"Target is on the move."
A masked figure in a black cloak zoomed down sniper rifle's scope. He saw a group of businessmen getting into vehicles. Adjusting his scope, he smirked under his mask before pulling the trigger. He didn't need to look, his semblance assured that his bullet found its target. He got up, using a grappling gun to latch onto another building before swinging onto another rooftop.
Police sirens screamed throughout the night. His hood came down, revealing bright red hair, and a white mask across his face. The White Fang had given him this mission, assassinate one of the councilmen of Vale, cause them to become disorganized. It was all too easy, especially since the foolish human had been far too out in the open. He sprinted before leaping off the taller building, shooting the grabble gun into a taller building to give himself swing.
Detaching himself midflight, he saw where there was a group of humans running. He thought about going down there, dropping a grenade, and then rolling back out to hear their screams before detonation. One less human made the world a better place, the only they would be good for was serving them when the uprising came!
Landing on the next roof, now just two stories up from ground level. He ran across the rooftop, taking his rifle and loading another round into. Putting back on a maglock on his back. The White Fang assassin checked his gear. Seeing police vehicles rolling toward where he killed his target, a relative to The Schnee family.
He ducks down into an alley. Checking his scroll, his contacts within the city have confirmed her presence here. His leader told him to bring her in, alive, but never mentioned in what condition. Perhaps he could deliver to her, a little broken, because it would be the least the traitor deserved. That little highborn, spoiled brat would have her world turned upside down.
"This is Soleil Rouge, target is dead. I'm moving onto Blake Belladonna next," Soleil stated while walking deeper into the alleyway. "She still goes to Tuckson's at night, should I eliminate that traitor before securing that highborn traitor?"
"Confirming, sit tight Soleil."
He sighs, getting a cigarette out of his pocket. Lighting it up, he leans back while taking a track. His sharp, needlelike, teeth almost biting through the paper around the tobacco. He took another drag before looking up at the shattered moonlight.
"If I don't get her tonight, she'll be going into Beacon tomorrow. Hard to kill one of those little privileged brats," Soleil complained openly before finishing his cigarette. "Wonder if I can burn some of these on her, mark that traitorous bitch for what she is, his plaything."
"Target is still alive! didn't you go to right place?"
He stopped in his train of thought, surely, he heard that wrong. Pressing on the earwig in his ear, he responds, "What the hell do you mean alive?! You know my semblance guides any thing I target with my eyes."
"Apparently there's a first time for anything, target is on the move still."
"Fuck!" The sniper screamed while receiving the coordinates on his scroll, "Damn humans, always thinking they outplay us. Faunus will rule this world one day, and they'll be nothing but playthings to us!"
He reached down toward his beltline. The pouch that contained his ammunition should've been down on his left hip. When his palm reached for it, he only found torn fabric. His eyes widened as if they were saucer plates, his body shook when he felt pressure on his back. At first, he thought it was a weapon, but then he felt the back joints move.
Someone, a fool, was leaning on him like he was a piece walling!
"Man, you really are a crappy person. Threatening people, shooting at them, what do you take life for exactly?" The person leaning on him inquired, calmly as well, not even making sudden movements.
The faunus assassin wasn't having it, he reached down, grabbing his collapsible rapier. He turns, slinging the blade downward, only to find that voice's owner was nowhere in sight. Hearing a whistle, he looks up, seeing him standing on the wall. The assassin's eyes narrowed behind the mask, blood red eyes glaring up.
His spy wore casual clothing, black sweatpants, and orange hoodie. The hoodie's hood was up, covering the hair of the individual, but the mask is what got him. It wasn't like a Fang's mask, it was ornate, porcelain. It was in the shape of a fox, even having ears at the end of the mask sticking up. Whoever he was, Soleil felt the need to run. Everything in him, all of his instincts, he reaches for his rifle. The person standing on the building drops down, crossing his arms.
"So, way I got this pinned down, you got two choices. Choice number one, you surrender, and I find out where your cell is. You live, probably your cell too. I'm not exactly a Valian sanctioned operative, dattebayo. Oh, sorry, that slipped out." The person behind the fox mask laughed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "You want option two?"
Soleil reaches for his rifle with hand, bringing it down quick to put his sights on the person in front of him. He fires the single round chambered, watching as it sailed toward the idiot's head. Only to watch in abstract amazement as he dodges it! It shouldn't have been possible, because his eyes technically connected aura to the target, treading a line to where he was looking, so anything sent out as a projectile could hit.
A heartbeat later, that fox mask wearing punk was right in front of him. Soleil stabs out with his rapier, only for the masked fox to bring a kunai out to deflect it. He backed up, attempting to stab him again only for a slash from the knife to split his White Fang mask apart. Soleil backs up, his face fully exposed. A scar ran across his nose, along with a metal stud in his head.
"Who are you?!" Soleil screamed, his red aura appearing on his skin, indicating that the knife had made contact. "Are you a Schnee operative, if so, I'm going to string you up by your intestines!"
The fox mask wearer chuckles, "I have a name, but you can call me Kitsune."
"Kitsune?"
"Yep, call me Kitsune because that's all you'll get from me. You are actually pretty slobby, Soleil, and your people more so." Kitsune said while walking forward, kunai still in hand, "Seriously, we figure that you'd go hunting for Eis, so we kind of…stowed him away."
