Wow. I really feel like a jerk for not updating for so long. I don't want to make excuses, but thank you for your patience. It means a lot to me:)
Anime: Naruto
Pairing: Sasuke- female Naruto...hints of Naru/All
Genre: Mystery/Romance/Supernatural
Rating:T for now. Don't worry, I'll warn you if I decide to up the rating if you now what I mean.
Warnings: Religious themes, Language, blood. That's about it for now.
I hope that this is worth your wait guys!
"Ah, yes, superstition: it would appear to be cowardice in face of the supernatural." - Theophrastus
Portam Inferni
Chapter One
"There's no turning back now"
~AllenNlavi~
" Damn old man needs to learn what Map quest is..." Naruto grumbled as she crumpled the useless directions the idiot had given her in one hand, the other pulling the gear shift to park abruptly.
What kind of directions had the old man given her to begin with? She knew he was a bit challenged when it came to telling left from right, but really? This ball of crap was just pushing it.
Who the hell would understand, 'turn left at the really~big tree?'
She was going through a forest for God's sake!
Of course Jaraiya was too cheap to pay for the gas, and now not only did she drive seven hours, she drove around wasting gas. She wasn't rich! Though now that she was here she could think past the soreness of her bum.
Her blond arched brows had developed an unhealthy tick about an hour ago, and even now it would tick in time with the throbbing in her temples.
The funny part was that now that she was here she realized that if she had turned at the other turn off she would have made it here an hour earlier.
Scratch that- it wasn't funny.
Not that she was complaining-nope not her. .All.
Ah.
The twitch was back. How lovely.
Sighing tiredly, she reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed the leather messenger bag that was halfway spilling its contents across the already cluttered floor. After sifting through it a bit she grabbed the compact and flipped it open to examine her appearance critically. Her blue eyes stared back at her and they were framed with thick lashes that cast shadows on her tan cheeks. Her long waist length hair was tied tightly and tucked underneath a blond wig that was styled in in short tuffs of spikes. Her fringe fell over her eyes a bit and she pushed them away roughly. She had three cross shaped studs lining her left ear, though she opted to take the right ones out.
After all, it would be a bit weird for a guy to have both pierced right?
She didn't really think so, but hey, what can you do about stereotypes anyway?
Her sizable chest was bound and she was currently mentally admiring women who used to wear corsets, because damn, it was hard to breathe! Her uniform was a simple boy's uniform that consisted of black pressed slacks and a black button down shirt. It came with a red blazer with the school's emblem, but instead of wearing it, she had flung it somewhere in the back seat mixed in with all the other junk that seemed to somehow multiply by itself. She loosened the noose that was called a tie around her neck and rolled the sleeves to her elbows.
She was supposed to wear black leather shoes, but let's face it-she had to draw the line somewhere! So she opted to go with what she was comfortable with, which was a beat up pair of black boots. There where many times when she had to run for her life on cases and she needed be prepared. If she wore those pansy man shoes while running away there is no doubt in her mind she would face plant in the pathetic attempt at escape. She was not getting caught because she had shitty shoes that's for sure.
She ran her hand over the folds of her button down and fingered the black cross that hung safely around her neck.
"Kyuubi." She breathed quietly. She hadn't seen him for a few years now, but they still had kept in contact so she knew he was working at this school. He was the same age after all.
When she had first met him she had hated him. He was arrogant and haughty and she had wanted to wipe that smirk right off his pretty boy face. What eight year old acted like that? Wasn't he supposed to be training to be a priest for goodness sakes?
It was her first real job- the reason she got the damn scars...
Because of that...
She shuddered visibly and sighed aloud.
She sure as hell wasn't going to let whoever was doing this touch a single hair on the idiot she had come to love like a brother. It just wasn't going to happen- not while she could still kick ass anyway.
She looked at the compact once more and nodded approvingly.
"I make one hot dude if I say so myself!"
"I agree!"
"Holy shitcakes!"
Naruto head whipped toward the rolled down window so fast she feared her head would snap off. The mirror in her hands clattered to the ground in her haste to grab for the nearest weapon available.
Which happened to be a sharpie.
A mini sharpie.
What was she going to do? Scribble on her attacker's face? Right.
