A/N: Still alive, still fighting, still writing somehow!
This story went and surged past 1,300 hundred reviews very quickly when I wasn't looking, 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.
Long Covid may have put a dent in me, but it hasn't beaten me.
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.
Hope folks are enjoying this little OVA arc for the Kamo clan. We've worked hard on it!
No Q&A beyond that this this time, we've words to write and time's wasting!
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, VERY Much Deceased)
Now, then...recall where we left off last chapter? After all...
Toguro pressed the Naruto button.
You shouldn'ta did that.
All the references~!
"There are three things all wise men fear. Three things that must be avoided at all costs.
The sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
But you're not angry, are you? No, surely not. You don't get angry.
At the end of the day, you're better than that. Better than them.
You see, you're a calm and reasonable person. Just like me.
...aren't you?"
~?
Calm and Reasonable
"Sooo...
Suguru palmed his face and heaved a sigh. "So what?"
Satoru tilted his head, regarding the swathe of destruction taking place below their precarious perch. "Think we should do something?"
Should they? That was the question, wasn't it?
Another tremor shook the earth.
Should they intervene?
One might argue that they should; but even so Geto winced despite himself as an acre of forest abruptly evaporated before his very eyes. Hot wind lashed at the air and the bough they were standing atop-the entire tree!-swayed violently as another savage shockwave rattled the forest. Even from way up here he could feel that twisted cursed energy; hear the sounds of destruction and the maniacal laughter that followed, the telltale noise of trampled trees and one man being beaten within an inch of his life.
Someone had made Naoya Zeni'n angry.
And now? Now? Now there would be hell to pay.
Satoru had dragged him out here to the Kamo clan on a whim, wanting to check in on their young kouhai. It was their scared duty as his Senpai he insisted, or something along those lines.
Suguru was no fool; he knew Satoru just wanted to check in on the boy.
After all, Naoya had potential, even he recognized that.
Son Goku yawned on his shoulder, momentarily claiming his attention. Such a curious creature. Its presence really was quite soothing. He patted the tiny beast in an attempt to calm it, only to find that there was no need; indeed, the little four-tailed monkey was already sound asleep; wholly at its ease.
Surely it would be distressed if its creator was actually in danger down there...?
"I mean, he seems like a calm and reasonable person right now."
Suguru shrugged one shoulder. "Its your call...
When he looked back, Gojo was gone.
A rueful smile tugged at his mouth. "Well, there's my answer."
He whipped out his cell phone.
...better call Shoko."
(.0.0.0.)
Shiki considered herself a calm and reasonable person.
After all, she'd died once before. It had not been quick. In fact it was quite painful.
One tended to lose their fear when they experienced the greatest suffering life had to offer.
She wasn't the real "Shiki" you see, but rather a remnant of her, one who had silently dwelt within the original for some time. She went by many names. The Root. The Smiling Swordswoman. The Void. And yet for all her name and power and titles, she hadn't been able to save the real Shiki that day. It should have been her that died against that awful adversary.
Yet here she was.
She alone remained, enjoying this body and her strange second childhood to the fullest.
Because she'd come to relish it, you know? Living. Small things like moonlit walks, or cold ice cream, and the books.
So many books!
She'd found a particularly entertaining one yesterday; she'd be sure to read it before bed.
Just thinking of her latest acquisition found brought a smile to the girl's lips as she sipped her tea.
From the moment she was "reborn" into this world, she'd known she was different. Her eyes were but a part of it. Like her precursor, she saw the lines of death upon every living being. And sometimes not just them but other things as well; her first demise had taken her ability and cranked it up to eleven. A flick of her knife, a twist of her blade following those awful lines, and she could sever it. There was nothing she could not cut. She was a Killer through and through, though she did not wish to be.
You see, Shiki did not enjoy fighting.
Not like Toguro. Killing was a necessary task for her.
One she was adroit and adept at, true, but an act she didn't enjoy nevertheless.
