Naruto Naruto Moeyouden - Preview

[cjl]

did fubuki-chan even escape the labyrinth?

 

[l3fty]

Fubuki got stuck for a bit longer then her counterpart, wonder if her experience will make her less of a raging psycho and into something creepy horror like.

Chachamaru finally introduced in the story, I am already thinking of how will her and Naruto interact already.

 

[Daneel Rush]

“It’s been a while, Mistress of Cherry Blossoms.”

Obeying Shinkirou Kougon’s minimalist preferences, the meeting room of the Council of Great Clans consisted of a wide oval room with support pillars wide and tall as sequoias. The pillars ran parallel to the curved walls, framing the rectangular marble table with its twelve seats. While ten of the seats running along the longer sides of the table were as ordinary as they could get, the two seats along one of the short sides were veritable thrones, taller and ornate in their construction. A white staircase rose behind those thrones, leading to the Kyuubi’s personal chambers.

Yet that day there was an extra chair in that room. Pressed against the leftmost wall, a person who by all means did not deserve to be there sat hunched down and looking pathetic. It was rare for a kitsune to look so old, even in the twilight of their lives, but the ashen-haired, seven-tailed vestige of a youko seated there was truly pitiful in his tired, emaciated and skittish appearance. Byakuren ignored him and turned her coldest gaze to the blond male seated on the left-side chair furthest from the twin thrones. Two tall, shirtless males stood imperturbably behind his seat, twin scimitars dangling off their waists.

“Hayate,” replied the Forest Matriarch, not minding his eyes undressing her as she moved to the second seat on the right. There was not a specific seating arrangement, but Lower Tier clan leaders generally deferred the seats closest to the thrones to their Middle Tier peers.

The Fairness of the Great Wind Clan, Asakaze Hayate, was a man who exuded confidence and luxury from every pore of his body. The textbook definition of a “bishounen”, he possessed gentle features working in contrast with his falconine green eyes. His squared head was framed by well kempt blond hair fixed by some gelatinous substance.

“Hinagiku, Soun,” he greeted Byakuren’s escorts, who offered him respectful bows in lieu of words. It was not prudent for servants to speak in the Council’s chamber. For many reasons.

Asakaze Hayate made the effort to know everybody’s name. In most circumstances that would be a commendable thing, but Hinagiku personally did not like to be called by first name by that man. It bothered her, and it bothered her more that she could not figure out why.

The two Great Clan leaders were still exchanging empty pleasantries when four more figures all but burst into the room, drowning all other conversation with their rambunctious voices.

“Oi, oi, Hayate, man, you went and dumped me back there, didn’cha? You’re really an asshole, man!”

The man with the rough and youthful voice was the Autocrat of the Great Fire Clan, Kaenko Ryuusan. His choice of clothing, a strange white toga that also looked like overalls, contrasted deeply with his wild red hair and tanned skin. Short for a male kitsune, he compensated with a fantastically well-built body; even Byakuren let her eyes roam over his musculature a bit longer than appropriate. Unlike Hayate, who hoarded all luxuries to himself, Ryuusan’s escorts both wore thick gold bracers, earrings and anklets. While also topless, the bodyguards of the Fire Autocrat sported many tattoos as was the style in that clan, favoring artistic arrays of basic lines and geometric shapes.

The Forest Matriarch knew she had to keep a close eye on that man, Ryuusan. After all, there was probably no other kitsune in the planet who despised Higashiyama Sayuri more than that person.

“I do pride myself of my speed, Ryuusan,” calmly replied Hayate. “You can use the experience, anyway.”

“I don’t want any of that kind of experience!” heatedly responded the Fire Autocrat. “As my senpai, you should be kind to me and not leave alone with this person!”

“That person” laughed boisterously and made Ryuusan cough when his massive hand patted his back amicably.

“Hahahaha! Today’s Ryuusan-kun is awfully honest as always!”

“Leave me alone!”

Kongouzan Tetsumaru, Warmaster of the Great Mountain Clan, was a mountain of a youko. Defying all expectations of a kitsune’s physical appearance, the greatest of all youko was a hulking mound of muscle that stood over seven feet tall. Rough, manly features that were worshipped among the people of his clan were enhanced by the threatening visage of the massive axe strapped to his back. To his fellow Great Clan Leaders he was just an annoyingly loud muscle idiot. That did not mean they did not respect him, though; he was an extremely dangerous muscle idiot, after all. Unlike the first two introduced, Tetsumaru was accompanied by two of his offspring, both male albeit one quite older than the other—five versus three tails. While the elder shared his father’s bulging constitution, the younger, while well-built, had yet to develop the massive musculature of his brother and his progenitor.