"Who the hell is 'we' you little bastard?" Soleil screamed before charging forward, rapidly stabbing his rapier. "Just hold still, you little prick!"
Kitsune kept dodging every single stab, leaning back on the last one to send a kick up right into the assassin's chin. Soleil found himself being launched upward, right onto a roof. He rubs his chin, breathing hard before getting. His aura levels were in the yellow. He saw a shadow from above, he rolls forward just in time to avoid a stump that cracks the roof of the concrete building.
Soleil slashes upward his rapier, putting a wind dust crystal into it. It channels the green energy dawn the blade. Kitsune meanwhile just smirks under his mask, "Ooh now we're getting serious! Tell me something, you wouldn't happen to know about the dust robberies, would you?"
"Shut up!" The assassin screamed while slashing the rapier across his horizon, a green energy wave slicing through the air.
Kitsune merely applied some type of energy to his kunai, slicing the energy wave apart. The assassin slashes several more times, only to watch them get casually blocked each time. Sweat began to roll down his face before reaches for his grabble gun. He fires at nearby building, pressing the reel button to get pulled off the roof at breakneck speeds!
Soleil landed on the rooftop, skidding to a stop as his grabble rope came back to him. Breathing hard, his aura began to restore itself. He turns around to run, only to see Kitsune standing in front of him. He backs up, startled, "How the hell?!"
"Well," Kitsune chuckled before he then formed a hand seal similar to ninjas in fiction used. "It's a family secret, dattebayo!"
The assassin runs forward, slashing and stabbing, sparks flying from the clash between rapier and kunai. The young man in the fox mask easily blocking, countering, and pivoting each slash away with barely any effort. Right as Soleil jumped up to stab downward, he rolls behind him. Holding the kunai to the side, putting his fingers together, the blonde smiled mischievously under his mask.
Soleil's eyes widen as he felt pressure on his backside, blasting forward as something with force blasted him across the roof! He slams down onto the concrete, rolling toward the edge of the building. He gets up, albeit a lot more slowly. His backside screaming in pain, he growls, showing his teeth.
"You really ought to see a dentist for those."
"Fuck you!" Soleil screamed before stumbling forward, "Why the hell are you playing with me, I am a trained assassin! I'm going to kill you!"
"First off, The Thousand Years of Death technique is a valid attack. It obviously sent you flying, and second off it's because you are just so boring!" Kitsune admonished him before crossing his arms, "Trained assassin, pfft, please…you suck."
"Take me seriously, or I'll just escape and kill those closest too you!"
Kitsune stops moving forward, and then remembers, "I never did tell you option two, didn't I? My mother always said I liked the fight more than intel gathering."
"Who gives a damn, good to know, I'll pay that bitch a visit when I get her location off you scroll!"
"Well, you see that's going to be an issue. You see, option two was you being difficult. Don't get me wrong, I love it when you all pick option two. Gives me a reason to just beat you into the ground, where you belong honestly, monsters like you." Kitsune stated as he started to walk forward again, "You're no better than Grimm."
"Says the racist human under the mask!" Soleil screamed before charging forward, roaring as he reared his sword back, then thrusts it forward to release concentrated point of wind dust energy.
This should've pierced right through the arrogant bastard in front of him. He aimed right at the heart, but instead he just merely brought his kunai up. The light green beam of energy of wind energy reflected from angle, and sunk right into Soleil's arm, causing blood to leak from the wound as his aura broke!
As he stumbles forward, he ran right into an incredible right haymaker punch. His nose scrunches up from impact, exploding in blood as Kitsune follows through. Four of his needlelike teeth fly out from his jaw, clattering against the roof along with his body, which hung over the edge!
"Oh…Gods…" Soleil groaned while watching blood drip down onto his head from his mouth. He was going to try and get up, only for Kitsune to kick his weapon away before yanking him up. Soleil groaned out, feeling a punch sink into his stomach that made him vomit to the ground. He looks through the eyeholes of the fox mask, seeing cerulean blue eyes, "P-Please don't' kill me."
"Don't kill you, what happened to big and bad assassin? You talked about kidnapping someone, burning cigarettes on them! Oh buddy, you really should've just chosen choice number one!" Kitsune stated before punching him in the mouth again before throwing him closer to the center of the roof.
Soleil scrambles for his weapon, only for the masked young man to slam down his outstretched with a kunai. It embedded him to the roof, he crouches down, pulling him up. Their eyes locked, and he saw the fear building in the assassin's eyes. He slammed the man down on the ground before getting his cigarette out.
Instead of a lighter, the man watches him ignite the rollup with flick of his fingers. The teen lowered it down to him, "Smoke?" He offered, Soleil was about to do puff before Kitsune turns it around and burns it on his neck. Sizzling noises fill the air before he removed, with the assassin screaming in pain.
"Oh, goddamn it, why, ahh!"
"My point exactly, why say you want to do these things to others? Makes you a total loser," Kitsune chided the assassin before feeling a vibration in his pocket. Rolling his eyes, he held a finger up to Soleil to tell him to wait a minute, and brought it out. "Shit!"
