Out of the Ashes
Chapter 13
How Fragile a Person Can Be
D Ranks piled up on us after our first few training sessions. We usually got a couple done a day and clearly if the ninja business didn't work out for us then we could be fantastic carpenters, babysitters, painters and cat wranglers. Hell, maybe I'll become a professional dog walker. Can you tell I was bitter about the amount of D Ranks we were being subjected to?
"I hate kids!" Bu cried after our third baby sitting job that week. We were relaxing on a bench outside the Hokage's office while Kinoe went inside to get us another tedious D Rank. I'd say he was doing it on purpose but he was also tired of the missions since he supervised us.
Kyuketsu and I made noises of agreement. It had been a pretty nice day that would have been perfect for training but instead we spent the day chasing down these twins who were in their terrible twos.
"Fushicho! Hey!"
I didn't look up and instead I tasted the chakras around me to find who called out to me. It was a new exercise Kinoe was making me do. He explained that almost every samsara was chakra sensitive and could do something similar to what I did. After awhile you lost your extreme hypersensitivity, he said, but you would always be a decent sensor. Kinoe himself didn't taste chakra like I did, rather he saw colorful auras. His range was shorter than mine by a lot but that's because he didn't train his and he had been in the Naruto world for thirty or so years.
The chakra was sunny and bright with a lingering taste of ramen and an overpowering feel of death. So it was definitely Naruto. I looked up and waved lightly to him and he approached us. Bu scowled at Naruto and I whacked him in the head before Naruto could see his look.
"What are you doing here?" I asked casually.
Naruto grinned, "I'm gonna make Jii-san get me ramen!"
"Oh? You're not mooching off Sasu today?" I responded and Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"The bastard wouldn't buy me some today. He said all the salt in ramen is going to kill me." Naruto thumped his chest, "But no way is something like that gonna kill me, dattebayo!"
"I'm sure you'll be fine." I agreed neutrally.
Kyuketsu suddenly looked up, "Eat healthier."
Naruto blanched, "What?"
"Eat vegetables and red meat. To become a strong shinobi one must have a healthy balanced diet and eat plenty to build up strong bodies and energy." Kyuketsu was about to begin a rant, and Bu looked pained at the idea. Kyuketsu had a verbal trigger and that was anything to do with ones body and training.
I covered Kyuketsu's mouth with my hand and I gave Naruto a fake smile that had him step back a few steps, "Don't worry about Kyuketsu here, he's a bit odd."
Before Kyuketsu could bite me or Naruto could respond, the door to the tower opened and Kinoe bounced out. He held a scroll in one hand and he had a lollipop in the other that he was licking like a child. He froze as soon as he saw Naruto and his face swapped between various faces of 'Oh shit' before he managed to clear his throat awkwardly and address my team.
"We've got a uh, mission."
With a malicious smile no doubt plastered across my lips I didn't move, "What is it?"
Bu and Kyuketsu picked up on Kinoe's discomfort and joined me in my torture. Bu added, "It better not be more babysitting!"
Kyuketsu made a noise of agreement.
"It's uh, a C Rank?" Kinoe blubbered, "We should go and pack for it now! We're leaving soon!"
"We don't know how to pack correctly, sensei." Kyuketsu pointed out innocently. That definitely gave away what we were doing.
"Woah, you're leaving the village Fushicho?" Naruto gasped.
I shrugged, "I've done it before. It's nothing new."
"I can't wait until I get my first mission, dattebayo!"
I decided not to burst his bubble and let him know he'd have D ranks coming out his ears once he started as a genin. Kinoe was giving me an urgent look but I ignored it and slowly stood up. I stretched my body thoroughly and cracked my joints starting from my shoulders and working my way down. Kinoe had enough when I bent over to reach for my toes.
"Time to go learn to pack, kiddos!" Kinoe announced, grabbing me by the back of my shirt and tossing me over his shoulder before he did the same to Bu with his other arm. Kyuketsu resigned himself to his fate and came along willingly, unlike the more stubborn members of his team.
