had to be given to Tsukino, she was keeping her voice level in spite of the red-hot emotions running through her. She remained respectfully silent as the future village head continued her defiance. "This is a threat that threatens us as well. As a villager-no, as the Hidden Moon Village's future leader, I cannot sit ideally by and do nothing. It will only be a matter of time until those in the Hidden Vine Village turn their sights to us. Would you have us casually wait until that day comes? We have the opportunity to do something about it now, and we have the power to do so."
Though she'd been referring to all of them as a collective, Naruto stood out. She saw it in the way Tsukino's eyes drifted toward the blond. Remarkably, he caught her sideways glance. He blushed. Semiramis had suppressed a chuckle of amusement, and she wasn't the only one as he could see Han keeping himself reserved as well. Sensing the baton was about to be passed, Naruto jumped forward to take hold of it.
"Lord Tsukinari, I-I promise, I'll protect her with my life, I promise!" He sat upright, bold and ready to weather any accusation or worry the village head might have thrown at him.
"You have our word, Lord Tsukinari." It was only natural for Semiramis to back up her Master, that's what she told herself. In truth though, a part of her had grown fond of the white-haired kunoichi, fond enough that she did feel a desire to look after her. She didn't immediately reject her, even if her presence at first made her uneasy. "We will see to it that your daughter returns home safe and sound."
It was a tall order, one that in retrospect, they probably should have thought through. Semiramis normally would have been berating herself over agreeing to look after someone else when she already had one charge to oversee. Instead, as she watched Naruto and Tsukino's faces morph into bright smiles as the village head gave his approval, she only felt an odd sense of…peace.
Hanging around you is making me feel less like a queen or a Servant, and more like…I don't even know how to describe it. Mused the black-haired woman while the humans continued their track through ever-increasing wild and green terrain. The Assassin had to admit, there was something oddly enticing about the green wastes they were traversing. She had to admit, it was a beautiful land compared to the arid terrain she'd grown up in; if she could, she wouldn't have minded stopping to enjoy the scenery a bit more. Provided nothing came out to attack them.
"We should start looking at setting up camp for the night. Pressing onward at night, it could be dangerous, fatal even." Goichi stated, coming to a stop on a tree branch almost half the size of a town block. That was one thing the group had taken immediate notice of - the trees had gotten much bigger as they'd moved deeper into the Land of Fruit.
"You don't say." Grunted Ontake as he peered ahead into the forest. Light was fading, and without it, they'd be in real deep trouble if the enemy chose to mount an attack. While Ontake knew he and Han were capable of fighting off anything the village could throw at them, it was their "baggage" that worried him. Said baggage was being given the cold stare. It didn't go unnoticed.
"Hey, I'm perfectly fine with setting up camp for the night and not causing any trouble." Shot back the blond defensively. He'd already been through this once, Sakura still got on him from time to time regarding the Bikōchū Beetle mission. "You guys can move rocks, so can't you create some sort of house for us to sleep in or something?"
"Yes, a stone home in the middle of the forest. I'm sure that won't draw any sort of attention." Snorted the scar-faced jonin.
It was then that Semiramis chose to reveal herself, literally. "With me here, you won't have much to worry about." Han's eyes bristled with interest while Ontake's simply narrowed in caution. In this world of ninja appearing out of thin air was most likely nothing unusual, but Semiramis had something else going for her - her natural aura of lethality and unease. Like a serpent silently crawling through the grass, she put all but a few on edge. "Make camp wherever you may wish, I will see to it that the sight is not discovered. That is if you're willing to take my word for it."
"I'm game." Noted Han, tucking his hand away into his haori. "What about you, Ontake?"
Everyone could see if Ontake could have, he would have slugged his compatriot hard enough it sent him over the edge. He kept his frustration in check though.
"Nightly patrols run on a twenty-minute rotation, and if we're going to avoid detection, we're going to have to leave the treetops and head low. We may end up having to go underground." Goichi stated, feeling it was safe enough to speak.
Ontake pointed to the headband fastened around his forehead. "We Hidden Stone ninja are more than capable of operating underground. It's those Leaf ninja we should probably worry about. You two aren't scared of going underground, are you? Where there's no light and crawling with bugs and rodents of all sorts?"
Naruto's face morphed into an enraged snarl. Tsukino immediately moved in front of him, her arms on his shoulders in an effort to keep his mounting anger from spilling out and causing a scene. Semiramis, on the other hand, went for a different approach.
"If there's something you wish to say to our faces, say it now. Ontake, I won't pretend to know all the details behind the Leaf-Stone feud, but for the moment I thought we agreed to put it on hold." Though level, her words carried a dark edge to them that had the Stone ninja fighting back a shiver. Even if the man had experience behind him, without a doubt, he'd ever encountered a woman like her. And if he didn't learn his lesson, the encounter would without a doubt prove fatal. "As soon as this mission is over, if we wish to engage us in battle, then by all means. I'll melt the flesh from your bones and send them back to your village. But all that will come after we've dealt with the matter at hand. You're a jonin, a high-ranked ninja, aren't you? Stop acting like a pouting child, and start acting like your station dictates, now."
