Naruto Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Memoirs of a D-Day Veteran ❯ Chapter 6

Chapitre 6: Meeting Kujo

 

Haruka and Michiru are still in the forest. No, they aren't lost. They had decided to explore the most remote parts of this forest for one reason.

 

“Are you sure it's here?” Michiru said to her partner.

 

Haruka nodded. “I've been feeling it constantly since we got here. That was definitely negative energy.” She heard Michiru gasp.

 

“Could it be—?”

 

“I don't know. But I hope it's not that damned prince. For our sake, and the rest of the scouts'.”

 

Michiru put a hand on her chin. “If it is Prince Hideaki that you sensed, then he's probably expecting to see us, or even confront us,” she said thoughtfully. `Or kill us,' she thought wryly.

 

Suddenly, the negative energy grew closer. They stood their ground. If need be, they would transform. But in the mean time, they would use their chakra to do several of the jutsus they had learned in their extended practice.

 

As suddenly as it had come, the same way it had gone. Haruka narrowed her eyes. Michiru did the same. They knew something was up, and that whoever it was didn't just leave. Haruka decided that it was now or later, and they'd died before, so it wasn't death they feared. Rather, it was life, but that's getting into unneeded detail.

 

Anyway, Haruka spoke loud enough for the person to hear. “It's no use hiding. We can see you, so get out here now.”

 

A dark shadow was cast over a spot before them. Out of that shadow came the figure of a gaunt man. His ethereal skin made him look like a walking corpse. He was wearing a dark purple eye shadow that started from the outward tip of his eyes and bent downward almost halfway to the bridge of his nose. What really got Michiru's attention were his eyes. Those dark, sinister eyes overcast with an obscure cloud of malevolence seeping through. One quick glance by Haruka was enough for her to notice the same. His eyes screamed of death. But like I said before, they weren't afraid of death.

 

“Who are you?” Haruka demanded. She had a sense of deja vu.

 

The man smiled a sick, twisted smile. “I am Lord Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin. Who might you ladies be?”

 

Michiru shuddered as his tongue, a long, gruesome snakelike piece of flesh, rolled out of his mouth and licked his bottom lip. `Creepy,' she thought. “I'm Nori Chikako.” She motioned towards Haruka. “My partner, Ganryuu Katashi.” (A/N: The last names Ganryuu and Nori were chosen by Setsuna and were given out randomly. Gomen for not telling you before.)

 

“Hmm, I see. You two are from Gaikaze, are you not? What would kunoichi such as yourself be doing out here so late? It's dangerous at this time of night.”

 

The scouts just stared at him, neither answering nor moving. Michiru was about to announce their leave when all three of them felt a surge of dark purple chakra wash over them. Haruka and Michiru knew the power to be Mistress 9, but to Orochimaru it was innovative and novel.

 

Orochimaru looked at them again. “It was… a pleasure meeting you. Until next time.” With that, the snake Sannin disappeared the same way he came.

 

“Hmmm.” Haruka was deep in thought. “We should head over to the village,” she suggested.

 

“But what does this mean?” Michiru pondered. “Is Mistress 9 back for good? And if so, can we beat her without Usagi-sama…”

 

“Only one way to find out. Let's go!”

 

*********Five minutes earlier*********

 

“Kazuki-chan, are you okay?” Naruto asked. Hotaru had been quiet for a long time.

 

She smiled weakly. “Hai, I'm fine.” `Damn you Mistress 9! Why won't you just leave me alone?!'

 

//Because, I have a mission that I need to carry out here. I can't promise that I'll leave when I am finished (A/N: which means that she's here to stay), however I will tell you that my intentions are not as they were before. I am here merely to destroy someone that will be a threat to you, as well as a future ally to Prince Hideaki, your brother. //

 

`HE'S MY WHAT?!!'

 

Mistress 9 smirked. //I see you didn't detect the signs of royal Saturnian blood flowing through his veins— not that I'm surprised. He is indeed your brother— your twin brother to be precise. His white hair and purple eyes are trademarks of your mother. //

 

“Are you sure you're okay?” Temari asked. She had grown especially fond of Kazuki since the conversation they had had after Hotaru had contacted Ami. They had talked about the things they liked, the type of boys they liked, the members of their teams, what really ticked them off, and other such things. Kankuro looked concerned as well. Despite the whole `Let's tick Kazuki off' thing he did earlier, he thought that she was an okay girl. Heck, even Gaara showed that he cared for her through the occasional glance he would send her way.

