Alrighty!
It's been a little while, but hopefully I'll be a bit more active for this one. Anyway…
The Goddess Arc has been dubbed! To celebrate, I wrote lyrics for and covered English versions of Koi no Shirushi, Ai no Yokan, Kizuna no Yukue, and Hajimete Koi wo Shita Kioku. Check them out on my YouTube channel!
And the dub… hoo. Do I have words for you about the dub.
First off, I'd like to say: Tenri is voiced by Juliet Simmons. She goes by JubyPhonic on YouTube. I was already a huge fan of Juby's, and was excited to hear her voice act.
Damn.
That's all.
Anyway, here are my thoughts regarding their performances.
Keima Katsuragi: (Chris Patton) An amazing job, as always. There are little things I would tweak and a few lines I'd have him rerecord, but overall, he was fantastic.
Elucia de Lute Irma: (Luci Christian) Great job for her as well. Nails the role, just like previous seasons.
Haqua du Lot Herminium: (Jessica Calvello) Fantastic performance in the first episode. She's one of those one-liner VAs, it seems. Her monologuing (if you can call it that) in the next few episodes show that she's still feeling out the role as the show goes on. I look forward to hearing more from her though.
Tenri Ayukawa: (Juliet Simmons) Damn.
Ayumi Takahara: (Elizabeth Bunch) I didn't think it was possible, but Ayumi's English VA seems to have gotten even worse. Kaytha Coker was one thing (I actually found myself enjoying it out of a sense of tolerance by the end) but Bunch starts off the season terribly. It's like she didn't bother rewatching her bits from Season 2 to get a feel for it. Just awful.
Kanon Nakagawa: (Brittney Karbowski) It's Brittney Karbowski; what can I say? She's just as good a Kanon as she was the last few times. I feel like she could work on emotion in some parts (especially the confession, geez') but overall, she was fine.
Chihiro Kosaka: (Cynthia Martinez) Oh look. They changed Chihiro's Voice Actor again. Perfect.
Season 1 Chihiro was fine, and I understand why they swapped out her Season 2 VA since she shares it with Kanon (who had a very minor appearance that Season) but this girl… Not doin' it for me.
From what I've seen of Yui Goido (Krystal LaPorte) and Tsukiyo Kujo (Caitlynn French) they don't look too promising either.
Lune (Tiffany Grant) certainly does; she sounds incredible. Though, they changed her name to Luna for the dub, and I'm not too sure how I feel about that…
Overall, I still strongly recommend the dub, if not solely for how brilliant Chris Patton's Keima can be.
For the characters I didn't cover (Shiori, Akari, Nora, Ryo, etc.) it's because I haven't seen them yet. Shiori (Hilary Haag) should hopefully be just as good as last time, but if Ayumi's performance is any indication…
Well, I'll tell you all next time. We have other stuff to talk about.
For those unclear, here are the Goddesses in detail.
Vulcan: The eldest of the group. Long, reddish-pink hair, eyes always closed, doesn't walk. Psychic Abilities. Very serious, no nonsense personality. A tad stuck-up toward Uzumaki, but despite her harsh exterior, she loves her sisters more than anything in the world.
Apollo: The second oldest. Short, pink hair with two small 'antennae' that hang over her face, and two red triangular markings vertically on each cheek. Knowledge of odd spells and healing magic. Goddess of Music and the Arts; beautiful voice. Light-hearted and very happy, though she hates a mystery. An odd relationship with Uzumaki, and her sisters don't take her jokes or pranks too seriously.
Diana: The veritable middle child. Shoulder length black hair that leans more toward a dark purple. Goddess of the Moon, and the strategist of the group. Very studious, and though her attitude may be offputting, she is very friendly once you get to know her. Loved by all her sisters, and she's mostly indifferent when it comes to Uzumaki. She'll tease Apollo about him though.
Minerva: Also a middle child, though she really does look like a child. Baby blue hair in a princess cut that goes all the way to her lower back. Goddess of Wisdom; very shy, and nearly always in the library. Eidetic memory, so everything she's ever read, she remembers. Doesn't say much, even less so when it comes to Uzumaki. However, after reading through his novel series, she's a little curious as to what him tick.
Mars: The second youngest. Long, blonde hair that falls across one shoulder in a ponytail, and a small ringlet on her forehead, though this is merely aesthetic. Goddess of War; very outspoken and brash, running into things without a plan. A bit of a foil to Diana in a way. Master of every form and method of inflicting harm. Can spawn weapons from nothing. Often mistaken as a man, due to her mannerisms, speech, and personality. After her match with Uzumaki, she's grown to respect him, if only a bit. She wants a rematch, regardless.