The sounds of the forest filled the vacuum. Heartbeats drummed along in chests, some more frantically than others. Sweat had subtly begun to gather on the foreheads of the assembled ninja. Ontake's shivering was now on full display, and he could do nothing to stop it. Han remained where he was, perfectly cool and at peace as his partner realized just how hot a pot he'd landed himself in. The sporting thing to do would have been to help him out; however, one look in Semiramis direction told him that doing so would come with a grave cost. Besides, Ontake had landed himself in this mess, and it was up to him to get out of it. It wasn't that hard.
"Um, is your partner always this…assertive?" Whispered Goichi. During the standoff, he'd somehow found it in him to move next to Naruto's side. It certainly seemed to be the safest place at the moment.
"You get used to it." Chuckled the blond genin. "She means well, trust me on that."
As with before, Ontake did his best to return the Servant's glare, it didn't work. That left only one option. "We'll push on a little further ahead, then Han and I will create sufficient enough shelter for the night. At first light, we'll continue onward toward the village."
"Sounds great, it'll give you time to change your pants and boxers."
Unfiltered laughter broke out amongst the "audience". Red-faced, Ontake looked truly ready to lash out at his so-called comrade. If a fight did break out between them, it was plenty obvious who the victor would be, the only question was how amusing the show would be. Semiramis flashed Han a light smirk that the armored warrior caught. Tipping his hat to her, he was the first to leave. Ontake threw one last venomous glare at her then took off after his partner. No doubt the two ninja were going to be sharing words with one another. Harsh words.
Goichi decided to follow after them, partially so they didn't cause too much of a disturbance and get them all caught.
"Not to sound rude, but it sounded like you were enjoying that." Noted Tsukino.
Semiramis turned to the future leader with a soft smirk tugging at her lips. "One day, you'll surely come to understand the feeling. There truly is little in this world that can compare to reducing supposedly strong and tough men to pants-soiling children."
"You wouldn't happen to be talking about me, are you?" Inquired the whisker-faced blond.
"Hm, in the months we've come to know each other, have I ever dressed you down the same way I did Ontake?" She calmly fired back.
"Actually…you came close a few times, but I don't think it was ever that bad." Naruto admitted.
"Oh, I'm sure that's because you were growing on her, Naruto." Giggled the Hidden Moon kunoichi. She continued to laugh, heedless of the sharpen glare Semiramis shot her way. Rather than stick around, the Servant faded into a mass of light particles, the likes of which stood out sharply in the waning twilight. "What sort of jutsu is that? It's unlike any I've seen before."
"A…special kind that only Semi-chan can do." Hastily explained the genin. How the hell am I going to explain this when we get back to the village?
You still haven't figured something out yet? Honestly, just say it's a special jutsu perfected by my clan and usable only by us. Came his Servant's somewhat irritated voice. It seemed like every time his old village was brought up, Naruto's clarity seemed to focus elsewhere, as at other times it was like trying to wrangle the clouds themselves. If you wish it, I'll hold off on dematerializing in public, I'm aware it could…cause a disturbance.
Well, hopefully after I explain everything, everyone will start getting used to it like I have.
Gotten used to it…so I no longer frighten you?
As he ran, the container of the Nine-Tails looked to the side with an easy-go smile. Nope! Once the kunai and shurikens start flying, just trust me to have your back! You bailed me out last time, so let me return the favor this time, alright?
The "right" answer to that would have been to declare she wouldn't need his help. Even if they were heading into the unknown, Semiramis had full confidence she'd be able to handle the situation. That said, even she was capable of being surprised. For example, the blond ninja had thrown her one surprise after another. Her reactions to them had steadily broken what had been her established norm. With each passing day, Semiramis was coming to realize that wasn't such a bad thing.
Very well then, but don't overdo it.
By the time they'd chosen to stop and make camp for the night, the moon had climbed high into the sky. A waning crescent meaning in a few nights, the sky would be pitch black save for the presence of a handful of stars. Beneath the light, a campfire was made around which the humans sat and ate. Semiramis didn't join them, choosing to take up watch around the campsite. Given that she had no need to eat or sleep like her Master did, it was ideal. Furthering their luck, Han, Tsukino, Goichi, and Ontake had accepted letting her do so with little objection. Given their earlier back and forth, the fact that Ontake gave little resistance was something of a welcome relief. Han whispered that more than likely that just meant he was going to be sleeping with one eye open.
Knowing his Servant's class and nature, Naruto was reluctant to argue with the act.
The two Stone ninja once again showed their prowess by creating a dome-like building made of compact earth and soil. Naruto was speechless, while his knowledge of jutsu grew, he couldn't help but hope one day he'd learn such a move. It'd make nights in the wilderness much easier to endure. Once the dome was finished, Goichi stepped forward, a set of green-colored sheets held in his hands.
