Warning: There might be a bit of angst or something in this chappie! And a small ShadowHina moment, but don't worry, Hina-chan's not being unfaithful, its just a comfession about feelings that died down. Other than that, enjoy.
And I have a new writing style too! I'm going to give a full discription of Shadow in this one so you know exactly what you're dealing with.
I own nothing 'cept the Ocs.
Chapter 5
Shadow was dreaming... some may call it a dream, others may call it a nightmare. It depends of what side of the line your on to where your opinions point. To Shadow, this was a nightmare.
He was running endlesly through a forest that was darker than the darkest night, and thicker than a bramble bush. An evil laughter echoed around him, and his head snapped around, searching for the one laughing. He snarled as he ran through a thron bush, his nose being severly cut. Shadow skidded to a halt in front of a huge statue. It was the out come of the battle between him and Walkingdeath ten years ago, but twisted to where Walkingdeath came out the victor.
Turning around, the kitsune panted and ran back the way he came, only to meet a stone wall. Looking around franticly, he searched for a way out. There were no doors, gaps for him to slip through, or windows to jump out of.
Shadow felt something bubbling under his paws and looked down. He gasped and jumped a little when he saw blood surging around his large paws. Taking several steps back, he looked around again. Seeing a window several feet above him, the black kitsune took a mighty leap and flew through the window, plumiting to the ground far below.
"No... NOOOO!!!" he screamed as he fell, gaining speed with every passing second. He heard the evil laughter again, then the voices of his uncle, Darkness, and Walkingdeath and Runningtear echo around him—in that order.
"Ha ha ha, that's right..."
"This will be the out come..."
"If you continue as the blonde's..."
"Pet." they all finished together.
"I'm not his pet." he said chocking back a sob. "I'm his guardian, his friend. And there is nothing you can do to separate me from him and his family!" he howled and released a huge beam of light from his mouth, slowing his fall.
"What?!" the voices said at the same time. Shadow landed heavily on his paws and looked around for his evil kin. Seeing nothing, he roared and sprinted off.
Snapping out of his dream, Shadow sat bolt upright panting. Clutching his head in agony, the kitsune growled lowly. He had been with Naruto and his family in the Uzumaki compound for about a week now, and almost every night he had the same nightmare. Snarling, he leaped off the couch—Naruto had tried to convince him to take a guest room, but being the kind of kitsune he was, Shadow had bluntly refused—and sprinted into the back yard.
He was surprised to see Hinata already out there, gazing at the falling sakura blossums next to the bench that she was sitting on. Shaking his head to snap himself out of his stupor, the black kitsune padded softly over to her. He grinned when the bluenette's kitsune ears swivled in his direction. Heaving himself up to the open spot next to her, the kitsune muttered a greeting before gazing out over the back yard.
It was a truly beautiful sight. Sakura blossums fell gracefuly around them, and next to the bench was a small koi pond. Oposite it was an oak tree with a wooden two person swing chained to a large branch. The leaves of the oak tree fluttered in the light breeze, making a soft rustling sound.
"Beautiful... This is what I was doing last week before Atsuko dragged me inside." he whispered.
Hinata giggled and turned to him. "Yes, it is beautiful. Sometimes, Naruto-kun and I spend hours out here, just watching what's going on around us. Now and then we'll have a visit from Ino-chan, she lives down the street with Choji. They're getting married in two months."
"Really?! Damn, I missed a lot. What about Sakura?"
"She moved to Suna to be with Gaara. They got married two and a half years ago. Lee met a wolf-half-demon girl in the woods and fell in love with her last month. He has yet to ask her out." Hinata giggled again and placed a hand on Shadow's head, between his eyes. "I don't know why you insist on being in your fox form all the time. I've missed both sides of you."
"Well, I just feel more comfortable like this." he replied, grabbing Hinata's hand gently in his massive paws, and holding it gently before letting go. "Besides, I get a kick out of people screaming when I talk. Hmm, smells like Ino's coming." no sooner did the words leave his mouth did Ino's head pop up over the fence.
"Hi Hinata-chan! Who's this?" she said, hopping over the fence and crouching next to Hinata. Shadow hastily moved off the bench to alow her to sit down.
"Hi Ino-chan. How about you try and guess?" replied the bluenette.
"Okay!" she looked Shadow over carefuly. 'Hmmm. Black fur, long bushy tail, torn ear, scar on his right shoulder and a crescent moon shaped scar behind his left eye. Blood red eyes, pierced right ear and upper left lip, and gold bands around his front legs. He's curtious, looks kind enough, though I get a sneaking suspicion that he hates small, young kids. He can only be...' "Shadow."
"Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Heh, you're the only one who hasn't spluttered or fainted." the kitsune said with a smile.
"What was Naruto's reaction?"
"He spluttered and fainted." Shadow and Hinata said at the same time. Ino shook her head and sighed.
"Tipical Naruto. So, when did you return from the dead."
"What a wonderful way to say it." he muttered. Straighting up, the kitsune grinned, braced himself and said—while trying not to make his voice crack, "Last week."
