An AU in which Chiyuki's summons is a coyote.
This is basically what all my drafts look like. I wrote this in a bout of inspiration around february of last year, but a few months after that I decided Chiyuki's summons would be something else. I did like the dialogue and the interactions between the two though, so I'm posting this as an AU. She's supposed to be around 13 here.
Warning: this is completely unedited.
I do not own Naruto.
try me
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Marui is a coyote. He is very ancient and has large chakra reserves. Has a dark sense of humor and is very straightforward and blunt. Is also a shapeshifter (?)
So the whole thing goes like this: she does the reverse summoning and finds herself falling down an endless hole. She realizes soon enough it's a test. There's a single hole that is in a different place each time the scenery loops, that's the catch. When she passes, she lands on a beautiful clearing where it's always dusk. The grass is green and healthy and there are fireflies flying around plus the sounds of many other animals. There's a river nearby.
Whoosh the coyote appears next to her, with beautiful gray fur and intelligent golden eyes. Part of his left ear is missing and there's a golden piercing on his right one. He has a few other golden ornaments, but not too much y'know. Marui is an old and suspicious summons who is stubborn and has a dark sense of humor. He's kinda like that grumpy uncle with a heart of gold that everyone has.
"What will you ask of me, child?"
"..."
"..."
"I ask for your partnership. If I call, you will help me. Likewise, if you call, I'll help."
He scoffs.
"What can a human cub like you possibly have to offer me?"
"Whatever you want, honestly." He narrows his eyes.
"That's a dangerous bargain."
"I have a lot to lose, but the people have much, much more."
"Why would you go that far for people you've never even met?"
"We live in a military dictatorship and people have little to no say in who's going to wear that hat. If you've got that much power over arguably the strongest ninja village, the least you could do is assure everyone lives in decent conditions."
"I'm assuming that doesn't happen."
He languidly lies down, crossing his front legs and resting his head on them.
"It doesn't."
"You speak ill of your own father's rule."
It's not a question.
"I do."
"How certain are you that your rule will be different?"
"I'm not certain, which is why I'll have support. Individuals who'll open my eyes when I'm unable - or unwilling - to see."
"You said yourself the military dictator is a powerful figure. How will you not get blinded by the power the position offers and push away those individuals?"
I sag, the energy suddenly dragged out of me. Marui asks me all the questions I've been afraid to address in my head, all the fears I've pushed aside.
I don't have answers for him just like I don't have answers for myself.
"I don't know. I can't tell how the future is going to be. I just want to be worthy. To walk alongside the villagers and work together to see Konoha grow and prosper. To build alliances so we won't have to send anymore children to war. To build a safe place where people can't be forced to be what they don't want to. To provide a decent lifestyle for everyone."
"You want the impossible."
"What I want is not impossible. It's extremely difficult and frustrating and it'll take years, but it's very much possible."
"You'll die trying."
I shrug, having come to the conclusion long ago.
"So be it. I want to at least set the foundation and push people in that direction so they'll be able to do it without me."
He raises his head, something like amazement and shock and revulsion in those golden eyes.
"You honestly want this."
"I do."
"You realize you don't have to do this."
"I do."
"Is this your way of following your conscience? Is it to be at peace with the knowledge you have?"
"...maybe. Probably. But it's exactly because I know what I know that I'm certain I want to do this. I know things will be fine one way or another, but why wait? Why not do what I can now?"
"Why do it?"
"Because these people are precious to me!" I finally snap, tired of this game. "They're no longer just characters out of a story. They're real and they're precious to me and if they're happy I'm happy too and I'd do anything to keep it that way."
"At what cost?"
There's a glint in his eyes I don't like.
I shrug.
"I've made peace with the fact that there'll be casualties whether I like it or not. I'll just do whatever I can to make sure it's less than it was."
"And if that involves precious ones?"
I grit my teeth, not really caring whether I can sign his contract or not. These are questions and fears I'm facing too hard too fast and I shouldn't - I can't - pretend I'm fine with all this because I'm not. Because I'm not certain about anything and I doubt myself everyday and the last thing I need is a summons who'll doubt me too.
"Then I'll deal with it. Sometimes people die for greater or lesser goods, and if I have to be the bearer of bad news - even if people come to hate me - that's okay."
I'm startled when the coyote starts to laugh loudly, a high and mocking sound and I grit my teeth.
At this point, I just want to leave this place and ignore the summons that theoretically aligns the best with me.
"You're a fool, child. You are arrogant and a hypocrite with dreams too big for your own head, but I like you."
"What."
"I could sense the exact moment you stopped wanting to sign my contract."
"So?"
He barks out another laugh.
"You passed all three tests with flying colors, cub. It's rare to see such a personality in young ones but well, I suppose you aren't exactly young now."
I say nothing, confused and frustrated and angry and in serious need of food and meditation. And a nap.
"I know you could care less for my contract now, and that's why I'll give it to you."
"Why?"
"Humans who passed the first two tests were so focused on the power they might have that they lied. They pretended to be someone they were not, some blatantly contradicting themselves without shame. You may have hated every second of our conversation, but you were always honest and spoke your feelings. I enjoyed myself thoroughly."
"Oh, great. You're into S&M."
He laughs again, but this time the sound is lighter.
"I like you, cub. I like you a lot. I get the feeling we'll get along wonderfully."
"I'm not sure I want to sign the contract."
"You went through all this trouble to leave both of us empty handed?"
"It sounds like you're gonna be more trouble than it's worth."
"I'm usually nicer than this."
"Don't lie."
"Who are you to tell me what to do?"
"Your freaking summoner."
He laughs yet again, and I get the feeling this isn't gonna be so fun.
.
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OMAKE:
"I'll be nice and let you know in advance: I can reverse summon myself whenever I want."
"What."
"I'll also always know whenever you're in distress and/or at risk, whether we're on the same plane of existence or not."
"What."
"In those cases, if you don't summon me for whatever reason, I will summon myself and we will have a talk after I've saved your hairless ass."
"What. Why."
"Coyotes are monogamic for a reason."
"Ew."
"Not like that, foolish cub. Our trust is hard earned and hard kept."
"Oh."
"You've become something precious to me the moment you stopped wanting to sign my contract, ironically enough. You're the first to do so in two centuries."
"Ah."
"Coyotes are also solitary beings for a reason."
"That's some responsibility right there."
"You can handle it."
"Can I summon you whenever? Like, just to chat?"
"Cub, I expect you to do that."
"How much chakra do you require to be summoned?"
"At your current state? About one fourth of your reserves, but I can use my own chakra to keep myself on your dimension."
"Cool. What else can you do?"
"I'm a millennial shapeshifter with more knowledge than you ever hope of having and you dare ask me what else I can do?"
"Yes. That's what I'm asking."
He gives me a grin.
"Knew I liked you, cub. Very well."
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Funnily enough, Chiyuki's actual summons is completely different from Marui.