Chapter 4

The color of reddish yellow mixed together and if hot enough, provides a color of water, as if mocking whomever stares at it. It could exterminate a neighborhood, a community of trees, or even a mansion…

Fire.

The antiques, the wooden bed frame, the cabinet, the doors, everything besides the foundation is covered in the magnificent color of fire. The thousands of knowledge hidden away in shelves, under the staircase, in the attic, the basement. Burned. Never to be read again. Priceless paintings, silver dishes, nostalgic figurines from amazing adventures. Ashes.

It all felt unreal.

To have everything that her father and mother gathered tossed into the pits of hell. What made it worse, all she could do is sit and hide. The white, closet door in front of her and the cool feeling of the door knob in her hand, oh how she dread to walk outside it. To escape the safe haven of her 'secret place'. Her parents would never guess here. You see, young Ashley is a little girl who had very special parents. Her parents had the ability to cause terrifying yet beautiful magic.

One of the best, actually at doing it.

But being the best, always brings trouble. You can't live a healthy life if you ever wished to be the best. You can't be a talented mage if you don't sought blood-chilling enemies. People who can turn your spine upside down. Some who can steal your breath away merely from a glance. Her mother would always tell Ashley to avoid people like these. The words would echo in her head every now and then. The troubling nostalgia of remembering it.

"Ashley, darling, someday there would come a time that…" there was a painful look on her mothers face, but she carried on strongly, "…when bad things happen to mommy and daddy and you would think that it's unfair."

Ashley would pull her mothers hand and beg her to play with her, "Mom, c'mon lets play! You and daddy are going to be fine. There's no one out there that can beat you two."

"There is…" Her mother hesitantly replied, "Mommy and daddy created a lot of enemies sweetheart. And it wasn't always…we weren't always in the right. You see, when a person's hatred is born from revenge. They can be a really formidable enemy. They will do anything to grow up and be beautiful, be strong, be smart and it'll just be to get revenge. If something were to happen to me or daddy, you have to promise me you won't be like that."

"Mommy stop talking silly…N-nothings going to happen to you."

"ASHLEY!" her mother's angered, tired voice bellows out and surprises young Ashley. She quickly covered her ears and crouched to the floor. It took long minutes for her mother to realize she was at fault. She quickly hugged her child, embracing her with sad tears sliding down her soft worn out eyes, "Ashley. Promise me? Promise mommy you won't be like them. They may be smart, strong or even beautiful but if you look closely they're nothing but broken souls. Scarred from their head to their toe. You're different. You're different from mommy and daddy. We're strong but you'll grow up stronger. Don't waste your talents on revenge."

Ashley's eyes widened, as if she came up with a clever conclusion, "How about I stay young forever? Then you wouldn't have to leave me and you'll protect me forever. Then you wouldn't leave me. I'll have mommy and daddy with me forever, wouldn't that help mommy?"

Her mother stared into the innocent eyes of her child and knew it was no use. She could never get her ready for the moment in the foreseeable future but she still had one last wild card under her sleeve. She pulled out a small bottle filled with her own magic and forcefully made Ashley drink it. The nasty look on Ashley's face, filled with confusion and disgust is vivid and when her mother pulled the capsule away she sighed with relief.

"If you're ever in trouble. Call out Archer. He'll come and save you." She smiled, "Archer?" Ashley wiped her lips, trying to get the disgusting liquid from her tongue, "Who's archer?"

Her mother smiled, remembering things from back then, "He's…an old friend of mine." And with that, Ashley didn't question no more.

"She's going to have to stay for a night here in the infirmary. When she's ready, I'll call you." The kind nurse told Naruto.

Naruto nodded and walked out the door. Having Louise not by his side, even if at times she can be annoying, felt empty. He sighed and crossed his hands behind his head, looking forward at the girls dorm. A young girl with red hair sat on a bench looking at him.

"It's the girl from Louise's class." Naruto muttered under his breath.

The girl didn't keep her eyes off him, instead she had a smile when she realized it was him. Her body moved from the bench in a seductive manner but it was put to shame by the way she walked to him. Naruto for some reason stopped. He didn't know why but the girl had an alluring look to her, "Hello there, big boy…" she hisses, touching his neck with her soft, warm hands.

Her breasts were busty, far too big for a school student. He had only seen the works of this once.

"You must be Kirche." Naruto said to her and quickly made distance.

It's not that he didn't find her attractive. It's the fact that he found her attractive that he would have to be careful. Kirche nodded, as if her name was common knowledge. And without knowing it. Naruto found her on his neck in a split second, resting her chest against his back. He swore she was just in front of him.

How was she able to move that quickly?

"Two years of having boys at my feet." She answered Naruto's thought.

"Is that even possible?!" Naruto yelped, trying to avoid his instincts.

"It's much better if you learn to give in."

Naruto shook her off, not violently since he was enjoying it~

"What do you want Kirche? If you have experience with boys then you don't need me."

