A/N: I am alive!
Somehow, this surged past 1,000 hundred reviews very quickly while I was recovering, so here we are, ANOTHER early update!
Feedback really does kick me into high gear; if this chapter gets a good reception as well, then I'll do my best to update early once more, as I've been consistently doing for weeks now. Do let me know! In other news...
...I wanted to thank everyone for their support.
I slept for a good bit of the last five days after that collapse.
Needless to say it threw off my update schedule. I'm mostly recovered now, although with more appointments -blech- coming up quite soon.
In other news, its my birthday~! Another year older, another year wiser...and now I finally have a PS5, meaning I can FINALLY play Baldur's Gate 3 and Honkai...once I finally get the bloody things downloaded. That might take a bit, seeing as my internet is slow as hell on this old router of mine, but I'll get around to it eventually.
That's one nice thing about being older, I suppose. Lots of friends to celebrate your birthday with. Naturally, I count you, my readers, among them.
In other news, Slifer and Advent really stepped up these last three days; Advent's helping crank out more chapters for "Worthy" and "Dance of the Dread" and soon to be "Foxfire" while Slifer's working on "A Golden Soul" and the like.
I'm aiming to get back to "Apples and Atoms" "Doctor of Demons" then "What Could Have Been" along with my other categories. "Shed No Grace On Me" is also calling my name..
With my sixteenth-year-anniversary on this site rapidly approaching, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. Feels like everyone's lost their minds sometimes. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
And remember, as stated prior, the names for Naoya's brothers are:
Naome (Eldest Son)
Natsuo (The Middle Child)
Natoshi (Second Youngest Before Our Boy, Now Very Much Dead)
Here we go! Lets see if anyone gets the title reference.
Now, then...here comes papa Toji!
"Powerful emotions are the driving source of evolution, I find.
Be it a human or cursed spirit, that much is true.
We all have things that spur us onward.
Hatred, fear, and love...
...yes, even love."
~?
Love is a Hurricane
Toji was a shitty father.
He knew this.
Really.
Sometimes he wished he didn't; because ignorance was bliss; because a better parent wouldn't have made the myriad mistakes he had; because a proper parent would've raised Tsumiki and Megumi. A good parent would have taken the brats away from Japan altogether and seen the two of them provided for like normal children no matter the cost...instead of running away like a coward.
But he just couldn't help himself.
You see, Toji Fushiguro was broken.
It wasn't his choice; he didn't choose to be. He simply was.
Despite his harsh childhood in the Zeni'n clan -hatethisplacehateithateallofit- he'd survived and escaped its treacherous grasp to live life on his own terms.
He'd even fallen in love not once, but twice.
In hindsight, it probably would have been better if he hadn't.
Love was a weakness. Love was a hurricane. Love made you...vulnerable.
His first wife, Akane, mysteriously fell ill and passed on shortly after giving birth to his son, Megumi. He suspected foul play at the time, couldn't find any evidence of a killer, much less poisoning. She'd perished in his arms and he was suddenly left with a baby boy he had no idea how raise; a child who made him wince everytime he looked at him, because he reminded him so much of his mother.
So he tried to find another woman, and against all odds, succeeded.
His second wife, Keiko, Tsumiki's mother, had been good to him, though she already had a kid of her own. Bit of a sharp tongue on that one, but she liked him and was good with Megumi. Better yet, she wasn't a sorcerer. She was...just a normal person. Feisty and not afraid to smack him with a frying pan if he said something crass, but normal.
Normal...yeah, normal was good.
He had a few good years with her. Happy years. Even now, he still didn't truly understand what happened to her. She just...up and vanished one day. Disappeared off the face of the earth without so much as a trace. There had been nothing leading up to it. No argument, no goodbye, not nothing. Her abrupt departure tore a hole in his already fractured heart because, to this day, he didn't know what happened to her.
Somehow, that was even worse.
Not knowing if she was alive or dead had been a torment all its own.
