Gotta say, I have NO clue where this chapter came from. I wasn't sure how it would end, but I'm sort of glad it went the way it did. Around midway, I got this game called Alan Wake. It gave me a bit of an epiphany about writing, so you may notice a change in style. I quite like it, so let me know if you notice, and if you do, what you think of it. It's not very often I take an active step to improve, mostly I rely on growing experience.
Disclaimer: Not too long before part 3 shows up, so like last time, be prepared to look at my page when part 2 is complete.
Human nature has its way with lust
Naruto stood with the Ekokaeten resting against his shoulders, feelings of excitement rising in his gut. Up ahead there was a gang of bandits, led by the ones who had troubled him earlier, most probably seeking to take him and by extension the village down. He was hardly going to let something like that happen of course, but his goal wasn't entirely pure. "Time to wipe these guys out!" he announced, causing the children to cheer in excitement. Without further ado, he began to step forward to get to the task he had now promised. But to his surprise, he was stopped by Naomi's sudden hand.
"No…" she said, giving him a frown that actually seemed to have some meaning behind it. She looked into Naruto's eyes with cold uncertainty, searching for something that Naruto didn't know. After a few moments, she dropped her hand, before stepping ahead of Naruto. The children had all grown quiet from the tension that had once again returned. None of them understood quite what was going on. "You stay back… I'll deal with this."
Naruto stared after Naomi, trying to see what it was she was telling him. Hadn't she just asked him to take care of those bandits? So why now was she telling him not to? It didn't make the least bit sense to him, but if that was the way she wanted it, he wasn't going to argue. "Alright then… guess I'll watch your back." he replied, as he began following her away from her home. Naomi glanced over her shoulder, before nodding to him and proceeding.
As soon as they had left the children, the two of them took off at top speed. Naomi was fast, fast enough that Naruto had to put a little effort in to keep up with her. He guessed that was to be expected though, of someone who had earned a name such as "Naomi of the blazing sky". He had to admit that he was interested in seeing what someone with such a title was capable of, hence his compliance with standing back. The two of them ran through the streets with the villagers eyes upon them, the bandits were quickly making their presence known. Excited whispers of both their names, Naruto and Naomi, could be heard in passing. It looked like a lot of hype was being built up; their energy was quickly passing on to Naruto.
It was a small village, and as such it took little time to reach its outskirts. Soon the former ninja and the swordsman were standing at the base of the hill, looking up at the bandits that awaited them. "That's him, that's the guy ho tried to kill us!" cried the one who had jumped Naruto earlier that morning. He pointed to the blond boy while looking up at a man riding on horseback, the leader presumably. Naruto couldn't help feeling amusement; where Naomi had the aura of a wolf, this guy certainly had the apparel. He wasn't sure that fur skin clothing was ideal for this weather, but it was all the same to him.
The leader however, seemed quite despondent about the sight before him. He made a full turn to his right, allowing him to see his cowardly subordinate with his good, patch-less eye. "You were running from this boy?" he demanded, in a gruff voice most likely aided by the claw shaped scars across his throat. Now that Naruto looked at it, the shaggy grey hair and yellow iris also aided in this guy's wolfishness. "You worthless dregs'll be strung up for wasting my time!"
"HEY!" Naomi yelled, calling up to the leader with the same glare she would give to any stranger. She placed her hands on her hips and let the enemy taste some of her murderous intent; she was far from glad to see these guys. "I don't know what it is you're looking for, but you're not gonna find it in a place like this! Get out, before I take that horse and cram it up your ass!"
The leader's brow twitched in annoyance at Naomi's command. It was obvious he was not the sort to take orders from others, much preferring to give them blindly. He drew from his belt a long, curved sword that seemed old and worn, much like he himself did. "You think I'll just forgive you talking to me like that?" he yelled, his harsh voice barely distinguishable with his tone. "Even if you're just some woman from a worthless village, I'll cut your throat and feed your blood to the people you're looking out for!"
Those fierce words had an invigorating effect on his men, who each began to give a boorish war cry as they drew their own dull weapons. At the signal of their leader, they all began a downhill charge towards the village, their own cries fuelling their sheer arrogance. Naomi, casting a look of warning to Naruto, took on a defensive stance as she prepared to face the bandits with her own strength. Naruto did as she asked and stayed back, but he held Eko at the ready just in case.
"OOOORAAAH!"