Mercury: The youngest; also known as 'Mercurius'. Pure white hair cut shorter than Apollo's, and two white, bar-like markings horizontally under each eye. Always sleepy, constantly yawning, and occasionally slurring her words as a result. Very intelligent, if you manage a conversation with her, and is a bit of a savant when it comes to unusual magic. She's dabbled in sealing as well. Her sisters put up with her irregular sleep patterns, though they poke fun at her for it occasionally. She doesn't seem to care either way when it comes to Uzumaki.
Collective: Cannot die through normal means. Can be wounded, and killed this way. Their wings and halos emit light, though they can be concealed. Their wings can retract and become smaller, but they span almost six feet across. Originally girls from different clans across the continent, but were united in their common study under Shion.
Those descriptions should help when I don't want my writing to go stale. So I can say 'they looked to their eldest' instead of 'they looked at Vulcan'.
Right! The chapter!
So this one's… a bit odd. I'll admit that. But bear with me, alright? This is for development and stuffs.
Here's Chapter 3.
Flag 3.0: Heartseed
Day 20
12:42 P.M.
(*WHOOOOSH*)
Masked ninja were moving through the trees so quickly that they were nothing more than blurs of black and grey. Falling leaves and a gentle breeze were the only signs that they were ever there.
At the head of the group, the one in a Monkey Mask made a small motion with his hand. At that, his team nodded and scattered.
The man in the Kitsune Mask dashed across the earth, eyes skimming over the tree-lined landscape with practiced ease.
It wasn't long 'til he spotted their target.
(2 Hours Earlier)
"Your target," started Itachi, dropping a folder onto his desk, "Is one Shichino 'Heartseed' Yamanaka, A-Ranked Konoha Nuke-Nin. He went rogue after breaking into his Clan Library and stealing classified documents."
"He's credited with the death of six total shinobi so far, foreign and hunter nin alike," he continued, "And the circumstances of their deaths… concern me."
He turned to them.
"Before their demise, each of these shinobi has been confirmed to have engaged their target. And their deaths follow shortly afterward, by stabbing, strangling, what have you. The problem is…"
"They're not the only ones to die," he said grimly.
Their posture straightened as they took in this new information. They waited silently for him to elaborate.
"We haven't discerned much of a pattern yet… the two victims (the shinobi and the other) range anywhere from mere classmates from the academy, to a bartender at a pub they frequented, and even at one point, wife and husband."
Kitsune's presence seemed to spike.
"No matter how you slice it, the victims know each other somehow," he continued, "Now..."
"What we've… come up with…" Itachi said, addressing each one of them, "Is that this Yamanaka has created a Kinjutsu using the scrolls he's stolen. This Kinjutsu creates a mental link between the two victims, and upon the death of one, the other follows. The time of death matches up in every case, though the second victim will always die of a total brain failure."
"And how can you be certain this isn't just some bizarre coincidence?" Kitsune asked.
"A large chakra spike is felt from both victims shortly before their death, and immediately afterward," Itachi looked to him, "Moreover, just before the shinobi's death, the second victim acts crazed, asking who they are, and where they are, as if they'd lost their memory. Their babblings are cut short by their deaths, seconds later."
Kitsune grit his teeth.
'So a suicide mission...'
He glanced at his comrades through his mask, 'These four must either be Ex-Root, or have no connections to anyone else. Perfect for something like this…'
"And Kitsune," Itachi said, causing him to look back, "You're here to make certain this Kinjutsu is never used again."
"And how would he do that, Hokage-sama?" Neko asked.
"Kitsune has a unique mental defense that makes him impervious to every form of Yamanaka technique, lest he let it," Itachi explained, "And curious as I am to learn the workings of this technique and add them to the Forbidden Scroll like my predecessors before me, I won't."
They all blinked in confusion, as he continued.
"What you're all about to encounter is a danger to humanity itself," he spoke, "While a shinobi may know and accept that his life can end at any moment whenever he leaves the village, a civilian makes no such pledge."
His expression turned dark.
"And a technique that murders based on the bonds that a shinobi may have, is something we cannot allow to exist."
"I've held off on sending you four on this mission for some time now…" he said, "But with Kitsune here, we finally have a chance."
He looked them right in the eye.
"Find Heartseed, and take him out. That's an order."
"Hai!"
Day 20
12:45 P.M.