Brandishing her sharpie like a samurai would his katana, she glared ferociously at her masked intruder.
Of course. She had to run into Kakashi of all people.
Kakashi had once worked for Jaraiya, so she had met the man when she was little. She will never forget the day she met him.
She had heard her uncle giggling about something, so like the little curious thing she was, she had stuck her head through his office door. Some masked man she failed to recognize was bent over the desk with her uncle with matching blushes on their cheeks. They were reading something, but she was too short to see over the desk. They both noticed her and Jaraiya smiled warmly.
"What are you doing?" She has asked suspiciously. Kakashi had shrugged a handed her a little orange book. When she had opened it she skimmed a few lines and her face turned green.
"Wha-I'm going to be sick!" The book disappeared from her hand and Jaraiya glared at Kakashi accusingly.
"What are you showing to a six year old girl?" Kakashi shrugged helplessly.
"She's six! I didn't know she could read! Besides, one day this will become a useful tool that will-"
"Shut up!"
"Shutting up."
They both looked down just as Naruto vomited her lunch on the office floor and passed out.
"I really hope that Naru-chan's future lover doesn't get this kind of reaction..." Kakashi murmured with sympathy.
That was their first meeting.
Not exactly Hallmark kind of greeting.
She knew she was going to see him- he was the P.E teacher here after all-
Wait.
P.E... As in Health. As in Health with a perverted masked man.
A wave of sympathy crashed over her, feeling the student's pain.
They must to so traumatized...
She knew she had been. She wasn't able to go near the color orange for months and it was her favorite color damn it!
When she got older she had named him 'the masked fucker.' Children beware.
"Kakashi." She grumbled in acknowledgment. Kakashi pouted, assuming that was what he was doing with that medical mask obscuring his mouth.
"Don't be so cold Naru-chan! We haven't seen each other in months!" His eyes arched happily before opening slightly as he caught sight of her make shift weapon.
"What exactly do you plan to do with a sharpie?"
"I can do a lot of things, like shoving it up your-"
"Whoa! Let's keep this PG alright?" He chided and stepped away when Naruto opened the door. She stepped out, wincing when her spine cracked loudly.
Sitting in a car would do that to you after all.
"First off, have you ever kept things PG? Yeah, I thought so. Second, it;s Naruto-kun now you forget." She said sourly and hefted the messenger bad across her shoulders absently. Kakashi had gone to the trunk and grabbed her duffel bags like they weighed nothing.
Hmph. Show off.
She looked backward toward the encroaching forest warily. How the hell did they get supplies this far from civilization anyway? Weird. It was chilly, and a light fog covered the ground ominously. She turned back the building that she had yet to look at and stumbled back slightly in shock.
What the hell had Jaraiya meant by school?
More like creepy-abandoned-castle-found-in-occult-horror film that supposedly resembled a school. Castle like stone structures, with towers and an intimidating iron gate-this place looked like it used to be a Monastery. She knew that already, but knowing and actually seeing it are two very different things.
"So~pretty nice place. Quite cozy, don't you agree?"Kakashi hummed as he nudged Naruto's stiff shoulder playfully.
"Nice...?" She echoed doubtfully. That wasn't exactly the word that came to mind. Creepy? Without a doubt. Disturbing? Most definitely. Nice? Not exactly.
He had such an accomplished look in his eyes, she wasn't about to burst his bubble and tell him the place made her want to haul ass out of there. Pride be damned, this place was freakin' creepy.
So creepy in fact, it would cause a 400 pound male sumo wrestler to scream like a deflowered little girl.
She eyed the large building with unease and the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention.
God, she wanted to slap herself! It was just a building, albeit, a creepy one, but a building just the same. She needed to man up! Literally!
"Don't forget I'm here for a reason Kakashi-an inportant one." She reminded the masked man sternly, at the same time reminding herself of the fact. Kakashi sobered instantly and that meant the situation was pretty bad if it was getting to him too.
"Yes, I know."
It had to be homeroom for the students considering how empty all of the hallways were. It was kind of unsettling how she could hear her own footsteps echoing down the hall and the color was cold; she didn't like the feeling she was getting at all.
