Disclaimer, As I have said, I own nothing related to either story.
Yukari was simply wandering around campus, her homework done for the day, when she saw Mizore on the phone. Having nothing better to do, she stepped into the adjacent phone booth to hear more. She did want to get to know the girl better. She figured it might help to keep her from getting hypothermia again. Surely eavesdropping on half a conversation wouldn't get the Snow Maiden too angry.
"Yes mom. I remember Naruto's birthday is coming up soon."
…
"I will make sure to give him a present he won't forget. It promises to be mind-blowing. He still blushes and turns away when I get dressed in the morning, after all."
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"He hasn't seen that side of me before. I haven't practiced that with him yet."
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"I'm sure he has noticed how flexible I can be mom."
…
At this point Yukari was sure this was a conversation that she wanted to know what was going on. Her mind conjured up a myriad of scenarios, each more debauched than the last.
Mizore's voice continued, "Of course I kept our discussions and special lessons secret from him. They were meant to be a surprise after all."
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"Mom, you know as well as I do I can't accomplish that for at least another year at least, you know, after the Snow White ceremony. Besides, I might not come back to school for the last year. It might be difficult if I am pregnant anyway."
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"Mom do you honestly think I would accept that from any man? Naruto is the only one I will give my flower to, you know that."
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"Please stop teasing me about that mom, or I'll write to Aunt Hikari for more embarrassing stories."
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"Of course Kurumu has good tips about it. She is a succubus after all. She doesn't have the same difficulties I have."
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"That has nothing to do with it. She knows I only want to learn that to put a smile on Naruto's face."
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"Yes mom I know. Tell everyone hi. Love you too. Bye."
Yukari, stopping a brief nosebleed at the thoughts running through her head, spoke up, "Hi Mizore, things okay at home?"
Mizore just shrugged. "Same old same old. My mother would prefer that I be at home and Naruto at the village too."
Yukari tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean?"
She sighed again. "I'm just down a little bit I guess. I want to do an ice sculpture for Naruto's birthday, but he has never seen my work, and I don't think he knows I have the flexibility of my gift to be able to do that. I haven't gotten too good at my ice sculptures, I know the theory but haven't had time to practice them. I have done basic designs for various catering companies back home, but nothing like I want to do for him. I want to surprise him, not disappoint him. I can't cook him a meal yet without the ingredients reacting and violently exploding, That is even with Kurumu's help. I just don't know what to do."
Yukari realized that most of what she heard was simple sentences out of context, and pouted. "Why don't you take an after-school art class? I have heard a lot of people talking about how the art teacher really inspires them. Maybe she can help you on your sculptures."
Mizore brightened up. "You know what, that might work. Thanks Yukari."
Yukari nodded, "No problem, but I do have one more question for you."
Mizore nodded, "Sure, walk with me. I have to go observe Naruto doing his homework anyway. I don't want to be late."
Yukari shook her head at the casualness of Mizore mentioning that she was stalking Naruto. "I overheard that you may not be here for your last bit of school, I was wondering why."
Mizore chuckled. "Yuki-Onna only have a brief time in which we can have children. If I attend the last year of school, I might have difficulty with classes if I get pregnant."
Yukari was shocked. She hadn't known that about the Yuki-Onna. "Who would you start a family with? And why?"
Mizore looked at the witch, "Naruto, of course. A Yuki-Onna's fertility period starts when she is seventeen and ends after only a few years. We are told to have as many children as possible in this time frame so that our race doesn't die out. My mom suggested for his birthday just taking him back to my house and having my way with him, but Naruto and I agreed to wait on that. He doesn't want to be seen as a pervert. Knowing his mother, I fully understand."
Yukari couldn't resist, "But don't you want to feel his sweaty body close to yours, beginning to feel his…" Yukari's voice was silenced by a hand over her mouth.
Mizore was blushing. "I do. And you shouldn't talk about that in public. Even though I know you are older, it is disturbing to hear an apparent eleven year old talk like that. We decided to wait. We didn't want to get in trouble here at school. Why would you even talk about that? Witches are just like humans, aren't they? I always was told that the subject was rather hush-hush outside certain Youkai races. Where we you exposed to that kind of talk?"
Yukari smiled. "Books from the Toad Sage of course."
Mizore smiled back, "Don't talk like that around Naruto, he has a thing against perverts. Could be his teacher is the self-proclaimed world's biggest pervert."
Yukari laughed, "Our prank war is behind us, what would he do?"
Mizore turned to give a pointed look at the witch. "Put you in the same classification as Gin in his book."
Yukari, now having eaten with the group for a few days had been regaled with some of the exploits against the perverted werewolf. She paled. "Understood. Tone down the pervy talk when Naruto is around."
Mizore nodded. "What time are these classes?"
Yukari thought for a moment, "Usually in the afternoon. The art teacher's name is Miss Ishigami if that helps."
Mizore nodded her thanks. "See you at Newspaper Club Yukari." Nodding to the tree in front of her, "Here is my observation spot."
Yukari looked at the tree, it was barely a sapling, yet the purple-haired girl seemed to disappear from view. Yukari shook her head as she walked away. "Now to find Tsukune." She hadn't teased him at all today like a good girlfriend should. Maybe she could get him to take his shirt off for gym.
The group all sat down for breakfast, Moka taking an obligatory meal from Naruto's jugular while Mizore was still getting breakfast. As she finished she had to stop herself from rubbing against Naruto.
Yukari's comment broke her out of her stupor. "You know Moka, if Mizore sees you dry humping her boyfriend, you could be seriously hurt."
Moka blushed. "I just can't help it, even after all this time I still can't get used to how sucking his blood makes me feel."
Yukari raised her eyebrows and said in a stage whisper, "It looks like it makes you want to jump him and have your wicked way with him. I can see it now, your pink hair falling in a curtain above his bound form… Ow!" Yukari rubbed her head. "What was that for Mizore?"
Mizore merely fixed the witch with a glare. "What did I say about talking like that?"
Yukari grumbled, "To not to."
Naruto, his voice far too innocent, cut in, "Why Yukari, if I didn't know any better I would say that you were a bit of a pervert."
Yukari paled, "Not really. I just have a healthy appreciation for extremely private interpersonal communication."
Naruto fixed the girl with a gimlet eye while a bead of sweat rolled down the back her neck. "I'll let it go. For now."
Tsukune raised his head, he was tired and having trained before breakfast, as it did nothing to give him what he felt was necessary for sleep. "Huh? What did I miss?"
Yukari leaned over and began whispering in his ear, and Tsukune got increasingly red. "Yukari!" He hissed out, "Wha…"
Tsukune was silenced by a finger on his lips. "It's okay, I'll go easy on you the rest of the day. Unless you prefer that I don't go easy on you." Yukari winked at this statement. She started to say something else that would have definitely cemented Naruto's thoughts on her perverse nature when a paper crane soared in and landed in front of her. "That was fast. Mom never sends mail express. I wonder what is going on." Realization dawned on her face. Oh, Yeah! She must have gotten a copy of the seal."