Toguro had already asked her to kill him once, you know? She remembered that day well. It was shortly after she'd bested him. She'd refused at the time and took him under her wing instead, wanting to give that poor reborn soul a reason to live, but-
A distant shockwave rattled the clan compound, spilling Shiki's tea. It spattered like blood upon her pristine white robes.
The faintest of frowns marred her delicate face as she considered the dark stain.
Oh, bother. Whatever would she do with that sorry soul?
It seemed he'd simply sought someone stronger.
Boys would be boys, even in another life.
She couldn't even bring herself to blame her fellow Reincarnator for his headlong rush into death. Toguro believed he deserved to die, even now. Shiki could sympathize. For you see, she too had once been such a lost soul; bereft, and searching for purpose. There had been a brief period -very brief!- shortly after her rebirth, when she'd wanted nothing more than death; to die and return to the cycle of life. Yes, for a time, she had despaired.
Until then she'd learned of him.
A boy who was her opposite in every way.
An ancient technique that was the very antithesis of her own.
Naoya Zeni'n and his wondrous Creation of All Things.
She had to see him; had to meet him.
Easier said than done of course; the elders of her clan were foolish old men and women stuck in their antiquated ways like so many others.
It didn't take her long to realize that the rest of the Kamo clan would never change under the Elders rule. Talking was pointless. So she took the clan from them. Pried it from their cold, dead hands. It wasn't hard. Those who didn't fall to Toguro's fists were soon silenced by her blade. Shiki took no pleasure in such wanton slaughter. Such was necessary. She killed enough to make the rest pliable to her demands.
Little Noritoshi was nice, though. She let him live.
But by the time she'd finally finished her little purge, refilled the ranks of the clan with capable sorcerers loyal to her, and commenced her plans, quite some time had passed.
And once she finally sent that fateful invitation, once Naoya Zeni'n finally presented himself before her...
...it had only been a few short hours ago, but thinking of it still stole her breath away.
The moment she'd laid eye on him, Shiki had been doubly surprised.
When his eyes met hers, she'd found herself intrigued.
First and foremost, she'd instantly realized "Naoya" was reincarnated, just like her. His soul had the distinct shape of it; that of a being too large for his body; of a flood squeezed through a faucet. She looked at him and knew his true name, as she knew all others. Her eyes saw many things, not only his power, but what he was, and what he might become. There was a shadow of something connected to him, both of him and not of him.
Curious, but nothing to concern herself with at present.
Secondly, she hadn't seen a single line on him. She could see the bonds he had forged through the years, the unseen tethers of his cursed technique stretching out from his body to all the things he'd ever created and so much more, but she couldn't sever a single one. He was a nexus, a shatterpoint, if you will. If he died, so many things would break.
And yet Shiki knew she couldn't slay him.
How very refreshing it was, to see someone she couldn't kill with a single swing of her sword.
And so she decided; if she was meant to be Death in this lifetime, then he was Life. Reincarnated just like her. He was her counterpart.
She had to have him. She must have him. She'd never wanted something so badly in all her lives.
Was this love?
Shiki wasn't sure.
She'd never felt the like before.
Even now she found herself stricken by the strange urge to find him, tie him up, and lock him in a room, just so she could have him all to herself. But no, no, she mustn't do that. He had those little cousins to look after; they were sound asleep in an adjoining room and would object most noisily if she tried to claim him for herself. Besides, he had a host of other bonds; it would not be right for her to monopolize him...no matter how much a small part of her might want to. Still, he had been gone with Toguro for some time now...
Shiki sighed and began preparing another batch of tea. She was not such a prude as to deny herself SOME entertainment.
The roof shattered overhead in a shower of splinters; it was her one and only warning.
Manic laughter followed as the shadows boiled with life.
"...!'
Shiki whirled, a knife flying from the sleeve of her kimono and into her hand.
Her foe was upon her in a whirl of steel, striking soundlessly.
Too dark to see! Who was it?!
She parried the first strike, ducked under the second, slapped aside the third, then lunged forward to strike, only for an unseen force to rip her clean off her feet and into someone's grasp. Firm fingers latched onto her throat, spun her right round and slammed her into the nearest wall.
