Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Flame Of Recca Fan Fiction ❯ Starlit to Lifes, Curses and Demons ❯ Recruitment and Training ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: Make it short… I don't own any of the popular characters I use in here except those I made it myself. The storyline is mine except those I quote form manga, any manga storyline, especially Naruto. Mind you if the story I wrote in this fiction similar to other fanfic, don't blame me. I don't read all fanfics posted in the Internet okay but I do take some info of the techniques from several websites. Just for your acknowledgement.

"Blah" speech, `blah' thoughts, blah just to highlight,

-Blah- mind talk, -: Blah :- Makai language, "Blah" inner speaking to outer or the spirit (guess?)

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Chapter 12 - Recruitment and Training

Haku submerged in water few seconds and reappeared back to the water surface time to time as he flows by the river's current that moves like a snake.

Far at lower part of the river, coincidences await…

The water level of the river subsided but the current getting faster, lowering from Kurama's eye level to down. Haku floats on, passing from one rapid to another rapids by the river's currents heading to south.

Kurama dash on and keeping an eye on Haku, running beside the riverside ground that begins to slopes into lowland.

After half hour chasing Haku, something caught Kurama's eye…

A figure jumps out of the forest, out of a tree that looked like a big willow tree with its branch sweeping the water surface. The figure land on the water surface and start running, heading towards Haku who right now at the middle of the river, to save him.

The figure scooped out Haku out of the water and returned back to the riverside.

Kurama hid himself from being seen by the figure watch it's every move.

It's a Shinobi.

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The Shinobi made few hand seal, he pressed to Haku's chest. A glass full of water throw up out from Haku's mouth, he coughed out more water and tried to breathe air into his lungs as much as he can.

As the Shinobi saw Haku was fine, he went back to cook his food as if nothing happen, ignoring Haku.

Haku coughed again before he put his attention to the environment he's in. "Kassan… Kurama…?" he mumble, looked to his left and right, "Recca-san… where are you?"

He notice the Shinobi near him, "W-Who… who are you?"

"You're lucky to survive through that, falling into the river… or did somebody throw you in to die drowning?" the Shinobi eat his food, still ignoring Haku's condition.

Haku thought back what did happened but his mind still blurred. He did remember he was practicing his chakra… sudden quake rumble… the horse cart moves fast and he was thrown out. He started running towards the horse cart but a big wave hit him and he blackout.

How did he have himself into the water? Is everyone okay? Did his mother also swept into the water and die? `No that couldn't be…' Haku can't think a thing. He is a kid with mind of a normal four years old, not like the others.

He felt he was abandon… then again he was cold being in water so long.

Drenched in wet clothes, Haku pulled off his shirt and squeezed out the water as much as he can. He moved near to the fire, sitting opposite the Shinobi and put the wet shirt, torn by the sharp branches etc in the river, at his legs. He did looked like in a rag.

(A/N: Just say he wore a very long shirt down to his knees. He wears boxes.)

The fire heated up the cold Haku. He stared at the Shinobi's eyes, blinking few times.

"What? You want some food? Go and get it yourself. You should thank that I've saved you." The Shinobi continued eating.

Haku still stared.

The Shinobi stared back for a minute before asking again, "What?"

"You're eyes are like mine Mister…"

"Really?" Haku nodded.

"What's you name…"

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Kurama moves closer, but not too close to be spotted out.

He mused, the Shinobi looked familiar to him, the face was cover with heavy bandage up to its nose and talk about his eyebrows! That Shinobi didn't have any and maybe he shaved it and the forehead protector had the Mist ninja symbol.

He watch in the dense foliage where he settle in to hide, `who… a Mist-nin here? Why do I feel I've seen him before?' he looked at the Shinobi's surrounding and saw a big sword lay at the Shinobi's back. `A large, long sword with a crescent curve near to the handle…bandaged face… Zabuza? My he is!'

Kurama blinked few times to check if his eye playing his mind out but the same sight reveal in his view.

`Coincidence? He should meet Zabuza earlier before… it seams he was fate to meet him… or should I take Haku back?' mused Kurama, juggling between the two conflicting decisions.

He listened to the conversation between Haku and Zabuza. They did introduce each other and well enough to figure that Haku still dizzy after being floated in the river for along period.

Zabuza did give Haku some food (A/N: fish what else.) and asked Haku his life story.

Haku told about his tragedy of his father and his meetings with the four boys along side with his mother but kept a secret about their origins as he did promised and Kurama had made strong mental note into the young Haku's mind but he did tell Zabuza that they want to make their own village. (A/N: Kurama learned mind techniques from Hiei)

Zabuza laugh at that idea, `Grrr… he thinks that it can't be achieve!' Kurama thought angrily.