Tsukune looked confused. "Seal?"
Yukari shook her head. "I'll let you know in a minute. I need to see what she said." Yukari unfolded the crane's head and a magical hologram displayed above the paper animal.
After a moment, a very enthusiastic voice began, barely stopping to breathe, "Yukari Sendo. Where did you get that? That is most definitely Fuinjutsu. A real seal. The descriptions match the only fragments of lore we possess about them. Do you know what this means?! Of course you do. Now young lady I want you to listen to me very carefully. I want you to learn everything you can about this. This is that important. If the secrets of Fuinjutsu could be recovered, it would be life changing for the magical community. In fact, one of the neighbors suggested you seduce the Youkai who knows of it. But they don't know about the illusion your father and I have put on you." The image of her mother laughed, "Then again, if that is a possibility, then I might just remove your illusion and block on your powers unless you already have broken through it." The figure giggled again. "Keep me posted. Love you." With this the image faded and the crane morphed into a written letter.
Yukari sighed. "I didn't want to ask if it wasn't a real seal. Witches used to use these, but in a massive battle a few hundred years ago all knowledge and practitioners of the art were destroyed. It was one of our most powerful arts. But it was lost. All we are left with is enchantments and spells." She turned pleading eyes to Tsukune. "Since it was a boundary being's art, I am pretty sure that you are the one who made the seal that changed my clothes into those awful pajamas. Can you teach me? Please?"
Tsukune sputtered.
Yukari dropped her illusion. She then undid her cloak and unbuttoned the top two buttons on her blouse. "I'll make it worth your while." She whispered in Tsukune's ear. While she was no longer under the illusion she stood with the top of her head coming up to Tsukune's nose, her curves slightly above average for a fifteen year old girl. Her figure was sufficient to hold Tsukune's attention.
Tsukune gulped audibly and blurted out. "Naruto is the one who makes those, not me."
Yukari looked questioningly at the blonde. "Is that true? How would a Kitsune know about Fuinjutsu?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow at the witch. "None of your business." He continued after a moment. "Your mother apparently wants you to learn how to make seals. It would be a great boon to your people would it not?"
Yukari nodded slowly.
Naruto continued, "So what would it be worth to you?"
Yukari replied head bowed, "You could ask anything of me. This isn't just for me, but for my race as a whole. We need this; it is part of our heritage."
Naruto mused for a moment. "Hmm. Well I could take you on as an apprentice, but I am not a master. My teacher and my father are both masters. There is only so much I can teach you. This is as much an art as it is a science. I am more art balanced than science in my seals. If you lean more towards the science aspect, then one of them would be the best to teach you. But either way, there must be a balance. I could cover the basics though." Naruto pondered a few moments before finishing, "You would have to do everything I told you, even if you hate it, get injured, or if it makes no sense at all."
Yukari was grasping at straws. "Anything! What do you want?"
Naruto replied, holding back a chuckle, "No perverted talk when I am around. Period. If you do so, I will hold off your next lesson for a month. I don't care what happens between you and Tsukune in private, but when I am around keep your mouth clean."
Tsukune sputtered and Yukari's jaw dropped, but she grumbled out, "Deal. When can we start?"
"Hold your horses. You have a bit to do before the fun begins."
"I don't understand."
"Can you draw shapes without an aid? A circle freehand, what about arcs, straight lines, all without any tools other than your pen, pencil, or brush?"
Yukari's face blanked. "No."
Naruto continued, "Go to the campus store, get a sketch pad, drawing pencils, ink, brushes, a book to teach you, and maybe an eraser or two. Then meet me by the cliff about an hour after classes."
(Later that day)
Yukari saw Naruto painting on a rock that jutted out of the cliff. She came up behind him and saw he was painting a rather complex looking seal on the rock. She watched as the seal glowed, then the rock broke free of the cliff face and plummeted down. Yukari looked over the cliff and saw that the small boulder had stuck to the cliff face about twenty feet below the edge of the cliff. Naruto smirked to himself. "Good. That is a good start."
Naruto then turned to Yukari. "The first thing you need to know, you need to discover yourself. Seals are more than just lines on a surface. This I am sure you know, but the question is; do you know why?"
Yukari shook her head. "I don't even know where to start."
Naruto nodded, "Good that means you have nothing to unlearn."
He then got an evil smile on his face. "I will teach you nothing until you can draw well. I don't expect perfection. But you must be able to draw well. Let me show you." Naruto then took out a sketch pad of his own and drew a series of circles. He then handed Yukari a compass. Check them for yourself."
She then proceeded to approximate the center of the circles and trace them. Only one or two matched almost perfectly, the others there was no difference in the lines.
Naruto continued, "I don't expect you to be able to do that. But you do have to come close."
Yukari nodded. She had a lot of work to do.
Naruto continued, "But before that, I have to show you something."
Yukari then found herself in front of a small pond. Water flowed in through one small creek that fed into the pond and left out through another. She then heard Naruto's voice, "When you can tell me what this means, we can truly begin you teaching you seals." After another few minutes of this scene, the vision faded.
Yukari asked, "What was that?"
Dodging the question, Naruto then took a small crystal out of his pocket. "This contains the same illusion that I just showed you. This type of seal, that is seals within an object, is what I am working on learning. I cannot teach you these. But once you can tell me what that image means, then I can start teaching you what I do know." He paused, and then continued. "Each illusion will last fifteen minutes. You can only use the crystal once a day."
Yukari looked confused. "Why can't you just start showing me how to draw seals?"
Naruto responded, "Learning for yourself is sometimes better than being told the answer. This is one such time. In fact, this art is both beautiful, but at the same time it can be destructive. I could have made the seal I used on you to explode, or release something dangerous or caustic, thereby hurting you. If you don't understand what this image means, you will have no foundation, and may injure yourself severely in the process." Naruto paused to let his message sink in. "One more thing. While you are figuring that out, do you know any spells or potions for healing?"
Yukari looked confused. "No. Why?"
The evil grin on Naruto's face scared her for a brief moment. "You had better learn some of those too." He took a moment to think back on his own training.
**Flashback**
"So dad, I figured it out, can I start drawing seals now?"
Minato chuckled, "Sure Naruto."
Naruto drew his first seal, a simple storage deal. He channeled the appropriate Chakra to power it, and the paper promptly exploded. Naruto was knocked back, leaving an imprint in the wall.
Minato laughed at his son's misfortune. "This is why I said that you needed to do more study on the characters and lines."
Naruto merely groaned weakly as he felt his bones knit back together.
This scene would repeat itself several times over the next few months as Naruto slowly developed his own sealing method.
**Flashback end**
The grin on Naruto's face was rather disturbing, and Yukari just knew that it would mean quite a bit of pain for her. She didn't know how to react. "I'll make sure to write my mother for some direction or books on the subject."