Diana
(*FWIP*)
…
…
…
(*FWIP*)
…
…
…
(*FWIP*)
None of my sisters spoke a word as the minutes ticked by, the only sound being the occasional (*FWIP*) from the turning of a page.
I let out a small sigh as I closed the book before me. Nothing of use, as expected.
Work on the seal was the same as always: agonizingly slow. All we could do was look for possible components to increase the seal's strength.
Why were we doing this you ask? Well, short of using the Shiki Fuujin, and at the cost of our lives, no seal in existence is capable of permanently sealing Moryou. As a result, we had to synthesize a seal with the strength of the Shinigami, yet wouldn't tear our souls from our bodies.
The problem was, tampering with Fuuinjutsu formulae was painstaking, dangerous work. One slip of the hand, and the whole thing is unusable at best, explodes at worse.
That's actually how Exploding Tags were discovered.
So, two out of the five of us with prior experience in the Sealing Arts (Vulcan and I) took care of the transcription. Those without a steady hand (read: Mars and Apollo) gathered books for Minerva and Mercury to look through. They'd then pass those on to us, where we'd take the bits and pieces we'd need, before discarding them.
In short, we were creating the most powerful Fuuinjutsu in existence: Ultima. Little to no danger or cost, with all the effects of a sacrifice seal. A technique so powerful, it existed only in concept. Short of Shiki Fuujin, no mortal had ever come close.
So of course, the task fell to Goddesses.
It was no simple task, of course. But ideally, with everyone pitching in, we'd be able to finish within the two months until Moryou's return.
Sadly, we don't live in the ideal. Minerva was always reading something else, Mars was about as much help as a rock, Mercury was either asleep, or doing… something (nobody's really sure as to what she's up to) and Apollo…
…she hasn't come out of her room since yesterday.
Without her, morale had dipped to an all-time low. Mars was constantly spacing out, Minerva would randomly tear up, Mercury was still off doing… whatever it was, and Vulcan hadn't spoken a word since last night.
So in short, it had been over three hours since anyone had last spoken. None of us wanted to carry the burden of ending the stillness. It hung over us as a murky atmosphere, a looming emptiness that no one was willing to brea—
"d~~"
We all turned to look at Mars, who, unable to take it any longer, had started whistling.
Let it be said that the Goddess of War wasn't particularly renowned for her sense of tact.
The tune's volume dwindled as she folded under our gaze.
"...Sorry. I couldn't take the silence anymore."
"We noticed," I deadpanned.
…
…
…
"...It's a nice tune," said Vulcan, trying to break the silence, "Where did you hear it?"
"Huh? Oh, um…" she tried to remember, "...It's the song Uzumaki-kun played a few nights ago."
I gave her an odd look, "How do you know it?"
"A...pollo told me…"
I had to hide a wince as Vulcan's expression dimmed.
'Looks like this terrible feeling isn't going to leave until we get Apollo back...' I thought to myself.
…
…
"That's it," grumbled Mars, standing up, "I'm going to talk to her."
"E-Eeh!? Mars!" cried Minerva.
I moved quickly and blocked off the doorway, the other Goddess stopping abruptly.
Her eyes narrowed, "Move, Diana."
Mine did as well, "Look. Apollo is hurt right now. Talking to her will do more harm than good. So all we can do for now is wait."
"Well I'm sick of waiting!" she shouted, "She's in pain, right!? We're her sisters! We should be trying to help her!"
"And we are helping her by staying out of it!" I countered, "Going in there as we are right now will only make things worse. So just… calm down. And think rationally."
The woman pursed her lips.
…
…
She looked up at me.
"I'm going, Diana," she said firmly, "My sister is hurt, and she needs me."
…
…
I nodded stiffly.
"...Fine. I think it's a terrible idea…" I trailed off, "But I won't stop you."
She nodded back, as I let her into the hall.
Day 20
12:53 P.M.
(Uzumaki)
There he was… the bastard.
Within this little clearing, a small dwelling had been built. A god-damn shack he'd made out of dead wood, and a set of tree limbs and rocks he used for a campfire. It was no wonder he killed so many; he was practically shooting a flare into the sky every time he cooked.
Which is what he was doing right now, actually.
It appeared he'd taken some fish caught from the nearby stream and skewered them with some branches; he was turning them like a spit over the fire. The scent led me right to him.
'It's like he's not even trying to hide...' I frowned, 'A bit cocky, but I guess it doesn't matter.'
I flicked a kunai into my fingers. At this distance, and my throwing speed, if it hit him almost anywhere on his neck, it was game over for him.
