CHAPTER 04:
"Wh-what is that?!'' Hiro blurted.
'"Don't you know? It's a phoenix. First time Ive seen one though…" Riza answered.
''Isnt it beautiful? Sherwood said with awe. That is the adult form of the royalty. Once a person of royal blood becomes an adult, they gain eternal youth and longevity. If you think about it, youd know why we kill each other before we become adults.''
He figured it out. Once they become adults, they cannot be killed.
This again. Sent in a world of endless battles. Family to family killing each other. When will it ever end?'' He cant help but think of the brother he left. He realized he always finds himself in a situation he doesn't want to be in... but fate puts him there anyway.
The princess Sherwood continued explaining. "That is why, before that happens, there can only be one victor. Otherwise the kingdom will be in chaos.''
''Excuse me, princess, but an event this widespread, what about the innocent people that were involved in this?'' This is just pulling on his traumatized conscience, so he had to ask.
''Theyre intending to cooperate with the human world & to conceal everything. They'll have to come to a settlement first though.''
That didn't really answer his question, but he held his tongue. Then Hime added, ''Meaning, this matter will be handled by the royalty? Her stoic face changing into determination. Fine. I'll play along then.''
Itachi sought the princess' countenance and tried to analyze the implication behind what she said. Because in contrast to everyone else's, the way she glared at the grand phoenix meant that she never found it beautiful.
2 days. Itachi has spent 2 days without Hime's blood. Excluding if what the princess meant by taking him so long, hes probably slept a day before awakening. Either way, he has to make a choice tonight.
To continue, or not.
He can choose not to, & finally rest in peace. But after all hes done, he get the feeling that he'll be sent to hell. And after that fight in that desolated wasteland, with the addition of the zombies, the idea suddenly didn't appeal much to him.
Continue living? Even in servitude, he could still be of help by gathering and submitting information. His specialty as a spy.
After witnessing that being. A creature that is equal to a bijuu from his world, perhaps even more powerful. And most of all, the ability that brings the dead back to life. A feat which is considered impossible in the Shinobi world, besides that diabolical Edo-tensei.
Monsters with such destructive power may or may not be a threat to his world, to any human world, if taken by the wrong hands.
Besides, as long as he livse, he might find a way to go back. If he was sent here in the first place by an unknown force, then its also very much possible to be sent back.
His death also meant the benefit of his younger brother. But now that hes here, somewhere far away….
He made his choice. Itachi still knows where his loyalty lies.
Even in death, he is still Uchiha Itachi of the Leaf Village.
The clock struck 3 am.
The princess was waiting. She tilted her head to the side. Having been in this situation already.
''So, you have finally decided.''
''Yes... I will serve. ''
''Your fate is tied with me. Your loyalty is only to me. Whatever befalls me, so shall to you as well. Wherever I go, you go. Knowing this, will you still swear allegiance to me?''
She approached him as she said this, one slow step at a time. And now, shes looking him straight in the eyes, the dim light harmonizing with her blood red ones, with only a few inches separating them.
Itachi let go of a breath he didn't know he's been holding. He felt the heavy weight of guilt again. Hes been here before. With his clan's coup, with his promises to his brother, when he joined the Anbu, when he joined the Akatsuki.
''Yes.''
The princess smirked. To say that Hime is pleased is an understatement.
''Fufu...I welcome you, Itachi Uchiha, my blood servant. Take my blood and live. Serve me faithfully for the rest of your life.''
He watched the morning news along with everyone. It is as princess Sherwood said. The whole incident was covered up. The good news is, the whole infected population were returned back to the way they were.
Hime further clarified that the phoenix purified and healed each and every single one of the harmed and infected. Then he accompanied Hiro on his way to school, to see what sort of academy he attends.
Right now, hes just arranging his room, the one he woke up in. There were no other space left in the basement, so the princess let him have one of the guest rooms in the ground floor as his quarters. He doesn't have much belongings to begin with, besides the clothes hes wearing.
The princess said she'd send for him when she needs him.
She has also told everyone that she'll be busy and will depart from her room only once or twice. After these two days, the Imperial Guards will escort her alone to the kingdom. She'll be going ahead and the same guard will escort them after 2 more days.
...
''2512...2513…''
''geez…. Youre so noisy….''
''Did ya say somethin'?''
''Please don't be grumpy on me just because Hiro's feeling down…''
''Its not that! And youre the one who flew off, but you still had the face to come back…!'' Riza answered between breaths, then focusing back on her extreme sit-ups.
''ahh…how boring. Hime-sama just wont come out of her room. Oh~ Uchiha-san, how nice of you to join us~''
Itachi stepped out of the mansion's back door. Where the half-breed and the vampire are currently passing time.
''Good evening Reiri-san, Riza. I sensed a disturbance in the air, that's why I went out.''
''Disturbance?'' Just as both asked that, the scenery before them warped, and a portal appeared. From it came huge winged-creatures that carried what appears to be some transportation vehicles.
''That's the Royalty's-'' Reiri said, dropping her tomato juice's straw in mild surprise.
''Imperial Guards.'' Riza finished for her.
A dozen humanoid creatures stepped out of the vehicles. Like bulls and monkeys with human proportions & that walk on two legs. And spoke the same language fluently too.
The first one to approach, er, block their way is Riza.
''Youre arresting Hime?!''
''For the crime of deploying zombies.'' The one with the different uniform formally replied, presenting the written warrant of arrest.
''You guys have it all wrong! It wasn't Hime! It was some other member of the royalty!'' Riza defended, getting more aggressive.
''Step back, werewolf! We must do our job.''