Naruto nodded to himself. "Now, can you cast diversion spells of any kind?"
Yukari tilted her head to one side, "What do you mean?"
Naruto's reply made Yukari think, "Any way of keeping people away from this area for the next hour or so."
After some though, Yukari shook her head. "The only thing that I might be able to do is make us invisible if someone comes along. Other than that, nothing comes to mind."
Naruto muttered to himself. "Well I guess that will have to do." Naruto then created some shadow clones. "Form a perimeter, if any Youkai come near, dispel. Do not be seen."
Yukari was shocked to see so many replicas of her new teacher. She bit back the comment that she wanted to make about Mizore and making use of Naruto's ability. It definitely would qualify for a month gap in her lessons.
Naruto taking advantage of the witch's shock gave her another order. "You can watch if you like, but do not interrupt. I must stay focused for what I am doing. I have created an illusion around us that the cliff face is about twenty feet back. If for some reason that drops, which it might with what I will be doing, and one of the clones dispels, then I will tell you to make us invisible. If I tell you that, do it immediately. If I lose focus too much, there will be a rather large explosion and the cliff face will be damaged, possibly injuring us. Am I clear?"
Yukari nodded, "Crystal."
Naruto replied, "Good. Now I have to get to work." Naruto covered himself in another illusion as he brought his earth Yoko powers to the fore. No sense in the witch finding out about them just yet. He sat cross-legged on the ground, laid his tails on the ground around him, and then fed power into the cliff face and then into the sea floor at the base of the cliff. After a few moments, there was a slow grinding sound. A piece of sea floor about the size of a large room was slowly rising out of the red ocean. It stopped about twenty feet below the edge of the cliff. Naruto returned to his human form and dropped the illusion.
Naruto stood, sweating, "And that was the easy part."
Yukari looked over the edge and gasped. Something that she thought was impossible had happened. A section of sea floor, still wet, was brought up and had connected with the stone that Naruto had drawn a large seal array on.
Naruto then grabbed Yukari by the waist and jumped over the edge. Yukari bit back first a scream, then a grimace as she was ankle deep in mud, muck and substances that she didn't want to name.
Naruto then said. "Alright my little student. First things first; clean the rock. I know you have magic related to that. At least you should if what you control regularly is any indication."
Yukari nodded before focusing and the mud and grime was slowly pushed off the edge of the platform that had been created. She even managed to get her shoes clean again. Within a short time, the grey rock surface was clean. "Anything else?" she asked.
Naruto answered negatively. "The first thing I have to do to is make the illusion permanent, and that will be tricky. He then used a small technique to cause a cliff section to extend about fifteen feet from his head. Naruto then used Chakra to climb the wall and paint another seal on the top of the platform he had made. The seal then continued to cover most of the cliff face, the edges of the platform, and finished by linking it back to the stone that Naruto had initially pushed from the top of the cliff.
Naruto then turned to Yukari. "Do me a favor and go to the top of the cliff. I will activate the seal. I need you to double check that it worked. That, and if it blows up, I can withstand the backlash. You, probably not."
At the mention of possible explosions Yukari quickly climbed on to her broom and flew back up to the top of the cliff. As she watched, she noticed that again the seal was slowly filling with a mixture of Youkai and that other energy that was just slightly different from her magic. Suddenly the whole array flashed. Looking down, she just saw the cliff face as it was before. She then felt a burst of pure Youkai that seemed to fade until there was nothing she could sense.
Moments later, Naruto landed next to her. "Not too bad of a job if I say so myself."
Yukari was confused for a moment before she worked out what had happened. "You created a permanent, sustained illusion using the seals as your base. Something like that would never be possible with runes alone." Awe was evident in her voice. She resolved then and there to make sure that she did not anger Naruto enough to rescind his lessons.
Naruto laughed. "Yes and at the same time no. It is sustained and it will be permanent only as long as there is Youkai energy or Chakra being absorbed from within the boundary of the seals. I included absorption and retention seals so that if Youkai is released in that area, it will store excess energy, the wasted energy that everyone senses, and uses it as a battery to sustain the illusion. Most of the seals along the edges of the array are storage seals. I had to do an initial 'charge' so that it would work. So what we have is now a very well hidden and cloaked training spot. It will mostly be for my personal use, but anyone can use it. The problem is that I didn't know who would want to use it so I didn't key anyone else in other than me. So if you want to use it, I would have to jump you down."
Yukari just stood there for a moment. "Not only was the illusion sustained, but also shielded so that no one would know what exactly is happening on that platform that you pulled from the seabed. Is this a Kitsune ability that I have never heard of or another seal that you were working on?"
Naruto just smirked, "That, my little apprentice, is a discussion for another time. But for now, Just believe that all will be revealed in time." He paused then sat down looking out over the red sea. "Do you want me to go over what you will be focusing on until you solve the puzzle in the crystal? Without waiting for a response, Naruto continues, "It is drawing. If you can't draw you will likely never have an operative seal."
Yukari nodded. Having seen Naruto make the seal, having to remove certain parts and re-draw them, mostly for reasons that she didn't understand, had noted that yes, an ability to draw would be important towards learning about the subject. "What shapes and the like should I focus on?"
"Mostly circles, proper straight lines, and also making a curve stretch and arch like you want it to, they are all important. When I joined the absorption seals and the batteries, those were needed. After that, if you haven't solved the puzzle, you will be learning proper calligraphy. One part of the deal is your skill in those two areas. Once you solve the puzzle I can tell you more, but not right now."
Yukari shook her head and stared at the blonde. "That makes no sense."
Naruto smirked. "When you understand the puzzle, you will also understand why I am refusing to teach you more. This is the keystone of understanding seals. If you understand what I have to show you, you will understand why I am doing this the way that I am." He paused, and then continued, "Do you understand that some things need to be understood before you can continue learning a subject?"
Yukari nodded, "Of course. You have to understand addition before multiplication makes any sense."
Naruto nodded. "The art of Fuinjutsu is such that you need to understand on a deeper level exactly what is going on before you can learn how to build and design seals. If the feedback is too much, you could easily kill yourself otherwise. Injury is very common when you start learning. Before activating a seal, it is always a good idea to have at least someone higher up than you to check it out. Otherwise it could be deadly. I have found most people I know learn something best when they figure it out for themselves."
This caused the younger witch to pale drastically. The tales had only spoken of the diversity and power of the art. They had spoken nothing of the risks involved in practicing of the art. And yet the blonde had used it extensively. That meant that he had practiced and learned quite a bit about subject. Picking her jaw up off the floor, she had only one thought. 'This might be worth losing a few places in class standings to learn.'
Naruto correctly interpreted the look on Yukari's face. "You have to understand what I showed you first. Use the crystal." With this, he left the little witch just staring in awe at what she had seen, yet with more than just a little fear about making a mistake as well.
