Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A New Challenge ❯ of slides, and memories ( Chapter 2 )

"Weeeee!" Hikari shouts as they slide down through the labyrntht like tunnel.::she remembers the days when her mother used to take her to the park and watch hrer in the playground::*

*FLASHBACK*

"Hikari be careful!" her mother stands,laughing as Hikari darts around the slides and climbing obtacles excitedly.

"mom! mom! Look at me I'm on top of the world!!!" giggles Hikari atop of the jungle gym "Come down here; it's time for lunch!" her mother replies and Hikari sighs sadly as she slides down an outer pole."don't worry, Little One, we'll come here tomorrow" Hikari grins and hugs her mother

*End flashback*

Hikari sighs and hopes that she can make good memories with her new companions.

@%#$! Kitsune cusses from the unexpected surprise. As he falls into the hole, he unsheathes Gabriel out of instinct and uses it to try and slow his decent

even with Gabriel trying to slow his decent, the ground simply opens in front if the sword and closes after it has passed rendering it ineffectual. all of their ears pop as they decent deeper into the earth. suddenly shooting off the slide into mid air, the three zoom into a cavernous hall brightly lit only by luminous lichen. they land on a huge pouf on the other side of the hall and roll to the floor. while they try to get their orientation back, Nhamot walks in.

"welcome to my home." her voice echos slightly as she helps them up.

they gaze at the multi colored stalacites hanging from the cieling in awe and Hikari runs over to one trying to jump up and touch one.

Kitsune stands up and wipes Gabriel off. He then sheathes its 4 foot long blade, and refastens it to his lower back. He dusts off his pants and shakes bits of dibris from his leg guards, then violently shakes his body the way dogs do when wet to get any dust off his body and out of his hair. When finished he fixes his hair and checks his upper body for abrasions, satisfied and then looks at the others to see if any are hurt and asks, "Is everyone in one peice? That brings back memories of the first time I shadow walked, except that felt like I was passing through jell-like water.... Interesting home."

Hikari yelps as the stalactite falls on her head. After recovering from the hit, she violently kicks the stalactite into small pieces, then she crushes those with her feet. "grrrrrrr... stupid...... stupid.... STOOPID THING!!" The remaining pieces ignite as Hikaris eyes glow red "Oh crud......" Quickly, she stamps the fire out and turns to face the rest of the group. "sorry...." The others can only stare in shock at the violent outburst that has just occured. Hikari giggles nervously.

Nhamot smiles as her eyes light up and unfocus, "Pretty fire... why'd you stamp it out?! That was cool!! Can you show me how to do that or at least show me again?" She turns back to Kitsune, "Yeah... I guess so... It's kinda hard to really appreciate it anymore..." she sighs. "Well, just be glad You didn't have to find this place the hard way. I found the chimney while stumbling around in the dark... It goes... straight down..." she shudders recalling the horrible plunge into the unknown depths of the abyss. 'but at least was not the first time I've fallen into shadow...'

flashback...

Nhamot sits on the side of a bridge her feet dangling. she looks out at the sunset as a young man silently walks up behind her and starts to slip his arms around her waist. "Hey, Mars." she smiles turning and giving him a peck on the cheek.

"how do you always know it's me?"

"You know... you scuffed your sandal an eighth of a mile back."

"You could tell?"

"I can always tell when my pale skinned grey eyed love comes for me... and because I heard you, I get to punish you," she gets a michiefious twinkle in her eye.

"No! Anything but that!!" he chuckles and plants a kiss on her lips. she pulls back a little startled, "Mars!!! We've only been going out for a few months! I just might leave you if you keep this type of behavior!"

"Oh? you're my girl aren't you?"

"Yes Mars, I your girl. you know I'm your girl." she runs her fingers through his jet black hair "Well," he pulls her closer to him and wraps his arms around her, "My girl stays with me." he gets serious. "Don't ever leave me, Nhamot. I- Just don't leave me."

flash forward a few weeks

Its the middle of the night and nhamot has just finished dinner and has settled back to watch the fire burn down. After a while, she begins to doze off. On the brink of sleep, she hears a muffled knock on the door of her home and jumps up to open it pulling on a robe as she wonders who would be calling at this time of night. when she opens the door, she find a disheveled Mars, clothing soaked, his hair is stringy and his face is paler than usual, standing on her doorstep.

