Apprentice to the Bloodline Limit

Alpha:….same old deal.

Apprentice to the Bloodline Limit

Chapter III: Morning Daze, Afternoon Craze Part 2

Karui had finally made her way to the hospital. She rushed inside the building, running past nurses and the main desk.

“Karui-san?!” an ebony haired woman was startled by the red head girl running by her.

“Sorry can’t talk right now!”

“Wait Karui-san shouldn’t you be in school right now?”

“Yeah.” The young girl said never stopping for a second.

“Excuse me but you can’t go up there!”

Karui ignored her.

“Hey! Visiting hours— that girl!”

The woman let it go for now. She worked here long enough to know that wild child wasn’t going to let nothing stop her from visiting her mother.

“Sorry, but I would gotten here sooner if I could.”

Karui quietly closed the door to her mother’s room, going over to sit by the bed in the same old chair. She planted her hand in her mother’s and there was a light squeeze from her.

“Yea, I won’t make a habit out of this but I promised.”

Another squeeze.

“I missed you too Mama.”

For a long time, Karui would sit and talk with the woman. She was more cheerful now that her mother could at least answer with yes or no to anything she said. Things had been going fine until the come induced woman started to shake a little. Her mother seemed to be agitated about something. She didn’t understand, but she never saw the woman react so violently before.

Was it a seizure?! Whatever was happening her mother’s grip continued to tightened around her wrist.

“Hey what’s wrong?” there was rising panic in her voice.

“Mama? Mama! Can you hear me?”

The monitors in the room were beeping out of control.

“We’re sorry but you have to leave. Visiting hours are over.”

The doctor and nurses came in right at that moment. Karui figured the emergency signal went off alerting them. The managed to free her wrist from the woman’s grip.

“Tell me what’s wrong with her!” she asked as they gently tried to push her out of the room.

“…We’re sorry but you must leave.”

“Just tell me!” she refused to go without knowing what was happening to her only remaining relative.

“You’re presence here is upsetting her condition. Don’t worry she will be fine when she calms down.”

“But—”

Karui was pushed out of the room, the door slamming shut in her face. Frustrated, she kicked the door making a loud bang and left.

“For your sake you better hope that’s all what’s wrong with her,” she muttered under her breath.

Following behind her was a tiny form with silted vivid green eyes and whiskers. It had an ominous smile on its face.

Karui left the hospital two hours ago and felt her stomach grumbling. She was seriously hungry now. At least hunger kept her from thinking too much about earlier. She felt slighted to know she was the cause of her mom’s violent attack.

She turned her head left to right, looking for a place to get a bite to eat. She wasn’t yet home so she decided to stop in one of the fast food places around town.

A soft mewling noise caught her attention. The sienna brown skinned girl followed after the noise. She turned the corner around a convenient store in a back alley way to see an injured white striped kitten.

All thoughts of food left her mind, “Aw, you poor thing.”

She walked closer to the small animal. It’s right front leg was badly hurt. She grabbed the animal in her arms.

“Don’t worry I got you.”

“You can come home with me, I’ll take care of you until you get better and there’s plenty of room.”

It was mewling so pitifully in pain.

“There, there girl, I’m not going to hurt you.”

She started to walk out of the alleyway back onto the main street heading for home.

She sighed, “Maybe next time I’ll buy something to eat.”

--- --- ---

“What do you know about that guy?” Ino couldn’t help but ask Kiba who just sat two seats down from her and the girls at the picnic tables during lunch. Some of the students decided to have lunch inside their classroom while some wanted to be outside in the nice spring weather.

Ino was secretly glad Kiba had come to sit outside today. She really hated being out of the loop. Being the resident gossiper on the latest news, she had to be in the know about things. She was sure by the end of the day she’ll have the rest of the school eating out of the palm of her hand, wanting to know the latest buzz about the new guy.

Such was the stress of being popular.

The teen wearing a brown and gray version of the male school uniform, looked up from the ham, turkey, bologna, cheese with everything on it sandwich he was about to bite into. The brunette frowned before sighing.

“Leave it up to you to have to know everything,” Kiba bit out sarcastically.

“Just come on and tell us!”