Once again, his suspicions were roused. Was someone stalking the ones he loved?
Would they come for Megumi and Tsumiki next? The thought had terrified him at the time. You see, in the end, it wasn't the Zeni'n Clan that broke Toji, though they began the process long ago. No, it was losing the people he loved that shattered him so. He couldn't bear the idea of losing a third wife the way he'd lost Akane and Keiko.
So he'd reacted the only way he knew how. He just...stopped caring again. Ceased.
Switched himself off, left Megumi and Tsumiki behind -to keep them safe!- and resolved to live without respecting himself or anyone else. After all, no one could hurt him if he didn't have anything left to lose now? Perhaps that wasn't the best logic but it was the only one he knew, the one thing that had helped him survive before. And for awhile there, things had been good. Folks might be able to hurt Fushiguro the Father, but they couldn't touch Toji the Sorcerer Killer.
Damn Naoya for making him feel again; for making him care.
The kid had done more than worm his way into his black heart, he'd gone there and brought property. Prime real estate. In only a few short years he'd become something of a second son to him. There, he said it. Happy now? He'd never tell him that. Little shit was already rocking an ego and he didn't need anyone else feeding it.
But this?
He'd gone too far.
In summary! Toji was not happy.
Result! Toji Zeni'n came barreling in the Clan Compound like a human hurricane a day after he received the news.
The first guard he encountered experienced a chronic case of death via a broken everything as the Sorcerer Killer used the man's brutalized body to batter down the gate. Once inside, a second sentry made the massive mistake of challenging him. He wouldn't stop shouting, so he tore their head clean off. A third took one look at his fallen comrades and ran shrieking for reinforcements.
Good.
He wanted them to know he was coming.
After all, he wasn't here for an audience with Naobito, but Naoya.
He found the brat in his office at his desk, enjoying a hefty bowel of...was that ramen? No, focus up!
"Finally back, are you?" he waved an errant hand in his direction. "I was wondering when you'd come around. Please keep it down. Maki and Mai are sleeping off a ten mile run...
Toji hissed out a breath. "I told you to watch them."
"I did." Naoya continued eating, utterly at his ease, the little shit. "No thanks to your absence."
Toji stomped forward and slammed his hands down on the table. "How is dragging them into the Zeni'n clan without telling me your idea of watching them?!"
"You were away for six months and made me swear a binding vow to look after them while you were gone." Naoya didn't look away from his ramen. "This way, they're looked after. You're welcome by the way. Megumi was skeptical at first, but he's finally started settling in. As has Tsumiki. I kept my promise."
Toji absolutely twitched. "She's here, too...?"
Why wouldn't she be?" his chopsticks flitted forth, savaging the bowl once more. "They're siblings. It would be be cruel to separate them."
Enough! His temper sparked and flipped the table in his face, only for the brat to snatch the bowl out of the air and bring it into his lap. "Tsumiki doesn't even have a cursed technique!"
"She does." here at last, his nephew looked at him. "She doesn't realize it herself, but its very impressive. Downright scary, even.
Horror dawned deep within Toji. "No. No, that's not true. That impossible...
Tsumiki couldn't have one. Her mother was normal. So how...
"I don't care about that!" the declaration sounded false, even to his own ears. "Its too dangerous for them to be here right now and you know it!"
Naoya granted him a languid blink. "If you don't care, then why do you look like you wanna tear my head off?
He seized him by the scruff of the neck. "Don't tempt me, you little-
A hand grabbed his wrist...but it didn't belong to Naoya.
"Release my Master."
The air twisted beside Toji and a young woman emerged from a portal...no, wait she wasn't human at all.
She might look the part, but even he could see that her cursed energy was through the roof.
Hells, the very space around her almost seemed to shimmer.
