A lone girl wearing red trousers with an orange sash, and a tan shirt ran with a cloak in her hands. Her red hair tied into a long ponytail as a fox tail curled around her! she slid around a tree just as three bony doglike creatures careened past her. She was breathing heavily, adrenaline pumping into her heart as her small body hugged against the tree. Heartbeats filled her ears as the shrubland the forest around her became quiet. Her violet eyes looking around for any signs of the monsters.
That's when she felt something wet drip onto her head. Whimpering, she looks up to see one of the doglike creatures growling at her. Screaming, she dives forward to avoid it, barely dodging as the chase resumes! The other three creatures join this one soon after, the girl's shoes were put the test as her feet picked up speed.
She slides under deadwood, running against the game trail. Her footfalls resounding with each heavy step, nearly slipping in a fresh patch of mud. The little redhead bounds over a thornbush before kicking off a tree to gain some height. Keeping this up, the girl got higher into the branches until one a hidden beast leapt out at her.
Violet eyes widen just as it misses her, catching a glimpse of something wrapping around it's neck and yanking it back. She sighs in relief, the chase nearly coming to an end before she lands in clearing. Sliding to a stop whilst watching as one of the beasts crash through a field of thorns, roaring out in pain from the needles sticking out of it's flesh!
The three whisker marks on her cheeks bounced from the impact of her footfalls when she went to retreat! She skidded around a tree before suddenly she found herself getting surrounded! It was over, the chase wase over, and then almost as if a switch had been flipped the fearful gaze went away from her. She took a deep breath, preparing her lungs for the signal.
"Big brother, yip-yip!"
As the beasts descended upon her, they were suddenly all blown back as figure slammed right next to the girl. It wasn't that the force of his landing that blew them back, no, it was the lightning speed at which he slung the his weapon around and impacted the bony armor of the monsters! He stood much taller than his sister.
Where she only came up to about four foot, six inches tall. She stood at chest level to her brother, who was towering over her, was at least five foot, nine. She smiles brightly as he guided behind him with his outstretched right arm, securing her in a passive protective stance. The monsters circle them both whilst trying to find a quick an easy way to the girl. Her violet eyes widened when one of the beasts snapped at her, making her jump a little.
Unlike her violet eyes, his was cerulean blue and remained steadfast and unaffected by the beasts growling and snapping. Blonde hair waved in the air, coming down past his ears and down the back of his neck. On top of his golden crown was two tall, yellow fennec foxlike ears! His hair was textured like spikes, almost unkempt, his light tan skin matching that of his sister. His clothing consisted of a long sleeve orange shirt, and black flak jacket with shoulder guards and neck guards. His dark blue pants were contrasted by the orange sash tied around his beltline.
His combat shoes were unique, made like boots, but were open toed. The whiskers on his face were a little thicker, more filled out. He smiles as the beasts impacted trees around them, and with a click of the button his serrated chain slowly reformed into a dual edge sword that was thin. The blade itself was bright, shimmering even. When it all wound back up the serrated edges folded back down, whilst the tsuka spun around inserting an orange crystal into a compartment. The clicking noises that followed meant the crystal was getting pushed into pieces throughout the blade, and when it glowed orange that's when he knew it was ready!
All of this, in the span of thirty seconds. The beasts themselves lumbered upright, growling at the newcomer. The girl looked up, smiling brightly as she had her hair ruffled vigorously. The blonde teen glowered at the beasts around him, grabbing his now linked chokuto blade. He spun the blade several times in his hands before slamming it into the dirt.
"Naruko," the blonde said his sister's name whilst watching the beasts circle them. "You did good getting them here to me, now I need you to get to safety, got it?"
She sighs before jumping upwards, displaying verticality that wouldn't be normal for someone unenhanced like her from aura. Landing on top of a tree branch, she saw her fiery crimson aura going over her skin. On the off chance one of this monsters decided to climb up after her, she reaching into her side beltline, getting a kunai blade out.
The blonde watches them continue to circle, "What do you say about getting this party started? I'm kind of hungry, dattebayo."
All at once the doglike creatures charge at him, their thin limbs reaching for him. Taking a deep breath, he slung his chokuto upward before pressing the button. Spinning onto his knees, the serrated razors of the sword transforming into a chain slashes the air around him. A ringing filled the air as fire blooms where the chain rends the air!
One of the demon dogs found itself bisected down the lateral middle. Death was instant, only black fluid and smoke emerged from it as the chain hewn its way through. Getting up out of his spin, the blonde somersaulted whilst now spinning vertically. Flames erupted around him, becoming fiery tornado!
The doglike demons remaining retreated backwards, unfortunately he moved toward them! Slicing his way with his spinning chain sword into the next victim. This one was vertically bisected as it's body fell into two pieces. Landing from his somersaulted, he notes the fires around him. Smirking, his hand found the button, reeling in the chain whilst spinning the blade as the demons charge at him.