'I know I'm supposed to call the others when I found him...' I grit my teeth, 'But emotionless drones or not, those ANBU have lives. And if I can keep them out of harm's way, then I will.'
I pulled my hand back…
"!"
Shichino stiffened. Damn! My chakra was masked and my movement was silent! I'm sure of it!
He looked up at nothing and said aloud.
"...If you're going to kill me, ANBU-san, at least do it properly," he said to no one in particular, "A normal fight would be nice. Or at least letting me finish my lunch."
The way he spoke… his tone was completely dead. Not flat, like he was controlling his emotion or anything like my ANBU partners. Just… there was none.
I tsked, and projected my voice through the clearing.
"Shichino Yamanaka…" I said, "Scum like you isn't even worth talking to. Taking the lives of innocents… I'm ashamed to have ever shared the same insignia on our headbands."
The man stood up, and turned to me, as if he knew exactly where I was.
"Naruto Uzumaki…A living relic," he said dully, causing me to tense, "No need to hide yourself. I know where you are."
"I can see right into your mind," he said, "I know who you are, what you ate this morning, how long it took you to find me…"
"You can't hide, Uzumaki."
…
…
With a quick Shunshin, I was down in the field, tanto already in motion. The man dodged the blow lazily, though it was by mere centimeters.
He leapt away, and I met his eyes for the first time.
They were cold. Not a stone cold. A dead cold. Dead. Like his voice. His actions.
"You were a hero, you know…" he droned, "Naruto Uzumaki. Seventh Hokage. Defeated the Akatsuki, won the war... Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."
He paused to swiftly dispel one of my clones that had appeared, Chidori in hand.
"You must think you're invincible… coming to face me so head on like this."
He sidestepped a kunai that'd have shot right through his neck and out his throat.
"You think your 'mental barriers' make me powerless against you… is that right?"
A clone burst from the ground, but met his descending heel, its Rasengan dissipating.
"You're a legend, hm?" he sighed, "You're sloppy."
My brow twitched, as the air sprung to life, sending a dragon of wind barreling through the clearing. It tore his home to shreds, and his belongings might as well have never existed. They were decimated.
The man remained unfazed.
"...Do you want to know… how my jutsu works, Uzumaki?"
I grinned. This man was interesting.
Day 20
12:54 P.M.
(Mars)
Damn that sister of mine.
Diana's speech was not without an audience. I'd listened and felt every word. And now...
Every step I took past that door was filled with doubt, and uncertainty. Two feelings I was vastly unfamiliar with, given my position.
I felt it now. What I was doing was wrong. My motives were only to ease my own conscience. My guilt. For actions that I had no part in.
I wasn't even thinking about Apollo… how selfish of me.
I stopped.
I was already at her door though. Should I really…?
…
…
…
I turned back, biting my tongue. Damn it all… she was right. I shouldn't do this.
...
"...Mars?"
My head shot around. I'd heard a faint voice from behind the door.
"...A-Apollo-nee?" I called, running up to the door, "Are you alright?"
"Of course. I'm fine…" she said, sounding tired, "...Is there something you needed?"
"N-No! Nothing at all!" I waved my hands before my face, though there was no one there to see it, "I was just wondering if you were okay… You haven't come out all day, you know."
"I know…" she said, sounding a bit solemn, "I didn't even come out to eat…"
"But one of the masks was kind enough to drop by and give me some," she said, her tone picking up, "That was cool of 'em!"
I smiled. I'd been talking to her for twenty seconds, and I was already feeling better.
"...So you're good?" I asked.
There was a brief pause.
"...Yeah. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" I asked, worriedly, "Do you think you could come out then? I think we all want to see you—"
"I can't come out."
I blinked.
"Wh-Why?" my concern grew, "I thought you—"
"I just… can't. Alright?"
…
…
…
I frowned.
"...Alright," I nodded, "I understand."
I turned to walk away.
…
…
...
"...ng! Wa... Too!"
I blinked again.
"What was that?" I turned back around.
"Wh-Wha?" I heard, "Oh, it's nothing! Nothing at all… Mars!"
That was odd. Her voice went a little high there.
(*K-FWAAM*)
The door swung open with a tremendous noise. I recoiled in surprise, as I saw Apollo standing there, hunched over the doorknob.
"N-Nee-sama…" I mumbled, "Are you alrigh—"
She rushed by me, wings twitching a bit.
"Yep! Fine! Never better!" she shouted as she ran by, "Listen, I'm gonna' head out for a bit! Ciao!"
"W-Wait!" I called, "Apoll...o…"
She'd leapt out the open window and flew off.