Then Haku told Zabuza he was worried about the group he's in especially his mother.

Hearing this, Kurama made his mind, take back Haku with them. Kurama hate to see a mother's cry and breaking her heart for loosing her child, it reminds of his mother… He can't let himself see another mother in sadness.

In Youko form, Kurama came out form his hiding place gracefully, appearing to their sight.

Zabuza on his guard, holding his large sword in his hand and consciously watched for Kurama's next movement. He didn't expect Haku's action towards Kurama.

"Kurama-san, Kurama-san!" Haku yells with happy tune and runs toward Kurama, they embraced.

"I thought I would never see you again," tears tickle at the edge of Haku's eyes.

Kurama smile, "You know, everyone worried for you, especially your okassan." Patting Haku's head, Kurama looked at Zabuza, "Thank you for saving this little boy."

"Your welcome. Who are you?" asked Zabuza.

Kurama stand straight after releasing from embrace, he put his attention to Zabuza, "I'm called Kurama, a kitsune..." Looking back to Haku and back to Zabuza, he continued, "someday, we will pay back your good deed," bowed to Zabuza.

"How can a kitsune be in company of humans?"

"I'm sorry but that I cannot tell you. Hope you understand… Haku-kun, lets go," Kurama pulled Haku to go back but Haku tugged Kurama to get his attention.

"Yes?"

"Can I have ride on you?"

"Sure" Kurama smiled.

Kurama changed into his fox form in front of Zabuza and Haku. Zabuza was awe by Kurama's changing form. Haku scrambled up on Kurama and hold onto Kurama's furry back.

Kurama bowed again to Zabuza when he was still mesmerized of Kurama. Kurama instantly disappeared from Zabuza sight, dash away into the forest.

It took one hour to get back since Kurama make his way back in leisure pace.

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Urameshi and Ranma came back on Puu from the Spirit Mountain where their job is to make a route to the nearest road they came by. They were shocked to hear what just happened on their absent.

The horse cart got minor damage from the incident, Recca did a good job fixing on it.

Makoto never let Haku out of her sight when he got back. She cried when she saw their arrival and thanked Kurama for saving Haku several times until Kurama lost count of it. She then makes sure that Haku always beside her.

This incident reminded Urameshi, there were only six of them. They were lack number of people to make their village as a village. They need someone for trading goods, they need a blacksmith to make weapons and hell, one more important thing, and they need people to be their ninjas or farmers to provide them food and other things.

(A/N: Kurama can do the farming part for free and Recca is still too young to be a blacksmith alone to make any weapons.)

They have to recruit more people sooner or later, Urameshi make a mental note to discuss this with Kurama that night with the others after they all get over with that day incident.

Night appeared, Kurama did agree about Urameshi's concerned.

They had to find any possible people who would willingly join them. For now, willingly is crucial since the place they're staying can freak out by just hearing what would they encounter there.

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In the journey, they stopped at four small villages and a town and someone joins with them;

Haruno Tanaka and Akiwa Tanaka from Niwa (Garden) Town; they were twin orphan girls, neglected by the other villagers, left in rags and live in paper boxes at the roadside. Their father owns so much money from the lenders and he was killed along with their mother who hid them away just in time. The two of them had spared their life from this murderess of their parents by the pissed off lenders. (A/N: Kurama harvest a lot of plant seed from this evergreen garden town. By the way they're six years old.)

To hear the group's offers; to be ninjas with ability to fight the enemy by themselves so they can revenge their parents' death and a have place to stay where someone took care of them, the offers was enough to make them join in even the place they're going had ghosts.

Next, an old couple, make it a farmer couple in the Valley Village.

Three people came to claim their good fortune from their betting but their son, Akayoshi, run away, fleeing leaving his poor parents. Mamoru Hanageshi and Harada Hanageshi. They didn't have anything much accepts a horse and a cart, a house to live in and that piece of land. They took the horse with them and went to the landlord to bid their luck at him if they can get their hands on the land of the poor farmers.

In the end the landlord didn't want to be involved so he put a hold by lease to the land for anyone who interested. The landlord striped the house and land in their possession, a small piece of land they used for framing because their useless son had a stupid bet and owned a lot of money. The old couple own nothing except their clothes and the horse cart.

A horse cart without a horse is useless. By separating the two horses pulling our little group's horse cart and on the old couple's horse cart, they joined them to find a land they own themselves to live on.

They kept their secret from the newcomer of their group past especially about demons in the group but telling them the place they're going is full of ghosts.