Feinting a forward dash, he steps the side whilst twisting his body. Giving himself a quick second to spin, his reformed chokuto found the neck of the next beast. It dug right through before cleaving its way out! The demon fell dead onto the ground, with it's lone companion standing alone.
Fires began to spread to the dead brush. Whilst any sane man would panic, the cerulean eyes of the blonde just glowed crimson before he held his left hand up. Suddenly all of the flames began to channel towards his left hand. Coalescing into a flaming sphere, it spun in his hand as he walks forward.
Holding it up to his lips, he took a deep breath before speaking softly, "Kitsune Art: Fox Fire."
Exhaling into the flame sphere made it separate and scatter about rapidly. The small pellets of flame that impacted the demon began to take hold, almost as if contacting oil. It screeched in pain before stumbling about, wherever the flames that struck that weren't the creature, they simply faded off into embers!
One last screech and the beast fell over as the flames totally consumed it. Slamming his reformed chokuto back into a scabbard angled upward on his back, he stood there as winds blew all of the embers off the decaying body of the demon.
"Woohoo!"
He turns to see his sister standing tall on the tree branch. Cheering him, the girl giggling before hopping down to meet him on the ground. "That was totally wicked!" She screamed out excitedly before making movements that were similar to his fighting moves, "They were like Graaah, and you were like come at me bro! Gods brother, when did you learn to use semblance like that?!"
Chuckling he reaches down, ruffling her red hair, "That my little sister is something I'm going to teach one day."
"Aww c'mon," she whined before sulking, "you said that last year…"
"And last year you weren't allowed to accompany on these hunts," he corrected her before they both began to walk. "Mom wanted you to be safe but since you're interested in hunting…well…I wanted you to try being the bait for once."
"It was fun!"
"It's fun to you because I didn't make you start running again after getting cornered. Should've seen me with mom, ugh, I still have blister scars on my feet!" He reminded himself mentally before looking into her violet eyes, and then smiling.
"What?" She questioned whilst starting to walk backwards to face him before accusing him, "You only have that look on your face when you're about impart sagely advice…or prank people."
It was his turn to suddenly produce a water balloon from under sleeve. It dropped right on her head, bursting and wetting her scarlet hair! She stood there, soaked before watching him bound away from her. She growls out, a tick mark forming over her forehead as she ran after her brother! She shouted at him, screaming as she held her fist up as her own eyes glowed red!
"Get back here, Naruto, I'm gonna clubber you! You stupid jerk, dattebane!"
Those Who Are Precious To Me!
"Fire that's closest kept burns most of all."
-William Shakespeare
A redheaded woman with fox ears on top of her head was stirring a large pot of noodles. She finishes stirring before adding the spices for the dish and throwing in the vegetables. Off to the side, in a smaller pot, she was boiling herbal tea from herbs in her garden. She added a small amount of honey into the pot to sweeten it.
Her kitchen was painted peach, with red trimming. Various things hung up on the wall, with a family portrait standing there as well. She looked up at him, her late husband, and wished that maybe he'd come walking through those doors again. Taking a deep breath, she focused on the other portrait. One of her, holding a little girl whilst a boy next to her was sticking his tongue out.
They were due back at any moment. The tatami floor gave with each of her footfalls as she turns the burners off. Smiling, and getting a ladle, she sneaks a sip of the homemade ramen's juices. Humming, she purses her lips, and licks them.
"Could use some more ginger," she guesstimated before grabbing the ginger, shaking it into the pot and stirring it.
Grabbing bowls out, her fox ears flickered when she heard the door lock. Grabbing a small knife, she held onto it before hearing familiar girly giggles. Relaxing, the woman lays the knife down before hearing the door open. Naruko, and Naruto step into the house through the kitchen.
The blonde hangs his flak jacket up, greeting his mother with a big smile while taking off his shoes, "hey mom!"
His mother turned to see her son, smiling. "Hey there, Naruto," she greeted him before moving away to bring him into a hug.
He returns it before hearing some yipping. A red fox walked into the room, yipping, and yowling at Naruto. The blonde broke the hug with his mother, bending down and clicking his tongue. The fox runs over to him, climbing up onto his shoulders and wrapping his head.
"Oh hey there girl, how is my little Inari, hmm~" Naruto cooed the fox before standing back up, scratching her scruff. "Mom's been feeding you well, fat girl."
"Hey, I fed her well because she would go into a depression each time you left the house. Sheesh, cut the poor girl some slack," she chided him all the while having a smile on her face. "Ko, honey, would you be a dear and set the table?"
Naruko salutes her mother before running toward a storage cabinet. Getting out chopsticks, and tea saucers. She whistles all the while, a merry tune escaping her as the redhead girl places down the chopsticks and saucers. Their mother begins filling up bowls which she came over and grabbed, sitting them into the three spots around the small walnut table.