Kiba glared at the bossy blonde before smirking. He took a few bites out of his sandwich, taking his time to chew and swallow. He grinned when he saw Ino’s impatient face.

“I knew Naruto from way back. Shikamaru, Chouji, and I somehow became that loudmouth’s friends about four years ago. As you know, the three of us didn’t always live here in Hareha. Uzumaki has a record of being a troublemaker. He used to get into dangerous scuffles with neighboring Yakuza members from Kinshou-Ha.”

“Kinshou-Ha! That’s one of the most dangerous districts in downtown Konoha!” Ino cried.

“So he is a gangster!” Sakura exclaimed. She couldn’t believe this! A real thug had an unsound crush on her!

“Um, I don’t think that’s what Kiba-kun means Sakura-chan.”

Kiba glared at the accusation. The girl didn’t know Naruto from a can of paint; though he did smile at the polite Hyuuga girl sitting next to her.

“That’s right Hinata. He got into fights with gangsters, but he’s not one. Just an idiot who likes being an annoying troublemaker, though it has been four years since I last talked to the guy, he’s probably changed a bit.”

“Well he’s still annoying, I’ll give you that,” Sakura said, waving off Kiba’s statement. She was doing her best to cover up her brief moment of embarrassment.

“Sakura you must have done something to get that guy really interested in you. I heard of ‘love at first sight’ but this is a little ridiculous,” said Tenten with a smile in the pink haired girl’s direction.

“That’s just it, I really don’t know what I did!” Sakura was not about to tell them that her innocent acts of being a good Samaritan was blown out of proportion…only because she was trying to get Sasuke’s attention.

As far as everyone knew, the first time she and Naruto met was that day at the café where he shouted to the heavens that he was ‘in love’ with her. They didn’t know about how she helped him when he first moved here or the accidental half kiss they shared. She planned on keeping it that way too.

“Naruto used to go by the name ‘Ketsueki Youko’.”

“Why such a bizarre nickname?” Tenten asked.

“Only Naruto can really tell you that…I really don’t understand it myself, but it’s what a lot of the gangs would call him back in Konoha city. Though he was partially involved in the last stand off between Orochimaru and the Sandaime Hokage.”

All the girls gasped at that.

“Now you’re lying,” Sakura hissed softly, “There’s no way that idiot can be that powerful?! Besides it’s against the third’s law for minors to get involved in war! We aren’t even supposed to use our skills outside of the Academy rules or home!”

Kiba glared, “I don’t lie,” he gritted his teeth. Kiba was starting to wonder what his old friend saw in this girl she was so annoying.

“It doesn’t matter most people wouldn’t believe it anyway. That damn law…the adults wanted to keep it under wraps about who really took down Gaara of Suna.”

“Isn’t he the host of Ichibi!?” Hinata asked.

The four girls had their eyes as wide as saucers as Kiba nodded. They were still in disbelief. It was hard picturing the loudmouth as someone as strong as Naruto at that age.

Sakura had glowered at the news, turning her attention to the naturally tanned young man looking for a place to sit and eat his lunch with a huge grin on his face.

“Strong or not, how did he enroll here? He doesn’t even remotely look like he’s smart enough to pass the Academy’s entrance exams; on top of that he’s not all that rich if he comes from Kinshou-Ha. Even the house he lives in isn’t all that spectacular,” Sakura stated, seeming none too impressed.

She chewed and swallowed a piece of apple.

“The hell if I know, maybe the punk got an inheritance from a dead relative and that’s why he can afford to come here?”

“It is possible,” the platinum blonde agreed.

“I will say this, you guys have to promise me you won’t run your mouths about what I just told you,” he looked over to Ino who had a sour expression, “That goes double for you!”

“Why not? This is hot news!” Ino shouted glaring at the dog user.

Kiba snapped back at her, “You can say what you want about everything except about Naruto’s win against the vessel of Shukaku! If the adults are hush-hush about it then it’s probably for a really damn good reason they’re not saying anything about it. Even Naruto had refused to tell us anything. I only know because I was there for half of it!”

“Well then we’ll just have to ask Naru—”

“You’re so noisy Ino! That wouldn’t be very wise either. Anyway you won’t get anything out of him he seems to have small recollections of what happened during that fight.”