Mizore knocked gently on the art room door. After a brief moment, a woman with a large painters smock, a shirt showing her midriff, and her hair held in place with a bandanna and dreadlocks opened the door.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
Mizore merely responded, "Are you Miss Ishigami?"
Seeing the woman nod, Mizore continued. "I had heard that you offered extra-curricular Art classes."
The woman smiled. "Of course I do. Why don't you come in and tell me what kind of art you feel most inspired by."
Mizore took a seat by the teacher's desk. "Well, I am looking to learn more about sculpting."
Miss Ishigami sat back. "Any particular kind? Clay, Metal, Stone?"
Mizore shook her head. "Ice. I have an affinity for Ice, and while it doesn't last like the others, I find it the easiest to shape."
The art teacher was taken aback at the girl's comment. "While I personally feel that art is something that captures emotion and endures, if ice is your medium, then who am I to say anything about it? How experienced are you?"
Mizore thought for a moment. "I have trained a bit, but artistically I still struggle."
Miss Ishigami tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean? Do you have any pictures of your work I could look at?"
Mizore shook her head. "No, I never took any pictures. But, I might be able to show you. Do you have five minutes?"
The teacher slowly nodded her head, confused at what the girl was implying.
Mizore stood, and then looked at a still life set up for students to draw. She created an ice platform and slowly formed the vase and filled it with ice replicas of the flowers that were displayed for the students.
Miss Ishigami was shocked. She stood there shivering with her mouth wide open. "How do you need more practice? Those are almost exact matches for what I have on the table. If anything the coloring is even more vibrant."
Mizore nodded slightly sheepish. "Whenever I do a sculpture of anything that is alive, say a dog or a person, it never comes out right. Anything inanimate looks fine, but all the others; it is as if something important is missing, and I don't know what that is."
Miss Ishigami stood and got a jacket that was hanging on the back of her door. "Why don't you do one of me? Since you can make them so quickly, we can have a look at them. I do have one question to ask though. Is there any way to not freeze my art room solid? I do not like the cold."
Mizore shook her head. "I have tried in the past, but nothing ever worked. I'm sorry."
Miss Ishigami thought for a moment before replying. "Well, I am sure that any others that came to my classes would find it a bit distracting. How about you visit, and maybe we will find out what your efforts are missing. We can try after the club if you are getting better. But before that, let me see your attempt at a sculpture of a live target. She then folded her arms and leaned against the wall. About five feet away an ice figure grew slowly, shaping itself into a replica of her stance. Miss Ishigami looked at it with a critical eye. "You are right. While, technically it is a rather exact piece, something is missing. I will have to think about it. There seems to be something… off about the piece. I should know what it is, but I can't seem to put the words together."
Mizore nodded. "I don't know what though."
The art teacher smiled at her. "You are welcome to come to class and see if we can discover that together."
Mizore nodded again. "If you don't mind my asking, how many people come to these classes? I don't like large groups of people."
Miss Ishigami thought for a moment. "I am assuming that is because you are a Yuki-Onna?"
Mizore nodded in response.
"Normally less than twenty students show up, sometimes more, sometimes less."
This caused Mizore to relax slightly.
"Now, how long will these sculptures last?"
Mizore looked intrigued by the question. "I put more Youkai energy into the sculpture of you than I did of the flower vase. The vase and stand will last for about two days before melting and the statue of you, maybe five to six days."
The art teacher's eyebrows rose. "Five to six days before the ice melts?"
Mizore nodded. "If you need it out of the way, I can make it melt now. Or you could always use fire to do so."
The art teacher slowly shook her head. "I need time to see if I can determine exactly what is missing. So no thank you."
Mizore nodded. "Thank you. I look forward to seeing you at the next class."
The art teacher slowly sat down. The Yuki-Onna had surprised her with her talent. While she had initially entertained the idea of adding the girl to her collection, the fact that she would become an ice sculpture herself before the petrifying by her snakes took hold, and it would last longer too. She had to re-petrify her group once every few days. But the girl could encase her in ice for much longer than her target would be stone. The artist in her decided that if she couldn't add the girl to her collection, then maybe, just maybe, she would find a kindred spirit. No other student had shown the raw talent this girl had. She turned to the ice duplicate of her and wracked her brain to figure out what was missing.
(A few days later)
Mizore sat in the back of the art room as the lesson progressed. Miss Ishigami was talking about the inspiration for what they were creating. She mentioned that you needed to keep your inspiration in your mind as you created. Mizore took a moment to think about that. She was still thinking on it as Miss Ishigami made her rounds offering advice and encouragement. Mizore thought about what she wanted to do for Naruto's birthday, and what she wanted it to look like.
"So Mizore, any idea as to what might be missing from your sculpting?" Miss Ishigami interrupted the girl's thoughts.
Mizore shook her head. "No. I need to find out what it is before too long. I don't have much time before my deadline."
This caused the art teacher to raise her eyebrows. "You have a deadline?"
Mizore nodded. "I want to make something for someone special. But it needs to be soon."
"Maybe you should stay after to practice without the other students here. We can try a few different things."
Mizore nodded. "Do you mind if I look at some of the work around the room? It might help me with my problem."
Miss Ishigami smiled. "Of course. I would ask that you keep out of my private work area, but feel free to look around"
Mizore spent the rest of the class looking at the various projects that the others had been making and saw various levels of talent. She took a moment to peek in the back room while Miss Ishigami's back was turned and saw some rather life-like stone sculptures. She slipped back into the classroom, not noticing the tears that slid down their faces, nor the soft sobs that began after she left.
After the club had ended, Mizore sat at a desk and waited for Miss Ishigami to finish talking to another student. Mizore was thinking about how much time she had left before the Newspaper Club meeting began. She had about a half hour before she would have to leave. That should be enough for a few pointers or a good discussion from the teacher.
"So Mizore. Did you gain your inspiration today?"
Mizore tilted her head to the side. "I am unsure what you mean."
Miss Ishigami took a moment to wax poetic about this. "Your reason for creating art. Art is all about inspiration. It must be your reason for capturing beauty, sorrow, joy, love, hate, any of the emotions or circumstances that exist in the world. An artist, who is not inspired, will never create anything meaningful." She stopped. After a moment she continued. "Why do you create art Mizore?"
Mizore again thought for a moment. "I just make what I think or I see. I don't really have a reason for doing so."
Miss Ishigami let out a bark of laughter. "That is it! The only thing that your sculpture lacked was emotion. It was technically very well done, but there was no feeling to the piece. It was like a report on the topography, geology, flora, and fauna of a place instead of a landscape picture. You need to show your emotion through your art."
Mizore stuttered, "But Yuki –Onna are taught to control our emotions to a large extent. If I get too emotional I could freeze an area and that could be bad."
The concept of being flash frozen did not appeal to the teacher. "Maybe an experiment would help. I want you to think of someone or something you have a strong emotional attachment to."
