WORD STYLE
(Past)
Thoughts
{Billboard/signs/Messages}
[Tv/Intercom]
SHOUTING
TwIsTeD
Beasts Speak
Chapter 8
FLOOR 29, REGULARS AREA: TRAINING GROUNDS
"Fuuuuuuck, I hate this stamina training! " screamed Wangnan, who was running full speed. He was being chased by a giant rock rolling towards him. Whenever he changed directions, it did the same as if it had a grudge. Up above on the cliff edge, watching was Loptr, who was crouching on the edge, waving flags with W's on them.
"Wangnan, Loptr thinks it's better to run faster!" Loptr yelled, his smile appearing mischief. Loptr thinks the rock's got a personal vendetta against you!"
"Personal vendetta?! It's a rock!" Wangnan shouted, glancing back as he zigzagged to avoid a boulder-sized obstacle that chased after him. "What does it even care about?!"
"Loptr believes the rock just wants to make a new friend!" Loptr chuckled, waving his flags with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Maybe it's trying to catch you for a hug!"
"A hug?! From a giant rock?!" Wangnan yelled incredulously. "That's not the kind of friendship I'm looking for right now!"
"Loptr says you should be flattered! Most people just leave rocks alone!" Loptr called out, smiling at him. "At least this one is dedicated!"
"Dedicated?! It's trying to turn me into a pancake!" Wangnan shouted as he narrowly dodged another rolling threat.
"Tell your 'friend' I'm not interested in any rock-solid relationships!"
"Loptr thinks you should just appreciate the attention! That rock has a crush!" Loptr laughed, showing a big smile. "You should send it a love note!"
"A love note? What would I even say?" Wangnan grunted, skirting fast. "Dear Rocky, it's not you, it's me! Please stop trying to crush me?"
"Perfect! Loptr loves it!" Loptr cheered. "Now, just make sure you survive long enough to deliver it!"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Wangnan retorted, sprinting as he shouted over his shoulder. "Maybe you can write it for me while I'm busy not becoming a flat Wangnan pancake!"
"Loptr is fine with that!" He shouts once again, showing his mischievous smile.
As this was happening, Azalea was catching zzz's as she sat on a lounge chair, her blanket under her. She was wearing her onesie, with the top half open to show a black sports bra with pink bear designs. She wore sunglasses.
"Azalea was it." That got her eyes to open slowly, and she was met with Yihwa, who was covered in sweat, having gotten through her training. "You've been lounging around and sleeping since day one. Are you going to help out with the training?"
"I don't want to, " she replies lazily. "I was only asked to invite those two. Sure, we will help you out with the Workshop battle, but we never agreed to help tra—(yawn) you guys. Besides, we wouldn't change the results; we've only made it to the 34th floor before stopping." This reply took her by surprise, and she looked around.
"Where's Naruto at?"
"Kushina...is training."
"Oh, so he decided on a name already, huh? That's good. I guess we'll have to keep up appearances and refer to him as her." Yihwa's eyes narrowed suspiciously with that reply.
"How did you two end up joining Wolhaiksong?" This question got a smile as she sat up, staring right at her.
"My, you really do want to know more about me." She suddenly grasped Yihwa's wrist and pulled her closer until their faces were inches apart, surprising her. "I'll tell you everything about me; in exchange, let's go on a." She was immediately cut off by a notepad getting between their faces. Both turned to see Khun standing there and pulling it back.
"If you're not going to help, go back inside so you can stop distracting them." Khun's eyes narrowed towards the lazily smiling girl. "So that you know, I don't trust either of—" The girl laughing cut him off.
"You don't trust anyone; that much is obvious, meeting you, " she said to Khun, who frowned at her before she turned back to Yihwa. As for your question that was rudely interrupted by him, I'll tell you 'my' story in exchange that you and me go on a D.A.T.E." This caught off Yihwa, whose face heated up. Out of everything she could have guessed, she didn't expect that, while Khun simply sighs and walks away, appearing disinterested.
"Wait, a date?! But, wait, aren't you in a relationship with that Loptr fellow you're always clinging to?! " she asked as the gears in Yihwa's head began to turn, wondering if she was in what's called an open relationship.
Hearing that, for the first time in a month, her eyes widened before she started laughing, acting like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard.
"What's so funny?"
"It would never work out, and not because we're practically siblings..." she said as she sat up, yawning, which caused Yihwa to raise an eyebrow.
"He's not into girls..." She proceeds to smile flirtatiously at Yihwa before winking. "And I'm not into guys."
A few seconds go by as her face goes red.
"Wait, I'm not-"
"I saw that look on your face when you saw Naruto turn into a girl, you must be at least a little curious." This only gets Yihwa to stutter before they hear footsteps and turn, seeing Naruto approaching, wearing a black sleeveless, backless top and short tight pants, with two lapels on the front and the back. She wears an orange obi around her waist.
