Chapter 18 Part 3
My, my — how ugly. I whispered it, hidden among the roots.
Turns out that bastard hadn't been alone. But I was ready — and Sakurai-kun didn't let me down. Took on two himself — bought me time to prep. Then came the slightly unpleasant business of extracting information. Not much time. And I really didn't feel like starting a career in field interrogation. Ugh — I'm deeply ashamed. Using a holy anti-evil-spirit spell like some kind of... ugh. But we needed that intel more. So — I got a few things: counting the ones already down or captured, thirteen enemies total. Maybe they lied. What mattered more: now I knew how they'd gotten into the Waterfall. They'd had a guide. Someone called "Suie-sama" led them in.
A traitor. How revoltingly cliché.
And this woman wanted something from Shibuki. Some hidden Waterfall treasure — the "Hero's Water." Don't even know what that is — but it sounds impressive.
Now — hidden in the roots, wind spirits feeding me the enemy conversation — I learned a bit more.
"Hostages... What filthy tactics!" Sakurai whispered, furious, as I relayed it.
Honestly — didn't even need to mention that part. Suie was already screaming her intentions loud enough for the whole village:
"SHIBUKI!!! Give us the Hero's Water — or we start cutting throats! Come on out, you COWARD!!! Bet you're stuffed in some dark hole, shaking in terror! But hiding won't save you this time!!!"
"What's the plan, Kaoru-san?" Haruno whispered.
"Looks like three enemies left. Maybe a few more. Problem's the hostages. Still..." I drew it out, thinking. "Got an idea."
Dug through my pockets — fished out a couple talisman blanks — started scribbling fast with a pencil.
"What're you doing?" Sakurai asked, surprised.
"Writing letters." I realized, unexpectedly, that I was grinning. "One sec."
Finished — folded the paper. Pricked my finger with a kunai — quick seal inscription — threw the paper into the air. An invisible breeze caught the scraps and carried them off.
"?" The confusion in the boy's eyes grew.
"Tell me, Sakurai-kun — how d'you feel about carnivals?"
"Haaaa?!"
"Hey!" We descended from the Tree's crown on thin ropes. Gods — this Tree is ANCIENT!
"Once this is over — I'm definitely talking to the local spirits!" I resolved.
"What the hell took so long?!" The woman with the bloodied face screamed. Oh — someone got worked over.
"Those rats dug in deep." Sakurai — disguised as the kunoichi who'd grabbed me — threw it out, irritated.
"Hey — you didn't accidentally kill them, right?" Another shinobi asked, nervous — nodding at the net holding "our" bodies. Those "honored" roles? Played by enemy shinobi. Drugged senseless.
"They were screaming too loud." My clone — wearing one of the shinobi's faces — shrugged. "Had to shut them up."
"Damn — that's bad. They're SUPPOSED to scream, y'know?!" The shinobi grimaced, scratching his head. "The louder her friends yell — the easier she is to lure out. Remember that."
"Keh..." I shrug, derisive.
"Enough. Time to show that rat I'm done waiting." Suie hissed. "This one'll do."
She grabbed one of the kids by the collar — pressed a knife to his throat.
"TRAITOR! DON'T YOU DARE!" Someone from the battered villagers shouted.
"Shut it — or I'll finish you right now." Suie's voice was ice. "HEY — YOU LITTLE RATS!! Either I get the Water — or this kid, then every last villager and your little friends — ALL DIE! Last chance!! Counting to ten! Nine! Eight!.."
"STOP!!!" Sasuko cried, dropping to the ground. Tied-up Shibuki thrashed on her shoulder. "Let them go! She's who you want, isn't she? I hand her over — we walk?"
"Keh!.. Keh-heh-heeh! Clever girl." Suie bared her teeth — knife easing back from the kid's throat just a bit. "See, Shibuki? Nobody wants to die for a worthless nothing like you."
"Mmmumm!!" Shibuki got dumped — writhed against the ropes. Useless.
"Hand her over!" The shinobi demanded.
"Hostage first!" Sasuko shook her head, sullen.
"Why you little b—" the kunoichi hissed — nasal. Aha — so that's whose work that is.
"Don't care about your business — but you need something from her, don't you?" Crooked smirk — and Sasuko pressed a kunai to Shibuki. "No her — no getting what you want."
"MMmm!" Shibuki shook, eyes locked on the blade.
"Tch! Be my guest!" Suie ground her teeth — casually flung the kid into the pile.
"Then we're agreed." Nodding — Sasuko launched Shibuki at Suie with a brutal kick.
