The Tailed... Human? [Tail 1 - Naruto Fan-Fiction]

Chapter 9: Oh for fox's sake

Kiba awoke to the slamming of dishes in the kitchen, signaling that his Mom must be trying to cook again. A loud 'dammit' confirmed his thoughts, but he wasn't ready to get out of bed just yet, the blankets were wrapped around his body and Akamaru had settled himself right above his head on the pillow.

After the second loud clang of dishes against the floor, Kiba tried wiggling out of bed, still wrapped up in his blanket. He hit the floor, the blanket cushioning his landing but still making enough noise to wake Akamaru up in a fit of barking.

"Shhh," Kiba silenced the dog, who was sitting on the edge of the bed staring at him judgmentally. "Oh come on, I was comfortable," Akamaru launched himself off the bed, his nails clicking against the wooden floor of his room as he returned to Kiba's side and wagging his tail.

He unraveled himself from the blanket, tossing it back up on the bed and lazily walking to the door, missing the handle a few times before he finally got it and walked out. Hana's old room smelled like Kitsune, but the smell was going stale... I guess she went out, he half thought, half pouted to himself.

"Hey Mom, where's Kitsune?" Kiba asked as he plopped down at the table and waited for whatever monstrosity she'd made for breakfast.

"I sent her out to get a few things from the store; she should have been back by now though," she stuck a wooden spoon in the pot, swirling around what smelt like a mixture of butter and milk.

"What is that?" He covered his nose as she picked the lid off the other pot, the stench of asparagus and cat food hitting him.

"Your breakfast," she cackled maniacally, taking a deep whiff of the pot of unknown ingredients. "This is for insulting my cooking yesterday!"

 -

"Ugh," Kitsune moaned, finally regaining her vision and taking a look around the room. She was tied to a chair in the center of the large stone room, a few computers nearby making loud beeping noises.

"I see you're awake," she blinked as a bright light was shined in her face, blinding her once more. "I've got some questions I'd like you to answer, Subject 541," the man hissed, his boots clicking against the floor as he got closer.

"H-how...?" Kitsune mumbled, squinting to see the man through the blinding light, only seeing a cap covering his head and a large scar on the left side of his face, a grim smile across his mouth.

"Not like I need to hear anything from you, I've already got all the answers I need," he walked around the chair, stopping once he reached the front of it, leaning down into Kitsune's face. "But there are a few things that I couldn't get from your memory that I'd like you to clarify."

"O-okay," she agreed, taking a nervous gulp before nodding.

"Good," he gave a little chuckle, straightening his posture. "It's better when you cooperate, it's less painful." Less painful? Does that mean... "Don't worry; I'll go easy on you if you give me honest answers," he lifted his boot, slamming it down on her knee and holding it there. Kitsune bit back a scream of pain, lifting her head to look into the man's eyes.

"What do you want to know," she gasped under her breath, the pain blossoming and spreading itself up her leg.

"You're quite resilient," he laughed, taking his foot of Kitsune's knee and motioning for the man guarding the door to bring him something. "First question, where were you born?" What... She didn't know, she'd been under Orochimaru's control for as long as she could remember.

"I... I don't know," she admitted, bracing herself.

"That's a shame," he sighed, taking an item from the guard, who scurried back to his post near the door. He wrapped the item around his knuckles, the metal glinting in the light, giving Kitsune a small smile before swinging at her face.

The sound of her nose snapping was all she could hear, the blood rushed from it, flooding into her mouth and down onto her shirt. She bit back the scream once again, reminding herself that Orochimaru had done far worse to her than this man could ever do.

"Well, well, you're actually beginning to surprise me," she spat out a mouthful of nose blood, hearing it splat against the stone floor. "Next question, what does Orochimaru plan to do during the Chuunin exams?" She coughed as the blood ran into the back of her throat, spitting another lot onto the floor.

"He's... going to take over... the village..." The man walked to the back of the chair and grabbed ahold of her arm, squeezing tightly.

"I need more than that, 541," he taunted, tightening his grip on her arm.

"He's going to kill the Hokage," she swallowed the blood seeping into her throat, letting out a small cough and bracing herself for the next hit. But it didn't come.

"Kill the Hokage?" He questioned, loosening his grip, "how does he plan to do that?"

"I don't know," his grip tightened once more. "It involves the Hidden Sand," she corrected herself quickly, saving herself another few seconds without more serious damage.

"Oh?" He scoffed, "and what role will they be playing in the attack?" Her insides were screaming for her to let out the tears she was biting back, her broken nose, and possibly broken knee beginning to numb in a way that would terrify most people.

"I don't know," she took a deep breath, feeling the man's hands twisting her arm, the sickening crunch making her heart pound. She couldn't hold it back anymore, the scream erupting from her throat and echoing throughout the room.

-

"That was freaking disgusting!" He spat, brushing off his tongue with his hands, "I'm going to get her back for that." He looking down at Akamaru, whose tail was wagging wildly. Kiba sighed, putting his tongue back in his mouth and walking quietly with his dog towards the market.

The market was crowded, but it wasn't unusual for a Saturday evening. Most of the Shinobi that had been on missions all week were here getting more supplies to keep at home or wives making something nice for the spouses that had been away all week.

"Keep your nose out for Kitsune's scent," Kiba looking down at Akamaru, who gave a happy bark and stuck his nose in the air. So far there'd been nothing that smelled anything like Kitsune, since she'd moved in her smell had become a part of living at his house.

He sighed, the fact that he knew what that damn fox smelled like bugging the hell out of him, but at the same time he kept hoping he'd catch it. They walked throughout the market, watching for the pure white hair and tail they'd become accustomed to.

"There!" Kiba shouted, a few heads turning to face him as he sprinted towards the white hair that stood out among the crowd at a fruit stand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He stopped as he reached the source of the white hair, Kakashi turning to face him.

"Shopping?" Kakashi answered, orange in hand, not entirely sure how to react.

"Oh, I thought you were Kitsune," he sighed, looking around the marketplace again, not seeing another bunch of white hair.

"Well, I'm flattered," Kakashi put his hand to his chest, doing a little bow, "But I'm afraid you've got the wrong teenage girl." He shrugged, putting the orange in his basket and peering out over the crowd, "doesn't look like she's here, is she missing?"

"Kind of, Mom sent her to the store this morning and she's not back yet," Kakashi put his hand on his chin, rubbing it like there was a beard underneath his mask. Maybe there is... Kiba thought, trying to picture Kakashi with a beard.

"I haven't seen her, and I've been out and about all morning," he turned, returning to the fruit and picking through the peaches. "Just wait, I'm sure she'll come around."

"Yeah... you're probably right," Kiba sighed. "Thanks Kakashi."

"Not a problem," Kakashi waved, his back still turned to Kiba, listening to Kiba talking to Akamaru about how they might have overreacted.

I'm sorry... I couldn't tell you where she is if I wanted to. Kakashi thought, letting out a sad sigh and looking over the fruit once more.