"And we have arrived!" Kakashi declared dramatically and waved her in front of a large ornate door made of mahogany. There was a gold plate on the front and scrawled in fancy script read 'Headmaster'.
She didn't bother to knock.
"Baa-chan! Your savior has graced you with her glorious presence! Be in awe!"
She sidestepped the object hurled at her head, that would no doubt hurt like a bitch, with practiced ease and-
"Ow!"
Hit Kakashi in the face.
She tried not to snort and could hear Tsunade laugh loudly. Kakashi's visible eye glared at her and she knew that she had failed so she just guffawed in his face.
Hell, after all the shit he had put her through in the years they have known each other, the least he could do was allow himself to be hurt so she could get a good laugh.
She turned back to look at Tsunade, who was already sitting herself in her overly lavish chair that looked like it could fit two of her. She threaded her fingers together to rest her chin on them and smirked widely.
"Don't call me that ya' damned brat." She grunted, but the insult had not been malicious, if anything it was said fondly.
Anyone who didn't know her like Naruto did would probably think she was pissed off. Hell, she couldn't blame them considering a blunt object was chucked at her head, but she did know Tsunade so she could see the mirth in her eyes and the genuine upturn of her lips.
She hadn't realized just how much she missed Tsunade until this moment. She had been so busy lately that she had hardly been thinking about her at all actually. That was odd considering how close they had been. Tsunade had been with the agency too, but not as a member. No, she was actually the one who founded it with her pervert uncle. Meeting her was like meeting the grandmother she never had. Vaguely, she recalled the times when grief turned her into a sobbing mess and Tsunade had been there. The one who hugged her tightly and whispered nonsensical words of comfort until she had fell into a dreamless sleep.
Warmth spread through her chest rapidly at the thought and she grinned.
"Whatever you say Baa-chan." She said cheekily and plopped in an open seat in front of the desk.
"Kakashi." Tsunade grunted and gestured toward the door impatiently. Kakashi grumbled and nodded.
"Fine, fine! Man, I know when to leave. I have better things to do anyway-like teaching kids about the wonders of-"
"Kakashi! Shut the hell up!"
"Shutting up." The door clicked shut behind him and they were engulfed in silence for a moment before Tsunade smirked.
"Gotta say, you make a pretty cute brat." She snickered and eyed Naruto's attire with a quick glance.
Naruto smirked.
"I see old age hasn't clouded your judgment at all. I was a bit worried you'd gone senile in the time I was gone." She sniggered while Tsunade cast her a withering glare. Ah~ How she missed messing with her! Tsunade glare faded and she chuckled reluctantly.
"Whatever Gaki."
Reluctantly, Naruto sighed and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees, cupping the side of her neck.
"I wish I could say this was just a recreational visit, but we both know that's not true." Naruto mumbled quietly and dug in her bag for the file that brought her here."I want everything you have on the missing students; name, age, habits, family, friends, everything." As Naruto spoke, Tsunade was already leafing through a large manilla envelope and tossing it across the desk.
"I'd figured you say that. I already covered basic bases. I tried piecing what the hell is going on but it's just not making any sense!" Tsunade growled, clearly frustrated, but Naruto wasn't paying attention. She flipped through it slowly, noting pictures were attached with their profiles.
"Is this all?"
"Yeah, that's everything." She confirmed tiredly.
"Well let's start with the most obvious, okay?" Tsunade nodded for the blonde to continue."All of the thirteen missing students are form South Dorm correct?"
"Yeah, the school population is relatively small, so the building is divided into four separate wings equipped with classrooms, rec. hall, and dorms. Each wing is assigned a few teachers and twenty students."
"Hmm. So it's like a little area just for certain dorms?" Naruto asked and watched Tsunade nod absently.
"The only times that the other Dorms come into contact with each other is during physical education and during lunch." Naruto looked down at the floor thoughtfully, a frown on her face. With what Tsunade said, that meant that either the person she was looking for was in South Dorm, or someone outside that dorm was specifically targeting them. But which?
"I think...it would be best if you placed me in South Dorm, Baa-chan. That way I can investigate while keeping an eye on them at the same time." Naruto said. Tsunade nodded with a small smile.
