Author Note: Hello everyone, it's been a long time since I last updated this story. This seems to be a reoccurring thing in my stories. However, I can't force myself to write something when I'm not in the mood. I like to put my heart and emotions into my works, and forcing that does the opposite. None the less, I've finally finished this chapter and hopefully, you'll all be happy with my work. Also, a little bit of information. I am currently in the process of reworking my first nine chapters and changing their format.
Please enjoy the chapter everyone!
Disclosure: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. I do own my original characters, though!
Kitsune Sanctuary
Chapter 10
Naruto's Mindscape
Naruto, believe it or not, is beginning to get used to waking up in places and/or situations he wasn't in before. It is due to this that the blond kitsune didn't even bat an eye when he found himself hanging upside down in a tree. Thick brown ropes are tightly coiled around him, which made movement all but impossible. Of course, that is most likely the ropes only purpose.
His sapphire-blue eyes shifted from left to right, and as expected, he saw familiar trees everywhere. The large trees that sprouted across Kitsune Sanctuary's dimension. Chewing on his lower lip in consideration, he finally decided to look toward the grassy floor. There standing below him is his lovely counterpart with narrowed crimson eyes. His lips thinned slightly, "I did something wrong, didn't I?" Naruto commented as if talking about the weather.
Yami's lips quirked up a smidge at the obvious question. "Oh, and what gives you that idea?" she replied with a single raised eyebrow. She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her left foot against the ground.
Naruto gained a thoughtful appearance before tilting his head upwards to stare at the tight ropes. He struggled against the ropes, managing to look quite comical before going limp. He waited a few moments for his body to stop swinging before meet her captor's eyes. "I can't really say, but call it intuition," he retorted with a grin causing Yami's eyes to flash with amusement.
His comment managed to drawl out a small snicker from her. "Damn it," she mumbled to herself, shaking her head lightly before pouting. "You're not supposed to make me laugh! I'm not very happy with you, mister!" she complained to which her prisoner only replied with a sort-of shrug. Shrugging is surprisingly tricky when one is tied up and hanging upside down. Who would have guessed?
"Would it help if I said I'm sorry?" he asked.
It is her turn to gain a thoughtful look. "Maybe if you know why you're apologizing in the first place," Yami replied simply, still staring up at her counterpart. She watched him scrunch up his face, and a couple of minutes of silence passed. "Here's a hint. What did you say you would do sometime after you woke up yesterday?" she questioned, giving him a hard knowing look. Depending on how he responded, his punishment would be lighter or harsher.
Naruto racked his brain, trying to think of what he said yesterday. He thought back to his last time in here with his crimson-eyed kitsune. He remembered how they wondered if their relationship is that of a sibling or not. How they reminisced on how they met one another. A gear in the blond's brain clicked into place, and an imaginary lightbulb appeared above over his head.
Mini-Flashback
"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed, "I was just thinking about how we first met," he answered truthfully. It is a good memory, one of his favorites. It was right up there when he first met his parents and discovered who he rightly was.
Yami's eyes twinkled, "You know, technically we've been together since birth," she informed him cheekily. After all, she is a part of him just as he is a part of her. They both share the same soul.
Naruto stared at her blandly. "You know what I meant,"he said pointedly to which she just shrugged her shoulders. Before he could talk again, he felt himself waking up as he started fading out of his mindscape. "Someone is trying to wake me up," he informed his other half, who looks disappointed. "I'll call you out later, Yami-chan," he said warmly.
"Bye, Naru-chan…" Yami said sadly as her other half completely vanished from their mindscape.
Mini-Flashback End
"Oh… Oops…" he mumbled out loud.
"Yes, oh is right. I waited all day yesterday for you to call me out. You never did, though, and for that, you must be punished," she stated evilly, her eyes twinkling mischievously. Her right hand reached behind her back, and the sun glinted off a sharp blade. She raised knife into the air and pointed the tip at the hanging blond. "Actions have consequences; forgetting me is a big no-no," she informed in a cutesy voice while wagging the blade at him. "I want you to know, this is going to hurt you more than it will hurt me," she said sadly, getting a bewildered look from Naruto.
"Wait! Isn't the saying, 'this will hurt me more than it hurts you'?" he questioned nervously, staring at the exceptionally sharp chef's knife. She didn't answer him, but the grin her face sported didn't help settle his nerves. She started moving, and he observed her carefully. His eyes slowly but surely began widening as he realized her goal. He swallowed roughly and started fighting the ropes with renewed vigor, but it was not meant to be. "No," he whispered, "No! Nooooo!" he cried out.
A little while later, Naruto stared wide-eyed at the scene in front of him. His sapphire-blue eyes filled with anguish and absolute betrayal but also a hint of acceptance. He listened to her moans of pleasure and the slurping of noodles. "Why," he croaked out brokenly. "Why would you do this to me? Why would you hurt me in such a way?" he asked pitifully.
Yami blinked and slowly removed the sizeable wooden bowl from her lips. She placed it down on a well-crafted oak table that looked like a large stump. She licked her lips of all the salty-goodness before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I told you, you needed to be punished. I can't have you forgetting about me. This is for your own good," she commented as if she was doing a great injustice. "But don't worry! I'll eat this next bowl of ramen in your name!" she chirped, filling her bowl up with homemade miso ramen with extra pork. The smell is divine and wafted over to the hanging prisoner. She quickly began devouring the contents of her seventh bowl, the sounds of whimpering in the background, not deterring her in the slightest.
Nami: Kitsune Campsite
Erza's amethyst eyes opened slowly and stared ahead at the cloth ceiling. She sat up and rubbed her eyes with her index and thumb tiredly before glancing over at her resting charges. Akane is cuddled into Aki with a small content smile on her face. Her cuddle partner was drooling lightly and seemed to be somewhat flushed. She decided not to pay attention to whatever the young kitsune is mumbling in her sleep.
