Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto and any of it's affiliated characters, places and other thingies.
You know, in retrospect I realize I've been a bit unclear, in my narration to this invisible audience.
[I know you're out there somewhere Fourth Wall!]
The reason for this sudden enlightenment?
Kurama's very visible, genjutsu'd ass.
Literally.
I looked over the shoulder of the Genin holding me, and I could see fuzzbutt's fuzzy butt in all it's glory, while he was butting heads with the village nin.
'I thought he was some sort of chakra construct', I mused, kind of fixated on the sight of his behind, 'He doesn't need to eat, does he? So what's the hole for?'
I know it's a bit weird to wonder about the presence of Ku-kun's anus, under the circumstances, but personally I kind of blame it on shock. Despite the fact that I've read the manga some lifetimes ago, I hadn't quite made the connection that the attack had yet to happen, despite the distinct presence of Namikaze Minato.
What can I say? I blame two lifetimes worth of stress and non-eidetic memory. It's not like a formerly fictional universe was high on my must-remember-at-all-costs list, when there had been other things to worry about at the time. Even after I figured out where I was, I'd forgotten enough about canon, that I was blindsided by the whole thing.
I feel kind of stupid about that. By the Sage! It had been a major plotpoint that Naruto was a jinchuuriki, I mean, I know this doesn't necessarily follow the Canon Timeline, what with my presence here and all, but it was pretty damn bound to happen in whichever Naruto-universe this was anyway...
Damn! I had liked Minato and his what's-her-name wife. Corona,? Koshina?
Ah, that was it, Kushina! Naruto got his Uzumaki name from her, didn't he?
I'd met her a grant total of three times, two of which in passing. I mean, just because I was the Hokage's Ward, didn't mean I stayed at their place. I was being taken care of by a retired Chuunin couple instead, as was standard.
Well, not standard standard. I mean the whole 'Retired Chuunin Couple' thing is a biiiiit specific. It's more like a Ward is left in a home of the Hokage's choice, which is usually with a couple with either stable income or enough money saved up/inherited that they won't be absent too often. Another requirement tends to be that they'll be able to give needed instruction in specified fields.
Wards tend to have future worth, be it as a fighter, a scholar or blackmail material, it's why we're chosen after all. We'd be pretty lousy bragging material and bargaining chips otherwise. Not trying to raise that value higher would be a waste.
Ugh, this explanation is bad for my nearly non-existent self-worth. What with the deadbeat Blackwoods reminding me of my worthlessness every other minute, and everyone but the Ponds themselves being out for my blood in my second world, it was already pretty fragile, but to quite literally think of myself as a tool? Gods, it was depressing.
But back to the present, or rather, the point at which my line of thought derailed.
The Kyuubi attack.
Which was nearing it's end by this time, Minato having just teleported the beast away from the village.
It was not exaggerated to say, you could hear the sighs of relief, you could practically see faces lightening and hear babies stop crying.
I frowned at that for a bit, although it came out as a pout on my face. I mean, sure, the fox wasn't smackdab in the middle of the village anymore, but it was still nearby. For them too...
Oh...
Do you remember that 'Tea with Chtulu' bit, I talked about before? The thing that used to be common in my life as Alice Pond? My mind managed to manage those visits quite well, a trait that mostly carried over to this life, seeing how the changes where mostly mental.
The Kyuubi simply paled in comparison. I registered it's presence, but I felt none of the instinctive dread that pressed down on the others. Well, that's inaccurate too. I did feel some fear, but it was more along of the lines of 'Oh, don't step on that snake!' or, 'Let's not pull a Steve Irwin and poke the croc!'. That is to say: natural caution and common sense in the face of a predator.
Maybe I'd fare differently if I survived to face the Juubi a little less than two decades from now -if memory serves me correctly-, but really, compared to Nana Kurama was cuddly. Still clawed, fanged and predisposed to gutting me, but when it comes down to it, he's very human in habits and motivation, having had his mind created by one.
He's not only comprehensible, he can be fully understood by human logic, when given enough time. He's not going to drive anyone gibbering mad at the mere glimpse or thought of him, unless he already did something like traumatizing them severely beforehand.
To sum it up: To be treated with caution, Yes. To be scared shitless because of his mere presence, NO.
Unless he was actively out to get you.
What I was trying to say is that the others were probably relieved at the sudden weakening of the fox's radiating presence/killing intent/inspired dread, instead of truly thinking him absent...
Speaking of Devils...
I felt the Shinigami descend.
'Still not quite on Nana's level', momentarily flashed through my head.
It was rather close though...
Now THAT's what I'm talking about. Being either a personification of, or an avatar to Death, it exuded a presence that was on a whole other level than a Bijuu. It didn't have that 'off' feeling, being a natural aspect of this world, but it was still quite fiercesome.
A scant few minutes later the deed was done and both presences vanished.
I was already NOT looking forward to the aftermath.