20. A reason to live, is a reason to fear
*Hey everyone, a bit of a short chapter (I think my second shortest ever) but it's the last of the 'calm before the storm'. Things are really going to start picking up from here on out. I couldn't decide where to end it, as always, but I thought I chose a good spot. As always thank you for all of your patience. I'm also feeling a lot better! I can move my arm above shoulder level with minimal-pain! But who the fuck cares?! Enjoy the chapter everyone!
Thank you for taking the time to read and reviewing.
The cold winds blew and caressed his exposed skin.
"Pathetic."
The makings of a frown could be seen underneath the shadows of a fur lined hood. A single, dark blue eye watched the scene below as the owner was gradually filled with growing contempt. Uzumaki Naruto was crying, in front of others no less, salty tears dripped down the blonds cheeks and he looked all too confused about it. It made him feel sick. How shameful. How very pathetic. At his side, the shadows hands curled into tightly wound fists, a rare pang of anger coursing through him.
"You're more pathetic than I ever imagined..." He couldn't entertain this for much longer. It would send him over the edge. No, if he wanted this to work, he had to be careful. "You're making the same mistakes all over again, fool." His gaze lingered on the woman and the child for a second longer before the cloaked man vanished entirely, gone with the wind, leaving no trace of his ever being there behind.
Below, Naruto's attention was drawn to a far off corner of the Estate roof, only for the blond to find nothing there.
Yuriko lay in her own bed, her eyes blankly staring at the high ceilings above her as she pictured the scene over and over. Next to her was the man she loved, and at the moment there was no danger to their lives. In spite of this however she still found it difficult to sleep, more so than any of the previous nights. Yuriko's thoughts were too distracted by the imminent threat lurking behind their walls to even consider sleep, and by the boy who she had grown to see as family somewhere along the line.
"Are you okay, love?"
Her eyes flickered over to her handsome husband and she smiled lovingly.
"No. Not really. Are you?"
He fought back a sigh at her words. "No...Not really." They both let out a soft laugh after the moment passed and gazed into the others eyes. Souichiro brought a single hand up to cup his wife's chin and then planted a soft kiss over her forehead. "But, at least I can still do this." He said, a gentle smile on his tempered features.
Yuriko shut her eyes and relished the feeling. "Mmm, yeah, that is nice." She nuzzled closer to him and stole his warmth.
"So what's bothering you?"
"You man besides the armies of the walking dead?"
"Funny."
Yuriko smiled again but this one was a bit more forced than the last.
"It's Naruto...I—I gave him a haircut today."
Souichiro blinked.
"You...gave him a haircut?"
His wife slowly nodded her head. "I've been trying to get him to cut it for a long time now," she bit her bottom lip, "it looked even messier than before. I-I almost got him earlier today, but he used one of his tricks to disappear." She paused. "But...then he came back and I...I cut his hair..." Yuriko looked up at him, and Souichiro was surprised to see tears forming in the corners of her bright eyes. "He took one look at himself, Sou, and he cried. He shed real tears."
A raised brow was all Souichiro could manage, his expression twisting at the thoughts. He remained silent however and only listened to her vent.
"Something's wrong with him, Sou. Something's changed. I don't know what, but...but I'm not even sure if it's for the best. He seems even more conflicted, more confused." She looked up at him with pleading eyes and all but whispered. "Why do you think he came back...? Why do you think he's still here...?"
Yuriko loved Naruto like she loved her own child; she loved that boy like he was the son they never could have. A boy who'd threatened to kill her, who put her life in danger, and who weaseled his way into both of their hearts without ever actually trying nonetheless. It was an odd, strange, and complicated occurrence — but such was the nature of human emotion. And in the end even he wasn't immune to that boy's charm.
In response Souichiro could only squeeze Yuriko tight and try to ease her worries, lovingly stroking her hair as he spoke. "Who knows, love." He pressed his lips over hers. "We'll just have to hope that whatever the change, it is a good one."
He said that, but Yuriko wasn't so sure. Her husband never quite spent as much time with Naruto as she did, he was aware of Naruto's sensitive nature, but he didn't know just how fragile Naruto's psyche really was. Souichiro saw Naruto as an adult, an experienced and well trained killer, someone who was strong willed and strong minded — but he was wrong. Naruto was just a child. It's all he'd ever been. One who was a single push away from losing what was left of his mind altogether.
