Chapter 26
"GET UP SHITHEADS! MOVE IT!"
Three Genin jumped out their beds simultaneously at the raucous sound of banging on their door. What made it so much better (notice the sarcasm) was the voice that accompanied the racket, both warning and insulting them in equal measure.
"YOU GOT FOUR MINUTES TO GET YER SINGLE BRAIN CELLS AWAKE AND DOWNSTAIRS BEFORE I FEED YER SLOP TO DA PIGS! DON'T FUCKIN' TEST ME!"
As the voice walked off, the three Genin looked at the door with half-lit eyes, as if waiting for it to magically come to life and begin tossing out Jutsu. After about a minute of their brains waking up, they relaxed, and annoyance quickly set in.
"I swear I'm going to shove a Kunai up her ass." Tenten grumbled, her teammates silently agreeing before turning over in bed with the intent to go back to sleep.
"YOU'RE DOWN TO TWO MINUTES, SHITHEADS! FUCK AROUND AND I PROMISE YOU'LL MIND OUT!"
"...I don't think she's joking." Sothis chimed in, a yawn escaping her lips as she too awoke while the Genin groggily moved to the door.
...
It turns out that Ayu was, in fact, not joking. Her foot was halfway, four plates in hand when the Genin caught her in the act. The smirk on her face when they made eye contact was downright devious, and Naruto swore at that moment that somehow, someway, this girl was getting pranked.
"Good morning, guys." Mizuki greeted the Genin with a smile as they sat down at the diner table, ignoring the heated glares they shot at the redhead as she sat their plates of food deliberately as far away from them as possible.
Now she was just asking for an ass-kicking.
"It was good when I was still asleep." Tenten groggily spat, reaching to retrieve her plate of food.
Being the good teacher he was, Mizuki tried to placate the teens, "Please do not take her crass behavior as offense. I'm sure she means well."
"Like hell I do!" Ayu called out, not stopping in her activities as she spoke, "Feeding and takin' care of the old fart is bad enough. Now I have to work harder for some headband-wearing, tree huggin' pajama warriors? The sooner you Konoha dipshits are outta my hair, the better."
"...Your name isn't at all like your attitude." Naruto started simply, getting a middle finger in turn as the girl pulled her chair to sit.
Only to fall flat on her rear, the chair scraping against the floor as her body weight dragged it with her.
Mizuki immediately stood from his seat to run to her side, concern evident on his face, while a look of complete bafflement covered the redhead's face.
A snort from the other side of the table caused her face to go red in embarrassment before her eyes went white before she hoped to her feet in a rage.
"WHO DID IT?! WHICH ONE OF YOU FUCKFACES WANNA GET THEIR FACE CAVED IN?!"
All three Genin ignored the girl by indulging in their food while Naruto feigned innocence as a magic sigil vanished from underneath the table.
"I'M TALKING TO YOU, SHITHEADS!"
"I don't know why when you're the clumsy one. How about watching more carefully next time." Tenten said, the mocking in her tone very evident as the caretaker's face grew redder.
"I-I'LL KILL YOU-"
"Please calm down, Ayu-san." Mizuki tried calming the redhead, but found it was like trying to put a lid on a flowing faucet.
Thankfully, what he couldn't do, another could with just his voice alone.
"Good morning." Hachi walked in, wheeling in a familiar old man whose head dipped constantly as he desperately tried to stay awake.
"Good morning, Hachi-san, Father." Mizuki greeted him, his tone shifting to amicable once more.
"Huh?" The old man looked up, blinking several times before his features turned into a frown. "Da hell are you? Da hell are all of you doin' in my house?"
"They are your guests, Haruki-sama." Hachi reassured soothingly with a bit of amusement.
"Huh? I'ont remember invitin' no snot nosed brats into my house!"
"They are Konoha Nin, Haruki-sama. They arrived yesterday with Tsubaki-san, remember?"
