From the Desk of SanadaSayuri

Glass Towers

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:59:18 GMT

Title: Glass Towers
Author: hitokiri07eva
Disclaimer: No money is made off this work of fiction. Naruto is not mine. If it was, I would be rich and I wouldn’t be writing this, now would I?
Summary: Damn him. Damn Hatake Kakashi for reducing her to this. And damn herself a thousand times over for loving him all the same!

When Naruto gave up her dream of being Hokage in favor of marrying Kakashi, she never imagined things would come to this. Life as the Wife Consort of the Rokudaime Hokage was not what she wanted when she took on the permanant S rank mission to protect her Hokage.

Rating: G
Pairing: KakaNaru

Note: I thought I’d try to write a KakaNaru fic to re-acclimate myself to the work, and hopefully jumpstart my muses on Soundscape and ParaSur to ParaCont. Of course, I started thinking, in a society where ninja tend to die young, and therefore marry young, what would happen to a marriage with an age gap of almost two decades after a decade has passed and the very things that drew them together holds them apart? Love is not always passion and understanding. Sometimes it’s ice and duty. I think, in a world of shinobi, this might be the only thing holding a family of ninja together when a common enemy is gone and everything has changed.

~*~

Hatake Uzumaki Naruto stood at a window in the Hokage’s Palace and stared out over the village. She could hardly bring herself to admire the view anymore. She turned away from the window when she sensed her husband approaching the room.

“The Dinner is in a few minutes,” he said, watching her with a single dark eye, “I trust you can behave yourself for a few hours?”

She remembered there was once a time when his mere presence had been enough to make heat pool in her belly and a single dark look would sweep her breath away. Once, she had been a beautiful kunoichi, powerful in her guile and confident in her capacity to seduce and destroy, a silk and velvet fan that hid the steel frame and razor sharp cutting edges, now, the velvet and silk was all that remained. This man, for love of this man, she had allowed herself to be plucked from her niche among the kunoichi. He had whispered to her that she would be his beautiful blade hidden in silk, and she had followed him, and he had made her into a trophy wife, much in the way that Uchiha Sasuke had made her long time friend, Haruno Sakura from a beautiful and powerful medic into a tired and worn woman whose only purpose was to pump out as many Uchiha spawn as her body could take for the one time avenger, her previous beauty withered in the face of the Uchiha’s determination to restore his clan. Oh, Naruto was luckier than Sakura in that she had kept her beauty, but what was beauty in a cage? They were, the both of them, changed from beautiful roses whose thorns were long and sharp and dripped deadly poison into harmless withered blossoms pressed between the pages of a book.

“Do not concern yourself with trivial things, Rokudaime-dono,” she said coldly. “Neither my child nor I will embarrass you before the Kazekage and Raikage.”

Kakashi said nothing as he studied her for a moment, an unidentifiable emotion in his eyes, and Naruto felt her breath catch with hope. Then the moment passed, and as quickly as it had come, his eyes cleared and Kakashi nodded and left. Naruto kept her face impassive as she watched his departing back and turned back to the window, smothering the feeling of disappointment with furious disgust. Fool! Fool to think with her heart! Fool to harbor such irrational hope!

And her thought turned toward the guests for the night’s upcoming diplomatic dinner.

Oh, the Kazekage and the Raikage! What must Gaara and Killer Bee think of her now? The three of them were birds of a feather, Jinchuuriki together, and Gaara had been the youngest of the Five Kages, and Killer Bee had taken power after his brother had passed away in his sleep, an unusual way to die for a shinobi, much less a Kage, and here she was, the Nine-Tails Host, and what had she accomplished? Nothing. She had put into power a man whom she loved, only for him to reduce her to this, a shadow of her former self. She did not think she could look her fellow Demon Hosts in the eye for the shame of it.

Damn him. Damn Hatake Kakashi for reducing her to this. And damn herself a thousand times over for loving him all the same! Because while she could not tolerate this gilded cage, she loved him too much to leave it. If she left Kakashi and their two children and went into the village, the people would likely turn on her and her reputation was too far lost to be of any help. If she took her children and fled, she might be given succor in other villages, but other countries would see the Leaf as weak and attempt to attack. She was trapped, and Kami help her, for she could not bear the thought of being separated from Kakashi or if he were to take some hurt because of her departure. She could not bring herself to shame either of them in such a manner.

Oh! Fool that she was! Fool! Fool thrice over! A Fool she was for loving him, for letting him worm his way into her jealously guarded heart. A fool once again for allowing herself to be tied to him with their children! And a fool a third time for being so weak as to hold onto a futile hope that things would return to what it had once been.

~*~

The Dinner had not gone well, Kakashi thought as he tucked his son into bed that night. He knew it could not have gone better if it had not been for the cold, still presence of his wife beside him. What had happened to the warm, vivacious woman that he’d initially married? Still, Konoha had gotten the treaty with Suna and Kumo in the end though, but only for love of Naruto, as the Raikage and Kazekage had made clear.

He could sense Naruto next door, likely also tucking in their daughter. Her chakra had turned cold and impersonal over the years, but was still sharp with the hint of darkness that came with being a demon host. It would warm slightly with love in the presence of her children, but he feared that one day, even their children would be unable to warm Naruto’s steadily closed off heart. He listened as she spoke quietly to their daughter and Rin’s quiet reply, followed by the sound of the shoji door opening and closing and the rustle of her plain sleeping yukata as she moved about, and her bare feet made near indistinguishable sounds on the tatami, and despite the distance between them, the sounds of her presence and the sensation of her chakra sliding across his skin were familiar and comforting to him.

As he left his son’s room and made his way to his own bedroom, he paused at the door to his wife’s room. He placed a hand on the shoji door, and he could sense her presence inside, steady but cold. The birth of their daughter had nearly killed her, Kakashi remembered, and her recovery had been difficult. He’d given her everything he was sure she’d needed, and given her space when she’d asked for it. He remembered that their love had been cooled, but she had been no less passionate. Then their son had been born, and it had been more difficult still. Was that when—No. Kakashi cut off the thought. He could not bear to look too closely. It hurt that after years of love and devotion that she’d suddenly turned away from him. He knew that it was unlikely that Naruto would ever return to him, and yet, he held onto hope.

He stood there, remembering when they’d first been married, how they’d play a game. He’d stand outside her door, and she’s respond by asking who was there, and he’d reply “It’s me,” and she would throw the door open, and invite him into her room. They’d talk about the day, and they’d make love. But it was different now. It was evident in the way that her chakra had turned in his direction, and he knew she knew that he was there, but not a word came from her room. Just tense, wary silence. Kakashi sighed and as he had for every day of the past five years since their son had been born, he dropped his hand to his side and went into his own room, and prepared for bed. As he had, every night in the past five years since his son had been born, he’d cast a sad and longing look at the door that joined his room to his wife’s before putting out the lantern.

He hated that bland, polite face that Naruto showed to the world nowadays. He missed his warm, vivacious wife, whose smile could light up a room with its intensity. He missed having her close, missed having her in his bed, most of all, he missed being able to take her into his arms and whisper his love for her into her ear while she giggled and swatted at him playfully for skipping out on work to flirt. He missed how they had once been close, when there had only been trust and understanding between them instead of this terrible impersonal coldness.

He wondered, as he crawled into his futon, when it was that Naruto had stopped loving him.

~*~

Owari

THANKS FOR A MEMORABLE 21ST BIRTHDAY!!!!

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:15:33 GMT

Notes

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:05:15 GMT

I was flipping through FF.net and mediaminer, and was boggled by the fact that there are some really weird crossovers out there. Now, I know that my crossovers are sometimes just as weird in comparison, I mean, really, X/1999 and Gundam Wing? And tokyo Babylon with Lord of the Rings? what about Sailor and Gundam Wing? (Granted that that one was tamer than most....) and Spirale and Gundam Wing! >x< What the hell was my stupid High School self thinking?!

Now, I know I'm still going with crossovers, I mean, Look at Parallel! Naruto and Gundam Wing. What the hell drove me to write such a cross still eludes me, although how a similarity in physical appearances between Quatre and Naruto could lead to such an epic is beyond me. Now I have a massive X/1999, xxxHolic, Tokyo Babylon, Magic Knight Rayearth, Tsubasa, BLEACH concept crossover in the works, and I am totally out of it! Let's not mention the Kushiel's Legacy Series and BLEACH concept crossover that I am writing but have not posted. All of this along with the FMA fics that I'm writing under the penname Miyako no Shinkohana on ff.net, and now I am suddenly struck by the urge to write an FMA and HP concept crossover. :O_o:

Yes.

Feel the horror of weird ass crossovers people!

Now I really need to get this off my chest so here we go....

Title: Emperor Mage
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Fullmetal Alchemist.
Summary: When a mysterious terrorist group suddenly goes sctive, a secret branch of the Amestrian Military Government moves into action to counter them. In the meantime, Edward Elric must invoke the power of his mother's family as Magus Nobility and gather the Magus Pur to guard the dwindling line of the Emperor Mages, all without alerting other Magus Nobility or the Amestrian Military.

In the days of the Emperor Mage there was tranquillity and prosperity. Magus, Mundane, and Mernan lived together in peace, for all were possessed of the Gyfte in its purest form, though only the Magus could make use of it through Incantation and Foci, and they called their Gyfte Magyke. The Mundane were Magus who were possessed of the Gyfte in too large a quantity to be Non-Magus, but too little to use in Magyke. Rather, they used it with Circles and Arrays, and this form of the Gyfte they called Alchymie. The Mernan too were possessed of the Gyfte but could not use it for any purpose but the leading of day to day life.
Excerpt from The Book of Gold in the Keeping of the Duc de Montre of the Duchy Emelan

--"Look at this, Brother! It's like the stories about the Thirteen Emperors! I guess it's true that only in Amestris will the old ways hold."--

--"Your Unit is one that best represents the old days when Magus, Mundane and Mernan lived and worked together in harmony. It's the only reason why I obey you and no one else, Mustang."--

The Ending of the Reign of the Thirteenth Emperor Mage, Charles hal Mesinq, marked the ending of Utopia. Differences that had been the binding that held the Empire became the wedges that drove them apart. The Magus Nobility began to war amongst themselves, and a new Caste, the Magus Pur emerged to keep the peace while the Overlords warred amongst themselves and the Empire shattered into irredemable shards. Only the Emperor Mage's Cousins, the Ducs of Emelan did not make war against their fellows. Rather, the Ducs took the Emperor Mage's children and fled to their ancestral home of Jaseel Manor on the outskirts of Xerxes, the Emperor Mage's Capitol City, in an effort to Safeguard what was left of the Imperial House hal Mesinq. The other Magus Nobility, desiring power, followed them, and the Ducs of Emelan Invoked the Name of the Emperor Mage and asked of their kin to halt. Not a one Magus Nobility heeded the Invocation, but the Magus Pur heard and rose to the aid of the House de Montre. The Magus Pur spirited the children of de Montre and hal Mesinq to Gwythelyn Hall in Emelan where they stood guard. Time passed and perhaps even now do the Magus Pur guard still the only Loyal Hearted of the Magus Nobility and the last remnants of the Imperial House?
Excerpt from the Boon of Silver in the Keeping of the Count fa Torrene of the County Kaphik

--"No! My son cannot be a squib! He is a Mustang!"--

--"Blood for blood, Al. We need to stick together. We're all each other's got."--

--"Don't worry granny. The old rules still apply as there is no Emperor hal Mesinq to repeal them. If something goes wrong, we can Invoke our Name."--