He answers it, "Hey mom, how's it going?!"
"Kitsune, why aren't you at the cell's location yet?"
"Oh, I'm just tiding up here, this guy wanted to after some chick after this."
"Horrible bastard, why are you taking your time?"
"Well mom, I'm just being thorough!"
"You got five minutes, or I'm getting geared up and hitting that cell myself!"
"Ooh…don't use the frying pan this time, felt horrible about it."
"Because I broke their faces?"
"No, because it's hard to get the dents out before the morning rush!"
The fox mask wearing fighter turns around, seeing Soleil trying to reach for his sword. "Mom, I've got to go, love you and don't worry…tonight's your off night."
"Okay, well like I said, five minutes. Plus, I just dropped Eis Schnee off at a hotel. All he'll remember is having a nice dinner with a redhead. Probably used too much, he's still out of it. I got rusty when I had you, dattebane." His mother told him, making him chuckle, "Love you sweetie!"
Kitsune smiles softly before reaching in his pouch, and throwing a kunai into the other man's hand. He screams out, begging for it to be over. "Love you too mom, gotta go!" The vigilante hangs up the scroll.
"Oh Gods, why!" Soleil screamed in anguish while staying pinned down.
Kitsune got into his face, "Because you're a horrible piece of crap! Okay, now I know where your cell is…where's your leader?"
"I'm not telling you where he is!"
"So," Kitsune chuckled before smirking, "The leader is a he, huh?"
"I'll kill you, let me up, you little bastard. I'm going to string you up!"
The vigilante simply looks at him, raising an eyebrow. He reaches into his pouch.
Vern was on his last beat as a cop. The balding man was holding his fresh coffee. Enjoying a nice little donut from the local combustion dust station. He looked at his watch, in just ten minutes, it would be sweet retirement!
He then heard yelling, followed by screaming, and looked up just in time to see a redhead come within inches of hitting ground! His feet were bound, obviously now broken, the rope tied around them hanging him upside down. The redhead groaned, turning around to reveal something written on his forehead.
The old cop bends down, reading it out, "Assassin? Oh shit!"
He pulls back, drawing his gun, pulling his radio up with his free hand. "This Officer Evergreen, we've got a suspect hanging upside down on Fourth Mercy Street, possibly related to the disappearance of Eis Schnee!" The officer stated before seeing the mouth of the faunus, "Might be White Fang."
Hanging upside down, Soleil twitched, blood dripping from his broken nose. "Stay away from me, filthy human..." He moaned out only for Officer Evergreen to show his catlike eyes.
"Son, the only filthy thing here is you."
Across town, a group of Faunus were inside of a small underground. A large man with two swords on his back was pacing back and forth. "Where the fuck is he, our other assassin came up blank too! Apparently, Eis just bursts into smoke when hit with anything, we're being played!" He shouted in anger before tossing a beer bottle to the ground.
His horns accidentally scraped against an overhanging wooden beam, making him lash out and punch it!
"Stier, please, calm down!" Another White Fang member, a woman with a fox tail, tried to calm the large man. "I'm sure Soleil is okay, plus we're supposed to move on Blake Belladonna here soon!"
"That bitch, when she betrayed our glorious leader, she deserved to die! I hope he's planning to punish her in the old manner, no finer punishment fit for a human sympathizer!" The bull faunus slammed his head on the bar, "I swear on the Brother Gods, I'll be ripping Soleil a new one if doesn't come through that door."
The door wasn't suddenly kicked open, revealing not Soleil, but Kitsune. "Hey everyone, mind if I join you all for a bit of drinking?!" He screamed out, only to see six other White Fang members stand up.
All of them got their guns, mostly stolen Atlassian assault rifles. Stier looks at the masked vigilante, preparing his swords. Kitsune took a moment, and saw the girl getting out a whip. He giggles stupidly, leaning against the door. "You know, I just want a drink. C'mon, let's all be friendly here, because your guy Soleil wasn't!" He told them, holding his hands up.
"What the fuck did you do to my boyfriend, you human bastard!" The woman shouted out, charging her whip with electricity. It crackles to life, she growls at him, her fox tail swooshing behind her like crazy. "Well, human?!"
"Seriously, why are you all so racist, I'm just kicking your asses on the principal that you're all just plain rude!" He challenged before dodging out of the door when the six wielding rifles fired.
He stood outside the doorway, sighing while counting his kunai. Humming a tune that his mother taught him as a child. Each kunai had special markings on them. "Hey dad, it's me, I know I don't get to talk to you much. I just want to ask that you be with me, guide my thunder, and let me shock them with my lightning." Kitsune prayed quickly waiting on them to finish unloading.
"Alright, showtime!"
Kitsune sidestepped back into the front of the door, throwing all four kunai in at once. Ducking around the corner again as they fired their rounds, he waited. Once he knew they were fully focused, he took a deep breath and focused on the kunai thrown nearest to the six faunus with guns. In a flash of yellow light, unbeknownst to them, he now stood behind them.
