LIES, LOVE AND BETRAYAL
Greetings from the Void!
Here's a little 4th of July present for you all! Happy independence day(To those who celebrate it.)
Lol I'm noticing a pattern with the fan basis of this fic :P Well Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 5: To Know Another.
2 Months Earlier...
Naruko fell to her back, panting. Dirtied, tired and sore. She resolved it a good bit of training, "Well... probably should head home... gotta meet Sakura-san still."
The blond sat up and darted towards her home. She was kinda eager to see if Tsunade would take Sakura as a student.
Naruko soon reached her apartment and looked up, noticing the lights were on. She stopped in her tracks, "Did Sakura get there? Did I leave my door unlocked again?!"
Naruko began walking up the stairs to her door when she heard a scream and a loud crash echo from inside her home, "Sakura?!" She darted to the door as the lights inside turned off.
She slammed the door open and found her living room table had been smashed. Sakura laying on top of the debris, gasping for air, a bloody wound on her chest. A person stood over her, covered by the shadows, holding a kunai dripping with blood. The person turned to Naruko, who was in shock at what she saw... the sheer suddenness, topped with the cruelty and terrible image before her left Naruko frozen, her teeth beginning to grind.
"Ah, she returns home." The stranger said.
She could feel an aura unlike anything she felt before. A pressure on her body that began to make her knee's tremble, "Wh-who are you?"
The man paused for a second, "You could say... I knew your parents."
Naruko looked back at Sakura, then to the stranger, "Wh-what did you do?"
The man chuckled slightly. Naruko's rage began to over power her fear, and she formed a shadow clone, who quickly helped her mold a Rasengan in her hand, "I'LL KILL YOU!" she shouted as she dashed at the man and drove her attack at him.
The desire she felt for his death was not realized though, as her Rasengan and her whole body, phased through the stranger, who merely took a few steps towards the door as Naruko canceled her jutsu and turned around.
The man turned to her, the light revealing a mask with lines on it and one circular eye hole on the right side, this also revealed his black cloak with red clouds on it. Akatsuki, "The question that should be asked is, what did you do?" He said as he tossed the kunai at her lazily and she, by reflex, caught it.
Before Naruko could say another word the man seemed to vanish into a vortex emitting from his right eye.
Naruko dropped the blade to the ground and knelt down next to Sakura who was still gasping for air. But blood poured from her mouth and the wound in her chest. Naruko was desperately attempting to stop the bleeding, "Nar-Naruko..." Sakura managed to choke out, coughing blood onto Naruko.
Then Naruko noticed something in Sakura's eyes, they had the same markings as Sasuke's Sharingan. As much as she wondered why they were in her eyes she was more concerned with her friends life.
"Sakura-san, Hang in there I'm gonna get you to the hospital!" Naruko said desperately.
"N-Naruko... I... I can't br-breathe..." She grabbed the blonds arms tight in her pain, digging her nails into her skin, enough to draw blood, Then scratched at her face and neck. "It hu-hurts... Naruko... Stop...pl-please." Sakura's eyes went dull and her desperate attempts to breathe ceased... and Finally her grip released.
"Sakura-san! Sakura!" Naruko's eyes couldn't fight back the tears that began gushing out, "SAKURA!"
Moments earlier, Elsewhere...
The rain poured heavily, drenching Kirigakure in its relentless embrace. Most of its people were indoors for the night. However there was a 3 man ANBU team that were running along the roof tops towards the central building. They jumped down from the roofs and landed in front of the entrance to the building.
The lead ANBU turned to face the other two, "You guys can just go back to the ANBU building. I'll worry about delivering the report."
The others nodded then shunshinned away, they couldn't say that they weren't relieved by this. The lead ANBU sighed heavily and then turned to enter the building.
Only two men occupied the main office on the top floor. One stood next to the door leaning his back against the wall. He wore the classic Kirigakure shinobi armor.
The other stood on the opposite side of the room staring out the massive window. His arms crossed. The two heard a knock at the door.
"Enter." The man by the window said. With that, the door swung open and the lead ANBU walked in and bowed, "Yagura-sama, I have the operations report." He said
The man didn't even avert his gaze from the window, "and..?"
The ANBU walked up to the mans side, "We report that all members of Houzuki clan have been hunted down and eliminated..." The ANBU trailed off with a slight gulp, "Except..."
The man know as Yagura, scowled, "...except... what?"
"Except, Houzuki Suigetsu. He managed to evade us." The ANBU reluctantly said.
"hmm... very well. I expected no less from him. He will be disposed of in due time." Yagura responded.
The ANBU was shocked to hear this from the Yondaime Mizukage, "What are your orders, Yagura-sama?"