Kinoe showed us how to pack as punishment and he made it as boring as possible. It was like watching paint dry as he explained why we needed each item in great detail. You need scrolls to hold items such as: food, bedrolls, possibly tents if you have a client who won't sleep outdoors, extra weapons, weapon maintenance tools, clothes, water skins, and other items that wouldn't be required for genin who weren't even leaving the country.
"We have a simple mission. There's a civilian serial killer in a farming village that we're going to apprehend." Kinoe explained quite cheerfully.
I gave him a skeptical look, "This is a C Rank?"
"Yep!" Kinoe smiled brightly.
Kyuketsu spoke up, "Perhaps because we are the frontal assault team of this year?"
"Yep!" Kinoe repeated, just as pleasantly as before.
We had to inform our families we were leaving so Bu went to go tell Onna who would probably send him with a metric fuckton of bentos and Kyuketsu to inform the Aburame. I on the other hand didn't have anyone to really speak with. Sasuke was in the academy so I left a note on the front door so that he'd see it.
Sasu,
I'm leaving the village on a mission with my team. It's not going to be long so if we take longer than a week I'm probably dead. It's an easy mission though so we'll be fine. Regardless, I'm sure you'll manage with food better than when I'm actually home. If you need money I refilled the jar on top of the fridge. Stop taking the jar money when you go get food with Naruto. It's for emergencies you dork. Naruto and ramen is not an emergency. Use your own goddamn money.
-Fushicho
Short and sweet was perfect for Sasuke. Satisfied my brother wouldn't freak out when I got home I left with my black backpack. We all met at the gate and signed out before we were off into the world. As we left I had an inkling I forgot to tell someone I was leaving but I pushed it into the back of my mind because Kinoe decided we were going to learn how to chakra run since we could all do the basic chakra control exercises.
That's the story of how I got a black eye and set my shoe on fire. But the only amusing part about that is the fact my shoe catching on fire made me fall face first into Bu's shoulder. That's how the black eye happened. He has a bony ass shoulder and I don't approve. Anyway, we all managed to get to the town with some kind of chakra run or dash. I say dash because Bu kind of explodes in one direction and then stops before rushing forward again. He broke a tree branch from it and fell and I laughed at him. Kyuketsu was the only one who could really jump from tree to tree so we just ran on the ground with enhanced speed. Kinoe said we'd learn how to take the trees soon and then maybe he'd let us on the rooftops back home. Civilians get pretty mad if you break their roof shingles after all.
Shenanigans aside we made it to the farming village with little issue and minor injury. The village was... quaint. It consisted of mostly shacks with the exception of what seemed to be the village leader's house and a rundown building that was both an inn and a tavern. We arrived about dinnertime since the village was about seven hours from Konoha if you could somewhat chakra run. If we were walking it would have taken ten hours. Kinoe assured us he could have made it in four hours or less if he had to.
"This place is a dump." Bu uttered to Kyuketsu and I as we watched a drunk stumble out of the tavern and fall into a pile of what I hoped to be just mud. The flies that erupted out of it when he splattered it everywhere made me think otherwise though. Bu and I both made faces while Kyuketsu couldn't have given any less fucks.
Kinoe knocked on the door to the manor that looked like it belonged to the village head. He was something like a low lord but he ruled the farmlands around here and reported to the actual daimyo. He clearly was something of a corrupt leader because he was the only one living in luxury. A servant answered the door and we stepped inside to find he wasn't living in the same luxury we did back home. Electricity wasn't a thing in small villages like this one and inside the house was about ten degrees hotter than outside.