--"You may call me Roy Mustang, or simply Lieutenant-Colonel. In fact, you may call me the Flame Alchemist for all I care. But whatever you do, remember the pain."--

--"Disgusting. Grown men brawling in the street like half trained school children. Are you soldiers or prepubescent civilians?"--

--"The kids have been acting weird lately. Almost like they were nobility."--

--"Do you regret being brought into the fold?"--

--How dare you! I am Magus Pur!"--

--"You had best remember, general, that we do not condone such malcious name calling in this military."--

--"You overstep your boundary, Squib. Do not think you can forever protect that Muggle."--

--"Instinctively, you follow the old ways despite having been disowned from a Magus family for being a Mundane. This is all the proof I need to know that you are a descendant of the Thirteenth Emperor. As a Scion of the House de Montre, which was loyal to the Imperial House hal Mesinq to the very last, it is my honor to swear my undying fealty to you, my Liege Lord."--

The Emperor Mage set Laws to govern His People, and in those Laws is stated that any man or woman, be they Magus, Mundane, or Mernan, within the boundries of their Estate is Overlord and their Word is Law, though all must adhere to the Emperor Mage's Law. Within his or her own Lands, a Person is untouchable. This Law in particular was made to preserve the Peace between the Nobility of the Emperor Mage's Court. Over Time, however, this Law came to apply to the wealthy Merchant Class as well.
Excerpt from the Book of Bronze in the Keeping of the Baron fer Chandler of the Barony Tirragan

--"I ****** Micheal ***** van ********* de Montre do here Invoke my rights over this Estate of Hallowmere withing the lands of the Duchy Emelan for by right of Blood and Name I am a true Magus Nobility and rightful Duc de Montre of Emelan. Within this Estate, there shall be no slander nor the speaking of derogatary terms including but not limited to Squib, Mudblood, Muggle, and Warlock. Proper terms for all possessed of the Gyfte will be used within the Boundries of My Lands, from Foci weilding Magus, to Array drawing Mundane, to untrained Mernan. Here, all that be done return upon us, three times three, so I Invoke, so mote it be."--

--"I, ******** Warren ***** van ********* de Montre do hereby swear my undying loyalty and fealty to my Leige Lord, the Fourteenth Emperor Mage *** Irving ******* hal Mesinq. My life and power are yours to weild as you wish, My Lord."--

Pre Script: Please remember that I have multiple accounts on all sites that I frequent

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:29:03 GMT

Hiya! My first truly serious post after a long while away. This is going to be a very long post so bear with me. There are three new stories I've been working on, and this post is to show off a few excerpts. As always the link to said stories will be scattered liberally throughout the post and if you're not in a searching mood, at the end of this entry.

Now, the below is an excerpt from the sixth chapter of my newest BLEACH story. Well, it's not exactly new anymore, but you people get the idea. I's what I've got so far so no whining about the chapter cutting off unexpectedly or your not knowing what's going on. If you enjoy this excerpt, feel free to enjoy the full story on fanfiction.net. The link will be at the end of the entry if you're interested.

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Scatter the Illusions of Life

Disclaimer: BLEACH and belongs to Tite Kubo and related distributers.

Summary: Dreamseers know intimately that sleep is merely a facsimile of death, and that illusions are shadows of dreams, making it ridiculously easy for them to alter the tapestry of existence in the realms of the dead. For this reason, it is forbidden for a Dreamseer to interfere in the affairs of the dead. Until a retired shinigami captain’s son began to dream true dreams….

A/N: I think I should make this clear. There will be references to works by Clamp, but this is not a crossover. This is more of a mixing of concepts.

Judgment 6: The Beast

“How are you feeling Yuzu?”

“Tired. I’m sorry you had to come to get me, nii-san. I know you have important things to take care of.”

“And my sister being safe and healthy is not important?”

“Not when the world is at stake.”

“Yuzu.”

“Please, nii-san, the fact that you were always watching me made it a lot more bearable, because I knew you wouldn’t let anything happen to me, but you also have to guide the Final Judgment…”

“Where did you get this fatalistic attitude, kitten?”

“You’re a bad influence, nii-san.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

All dreamseers know that it is forbidden for us to interfere in the affairs of the dead. Since sleep is a facsimile of death, and we manipulate the state of sleep, it would be far too easy for us to drastically change the state of death if we were to gain some foothold in the afterlife, and thus, the Creator forbade us from crossing the boundary of life and death without due cause, the ending of our lives being one of them. I, however, through no choice of my own, crossed that boundary when my mother passed on to me her latent Dreamseeing abilities, making me not only the child of a human shinigami union, but a Dreamseer with the power to break the great taboo and come to no harm. Even now, I do not fully comprehend the reason behind this, and nor do I want to know, for the price of knowledge can be a heavy one, yet I fear that I will eventually find myself with the need for this knowledge…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tokyo, being a location of high spiritual activity was rarely quiet. Spiritualists from all classes and lifestyles and countries made journeys to Tokyo in some way at some point in their lives. For some spiritualists, the numerous few who were born and raised in the vicinity of the magical hub that was considered the most spiritually active location in this bitter, dying metaphysical existence, Tokyo was home, and the chaos and wards and the glinting of spells and wards and the constant swelling of power in all directions and the waxing and waning of life and the flashes of spirits and demons as they flitted here and there and were exorcised or left their physical vessel was only a mass of white noise, easily ignored and always there. Everyone knew that Karakura, in the northern district of the Tokyo urban sprawl, was the most spiritually active, just as the ground that had been the original city of Edo before it was renamed Tokyo was the sacred ground on which was built the ward stones that represented the powers of the Seven Dragons of Heaven that sealed away the seven Dragons of Earth. And so it was only fitting that it would be in Karakura that the most powerful of Dreamseers since the Princess Hinoto, only average in terms of Dreamseer magic, strong because of his studies under the Princess before her death, powerful because of his capacity to interfere in the affairs of the dead. Fitting that he was born and raised in Karakura, and was destined to, though it was known to very few, die in the defense of the very magical center upon which he was born and raised.

This Dreamseer was called Kurosaki Ichigo, and he was the son of a former shinigami captain, and he was the only Dreamseer to have ever divined his fate, for his life was entwined with the war that was the Final Judgment, a final battle to be fought by the dead, a judgment that would dwarf even the sacrifices of the Dragons of Heaven to determine the new world order that was to come. If the young Dreamseer who also served as a Representative Shinigami had any opinions of his fate to come, or the tragedies he had foreseen, he never spoke of it except in the vaguest of warnings. He was, after all, a Dreamseer and a guide for the shinigami in the conflict to come, and Kami only knew that a Dreamseer always followed the pattern set before them in obedient silence regardless of their feelings on the matter, and Kurosaki Ichigo was born and would die, first and foremost, a Dreamseer.

And that was why he did not warn Urahara or Yoruichi of the two Arrancar that would be arriving in the Material World from Hueco Mundo, and neither did he show his face anywhere near the park where the two Arrancar landed. He was sorry for Sado Yasutora’s injuries and Arisawa Tatsuki’s near death and Inoue Orihime’s brush with forces that only crushed her because she could not bring herself to concentrate on her near godlike abilities, but he never spoke of what he had seen in his Dream, never mentioned that his vision spell had shown him everything that had occurred, and left Urahara and Yoruichi to drive away the Arrancar without his interference.

Yamamoto-Genryuusei Shigekuni only made passing mention of the teen’s absence during the incursion when he sent Hitsugaya Toushiro to lead an advance squad into Karakura, because as Ichigo had once told Abarai Renji, he was only one person, and his duties required his attention and he could not possibly be expected to be everywhere at once, and that meant that sometimes, he could not simply drop everything just because a Hollow, granted that an Arrancar is vastly different from the average Hollow but a Hollow nonetheless, decided that it wanted a human soul for a mid-afternoon snack. Soi-Fong and Kurotsuchi Mayuri were both of the opinion that the aged Captain Commander was playing favorites while everyone else was confused, except for Komamura Sajin, in whose mind a theory concerning the liberty given to the Representative Shinigami by the Sotaicho was beginning to form.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The ginger haired figure who moved through the streets of Tokyo dressed in a black yukata, dark green haori, and straw zori sandals attracted no more attention than other men and women who wore traditional garb while going about their business. ....

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If anyone wants to read the story from begining to end, it is here: Scatter the Illusions of Life

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In the meantime, I've started writing of all things, FMA fanfics. They are called Song of the Forge and the Forge.

Here is an excerpt from The Song of the Forge:

Title: The Heart of Everything: The Song of the Forge Volume 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Summary: When whispers of a Rebellion sweeps across Amestris and a failed assassination reveals a terrifying plot against the State, Brigadier-General Edward Elric and Colonel Alphonse Elric are dispatched with orders to stop the rebels at all costs. The only problem is that the rebels have traveled twelve years into the past.

Prologue

A young man clad in the blue military uniform leaned against the railing of the roof, staring out pensively over the city, a lit cigarette held lazily in his hand as a gentle wind blew past, sending golden bangs fluttering around his face. At the age of twenty-six, Edward Elric was the youngest of the Generals that served in the military, just as ten years ago, he had been the youngest State Alchemist certified by the state of Amestris. Actually, he still held the record for youngest state alchemist in Amestris. He sighed as he took another drag from his cigarette.

Had it really been fourteen years? It felt like only yesterday that he had been a child arrogant in his surety that he could perform a forbidden art without repercussions, only to lose a leg and an arm for his stupidity, condemning his brother to an existence as a soul bound to a suit of armor, forever in fear of his existence being snuffed out due to damage to the blood seal.

It was different now, their quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone had been a success after five long years of searching, and Alphonse had been restored to his body. Of course, due to sheer dumb luck, Edward had renewed his contract for another three years less than a month before he and Alphonse had reached their goals, and as a result, he couldn’t leave the military right away. But then a year later, war had broken out, and Edward had sent Alphonse home to recover, because even after a year, Alphonse still wasn’t used to having his body back, and as for Edward, he was sent to Drachma with the other Alchemists. Two years later, he’d returned to Central as a Lieutenant Colonel, and Mustang had been promoted to Brigadier General. That was the same year that Alphonse had applied to take the State Alchemy Exams and passed, and after two months, both been sent on a yearlong tour of Amestris with orders to stop the people from rebelling.

Now, three years later, the war was over, the incompetent Hakuro was still Fuhrer, Edward was a Brigadier General, Alphonse was a Colonel while Mustang was now a General, and while the military was busy keeping Central stable, the rest of the country was falling into pieces. Edward dropped the cigarette and ground it out with his heel. The blonde smiled sadly as he shook away the thoughts as he turned away from the railing, his now waist length braid swinging out behind him and froze as he heard the sound of footsteps in the stairway.

Instincts still active from the warzone drove him to press himself against the wall, slipping silently into the shadows, golden eyes narrowing as the door to the rooftop swung open, oft unused hinges squealing in protest. The first flicker of Amestrian colors leeched the tension from Edward’s shoulders, but then inconsistencies brought the tensions flooding back.