She looked over at the only two males. Danno looked peaceful and so relaxed it almost made her yawn. Perhaps her charges were on to something because his resting pose is masterfully rehearsed. Finally, her blond charge seemed to have moved the most in his sleep. Naruto, at some point last night, must have tossed and turned. His feet are almost on top of Danno while his face rested a tad too close to Akane's rear end. She could be mistaken, but she almost swore she saw a tear when he whispered something about ramen. That boy has issues.
She watched them sleep for a few moments longer before quickly getting dressed in fresh clothing. A bit longer and she stepped out of the tent with her two swords resting on her back. Zipping the tent entrance back up, she moved over to the unlit fire pit. All that remained from last night's fire is whitish-grey ash that still gave off minor heat.
She sat down on the large log and glanced around their campsite. The sun has only just begun to illuminate the sky, painting it a variety of orange and red hues. You could still see some of the brighter stars twinkling in the sky, though, most are covered by the clouds lazing about. The forest surrounding their camp remained mostly shrouded in darkness, with only a few morning rays of light breaching the canopy above. Sparkling morning dewdrops glistened off the fresh grass.
She grabbed a small scroll on her hip and unrolled it. Pressing a smidge of chakra into it, a small portion of last night's dinner appeared. The scroll had done its job, preserving the warm juicy meat. A protein-rich meal and a flask of water later, she felt a morning rush of energy. She sealed her scrolls back up and let the food settle.
I need more intel. The small amount of information we uncovered yesterday isn't too useful. Akitsu is either in hiding or captured, and I don't know-how, she thought, not considering the possibility she had been slain. It doesn't help that I've been coerced into assisting these humans who probably didn't even attempt to help Akitsu, her tails swished angrily behind her. I need to interrogate some of the trash myself to get information on her whereabouts… her mind flashed back to her charges staring at her with fear at her brutal methods. Her tails drooped along with her shoulders. I can't have them seeing something like that again. It's best to go while they're resting, then, she concluded, her tail reaching into her faint morning shadow.
Her shadow darkened considerably into an unending abyss. A shadowy hand thrust outward, latching onto the cold damp grass. Her counterpart bathed in darkness, crawled out and stood in front of her. Like a mirror shattering, the blackness fell away, revealing an exact carbon copy of herself. To almost anyone, no one would be able to see a difference between them. Erza, on the other hand, could see the most considerable difference between her counterpart and herself. A lost spark in her eyes, the trust she once cultivated that vanished oh so long ago. The same spark she fought tooth and nail against yesterday evening.
Her other-half cracked her neck, "It's been a while, Erza. You don't call me out very much anymore," she said with a faint frown but only got a blank stare in return. She released a defeated sigh, "Leave the scroll with me. I'll feed the kits when they wake up," she said, holding out her hand. Once the scroll was grasped in her hand, she sat down on the log. "Go do what you have to do," she said coolly.
Erza nodded her head stiffly before turning away. "I shouldn't be gone long. If I'm not back before they awaken, make sure they are prepared for today," she ordered, leaping into the trees before vanishing into the shadows of the forest. A few jumps away, she mumbled lowly to herself, "Dammit."
Her counterpart stared off into the distance, a hand drifting toward a scar that marred both of their bodies. It tingled under her touch, which caused her to frown. She turned toward the tent where the kits slept and waited patiently for them to wake up. She has a feeling that today is going to be a rough day.
Nami: The Village
The lone red-haired kitsune stealthily danced in between the shadows of the buildings. None of the early risers of the villager spotted, nor heard her as she glided around them. She paid them no attention, as they are not her current objective. The civilians did not hold the information she required, for that, they should be thankful. So, instead of scouring the streets, she searched the dark alleys. The nesting ground of beasts, her current prey.
She circled the outer rim meticulously, eavesdropping on shady looking individuals. Some spoke of leaving this forsaken land and taking whatever they could. Whether it is originally their own belonging or not didn't seem to matter. She disregarded it as it is not essential. Another group spoke of their sexual deviance with a whore. More unneeded information. The more she heard, the more her disgust for these vermin grew.
She did not, however, give up on her search. Her diligence was eventually rewarded when she heard a tiny scream of pain. A sense of vindication swelled within her. Her prey has finally made their move, and possibly their last. She quietly dashed from shadow to shadow in search of the noise that reached her.
Erza stopped, blending in with the darkness when her amethyst eyes settled on a pathetic scene. Two grown men beating to small adolescent children. She watched one of the men slap a familiar young girl to the ground. Perhaps if her charges had been with her, her choice would have been different. Without them, however, she saw no reason to jump in to save them. Instead, she watched the scene to see which of the men she would interrogate.
"I'll ask once more brat, where'd you get the food?" a small olive-shaped man with short greasy black hair and uneven facial hair threatened. His lips protruded from his mouth, and his crooked smile showed off the gap between his two large yellow front teeth. His black beady eyes are spaced far enough apart that when combined with everything else, she could safely assume his family tree converged more than a few times.
His colleague, on the other hand, is a lanky man with a thin, angular face. His grey hair is mostly hidden under a red bandana, and he sported a morning shadow. His small dark-brown eyes have dark bags underneath them, which gave him a droopy appearance alongside with long thin nose. A few faint scars that looked like nails scratched down his face left her with a clear picture of what the man is capable of. Though, unlike his pudgy friend, he didn't seem terribly amused by his current situation. Instead, he lingered toward the back a bit with his arms crossed while watching.
"What's it matter to you!" a small boy barked out, drawing her attention away from her prey. The boy has short messy auburn hair that most likely hasn't seen the tail end of a brush in months. He wore dirty, ragged clothing that appeared to barely hold itself together. He stood protectively in front of the other child and glared at the men with defiant hazel eyes. A smidge of respect grew for the kid.
