Advocated Wars

Chapter Six

                                                                                                                            VI

Once when I was little, Calix had come home with a black eye. He had tried to hide it. Too good-natured to hold any grudges against the kid. 

However, I couldn’t have said the same for me. An unexplainable anger had taken a hold of me when I found out. When I saw his face. Especially since he had asked our mother to give him some make up, to conceal the bruising. To hide it from me. 

I took care of the kid. 

My mother hadn’t of been mad. But, Calix was. He had said that if he wanted something done about it, he would have when the kid tried provoking him. Calix said he was trying to show the kid that he was better than that. 

And, it was then that I realized just how different my brother and I were. Calix had sense of honorability. A good untouched by the filthy hands of humanity. 

And, although I would never admit it, I sensed that type of good in Naruto. 

A yellowed-eyebrow rose, a frown settling on his tanned face. “Champion, are you sure you’re okay? You don’t sound like yourself.” 

“Shut up…idiot.” His hands moved away from my shoulders, dropping back to his sides. 

“Yeah,” he said. “You’re fine.”

I stumbled my way to the edge of the bed, suddenly wishing Calix had been permitted to accompany us. I didn’t often rely on people- especially Calix, of all people. But, if there ever was a time I did need someone, it was always, ironically enough, my older brother. And, right now, his specialty in medical ninjutsu sure as hell would be helpful. I needed a diagnosis. 

“You and your brother are just differ rent, Champion. It’s nothing to worry about. You’d protect those you love at all costs, and that’s okay. You’re impulsive and a bit hot-headed. And, it scares Calix. Because, cares about you, too.”

I ran my hand over my face, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand. Concentrate, dammit.

“It…it was a…setup.” I breathed, picturing the doll-like woman in my head. My hands clenched at my sides. But, I did my best to keep my cool. At least, for now. 

What was her motive? What was the point of any of this? What does she want?

“What are you talking about?”

“Mingyu. She’s behind all of it.”

~         ~        ~                                                                                            ~         ~          ~

“Back so soon?” Mingyu smiled, acting as if nothing had changed. And, honestly, I wasn’t sure what we could do against her. At least, not with proper resolve. 

My grip on Naruto’s arm tightened. 

“Please, sit down.”

“We’re fine,” I hissed. She nodded. 

“You know, I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever notice that it was me.” She sighed, pulling a piece of paper from her robe. “Champion, I’d like to speak to you alone, if you don’t mind.”

Naruto went to protest, but I stopped him. “I can handle myself.”

He glared at the woman before stepping outside. 

“Congratulations.”

“For what?”

“For putting the boy before yourself. You did a good job.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Here-” she handed me the piece of paper. “It’s from Tsunade. It explains everything.”

Champion, 

Sorry about all of this. Don’t harm Mingyu. We just needed to keep Naruto busy. 

Tsunade. 

I huffed, crumbling the note. That woman. 

“You poisoned me.”

Mingyu awkwardly rubbed the back of her head, looking a bit guilty. “Sorry about that. Tsunade’s orders. She wanted to make sure you’d keep him safe.”

I snorted. He was Naruto Uzumaki. And, although I did sometimes doubt his abilities as a shinobi, I was sure that he could take care of himself. Otherwise, that mouth of his would have gotten him killed, by now. 

“You were planning on kidnapping him, weren’t you?”

“If it came down to it, yes.”

“Well, I stand by what I said, Lady Mingyu. As long as Naruto is under my care, he’s safe.”

She smiled, again. 

“I’m glad.”

I huffed, stalking out of the door. Being able to storm sufficiently enough from the fuel of my rage, despite my recent poisoning. I had spent the past two days sharing a room with Naruto. And, for what? So that Lady Tsunade could test me?

But, Naruto didn’t know that. He had genuinely thought he had been helping these people. His look of determination haunted me. 

“Calix just tries to do what he thinks is best. And, if he can do so without the resort to violence, he will. But, Champion, you’re not naïve- you know how the world works. Protect the good so that they won’t have to. Humanity can destroy even the best of us.”

!~*~*~*~*~!

Oh so that’s over with. Sorry if it disappointed you :s Thankfully, I’ll be able to introduce new characters soon, though ♥ You’ll like them, I think. They’re fabulous c; And, of course, there’ll me more surge. So that’s always something to look forward to :*