Everything about the supposed soldier was meant to satisfy a cursory look in the corridors, but under the light of the midmorning sun? Eyes used to picking out Alchemists hidden in the enemy ranks immediately picked out the languid grace with which the presumed soldier walked. Every single member of the military that Edward had ever met never walked; they marched. Always, as if there was a silent drumbeat constantly sounding in their heads and ever since the Drachman War, even Edward found that he had to concentrate to walk normally instead of marching like the seasoned war veteran he was. Then there was the way the man carried himself, nothing like the straight backed posture of soldiers confident in their places and duties, he swayed and slouched like a cat on the prowl. The rank denoted on the shoulder boards was that of a Lieutenant, but not only were they on the wrong shoulders, but one was upside down, and the firearm in the holster was not a military issue sidearm. While it was not unusual for military personnel to carry nonstandard issue weapons, it was an unspoken rule that if it wasn’t standard issue, it should not be carried openly.

Edward regulated his breathing, keeping each breath slow, deep, and even as he watched the soldier lean against the railing, eyes fixed on the parade ground below. Whatever he was watching for, Edward had a bad feeling that things were going to change, and rapidly.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he saw the soldier straighten and reach for his gun. Edward placed his hand on his own sidearm, drawing it as he slipped out of the shadows, coming up behind and slightly to the left of the soldier. The gravel underfoot did not give so much as a crunch as he moved. Drachma had taught him more than he ever needed to know about moving silently through loose debris. Sharp golden eyes were peripherally aware of the soldier hefting his gun and taking aim, shifting as if he were tracking a moving target even as Edward scanned the parade ground, his eyes catching on a figure dressed in Amestris blue striding toward the Fire Compound where the Mess Hall was located. They were too far away for him to recognize the rank, but the Amestrian colors were all the confirmation Edward needed. He closed the distance between the assassin and himself in three swift steps, automail hand shoving at the hand holding the gun.

The firearm discharged, and the shot went wide, and even as the gunman’s head turned toward Edward in surprise, Edward was bringing up his own firearm, clicking off the safety as he hefted it. He didn’t even think about the target of the gunman’s bullet, knowing that the target would have likely already taken cover. And despite being a military base, gunfire was not a common sound, therefore someone was bound to have raised the alarm, and someone else would be on their way to investigate. All Edward needed to worry about was to subdue the soldier and determine the target.

The soldier’s free hand moved, and instinctively, Edward pulled the trigger. The force of the bullet pushed the man back against the railing, and Edward moved with the momentum, slamming the hand still holding the gun against the metal, forcing the soldier to release the weapon, and Edward jerked the soldier up, spinning him around and pinning his free arm between the railing and his body while twisting the captive arm up against his back. Edward pressed the muzzle of his firearm against the soldier’s back between the shoulder blades, and he felt the man tense.

“Who was your target?” Edward hissed.

He felt more than saw the soldier’s pinned arm shift, and without thinking, Edward shifted the gun down and to the right and pulled the trigger, heedless of the blood that splattered onto his previously immaculate uniform. The man jerked and a rough yell of pain cut through the air.

“Answer me,” Edward barked, “Who was the target!”

“What do you care?” the man snarled, “All of Amestris knows you hate your commander.”

“Mustang?” the name fell from Edward’s lips in surprise.

Edward’s grip must have slackened with his surprise, because suddenly, the soldier surged back against him, and as he stumbled back, the gun was kicked out of his hand. The blonde Brigadier-General didn’t bother going after the gun, rather, as the soldier pulled a second handgun from under his coat, he darted toward the stairwell. He heard the sound of the gun being fired, and he clapped as he dived for cover. Red hot pain blossomed in his side and seared through him as he lost his grip on the alchemical energy. He writhed on the ground in pain, his gloves ripping as his hands scrabbled in the gravel that covered the roof and was only faintly aware that he was screaming, and then the door to the roof was flung open, and someone was calling his name. Edward was distantly aware of the roar of gunfire and a figure in Amestrian blue dropping to their knees beside him, his name on their lips. And all he could think of was that he needed to tell them who the gunman had been targeting…

“Target…” he rasped painfully, “Mustang…”

And then there was only darkness.

~*~

Maes Hughes hurried down the halls of the hospital, green eyes dark. The moment word had gotten to him that Edward had stopped an assassination against Roy but had been nearly killed for it; he’d sent out feelers and started digging. What he’d found was not much of a surprise.

It seemed that Hakuro had stepped on a lot of toes, and the people were uneasy. Edward had barely been able to stop a civil war by going town to town and assuring the people that he had allies in the military who felt the way he did and they were working on the problem. The word of the Fullmetal Alchemist, the People’s Alchemist had soothed ruffled feathers, but people were still not pleased, but it had done the job of ensuring that Amestris would not have to fight themselves and Drachma at the same time.

At the moment, however, it had somehow gotten out that Edward was hurt, and it was because he had been trying to stop the assassination of someone high up in the military, and popular opinion was that it was because of some corrupt military official who wanted power.

True, mostly, Maes admitted to himself as he navigated the hospital toward Edward’s room, but this time, even Edward’s assurances probably wouldn’t stop a civil war from breaking out. The common populous was furious that their champion among the State Alchemists had been injured in the name of the State, and Maes made a mental note to kill whomever had let that little tidbit slip out once he found them.

“Maes!”

Maes nodded at Roy and drew him aside, speaking rapidly as quietly as he could. He wasn’t there simply because the people were restless, but because a part of the city had gone up in flames and the military police had discovered scattered notes and formulas. The theory behind an array of some sort, and in the two weeks since the failed assassination, different Alchemists had begun analyzing the notes and theories behind the scattered parts of the array were no closer to a breakthrough though there was a lot of speculation about it being a transportation array of some sort. With speculation running rampant, the higher-ups wanted to foist the entire thing onto Edward, who had a reputation for taking apart and breaking down unknown arrays and deciphering what they were for in anywhere from a few hours to a few days when it would have taken other Alchemists months or years.

The only problem was that it had been almost three weeks, and Edward still had not woken yet. It was troubling. Not even he had been unconscious for that long after the bullet Envy had nearly killed him with.

~*~

TBC…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And an excerpt from The Forge:

title: The Forge

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Summary: The Homunculus have left Amestris in shambles, and the new Fuhrer is an incompetent who is leading the country to downfall. When all hope is lost, Edward puts to the test a theoretical array, and enter Edwin Auric, the son of Hohenheim of Light, and elder half brother to Edward and Alphonse Elric.

Prologue

“Over the top!”

In the heavy downpour, they surged forward, scrambling over the top of the muddy ditch and running, back bent, teeth gritted, squinting through the rain. Behind him, a shell tore apart the ground, and the momentum from the explosion sent him and a dozen others flying in a massive spray of shrapnel and mud. No matter – it happened all the time. Once he landed, awkwardly on his left foot and right hand, he clapped his hands together and slammed them to the earth.

He heard it, but didn’t see it. Bloodcurdling screams, then nothing, as the ground rose in solid stone spikes and tore the enemy apart. His command continued on its charge across the no man’s land, feet kicking up mud, some with guns, some only using alchemy, and some with a mixture of both. He was towards the back where the survivors always were, and it did occur to him that the men in front were being gunned down at a steady rate.

This was reality. Not every one of them could be expected to survive such a desperate charge, but the numbers involved ensured that enough made it. They literally poured into the enemy trenches, bayonets out and weapons unfurled, and the Drachmans – unsuspecting, and yet surged on by the adrenaline similar to that of cornered, wild animals – fought viciously, taking down an entire line of Amestrian soldiers before they were overwhelmed. He clapped his hands and surged in with the rest, transmuting his automail right arm into a wicked blade, and ripping his sidearm from its holster as he all but fell into the enemy trench, only vaguely aware of the soldiers falling all around him.

Before this war, he’d never wiped human blood off his automail, never actually used his sidearm, despite the military needing all its soldiers, Alchemists or no, to have some proficiency with a gun (It had nothing to do with the fact that Mustang never let him even hold a gun without supervision until he had turned sixteen.). Now he understood that killing Greed, and even being responsible for the deaths of others, was different than actually taking the life of another human. A homunculus was something born to die, an anomaly never intended for the world. Knowing others had died because of his actions was chilling, but nowhere near as chilling as actually thrusting his blade through the chest of a living, breathing human being, then turning and firing a gun into the face of the person trying to sneak up behind him.

The worst part was that it was easy. Frighteningly, mind numbingly easy. He ducked a bayonet and drew his blade diagonally across a man’s torso. He fell and was trampled by the advancing soldiers. His booted foot swung upwards, catching a man in Drachman browns and grays in the chin, before the automail slid cleanly and evenly through his chest. Ed practically tossed him off the end of the blade, and even before then, he was dead. His other hand was pulling the trigger on his gun, firing, firing, and then it was empty, and he stuffed it back in its holster before clapping and slapping his hands to the muddy, bloody ground, liquefying the dirt and mud, and sucking the enemy down in a bloody parody of quicksand. The screaming came to an abrupt halt as Edward touched his hands together and pressed them to the ground again, and the ground solidified. The battlefield took on an eerie calm as the blonde alchemist suddenly realized that the battle was over. Had been from the moment he’d liquefied the ground under the Drachmans.

Edward Elric, stood up slowly, his insides numb as he surveyed the battlefield of weary Amestrian soldiers and the few prisoners of war being led away by the victors. Once, in the beginning, when all this had started, he had been glad that Mustang and his staff had helped in convincing the teen, newly restored to a body of flesh and blood, to return to Risembool instead of following his brother to the conflict every time he saw the aftermath of heated battle. Now, he could hardly care less. The atrocities of war was whittling away at his heart little by little, and he was too tired to care.

Ever since the homunculus had been dealt with, ever since Hakuro took over as Fuhrer, Amestris had been slipping into decline. Even as his successes in the battlefield led to his being promoted, and his own commanding officers rose up in the ranks as a result, they all knew the truth. Amestris was on the verge of downfall because of the actions of the homunculus, and the Fuhrer Hakuro’s incompetence had not helped matters. Mustang and his staff and affiliated allies had raced against the clock to fix things, and little more than a month ago, Hakuro had been ousted and Olivia Armstrong had been inaugurated as Madame Fuhrer. But they knew, the ones involved in ousting Hakuro, they all knew that it was too little, too late. It would take nothing short of a miracle to get Amestris out of the trouble it was in now.

Because no matter how many battles Amestris won, Drachma had allies, and Amestris was alone. No matter how many battles Amestris won, even if they defeated Drachma, they would still have to face the other countries, and they wouldn’t stop until Amestris was only so much dust.

Not for the first time in his life, as he turned away from the Drachman field and followed the Amestrian soldiers back to their own field, Edward Elric tasted in his mouth the bitterness of despair.

~*~

“With all due respect, Madame Fuhrer, Fullmetal will go insane if we leave him on the field!”

“I dislike leaving the Lieutenant-Colonel out there in his condition as much as you do, Brigadier-General Mustang,” the woman snapped, “however we have no choice! You know full well that we need to break down his reckless streak before we can go through with our plans. However young he may be, Lieutenant-Colonel Elric is important to our plans, and until he is sufficiently tempered, he stays in the field!”

“This will break him.”

“We all thought the same about you in Ishbal, but you survived,” Olivia Armstrong’s voice was firm. “And Lieutenant-Colonel Elric knows what is at stake here. He will not crumble when we need him most. Dismissed.”

Brigadier-General Roy Mustang straightened his back and saluted and left. His face showed nothing of the doubts roiling in his mind. It had been almost two years since Amestris had entered a war with Drachma, and it had been a year since the Fuhrer had sent his staff into the battlefields, each one of them moving up in the ranks as their word of their successes went to the top. Especially the baby of their staff, the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, now eighteen, and no longer simply a Major, but a Lieutenant-Colonel, on whose shoulders the fate of Amestris would rest if the Fuhrer had her way.