Whomever she was, she was tall, clad in skintight little black number of a dress, left open at the shoulders, inviting a tempting glance at her full bosom while bearing matching sleeves and leggings, the latter granting him a generous glimpse at her thighs. He didn't deny that she was be was beautiful, all pale skin, her eyes a piercing shade of amber with strange pupils. Someone had carved a red sigil into her forehead, but even that paled in comparison to her long flowing hair, caught somewhere between a light shade of violet and lavender.
And she was glaring at him. If looks could kill, he'd be long dead.
A Grade One-no...wait, was this thing a Special Grade?! How had he...?!
"Medusa," Naoya chided, "be nice. You'll start molting again. Toji is a friend."
"Is that so?" She let him go with a hiss, fangs flashing, hair lifting around her like it was alive. He glimpsed the serpents a moment later. "He isn't acting like one."
Concern rose within him. "Why on earth do you have a Special Grade Curse calling you Master?" his voice piqued in disbelief. "What in blazes did you get up to while I was away?!"
"In short?" Naoya knocked his bowl back with a grunt, drained the last of the broth within, and set it aside. "My idiot brothers tried to kill me while you were away. That was almost a year ago now...
An ugly realizations struck him just then. "You had this all planned out, didn't you?
"I anticipated you being angry, yes. Medusa emerged of her own free will."
"You gave her a name?!"
Naoya shrugged one shoulder. "She's something of an exception. I'm not in the habit of naming Cursed Spirits. She's special. As to how she reached this level that quickly...
He explained what he'd done with her, which only left Toji all the more aghast.
Did he not understand? Names had meaning in this world. Power. Giving a proper name to a Cursed Spirit did something to them. No one was quite sure what, but there could be no denying that those with "names" were among the more powerful ones. Just take a look at those back in the Heian era, the golden age of jujutsu. There had been some awful monsters back then or so he'd been told. Was this kid trying to create an army? Did he have any idea what that would look like to the higher ups?"
"So you're just feeding your fingers to Cursed Spirits now?" he glared down at the baffling boy, trying not to throttle him again. "What are you, the next Sukuna or something?"
For some reason, that made the boy flinch and touch a hand to his head. "He really doesn't like when you talk about him like that.
Toji's brain fizzled. "He? Is there someone else in here?"
...Well, remember that mission I mentioned?"
"Yeah, what about it?" Why did he have a bad feeling about this? "You're losing me here, kid."
Naoya held up a small slender wrapped object for him to inspect.
Medusa hissed hungrily at the sight of it.
Toji's throat went dry. "You did not."
"I didn't eat any of his fingers...
"Good-
...I just have his voice in my head." Naoya finished, beaming.
Words could not even begin to express his exasperation in this moment.
Toji flung up his hands. "I left you alone for six months! One hundred and eighty days! How did you accomplish all this in such a short time?!"
"Hey, hey!" His pupil flung up a hand of his own to ward him off. "None of it would've happened if my brother hadn't tried to off me on my first mission!"
"And where is this brother of yours?"
Because if he wasn't dead, Toji was about to fix that...
"Dead." the words brought him cold comfort. "I wouldn't be surprised if the other two are planning something"
They are." right, he'd come here to rage at him, but it didn't feel right, letting him get blindsided by the powers that be. "The bounty on your head's gone up, kid."
Medusa scoffed. "Pitiful human numbers. What need have we of them?"
"You're using a pitiful human shell right now missy, so be nice." Naruto chided her before his gaze swung back to him. "She has a point, though...should that concern me?"
"It should." Toji choked down his anger long enough to thump the boy on the head. "Listen, you should be concerned. I'm not the only big fish around here." when that didn't seem to get through to him, he held up his phone, revealing the exact bounty in question. "You're going to have some heavy hitters coming after you. Some of them are even on par with me."
...ah." Here at last, a flicker of concern carried through the whiskered blond's smiling visage. "Is that why you're so worried?"
"Of course I'm worried! You promised to look after the kids, but if you've got these bastards after you, its not SAFE-
"It would be safer if you stuck around!
Panic bleated through his mind. "Is that your angle? I can't. That would be even worse."