Shiki saw stars. No more than that, she felt...pain! How long had it been since she'd felt such?
Her knife flashed out, seeking his throat, only to lodge itself harmlessly against his collarbone as her aggressor twisted aside at the last moment. An irritated crimson gaze blazed down into her blue through the shadows; even the very whites of his eyes were bloodshot with quiet fury.
"You've got guts, pulling a stunt like this." a darkly indulgent voice purred as blood dribbled onto the floor at their feet and she felt a hand push against her stomach, pressing against her intestines. "Would you like to see them?"
Moonlight spilled through the splintered ceiling, revealing the face of her attacker.
Naoya? But why was he here? Unless...?
She squinted and for a singular, awful moment, she could've sworn she saw something etched into that whiskered visage; ghastly lines, like some eldritch tattoos. His eyes were narrow, his lips peeled in a smile outright bordering on a sneer, his curse energy stifling. Dark. Furious. Vile. She couldn't breathe. This wasn't his energy. That didn't make sense. Unless...
...Oh.
Oh very dear.
Oh very, very dear indeed.
Just what had he done to himself?
No, she already knew. He'd inadvertently linked himself with something horrible.
"I am not your enemy." the words sounded hoarse, even to her ears. "I never will be." she reached out and laid a trembling hand over his. "No matter what. If my life is what you desire, if that will sate your rage, then I will gladly offer it."
But here and now, with the hand gripping her throat and a hand ready to disembowel her, Shiki felt a rare flicker of...no, not fear, but anxiety. She did not wish to die again, you see. Dying was unpleasant. Painful. "Shiki" had already perished before. She -and her Eyes- were all that remained of that stoic, surly girl. If she perished here, would even those fragments remain?
Her thoughts began to crumble as her vision darkened.
'I do not wish to die again; not in a place like this.'
His fingers bit into her throat.
'I don't wanna die here.'
The world went gray.
'I...can't...die!'
"Naruto...!"
The sound of his name-his real name!-seemed to reactivate Naoya. He heaved a short, exasperated breath and the all-encompassing pressure of his cursed energy vanished. His callous sneer eased into an annoyed frown, taking the marks with it. If she hadn't seen them for herself, if she hadn't heard that voice just now, Shiki would've wondered. Had her mind been playing tricks on her? Had she seen things just now?
But no, his ironclad grip on her throat was very real; it slackened only after a moment, much to her relief. She dropped to her knees, gasping for air.
His shadow loomed larger over her, threatening to swallow her whole. "How do you know my name?"
"I know many things." she rasped back. "Don't worry...your secret is safe with me."
He didn't look like he believed her. A pity.
"Did you know about this, then?"
"Know what?" Shiki looked up and coughed once, still massaging her trachea. "I'm afraid I don't understand the question."
"Toguro." the word damned her old friend. "He picked a fight with me and invited me to your little tournament. If that was your idea, you've got a twisted sense of humor.
Had he done that? Blast. She'd hoped to keep that a secret for another three months at least...
.
..
...no matter. The cat, as they say, was out of the bag.
Yes, she had intended to ask Naoya to attend, but as a spectator, not a contestant.
Honestly, that Toguro. She'd have to punish him for this. "I only knew that he wanted to meet you. Did he offend you somehow?"
"You could say that." Naoya crouched down before her, eyes shimmering a faint shade of gold. "Was this little contest your idea or his?"
"Me?" she climbed shakily to her feet, adjusted her robes, and pouted when she saw how dirty they were. "I dislike the idea of fighting; I'm quite fragile, I'll have you know. I only expressed a desire to meet you."
Meet him, and possibly make him hers~!
"Why?" He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her upright. "I've never met you before. Why go to all this trouble?!"
...because you complete me."
His eyes widened.
"Well, well, well!" An unfamiliar voice crooned. "An unexpected love confession! You don't hear those everyday~!"
Shiki jolted and jolted hard. She knew who would be there even before she pivoted; only one entity could just...appear like this.