"You really don't mind of the ghosts?" Makoto asked them.

"They don't haunting us if we stay there, do they?" Harada replied with a question with streaks of fear drawn on her face.

(A/N: Don't you think they having ghosts is enough to make a heart attack?)

"Well… no except you pissed them off, I think" Urameshi answered.

"I don't mind to have ghosts beside me rather then to have a disgraceful son," Mamoru said angrily.

"Mamoru!"

"Nani? He's the reason we're in this situation! Thank to Kami-sama for these people offer us a place to stay, even how creepy or haunted they say. I prey to kitsune we worship to chase after him for us for making us lose the farmland."

"You worship kitsune?" Kurama asked.

"Yes, we worship them for our vegetables we grew. We are just farmers. Who could we depend on other then what we worshiped?" Mamoru paused. His face was filled with sadness when he flashback a certain memory of his before he continued, "That son of mine doesn't believe them. He said that they all are demons, just waiting to destroy all humankind and not worth to be worshiped like the corrupted one attacking Kohona…"

Silence dominant for a while before Ranma spoke out.

"You know…" everyone put their attention on Ranma, "there is a kitsune staying at the place we're going, isn't it Kurama?"

"Yeah." Kurama support Ranma's statement.

The old couple was surprise of the statement. They never meet a real kitsune so they decided to join.

They did tell that the place they're going has unnatural phenomenal, ghost strayed there but harmless, as long they have nothing to conflict with the ghosts. Urameshi, Ranma and Puu occasionally disappear to complete their certain task and the last time they disappear, Kurama also join in with them.

(A/N: The others only seen Puu small form but never the large one.)

They reach, the Hana Natsu (Summer Flower) Village, the nearest village to Spirit Mountain and stayed for a night. They do asked information about the villagers' opinion about that mountain and as they suspected, a place nobody dare to come near for the ghosts exist there. They don't officially give a name to the mountain; they just call it the mountain ghost or haunted mountain etc. Nobody dares to go there anymore because of few incidents occurred in the past.

The next day, they used a road. The road they had made themselves. (A/N: And that's the certain task)

It their very own route to the Spirit Mountain since it was not available for them to used. The route was created, hidden from outsiders, if they looked at the roadside of existing, it route they made hidden by heavily foliage and vines as well as small shrubs plant.

Kurama revealed the way, the plants were ordered to move aside for the horse cart to go through. The vines shrinking away, the shrubs lowering their branches to the level below the horse carts' floor and give some space for the pair of four wheels to go thru.

After 30 kilometers, they reach their destination, Spirit Village.

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Spirit Mountain…

For those came for the first time, they see the place as if it's the wonders of the world.

For it lush of trees, the ever-flowing water of the sparkling waterfall, falling into the wide, clear water of the lake. You can call it paradise. A large blue bird flies above them, appearing happy of their presents.

"Puuu! Puuuryuuuu~~~"

"Puu! Settle down! Don't get too excited! You're scaring this poor peoples with us!" Urameshi yelled to Puu.

He jumped down from the horse cart and went straight to Puu, hugging Puu when Puu turned back to its small chibi form.

That did scare them a bit but then they just shrugged if off.

The four boys earlier had made the rooms with windows and doors for everyone each. Kurama had made a water line into each of them by using his plants that hollow inside as the pipes to avoid leakages; it snaked in the holes he had made earlier so everyone can boil water and bath in their own place but toilets outside at provided place nearby, don't want to stink up the rooms.

Beds, chairs and tables roughly made by them the four boys all especially by Kurama (A/N: Man he really useful almost in everything.)

In the Spirit Mountain, the dark passages lit by glowing Makai plants, attach on the walls.

The sunset sinking away and the shadow swallowed everything in darkness but day and night is the same thing if you're in much less underground. Most of them didn't take notice of it. Rest in comfortable beds in their minds, to rest.

But they did been warn about the ghosts and the boys invite them to a session to meet the ghosts of the Spirit Mountain. That would be scarier than meeting with Puu for the first large form appearance. (He, he, he….)

So then, the ghosts meet with the newcomers, did shake away a little courage but newcomers take it bravely.

Some of the ghosts were angry of Akayoshi action towards his parents and want to haunt him but the Harada still love her son, even how bad is he. So the ghosts said they would pass around for information of his whereabouts.

Mamoru really want to see the kitsune that staying in the area but Urameshi said that the kitsune only show himself in full moon. (A/N: Urameshi… bad boy, bad boy he should pity the request of the old man)

The meeting goes on nicely. After half hour, it was done. The dead goes wondering in the forest act as guards of the Spirit Mountain and the living went back to sleep and rest.