"I want you to-AGGHHH!" Yagura released a bellow of pain as he gripped his chest, and braced himself on the window with his other hand. Images of a blood covered blond and a dying pink haired girl flooded his mind, with a torrent of powerful emotions in their wake.
"Y-Yagura-sama? What's wrong?" The ANBU asked then he noticed the other man in the room was gripping his chest and breathing heavily as well.
"So... much pain..." Yagura panted out, this caused him to release an unnoticeable burst of chakra that cracked and shattered the glass window, letting the elements into the office. "Someones suffering-I can feel it. Heheh... hehehaha." He started laughing sadistically, a twisted grin crossing his lips, "So much fear... and suffering..."
"What is going on Yagura-sama?" The ANBU asked.
"Let us spread that fear and suffering..." Yagura said calmly, despite his dark grin. The Yondaime Mizukage looked at the ANBU and put his hand on his shoulder, then moved it to press his fingers against the side of the ANBU's masked face. Suddenly water seemed to spawn from his fingers and quickly engulfed the ANBU's head.
The ANBU grunted and gurgled, trying to speak but the water surrounding his head prevented it. Bubbles were the only sign that the man was trying to talk.
The young man by the door to the office, ceased his heavy panting and looked at Yagura, His face plagued with a disapproving look for the actions of his Kage.
The ANBU dropped to his knee's, no longer strong enough to hold himself up. His failed attempts to plead for his life were inaudible through the layer of water.
Yagura finally faced his victim, a sinister grin on his face. With one firm push of his wrist the ANBU's head snapped to the right, his neck broken. The little force that was applied was enough to push the limp body out of the broken window, where it plummeted to the ground. With a sickening thud, the deed was done.
Yagura peeked out the window and looked down at the man that was once his subordinate, "That was for failing to eliminate Suigetsu by the way..." He grinned evilly.
The other man in the room turned his gaze away from the Mizukage, "hmph..." he gnashed his teeth.
Yagura sighed with relief and combed his fingers through his hair, composing himself, "Utakata." He said.
The other man in the room, turned his sickened gaze back to the Mizukage who had yet to turn away from the window, "...Yes, Yagura... sama?" his detest emphasizing the suffix.
"I want you to take a small detachment of two ANBU, hunt down Suigetsu and bring me his head. Oh and before you go, send a detail to clean up this mess."
Utakata simply scowled and looked away, "Yes, sir." He complied before walking out of the room.
After the door closed, Yagura gripped his chest and chuckled slightly, "You felt that too, didn't you, Isobu?"
Present day...
"Very well." Han said. Naruko and Fū looked at him, "I'm a man of my word. I'll hear you out. What is it you have to say to me?" He asked.
"Well, we just wanted to get to know you." Naruko said as she stood up.
"Speak for yourself." Fū chuckled slightly.
"Hey, he's like we are, doesn't that mean something to you?" The blond replied.
Fū playfully ground her fist into the top of Naruko's head, "I think your reach exceeds your grasp."
Naruko blushed and crossed her arms, her lips pursed with annoyance, "Shut up."
The mint-haired girl could only giggle. Han stared blankly at the girls before grabbing the bridge of his kasa and removing it from his head. This revealed his short, black spiky hair, which he promptly ran his fingers through, "I am so confused." he sighed.
Naruko turned her attention back to Han, "About what?"
"You go through the trouble of pestering me, I finally agree to listen, and when I do, you two are conflicted on the subject. Neither of you has a clue what you're doing, do you?" Han asked as he repositioned the armored kasa atop his head.
"Hey, we just want to be your friends." Naruko said as she walked up and held her hand out to him.
He raised a cautious brow, "To what end? What do you possibly stand to gain?"
"Does everything have to have a reason or a grand outcome with you?" Naruko asked, getting a little frustrated.
"Yes!" Naruko heard both Han and Fū retort.
"See? Even your friend agrees. People in this world don't just do things out of the kindness of their hearts. There is always something for them to gain." Han added.
"He's kinda got a point twerp." Fū concurred.
Naruko's eye brow twitched, "Then why the hell did you stick around with me? I don't have any payment to offer you."
"Hey I stuck with you 'cause we were both in a bad situation and have a better chance of surviving if we worked together. For a little bit, at least." Fū defended herself.
"Do not lie little larva. I know that is but the smallest reason you have stuck with her. You're utterly fascinated by this girl aren't you?"
Fū's eye twitched and her face lit up with an almost unnoticeable blush. She wouldn't ever admit this to anyone, but her Bijuu was correct. For some reason she really was fascinated by Naruko. Something about her spirit made Fū wish to know her better. To try and understand how that brain of hers works, "Quiet you..." she inwardly retorted to Chōmei.