 

“…Hai…” she tried to reassure them. “…I - I'm— ” She clutched her heart, breath ragged. `My friends… Usagi-sempai… Mamoru-sama… Forgive me…' Hotaru shuddered as she felt Mistress 9 take over her body. A grave, yet familiar power encased her as she began to glow with that unnatural purple hue that demonstrated the renown of Saturn. Pain flooded through her being as Hotaru transformed into Mistress 9, the darker part of her divided soul. Kankuro gasped at the sight as short, petite Kazuki altered into the tall, slender creature that stood before them now. `What a BABE!' At 5' 7'', 34'' bust, 29'' waist, and long dark hair, Mistress 9 was indeed stunning. Especially in the dark purple gown she was sporting. A demonic purple flame danced around her, licking at her flesh and further contrasting with her deathly pale skin.

 

Mistress 9 smirked as she took in her surroundings. The village was a little too colorful for her tastes, but still, she'd hate to see it go in ruins before its time. `Good, it's almost midnight. That's when I will end this thing before it's started.'

 

“Who are you?” The question had come from Gaara, though it was more of a demand than a question.

 

Gaara felt something stir in his loin as Mistress glided over to him. (A/N: for those of you that don't know, Mistress 9 can fly.) She stared at him.

 

“…Sabaku no Gaara, I presume,” she said seductively, slowly getting him to submit to her voice. “Tell me, how has my dear Shukaku-koi been?”

 

Everyone seemed shocked by the question, especially Hotaru who, at the moment, was held captive by her own Silence Glaive. She couldn't move an inch. //What the hell is a Shukaku?! Mistress 9 let me go, DAMMIT!!! //

 

Mistress ignored the remark and instead listened as a voice spoke from Gaara that was not his own. “You are looking well Kujo-koi. It's been a long time… Too long.”

 

Smiling in an uncharacteristic way, Mistress 9 waited two seconds before losing herself completely and springing herself onto Gaara, all the while ignoring the mental yells from Hotaru about `Who the fuck is Kujo?!' and `Get off of /my/ Gaara-kun!!' Temari, Kankuro, and Naruto looked on in interest, wonder, and a little fear as the purple clad beauty in front of them leaned in to kiss a certain little sand freak, as Naruto put it earlier. Who the hell was this lady? And why was she and Gaara about to make out?

 

Before Mistress and Gaara/Shukaku had a chance to fully lock lips, a gasp sounded from someone nearby.

 

*********Five minutes earlier than that*********

 

“…So, um… Sasuke-san—”

 

“-kun,” the Sharingan user interjected.

 

“Sasuke-kun… you live in Konoha, correct?”

 

“Hai, I do.” `One day you will be able to stay with me there…'

 

They entered the gates of Konoha five minutes later. Ami was about to ask him another question when a strong chakra engulfed the area. Sasuke prepared himself to protect /his/ Aoi-chan at all costs. Ami noticeably tensed. `She can't be here already! I only just spoke to Sensei!'

 

Giving Sasuke one last look, she mumbled the words “I'm sorry” and ran toward the source of the power. It took about three seconds for Sasuke to react and soon he found himself chasing after his love. `Why did she run like that? Where is she running to? Hn. The things I would do for you, Aoi-chan.' He smirked. `If only you knew the things I would do to you…'

 

(A/N: For those of you who didn't detect the signs of a pairing, so far the pairings are Sas/Ami and Gaa/Hot. I had some people complain about the absence of pairings in the first four chapters, so here they are. A little late, ne? Anyway, on with the story!)

 

The Uchiha heir silently followed Ami, noting the fact that they were headed toward the overwhelming chakra. The pair leapt through the trees making their way through the green foliage. They passed stealthily through the gates of Konoha and the guards on duty without drawing attention to themselves.

 

`Hold on, Hotaru-chan. Help's on the way, just give me a little more time.' The water senshi weaved her way through the maze that people called a village. The only thing leading her on was the not-so-familiar presence of Mistress 9 and the obvious signature of Saturnian ki— Hotaru's life force that seemed to leak out of a ripple in the obsidian cloud overhead.

 

“Aoi-chan!” Sasuke called after her.

 

The blue-eyed girl paid him no mind, however, and instead leapt to the rooftops. Her determination would not be in vain. Oh no, quite the contrary. She needed to get to Hotaru-chan or— she didn't even want to think of the things that would happen.

 

Rounding one last corner Ami gasped at the sight that greeted her. There stood Mistress 9 in all her destructive glory, mercilessly clinging to a boy with an oversized gourd on his back, leaning in for a heated kiss.

 

Upon hearing her gasp, everyone that was around including Mistress and the boy turned to Ami. As she fumbled in her mind for words Sasuke stopped right next to her. He looked into her eyes and saw shock, dismay, disbelief, and above all… fear.

 

“Aoi-chan, tell me what's wrong.” Not getting an answer, Sasuke looked at the scene before him and protectively (possessively) wrapped his arms around her waist.