The red-haired always have a temper. Before the tension further increases, the princess stepped-out of the mansion and coolly agreed to go along. He's not sure if the captain wishing for her luck is sincere or just a guard's etiquette. Either way, it made him feel a bit better about accepting the princess' offer if outside parties respects her this well.
Hiro came just in time too to see his master go. They watched as they enter the vehicle and departed away. His red eyes intently watching the portal while no one was looking at him.
''How long till an escort will come for us?''
''umm…Hime said a day after tomorrow.''
''After tomorrow, eh? So… chance to tell us somethin bout' yourself, Itachi! Wanna spar with me?''
''Such an unrefined way of introductions, as expected of a bitch~~ want to have tea with me instead~?''
Those two never got along ever since hes met them. He hoped it was only friendly bickering. Like a sculpture-pyromaniac-artist and a puppet master hes familiar with. Or a jashinist constantly complaining about an orange-masked man, claiming he annoys him.
During the day of her absence, he get to know more about his very few housemates. He inquired about the princess' other blood warriors & was sceptical about the answers he received. Hiros the longest with Hime as far as they know. And nothing else before she took residence in this human world. They also openly told him of how they come to live under Hime's roof.
Riza sticks with Hime to take vengeance in behalf of her deceased brother. A former royal guard to Hime when one of her siblings used him against her. Hime defeated his brother, but his brother chose to betray to protect Riza. He instinctively thought of Sasuke.
Reiri has nowhere else to go since she was banished from amongst her race for helping the princess and cooperating with a werewolf, a vampire's natural sworn enemy.
And Hiro, brother to the maid of Hime's household, is an ordinary human boy whose life is plunged in the princess' fight just because he saved a beautiful stranger from a falling debris. It costed him his life and more. Itachi asked how he feels about it now. The boy shrugged, not really knowing the answer to that.
Nevertheless, he warmed-up too this boy as well. Because kindness is rare.
Of course, in turn, he has to tell his story too. Everyones assumed that he's from a different world. The proof is what Hiro described as a hole from the sky like when the Imperial Guards came. In the monster world, that only means one thing. It is a portal from another world.
''You gotta hand it to Hiro, Itachi! He practically begged Hime to resurrect you!'' said Riza, putting her feet on the tea table.
Hiro scratched his head. ''ehehe… if it wasn't for us, you wouldn't have died anyway…''
Itachi thanked him with heartfelt gratitude. What are the odds of the princess reviving a stranger without being convinced? Even without that fight, he would've succumbed to his illness anyway… He lied about not knowing where he's from. Well, its not completely a lie since his world doesn't actually possess a name. Only the 5 elemental countries are named during his era.
Then tidbits of description like it is a normal ability where he's from when Reiri asked how he jumped from tree to tree and how he moves so fast.
Of course he did get the frequently asked questions such as about his family, how old he is, when is his birthday, what he does for a living before he was brought here and does he have a girlfriend. That last one asked by the vampire herself. That topic doesn't seem to interest the half-breed and the boy too shy to ask. To these minor questions he doesn't have to lie. He doesn't know why but he felt relief not having to.
The other, more private questions like his whole history as curiously demanded by the red-haired, he has swiftly evaded. Only the vampire noticed the changed direction of topic. He kept them occupied by telling them some of the more, diverting things of his world. But very little else of his abilities and true self.
A ninja does not reveal his secrets.
''But you must be a great warrior then, to have defeated an entire army all by yourself. 'Itachi-san' may I call you that~?'' Reiri sing-songed. How interesting…I would like to have a taste of his blood~ She thought. Her days with the princess are just getting more and more interesting.
''keh! Better stay away from her, Itachi. All she wants to do is suck your blood like the untrustworthy vampire she is.''
''oh~? Stay away from that filthy dog too, because she'll piss on you like the territorial dog she is~~~''
''…''
''Whut was that?! Wanna have a go?! Ill give you another taste of my fist!''
''I would love to kick your rear end~''
''…''
''P-please you two…stop fighting….''
''…''
They certainly do remind him of a blond terrorist and a sadistic jashinist. Both were loudmouths but very with high capabilities as well.
It was a long conversation, with most of it spent by this world's residents sharing their own stories and more of this world's history. It was only forcefully stopped by the two's competition. It was an eventful day. Besides, after today he gets to have the opportunity to enter this ''underworld'' again. He looked forward that the answers of him getting back to his world would be found there.
The day their escorts finally came. And Itachi is pissed.
He doesn't show it of course.
He's frustrated that his mangekyo sharingan failed him twice.
The first time he saw that portal, his eyes were not able to see the chakra-flow it is composed of. So he thought maybe its just a minor shortcoming on his part.
But this second time, still unable to, confirmed him that not all energies in this world are chakra-based. It must be another form of energy altogether, the one that is called 'magic.'
If seeing chakra is the limit of his mangekyo sharingan, then his eyes cannot copy the performed portal.
...
When they arrived at the monster realm, he was even more dismayed at the surprises he wasn't able to anticipate. He thought the monster realm is just one compact place, like how some shinobi train from his world to be a sage. As they go along, the environment shifts in an unforeseen way.
At first it was a rainforest, then a desert in a few seconds.
Even with activated eyes, he cant see if they are entering different portals or it's the place itself that changes.
Only the giant birds carrying the vehicles know which route to take.
Without sufficient knowledge of these magic entryways, his chances of getting back to his world are getting less and less.
...
They arrived at their destination.
According to the captain, first they are to be detained at the Kingdom's Main Prison before the day of the princess' trial.
A/N: Review or rate please~~
:3
go flood, me familia~