Keeper of the Crimson Path
By The Obsidian Blade
Chapter three-the fox and the swallow
Pain is all that Naruto felt as he looked around at the corpses. He was clad in his modified ANBU armor. But there were so many cuts along his body that it hurt him. The slices along his skin ran deep, leaving the thick crimson liquid to leak out of the clean slice, making the clotting even harder to happen, even with his healing factor. His torso piece was made of red and black steel plates instead of the usual lavender hardened leather. His pants seemed to be made of reinforced denim, opting to tuck in the bottoms of the pants into his boots. His boots were steel toed with the shin guards popping out of them like plates. His fingerless gloves had spiked knuckles and seemed more like gauntlets, reaching up to the elbows with a studded ring around it and plates sticking out of them to protect his for arm. His mask was black with gold linings, looking more like a fox.
Nightmare's Touch was forced into the ground, acting as his support as he leaned onto it. In front of him was a man with the same tired expression as the blonde had. He was wearing something with more clothe then Naruto had. The person was also around the same age as the blonde, having black hair and pale skin with coal black eyes. At the back of his hip was a sheathed katana.
Both of them stood upon a statue. The black haired teen stood upon the statue of Uchiha Mandara, the founder of the Uchiha clan and Naruto stood upon the statue of Senju Hashirama, the Ichidaime Hokage. A large water fall fell between the two statues, forming the river that was below them. The place they were in was called The Valley of the End.
"You are not leaving Namikaze," the black haired teen spat out as he unsheathed his blade, poised for strike.
Naruto spat out blood before readying Nightmare's Touch in a battle ready position. His sapphire eyes narrowed at the teen before his chakra started to whirl around him. This battle needed to end now. "You know that you will not be able to succeed right Sasuke," he growled out.
Sasuke growled at the blonde before black markings in the shape of tomes started top spread across his body, starting from the base of the chakra seemed to turn purple as his eyes flashed between the sharingan and the normal black.
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he focused his chakra through his blade. Tow ghost like images of the crosses on his blade started to form above them before solidifying into pure energy. "Cross Shuriken!" he shouted as he swung his blade, sending the ghost images at Sasuke.
Naruto groaned as he awoke in the morning, slamming his fist down on the snooze button. He hated waking up in the mornings. It was the fact that he never really got enough sleep. He also hated the fact that he still had to go to school in the morning before returning home for about a few hours and doing some homework before going to work and hopefully not mess around with any idiots that thought they can mug him for some extra cash.
Then the memories of last night coursed through his mind, circling around like a storm. He had killed last night. He had stained his hand with blood once again. But the worst part of it was that he left some of them alive. He left them alive and he could be exposed to early for everything to be set in motion. Sure, he wanted them to find him eventually but not at the moment. If they found him when he had nothing prepared then he would be destroyed. He was going to have to search out the Skull Saders and kill all of them before things got out of hand.
His body stretched as he got up and walked over to the dresser. He had to get ready for school before Rika and Mikan come into his room and beat him awake. It had happened on more than one occasion as he liked to sleep in. His clothes were normal really, a blue suit that the school demanded everyone to wear with a white shirt under it. He hated dress codes with a passion. Back when he was in the ninja academy, they had nothing like this as it was not practical.
His body lazily walked downstairs, his hand over his mouth as he yawned and his bag on shoulder. He could smell food coming in from the kitchen with ease. He sighed before he entered, pausing to put on his sunglasses over his pale eyes. They did not need to know what he was yet but in time he knew that they were going to be told. He just hoped that it was by him.
Mikan sat at the table eating her breakfast. She was hoping that she got to wake up Naruto. That was the only time that she was able to beat him up. Any other time was just impossible as he was able to dodge everything that she threw at him. But when she heard him step inside the room that dream was crushed. They left later then Ringo and Ikki due to the fact that they started later then the two. But they did get out later as well.
Mikan looked at Rika with a sly smirk. She knew that the brown haired woman like Naruto a lot. And the pink haired girl thought that was a good thing. The blonde was strong, agile, and actually fun to be around. Sure, no one had seen his eyes but that did not matter to anyone. After all, the number one part of a good guy was the attitude.
The problem was on both parties really. Neither one of the two thought that the other would like the other like they did. She could see that in their eyes and how they acted around each other. It was just so damn infuriating to see that they did not even attempt to try and get the other to date them. So that was why she, Ume, and Ringo were going to set them up.
She was brought out of her thought by Naruto getting up and walking to the front of the house. "You do realize that if you don't hurry up you will be late right?" She cursed as she started to walk out the door, making Naruto smile in content at the fact that he was able to make her mad.
"Alright, I'm coming, I'm coming!" she yelled as she raced after Naruto, trying to catch up with the blonde.
School had come and went as well as doing his homework. Right now he was at Mamurasaki Sports, trying to get everything in stock and ready for inventory. As usual, Simca was bugging him on why he did not have a pair of ATs like a lot of other people. He kept on telling her that it was a money issue but she started to take up a new initiative. "You, know, I can always give them to you?" she said offhandedly, smirking as he watched him look at her.