Compared to the wild looks and hulking visage of the former two, the appearance of the two which followed was almost disappointingly ordinary. Ashibashi Sengoku, Palatine of the Great Earth Clan, was the only Great Clan Leader with eight tails among the Lower Tier, which earned him a modicum of respect. However, not much attention was given to him, simply because he never earned it. He behaved like a simple man who managed his clan without making much noise or ever achieving much beyond the absolutely necessary. He even dressed plainly: his simple yukata matched his chestnut hair and eyes. He was accompanied by his more well-known children: famous oni slayer Konishi and renowned beauty Sasara.

Next to him walked the second eight-tails of three in the Council of Great Clans. The Eminence of the Great Ocean Clan, Ginsuisha Kujira, was a tall and lanky man, with pale and pasty skin and the complexion of one who spent all his time indoors. His unkempt black hair and grey yukata made him look like he arrived straight from his bed. His children, heiress Kiyo and second child Kaiha, were both six-tailed and born from different mothers.

Byakuren watched the clan leaders split all over the room. She particularly noticed Ryuusan detaching himself from the giant Warmaster and move with Sengoku to a distant part of the room. They made for an unusual pair, those two; she made a point to check on that later. Kujira quickly took the seat immediately to Byakuren’s right and thus closest to the right—Fubuki’s—throne. They greeted each other with curt nods, and then Byakuren had to turn her attention to the giant Tetsumaru, whose loud steps unsubtly announced his approach.

“Hey, Byakuren!” cheerfully greeted the bear of a youko. “How’s it going for you?”

“I’m perfectly fine, Tetsumaru, just please do not greet me as you do Ryuusan; I do not think this feeble body could handle that.”

The man’s lively grin could illuminate the entire room.

“Ahaha, alright, alright, you shall be spared,” he replied with mock-magnanimity. “But you have yet to answer me, Byakuren.” He leaned closer as if to speak more confidentially, but his resounding whisper was still well transmitted by the great acoustics of that chamber. “Has Great Tengu bothered you lately?”

Byakuren did not bother with secrecy.

“Not really. Should I have expected him to bother us, Tetsumaru?” She teased, to which the huge man replied with an unsuitably childish and strained smile. “I don’t think Tetsumaru can afford to worry about others at the moment. I heard the new Shutendouji’s quite the tactician.”

While everybody had—of course—been listening in to their exchange, the mention of the Overlord of Oni made the others drop the pretense of subtlety and turn their full attention to the Warmaster. If the man was bothered by the question, he hid it well behind his rambunctious laughter.

“Ah, yeah, yeah, we got a smart one this time,” said the seven-tails. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this—”

“Then don’t say it,” a new voice filled the chamber. An old, sharp and icy cold voice. “Kongouzan Tetsumaru, sometime I get the impression you have yet to grow up, boy.”

The voice belonged to one of the few youko allowed the insolence to speak to the leader of a Great Clan in such a manner. A kitsune who had earned herself the respect of the entire race by virtue of her great age; she was the eldest person in the room by several centuries, in fact, and she had probably survived more assassination attempts than all those people together. She was old, and she looked old, as if the loss of the youthful beauty of kitsune were yet another badge of honor for this guileful survivor. She looked the stereotypical fairytale crone, clad in a hooded robe the color of the Void she worshipped. She was escorted by two young women with hair and fur the color of a moonless night. Both guards wore trappings closer to bondage leather gear rather than actual clothes. One in particular, the one blessed with impossibly lustrous hair that reached almost to her shapely butt, surprised those who recognized her with her presence and maybe even bothered them a little with her insolent smirk. Ryuusan, who was walking towards the side of the table adjacent to Kougon’s throne, mouthed “Kuromiya Urue?” to Sengoku next to him. The Palatine of Earth nodded curtly.

“Kanna-sama,” slowly responded the Mountain councilor. “Your presence is unexpected.”

“Oh spare youhself the theatrical fohmalities, boy,” replied Kuromiya Kanna. Her voice was raspy and poor in vocalization “I dun’ like to repead mysefh, so why don’cha tell the youngah kids wha’ I was jus’ tellin’ you, Utahime?”