"Okay. Say I do not wish to be your friend; Will you respect my wishes and leave me alone?" Han asked.
Naruko slouched over and sighed, "If that's what you really want, then yeah, I guess we have no choice. We can't force you."
"But why would you wish to be my friend? Being jinchuuriki is the only thing we have in common. It seems rather foolish to have camaraderie based solely on that fact." Han inquired.
"Fine if that's the only way you can see the world, then yes I DO have something to gain from it. I'd have a new friend, and none of us would have to face the world alone!" Naruko beamed a grin as she directed her thumb to herself, "Not only that, but imagine what three jinchuuriki could accomplish?"
Han fought back the urge to chuckle, "And there it is. This silver-tongued munchkin actually turned my view of the world against me. I can tell she doesn't really intend to gain anything, yet she lied because its what I expected to hear."
"Han, If I didn't know any better I'd say you were almost impressed with this child." Kokuo echoed his thoughts to his vessel.
"Almost my friend, almost. I'll give this concept a chance. If they betray me or it turns south I could always just kill them and or leave." He thought, then spoke aloud once again, "Alright! I'll give this ideal of yours a chance. I can lend you my power and see where it leads. Lord knows, you two munchkins could use the help." He said before chuckling.
"R-Really?" Naruko stuttered, "I was beginning to think you wouldn't change your mind."
"Wow... I thought for sure he was gonna try and kill us again if you kept pushing it, Naruko-san." Fū said before releasing a sigh of relief.
"Kokuo and I weren't trying to kill you. If we were, you would have been dead the second after the fight began. Both of you have much to learn." Han said nonchalantly.
"So then teach us!" Naruko grinned as she locked her hands together behind her back.
Han paused for a few seconds before a bellow of laughter escaped him as he leaned over."Ahahaha-Hahahaha! You must be kidding! I said I would help you, not teach you!"
Both girls' faces sank, "You don't have to be a dick about it..." Fū mumbled.
Han took a deep breath and calmed himself, "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I just find the idea of me being a sensei rather hilarious."
"Why do you think its funny?" Naruko asked.
"Because I tried it once and was a miserable failure." Han chuckled, as he put his hand into his gi and let it rest lazily.
"So you wont teach us?" Naruko asked with a disappointed tone, her eyeballs growing wide as tear built up in the corners of her eyelids.
Han's eye began to twitch, "H-Hey now, wait a second here. Don't cry. Th-That's not fair." he said but she began to whimper. He tried to resist but eventually face palmed and let out a sigh, "Fine, I supposed I can give you a few pointers here and there on your Taijutsu and Bijuu-based abilities."
Naruko's teary expression vanished in a second and she jumped up in the air, "Yatta! Wait. Why only Taijutsu?"
"Because both of you guys have absolutely terrible and sloppy Taijutsu. And because that's the area I excel at." Han explained.
"Yes but you have an absurd level of strength, even by my standards." Fū commented.
"I'll still take you on! I want to get-" Naruko was interrupted when she suddenly found herself laying with all her weight on her neck and shoulders, her legs hanging over her and both her arms in a chicken wing behind her back. Han's large hand easily held both her forearms together.
The unseen maneuver left Fū with wide eyes and a terrified look. She turned to her left to see Han standing back up letting a stunned Naruko roll to her side. Steam pulsed from the joints of Han's armor like he were a machine.
Naruko clasped her hands around the large lump, now on her head, "Ouch-ouch-ouch, ah that hurt! The hell was that for?"
Han put his hand back into his gi, "You said you wanted to take me on, this is the result."
"I didn't mean right this second!" Naruko stood up rubbing her head.
Fū looked at Han, her knees shaking with fear. He turned to her with a raised brow, is something wrong?" He asked.
"I... Couldn't e-even see you move. That's impossible." She was damn fast, and could keep up with blinding speeds, but she couldn't believe that she didn't see his movements. One second he's standing in front of the two a few feet away, then she literally blinked and Naruko was downed.
"Impossible? Hardly. My physical attributes are impressive on their own but I can generate intense, overwhelming speed in short bursts with the aid of my armor. The same goes for my strength." Han explained.
"How does your armor do that?" Naruko's eyes lit up as she got in close to inspect the armor, "That's so cool!"
Han immediately grew uncomfortable, so he pressed his index finger into her forehead and with his great strength pushed her rigid frame back, "My armor generates steam that empowers me." He ignored Naruko and continued, "Kind of like a second layering of muscle. Have you ever heard of the Eight Inner Gates?"
"Hey, yeah, Bushy-Brow's used that in chunin exams!" Naruko recalled as she rose her index finger.
Han stared blankly at her, "B-Bushy-Brow?"
