[23] She Will Be Loved
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Sometimes, when love bursts forth from hate, it can spill over and turn into chaos and consume everything. 

Even worse is when love manifests as a twisted thing--

Thus we begin.

Announcement
This chapter contains graphic detail which may be disturbing to some. Proceed at your own risk.

[23]

 

While Naruto set off on a fresh mission to find Sasuke and Nikko, he had little knowledge that the girl and boy he sought had already left that compound. Upon entering with Jiraiya and Sakura, they'd all fought bravely only for the place to crumble down. He left heavy hearted, no closer to securing either one.

Sakura patted his shoulder. "...Look at this way. They're both still out there somewhere, right?"

"..." He stared at the ground in thought. The chances that they were both together were only fifty fifty at best. Sasuke had looked truthful when he said Nikko was supposed to be with Naruto, but what if he was lying?

The trio returned to Konoha. Naruto set off on mission after mission, hoping for any clue to where Nikko or Sasuke went. 

One day, on an easy enough mission to retrieve a ferret, he found gold...

 

Nikko

 

Temujin stood atop a hillside near the bordering coastline between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire. He looked over the grassy plain. This placed appeared peaceful enough, though he doubted it would have what he sought. 

The Stone of Gelel.

With it, his master Haido could finally bring about the peace everyone needed. Temujin would make any sacrifice, even his own life, to aid in that beautiful dream. He shut his red eyes and imagined those hooded men who'd came and killed his family, destroying his home-- as he could only hide and tremble. Those days were gone. He'd been training ever since to ensure that he could fight back instead of cowering. Gone was the timid boy.

As he reflected on why he was here, to search this village over for the Gelel Stone, Temuji heard someone shouting. He turned and saw a two people having an argument. The male with spiked black hair grabbed the girls shoulders and she shoved him, "It's always the same with you! What will it be this time, Sasuke? Three tens? Ten days?"

Her features were hidden beneath a long tan robe and hooded poncho, but the voice was clearly a female. The male rose his hand and she smacked it away. "All I ever do is hide, hide, hide! When will we be able to live freely, huh? When I'm old and gray?"

"Quit talking nonsense! I have to do this. It's the whole reason--" Her companion said. 

"Yeah yeah. I get it, Itachi-san. But where do I fit in? All I'm doing is withering away in the shadows!"

"Nikko. Enough!"

"Then stay this time! Or take me with you!"

"I can't! Do you think I want to leave you here the whole time? It's killing me!"

She scoffed. "You sure don't act like it. I-I bet you have a girl there waiting."

"Don't be an idiot. You know the only one I care about is you, Nikko."

"Then...then stay! That's all I'm asking; this one time! We can do normal things like normal people, not hide in some cave or hut or--"

"--I'm sorry, Nikko. I can't. Maybe...maybe another time. I'm late again already."

"Sasuke! I-If you go, don't expect me to wait for you this time!"

He stopped from walking away. Then strode over, grabbing her only for the girl to whimper. He threatened, "If you aren't here, I'll kill Naruto and Gaara."

"...You--You wouldn't!"

"Hn. It would be a good test of my new skills, don't you think?"

She smacked his face. "Go ahead! I'll use my kekkei genkai and bring them back to life!"

Temujin's ears pricked.

Sasuke tilted his head back and laughed, replying, "If you can find their bodies."

The girl called Nikko pushed him away. "That's it, Sasuke! Maybe you can live like this, but I can't! I need people, I need to talk to someone other than the walls for once!"

"I'm all you need, Nikko! I'm your true love, remember?"

"T-This isn't---this isn't what love...i-is like." 

 "Coming from you that's rich. I remember when you used to bed hop like it was going out of style--"

The girl gasped and said, "How dare you!"

"How dare I? You're the one who started this Nikko!"

"...Fine. I get it. Sasuke would chose Orochimaru over anyone. Even me. I'm nothing to you after all. J-Just someone you've used.." Nikko bent down and sobbed into her hands.

"Cut it out! That's not true, dammit!"

"T-then why...? I thought if I found my true love, I'd be happy for once. I just want to live happily with the one I love.."

"...I...I can't do that right now."

"Then when? When can we be together, Sasuke?"