"Please, Nhamot, Let me in." he croaks

"Why? I haven't seen you in three days! You didn't even bother to let me know you were leaving!" "Please..." he whispers swaying dangerously back and forth. "Please..." he collapses into Nhamot's arms. she drags him to her bed and manuvers him into a resting position and puts a pillow under his calves seeing as he's longer than her bed. feeling his forehead she notes his skin is cold and clamy like wax.

"what happened to you?"

"River of-"

"ok, don't try to talk any more. I know that rivers freezing at this time of night." she struggles to get his clothing off and then disrobes down to the bare necessities

"Wwwhhat arrrree you ddddoing?" His teeth chatter as he blushes at the fact that she was wearing the most minimal amount of clothing he'd ever seen her wear. she rubs his arms and legs trying to warm them up and then positions herself on top of his bare chest. (ooc: Kinky ^,^;)

"Saving your life. If the blood from your limbs rush back to your heart too fast, your heart could fail." she succeeds in getting him warmed up and gets dressed again.

"Thanks," he murmurs. "I've seen your sister..." she looks up sharply from the chair she's been sitting in next the hearth.

"And you had to bring her up...Why?"

"It's just, she's really strong and, well, I know of a place where you can get stronger than her. If you're willing."

"How?"

"Do you trust me?"

"huh? Yes."

"Then I will show you." he motion her to him and she bends down to hear him as he whispers, "come closer." she bends down even further and suddenly he reahes out and grabs her and sinks his teeth just behind the artery in her neck. she begin to panic and tries to rip herself away from him but he keeps an iron grip on her to keep her still. the pain is excruciating and continues even after he lets go of her. the last thing she sees is that his eyes have gone from grey to blood red.

flash foreward a month

Nhamot sits cross legged in the middle of a dimly lit room waiting for the robed figures of the Moonlight society to enter the room and initiate her into the order. she wears a dark midnight blue kimono without sleeves and a black oobi (belt). her mind meditates on the part of her past that Mars played in her life. Within days of that incident, she began to feel as though regular fod could not satiate the hunger she felt inside. 'Mars, You showed me this world that I never knew existed. Thank you.' Her mind blurrs into numbness as five robed figures enter and lead her to a platform in front of the rest of the society where they present her with a golden cup of human blood ....

End flashbacks

"well, anyway, make yourselves comfortable and find your rooms and I'll find you later. try not to pick any of the lower rooms because they tend to spinkle salt in the air. The kitchen is off to the left," she points down an adjoining tunnel. "Lavatories to the right. the suana is up this tunnel," she pionts at a tunnel that inclines until it get close to the cieling. "Um... I'll be in my room sleeping and the training hall is right through the fireplace, so explore the house and see which room you want to stay in. the house'll accomadate you. the rooms you're not to go in are the ones with the tag Kinjiru (forbidden) on it and for you Izumi they hum in an off tone that'll annoy even me until I shut it off. If any of you go into my room, I will make sure whoever it is will spent the night on my extra comfy bed of nails with a scratchy blanket on top" she smiles. "oyasuminasai!" she walks in the direction of her room and pauses in the doorway. "Oh, almost forgot! If you really need me, knock 6 times, 1, 6 times, 1, 6 times.

Hikari watches as Nhamot grumpily stalk off. (BTW, I am not grumpy!!) "What a grouch!!"::she huffs and looks around at the bare walls of the cavern::"I've seen better looking outhouses!huh well it is kinda cozy.....so let's locate our rooms!" She skips merrily off into the sleeping quarters, and starts decorating the walls with her beloved piece of chalk. Humming happily, HIkari daydreams about her biggest crush Rock Lee:

daydream:

Rock Lee is on his knees witha gigantic ring in his hands,"Marry my sweet Hikari! you are more beautiful to me than that hag Sakura.You put birds to shame with your sweet voice and make all women jealous with your beauty and smarts.I pledge my undying love to you!" ::Hikari tskes the ring gently from his hands and places it on her finger::"Of cousre I will marry you my love,and we will have many little turtles"..........sighs happily. (Hikari: What?? I think he looks like a turtle!)