Bu didn't mind and Kyuketsu didn't visibly seemed changed but Kinoe and I both immediately felt sweat on our brows. I shared a look with him but he put up with it and we all bowed when a man in a formal yukata greeted us. I say formal yukata because what he was wearing wasn't grand enough to deserve the title of robes or kimono. It was a deep blue though and while a bit frayed on the edges it was in decent condition. The man had his hair in a sloppy samurai knot with a poorly grown attempt at a long mustache.
"Are you the team I requested?" the man asked, long sharp nose in the air as he regarded us with beady eyes.
Kinoe nodded, "Yes. I am Kinoe and these are my genin students, Obu, Fushicho, and Kyuketsu. We're here to apprehend the serial killer."
"Yes it is quite an irritating problem. My laborers are dying every night and we will be short staffed soon. Do what you wish with him when you catch him, I don't care." sniffed the man, but as he turned to walk away he gave me and the other preteens a once over, "Are you sure those children can handle this?"
"They are regarded as adults in the village." Kinoe answered promptly, his eyes narrowing very slightly.
"Very well. As long as the job is done." and then the village head swept out of the room with his servant following behind meekly.
Bu and I shared annoyed glances and Kinoe rolled his eyes. We waited until after we left the manor to complain to each other about his attitude.
"I can't believe that guy!" Bu insisted, "Children!?"
"Calm yourself Pinky. You're twelve." Kinoe told him and that did nothing to help Bu. Instead he started to whine about being called Pinky. As he did we booked two rooms at the inn, one for Bu and Kyuketsu and one for Kinoe and I.
At Bu's outrage he had to share with Kyuketsu, Kinoe cheekily replied, "But I have to keep the Hime away from you hormonal boys don't I?"
"SENSEI!"
Bu's cry probably disturbed the other guests, well, if there were even any other guests. I honestly couldn't see any reason for there to be guests in this inn for such a small pathetic village. We gathered in Kinoe and I's room and Kinoe explained the situation.
"The killer is active only at night, it seems, and has a victim generally once a night, sometimes every other night. The population here is starting to drop from the nightly killings so we're going to patrol and look for anything out of the ordinary. Most people are avoiding going out but the serial killer has been killing inside homes and hasn't left a trace." Kinoe told us, leaning against the window and looking out at the town square. The sun was starting to set and was causing everything to be bathed in a bright orange. The rays shone through the window and illuminated Kinoe's stony face.
Bu grinned, "So if we stand in the square do you think we can get him?"
"What about the villagers who live outside the square?" Kyuketsu shot him down almost immediately and with a vague tone of haughtiness.
"Actually," Kinoe turned his head and waved his hand at Bu, "He's not wrong. All the villagers live around the town square. There's about nine hundred villagers currently living here and who knows how many huts." Even Kinoe was admitting the houses were basically huts. The town square had higher quality homes that could actually be called a house while as you followed the dirt streets further out you came across shittier buildings until you reached the crappy huts with straw roofs and plank walls.
"So we stake out the town tonight?" I questioned.
We all were in agreement so as soon as it was dark we split into two groups. Bu and I were one group while Kinoe took Kyuketsu. Kyuketsu and Kinoe, both more talented at chakra running, would do runs around the further out houses while periodically checking on Bu and I while Bu and I took the main streets and town square. Bu and I kept moving until what felt like midnight when the moon was glaring down at us and bathing us in silver light.
We sat on a bench outside the crappy general store we found on the outskirts of the square and watched the square for activity. Despite our break we were focusing and our eyes were constantly moving. After awhile I felt eyes on me and I scanned the village for any villagers. Most of the houses were dark while some had burning light that flickered with candles. My night vision was better than Bu's and I could see much farther than him.
"You look good."
I startled and my head swiveled to look at Bu, "Excuse me?"
Bu blinked, "Sorry. That was weird. The moonlight makes you look cool, I said."
