Chapter 6
Disclaimer, I do not own Naruto nor the Skulduggery Pleasant Series
How's it going ladies and gentlemen? I'm back after a long(for me anyways) time from not updating this writing/crossovering/whatever the hell I'm doing and would like to apologize to the viewers… readers that have been waiting for this story to be updated and that once again this was done at a flight of fancy. May contain OOCness, AU and other applicable nonsense
Note: Decided to stick with Valkyrie's partial POV, less confusion that way, also you know how last time I said I would go through the Dark Days book… well I lied… but only because of reasons… yeah, reasons…
On with the story
[1 Year Later]
Thwack!
Valkyrie landed right on her behind from a rather sound overhead strike from her opponent.
"Ow," Valkyrie stated dully, rubbing the top of her head in irritation and mild pain.
"C'mon Val, get up," Tanith said far too cheerfully for Valkyrie's tastes, brandishing the blunted sword Naruto provided.
"You can rest when you're dead," the rabbit added too morbidly for her, the girl grinning like a loon as she playfully twirled around an oversized hammer of darkness with ease. "C'mon, no need to be scared — or alive."
"You're enjoying this too much," Valkyrie said, rolling backwards to dodge the hammer bearing down on her, slightly worried by the redhead's choice of words.
The hammer face impacted with a loud crack, digging up debris and making a sizable crater. Settling in a crouch, she barely lifted her sword in time when Tanith sent a front kick that sent her sliding back.
The two on one was normally unfair.
She blocked the older woman's overhead strike only to be sent sideways by Naruto' hammer.
Two very experienced fighters against one was very unfair.
How does someone who looked only a bit younger than her have that much skill in combat?
Landing in a crouch, she immediately retaliated by sending a horizontal slash that sent a wave of light at her opponents. Tanith easily leapt over the approaching wave, while the rabbit, being who she is, stood resolutely before the wave and brought her hammer down on the wave and dispersed it in a shower of sparks. Valkyrie staggered down on one knee, exhausted from using that even once.
"Why don't we take a break?" she slightly out of breath as she rose to her feet, sword held in front of her.
"A break?" the rabbit replied in an eerily cheerful tone, grinning a tad too insanely for her taste. "Sure! Let's break something! How about your legs?"
Even Tanith looked at the redhead oddly, even when the tall blonde woman sent a swipe of her sword in Valkyrie's direction. Even though Valkyrie jumped back in time, she still received a cut that, strangely enough, didn't bleed. She didn't know what worried her more, the fairly deep cut not bleeding, or the fact that was able to cut her Tanith with a blunt sword.
"Don't get distracted!"
The only warning she got from the rabbit before she smashed her hammer downwards, spikes of shadows rising forward to meet here. With a leap, using the air to propel herself higher, she jumped over the shadows and descended, her sword bearing down on the rabbit's seemingly defenceless form, her fall reinforced by the wind.
Her attack was in vain, when the hammer moved from the ground upwards, slightly concaving her chest, sending her flying backwards a fair distance and driving her breath from her lungs. Her training was working after all, as she shifted her body weight, flipped and landed on her feet.
"I thought we agreed to weapons only," Valkyrie muttered dryly, trying to get her breathing under control as she ducked under Tanith's sword.
"Take this as a valuable lesson then," Tanith replied merrily as she relaxed her stance.
"Don't believe your enemies," Was the sudden voice that appeared behind her. She didn't even to think of how the rabbit got behind her while she was still in front of her when the same or similar overly large hammer knocked her out.
"You take a hit pretty well, anyone ever tell you that?"
Valkyrie laid on her back on her bed, still hurting from their daily training sessions. She was also glaring at the other person in the room, who to it upon herself to sit on her aching body for her amusement.
Valkyrie was dressed in a rather casual, if sparse, a large jersey that went to just over her knees and her underwear. Which looked very normal compared to her roommates' outfit, a highly extravagant black yukata — she knew what the parts were because Naruto told her — with a darker shade for the obi and was decorated with embroidery of falling pink petals, Valkyrie could faintly feel the power of Necromancy within the clothing. The redhead had allowed her hair free and had made a blatant claim of wearing only the yukata and only it.
So basically, it was just like every night had been since she has stayed with her that is if the girl wasn't doing her vanishing act.
"Get off." Valkyrie grumbled grumpily.
"Cheer up, you were able to use the sword twice this time," the rabbit responded in that same teasing tone. "No, you're too comfortable."
"What if my parents walk in?"
"Normal people can't see me~."
"What if Skulduggery visits?"
"He's getting reacquainted with the others," Naruto paused for a second. "And even if he did, I doubt he would mind."
"You're heavy."