A soft whimper caught her sensitive ears, and she eyed the familiar young girl. Her eyes narrowed considerably, immediately recognizing the girl. Yumi, - she barely recalled - the one her blond charge protected in the streets early yesterday. The young dirty girl's left side of her face is swollen shut and already bruising quite fiercely. Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks as she watched from behind her protector. Her eyes caught a half-eaten ration bar.
The plump man snorted in amusement. "I like you kid, you got spirit!" the man chortled, then without provocation, his stumpy hand shot out. His fat fingers wrapped tightly around the boy's throat and lifted him off the ground. The boy kicked and clawed at the man's arm, which seemed to amuse the beast more. His grip tightened, and the boy grew more frantic.
His beady eyes turned toward the terrified girl sitting on the ground. His eyes trailed up and down the young girl's body for a moment before licking his lips. "You'll answer my question, right? You don't want to see your brother hurt, do you?" he questioned in a sickeningly sweet tone. He loosened his grip, and the boy choked in air, falling limp to focus on breathing. A moment is all he gave the boy before suddenly tightening once more.
"P-please, let him go!" she cried out.
"Uh-uh-uh, first, you have to be a good girl and answer me," he replied.
"A nice person gave them to me yesterday!" she said in defeat. She would give up her food to save her only remaining family. "Please, let him go! We'll give you the food, I promise!" she begged, fresh tears falling from her eyes. She reached into a small worn bag and pulled out the remaining bars to show him proof. The man laughed, which sent shivers down her spine.
He pudgy man loosened his grip once more, "Oh, I'm sure you will," he commented with a crooked grin. "You know what! I'll even do something nice just for you! I'll let your brother go," he chirped, dropping the boy hard onto his ass. He smiled when the girl looked relieved before quickly kneeing the child in the face.
The boy cried out in pain and grabbed his face. He felt dazed from the blow, and his nose didn't feel right. It hurt really bad just to touch it. He felt blood gushing out of it, but tried to ignore it while blinking rapidly. He turned toward his sister and started to crawl. He felt a sharp pain through his chest and a gasp from his sister. He looked down to see a piece of metal sticking out. He blinked in confusion for a moment before falling flat on his stomach. His last image was of his sister crying. Sorry, mommy… he thought before his world went dark, and silence claimed him.
"You see what you made me do? If you had just answered my question the first time, I wouldn't have had to kill the little shit. Maybe this will teach you to respect your betters," he chastised the girl who stared brokenly at her unmoving sibling. He kicked the body once more for good measure. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you now. I'm going to teach you how to be a good little girl," he said breathily, licking his lips. The girl didn't seem to even notice as she just continued to stare.
The lanky man grimaced at the scene in front of him. He has morals, not high morals, but enough to not attack children if it's unnecessary. Killing the boy was unwarranted, maybe knock him around to keep him from getting a big head, but that's it. What his fatass of a partner planned on doing to the little girl, more so. That girl is most likely mentally scarred if not broken and would probably have nightmares for a long time. "Buta," he started to say, not wanting this to go on before a cold feeling of dread surrounded him. He froze in place before his vision slid onto the floor. What just happened? He wondered for the last time.
"What?" the man growled out, turning around to see the headless body of his partner fall on the ground. Blood spurted out of the neck weakly, pooling into a shallow puddle. He choked on his own saliva when he suddenly felt a cold dread surround him. "W-what the hell?" the man stuttered, fear crawling at the man. His fight or flight instincts screaming at him to run. The hairs on his neck stood up as he felt something standing behind him. His head swiveled only to meet deadly amethyst eyes that raged like an inferno. He attempted to open his mouth, but a hand coiled around his neck. Sharp nails pierced the fatty flesh. Fear took full control, and a stream of warm yellow liquid dribbled down his legs.
"Filthy disgusting beast," she growled out, lifting the plump man off the ground. The man's legs dangled helplessly, his hands desperately plying at her own. She had been content to watch the scene play out until the two men were alone. So what if two humans got roughed up a little; it didn't matter how old they are. However, seeing the boy cut down from behind, brought up unwelcome memories. What the filth planned on doing afterward only added to her growing flames.
Her eyes looked down at the freshly made wound, blood gushing outward. She collapsed onto her back and looked up at her friend with betrayal. "W-why…," she choked out, blood trailing down her lips, "I thought…" she whispered.
She snarled at the terrified man before slamming him into a nearby wall. He gasped in shock from the impact but found breathing to be complicated. Her nails extended into small blades, digging into the man's fatty flesh around his neck. Fresh blood started trailing down his body, partially coating her hand and his clothes. "It's your unlucky day, vermin," she spat out through clenched teeth. "I need information, and you're going to tell me everything you know," she growled out, an aura of death surrounding her.
Scenes upon scenes of him dying brutally flashed before his eyes. Some of them saw this woman simply snapping his neck and discarding him like trash. Others showed her slowly dismembering him while still alive, splattering the area with his life's essence. This isn't how it's supposed to happen. He isn't supposed to deal with people - no monsters - likes this. He felt paralyzed as if someone froze him in place. He saw no other option but to comply or die at this monster's hands. "What do you want to know?" he choked out, fear evident in his words.
Erza flashed the man with an unsettling smile. "Tell me, what do you know about Gatō?" she asked, her voice suddenly even. She released some of the pressure around the man's neck, but her nails continued to dig into the flesh.
Buta took deep calming breaths now that he wasn't being choked to death. He watched the monster transform right before his eyes, yet he knew it's a trick. The monster before him held a thin unsettling smile, and her voice tempered. However, she could still feel the bloodlust in the air. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as his instincts continued to scream at him. "I-I don't know much about the man," he answered, hoping she'd just let him go.
"Oh?" she responded airly, "Are you sure?" she questioned, not believing him at all. "If you don't have any information, then what use are you?" she said simply, slowly drawling the blade from her back. She relished the feeling of this beast going stock-still in her grasp.
"Wait, wait!" he squealed. "I said I don't know much, but I know some things," he recanted his previous statement. "Gatō is a pipsqueak, but he has a lot of money. All I know is that he runs a big business, but he also smuggles drugs and stuff," he replied honestly.