The group as a whole looked over the crone and held their breaths as one. Byakuren, as was her wont in these meetings, took the blow to her pride as a woman and accepted that the most beautiful youko in the Council had just stepped into the room. The Chieftain of the Great Lightning Clan, Amagumo Issen, was completely overshadowed by his companion, but he did not see this as a bad thing. After all, he was the one who enjoyed the honor of escorting her there, as their linked arms clearly expressed.

Shionzaki Utahime stepped graciously into the chamber, wearing the traditional dancing garments of her clan which left little to the imagination. Her flowing blonde hair was like a cascade of honey that countless men and women would kill to submerge themselves into. After courteously thanking the also-blond Issen for his company to that point, she gently separated herself from the seven-tailed Lightning leader and moved to claim the seat across from Kujira and right next to Kougon’s throne. She graciously fulfilled Kanna’s request on the way, explaining with a subtly playful voice.

“Kanna-sama has come on behalf of Fubuki-sama, who will regrettably be unable to attend today.”

Somebody snickered. It might have been Byakuren—at least she was the one Kanna glared at.

“Hmm…” murmured Hayate, his six electrum tails swaying provocatively behind his back. “Are you saying, Kanna-sama, that Fubuki-sama has appointed you her representative for this meeting?”

“Didn’ I say I don’ repeat mysefh, boy?” retorted the old Void as she plopped herself down on Fubuki’s throne, eliciting great surprise from them. However, the Clan Leaders exchanged conspiratory glances at lightning speed and nobody commented on the deed. Instead, those who had yet taken a seat began to do so. Hayate eased himself on his place and released an arrogant snort.

“So the Nagashirakawa baby insolently chooses to arrive the last,” he said despondently. “Maybe her potty training’s running late.”

Ryuusan sniggered at the mockery. Surprisingly, Utahime too released a dainty giggle, but hers dripped with contempt towards the speaker.

“What are you saying, Hayate-kun?” said the Songmistress, looking not at the Fairness of Wind but at the white column right behind him. “Shizuku-chan’s been here the whole time. Right, Shizuku-chan?”

A few of the present held their breaths when the petite, black-clad figure of Nagashirakawa Shizuku stepped from behind the immense pillar, looking like she had not just out-stealthed most of the Council of Great Clans. She bowed in the direction of the Songmistress before taking the sole remaining seat across from Hayate. On the way her eyes met with Byakuren’s, and the Forest Matriarch easily caught the meaning of the little foxgirl’s smirk.

“I won this time, Byakuren.”

“It appears I still have a ways to go,” said the Shadow Lady of the Great River Clan. “May I ask what gave me away, Utahime-sama?”

“Oh, no, no, I would say Shizuku-chan’s stealth is already beyond terrific,” countered the tall blonde with a cheery tone like a gossiping housewife’s. “It was no fault of Shizuku-chan’s, I just heard your heartbeat.”

Shizuku half-smiled at the absurd response.

“I see. Truly, Utahime-sama is the indisputable exemplar among Sound kitsune.”

“Your words are too kind.”

“On the other hand,” Shizuku continued, this time turning her gaze to the man right across the table. “I am waiting for an apology.” Getting nothing but a snort and a roll of the eyes from the leader of the Great Wind Clan, Shizuku insisted. “Or do you make it a habit of insulting fellow Great Clan leaders, Hayate?”

The man’s green eyes glowed with anger.

“It’s ‘Hayate-sama’ for you, brat. Respect your elders.”

“As far as I understand, we are all equals in this chamber, Hayate,” replied the smirking two-tails while insolently flicking a lock of celadon hair behind her ear. “Except perhaps the sorry excuse of a youko biting his nails over there.”

Like that she moved their attention to the extra character they had all very purposely ignored thus far. The man in question shook to attention and haphazardly tried to straighten himself, but it was meaningless. Even those who did not look at him with outright disgust still showed a degree of disapproval on their fair faces. That man was simply not welcome in that room of the truly elite.

Shizuku turned to the enthroned crone.

“I take it Kanna-sama brought this…person, here? Yes?”

“Rather, Shizuku…you didn’t come on your own, did you?” interrupted Tetsumaru, sounding and looking obviously worried for the young lady. There was a reason Clan Leaders were allowed two escorts, after all. The trip to and from a meeting of the Council of Great Clans was a ripe time for murder attempts on its members. Someone always was attacked, almost without exception. It was pretty much a tradition for these people.

“It’s not like bringing escort is compulsory so I would see no issue in coming alone, Tetsumaru,” replied the smirking Shadow Lady, subtly challenging all the present. “But to answer your question, I did indeed bring companions.”