One of them finishing off his magazine, dropped his reload. Kitsune bent down, picking it up for him with a bright smile from under the mask. The solider waved his hand to thank him before standing straight up, slowly turning around. His deer ears bent backwards, not out of aggression but of fear. Kitsune just draws back, punching clear out of the door. The other five turn around at the same, their guns clicking on empty, and all of them collectively cursing. The masked warrior grabs a nearby chair, smacking two of them in the face with it before throwing the broken legs at the one with the big guy with two swords. The legs smashing against his face, knocking him back!
"Die!" One of the gun wielders scream as he tried to bash Kitsune in the head, only for him to grab it one handed and then smash a beer bottle into the soldier's head.
Disoriented the soldier tried to stand up tall, only to get kicked straight in the stomach and sent flying back into the soldier trying to come back through the door. The two who got knocked down earlier got and managed to reload, only for Kitsune to grab two kunai and shove them right into the barrels of the guns. It rendered them inoperable, a bad thing for those who tried to use them as Kitsune low dives between them before delivering a split kick that sent them flying!
The last gun wielder throws his gun down, picking up one of the kunai. Kitsune bites his lip, "Ooh that's a bad move."
"Why is that human?"
The vigilante merely formed a hand seal, a sound of energy echoing off it. The solider holding the knife watches a paper unfurled from it. He looked back at Kitsune only for a wave of electricity to hit him full force that sent him flying back into a wall. The man twitched as Kitsune walks over to him, collecting the kunai.
Just in time to dodge a whip strike, followed by side stepping a sword stab. "Whew, that was close!" Kitsune teases before backing up toward the door.
He secretly tosses two kunai at the door, smirking when he saw the other three thrown in there perfectly lined up. Stier screaming with a blind rage as charges toward him. An energetic echo filled the room again as he suddenly appeared near the bar! The woman launches her whip at Kitsune, only for it to suddenly appear and electrocute Stier when it wrapped around one his broadswords.
"Lys-for-fuck-sakes-turn-off-the-dust!" Stier screams out in rapid succession while being electrocuted, the woman doing what she was told.
Stier took a deep breath, then charges toward the masked young man. Rolling his eyes under the mask, Kitsune steps forward. Appearing behind the charging Stier and tackling Lys! She screamed out while her long blonde hair was pulled and used to throw her into the wall. Stier looked confused, standing at the doorway, and then turned to his enemy.
"Sup, is the beer cold here?"
"You little shit!" Stier screamed before throwing one of his swords toward Kitsune, who simply disappeared in a yellow flash. "Who are you?!"
"WhO aRe YoU!" Kitsune mocked childishly, holding his two free hands up mimicking talking people, "I'm gonna string you up, blah-blah-blaaaah!"
"You dare mock me, I've killed Huntsman, little boy!"
"Little, heh, the only little thing is what's probably between your legs. Seriously," Kitsune held up his pinky, "Let me know what finger matches it the most."
The bull faunus roars, grabbing his lone broadsword, slashing downward from above his head. Instead of dodging, Kitsune just merely grabs it with a free hand. He held out his ring finger on the other hand, "Am I getting warmer?"
"Arrgh!" Lys screamed before throwing a table at him, only for it to reappear in yellow flash at the door. "Damn it!"
They hear a whistle, getting both their attentions. Lys wanted to reactivate her whip but stops herself just short. Stier meanwhile grabs a table, throwing it at the masked warrior. In a second, with the bending of space-time around the entrance due to Kitsune's technique, the table reappeared. It slams into Stier, making him stumble forwards with a grunt.
"So, I'm guessing this is correct?" Kitsune inquired while holding up his right middle finger, "Meh, average, nothing to write home about."
"Quit mocking me!"
"Stier, stop, it's pointless! We need to retreat out of the back exit before the LEOs arrive!" Lys implored him, watching Kitsune. "I don't know who you are, but I swear on my life we'll get you!"
Kitsune went to move but stopped himself, he just rubs the back of his head. Lys ran over to the backdoor, ready to open it. "Hey, Lys wasn't it, I'm going to give you one chance to not open the door!" Kitsune warned her before watching her turn the knob, "Alright, suite yourself."
Lys smiles while opening the door, only to come across another masked person. She, and Lys could tell, had her weapon choice already ready. Lys just hisses under her breath, "You've got to be fuc-ack!" She didn't finish before getting smashed across the bar with a firing pan.
Kitsune looked dismayed, grabbing the top of his hoodie, "Mom! C'mon, not the good frying pan, jeez!"
"Mother," Stier then got a wicked smile on his face, "Come here you little bitch!"
Kitsune's mother didn't even move, she let him get closer. When he got in arm's reach, she kicked him in the knee, breaking it. He went down like a sack of potatoes, screaming while holding it. He was about to stand up before she just lines up the pan, and swings!
CLANG!
Stier's last sight before succumbing to the sweet release of getting knocked out was Lys getting her wrist tied up to a table. He felt something press against his forehead, was it a gun? No, it was wet, and it began to trail.
Kitsune watches as Stier's eyes rolled back as he finishes up with the one named Lys. He stops, popping his back, "You know mom, I said I had it!"
"Well excuse me, check your scroll more often!" His mother complained before walking over to him, "What a mess."
"Hey, could've been worse. So, you and the Eis guy didn't…you know…" Kitsune then received a hard smack across his head, "Ouch!"