Erza had already been aware of that information, but now she could begin digging, "What are his plans?" she inquired.
"How the hell should I know?" he shouted but regretted his attitude when the pressure around his throat grew. He started choking and clawing back her hand once more until the stress relieved. "Look," he said placatingly after getting his breathing back under control, "I'm just supposed to keep the people downtrodden! I'm not paid enough to know the boss's plan," he argued.
She narrowed her eyes. "Does your boss have any shinobi working for him?" she continued her questions. Erza, however, already has a gut feeling that Gatō does. Akitsu would never be captured, nor killed by someone with a bandits skill level. She would play with them while pretending to be a victim.
He swallowed nervously as sweat gathered around his forehead. This information would get him killed if anyone discovered he gave it out. Then again, he strongly suspects that this monster would murder him if he withheld this knowledge. "He hired a few to help take care of a bridgebuilder. I don't know much, but one is called The Demon of the Hidden Mist," he informed.
"Exact numbers," she growled.
"F-four! I promise that's all the ninja I know about!" he cried.
Four – possibly more – shinobi stalking Nami. The Demon of the Hidden mist, Zabuza Momochi… Interesting… His known companions are the Demon Brothers, but that still leaves one unknown, she thought, looking at the man. At least that explains how Akitsu most likely got captured. Most likely, she was taken by surprise… she concluded.
"I'm looking for a young woman. Distinct features would be her petite figure, violet eyes, and red hair. She traveled here not too long ago but went missing," she stated, watching the man for any sign of recognition.
He cringed, he knew who she is talking about. "Gatō has her," he started when the area around him suddenly felt a tad colder. Looking into the monster's eyes, he saw a flicker of relief but also bloodlust. He gulped, "He keeps her below his mansion… she's one of his favorites…" he trailed off as the one holding him gave him a dead stare.
"What has Gatō done to Akitsu?" she said with an icy whisper.
Oh Kami, she knows the girl by name… he thought terrified. "I promise I don't know much about that. He keeps her chained in one of his individual cells. None of his men are allowed to play-" he felt the hold around his neck tighten, "Touch! We're not allowed to touch that one. All I know is he takes out his stress on her, but she refuses to break for him. It's why he likes her so much," he responded.
Erza absorbed the information, and her fury grew. Gatō, your death will not be swift or merciful. The eyes of the sanctuary are already on you. When we're finished with you, death will seem like a blessing. Life will be a curse, one that you will beg to be released from, she mentally rehearsed. She eyed the cowering man held within the palm of her hand and gave a fanged smile. "Thank you for answering my questions. For being honest, I'll even let you go," she said with a mock-sweetness before unceremoniously dropping the trash onto the ground.
Buta immediately began to crawl away from the scary woman. He couldn't believe she was actually letting him go. "Oh, and where do you think you're going?" the woman said in a frosty tone that froze him in place. He turned his head only to feel something pierce his gut. He shakily glanced down at the rapidly darkening wound.
"Y-you said you'd let me go," he stuttered in pain.
"Did I not let you go when I dropped you?" Erza mocked, before flashing a dangerous smile. "You're going to die, vermin," she stated coldly, her bloodlust washing over the area. Anyone nearby retreated from the surrounding area, fearful of whatever released it. Over the next twenty minutes or so, screams of anguish filled the alley. She broke the man's fingers and toes, severed his arms and legs, and removed his family jewels. She cauterized each wound to make sure the man wouldn't perish from bloodloss. In the end, the man was only a torso and head when she allowed the man to finally escape his suffering. Blood and limbs littered the area, and she gave a feral smile.
Her bloodlust sated, she finally calmed down. She looked down at her work and cringed at the carnage she wrought. I got carried away again… she sighed before preparing to leave. Only the sound of a terrified whimper stopped her. She turned her head to see the young girl from earlier looking fearfully and properly traumatized at her.
Yumi is scared, terrified beyond belief. Never before has she ever seen some much blood. The screams of the man who wished to hurt her haunted her ears. A symphony of death. She couldn't control her body as it trembled in place. Her eyes watered, but eventually, the screaming stopped. A soft whimper escaped her mouth when the invisible pressure finally released her. Amethyst eyes locked onto her own, and she wanted to curl into a ball.
Erza pinched the bridge of her nose, knowing that her companions would be upset with her. A few moments of staring back and forth in silence passed. The young girl seemed to lose focus on her as she crawled over to the little boy's body. The girl softly shook his body while whispering, "Otouto… wake up…" and a wave of guilt passed through her. When the boy failed to wake up, the kid began wailing while desperately shaking the boy.
Most around the sanctuary would agree that Erza isn't very good around humans. Human children who are crying their eyes out caused the kitsune to think fast. What's the best way to stop her from crying? She wondered before an idea struck her. She quickly flashed behind the wailing girl and hit her on the back of the head. The young girl slouched down like a puppet with cut strings, and the crying stopped. Probably not the grandest approach, but it worked.
She hoisted the girl onto her shoulder and began walking away before a nagging feeling pulled at her. She turned around again to glance at the boy's cooling body. She looked up at the sky, closed her eyes, and let out a drawn-out sigh. She pulled out an empty scroll and sealed the body away. They could give the kid a proper burial and hopefully give the girl some closure. It's what her wards would want her to do.
With everything gathered, she left the bloodstained area back toward camp. Later on in the day, some people would stumble upon the scene and quickly lose what little food they had in their stomachs. Though, what pity they held for the victim vanished when they recognized both men.
Nami: Kitsune Camp
Akane blearily opened her eyes and let out a soft murmur. Her arms are locked around Aki's body, which she cuddled into enjoying the warmth. A few moments passed with her in this comfortable position before her ears began to pick up her friend's mumbling. Hearing some of the words that escaped Aki's mouth forced a pink dusting to spread across her face. She untangled herself before sitting up and looking over her friend's flushed face.