"Is that what your village calls camouflage?" Muttered Ontake.
It seemed Goichi was beginning to reach his limit with the Stone ninja's words. He gave him a short but highly irritated glare before throwing the sheets into the air before him. "Ninja Art: Obstruction of the Forest!"
Naruto and Tsukino's mouths dropped, Han's gaze widened slightly. The sheets, which upon closer examination looked to be made from stitched together leaves and moss, glowed green before sticking themselves to the earth dome as if they were magnets. From them, vine-like threads began to spread across the dome until it was completely covered.
"Genjutsu," Immediately deduced the steam-using ninja. His eyes lost focus for a second, and in that second he no longer saw a stone dome, but just another set of bushes and a tree. "That's what your village specializes in, the fauna that grows around your village can be used in ninjutsu and genjutsu."
"Quite so, it's this same moss that you saw which protects the village, making it hard for outsiders to discover its location." Goichi explained. "That said, there are holes in the defenses. Tomorrow, we'll go through one such hole to get to the village." Provided it hasn't been plugged up. When I left…
"You know, this moss actually feels kinda…soft." Stated the Leaf genin, feeling around where he knew the stone structure to be. "To be honest, I was thinking it was going to feel like seaweed or something."
"Oh no, we've got other material for that." Waved off Goichi. "For the record, we can also use this moss to fashion some pretty stealthy cloaks."
At that, Tsukino's eyes widened. For the first time, she looked around them, fear evident. "Um, s-speaking of which…we…we're safe here, right?"
"So long as Semiramis is standing watch, yep. If anything, you should really just worry about anyone stupid enough to attack us." Naruto answered in an attempt to calm her fears.
Han raised an eyebrow at his proclamation. "Let me take a wild guess, whoever that lady friend of yours gets a hold of is going to be wishing they were dead, right?" His face fell, which told Han all he needed to know. There was no fighting back the hardy laugh that rose from within his chest. "Sorry, sorry, it's just…well…you'll understand when you're older."
"Han." Challenged Ontake, shooting his companion a sour glance.
Almost every portion of Naruto's body was demanding for him to vocalize his confusion. Only a sliver of self-control kept the urge in check, but it wasn't a battle that could be sustained. Tsukino's hand found its way to his, something that surprised him. Stunned, he looked up to find her giving him the bravest smile he could. After he'd stood up for her, it seemed she was seeking to return the favor. Naruto made a mental note to pay her back for that.
Night dragged on, and with it, the activity of the ninja came to a slow crawl. Goichi and Ontake sat in the dome, scrolls and maps spread out before them. In spite of whatever building animosity between them, they'd put it aside so they could plan out their next move. They had to if they had any hope of seeing another sunset, or facing their respective loved ones and superiors with a head held high.
Within the dome, sleeping mats were laid out and filled up, for a while. Exhausted by the day's march, Tsukino shut her eyes and fell asleep almost instantly. Naruto feinted sleep beside her, silently watching her soft breaths to ensure she was truly at peace. Around him, Goichi and Ontake exchanged one last look between one another before hitting the pillows as well. All that left was Han, who rather than sleep on a bed, laid his back against the walls with his legs crossed. He looked more like he was about to meditate than anything. Something in Naruto's gut told him he wasn't going to be catching some shut-eye like the rest of them.
Almost half an hour later and he was right.
While everyone else was lost to their dreams, Naruto had managed to avoid falling asleep. Barely. He didn't like fighting off sleep, especially when he felt like he was in the mood for a nap or two. How Han moved so silently while in such heavy armor was a mystery to Naruto, one he wanted to solve.
Are you sure that's a question you want to be answered, brat?
What do you want now, you giant furball? Do you know something about that guy?
Silence. Naruto wasn't sure what he should have been expecting. After the…incident, things had mellowed out somewhat between the human and his inner demon, but not by much. If anything, they'd just fallen back into their usual relationship - which was one of mutual annoyance at best.
Doing his best, the blond rose from his sleeping mat and tip-toed out of the dome. A quick look around to make sure he was alone, then he was off. He prayed he was going in the right direction, and he was being quiet enough not to be detected. His mental link with Semiramis had gone silent, showing she was still focused on guard duty. Naruto hoped so as he was hoping for a private conversation with the Stone ninja who'd backed him up a few days before.
The bushes and trees were twice as big as those in the Land of Fire, quite a feat considering the country was now for its incredibly warm weather. Naruto knew he was making some noise as he moved along his path, he just hoped it wasn't enough to tip off Han. Around him, the familiar sounds of the forest began to pipe up, offering a welcoming sense of calm and relief. Perhaps the reason was it reminded him of the Leaf Village. He was so far from home and surrounded by strangers who he was still trying to figure out; as if to throw him a bone, he was given one little reminder of his birthplace.