She could still recall their first conversation. It was the first time she'd realized that he wasn't just broken but that he was shattered. Dozens of tiny little pieces was what remained, some of them beyond repair. At the time Yuriko couldn't help but wonder what kind of person did this to a child? She couldn't imagine what it was that drained the life from those blue eyes.
"Are you going to eat? It's not poisoned or anything."
"...I know."
He'd been unconscious for a week. His body hooked to all sorts of machines that beeped and buzzed randomly, keeping him alive all the while. According to the doctors his injuries alone were enough to kill a normal man twice over. At the most it would have been a month before his eyes would have seen the light of the world — by the eighth day the boy was awake. That same day the four guards stationed outside his door were killed and he attempted to make a grand escape.
Locating Naruto wasn't hard, they just followed the trail of blood and eventually they found to him, keeled over and choking up a glob of blood, all the while watching them with a look that seemed better suited for a wild animal than a human child. What happened after that was mostly blur. One second she was next to Souichiro, eyeing the cornered boy while fingering the stun-gun at her side just encase, and the next she was his hostage, her husbands terrified expression her new view and his angry cries overwhelming the soft, labored breaths of her captor.
A multitude of red beams flickered to life like a light-show and for a second, Yuriko feared the worst.
They would kill him, a child who knew nothing of his situation. Who could barely speak their language. A child.
Then his hold over her became slack, and with an audible thump his barley clothed body hit the carpet and stained the expensive fabric a richer red. Yuriko pleaded for her husband not to kill him that night, and after hours of yelling and arguing he'd finally agreed to her request.
"You know? Then, why not eat?"
Yuriko would never forget his words.
"Because it's not poisoned, because it won't kill me."
The certainty in his words. The way his eyes burned with a twisted sort of resoluteness. If they truly chose to poison the food he would have eaten it without a second thought, she was sure of it. Naruto had starved himself for days after that. It was a much...darker time in his life, a much more difficult time. At the very least he was starting to feel things again, the question was could he take it? Could his mind even process feeling those things again? The idea made her feel queasy. If Naruto broke, it would spell certain doom for him and everybody around him.
"I hope you're right..." Really, she did.
It was with that ominous thought in mind that Yuriko gradually found sleep.
Naruto let his head fall back and then he sighed, dark blue eyes following the ceiling fan as they'd done so many times before while he let the couch claim him, all thoughts consumed by his shameful display earlier today. It was one thing to do something like crying in private, but to allow other people see his weakness like he did was downright pathetic in every way.
He brought a hand up to touch his hair for the dozenth time in that hour. It had been so long since he'd last seen himself like this. Those were good times, the best, which was why he'd tried his hardest to forget about them and why he chose to hide behind that mask all those years ago. It was the easy way out. It was what a coward would have done, and at the time he was the biggest coward of them all. He was so desperate, so impatient and afraid that he ended up trading away one precious thing for another, and to this day he still had no idea what it was he'd given up in exchange.
But...was that really the reason why he'd lost control like that? If so, why?
Why did it have to be that?
In the midst of his inner turmoil the door to his shared space abruptly opened and in stepped a panting Niki, effectively breaking him out of his thoughts.
"I'm glad I finally found you! I've been looking everywhere. There's something you might want to—whoa, you...you got a haircut!" She studied his features, half-amazed. "Wow...you...look different. N-Not in a bad way either! It—It looks good is what I mean to say..." She trailed off, quickly averting her gaze as she made to take off her shoes and place them by the door. Things were already awkward enough between them. Although Niki meant what she said, it did suit him.
At the very least he looked less like a homeless bum now.
From his spot, Naruto spared her a glance and gave a curt nod. "Yeah, I did." His tone was unusually gentle she noted. "And, thank you. I'll admit it feels odd."
Niki watched him pull at the bit that framed his jawline and roll it in-between his fingertips, a soft frown on his pale features. He looked confused, and tired.
Just like that night...
"Why?" She asked out of the blue. "Why does it feel odd? I-I mean, if you don't mind telling me of course..."