“Hmph fine but in due time, I will know, don’t underestimate the powers of the Yamanaka clan!” Ino winked.

After that, Ino broke the tense atmosphere with going on about Sasuke again.

“I wonder what Sasuke-kun is having for lunch?”

Tenten and Kiba made a face together.

“It has to be something awfully ‘grand’ for an Uchiha!” Tenten said with a false girly high note to her voice, “It’s probably just a regular lunch or tomatoes, who cares?”

“How can you say that Tenten?!” Sakura slammed her fist on the table shaking their lunches.

“I really don’t care,” Tenten rolled her eyes exasperated than looked to Hinata.

“Do you care Hina-chan?”

Hinata really didn’t want to be part of this conversation. It was quite silly to talk about what Uchiha Sasuke ate for lunch.

“Well- I really don’t mind.”

“You don’t get it! Knowing what Sasuke-kun has for lunch is very important!” Ino stated.

Sakura nodded her head in agreement.

“What? How?” Tenten asked with boredom.

“It’s obvious Sasuke-kun’s taste in women will be contributed to the relationship he shares with his mother,” the blonde squealed.

Sakura pointed her chopsticks at Tenten, “It’s a known fact that Mikoto-san is the epitome of beauty! She practically sets the standard for women everywhere!”

“I think you guys are way over your heads.”

Ino and Sakura glared at the cough Kiba made. The dog clan user was trying not to choke on his lunch from laughing at Tenten’s remarks.

“No we’re not, we’re making observations for future references. If Sasuke’s mother is a good cook and makes all his lunches, it’s obvious, Sasuke-kun will want his future wife to be the same!” Sakura gushed.

Ino sneered at her rival, “Yea, she’ll have to know how to cook. I dread to think what would happen if Sasuke-kun were to taste your burnt cooking.”

“You can’t talk! If you’ll spend half the time learning how to cook like you do on your nails, you’ll actually manage how to boil water!”

“Ah you guys are talking about Mikoto-san?”

Everyone at the table turned to see Naruto grinning at them.

“They were, we weren’t,” Tenten went back to finishing her rice.

“Hey! Mind if I sit here?” he asked them.

“Yes we do!” Sakura barked.

Naruto sat down anyway, sitting next to Hinata and across from Kiba.

“Hey! I said we minded are you deaf?”

“I don’t mind Naruto-kun,” Hinata said with a blush and a smile to her face, she effectively silenced the cherry blossom’s rants.

“Thanks Hina-chan,” he started to eat, “This totally sucks! They don’t serve any ramen!”

“Naruto-kun likes ramen?”

“Yea! It’s the greatest food ever!”

“What do you know about Sasuke-kun’s mom Naruto?” Ino asked.

“Huh? Well she’s really pretty and very nice. I don’t know anything about her. She was kind enough to help me out with some groceries one day.”

Naruto’s eyes just so happen to meet with Sasuke’s, “Hmph, what I don’t get, is how such a nice lady ended up giving birth to such an asshole!”

“Naruto!!” Sakura and Ino shouted at him. He didn’t cower in fear of them as his attention was dead set on Sasuke.

Sasuke just glared at the very annoying blond.

He couldn’t stand the grinning punk, having run-ins with the guy since he first moved to Hareha. There wasn’t a dull and quiet moment in Sasuke’s life the minute Uzumaki came here.

There was nothing great about some dumb punk who couldn’t stay out of trouble coming from the slums of Kinshou-Ha. The guy probably couldn’t even fight, what kind of warrior was he planning on becoming? If he knew what was good for him, he’ll stay out of his way.

When Sasuke turned to leave, Naruto got up.

“Don’t you dare go and try to start something with Sasuke-kun Naruto!”

Naruto looked at Sakura a little incredulity, “I’m not thinking about that bastard, I’m getting something to drink. Calm down Sakura-chan.”

The four girls and Kiba watched Naruto as he went over to the vending machine by the side of the cafeteria entrance without incident. When he was walking on his way back, it was like time had slowed down.

Naruto was walking, right hand in pocket, left hand tipping the soda can back, him not paying any attention to where he was walking.