But the bandits' cries fell on deaf ears as Naomi's hands came together, flying through seals so fast that her digits seemed almost like paper in the wind. When she had finished her procedure, she clasped her hands together in the tiger seal, drawing in a deep breath. "Katon: Nekomata no Jutsu!" she called, before turning on the spot. As she did this, she released an exhale while gradually lowering her posture. Flames flickered from her lips and hovered in the air, forming what looked like a strange sort of two tailed feline. It was a long and thin cat which stood with its tails wrapped around Naomi, who returned to a position that seemed almost like that of a dancer. The fiery cat let out a hiss that brought the bandits to stop, before it disappeared from sight.
"Whoa… that's a pretty crazy Jutsu!" Naruto thought, as his eyes easily followed the cat's movements. Naomi was directing it with her hand, sending it to the far right of the bandits. Then with an arcing motion, the feline leapt high into the air with a snarl that shook the men beneath it. Fireballs dropped from its body, striking the ground and singing it with small explosions. The bandits cried out in terror of this monstrous cat, looking back to their leader for guidance.
"Do your best men!" their leader called, he and his horse already taking their hasty leave. Realising they had been abandoned, the bandits quickly scurried away too, the horrifying cat pressing their cowardice to their limits. Not one of them looked back in fear of being hounded by the nekomata, even though the flaming cat had already faded away from scattering its fireballs over the ground.
Naomi however seemed to have no intention of just letting them flee however. With a quick glance to send her meaning to Naruto, the two of them bolted up the hill and after the bandits. Naruto of course made no complaints about it, his hand gripping Eko from behind him while he wore the grin of a man ready to fight an army to the death. "Think you could be a little less excited?" Eko asked, though he was mainly just screwing with Naruto. The blond boy let out a faint chuckle from those words, gradually catching up with Naomi who had gestured for him to draw nearer. Within moments he was running right beside Naomi, ready to hear whatever it was she had to say.
CRACK!
It took him a moment to notice it, the pain he felt in his jaw. More preoccupied was he in the fact that the woods seemed to be moving of their own accord. It wasn't until his shoulder struck a tree that he realised he had been hit by Naomi. "GAH!" he cried, as electricity shot through his shoulder and threatened to remove him of his agonising extremity. He slid down onto his feet, clutching his wounded arm as he glared at Naomi through wincing eyes. "What the hell are you-"
He stopped suddenly however, his face blanching at the evil look on Naomi's face. The killing intent he felt from her was unique, unlike anything Kisame had ever sent his way. The reason was that there was no secret enjoyment in this, just anger of a near unfathomable scale. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, redirecting Naruto's question back at him. She took a threatening step forward, flames almost burning from her own rage as she glowered at him. "Grabbing your sword like that, you were gonna have the children watch you slaughter those guys?"
Naruto straightened himself up, gripping his blade in his hands despite his aching shoulder. He gave Naomi and equally angered look, overcoming his initial shock and replacing it with steadfastness. "What, first you ask me to help you out then you get pissed cos of how I do things?" he countered, his words by no means weaker than Naomi's. He took a step forward himself, showing how prepared he was to fight. "Those guys were no problem for you, so why ask me to do it instead?"
He reacted on instinct, raising Eko high into the air. It was a good move, for Naomi's straight hand would have struck him hard otherwise. However as she landed on the ground, she didn't jump back to avoid the blade. Instead, she did what Naruto wasn't expecting and grabbed him by his haori, pushing his back against the tree. "Because a long time ago you did something I thought no one affiliated with Kisame could do!" she exclaimed, not afraid to move her face close to Naruto's. "You put your life on the line for Aiko, so forgive me if I thought you were a man!"
She held her grip and her stare for several long seconds, before clicking her tongue in annoyance. As she let go of Naruto and turned away, the blond boy fell to his knees, still staring back at her. The look on his face told of someone who was remembering things he had otherwise forgotten. With a grunt of his own, he hung his head low and leered at the ground beneath him. "… Hit me." he said, waiting for the noise if surprise he was sure would come.
CRACK!
"OW!" Naruto yelled, clutching his head in pain as he fell to the ground. With a bewildered look on his face he looked up at Naomi, stars circling around his eyes as the red haired woman seemed to multiply without use of chakra. "The hell?" he demanded, rubbing his pounding head in a ditch effort to sooth it. "You won't even wait to hear me out first?"