'Well, that was weird…' I mumbled.
Day 20
Two Minutes Earlier
(Uzumaki)
"As I'm sure you know…" 'Heartseed' hummed, "My Kinjutsu forms a mental link between two people. And once that link is formed, killing one kills both."
"Right," I nodded, sickened, but curious, "And right before they bite the dust, they spout nonsense about who they are, and where they should be, and it usually relates to the shinobi victim."
The man gave a ghost of a smile.
"Ahh… You've done your research," he said, though it didn't sound like a compliment, "Yes, the link is formed between the two individuals, and they go into a stupor right before I end them."
The man looked into my eyes.
"I'm sure you've figured it out by now," he said, "My technique is nothing more than a modified Mind Transfer jutsu. What the Sannin Orochimaru had been looking for his whole life."
I stared right back.
"I figured as much…" I admitted, "Though, you called it imperfect earlier. I assume it has to do with the selection of the victim?"
From my understanding, it worked exactly like a normal Shintenshin… only it forced the previous mind out of its body and into the other. A Body Swap technique.
"Ahh… yes. Quite keen of you to realize," he applauded, though I didn't feel proud in the least, "The second victim of the transfer is a tad specific."
"The one closest to their heart…"
That caught my attention, "The closest to their heart, huh?" I glared, "You switch their minds and kill them in the confusion… What a twisted jutsu."
"On the contrary," he said, "I think it's quite romantic. They're with their partner for their one final moment… And as one, their souls descend to Hell."
I scowled, "You're sick."
He gave me that small smile again.
"And here you stand before me, knowing all this… and not a trace of fear in your mind," he said in that dead tone, "Why is that?"
I looked at the Earth and smiled, eyes shadowed by my hair.
"It's not the Fox's defenses that put me at ease…" I confirmed, "...It's that your jutsu won't affect me. There's no one to swap with."
"The woman I love is long gone, Heartseed."
That didn't get the reaction I'd hoped. Instead, he gave me that damned smile.
"Ahh… But what's this?" he tilted his head, "It seems that love lives on… through another."
I frowned, "The hell are you talking about?"
He looked right at me.
"Have you happened to have met a girl recently…" he said, "One that reminded you of her? One exactly like her? As if someone had brought her back to life, and sent her across your path?"
My eyes widened.
"Bullshit," I scoffed, "Even if there was someone like that, I'll never feel the same way I did with her."
He smiled again.
"Ahh… But those feelings are there."
His hands shot to the Dragon seal.
"And that's good enough for me."
'Dragon, Rat, Boar, Snake, Monkey…'
"Tch!"
I shot into action. I flicked a ton of shuriken into the air, and a few handseals later, it had become a sea of iron.
Of course he merely leapt back and let the weapons fall, handsigns still forming.
I swore. I was almost out of time!
With a twitch of a finger, a Kage Bunshin formed right behind him, getting him in a Full Nelson.
I charged right for him, Rasengan in hand…
Just as he formed the Ram Seal.
"Fuusenkazura no Jutsu!"
There was a bright light. I felt like my entire body was pushed back by a tremendous force…
…
…
…
I opened my eyes.
'Dammit! That bastard got me...'
I looked up at the ceiling, then to the room itself. Familiar. This was a guest bedroom back at the mansion.
'So that means that—"
I looked down.
…
…
…
No way.
I felt the top of my head. Short hair, dainty hands, and…
"Testing! One, Two!"
Yep. That was her voice alright.
I ran to the nearby mirror, confirming it.
I was Apollo through and through. I had her soft lips, her pink hair, her sparkling eyes…
...Wait.
I looked closer. Yeah, her eyes were red, and her cheeks were stained with tears.
"She was crying…?" I muttered.
"What was that?" I heard through the door.
"Wh-Wha?" I sputtered, "Oh, it's nothing! Nothing at all… Mars!"
Crap. My voice broke there.
But why was Apollo crying? I guess I should ask her when—
...Aw, shit!
(*K-FWAAM*)
I stumbled for the door, and pushed it open as I went. I dashed down the hall.
"N-Nee-sama…" Mars mumbled, surprised, "Are you alrigh—"
I ran right by her.
"Yep! Fine! Never better!" I shouted, "Listen, I'm gonna' head out for a bit! Ciao!"
Whatever she followed up with, I didn't hear her. I was already out the door.
...Er, window.
I twitched the new appendages on my back experimentally. Wings couldn't be that hard to use, right?
(*FWA-PMMF*)
…
…
...That was the sound of an immortal man in an immortal woman's body falling from a two story building into a patch of tulips.