"Nonsense. I'm done with boys." She advanced, like a python ready to strike, "I want to play with men now."

Naruto shuddered. This girl was much better than he though. He tried to go offensively, "You better be careful for what you wish for."

She snickered, "Give me your best shot." And with that, lunged on him. For the sake of not falling into temptation. Naruto did a quick jutsu and his body disappeared into two.

He grabbed his clone and pushed him to her, "Here, play with this." He yelled, running away. The clone looked back, "You coward!" he said to the running Naruto.

It took Naruto a minute for his clone to pop. He didn't know what Kirche did to make the clone pop but he left the scene miles ahead. It's a good thing too. He didn't want to take Louis's chakra for long. She might need it to rest up and heal. But it still bothered him that the clone popped so quickly. A long time ago it was weak and would pop from the weakest attacks but Naruto grew stronger so the clone shouldn't have been disposed of so quickly.

It could be because the girl is a sex fiend. Had she really used the clone to it's out most limits in one minute? It kind of excited him.

He stopped running and got to a walking pace again. It's bad because he can't return to the dorms until he's sure she's no longer there. He decided to walk around a bit. A little sight seeing never hurt anybody.

Or so he thought.

Naruto thought he heard something behind him. The sound of wings flapping, cutting through the wind in sharp motions. He looked up and his eyes widened.

The image of a dark beast roaming the skies frightens him near to death and he takes shield under a tree, "What the hell is that thing?!" Naruto asked no one. He didn't notice he walked right out of school grounds and into the forest until this thing showed up.

The dragon swooped down edging so close to his body that Naruto sprang from the trees and into the night. The dragon followed keeping up with Naruto and the two sped at top speed. Naruto still didn't want to use any of his jutsu's. He was afraid it might effect Louise in some way.

He ran, glaring at this ferocious beast. The monster merely stared back. The fear Naruto once possessed was destroyed as pride came along to take it's place. The only person he had ever lost to in a head-to-head physical challenge was Rock-Lee. He didn't count Sasuke because that was when they were too young. Naruto easily beats Sasuke at physical ability. Sasuke's strong suit is Justu's.

Naruto thought if he loses to this dragon now. It would be a dishonor to Rock-Lee. He can't allow himself to be easily beaten.

Naruto felt his sweat disappear in the wind. He ran so fast that his body could barely handle it. The wind pushed too hard against him but it was little to Naruto's will power. Whenever the dragon would get a one up on him. Naruto would force himself to move faster. It didn't look like the dragon was treating this as a race. It felt more like…it was trying to warn him.

"Oh…" Naruto slipped out. His legs no longer were on the ground. He looked below him to find sharp rocks below him. It looked like he was so focus on his race that he had forgotten to look ahead. Even then. He refused to use Louise's chakra. If not for her own good but his as well. He looked around and a blinding speed burst behind him.

The dragon that had once been Naruto 's enemy moves in unimaginable speed. It didn't take long for Naruto's feet to touch something and he found himself on a harness on the dragons back. A girl with blue hair looks at him. Her glasses slightly falling from her nose, "You must be Naruto…Louise's familiar." She said to him, nonchalantly.

Her face had no emotions. Naruto had given her such a hard time yet she doesn't even mention it. The girl pulled out a book in front of her and looked at Naruto, "You made me lose my page."

"Your page?" Naruto looked at the book, "…I'm sorry?"

The girl looked no more into the matter and slid the book back into it's case. She grabbed the harness and without warning, shoots straight into the air. Luckily enough. Naruto had already grabbed on to the girl before the thing lifted itself into the sky.

It looked beautiful. Thousands of stars glittering in the sky. It worked well with the great, bright moon. The wind also felt good. Naruto had never felt this kind of exhilaration before, "W-whats your name?" Naruto asked as the dragon finally came to a normal speed. He could also see the school from here. Now that he could see it from this view, it was pretty impressive. The size was of a village, slightly bigger than Konoha.

The girl didn't answer until they finally reached the school. Faculty members and curious passer-by students stood awaiting him. The faculty members of course were angry but amazed at the spectacle Naruto displayed, "Never in my days did I see a human keep up with a dragon. You are truly amazing." Jean Colbert complimented. Even the weird old man gave a impressed look.

"Tabitha."

Naruto heard a tiny voice mutter. He looked beside him and found out the girl was still here, "Eh?! I didn't feel your presence at all. How did you do that?"

"My name is Tabitha." And with that. The girl quickly jumped unto the back of her Dragon and soared into the skies.

Jean Colbert lead Naruto safely inside the Dorms without having Kirche get involved. The look in her eyes as they passed still brought shivers down his spine. It looks like she's far from satisfied by a mere clone. When they finally reached the doors. Naruto thanked him and entered. The room really did feel empty without it's owner. He always looked at the bed, ready to see her sleeping there peacefully.

"What did I get myself into…" Naruto smiled, thinking that not a long time ago he was a bitter old security guard.

R/R