Inari grumbles on his shoulders before hopping down. Walking over to her food bowl, three chicken legs with the bones removed waited for her. She gave snorts while watching her master walks over to the dinner table with the rest of the family.
Naruto moves to go sit on his knees in front of the table. With his mother placing the lid back on the pot, following close behind him. Naruko sat down on her knees next to her mother, sitting in between her brother and her. Naruto's former spot had been across from her, but now it sat across from his mother. As the man of the house, he led the prayer before the food.
"From my heart, burn my fire, and let it catch ablaze. My will burns, where a forest burns to ash, a new one shall take it's place. Under the morning sun, from the darkest night, my embers ignite." He prayed with his eyes close before opening them, "this is the will of our ancestors."
The trio dug in, slurping down noodles. The only blonde in the family took his the bowl by storm, slamming the food down his gullet. Pork miso, and the various spices lit up his tastebuds. His baby sister was doing the same thing, meanwhile their mother was taking her time. Making sure to savor the food she slaved for an hour over. When Naruto noticed this, he slows down, breathing out a mouthful of steam. His baby sister bit off a noodle midway up, and swallowed before smiling brightly.
"Brother defeated four jackals at once!"
Kushina hums at the news, "Really now," before setting down her chopsticks.
"Yeah, I got to play bait this time around. I got cornered, but all I had to do was give him the signal and he was right there!" Naruko told their mother before smiling brightly, "you should've seen him wielding Firethorn! It literally became a fire whirl!"
Naruto proudly smirks before taking another bite, swallowing he then boasts, "It wasn't much of an exercise for me."
"I would hope not since you been training in Sanctum Academy for a while." Their mother pointed out before hearing a knock at the door, "Are we expecting guests?"
"Oh crap, I almost forgot!" Naruto shouted as he got up, walking over to the door, "I did invite a couple of friends over!"
He got up, walking toward the living room door. Stepping onto the tatami mats softly. Passing by a small shrine dedicated to his father, the blonde locked eyes briefly with the photograph. It was when he had just turned five, and they had found out that mom was pregnant with Naruko. It was the last picture they took together before he went on a special assignment mission, and never came back home.
"I hope mom is keeping the lantern lit for you, dad."
Making it to the door, the blonde unlocks it. Opening the door to orangenette girl with aqua eyes. She was wearing a white hoodie with a pink heart in the center. She was wearing light blue skirt with yellow stripes, and sandals. Her best friend wore a green robe with black trimmings. His undershirt was magenta in color, and he had black pants to match his darker clothing. His one piece of magenta hair matched his eye color.
"Ru~" The girl held her hands out with a loud call out his pet name for them, "how's it going you foxy Fireball!"
He nearly got tackled by the orangenette, who popped his back from the hug she was giving him. Struggling to breathe a little, he draws in a deep breath when she lets go. The young man with her smiles, holding his fist up and bumping it against Naruto when he raises his in turn. The orangenette sniffs the air before kicking off her sandals to where the shoe rack was.
"Food~" she sang out with her mouth watering from the smell, slowly making her way into the kitchen. "Ren, they're having homemade ramen!"
Ren, the teen that had accompanied her, sighs. "Hope your mother made some peace in the fact that she'll have clean pot," he stated before looking at his friend.
"I'm pretty sure that Nora is secretly her favorite," Naruto commented slyly before chuckling as he heard, "I heard that you brat!" from inside the kitchen. He points his thumb towards the kitchen entrance, "see?"
"To be fair, Nora views herself as your older sister." Ren pointed out before taking off his sandals, walking slowly toward the kitchen with him. "My, that does smell very good!"
"Well, as I live in and breathe. The wonder twins are here," Naruto's mother welcomed them in while getting up. "Ren, Nora, how was the trip here?"
"It wasn't too bad, ran into a pack of beowolves! Should've seen it, I took all thirty of them down!" Nora boasted before Ren eyed her, and turned to their gracious host.
He coughs into his hands, "Nora took down ten of them because there was only twelve."
"I skinned them alive!"
"Grimm do not have usable skin, Nora."
"I even broke the biggest one's legs, and made him bow before me!"
"Nora…it was crawling away from you."
The short firecracker pouted before giving him a wry grin, "hey Ren, what about the fact I saved you from an arachnids webbing!"
"Gods there was an arachnid?!" Naruto's mother exclaimed while looking at her, "that's a high-level Grimm young lady."
Ren rolls his eyes, and then looked her in the eye, "I was the one that saved you."
"Aw c'mon Ren, can I have one awesome adventure tale!" Nora complained before childishly throwing her arms out, then she hears a yip and turns to Inari, "ooh!"
The red fox runs up to the orangenette, draping itself around her shoulder much like it had did Naruto. She scratches the scuff on her neck, giggling, "hey there sweetness, you miss auntie N~"
Ren sighs while walking over, getting a bowl of ramen. He walks over toward where Naruto's bowl was and sits by it. Nora was still scratching Inari's scruff while walking over to the stove. Naruto's mother stops her, coughing into her hand.