At the name, the man's face immediately did a one-eighty.
"Tsubaki-chan? My Tsubaki-chan is here? Where is she?!"
"In here, Father!" A feminine voice called from the kitchen to which the man began hopping in his seat.
"Well what are ya waitin' for youngin'? Push me already!"
Hachi chuckled despite the old man's tone and did his duty. Moments later, the old man could be heard conversing with his offspring while Hachi returned to dine with the others.
"It is good." Neji said. "Though I do not believe I've ever tasted these..."
"They are grits. It is very common for us locals. They aren't exactly a delicacy, but they are pleasant nonetheless." Hachi answered, thanking Ayu as she placed a plate for the man himself before returning to the kitchen. "I take it you all will be sticking around until the delivery?"
"Unlikely." Mizuki answered for them as he returned to his seat. "A week was the most we were given for the mission. They are likely to return within a day or two. Three at the most."
"I see. Then, if you would, please take the time to explore our town to your leisure, and if there's anything you may need of me, then please do not hesitate to ask."
Nodding at the man's kindly nature, everyone went to enjoying their meal in silence. Ayu and the father and daughter pair joined not soon after, bringing more conversation to the table and filling the quiet. The atmosphere was amicable for the most part with Tsubaki and Mizuki being the only ones at the center of most conversations.
When the Genin finished, Ayu wasted no time snatching the plates away from the group and dumping them into the sink. Tenten saw herself back to her room while Neji, to Naruto's surprise, saught out his help, to which he agreed. Now both Genin found themselves in the backyard training with their new jutsu. Almost an hour passed when they got a spectator—a quiet one considering her, by now, known behavior.
"...The fuck you lookin' at?" The redhead snarled at the duo currently staring her down.
"...Any reason you're watching us?" Naruto asked like any logical human would.
"Do I need a fuckin' reason?"
"No, but it would make a lot more sense if you had one."
"Well I don't got one, and I don't gotta explain myself to you, so keep minding your own damn business and I'll do the same."
"It would be easier to do so if you weren't around."
"And it'd be easier to stay inside if ya weren't out here being a show off."
"So you are here because you're curious."
"I didn't say that you white-eyed fuck!"
"But you're thinking it. If not, then why bother?"
"I said none of your goddamn business, shithead!"
"By the stars, I can't even tell who is being more childish here!" Sothis snapped, having enough of the back and forth.
"She started it." Naruto mumbled.
"And you are not five! Walk away! Ignore her! Do anything else BUT continue running my nerves!"
The blonde pouted, but set out to follow his friend's demand.
Ignoring her came easy enough seeing that she did not see the need to speak to them if they did not speak to her first. By the end of their session, she had left without saying a word, allowing the duo to go about their day unbothered—Neji returning to the room while the blonde opted to sit on the balcony to relax.
"Oi shithead."
...It hadn't even been an hour.
"What?"
"We're gonna go get the old fart's dinner for the week so get off yer ass."
Naruto blinked up slowly at the redhead from his seat on the balcony.
"And why is that my problem?"
"Cause Mizuki said you're the only one 'round here who can multiply and I need more hands."
Naruto blinked once again at the girl before turning to the two newcomers accompanying her. One looked normal enough, being only a few inches taller than him with tan skin and black hair and eyes. The other...was a mountain. He was as tall, if not taller than Kakashi with a robust stomach and arms twice as thick as the blonde's. His head was shaved bald aside from the patches on the side of his head and the orange Mohawk sitting comfortably on the top.
"...Are they supposed to force me?"
The blonde's comment got a snort from the Mohawk man and an eye roll from the normal one.
"These meatheads? They're extra muscle." Ayu said before a smirk crossed her face, "But we can go that route if you're eager to get her shit kicked in."
The blonde was not amused or at all bothered by the threat, nor did he have any plans on entertaining her request.
Unfortunately for him, it wasn't just a request from her, but someone who had been good to him since the beginning...
