My Brother's a Jinchūriki! EXTRAS

2018 Halloween Special- Part 5

*Heyo! Here's part five. -sigh- 'Tis not the end of the tale as I believed it would be. There is just too much detail to make it all into one. So, the exciting finale shall be posted soon!*

Natsumi looked around as they headed toward the Village gates, lost in thought. She stopped suddenly to look down a side street. Naruto saw her and stopped.

"Natsumi? Are ya coming?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I just saw Yuki and I want to ask her to come with us. They say cats have the ability to sense spirits."

"Okay."

Natsumi gave a short wave, then hopped away and out of sight for a moment. A few seconds later, she rejoined the group with a pout.

"She wouldn't even let me finish asking." She made a face. "She said that grooming herself was more important."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Some Ninja Cat. She doesn't even listen to you."

Natsumi shrugged. "Well, our contract is that she helps me on missions and stuff. She doesn't have to come with me everywhere I go, but it would be nice sometimes."

"If you say so. That cat is pretty rude."

Natsumi giggled. "I like having her around. Sometimes she says what's really on my mind but I'm just too shy to say. She helps me come out of my shell."

-

The Genin reached the lone cabin in the thick of the woods, not far from a small stream. The full cloak of night had fallen and the only light was from the moon. The area seemed too quiet— almost eerily so— and the home was in a state of disrepair from the many years it had been abandoned.

"This... This is it." Sakura's eyes widened at the ramshackle building.

For a while, no one did anything until Lee stepped in front of the group with his eyes bright.

"Let's go inside already! We have to help the Princess!"

"G-Guys..." TenTen trembled and pointed to a nearby tree. A length of rope hung from a thick branch, long dry-rotted. Its end was hastily cut, and the remnants of a noose could be seen on the ground, buried partially by overgrown moss.

A chill ran through the group.

"That's..." Natsumi swallowed. "That's where he took his own life..."

Lee shuddered. "E-Even so... we can't stop now. T-The P-P-Princess needs us..."

"So..." Shino muttered. "Who's going in first?"

There was silence until Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I'll go." He stepped forward with his hands in his pockets. "There's no such thing as ghosts. You're all being ridiculous."

Sakura and Ino blushed faintly, and Sakura watched him approach the door. It sagged on its hinges and had patches missing from rot and infestation.

"Sasuke's so brave!" Sakura clasped her hands together and held them close. "He's not afraid of anything!"

He stepped coolly onto the old, creaking porch and glanced back at the group. They watched in anticipation, most of them trembling. He scoffed under his breath, then gently opened the door to step inside the doorway. "Those fools are embarrassing."