She let out a mirthful sigh, before looking over at her other roommates. Danno looked like the perfect definition of relaxed. She absently wondered how one goes about practicing the art of sleeping. Shelving that thought, she glanced at her favorite blond and raised a single eyebrow. If she had been lying down like earlier, his face would be almost touching her butt. Oh, the teasing I can do with this information… she thought, letting out a dark chuckle.
She looked over at where Erza should have been only to find her missing. She must have already woken up… Guess that means it's time for us to get moving as well. She thought while running her hands through Naruto's golden locks. "Aki, Danno, Naruto, time to wake up!" she called out loudly.
Danno opened his left eye lazily and stared up at the cloth ceiling. "I've been awake for a while," he grumbled out, turning his head to the side to stare at her. He had long ago mastered the art of resting. People who stared at him would feel drowsy.
Akane stared at him and blinked a few times in silence. "How long have you been awake?" she asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. Her hand continued to absent-mindedly pet Naruto.
He let out an exaggerated yawn that forced Akane to yawn as well, even Aki and Naruto yawned in their sleep. "Long enough to see Erza leave, which was a few couples hours ago," he answered with a half-hearted shrug. He closed his eye and returned to relaxing like a champion.
She hummed in acknowledgment before turning her head toward the only sleeping female in the tent. "Aki, it's time to wake up!" she chirped, but Aki only grumbled in her sleep. A mischievous smile grew slowly as she turned fully toward her. Her cold hands crept up Aki's shirt and glided across her friend's skin. She felt goosebumps appear under her fingers before releasing the tickle demons.
Aki's eyes launched opened and spotted her attacked. Her mouth opened, but no noise escaped for a second before laughter flooded the tent. "Stop! Akane, please!" she begged, tears starting to gather in her eyes from laughing. She squirmed around, trying to escape the ticklish hell she woke in, but it was all in vain.
The proclaimed red-haired devil took pity on her friend. "Okay, since you said please," she said with an innocent smile. Her hands lingered across her skin, daring Aki to return to dream-land.
Aki shivered from the touch, and she glared at her friend. When the hands eventually left, she sagged in relief, but her glare never faltered. "You interrupted a perfect dream. Now I won't know how it ends," she pouted, crossing her arms across her chest.
Akane's innocent smile transformed into an impish grin. "Oh, you mean the dream that had something to do with Lazy-Kun and Fishy-Kun?" she questioned. Her grin widened when her friend's blush reemerged.
A sputtering moment of silence graced the tent. "I was talking in my sleeping again, wasn't I? Aki mumbled, her embarrassment palpable. The hum of agreement from Akane was terrible enough, but she heard Danno agree as well. Thankfully, Naruto stayed blissfully unaware of her sleep talking. She buried her face in her hands, "Curse my mouth," her muffled voice came out.
"I don't know how I feel about being called lazy even in your dreams," Danno commented offhandedly, which caused Aki to groan.
Akane smiled, enjoying the friendly atmosphere. She glanced down at the blond kitsune and shook him gently. A few good shakes and Naruto groggily woke up. "Good morning, Naru-Kun," she said in a soft voice. The blond sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly before staring at her blankly for a few moments. Slowly, she watched his eyes widen to comical proportions.
Naruto jumped to his feet, making Akane fall onto Aki. He sent chakra into his tails, making them fade back into existence. His tails prodded his shadow, which immediately began darkening. A familiar hand crawled out of the abyss, and soon, a happily smug Yami was sitting amongst them. Naruto's tails faded away, and he collapsed onto the ground in relief beside his counterpart.
"Thank you, Naru-Kun," Yami said sweetly, snuggling into the blond.
"What was that all about?" Akane asked in confusion while ignoring the twitching her eye made at the snuggling.
Yami gave Akane a piercing stare before winking. "I was really lonely and wanted to spend some quality time with my Naru-Kun," she answered with a smile. Everyone – including Yami – watched Naruto give a small shudder and mutter something about ramen. Alarm bells went off in the three kit's minds and decided they should drop the subject.
Each of the kits felt like they're missing some crucial details, but didn't feel comfortable diving into that salty mess. "That's nice, I guess," Aki said awkwardly before looking around for someone. "Uh, where's Erza at?" she asked curiously – thankful for the subject change –which made Naruto and Yami glance around as well.
"Left a while ago while you were all sleeping," Danno replied with a yawn before finally sitting up. "We should probably get out there and begin our day," he groaned, his joints popping. Why do I have this feeling that today is going to be very bothersome, he thought while dressing in his usual attire.
The others agreed and followed Danno's course of action. Once all of them are adequately dressed for the day, they quickly cleaned up their sleeping areas. An organized and clean area helped with quick extractions in hostile territory. Nami definitely qualified under hostile.
The five stepped out of their tent and spotted Erza relaxing on one of the logs quietly. Each approached and sat down around the burnt-out firepit. "Good morning, Erza," Akane greeted kindly. Aki, Danno, and Naruto gave a similar greeting. Yami, on the other hand, just rested her head on her counterpart's shoulder.
"I'm afraid Erza's off gathering information. I'm just her other-half, but good morning none the less," she said with a soft smile while unrolling the scroll. She pressed her fingertips to the parchment, and with a poof of smoke, last night's dinner appeared before them. She handed each kit a portion to eat. "Once you're finished with breakfast, gather the rest of your equipment," she ordered.
Each of the kits ate the meal with a light conversation in between. Akane picked on Aki a little, while Yami stayed glued to Naruto. Danno simply ate his breakfast, adding his own commentary here and there. Finishing up their breakfast and cleaning up after themselves, Akane glanced over to Erza's counterpart. "Do you know when Erza will be returning?" she questioned.
"She should hopefully be returning shortly, but she didn't specify a time," the clone responded.
Akane nodded. The group got up and collected the rest of their equipment before beginning their early morning stretches and warm-ups to prepare for the day. It is near the end of their workout that Erza returned. Her presence quickly captured the camp's attention, which only got more intrigued when they saw what she was carrying.