"You wouldn't happen to be bothering my adorable little Kouhai now, would you?" The newcomer planted their feet, tucked Maki and Mai's unconscious bodies -when had he retrieved them?!-under one arm and tugged down their glasses, revealing prismatic blue eyes. "Because that would make me angry...and you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
Satoru Gojo.
His presence was not unexpected here.
Still, his timing was most inconvenient. If he'd just waited...
.
..
...it was no use. She coul already d see the standoff forming between them.
Three titans from the Three Great Clans stood their ground, each capable of creating untold chaos.
How nostalgic. Why, this rather reminded of her something from her past when she'd confronted other powerful individuals. Such as-
"Gojo!" Naoya -Naruto!- rounded on Satoru and broke the impasse before she could recall. "You have awful timing, you know that? Where were you earlier?"
"Watching~!" the older boy grinned. "You looked like you had the situation well in hand, but we've got a bunch of Sorcerers incoming, so I figured it was time to leave."
So the reinforcements were coming after all. Unfortunate. They must've sensed her fluctuating cursed energy. It seemed the time for talk was over. Shiki tried to salvage the situation the only way she knew how. Politely. "Its a pleasure to finally meet you, Lord Gojo-
"Is it, now?" His smile was so very sharp. "Because I'm not feeling very pleased." in a single seamless movement he pivoted and planted his hand on Naruto's shoulder, yanking him backward. "Time to go, Naoya~! I'll give you and the brats a ride back to the Zeni'n clan, free of charge."
The blond blanched. "You mean teleportation, don't you?
Gojo grinned. "Is there any other way to travel?"
"Damn Six Eyes. Don't send us ahead first-
The air flickered as they both vanished. Shiki dared to release a breath-
-right until Satoru Gojo reappeared right before her alone and thrust a finger in her face.
Shiki tried to speak, only for her throat to close up. Anything she might've said withered and died on her tongue. Naoya's pressure had been intense before but this? This was terrifying; it felt like the sky itself was pressing down on her shoulders, trying to crush the very life from her lungs. She couldn't think. Couldn't move. Couldn't even breathe.
So this was it, then.
The moment of her death.
...how terribly sad. She hadn't even kissed a boy.
Shiki closed her eyes sucked in a sharp breath and prepared for oblivion.
A moment passed.
Then another.
Another.
.
..
...why wasn't she dead yet?
She dared to creak an eye open.
A blur of motion dominated her vision. "GOJO CHOP~!"
True to form, Satoru brought his hand crashing down atop her head in a devastating strike. It didn't hurt so much as it did sting and a small girlish part of herself Shiki didn't even know she possessed cried out; so too did an unladylike yelp escape her lips as she jerked back, clutching her skull. "What was that for?!"
"For getting too big for your britches," he sang merrily. "I'll deal with you later, missy."
Thus declaring, he vanished with a grin, laughter ringing in his wake.
Shiki slumped to her knees, heart hammering in her chest.
'Well! That was bracing! Let's never do that again!'
She sat there and waited for quite some time, willing her frantic heart to calm.
Eventually, the door swung open and another shadow fell over her.
"Did you have a nice chat Toguro?"
Her battered bodyguard sighed "...I'm assuming they've already left.
Shiki fought down a rare twitch of anger. Was that all he had to say? "Indeed they have. They came by to talk talk with me, you know." here at last, she glared at him. "Naoya and Satoru were quite cross thanks to your antics tonight. I got the fright of my life."
...my apologies."
She lobbed a book at him. It bounced off his skull.
He accepted her rebuke in silence, undaunted as ever. "Do you think they've realized what the prize is?"
"I believe Naruto suspects." she relented with one last small scowl at the man who had caused her so much trouble tonight. "As for Gojo...who can say?"
"I still don't think either of them are worthy of you. Or anyone for that matter."
Silly man. Even now he placed her upon a pedestal few could reach.
She wasn't worthy of such.
"That will be my choice to make and mine alone." she drew herself up with a languid sigh and considered the ruined roof; that would require repairs, yet for now she girlishly delighted in the moonlight. "I appreciate your input, but my choice remains unchanged.
It should be entertaining.