When had the little Gaki who used to hang onto her leg grow so independent? The thought filled her with pride, but winced when her stomach lurched at the thought that the brat might need her anymore. God, she was acting like a child.
"Um...Baa-chan?"
Why did the brat sound so nervous?
"What is it?"
This was just a sinking suspicion on her part, but what she feared was true, then...
"Is South Dorm the one near that hideous clock tower?"
"Yeah, why?"
Shit in hell.
That tower was large so it drew her eye on the way in, but the wing it was connected to was run down.
Run down meant old. Old meant webs. Webs meant spiders. Naruto...hated spiders.
How lovely, she though with a grimace.
Naruto just held back a cringe.
She could take down a man twice her size no problem, but when it came to bugs...
Heaven help her.
"I arranged for you to have a separate room so there wont be any...inconveniences." She said lightly and Naruto sighed in relief. She had enough crap to deal with without adding more.
The little drawer in the desk squeaked open and Naruto watched as Tsunade rummage through with her eyebrows furrowed. When she found whatever she was looking for she gave a slight 'Aha!' in triumph. She pulled out a sleek black cell phone and tossed it over at Naruto who caught it easily.
"Why a phone? I already-"
"That phone is just for me to contact you-don't lose it alright?" Tsunade warned in a firm voice as Naruto looked it over. She didn't really use things like that often, so she shrugged before pocketing the thing absently. She glanced at her watch before sighing and standing to grab her bag.
"You know where to go right?" Naruto smiled widely.
"Of course!"
Naruto's feet tapped against the stone of the floor, listening to it echo down the narrow hallway. It was starting to make her feel like she was in a maze.
A really, really stupid and complicated maze.
She wasn't lost; no, she was just exploring a bit, that's all!
But why did it have to be so damn big?
She knew she was in South dorm, it was labeled outside after all.
She was naturally blond, not stupid.
The blond knew she was in the right place because when she glanced through one of the doors, it was obviously someone's room. There were thirty dorm rooms in all, but her dorm number was sixty.
Now, she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box and math gave her a headache, but she knew something was just not adding up.
God, how irritating!
Clack
Naruto paused and froze. She had definitely heard something-or was it her imagination?
Clack
Sure as hell wasn't. Not unless she was going crazy.
The hall felt a bit colder and she was suddenly aware of how utterly alone she was. The hairs on the back of her neck stood and the feeling of bring watched molded her stiff body to the floor.
Someone was watching her.
It didn't feel like a friendly gaze either. If someone really was there, then Naruto knew they didn't just want to help give her directions.
Damn it all! She left her fucking sharpie in the car!
"Excuse me?"
"Gyah!" Naruto shrieked and spun around on her heel to face the husky voice, her arms raising in some weird imitation of a martial arts move that made her look like a complete spaz.
"Are you ok?" Naruto glanced up quickly and immediately recognized the man. He was the teacher of the twenty students in South Dorm.
Uchiha Itachi.
He definitely matched the picture in the profile she had. He stood tall, almost 6'2, his raven hair in a low ponytail. Two deep stress lines ran under both eyes and glasses were perched on his nose. His eyebrows cocked questioningly.
Ah. She must look like a tard.
Nice first impression Naruto.
"A-ah...Yeah, just surprised." She lied smoothly. Well, she hoped it was smooth. Trying to make her voice sound deep made her sound like a guy just hitting puberty.
"You're the new student coming in today aren't you?"
"Uh, yeah, but I got lost on the way to my dorm..."
Oh god! Her pride-!
He held out his hand for the paper she was clutching and she relinquished it. His eyes scanned it before narrowing slightly.
"That's odd...anyway, your room is this way." He walked a bit ahead and then they rounded a corner she hadn't even seen. At the end of the hall way a small door. He opened it and an obscured staircase appeared, shrouded in dust and webs.
Webs. Webs. As in spiders.
"Here we are. It's odd though...why would the Headmaster assign a student here of all places?"
Naruto knew. It was because she needed privacy.
She almost preferred getting caught.
Smiling tentatively at Itachi, she put her foot on the wooden step, wincing at the ancient creaking. Too preoccupied with avoiding falling through the stairs, she overlooked something important.
The feeling a malicious eyes on her never disappeared.
To be continued in Chapter 2
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