Stupid! Of course he would mind! He's Uzumaki Naruto for crying out loud! The blond's frown deepened at her question and Niki feared her suspicions were true and that she'd pried a little too much. A thick and uncomfortable silence settled itself in-between the two of them for a second, until Naruto finally spoke up.
"I cared."
Niki looked at him again and instantly met a pair of cloudy blue eyes.
"W-What...?"
Those dark waters bore into her and this time Niki found that she could not look away.
"Back then, when you blamed me for her death. You asked me if I cared and I said I didn't, that I never asked for her help." He paused, his lips pursed. "The truth is I lied... I cared. I cared about her more than she'll ever know."
The words were soft, barely audible, but they bounced around in her head as if he'd screamed them nonetheless. Niki watched him all the while, speechless. She opened her mouth once, twice, but nothing came out.
Why?
Why was that?
"I..." Niki struggled to find the words. "I already knew that." He seemed confused at that. "I think I've always known that... You're an outcast, a loner. You didn't talk to anyone and you were okay with that, but you talked to her." A bitter smile worked itself on her face. "Misuzu was always amazing like that. In the end, even someone like you wasn't immune."
Naruto smiled wryly in response. "Yeah, I suppose she was." The smile vanished entirely with his next words. "I'm... I'm sorry that I couldn't save her." He didn't owe her this, any of this, but for whatever reason he felt as if he needed to apologize nonetheless.
The brunette flinched at the mention and shuffled uncomfortably. That was and always would be a sore spot — for the both of them.
"It's..." She bit her lip. Niki wanted to say it was fine, but that was a terrible lie. "Where is all of this coming from?" So she changed the subject instead.
Naruto wasn't inclined to answer her, he was already somewhere else. "You asked me to protect you, to protect all of you." He was staring at her as if in a trance.
"What? What are you—?"
"I can't..."
Her breath hitched at the words. Niki couldn't make sense of anything that was happening right now. All she knew at the moment were those jaded eyes. And when he stood and stalked to where she was, stopping inches before her and grabbing onto her shoulders, she fought back a flinch.
"But, I can protect you. I will protect you."
Niki didn't like the way he was looking at her, as if he was seeing someone else altogether.
"N-Naruto..." She couldn't form the words or tell him to get away. This was too much! She needed an exit! So she fell back on her original reason for seeking him out. "H-Hayashi-sensei came back."
He blinked and the spell was broken.
Niki ducked her head and hurriedly brushed past him, making her way to the bedroom across the living room; practically tripping over herself, all the while never once looking back at him. When the door was shut behind her Niki fell back against the fine wood and drew a deep breath, her eyes wide as her bottom hit the floor. The girl pulled her knees close before hiding her head, and then she wept.
Naruto could hear her all the way from where he stood. The blond eyed the door for a moment before sighing to himself.
Kyoko, huh? The chances of her making it here are slim... Practically a miracle actually, the odds were too stacked against all of them for it to be anything but. He frowned at the thought. I suppose I'll probably have to check up on her then.
Naruto reached for the door knob with the intent of doing just that when another quiet sob tore through his eardrums. He froze, hesitated, and then sighed again before sulking back over to the couch, settling himself over it and resuming his favorite pastime of watching the ceiling fan blades spin.
An hour had passed before she'd stopped. And when he was sure that she was asleep, Naruto got up and little by little he opened the door, peaking through the crack to see Niki's head slumped against the door-frame, soft snores escaping her. The blond eyed her for a second and then sighed. I'm definitely cursed. No doubt about it. Without disturbing her, Naruto progressively opened it more and more until she slipped backwards. He caught her falling form with his legs before leaning down and carefully scooping her up into his arms. The blond moved her to the bed and laid her there, then quietly left the room, gently closing the door behind him.
"Great, now I'm tired too."
He just really wasn't cut out for this.
Souichiro hadn't slept well last night. His beloveds' words rattled his very core, however much he didn't want to admit it. It awoke old fears within him. Most of them related to his decision to allow a near godlike being to exist in their world of regular mortals. Dark eyes moved over the files in his hands dealing pictures and charts and huge chunks of text that he'd seen dozens of times before.
Every time he read it over, the man found his resolve growing weaker and weaker.