"Don't you see?" She smiled softly, just for him. "Its in our cursed techniques, the very concepts of our beings. Just as he is Life, I am Death. There cannot be one without the other."
She turned a smile back to the moon and all its myriad mysteries.
Yes, she decided. This was the right choice.
"We are meant to be."
(.0.0.0.)
"You just love attracting trouble, don't you?"
"I really don't-ow!" Naruto barked a laugh as Shoko dabbed his shoulder with a bit of antiseptic. "Is this really necessary? I can heal myself-
Clearly not properly!" she wrestled him back down with a huff when he tried to rise from the chair. "Just look at yourself! You're skilled at healing, but you don't bother to clean your wounds, let alone correctly." Another attempt to protest on his part resulted in a rare scowl from her. "You're rough with your Reversed Cursed Technique and sooner or later, your body's going to pay the price for it."
Pride reared its head in his heart. He'd been plenty careful thus far. "I know what I'm doing."
"Hey, its your funeral; if you wanna kill yourself faster, be my guest."
The door slammed open as someone kicked it down.
Gojo poked his head in. "He gonna live?
"Nope." Shoko sang back. "Terminal case of stupidity."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "If you're quite done, can I have my arm back?"
She released him with a sigh; and just as well she did, because Satoru flopped down onto the bed beside him.
"So, a tournament, eh?" of course he'd cut to the quick, "I knew the Kamo were up to something...
"You gonna fight?" Naruto tried to hide his curiosity. "Doesn't seem like you'd enjoy it."
He really, really, REALLY didn't want to fight Gojo. It'd be sch a pain...
"Hmm...maybe?" Satoru shrugged one shoulder and offered him a selfsame smile. "We've got a mission coming up in about a month, so who knows how long that'll take? Gotta escort some girl to Master Tengen and 'ol Yaga wants us on guard duty early because a certain someone stirred up trouble with the Kamo."
Naruto took the rebuke for what it was.
"That old fossil?" His right ear twitched. "Wait, what girl?"
Gojo rounded on him in an instant. "Oh? Interested, are we?"
"Not in the least." he scowled right back. "I've got enough on my plate. The last thing I need is babysitting another brat."
His so-called "senpai" pulled a face. "So you won't join us?"
Suguru palmed his face. "Satoru...
"I just said no!"
The Honored One crossed both arms before his chest and pouted." Then I won't tell you anything~!"
Annoying little...! How bad could it be! "Look, will you tell me your plans for the tournament if I help out?"
In an instant his friend pulled a 180 on him. "Sure thing~! I'd be happy to enter!"
A bead of sweat ran down Naruto's brow. "No, that wasn't what I meant, I'd actually prefer if you didn't-
"Too bad~! Its not like I'll be fighting to kill anyway. Who knows?" he rubbed his hands together with a fiendish giggle, "Might be a good chance to scope out some talent for Jujutsu High. As far as teams go, it'd probably me and Suguru-
"Hey! Don't volunteer me!"
...Nanami, and maybe Mei Mei if I pay her enough?" he finished, tapping one finger to his chin. "That oughta do it.
"You need five." Naruto couldn't resist the urge to poke a hole in his plan. "You're one short."
"Bah! That's easy! We can just have-
"Oh, no." Shoko held up a hand to ward him off. "No, no, no. I'm not a healer, not a fighter. Leave me out of this."
"Booo! Spoilsport! Don't you worry about that, we'll find someone...or drag someone in against their will~!
Or maybe you can be on our team!"
Naruto blanched. "That's what worries me...
The organizers probably wouldn't let that happen. Any team with him and Satoru on it was sure to be broken. Unless...?
Shoko nudged his side, distracting him. "So how you gonna break it to the kiddos?"
He looked aside with a grimace. "Eventually."
Her elbow found his ribs. "Naoya."
Suguru grabbed her wrist. "Don't be so hard on him."
She wrenched her arm from his grasp. "You're the one being soft on him!"
Gojo feigned dismay, stoking the fires of chaos. "Mommy and daddy are fighting again~!"
"In your dreams!