'Great. I just had these imported…'
I brushed myself off quickly, and with a mighty leap, took to the sky.
For real this time.
'Apollo...' I prayed, 'Don't die on me, damn you!"
Day 20
Two Minutes Earlier
(Apollo)
I stared up at the ceiling, looking at nothing in particular. I couldn't bring myself to get up, because that damn mirror was there… I can't bear to look at myself.
Look at me… I'm a mess. My sister says one thing in the heat of the moment, and I lock myself in my room and cry into a pillow all day... Pathetic, right?
I wiped my face on the pillowcase, the fabric still slightly damp.
"I can't believe you…" I muttered to myself, "Why are you beating yourself up over what Vulcan said? You know she didn't mean it, right?"
...Right?
That's what really got me thinking. It's not that she was angry at me or anything, what stung the most was that what she said was entirely true. Not about Uzumaki-kun, but me. And all of us. "Putting a rat in a bird's cage doesn't make it grow wings." We're not Goddesses, we're just… stand-ins. Replacements. Nothing close to the real thing. And we will never be.
We have flaws. Mercury loves sleep more than three meals a day, Mars is a battle-junkie. Minerva always jumbles her words and does nothing but read, and Diana is too much a perfectionist. Vulcan takes everything too seriously, and I…
…
…
...I…
Well, let's see. I eat a lot, and I can't run very far. I can't use a computer for the life of me, and I lose track of time a lot. I can never find my way around, I can't handle spicy foods, I'm a mediocre fighter at best, and all that mumbo-jumbo they tried teaching us in school went right over my head. I hate being talked down to, and I can't stand out-of-tune instruments. I'm unladylike and have a hair-trigger temper, and I can't stand being kept out of the loop. I joke around too much, I can never take anything seriously… I'm stupid and silly and I can't do anything right.
…
…
...But I'm fine with that.
I might be hardheaded… but I can definitely cheer you up. I might not be sharp, but I can heal those scars of yours. I might not remember who I am, or who I once was, but I have these powers, right?
...Yeah. That's right. I was given this power for a reason. I was chosen by the Heavens to help people! And I'm the only one who can do it!
And these wings… the wings they've given me. They let me soar into the sky… and hold chips when I'm too lazy to get a bowl!
And these powers… they gave me friends. A family. Sisters, who I love more than anything in the world.
...So yeah. I'm fine.
I finally got up, walked right over to that mirror, and cleared my face as best I could.
This world needs saving, yeah?
(*TMP TMP*)
Like some kind of elephant barreling down the hall, I heard Mars approach.
"...Mars?" I asked, stunned.
(*TMP TMP TMP TMP*)
"...A-Apollo-nee?" I heard, as the woman stomped over, "Are you alright?"
"Of course. I'm fine…" I said, laughing to myself, "...Is there something you needed?"
"N-No! Nothing at all!" she said, sounding nervous.
"I was just wondering if you were okay…" she was worried now, "You haven't come out all day, you know."
"I know…" I felt my stomach growl, "I didn't even come out to eat…"
"But one of the masks was kind enough to drop by and give me some," I grinned, remembering, "That was cool of 'em!"
Yep. Those masks were pretty cool when they didn't have you in shackles. They made sure to give me extra napkins… this girl can be a bit clumsy, after all. I remember the other day, I accidentally spilled ink all over one of Uzumaki's books on accident, and...
...Right. If I was gonna' go back to the library, I better do it in style! Maybe a red carpet? Or a slip-n-slide! Ooh! One with the built-in bubble-blowers...
"So you're good?" she asked.
Whoops. That brought me back to reality. I'll deal with this first, and think of cool entrances later.
"...Yeah. I'm fine," I said simply.
"Are you sure?" she pressed, "Do you think you could come out then? I think we all want to see you—"
"I can't come out," I spurted.
'My slip-n-slide's not inflated yet!' I screamed internally.
"Wh-Why?" she said, "I thought you—"
"I just… can't. Alright?"
I closed my eyes and took a breath.
"If you really must know, I'm planning my return as we speak!" I shouted, "I wanted to keep it a surprise, but I just can't help myself! Just to let you know, there may be confetti involved so be ready to—"
…
…
...That wasn't my voice.
I opened my eyes. All of a sudden, I was in some kind of clearing, my body feeling much heavier than it usually did, like I was wearing a lot of clothing. A quick glance confirmed that; it appeared to be combat gear of some sort, if the sword in my hand were any indication.
Hey... That hand seems a helluva' lot bigger than usual...