~*~

“Welcome back, boss,” Jean Havoc’s smile was forced as the blonde alchemist climbed into the backseat of the military car. “We’ve missed you.”

Cool golden eyes surveyed the older blonde and nodded slowly, “I would say the same, Havoc,” Edward said carefully, “If I could bring myself to say it.”

“No problem, boss,” Havoc’s voice was shaky, “We all know you missed us as much as we missed you. We’re all in this together right?”

“To an extent, yes.”

“Think you’re ready for what comes next, kid?”

“I would not be here if I was not,” his voice was as bland as his face.

“Got enough cash in your pockets to start over, kid?”

“More than enough.”

“How about ammo?”

“If I lack ammunition, I can transmute them. If worse comes to worse, I am a capable Combat Alchemist.”

“No watch?”

“Not allowed, and you know it,” Edward’s voice was a mixture of annoyed and curious, “What is wrong with you Havoc?”

“Hey,” Havoc glanced at the alchemist’s reflection in the rearview mirror, “None of us wanted this to happen. We’d all switch places with you in an instant.”

Golden eyes softened. “I know.”

“It’s been what? Six years?” Havoc asked, “Time sure flies doesn’t it? Feels like only yesterday that you were flying off the handle at Chief for teasing you and he was busy trying to protect you and Al from the military.”

“That was four years ago,” Edward’s voice was tinged with amusement, “Yesterday, I was on a train on my way back from Drachma.”

Havoc snorted as he chewed restlessly on the end of his unlit cigarette. “Doesn’t seem right anymore,” he mused, “I missed when you were a kid, boss. Least then, you didn’t always have the eyes of a soldier. Damn Drachma, and damn that Hakuro…”

“We all do our part.” Edward lied through his teeth, and Havoc’s eyes looking at him in the mirror told him that the older blonde knew it. “For my family, in the military and out of it,” he added, deciding to be at least a little truthful, “That’s what kept me going in Drachma. It’ll be what keeps me going later.”

“Won’t be enough kid,” Havoc’s voice was sad, “We won’t know you. We won’t know to support you. We’ll all meet Edward Elric and know to support him, but we won’t know you. Not unless….” Not unless you screw up somewhere and we find ourselves at war with the rest of the world as our opponents again…

Edward’s eyes hardened and Havoc knew that the young Lieutenant-Colonel had picked up on the unspoken words. “Alchemist, be thou for the people,” Edward said quietly, “If Amestris has that much faith in me, I will not let it be in vain.”

Havoc fixed his eyes on the road in front of him, resolutely concentrating on his driving. It was chilling to see those cool, shuttered eyes on the face of a boy he’d watched grow up. The Fullmetal Alchemist’s control was proof that the Fuhrer’s plans had gone through though. It meant that the once reckless teen’s passions had been cooled and his spirit had been tempered by the battlefield in Drachma. He was no longer a child, not even the Champion of the People that the common Amestrian people believed him to be, but a tool of the military, controlled, precise, and aware of his duty. Everything that Olivia Armstrong had hoped for in the weapon that was to be sent back into the past to prevent the fall of Amestris.

As they pulled up in front of Central Headquarters, and as Edward left the car, Havoc stopped him.

“Hey, we know you have to go immediately, so there’s no time for proper goodbyes, but here,” Havoc held out a small book, the size of a pocket dictionary. “Al had the idea for it, and Chief helped us put it together for you. It contains some letters from all of us, for different times if you need us.” His lips quirked wryly, “We even got some letters and pictures from Gracia for you, and I think Armstrong put some “family stories” in there for you. Just so you know, even if we don’t know you, we’re still with you.”

Edward smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes, and took the book and tucked it into a pocket. “Thanks, Havoc. Tell the others that I appreciate it.”

Havoc nodded, and as he escorted Edward to the massive tent set up on the parade grounds, he tried not to think about the fact that this young man (young man because after the fiasco in the Underground City and after what he’d seen and done in Drachma, he could no longer be considered a child), who from the very start had outranked him even at the age of twelve, was about to be dropped into the nightmare of his past with only a few small trinkets and a few slips of paper as his only support. Hell, Edward couldn’t even wear his uniform for some security because of what they were trying to pull.

“Don’t think so much on it, Jean,” Edward said suddenly, his voice shaking, “Or you’ll wear down my resolve.”

Havoc stiffened at the sound of the young man’s voice, remembering times in the past when he’d sounded exactly like he was now, sounding so much younger than he actually was, and instantly spun around and threw his arms around Edward. “Dammit Boss,” he muttered, “Why’d it have to be you? You’re just a kid!”

“Because Edward Elric should never have been anything more than that child prodigy that Roy Mustang and his staff always tried to protect,” Edward said quietly. “Thanks for everything, Havoc.”

“That and you were always in the middle of everything,” Havoc straightened, and gave the Edward a shaky smile. “We’re rooting for you, boss, so don’t screw this up.”

Edward snorted, “Gee, no pressure,” he muttered, and slapped aside the tent flap and stepped inside and saluted. “Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Elric, reporting for duty, Madam.”

The Fuhrer, surrounded by officers and State Alchemists turned and acknowledged the blonde calmly. “At ease, Lieutenant-Colonel. And welcome back. I trust you have a restful journey?”

“Yes, Madame Fuhrer,” Edward said, “The trip was fine thank you.”

“You are ready then.”

“Yes, Madam.”

She took a small, leather bound book from one of her aides and handed it to the blonde, who took the book and tucked it into a pocket inside his jacket.

“This is a record of events that you can be expected to see or be a part of and contains records of personnel who may be open minded enough to help you. It will provide you with proof if proof you need to convince them. We cannot give you anything more than what you already have, unfortunately. The array will not carry anything more than what is on your person at the moment. Good luck, Lieutenant-Colonel.”

He nodded and made his way toward the massive array that multiple State Alchemists had been pulled away from Drachma to create. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head slightly to meet a concerned dark eye.

“Brigadier-General Mustang.”

“Fullmetal,” Mustang surveyed his subordinate carefully. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? I know we can talk the Fuhrer into giving you a few hours…”

“This has to be done sir,” Edward replied, “and if I wait, I’ll probably somehow talk myself out of this.”

Mustang sighed. “Stubborn brat,” he said affectionately. “Here,” he pulled a small package wrapped in white fabric.

Edward blinked and took the package, sharp golden eyes noting wryly that the wrapping of the package was a pair of the older alchemist’s ignition gloves and unwrapped it to reveal a gleaming silver pocket watch with the flamel engraved on it.

“So you don’t lose track of time since you can’t take your watch with you,” Mustang said lightly.

Edward smirked as he rewrapped the watch in the ignition gloves and slipped it into a pocket. “My pockets are becoming fuller by the minute,” he said. “I’ll run out of space to put all of this pretty soon.”

Mustang snorted. “As if brat. I know you. You have at least a dozen pockets on that coat of yours, and at least two of them are empty.” His eyes softened. “Good luck Edward. We’re counting on you.”

Edward nodded. “I won’t fail.”

With a lot more confidence then he felt, Edward walked into the center of the massive array. He stood there, taking slow, deep breaths as dozens of State Alchemists took up their positions around the array, and clapped his hands. Immediately, the other Alchemists slammed their hands onto the outer perimeter, pouring their energy into the array. Edward swiftly slapped his hands onto the inner circle of the array as each alchemist broke off the connection, leaving him to control the flow of energy. The array flared, and Edward, only faintly aware of the eyes of the officers and alchemists on him, lifted his automail hand off the array, grabbed a knife from his belt, and slit his wrist, stuck the blade between his teeth, clapped again, and slapped his hands back onto the array.

The array flared once more, this time a blinding white, and the assembled officers and alchemists threw their hands over their eyes to keep from being blinded. The light from the array faded, and when they looked at the center of the array that had been burned into the parade ground, Edward Elric was gone.

“Did it work?” one of the generals asked.

“Yes,” the Fuhrer answered, “The rest is up to Lieutenant-Colonel Elric now.”

~*~

Chapter 1

Hohenheim was returning from the fields when an array suddenly appeared before him. He recognized the array, he’d seen it before in bits and pieces, especially on the other side of the Gate, and watched as the array sparked and flared to life and then it died out, leaving a young man, practically a child, swaying from the effort of the Alchemy. Hohenheim recognized the child instantly; his wife had given birth to him only a few weeks ago.

“So this is what my progeny becomes?” Hohenheim asked as he fixed a stern glare on the blonde boy, “What drove you to such foolishness, child? Surely I would have taught my son better?”

“You never taught me anything!” The boy growled as he pulled out a roll of bandages and wrapped up his, Hohenheim realized belatedly, bleeding wrist. “Any alchemy I know, I learned from books! My rank I earned from my superiors through hard work! The only thing you gave me was your name! If you’d never left, mother wouldn’t have wasted away from grief and neither Al nor I would be in our current positions!” He visibly pulled his temper under control and drew himself to his full height, “And the only reason why I’m here in front of you is because we have blood ties, you and I, and I needed that in order to ensure that I would arrive in Amestris at the right time and place.”

Cool golden eyes stared into surprised hazel, “I am Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Elric. You may call me the Fullmetal Alchemist or simply Lieutenant-Colonel. By order of the Madame Fuhrer Olivia Armstrong, I am to enter the past and ensure that the events that lead to the fall of the State does not occur, and I thank you, Hohenheim of Light, for making it possible for me to get this far.”

Hohenheim felt dread curl in his belly as his son from the future gave him a bland smile as he snapped off the crisp salute of a well trained military dog and said in a cool, crisp voice of an officer speaking to a particularly thick subordinate, “Greetings, Hohenheim. I am Edwin Auric. Elder half brother to your sons with Trisha Elric.”

Hohenheim couldn’t help but wonder what his wife’s reaction would be when she met this elder version of their son, because no way in hell is he allowing this reckless boy to go out into the world on his own, never mind that said reckless boy is a military dog. Or at least will grow up to be one.

~*~

The last thing Trisha Elric expected to see at the end of the day was her husband bringing home a young man with cool golden eyes and golden hair pulled into a braid. The simple sight of the man shocked her, if only because of the similarities to Hohenheim. She knew immediately that even if right now, Hohenheim claimed that she was the only woman that he’d ever loved, that he had once cared enough for another woman to father a child on her, this child; the young man that her husband had brought home. The youth smiled weakly, that small movement softened the shadows on his face, making him seem much younger than he actually was.

“I’m sorry to intrude,” he said sheepishly, “But I wanted to find my father. If I’d known he had a family…”

Trisha’s felt her heart melt at the boy’s discomfort, “It’s alright,” she smiled, “its only right that you should know your father. Do you have a place to stay? You can stay here while you get to know your father.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude…”

“Nonsense,” Trisha smiled gently, “It’s no trouble, right, Hohenheim?”

She was concerned by how slow Hohenheim’s nod is, his eyes fixed on the golden youth beside him. There was caution in his movements, which meant he didn’t entirely trust this child. But if Hohenheim didn’t trust him, why did he bring him here?