"That's for insinuating that I even let him get that far, you little brat dattebane!" His mother roared out from her own fox mask, "Just because you're the other Kitsune, doesn't mean you get question my methods."
"Well excuse me, I was just wondering, I heard those Schnee people are pretty lecherous!" Kitsune One argued before teleporting to each kunai and picking them up. "So, who gets to call the police on this one?"
"Freeze!"
Kitsune One and Two froze, looking toward the door. His mother, Kitsune Two, looked right at him, "Does that answer your question?"
"Yep," Kitsune One answered before suddenly dashing forward at blinding speeds.
The officer didn't even get a round off in time before the two suspects disappeared in a flash of yellow light. He stood there confused, until he looked toward the large bull faunus on the ground. His head has the same type of markings as the other faunus hanging by his feet earlier. Officer Evergreen had decided to see the night through, and he just stood there in awe.
"Ringleader, girlfriend of assassin?" He read both of their tags, "Well shit…I guess it's true. If you ask nicely, you do get a win handed to you on a silver platter."
"Ugh…" Lys groaned while lolling side to side, "My head…who uses a cast iron skillet in a fight?"
Evergreen held handcuffs over her, "Well sweetheart, apparently whoever decided to walk up in here and do our job for us."
"Damn it…"
Appearing in a yellow flash inside of a living room. Kitsune One and Two fell to the floor in heap after tripping over a coffee table. Kitsune One was to first to get up, removing his mask. His blonde hair came loose, revealing a face covered in sweat. He had three whisker marks on each cheek, his cerulean eyes glinted off nearby tabletop lights on end tables.
"Whew what a night, huh mom!" He celebrated before she got up off the floor, removing her mask.
"By what a night, you mean that you're taking morning shift tomorrow!" She yelled at him, tossing her mask onto the floor. "Seriously, I tell you once and I tell you again, stop playing around dattebane!"
"Oh, come on, I wasn't exactly playing around, I was just giving them the business dattebayo!" He complained before flopping down on a chair, "Wish we could do this full time."
"Yeah, I do too, but unfortunately, we don't get paid to save the city. You took on our vows, son, as a Ninja. If your father was alive today, he'd…" His mother didn't get to finish, she was interrupted.
"He'd say that I have a duty, despite not being in Konoha, to uphold ourselves as Ninja. I've heard the same lecture repeatedly mom! I just, you know, want some acknowledgement for what we do. Huntsmen aren't doing crap all anymore, and I know you got it in your gut. Something big is coming, heck, even Kurama is getting riled up a little bit." He argued while laying the couch, "And if he's getting riled up, crap's hitting the fan soon."
"You leave me out of this, Naruto."
"Oh jeez, thanks, I mean it's not like she can hear us."
"Technically she could, since she still has my Yin half."
"Mom if you're hearing this, what did I just say to Kurama?"
"You just told him that I couldn't hear you," His mother admonished before watching him slowly crane his neck toward. "Kurama is right, since I have the other half in me…well I can listen in from time to time."
"Can I have a little bit of privacy!"
"Nope, now don't stay up too late, Naruto. Your morning shift starts at five!" His mother stated before going toward her bedroom, "And son…I don't always listen in."
"Yeah-Yeah, I'm just going to get me a quick bite, love you mom." Naruto stated before getting up off the chair, 'Sleep well…okay?"
"Oh honey, Yin has been calmer a lot recently. Your birthday is coming up, perhaps we can do something for it…" She offered up, watching him frown a little bit, "What?"
"I want to have friends, hang out with people my age. I'm tired mom, I see them constantly going out with each other all the time. I'm sixteen, I've learned well, let me go live a life!" He complained while crossing his arms, "Every single year we go do something, but maybe this year I just want to go out and have fun!"
"Naruto, you know why I constantly keep an eye on you. It's not just because you're my son, it's because you aren't ready to go at it on your own…" She walked over to him, moving his chin up. "I love you, and you're going a fine young man."
Naruto scuffs, looking her right in her violet eyes, "I get it that I'm growing up. That's the point, I want to be normal!"
"Naruto…"
"I want to go out with friends, I want to go on dates!"
"Naruto…"
"Maybe I can still be a ninja, but at some point, I'll have to move forward with myself!"
"Naruto, I'm just protecting you." His mother told him, bringing him into a hug, "I understand…maybe you're right."
"So, does that mean I can go out this weekend? I'm not going bar hopping; I just want to enjoy my last few weeks of being sixteen." Naruto explained while looking away, rubbing his arm bashfully. "Do you think dad would want me to be cooped up all the time?"
His mother took a deep breath, biting her lip, "No…but son. You'll never be like other people because we have Kurama inside both of us."
"I know how dad died, okay, Kurama told me. Well, Yang Kurama told me, I just want you to know I understand. I love you so much, but at certain point I have to move on from just being your son. Think about it, isn't there that you want grandkids? How can I ever do that just staying cooped up here, or running around saving this place constantly." He told her before taking a moment, "I know you're scared that he's out there somewhere…the guy who killed dad."
She nods before patting his shoulder, "I just don't want to see my boy leave out of here and get into something that forces you to use Kurama openly."
"Well, that's why I got my Kitsune mask," Naruto pointed out with a small chuckle. "Heck, who knows, maybe the person I bring home to you wouldn't mind it?"