"Tch. You know I have to do this. You're making me late, Nikko. I...have to go." He began to walk off. 

"Fine! Go, then! I liked Naruto better anyway!"

Temujin cringed. 

The male named Sasuke drew a weapon from his person and held it to Nikko's throat. "What did you just say?!"

"You heard me! He was always there for me when I needed him!"

"Hn, like when he let you leave with a clone and almost be killed by those shinobi?"

"Shut up! He would have found me!"

"...Make me. You can't tell me I'm wrong. That idiot didn't help you back then. It was me in case you forgot!"

"You always remind me so how could I forget? Go ahead! Kill me! It'll be good practice for your skills, right?" She grabbed his wrist and took it to her neck, "What are you waiting for?"

"If you don't quit acting this way I'll swear I'll--"

"--What? Hurt me? It wouldn't be anything new!"

Sasuke pulled his hand free, wrapped it around her neck and smashed his head into hers. Nikko fell down, her hood also falling. Temujin spied shiny green hair and pale skin. Sasuke stood over her and said, "I've had enough. Leave, Nikko. Since you want that idiot so badly--go let him have your used body."

"Hic--I hate you!--His dick is better than yours, anyways!"

"Why can't you just shut up! Your and your damn mouth!" Sasuke reached down and began choking the girl. Temujin's hand brushed the hilt of his sword. He was about to step in when the girl punched her attackers jaw and rolled, sweeping his feet out from under him. She pulled from her person a black knife. "I'm not some silly girl you can talk to! I'm an Utsuri!"

"Tch."

"One more step and I'll kill you where you stand Sasuke!"

'Sasuke' stood, dusted his clothing off, and turned away. The cloak he wore flapped. "Don't show your face in front of me again."

He jumped away until disappearing over the mountain range. Nikko screamed out, "I hope you get a hair stuck in your throat, choke on it and die!"

Temujin's mouth quirked. He eyed the girl, seeing her wipe away tears and pocket the blade. She turned and looked in his direction; toward the town nearby. Temujin was hidden behind the treeline, but he could see Nikko clearly.

Doe like purple eyes, pale ivory skin, hair of jade green, swaying in the breeze to end at her mid back. His eyes drifted downwards and saw she had a woman's figure--a blessed one. 

His interest was peaked. Temujin was there to find the Stone of Gelel but now found someone who might be worth saving. 

 

Nikko

 

She was shaking. How dare Sasuke do that to her! Nikko could still feel his hand around her throat, feel the edge of his blade at her neck--

"I should have just killed him."

"Perhaps that would have been better."

A voice said to her left. She jumped. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Out walked a male clothed in shiny armor. He was near her height, perhaps a little taller, and had red eyes shining behind the helmet he wore. Blonde hair poked out around it. "I am Temujin. You're Nikko-san, correct?"

"So you're a peeping tom!"

"I was passing by and heard your voice." Temujin stepped closer. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She turned to the road leading down the mountain, "I have a long journey ahead to find Naruto."

"Naruto? A friend?"

"He was once. Months ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already forgotten me." She gazed at the passing clouds, "He'll be Hokage one day."

"Hokage? Excuse me for my ignorance. I'm not from around here." Temujin bowed, "I'd be happy to help you."

"Eh? Why would you do such a thing?"

"I have witnessed injustice to a beautiful girl, who only wanted freedom." He replied.

"B-Beautiful? Y-You sure move fast! I'm not interested in love, okay? I'm done with it! You hear me, Aponi?" She glared up at the monarch's fluttering nearby. They'd just shown themselves and Nikko guessed it was due to her cutting off Sasuke. Which meant the curse...

Was back.

"Aponi?" Temujin repeated.

"My guide in this life. Don't worry about it." Nikko laughed, "I'm a useless case. You're better off finding some nice villager. Only death follows me."

Temujin could see the way her eyes tightened. He offered his hand, "Then come with me, Nikko-san. Together we can bring about a new utopia."

"Utopia?"

"Master Haido is searching for the Stone of Gelel. He wishes to bring peace to everyone."

"Haido-san huh. Well, I'm not really interested in that but thank you. I'm...useless Temujin-san." She smiled kindly, "But I wish you the best. Take care."