Erza stealthily weaved through the camp's traps with her package. She eventually arrived in their clearing to the sounds of her wards doing their morning workout. They must have gotten up a short while ago, she mused while walking toward her counterpart. She laid the young girl on the fresh grass and got a raised eyebrow from her other half. "I'll explain in a moment. Any trouble?" she asked and got a simple negative in response. She glanced at her curious wards and gestured them over. As they approached, she sat down and started to unwind.
The five kits gathered around, though their eyes are drawn to the beaten body of the girl Naruto saved yesterday. The blond kneeled down beside the girl and checked over her face, which is purple and swollen. "Yumi," he muttered breathlessly. His eyes narrowed in anger and gave a pointed look toward Erza. "What happened to her?" he asked angrily before Yami put a calming hand on his shoulder.
Erza ran her hand through her hair and leaned back. Her wards would be upset with her. She closed her eyes briefly and let out a small sigh before recapping her short adventure. The more she spoke, the more disappointed the faces grew. Seeing her own face giving her a look of disappointment didn't help. She chose to not disclose the brutal torture she inflicted upon the thugs. However, as she finished her tale, Naruto was shaking with anger.
Naruto glared throughout her explanation. He couldn't understand how she could let two children be attacked and not help. Knowing that she basically allowed Yumi's brother to die because of her inaction, pushed all the wrong buttons. "Why didn't you help them!" he shouted out, his eyes filled with righteous fury. "I don't care if you have serious issues with humans! They're innocent children!" he stressed, but not even Yami's comfort could force his whirling emotions down. "You," he choked, "You could have protected them! Saved her from experiencing this pain!" he cried out.
"I apologize. It was a lapse in my judgment," Erza replied, though it is a flimsy excuse at best. At least I brought back the boy's body, she thought with a sigh. She knew that they had every right to be disappointed, even angry with her. The truth of the matter is, she's disappointed in herself. She still felt justified in her hatred for humans, but it shouldn't have tainted her view of children.
"Erza," Akane said, breaking her out of her thoughts, "Yumi is the one you'll need to apologize to."
Erza's lips thinned before giving a small nod. She reached to her waist and removed a little scroll and laid it against the young girl. "I sealed away the boy's body. We'll give him a proper burial and allow her to have some closure when she awakens," she explained, getting a somewhat thankful look from the kits.
"Alright, now that that is covered, sit down. We have things we must discuss," Erza ordered, her voice going toward a stern leader. "As I stated earlier, we have confirmed shinobi based in Nami. The Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi. His known associates are the Demon Brothers, though, that still leaves one unknown," she stated gravely, eyeing each of her wards.
"Zabuza is a known member of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsman. Highly trained and lethal. If we confront him, do not engage unless there is no other way," Erza said pointedly, looking directly toward Akane. "The Demon Brothers are known poisoners, use caution if you engage them. The Demon Brothers are the least threatening. It's the unknown that worries me. From this point forward, be wary of any strangers," she stated, getting nods from all five.
"Tonight, I'll be scouting out Gatō's compound and studying their guard patrols. I'll be doing this part alone and as quietly as possible. When I have the place sufficiently mapped out, we will assault it as a group and rescue Akitsu. Any questions?" she questioned, her eyes glancing between each face. None of the kits had any problem, knowing what is happening to one of their own.
"What will we do with Gatō?" Danno asked from the side.
Erza fought down the urge to answer with, "Excruciating torture," and instead used a more tame response. "We will capture and interrogate if possible. After picking his mind clean, he will be executed for his crimes," she stated, her eyes locking onto sapphire ones. "Doing so will free this land from his thumb while completing our objective," she said coolly. Not to mention, Akitsu will more than likely demand to carry out the execution herself, she thought.
Danno nodded his head in acceptance, and none of the others had questions. Suddenly, Aki's head swiftly turned to the side and stared off into the forest. Before any could question, Erza felt a surge of chakra from multiple signatures. "Chakra, multiple shinobi," Aki commented, still staring off in the general direction.
"I believe luck may be on our side today," Erza said, standing up and stretching her legs. The others stood as well, looking ready to head out at the order. "Listen well, we'll be heading to investigate. Stay silent and do not engage. We do not know the situation. Recon only," she ordered, looking more at Naruto. "Please, do not bring attention to us," she said lightly, a small smirk gracing her lips.
A minute later, Erza is leading her skulk through the forest. Chakra pushed through their limbs, accelerating them while muffling their footsteps. As they approached the chakra signatures, they could hear talking and sounds of battle.
The six kitsunes peered through the dark foliage and examined the scene happening before them. Three young shinobi – more than likely a genin team – guarding an elderly man. However, the most noticeable aspect of the fight is the two men engaged in combat. One Erza recognized the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake, and the other is Zabuza with his massive cleaver.
Naruto and Yami couldn't help but focus on an entirely different aspect. The hitai-ate with an engraved leaf in the middle. Naruto stared with unease, not comfortable seeing anyone from with birth village. Yami, clenched her hands, her nails cutting into her palm. Her eyes glowed an ominous red.
End of Chapter
Omake: Arisu's Story - Parents - Part Two
Forest Surrounding Konohagakure no Sato
The forest around Konoha is massive in scale compared to other woods. The ginormous trees that surround the village are said to have been created by the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju. The vast web of branches creates a network of highways around their country. These highways, if known well enough, cut travel time to borders considerably. Shinobi of Konoha are expected to learn these.
"I think we can do better than just cookies, darling," Yoshiaki said, jumping between the large wooden branches. A soft breeze rustled the leafy canopy above. The rays of light that broke through illuminated the forest just enough to see.
Akiko sighed, "You know how she feels about cookies, dear. I'll just bake her an entire batch of fresh chocolate chip, and she'll be all lovey-dovey as usual," she retorted, following closely behind her husband. Her head shifted slightly, her golden-poppy eyes barely looking behind her. "Since you don't think cookies will be good enough, what do you want to do?" she intoned.