"What?!! You've been among the living for a week and you didn't come to see any of your friends?!!" screamed the blonde.
"I've been busy catching up with my family." squeaked the fox, cowering under her glare. "I didn't even know where you lived." Ino's killing intent died down a little and she drew in a deep breath.
"Oh... Okay! Well, I gotta go! Ja Hinata-chan, Shadow-kun!" she leaped over the fence and back to her home.
"Is she PMSing?" Shadow asked, still nursing his bruised pride. Hinata nodded and giggled. "Hey, Hinata? Did you know that when you were twelve, Naruto wasn't the only one who had a crush on you?"
"Well, I know that Kiba-kun had a crush on me for a while."
"No, no. Besides him. When you were all genin, I had a crush on you. But, I knew that you would be Naruto's. Other than that, I still loved Sapphire. It was just a meeningless thing, and when Sasuke was turned into a cat, it had vanished."
Hinata was blushing a deep shade of red and she fidgeted a little. "W-Why did you h-have a crush on me?" she squeaked.
"Well, you were gentle, kind, pretty, strong in your own way. Not that you aren't now! Like I said, the crush died after a while." he laughed sheepishly and slumped onto his belly on the stone bench. "Ah, just drop it. The past is in the past." he muttered. His head snapped up when he heard a scared squeal coming from the front of the house and to the left. Leaping onto the roof, the black kitsune peered down to see a group of thugs surrounding a pink haired girl. It seemed that they were trying to do... things... to her. He plunged down, landing on one of the thugs and then headbutting another. The remaining two drew daggers and charged at the fox. Shadow's eyes started to glow and then changed completly. His iris turned white and his pupil changed to a blood red color. Surrounding the pupil were three red circles that looked like the symbol on the back of Naruto's orange jacket. The iris had 14 red horizontal lines in them.
This was the Kitsunegan—Kitsune's Eye. It had all the properties of the Sharingan and Byakugan, only it didn't have a blind spot. The Kitsunegan could also allow the user to sprout dragon wings, faze through walls, and do several double S-class level attacks. As well as breath fire without using chakra or yokai, shoot beams of blinding light from their mouths that were hotter than Hellfire, and inject their enemies with a strong paralizing—and in some cases killing—venom. It was truly the ultimate bloodline. Only kitsune's that had reached their tenth tail could use it, that is what made it rare.
Shadow leaped at the thugs and bit down on one's shoulder while battering at his chest and torso with his hind legs. The man screamed in agony as he felt poison course through his body. The other one charged at the black kitsune, only to be caught around the throught by Shadow's tail. Shadow constricted the man's neck until he passed out, the other one alredy unconscience from blood loss and pain.
Deactivating his bloodline, he turned back to the pink haired girl, only to see Haruno Sakura. She had come to Konoha on a vacation with Gaara—who had had to move back to Suna because he had been next in line to be Kazekage—and had been coming to visit Naruto and his family when these men cornered her and tried to do unspeakable things to her. She certainly hadn't been expecting to be saved by this strange fox who she recognized, but couldn't place a name.
"Yo. How'ya doin' Sakura?" he asked cheerfuly. He kicked one of the men in the head with his hind leg as he started to wake up.
"Who are you?"
"Wha'? You don't recognize me? I'm hurt. I can't beleave you don't recognize your old team mate." Sakura looked closer at the grinning kitusne and her eyes widened comicly.
"How in hell are you still alive?!" she screamed
"Long story short, I didn't like how Hell was, so I found a way out." the pinkette nodded and thanked Shadow for saving her. "So how's old raccoon eyes?"
Sakura scoffed at the nick name for her husband but smiled and said, "Fine. He's working on getting us a nice hotel room for our two week long stay here."
Shadow nodded and held up a paw, "Hold that thought." he heaved himself up to where he was peering over the fence. Sakura cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oi! Hinata! It's just Sakura. She was being molested by a bunch of thugs, but I knocked them out. Tell Naruto ne? That way Ibiki can have some fun tonight." she heard a muffled reply and a door open and close. Shadow dropped back down and grinned. "Now then, want to come inside?"
He led Sakura inside and into the kitchen. Standing on his hind legs with ease, he rummaged through the fridge for something to give her. She heard mutters of, 'ramen, ramen, ramen, old meat loaf, ramen.' until he pulled out a containter and opened it, slamming it closed again with a sour look on his face. "I think that one is living. Don't even want to know what it once was." he muttered.
Sakura giggled and sighed. She settled for ramen, amazed that the kitsune could stand and walk like that. Then she noticed that his paws had changed into furry hands and that he was now wearing old tattered blue jeans—Shadow had an anthro form to, that he could transform into with out anyone noticing until they actualy looked.
Sliding the bowl of steaming ramen down in front of her, he sat down in the chair oposite and stared out the window to the right of him. There was a wistful look in his blood red eyes and he inhailed and exhailed deeply. There was something on his mind, Sakura could tell. What it was was another story.
There's chappie 5! Hope you liked it. Review!