Naomi, who stood in a half turned position, looked down at Naruto with unsympathetic eyes. "What can I say?" she asked, holding up the offending hand, which was still curled up into a tight fist. Clearly she felt no remorse for her violent action, even as Naruto gave her that look of total betrayal. "I guess I just really, really wanted to hit you."
She watched as Naruto continued to curse under his breath, muttering words she was pretty sure didn't portray her in a positive light. Still, she already knew where Naruto had been planning on going with his words; he really was a predictable person. So to make amends for her sudden attack, she reached out and helped him to his feet. "Come on then… let's hear it." she said, taking a step back and placing her hands on her hips. "I'm sure you've already thought up some speech or something. You think it'll raise my opinion of you; go for it."
Naruto, who had accepted her help, looked up at her with a single wincing eye. At least when Kisame hit him, he had the decency to hit hard enough to knock Naruto unconscious. What annoyed him more was the expectant look he was then given, as if the events of the past minute had been long forgotten. "… It's not cool to be violent in front of children." he said, trying his best to show that he meant those words.
Naomi stared at him, her brow raised while her eyes were still half closed. Several long seconds passed as the two stared at each other, before Naomi came to realise something. "… That's it?" she asked, looking at Naruto blankly. The blond boy returned the look in the same way, except his had a more stupid feel to it. Naomi grumbled something half hearted to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. But then she looked at Naruto with an expression that told him he should listen well. "Look, you're a Shinobi whether you belong to a village or not. The way you act only tells your opponent everything about you. In battle or not, it's up to you to learn more about your opponent than they can learn about you.
"I can't say I'm surprised you don't know this, considering Kisame taught you." she said, closing her eyes as she folded her arms. Even though she said such a thing, the speed at which she had assumed an authoritative role was astounding. "Listen, I'm not a good instructor. But I know that when it comes to Shinobi, he who strikes first loses. Use your head, not your sword. You understand me?"
She awaited an answer, thinking to herself that there was no simpler way she could have rephrase what she said. Her impatience caught her, and she opened her eyes. She wasn't all that surprised by the stupefied look on Naruto's face, but she was definitely annoyed by it. "Even for Kisame's student… this guy really is an idiot." she thought, before giving a discontented sigh that conveyed her feelings to great effect. Then she looked over to Naruto with one open eye, a trait that apparently she and her daughter used often. "Why did you come out here?" she asked, realising that she was still to find that out.
To Naruto this was becoming a situation he found difficult to follow. Naomi was calming too quickly, was she really so temperamental? Still, considering the lecture he had just been given his drive to fight was at a low. He straightened up and slipped Eko onto his back, rubbing his still aching shoulder as he thought about what he would say. "I guess I'm looking for some answers." he replied, the tough look he had grown accustomed to wearing disappearing as he finally put words to the things circling his normally shallow mind. "There's a place I have to go to, it used to be called Uzu no Kuni. It's for training, and other things too."
He was met with a studious gaze; Naomi clearly could read him like a book. For some reason, he didn't really mind that at all. Naomi on the other hand had some misgivings; she was clearly no fan of mysteries. "Sounds like it's something that's really on your mind." she said, in a quiet and forgiving tone. She considered both Naruto and herself for a moment, before jerking her head back to the way they had already come. "Come on; let's see if we can find someone who can help you out."
Even though at this stage he was willing to accept help from just about anyone, Naruto hesitated with a look of uncertainty. His usual brash nature had been traded as he became self aware, knowing that he had troubled Naomi with his brutish actions. He thought to say something along this idea, but Naomi was already making her way towards the hill that led down to the village. He understood enough that it would take a lot of effort to get this woman to change her mind, so in the end he decided it would be best to follow after her. And who knows? Maybe in doing so, her words would become a little bit clearer.
The village really was a small place. Everyone who lived there knew of everyone else, so Naomi had hardly gone to much trouble when it came to finding someone who could help them out. Within a half hour both her and Naruto were standing in what could only be described as an old shack, one that apparently belonged to the only person who could help them.
From the doorway in front of them stepped in a pirate of a man. He was dressed in a worn overcoat and wore heavy rubber boots underneath them. He looked at his two visitors over a pair of dirty spectacles, grinning through his white beard as he scratched his equally pale and unkempt hair. "Uzu no Kuni was it?" he asked, as he took from under his arm a roll of parchment that looked like it was even older than he was. With one hand he spread it open on the grimy countertop that stood between him and his guests, before the three of them stooped over to look at it under the dim lantern light. "Well the name doesn't exist any more, but it still applies. The place is dangerous if you don't know the right routes. Any ideas as to which island you're heading for?"