"Confetti, hmm?" I heard a dull voice, "How quaint. Sorry love, but you won't be around much longer."
I whipped my head around, the action usually leading to a mouthful of pink hair. But I guess it was tied back or something, since it didn't. In fact, my head felt a lot lighter somehow…
"Wh-What are you… huh!?"
That voice… I knew this voice!
Shakily, I brought my trembling hands before me. The backs of my gloves were plated with metal, and I stared at my distorted reflection within.
...That was Uzumaki-kun staring back.
"Such a shame…" the man said, "I'd hoped the Legendary Hero would be different…"
With the flick of his wrist, a kunai was in his hand.
"But it seems… he's just another corpse on the pile."
The knife left his hand at terrifying speed. It took every ounce of will I had to force myself to move out of the way.
The sheer force of the knife as it passed tore a chunk out of the mask resting on my head.
My next immediate response was to cry out in fear.
"KYAAAAAAAA!"
...Wow, in Uzumaki's voice, that just sounds wrong.
"What the hell is going on?!" I shouted, "Why am I… no, why am I here?!"
(A/N: Apollo used the masculine Japanese form of 'I' first, which is 'boku', rather than her usual 'watashi' which is the standard form that she uses. The second time, she corrects herself.)
The man looked… unsettled somehow? His earlier smug (somewhat?) demeanor had vanished, and replaced with a more… subdued one. Like he wasn't as confident in… whatever he was doing.
He said nothing, only forming handseals.
'Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger!'
A massive ball of flame escaped his lips, headed straight for me.
'Well, it's clear where his intentions lie...' I thought to myself, '...Ooh, I keep my normal voice in here. That's nice.'
I leapt over the object with near ease. This body might be a little bigger than what I'm used to, but being agile as Uzumaki is, I guess… well, I didn't have too many problems with it.
There was something I could feel distracting me, but one thing at a time.
As I touched the earth again, my mask fell back into place. The cheek was missing part of the wood from the earlier attack, but it should still be safe to use.
Just as I thought this, four individuals wearing similar animal masks landed beside me.
"Kitsune! Are you alright?" the one in the… cat(?) mask asked, "You didn't buzz in at your scheduled checkpoint, so we went looking for you."
"I-I'm fine…" I muttered, trying to control my voice, "Thank you... Neko-san."
'Alright. These four seem to be on my side...' I thought, 'I wonder if they have any relation to the masks back at the mansion… Wait, they might know what's happening!'
"H-Hey!" I called, "Um…"
"Don't worry, Kitsune," Boar said, "We'll handle things from here."
And the four leapt off into combat with the man.
…
…
…
...What the hell is happening?
Day 20
1:03 P.M.
(Naruto)
"Dammit, what the hell?!" I shouted, "This is bullshit!"
Seriously! How the hell do girls put up with this crap? Especially when they get in the way all the time!? I mean, I was struggling with them after only a few minutes, but just the thought of having these stuck to your torso for the rest of my life… How do they do it?
Seriously! Flapping your wings is impossible when your arms are right smack-dab in the center of the fuckin' movement!
...What?
Oh, don't get me wrong, there were many more things to complain about.
Of course, being me, I'd rather not look down and start thinking about it. Nope. Outta' sight, outta' mind.
...I wish.
Seriously… Just standing up earlier took a bit of effort. Or, you have to try, at least. It's incredible how different a girl's center of gravity is.
"Hnngh, what the crap am I thinking about right now!?" I berated myself, "Apollo's probably confused as hell!"
With another flap of my wings, I shot forward.
"AND WHY ARE MY ARMS IN THE WAY!?"
Day 20
1:03 P.M.
(Apollo)
I was never a fighter.
I wasn't athletic. I couldn't swing a sword the way Mars did. I also couldn't throw things at you with telekinesis either. I couldn't do what Diana does and use offensive magic, or Mercury's Seals. No, I was perfectly content behind Minerva's shield, shooting lasers.
Yeah, lasers. Cool, huh?
So when that man started forming handsigns again, I rushed over and scooped everyone out of harm's way. While I didn't know just what'd happen when he finished, I had a feeling it wouldn't be good.
Sure enough, as soon as they disappeared from his line of sight, his hands stopped abruptly and he turned to glare at me.
I responded by pulling down my lower eyelid and sticking my tongue out.
That did it.
Glaring at me, he formed a quick set of seals and the Earth beneath me erupted in an explosion of dust. I clenched my eyes shut and leapt back.
I fell to my knees and coughed up blood. Dammit! What the hell was that?