Damn...
"...Is the line always this long?"
Staring at the line of people that didn't seem to move at all, Naruto was beginning to second-guess whether or not he cares to honor his Academy Sensei's wishes.
"You should see it during rush hour." The unnamed ravenette commented idly, two sacks of potatoes over both shoulders.
"It's cause that old fuck is working today." The redhead grumbled to which both her fellow caretakers groaned.
"...Should you really be talking that way about the elderly? Especially considering your job?" Naruto asked, to which Ayu clicked her tongue.
"Not all of us do this 'cause we got values and shit. The job pays good so I got it. Simple as that."
"...What about you two?" The blonde moved on, not at all surprised by the redhead's answer.
"Family trade." The ravenette said.
"It's the only thing this body is good for." The mountain said, which the blonde blinked incredulously.
"I can think of 10 different things off the top of my head what I could do with your size."
"I've little interest in being a pawn in one of your village's lies."
"Then it's a good thing a Shinobi wasn't on that list. You'd stick out like a sore thumb."
The mountain turned slowly to the boy.
"You know, you should really learn not to piss off people taller than you. You're only shortening your lifespan."
"It's probably the only thing shorter than him." The ravenette joked.
"...I feel like that was an insult."
"It wasn't a compliment, shithead." The redhead mocked, chuckling at the blonde's expense.
"I'm twelve. What is your excuse?"
"I'm fourteen and a girl. By gender alone, you should be taller than me, yet here you are, a few inches short of a deck."
While the three three laughed, Naruto decided to ignore the following comments about his height and take a vow of silence for the remainder of their wait. It definitely wasn't because he didn't have a comeback. Most definitely not the case.
Before long, they were at the front of the line, a very eldery woman behind the counter smiling at them brightly.
"Oh my. Ayu-san, Kimu-kun, Jiro-kun, it is always so good to see you."
"Yeah yeah old bag, nice to see ya and all that. You gonna hurry up and ring us up or are ya gonna go blabbering like you always do?"
"Ohoho, as fiery as always." The woman chuckled good naturedly before her gaze landed on the blonde. "Oh, and I see you've brought a new face along. Is he a new hire?"
"He's a nobody. Now you mind hurryin' it up? We're in a hurry."
"Ah, forgive me. Let me get right to it."
Naruto didn't feel right with the way the redhead was treating the old lady. It seems unnecessarily cruel even for her, no matter their relationship.
So while Ayu took out the payment, he decided to answer her earlier question, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."
The old woman's expression lit up once more while the blonde ignored the glare the redhead sent him.
"What a nice name for such a dashing young man." She praised. "My, I haven't seen someone your age here in ages. Where are you from?"
"Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"Ooh, that is quite far away. What brings you to our quiet little town, young man-"
"Here's the payment old bag." Ayu practically slammed the money on the counter with a growl. The old woman wasn't startled, but the confusion she showed was slightly puzzling. Then she looked back up to the redhead and her smile brightened once again.
"Oh my. Ayu-san, it is always so good to see you."
...What?
"Keep the change, old bag. Let's go shitheads."
"Oh? Oh! Thank you for being so generous as always!" Naruto watched the caretakers leave the store without a word. Once they were clear, he turned back to the old woman, the smile on her face welcoming as she spoke again. "My, you're a face I haven't seen before. Are you new here?"
...
"Oi, shithead!"
Naruto snapped out of the stupor he'd been in for the remainder of their shopping trip to look at the redhead. For once, annoyance wasn't on her face. If anything, it had dulled down to uncaring.
"We're heading back now, so get yer head out of yer ass."
"...Un," was all he said as he continued to follow silently behind the group and the many clones he'd made to carry the supplies.
He just couldn't get the sight of the old woman out of his mind. The way she smiled and talked to him was normal. The way she spoke was normal enough, despite the disrespect thrown her way. She looked normal for an old woman and nothing about her appearance told of any lingering illnesses.