The boy watched her walk away. He frowned. Those words she'd spoken to Sasuke, about bringing them back to life echoed in his brain. He decided to secretly follow her and test the girl's strength. If she survived then he would convince her no matter what to join his just cause. Temujin lifted his sword, shining the beacon to his entourage of warriors who stood ready. It was time.

Nikko walked along the dirt path to the village she stayed near. She wrung her hands into her clothing, trying to ignore the butterflies. "Hime-sama! Oh my, you had your true love and lost it! This isn't good! Now what will Hime-sama do?"

"Shut up Aponi. I'm done with your little curse. All I'm going to do is find Naruto and stay by him forever. Understand?"

"But Hime-sama! You mustn't stop now! Ichikashima-no-mikoto will never rest in peace--" her butterflies reminded.

"Not my problem. You guys chose the wrong girl."

"Go back, Hime-sama! That young lad looked promising!"

"No! I don't care anymore!"

"Please, Hime-sama, we beg of you---" they sobbed.

"Argh! Fine! The next guy who talks to me, I'll do whatever they say. It's not like it matters. I'm gonna die anyway I go. Without plot armor like Naruto I'm doomed....sigh."

She went to the village, a tiny one with only a few things to offer. There weren't any buildings. Only teepees and people milling about. Nikko realized she'd left her bucket for collecting water back at the shack on the hill but it was too late to turn back now. She went over to a woman, "Excuse me. I'm looking for some food for sell. I have money." Nikko withdrew her coin purse. 

"Oh! I see! One moment, dearie! I'll be right with you. There should be some rolls coming out any minute."

She waited while the woman searched through her teepee. It was taking too long; Nikko's belly growled. Ugh. I'm so hungry! Stupid Sasuke, fucking me so early! I don't want to eat when that happens. She sighed. 

Something large loomed behind Nikko. She looked down, spying a shadow with a bulky frame and a raised weapon. Nikko somersaulted to the left, drew Idate's blade, and eyed the opponent. It was a suit of armor she saw. In it's hand was a spiked mace. "What the--?" She didn't have time to react before it swung down. Nikko jumped away and it succeeded in collapsing the teepee next to her. "Shit!"

"Hime-sama! Use the Time Jutsu!"

"I'm trying." She continued to evade heavy swings of the weapon, seeing more warriors not too far off. Just what was happening was unclear, but Nikko knew she needed to save these people if she could. "Jikan Henko No Jutsu!"

Time froze. Nikko saw there were at least four suited warriors. She grabbed the closest ones weapon, swinging it. The metal pierced and she decapitated it. There wasn't a human inside as she had thought would be. It only further puzzled her. "What the hell?"

"Hurry! Get rid of the others, Hime-sama!"

Nikko dispatched the remaining invaders in the same manner.

She released the jutsu.

From far away Temujin saw that all of his friends had fallen. His red eyes widened, seeing Nikko standing amid the pile with not even a scratch. It appeared that she hadn't even moved--

Temujin had to have her. What power! 

He watched as she sighed. "Looks like the curse is back in full swing. Man this sucks. Well, at least I had four peaceful months..."

Nikko grabbed some food from the shaking woman, thanked her and went about her day. She needed to figure out where she was to even have a hope of returning to the Land of Fire. The girl went around, asking for directions to Konohagakure. The people here weren't too helpful, she found. They were travelers and didn't go to shinobi villages. As such she would need to travel east, they said, to find The Land of Fire.

"East huh. Okay. Thank you very much." Nikko bowed and left the village, going down the bridge between two mountain cliffs and saw a bridge. As she walked down the dirt road and down the mountain she saw a tiny ferret lying there. It looked injured. Upon closer inspection it was still alive, but looked weak. Nikko gave it the last bite of her roll and the thing sprung up, climbed her arm and perched upon her shoulder. "Squeak!"

"Oh, well hello there little guy. Feeling better now?"

"Squeak!"

"He he, you're pretty cute."

Temujin hopped down the mountain and made way to Nikko. "Please, wait."

"Hm? Oh, it's you again."

Aponi glittered blue. "Remember your words Hime-sama! You said you'd do what they want!"

She glared up at her guide and cursed silently. "Fine..." To Temujin she said, "Can I help you?"