Just out of curiosity, you're not hoping to find him somewhere taking a bath by himself, are you?
Of course, his inner demon had to choose such a time to bring up that moment. Gah! Are you ever going to let that go?!
Are you ever going to grow a brain? Just think of all you'd be able to do being able to realize basic little things like two plus two equals-
"Jeez! Will you shut up, you overgrown fox!? I do so have a functioning brain!" His limit had been reached, at long last the eruption came forward. Out in the middle of the forest with who knows what watching him. "…Dammit." He was lucky his Servant's mind was preoccupied, otherwise, Naruto was sure he would have been in for a scolding.
"Yo, over here!" Came a familiar voice that caused Naruto to go dead-still.
You know, back in the day, ninja were supposed to be stealthy. Drily chuckled the Nine-Tails.
Naruto grumbled through the bushes and tree roots until he reached the small clearing. There was a decent-sized lake that connected to a small stream that ran off through the forest, no doubt fending into a larger lake. Speaking of large, the boulders overlooking the lake were big enough for one to sit upon. Han was doing exactly that. The armor-wearing ninja tipped his hat to the genin, silently welcoming him to take a seat beside him. The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki did exactly that.
"Do you always keep your armor on, as in always-always?" He began.
"It's practically become a second skin for me. Besides, given the way I live my life, it's almost a requirement." Han bluntly answered.
Instead of immediately speaking, he mulled over the older ninja's answer. There were…a tad more than what he'd been expecting; the image they painted was one that had Naruto's hair standing on end. "Sounds pretty…dangerous. Heh, I guess it's sort of stupid of me to be saying that, being a ninja means living a life filled with nothing but danger."
"Threats to your life you can handle, it's the…more emotional and metaphysical things that can wear you down." A ruffle of steam came through the ports on his shoulders. They rolled across the clear-surfaced water. "It's not the scars on your body that leave an impact, more times than not, it's the events surrounding them. Those are the things that…take some time to heal." This time, the puff of steam came from the mouthpiece. "You understand what I'm talking about, don't you?"
Somewhere in the bushes, a cricket had begun its nightly melody. There was strange comfort in it. "I…don't have a lot of physical scars, but when it comes to the kind you can't see, I've…got a few of those. More than I'd like to admit."
"And yet you're here, still standing, still pressing on ahead."
Hearing that, the blond immediately looked away from the pond to the open-hearted stranger.
Orange eyes shined with subtle sympathy before turning back to the water. "Sometimes, certain people have it rougher than others. Those certain people…can either become forces for greater good or evil, or perhaps they just choose to lead quiet, ordinary lives. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, or I hope not. What do you think?"
"H-Huh? W-Well, I-I-I, um…well…I'm not gonna lie and say I haven't been through some rough crap, but I want to try to do some good in spite of it all. The way I see it…continuing on in spite of everything you've been through…I…I kind of think that's a pretty cool trait. Maybe not just as a ninja but…as a person." He paused to catch a quick breath. It was now Naruto's turn to ask the question, and he was hoping his unlikely ally didn't take offense to it. "Um, Han, do you wear all that armor to cover up the scars? Are they really that bad?"
Boastful laughter came through the red mask, the kind that put Naruto slightly at ease. "You talk to a war veteran and I promise you, they'll have a scar or two to show you. In my case, well, during the Third Shinobi World War I ran into quite a kunoichi, one scary enough she could give your lady friend a run for her money." That made Naruto paled with a shock and terrified look on his face
"S-Seriously?! What kind of monster could have given you a fight like that? What kind of woman could be that terrifying?!" Exclaimed the younger jinchūriki, feeling a shudder run through him as his mind began to dry up mental images. And for some reason, the blonde felt the rolling eyes of his inner demon after he asked those questions to the older shinobi.
Through his laughter, Han studied Naruto's reactions. Yep, clueless as they come. Either we lucked out, or someone's playing a very cruel joke. Strangely, he wanted to believe the first one since it was a tad more respectful to his old foes. His shoulders relaxing in spite of the painful memories, he reached upward and removed his hat. Naruto's mouth dropped as he saw the somewhat messy mop of rust-colored hair that dominated Han's head. "Were you expecting a shaved head like a monk?" A strangled gasp and shifty eyes answered the question for him. "You seemed pretty eager to help Goichi once he told his story. You do that often?"
"Is it wrong if I do? To be honest…I…kinda like missions where I get to help people more than spying or assassinations. Kind of childish, huh?"
The jonin shrugged. "That's you. In the ninja world, you'll find everyone has their preferences. Some prefer spying and surveillance missions while others choose to focus on assassinations because they either enjoy the work or they're good at it. Once you put on the headband, you have to grow and expand. In my case…well, I don't have any preferences, though I do admit - if I can get a good fight in, then I might lend an ear."
"Speaking of which, if you don't mind, how'd you become so strong? And that steam jutsu of yours, how do you do it? Is it a kekkei genkai or something like that?"