Then there was Sasuke, hands in pocket, eyes closed as he walked, clearly thinking hard about something only important to him. He coming into close proximity to Naruto, his shoulder bumped into the blond quite hard.

Naruto’s surprised made him choke and spurt the liquid contents out of his mouth onto Sasuke’s face.

Sasuke’s fan club was going nuts. Sakura and Ino were ready to pound Naruto into the ground for that one. Hinata gasped, a little worried hoping the two wouldn’t get into a fight, while Tenten and Kiba laughed out loud.

Sasuke without a word wiped the spittle off his face, his glare never wavering off of Naruto.

“Does it come natural, being an idiot?”

“You’re the one who bumped in to me!” Naruto shouted, pointing a finger at the black hair male.

“Hmph, just a waste of space,” Sasuke murmured to himself.

“I dare you to say that again!”

Sasuke smirked this time, “Waste of space. I think it’s a good nickname for you.”

“That’s it! I had it with your fucking stuck up attitude!”

Sasuke calmly side stepped the oncoming punch from Naruto. The blue eye juvenile was getting angrier and angrier the more he went to land a blow on Sasuke only for the jet hair prick to keep dodging with practiced ease.

Sakura sighed. There was no getting rid of this guy, but inside she was cheering Sasuke on.

“SHANNARO!! SHOW THAT PUNK WHO’S BOSS SASUKE-KUN!!”

By this time, all the students that were outside today ran to form a circle around the fighting teens. Most of the girls were naturally rooting for Sasuke.

“That guy is going to get himself in a heap of trouble,” Tenten stated, “Has Naruto really changed much from four years ago?”

Kiba only chuckled, “Not at all.”

“Well as long as they don’t resort to using techniques, N-Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun shouldn’t get into too much trouble.”

“It’s surprising they haven’t yet, I would have expected Naruto to by now even after Kakashi-sensei’s warning from this morning,” Inuzuka replied.

After awhile, Naruto started getting in hits on Sasuke, he landed a huge one on the left side of his lower jaw bone. It was payback for Sasuke kicking him in his stomach. He started to get serious and he could tell the other boy was as well. They began to start throwing punches and kicks at each other.

Blow for blow, kick for kick, the both of them wouldn’t stop.

Inside a classroom which held the middle school section of the Academy, the students were able to see the action going on down below from the third floor.

So could their teacher who frowned disapprovingly at the brawl going on.

“I’ll be right back, please continue your lunches without any troubles.” The brown haired man walked over to the door.

“Yo Sensei! Where ya going?” asked a young boy with equally very dark brown hair with goggles resting upon his forehead.

“To go deal with the ruckus down below,” the older male in an all gray suit said with an edge of annoyance in his voice.

At this point, Sasuke and Naruto were now covered in bruises and scabs. During the fight, both boy’s jackets had come off laying somewhere on the grass. Sasuke’s tie had come undone and he had a few tears in his white uniform shirt. His jaw had a nice blue bruise and his lip was bleeding. He looked really to kill the blond standing before him with a crooked ass grin, one eye closing and his nose bleeding.

“You’re real strong, you asshole!”

“Tch, and you’re still good at running your mouth you waste of space!”

“What the hell kind of acknowledgment is that!”

“I’ll never acknowledge you as a strong opponent!”

Their short break was over and they went back to fighting, though now it was just a senseless brawl.

Hinata was really getting worried now. She just wanted them to stop. Her prayers were answered when her cousin and a familiar irate teacher came in the middle of the two boys, blocking them.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!”

Neji effectively hit a few of their pressure points in their arms to immediately stop the flow of chakra in that area. Both boys couldn’t move their arms for the minute at the very least.

Naruto was too stunned to say anything back at the man who stopped his fight with Sasuke. He was too busy staring at him.

“I-I-IRUKA SENSEI!? OI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?” The blond was completely dumb struck.

Umino Iruka was too angry and disappointed in both boys to properly respond to Naruto’s shock at his appearance.

“Both of you! Detention for two weeks, everyday after school you’ll be in charge of cleaning the classrooms! Let’s go to the office now!”

Sakura was a little disappointed in that punishment. She was kind of hoping the blond would at least get expelled.