"What's the catch," Naruto asked, returning to do inventory check. He knew that a lot of things like this have some kind of catch and he wanted to know what.
"Oh, it's simple really." She said, turning her back to him so he could not see her shit eating grin. "You just have to out run me and my team." Naruto looked at her odd before voicing out his opinion on not knowing how to use a set of ATs. "Oh, don't worry; you have a week to learn how to ride. Just don't over do things learning and don't lose focus. It hurts when you fall down from the sky."
Naruto looked at her odd as he watched her motion for him to follow her. "Uhm, we still got thirty minutes and you can buy parts here," the blonde stated while pointing to the floor of the shop.
Simca smiled while shaking her head, heading towards the back to get her stuff and to put up her apron. "Don't worry, we can close up shop for thirty minutes less and besides, you don't want to use basic parts for using ATs. Sure, they are good starters but what you want is to start from the get go." The pink haired teen turned on her heals, showing him her large green eyes that threatened to tear up at the negative comment that he had prepared. "You want to fly with me don't you?"
Naruto blushed slightly at the question. So many things went through his head at that moment. He shook his head at one particular thought; the thought of her ever liking him. That was absurd. No one would ever like him… would they?
The blonde sighed as he followed her into the back and picked up his jacket before rushing out of the store, putting up the closed sign so no one would go in. Naruto was happy that he got his jacket back as he forgot it at the crimes scene that the cops were currently investigating. It just appeared on the doorstep, telling him that someone other than the Skull Saders witnessed his battle with them.
Simca smiled as she walked down the streets of the city. She had Naruto walking with her, something that was going according to plan. If he lost the bet, he would be all hers for the taking. He was going to be a new king. She was not sure what king but she was damned sure that she would be the one to support him in his rise. All she needed to do was for him to come out of his shell.
She smirked as she brought up something that she thought as interesting. "You know, they found several members of the Skull Saders dead from blunt force trauma," she spoke out, gaining Naruto's attention. "Heard it on the news this morning. They said that it happened late last night, around ten, around the street that you walk."
Naruto sighed as thoughts of what happened last night rushed into his head. The police were starting to get involved. He had to kill all of the Skull Saders before he was sent to prison for man slaughter on the first degree. It would be a bitch to get out as he did not want to attract too much attention as of yet.
"Yeah, that is usually," Naruto spoke out, trying to remain calm. "But I managed to get a ride home." He was technically not lieing as he had a clone exit and lock up the shop five minutes after he left so suspicion on him would cease to exist. He had a feeling that the skull man from last night would want revenge and he guessed right.
"Really now," Simca said, knowing full well that he was the one that caused the deaths. She was amazed at his fighting and could only imagine how good he can become if he was with her. She would take pride in the fact that she made him the AT rider that he was going to become.
Naruto looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He could hear non belief in her voice as she spoke to him. He could tell that she either knew something or jus did not believe him and his alibi. With his luck, she probably was the one watching him all the time, something that could be counted as a blessing or a curse, depending on the way you look at it.
The two made it to the railroad tracks in short time. The place looked more like a construction in the blonde container's mind. There were many cranes and steal garters everywhere with debris lining the floor.
But along the actual tracks themselves looked to be a large cart powered by a bike. The neon sign that glowed brightly on top of it read "Glam Slum". He could see light pouring out of the cart like it was water. He turned to Simca as she walked in front of him. The blonde shrugged at the movement, deciding to follow her.
Simca walked up to the AT shop with a smile on her face. She knew the people inside would not deny the parts that Naruto needed if she was there. She looked at the large woman that handled the parts with a smirk. "I need a good set of ATs that I can dissect and some parts that modify speed and balance as well as ball wheels. Wait; make that two sets of ATs that can be dissected."
The large Russian woman that sat at the counter looked at Naruto before looking at Simca with a questioning look. "Are these parts for him?" she asked, gaining a nod from the pink haired teen. The woman sighed. "Don't you think that these parts are a little advanced for him? He has never flew has he?"
Naruto glared at the woman, not liking her in any way at all. "Look here lady!" Naruto yelled out. "You have no right to judge a person like that! So what if I have never rode before?! That does not give you any right to judge!"
"Listen kid," the counter woman said as she raised herself out of the cart. "Let's make a deal. If you can learn how to properly learn how to use both ATs then I will take everything back and I will give you some spare parts that might help. But if you lose said bet, then you have to give up your wings forever and help me around the shop. Does that sound like a deal?"
Naruto glared at the large woman in front of him. The woman was making a bet with him. That was not the wisest of things to do, especially someone with his kind of luck. Naruto gripped the hand extended in front of him before shaking it, looking the woman in the face. "Sure, I'll take up that bet," he responded.
Simca sighed as she watched what had corresponded between the owner and her Foxy-kun. Now the pressure for him to learn was on. He had to master the basics in a week. If he did not then there was little hope of him getting his wings at all. Now she had to just pray that he would get everything down quickly.