But the way she spoke to him the second time and how she looked...it was like it was the first time she'd ever seen him. It was just like Tsubaki's old man.
And now that he thought about it, they weren't the only ones. The Teriyaki stand, the butcher, the librarian, now that he really thought about it, they all shared similar problems with their psyches.
Was this a normal occurrence around here? Did everyone have such a bad memory?
No, that wasn't what the Shinobi side of him thought at all. His paranoia was sky high at the moment, and he felt that there was something more sinister afoot.
"Shithead!" Snapping back into reality once more, a very irate Ayu now stood in front of him. "Zone out again and I swear I'll kick you in the balls."
"Uh, sure." Was his reply before he blinked and looked around. "Where did my clones go?"
"I sent them back to the house with the others, which you would have known if your head wasn't in the gutter."
Naruto stared owlishly at the redhead, "Why?"
"Cause I need to talk to you...alone."
Naruto's paranoia grew tenfold.
"Why?"
Ayu scanned her surrounding. Not finding things to her liking, she grabbed his arm. "Not here," she said before pulling him along down the street. They didn't get far before he was dragged deep into an alleyway—as if his suspicions couldn't get any bigger.
"Any reason why-"
Barely a second into the alley and Naruto was forced to stop a knife from running across his neck. The blow came with force he was not expecting, slightly struggling against the redhead as she pinned him to the wall. Cold brown eyes stared into his seafoam, Ayu determined to cut him open if he let up for even a moment.
"Who are you, and why the fuck do you have that name?"
For a moment, Naruto sat confused. Alarm bells were still ringing, yet he wasn't so sure if this situation had anything to do with his suspicions from before. If anything, this seemed personal.
"...what?" Was all he could say.
The knife was pressed into his skin for his ignorance, "Don't play stupid, shithead. You're not a fuckin' Uzumaki, so why do you have that name?"
Ah, so that's what this was about. He had thought she was dragging him in here in hopes of silencing him for his deductions, but it was, in fact, personal.
Question was, why did she care about his name of all things? Of a dead clan that had no meaning nowadays? Unless...
"You're an Uzumaki." He said, surprise coloring his tone while the girl only seemed to grow angrier.
"Don't speak that fuckin' name! You have no right!" Ayu roared, the fire in her eyes growing as she asserted more pressure.
"Can you not try to kill me? Doing hurts." He pleaded, not because she was any closer to doing so, but because he feared he would have to really retaliate if she applied anymore pressure. "I'm an Uzumaki too. I swear it."
"Y-you ain't a fuckin' Uzumaki! Uzumaki's ain't blonde, dipshit!" She said, slightly faltering at both not seeing the lie on his features and not being able to push her arm further.
"My dad was blonde, and he may not have been an Uzumaki, but I'm sure my mom was, and she likely had red hair too...I think."
"That don't make you an Uzumaki just cause some whore has the name! And even if that were the case, what the fuck is up with the green?"
Naruto briefly looked up to his bangs before looking back at the redhead, "That's a distant part of my family...a very distant part. Now, can you stop trying to kill me? That knife is really close."
For a moment, the girl stared at him, the anger in her eyes dimming slightly as she observed him closely to find any hint of a lie. Much to his relief, the pressure stopped, and he was released. Stepping back, she stared at him for several more seconds, the suspicion not once leaving her gaze as the blonde waited patiently for her to say something.
"...Prove it then." Was what she eventually came up with, crossing her arms for extra emphasis as she waited impatiently. "Prove you're an Uzumaki and we'll be square."
Naruto blinked owlishly at the girl.
"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"
The question made her blush before she quickly stammered, "I-I don't know! D-do some seal shit or somethin'! Just make it look convincing! Anything that will prove you're an Uzumaki!"