"Nora…don't let Inari near the pot, last thing we need is to be coughing up hairballs." She reminded the orangenette, eliciting a defeated look on her face before she kneels down to let the red fox off safely. "Thank you, sweetheart!"
"Miss Kushina," Ren got her attention, "Nora and I got our letters into Beacon Academy."
Kushina smiles before looking into his eyes, "you two going across the pond?"
"Hope it'll be us three," Naruto pointed out whilst taking back his seat, "I'm applying there as well."
His mother looks at him, frowning a little but then smiles, "I hope that you three take care of each other."
"Duh, of course we will, you like our mom miss K!" Nora declared before taking a seat next to Naruko, looking at the little girl with a smile, to which she returned.
No sooner than she broke eye contact, the orangenette dove right into her bowl. Wolfing it down even faster than what Naruto and Naruko managed earlier. Ren meanwhile was taking his time, savoring his food not unlike Kushina. Naruto finishes his bowl first from earlier, taking it up and checking the pot. Smiling, he gets his second helping before going back over toward the table.
"So, Nora, wanna play Kung Fu Fighters Eight with me tonight?!" Naruko excitedly asked while going for her second helping.
Instead of being a sane human being, Nora picks her bowl and throws it back. Swallowing all of the contents at once, chugging down the brother. Letting out hot steam from her mouth, she gasps, "oh yes that hit the spot baby!"
"Nora…really?" Ren criticized before watching her smile sheepishly, breaking from it he just sighs, "is it okay that we stay a few days?"
"Is the frigging sky blue? Of course, it is dear, sheesh, you're always too polite. I got some extra shikibutons in our basement. Naruko picked out their colors, I even have name tagged for when you'd all come by next." Kushina told him before motioning to her daughter, "honey, take Ren downstairs to get the beds."
Naruko copies Nora from earlier slamming the noodles back, only to start gagging. She manages to swallow though, and draws in a deep breath air as steam rolls out of her mouth. "S-sorry, I like my noodles piping out!" She apologized before getting up, tucking her fox tail around her waist.
She runs over to Ren, grabbing his hands and actually yanking him up. Nora whistles as he stumbles from the little girl's strength, being led toward the basement's door. The orangenette looks over at Naruto, "what the heck have you been feeding her?"
"Would you believe me if I said she unlocked her aura a few weeks ago while we were gone?" Naruto half-asked half-told his friend before finishing his second bowl of noodles, grabbing Ren's empty bowl along with Naruko's.
"Oh, hon, you don't have to get those!"
"No, mom, it's fine! I got them, you worked hard on the meal, least let me do the dishes dattebayo!" Naruto called out before grabbing a green apron, tying it around his back. "Tea's done by the way if you want me to bring it over!"
"Damn, I actually forgot about it!" Kushina stated before nodding her head, "please and thank you son."
He grabs the teapot before sitting it down on a metal tray in the center of the table. Kushina reaches over, pouring Nora a drink whilst going to pour Ren's and Naruko's. the sweet scent hit the orangenette like a truck, and she greedily downed it. Once again, hot steam rolled out of her mouth, making her shiver.
Nora then got a sly grin on her face, "so, I'm just going to come out and say it…I'm marrying your son!"
Naruto nearly dropped the damn pot he was carrying over to sink! He glares right at Nora, blushing madly, "Nora, goddamn it you almost made drop the pot!"
His mother was taken aback, "wait, what?! I thought you liked…you know…"
"No, Ren, pfft he's like a brother too me! Your son is one hunka-hunka man! Please, let me have your blessing! I'll do all the dishes!" Nora begged as she showed Kushina, puppy dog eyes.
"Well…this is unexpected…but…" Kushina started before noting the sly glint in her eyes, "you're evil missy."
"Damn it!" Nora cursed while snapping her fingers, "here I was going to risk it all to lockdown a man who can cook and looks dang good an apron!"
"W-wait what?!" Kushina yelled out as she looked at her disbelievingly, "Nora Valkyrie!"
"She's pulling your leg, besides the only reason why Nora would want to marry me is the fact that she gets free access to our recipes." Naruto clarified whilst dumping out the remaining broth, which wasn't even enough to store for later. "Although she can't really cook, so I may just have to build our house out of stone…"
Nora chuckles menacingly, and teases him, "aww but it's good to know that there isn't a no in there! I got options!"
"Please, you're head over heels for the guy downstairs, whose probably getting forced to move heavy boxes." The blonde pointed out before smirking, "tell me you aren't and I'll get on my knees right now. C'mon, Nora, risk it all with me!"
"Ooh?" Kushina smirked before turning to Nora, noting the blush on her face. "What's it going to be Nora, Ren, or my son? Mrs. Ren, or Mrs. Uzumaki?"
