The Dragon Queen // (Under Revision)

Fear And Fear Itself: Part 1

She'd only given in because she was lonely. Which she would never admit aloud, but it was true. Ever since Naruto and the other shinobi had arrived three days before, she had felt full and happy. It didn't matter that the end of her reign was approaching fast, or that Chizu had been prowling around the monastery like a caged tiger. Tsuyoi was with Naruto and Kurama most of the time, and Natsukashii was finding her voice as she quadrupled in size and power.

Go get food! Natsukashii was bouncing up and down inside as Tsuyoi and Naruto made their way down the stairwell next to the dining hall.

Why? It's not like you can eat it, Tsuyoi shot back irritably. She was mad at herself for going along with Naruto's ridiculous plan.

If it's so ridiculous, why are you still here? I can do it by myself, ya know. Naruto joined in.

"So you can have all the fun to yourself? Not bloody likely, Hayride," Tsuyoi answered hotly. She stopped moving, pressing her hand against his chest so he wouldn't bump into her. Thanks to her accelerated healing, her arm was already as good as new. "Now I'm going to go in first, and then I'll give you the signal, okay?"

"Right." Naruto nodded. Then he straightened and crossed his arms over his chest, looking smug.

"W-what?" Tsuyoi flushed under his eyes. 

"You know this is a good idea. You want to see if there is anyone living here beside you and your patrons, and I want more dangos. We both get we want." He said triumphantly. 

"Smart, Naruto. You're a sharp one." Tsuyoi peeked around the corner, the amber light washing over her face. "Okay, I'm going."

"Hurry, my stomach is growling!"

"You just ate!" Tsuyoi shook her head at his eagerness. Naruto may have more experience with some things than she did, but at heart, he was just a kid. Actually, Naruto was older than her by almost a year, but that didn't make the bond that had been steadily growing between them any weaker. Ever since she healed him and their wa had become interconnected, they'd been like the same person in two different bodies. Their stories overlapped each other perfectly; the same pain flowed through their veins. Now all I have to do is overcome my pain like he did. She glanced at him for a moment and felt a faint smile break through her face at his childlike expression.

"Okay, I'm going." Tsuyoi slunk through the wide oak doors of the dining hall, careful not to make the door creak. She vanished inside, heading towards the dull orange candlelight that glowed in the back room, where the kitchens were located.

Don't forget the mission, Naruto chimed in her head. We've gotta get those cinnamon dangos while they are still warm!

That's not the mission, you dolt! We have to see if there are actually people in the monastery beside me and the patrons, orkana.

It's not your mission, you mean.

Tsuyoi sidled up next to the cracked door, her back pressed against the wall. She held her breath, extended her hearing. It was true, Tsuyoi's whole reason for sneaking into the kitchens was to see if there had actually been any other workers or servants inside the monastery. Even though Tsuyoi had not once seen another being inside the monastery, the laundry was always done, the meals always warm, and the building itself was always sparkling clean. At first, she'd suspected that Tomoe and Fukuo had done all the work, but the monastery was too big for them to manage it all alone. But you have seen another person here before...The ghost of a memory she'd buried resurfaced briefly; a broad X drawn across the chest of a bounded man. The burn of her sword in her hand. No! She shut the thought down firmly and again focused on the task at hand. I've tried to use the Dairokkan to locate life forces before, but I have never sensed anything.