Kitsuro took the last sip of his now empty sake cup. He lied down comfortably on the roof, completely ignoring the dust on each tiles he laid upon and set his gaze at the bright moon above.
Uzumaki Akira... I finally got hold of her. Though I doubt she'd be willing to stay her forever. Sooner or later she'd probably want to go back...
Rushed footsteps were heard heading towards the exit of the manor and this caught the fox's attention. Kitsuro inwardly smirked. Speaking of the devil.
Kitsuro teleported right in front of the pinkhead as he offered her his sweetest smile. "Having a late night walk, perhaps? Uzumaki Akira-chan?"
"Kitsuro..." Akira looked at him; her face showed pure shock. I got busted?! But I kept my chakra very low to keep it undetected. "You sensed me trying to go out?"
"Nope. I just felt like you'll be trying to escape so I settled here for the night."
Akira's stare on Kitsuro was still unmoving. She narrowed her eyes, as she remembered everything that Kyuubi told her. She definitely needs answers to her questions.
"You. What do you need from me? You even went all your way to conspire with Itachi."
Itachi? Kitsuro wondered for a second as he found that name familiar. Ah. So the man who brought her here and the man who killed all of his clansmen is the same person...
''It seems like you got some things wrong, Akira." He answered." I didn't ask him to bring you here. That kid from that accursed clan brought you here on his own accord, gave you to me and left without saying anything."
Akira's gaze worsen at this. His answer didn't help at all, in fact, it only added more questions to her already confused self. Kitsuro continued.
"What do I need from you, you ask? Your entire self. THIS VILLAGE NEEDS YOU. Unlike your village who treats you like trash, this village treats you as its' hero."
"What?" The pinkhead was only able to mutter a single word in surprise.
"Remember the PRIESTESS business we talked about? I'm referring to you. The previous priestess sacrificed her life protecting Uzushiogakure during the previous war. The seat has been empty for almost 2 decades. And you're the only one who can save us, Akira. Only you." Kitsuro determingly explained, hoping that this would help her choose them over Konoha.
"So please remain here with us."
Akira, though still confused, started to gain some realizations. She looked away from him and turned her gaze to the floor; her usual gesture of feeling sorry for someone.
"I can't. I'm sorry. Konoha is my home."
Kitsuro snapped, his eyes showed utter dismay. "And since when did they treat you as their family?"
The pinkhead went silent at this.
"They don't, do they?" The fox answered for her. "I saw everything with my own eyes, Akira. They treat you and your brother badly; avoid you and bad-mouth you as if you were some kind of germs. It's all just because your brother is a feared Jinchuuriki."
Kitsuro continued. "Up until now, you're merely being dragged towards their hate because you stand by your brother. They already treat you like that despite not knowing that you're also a Jinchuuriki. Have you ever thought about what would happen to you if they realize that you also possess that thing?"
He paused and looked at the pinkhead.
"What a monster." He silently muttered. It was almost a whisper, but this line continued to painfully echo inside Akira's mind.
"It does not feel good to be called by that, right?" Kitsuro said.
Akira glared at him in reply. "Are you trying to blackmail me?"
The fox sighed. She's completely missing the point here...
"No, I'm not. What I'm saying is..." He put his hands on Akira's shoulders and reassured her of his true intentions. "You don't belong to Konoha, Akira. You belong here, with us."
Kitsuro looked at Akira's cerulean eyes as he waited for a reply. After a few seconds, he dejectedly let go of her shoulders. She still wants to go back, huh?
Akira watched him as he boredly set his gaze on the homes of the other villagers. Kitsuro spoke up.
"Did you know that majority of the villagers here have at least a thing or two sealed up in their bodies?"
"W-What?" Akira dumbfounded.
"Uzumakis fight by using sealing techniques. It's of common knowledge to seal your enemy, even if it has to be you who would serve as it's cage, if you cannot defeat it by other means." Kitsuro stated.
"Take the First Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki, Mito-sama, as an example. She sealed that thing in herself in order to help the First Hokage in his fight with Uchiha Madara."
He slowly turned to look at Akira. This should be good enough to convice her to stay right?
"No one here cares even if you're the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki. No one will judge you for who you are just because of that. " Kitsuro determined. "That's why you belong here.
Akira was taken aback at this.
So that's why these villagers are so welcoming to me. Everyone here's the same as me.
Actually, I felt really happy to stay here that I unconsciously felt as if I belonged here in the first place. Any attempt of leaving this village didn't even hit my mind not until I heard that rumor.
But still... I...
"I still wan't to return." Akira slowly muttered, but determination was clearly heard from her statement. "Konoha is full of the precious memories I would never want to dispose of."
What?! Kitsuro was beyond disappointed.
"Precious memories?" He grunted. "You call the memories of your villagers bullying you and your brother precious?!"
"I don't mean them. My memories of my parents when they were still alive. And Naruto..."
"If you're worried about Naruto, we can also bring him here. I'm sure that the villagers would be more than happy to gain a new family member!" He stated more aggresively. Kitsuro was already desperate for her not to leave.
"But I'm sure Naruto won't be happy with that. He's really striving hard for people to acknowledge him and finally, even though it's little by little, he's starting to gain some friends..."