"You could say that," he wistfully answered, scratching the back of his head. "Truth is, in the Land of Water, there exists a clan able to use the steam kekkei genkai, but I'm not one of them. I got it through another way."
"What kind of way?"
"Trade secret, so sorry."
Naruto naturally pouted, but quickly rebounded. "What about your stone jutsu? That was pretty awesome, is there any chance I could use moves like that?"
"Depends," he eyed the younger jinchūriki. "Do you have an earth affinity?"
Confusion blossomed across his face. "Earth what? Um…I don't, yes, maybe?"
Don't tell me…The more he interacted with Naruto, the more Han was beginning to feel someone was playing a joke on them. Being the son of the Yellow Flash, he expected something a bit more…dignified, but then Han remembered the other person whose blood was flowing through the whisker-faced teen. It was a good thing Naruto had gotten used to his laughter because he didn't even fight to contain it. "I'm gonna take a guess and say you don't know much about nature transformations, do you?" Again, the look on his face spoke for itself. "Leaf Academy standards must have really slipped." Mused the mask-covered ninja. "Alright then, here's a free lesson. Chakra can be shaped into five different elements: fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning. As you can probably guess, these are the same elements from which the Five Great Nations draw their names and characteristics from."
The blonde's mouth opened to speak only to shut. A thoughtful frown encompassed his face. No doubt he'd seen elemental jutsu before, but never paid much thought to it. Now he was doing so and struggling to figure out where he fits into the mix. "So…could I have…a fire nature? Or whatever that means?"
"You mean your teacher never explained it to you?"
His face screwed up by a frown, the blond couldn't help but shake his head.
Silence took hold of the adult ninja. Though he had no idea who the kid's sensei was, Ōnoki and the rest of the Hidden Stone might have owed him or her, big time. That just left the question of what as Han to do.
"Well, guess when this mission is over, you'll just have to figure out what your chakra nature is. Who knows, it may even be lightning so it can beat my earth and water style." Declared the Stone ninja. "As you can probably guess, as some ninja grow, they become strong enough to use multiple chakra natures. A handful is able to use all five," a cool sigh left his mask. "My village's Second Tsuchikage and your village's Third Hokage were such people."
"What?! Seriously! The old man could use all five?!" Exclaimed the blond with an excited look, practically jumping out of his seat. Looking at his hands as his face broke, a shadow seemed to fall over his face. Han knew his expression well, a bit too well. "He…hey, Han, you fought in the Third Shinobi World War, right?"
"Yep, and let me tell you, it was quite a ride." Absentmindedly, he scratched at his armor. It was amazing how fondly he could look back on the memories of carnage and horror. "When your face is pressed to the fire, you find out who you really are. It can be a…telling experience, one you're unlikely to forget, even if you wish you could. Take what you see and learn though, use it to move forward. There are times that won't be easy, but those who are able to do so are usually the ones able to rise to the top. Usually." He finished with a chuckle.
It didn't go unnoticed. "You don't sound so sure of yourself. Not exactly the best kind of pep talk."
"I call it being realistic. In life, nothing is certain, nothing is promised, but if you let that stop you, then you won't go far in life. Is that acceptable for you?"
"Hell no!" Came the immediate blowback. "Who cares if the way ahead isn't clear, that doesn't mean you should just give up! I hate people like that!"
"And if the road ahead is filled with bloody battles?" Expectedly, there was a pause, but not one that Han was expecting. Naruto went silent, yet his eyes retained a hardness to them. Peering into his blue orbs, he could see different things - uncomfortable memories, painful memories. Somewhere, he was happy that the young blond had seen and probably felt trauma. Reaching over, he held his straw hat up for Naruto to see. His right index finger pointed to the implanted metal slab. "Once you put on your village's symbol, it means you're committing yourself to a life that's going to be filled with pain and discomfort. At times, it can get extremely tough, but I guess that's why you need someone to talk to. You have people like that?"
Finally, a smile came to his face. "Yeah, I got plenty of them." Then it dipped into a frown. "Then I…I've got people to see me through on my dark days, I just sort of hope I can do the same for them."
"Then do just that. Don't just stand there with a sad look on your face, go to them. Help them out. You may even end up making a new friend."
It took him a second to put the pieces together, once Naruto did so, he still had trouble accepting the picture. "You…and Ontake?"
"Would you believe me if I told you at one point, he deliberately tried to throw shuriken at my head and openly talked about using me for target practice?" Offered the giant.
"Er, no offense, but he goes on he'd like to do that now."
"Oh, that's just him being salty. Trust me, getting to know people is like digging through the rock. You're getting cut up, but at times you'll find something valuable or worthwhile. Apparently, you saw something valuable when Goichi explained his story."
"And what about you? Are you coming along because you want to stop the threat…or is it something else?" Inquired the Leaf ninja.