He drew him aside as the duo began to squabble.
"Sooo," he whispered, "When were you gonna tell me about your Sukuna problem?"
Naruto's face pinched, recalling his earlier lapse. "There is no problem. I haven't eaten any of his fingers. I just...get a little angry sometimes, is all."
"Yet you're keeping one on you." it wasn't so much a question as a statement.
He sullenly scuffed the floor with a foot. "I am...for safekeeping."
"You sure you know what you're doing there, Naoya?"
Not really, but who else could guard it? "...Yup."
"Great." his smile said he'd passed another test. "Time to face the kiddos, then."
Almost on cue, the bedroom door came flying open and four familiar faces tumbled through.
"Aaaaand that's our cue!" Satoru planted a hand on Shoko and Suguru's shoulders. "Exit stage left! See you later, my dear kouhai~!"
"Bastard!"
Naruto spared them a bleak look as Gojo teleported them away, then turned back to the four prone youngsters at his feet. He already knew what they were going to say before they said it. He would've done the same in their shoes, after all. They were alike in that regard. Which made this all the more painful to say:
"Before any of you even start, the answer is no."
Maki and Mai immediately sprang upright and kicked up a fuss. "But why noooot~?!"
"Don't even think about it you two," he flicked a glance over their heads, "And that goes double for you, Tsumiki."
Megumi tried to raise his right hand.
Naruto scowled him into submission. "NOT A WORD."
The boy flinched and he fought down a wince of his own. He hadn't meant to scare him.
Tsumiki still rallied, bless her simple soul. "But I've been practicing now, and my technique is-
-as powerful as it is versatile," he agreed with a nod, "But can you really bring yourself to kill someone?"
She made a pained noise, all the blood draining from her face. "Well, there are ring outs, aren't there? And I can make someone give up!"
"Yeah!" Maki seized on the opening. "We've all gotten stronger!"
Mai jumped right in next. "And we're older now!"
"No." Merely thinking about it gave him a headache. "Just no. Besides, each team needs five people. None of you are ready for something like this."
Megumi didn't argue, bless him.
Alas, the girls weren't so easily cowed.
Least of all, Mai. "You're only a few years older than us!
Aw, cute. They though they were tough. "And yet I'm stronger than all of you put together."
Mai huffed. "No fair!"
"Your idea of power and mine are two very different things. For instance, he held up a finger, I'm not sure if Satoru-senpai~damn it all, he'd accidentally said it again!~is actually entering this thing for real, but if he does, he'll probably drag Suguru and Nanami along for the ride, to say nothing of Mei Mei. You wanna fight them? Because it won't end well, even if they go easy on you."
Mai winced. "But then who's going with you? Even you can't fight alone-
"Hold that thought." He pressed two fingers to his mouth and whistled, cutting her off.
Medusa manifested behind him in a shimmer of golden light, and planted a hand on her hip, lending weight to his words. "You were saying?"
Maki sputtered. "No fair! She's a Special Grade Spirit!"
She really was now, wasn't she? That last Finger had pushed her over the edge. Her eyes practically bristled with power, ready to render here enemies stone
"And?" he felt a small, petty sense of embarrassment when Medusa leaned against him, all but draping herself over his back. "Toguro didn't say anything about Special Grades being barred from the competition. Besides, to the naked eye, I simply appear human."
Mai faltered, then rallied. "W-Well, that still only makes two!"
"You mean three." a muffled voice echoed behind the door.
Naruto perked up, inordinately pleased "Perfect timing!"
The door swept open.
Tsumiki and Megumi blanched.
Toji strode in, wearing a shit-eating grin. "A place where I can kill whomever I want? Where do I sign up?"
Well, this saved him the trouble of tracking him down. "Right here!"
"Then we only need two more."
"Naoya, no!" Tsumiki realized what he intended and balked, good girl that she was, then immediately rounded on her father. "Daddy, double no!"
"Daddy, yes." Toji's grin was near-feral. "Time to show you what your old man can do."
Maki and Mai sputtered explosively. "How long have you been listening in?!
