The Dragon Queen // (Under Revision)

We Need You

The entourage walked on, under the night sky, stars winking like gems beneath a beam of light. Tsuyoi led the way. She actually had no idea where she was going. She felt this urge, like a compass needle, quivering inside her. She felt her feet do the walking, and let Tomoe and Fukuo do the talking. They asked the shinobi about Konoha, about their line of work. They exchanged stories about their different lifestyles, talking leisurely.

Naruto walked beside Tsuyoi, not saying a word. He just lent her his presence, sitting in agreement with one another. They both felt the pressure. There was so much uncertainty in the near future. It was physically tangible, almost like it was looming above her in a giant storm, humming with thunder and electricity. The more she thought about her, the more her brow furrowed and she fought to remain calm. Naruto increased his awareness to her, comforting her. If Naruto is with me, I'll be okay. I have no choice but to believe him.

A rustling in the bushes to their left made everyone jump. Tsuyoi even thought she saw a flash of kunai in Kakashi's hand beneath the moonlight. A small raccoon bustled across the path. Tsuyoi tilted her head. It kept looking over its shoulder like it was trying to be discreet. Once she noticed that all the other details came into focus. Its feet were jittering and its tail was kinked high over its back. It looked terrified, but it was trying to draw little attention to itself. It wasn't even paying attention to the entourage of people. It crossed the path and then took off into the bushes on the other side at top speed.

Everyone let out a breath. Tsuyoi started walking again.

"Did anyone else think that raccoon was acting strange?" Naruto muttered.

"You know, a hawk came in last week saying another outsider had passed through a smaller town west of Muranomachi," Tomoe said aloud.

"Really? Is that not common?" Sakura asked.

"No," Tsuyoi said, speaking up. "Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?"

"Sorry, Tsuyoi," Tomoe apologized. "But you've been so preoccupied with your shinobi boy I didn't want to ruin anything."

Tsuyoi flushed and went quiet again. Tomoe knew her like the back of her hand.

"Anyway, the letter said he had dark hair and rings in his eyes and to be careful."

"Dark hair? Rings in his eyes?" Naruto's shoulders jumped. Tsuyoi looked at him, eyebrows raised.

Sakura stopped walking. "Sasuke's here?"

Tsuyoi's hands shook with a jolt. This emotion....what is this? He was so happy. So resonantly happy that it shook her.

"I-I don't know. We'd have to see." Tomoe said. "Tsuyoi, can we...?"

"No." She said coldly. She turned to Naruto. He caught the look in her eyes and a guilty sheen passed over his gaze.

"He's just a friend of mine from home...and he's been traveling for a while so we haven't seen him for some time. Why are you so angry?"

Tsuyoi clenched her fists. "If you felt this way about him, why didn't you tell me? What did we say about keeping things from each other, you bastard?"

Naruto lowered his eyes. She was spilling their secret to everyone, but she didn't care. She was...jealous. Insanely jealous. She was uncomfortable with this new emotion, and it made her even angrier.

Then suddenly, a harsh scent hit her nose. She instantly tensed and spun around. A moment later, a giant bokushin burst from the treeline, frothing at the mouth. It had to be a meter tall, and its two great thick brown horns added at least three feet to that. It had giant red eyes and was panting hard, sending clouds of fog up in the air. It's thick matted coat rippled with muscle, and its steely hooves lookes like they could crush anything that happened to be beneath it.

Fukuo and Sakura screamed. Kakashi and Sai leaped forward, weapons drawn, ready to attack.

"Stay back!" Tsuyoi thrust her arm out to block their path. It had been hunting the raccoon, but it had found new, more satisfying prey. "It can paralyze you if it locks onto your fear-scent."

"Where did it come from?" Sakura whimpered. "Why is it just standing there?"

Tsuyoi watched, arm still extended. The beast kept its head elevated, swinging it back and forth. It's getting its bearings. Bokushin can't see very well.

The bokushin snuffed loudly, once, twice, and lowered its head, a growl rumbling in its throat. It locked its eyes on Sakura. She must have been secreting the most fear-scent.

Time slowed. Tsuyoi tensed, shifting her weight. "Everyone move back!" She shouted. The monster charged, sweeping past Tsuyoi, who side-stepped out of its path. She didn't even let its nose get past her; she swung downward with all her might, roaring in anger. Her fist connected with its skull, right behind it's eyes, and she felt it shatter beneath her fist.

"Raaaahhh!" She pushed her fist in deeper, driving its whole body down into the earth.

The bokushin's head broke into the earth, now firmly embedded. Blood stained her fingers. She backed off, breathing heavily.

"Tsuyoi! Are you okay?" Tomoe rushed towards her. Tsuyoi turned away, shaking her head.

"Let's keep moving. I want to get out of here." She glanced at her hand. Blood stained the egde of her white sleeve. She grit her teeth.

"Tsuyoi!" Naruto called.

She looked back. Sai had his hand on Sakura's arm. She was trembling. "The way it looked at me..." She said, voice shaking.

Fukuo had her mouth over her hands. Kakashi stood beside her, Tomoe on her other side. They were trying to comfort the fragile woman, who was rising into hysterics.

Naruto drilled holes into her soul with his eyes. Don't you dare shut everyone else out. We need you, idiot.

Tsuyoi looked at him a moment longer, then breathed out. She walked over the fallen bokushin's bloodied head, back towards the rest of the group. She wrapped her arms around Sakura, careful not to get blood on her kimono. "Sorry you had to see that. Are you okay?"

Sakura was shivering still, but she gave Tsuyoi a weak smile. "I'll be okay. You're strong, you know that? Stronger than me."

Tsuyoi grinned at her. "Anything for you, Kura-chan."

The earth behind them shifted. Tsuyoi turned, adrenaline pumping through her again. The bokushin stood shakily, it's neck twisted at an awkward angle. It staggered and glared at Tsuyoi, blood flowing from its wound into its eyes. Tsuyoi shifted her body, ready to punch it again. The bokushin backed away, then staggered into the trees, leaving a thick trail of blood behind.

"It'll be dead within the hour," Tsuyoi said aloud. Then the smell of blood zoomed up her nose. She covered it with her hand, wincing.

"Let's go, please."

She took the lead again, Naruto and his doppelgangers took the rear with the palanquin.

She shut him out again.