 

Ami gulped, now remembering what she was here to do— get Hotaru back. “What have you done with Kazuki-chan?”

 

Mistress 9 turned her head, a scowl tainting her divine features. “What are you doing here, Aoi-san?” The small crowd (Naruto, Gaara/Shukaku, Kankuro, Temari, and Sasuke) watched the exchange in earnest, each wondering the same thing: What the hell is going on?!

 

“Kujo-koi…?” Gaara/Shukaku had a questioning gaze toward his love and the newcomer.

 

The water senshi caught on quickly. “Kujo-san let Kazuki-chan go!”

 

“No!” Kujo snarled. “It's my body too, and I have full capability to take control of it whenever I want. Although that bitch Kazuki did put up a damn good fight…”

 

“I'll ask you again, what have you done with her Destruction?! And Kazuki-chan is not a bitch!” (A/N: `Kujo' means destruction, and Mistress 9 represents the destruction part of Hotaru's divided soul, while Hotaru is rebirth and Sailor Saturn is silence)

 

“Nothing you can stop Blue,” Kujo taunted. (`Aoi' means blue) “Without your odango atama here to protect you, you don't have a ghost of a chance.” As quick as lightning Mistress 9 was in front of Ami. She took her left hand and pushed it on Ami's already hurt stomach. Her fingers were laced with the same lethal dark purple energy that Prince Hideaki had, and the result of that power mixed with Kujo's was like looking at death straight in the face.

 

Kujo's hand collided with Aoi's stomach. The force was so strong that Ami was torn from Sasuke's burly grasp and thrown into the cold night air.

 

“Aoi-chan!” A very tall girl came out of nowhere and caught Ami in mid-air.

 

Everyone turned to look at the girl. She had brown hair that was held in a high ponytail, green eyes, and she was wearing an outfit that consisted of the colors forest green and pink.

 

Mistress smirked. “What brings you here, Natsuno-sensei?”

 

Natsuno-sensei looked from the unconscious form of Ami to Mistress 9. “I'm here to make sure you let Kazuki-chan go, as well as guarantee that you don't kill one of my students.” A voice sounded in Makoto's head.

 

//My name here is Kujo. //

 

“Tell me, Kujo-san. Since when did you start taking advantage of your young master?” Makoto asked in a taunting manner.

 

“Tell me, Natsuno-sensei,” Kujo returned, “Since when did you start being such an old hag?”

 

Makoto was about to throw a woodcarving at her when a movement from a certain dark haired shinobi caught her eye.

Sasuke reached an insipid hand out to touch Ami.

 

“Aoi-chan…” Sasuke caressed his love's cheek, his face clouded over in ire. “Will she be alright?” Sasuke asked without looking up.

 

“H -hai, she will be as soon as I get her home.” Natsuno-sensei reverted her attention back to Mistress 9, menace written all over her face. She was about to warn the purple clad deity when…

 

“Kujo!” Two shadowy figures appeared on the scene.

 

Everyone turned to the two newcomers. One had blue-gray eyes and dark blonde hair that was cut extremely short for a girl. She was wearing a big, navy blue one-sleeve shirt that cuts diagonally across the chest. Underneath that, she was wearing a dark yellow/ gold mesh tube top that concealed the part of her bosom that was showing. She was also wearing a pair of pants that looked vaguely similar to Makoto's, except the top half was dark yellow/ gold, and the bottom was navy blue. On her back was a huge sword whose sheath was navy blue with the gold symbol for Uranus on it. The second girl had shoulder length green hair and blue eyes. Like the first girl, she was wearing a shirt that cut diagonally, only her shirt was more fitted, a dark greenish color, and cut down the opposite side of her bosom. Underneath that she was wearing a navy blue mesh tube top. She was also wearing a simple, short, dark green skirt and navy blue mesh leggings that stopped at mid-thigh. On her back there rested what looked like a navy blue violin carrying case that had the dark green symbol for Neptune on it.

 

Mistress 9 stared at her host's teammates. “My, my what are you two doing here?”

 

“We're here to take our teammate back,” Michiru said calmly. //What's Hotaru-chan's name? // she asked Kujo. They had been hidden in the shadows only long enough to hear her kunoichi name.

 

//Her name is Kazuki// Makoto intervened. She changed the field to a closed speech so that only they would be able to hear. She motioned toward Ami. //Mistress 9 did this to Aoi-chan… Make sure she turns back into Hotaru-chan, and place a seal on her so that she won't be able to come out again on her own. //

 

Michiru and Haruka inwardly nodded at their second sensei and continued to stare at Kujo. Haruka closed her eyes. “Natsuno-sensei, take Aoi-chan back to the training grounds so that Minobu-sensei may take a look at her.”