"Very good." Suie stepped up — heaved the trembling body upright. "And now..."
"And now... YOU die." The kunoichi bared her teeth in joyful spite.
"Keh." Sasuko just snorted — lips curling into a mocking smirk. "Dream on... you ugly old hag."
"U... ugl-ly..." The kunoichi grabbed her broken nose — shaking with rage. A guttural snarl — and she collapsed. Convulsing. Foaming at the mouth. "Pffffhr..."
Disgusting.
"Pf. Worthless." Uchiha smirked.
"What the—... THOSE EYES!!!" Suie snarled — finally noticing the brunette's eyes had turned red.
"You JUST noticed?! You really are complete TRASH." Sasuko branded her — voice dripping with so much contempt and disgust it felt like she couldn't stand breathing the same air.
"Why, you—!"
poofh!
"Keh-keh!.. Dammit — that HURT! Screw you — I'm getting you back for that hit, Stupid Hedgehog!" Naruko complained — kunai pressed under Suie's chin. Three clones hung off the woman, forcing her to her knees.
"Dream on, Noisy Idiot." Sasuko sneered.
"Grrhh!!" The nukenin ground her teeth.
"Hey, scary hag! That was sudden, wasn't it?!"
"Kirisame! What were you looking at?!" Suie screamed.
Oh? — that would be me, I think?
"Ah — sorry, but we lied a little." I spread my hands, dropping the Henge. The one "free" enemy was mine — so I'd crept up under all the noise and jabbed a sleeping-draught needle into his neck. Swaddled him in shikigami. Light finger-nudge — Plop! — the snoring mummy hits the ground. "By the way, Naruko — would you mind?"
"WITH PLEASURE!!!" Clones and original roared in unison. Every Naruko took aim and tried to knock Suie out. "Tried" — because the first hit didn't take. But this is Naruko — so the solution was obvious: kick her till she stops moving. Which they did.
And there we go. Villains captured. Sakurai's already finishing untying the hostages.
Victory!
"Ah — so that's what happened? Well, well~" Akashi drawled — almost indifferent. She'd come to the Waterfall because we hadn't returned on time.
"Oi — what's with that tone?!" Naruko fumed. "We were awesome! We beat those bastards!"
"Yes, yes~"
"HEY!!!!"
"It's good everything worked out, isn't it?" Sakurai said, smiling.
"Yeah — but check the pattern, Sakurai-kun. Second C-rank protection mission. Look what happened..." I spread my hands.
"Ugh... Please — don't." The boy grimaced like his stomach hurt. "Maybe we're cursed?.."
"If so — I can do an exorcism! For you — comrade's discount. Fifteen percent off!"
"HEY!! Since when do monks charge for good deeds?!!!"
"Yaaa... Well — technically, I'm not a monk. Just a humble wandering priest..." I scuffed the ground with my heel.
"THAT CHANGES NOTHING!!!"
"Well... Gi-hi?"
"That... Thank you." Shibuki murmured it — embarrassed — head bowed. "Forgive me! If only I weren't so weak and cowardly!!!.."
"Ah — it's all good..." Naruko waved a careless hand, feeling generous.
"'Admission is the first step on the path to correction,'" I quoted someone from some book, all sage-like. Doesn't make the words any less true. "You know your faults, Shibuki-san. That means there's hope. Fear's not a sin. Nothing to be ashamed of. Fear's what keeps us alive. Our survival instinct — pushing us forward, giving us strength. Don't try to erase your fears. Overcome them. Master them. Control them — that's what really matters."
"What he said." An elegant hand landed heavily on my head and ruffled my hair. Grh! Akashi — what's with the condescending tone?! "Kaoru-kun said something genuinely right, Shibuki-san."
"Yes! Thank you! All of you!" Shibuki smiled through tears. Well, well... Who knows — maybe she really did take something from all this. I want to hope so. "I'll remember this!"
"Hey, Kaoru-san." Sakurai called quietly.
"Mm-hmm. She said 'watashi.'" I smiled. Looks like something's already changed.
"Well — let's go." Akashi waved a hand, goodbyes done.
"Ahh — I'm exhausted!" Naruko complained, loud.
"Hell of a day." Sakurai sighed in agreement.
"Hmph..."
"Hm?.." I paused — looking toward the waterfall.
"Something wrong, Kaoru-kun?" Akashi asked, lazy.
"Amm... No — not exactly." I murmured. "Don't worry — go ahead. I'll catch up, okay? Think I saw a kappa."