An eyebrow was raised as Han looked off into the forest. "You caught me, or shall I say, you caught my interest. I wanted to see what the kind who helped turn back the Sand-Sound Invasion was like in person."
His words were the hand that rung the bell, the reverberations. "Sand-Sound Invasion?! You mean…you mean…I'm famous?!" Now he was on his feet, childish giggles and thoughts completely overwriting his previous composure.
Han gave him a full two minutes before speaking. "Except you're shorter and a bit dumber than I thought you'd be."
Mouth-agape, the blond froze like a statue. It was a bad move as the action caused him to lose his balance and topple into the water. Waves spread out in all directions, staining the nearby grass wet and even some droplets ended up on Han's armor. Amusement played in the Stone ninja's eyes as the teenager righted himself.
"Hey! A little warning next time would be nice!" He shouted.
"Well, you probably should have thought of all that before you decided to do the happy dance on a rock before overlooking a body of water." Calmly retorted the brown-haired man. "Still, I can see you've got guts. Now, dry off and get back to sleep. It's going to be a big day tomorrow and you're going to need your strength." Silently, he watched as Naruto moved back onto land and attempted to do as he asked. Feeling merciful, Han helped him out. Following a set of hand signs, he held out his palms, a thin orange-colored aura surrounding them. Naruto gasped in surprise as he felt the moisture coating him immediately begin to evaporate. "If you ever pick up a fire nature, you'll pick up little perks like this."
Even though a tinge of embarrassment remained, Naruto was able to smile proudly. The warmth lingered on in his body, something he treasured.
"Han, thanks for…thanks for talking with me. You gonna get some sleep?"
"In a couple of minutes. Just focus on yourself, you're young and you've still got a ways to go."
The wind blew through the forest, causing a rustling of the leaves. It masked the footsteps of the young jinchūriki as he made his way back to camp. Hopefully, he'd be asleep a few minutes after laying down. Alone, Han placed his beloved straw hat back atop his head. Through the vast tree branches and leaves, he could make out the pale light of the moon. Just a few more nights until it was gone completely. Drawing his eyes from the celestial lantern, he noticed something rather unusual.
"Heh, spying on other people's conversations isn't exactly a very nice thing. Then again," He jumped from the rock to the ground. "From what I can gather, you're not a very nice lady. Don't worry, I'll behave myself around the kid."
For a moment longer, the dove lingered on the tree branch before taking flight. Its pure white feathers stood out in stark contrast to the dark forest surrounding it. Just as its owner stuck out like a sore thumb in a world that wasn't her own.
Tsukino winced as the metallic lid came off with a resounding clang. "You certainly weren't kidding about going underground."
"Not afraid of a few sewer rats, are you?" Ontake muttered, rolling his shoulders.
The white-haired girl gave him a stern frown, to which he merely chuckled. The metallic lid was six feet in diameter and little over the same feet in height. Han had bristled upon seeing it but reserved to go through none the same. Of course, he'd be last in line. Goichi would be first since he knew the tunnels the best. As he'd worked the screws on the lid, he'd prayed they hadn't been tampered with, and that no changes had been made in the days he'd been away from his village. He alone breathed a sigh of relief when the hinges came off and pure darkness stared back at him.
"Oh man, this is going to be a tight squeeze." Naruto murmured as he stared into the same blackness with a frown.
Actually, given your short stature, it shouldn't be too hard for you. Chimed his Servant with an audible snicker.
Gah! Not you too! How many people are going to make fun of my height! It's a cheap shot! The blue-eyed human complained.
Then grow a thicker skin.
With a huff, Naruto took the lead behind Goichi. No one argued with him, nor did they inquire about why his face had such a sour look upon it. Next went Ontake, then Tsukino, and lastly Han himself. As a spirit, Semiramis was right by Naruto's side, though not quite in the sense that was easy to explain. Luckily, the Stone ninja seemingly accepted the black-haired woman's ability to disappear and reappear almost whenever she wished so long as Naruto was nearby. It also provided for a good tactical advantage for when the time would come for battle.
Goichi held out a glow stick for them in order to light the way and ease tensions. Considering the sheer tightness of the space, it was an effort that was half successful and half failure. Not helping things were the sounds: water running through pipes, metal creaking, and the group's own breathing. All of it blended together into a mind-numbing melody that had the hairs of almost every team member standing on end. No one dared to make any unneeded sounds, creating a silent tension within the group. Each member's minds raced to paint pictures of what it is awaited them at the end of the darkness.
Neither of the Stone ninja had ever personally been to the Hidden Vine Village, but they knew enough of it to have an idea. Beautiful as it may have appeared, danger would be lurking around every corner. From what Goichi had explained, the village had become highly militarized so they'd have to take caution, more caution than either men would have liked. Tsukino, on the other hand, seen the village once before. A community built around several massive, eye-catching trees that seemingly stretched into the sky. Her memories of the place were a bit spotty, but the entire village had a warm and pleasant feel to it, like a tranquil farm. The thought of such a place becoming tainted made her stomach churn. Naruto alone didn't have much of an idea of what to expect, other than trouble. The chill racing up and down his spine was all too familiar. At heart, he was simply waiting for the uneasy feeling to be verified.