"You can. Lend me that brilliant power." Temujin kneeled, "I will do anything you ask. With someone like you on our side, we cannot fail to bring peace! I just know it!" 

Nikko rolled her eyes. "Okay okay. You win."

"Truly?"

"Sure. So uh, what do I need to do?"

"Aid me in the search for the Stone of Gelel. I will tell Master Haido about you. He'll be most pleased."

"Alright then. Let's go."

As Temujin and Nikko left the area, she had no knowledge that just two miles away was Naruto Uzumaki.

 

Naruto clenched his jaw. "Where is this damn cat at?"

To his right Shikamaru sighed into his ear piece. "It's a ferret, Naruto-kun. Try to keep up."

"Yeah yeah." Naruto looked at his handiwork, lining up pieces of crackers to lure the animal to his cleverly designed trap. Okay, so the trap was Shikamaru's idea, whatever. Close enough.

Sakura nudged him in the ribs. "Shh! It could show up any minute!"

He huffed. This was a lame mission. He wanted to go search for Sasuke and Nikko, not some damn cat. Naruto had been on the hunt for months now with nothing to show for it but new callouses and sore muscles. But he wouldn't give up; couldn't give up. He'd promised Gaara that he would protect her at all costs. And Naruto really wanted to show Sasuke a thing or two while he was at it. 

Two figures came from the mountain. One was a male wearing a weird suit of armor, and beside him a girl. Naruto could see it was a girl from the big boobs poking out. Her face was covered by some kind of poncho. They were talking for a bit, when an animal resting on the girl caught his attention. It had a shiny red jewel in it's forehead. "Guys! Psst, hey! Look!"

Shikamaru and Sakura nodded. "We see it."

The ferret cat jumped from the girl and took off down the bridge. "Mr. Ferret-san! Don't! You could fall and get hurt!" She shouted, running after it. One of the boards collapsed underneath her footing and she nearly fell into the water, holding on by one hand to the bridge. "Kya!"

"I've got you," the male said before hauling her up. She clung to his arm. "I-I'm scared of heights you see."

The ferret came into view. It had smelled the bait and began eating the carefully laid food. Naruto grinned; this mission was in the bag!

The two on the bridge stopped. It looked like the girl with big boobs staggered. "You've been injured," the male said.

"I'm fine. He didn't mean to..."

"Hurting such a beautiful woman. Shall I kill him for this?" The guy asked. The girl shook her head, "Don't bother. He's long gone by now anyway."

Shikamaru's voice came over the earpiece. "Hey, is it me or does that chick seem sorta familiar?"

"There's no way we know her," Sakura replied. "This is the first time we've came to this place."

Naruto agreed. 

The ferret finished eating, got spooked, and ran right into the trap. Sakura pulled the string and the ferret was captured inside. There it squirmed and wiggled, knocking the box around. "We did it!" All cheered.

As they retrieved the 'cat', it was placed into Naruto's one shouldered backpack. He closed the flap. "All done in a day's work! Pfft, this was easy!"

Shikamaru, who was busy studying a map, looked from the map to the hills across the bridge. On his face was a pondering frown. "Hmm. According to this, the village is around here. I only see a few people over there."

Sakura nodded and also peered over, "What's that big pile of black?"

"Dunno. Let's get this over with."

They went over the bridge, and Naruto kicked something with his blue sandal. It was a black...knife? "Hey, what's this?" He picked it up and studied it, seeing a decorative scroll on the side. His memory jogged---it was Idate's knife. 

The hand holding it shook, trembling. "No way..."

Naruto gazed around, not seeing the two from before. "It couldn't be--"

"Hm? What're you going on about Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked with a sigh. "We don't have time for you to mess around."

The fox boy clenched his teeth. Shikamaru had been right; they knew that girl. Naruto's innards threatened to come out of his throat as he said, "Take a look at this Sakura-chan. This knife is Nikko-chans."

She inspected it with a gasp. "Seriously? Then--that girl from before--"

Shikamaru hissed. "...It was Nikko-san all right."

Naruto took off running across the bridge, fire lighting his footsteps. He had to get there, had to see her! Nikko-chan was right there! 

He wouldn't leave until Nikko was by his side!

 

 

 

 

 

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