~*~

That night, in the guestroom of the Elric House in Risembool, Edwin pulled out the files given to him by the Fuhrer and flipped through it quickly. The light from the moon was dim, but enough for him to read by as he studied the orders and the cover story he was to give. The story wasn’t something he was unfamiliar with; it had been among the first things he had memorized on the train back to Central from Drachma. He had papers in his coat to back up the cover story, and he had papers to back up the truth. He as glad to see his mother again, but time travel was a fairly esoteric art, and few if any people had ever done it. Even the massive array that had been used had been mostly experimental, recorded in the National Library, but never activated. Edward Elric was less than a year old now, and he no longer had a claim to that name. Edwin Auric did exist, but in his time, the boy’s father was unknown, and his mother never spoke of the man, and Edwin had been orphaned at six, and vanished from his orphanage at the age of eight and had never been seen or heard of since. It had been simple enough for the military to take the boy’s identity and combine it with Ed’s own records to make a cohesive record for Ed to use. No one would question his similarities to Edward Elric after he turned up in a decade or so since he’d revealed himself to Hohenheim and Hohenheim had told Trisha that he was his son. Maybe if he reappeared often enough under the impression of being undecided about whether or not he wanted to really get to know Hohenheim and at the same time be uncomfortable about intruding into an already established family routine…

It was a good plan. All he needed now, was to make the smooth transition into the ranks of the military, where he would begin smoothing over the cracks, planting the evidence, and turning the Homunculus against each other, and if he was lucky, he could get Envy and Dante to concentrate on him instead of Edward and Alphonse. That meant getting close to Mustang, and that also meant getting close to the Rockbells. That could be done easily enough. His automail would need maintenance, and Pinako Rockbell would be easy enough to convince if given the right proof. It would be nice to have a safe haven in the storm that was to come, especially since Edwin was going to be reluctant about being too much of a fixture in the Elric Household.

He pulled a pencil from one of his pockets and scribbled quickly in the margins. Yes, it was a good plan. Morning would be a good time to start setting things into motions.

~*~

“Thank you for letting me stay,” Edwin smiled sadly, “I will be on my way now.”

Trisha frowned. “But you’ve only just arrived!”

“That’s irrelevant,” he said quietly, “Hohenheim has a family. Whether or not I am his son doesn’t matter. I cannot impose on your hospitality, not even to learn more about my father.”

“Where will you go?” Trisha asked.

“The military, I suppose,” he smiled, “It’s not like I have anyone to disappoint by enlisting anyway. Hohenheim might have sired me, but as far as he is concerned, young Edward is his only son. There’s no room in his heart for me.” Edwin bowed over Trisha’s hand. “Thank you again for your hospitality.”

“Please feel free to come back if you need anything,” Hohenheim said suddenly from behind Trisha. “You are my son, and I will support you as father.”

“Thank you.”

Trisha was confused by the sudden tensing of the teen’s shoulders and the shuttering of his eyes as he spoke his thanks to Hohenheim.

“Have a safe journey then,” Trisha said.

Edwin nodded again. “Thank you and good bye.”

“I wonder if our Edward will grow up to be like him,” Trisha said quietly as they watched the teen’s retreating back, “Strong and independent and determined to meet his goals, whatever they may be.”

“I’m sure he will,” Hohenheim said quietly. Because Edwin and Edward are one and the same went unsaid. Trisha did not need to know that Edwin Auric was what their son, what their little Edward born only a few weeks ago could and would become. Hohenheim pursed his lips and silently swore that Edward would never have to go through what Edwin did, because whatever Hohenheim might have meant for his son, he never meant for that precious, fragile, golden haired infant sleeping soundly in the cradle in the living room to become a soldier who used his alchemy to kill in the name of the State.

~*~

TBC…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay! Linking Time! XD

BLEACH Fics:

Scatter the Illusions of Life

The Howling

Limitations

Breaking Points

BLEACHed Blitzkreig

(Sequel) BLEACHed Elements

FMA Fics:

The Forge

Song of the Forge

Sigh.... Just bored

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:47:33 GMT

I'm bored, so here's something to pass the time....

The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You Your Result: Kuchiki Byakuya You want a dashing man of nobility and good social standing. He has high moral values but will be willing to bend the rules out of love for you. He may seem cold and distant at times but he has a good heart and will move heaven and earth to fulfill your every desire. You may have to accept, however, that he's too good-looking and that your expensive hair accessories and shawls look better on him.
Hitsugaya Toshiro
Abarai Renji
Ukitake Jushiro
Kurosaki Ichigo
Yasutora Chad
Ishida Uryu
Kisuke Urahara
The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I live!!!

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:26:03 GMT

Umm, yeah... just letting people know that I am still alive. My tablet decided to go wonky on me for a bit, but its been fixed. And what the heck is up with the battery? It just died about five minutes after I tunnel the tablet on! My laptop battery is no better but it has a good excuse! dive had that laptop for ages! This tablet is practically new! well, its five years old, but that is so not the point. the attached keyboard for the tablet is'nt working the way it should, but at least my tablet is working again. well, I'm off. got Finals to take after all.

hacked

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:20:10 GMT

I have bad news. I have been hacked. I would never have known if on Monday evening, while shopping online, my cart started mysteriously filling itself. I need a new firewall and i need to update my virus definitions.untill then, my presence online will be scanty, or less than it already is. I'm not pleased. --cries--

Outline~!

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:19:54 GMT

I LIVE~~~~!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, here's something to interest you all. An outline for a new story.

Tentative Title: Wing Across the Starless Night Sky

- "Dear Elder Brother (Because of all things to change your name to, it had to be Zechs and I refuse to call you by a name that a simple slip would turn to a particular action), Life is as good as it will ever get in times of war. Kurosaki-san is as good a foster father to me as ever, and has been a great help in my endeavors to control my abilities. Periodically, if time permits, he allows me to attend public functions where I get to see our little sister. Relena has grown up very well, and sometimes, I find it hard to believe that I am two years older than her. Dorlain-san has done a wonderful job with her, and I wonder how she might have grown up had the Sanq Kingdom remained intact. My abilities continue to get me into interesting situations, and you will be pleased to hear that they have all been solved with the minimum of fuss and loss of life (Although I will always have the scars, and the girls claim that the scars make me look quite dashing. Whether it is true or if that is simply their opinion has yet to be seen.). Things are still very hectic, and our antaganist continues to kick up trouble, but the assistance of the retired captains and the exiled captains are invaluable to us as we have been pushing him back quite steadily. The Captain-Commander foresees a victory in our near future... Of course, he's been foreseeing a victory in the near future since all of this started three years ago, but this time, everyone has high hopes since all the captains, retired, exiled, or not, all agree that we are winning. Victory should come soon. I hope to visit you when all of this is over. In the meantime, please take care of yourself on the battlefields. Tell General Kushrenada that I will track him down and neuter him if he doesn't let you come visit again soon. You both know I will do it if it comes down to it. Sincerely Yours, Gabriel Ichigo Kurosaki Peacecraft."

-

- Trieze Kushrenada winced, then chuckled as he set the letter on the table. "Your brother is as precocious as ever, Zechs," the General said.

-

- "Gabriel, what are you doing?"

"I fell!"

"Off a four story building?"

"Kurosaki, who is this?"

"And who is this?"

"Um, that's Toushiro."

"It's Captain Hitsugaya to you, Kurosaki!"

"The Prodigy that Isshin tells me failed miserably from keeping you from getting drunk the night before I arrived for your sixteenth birthday?"

"Um.... Yes?"

"Has Isshin given you the birds and the bees talk yet?"

"Brother!"

-

- "You want me to what?!"

"Relena knows that she has a brother. Vice Minister Dorlain informed her about Gabriel before he died. She'll need you."

"You're the eldest, Milliardo!"

"Yes, but I've gone against our parent's values."

"So have I! In case you've forgotten, I'm fighting a war that most humans are unaware of! There's a good chance that I'll be cut down at any moment!"

"I'm asking you to withdraw from the Death Reaper's War!"

"I can't do that!"

"You are a Prince of Sanq! You owe it to our parents! You owe it to your sister!"

"I can't. It's not just you or me that will be affected. This entire world could be affected. Brother, you protect the living, I will protect the balance. Let Relena guard the peace and we guard her from the shadows. It's all that we two sons of Peacecraft can do for the only truly pure daughter of Sanq remaining."

-

- "Kurosaki residence."

"Gabriel."

"Brother?"

"Did you hear about Treize?"

"I think the entire world heard about General Kushrenada."

"Could you..."

"I'll try. There's no gaurantee though. Rokungai is enormous, and there since he died in space, there is a good chance that no one has purified him."

"Thank you."

Happy Birthday to me

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:43:56 GMT

Happy Birthday to me. I am officially twenty.

Gundam Wing Fic list

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:24:57 GMT

Gundam Wing

To avoid problems, since I'm not exactly the most constant of bloggers, I will give you the two GW fics I have, and link them to my ff.net account. I am a person who has multiple accounts, which makes for a very confusing life, but also keeps my stories mostly organized.

Parallel Eternity [[WIP]] A Gundam Wing and Naruto Cross over. When the Kazama Clan fell, one Hatake Kakashi was sent to the past by the will of his dead love. He changed everything by dying in the place of a friend, and 4,000 years have passed… It is a time where technology rules, and Naruto and Kakashi have been reincarnated. Can Quatre and Trieze have what they couldn’t in their previous lives?

Tooi Yoake [[discontinued]] Spiral and Gundam Wing cross over. When a mysterious young woman joins Preventers, Duo finds himself irresistibly drawn to her. The other G-boys are worried about the amount of time that Duo is spending with Magami Amaya, and decide to investigate her but are thwarted at every turn. Just who is Magami Amaya and what connections does she have with Duo Maxwell?

Naruto Fic List

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:15:50 GMT

Naruto

The following are Naruto fanfictions I have written. Some are oneshots, some are epics, and some are discontinued.

Oneshots

Smile Takes place after Mended Hearts. Oh, the things Naruto goes through for Kakashi… Smile, Naruto-kun… (One Shot)

In the Service of the Oracle Ibiki's service to the Oracle, Past and Present.

Fallen If the ANBU were Angels, and that boy was their charge, then they would protect him, because he was the only reason why they weren’t all dead yet. And so, when time came, they must choose if they would fall so the boy could live. (One Shot) KakaNaru Implied one-sided ItaNaru

Glass Towers Damn him. Damn Hatake Kakashi for reducing her to this. And damn herself a thousand times over for loving him all the same! (One-shot) KakaNaru

The Locket The Locket, an establishment in Konoha that caters exclusively to the Leaf Ninja, has seen many patrons. In the past, ninja would go to the bar to unwind and find a sympathetic ear for an annonymous drunken rant about the difficulties of a shinobi lifestyle, but lately, the Locket has been playing host for a more... SUGARY... purpose....

Angel of Death A series of KakaNaru oneshots.

Angel of Death II A series of Naruto oneshots.

Mended Hearts

Konoha Advent

Parallel

Parallel Surreality

Parallel Continuity

Soundscape

Fic List

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:02:24 GMT

My Stories

The following is a list of all my fanfictions, original fictions, and school papers that are archived on this journal. Some Original Stories and Fanfictions are either work in progress or abandoned, while some are complete, but incomplete (Meaning that they are completed works, but I never posted the entire story here on LJ.).

Outlander [[WIP]] Students by day, assassins by night. They are Kage, a pair of elite assassins whose services go to the highest bidder. Meet Magami and Tenkou, beautiful, brilliant, and deadly. This is their story... Outlander can be found on my fictionpress account.

Early Morning Shadows One-shot [[Complete]] As the sun rose, light illuminated the land, but for those few places that the light could not reach, however it may shift. In those shadows, a terrible darkness was born...