An extra set of veins that pump enough energy to power the entire city for weeks, bone structure that's five times stronger than a grown man, high speed regeneration. It's like something out of a movie or a fantasy book. Souichiro was aware of Naruto's ability, and really, these files only underplayed it, but to be reminded that it wasn't just magic. That it was a real, genetic difference made him doubt himself more and more. If Naruto ever reproduced, if he had a family, if his kids grew up and had kids of their own...what would that mean for the rest of world?
Does it even matter at this point...? His eyes found the window, where the Don could see the trails of smoke rising past the tree line.
Today was the day. He, along with Tadeshi and a team of his best men would be going to the Power Plan to assure its success. He wanted Naruto there alongside him, but if the blond didn't want to come then Souichiro wouldn't force it, especially not now.
"And to think, just last week I was gearing up for another tour." He mumbled to himself, fingers coming up to rub at his temples. He would have much rather dealt with that than this giant mess. The man considered reaching into his bottom drawer and pulling out that bottle of aged wine he'd been saving, but voted against it. It would have been a pity to waste that on something as trivial as this.
A knock at his door brought his attention back to the real world.
"Who's there?"
Souichiro frowned when a familiar voice somehow echoed throughout his spacious office.
"Busujima Saeko, Takagi-sama. I'd like a moment of your time please."
He clicked his tongue. I suppose this was unavoidable.
"Come in."
The doors opened and in stepped the daughter of the man who'd taught him the way of the sword, a girl who was blessed with the kind of skill that only came around every century or so. Saeko smiled and bowed politely before making her way to one of the two chairs situated before him. As she walked, her bright blue eyes taking in the sights, Souichiro felt himself tense.
This girl was a known monster, a goddess of death and a prodigy in every sense of the word, the very pride of the Busujima clan and its deadliest weapon.
"Good morning, Takagi-sama." She took her seat and crossed her legs.
Souichiro sighed. "You don't have to be so formal, Busujima-san. I've know your father for years now and you personally helped bring my daughter back to me. You have more than just earned the right to call me by my first name."
Saeko's smile widened at his words.
"Thank you, but I feel I should show you the proper respect regardless."
The man nodded and gestured for her to continue.
"Very well. Go on then, what is it you want to talk about?"
Saeko took another look around the room, admiring the art and design before finally choosing to respond. "Father wants to know why you never call." At her words, his finger twitched and he prayed she hadn't noticed the involuntary act. "His favorite pupil, the one he gifted Magatsu too, never keeps in contact. Always so busy..." She shook her head. "It really hurts him you know. Father is a rather sensitive man."
Souichiro's eyes drifted to the sheathed sword hanging over his fireplace, a katana of known prowess practically worshiped by the Busujima, with a bloody history that mirrored that of the clans. He almost scoffed. A gift she called it. It was more of a symbol; a constant reminder of exactly who it was that helped him bring his family name to the forefront of the world.
"The old man's asking about me, eh? I suppose I should be honored. But it's as you've said, I have been extremely busy. I'm sure he of all people understands."
"Of course father understands." Saeko found the blood red sheath and she stood, making her way over to it, stopping only to admire its beauty. "May I?" She asked, turning to him with that same smile on her face.
He nodded and she didn't hesitate, tentatively reaching out and unsheathing the exquisite sword, the steel almost glowing in the light of the fire. Light blue eyes ran up and down the familiar weapon with something akin to admiration. From its solid black hilt to the red guard and all the way down the long blade that was crafted in the traditional Tachi style, she drank in every detail as if it were her first time seeing it.
"He was meant to stay with me you know? Magatsu is a treasured family heirloom, and only the heir to the clan name could ever rightfully wield him."
Souichiro nodded, his lips pursed. Here was where he had to tread lightly.
"Indeed, your father only lent it to me after all. I was told that when he stepped down and you took his place that I would be giving it back."
"I've had a lot of good times with him." She swung the weapon a few times and went on, acting as if she hadn't heard him. "The only one I'd allow to accompany me on whatever errand father sent me on. Oh, how I've missed him..." She smiled sweetly at the sword. "I really do look forward to the day where I can have you by my side again, dear brother. Until then you'll have to rest for a little while longer." Saeko whispered, sheathing it and then bowing, treating the weapon as if it were a person.