Kitsune silently stares blankly into a shadowed corner for several minutes then blushes a bit and closes his eyes abruptly and smacks the side of his head fairly hard. "I really have to stop surfing the shadows like that..... I've already given myself nightmares from several things I've come across." He shudders at the thought.

"Why....our great Kage is shuddering...."said Izumi with an unreadable expression. She had been sitting in a dark corner quietly all the while, listening...thinking...

"If you were to see things that I've seen from staring into the shadows looking for something iteresting, you'd shudder too, in fact, you would probably vomit....

"I would probably get sick if I could see the things you do...but too bad...I can't see anything." a smile. She turns and stays silent, then nods slightly to Kitsune and walks off to find herself a room...

Kitsune huffs and says to Izumi as she walks away, "You and I are exact opposites, you cannot see and i am cursed with being able to see everything... In a way you are lucky, you don't have to see the horrors of man and what they bring. Murder, pillaging and cruelty are among the top things i wish i would never have to see again."

 

after closing the door to her room, Nhamot sighs happily as she looks around. The floor is covered with soft grass and a plethora of plant life. a path winds about eventually leading to her favorite bed of 8 inch nails. In the northwestern part of her room, there is a small pond of water with koi and other fish in it. In the south there is a small grove of bonsai fruit trees.To the west, there is a door covered in vines behind a much larger stand of trees with incredibly wide leaves. the rest of the room is filled with few odd things and more often foliage. she walks over to the shadowed pond against the wall in the south eastern part of the room. and looks into the rippling water at her face. she sighs, 'I guess its time to get rid of the makeup..." she undresses and walks into the pool. If you were to glance at her back, you would have seen the huge scar that follows the curve of her shoulder blade and four trees and a seal in the middle of her back. once in the water, she brings up some sand which she uses scrub her face unmercifully until blood appears. the water burns as she splashes her face again and again. gently, she towels her face dry and looks into the water once more. It is the the face of a young man.

Izumi walks around and finds herself a room. It is a small and beautiful room, but she can't see anyway. She hadn't planned to stay this long around mist village...and really started to worry about the situation of her house... She lie on her bed awake, muttering her prayers just like every night before...

'why couldn't I have inherited a femminine face like my sisters?' she sighs and prepares 4 travel bags for the trip to Izumi's home. 'I guess she might want to head home soon...' She sits there a little sad and wonders what Izumi's home will look like. Taking a deep breath, she marvels once again at the wonderful spicy smell of her room. 'I hope her home smells like this...' She suddenly yawns widely blinking rapidly. 'Guess... shouldn't have... stayed up for week...' she collaspes onto her bed of nails. after pulling up her blanket, she fingers the necklace around her neck. It looks like its made of dark green stones, but it's really made of plants. gently, she tugs at it and gasps at the pain clawing at her brain and riping out her spine.

'you just had to do that didn't you?'

'Be quiet, Kaindra. I not in the mood.'

'Oh? you just pulled on that necklace like there was just nothing else to do in the world! And you say you're not in the mood? If I had my body, I'd pulp you right now!'

'Zmmmmmmmmmmzzzzzzzzzzmmmmmmmmmmmmm eerrrrrrrrrrrrr!!'

'Ok Tori... I won't do it again for a while. Ok?'

'ZZZmmmmmmmmmmm!'

'Good now let's get some sleep...'

2 hours later...

'Wheeee!! I feel refreshed!' Nhamot thinks loudly to herselfs. 'I wonder what time it is... Where are the others' rooms? Are they sleeping still? Hmm...' she sits up, looks around and winces as her stomach cramps. 'Grug... still hungry... Too bad physical food doesn't really help much. Two hours of sleep! Wowwww! It's a world record!!!!' she cheers quietly to herself as she get up and begins to put on her make up. the scratches on her face have healed. Humming quietly as she finishes, she goes to the kitchen to make breakfast. After she puts several pots of water on the fire for some soft boiled eggs, ramen, and porridge, she goes investigating around the cave system to find her new residents' rooms and stops her face paling dramaticly as she discovers Hikari's room. Chalk pictures cover every inch of wall within Hikari's reach: the powdery pictures describe scenes of Hikari's life with suns radiating down on smiling people. Her eye twitches at the scene. 'And to think I was happy earlier...' she thinks in dismay. suddenly, her eyes flash red and her hand shoots out at a shadow and closes around it and slowly tightens her already vice like grip. "state your buisness stranger, or we will dance." she whispers so she won't wake the child all the while draging the shadow to another room.