She kept her game face on, with her left eye twitching, "your grand babies would be adorable~"
"Oh, I'm not disputing that…just renounce Ren, right here and now…and I'll even marry both if you right now!" Kushina declared whilst reaching under the table, getting a book out. "That's right, missy, I'm ordained!"
The blonde at the sink turns pale white, "what?! Nora, Nora, think about what you're going to say, she is serious!"
"I love this flipping family," Nora cherished before staring at Naruto, and then toward the basement door. "Gah, but Rennie is my one true love! I mean ramen is awesome, but pancakes are…are heaven and the stars above!"
"Don't you dare say yes, Nora, I sweat to the Gods!" Naruto mentally warned her as he had fire come into his eyes, "Mom don't you dare encourage it."
"I want my first grandchild to be named, Rai." Kushina suggested whilst tracing the book with her finger, smirking devilishly, "Don't forget…I taught Ren how to cook so imagine what Naruto has in that thick skull of his!"
"STOP ENCOURAGING HER!"
"Gah it was a joke, it started as a joke!" Nora blushes madly before biting her lip, trying to think, "Be strong Nora…be…is her right eye twitching!"
"You are bluffing!" Nora accused Kushina whilst pointing a finger at her, "bluffing!"
Kushina eyes her, "Honey…I'm a redhead with two kids and cooking hands blessed by Gods, do I look like I'm bluffing?"
"Nora, don't forget, Ren is literally downstairs…"
The orangenette just scrounges her face up, giving up the ghost, "okay! Fine, you win you Fireball! I prefer Ren, sheesh, why did this all get so serious all of sudden."
"Maybe because my mom is a pretty good liar," Naruto pointed out before smirking, making Nora turn her face around toward Kushina.
Inside of the book were blank pages, with Kushina smiling sweetly, "It's technically our family's recipe book."
"Gah, what, wait a minute you both were pulling my legs?!" Nora yelled out as she points at both of them, "But I thought I was tricking both of you."
"Honey, we're fox faunus, and literally have a pet fox walking around this house. If this doesn't scream resident prankster, I have no idea who've stayed with every winter. Besides, Naruto there thought I was being serious for a minute!"
"You thought she was, Ru?" The orangenette questioned whist chuckling nervously, "dang she got us both."
"Well…we all learned a very important lesson here." Naruto commented whilst scrubbing the pot, "know what that was?"
"I don't know, what, never talk about marriage around your mother because she pushes harder than boarbatusk in a cave opening?" Nora stated with a very specific example…too specific.
"No, my fellow victim, it's quite simple." He hinted before sighing out loud, "one more guess."
"Never mess with foxes?"
"Don't trick a trickster," Naruto warned her matter-of-factly, "you may just get the table flipped harder than a wrecking ball hitting the building."
Nora rolls her eyes before looking back at Kushina with a large smile on her face. "I'm sorry if I made things weird, thought it would be a good joke at the time."
"You didn't, I loved getting you both bothered for a minute there, give me a little bit and we'll get Ren." Kushina offered up before looking at her son and leaning forward, "did you mean what you said about him in the apron?"
"Heck yeah, I did, and I'll not deny that!"
Naruto who was blushing, coughs hard into his hand, "you both know I can hear you, right?"
"And?" Kushina questioned whilst smirking, "take the compliment from your best friend over here."
"Yeah, Fireball, I'm being serious. When you get to Beacon with us, we're placing in the kitchen! Chicks will be all over you in there!" Nora stated whilst suddenly smiling, "I'm going to make it my life's mission to get you a girlfriend!"
The blonde laughs nervously, "that's not really necessary, Nora. Thank you though!"
"Aw c'mon, Ru~"
"Nora, no."
"Nora, yes."
"Okay, fine, we'll talk about it more at Beacon!" Naruto conceded defeat before thinking of something, "looks like Ren will be making pancakes tomorrow morning…be ashamed if she got waffles."
An evil smirk formed over his face.
Ren was down in the basement whilst combing through some boxes. He finds a photo album whilst helping Naruko clear clutter out of the way. Inside of it he noted there was a picture of him, Nora, and Naruto together when they were younger. He remembered when his friend and his mother would come to the orphanage they were staying at.
Always cooking for them, handing out things. When Nora and he became old enough to fend for themselves, they came to their doorstep. Staying on and off, essentially growing up with the blonde upstairs. Naruko pulled one of the beds out, finally, and proudly shows it to Ren.
"I got you a magenta-colored quilt with yours, cause of your eyes Rennie!" She declared before pulling out one for Nora, which was white with pink hearts, "I patched the hearts on myself."
"Aww, that was sweet of you, Naruko. We should be getting back upstairs," Ren told her before grabbing both beds. "I got them both."
Naruko stops him from moving, "Ren, I have a question about my brother."
"Okay, what is it?" He inquired whilst adjusting himself to carry both shikibutons.