Mizore's thoughts immediately turned to her boyfriend.
"I want you to think of the person or place in great detail, focusing on how you feel about the subject before you even form the first ice crystal. When you have done that, and only when you have done that, then I want you to make your sculpture." Miss Ishigami said this while pulling on a heavy coat. She did not want to get too cold around her student.
Mizore thought of Naruto's face. She knew it as well as she knew her own; his deep blue eyes and spiky blonde hair. She thought about how he looked as he stepped out of the shower, and how it made her feel to think that he was hers. She pictured Naruto in his training gear and looking at her with care and decided that would be it. Almost unbidden, her power shaped the water in the air into ice.
Suddenly there was a bright flash and instead of the normal ice growing into what she wanted to make, it was suddenly there. A sculpture of Naruto had appeared. He looked to be clothed in his training gear, cargo pants, and his fingerless gloves. The shirt he normally wore when training was conspicuously absent. The ice Naruto also had his hand extended as if to caress the side of Mizore's face. The whole statue seemed to radiate care and affection.
After a moment, the silence was broken. "Well, that was different." Miss Ishigami mumbled out. "Your other ones were slower. I would say you have your inspiration."
Mizore was looking at the sculpture oddly. "This one seems to be different."
Miss Ishigami exclaimed, "That's it! Your previous works I saw lacked feeling. While accurate down to the last detail, if you will pardon the pun, they seemed cold. Devoid of life. This one, while in the same style as the others seems to radiate that this person is important to you. Who is this? A boyfriend perhaps?"
Mizore nodded.
Miss Ishigami indicated the ice Naruto's face. "You see here, the eyes and face are more styled. The edges of the statue are more naturally rounded and not as sharp. The others were natural, but a bit blocky on the fine detail. There is a change in how you made it. Figure out how to refine that and you will have your answer on how to improve your art."
The moment was broken by the arrival of two students. Yukari and another female student entered the room. Both seemed shocked at the ice sculpture standing in the room.
Yukari smirked. "Naruto on your mind Mizore? Just a little huh?" She circled the sculpture. "Is Tsukune even close to being this well put together? I hope so. I want to wash my clothes on abs like those. And any other part of me Tsukune might want to wash on them." Yukari shut up quickly when Mizore formed a brace of throwing knives.
Miss Ishigami and the other student were a little taken aback at the comments from a seemingly prepubescent witch.
Mizore raised her eyebrows. "What do you want Yukari?"
Yukari rolled her eyes. "Newspaper Club is in fifteen minutes. Are you coming or shall I leave you alone with your sculpture?"
Mizore threw the knives, missing the witch on purpose. "Miss Ishigami. I will try to do as you suggested. Thank you. I apologize, but I have my club activities to attend to."
Miss Ishigami smiled. "Or course Mizore. Glad to help."
As the pair left, the other student looked in awe at the art teacher who had apparently taught such a talented student. "You wanted to see me Miss Ishigami?"
"Yes. How would you like to help with a project I am working on?"
All of the Newspaper Club, minus their not-so-illustrious leader, were sitting and chatting in the room. Yukari was still conversing with Mizore. "Do you think she might teach a calligraphy course?"
Mizore shook her head. "I doubt it. The majority of art in her room is painting and sculpture. I don't think she is teaching anything like a calligraphy class, but you would have to ask."
Yukari nodded. "I'll think about it. My mother is an enchantress, and because that, had to learn various styles of calligraphy. I will ask her what would be the best option if that doesn't work."
Their conversation was stopped by the entrance of their Club President, Ginei Morika. Gin situated himself behind the desk. "My fellow club members, there is a story of utmost importance we need to investigate! This could quite possibly be the biggest story to break all year!"
Gin's tone and fervor were slightly out of place, and this caused the assembled group to pay attention.
"Over the past two weeks, six students have gone missing. I think there is a common thread. Some Youkai is preying on these students and needs to be stopped."
Moka tilted her head to the side. "Are you sure this isn't inter-student fights or students going home?"
Gin shook his head. "Their dorm rooms haven't been cleaned or re-assigned." He then passed around a leaflet with six girls' pictures on it. "That means no one knows exactly what is going on. There are two reasons why I want us to focus on this story. The first is that should someone be holding these students hostage, they will likely be targeting other students." At this Gin paused, seeing the nodding faces of his club members. "The second," he continued, "All these girls are absolutely gorgeous! Beauty should never be stolen!" At this, the air around the werewolf began to sparkle.
Kurumu rolled her eyes. "Gin what did I tell you about using glitter body wash? It is just disturbing to see a guy sparkle like that. Please throw that out. If you use it again, I may have to take drastic measures."
Gin sniffed and continued, "What I mean is that if I were to rescue them, I mean, we were to rescue them, they would be extremely grateful. Not to mention the after rescue thanking." At this Gin giggled perversely.
Naruto threw a notebook at Gin's head to snap him out of his daydream. "Gin. Do you have any idea if there are any similarities with the girls? Common traits?"
Gin shook his head after being hit by the notebook. "Only that they are all hot. I kind of haven't gotten past that point yet."
Naruto then began hitting Gin with a rolled up newspaper; but stopped when Mizore blurted out, "These girls look just like the statues that Miss Ishigami had in her studio."
The Club was silent at this revelation. Gin was suddenly serious. "What do you mean Mizore?"
Mizore continued, "I was looking around the art room while Miss Ishigami was helping other students. I took a peek into her studio and saw that there were stone statues of girls in various poses. The only one whose face I saw looks just like this girl here." Mizore pointed to a girl on the paper.
Gin stood silent out the window for a brief moment. "Mizore, we can't have you look around. Being with the Newspaper Club might mean increased danger for you if you start poking around." Gin turned to face her. "Are all the statues girls?"
Mizore nodded. "They all looked to be nude statues, so yes. They were all girls."
Naruto continued. "We need to send in someone who wouldn't be in any danger from the teacher."
Gin nodded again, seemingly deep in thought. "Tsukune. I want you to attend the next art class with Mizore. Tell Miss Ishigami that you heard students talk about it to see if it is worth your time."
Tsukune paled. "I don't know how much help I would be."
Gin shook his head. "You are the decoy. Naruto and I will be close by. I will be having Naruto see if there is a way into the studio that she won't see and see if those are the missing girls or real statues. She is an art teacher after all."
Mizore spoke up. "There is and Naruto is sneaky enough to get in there."
Gin nodded his head. "That takes care of that. If those are the missing girls, Naruto and I will stand by and act as a diversion then while the girls get those statues out." At this Gin nodded at Moka, Kurumu, and Yukari.
Yukari paled. "There was a girl that we left there when we came here. We might have to account for another victim."
Mizore spoke up. "I can help get a statue or two out."
Naruto then wondered aloud, "Why hasn't Mizore been captured? You are prettier that all these girls."