The sight wasn't anything new and yet it was as off putting as ever. Her father had done the same thousands of times before, talking to the weapon as if it were his son, just as Saeko spoke to it like a brother. More than once he'd questioned his teachers' sanity, and he'd always suspected that same spark had been born in his daughter as well.
Clearly, he was right.
A clan stricken with madness. Souichiro decided to cut the pleasantries right then and there. "Tell me Saeko, why is it that you've really come here?" He leaned back onto his chair and leveled the girl with a hard stare, awaiting her answer.
"Oh! Are we dropping the formalities so soon? A pity. I rather enjoy them. It's like a fun little game of make-believe." The smile on her face gave way to a cold smirk. "I've heard you're planning an expedition today. I'd very much like to tag along." She seemed so tame and unassuming. He knew better.
"And where did you hear this?"
"Don't play dumb. The people here know me and they know my father. They know my family and they fear and respect us all the same. I did little but ask and your men answered. It was as simple as that."
The Don would have sighed had he not already suspected as much. No part of him blamed any of them either; they had good reason to be afraid. It was a rather well-kept secret, but one that anyone who worked in their line of business ought to know if they wanted to retire in peace, and not in pieces.
In this city the Busujima clan ruled. They have always ruled.
A clan of assassin's who discarded their masters and chose to govern themselves, a family who rose to power through bloodshed and betrayal and managed to stay there for centuries as a result. Even now they held disturbingly close to the old ways.
This very girl standing before him a direct result of those vile traditions, lying to the heiress of the clan was like sinning. And sinners were dutifully punished.
"Why do you want to come? What's of interest to you there?"
Saeko smiled.
"Half-business and half-pleasure, I suppose."
Business? Then it was a contract. Even at a time like this, the monsters never stop... In the end Souichiro ended up sighing anyway.
"Alright, you're welcome to tag along. Be at the gate by 15:00. We'll be heading out then."
"Excellent!" Saeko clapped her hands together. "Thank you! I promise that I won't be late!"
Souichiro watched her leave and didn't relax until he was absolutely sure that he was alone. When he'd deemed it safe, the man let out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding.
No... In times like these, the monsters feed.
When Kyoko next opened her eyes, she was greeted by that familiar stoic face and a pair of deep blue eyes.
"You're alive."
Uzumaki Naruto stood by her bedside, looking as indifferent as ever, except for the thin scowl on his face, as if he were upset by the fact that she was indeed alive. At the very least his attire had changed from that bloody shirt and torn jeans to a less bloodstained grey hoodie and black jeans. It wasn't just his clothes that underwent a change either, but his appearance as well. The shock if it alone distracted her thoughts for a moment.
"You got a haircut." Was all she could manage.
The scowl on his face deepened.
"I really hope I won't be getting that a lot. It's already annoying." He said while stepping closer and crossing his arms over his chest. "So how did you manage it? How is it you're still alive?" He spared a glance to the other body.
Kyoko looked taken back at his words.
"E-Excuse me?"
Naruto however didn't really seem to care that he'd insulted her. "You heard me." His eyes narrowed. "I made a lot of noise leaving that place. The streets were overrun, the bridge collapsed, and more of Them were coming. The way I see it you only had two choices. Either stay and hide or die."
Kyoko didn't like how she couldn't get a word in. How he made her feel like the child. "Where do you get off?" She hissed. "You left us to die! You're the reason why—"
"—Wrong. I gave you a choice and you decided."
"You call that a choice?!" The redhead raised her voice, unable to contain her frustration. "If you were me what would you have done?! You're not the best alternative!"
"True, I'm not. But either way I did give you a choice."
Kyoko grit her teeth. Her chest hurt every time she yelled but she didn't care. She was seething.
"You... You're a fucking psychopath! You're nothing but trouble! You...you traitor!"
Naruto tilted his head at her careless insults. "You know for an adult, you sure know how to throw a tantrum. Traitor? I already told you, I gave you a choice. I didn't betray anyone."
"You're a traitor! He told me so! A killer and a traitor!" Kyoko spat the words. "You're not a student! You're a murderer and a liar!" A small part of her knew this was wrong, but she couldn't help it, really she didn't even care. He was so easy to hate and it was the only way she'd be able to go on after everything that had happened. At this point Kyoko didn't want to be an adult. This was her being selfish, because Uzumaki Naruto was so damn easy to hate.