Sighing, his mother starts walking down the hall, "Goodnight son. I love you."
Naruto frowns as she leaves to go to bed, "I love you too mom…for real this time, go get some sleep."
"She just wants what's best for you."
"I know, Kurama, but I want too just be normal."
"Naruto, listen up, just another few weeks wouldn't hurt you."
"I haven't had a single friend other than you for nearly six years!"
"You began to train, and because of it, you ran the risk of running into that man."
"Okay, but with you by my side, I bet you we could take him!"
"If it were so easy, Naruto, your mother would've done so by now."
"I don't know…I'm cutting the mental link for tonight, night Kurama."
"Night brat."
Naruto's mother was standing in a large field, with a cage made of tree branches surrounding a giant dark red fox. Yin Kurama stood there, looking at the woman. "I'm telling you, Yin, I think my son is getting too cramped up." She admitted while looking at the fields.
"That's not your fault, the situation calls for this measure. My other half is arguing on why you're right, but I'll say that he has a point. At what point does he get freedom?" Yin inquired while looking down at the woman, "You've been the perfect mother Kushina…part of that is learning to let go."
Kushina stood there, looking dower while taking a deep breath, "It's not fair…Minato should've been here with us."
"You're scared of losing him," Yin Kurama told her before sitting down and facing her. "Do you not think he's scared of losing you too?"
"He'll never lose me, because I'm strong enough to defend myself." The redhead argued while cross her arms, "If Minato was here…"
"Minato will never be here, but he's inside of your son. He has your hotheadedness, but he's his father son when it comes to ideals. At some point, hopefully, he'll find love. Then what, Kushina, can you expect him to live with you still? At a certain point, you have to let him journey on his own. Find his own path." Yin Kurama replied before reaching through the cage, holding a fist.
Kushina just sighs, bumping its fist, "I just don't want to get the message from Yang…that…"
"The Masked Man found him, and he's fighting for his life? I fear for that day as well, but if he's even alive after what your husband did it would be a dark miracle indeed." The dark red fox stated before opening his fist and grabbing her hand gently between two fingers.
"I just want him to be loved, loved for being Naruto Uzumaki, not used for you and Yang Kurama." Kushina told her long-time confidant, "I fear that he has a point…you feel something coming do you?"
"Yes…a darkness on the horizon is coming, perhaps that it'll require both of us." Yin told her before pulling his hand back, "It'll push us to our limits, eventually you you'll be faced with the choice of letting him go…or losing him forever."
"Letting him go…or losing him forever?" She questioned before thinking, "Is this another riddle of yours, Yin?"
"I only wish it was, and I pray that I'm wrong in my feelings."
Naruto was wearing earbuds as he ran down the street. It was four in the morning, his feet beating against the concrete as he made it toward a small that was locked up. Getting the key out, he unlocked the padlock, and opened the shed door.
A small dining area filled his vision, with the bar tops cleaned. His mother must've been here last night before running to check on him. Walking inside, the blonde turns on the lights. A neon sign saying, Ichiraku Ramen, brightly outside the unit.
Putting on a green apron over his shirt, Naruto was listening to the soft music pouring through the feed. He moved his hand sin rhythm, lip synching with it. "It was just two lovers, sitting in the car, falling for each other~" He singed to himself aloud, getting behind the counter to put the pots on the burners.
The blonde was also searching this scroll, looking up apps for just meeting people. Dating apps, social media, just checking over them to see if anyone responded to his message boards. No one had hit him, none at all, which made him frown. He took a deep breath before resting his face on his knuckle. Waiting on the water to boil.
Naruto took a minute, checking to see if his Kitsune mask was inside the back pouch on his left hip. It was, making him sigh, and watched as people started walking by. Eventually someone came in, it was older businessman, with white hair. It was Eis, his mustache a mess.
"Hey there, are you open for business?" He inquired groggily, "I need a pick me up."
"We just opened up. Would some ginseng tea be to you liking?" Naruto inquired while getting a tea kettle ready, "Usually gets me up after being up all night."
"You youths frolicking about," Eis laughed while watching the teen get out several tea bags. "Yes, I believe ginseng is in order."
"Okay sir, it'll be ready in five minutes. Anything to eat, I can cook some eggs and rice, on the house because you'd be the first customer." The teen offered up before getting a skillet down, and throwing rice into one of the pots. "Honestly, I was getting ready to cook me some myself."
The older man laughs, "Sure kid, I'll take some."
"Alright, give me a few minutes," Naruto said before getting some eggs out. "By the way didn't I see you in here yesterday?"
"Oh yes, I was chatting the lovely owner of this establishment. Don't know what quite happen, but I woke up in a hotel room this morning. People freaking out, saying someone was after me. These White Fang are surely fools, I'm really a nobody in the family." Eis admitted before yawning, "I didn't really see you here yesterday."
"It was my day off. I usually stop by when my mother is running service. Also, why would you ever say that about yourself. I mean, if someone is family, you're never truly a nobody to them." Naruto advised while grabbing the tea kettle, and pouring the boiling liquid into a mug. "Watch out, give the packet a couple minutes."
Eis nods while watching the teen pour his own cup, "I see that you're very wise for such a young man."