Naruto sighed as he entered the house an hour after he was supposed he be home. Usually, Rika would be up doing some last minute things. But the problem was that last time he was about an hour late the lights were off and Rika was on the couch waiting to scold him, something that he got tenfold for making her worry. The problem was that the lights were out.
The blonde turned his head around the corner to see if Rika was on the couch. She was but she was asleep, something that made her look hot in Naruto's eyes. he could not make out why but she just did. He shook his head, trying to get those thoughts out of his head. What was he thinking; the woman was a few years older then him and was most likely seeing someone. Add the fact that she was his land lord then there are some complications.
Naruto snuck past her, hoping not to wake her up. As he walked by her, images of him, Rika, Simca, and another girl with black hair with strange tattoos together in a large house on a couch snuggled up close to one another just enjoying the company of one another. The blonde shook his head, trying to get that image out of his head. He did not know why he got that image in his head or were the premonitions to the future. He did not know which as the girl with black hair was so he guessed that it was just his fantasies preying on him again.
As soon as the blonde stepped foot on the other side of the door he heard a bone chilling voice. "Don't think you are off the hook Naruto-kun," Rika said, scaring the shit out of him. "I will speak to you tomorrow about being late and where you got the ATs when you could barely pay for rent in the morning."
Naruto groaned as he walked into his room, not liking the chill in the woman's voice. He knew that he was going to get reamed from what he just pulled off. And he could tell that there was going to be chaos.
The blonde looked at the parts in front of him. Simca was looking over his shoulder with a helpful gaze, occasionally pressing her chest against his back, giving him a feel of what could be his. He shook his head, remembering the events that corresponded in the morning. Rika was pissed at the blonde, saying that if was ever late again, he was not allowed to leave for a whole month unless she was with him the whole time. he also got a few new bruises to add to his body.
Right now, Naruto was playing hooky from school. Well, he wasn't really as he had a shadow clone posing as him. Simca was the one who played hooky. The pink haired Storm Rider had told him to meet her at her place. He did not know why at her place but he went there either way, wanting to learn how to use ATs quickly.
He shook his head, trying to focus on the parts in front of him. He turned his attention to Simca as she looked at him with a smile. "Uhm, Simca-chan, why did you get two ATs?" Naruto asked, not noticing the suffix at the end of the pink haired teen's name. At first he had thought that it was for her but after she brought him over, she had told him that they were both for him.
"Variety Foxy-kun," she responded. "What you want to do is to use two types of ATs with different abilities on them. Even the speeds that you use are going to be different on them. The reason is that you might want to use a set that would offset the other rider, kinda like an alter ego but you are still you. Now come on hun, I will help you with assembling this."
Naruto nodded to her as he listened to the instructions that she gave him. ATs were simple really, focusing around three major components. There were the Wheel Motor, the Air Cushion System and the Power Injection System. Of course, there were other parts that went into the making of the components but it was really easy to figure out what goes where.
Naruto sighed as they finished up the second AT set. He had two that were now up and running. One was built for speed. The acceleration on the thing was so sensitive that a tap could have it going. The cons with it were that turns were never sharp and were always wide as well as delayed and the acceleration was a little too touchy. Both of those things made the set built for speed and not anything really major on the ground. In the air was a different story that he had no idea till he got on the damn thing.
The other set was something that was a lot slower. It was a turning based one with ball like wheels that spun around on a pivoting system. The damn thing could turn on a dime with general ease. The problem was that it was slower then the first model and it could grind but not really well do to the ball shaped wheels.
He looked at Simca with a smile before looking outside, noting that it was almost time for school to end. As he was about to get up, he felt Simca's warm body press up against him and her pair of slender arms wrap around him. "You know it would be easier if you try them out with an experienced person before growing your own wings right Foxy-kun?" she whispered into his ears, making sure that her lips sensually brushed against his outer ear. "After all, we do not need are first winged fox to fall to the earth and crack his skull now do we?"
Naruto blushed at the comment before shaking his head. Things were about to get real interesting real quick. And he knew that some blood was about to be shed after he was finished for the week.
A/N Alright, when I originally had this planned out I did not think that I would cut off here. I thought that it would be a little later but if I cut it off later then there would be no flow. The chapter takes off when Ikki sees Simca grind off the rail and shows Ringo what he watches for the first time. And I am going to follow the manga, not the anime. Just a better reference in my mind. Also why the Glam Slum is called the Glam Slum.
And on another not I am still swinging from Naruto running his own team or joining Simca's. I am leaning towards Simca's as t would be interesting. Oh, and do not be surprised if Naruto replaces Onigiri in the Behemoth arc. There is a reason that you people will know if you are smart enough to figure out why.
Yeah, things will get interesting next chapter as the Skull will die off and Naruto will have to face off against Genesis but it will not be the whole team, just two members. I hope you guys like the future and the little insight of the past. I am going to need help on creating fake teams for battles though so help would be nice and I also take opinions on the pairings. Just no ninja girls thought. Just a no on that one. If you guys want a girl from Air Gear or an OC from a team then I am down with that. So for now, god night.