The attention was of course turned to Naruto, the only possible person who could answer such a question. But the problem with that was that this was the first time Naruto had ever seen a sea chart, never mind a map of the old country. He scanned the cluster of islands with a serious expression, before relenting to Eko's words. With a wavering hand, his finger hovered over the islands for several long seconds, following the blade's instructions until finally he hit the correct mark. "It's this one." he said, not taking his eyes from the chart for a second. Even though he looked certain, his thoughts were running faster than his mind could allow. This was it, the place where he would find out who he was. He couldn't call himself excited, but he couldn't say nervous either. He was on a bridge between the two, and the wind was blowing dangerously.
The sea captain, Takaito as he was known, moved in close to the place Naruto pointed at. He ran his fingers thoughtfully through hid beard, though in truth he was only stalling for time. He looked up at Naruto with a grin that knew no worries or complications, something perhaps unbecoming of a sailor. "Well that's good fortune my boy!" he announced, his glee almost showing self pride he had no place in owning. "As it just so happens, that island has a fairly safe and straightforward path. It was used as a trading island, so we should have no trouble getting there!"
And with that the matter was suddenly settled. Even though Naomi had intended only to get advice from Takaito, the old man's knowledge and enthusiasm made him seem like the best man for the job. Before Naruto knew it, he was handing over a deposit for the voyage, one that would apparently be leaving as soon as preparations were made. They were quickly shooed out of the shack, where even Naomi had to admit a bemused smile onto her lips.
"And here I thought I knew every strange guy in this place." she said, more to herself than Naruto. It was true that Takaito seemed eccentric, but from the rumours that often circulated about sailors, to find one that was merely eccentric was a godsend. So of course, they were in no hurry to look this gift horse in the mouth. For one thing, they were both pretty sure that this Takaito had suffered from scurvy at least once or twice in his life.
But now with nothing left on the agenda other than to wait, Naruto had little idea what it was he could be doing. He felt like a wildflower in a garden. This village was no sort of place for a guy like him, despite what the villagers thought. He turned on the spot, before noticing that Naomi was looking at him with a blank expression. "What?" he asked, his fingers intertwining behind his neck as he returned the look to Naomi.
"There's something I can't quite work out about you." Naomi replied, speaking rather openly for someone usually so closed off. She turned to face Naruto full on, slipping her thumbs into the leather belt of her tunic as she watched Naruto with the interest of someone who noticed a wildflower in their garden. "You act so tough that you even fool yourself. But no matter how you look at it, you seem pretty shy for someone who can lift a blade to a group of criminals."
He couldn't help being confused by those words. Even though she said no matter how he looked at it, all he came up with were blanks. Was she making fun of him, calling his fighting spirit an act? And on that point, of all the things he had been called, "shy" was a pretty new one to him. "Huh?" he asked, his words not quite as eloquent as his thoughts. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel that that was a prime example of what Naomi was trying to tell him.
Her smile confirmed that, the cockiness that told him her point had just been proven, but also that she was glad of it. Without losing face or cool for the slightest moment, she took a step forward and reached up with her hand, lightly tousling Naruto's hair with that same smile on her lips. "I guess I have to apologise." she said, while Naruto stared at her with a stunned look. "Earlier I thought you were like an animal, but that's not true right? You really are just a boy after all."
Those kind words were unfair, that was all Naruto could think. They cut through him, but in a painless manner. He couldn't come up with a single response to that, nothing that could cool his burning face. Naomi then dealt him another vicious blow; her smile widened and her expression grew kinder. "Man… why don't you just kick me instead?" he muttered, bowing his head so his fringe hid his eyes. He realised too late that he'd spoken those words, words he had intended to remain silent. Now he did everything in his power not to look up. The thought of Naomi being any nicer to him almost made him want to hit himself. Anything that would give understandable reason to the blood pounding through his veins.
But of course, Naomi would be cruel enough to find a way. She laughed lightly at his request, dropping her hand from his head. She was sure she'd embarrassed him enough, and thought she'd give him the chance to cool down. "I've got some errands to run, but don't be in any hurry to leave." she said, as she turned away from him. She looked over her shoulder at him, making sure he didn't do anything stupid like run off. "I think Aiko would like to get the chance to see you off this time."