Naruto's incredulousness did not fade at the answer. After a few seconds of staring and watching the girl turn redder by the second, he decided to comply by reaching into his pouch and pulling out a sheet of chakra paper and an ink brush. Setting it down on the ground, he began his work, drawing multiple characters and symbols while the redhead waited patiently. When he was done, he stood back up and held the piece of paper out to the girl and simply said, "Hold it."
She did so hesitantly, taking the edge of the piece of paper into her fingers. The moment the blonde let go, the seal activated and-
"Uwa!" Ayu grunted as the paper suddenly became heavy, making her stumble forward to catch both herself and the paper. She tried lifting the piece of paper higher but failed to get it past her knees. Eventually, the blonde reached out and plucked it from her hands effortlessly while the redhead straightened and painted in exhaustion.
"Th-the fuck was that?" She gasped.
"A gravity seal. It increases an object's weight by 100 pounds when applying chakra." Naruto said simply, scratching at his arm while the redhead was too busy catching her breath to comment further. "Is that proof enough?"
"L-like hell it is!" She said stubbornly, standing up to cross her arms once more. "I'm sure any run of the mill joker with chakra can do that shit."
"...Then you do it."
"Huh?" Ayu was suddenly put on the back foot as the blonde held the ink and paper out towards her.
"You have chakra, and you're an Uzumaki to boot. If anyone can do it, then show me."
Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, the girl speechless. Her hands were fidgeting nervously while her eyes stared down at the ground refusing to meet his eyes. Eventually, she snatched the brush and paper out of the blonde's hands, putting the knife away in the process. He watched her begin to write with interest while scratching his arm irritably.
Only for the paper to suddenly be set ablaze, the ink evaporating instantly along with the paper. Naruto looked at the ashes silently before looking up to the redhead whose hair shadowed her face. A lull passed, but the blonde couldn't resist getting a jab in after all her talk from earlier, "...I think I'm starting to question whether or not you're an Uzumaki now."
The correct buttons were pushed, and the redhead looked up angrily, the whites of her eyes showing with water building within.
"I never learned how to do this shit, OK?!" She yelled before grabbing a handful of her red locks, "And this is all the proof you need to know I'm real unlike you, you...you...hybrid!"
A stray tear rolled down her face, forcing the girl to turn quickly to rub it away.
"F-fuck, I got somethin' in my eye." She tried, yet the sniff that followed spoke of a different problem all together.
"You never learned?" Naruto asked, continuing to rub his arm while the redhead glared back at him.
"Unlike your privileged ass, I didn't grow up in a major village. I've been on my own since I was five. Never knew my real parents, but I know enough to know I'm an Uzumaki and I'll be damned if I let anyone else tell me otherwise."
Naruto found it kind of ironic that she was doing just that but didn't comment on it. Unfortunately, his lack of reaction at all brought the girl to her own conclusion.
"D-don't you DARE pity me either! I survived without you Shinobi and I'll continue to do so with or without my clan's line!"
Naruto was unsure how to respond, or if he should at all. She was saying one thing, but clearly meant the other... So this is what they called a Tsundere...
In the end, he opted to stay silent, meaning the conversation basically died then and there. Soon, Ayu scoffed before turning and walking away, "We're done here. Find your own way back."
"...I can teach you if you want." The words caused her to stop just at the edge of the alley. "We only have a day, but I can teach you the basics. I can even give you a few books so you can learn on your own. It's not much, but it's more than you had, right?"
For a long time, her back was all the blonde saw. When she finally turned to look at him, it was not welcoming to the idea at all.
"And what do you want in return?" She asked, getting a tilt of the head from the blonde.
"Why would I need something in return? Can't I do it because I want to?"
"Don't give me that bullshit!" She snapped back. "Nobody does shit like that for free! Everything in this world has a price, so tell me what the fuck you want in return and stop wastin' my time!"
Her anger, rising as it was, did nothing but confuse the blonde. It was not the emotion itself, but the cause for it. He didn't think he said anything wrong at all. He simply offered to help, yet she was angry that he wasn't asking for a reward?