 

Natsuno-sensei nodded and, giving Sasuke a look that said `Don't follow me,' she sped off into the dark miasma that loomed around the small group.

 

For the first time during this whole thing, Naruto opened his mouth. “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!!”

 

Haruka narrowed her eyes at him. “Oi, dobe, shut-up!”

 

“I. AM. NOT. A. DOBE!!!”

 

“You look like one to me,” she said smirking.

 

Temari interrupted the little feud. “Who are you two?” Kankuro was currently suffering from a severe nosebleed.

 

Michiru decided to answer as her lover was presently in a fight. “I am Nori Chikako, and this is my teammate Ganryuu Katashi.”

 

Sasuke snapped his head up the same time Naruto looked wide-eyed at Haruka. “What did I say?” Michiru asked clueless.

 

“What?” To say that Haruka was irritated by the sudden staring from the short boy before her was an understatement.

 

“A -are you related to Shinta-neesan, y'know, with the long blonde hair and big blue eyes and orange and blue clothes like mine?”

 

Haruka looked quizzically at him while she probed his mind and saw Minako-chan. Five words came into her mind then from his: Ganryuu Shinta, my half sister. “What's your name?” Haruka asked slowly. `Minako-chan better have a good explanation for lying to this boy.'

 

“Uzumaki Naruto, Katashi-neesan,” He answered childishly to his supposed 15 year old sister.

 

“So… you are my niisan,” she said looking down at him. “When did you see Shinta-neesan?”

 

“About two hours ago, why?”

 

“Just wondering…” `…when I can kill her,' she finished the thought in her mind.

 

Michiru looked at the exchange in wonder as Sasuke came up to her.

 

“Are you by any chance Aoi-chan's sister?” he asked the green haired beauty.

 

Forgetting who `Aoi-chan' was, Chikako probed his mind to answer her mental question. `Aha! So… Ami-chan's name here is Aoi, as in blue.' Five words also came into her mind form his: Nori Aoi, my first love. (A/N: I don't know if he ever had a first love mentioned anywhere in the series, but here it wouldn't matter even if he did.)

 

“Iie,” she answered, “Aoi-neesan is my cousin.” (A/N: Neesan can be used for sisters and female cousins, if I'm not mistaken. It's like with Hinata and Neji when she calls him `Neji-niisan'.)

 

Sasuke nodded curtly before turning to leave. With his back to her, he said, “Please, watch over Aoi-chan. And when she wakes up, tell her that I'll be waiting for her tomorrow.” Sending one last glare in Kujo's direction the Uchiha heir disappeared through the fog.

 

“I'll take that as a sign to take my leave,” Temari told the others while dragging an unconscious Kankuro and motioning to Gaara/Shukaku to follow. Shukaku reluctantly changed back into Gaara, who looked at Mistress 9 impassively before following his sister. He inwardly said `Kazuki…' before the sand sibs also disappeared. That only leaves Naruto, Haruka, Michiru, and Mistress 9 in the small gathering.

 

Naruto shifted uncomfortably from right foot to left as he averted his gaze from his neesan to the purple clad Kujo and back.

 

“Naruto-niisan,” Katashi said softly, “go home. NOW.”

 

“But neesan—!” he whined.

 

“Naruto-san,” Chikako intervened, “do as your sister says. It is what's best.”

 

Naruto nodded numbly to her and hugged his neesan. Haruka was completely taken by surprise and stumbled backwards. “Ne?”

 

“Goodnight Katashi-neesan, Chikako-chan,” was all he said before he, too, left for home.

 

Mistress 9 turned to the two outer senshi. She chuckled. “Alone at last.”

 

“Don't get too flattered,” Haruka said smirking. In a more serious tone she said, “What is it you're really here for?”

 

Contempt was written all over her face as she spoke her next words carefully. “I am here… to rid this dimension of my cousin's alter ego.”

 

“Your cousin?” Michiru said softly. “Is your cousin Hotaru-chan's cousin as well?”

 

The purple clad deity nodded solemnly. “He is an ungrateful old sinner who is, by far, much worse than I in the field of evil. He is here in his own body, since he does not have need for a host in this place. Meanwhile, his original host, Prince Duoichiro of Phoebe, is dwelling in another dimension. He has no recollection of being a prince of Saturn and it's safe to say that we will encounter him as a future ally in the next dimension we visit.”

 

Michiru pondered this for a moment. “What is the name of your cousin?”

 

A look of pure hatred overcame her lovely features. “His name……… is Orochimaru.”

 

 

___________________

 

TBC

- 8 - December 6, 2006