"Do I have to wear this?" Naruto asked, spinning. "Would it really be an issue if I just wear my regular clothing?"
As she asked that, Naruto looked up at them to see Yihwa blushing and Azalea smiling, looking her over.
"It's perfect, don't you think so, Yihwa?" Azalea's question gets a stuttering response, to which she laughs before they hear tired breaths to find a sweaty Arkraptor walking up to them.
"Everyone's exhausted from Khun's training. We are taking a break with snacks if you want some, " he said, reluctantly offering them to Azalea, who smiled.
"You should ask the coward if he wants some." This confused Arkraptor, with Naruto tilting her head.
"Coward? Who's that?" When asked, Azalea yawns and lays back down.
"The one acting like he's in charge, staying on the sidelines, yet he has potential but doesn't train in it, and they say I'm lazy." A smile forms on her face. "He better not get near Loptr during the training..."
"Why?' Yihwa asked the girl who looked at the sky.
"There you are." Hearing that, Loptr turned his head, seeing Khun standing behind him with a tablet in hand, his gaze directly on Loptr. "If you're going to be joining us on this, I need to know what position you—" He was cut off by Loptr suddenly disappearing as he felt a pair of hands on his back.
"Loptr is scout." Was all he said before pushing Khun off the cliff, gaining a shout as he goes to summon his lighthouse, landing on it and standing up in anger but froze when Loptr was already in front of him, looking down at him with his mischievous smile which vcaused Khun to freeze how he got in front of him so fast.
"Loptr wants you to train as well." This took him by surprise yet he frowns and looks down at Wangnan still running away from the boulder.
"No thanks, I wont be-" He was cut off by Loptr placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You may not know about Loptr, but Loptr knows about you, and he thinks we are a lot alike." This surprised Khun, as that mischievous smile changed to a genuine one. "Loptr thinks you have potential; he thinks you being able to protect yourself is crucial; after all, a lighthouse can only do so much till you are forced into a situation where combat is the only way out. Being from the Khun family, you should be great with a spear, but instead, you picked the light bearer position; why is that?"
His words get Khun to frown just before Loptr pulls his hand away.
"That's none of your business; besides, our team already has a spear-bearer; I don't want our team to be off-balanced." This merely gets him to shake his head.
"Loptr doesn't think you understand. What he's saying is that whatever your goal is, wouldn't it be better if you also got stronger rather than being on the sidelines?"
"What good would it do to get stronger?" Loptr's words caused Khun's gaze to change. Something about them caused Khun to have a chill run up his neck like he was staring at a predator.
"So you're just a coward then, running away when the time comes?" Loptr's voice changed as the guy was staring at Khun with none of the mischievous, but something darker that put Khun on edge, especially the fact he stopped talking in the third person. "You have potential, but your own rejection and daddy issues are merely excuses for getting in the way." That got a look of surprise from Khun. How he came to that conclusion involved his father, yet he was silenced by Loptr continuing to speak.
"How can you hope to help and protect your friends when you can't even defend yourself? Even with your knowledge and strategic thinking, you couldn't protect Bam or your teammates; even if you were there, ask yourself what you could have done if it came to a close-range battle." This caused Khun to grit his teeth and was about to retort when Loptr suddenly ruffled his hair as his gaze and the mischievous smile returned.
"Don't you worry, Loptr will help you get stronger that way when someone decides to attack the light bearer as the weak link, they'll be in for a rude awakening, plus you'll be able to fight alongside the others much better, a light-bearer that can switch to a spear bearer, a strategic mind, and a powerful offense." With those words, he was shoved off the lighthouse, getting a shout that caused the one below him, Wangnan, to look up only for Khun to land on him, gaining a shout.
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU BLUE-HAIRED BASTARD!" Wangnan shouted at the very annoyed Khun, who sat up very annoyed and looked up at the waving Loptr before he and Wangnan froze and turned, both looking at the boulder, just staying at a distance looming ominously.
The tension was palpable till Wangnan blurted out the worst possible thing to say.
"Dear Rocky, it's not you; it's me! Please stop trying to crush me!" Khun glanced at Wangnan, confusion etched across his face as he looked like he was saying, "WTF." This only escalated the situation when the boulder rumbled in response. To their shock, it split cleanly in two to form separate boulders, with jagged spikes erupting from either half, both sweating.
"WHAT?!" Khun shouted, scrambling to his feet as the boulders surged forward as the two ran.
"I don't understand; I didn't think it would take rejection so badly?!"
"Why are you talking to a boulder, you idiot!"
As they argued and ran, Khun glared at Loptr, smiling and waving a sign.
{If you use your lighthouse, it won't end well.}
This annoyed him greatly while Loptr sat on his lighthouse, still smiling before it grew sad.