Medusa clicked her tongue, the first sound she'd made in quit some time. "You're strong, but your cowardice does you no credit."
Something stilled in him. "What are you saying?"
Naoya steepled his fingers. "We're saying the choice has been taken from you."
The door swung open behind him with a resounding crash, cutting Toji's impending diatribe short.
"Oi. someone drawled behind them. "There you are, shitty old man...
Toji tensed furiously, to no avail. He'd been seen. "Aw, hell.
He knew Megumi's voice by now. Knew it all too well.
And then it got worse for him. So much worse.
He heard a quavering voice. "Daddy...?"
Not Tsumiki, too! Anyone but her!
An awful thought struck him.
He'd stayed away to protect the brats, but also for himself. He'd both selfless and selfish, yeah, but at the time he thought it was the right thing for all parties involved. They were better off without him. Yet even without turning around, his enhanced senses betrayed him. He could hear Megumi furiously gritting his teeth, hear the pain in Tsumiki's voice, her tiny little sobs as she cried. Even her tears, hitting the ground. As such, he didn't turn around. He couldn't he absolutely did not dare, but still, that thought from before nagged at him...
.
..
...am I the bad guy, here?'
Tsumiki lunged forward and latched onto his leg. He felt her do it, couldn't bring himself to let go.
"Why?"
He winced and mumbled a halfhearted reply. "Why, what...?"
"Why did you leave?!" each word tore down his resolve, piece by painful piece. "Why won't you turn around?" Because he was afraid. "Why won't you look at us?" Because he was terrified. "Did we do something wrong?"
Not them. They were good kids. They never did anything wrong. He was proud of them. He...!
"...!" he covered his eyes with one hand and made a strangled, not trusting himself to speak in this moment.
His daughter -urk!- kept babbling and crying. "Was I bad? I'll be better! Just look at us, please!"
Toji tried to speak. Tried to save himself. "Naoya-
"NOPE!"
A rush of wind blew through the room, briefly distracting him from years of child neglect.
He looked over his shoulder only to find Naoya long gone, and Medusa with him.
Brad had thrown himself out the window.
Traitor!
Alay, alas, Toji Fushiguro had no more time for such selfish thoughts or sass.
Because you see, Megumi stormed right up to him, circled round...
...no. No way. Surely he wasn't going to...
He was gonna.
...his son kicked him hard in the groin.
Stars burst before his vision. Ouch! His kid could really kick!
(.0.0.0.)
Gojo got one look at the tearfest through the window and took three long steps backward.
Maybe...today wasn't the best day to torment the kiddos.
Still, that Toji guy looked awfully familiar...
(.0.0.0.)
"That went smoothly, didn't it?"
Mei Mei was waiting for Naruto just outside, smug as ever.
Ordinarily, Naruto found that smirk of hers attractive; yet another reason to woo her when he was older. But now...
"You!" He stabbed a finger at her.
"Me?" She tilted her head, hair concealing one eye. "Aren't you happy to see your dear teacher?"
"Youuuu!" He stomped forward and rammed said finger into her stomach, drawing a rare yelp from her; apparently she was ticklish-no! Focus! "You, and you, and you!" When she withdrew he advanced jabbing her again until she jolted like the young girl she no longer was. "Why did you tell Gojo about the kids?!"
"Did I do that? I-aha!" she tilted her head, stifling a laugh as he got her again. "I don't recall-
Naruto conjured Playful Cloud into his hand and hefted it with intent.
"Repeat. Those. Words."
"Nevermind," she amended quickly, realizing he wasn't in the mood for jokes. "Its all coming back to me now. Gojo asked me to keep an eye on you while he was away. That was when I noticed your little...altercation and acquisition. Did you really expect me to keep something like that under wraps?"
That was all well and good but it begged the question:
He flicked a scowl her way. "And the higher ups?"
"I didn't say a word to them."