"Why doesn't he have a girlfriend yet, I mean, is he…you know…" She hinted before sighing, "not that I would ever think less of my brother."
Ren blushes at the question al little, and then smiles softly, "I think he's just not interested in any girls…or guys."
"Hmph," she sneered before crossing her arms, "dad was around his age when he met mom."
"Yes, so I've heard, but Naruko…love is something that takes time to develop. Sometimes it happens overnight, but generally no one develops deeper feelings until a certain amount of time passes. Kind of like…" Ren never got to finish before she surprises him.
"Like you with Nora."
"I…uh…hmm…" Ren stammered before smiling softly, "precisely you little weasel."
She childishly sticks her tongue out, "meh!"
"Anyway, point is, your brother is free to do as he pleases. Besides, would you rather him bring home someone that'll be kind and gentle versus someone solely leaching off him?" He questioned before walking up the stairs with Naruko following close behind.
"I'd kick her teeth…or him!"
"I highly doubt your brother is gay, Naruko." Ren corrected her before noting his error, "Um…could you get the door?"
"We're going to have walk back down, aren't we?" She deadpanned before the older boy's head dropped, "I'll take that as a yes."
Finishing up the dishes, Naruto heard the sounds of a videogame coming from the living room. Nora was groaning as she complained about how Naruko was cheating. Ren was reading a book whilst sitting on the futon couch, flipping a page in the small novella entitled Broken Sun. Kushina, his mother, was busy getting tea.
"Dishes are done mom," Naruto told her before taking off the apron. "Are we lighting another lantern for dad?"
"Yes," Kushina stated before nudging her head for him to go out the backdoor. "Let me make sure that Nora, and Naruko are still playing their game."
She walks back into the living, seeing that the orangenette was challenging the redhead to another match. Ren looks up at her, smiling before nodding his head. He was fully aware of the Uzumaki's family practices, intending to keep them inside whilst the ritual was performed.
"I call next," Ren stated to the girls before flipping another page in his book.
"You hear that, Ko, I'm fighting Ren next!"
"Nuh uh, I'm fighting him next, so c'mon and bring it dattebane!"
"Oh, you're so on you little twerp!"
Both girls stuck each other's tongue at one another. Despite Nora being almost seven years older than the preteen, she acted just as immaturely. Even going the extra mile as to pull one of her eyelids slightly down in an attempt to gross out the younger girl!
When the game started, Nora found her extra effort detrimental as Naruko got her character into a corner. "Dang it, you wall juggler!" she accuses the young redhead next to her, "c'mon would you!"
Satisfied with the fact that Nora and Naruko were going to be occupied. She retreats back into the kitchen. Exiting out of the backdoor. Mother and son watches as fireflies lit up the night around their homestead, deep in the forests of Mistral's north. Although they lived near Argus, Kushina made it an imperative to be one with nature, something his father had agreed with. Their house was rather large, being more of a compound.
Stepping off the back porch, Naruto saw the lantern signal. On the stand was four lanterns, with three of them lit. Naruto shook a little as he struck a match that his mother handed him. Flexing his right index and middle finger, the flames traveled from the match into a point just in between his flexed fingers. The fire grew until it was the size of a baseball. Kushina watches as her son marches down, lighting his father's lantern signal. The idea was to let the spirits know that they were here with them in spirit.
It was an accepted fact that his father was gone. Nothing would've ever kept him away from coming home to his children. Nothing except death, and the first years had been hard to accept that. Especially Naruto brought his sister up as his father's proxy. He grabbed the bell next to the lantern, with his mother watching on, she heard the solemn ringing.
The kagurasuzu bells chimes as he ringed them rhythmically. Focusing intently on the cadence and temp, Naruto sped the bells ringing up every so often. Walking around the lantern stand. The blonde fox faunus prayed to their patron God, Kurama, to return their lost family member to them in at the very least spirit.
Kushina watches as he finishes the fourth walk around the shrine. Stopping the ringing of the bells, and turning toward the lantern. Holding his hand out, a piece of three other lantern's flames came into his palm. They swirled in three separate spheres before he gently brought up to his lips, aiming into the lantern marked for his father.
Blowing softly into the spheres, he saw them cast embers into the his father's weak flame. It grew brighter, turning a golden color before remaining stable. Taking a moment to bow four times, each time ringing the bell, the blonde ended the ritual by ringing the bell whilst walking the shrine counterclockwise.
It was in symbolism. Four being written in old Mistralian, closely translated to death. His walk clockwise was meant to symbolize his father's journey away from home. With the ringing of the bell to translate his steps, and hardships. In the end, the bowing was meant to pay homage to his fate, the fate assigned to him. The final walk, in the opposite direction was meant to lure his spirit home where he could rest.
At the bottom of the lantern, his father's, held a small inscription.
"My fire never faded away. It only gave breath to two embers to carry it's will.
Now, my flames rests within in them both.
My little fishcake, and bell child.