I narrowed my eyes at him but at that moment I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. My sharingan swirled into existence and Bu jumped as I turned and stared. A civilian was walking across the town and seemed to have come from the manor that housed the leader. I stood and Bu, squinting into the dark, might have caught the figure. I hurried towards them with Bu right on my heels and I was stunned to find a girl, dressed in a long white night gown, was walking barefoot across the dirt path. Her hair was long and a light brown that fell in waves past her hips. She had an off feeling to her and as I tasted her chakra she tasted like that coating on some pills. That was the strongest taste because there was an underlying sweeter taste of candy and... maybe latte?
"Excuse me?" Bu called and I mentally chastised him. Why call out to a potential serial killer? Bu would be the worst horror movie character.
The girl gasped and turned to face us. She resembled the village leader a bit with high cheekbones and a kind of beak nose. Other than that her eyes were large but an emptier dark brown than the leader's. She was maybe our age or maybe even younger and Bu, the softie, didn't immediately suspect her like me.
"You shouldn't be out here so late. What are you doing?" Bu huffed lightly as if talking to one of the girls in our class.
She put her hand to her mouth and her bangs fell over her eyes as she eyed our hitai-ate. Her voice barely went above a whisper, sounding more like she was breathing her words, "I'm an insomniac. I can't sleep at night so I'm going for a walk."
"It's not safe out here." insisted Bu, "Where do you live? I'll walk you home."
"I'll be fine. Please, just leave me alone." the girl shook her head and then she turned abruptly and continued on her walk. Bu and I shared a look.
I gave Bu a look and he shook his head, "No way. She's too small to be a serial killer."
"We're killers and we're about the same age." I stated and Bu winced.
"None of us have killed anyone yet. So you can't say that, you just can't, Fu-chan."
"Did you just call me Fu-chan?" I demanded, bewildered. An expression flashed across Bu's face that resembled a deer in headlights look.
"Uh..." Bu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Since you've always called me Bu, I figured I should call you something like it."
I rolled my eyes, "You nerd. Fine, but drop the honorific. If you're Bu then I guess I'm Fu."
Bu's eyes widened but he nodded, "Alright. Fu then."
That's when we heard the scream. The moment of bonding was over and we were chakra dashing over to where the scream came from. My eyes searching for a chakra signature we found the source of the screaming. We busted down a door to find a woman screaming at the top of her lungs with her husband, gushing blood from a gaping hole in his throat and his innards effectively scattered across the floor, held tightly in her lap. His blood was mixing across her nightclothes but she didn't seem to care as she screamed to the heavens.
"Fuck. We missed him." Bu swore.
I agreed but a sinking feeling had me suspecting that girl as the killer, "Go tell sensei. I'll try and calm the woman down."
I was genuinely awful at calming her down by the way. By the time Kinoe got there she was still screaming and I was looking for evidence, thoroughly done with trying to stop the woman. Kinoe was able to stop her from screaming with his sugary words and bright eyes, then he slapped a seal on her that knocked her out. He put her in her bed and we searched the area for any clues.
I found what I was looking for when I was outside. A footprint was sunken into the mud of a small bare foot. This condemned her. She was probably the serial killer.
After cleaning up the scene and reporting to the leader I waited until Kinoe and I were settling into our beds to let him know about the girl. I slept on my stomach and I was clutching a pillow on the futon while listening to Kinoe roll around until he finally seemed to find a comfortable spot.
"I think I know who the killer is." I mentioned casually.
Kinoe, sounding half asleep but probably completely awake, hummed, "Oh? You do?"
I lifted my head off my pillow and looked over at the dark silhouette that was Kinoe, "A little girl. She walked out of the leader's house-" Kinoe snorted and interrupted me, "You mean the lord?" and I continued, "Shut up. Anyway, there was something off about her. Her eyes looked empty and even her chakra felt weird."
"Describe her chakra. Did you look at her with your sharingan?" Kinoe pushed.
I shook my head, "I did from a distance. I turn it off when I'm dealing with civilians because it kind of scares them. And she tasted like candy, pills and what kind of tasted like a latte?"
Kinoe stilled for a moment, "What kind of pill?"