She shrugged.

“Just like their presence is not compulsory, I know not of any rule that says they have to remain within sight.”

Utahime giggled a second time, while Shizuku herself pointedly ignored Kanna’s scandalized look and the glares from the Wind and Fire councilors. Issen of Lightning and Kujira of Ocean also looked bothered by the girl’s posturing bout but kept it to themselves better. The poor escorts standing behind their clan leaders were almost desperately looking at the many shadows in the room, hoping for the slightest glimpse of the infamous Inner Circle of Nagashirakawa—the best and finest among her trained killers.

Shizuku was about to insist on questioning Kanna when the door at the top of the stairs opened with a hiss of rushing air. The room went deathly silent, for the one standing at the pinnacle of their species had arrived.

While opinions of the man differed among the members of the Council, none of them could deny the obvious. While power was not the most important thing to kitsune, the power of that man was humbling, a painful reminder that some people are simply born to stand above all others. Kaenko Ryuusan, who lusted for the throne Kanna was occupying since he was a cheerful two-tails with big dreams, felt his ambition washed away by the vista of the impossible realm he had insolently longed to reach. It was humiliating, and he gritted his teeth in self-loathing.

His pristine presence washed over the kitsune at the table like a gentle wave. Byakuren and Hayate shuddered—six tails were apparently not enough to withstand his presence. The Forest Matriarch’s pitying eyes thus sought little Shizuku, who was biting her lips until they drew blood—the price paid not to succumb to such sheer might and thus avoid looking weak in front of the Council. Her tiny hands held the edge of the table until her knuckles were as white as its marble surface. Her eyes were sealed shut; as if not looking at him could somehow diminish the magnitude of his existence.

Shinkirou Kougon, Bodhisattva of the Great Celestial Clan, watched the scene before him with eyes that said nothing. He had no escort; such a thing was not needed. To his left, after Kanna on the throne, he could see Kujira, Byakuren, the empty seat of the Great Spirit Clan, Issen and Shizuku. To his right, past his empty throne, were seated Utahime, Tetsumaru, Sengoku, Ryuusan and finally Hayate.

Then he was instantaneously downstairs, next to his throne, surprising absolutely nobody. His blue eyes were centered on the oldest person there.

“That seat belongs to Fubuki, Kuromiya Kanna. Stand up,” he said, his voice calm like a spring deep in the mountains, untouched by living beings.

Naturally, not even the ancient woman was exempt of addressing Shinkirou Kougon like the superior being he was. Inclining her head and torso in salutation, the old crone presented her case.

“Kougon-sama, many blessings to your august self on this day. I have claimed this seat as Fubuki-sama’s representative—”

“You are not the only one who does not like repeating herself, Kuromiya Kanna.”

The voice was still perfectly calm, but this time it carried an edge; a promise of laser beams in the near future. Keeping her head down to hide her gritted teeth and the sheer hatred at the kitsune along the length of the table, grinning like children after a successful prank, Kuromiya Kanna added yet another note to her little mental black book before slowly inching herself off the throne.

“…of course, Kougon-sama. As you command.”

The old Void kitsune shot an intense glare at the nervous man by the wall, who hurried to carry his own chair to the far end of the table for Kanna to sit on.

“Another thing, Kuromiya Kanna: I also do not like being lied to.”

The woman froze halfway down to the seat, her knees almost giving in and sending her sprawling down to the floor. Naturally, Kougon knew better than anyone that Fubuki could not have appointed a representative.

“Of…of course. I would expect as much, Kougon-sama.”

The Celestial Kyuubi nodded before claiming his own place by the table.

“Where is Kuromiya Chachamaru?” He then asked. “As Fubuki’s firstborn, should she not stand here in her mother’s stead?”

This time the other people present had to admire the old woman’s ability to keep a straight face. Their minuscule smiles challenged her to answer: “how will you assert yourself as the ruler of Kuromiya if Kougon himself considers Chachamaru the successor?”

“Chachamaru-sama unwisely chose to not attend the meeting in which I was chosen as the clan’s envoy for this great assembly,” finally said the old youko. “As to what was so important she chose to excuse herself from a meeting of such significance, I do not know.”

Kougon closed his eyes for a moment, resting an elbow on the throne’s arm and his face on the closed fist.

“…I see. Very well, you will speak on behalf of Kuromiya today.”

Of course, the implied “but that does not make you mine or Fubuki’s equal, understood?” did not escape Kanna or any of the councilors.