Soon a farming field was open by the old couple, planting vegetables and a small paddy field. There was a special section for Kurama; he planted all sorts of healing and antidote herbs. Kurama also go out into the forest to turn into Youko every full moon and did surprise the old couple at his first change in front of the newcomers. The twins freak out a little.

The old couple give their respect to Kurama more then the others.

The Tanaka; Haruno and Akiwa followed the basic routine practices to be the ninja of the Spirit Village, as they want to revenge their parents' death and also to be useful to the others. They did pick them when no one wanted to notice them. (A/N: And they want to be powerful female ninjas.)

The time wheel spins on, moving forward to the future…

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They all took some time to get familiar with the surroundings.

Kurama was officially made as the leader of Spirit Village due that he has thousands years of life experiences as well as he was once a leader of his murderers thieves group.

Few things were establish; a blacksmith area with needed materials gathered from previous digging form passage ways, types of techniques to be learn had been made in orderly and money to be gather for their income from selling various vegetables, flowers and especially remedies made by Kurama.

Even they were just kids, that doesn't mean they can't start to make their own weapons.

They do it in teamwork to make weapons especially kunai and shuriken as a start. Urameshi and Ranma, holding the hammers in their hands, used their strengths to forged the metals while Recca make sure the fire was hot enough for the work. Kurama holds on the hot metal with fire resist plants in place or readjust its position and to moved it into the cold water for cooling.

They got hang on to it after a while and the weapon they made were getting better and better, much better then the ugly looking kunai they made it for the first time. (A/N: I did write Recca couldn't do it alone…)

As for the learning process, they start of with chakra control and basic jutsu such as Kawarimi no Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu, Henge no Jutsu and lastly Genjutsu Kai. (A/N: Kawarimi is replacement technique with something near to you, Bunshin is creating an illusion copy of you, Henge is changing yourself into someone or something else and Genjutsu Kai is a technique to dispel illusion jutsu of any other genjutsu.)

Even the twins are older then them, they respect them all since they are the ones teaching.

The lessons will be switch ones a month, adjustable to each individual since some stick to a lesson until they satisfied with their progress.

Second, those who succeeded the first lesson will learn the martial arts from Ranma and man did he proud to be the one ordering them in the training for ones awhile. He is the master of the Saotome Anything Goes Style and it was a harsh training.

The twin girl had a hard time on it but they don't give up. Bakusai Tenketsu was not allow to be learn by Haku and the twins until their body can cope of the toll of learning that technique.

Kurama made extra effort on learning Umisenken and Yamisenken techniques because… he is a thief in nature. (A/N: The Umisenken techniques are designed to emulate a "quiet" thief's movements and the Yamisenken techniques are designed to emulate a "noisy" thief's movements.)

Throwing the kunai and shuriken were included in the training even that Ranma earlier didn't like it. Well, what the heck, because the others want to. Ranma didn't teach his Hiryu Shoten Ha (Rising Dragon Hurricane) technique because for him that's his trump card.

He did teach them Hidden Weapon techniques to keep weapons hidden in their sleeves as if they didn't bring any. (A/N: I don't know if he did managed use this technique before but I presume he knows but don't use it coz of his distaste of using weapons)

Even he was in charge in teaching them that doesn't mean he didn't do his training. Kurama helped him on his problem with cats as well as help him fully control his Nekoken (Cat Fist) technique without loosing his conscious. That take more then a month and they had really hard time to snap him out of it when he lose his awareness.

Next, Urameshi got himself in charge; he taught the usage of reiki but not all of them have the ability to learn it.

Kurama, even he is half demon human but basically he is a demon for thousand of years before turning half human. Unlike Urameshi, he only can use youki. So, he used his time in making remedies and learning martial arts as well as tending his flower garden.

Haruno Tanaka and Akiwa Tanaka cannot join in this practice since they have too little awareness and produce insufficient reiki for anything. Even they want to learn, it will take much, much longer then others so they decided to continue on learning martial arts and jutsus.

Haku in other hand also had little resource of reiki but unlike the twins, he can make a very small light of reiki on the tips of his finger. He had to stop learning from Ranma because Makoto said so as she saw that between Ranma and Urameshi teaching, Ranma's martial arts gave Haku a lot of wounds and scars even Urameshi's teaching is exhausting Haku more than Ranma's. Therefore, Haku determined to learn the reiki techniques with his mother's encouragement.

Ranma and Recca had no problem on learning from Urameshi.

Kurama didn't teach much because he had other things to do like helping the Hanageshi in the field, rising flowers and vegetables, taking care of the wounds they had on training, handling the trading business and so on. He taught on sword and whip technique.