"Mmaa... Well — if it's a kappa..." Akashi shrugged — Whatever amuses the child. Her attitude didn't matter much to me right now. "Just don't get lost in the dark."
Waving, I headed for the waterfall. Ugh — HOW tall IS this thing?! The top's a long way off — but I've gotta check what I felt!
"Haa — so booooring~" I heard it, nearly at the summit. Young voice. Definitely boyish. "Oh — you're that weird guy!!!"
"Hm?" Surprised — I looked up. A boy. Maybe a couple years younger than me. Tall. Even in the fading light — his skin was clearly dark. Clear orange eyes. Turquoise hair.
Hmm... Why does he seem so familiar?
"Hey — who're you? I'm Fuu. Why d'you seem so weird?"
That's it! Fuu! Chomei's host! No wonder I felt something — a Tailed Beast! Though — the feeling's surprisingly faint. But isn't he...? Ah — he lived in the Waterfall! Which raises the obvious question...
"Ah — I'm Nagisa Kaoru. Nice to meet you, Fuu-kun."
Urrrkk
"Ah..." Fuu exhaled, surprised.
"Say... Fuu-kun — want some onigiri?"
"Hey — you're weird." Fuu said it suddenly, carefully licking rice off his fingers.
"Mm... Why?"
"Those disgusting people don't talk to Fuu." He shrugged. "How come you're not like that?"
"'Those people'... The Waterfall villagers?"
"Yep!" Fuu nodded, satisfied. "I hate them."
"...Sorry?" Did I mishear?
"Well... hate 'em, y'know?" Fuu repeated it — totally casual. "They don't like me — so I hate them. That's why I'm surprised you're talking to me. Even shared food! You're not like other people, right?! That's why I said you're weird! It's interesting!"
"Ah... I think I get it." I said it quietly — really starting to understand. "So — that's why you didn't help them? When Suie attacked the village?"
"Ah — the Village got attacked?!" Fuu leaned forward — completely genuine surprise. "Suie came back?!"
"You didn't know?" I was surprised. There was plenty of noise to notice.
"Well... They don't want me living nearby — so they built my house way out from the Village..." The Seven-Tails' jinchuriki mumbled it — almost embarrassed (!!!) — scratching his head with that familiar gesture.
Ah — now I get it. People are scared of jinchuriki. Same as always. They try to wall them off. In Konoha it wasn't as obvious — but in a village this small... I'm probably not wrong: Fuu's been living in isolation this whole time. Suie definitely knew about him — but she was smart enough not to mess with a jinchuriki. And Fuu? Just ignored the whole thing.
But... the way he said it. So casual about hating them. Like he'd just accepted this "relationship."
Unexpectedly — I felt a dark rage burning in my chest.
Those stupid, filthy, disgusting—!
"Stop." I ordered myself. Not the time.
"Y'know, Fuu-kun — I know a girl. A lot like you." I said it — and Naruko's face popped into my head instantly. Grinning ear to ear.
"Really?!" Fuu leaned forward.
"Yeah. She's a jinchuriki too — carries the Nine-Tails inside her. She's super cheerful. Bright. Loud — does funny, stupid stuff and then laughs about how careless she is. I'm sure Naruko's gonna want to be friends with you."
"Oh? Seriously?! For real?!" Fuu shouted, eyes blazing. Looked so familiar I couldn't help laughing.
"You two really ARE alike!" I laughed.
"IT'S DECIDED!!!" Fuu smacked the ground. "I'm definitely gonna be friends with her! And... gm..."
"M?"
"Well... if you, y'know — don't mind..." The boy mumbled, embarrassed. "If... well — you want?.."
"'Course!" I understood perfectly. I reached out my hand. "Let's be friends, Fuu-kun?"
"YEAH!!! My FIRST friend!!!" Fuu erupted. "Now — onward! Let's go make friends with Naruko too!!!"
"Er... I don't think you can just leave the village, Fuu-kun."
"Huh?! Why?" Fuu tilted his head — birdlike. "Before — I didn't know where to go. Now I know where to find a friend! Come on!!! Let's GO!!!"
"Kami — this isn't gonna be easy." I muttered. Fuu was fountaining enthusiasm. But how do I explain that a runaway jinchuriki means massive trouble — first and foremost for the jinchuriki? Especially one like Fuu. "Mmaa... See, Fuu-kun..."
Amaterasu-sama — this very long day isn't ending anytime soon.
***
Notes:
* Ore — "Ore," or "ore wa" — "I" with a masculine coloring. Usually, when speaking of themselves in the first person, girls use "watashi," the feminine variant of "I."