Kitsune walks nearby as Nhamot drags the mysterous person and calls, "O_O oh! Hello, need any help?"

HIkari, the not-so-morning person,is awakened by Kitsune's yell:::"Who the hell wakes up at this hour?!" she quickly lights up the area in a fury, and noticing that the rest of the place is nicer that hers....starts throwing flames everywhere in her desperate attempt to put out the noise and miraculously manages to singe a bit of Kitsune's eyebrow

"Ow!!!" Kitsune throws a pillow at Hikari to prevent her from throwing another fire ball

Nhamot ignores the both of them even when a stray fireball flies her way. as it gets nearer to her, it gets smaller and smaller until it goes out and a tiny seed brushes against her clothes. the figure in her grip makes choking noises as she drags it down the hall.

"Um... Nhamot?" Kitsune calls as he catches up with her.

she rounds on him her now red eyes blazing. "you ever call me my sister's name again and I'll make sure that if you wake up you'll wish you hadn't."

"then you're not Nhamot?"

"Why would I be?" Indeed her eyes have changed color, her hair has turned purple, and her body has become much more muscular. "If she'd give me just half the time she's had..."

"What should I call you then?"

"Kaindra.(kay-een dra)"

she yells and punches a hole in the wall with her free hand. Kitsune gets serious at this behaviour. she smiles michieviously. ^,^

GIVE HER BACK

Izumi opened her eyes slightly though it darkness is still all she sees. She sits up slowly brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "whats going on outside...?" she thought when she hearded voices. She tidied herself quickly and went out of the room. "Nhamot..? Kitsune...?" She stopped herself from blurting out the word 'sama'.

Kitsune, as Kaindra threatens him, his animilaistic slat-like crimson pupils narrow, and he narrows his eyes angrily "I dont know who you think you are blurting out threats to somone in which you dont have even the slightest idea of how strong he is, but I can assure you, if it happens again I wont let you off with just a warning. Now whatever you call yourself, you need to learn to respect your elders, in fact you need to learn to respect period. And I can do the same, except if I hit the wall, this whole place will collaps regardless of where I strike."

"The pillow ignites as Hikari yells::"What in the @#!$%& is going on here!!!!???" Kitsune shushes her and eyes Kaindra warily. Finally realizing whats going on, she goes more pale and sinks to the floor. "where is Nhamot?" she manages to whisper

Kitsune narrows his eyes and his body becomes rigid. <I'm not sure, but I'm not liking this person, too rude...> Hikari hears his thought in her head.

"Did she do it too?" Kaindra mutters to herself. "Ehhh... probably." She shrugs. "So, what would you suggest I do, Jiisan?" she turns to the figure in her grip and allows it to breath. "Dimsilk won't work on me." she tells it as she procures a piece of thin shiny rope prcedes to tie it up. once she finishes tying it's arms and legs together, she starts patting it down leaving no place unsearched. "Well, I can tell you're a guy..."

Hikari wonders, 'who's in my mind?! I don't like this person Nhamot has turned into...'
Kaindra pulls out a knife and the figure wrenches himself back away from her.

"Hold still. I'd hate to have to clean up any blood spray from your arteries." To reenforce the fact that she wants him to stay still, she moves behind him and steps on his bonds. Pain shoots up his arms and shoulders as she reaches over his shoulder and cuts the left breast of his gi (uniform). A tatoo of a bleeding heart can be seen.

Kitsune looks at the tatoo "I presume he is an assassin, correct?"

Izumi stood behind kitsune quietly, listening to the conversation...

Hikari shivers at the site of the tattoo "what's going on here?" she whispers to Izume.

Izumi looks down at the girl slightly and stayed quiet for a while. Then a very slight smile decorated her face. An assuring smile, telling her not to worry

"He's not an assassin, Kitsune. He a medic. can you see the space where the heart is unfinished? That means he's been in the program for about a year. Name and number."

he stays silent, so she puts more of her wieght on his bonds.