“Yes, Kougon-sama. Truly, your wisdom is without peer.”

But the nine-tails had already turned his attention to the Shadow Lady of Nagashirakawa.

“Shizuku. I see you have mostly accustomed yourself to my presence. You have my praise.”

Indeed, the little two-tails had already normalized her breathing in the midst of Kougon’s encompassing existence. She had only the finest sheen of transpiration coating her exposed arms, neck and face.

“Tha-thank you, Kougon-sama,” she responded, mentally kicking herself for the stutter.

“However,” continued the nine-tails, and Shizuku sit straighter. “While you are indeed right in that escorts are not under an obligation to remain visible at all times, I find myself…disturbed by the idea of having people skulking around in the shadows while we have an important discussion. Please summon them to your side.”

Despite the use of the word “please”, everybody there knew it was not a request. Shizuku nodded and made a flick of her fingers, at which immediately two dark figures appeared behind her seat. Their black garments covered every single inch of their bodies; even their faces were concealed by some sort of black mesh. The only thing the other kitsune could say about Shizuku’s bodyguards was that they were adults, and even that only from their height.

It had been like that since she created her Great Clan of Nagashirakawa. It was frustrating to the others, but that only meant it was doing its job.

Kougon nodded is approval before letting his gaze sweep across the whole table. From this point onwards he would address everyone.

“For answering my summons and attending this Great Assembly, you have my sincere gratitude,” he began, followed by the slightest inclination of his head. “After this meeting is over, you will receive a small token of my gratefulness.”

That was Kougon-speak for “I will give you an absurdly lavish gift as a demonstration of the incomparable riches of Shinkirou, the wealthiest and greatest of all kitsune bloodlines.” The unmatched sovereign of foxkind was ever the magnanimous monarch, and never hesitated to display his supremacy as any good lord is wont to do.

Not that anybody was complaining, though.

“There are a number of items I wish to discuss today. Let us not dally.”

The Great Assembly of the Council of Great Clans was officially under way.

**********************************************************

Introduction END

To be continued in “Uzumaki Naruto”

 

[ibrahimthejoker]

This is one thing I've been wanting to see for a while, I honestly expected most of the clan heads to be a lot more tense. It was nice to see some of these guys being friendly with each other, Tetsumaru already seems like he'll be one of my favourites. Can't wait to see what comes next.

 

[Knyght]

So I take it the old hag was responsible for or took advantage of Chachamaru's delay with the assassins, assuming she was lying and that Chachamaru isn't actually going somewhere else when she mentioned her appointment.

Was the guy from Mountain Clan the father to that kitsune Yurimi admires? The one who does perfect tea ceremonies.

Nice touch with the titles for each clan. It's not something I'd paid much attention to before but it stands out now.

 

[Daneel Rush]

So I take it the old hag was responsible for or took advantage of Chachamaru's delay with the assassins, assuming she was lying and that Chachamaru isn't actually going somewhere else when she mentioned her appointment.

Was the guy from Mountain Clan the father to that kitsune Yurimi admires? The one who does perfect tea ceremonies.

Nice touch with the titles for each clan. It's not something I'd paid much attention to before but it stands out now.

It's not much of a spoiler to reveal that Kanna was not really lying. Chachamaru has her own plans. Of course, I would agree that letting Kanna take Kuromiya's place at the Council is a mistake on Chachamaru's part.

Wrong. Sasara's from the Great Earth clan. She's actually one of Sengoku's escorts. Tetsumaru's the Warmaster of the Great Mountain clan, and his younger son is the one who rejected Yuria as a mate.

Now you know that Kinoshita, Kuromiya and Higashiyama just happen to share the Patriarch/Matriarch titles.

 

[buytbuyt]

Yay~! for 'friendliness'

...

i already missed Chachamaru. T_T

 

[cjl]

How I think Sayuri would look like when grown up.

http://sakimichan.deviantart.com/art/FireFoxy-539705347

 

[LOLRAINE]

We already know how she looks when grown up:

http://i.imgur.com/6b50xO0.jpg

 

[13ry4n]

That's darkest timeline Sayuri.

 

[LOLRAINE]

Beyond clothing/weapons I don't see why her appearance would be any different.

 

[tensho]

Everything has been so quiet over the last few months! What's been happening? Hope all is well!

 

[atlas_hugged]

That sort of message is best left to a PM, so posters don't rush into this thread expecting an update, only to find that instead.