The Genshi Miko [[WIP]] Tokina Aria, a kunoichi of the city of Misei is the last of her line. Skilled in all forms of the Art of the Ninja, she carries a deep secret that he has shared only with her childhood playmate, Yanagi Daisuke. She is the Genshi Miko, a priestess born with all the powers of the First Miko, fated to be the first and last line of defense against the human eating Akuma. Aria must learn to balance her skills as a ninja and a Miko, or she will fail in her mission, and the world would be plunged into an age of darkness...

The Champion [[WIP]] Alanna Woodsinger was renowned for her skill with sorcery and the way of the sword. When her quest to bring home the Sylphie’s Tear Drop goes awry, she buries her lover and friends, and leaves her position as the King’s Champion. Ten Years have passed since then, and Alanna is now Clarey the Herbalist in the village of Bellvue, and the King Charles Rifuta of Feldspar has sent for his one time Champion…

MIR

What is MIR? When we breathe, we inhale and exhale MIR. When we eat or drink, we consume MIR. Our material possessions and our sentinence is MIR. MIR is the gift of intellegance, the gift of choice, to choice our path in life, and to choose to exist in a world of conversation, or to choose not to exist in a world without conversation, in a path to the void.

The Beginnings of MIR MIR is a single entity that surrounds us at all times. MIR is potential, eternal and indestructible. MIR is experienced as silence and emptiness. Because MIR was born from the void, MIR has no true form or essence, and technically does not exist.

Emotions and Masks

Masks Everyone wears a mask.

Depression Depression is a dark emotion.

Emotion What is emotion?

Fanfictions

Naruto

Gundam Wing

Rurouni Kenshin

Pocket emo?

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:00:15 GMT

http://www.mindistortion.tv/pocketemo/?data=2-1-2-3-0-0-0-0-1&name=Kamui

Just for the heck of it

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:55:15 GMT

Only because I haven't really been at all that active with my stories...

taken from mybloodychaos

1. Give me a pairing (or character, or the name of a show) and a prompt (a word, a phrase, a situation, an emotion, a few lines from a song or, hell, even an entire song) and I will do my best to write you a snippet based on your request.

2. Post to your own little corner of LJ offering to write snippets for people, thus spreading the joys of comment!fic.

3. Sit back, relax and enjoy the snippety goodness!

Naruto fic: Mended Hearts: Chapter 1: Patience ((Revised))

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:10:37 GMT

Title: Mended Hearts
Author: hitokiri07eva
Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I wish I did, but I don’t.
New Summary: AU Beginning and ending with his name, Naruto’s past is veiled in mystery. Even as Kakashi teaches him the meaning of affection and love, Naruto’s secrets come into the open, and it falls to Naruto’s precious people to protect and support him as his father’s name and legacy threatens to crush him and destroy the Hidden Village of the Leaf.

6/3/2008: Greetings! This is hitokiri07eva, once again! As many of you many have previously noticed, the older version of Mended Hearts has been taken down. While I’m waiting for inspiration to strike from my muses, I decided to fix up Mended Hearts! Well, then. Here is the new and improved Chapter 1! I will be updating this story once a week, so please look forward to it.

Chapter 1: Patience

Naruto sat on the Hokage Monument, tucked into the crevice between the Sandaime and the Yondaime, hidden in the shadows of his surrogate grandfather and long deceased father, forever immortalized in the mountainside. He could see the scaffolding beside the Yondaime, abandoned for the night as the workers who were carving Tsunade’s head into the mountain were at home safe and warm in their beds. He tilted his head back, and breathed deeply as he studied the night sky. His eyes snapped open, and he threw himself off the monument. For one exhilarating minute, he allowed himself to freefall before he pushed chakra out of the soles of his feet, slowing his fall and cushioning his landing. He gracefully straightened, adjusted his mask, and walked away, vanishing into the darkness.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mission was a simple low C rank mission. The employer was a merchant who disliked traveling alone and wanted some company on his way home. They weren’t supposed to run into anything worse than bandits or thieves.

But of course, Team 7 never had things go their way in terms missions. Either the D ranked missions were among the lowest in the barrel, or the C ranked missions were, by some strange quirk of fate, relabeled either class B or class A when they returned to Konoha. But it didn’t always mean their luck was that bad. Sometimes the D ranked missions, while mind numbingly boring, were somewhat entertaining and useful. Sometimes the C ranked missions stayed C ranks. Past experience, however, told the members of Team 7 that the mission was most likely going to be relabeled as a higher ranked mission, and they would be paid accordingly.

Of course, whatever Team 7 had been expecting, they never expected to be attacked by Youkai.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Team 7 had been separated and were quickly running out of both weapons and chakra, and the exhausted ninja were barely managing to stay on their feet.

Naruto ducked under the youkai’s claws with a strange, feline grace, and stabbed his kunai into its side, twisting it and yanking it out in a gush of dark blood. The youkai screamed at the pain and lashed out with a viscous kick that caught the blonde in the stomach as he leapt back, lessening the impact. He hit the ground with his hands and swiftly kicked his feet up, catching the youkai in the chin, sending it reeling backwards as he swept the feet of another youkai out from under it. He was on it in seconds, severing the head from its neck with a quick and precise swipe of his kunai while forming a Rasengan in his free hand. He turned and slammed it into the chest of another youkai that had been attempting to sneak up on him. He did not stop to survey his handiwork, but moved on to slash the throat of another Youkai.

His eyes widened as dozens of Youkai surrounded him and leapt into the air. Naruto gathered his chakra into his body, compressing it into a small ball before releasing it with explosive results. The youkai were flung away from him as he rose from his crouching position on the ground. In a blink of an eye, he was passing through the hordes of youkai, his kunai flashing as the blood of the youkai gushed from the wounds he inflicted.

Naruto channeled chakra into his legs and leapt into the air, expelling chakra from various tenketsu points to give the illusion of floating. He flung a barrage of shuriken and kunai into the crowd with devastating accuracy as each kunai and shuriken found their marks in the chests, necks, or forehead of the youkai. He expelled chakra from the tenketsu points on his shoulder blades and flipped as he descended to land in a crouch. For a brief moment after his landing, the Youkai stood still before falling, one after the other in a spray of blood as the kunai and shuriken were ruthlessly yanked out of them via chakra enhanced nin-wire. The weapons moved and slashed through the youkai in front of him, dropping them one after the other in a spray of blood. He stood up slowly as the weapons dropped to the floor, breathing softly.

Silently, quickly, he tugged the wires, bringing the weapons toward him, and he cleaned them quickly and efficiently with several fistfuls of grass and leaves. Naruto slipped the shuriken and the kunai back into his kunai and shuriken holster before leaving, following the faint traces of his chakra from the battle.

He broke through the foliage to see Kakashi and Sasuke collapse from exhaustion while the Sakura struggled valiantly to guard the fallen figures of her comrades. The client crouched fearfully behind the kunoichi, unaware of the wolf-youkai approaching him from behind, canines bared and claws unsheathed. Naruto made a mad dash toward them, intent on getting in between the client and the demon.

Kakashi blearily saw a flash of gold and felt hot blood splatter on his face before drifting off into the warm embrace of darkness.

Naruto pulled the nin-wire from his hair, quickly sending it through the chest of the demon, and slashing it to the right. The wire, made razor sharp with speed, cut through the demons easily. With a practiced flip of his wrist, he made the wire ripple, sending several youkai stumbling backward, hissing in pain as he inflicted shallow wounds. Swiftly, he sent out several clones with nin-wire to destroy the rest of the youkai. He smiled with morbid satisfaction as the wire decapitated the youkai in several large geysers of blood. Naruto looked up and cold blue eyes meet startled green eyes.

“Na-Naru-Naruto…” Sakura stuttered, her eyes wide in fear and shock.

“We’ll have to get Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei away from this area. Once we find a place to camp, we’ll set up several traps. I doubt we’ll run into anymore Youkai in this area, but it’s better to be overly cautious than too be the youkai’s next meal,” Naruto said grabbing one of Kakashi’s arms and slinging it over his shoulders. “Can you grab Sasuke over there?”

“Um, yeah,” Sakura said nervously, going over to Sasuke and slinging his arms over her shoulders and straightening. Whatever had happened to the carefree Naruto she knew, and how did he become so mature and knowledgeable about the youkai?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi woke to the feeling of warmth and the sound of fire and the smell of cooking meat. He opened his eyes and sat up, and Sakura turned around. Green eyes brightened to see him.

“Kakashi-sensei! You’re awake!”

“Late to arrive for missions, late for training, late to hand in mission reports, and late to rise, eh, sensei?” Naruto said dryly, walking into view. The blond was carrying a stack of wood in his arms, and his jacket and pants were covered in dried blood. His cerulean eyes were calm and cool, showing no emotion, and his movements were tense and wary.

“Naruto?” Kakashi said, eying the blood on the blonde’s clothes, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Naruto said cheerfully, “I just got dog piled by a little over twenty youkai.”

“Just got dog piled by twenty youkai!?” Kakashi said incredulously, “And you’re still alive?!”

Naruto hummed briefly as he knelt and stoked the fire after setting down the wood and checked the rabbit and the fish. “You’re forgetting what I am, Kakashi-sensei,” his voice was dull and bitter. “Or have you forgotten what lies behind the seal on my body?”

Naruto… Kakashi watched his student sadly. Is this how you truly feel? I thought you knew better than to think of yourself and the Kyuubi as one and the same…

“I haven’t forgotten,” Kakashi said softly, “But you are not it! You are you and what is inside the seal is itself. You are Uzumaki Naruto, no more, no less.”

Naruto said nothing and took the meat off the fire and said, “The food is ready. Someone wake the Uchiha.”

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Naruto was well aware of Kakashi’s eye on him as he lay down in his sleeping bag that night. The jounin was getting suspicious of him…

And for good reason.

Naruto knew that he had been getting lax with his identity lately, and it had been pure luck that prevented his identity as a Hunter from getting out. It was a problem he intended to rectify at the first possible opportunity.

The blonde closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift, lingering between sleep and waking, his senses on total alert. He highly doubted that the Youkai would return tonight, but he knew from past experience that it was sometimes better to err on the side of caution.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he felt the air cool considerably and the soft touch of mist on his skin, signaling the dawn, he sat up and tossed some wood onto the fire before vanishing in the direction of the river, thin tendrils of mist swirling around him. He could hear the almost inaudible rustle of leaves and cloth, the gentle scraping of sandals on bark, noises that were normally hidden from human hears by the sound of their own breathing and heart beat as well as the sounds of the environment around them. To Naruto, however, the sounds were perfectly audible to his advanced senses, but he said nothing.

Kakashi’s curiosity was justifiable, Naruto knew, and no genin should be able to tell if their jounin sensei was watching them unless the jounin wanted them to know they were being watched.

Naruto arrived at the banks of the river and carefully stripped off the jacket of his bright orange jumpsuit, revealing the loose black t-shirt he normally wore under the jacket

He smiled slightly as he pulled a bit of nin-wire from his hair and stood silently at the bank of the river. He watched calmly as the light of the rising sun painted the horizon and watched the swirling currents carry leaves and twigs downstream. Suddenly, he flicked his wrist, and the nin-wire plunged into the water. Another twist brought the wire sharply out of the water, carrying two large salmon with it. A sharp arm movement sent the fish flying only to land, flapping wildly on the bank as the nin-wire was pulled from their bodies. He flicked his wrist once more, and the wire shot into the river again, reemerging again with three large salmon, he turned, swiping outward with his arm, sending the three fishes flapping onto the bank with their fellows.