Well someone did!" he stomped past and sure enough, she followed in his wake. "I know the Zeni'n clan wasn't involved on that front; I've got eyes on all the clan elders and most of the younger generation sides with me these days. Which means it might be my bastard brothers...
He wouldn't put it past them to try and weaken his position in the clan; but the joke was on them. The elders would be overjoyed to have the Ten Shadows Technique back in the fold. They might take some issue with poor Tsumiki, given neither he nor her had revealed her Cursed Technique yet, though...he'd have to sort that out before any of the old fogies got ideas.
"From now on you report to me, first.
"My, my, Naoya. How bold. Whyever would I-
He jumped up and slapped a wad of cash against her bosom.
-thank you for your patronage." it was almost frightening how swiftly she changed gears, let alone snatched the money to cup his cheek. "You're going to be very handsome when you grow up, Naoya." he didn't miss the calculating gleam in her eye. "I think you jut might make my little brother jealous."
"You have a brother?
"Sorry," she winked his way. "I charge extra for personal information. Ask when you're older."
"Greedy bitch."
A giggle was both his reward and warning. "Surly disciple. Speaking of which-
His hand swept up, catching her axe before should send him flying again.
Mei Mei's grin grew. "Good boy...shall we begin here, then?
She worked him to the bone that day.
(.0.0.0.)
They were surrounded by fools.
Idiots, ingrates and imbeciles the lot of them.
Of all the worlds to live in why, WHY, oh why did it have to be this one filled with fools?!
Were the gods laughing at him? Was this some grand cosmic joke? If so he failed to see the punchline. No, the only thing he wanted to punch right now were the idiots keeping him fed. But what choice did he have? There was nowhere else to go. He'd been born into this and he was shackled into it until he found what he was looking up.
"Oi, Hyuuga!" an annoying voice tugged them from their thoughts. "Wake up, you damn dog! We Got another job for you!"
He detached himself from the wall with a yawn and a rather put-upon sigh. "What is now?"
"Bounty on the kid's gone up." one of his employers held up a phone. "Ya want in?"
"Kid...?" Pale eyes looked down at the device in question. Squinted at it.
Widened now as he beheld the image within.
With trembling palms, he plucked the phone from the man's grasp, ignoring the noise his so-called handler made.
That face. Those eyes. His...his smile. The same smile that had saved him so long ago.
There could be no mistake.
"Naruto...?"
"Ha?" his agent scowled. "The kid's name is Naoya not Na-
Two taut fingers stove in his skull right between the eyes, buried to the knuckle.
His "boss" fell back with a startled gurgle and imploded, spattering everyone with blood.
The world fell silent in shock.
Neji palmed his face and barked a low, bitter laugh.
"I wish I could say I'm sorry...actually, wait. I'm not. I quit."
Smiling, he whirled and drove his hand through another man's throat, carving it out with a flick of his wrist. His victim crumpled to the ground, clutching at their ruined windpipe. One touch. One kill. His comrades lurched back in surprise, for all the good it did them. Even as they struggled to draw their weapons he weaved in among them, seamlessly striking without a sound.
Lungs.
Heart.
Throat.
Kidneys.
Stomach.
The people in this era were just so squishy; all it took was a single touch to kill them. A spike of chakra to their vitals ensure they imploded quite messily. They all died before a single one could pull a weapon on him, and he gave their deaths all the afterthought which is to say none at all. His former curse user comrades died as they lived. Messily.
Cradling the phone and its image in a bloody hand, he walked out of the place he once called home.
Neji Hyuuga never looked back.
Not a once.
(...Miles Away...)
A dying curse user wailed out his last breaths as he found himself crushed against an alleyway wall.
"Please...mercy...!" he rasped, flailing at the hand crushing his throat. "I didn't know...!"
His killer didn't relent. Their grasp only tightened. There was no mercy.
"Don't blame me," his dying visage reflected dimly against a pair of jet-black sunglasses as his killer towered over him. "Blame the one who put a price on your head and the one who made me hunt you down." Those firm fingers clenched around his windpipe, rendering all protests mute. "You insulted "her" and now its time to pay the price."