"Now that's just mean," God she was incorrigible, and was the rabbit pouting?
Valkyrie shoved the much lighter girl aside, faintly reminded of the fact that her bed fitted the both of them, if snugly.
"Just go to sleep." Valkyrie mumbled tiredly, uncharacteristically sour from the long day of training. She had just returned from getting Davina Marr before Tesseract, the Russian mercenary, her extensive Necromancy training, and had been knocked out during the prior sparring session.
"You've been stressing yourself lately," the whispered words made her turn to look at the other girl. "Forcing yourself harder everytime."
The normally optimistic and slightly insane girl had faded away, replaced by a visage of worry.
"You're worried about the future again aren't you?" Naruto asked. "About Darquesse?"
"I saw my family killed by her, Naruto… by me." Valkyrie replied miserably. "I don't know what I should do, but I need to do something."
"You don't need to do this alone, we're here for you. At least consider telling Skulduggery about this, he will understand if you just let him. They all would."
"I just want them safe." Valkyrie finished tiredly, dodging the subject on purpose, slumping down as she finally exhausted her emotional strength. She couldn't muster enough strength to move anymore, allowing the red-haired girl to push her to her back. She kept her blank look when she saw Naruto loom over her, a red curtain isolating them from the world.
She wasn't exactly the very touchy-feely type, but she had to admit the rabbit could calm even an angered dragon — which she did once, when they went back to that icy palace — and it soothed her worries, if slightly.
The look of she was giving her, the way the rabbit looked so concerned and understanding, she barely knew when she grabbed unto her, accidently pinning her down and muffled her sobs on her shoulder. As her sniffles subsided, she found herself being held by her friend, who soothed her, much like her mum would. Even through tear dampened vision, she could just see the motherly emitting from the girl almost a head shorter than her.
"It'll be okay." Naruto cooed tenderly, soothingly caressing her hair. "We'll all be with you, simply have faith in us and we can move mountains for you."
"Naru—" Valkyrie began only to be interrupted.
"Shhh… rest." The horned girl muttered gently. "You will need your rest for the day to come."
She didn't have the heart to tell the rabbit, it wasn't just the whispers in the night that scared her. It was what the horned girl had done that did and seems to not remember.
[A Few Months Ago]
The nightmare woke her up.
It filled her thoughts and was vivid beyond a dream should. She shifted in her place, ensuring that the little rabbit stayed asleep, no use dragging her into it. She was dreadfully aware of the way her nightmare clung to her mind, counterpointed by the low whispering she could hear echoing through the room.
Standing out of bed, she swung her legs out of bed as quietly and as gently as possible. The darkness of the room and the chilling air did little to calm her nerves as she approached it.
The dream whisperer she had been given by Cassandra sat on the shelf, just where she had left it. It was talking to her, in sharp, yet quiet whispers, pulling her back into the nightmare. She could literally see it.
The dream that has been occupying her nights ever since the vision of the woman in darkness that Naruto has shown her.
The whispers came faster and she saw the dream in her mind.
She saw glittering emerald eyes.
A falling book.
She saw it open and saw her name. Her very last name. Her true name.
Darquesse.
The sound of her mattress shifting caught her attention. It would have been a welcome reprieve from the whispers, had she just simply saw her roommate sitting up on their bed.
As she turned her eyes locked with three others, usually calm pale blue eyes replaced by a baleful white. The third eye that parted vertically starred at her unwaveringly, the comma like markings on the concentric circles spinning slowly, glowed an ominous red. Her hair had paled to a bone white, just like her skin while her lips darkened to a pitch black.
"R-rabbit?" Valkyrie asked unsurely.
She merely stared.
"Naruto?"
And then the whispers began once more, only this time counterpointed by the hushed words of whoever was sitting on her bed, sure that it wasn't Naruto.
Then came visions of dark fire and death, brought forth by the malevolent white pools. Of a single large tree, the gargantuan roots reached and encompassed the whole world, what seemed like cocoons hanging from the underside of the large roots as the moon shone almost as bright as the sun.
She could see everything, or at least a shadowed glimpse of everything. Merely a small taste of what was to come.
Just as suddenly it came, it disappeared. Naruto's eye deepened into their pale blue before being they were covered by her eyelids and the girl fell back into the bed with a dulled thud, in a dead sleep.
What just happened? She had thought.
The Darkness awakens, she did not expect something or someone to answer back
"So… you discovered your true name?" Valkyrie's uncle asked, steepling his fingers in a way that might have looked like a thoughtful pose, but fell remarkable short as he lacked any chair to look wise on.
He just kinda floated there.
"Yes," Valkyrie replied somewhat irritably
"And you true name is Darquesse?"