Kitsuro inwardly rolled his eyes. "He's only gaining 2 or 3--"
Akira continued, ignoring the fox's belittling comments. "And the bonds I finally made. My mom said that number doesn't matter when it comes to friends, what matters most is their trustworthiness. And yes, even though I only managed to gain a few of them, they're all can be trusted."
"You could make the whole villagers here your friends if you stay here. And I promise you, no one here is a traitor. And you'll have me as your caretaker! Your life will be blissful! Do you know that the villagers are already preparing a festival in honor of your arrival? ... They're all happy to have you... And everyone... will be...." Kitsuro still tried to convince the pinkhead, but eventually gave up upon realizing it was no use.
Akira approached him and clasped his hands around hers. "I'm sorry, Kitsuro. I'm really glad to have this many people acknowledge me but... Konoha is my home. You can't change that. "
The pinkhead eventually let go. Kitsuro went silent as he watched Akira walk past him.
"Why?! After all that they'd done to you--?!" Kitsuro yelled in resentment, not of the girl in front of him but of Konoha.
"I might really be stupid for declining this offer, but I already made a promise to my parents. I'm a Konoha shinobi. I'll die protecting the village that they died for." Akira stated, as she continued walking without looking back at Kitsuro.
"For such a thing to hold you back from happiness..." The fox whispered, feeling a bit pity of what kind of life Akira leads.
"If something terrible happens and by that time you still haven't found another potential leader," Akira suddenly tossed one of her special kunais at Kitsuro. She turned at him and smiled, which was a bit of a smirk. "Immediately use this. I'll be rushing here to help you guys."
Kitsuro caught it and immediately recognized it as one of the kunais she use for her Hiraishin technique. Well, this should be enough...
The fox sighed. "Fine. Leave at your will and go back to your shitty village."
"Uhh okay." Akira muttered, still a bit unsure if Kitsuro was really planning to let her go that easily. She was about to leave when something came across her mind. "Kitsuro! Can I ask you something? Umm. How will I get out of here?"
Since I really am not pleased of the Bijuu-dama-the-barrier plan of Kyuubi, I might as well ask of other ways...
"You leave through the exit, of course." The latter one answered casually.
"Umm. I think you're forgetting somethings... I'm a prisoner right?" Akira explained. "You can't expect me to leave the village saying 'Hey, Imma go back to my village. Let me pass' to the guards, can you?"
Kitsuro looked at her, dumbfounded. He suddenly burst out laughing after a few seconds. "HAHAHA. Your stupidity is really of Kushina's level! I can't believe you actually thought that we're locking you up!"
"Oh really? Ahaha... What?" Akira looked at him; her face showed dismay and utter confusion.
"You're not our prisoner, Uzumaki Akira. We just brought you here, hoping you'll submit yourself to us willingly after hearing our intentions. But if you don't, well... we have no choice but to let you go." Kitsuro stated, after finally finishing his seemed-unending boisterous laugh.
A nerve popped out of the embarassed pinkhead. She can't believe she misunderstood everything!
"Okay. Whatever! BYE!" And the pinkhead went on her way out of the village.
After completely disappearing out of his sight, Kitsuro released a huge sigh as he returned to lay on the roof. He raised the kunai up and the moon shone on it, reflecting it's light on the dagger's edges.
It won't be long until you go back here. The time will come when you'll be the one who'll need us. Many ominuos things are bound to happen now, Uzumaki Akira; and your village is the one who stands in the middle of the catastrophe. I hope you stay safe.
Upon passing the gates of the village, it was not too long after Akira left the Land of the Eddies and was greeted by a vast ocean.
"I didn't expect you to actually leave..." A voice inside her muttered. It was obviously Kyuubi's.
"What do you mean? You're the one who told me to leave this place." Akira simply relied, still busy running above the seemingly-endless water.
"At first, yes. But that place isn't that bad at all.." The demon fox slowly stated. For a Jinchuuriki like you, that is.
Akira snorted, completely understanding what Kyuubi was trying to say. "HAHAHAHA! What? Don't tell me you got a crush on Kitsuro that's why you wanted to stay!" She teased.
"Wha-?! NOOO!" Kyuubi yelled in exasperation. "I'm a man! I don't swing that way!"
The pinkhead suddenly bursted out laughing. "HAHAHA! Calm down. I was just joking!'
Kyuubi inwardly grumbled. When he was about to say something in return, Akira spoke up again.
"You're right. That place isn't bad at all. I guess I shall just visit sometime..."
"Hmmmp. If you have time for talking, you should pick up your pace, stupid girl." Kyuubi commented harshly. He was really bad at touching moments.
A nerve popped out of the pinkhead. "Wha-?!! You're the one who started the talk, not me -ttebaii! And don't call me stupid, baka!"
Akira took a one last look at the Land of the Eddies as she weaved hand seals.
I'll return back here one day.. I promise.
"Itachi, wait for me. I'll beat you to pulp, you weasel!" Akira exclaimed before completely disappearing in her Hiraishin technique.
In a flash, the ocean in her sight disappeared and everything was replaced by darkness.
"Hey. What happened?" Kyuubi was the one who spoke first.
"There's no exit..." Akira muttered, horror was heard on her every word. She was floating inside a pitch black world of nothingness.
"We're trapped in another dimension..."
《 HALCYON DAYS ARC: END 》