"I can't identify pills by taste, what do you think I am? I could identify the taste of like, a pill coating. Like it reminded me of when I got my wisdom teeth out and they gave me an antibiotic that tasted horrible." I explained. I was slightly mystified that Kinoe, apparently, thought I could recognize pills by taste or that he might be able to.
"We might be dealing with another Samsara here. Did she act her age?" Kinoe questioned, "Generally, Samsaras have off chakra for the first few years and for me, they've always had a weird aura. Like, you can't imagine a color that doesn't exist but these auras are like that. They're a color that just can't be described. Have you ever sensed something weird like that?"
"No. But I've run into tastes and smells that don't... belong." I muttered.
Kinoe prompted, "How so?"
"They taste like something from the old world. You taste like that old gross cherry or grape medicine from the old world for example, and under that you're mint. And... wait, oil?" I had never tasted oil from Kinoe before. Usually only mint and medicine.
Kinoe hummed, "Then you can probably pick out Samsaras like that. This girl tasted like pills and lattes? We clearly don't have lattes here, so she's probably a Samsara."
"But what about the oil?" I demanded. Kinoe sighed.
"I had a motorcycle in my old life. It was the biggest part of my life, to be honest. I guess some things come with us from then. As for the cherry medicine... I was sick, in my old life. Dying actually. But that's not what killed me." Kinoe's tone turned somber, "Listen, Samsaras are more common than you think. But most of them don't make it. If you haven't seen Naruto this world is a shock. Not only that but it depends who you were in your old life. Were you sane and strong willed, or a small child, or someone weak, or someone mental? Did you die ready to die, or were you unwilling? Samsaras often die young because they can't handle being reborn. They go crazy. We're some of the lucky ones who watched Naruto and realized where we were."
I was silent as I digested the information. Kinoe rolled over to face me and the moonlight fell perfectly across his eyes to reveal they were glossy. Was he holding back tears?
"Let's just go to sleep. We'll stalk your girl tomorrow and catch her in the act."
And that was it. We went to sleep without any more words being said.
The next morning Bu shared some of the food his mother loaded him up with like he had the night before with the fresh bentos Onna sent him with. We chowed down and Kinoe told us we could explore the village or train until dusk where we would meet back in the town center. Training however was to be done where we wouldn't bother civilians.
Bu and I decided to fuck around for the entirety of the day and we found their marketplace. It had mostly traveling merchants who went from town to town daily, and they're probably the reason this shitty place has an inn. We perused their goods for awhile until Bu wandered into a caravan that looked like a gypsy caravan. I followed after him and it was mostly a fabric store where the owner was a small old woman who was paying full attention to her spinning wheel.
"I knew you were girly, Bu, but a fabric store? Gosh, you're gonna be a man's dream housewife some day." I snickered. Bu's face flushed.
He looked away and stuttered, "I'm not a girl! I just... had an idea."
Bu shooed me out when I continued to make fun and he actually did buy something. But he was sealing it away when he came out and I didn't get to see what it was.
Shrugging, I started to walk away and I called over my shoulder, "Come on, Yamato Nadeshiko!"
"Shut up!"
When dusk came we all met back up and Kyuketsu made small talk with us while we waited for Kinoe. I made fun of Bu's feminine qualities once again and Kyuketsu agreed when I once again decided to call Bu a yamato nadeshiko. He was pretty much an ideal woman except for a few minor masculine details.
Kinoe arrived in a shunshin and clapped his hands down on both of Kyuketsu's shoulders, "Guess what we have a lead!"
Kyuketsu didn't even jump. It's okay though because Bu did despite him being in full view of Kinoe's abrupt arrival.
"What is it?" Kyuketsu was the one to inquire.
Smiling, Kinoe announced, "A girl by the name of Misa. She's the daughter of the lord and has been noted to be a bit off by the villagers."