"Correct."
"The same Darquesse that destroys the whole world, and that all the Sensitives have been having visions about?"
"The very same."
"Hmmm…"
"That was the fourth time you both went through those exact same lines," Naruto muttered in disinterest, from her position on one of the couches in the room she casually laid on, her tailcoat folded neatly over the couch armrest. "And if there is a fifth time, I am going to hurt both of you."
"Could she do that?" Gordon asked with interest.
"I don't think so?" Valkyrie replied, or more like questioned. "But better to be safe than sorry."
"Right… ah, you were saying?"
"Gordon I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I saw myself killing my parents. I'm still sort of panicking about this."
"Have you considered sealing your true name?"
"Know anyone who can do that?" Valkyrie countered
"Well… ye-no, I think that one died." He murmured to himself unsurely. "Hmmm. Anyways I doubt that information like that is so readily available. You'll need to find a more uncommon source of information."
"Well Skulduggery is off that list," Valkyrie muttered sadly.
"You still don't want him to know?" she heard Naruto ask from her spot on the couch. "We both know he would understand."
"I have to agree with your little friend there." Gordon nodded, glancing at the smartly dressed red haired girl casually reading one of his more dark books while she was dwarfed by the size of the small couch. "Speaking of whom, you still haven't introduced us formally."
"Fine, Gordon, meet Naruto, Naruto, meet Gordon. Can we go back to the problem at hand now?"
"Now, now, I just want to ask a few questions."
"Fine, but only a few," Valkyrie muttered, shoving Naruto's legs off the couch and sitting beside her.
"How exactly did you two meet?"
She fell on me," was the short and concise answer.
"Do you, by chance, mean she fell for you?" Gordon asked suspiciously.
"No, I meant she fell on me, literally, from a hole in the sky."
"Has she met your parents yet?"
"Well she has met them, but they haven't exactly met her," Valkyrie frowned. "What are you trying to imply."
"Why Stephanie, what exactly are you inferring?"
"I— no— we don— we're just friends, just friends."
"Really now, don't tell me you're simply taking advantage of the affection of a young woman," Gordon stated teasingly.
"Wait a minute, I did not take advantage of anything."
"Val stole my heart and refused to take responsibility," Naruto uttered theatrically clasping her hands to her chest and looking away with a blush, faux sniffling coming from her as she played along.
"Oh you poor girl, there, there," Gordon carried on, delighted that the other girl was playing along.
"She even made me share her bed." More fake sniffling.
"Oh dear me, how could you Stephanie," Gordon said in slight shock.
"I know what you're both doing," Valkyrie said. "And it is not funny."
"Oh alright, that one," Gordon pointed to a thin book. "That will, or should, lead you to a woman who might be able to help you."
"So she could seal my name?" she asked seriously.
"No, not her specifically, but she should know someone who can."
"But there's a catch right? These things are never that simple."
"Well you would be correct, the woman, you see, is a banshee."
"A banshee, seriously?" they both heard Naruto ask. "Aren't they dangerous?"
"Well not particularly," Gordon answered. "I suppose they could be as dangerous as a person can be, but more to the point, they provide a service more than anything."
"What kind?" Valkyrie asked.
"Well, if you hear a banshee's wail, it warns you of your imminent demise. Not entirely sure how it is a service at all, but it is nonetheless. After twenty four hours, the Dullahan gets you."
"A what?"
"A Dullahan, a headless horseman that drive the Coach-a-Bowers, you usually only see him when he is next to you though."
Both Gordon and Valkyrie stared at the reading girl strangely.
"And how do you know this?" Valkyrie asked curiously.
"Yes, how did you know of that?" Gordon was similarly curious.
"Oh, you know, been around," the rabbit answered, not even looking from the book, "Seen some things."
"Of course you have," Valkyrie said dryly.
"So when are we meeting her?"
"'We'? You're bringing her?" Gordon asked.
"It's not like I can lose her," Valkyrie replied. "And we're doing this tonight."
"But first we have that meeting to head to," Naruto interjected, rising from her spot and putting on her jacket, although not buttoning the coat.
"Do we have to?" Valkyrie asked, slumping on the couch.
"Of course Val. You're very important, they expect your presence."
"What am I expected to do there anyways?" Valkyrie asked, still disliking the fact that she has to go
"Just stand there and look dignified. Or grumpy, either one works."
"What are you going to do?"
"I am going make my presence widely known," She answered proudly.
"…"
"…"
"You're not allowed to bring your pranking equipment."
"Fine."
"Or use your powers."
"I guess, this one time."
"And no pickpocketing."
"When have I ever done that?"
Blank stare.