Okay so maybe that would have been too harsh. He probably did have some brain cells to remember Kakashi-sensei’s warning about using their powers without permission. He did get his fight with Sasuke after all and put on quite a show for all to see.

Sasuke yanked his arm from Neji.

“Hn!” He picked up his now dirtied and need of repair blue blazer off the ground, strolling off in silence. He was very pissed off. Sasuke never knew someone could rub him the wrong way. That waste of space, he wouldn’t mind fighting him again.

“Yea, yea!” Naruto stormed off. Though his bad mood lessen after meeting Iruka again, despite the circumstances of their reunion. Neither he or Sasuke won their scuffle and Naruto was more than eager to face him again. That prick was going to acknowledge him as a worthy opponent and as the stronger male.

Once the action died down, everyone went back to what they were doing.

“That guy is going to cause problems here.”

“Uh huh, but it was an impressive fight, you missed it Neji. New guy can hold his own even against ‘the great Uchiha,’” said Tenten.

“Still, it is going to be problematic if all that guy is going to do is starts fights with everyone he sees.”

Tenten watched Neji walk off.

“Naruto-kun really isn’t that bad Neji-niisama,” Hinata said softly. Neji paused for a second to stare at her. Pale lavender meeting pale blue. Hinata felt like shrinking away from her cousin and his intense stare. He was very intimidating to her but she wasn’t about to back down.

“And how would you know that Hinata-sama?”

The midnight blue hair girl was caught off guard by the question. Neji silently waited for her to sort out her thoughts to give an answer.

His eyes widened a miniscule of a faction at the sudden smile splayed on her lips.

“I just have a feeling that Naruto-kun’s heart is in the right place.”

“Foolishness,” the older Hyuuga walked off.

Hinata looked worriedly at her retreating cousin, “Neji-niisama…”

There was a soft warm hand on her shoulder and she looked over to Tenten. The older girl smiled at her.

“Don’t let your cousin get to you Hina-chan.”

“I’m not Tenten-chan, I just worry about him…it looks like lunch is almost over.”

Both young women went over to the table they sat at to clean up their area before the bell rang for the last class of the day.

--- --- ---

The evening came all too quickly in Karui’s opinion. She was sitting outside on the porch in the closed off courtyard of her home. She had changed out of her school uniform into brown baggy shorts and an equally large red tee. Next to her was the white striped kitten she found today. It now was cleaned and had bandages on its front leg.

She watched her tackle the meat in the small dish bowl, “Its good isn’t it?”

Small cool breezes whipped in the air.

“I like salmon myself.”

The brown skinned girl just smirked at the baby animal while eating her own meal.

“Sorry if it’s not very good but I’m no genius at this cooking stuff, but it’s a meal and we both gotta eat.”

Karui stuffed her mouth with noodles, “On the bright side, the water’s nice and fresh. I need to go food shopping tomorrow.”

There was a small mew sound from the pink eyed tabby.

“At least it’s not completely lonely anymore, I got you for company.”

Another soft mew.

Karui finished her bowl of noodles and fish. She got up from the porch to go inside the house. She left the door open for her new friend to follow her when she finished her meal.

She set the empty bowl down on the kitchen counter then walked further down the hallways of her home. She came to a set of steps and walked up to the third floor. The red head continued to walk down the hall until she came to the only room on the left side of the house.

There were seals all over the door. The red head teen was all too familiar with these particular seals and released them in order to enter the room.

Karui sat down on the black cushion in front of the raised alter that held her mother’s most prized possession.

“Mama’s weapon.”

She would sit here for hours sometimes just admiring the powerful weapon. As it was now, it wasn’t very impressive. It looked like an ordinary dark blue staff with gold rings and seven colored holes at each end. On one end was the clan’s symbol. One she knew to have only on her sword.

Other than that, she didn’t wear it proudly as others did from other clans. It grabbed less attention that way. You never knew who may search for remaining living members of a family with powerful techniques.

She reached for her mother’s weapon, knowing what the outcome would be. As soon as her fingers touched the pole she was zapped. Her middle and ring fingers had immediate blisters.

“Fuck!” She swore. Her hand was starting to bleed. It was stupid, but her stubborn will was sure that this time would be the time she’ll be able to at least hold the damn thing. She quickly applied some anti-defectant spray and bandaged her fingers she had on stand by, already used to this re-occuring incident.

