The Masked Girl (Naruto Story)

Chapter 28 - Gato, or Chocolat...?

Recap:

I hear....water?

Drip. Drop. Drip.

I slowly get up from my spot on the floor, which was covered in a few inches of water, and I mentally sigh as I realize I'm wet. "Wha?" I start to question. "I'm....I'm not in pain?" I feel around for the large cut across my stomach, but there is none. "What is going on?" I murmur quietly to myself. My eyes scan the large corridors in confusion, before shrugging and starting to walk. After a while, I stop in puzzlement in front of a pair of large golden gates, a huge chakra emitting from behind them.

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(A/N: The image to the right doesn't belong to me, and it's an image of Matatabi, the 'Juubi' in this story. ^_^ And again, I don't own this image.)

Chapter 28 - Gato, or Chocolat...?

Kumiko's P.O.V.

"Where am I?" I murmured to myself as my eyes scanned the golden gates.

"Ah...." A feminine voice chuckles in the dark, behind the large gates. "So the kit finally sleeps."

I jump slightly from fright at the voice, my hand automatically reaching for my kunai pouch. "W-Who are you?" I question, mentally cursing the waver in my words.

"That so-called 'weapon' would be useless against me, kit." The feline voice purrs in amusement, coming closer to the front of the gates. "I am....."

I widen my eyes as a large pair of slitted eyes appear out of the darkness, and back up as the rest of the head and body follows. "The Juubi!" She purred, her ten cat tails swishing softly behind her.

I widened my eyes. "The....Juubi?" I whisper in awe. Her entire body was made out of blue flames, and her eyes were mismatched colors, one yellow, one green.

"Yes. Have you not seen me in paintings?" She says lazily.

"Yes...Yes, I have." I confirm, remembering the painting the class had to discuss for Iruka-sensei once. It also included the Kyuubi, and the fourth Hokage among some other ninjas.

"Then why do you seem so surprised? That white haired Mizuki ninja, told you and the other kit, who hosts the Kyuubi, right?" She questioned.

"Yes, but I...." I paused, at a loss for words. "I didn't expect to be here, talking to you. And I...." I hesitated. Should I finish that sentence? "...Didn't know you could talk." I confessed.

She snarled slightly. "You humans!" She hissed, her tails whipping the air in her fury. "You always think we tailed beasts are dumb, just here to serve your pathetic existences? How conceited! "

I winced. 'I think I hit a sore spot.' I think, before I bow apologetically to her, and she stops swishing her tails wildly, curious.

"I'm so sorry." I murmur apologetically to her. "It's just that, I've never read anything about you that even suggested you talked only that you growled, and I guess I was surprised." I straighten, staring into her eyes. "It seems like we've gotten off the wrong foot. Konichiwa, I'm Uchiha Kumiko, and you are....?" I inquire, smiling.

She pauses for a moment, before laughing, and I blink at her mood swings. "I'm the Juubi. Pleased to meet you, kit. You're quite something." She comments, amusement clearly in her voice.

I shake my head, and she frowns in confusion. "I meant, what is your name?"

She pauses for a long time. "My...name?"