Naruto stretched and groaned softly in satisfaction as he heard several joints creak and pop into place. He spread out his jacket on the floor and placed his catch into it and picked it up and carried it back to the camp. Once there, he proceeded to scale and gut the fishes before setting them to cook. That done, he left to collect firewood.

Kakashi dropped from the tree he was in after Naruto left the camp and frowned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days later, Team 7 dropped the client off at his home and the week long journey back to Konoha went off without a hitch. One inside the village, Kakashi dismissed his team disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto groaned mentally when he felt his Hunter emblem on his arm warm with summoning, and he called out his goodbyes to Sakura and Sasuke as he ran off.

Naruto leapt across the rooftops until he reached his apartment, and slipped through a conveniently open window. He sighed and dropped his travel pack onto the floor and vanished into the restroom. After a quick shower, he put his Hunter uniform consisting of a formfitting black tank top and a pair of black pants (which was made of a slightly stretchy material so it would not hinder his movements) which clung lightly to his hips, thighs, and calves before being tucked into the blue wrappings which rose to mid-calf on his shinobi sandals. The belt around his waist was hung with his equipment pouch and a set of kunai and shuriken holsters, and his katana was hung on the belt, the sheath buckled around his leg a little above the knees, and his kunai and shuriken holsters were strapped to his legs. He settled his two kodachi into their harness on his back and placed his chakrams in their place underneath the kodachi. He pulled on his gloves, arm protectors and his mask and vanished in a puff of smoke.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi had just entered the reception hall when a shinobi appeared in a puff of smoke. He recognized the lithe form immediately.

“Ah, Zeiguwa-sama,” he said, “Good afternoon.”

Zeiguwa simply inclined his head toward Kakashi before he swept past the jounin and into the Hokage’s office.

Naruto nodded wordlessly in acknowledgement of the Hokage. Tsunade’s bright eyes were dark and serious, her features set firmly in a frown.

“Zeiguwa,” Tsunade’s voice was tired, “ANBU squad 5 and 3 discovered the body of Kou no Tori fifty six kilometers outside the village. What troubles me is that the body of Kou no Tori seemed to have been there for a week or so already, and I saw her only yesterday. Take squads 5 with you. Find out how much she knows, and then dispose of her. You leave immediately.”

“Hai.” Naruto vanished out the window.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TBC…

KA on Indefinte Hiatus

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:32:50 GMT

My fem!Naru fic, Konoha Advent has been put on indefinte hiatus. If anyone is interested in adopting the story, please let me know.

Eerily Scarey but accurate

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:32:17 GMT

Which of the Thirteen Division Captains (from Bleach) are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Ichimaru Gin

You're Ichimaru Gin, Captain of the Third Division! There's something that twists the insides of people when you smile in that certain, creepy way. You also might have a few people that you get to do your 'dirty work' for you. After all, it's easier to look uninvolved and keep your hands clean while you pull strings behind the scenes!

Ichimaru Gin

92%

Hitsugaya Toushirou

83%

Kuchiki Byakuya

83%

Soi Fong

75%

Zaraki Kenpachi

58%

Ukitake Jyuushiro

58%

Kurotsuchi Mayuri

50%

Komamura Sajin

50%

Aizen Sousuke

50%

Yamamoto Genryuusai

50%

Tousen Kaname

42%

Unohana Retsu

42%

Kyouraku Shunsui

33%

Naruto fic: Mended Hearts: Prologue ((Revised Version))

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:05:34 GMT

Title: Mended Hearts
Author: hitokiri07eva
Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I wish I did, but I don’t.
New Summary: AU Beginning and ending with his name, Naruto’s past is veiled in mystery. Even as Kakashi teaches him the meaning of affection and love, Naruto’s secrets come into the open, and it falls to Naruto’s precious people to protect and support him as his father’s name and legacy threatens to crush him and destroy the Hidden Village of the Leaf.

5/28/2008: Greetings! This is hitokiri07eva, back from the grave! As many of you many have previously noticed, the older version of Mended Hearts has been taken down. While I’m waiting for inspiration to strike from my muses, I decided to fix up Mended Hearts! Well, then. Here is the new and improved Prologue! I will be updating this story once a week, so please look forward to it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Prologue~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fear…

The scent of his prey’s fear was thick in the air, clogging his throat and leaving an oily aftertaste on his tongue.

Fear…

Anger…

Desperation…

All were emotions the Hunter was accustomed to sensing, one that he had lived intimately with for many years.

His ears twitched as he caught the sounds of harried breathing and the rustling of leaves. He could hear the faint rustling of cloth and the scraping of sandals against bark, and the sound of small twigs breaking, and the nearly inaudible clinking of weapons and money stored in clothing.

He flicked a wrist, launching a shuriken in the direction of the sound. There was a soft thunk of metal impacting wood. He lifted his head and sniffed lightly at the air, stifling a sneeze as the scent of warm copper filled his nose.

Blood…

His prey had gotten careless, and had been injured.

He paused at the sight of something dark and wet glistening on the leaves.

A gloved hand plucked the leaf from the branch, bringing it to his eyes, hidden behind the white porcelain mask.

He recognized the coppery smell…

Blood…

His prey’s blood, most likely.

How careless to leave a blood trail… a voice murmured in the deep recesses of his mind.

Distantly, he acknowledged the thought, and dropped the leaf and leapt from the branch on which he stood. He had a prey to catch…

He could see his prey now, a shadowy figure darting through the moonlight dappled trees.

The Hunter increased his pace, gently sliding one of the two kodachi strapped crosswise across his back from its sheath.

There was a blur of movement, and the corpse of his prey fell to the ground, headless. He stood on the tree branch, looking down on the headless corpse, his hand gripping the severed head by the hair as blood dripped from the tip of the kodachi onto the leaf strewn ground below. He vanished in a swirl of leaves and reappeared on the ground and tossed the head onto the corpse.

Efficiently, he cleaned his blade with a fistful of grass and leaves before sheathing it. Swiftly, he performed several hand seals and summoned several large carrion birds that converged on the corpse, feasting on fresh meat.

Minutes later, the patch of forest was empty, and the blood soaked ground was the only sign that the corpse had been there at all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Hunter slipped through the forest silently, a shadow flitting from one shadow to another. The walls of the village loomed ahead of him, and with a slight ripple of chakra, he vanished in a swirl of leaves.

He reappeared on the roof of a random building just inside the village wall, and he flitted through the shadows of the village and slipped unseen and unheard through the open window of his apartment. In silver light of the moon in the center of the sparsely furnished living room, he removed his weapons, placing his swords and chakrams lightly on the glass table beside his kunai and shuriken pouches.

Slowly, he removed the white porcelain mask to reveal a face mask which covered his lower face and large and expressive cerulean eyes.

Silently, he vanished into his bedroom, the door closing with a soft click behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Naruto leaned apathetically against the railing of the bridge that Team 7 normally met on, wordlessly reflecting on the mission the night before as he stared sightlessly out over the water. Sasuke and Sakura had yet to arrive, and there was no doubt in the blonde’s mind that Kakashi would be late once again. The blonde sighed. What would father say if he knew that his son at seven had began training as a Hunter, as a murderer? Naruto wondered, for the thousandth time since he had taken up the position of Zeiguwa.

---“Do you think father would be proud of me for walking this path?” a seven year old Naruto asked, looking up at the calm face of the Sandaime through the slits in the mask.

The Sandaime glanced at the child. “Yes, Naruto,” the Hokage said softly, “Your father would be very proud of you. Very few children can reach your level of proficiency in the ninja arts as quickly as you have. And fewer still can bear as heavy a burden and destiny as that which is on your shoulders for as long as you have.”

The child smiled up at the Hokage, although it could not be seen behind the mask.

“Then I will fight. Not only for this village, which father died to protect, but for my own precious people, few in number they may be!”

The Sandaime’s smile was sad. “I am glad to hear that, Naruto. Fight for your precious people, and you will be strong that way.”---

Naruto felt two familiar chakras approach, and he plastered on his happy go lucky smile.

“Ohayo Sakura-chan!!! Sasuke bastard!!!” he yelled, turning.

Sasuke merely grunted while Sakura shrieked, “Don’t insult Sasuke, you idiot!”

Naruto fixed his features into a sad pout before allowing it to slide beneath an energetic smile as he yelled, “Oi, Sasuke bastard! Fight me!”

And so it continued, even as he picked a fight with the surviving Uchiha and dodged angry punches from Sakura, at least until Sakura’s attack connected.

“Yo!” Kakashi arrived in a puff of smoke an hour later. Right in time to see Naruto hit the ground, twitching. A sweatdrop appeared on the back of the silver haired jonin’s head.

You’d think that after three years on the same team, Naruto would stop giving Sakura a reason to hit him, he thought bemusedly.

“You’re late!” Sakura yelled.

“You see,” Kakashi said, “I got lost on the road of life.”

“Liar!” Sakura yelled, immediately followed by a groan of pain as Naruto levered his body out of the imprint in the ground.

“Damn woman,” he growled, “Do you really have to hit me that hard?”

“What did you say!?” Sakura screamed.

Fighting against and beside Konoha’s ANBU is usually a test of skill, Naruto thought absently as he ran from Sakura’s fury, but a lesson or a mission with Team 7 is usually a test of patience.

Kakashi’s sole visible eye curved in a smile. Going on missions with Zeiguwa-sama is usually a test of skill, but training or a mission with Team 7 is a lesson in patience and self restraint, he thought amusedly.

“So what are we doing today?” Naruto asked.

“Well,” Kakashi said, “We have a mission to…. Find the Fire Lord’s wife’s cat!”

“WHAT!!!” Sakura yelled.

“Not that cat again!” Naruto groaned.

Sasuke grunted in agreement.

Three hours and five sets of claw and tooth marks later, Team 7 returned the cat to the Fire Lord’s Wife, and the three genins were dismissed.

“Finally!” Naruto yelled, as he took off.

He still had to hand in his report to the Hokage, he remembered, a report he had yet to write. And he had yet to polish his chakrams and his swords, he realized with a guilty wince. His favored weapons had served him well over the years, and he had neglected them for almost a year since he had brought Sasuke back from the Hidden Sound Village.

That simply won’t do, he thought.

Once safely ensconced in his apartment, he stripped off his orange jacket, and tossed it on the couch. He picked up his mask and carefully cleaned off the dried blood before placing it on the counter separating the kitchen from the living room. He spread out a scroll and stylus on the low wooden table in the center of the room, and wordlessly, he knelt down on the cushions and began to write out his report. When he finished, Naruto put away the stylus and left the scroll spread out on the table so the ink would dry.

He picked up his chakrams and kodachi as well as a bottle of oil and a soft cloth and sat down on the stool next to the counter and inspected the chakrams and swords for nicks and scratches. He nodded in satisfaction when he found none, and began to polish his weapons. The movement was hypnotic and almost ritualistic, and the blonde allowed his thoughts to wander…

---“Hokage-sama,” a nine year old Naruto said, looking up at the older man through the eye slits of his mask as they left the Hokage’s office together.

“Yes, Naruto?” Sandaime said, looking affectionately down at the boy.

“I do not think the Katana or the kodachi is very suitable for me as a Hunter’s weapon,” Naruto said firmly. “I am simply too small to use them effectively at this time. Perhaps in the near future they will be a good choice, but for now, I think a different weapon would be more suitable.”