Thanks to the caboose of their group, it was.
"Something's happening."
"What?" Shouted Goichi, Naruto, and Tsukino all at once.
Like his partner, Ontake had his hand lying flat against the wall. He could sense the vibrations through them. "Han's right, something is going on around us, above us. We can't tell what, but it's sending vibrations through the earth itself."
Illuminated by the light, the fear in Goichi's eyes was almost heart-stopping. As fast as his crouched position could carry him, he began to move. Gnashing his teeth, Naruto followed with the others doing the same. Seconds ticked away, and with each passing one the tremors the Stone ninja felt grew stronger and stronger. The other three could hear them; that was saying nothing of Semiramis, whose pointed ears registered all that was going on beyond the tunnel.
They were about to walk straight into a slaughterhouse.
Naruto, brace yourself, you're about to step into the hornet's nest. There was a pause. Or shall I say, the lion's den.
Several loud bangs sounded from the front followed by Goichi's furious grunting. One final kick and metal groaned in defeat. Blinding light swept through the tunnel. Naruto picked up his pace, reaching it in a matter of seconds.
The first thing to hit his senses was the smell of blood, and then came the smoke. Briefly, he shut his eyes as tendrils of black and gray obscured his eyes. He only had a moment as his ears registered a decidedly feral and hostile snarl that was in no way human. Instinct taking over, he dropped to his knees, just in time to avoid a flying mass of fur and claws taking his head off. Heart-racing, he turned to get a look at the beast.
Naruto had seen a handful of tigers in his lifetime. Some were peaceful and well-off while others lived up to the fearsome reputation the species was known for. The one crouching before him was most certainly the latter.
It only took a single look into its vein-filled eyes to know this animal wasn't anything more than a mindless killing machine, never mind its size; so freakishly large it was without a doubt a product of the blood grapes. Its roar shook the flame-lit room seconds before it pounced.
SLISH!
"AH!" Cried Tsukino, watching the massive feline hit the floor, blood pooling from its split underside. The creature gave a pitiful whine before going completely still. Shaken, she looked to Naruto. Blood trickled from his Kitsune-ken, which trembled a little in his hands as he fought to regain some lost composure. "N-Naruto? Where's Goichi?"
Their answer came in the form of several rage-filled screams, human voices mixed in with the animalistic cries man-eaters. Orange and yellow flames danced around the teenagers with smoke snaking its way across the air. They readied to move, but a firm hand on each of their hands stopped them from acting. Ontake grunted as he pushed the teens down to the floor, barking for them to keep their heads down and hold their breaths. The reason why manifested a heartbeat later as azure-colored water exploded from the tunnel opening they'd just come through. Furiously, the water rushed outward as if a dam had been broken with the contents spilling out into the room. Raging flames crackled before being doused, the pattern continuing as outward into the other rooms. Their occupants were expectedly caught off guard by the water surge.
Almost as quickly as the flood came, it was over. Naruto coughed, "On second that, a water nature is sounding pretty cool right about now."
As he and Tsukino picked themselves up, Ontake and Han took off, their fists clenched and their eyes narrowed in cold focus.
"Apologies, I misspoke earlier, what I meant to say was you were all about to step into the tiger's den."
Stone-faced, Naruto rose to meet his pony-tailed Servant's eyes. Or he would have if she were facing them. Semiramis looked as dignified as could be standing in the flooded room, battle and mayhem sounding from the halls beyond them. Based on what they were hearing, the deluge had been but a temporary setback in the struggle taking place. Realizing that, Naruto summoned his second blade while Tsukino reached behind her back to draw her tanto.
"No need for that, I've deduced the number of enemies and will have the situation under control shortly. Naruto, Tsukino, please mind your heads." Internally, she smirked as Naruto got the hint. For the second time, Tsukino was brought low, literally. The two ninja were privy to the language of her native tongue, which to their unversed minds must have sounded like gibberish. Sumerian lettering manifested around her in a perfect circle. As the last of the incantation finished, the Servant's copper-colored eyes opened. "Several tiger-skinned rugs, several corpses for examination." From the lettering exploded several black-iron chains. Fueled by power the ninja world had never seen, they penetrated steel and cement walls, and eventually flesh.
"How on earth does she do that?!" Called Tsukino in startlement, listening to the sound. Her heart was racing as if she were in the middle of a battlefield, yet she knew the battle itself was about to come to a sudden and violent end.
"A woman's secrets, or that's what she keeps telling me!" Answered back the teenage boy who held the magically powered woman's leash.
It was almost like a symphony to her. A beautiful musical piece put together solely for her. Amidst the death cries and grunts of agony, there were several gasps of shock and even fear. Without a doubt, Semiramis knew she'd made an impression on the Vine Ninja resistance.