Until our paths cross once more in the next life."
That inscription had been made when after his first year. Written by Naruto himself, with the help of his mother. It was part of letting go, but also forever reminding himself. That The Will Of Fire, their family creed, was to forever live on inside of both him, and his sister Naruko. They were inheritors of the family name, and semblance. In doing so, they stood as the vanguard against the darkness.
As Hunters they would seek Grimm, and exterminate them, much like their ancestors did as shinobi under the service of old kings.
Nora and Ren were sleeping on their shikibutons in the guest room upstairs. Splayed out, the orangenette was cuddled around one of Ren's arms. The mere fact those two weren't an item was simply because they didn't know when to even pursue it. Naruto was doing the final checks around the house, making sure all doors and windows were secured.
A fun little tidbit about the house was that all doors, doorframes, and window seals were painted crimson red. It was an old folklore that red warded evil, and kept monsters at bay. Around the Uzumaki family home, there was charms placed directional corner. As followers of the faith, a faith that very few other old families in Mistral shared, the practice of charm making held some credibility. Their auras, which were strong, often warded away lesser Grimm simply because they felt threatened.
Those charms, made with crystal geodes, held and maintained a piece of each of their auras. Every so often they'd be changed out, but for the most part the charms stood as the first guard around the complex. Walking toward his parent's room, well now his mother's room, he noted that her door was firmly shut.
Usually she would make these rounds, but as the returning son, his duty to the household fell on his shoulders. Looking out of the window, towards the western side of the house, the blonde saw his mother's garden. Various herbs, vegetables, and flowers grew there. Checking the window seal, he made sure that the charm on it was intact.
Slowly his golden aura poured out of his finger, recharging it. Leaning on the window, the blonde looked out toward the moonlit horizon. His sense of longing urging him to take a late night walk, like those he did as a child, and find his father's old fishing spot to just lay there.
All of those precious moments, the small things, we all take so much for granted. When they go away, only then would people realize just how much they filled up void. The nagging, the lectures, but also the cheering, encouragement, and late last minute talks in the middle of the night. At some point, he outgrew the need for bedtime stories, and often rolled his eyes at his father's words about the hero he was named after.
If Naruto wished for one thing in this universe, it would've been to go back to his six year old self. He'd tell him to value those precious moments, because they were fleeting. Like a butterfly, beautiful, but short lived. The longest journey of a butterfly is simply making it to the next leaf, whilst as an adult their wings spread proudly no more than a week. Months of prior work, all for a moment.
How many moments could've had, if he didn't become bratty and self-assured that he was too old for those bedtime stories. As if something was speaking to him, he walks towards his sister's room. She was wide awake, her sliding door open. She looked up from shikibuton.
"Big brother, I can't sleep…" she murmured tiredly before looking up at him, "can I sleep in your room?"
"Only if you're willing to listen to a story." Naruto offered, watching as a smile formed across her lips.
She quickly ran and gathered her things. Moving across the tatami flooring silently, heading for his room. He checked her room, noting that her charm was fully powered with orange aura. Smiling, he added some of his own anyway. It was in the shape of a heart with a swirl in the middle, every one of these charms were carved by hand as gifts from his father.
Her pink walls were littered with boy band posters, like Achievement Hunters. He gave a slight, "humph," at seeing them before slowly exiting her room. Sliding her door closed, and casually walking toward the east side. He checked the charm on the window, looking on as he stared at the two other guest rooms which situated just over their storage rooms, and weapon room. Checking back on Ren and Nora one last time, he nearly giggled like a maddened fox when she saw that Ren was now cuddling up to Nora.
"You two get some rest, better not hear you all bumping uglies though. When will you two get a clue on how you feel for each other," Naruto took a deep breath sliding their door shut, not even checking the charm in their room since he had before they went up there.
A small yip made him look down, Inari was trudging up next to her master. He scratches the fox's back before calling her to follow with three clicks of his tongue. Naruto's room was across the hall, where he noted that Naruko had set up her bedding. Placing his down, pulling the silk orange sheets over his body. He laid his head on the buckwheat pillow and looked at his sister who was laying awake on hers.
Naruto leans up before chuckling a little, "almost forgot your story," he faces her while sitting cross-legged.
Naruko leans up, looking up at him smiling, "can I pick?"
"Sure, Ko, what do you want to hear?" Naruto inquired inquisitively before watching his sister rub the back of her head, "Ko?"
"I want to hear the tale of The Fox and The Rabbit," Naruko desired whilst rolling over to rest her face in her hands.
The blonde laughs a little bit before smiling, "Okay…so want to hear that story."
"Mmhmm, it's a story that mom's says your named after!" Naruko pointed out whilst kicking her legs up and down, "please…"
"Alright…let me give you the abridged version since it's super long, okay?" He offered up, watching as she nods, placing her pillow in front of her.
Story World: The Fox and The Rabbit.