"...He?" Naruto raised a brow.
"The man who murderer everyone... He was asking about you by name." Her fingers gripped her sheets as she thought back to that hazy memory. "I told him you were a student and he laughed like a madman, muttering how funny it was that the Slayer of Root was—" Kyoko felt the temperature instantly drop, she could not even finish her sentence. Her body froze up and something primal, something deep within her screamed for her to run and hide. To get away before it was too late. It was the same feeling as back then, but this felt even viler, like a thick and heavy sludge had been poured over her. It crept down her body and touched every inch of her.
"That name..." Naruto's eyes were wide and he stood rigid. "Who was it that told you that name?"
It was the first time she'd ever seen him look so spooked, like he'd seen a ghost.
"What are—"
"Who?!"
Kyoko flinched when the feeling intensified.
"I-I don't know his name! He tried to kill us, damn it! I didn't chat him up! I-I only got lucky, he was about to butcher both of us and then he didn't okay!" She was short of breath but continued babbling nonetheless. "When I went outside all of Them were gone. Slaughtered like pigs. I didn't think! I didn't do anything but try and run! That's it, that's all I know I swear it!" She was visibly shaking and could no longer look into those crazed eyes.
"No one should know that name..." He whispered to himself, stupefied.
From the corner of her eye, Kyoko watched this all happen with a strange amount of satisfaction.
"I'm...I'm right aren't I? You really are a killer." She smiled harshly. "You should leave. If you stick around he'll come for you, and kill everyone else to get to you."
Naruto frowned. "You should consider yourself lucky that I'm not anymore." She couldn't see his icy glare, but she could feel it. "Get well soon, Hayashi-sensei." He slid on his heel and didn't spare her another glance, the door shutting behind him. And just like that the terrible feeling vanished alongside him, she could breathe again. Her chest rose and fell, and gently, Kyoko eased herself back into her bed.
Two years she'd known that boy. Two years she'd tried to get through to him, to teach him some semblance of respect. Two years of Naruto giving her nothing but trouble and headache after headache. Kyoko had always suspected there was something off about him — something different — something that made her nervous.
Now she knew what it was.
"Please...you have to leave...or he'll kill us all." He was long gone and still she said the words.
Kyoko openly wept at the thought of it as she'd done so many times before. The memory of all those people being killed right in front of her, of their blood splattering on her face and their screams ringing in her ears, it was all too fresh. And through it all Yamada slept peacefully, blissfully unaware.
Naruto barged into the office without warning, a rare spark of anger in his eyes. He stormed toward Souichiro, who was completely unprepared when the blond slammed both his hands down on his desk, cracking the sturdy wood with sheer brute force and scattering all of his things. Next to him, Tadeshi jumped at the act and put on a nervous smile.
"H-Hey, Naruto—"
"Get out."
The dark haired teen didn't need to be told twice. And with no shortage of amusement, Souichiro watched his daughters betrothed practically waddle away. It wasn't much of a secret that Tadeshi feared Naruto like a mouse feared a hungry cat. The few times they'd met back when Naruto lived with them were tense, to say the least. Souichiro himself didn't know the full story, but seeing that spineless prick properly put in his place brought him great joy regardless. It was something he personally wished he could do had certain restrictions not been placed on him.
"So, I take it you're upset?" He asked after they were alone.
Naruto was not amused.
"Who did you tell?"
The man looked taken back.
"What are you—?"
"—someone knows, Souichiro. About me, about who I am—was. And the only way anyone would know is if you told them."
The confusion rubbed off almost immediately, and a stern and deathly serious expression replaced it. "Impossible. There are only three people who know what you really are, myself, my wife, and Hayate. You know Yuriko would never spill your secret. I doubt Hataye would ever betray your trust. And I'm not stupid enough to tell anyone about you."
Naruto looked him hard in the eyes, searching him for even the tiniest hint of a lie. And as he expected...there were none. The blond grit his teeth and fell back against the seat behind him. "I...I know. But damn it, how?! 'The Slayer of Root'. No one should know that name. That name belonged to a whipped dog on a leash. No one alive should know that name, not even you." He was practically talking to himself at this point. "But, someone does, and they're looking for me. Maybe they've been looking for me...Why?" He turned widened eyes to an expressionless Souichiro. "Who? Who could be looking for me here? In an entirely different dimension...?"