"Diablo, go go ni san." His voice cracks.

'Good God! They sent me an amatur!'

"Shishi shi shi." She pauses. "You know they sent you here to die right?" she reaches for the mask covering his face.

And to what aim would he be sent for? I mean who would send a medic here, other than to die, what would he be able to acheive?

"He would be able to achieve everything just by being here." She pauses, her hand gripping the edge of the dark mask with her finger tips.

"Please-" Diablo begins.

"I need to see if you're alright." As she begins to pry the mask off his face He begins to scream.

"I don't want to die!"

'Kaindra, Stop it! It's his necklace!'

Kaindra pulls harder on the mask.

'Kaindra!! Damn you!' Ame wrestles with Kaindra for control of the body and Kaindra hand slips off the mask and snags on her green mecklace. Kaindra screams as pain rockets thoughout her entire body and she falls to the ground. The air around her face shimmers and Nhamot's face shimmers into view.

Kistune looks down at Nhamot lying on the floor and thinks to himself 'And I thought I had family issues, she has a bunch of family inside her and all I have is a father that wants me dead, and probably my entire home village"

Nhamot groans and rolls over onto her side clutching her head. As she struggles to sit up, she whispers hoarsly, "What happened? I feel bad, my head is pounding, and I'm not in my room." She looks around blearily. "Who's this guy??" She notices the unfinished heart and her eyes widen and she backs away into a wall. "I know that sign!! My blood is my own! You can't have it! I belong to another."

Hikari runs to nhamot and tackles her crying:: "what happened?waaaaaaaaaah!!?"

Kitsune looks at the two on the ground, then at the captive, he walks up to the captive and draws Gabriel from its long and heavy sheath, pointing at Diablo's throat as it begins to radiate an almost heatlike aura of light around it with archs of energy ocasionaly running the leingth of its blade "Now I suggest you talk, and give good answers that I like, or there won't even be an afterlife waiting for you after this blade strikes you....

"My death is inconsecuential. Do as thou wilt. I have accomplished my mission, now you can send me to Hell."

"Hikari, Ok! I'm here, I'm alive, so get off me already!!!!!" Nhamot tries to get up as Hikari, evidently, is trying to emulate a leech and won't let go.

"You are so willing to give up your life for so small a price?"

"One truth is that we will all die. If I had not lived my life as though I was dead, I would mourn my loss of it." He winces as an arch of energy licks his skin.

nhamot finally manages to free herself of Hikari and Hikari collapses sobbing to the ground

'He is Otokage afterall...' thought Izumi, and kept being quiet. things are finally getting more interesting...

kitsune chuckles at the captive "I don't think you comprehend just what this jutsu does, for you, there will be no hell awaiting, nor a heaven. Those killed by this jutsu, have their soul sealed onto a sutra that forms from the victims bone and blood particles, after your soul has been sealed I can 1) destroy it causing your soul to be completely lost to the point that not even eido tensei can bring you back 2) keep the sutra and later summon you as a slave in combat that has to bend to my every whim 3) use it as a form of leverage against those who keep you dear tto them, in your case that may be noone...."

"Blessed be the mother goddess, in whom I place my soul..." Diablo whispers as he closes his eyes. "Father, one of the pillars of my discipline, bid me to the realm death. Choose for me the path of eternal suffering..."

"And let me pay for what my life once was..." Nhamot continues and her eyes widen. "Kitsune, if you kill him, he will accomplish his mission. I'm betting he came here to die and reveal this place to those tracking his life signs. Why did you think I insisted on covering your eyes and ears on the way here... This is my safe place... My home... If he dies near here this place is comprimised. and I will have to leave... Sensei, I am glad I accepted your offer." Her eyes well up and she catches the black pearl that solidifies from her tears in her hand.

Izumi nodded towards nhamot in a yourwelcome way, then turned her head to this "diablo" again. She closed her eyes and silently took a deep breath, tilting her head back slightly, then sighed her breath out quietly...She can smell something familiar in the air

Hikari continues to sob uncontrollably.