She was stumped. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t touch it. She was her mother’s flesh and blood. Her mom had said it would respond to her too, but it wasn’t. Then again, her mother was good for saying one thing but meaning another.

In other words she had to figure out on her own what the hell she wasn’t doing right in order to wield this weapon. The more she tried to touch it, the more sinister it responded by zapping her.

It was by nature a weapon that’s aura was very dark. She didn’t know much about it, just that it’s the reason her mother almost died over it. There were other reasons as well, but Karui chose not to think about them too much.

They would end up causing her anguish and depression.

“One of these days, you’re going to get yourself killed with having your head stuck in the clouds Karui.”

Karui shook out of stupor, whirling around to glare at her brother.

“What the hell are you doing in here?! Get the fuck out! You can’t be in here!”

“You need to lock your doors better.”

He said it with a nonchalant expression.

Karui quickly got up and ran towards the blond. She shoved him out of the room and then slammed the doors tight, sealing the room back up.

“I did lock my doors.”

“You’re backdoor was wide opened, anyone could get in.”

Omoi stated matter of fact.

Her face colored, “I know I left that opened!”

One blond eyebrow rose in disbelief, “That’s careless.”

“Shut up!” Karui kicked Omoi in his back as he was walking down the stairs. He fell down every last one.

“I could have broken my neck! Or choked on my lollipop, or sprained my knee…”

“Hmph! That’s payback for today at school; don’t know why ya complaining you knew it was coming!”

Omoi got up just fine without incident wiping away invisible dust.

“So why was you’re door wide open?”

“None of you’re bus—”

“Meow!”

Her cheeks colored some more.

There were also a lot of adorable mewling noises from her new ‘friend.’

“A cat? You took in a strange cat?” He looked at her in disbelief.

“So…what about it?” she snapped. She crossed her arms, turning her flushing face away from Omoi.

He smiled, bending down to pet the kitten purring at his feet, “You like cats it’s not something to get embarrassed over.”

“I do not! I found it in an alleyway injured and it was looking pitiful so I wrapped bandages around it big deal!”

“You left the door opened for this little fellow then.”

Karui gently snatched the small animal from Omoi, resting it in her arms as if to protect it from Omoi's reach, “She was eating outside.”

The lollipop licker was amused at his little sister's protective behavior over her 'new' pet. Especially how she was subconsciously petting her head.

“Well what is her name?”

Karui looked surprised, “I didn’t think of giving her one.”

“You aren’t gonna call her ‘it’ all the time are you?”

“Shut up! I’ll think of something…later.”

“Poor thing, you’re doomed.”

Karui’s eye twitched, she sat down with the cat still in her arms in the living room.

“Why are you here again? I thought I told you to leave me alone!”

“Where did you run off too?”

She ignored him. Omoi decided to drop it, she wouldn’t answer. He didn’t miss the little smile on her lips though. It was all the confirmation he needed to know where she went today.

“Raikage-sama specifically wants to see you sometime tomorrow morning before school," he stated.

“Why?”

He shrugged, “I dunno, he said it was important and specifically for you.”

“If that’s all, leave.”

Omoi sighed, he then took off the bag he had on his shoulder that Karui didn’t pay much attention. He dropped it and the contents within out of it where it landed on the floor by her side.

Karui recognized it as her school bag and materials.

“Why the hell did you do that?!”

“You’ll fail if you start off on a bad start. You’ll never get a chance to surpass me then.”

Omoi twirled the lollipop in his mouth, leaving out the door, again ignoring his high strung half sibling.

“And Jay sensei gave you a week of detention.”

There was the noise of a geometry book slamming against the front door he just closed.

The kitten started to mew as if it were amused by Karui and her argument with Omoi.

“Netsumomo…" the brown skinned girl stated. She smiled at the kitten she let go free, happy to have just now thought of a name, "I’ll call you Netsumomo.”

Karui stretched her limbs before sitting back down and straightening out the mess Omoi made so she could start on her homework, he was so nice enough to write down for her.

Unaware to the red head, there was those same pair of vivid green eyes watching her from earlier today with a grin on its face.

--- --- ---

Until next time…