His prey tried to speak, but all that emerged was a gasp.
"Its too bad, really." The towering man adjusted his shades with a free hand, briefly revealing dead, empty eyes within. "You're quite strong despite that weak will of yours; you should be proud. Its unfortunate that you have to die now, but I will honor your with 30% of my power as a parting gift."
The man's opponent -no, they were only his victim now- blanched in horror. "Wait!"
He did not. A powerful fist scythed down into their face.
Blood spattered the alley wall behind him.
All the world went a grisly red.
He dropped their corpse.
"Not even the best of contracts justifies killing as cruelly as I've just done." he gazed down at the pulverized corpse and bowed his head as he knelt to retrieve his green jacket. "My apologies."
The corpse didn't respond of course-they never did.
How boring.
Weak, the lot of them.
This bounty wasn't a challenge, either.
None of them ever were. They were, each of them, lacking.
Perhaps that Zenin boy would prove himself a worthy opponent.
(.0.0.0.)
The very next day, Naoya, Maki, and Mai Zeni'n each received an invitation from the esteemed Kamo clan.
And just like that, a new chapter of their life began. Although in hindsight...
They really should've refused that invitation...
A/N: Aaaaaand cut!
Kamo Clan arc begins next chapter.
We'll call it there for today this time, I think.
Honestly did anybody get that Yu Yu Hakusho reference?
Nobody at all? Guess that's another sign of just how old I am...T_T
That said, would you like weekly updates? Do you want this to remain a story?
Yes? No? Maybe so? Make yourselves heard! Really need to hear from you, here. Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself isn't popular? Well...I'll not continue it. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy.
So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly? Hope you enjoy the previews.
We've got some new ones and some are...intense.
They've been expanded and then some!
I cut down on them to not spoil things.
Read at your own risk:
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING~!
SPOILERS AWAIT THEE~!
YE BE WARNED~!
(Previews)
I humbly present the esteemed lady of the Kamo clan...
Lady? She was just a kid! Like him!
But her eyes...
"Oh! Fancy meeting you here. You're that Zeni'n boy, right?"
I'm going to say yes. Against my better judgement...
"Great! Then I have just one question for you. What kind of woman is your type?"
Naruto blinked. He blinked hard.
"Ha?"
"Oh, him?" she patted the man's arm. "He's nice. He protects me."
"You will come with us."
Mai ripped her revolver from her belt and began loading the chamber with bullets.
"Did you not hear me, child?!"
"Hush." she held up a finger. "Almost done."
Her task complete, she closed the chamber and pointed her pistol their way.
"One of these six bullets is special." she smiled, mimicking a shit-eating grin she'd once seen Naoya use. "You feeling lucky punk?"
She mentally pumped a fist.
Yes! She finally got to use that line!
No way was she wasting his gift on a scrub of a kidnapper.
"Listen. That technique of yours is powerful, sure, but its also risky. And I told you to call me Gojo-senpai~!"
"I categorically refuse! Does it matter anyway? You have your Limitless, I have my Creation of All Things. We were born with these abilities."
"Maybe, but think of it like this. Dying to win and risking death to win are two completely different things. With a strong foundation, and a little bit of sense, imagination, even a pinch of regret, it just takes the slightest trigger to change a person...after all, this isn't your first life, is it, Naoya?
Wait, you know? How did you figure it out? I thought I did a good job hiding it from Maki and Mai.
You did for the most part, but its the eyes. People say eyes are the window to the soul.
Now, that we've determined that. Are you going to tell me you really are?"
Alright, fine. You win. My name, my real name is...
"Oi, now." his eyes began to glow. "That's my friend. GET YOUR FILTHY MITTS OFF HER."
"Listen to yourselves! Have you all bothered to think about what kind of person you're trying to curse?!
EDIT: Hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to your feedback~!
Hope you have a great day,
~Nz.