"I'm not saying cookies are a bad idea, just not enough," he said placatingly. "Hime just started the academy, so maybe I can teach her some of my cool techniques. You know how much she loves spending time watching me train," he replied, his mind conjuring an image of his chibi daughter and her solid clone hugging him.
"She just likes watching me kick your butt. Don't forget she always giggles whenever I kick your feet in," she pointed out humorlessly. Seeing her husband almost stumble over a jump made her laugh. "In any case, you know she hasn't unlocked her chakra yet. Can't exactly go teach her your "amazing techniques" without that important detail covered," she said playfully.
Yoshiaki harrumphed, "Well, we can just help her unlock it now! Plus, we can start teaching her our own taijutsu styles. You know she'll love that," he exclaimed.
"Alright, alright," she agreed with a small smile. "We'll start her training when we get home, and I'll make her some cookies to celebrate her first day in the academy," she said, shifting her head once more to look behind her. Her eyes narrowed before jumping to stand beside Yoshiaki. He gave her a questioning look but noticed her serious expression. "We're being followed," she stated clearly.
His posture shifted mid-jump, his training kicking into gear. "How many are there, and are they following from behind or beside us?" he questioned while sharpening his own senses. He didn't have the sensor abilities of his wife, but like most trained shinobi, he could hear and see better than the average civilian.
"There are three of them, but there is something off about them. I've never felt chakra that feels cold and muted," Akiko replied with a small shiver. Their pursuers' chakra didn't have any personality or life to it. It felt as if it just existed for the sake of existing. "I've been keeping an eye of them for a while now. They've been following us since we left Konoha," she informed.
"Konoha? Are they allies or enemies?" he asked, but she just simply shook her head. "Dammit, I don't like this," he stated and noticed his wife agreed whole-heartedly. "What are the chances they're after our missive?" he asked sarcastically, knowing that is the only reason to target them. They didn't have a high enough bounty to warrant anyone coming for them.
"Do we circle back or push forward?"
They both jumped branch-to-branch in silent contemplation. "If we turn back, we may stumble into an ambush or trap of some sort. Are our pursuers gaining on us?" Yoshiaki asked and received a negative response. "Alright then, we'll create three clones each and split into separate groups. If we're fortunate, they will chase our clones down. More than likely, they'll split off, and we'll only have to deal with one at most," he stated, laying out his plan.
They both went through their hand-seals. Yoshiaki created three identical earth clones, while Akiko created three water clones. One set circled back and started heading toward Konoha. If they arrived, they'd inform the Hokage of their pursuit. Another set reared to the right and rushed toward a patrol point. The last pair continued heading directly toward Suna, hoping that they would seem like the obvious choice. While the originals reared off to the left but stayed on the path toward Suna as well.
Twenty minutes passed before the three unknown shinobi silently landed where the groups split off. Their identifiable features contained under an ANBU uniform and blank white mask. He made a few hand signals before his team split off to follow the trails. The leader chose to ignore the pair heading back toward Konoha. The recovery team would take care of them.
Omake: Sasuke's Secondary Objective
Training Ground Seven
Arisu stared at the small black bento box shoved into her hands. It's a cute bento box with a red floral pattern. She turned her eyes to Sasuke, who looked at her expectantly. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, why did you give me your lunch?" she questioned, ignoring the smoldering glare Sakura sent her way.
Sasuke understood her confusion, this is out of character for him. "We're a team now, so I made you this bento to show… teamwork," he replied with a straight face. He struggled with some of the words, but it's a necessary sacrifice.
She nodded her head slowly, sitting down on the grass and opening it up. She blinked at the contents, her eyes growing more incredulous the longer she stared. It is filled to the brim with small tomatoes. She looked back up at Sasuke only to meet his piercing eyes. "I… uh, thank you, but I don't like tomatoes…" she said hesitantly, hoping to not offend him since he's apparently trying to be friendly.
"Try these ones, they're fresh from my garden. Uchiha Grade-A tomatoes are nothing like the ones you find around the village," he argued undeterred with a heated passion, one he had never shown before. Well, some may say that the desire to murder his older brother landed on that passionate list somewhere.
Before she could respond to that statement, Sakura finally spoke up. "Did you make me a bento, Sasuke-Kun?" her pink-haired teammate questioned, which brought up a good point. This is supposed to be a team bonding experience. Why didn't her Uchiha teammate consider their third member?
"Hn."
"Oh…" Sakura responded sadly.
"You can have one of mine, Haruno," she said, gesturing for her emerald-eyed member to sit down beside her. Sakura graciously did so and reached in to take a tomato. She could still feel her male teammate's eye's pinning her down. I'm not getting out of this… she sighed mentally, before reaching into to grab one of the small red fruits.
She plopped one in her mouth at the same time as Sakura. An explosion of juices filled her mouth, and she immediately cringed. They tasted different than the average tomato, she'd give her teammate that. However, the acidity of this fruit wanted to devour her tongue. She struggled through her chewing before finally swallowing the mouthful.
"So?" the Uchiha asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.
"It's delicious, Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura answered happily, grabbing another from the bento.
She decided to carefully pick her words. "It was different than a normal tomato. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it's not really for me. Thank you for sharing, though," she said with a small smile, trying desperately not to taste her lips.
"I see…" he answered, not amused by his teammate's answer. She carefully glossed over her words, but he could see in between the lines. She did not like his prized Uchiha Grade-A tomatoes. A travesty, no, a dishonor that needed to be sated. He would try again tomorrow with something else tomato related. She would learn to love tomatoes, even if he had to use genjutsu on her.
Arisu shivered lightly, suddenly unsure of her tastebud's safety. She handed the box of fruit to her pink-haired teammate, who happily took it. She chose not to acknowledge the Uchiha's calculating stare.