Why?
He didn't want anything, nor could he even think of something he could potentially want. Was it possibly the way he said it? A 'it's not what you said, but how you said it' kind of situation?
"She's right, y'know." Sothis spoke, adding to his confusion. "What you aim to do isn't as simple as giving something benign like a few ryo. It is life-changing, something beyond priceless. She would be a fool if she wasn't at least a bit suspicious of your motives."
"...But I don't want anything." He argued.
"And that is fine, if not naive. Don't expect others to take that at face value, especially in a world such as this. It makes you sound as if you have ulterior motives. Though I may understand that you don't, learn to compromise on things with others—even if you must lie to do so."
...He supposed that made enough sense...even if he didn't like it in the slightest.
"Well? You gonna spit it out or keep wastin' my time?" Ayu asked impatiently, forcing the blonde to wrap his brain to find a suitable answer.
"...Then I want a favor," was what he ended up saying, scratching his arm more furiously. "I don't know what it will be or when, but sometime in the future, I'll ask you for a favor, and I expect the answer to be 'yes'. Deal?"
"Oh great. Make it sound more ominous while you're at it." Naruto ignored the sarcastic remark to focus more on the redhead's answer...if she would at all.
In the end, she didn't. She simply left him in the alley, confused, disappointed, and scratching.
"...Can't say I'm surprised. Your offer wasn't exactly tempting."
"I thought it was a good trade..."
"To you, probably. Either way, this is likely for the best. Who knows what ulterior motives she could have with that knowledge."
"She's an Uzumaki, so she is family."
"There is no proof to that. Anyone can proclaim such a thing—doesn't mean you should believe them."
"...You sound paranoid."
"And most would think you would be considering your profession."
"If I was anything like the rest, then I'd be like my Sensei. Cold and boring."
"...On second thought, I like you just the way you are."
He agreed with that wholeheartedly. Ayu would come around, he was sure of it. All he had to do was wait, and scratch...
Scratching...
Scratching...
Scratching...
Kami, what was wrong with his arm?!
Looking down at it, there was nothing, but a quick flare of his chakra brought a symbol to life that immediately had his eyes wide. He wasted no time going through hand-signs before slamming his palm against the ground. A puff of smoke filled the alleyway before dissipating into a face he hadn't seen in weeks.
Only, there was a clear difference in her appearance. Where her presence usually exuded radiance, it now seemed downplayed significantly. She had dark bags under her eyes and despite her hair being combed, many strands stood up. It was the first time he'd ever seen the usually Divine woman in such a state and he was quick to seek out the problem before either even greeted, "What happened?"
Seiros sighed long and hard. The corners of her mouth turned downwards while she tried not to show the exhaustion she was clearly in.
"May I speak with Mother?" She asked, almost like a plea, and received almost immediately. Sothis appeared before them in a twirl of light, the look on her face showing she was prepared for the severity of whatever the situation may be.
"What is it, Seiros?" The goddess started.
"We, may have a situation that may very well threaten Fodlan."
Sothis was ready for anything dire, yet not even she could have been prepared for that sentence.
"What has happened?" She questioned her daughter, ready to fix the problem whatever it may be.
"...In truth, I am not entirely sure at the moment." Seiros admitted. "What I do know however, is that someone has singlehandedly become the most wanted entity in all Fodlan in the span of a week. And," she hesitated for a moment, the words getting stuck in her throat as shame filled her. "I, may be responsible for it all."
Sothis's expression remained unchanged, yet she could see her daughter's own shame as plain as day.
"Tell me the situation." Despite the command in her voice, her daughter looked hesitant to speak.
"I, would rather not do so here. May we transport back to my chambers?"
Sothis was ready to agree but paused to look at her ward.
"That, may be difficult with our current affairs." She said, being mindful to her ward's current mission and how it would look with his sudden disappearance while on the field. Watching her daughter's expression fall was an experience she wasn't so eager to repeat.