Sarutobi studied the young boy sadly, remembering a time when the boy had been a loudmouthed brat, one whose innocent hands had been stained by the red of paint instead of the red of blood. He compared the calculating blue eyes of the mature boy in front of him with the expressive and sparkling cerulean of the child Naruto had once been.

“Which weapon do you have in mind?” he asked.

“I’m not sure at the moment,” the boy answered, “Something short range and can double for a ranged weapon would be most likely. We may find out after a visit to the weaponry shop.”

The Sandaime nodded and he led the way to a weapons shop…---

He carefully sheathed his swords and carefully set them on the counter before polishing his chakrams. The thin metal disks were his favorite weapons, and to be able to use them to their full potential meant that one had to excel at taijutsu. A wry smile crossed his lips, one that didn’t reach his blue eyes, as his hands moved through the rhythmic task of polishing the deadly disks.

He had gone to Maito Gai for training in order to gain mastery over the use of the chakrams, and the six months in which Maito Gai had fixed his sloppy stances and drilled the proper usage of the chakrams into his head had been among the most grueling in his admittedly short life. The time before he had become a Hunter, when he had stuffed all the information he could find about ninjutsu and self trained in taijutsu and the use of the kunai and shuriken until he was exhausted did not count. He finished polishing his weapons and laid them on the counter, taking care that they did not scrape. He stood up and walked over to the table, picked up the scroll, and began to roll it up.

Naruto laid the rolled up scroll on the table before returning to his bedroom. He paused and winced at the sight of the dirty and stained uniforms scattered here and there in the room. It seemed he would have to make time to do his laundry today. He sighed as he put on his uniform before stepping out of the bedroom and pulling on his boots. He strapped the shuriken and kunai holders to his thighs, and hung his daggers on his belt and attached his chakrams to the loops on the back of his Hunter vest. He strapped the kodachi to the harness, crossing them over his back to provide for easier access, and for the additional protection the metal sheaths provided.

He slipped on his mask and picked up the scroll, then slipped unseen out of his window and stood for a moment on the roof of the apartment building, his masked faced turned up toward the sky, relishing the feeling of the sun and wind in his hair and on what bare skin the hunter uniform did not cover. Briefly, he wished that he could stop to enjoy the day without being the Hunter or the loudmouthed brat his peers saw on a daily basis, before he vanished in a puff of smoke.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He reappeared on the roof of the Hokage Tower and leapt off. With a soft feline grace, he twisted in the air and slipped through an open window. The Hokage Tower was always bustling with activity, no matter what day it was, for ninja were tools, and tools did not get holidays, and there were always missions to be handed out. Naruto channeled chakra to his feet and attached himself to the ceiling, quickly making his way to the Hokage’s office. Once past the sixth floor, the crowds began to thin, and by the eighth floor, the halls were completely empty. He dropped from the ceiling and landed soundlessly on the polished wood floor. Naruto rose from his crouch and calmly made his way toward the tenth floor where the Hokage’s office was nestled.

The ANBU standing guard inclined their heads as a gesture of respect as he entered the receiving room.

“Konnichiwa, Zeiguwa-sama,” the secretary said, smiling, warm hazel eyes sparkling.

“Sakamoto-san,” Naruto said, allowing a hint of affection to lace his voice.

From his earliest years, Sakamoto Sayuri had been one of the few civilian villagers who did not see him as the Kyuubi, even going so far as to buy him clothes and food, or to comfort him when he had a nightmare, or to take him out to eat. Over time, many of them had either mysteriously disappeared or abandoned him, unable to withstand the hatred, while others ignored him when the villagers got violent and snuck him aid later that night. Sayuri, however, was one of the few during his childhood years, besides two unknown ANBU, Iruka and the Sandaime, who took the threats and attacks head on with good grace, and never abandoned him and openly helped him. For that, Naruto held her in high esteem, and he trusted her implicitly, more so than he did Iruka (difficult though it was for him to admit it), who had been his teacher, brother, and friend since his academy years (for even now, Iruka continued to help him, to have faith in him and worry about him though Naruto was no longer his student and ward).

“The Hokage is expecting you,” Sayuri said, as her eyes gave a different message.

I’m glad you’re safe.

Naruto nodded and passed her desk wordlessly. Behind him, Sayuri smiled, he had gotten his message across.

I am here.

He paused in front of the heavy oak door and knocked, although it was not necessary. He had made no attempt to mask his chakra as he crossed the receiving room, and he did not doubt that the Hokage had already known of his arrival.

“Come in!” Tsunade’s voice was muffled by the heavy door.

Naruto entered, ignoring the tightening sensation in his chest and focusing his eyes on the woman in front of him. No matter how many times he entered the office, the difference in the presence and material possessions inside always made him…

No! Concentrate on the present! Don’t get distracted!

“Hokage-sama,” his voice, muffled by the mask, was steady and inflectionless, and he radiated authority and danger.

“Good afternoon, Zeiguwa,” Tsunade said. “I trust that you are well?”

“Aa,” he replied. He placed the scroll on the desk. “My report.”

Tsunade opened the scroll as Naruto recited the happenings of the previous night in a methodical monotone. Silence fell when he finished his report. Tsunade sighed and put the scroll to the side and studied him with sharp eyes, taking in the stained and dirty uniform and the seemingly relaxed posture that placed the gloved hands in a favorable position to quickly reach his weapons, and the lithe and powerful muscles that were coiled and tense, ready to spring at the enemy with the feline grace that had gained the Hunter his name.

“Thank you,” Tsunade said finally.

Naruto nodded and made his way over to the window.

“Naruto,” Tsunade said, stopping him in his tracks.

Naruto turned and fixed calculating cerulean eyes on her, making the Godaime shiver at the vast difference between the Hunter in front of her and the boisterous boy who had convinced her to return to the village a mere three years ago.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m fine.” Naruto’s eyes softened slightly behind his mask, and his chakra lost some of its edge, and his lips shifted into an unseen smile. “Just a little tired. It was a long night.”

Tsunade relaxed and nodded, and with a slight gesture of her hand, dismissed him. Naruto gave the Hokage a quick nod and vanished out the window. He sensed Mizuhebi the Water Snake enter the office, as he leapt away across the rooftops. He winced as he heard Tsunade’s startled yell.

“Why can’t you people just use the goddamn door!?”

Several ANBU on their way to the Hokage Tower to hand in their mission reports flinched at the sight of the most elusive of the Hunters wincing at the sound of the Godaime’s voice. If even Zeiguwa, who was mostly immune to the Hokage’s destructive temper was afraid, then the Godaime was having a very bad day…

We’re doomed…. Was the ANBU’s collective thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Well, there is the new prologue. I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review and tell me what you think of it. I look forward to hearing from you all.

quiz

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:59:42 GMT

Third time really is a charm! Squee~!

The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You Your Result: Kuchiki Byakuya You want a dashing man of nobility and good social standing. He has high moral values but will be willing to bend the rules out of love for you. He may seem cold and distant at times but he has a good heart and will move heaven and earth to fulfill your every desire. You may have to accept, however, that he's too good-looking and that your expensive hair accessories and shawls look better on him.
Hitsugaya Toshiro
Ishida Uryu
Ukitake Jushiro
Abarai Renji
Yasutora Chad
Kurosaki Ichigo
Kisuke Urahara
The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You See All Our Quizzes

quiz

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:56:41 GMT

I had to take it the second time, and this time, I got the result I was looking for.

The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You Your Result: Abarai Renji You want a man from the wrong side of the tracks who has clawed his way to get where he is now -- on top of the world. Don't let his tattoos and his wild hair fool you -- he's a softie at heart even if he's a fierce warrior. If you give him a chance, he will be your best friend and your lover, all rolled into one hot package. Trying to give his wardrobe a makeover will never work, though, so simply accept his wacky sense of style -- including the yellow Chappy shirt paired with bellbottoms.
Kurosaki Ichigo
Hitsugaya Toshiro
Yasutora Chad
Ishida Uryu
Kisuke Urahara
Ukitake Jushiro
Kuchiki Byakuya
The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You See All Our Quizzes

quiz

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:36:48 GMT

My Personality


Neuroticism	99
Extraversion	1
Openness To Experience	6
Agreeableness	0
Conscientiousness	6

You feel tense, jittery, and nervous and often feel like something dangerous is about to happen. You may be afraid of specific situations or be just generally fearful, however you tend to lack energy and have difficult initiating activities. You tend to feel overwhelmed by, and therefore actively avoid, large crowds. You often need privacy and time for yourself. You prefer familiar routines and for things to stay the same. You can tend to feel uncomfortable with change. You do not like to claim that you are better than other people, and generally shy from talking yourself up, however you generally see others as selfish, devious, and sometimes potentially dangerous. You are a reasonably organized person and like to have a certain amount of routine in your life.

Take the Personality Test now or view the full personality report.

The best Buying Pet Gifts.

bwahahahahaha XD

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:27:01 GMT

The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You Your Result: Hitsugaya Toshiro Surprise! You are attracted to short men with vivid green eyes. This particular one, however, is much older than he appears -- and a genius to boot. His innate deductive reasoning and his unwavering dedication to his work may not make him the best candidate for warming your cold nights at first glance, but in reality he's a devoted friend and lover who will kill anyone who even attempts to hurt a strand of hair on your head. The only drawback of a relationship with this guy is that strangers on the street think you're a pedophile.
Kurosaki Ichigo
Kuchiki Byakuya
Ukitake Jushiro
Abarai Renji
Ishida Uryu
Yasutora Chad
Kisuke Urahara
The Best Bleach Boyfriend for You See All Our Quizzes

Snippets (WIP)

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:19:54 GMT

Konoha Advent Chapter 5

Time seemed to drag as they traveled, collecting clues and reporting to whichever Younin came to them. Whatever puzzle existed was being pieced together by Nadil in the security of Safehouse Nine in the shadows of Hidden Grass Village. Caine could almost taste the frustration of the Intelligence Agent as she went through each missive containing new orders and information. The information the Kakashi had retrieved from the prisoner had only served to solidify whatever scheme that Nadil had unearthed, and whatever it was, Nadil was not speaking of it except, perhaps, to the Hokage.

Soundscape Chapter 33

Entering Sound Country was simple enough, though dodging the patrols was the main difficulty for the team. Naruto’s face usually expressive face had smoothed into an unreadable expression of impassivity, the tensing of the skin at the corners of his eyes and the clenching of his jaws were the only signs of his unease.

Yamato, knowing that the blonde had his communicator on at all times, wondered vaguely how the boy could be receiving any reports when the entire group was quite obviously out of radio range with Konoha. Of course, it wouldn’t surprise the ANBU Captain if the Hunter was constantly in radio range with someone who was in radio range of someone else back in Konoha, creating an elaborate relay system for the Hunters so they need not rely on messenger beasts which were often slow and rarely, though occasionally unreliable where carrying messages were concerned.

“Stop thinking so much,” Naruto’s voice said suddenly.

Yamato flinched. Naruto sighed, “Just stop thinking so much. Your chakra is projecting your feelings, and it is distracting.”

Yamato blinked and flushed when he realized that somewhere along the lines, he’d lost his grip on his chakra. “Right. Sorry,” he apologized, reeling in his chakra.

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:32:59 GMT

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1851139/1/H_is_for_Helga

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2862856/1/For_Duty_and_Honor

stuff

oshitarisbet@yahoo.com — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:59:47 GMT

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3932859/1/Miniscule

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2903315/1/Harry_Potter_Enigma_at_Work

mangafox.com