"Comes with the territory, sir. When your raised by a single mother, by the way, nothing happened between you two. You simply got too drunk, so that's why I'm here and not her." Naruto lied while preparing a plate, "Cheese?"
"No thank you, soy sauce for me however."
He fulfilled the man's order, handing him the rice and eggs. The blonde took dollops of his own, quickly eating while Eis ate slowly. He took a deep breath, watching as the son of the woman he went drinking with simply ate his meal.
"Did she even mention me?"
"Nope," Naruto continued lying while checking his apps, "Maybe you should take it as a sign. She's not interested, sorry man, but hey look on the bright side…you woke up today, right?"
"I guess that's a good way of looking at things," Eis admitted before sipping his tea. "Hmm, this is very good."
Naruto smiles while sipping his own, "I go around and buy the best teas. My mother loves coffee too much, so that's my department."
"Certainly, you have quite the taste, I wish my little cousin wasn't so stuck on coffee." Eis stated before sipping more of his tea, "But alas…such is the tragedy of those who can't understand culture in a ceramic cup."
"You're still drunk, a little, aren't you?" Naruto questioned, a small smirk on his lips.
The older man laughs, blushing a little, "A little bit."
"Well sir, sorry that it didn't work out for you. Please, enjoy the tea and food, on the house." The blonde reminded him before walking over to the pots, and already chopping up meats to be put into them.
"Ah such is the life," Eis bemoaned before finishing his tea. "You take care, I'm leaving my card here just in case."
"Okay, sure, thank you Mr. Schnee," Naruto begrudgingly thanked the man.
He watches him leave out the front, taking deep breath before walking over to the business card. He tosses it into the trashcan along with leftover food from their plates, and leans over the counter. The blonde watching morning people walk by the chicken and pork boiling in the pots behind him. He still had to slice up the beef, he watches as a couple walk by.
Frowning, the blonde took to sitting down behind the wall, scrolling on his device. He closes his eyes, sighing before thinking about his father. A man he never got to meet, a man that sent him and his mother to this world to keep them safe. From what he understood, it wasn't the plan for them to be here, but they were here now.
Doing the best with what they got, and living in this crazy world.
"Hello," His head perked up, and stood up from the chair, "Anyone here?"
"Oh, sorry miss, I was ju…" Naruto's heart skipped a beat as he saw her, his mouth going dry for words.
She was beautiful, jet-black hair, that waved down her shoulders. A black ribbon bow on the top of her head, amber eyes glinting off the lights of the eatery. Her fair complexion, with smooth skin, and lips that were full. She had on a violet hoodie, which was unzipped, and T-shirt with a book series in the middle of it. Their eyes met, and both of them swore they had met before just off the glance.
Gathering himself, Naruto found these things called words, "Hello. Um sorry, I was just…uh…"
"It's fine if you're not open yet, I was just looking for some breakfast." She said to him, while getting ready to walk back out.
"Wait! We're open, I was just scrolling on my scroll in the back, bit of a slow morning." He told her, nervously chuckling afterwards, "Would you like any coffee, or tea?"
"I'd like some tea, what do you have?" She inquired while taking a seat at the bar.
"Pretty much everything that is great, I have an entire Mistralian selection, like Green Jade, Yellow Ginseng, Rose Tea, and several others. I even have Sencha, but that's usually reserved for special occasions." Naruto told her before rubbing the back of his head, "But I guess since it's a slow morning you could have some if you wanted."
"I actually love Sencha," She replied with a small smile, a beautiful smile. "You wouldn't mind, would you?"
"No, of course not, I'm actually craving some as well. Hang on, I'll go make a fresh batch." He offered before running to the back, sweating slightly with his hands fidgeting. "Kurama, red alert!"
"Say less, what's the skinny? Super powered Grimm, Masked Man, do we need to go giant and wipe out an army?!"
"Wait, no, not that kind of red alert!"
"Oh, well, then why did you summon the link?"
"Very beautiful girl, help me out here, I mean seriously!"
"You want me to help you, and let me get this right, talk to a girl?"
"It's stupid, isn't it?"
"Yes, very much so, goodbye!"
"Wait, we can do the thing! You get free reign for a whole day on one of my off days!"
"The whole day…hmm…I have grown interested in these things called video games."
"Help me, help you, we all win!"
Naruto was going on autopilot while getting the tea ready. He was still sweating bullets, for some reason, it was those beautiful amber eyes! He stood there, watching the kettle boil, biting his lip. Finally, he heard the large fox inside of him sighing.
"Listen to my directions, and do NOT deviate!"
"What happens if I deviate," Naruto inquired mentally before pouring the tea into two saucers. "Oh, crap why the hell am I freaking out over this?!"
"Because it's something Kushina never trained you for, Kami above, this is not the job for a giant nine tailed fox!"
"Why are you freaking out now, fuck Kurama, c'mon!" He yelled mentally before pouring the tea into the tray's saucers. "First thing first, I got to serve this hot!"
"Maintain eye contact!"
Naruto froze up with that, gathering himself before walking back to the bar. He held the tray with both hands. He made his eyes look up, until he found them looking into amber pools of light. His heart began to pound, his pupils dilating. He sets the tray down, "I um…here you go."