"Fine."
End of the story
Didn't think this would actually updated did you? Well it did and it might, or might not please my current or otherwise, readers. Anyways sorry about the delay, but it was unavoidable sadly.
Omake: The Wayward Uzumaki Adventures 1: Magical little brats and school girls
She was in a whole new world now, Naruto planned to enjoy herself as best as she could.
But first she needed to find ramen.
She was craving ramen and when you crave ramen, you go get ramen.
Of course the notion of exploring the world also appealed to her alongside her hunger. That was why she was currently walking through Tokyo, Japan, in the fairly expensive suit she had recently gotten and infused with her Necromancy power.
Truth be told, this wasn't her first suit.
Her teacher had tried repeatedly to help her to store her power into an object, but every time they tried the item persisted on being too weak and unable to hold all the power she held.
She fondly remembered the first time she tried. It was a replica of her father's Hiraishin kunai that she tried to fill. It kinda blew up spectacularly.
One second there was a mountain standing there, the next there was a deep lake.
It took her forever to get the right seals to embroider in the insides of the suit so it could properly contain her power or keep it from leaking out. Even then she had to divide her power to each individual pieces of cloth on her tailcoat, pants, vest, boots and the extra-large bow that kept her braid together at the end.
So here she was wandering through a city, somewhere to the northern part of Tokyo. At least she thought it was a city, there were an awful lot of students around, but schools don't get that large. Right?
She was so distracted that she barely saw the little — like she could talk, she was barely taller than him — red haired boy and an older orange haired girl yelling at him, run into her, sending all three of them into a large heap.
"Ouch," Naruto muttered dryly at the bottom of the pile, thank god for her chakra enforced bones.
"Look what you made me do you brat!" the orange one yelled at the little guy.
"Ah sorry!" the boy replied.
The redhead's eyebrow twitched slightly. She noted that they still haven't gotten off her.
"Ah, Asuna, I think you should get off the person you're crushing." Naruto heard a kind voice say. This was followed by the sensation of weight being lifted off her and hands picking her up and to her feet.
"Thanks," Naruto deadpanned and began to walk off.
"W-wait," she heard the orange girl — Asuna was it? — say, when she turned to look at her, the girl continued waving the little brat in front of her. "Sorry for running into you like that. This brat said that 'my lo— ah something really rude to me and I got distracted."
"I see," Naruto replied apathetically. "For future purposes, it would be wise not to antagonize a teacher."
"Hah?!" was the combined response.
"How did you know I'm a teacher?" the little kid asked her.
"You're a teacher?!" Asuna asked the kid.
"Hey, Negi-kun," an outside voice greeted.
Wait… outside voice?
"Long time no see Takamichi," Negi greeted back, distracted from the earlier questions.
"I see you're getting acquainted with the students," the white haired man said, before glancing next them. "Who might you be ojou-chan?"
Ah, it seems they remembered her, and here she thought she could get away while they talked. She stopped as she was just walking away. Again.
"Simply one that wanders," she answered eloquently.
"I hate to impose, but must ask that you to accompany us."
His energy levels were formidable. Come to think of it, so were that of the other three next to her. Not exactly on her level, but there were enough people with enough power to make getting away very messy. For them that is, not for her.
Perhaps leaving without notifying Valkyrie wasn't the best idea
"You two get along now," where the parting words of principal Konoe to Asuna and Negi.
Even Naruto was watching amusedly as they left, the two mentioned not even looking at one another.
"Now, who might you be?" the principal asked kindly.
Crap, she didn't really want to give out her real name, come on think fast.
"My name is Ōtsutsuki Kaguya," good job brain, excellent work, she thought dryly, name me after my enemy.
"Ohohoho, I see, I see," the old man seemed to contemplate while stroking his beard. "Would you perhaps be willing to listen to my proposition?"
"That depends, are you willing to pay me?"
"Hohoho, of course."
Naruto sat down on one of the free chairs in front of her before crossing her legs.
"Very well, let's talk."
"My name is Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. I shall be your substitute teacher and aide to Negi-san. Please take care of me." She said with a bow in front of a whole class of girls plus boy teacher.
Naruto wasn't prepared for the tide of soft bodies and squeals to smother her.
Maybe it was a good decision to explore for a bit.
End of Omake
Hoped you guys liked what was written, and plz don't hate my choices in where Naruto ended up in her traveling Omake. Might make it as a regular or a separate thing, tell me what you think. Also would like to state that neither stories will intersect in anyway, aside from casual remarks that will be easily forgotten.
That's all for now, hoped you like the ooze that poured from my head
Thanks for reading!
Questions and Productive Criticism are welcome,
Bye Bye now ^-^