"Th-that is fine. We can always meet again at a later-"
"You can go." Mother and daughter turned to the blonde at the same time, both with a look of shock on their faces. "If you really need to speak, then she can go with you." He reassured.
"That is not possible without you present, Child." Sothis argued, to which the blonde crossed his fingers. In a puff of smoke, another Naruto appeared, giving the original a salute before looking at the other greenettes.
"I have a duty here, Seiros-san, but my clone can stand in place of me. As long as it doesn't pop, Sothis can be by your side."
"I-I would be much obliged. That is, if mother is okay with the arrangement?" Seiros stammered, looking with the blondes expectedly towards her mother.
"...How long will I have?" She asked the original.
"A day, maybe two if he doesn't use chakra."
"I see... Very well then." She agreed, the tension immediately leaving the Archbishop at the confirmation.
"Thank you both. You have no idea how much this means to me."
"I'll never say no to you, Seiros-san. Just make sure to take good care of her while I'm not around. I know first hand how hard that can be."
"Need I remind you that YOU are the child here?" Sothis spat back indignantly, getting a tired giggle from her daughter.
"I shall make sure to never leave her side."
The Next Day
"Hey."
For the second time that week, Naruto's relaxation had been interrupted. Lying against a tree, he opened his eyes and wasn't surprised to find Ayu looking down at him.
It wasn't the first time he'd seen her today. She had woken them up much like she had the day before with threats and kept promises with that same unwelcoming glare. The only clear difference was that she didn't speak much, or at all, during their breakfast. In fact, he had caught her bored eyes looking his way throughout the entire meal while idly pushing her food around. It was a stark contrast to her regular behavior, leading the blonde to believe their conversation had a lasting impression.
"What?" He answered her, yet was not received right away. In an action that surprised even him, she began to fidget in place while looking everywhere else but him.
"Well..." The word came out soft, completely unlike her usual hotheaded nature. "Is..." Another word slipped through the cracks, the girl for some reason growing more fidgety before she finished the sentence, "Is that offer...still up?"
...Well, that didn't take long.
Deep in the forest leading to the Town, grass shifted out of place before being lifted all together and thrown to the side. An elderly figure emerged from the new hole accompanied by another with blue hair and strange robes. As the older of the two sluggishly walked out, the other looked around cautiously before quickly taking the displaced dirt and grass and placing it back over the opening—leaving the old woman to wonder towards the town groggily.
High above, Kakashi looked on with keen interest, following the back of the old woman before returning his eye to the spot where the bluenette had disappeared.
"Now, where do you lead..."
A/N: Thank you all for the well wishes and reviews last chapter! To ease worries, I can assure you that I am all well and am no longer in the red as far as my stomach is concerned, so thank you once again for those who showed their concerns.
Another Alice of life chapter with nothing major happening. Just building up a relationship with Ayu and Naruto before the next two chapters come up. On top of that, Sothis will not be around for a while, so wonder how things will change with her gone.
People asked me about the Hinata/Aizen fic and I will summarize it a bit for those I did not answer via PM.
It's basically a story set hundreds of years before the beginning of cannon where a young Aizen meets a very, very old Hinata who had lived thousands of years after the age of shinobi and has inherited all of Kaguya's powers. It takes place mainly in Hueco Mundo, where most of the story is simply two power beings interacting, Aizen slowly gaining humility while Hinata regains her being. Its inspired from the story Vasto of White, so there will be some elements taken from it, but not entirely. The Quincy are all dead in this story (mainly because I haven't read the thousand year blood war) and will stop at the Winter War.
Whether or not I post this above will really be left to demand (or when I finish this fic lol).
Next chapter is the last slice of life before things get real. A threat approaches, and two worlds come together *wink wink*.
As always, thanks for your follows, favs, reviews and hope you all have a damn good day!