This caused a certain Yuki-Onna to blush deeply. "She said she hated the cold. That might be one reason. She also looked surprised at how fast I could create ice. That may have acted as a deterrent."
This caused all present to nod their heads in agreement, then look away as Mizore jumped onto Naruto's lap and kissed him.
Mizore then looked at Tsukune. "He won't cut it in her art classes. All of the boys in the class have rather extreme personalities. He will look too out of place."
Yukari squealed, "Dress up time!" At Tsukune's fearful look, Yukari continued, "I don't mean role-play costumes Tsukune. I mean to change your look so that you will fit in better."
Tsukune relaxed visibly. This caused all of the others present to wonder just what the witch got up to with her not fully compliant boyfriend.
Kurumu shook her head. "All of that aside, Mizore is right. Tsukune doesn't appear to be dramatic or angsty. He wouldn't fit in. We do need to change his look slightly before the next art class." Kurumu then turned to Mizore, "When is the next class?"
Mizore responded, "Today is Thursday, so on Saturday is the next class."
Tsukune went pale at the looks that the girl's faces gained of doing a makeover, however temporarily.
Moka said, "I think we need to make him an emo-goth. It seems to fit in with the dramatic and angsty look that Kurumu said that he needed."
Yukari shook her head. "We could make him slightly emo, but you are not dressing my boyfriend up as a goth." She then mused at the idea of Tsukune in black leather. Yukari then leered at the now shivering Tsukune. "Then again, it might be a good look for him."
Mizore nodded, "A lot of her paintings seem to depict sorrow and pain. That might actually work."
Tsukune was then dragged off by the various girls arguing studded leather versus non, how in depth they should go with his look, and how they should color and style his hair for the maximum effect.
Naruto and Gin looked on in equal parts amusement, horror, and relief that it wasn't them who would undergo this torture.
Gin was the first to break the silence. "I should have made you do it as payback."
Naruto shook his head. "I can do illusions, I wouldn't need a makeover. Shall we have a moment of silence for the terror Tsukune will now endure?"
Gin nodded somberly. The pair stood with closed eyes and bowed heads as Tsukune was dragged from the room, nails leaving furrows in the floor, and as his screams faded into the distance. After there was silence, Gin asked, "Any ideas what would turn the girls to stone?"
Naruto shook his head, "Only a few. Most are reversible. But if it isn't, you will never get you fifteen seconds of fame with the girls."
Gin looked at Naruto, "My thanks will last more than fifteen seconds."
Naruto smirked back. "Not when they find out from the girls that you knew that their dorms hadn't been cleaned or re-assigned." With this he left the club room.
Gin then stood there with his mouth open. How could Naruto turn the tables on him this easily?! It just wasn't fair.
(Before the next art class that Saturday)
Yukari was giving Tsukune a last look over. Yukari was disguised by her younger illusion and Tsukune was now dressed in a simple outfit. His shirt and pants were black with crimson accents, and the shirt had a design that looked like a mouth that seemed stitched shut on the left side. His nails had been painted black. Yukari then smoothed his hair down on the left side of his face. She has used a potion to give Tsukune longer hair. The girls had styled it sot that covered his left eye. They had also added something to it so that it was almost greasy in texture.
Yukari spoke as she added the finishing touches to the outfit. "Now, regardless of whether you can draw or not, you need to at least attempt something. If she asks just simply say that the image speaks to you about the hopelessness of life and the ultimate futility of effort or something depressing like that. It would fit into how you are portraying yourself." With this she removed the brown leather bracelet that Tsukune had on his wrist and replaced it with a spiked black leather bracelet. "Now, come back to me in one piece. Gin may think you are expendable because you are a boundary being like I am, but to me, you are irreplaceable."
Tsukune was taken aback. They really hadn't had a chance to talk about their "relationship" It was mostly Yukari spouting things to make him blush or her trying to catch him without a shirt on. But this showed Tsukune that she might actually feel close to him. Maybe there was more on her end than just perverted fantasies.
The moment was ruined, however when Yukari continued, "After all, I have yet to have you make me a woman. You can't die before doing that for me, at the very least."
A passing student walked faster after hearing Yukari say this to Tsukune.
Tsukune merely had his jaw drop, but he was kissed tenderly on the cheek. Yukari had dropped her illusion momentarily. "Be careful Tsukune. Us boundary beings have to stick together. I don't want to be alone again."Yukari's serious face was quickly hidden. "If you get hurt I will have to tie you down so it doesn't happen again. Unless you are into that sort of thing."
Tsukune walked away after Yukari put her illusion back in place. She then made her way to just outside of the art room and then hid herself to watch, just in case Tsukune needed her.
Tsukune sat and listened to Miss Ishigami talk about how to keep a focus on what they intended to draw. Tsukune opened the sketchbook that Naruto had lent to him. Just inside was a half-finished drawing that seemed to be from a horror movie, but it looked like it was stretched and folded over itself. Quite frankly it was almost disturbing. Naruto had said it might fit what Tsukune was supposed to accomplish. He set it on the desk in front of him and looked around. He heard a rustle and figured that Naruto had slipped inside the teacher's studio. Moments later a note appeared on the desk. Tsukune picked it up, read it, then promptly hid it in his pocket.
The note simply read. "The statues are the missing girls. Keep the teacher distracted after class. We will get the girls out then."
Tsukune then tried to make some designs on the paper. It seemed to just twist the drawing more.
Tsukune almost jumped when Miss Ishigami looked over his shoulder, her braids swaying and they seemed to be leaning in towards him. "That seems almost too much. The style you are using seems to have confusion and depression, matched by the definitive lines of anger. It seems almost too much for the picture. Yet there is an odd balance. I haven't seen anything like it before."
Tsukune then just parroted Yukari's words. "I am trying to show the futility of effort and hopelessness of life. I can't seem to finish it though."
Miss Ishigami tilted her head to the side. "I might have an idea. Stay after the class Mr?"
"Aono. Tsukune Aono. I am just looking to see if I can understand what I am missing." The hair over his eye prevented seeing the look in the eye of the art teacher.
Mizore held back with a sculpture that she made. She showed it to Miss Ishigami. This time it was a small replica of her house. The shadows seemed to shift within that made it look like there were actually people in the tiny house.
Miss Ishigami looked at it and said, "Mizore. This is almost as good as your statue earlier. I would suggest that you try different emotions as well. You need to express them all. I would like to talk with you more, but Mr. Aono had a question to ask me about his art. Can we talk next week?"
Mizore nodded and left the room, quickly headed to where she knew the other girls would be waiting to attempt to rescue the statues, if they really were the girls.
Back in the art room Tsukune was trying to stay calm as the art teacher flipped through the sketchbook.
"I can tell that you are troubled by something. Your art screams it. You have such pain that needs expression. It is almost as if you wish to end it all on a daily basis. This is art that will speak to the masses. This is art that will endure. It is delicious."