That was quite the bomb to drop. And at the moment, more than anything, Souichiro wished knew the answer. That was disturbing news.
"Quite the mouthful, that name. A whipped dog you say? More like a pup. A hound is smart enough and strong enough to fight back until its last breath, a pup knows no better."
It was an insult, but Naruto didn't care, he didn't have the time for insults.
"Damn it do you not understand how serious this is? That woman, Hayashi, she was bait. She showed him the way here."
"Him?"
"Yes him. That's all I know. He could already be inside, watching me, waiting. Last night I thought I felt something. It was a split second, but I felt something watching me. If that's true then this person might be like me. Which means...which means..." He trailed off, unable to bear the weight of saying the words.
"Which means right now, no one is safe." Souichiro finished for him.
It was a much kinder way to put it than he would have.
"No one is ever safe, but...the people here don't deserve to needlessly die."
"What makes you think this person is an enemy?"
Naruto glared at him. "If he were a friend, don't you think he would have made himself known by now? Besides...all of my friends are dead. What I have left is a lot of enemies. I wouldn't put it past them to try and find some way to reach me. But how would they know I wasn't dead? Damn it..." He was off again, words spilling from his mouth at a rate that Souichiro had never thought possible.
He's really messed up about this. And for a far more personal reason than the man would have ever thought.
It was exactly as Yuriko said, seeing him like this, so uncertain, suddenly questioning his every action. It was...unsettling. This was not the Naruto he knew. This...was a kid, a boy of seventeen who looked on the verge of losing his damn mind.
Yuriko was right.
Yuriko was always right. Souichiro both loved and hated that about her.
"Well...in light of that news, I suppose it's a good thing you'll be leaving with me. In fact I think we should head out as soon as possible. Forgive me, but the thought of you anywhere near my house and family right now is troublesome, at best."
Naruto nodded.
"That's good. They'll be sure to follow me... You know you're putting yourself at risk though, right? He will come after me, an unknown factor. You might die in the crossfire."
"I won't. I may not have your super powers, kid, but I can outsmart you any day of the week."
The blond snorted at that.
"It won't be me who will be trying to kill you this time around."
Souichiro knew that, but he still didn't care. The Don was absolutely sure he wouldn't die there. He planned on dying old and alone in his maze of a mansion after his wife passed and his daughter forgot about him, not at a Power Plant of all places. At the very least the blond looked a little better now. Souichiro stifled a small smile at how his shoulders fell and his breathing gradually slowed. Naruto had a plan, a vague one, but a plan nonetheless and that helped him keep it together.
"I need to prepare. I'll meet you by the gates when you're ready. And don't worry, I'll know." He didn't utter a goodbye as he left, but when he reached the door, he paused.
"...And, thank you."
"You want to really thank me? Fix my desk."
The door shut and he was alone. Souichiro couldn't fight back the smirk.
Tch, cheeky brat.
Atop the roof of the estate, Naruto stood facing two identical copies of himself, cropped haircut and all. "You," he pointed to the one on the left, "go back to the apartment. Make sure her story sticks. And you," he moved to the one on the right, "stay close to Niki...keep an eye on Alice too."
Both clones nodded once and then vanished not a second later.
I hope I'm just being paranoid. He mused to himself, turning his attention to the huge sprawling city under siege before him. It was a nice view, but soured by the thought of what was going on below. I hope I'm wrong. Because if someone did come after me, then, it might mean I have a shot at going home.
These tall towers and endless sea-line were all he'd known for a long time now. Going home had never even crossed his mind. It was impossible; especially with his body failing him like it was now. Two clones and he felt the difference. It was pathetic. He was pathetic.
But, if there was a chance...
Naruto frowned.
When did things gets so fucking complicated?
Author's Note: One last thing before you set off. I was asked to clarify on the current main casts ages, so here they are (in no particular order).
Uzumaki Naruto: 17 (18 soon)
Busujima Saeko: 18
Miyamoto Rei: 18
Komuro Takashi: 18
Toshimi Niki: 17
Hirano Kouta: 16
Takagi Saya: 17
Maresato Alice: 10