"There once was a boy, born cursed. His cheeks adorned with whiskers, like those of a fox."
A fox faunus boy outlined in the color orange walked amongst a large village. His sullen expression reflecting the misery he felt at being cursed. His attempts to reach out to other villagers went ignored. He stared at a mountain of many faces, daydreaming of the day his would be atop of them all.
The strongest chieftain that his village would ever see!
"The villagers laughed, jeered, and played pranks on him."
Red paint was thrown at the boy, with feathers adorning it. His attempts to run away were met by scorn. Their stares were filled with sinister gazes, wishing discontent for the young fox faunus. In his sadness he ran away, only to discover a large cave.
"In his flight from the village, the young boy found a large cave. Inside of that cave was one of The Nine Sacred Beasts. Kurama, Lord of Foxes, Harvest, Fire, and Connections."
The boy poured his heart out, thinking he was alone in the cave. His tears beckoned the massive foxlike deity to stir awake. He greeted him kindly, offering him tea of which the boy accepted. Kurama beckons to the boy, "Won't you tell me of your woes?"
"I come from a village, cursed with these markings upon my face. They think I'm a cursed spirit, an evil spirit, and they ward me with stares of malice." The boy told the massive deity, whilst sobbing, "I just want to be a hero and protect those precious to me."
"Kurama was taken aback by the boy's story as he told it. How cruel, must those villagers be. The Fox Boy, they called him. The Fox Boy is what he truly became on the faithful meeting."
The Fox Boy trains under the deity, becoming a man. His orange outline slowly changing to that of a golden color. Inside of the village, instead of sulking, he would turn around and stain people with red paint in retaliation for them being the true evil. His brighten smile drew the ire of many, but for some, they had gained respect for The Fox Boy.
Among them, a woman in a dark blue outline.
"As The Fox Boy became a man, he found love. Taking the name Narutomaki, after the fishcake with the orange swirl, he weds his bride. Her name was Hinata, and under Kurama's blessings, they would be blessed with many children."
The many colors of fox faunus running about, with Narutomaki looking at his children. His wife, Hinata, standing next to him. Peace had found him, in his journeys, he had achieved the status of a hero. However, all was not well, and soon disaster came in the form of a demonic rabbit Goddess. Her hand struck down countless souls, stealing them to empower herself.
Even Kurama fell in battle, defeated, but not dead. Narutomaki had gone into battle with his master, and was upon death's door.
"The Rabbit Goddess threatened all that Narutomaki loved, and so he gave his body to give Kurama a vessel. The very act, melding the two together, no longer did Narutomaki exist. He had become just The Fox, and The Rabbit Goddess found her match."
The Fox's aura shined brightly around, a golden swirl of many colors mixed in. His family, friends, and those who fought for shared with him their connections. All of their faiths, all of theirs dreams, and hopes pouring power into him. Whilst The Rabbit Goddess was deity of darkness, he had become her opposite.
Their battle shook the world, splitting the lands, and forming oceans. In the end, a prison was made with the help of the other Nine Sacred Beasts, who all pledged to come to the aid of The Fox if The Rabbit Goddess would ever become free again.
"At the end of the battle with The Rabbit, The Fox was weak. His family gathered around him, where he passed his powers down to them. Adorning them with whiskers upon their cheeks, Hinata stayed with The Fox until he passes his soul to the next world."
Hinata's blue hands reach out to the fading golden light of her husband. Only to watch some of it come down, empowering her children. They all gained whisker marks similar to him. Where her husband had died, his will would burn in them like a flame.
Inside of their chests, in all of their hearts, burned a golden fire!
"In time The Rabbit Goddess would come back, changing her form. The Fox, his power would select one he felt worthy, and take their form to combat her. Thusly, this is why The Fox is the rival to The Rabbit."
The Rabbit Goddess took the form of mighty empresses, witches, and demons. The Fox would in turn take the form of a shinobi, a priest, and guardian spirits. Always being helped by one of the other Sacred Beasts. Kurama's soul constantly residing within the mortal coil that was Narutomaki's.
A wheel, ever turning, and ever present!
Reality
Uzumaki Homestead.
"So, every time one of his descendants are born to stand against The Rabbit Goddess. It is said the moon would turn red, letting the world know that The Fox had came to free them again, at last." Naruto concluded the story before looking over at Naruko, who was passed out.
"Heh," he chuckles a little bit before slowly scooting her over fully onto the shikibuton and covering her up. "Yeah, little sis, we're supposedly descendants of Narutomaki…"
Kissing his right hand's index and middle finger. He planted it onto her head briefly, smiling when she murmured about chicken legs. Inari curled up next to her. Covering himself up, his cerulean eyes stared at a picture of him and his father.
The man was human, but he loved them all the same. A bit ironic that he took maiden name of his wife, instead of changing hers. He breathed, slowly before his eyes grew weaker.
"Goodnight dad, wherever you…I love you."