Tsukune merely kept silent. He didn't know how to respond to that.
Miss Ishigami didn't notice his silence; she was busy continuing her train of thought. "You will go far with this sort of vision. If you will excuse me, I must create. You have inspired me."
Miss Ishigami shifted partially. It was just enough for her dreadlocks to become snake-like. Suddenly they lunged towards Tsukune.
As this happened, Gin and Naruto jumped and dove into the classroom through the open windows.
They weren't fast enough as the snakes bit Tsukune on the hands he had raised in defense.
Naruto, having drawn his hook swords, linked them and swung. The blade on the hand guard then cut straight through the heads of the snakes that had bit Tsukune. His hands were starting to turn grey.
Meanwhile, the girls had snuck into the studio under one of Kurumu's illusions. They were greeted by light sobs. Seven crying statues of girls, and oddly enough a cat, occupied most of the space in the room. Yukari used her wand to levitate two of the girls out of the room. Moka used her vampire strength to grab two of the statues around their waists and left the room as well. Mizore formed wheeled carts under two more and left with them in tow. Kurumu assured them that she could handle the last statue by herself. She needed to maintain the illusion to prevent Miss Ishigami from seeing them leave with her 'art.'
Kurumu, however, tried multiple times at moving her statue. Who knew rock could be so heavy? The other girls had just grabbed and ran. She couldn't. A succubus could easily pick up a human and move them around, but what about a statue? Apparently not. Kurumu wracked her brain for a solution. There was one thing she could try. She had never attempted it before, but by the sounds of the fight on the other side of the wall. She needed to do something. She concentrated heavily on the effect she wanted to achieve. If a succubus was strong enough, then they could alter reality temporarily with their illusions. The girl's skin shifted from stone to flesh. The sobs stopped as the girl clung to Kurumu. Kurumu grabbed a drop cloth and wrapped it around the girl. "We have to leave now!" At this, the pair ran for the door to the art room.
While the girls were liberating the statues, Tsukune, Gin, and Naruto were busying trying to break the stalemate. The snakes were useful as offense and defense. They were also fast enough to keep Gin from getting close. The problem was, Naruto had to keep fending them off, as they seemed to prefer Tsukune as a target.
After a few minutes of the fight, Tsukune let out a cry, the heads of the first two snakes still stuck in his hands refused to let go, even in death. Naruto threw Tsukune to the side as once more he felt Tsukune's chakra fluctuate wildly. He then tossed Tsukune towards Gin. "Catch Gin, he needs to get out of here!"
Suddenly the focus of the battle shifted as Naruto saw Kurumu escort a covered girl out from the studio. This caused the teacher to lose all control. "You ruined my art! She sent the snakes careening towards the pair. Naruto caught some with his swords and Gin caught the rest with his speed. As they struggled, the medusa screamed, "Art is forever, art endures. You cannot deface my art! I won't allow it!"
Gin and Naruto finally won the battle with the snakes and threw the crazed art teacher into the outside wall of the classroom.
Miss Ishigami heard a voice that almost sneered in contempt.
"You are wrong. Art is a blast. Hn."
Suddenly the outer wall of the classroom, as well as her body, was thrown away from the building accompanied by a resounding boom and smoke.
Before Miss Ishigami passed out she realized that her snakes had involuntarily attacked the art student. That could only mean one thing. He was a human. With this, she lost consciousness.
Far away, a blonde haired missing nin paused what he was doing and looked up. "Someone else…understands." Unfortunately for him, this was what the Hunter squad was waiting for as they took down their target.
Tsukune woke up to a white ceiling. Yukari was asleep in the chair off to the side. His rustling woke the slightly sleeping witch. He suddenly had difficulty breathing.
Yukari was crying as she saw Tsukune wake up. Her tears were soaking the sheet that covered him. She then smacked the boy on the back of his head. "What did I tell you about not getting hurt?" She then hugged him harder. She then glanced at the brown leather band that was once more on his wrist. "Why are you wearing that thing again?"
Tsukune looked nervous. "Naruto made it for me. It is to make other Youkai think I am stronger than I actually am. He understands that boundary beings are looked down upon. This helps hide the fact that I am one." Tsukune then decided to change the subject. "What happened in there? I remember my hands turning to stone, but not much beyond that."
Yukari looked shocked. "Well, Kurumu had gotten the last girl turned back to her human form. It lasted until we were in the hallway and then the girl reverted to stone and Kurumu collapsed. Whatever she did wasn't easy on her, it took almost two days for her to recover. Moka stayed with her and the girls while Mizore and I went back to the room. Gin and Naruto had just thrown the teacher into the wall when you threw a lump of clay, charged with that energy that you and Naruto use, at the teacher. It blew out the wall and blasted Naruto and Gin off their feet. You then turned fully to stone. It has been a few days while the effects of the venom wore off." She then asked quietly. "You say you are weak, but you took out an adult with one well placed shot. Why do you need to hide what you are? Are you ashamed to be a boundary being; like me?"
Tsukune looked nervous again. "Yukari. What you saw aside, I am weaker than everyone here. Naruto knows about the shinobi. I would barely even qualify to be one. I can't really do anything on purpose. Naruto is trying to help, but it doesn't seem to help much beyond making me a little faster and stronger. I guess you could say I am more human than a boundary being. This school is dangerous. I was hoping to get into one in the Human World, but nowhere would accept me."
This took Yukari aback. She had thought that things were different. She then made a decision. "If you are more comfortable there, then I will do my best to help you get into a school in the Human World. But I want you to stay here. With me. I was alone. There are so few witches who decide to come here to face the ridicule. Most keep quiet about the fact that they are a witch. I'm glad you came here. I thought witches were the only type of boundary beings." She then leaned in closely. "I'm glad I met you Tsukune." With this she kissed the prone boy softly.
The group who had been standing in the doorway spoke up. "It's about time you got back up and running Tsukune. You missed a test. Always dodging them aren't you?" joked Naruto.
Moka came into the room. "This means you will be awake for Naruto's Birthday!"
Mizore continued, "It would also be good for you to be awake for your own."
Tsukune shook his head. "How do you know when my birthday is?"
Mizore simply responded "Yukari paid me to find out everything I could about you. You aren't interesting to stalk at all Tsukune."
This caused Yukari to blush heavily. Tsukune merely gaped at this revelation.
Yukari whispered in Tsukune's ear, "If you want me as your birthday present, I'll gladly sneak into your dorm room."
Tsukune blushed brightly at this but said nothing as the school nurse came in. "All of you out. He needs to be checked out before I can let him go. All of the other girls were out of here yesterday."
Naruto's birthday was a simple one, although with Kurumu making the cake there was bound to be at least twenty pounds of sugar packed into a four pound cake. She laughed at this. There were twenty five pounds of sugar in that cake thank you very much. After the sugar high had run its course, Naruto decided to open his gifts. From his mother came a week-long supply of homemade ramen. His father sent Naruto some seal etching tools for making seals inside of objects along with a warning to draw containment seals if he attempted to activate the seals he made.