"Thank you," She thanked him before taking a saucer. "It smells very nice, who buys the tea for this place?"
"That's me, I'm pretty much the tea guy here, hehe…" He laughed nervously before mentally reaching out to Kurama, "Okay this isn't going too horrible…"
He took a deep breath, "My name is Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."
"Oh, my name is Blake," She introduced herself before sipping on the tea. "This is very delicious, Mr. Uzumaki."
"Oh, you don't have to call me mister, Naruto is just as fine!" Naruto nervously said before reaching out, seeing a small chuckle on her face. "Is that a good sign or a bad sign?"
"I don't know, not exactly other giant foxes for me to practice with!"
"Deals off!"
"Then at least I get to see you fumble this, good luck, brat!"
"Thanks for nothing, furball." Naruto growled mentally before taking a deep breath. "So, Blake, anything catching your eye?"
"Actually, yes, I know its early. Is there anyway you can make some fish miso, with extra fishcakes?" She asked while looking at him, "Are you okay, you're sweating a lot."
He blushes a little bit, "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Absolutely nothing wrong here, I'm going to get your food started!"
She nods her head, getting a book out. The blonde walks away from her, putting noodles into a pot. He got several different cuts of fish out, putting them into a separate pot. Watching as he got several strange looking tubes out, before cutting them into a bowl of hot broth.
After about ten minutes of the back and forth, the blonde arrives back with a large bowl. He sets it down in front of her with a smile. The smell was absolutely divine, she saw the strange little swirl things in there. Not ever really seeing anything like them in ramen before.
"What are those," She inquired while pointing at them. "They smell good, but look weird."
Naruto blushes a little bit, and tells her, "Well they're called Narutomaki. They're a type of sweet fishcake."
"Narutomaki…" She then looked up at him, "You wouldn't happen to own this place, because that's a very similar name to you."
"Guilty as charged, but it's really my mother. I was actually named after them," He told her with a nervous smile, pulling out his own smaller bowl. "Hope you don't mind, but I've been running on near empty the last two days."
"It's no problem, Naruto." She softly said before giving him a small smile. "Are you Faunus by chance?"
"Um, not really, funny story about that. These were actually just birthmarks," Naruto replied before taking some narutomaki into his mouth. "They're not real."
"Hmm, interesting, so how long have you lived in Vale?"
"I've been here about ten years," Naruto told her before thinking. "I lived in Menagerie when I was a lot younger."
She narrows her eyes at him, did he just say Menagerie? Why did he look familiar to her, something about him just seemed to scream out to her. She should know him, but in the end all her memory kept drawing was blanks. The young woman took a few more bite of her ramen, eating the narutomaki, and somewhere she found herself moaning at each bite.
"Do you like it?" He inquired, looking over at her, gauging her facial expression.
She softens up and blew hot steam from her mouth, "It's the best ramen I've ever had."
"Well, you can always come back, heck…I'll even make this on the house if you agree to come back." He then mentally yells at him, "Your mom's going to kill you idiot, plus good way to sound desperate!"
However, much to his surprise the young woman nods her head. "I'd come back here even I had to pay this time around, but it's sweet of you to offer." Blake said before slurping up some noodles. He blushes while watching her, she seemed absolutely in love with the dish.
"Well, Blake, I'd love to serve you again. So, just consider this free. If you don't mind me asking, what brings you to Vale?" He inquired before going back to his own noodles.
"I'm going to Beacon Academy to try and become a Huntress."
He nearly chokes on the noodle, but manages to swallow, "Wait you're a Beacon student? That's awesome, I hope everything works out for you there!"
"Me too…hey…I'm going to get the rest to go. It's nothing you're doing, it's just that I'm needing to get some extra sleep before I board the blimp." Blake told him before getting up, "Thank you for the meal."
Naruto was already getting the plastic cup for her ramen. Pouring the bowl into it, he looks over to her, "Want some more Sencha to go?"
She bit her lip a little bit, and nods, "Sure…I'd love that."
He walked toward the back, getting her the remaining Sencha he made, pouring into a coffee cup. Humming as he walked back into the doorway, she took the cup from him gently. She was walking out before stopping, and turning around. He was confused, until she grabbed his hand. He blushes bright red before she writes her number down on his palm.
"Just so I can know when you all will be open, just in case I bring friend around. Okay?"
"Y-yeah, sure, see you later, Blake." Naruto bids her farewell, watching as she walked out of the restaurant.
He stood there for a moment, looking at the number on his hand. Getting his scroll out, the teen took a picture of it, and then saved the number. Just in case the number didn't save the first time around. For some reason, he couldn't help it.
He had met her somewhere before, but he couldn't put his finger on where exactly.
The Cook Is A Ninja?!
Chapter One: Kitsune. End.
Authors' note.
Welcome to a series that'll get updated every so often. The Cook Is A Ninja?! is a lighthearted series. There are some emotional undertones, it's a coming-of-age tale. Set in an AU where Minato's death also saves Kushina whilst transporting her and Naruto to the RWBYverse.
I hope you liked this first part, and please let me know!
Story is currently Rated T, but like with some others…it may just get bumped into M.
You all have a happy new year.
Sincerely.
-Blazeraptor54!