"Long enough and besides, there's someone here to see you. Said he's interested in this tournament shindig.
Seriously?! Now? Of all times?!
"I'm flattered, but its a bad idea to take on a stranger." Naruto sighed, turned his head aside, and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "Whoever he is, tell him now's not a good time. He can back later-
"Now, now," Someone stepped out the shadows, pale eyes crinkled with quiet amusement. "Is that any way to treat an old friend?"
Waitaminute! He knew that voice! He'd never forgotten it; not once!
His head snapped up, eyes bulging in disbelief." "NEJI?!"
He was just as he remembered. Every. Bloody. Bit.
"Hello, old friend."
Naruto tried to speak, tried to string words together, tried to do something.
Needless to say, he failed spectacularly. It was just too much.
His body couldn't handle the sudden shock.
He passed out in a dead faint.
(.0.0.0.)
When next he opened his eyes, someone was waiting for him.
At a glance he didn't quite realize where he was, only that it wasn't...well, here.
They loomed large over him, a being clad in pale robes, sat atop a thrown of broken bones.
He took in his guest at a glance; salmon pink hair, piercing red eyes, black tattoos wreathing his smug, smirking face. Even then Naruto didn't quite make the connection, not at at first. He sat up warily, rubbing his aching skull and tried to look about, only to find a yawning pit of darkness stretching out on either side of them. Baffled, he looked back to the stranger. Why did he look so familiar.?
In the end, it was the voice that finally broke through.
"You're finally awake." the man tilted his head and laid a knuckle against his chin, appraising him as one might a fine gem. "Took you long enough." despite those harsh words, his eerie red eyes glittered with malevolent glee. "Don't you know its rude to keep me waiting? And here I was considering lending you a portion of my power...
Realization dawned. Ah, crapbaskets.
Naruto sprang to his feet. "Why the hell are you here?!"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Sukuna smiled at him in return. It was not a nice smile. "I've come to bargain...brat."
A/N: Aaaand scene.
The Star Plamsa Vessel even approaches! Who knows what might happen?
Hope you enjoyed this chapter~! 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!
Read at your own risk:
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING~!
SPOILERS AWAIT THEE~!
YE BE WARNED~!
(Previews)
EDIT: We all know this reference~!
Amanai Riko was certainly...energetic.
The news spread like wildfire, just as Naruto knew it would.
Soon enough, other invitations were issues.
At long last, they began to move.
Yo. I hear you need a fifth member."
"And you are...?"
The young man cracked his knuckles.
Have you taken leave of your senses, Hanami?!
Jogo's anger was to expected.
Really, it was.
Things had changed while she was away in the mountains. Not only had Jogo grown stronger, but Dagon had evolved during her absence.
A human came by; a woman with a scarred forehead.
What did she want?
She proposed an alliance.
And you considered it?
No. I sent her away. She said she would return.
You would be able to enter if you revealed your fce, but I'd have to hide mine, to say nothing of Dagon. Why should we go to such lengths?
We are the true humans, after all.
The era that boy seeks would be a paradise for Cursed Spirits such as ourselves.
A grin split his face. Very well. We'll massacre them all.
Hanami slapped a palm to her face.
Jogo, no...
"I see why all those fools fell to this...lesser version of you." his adversary scoffed and tightened their grip. "But I am not them. And those cousins of yours? We have plans for them-
Kill.
Naruto's world went red. His hands scrabbled, numb fingers clawing for a handhold on the arm choking the life out of him. Against all odds, he managed to find one.
Kill him!
He reared back and headbutted them, stunning them. Their fingers let go, buying him precious seconds to breathe. As they staggered he clenched his fist.
KILL THEM ALL!
He felt it cleanly; the moment their jaw dislocated under the force of his punch. He heard it clearly, his yowl of rage filling the air, shocking the crown into silence. He saw sit clearly; the sheer shock on his adversary's face as they staggered back, rubbing their face. A tooth came free under their thumb; they inspected the bloody molar for a moment before tossing it away, setting their jaw...and smiling.
"There he is...hello, Sukuna."
"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.
"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.