Nhamot pulls a needle out of her pocket and pricks her finger. using the single drop of blood, she rubs it on the pearl which starts smoking a little. "Open your mouth, Priest Fransisco del Diablo, this will help you along the way."

He looks at her, "How do you know my name?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." She pops the pearl into his mouth; he swallows it and shivers

"I feel so cold..."

"Thats just the thing, devine wrath of heaven dosn't kill, if they are tracking his life force they will still sense it, since his life force will be bound to a sutra." Kitsune explains patiently as his sword returns to normal and kitsune lowers the blade, "I have an idea... I will be back momentarily; however he will not, and you need not worry about them finding this location because i will not kill him.... only turn him over to Keiga, afterwhich he will no longer be your enemy, but in fact my slave. If you have any objections to me taking him away from here with my shadow walk then summoning Keiga on him please say so now, but it will force me to summon Keiga here and i am not certain this place is large enough to support such a massive beast.

"If you can do it without destroying his body and you can leave his mind alone, I have no objections..." She sighs, "Who's Keiga?"

'You're just going to let this idiot kill our only lead? you've got to be stupider than you look...'

'Shizukuni kudasai, Kaindra. You looked even stupider when you were lying there on the floor after snagging your hand on the Necklace.'

'Hey! it wasn't my fault! Ame, you made me do that so I'd leave by default.'

'You were going to kill that boy.'

'Baka hashi nana kya na oranai.' (Um... <.< ... >.> You stupid idiot. We'll just leave it at that...)

"No worries, his body will not be destroyed. Keiga is my dragon spirit of water and manipulation, If Keiga is forcebly desummoned by an attack after he has eaten an apponent and traped them in his water prison-like body, anything and everything that has a conciousness within him will become brainwashed and in turn, my slave. I can control the creature or creatues that were in Keigas gut at the time with my chacra, like a marrionette, i can even see useing their eyes."

Izumi frowned slightly, feeling a little dissapointed. Turning she walked back to her room silently and took her umbrella lying on the bed. Running her hands down the smooth surface slightly, she sat down on the bed, ready to pack her things and leave this place...with someone

Now she finally found something to do, she felt less hollow. 'Nhamot possesses a great power that still isnt on the surface, But she still has much more to learn,' she thought, thinking of the things that she had been through these few days.

Hikari who has been quietly sobbing/listening this whole time finally speaks up::"No!no more killing! No more suffering!I have seen to much pain in my life!!" She throws herself across Fransiscos chest to protect him from the enslavement jutsu::"No more!!" her eyes light with a sinister fire as she stares menacingly at her companions;her voice deepens until it is no onger the voice of a little girl but the voice of a savage demoness "NO MORE, NEVER AGAIN WILL I STAND BY AND WATCH THE ATROCITIES OF THE HUMAN RACE!!!"

"I feel the same way, and i will not kill him. When eaten by Keiga and he becomes forcibly desummond it whipes the memory of the one being enslaved of the events prior leading up to being enslaved. i will make him walk back to where ever it was that he came from and deliver the message that i, as Otokage, Leader of sound village, declare war on anyone and any village that so wishes to find and harm the tennants of this place. upon him delivering that message i will release him from my grip and he will have no recollection of finding this place or his mission. and sheilding him will only get you caught in Keiga's grasp aswell"

"well I guess if you are not going to kill him.....but isn't a slave life just as bad as death?"

"It's too late for him..." Nhamot whispers as Diablo begins to shiver uncontrollably; his teeth chatter noisily. "His body is going to experiencing a fever of 115 degrees F, but before he dies, he'll probably halucinate and run off a cliff. In the event that he does survive, which isn't very likely .5%, He will understand what I had given him..." Nhamot smiles sadly, "Life. He must die in order to understand my gift. He will live longer for it." She walks out of the hall leaving Hikari and Kitsune standing there confused and walks over to Izumi's room and stands in doorway "Remember, Izumi, When we first met? Remember when you found me drawing on my arm, how when you took my kunai away I told you I was hungry and you told me to control it? we/ I almost forgot my medicine. You kept me from converting innocent people. I was born alone... I don't want to die alone!" something flickers behind her eyes but is gone again in a fleeting instant. "...We'd better get going..."