When it cleared, the masked men were scattered across the area, clearly unconscious.
"Ah… It seems your body is tolerant to this poison…" that dull voice rang out once again, "How careless of me."
My eyes widened and I grit my teeth. Poison, huh?
I readied a medical technique.
"Those comrades of Uzumaki's can't be saved, you know," he said, causing me to falter, "It's made from a juice extracted from the Shinju's remains at the Juubi's burial site. This gas kills all those in it within seconds."
He sneered.
"They're already dead, Apollo-san."
!
That struck a nerve. Goddess of Medicine who couldn't save four people who died right in front of her. That didn't sit too well.
"..."
I began to mutter under my breath, a chant in the ancient language of Tenkai. This one I knew by heart; it allowed me to throw bolts of pure mana.
I felt my energy fluctuate, and I felt my hands overflowing with power. I raised my arms and pointed; this was it—!
(*BZZT...bfft...*)
There was a sharp sparking noise like a thunder clap, before a fizzling sound. I looked down at my hand to see the glow fade, the energy I felt petering out.
I tsked. Of course I can't use magic in this body. What was I thinking?
Quickly, I ducked a Hosenka from the man, which he'd been forming while I'd been preoccupied. He wasn't waiting, so I sure as hell wasn't.
'Haven't used this one in a while...' I formed the Snake Seal, '...It'll have to do.'
'Snake, Boar, Horse, Monkey, Dragon, Rabbit, Horse, Bird, Ram!'
I slapped my palm to the ground.
"Doton: Fist of Gaia!"
The ground trembled beneath us, and the man struggled to keep his footing. For the first time, I could see his demeanor drop, as he actually looked really surprised and scared. He looked down at me, bewildered.
I smiled, and waved at him.
"See ya'!"
A fist of earth rocketed out of the soil, sending him barreling through the sky.
Ahh… My own custom escape jutsu. It's been so long. I used it all the time when I came up with it. Escaping sticky situations, or even just being reprimanded for pranks. You can't lecture what you can't see after all. And you certainly can't see something flying 300 kmh.
I stood up and dusted off my hands. Alright. Now that what's-his-face is out of the way, I can think.
I looked over at the fallen figures, before walking over to them. I removed one of their masks, revealing a pale woman with brown hair and black, half-lidded eyes. That told me enough, but I checked her pulse to make sure.
There wasn't one. Same with the other three. Damn… I was too late.
I looked up at the sky. Where the heck was I? Why was I here? And more importantly…
Why the hell was I Uzumaki?
"LOOK OUT!"
(*K-BSSH*)
I'd looked up at the familiar voice, but some kind of missile had crashed into the giant dirt fist at the same time. I fanned away the dust cloud that followed as best I could, and eventually it cleared.
"Me…?" I stared, "Or Uzumaki, I'm guessing."
"Yu gmmsd rmmt…"
She took a moment to pull her face from the rubble. She brushed the hair out of her face and coughed.
"Apollo… thank god I made it in time."
I blinked. That was unexpected.
She stood up, "I rushed over as fast as I could… I was fighting this guy who could switch bodies and—"
She looked around.
"...Wait, where's Heartseed? The guy who switched us?"
…
…
…
Oh.
"Tall, hunched posture?" I swallowed, "Black eyes, stupid face, and kind of an ass?"
"...Yeah…" she said, "...that's the one. Where is he?"
I scratched the back of my head. This was bad.
"Um… see… I kinda'..."
"Launchedhimintothestratospherewithagiantfist."
…
…
…
She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.
"I have a canteen on your belt and some pills in the pouch on your left thigh," she said, "Toss them to me."
I looked down and opened it. Let's see, bandages, caltrops (ouch!), powdered water… pill bottle. There it was.
I tossed it to him with the thermos. He shook the canister, leaving two in his hand. He swallowed them, downing them with a sip from the canteen.
"Are those pills going to change us back?" I asked hopefully.
"Nah…" she said, wiping her mouth on her sleeve, "They're for the migraine I feel coming on."
She turned to me.
"From what you just said…" she muttered, "I can only assume you killed our only ticket out of this mess."
I gulped, "...So that means…"
She sighed, "Yeah… Long story short?"
"We're stuck."
Ohoho! How will the two get out of this mess?
...Don't judge me.
And this was planned from the beginning by the way. This isn't just me ad libbing whatever comes to me.
No… this arc serves a much greater purpose. I'll try to keep it as T as possible… for your sakes and mine.
Hopefully next update won't take so long.
'Til Then.
-objection234