He also taught his stealth ways of thief, how to find useful healing plants and also he helped Recca to improve his fire techniques by not just using the Karyu but also his normal flame. Kurama and the others also helped him to figure out how the hell the ring-bracelet worked but only managed on the elements of plants and ice for now.

Between learning those above, they learned also from the ghosts and other things. It really a compact timetable for their everyday life.

Other then training, vegetables and flowers were sold once a week in the market of the Hana Natsu Village.

The flowers then also were sent to some flower shops too as the customers praised of its beautifulness and for it longer lasting then other flower until the owners of the flower shops asked them to sent it to their shops early in the morning, twice a week.

Lastly, the remedies were specially made by Kurama, mixed with various ingredients of plants properties including from Reikai, Makai and Ningenkai realms of the duo demons lived before and the types of remedies was various according to the usage.

For examples, two of the most known remedies by people; it could heal fatally wound in a day or even worst fever you could get. On each of the packet of the remedies, there is a symbol of a rose drawn on it as the logo of the product.

Because of the uniqueness of the remedies, nobody can make a copy of it other then Kurama himself. The remedies were sold at medicine shop, the Mugen Medicine Shop in Hana Natsu Village with an agreement that the owner, Mugen, who acts as the middleman for them.

In the agreement, the profit outcome of the selling of the products will be split sixty percents to the Spirit group and the other forty percents to Mugen.

They get lots of money from that business and the Mugen Medicine Shop getting wealthier. The shop got its popularity for it, making it famous. Some ninja villages including the Leaf buy the fast healing remedies and others.

In two months, three branches of the shop opened in other places, one in a village and two in towns.

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After few months, someone did send in their man to find out whom and especially how do the remedies were made.

However, their search was futile.

The Spirit group especially Kurama and Ranma shipped their goods using the Umisenken techniques with the help of flying invisible Puu so no one knows where did they came from and sent it to a secret meeting place with the shop owner, Mugen, but that doesn't mean the owner of the medicine shop didn't get other types of threats.

Even Mugen got the threats, that don't mean he would let it get him. He knows the Spirit group is a special kids that kept their secrets by themselves. Hell, he even doesn't know where did they come from. He did see them selling vegetables and flowers and asked locals where they came from. They don't know and the only answer he could get was that they lived out skirt of the village, somewhere… nobody knows

After few trips of sending goods, the Spirit group also did warn and made him promised that he would never try to locate where they lived, so he stopped searching their home. Either way, he did promise them that he would keep their existences a secret, only he knows it and any trouble he get, he will solve it himself.

He didn't dare to asked them how what's the ingredients and how to make is or he might loose this wonderful money bringers for him instantly as they did come to him… mysteriously.

He called on the nearest ninja he could get, ninjas from Hidden Earth Village to guard all his shop premises and also when he shipped his goods to the branch shops.

He never tells his secret for these special remedies even to his own family and those ninjas he employed. Many interested on the remedies and would like to get their hands on it.

Mugen would not let it happen.

He would not let this rose logo remedies out of his grip by his desire of monopoly it.

This secret he had to keep it to himself until he retires and past the info to son later for his son's safety and the secret.

That was crucial.

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The Spirit group plans in their search for new recruits.

Their targets are kids just like themselves so there will be no hardheaded attitude in the group that would turn their back on them. Older kids or adults would not like little kids ordering them around.

They would like to have orphan rather than those who have parents living with them, no string attach to the outside of the Spirit Village. Unwanted child is much better, they can have the benefit of having more people in their village, to make a place to stay and also get rid of the haltered of peoples to the unwanted child.

Fear of ghost can be wipe out after years living in the village later.

They start the search and targeted some people. Garra was put out the list from the beginning since too much people keep an eye on him; he is the Kazekage's son.

But Naruto is on their list.

They start their search…

TBC

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The next chapter is the beginning of their action to fulfil the agreement they made with the ghost. Yeah, more people will be recruit or lives in the Spirit Village. Free to make characters if you like and I'll include it in this fic.

Could you also give me a name or two for the name of the country the mountain located?

P/S: F o Recca vol 11 just release in my country. Why does it publish so slowly… ~_~' aaaaaand…. If I want to buy the full volume in English version, it too expensive; RM 39.90 per book while if I wait for the Malay version, its RM 4.50 per book, talk about the price! I don't know how to read the Chinese versions… pity me.

(100yen = RM3.36)

I do read Ranma until vol 6, don't expect me to much on him because I don't know all his techniques. Yeah I did watch but not all of them.

Ja.