The Guardian | By : ShadowMuse Category: Naruto > General Views: 938 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
She thought that death would be a very painful
thing. Now that she was here it was
rather quite peaceful. Despite her urge
to make jokes to herself about how nice it was not to be constantly pestered by
her teammates Mihari kept silent. If
she had been taken down so easily then what had happened to the
others. After five years of running
amok with them the thought that they, too, had met their end made it hard to
relax. Yeah, sure, it seemed very
pleasant here, but Kenzo had a family already.
What would his wife do without him?
And Shae? She had her
sister.
Your
friends are well.
Mihari
spun in the darkness around her, searching for the source of the mysterious
“voice.” She could swear she just heard
a voice in her head and it had startled her.
It was rare for someone to sneak up on her. In the darkness her hearing was always more pronounced. Maybe all that was lost after you died?
You’re
talents are very much intact. If they
were not, then we would not need you.
“Need
me? For what?” Her eyes narrowed, as if trying to peer into
the blank expanse. She knew she would
not see anything. Whatever was good
enough to sneak up on her in the dark would be good enough to stay out of
sight. It didn’t seem to want to be
found. Still, that didn’t stop her
suspicious and cautious nature. “Who
are you?”
I
am you.
“Elaborate.”
Very
well. I am what you will be. Soon you will see. Your death came exactly as it should. But we do not have very much time. Come.
“Come
where?”
Before
her question had completely crossed her lips the darkness was slinking away,
replacing itself with the landscape of a village. She was standing on the side of a street. Houses stood before her. Somehow this place seemed familiar, but only
in that passing way that it looked like many of the villages.
The world seemed so
much brighter. Colors pulsed with
life, and wisps of energy floated throughout the air. Creatures of different shapes and sizes scurried about. Spirit creatures. Like this spiritual world of the beyond these creatures were so
vivid, so real. If she hadn’t had been
so enthralled by their mere existence some of them might have been menacing,
and for good reason.
A whispering voice
broke through her thoughts. The voice
wasn’t directed at her, but another.
“Are you sure she’s worthy of this assignment? What if she can’t handle it?
We can’t afford to lose him.”
Mihari raised an
eyebrow in question, turning her head to look over her shoulder. A man and woman were crouched on the top of
the fence as if it were just a dirt strip.
Their balance was effortless.
The man’s form was mostly hidden behind a hood and a jacket with a high
collar. From the moonlight shining
above she could see a glint within the shade of the hood, glasses or
sunglasses.
The woman hid nothing. She had a medium build, and seemed to be keeping herself very
compact. A thick curtain of short brown
hair hung around her face, but the bangs did not hide the bright gold eyes
looking out at her. Folded on her back
were two small feathery wings. One
twitched as she watched Mihari. Like
the man she was dressed all in black, but her clothes didn’t cover her body.
“Trust me, Ryoji.”
The man replied in a casual manner. He
didn’t move, but the inflection begged for a hand gesture, even perhaps a bit
of a grin. Who knew, he might have been
grinning behind that jacket collar, teeth shining white into the night, and
Mihari would never know. “She can do
it.”
“What am I
doing?” Mihari asked.
The woman, Ryoji,
groaned, “she doesn’t even know yet!”
“Well, she just died
tonight! Give her a break.” The man chuckled; the tenor melody was warm,
but something made a chill run through Mihari.
“J…ust… died.” Ryoji stammered. “Please tell me your kidding!
She hasn’t even been properly trained or not! I was trained months before I was allowed to have a
charge!”
Charge?
Mihari thought. Trained? She frowned. She’d have this person know she was one of the most talented
ninja her age in her village. In fact
she was on a very special mission when… well, when she croaked. She frowned deeper.
The man pulled the
woman closer to him and whispered into her ear. Mihari caught part of the whisper. “…Special…. only one…”
Whatever went along
with this statement seemed to shut Ryoji up.
She didn’t look happy though.
“If it must be done that way, but she is not to leave his side.
Constant vigilance. And you!”
She shoved a pointed finger in this man’s direction. “You, Hae, should make sure she knows what she is doing. She’ll be useless as a Guardian if she can’t
use her abilities.”
“Excuse me! I’m a very competent fighter!” Mihari shouted. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here! If you have a problem with me then take it
up with me!”
“Kami save us!” The
woman threw her hand to her forehead.
“She’s completely wrong for this job.
We can’t entrust her with him!”
Mihari was about to reply to that when suddenly Ryoji shot her hand out
toward her in a claw like motion and squeezed the air. In that same instant she felt like her
‘body’ was being crushed under some horrible weight, like Ryoji’s fingers were
crushing her. She gave a strangled cry.
“Ryoji!” Hae yelled.
“Stop this. You’re being ridiculous.”
He grabbed Ryoji by the shoulders and shook her.
With a smile
touching on malicious Ryoji opened her hand and let Mihari go. “See, she can’t even stop a simple soul
grip.”
“That will be
enough.” Hae sighed. “I already told you why she has to be the
one. Its important.”
“As I said. Teach her properly. And if he dies…you know what’s at
stake.” She gave him that pointed
finger again. Her wings twitched again
before raising off her back. “I must
attend to my charge. Something is off.”
“Danger?” Hae inquired.
“No. He’s just upset, and they’ve got their hands
full over there with his little brother now.”
“He’s the one with
the beast inside him?”