"Loptr knows everything about Khun..." He whispers sadly. "Because Khun is like Loptr... Bældæg..."
A pair of arms wrapped around Loptr, causing him to turn and see the sleepy Azalea leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I felt your bloodlust for a second," Azalea said, glancing at him with her lazy gaze. Loptr smiled and made a fist, bopping himself on the head.
"Loptr would like to apologize; he didn't realize what was happening in time." The apology didn't appear to affect her as she started napping on his shoulder.
"It won't be easy," Matatabi said, sitting before Naruto with the other tailed beasts behind her; they were in his room. "We won't be able to support you. Who knows if they'll figure it out if you use our powers in a fight? We'll have to distance ourselves from you until after the workshop, but even so, there's no guarantee they won't see through your disguise even if you register under a different name and use a different appearance."
"But what do I do? I can't use Shinsu without you guys; whenever I try digging deep, I don't feel anything inside me. " They looked at each other, unsure, before Kurama spoke up from where he lay on the bed.
"Then you're not digging deep enough; you did something in that fight with that shirtless monster." The other beasts look at the nine-tailed fox. "It felt like a lightning bolt ripped through us from deep inside you than a bright orange light."
When he heard that, Naruto looked at the ground, recalling it.
"Miseng was in danger; she wouldn't have survived. I knew I didn't have time, and all I could think of was she would die. After that, I don't remember much of what happened, and I woke up in bed." After he said that, the other beasts looked at each other before they heard footsteps, and he turned as a knock was heard, which annoyed a number of them; the door opened; standing at the entrance was a smiling Hwaryun.
"The Usotsuki is back..." Mutters Matatabi, as the other beasts start disappearing in smoke. She is very annoyed by her presence and leaves Matatabi alone. "What do you want?"
"I simply wish to speak to you. Will that be a problem...?" This gained silence, and after a few seconds, Naruto picked up Matatabi in her arms and scratched the cat's head.
"Sure."
"Naruto, don't trust her!"
"Matatabi, I'm always good at lying, and besides, everyone has their reasons, trust me." With that said, the cat sighs and disappears, leaving the two by themselves.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" When asked, Hwaryun made her way to his bed and sat on the edge, patting it next to her. This surprised her, but she simply followed and sat next to him.
"So—" Naruto immediately stops talking the moment Hwaryun takes her hands into her own, the sight widening her eyes and causing sweat to form.
"W-What are you doing?"
Shukaku: This is better than the internet.
Matatabi: Not the time Shukaku!
"I wish to become your Guide."
"Aren't you Viole's guide?"
"I was, but meeting you, I believe with you, what we all want can be achieved by you." This response gained a confused look from Naruto, yet Hwaryun just smiled more at him.
"Your answer, and wait until after we rescue Viole and Horyang, " she tells him just as the door suddenly opens.
"Naruto, why are you-" Yihwa was silenced as she took a step into the room with Azalea behind her. Her sleepy eyes suddenly widened as a big smile formed on her face at the sight of Naruto and Hwaryun holding hands, sitting on his bed, this sight caused Yihwa's eye to twitch.
"Oh, hey-" Naruto shuts up, seeing Yihwa's hands become engulfed in flames, the sight terrifying Naruto while Hwaryun merely smiles with Azalea, trying not to laugh.
Shukaku: Oh shit, she's pissed.
Kurama: This looks amusing...
Gyūki: You guys realize she looks ready to commit murder.
"Oh, so Naruto is a player, huh." Azalea says with a hand over her mouth, with Yihwa only able to hear while Naruto separates from Hwaryun.
"Yihwa, is everything alright? You look angry...?" This seemed to anger her more before she turned away, muttering 'Men' as she turned away and started stomping away. The sight caused Naruto to stand up, but before going after her, Azalea got in front of her.
"I advise you to let her cool off; after all, she looks about ready to kill you besides that." A scary and seductive glint forms in her eyes as she looks over Naruto's body and grabs her shoulders firmly. Naruto looks at her hands in confusion as sweat falls. "I think lessons are needed if you think just looking like a girl and wearing girlish clothing is all you need to fool others, I'll teach you."
"Huh?" As this happened, Hwaryun smiled in amusement, yet that smile wavered.
"Naruto is the key..."
As this was happening, Yihwa was marching away, still very much annoyed. She entered her room and slammed the door shut before plopping on her bed tiredly; she grabbed a nearby pillow and hugged it tightly.
"Why am I so bothered by them holding hands...?"
As she thought that, she looked at the pocket that materialized before her, reading the message she had received back in the hospital once again.
{You have been selected to become a Zahard Princess. We are waiting for your response after the Workshop Battle.}
As she read that message again, she hugs the pillow tighter.
xxxxxCHAPTER ENDxxxxx
Author Note: Hope to hear what you all think of this chapter; it's been quite busy.