"Oh right sorry, his names Rock-Lee. It really messed his body up though." Naruko added.
"Well that's the point of my armor here. I can generate the same kind of power and speed as the inner gates without the strain on my body." Han explained.
"Hey isn't that like, cheating, or something?" Fū asked as she crossed her arms.
"No. It's just another weapon." Han said before pointing at the mint haired girl, "What is your name, anyways?"
"Fū."
"No Family Name?" He questioned.
"Not that I know of. If anything, I guess I'd go with Kuken Fū. But just Fū is perfectly fine." The girl glared at Han.
"So if I'm going to be teaming up with you, what is it exactly I'm helping with?" he questioned as he turned to Naruko.
"I, umm, actually don't know. Look for shinobi based work I guess." The blond shrugged. Han face-palmed once again.
"Wait a second, let me get this straight, you don't even have a plan?" He sighed.
"Well we do still got to report to Kuja and guide his shipment still. We should get a nice chunk of change for that. We can worry about what to do after that." Fū said.
"Sound like a plan!" Naruko said
"Let's get going I guess." Han said, before turning his thoughts inward, "What have you talked me into this time, Kokuo?"
"If nothing else, it will provide me with amusement, heheheh."
Kuja sat at his workbench, sharpening the blade of a curved kunai on a grindstone. The tip of his tongue poked out of his mouth as he focused intently on his work. To him every single spark that flew off the metal of the blade meant the difference between a fine blade, a decent blade, and a terrible blade. The ladder two, of which, were unacceptable to him.
Consumed by his work, as he often was, he didn't notice the knocking at the door. However he did notice, the door burst open and Fū's voice, "Hey Kuja-san! We're BACK!" she called out into the shop, as Naruko, Han and a merchant entered behind her.
Kuja flinched from the jarring disturbance, tossing the kunai into the air in reaction, "Ahh!" He panicked and fumbled with the blade before regaining a safe grip on it, and sighing with relief before turning to the group, "DON'T INTERRUPT ME LIKE THAT!"
Fū ignored him and gave him a thumbs up and a grin, "Mission accomplished!" She declared.
The merchant walked up to Kuja with a clip-board and pen, "Hello Kuja-san, Thank you for the escorts. I don't believe we will be having any more trouble." He bowed.
Kuja took the clip board, "It needed to be done. It was a growing pain for us both." Kuja said as he signed the paper and handed it back to the man, "My wife should be at the stables with your caravan, you can collect the payment from her."
"Understood." The merchant said before excusing himself.
Fū approached the counter, "okay so here's the mission report; we-" Kuja stopped her by raising his hand, "I do not care about the details."
"Why not?" Naruko asked.
"It's none of my concern how you go about you business as long as I get my shipments." Kuja said before reaching under the counter. He pulled out two large sacks and tossed them to the girls feet, "Sorry. I divided it evenly amongst two people. Didn't know you had Gargantuan here, in toe."
Flames of rage, practically spewed from Han's head and he approached the counter, "What did you call me?" He asked commandingly.
"Oh I am sorry, could you not hear me from all the way up there?" Kuja retorted, throwing in a glare.
Han clinched his fist tight and a bit of steam began to pour from the joints of his arm. Naruko grabbed his arm, "Easy there killer. Don't do it." The blond turned back to Kuja, ready to apologize for Han. She then noticed a shocked look on Kuja's face, his jaw agape.
"I don't believe it..." Kuja muttered.
"Don't believe what? That a small girl is the only thing keeping me from compressing your head into your shoulders?" Han asked angrily.
"The Steam Armor. You actually have it-That means..." Kuja said
"You know of my Steam Armor? How?" Han questioned the man.
"I would certainly hope so. I helped my brother design it." Kuja answered sternly.
NEXT CHAPTER:
Kuja give's the Three Jinshuuriki a lead.
Will it be as profitable as Kuja claims?
Happy Independence Day! Hope you enjoyed.
!ATTENTION ALL READERS WITH SKILLS AS AN ARTIST! I HAVE TRIED TO FIND A PIC OF NARUKO AND FU FOR THIS STORY'S COVER IMAGE, BUT I HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS. IF ONE OF YOU DRAWS UP A WELL DONE, NON-SEXUAL PICTURE OF THE TWO HUGGING, KISSING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT (WITH NARUKO AS I HAVE DESCRIBED HER IN THIS FIC) I WILL USE IT FOR MY COVER IMAGE IF IT FITS MY CRITERIA! SO I ASK YOU, SHARE YOUR DRAWING SKILLS WITH ME AND I'll SHARE MY WRITING SKILLS WITH YOU LOL!
'Til next time, this is Damiad, signing of from The Void!