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Summary:
To save everyone, Marco used his current existence. Never did he imagine that he will be reborn to a new world different from his own. It is a world filled with ninjas and creatures as large as Sea Kings that are made of pure living chakra. What can a pirate like him do to survive especially if he is a freaking bird? Thatch is right; he does look like a chicken. And a certain blue-eyed blonde is thinking of him as her new pet.
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Of Flaming Feathers and Bloodstained Furs
By: Zelga Lim Li
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Part 7
If it wasn't for Naruto's quick thinking, the newly dubbed Team 7 would barely pass the bell test. Kakashi congratulated everyone and explained the ideals he's been following diligently and hoping to pass it on to this particular squad. After giving everyone a few key reminders for tomorrow's tasks, Kakashi left with a wave. But not before giving Marco a dirty look.
The Phoenix also saw the others leave ignoring the Uchiha's questioning look and Sakura's intrigued stare.
After sensing the last of their audiences set off on their own especially these 'shadow lurkers' (shinobis that hides from people and wear porcelain like masks covering their entire face unlike Kakashi's face mask whose been following him since he first transformed back to his real form after his unexpected arrival to Konoha), Marco turned to face his Naruto.
The breeze surrounding the clearing near the stone obelisk is quite refreshing. Calming even.
"Well?"
Playing with her fingers, Naruto slightly bowed her head in shame. "Now that I've think about it, the family you are referring to are also humans, right?" Covering her face, his blonde babbled on and apologizes for mistaking everyone from the crew as birds.
Chuckling, Marco stopped her tirade. "Seriously though, aren't you going to ask me why I didn't tell you that I'm a human, yoi?" As they aren't in a rush to go back, their pace are slow and steady.
"Well, you don't really need to. And knowing what your condition was when I found you, I kind of guessed that you were in a fight or something. And that alone isn't pretty at all or even worth mentioning, yeah?"
Nodding, he tugs her hand just before they pass the edge of the training grounds.
"It was a stupid war that almost took apart… everyone," With a tired sigh, he leaned back towards the bridge and stares at the darkening sky. "They used a brother's existence as an excuse for their hatred and so called 'justice'."
Its almost twilight.
With an understanding look, Naruto leans besides him and held his hand tighter. "And you took the blunt end of that stupidity and sacrificed yourself, didn't you?"
"Yes. Yes, I did, yoi."
They continue their trek back home in companionable silence.
It felt really nice, Marco thought idly.
.
.
"He did WHAT?!"
Giving Naruto a droll stare, Marco took another bite from their breakfast. He prepared a few slices of bread with the girl's abundant supply of instant ramen (seems like he needed to do something about their meal for the upcoming days). Now that he don't need to hide, he can use his real form inside her apartment.
He might have shown it to the others (particularly Team 7 or the academy instructor), but whatever. Not that he cares about what they think.
"I'm technically a stranger in your village with no papers to support my stay, yoi…"
Giving him a stink eye, Naruto carefully reread the scroll left by the old man.
"So you still need to transform into you bird form-"
"Phoenix, yoi."
"Yeah that…," Face scrunching incredulously, Naruto's eyes widen in annoyance. "And you will only revert back to your human form in the presence of any genin or the jōnin sensei of Team 7, a few selected people (possibly Iruka-sensei or the Hokage himself) and cannot show your true self unless you are inside our hou…? What the heck you sly old man!"
He is wearing one of Naruto's over sized button up shirts which he left half opened as his usual getup despite oyaji's mark disappearing which is expected in every rebirth. His belt, light blue sash and pants are the only possession he had left which is more than okay (a bit bigger though). He was able to procure (stolen) a pair of shinobi sandals and pants that fits his size (with a few mending here and there ever thankful for Ayame-san's involvement in Naruto's life).
And regardless of being confident with his physical appearance, he prefers not to walk around half-naked since he is still in the presence of a young lady. A peculiar sensibility that made his brothers laugh when they learned of his weird habit towards the opposite sex.
His hair though, it grew longer again. How very annoying!
Slightly poking the girl on her forehead, he did explain the pros and cons of the said arrangement. Besides, despite what happened yesterday, he still doesn't trust anyone especially the silver haired jōnin (except for the academy instructor). So he will not show his real form unless absolutely necessary.
"Buut Marco…" Naruto continues to whine until they pass by the red bridge and arrives in Team 7's meeting place. It was a bit early as the others are yet to arrive so he urges the girl to start warming up.
The aforementioned jōnin is nowhere in sight and probably busy with whatever stuff he is doing that he won't possibly break despite his new responsibilities.
Come to think of it, from one of his numerous strolls across the village, he did remember the said man spending most of his mornings in front of a stone monolith.
The very same memorial stone he mentioned yesterday to the children.
Avoiding a rock thrown at him (despite the downtime from pirating, he still has to sharpen and improve his haki), Marco gave the Uchiha an unimpressed glance and transferred to another branch.
"What now, yoi?"
"Why didn't you tell me that you're a human in a disguise?"
"I'm not obligated to tell anyone anything, brat."
Glare intensifying, Sasuke crosses his arms and continues to wait for an explanation. "You came at me that day asking for help. So you owe me one, Marco-san." The boy is trying to be polite. Heh.
Knowing that Sasuke won't stop, the Phoenix sighed and looked at him pointedly.
"I didn't know that I can already transform back to my real form… it just happened, alright, yoi?"
Disbelief clear on Sasuke's face and was about to ask another question when Sakura appeared through the foliage. With a huff, the boy turned his back away from him and brooded on his own tree. The pinkette greeted the Uchiha but was ignored as usual.
As expected, stupid Hatake arrived 3 hours later.
While the genins of Team 7?
They were convinced (by the Phoenix himself) to train with Naruto somewhere else. He did bribe them with some Haki training. Not that he explained to these two what it is except that it will help them in their chosen career.
Their location?
A place that Kakashi (or his summons) had a hard time locating. It did took 5 hours and that was after Naruto accidentally looses her concentration much to the dismay of the other two. Marco is trying to teach the trio to contain it (something they can use to hide from anyone that can sense chakra - like that stupid jōnin-sensei of theirs).
The one-eyed jōnin did complain how a 'bird' is stealing his cute little genins much to the bewilderment of Kakashi's peers.
Hiruzen did find the entire situation highly amusing.
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Author's note:
So yeah. Sorry?
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