Naruto, who could come up with no possible response to that, just gave a nod in reply. Naomi took that as good enough and took her leave, so that he could have some time to gather his thoughts. But even after she was gone, Naruto stood in that same position, waiting for the one thing he knew would come. "Aah Naru-chan… you're so cute!" Eko teased, before breaking out into a fit of laughter that really made Naruto's blood boil. But the blond was grateful to the blade; he suddenly got the urge to do some wood copping with an oversized axe. Eko would absolutely hate that.
The wind was crisp, down there at the harbour. Though the village wasn't quite by the sea, the land from thereon out was fairly even. The sea breeze still managed to find its way over here, even if it was nullified by the heat. It was down here that Naruto waited, reluctantly deciding to meet with Naomi and Aiko like the older woman had requested. At least in this situation he was granted the peace of silence. For some rather… mysterious reason, Eko wasn't talking to him.
Behind him was a small but grand yacht, something he had never expected to find in an out of the way village like this. Well, grand was a good word for it, but old worked as well. It had a fine oak structure to it, greyed linen sails and a beige base, simple looking at first but easily strong enough to carry maybe three people across the seas. At least, that was what Naruto was hoping for. He had no idea what to expect of a voyage like this. Even when he travelled to Kirigakure, he did it through small boats between each island along the way.
"Ready when you are hero boy!" Takaito called, waving from the deck of his pride and joy. He was a seaman til the end, always looking to make his way back out into that grand blue canvas where the water and sky were almost one in the same. Of course for a man used to being out to sea, patience wasn't his strongest point. "Whatever you're waiting for, it can wait for ye to get back right?"
His words were irrelevant, the waiting was now over. Aiko could be seen at the end of her street, pulling her mother by the hand as she ran towards the harbour. Seeing Naomi running like that made Naruto smile; he could almost forget that this woman was a lot faster than this. But of course, seeing her again brought back the embarrassment from before. He made his best attempt to calm himself, keeping cool as the mother and daughter reached him.
"Oniisama, what about that story?" Aiko asked, her smile disappearing immediately as she pouted at Naruto. For a girl who seemed so chipper, right now she was clearly in a mood with her self proclaimed sibling. But even Naruto could tell she would forgive him, that glimmer in her eyes wouldn't disappear no matter what face she put on. Sure enough, as Naruto placed his hand on her head, she broke out into a smile again. "Come back soon ok?"
Her laugh followed his, warming her innocent heart. She was still a child after all, and knew nothing of Naruto's thoughts or intentions. But as Naruto's hand slipped on her head, she looked up at him with blank surprise. Was it her, or did he seem uneasy? "Make sure you don't cause any trouble over there." her mother said, Aiko looking up as Naomi slipped her hands onto her daughter's shoulders. "It doesn't sound like that place is too used to visitors. And you're kinda loud."
For a moment, Naruto's self control failed him. There was a faint tint to his face as he grinned, nervously rubbing the back of his head like a child caught in the act. Once he regained himself though, he looked at Naomi with a relaxed face. "Hey… uh…" he began, unsure himself of what it was he wanted to say. "I still don't really understand what you were talking about before."
Naomi wasn't really surprised by this. She looked over Naruto's face, watching as the warm sun lit up his underlying expression. She knew he was still feeling unsettled, and so was probably looking for a quick departure. "But I'm gonna think about it, see if I can figure it out for myself." he added, with the kind of nervous laughter that proved Naomi's little theory. She lifted her hand from her daughter and lightly punched Naruto on the arm, something he was probably more familiar with than words.
"You do that, Naruto-kun."
She smiled again at his face, the lifted eyebrows and wide eyes. His sudden shyness came about in his unusual manner; he cried out and grabbed his hair. Then he quickly turned around and vaulted onto the boat, knowing all shreds of the cool he had tried to build had been taking down by that cruel woman. Takaito wasted no time in getting things moving, and soon the sound of an engine could be heard. Naruto sat on the edge of the boat with his back to Naomi and Aiko, doing his best to calm himself. As the boat began moving, he looked over his shoulder and grinned. Raising his hand in a two fingered salute, his face told the promise he couldn't find the words to explain. He'd be back, as soon as he could.
"See ya."