“Yes.” Ryoji for once looked liked she might have some
compassion in her. “The poor
child. You’ve seen his life script,
correct?”
“Yumei wants to
change it, but they won’t let her.”
“So they’re going to
let his father turn him into a monster?”
Ryoji was shocked.
Mihari was confused
about what was going on, but she meant to catch every word and hold it for
later. It might come in handy once she
figured out things.
“I’m afraid so. But things will change in the thirteenth
year.”
“The other?”
“Yes. They’ll battle, then become friends.”
“They’ll make good
companions.” Ryoji finally approved of
something. “Farewell, Hae. Give everyone else my regards.” She bowed her head in a respectful gesture
and then vanished with a spiral of wind, her form becoming energy in the
air. It flowed away from then, then
disappeared completely.
“May I ask?”
“Not at this
time.” Hae said, dropping down from the
fence beside her. He grabbed her arm
and guided her to the house in front of them.
“We must hurry. He’s only been
safe for a short time. They’ll can’t
sense them this early, but I don’t want to take chances.”
“What can’t sense
who?”
“You have some
instincts. You asked What instead of
another who.”
“Something is going
to be after someone in that house?”
Mihari exclaimed. “Am I to
protect them?”
“Yes, but I must
explain to you the great dedication that must exist for the assignment I am
about to give you.” He led her up to
the door and – Mihari’s stomach churned – through it. “This mortal is one of the most important
beings in this world right now. His
soul is strong and pure, and one day he will be a great warrior. However, it is our jobs to make sure
he makes it that far. To be specific,
it is your job since he will become your charge.”
“Whoa… he’s a kid?”
“Infant.”
“What!?”
“You know, a
newborn. He isn’t quite attuned to this
plane yet, so its hard for them to find him.
So before they start to come, we must get you settled and in place. It is important you are there to protect
him.”
“I don’t want to be
a babysitter! I’m a Shinobi!”
“You were a Shinobi!”
He reminded. “Dead now, or don’t you
remember that slight change in density.”
If Mihari could see his face she would have sworn there would have been
a smirk there. He was making fun of
her.
“I don’t have to do
anything.” She growled.
“You would let an
innocent child die?”
“Can’t you get
someone else?”
“No. As I already explained to Ryo.” He kept pulling her through the home. There was a man asleep in the main room, but
she didn’t have a change to take in any details before being dragged into a hallway. “You are the only one. Its rare for this to happen, but the two of
you have a special type of energy that only allows others of your type to guide
them. It is either you, or that child
in there dies.”
Mihari could be lazy
at times, and she tried her hardest to weasel out of situations like this – she
didn’t like kids too much – but there was no way she would really turn her back
on a baby. “Okay, where is he?”
Hae went through
another doorway and let Mihari follow of her own volition. When she entered she saw a crib sitting in
the corner. Hae stopped but Mihari
walked forward and peeked inside. “This
him?”
“Yes.”
“He’s a beautiful
child.”
“Indeed. He’s got a tough life ahead of him, Mi, are
you ready for this?”
“Only I can do it,
right?” She blinked down at the
sleeping baby. Something strange
stirred inside of her and for the first time that night she realized it
fully. She was dead. Never would she be able to enjoy something
like this of her own. Protecting and
guiding this child was the closest thing to motherhood she could ever
experience. That filled her with a deep
kind of sadness. “He’ll be my
everything.”
Hae pulled back his
hood finally and regarded her. His
earnest expression of study fascinated her, as did the fact he was wearing
sunglasses. A smile broke out on his
face after a few moments. “Well,
Mihari, over the next couple days I’ll teach you the basics, then we’ll find
your true power and train you up a few more weeks.”
“Basics of
what?” She was still confused. She lightly brushed a finger over the
child’s cheek and he cooed in his sleep.
She grinned to herself.
“Welcome, young one,
to the great and divine ranks of the army of light. We are protectors, guides, soldiers, healers, and most important,
spiritual entities of great power and integrity. Called by many names, we are, in laymen’s terms, Guardian Angels,
my dear.”
Mihari froze. An angel? Angelic was always the last thing anyone had ever described her
as. An awkward smile curled her
mouth. “Wow. That’s… um… big.”
“Very.”
“When do I start?”
“Now. I have to go. A guardian’s work is never done, and unfortunately, my charge
will interrupt our time together often.
Until I can return to fully explain everything I leave you with this: a
great darkness is bursting forth from its restraints. That child and others like him are the only hope for the
continuation of this world. If anything
strange happens, if a shadow moves in the wrong direction, if you feel like
something is wrong or off, call to me.
I don’t care if it turns out to be a freaking flea!”
“Yes. I will.
One last question?”
“Shoot.”
“What is his name?”
“Your charge?” Hae
glanced at the child. “Akimichi
Chouji.”
Just as quick as
Ryoji had vanished Hae was gone, leaving Mihari alone with her new charge. A queer feeling of disquiet settled inside
her. She had no idea what to do, or
where to start. She only knew she had a
responsibility. “It’s just you and me,
kid.” She whispered, leaning against
the wall. “But don’t worry. I’ll always be here.”
Next Chapter:
Mihari learns more about her role as Guardian, including meeting some of their
enemies. Its time to tell if she really
is cut out for the job… Unfortunately this may involve the loss of her charge
if she fails. Stay tuned! Hae and Mihari’s battle to protect their
charges!
R&R I’m a comment whore. Thank you, carry
on.- Kaze
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