Omake: Aki's Dream
Somewhere in Aki's Mind
Golden bells that hung off the large ebony trees chimed in the autumn breeze. Crisp red and orange leaves danced toward the grassy floor. The clouds far above twisted around one another, leaving very little light to escape it's blanket. In this strange forest, a clearing rested in the middle with a large golden throne with a young fox-like girl sitting upon it.
Aki laid back against the royal padding and released a content sigh. A cheerful smile stayed plastered on her face as she glanced over to her side. A tall, handsome man with spiky burnt orange hair stood beside the throne, holding a platinum tray. High-quality barbeque is neatly arranged on the plate, and the tantalizing smell of meat caused her mouth to water. She opened her mouth expectantly and felt a delicious slice of barbeque chicken enter her waiting mouth. "Thank you, my most loyal servant," she chirped after swallowing that small piece of heaven.
The man bowed his head, respectfully, "You're welcome, Aki-sama," he responded with devotion.
Aki gave a toothy grin and received a tasty piece of pork that she chewed happily. Some movement caught her forest-green eyes, and she turned to see Danno and Naruto walk into the clearing. Naruto has a broad grin on his face while Danno only has a small smile. She knew he is too lazy to grin like Naruto. "Lazy-Kun, Fishy-Kun, it's so lovely to see you! Would you like to try some of my food?" she asked as both stopped in front of her.
Danno tilted his head to the side, "This is less bothersome than eating ramen," he answered with a shrug. The servant handed a toothpick with a slice of barbeque chicken skewered on it. He slid the entire thing into his mouth and gasped in delight. "Wow, Aki-chan, this is the most amazing food I've ever eaten. I don't know what I ever saw in sushi. Clearly, barbeque is the greatest food to ever exist," he responded concisely. Aki nodded her head sagely, glad to have converted someone to her way of thinking.
Naruto shrugged his shoulders and was handed a thick slice of barbeque pork. His sapphire-blue eyes widened in shock and amazement. Never before had his mouth tasted something as incredible as this. "Danno is right! Kami, ramen doesn't hold a candle to this delicacy. Thank you for showing me the error of my ways, Aki-chan," he stated with awe getting a pleased smile from the girl on the throne.
She stood up gracefully, her bells singing her praise. She opened her arms wide, "You both are forgiven for your foolish mistakes," she said angelically before letting out a musical laugh. She watched as Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, while Danno raised a single eyebrow in amusement. She pulled them both into a warm hug, which they returned before kissing her lightly on both cheeks. She flushed, "Oh, you guys, not in front of my servant!" she stammered, but the bright glimmer in her eyes never faltered.
They both broke the hug and shared an amused glance with one another. "We couldn't resist," Naruto said with a silly grin. Danno simply nodded his head in agreement.
She waved them off with another laugh. "So, is there any news on my glorious arch-rival? We haven't dueled in a few days," she questioned, eager to cross blades with such a worthy opponent.
Naruto snapped his fingers with a dawning realization flooding his face. "That's what we came here to tell you! I got distracted by that tasty food and your beauty. The red-haired devil approaches your throne to reclaim her title. She has been training to surpass your superiority since you've beaten her a hundred times in a row," he informed diligently.
"She also sent a message for you. She told us to inform you that the barbeque you sent her was delicious, as always. Also, she has agreed to meet for tea and sweets next Wednesday," Danno said as an afterthought.
Aki rubbed her chin thoughtfully before a fanged grin split her face. Her gaze went toward the red-haired girl walking into the clearing wielding a sharp sword. Things were about to become awesome!
Akane had a playful grin on her face as she looked at Aki. "Aki, my amazing rival!" she called out, "I have been continuously defeated, but today marks an end of your reign! On this date, I shall reclaim my title as the greatest sword mistress of these lands! Prepare yourself, for you will need it!" she shouted dramatically enough that Aki would be proud. A brief silence claimed the clearing before she coughed awkwardly. "Oh, um, are we still on for Wednesday?" she asked, tilting her head to the side while her tails swished back and forth behind her.
"Oh!" Aki exclaimed, "Yeah, we're still good for that!" she answered, nodding her head.
"That's good," Akane said with a happy smile. "By the way, Aki, it's time to wake up!" she said almost distantly. Her expression changing from playful to mischievous, which put Aki on guard for a trick of some sort.
"What?" Aki asked with narrowed eyes before glancing at her two boys. Both have matching mischievous grins, but before she could question them, they jumped her. Aki collapsed onto her throne, and hands slid under her shirt. "W-what are you two doing?" she stuttered with an intense blush. They didn't answer but instead started tickling her evilly! "No, I've been betrayed! Stop, please! My epic battle! Nooo!" she cried out as her consciousness faded into the waking world.
Author Note: There you all have it, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Poor Naruto... Did he really deserve such a torturous experience?
I hope I didn't make anyone hate Erza. She just has a lot of emotional baggage. However, I do believe we can all agree she made the wrong choice.
Please pray for Yumi and her recently deceased brother.
I believe I managed to keep my kits all childlike, which is quite difficult.
Yami verses Akane! Who will win?
Finally, all my players are in the same field. What will happen next chapter? Will Yami snap and go murder crazy? Will Naruto shy away from confrontation? Will Aki confess her undying love? I'll tell you what will definitely happen. I'm getting myself out of Nami! This place has been a writing block nightmare! Next chapter, I don't care what I have to do, but I'm pushing myself out of this area. I have plans and this is stagnating me!
Also, did you all enjoy my omakes? I hope you did.
Thank you for reading chapter 10 of Kitsune Sanctuary. Knowing that there are so many people who enjoy it pleases me to no end. I also always feel really guilty when people remind me I haven't uploaded in a while. So, feel free to message me to remind me to write Kitsune Sanctuary. I clearly cannot be trusted enough! Anyways, please leave a review and let me know your opinions. They do matter to me. Thank you again and have a wonderful time. Until next time!