Kurumu hesitated before she gave Naruto his gift. She then looked at Mizore. "Please don't get mad at me, I wanted to give him something special that I know he would like."
Upon opening the package, Naruto found a very nice set of silk pajamas in his favorite almost neon orange color. There was black piping and buttons that broke up the orange. This caused Naruto to pick Kurumu up and swing her around in thanks.
Mizore scowled. "I won't see him wearing them for too long, either I will be asleep or I will rip them off of him. Either one works."
This caused blushes from most of the group. Yukari took this opportunity to whisper something to Tsukune that caused him to blush even harder.
Moka had given Naruto a collage of photos of all the members of the group. The photos had been taken at candid moments throughout the past few weeks.
Yukari gave him a book on basic enchanting as a gift of teaching her how to use seals. Upon hearing about some of the uses of enchanting, Naruto began to chuckle which developed into a full on maniacal laugh. Yukari hesitantly asked, "What is so funny Naruto?"
Naruto topped and smirked, "Jiraiya knows how to stop pranks from seals, but not from anything like this."
Mizore just shook her head at her boyfriend.
After Tsukune had given Naruto a gift of two flats of ramen, Mizore spoke up.
"Naruto, I have worked hard to be able to do this for you. I hope you like it." She then focused on the surface of Naruto's side table. Her hair turned to purple snow and then electricity seemed to crackle and then, suddenly, an ice sculpture of Naruto and Mizore kissing rather passionately from the waist up appeared on the side table. Naruto carefully picked it up and then fed Chakra into the creation to strengthen it.
The work and detail of the ice was rather well done; many would say highly detailed or exquisite. Naruto was blushing heavily as he had noted that neither of the subjects in the sculpture had any form of clothing. While nothing that he would consider naughty was apparent, there was quite a bit implied with the statue. "Mizore, I can't let my mom see this, even if it did come from you."
Mizore took the statue and put it back on the table and suddenly there were clothes covering each individual. "There. But I can always change it back when it is just the two of us. Can you keep it from melting like with my flower?"
At this question Naruto nodded. Mizore brought her flower over at least once a week for him to re-charge with Chakra, it wouldn't be hard to do both at the same time.
It was Moka who broke the silence. "Is that really what he looks like shirtless or is that an exaggeration?"
Mizore replied a slight blush on her cheeks, "Of course it is. I always make sure what I make is correct and in great detail."
What everyone else missed was the massive blush that was on Kurumu's face as well.
The inspiration for the omakes is as follows:
Omake 1 was something my beta suggested after reading the chapter. Omake 2 was one that I tried out just for the heck of it. Omake 3 was a cut scene, that I decided to share anyway. It made me smile. I decided to hold off another red vial Omake until next chapter.
Omake 1
Gin, after making his definitive statement of what they were going to investigate this week, threw one arm up in conviction of what he would accomplish. While this cause the glitter from his body wash to fly into the air, he knew it was just for dramatic purposes.
Kurumu said, "Gin, none of the girls here like sparkles on a guy it just seems extremely weird. Some would even call it disturbing."
Any rebuff was cut off as a section of the wall crackled with yellow energy. The wall then shifted in a cloud of smoke into an archway framed in statues that appeared Greco-Roman.
A loud voice rang through the room. "I have traveled quite the distance at the insistence of certain members of this school to correct a grave error."
The smoke cleared and a rather tall, well-muscled, shirtless man stood there in blue pants, combat boots, what looked to metal gauntlets on his hands, with a blue jacket on the floor. His head was bald save for one blonde curl coming from his forehead and a rather massive handlebar mustache that covered most of the man's mouth. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Major Alex Louis Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist." Pink sparkles then appeared around this giant. "The style of artistic and dramatic sparkles has been passed down in my family for generations." At this the man flexed, causing bulging muscles to swell in size, making his neck disappear. "I have come to teach young Ginei here how to properly use these artistic statements." The man flexed again, throwing his arms over his head and causing his entire torso to be defined. This caused the two types of sparkles to intermingle.
The club room was silent.
"Which one of you is Ginei Morika?"
All hands, save Gin's, pointed to the werewolf, their owners too shocked to do anything else.
At this the man picked Gin up and ran out of the club room. A joyful yell could be heard, "You have much to learn!"
Silence reigned throughout the club room until it was broken by Kurumu. "I take that back. I didn't even know the meaning of the word disturbing until I just saw that."
Yukari pulled a pair of welder's goggles off of her face that had been conjured as the man began his speech. "The goggles, they do nothing!" she lamented.
Naruto was busy forming handseals. "Kai. Kai. Kai! Work dang you! KAI!" He stopped after a moment, "That wasn't a punishment genjutsu was it Tsukune? If it was I am impressed, but I will hurt you."
The brown haired boy shook his head and then summed up the feeling of most present. "Some things cannot be unseen."
Naruto muttered, "Like that sunset genjutsu you used on the Lizards that one time."
AN: I don't own Maor Armstrong, or Full Metal Alchemist (That would be awesome) but I figured he wouldn't mind the task of showing Gin the ropes of using dramatic sparkles. He only pulls it off because he could pound you into the ground if you say anything negative about it.
Omake 2
Mizore walked back into the art class and two rather distinctive individuals were at the front of the class.
"Hello class," came a rattling whisper, "I am one of your substitute teachers. You may call Me Mr. Sasori."
The other man, with long blonde hair, half of his hair was up in a ponytail, the other half covered an entire side of his face.
"Hn. You can call me Mr. Deidara. I am here to teach you that Art is all about the impact it makes, and that it is instantaneous. Hn"
The hunched over figure cut in, stressing the first word he spoke. "We are here to teach you that art is enduring, lasting, and will connect to your subjects."
Deidara rolled his eye. "Just like a puppet? Sasori you have no concept, no vision. Art is like a firework: unable to be held, beautiful, fading, and changing."
"You are a hack. You only think that because you can't produce anything worthwhile."
The argument heated up between the two as the two teachers came to physical blows over the definition of art. Mizore and the other students slowly backed away from the pair and decided that they might come back next term, once a sane teacher could be found.
Omake 3
Tsukune asked Yuakri one last question before she left. "What happened to Gin? I didn't see him here is he okay?"
Yukari pointed at the bed next to Tsukune. A figure lay wrapped in bandages and in traction.
"Gin tried asking the girls for a little thanks for the rescue. Miss Nekonome had already told the girls the reason why Gin went looking for them in the first place."
Tsukune winced. "I can see they took exception to that."
Yukari nodded. "They had just reverted from stone when he showed up. His timing was terrible."
"Was that what set them off?"
Yukari shook her head. "It was the fact that there was no underwear left in their drawers that the nurse could bring them."