In the span of twenty-four seconds, she'd killed sixteen men and impaled six of those enhanced tigers. Not a bad record.
Mentally, she called off the chains thus causing the bodies she'd impaled to fall to the floor.
"Semiramis, not bad! It seems you're more dangerous than we first gave you credit!" Came Han's surprisingly laid-back voice.
"You'd do well not to forget it!" She called back before turning downward. "Tsukino, I imagine there must be injured and dying in this compound, perhaps it is best you see to treating them. Build up some likely lost good-will between your village and this one."
Seeing where she was going, Tsukino broke from Naruto's grip and bolted through the blackened wood and bodies, paying little heed to either. It was quite surprising given her earlier shock as what she'd emerged to was a rather gruesome scene. Fear, it seemed, had completely left her. Meanwhile, Naruto somewhat shakily got to his feet. After a quick look around the room, he turned to her with a wide grin.
"I said it once, and I'll say it again, Semiramis, that was awesome."
Pinkness slightly coloring her cheeks, the Assyrian Assassin turned her nose to her Master. "Compliment me when I've truly done something noteworthy. For now, come, I believe our work is far from finished."
She was right, and then some. They'd come right in the middle of an attack that had left the compound and everyone in it either dead or knocking on death's door. Every room contained a minimum of at least three bodies, some of them whole while others left no doubt what had been their cause of death-mauling by an animal. The sight was gruesome, so much that even the Servant took a moment to fully accept what her eyes fell upon. As a queen, she fully understood how the suppression of rebels worked, but said suppression could tell one quite a bit about the ruler in question. What her eyes showed her was that those who currently ruled the Hidden Vine Village carried little for those who weren't aboard with the "new direction".
With the battle over, the smell of death began to fill the secret base. It was going to take a while to erase, and even then the memories of what had happened would no doubt stay with the survivors.
Naruto and Semiramis found Goichi in what they assumed once was a meeting room of some sort. Scorch marks, claw marks, and of course blood-stains plastered the walls while furniture lay in torn and broken heaps everywhere. Though there were four groaning bodies, Goichi seemed to be focused on only one - an elderly-looking woman with graying black hair and eyes that were struggling to stay open. The blond gave his Servant a quick serious look she interpreted instantly.
"I can make no promises, but I will try." She declared as she made her way over. Seeing what she was about to do, Goichi wisely pulled back. As he watched magical light engulf Semiramis' hands, his fear and unease seemed to slacken a bit. Minutes passed, and slowly color began to return to the elder's face.
Seeing his Servant had a grip on things, Naruto slowly departed the room. Something in his gut was pulling him in a different direction. That feeling took him through a number of doors, past bodies, and lastly up a set of stairs. Already, he had a feeling of what was waiting for him on the other end. At the end of it, he came through a door he mindlessly pushed past. Briefly, he felt warm air tickle his skin and eyes before the smoke hit him. Riding the wind was the familiar odor of blood.
Fires were raging in the buildings around them, about several blocks of the landscape were simply burning away in broad daylight. Naruto's first impulse was to shout for something to be done, but his mind was focused on several other things. Beyond the row of small and decent-sized homes lay more elaborate and artistic buildings, structures that had been carved out or built from the massive trees that dotted the landscape. Verdant green leaves swayed in the wind like organic clouds. None of them though could compare to what lay at the heart of the village.
"That…must have been one hell of an acorn." Muttered the Leaf shinobi while his eyes drunk in the sight of the colossal tree that seemingly cast a shadow over the village. Branches the size of city streets stretched out in multiple directions, the leaves on each easily being as big as a house rooftop, maybe even more. Carved out, or perhaps even built, into the tree's trunk was a castle-style structure. Naruto took one look at the magnificent piece of architecture and knew his rag-tag team was going to be infiltrating it.
And perhaps burning it down.
The voice of his inner demon stunned him. "H-Hey, y-you're joking, right? U-Us tear down something that big? B-Besides, i-it's the village's brain or something, isn't it?"
It was actually unnerving him how little sarcasm there was in the Nine-Tails' voice. If Naruto didn't know any better, he'd almost say the Tailed Beast was feeling…bemused at seeing the massive structure. His next words only bolstered the sentiment, Not every tree is your friend, kit, and sometimes…some trees NEED to be cut down. Have you ever heard the expression, "root of all evil"?
"Don't you think that's…" His hand was subconsciously touching his stomach, again. Through it, Naruto felt a sliver of the giant fox's power, and its feelings.
The Nine-Tailed Fox was not happy.
I'll come right on out and say it, this chapter, well, this whole arc, is some foreshadowing for some events later on in the story. For example, a giant tree being the epicenter of something evil going on. You get three guesses. As for Kurama's reactions, well…the past of the Tailed Beast's is yet another blank slate to play with so I'm going to help myself. Until next time!