"The lord's daughter?" Bu repeated before looking at me, "Fu, you dont think that's the girl from last night?"
I looked away and could almost feel his disappointment in the air. I tried to withdraw my chakra sense but the burning was too much. Pulling in chakra was like standing in the steam pouring out of a kettle. It started as uncomfortable but it could scald you if you weren't careful. Chakra was very emotional and I didn't want to feel Bu's disappointment and sadness.
Kinoe clapped his hands together and we all turned to look at him, "I want us to make a perimeter around the manor. If anyone leaves I want you to spike your chakra and we'll all meet up and tail whoever left."
"That will leave an opening." Kyuketsu pointed out.
Kinoe shrugged, "I doubt anyone besides our killer will be roaming the streets."
And our plan was set. And about the same time as the previous night the same girl wearing the same nightgown exited and started to wander through town. We followed quietly on the roofs and we knew we had our killer when she produced a key and let herself into one of the villager's houses. Bu was clearly irritated and Kinoe communicated he wanted Bu and Kyuketsu to keep watch while he and I entered.
We landed quietly and followed her inside.
That was when the scream came. We were in time to witness this girl, no bigger than myself, cleave through a man's chest with a long knife. She twisted it into his chest as he choked on his own blood with a gurgle. His scream ended just as abruptly as it had started and he fell backwards after the girl pulled her knife back and kicked him in the chest. She turned to face us as if she knew all along we were there.
A grin was stretched across her face as wide as it could go and her eyes were full of sadness and insanity. She pointed the knife at us, "You two understand, don't you?"
Kinoe shook his head slowly, "I'm sorry Misa-chan-"
"That's not my name!" she shrieked. Her eyes widened and she snarled, "My name is Allison! I should be dead! Why don't any of these people come back to life when I kill them, too?!"
"Allison, calm down-" Kinoe tried again, but she grabbed her head and started to yell in garbled English.
"Why didn't I stay de-ad? I took so ma-ny pills! I just want-ed it to end! And y-et I'm still here. Why aren't these other people dy-ing and com-ing back to li-fe too?" she sniffled, "I just wan-ted to die."
Kinoe and I shared a look.
Allison continued, grabbing a lock of her hair and pulling on it as she ranted, "You two keep flick-ering faces and it piss-es me off! Pick a face! Red hair or black hair? Black hair or blonde hair!? Eye-s! Stop look-ing at me with tho-se eye-s!"
"Allison, listen to me." Kinoe actually got her to look at him this time, "You were reborn into another world, Allison."
Allison paused. She looked down at her blood splattered dress with solemn eyes. She looked up and her eyes seemed to show an adult intelligence.
She smiled, "My name is Allison. I am twenty-five years old. I killed myself. And I am going to do it again."
And she did as she said she would. She plunged her knife into her throat and both Kinoe and I were far too in shock to do anything about it. Allison crumpled to her knees as she yanked the knife out. Arterial spray caught both Kinoe and I and I had to to turn away. I fell to my knees and rested my head on the wall while Kinoe put Allison, giggling and gurgling, out of her misery.
Kinoe brought me outside to wait with Kyuketsu and Bu. Bu tried to comfort me but I hardly heard what he was saying.
Fushicho's screaming laughter was ringing in my ears getting louder and louder. There was nothing I could do to block her out. The burning was intensifying and I had to sit down. I was hyperventilating and surely Bu and Kyuketsu were concerned but I couldn't focus outside of myself anymore.
Finally Fushicho's screams ended and she cooed, "People are so fragile, aren't they, Veronica?"
AN-
I'm going to try once a month updates. I wanted to do beginning of the month but this chapter ended up being incredibly long.
Why did I put this as T rating, I should probably up it to M. I'm just M rated in general.
Fun Fact- I made an outline of the story for a few arcs. Yay!
Thanks to the following for updating (:
lizyeh2000
Thomas Drovin
FleurSuoh
MangaFox1223
Slytherson