(Tim Seltzer, seltzer@seltzerbooks.com)
The steady trickle of the fountain could not be heard.
Likewise, the subtle noises that large lamp flames made were lost in the midst of Kuko’s calls.
Resting a moment, the kitsune looked down at Naruto and ran her long hair across his chest. She touched him almost possessively, before speaking.
“You are very fortunate. I am a master in the arts of love. You will be the canvas I express my art upon.” She trembled. “My head…… my hands…… my belly…… they feel like they are on fire. You are the match. I find myself shuddering like the paper before it ignites.“
Naruto was still torn between denial and erotic ecstasy. He strove hard to find comfort in detachment, but he had been rocked down to his very core. Kuko’s fervent efforts had touched him physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
The rush he felt was electric, almost unbearable in its intensity.
“Still trying to fight it?” The fox woman began her slow movements again, ecstatic to see that Kyuubi’s chakra gave the boy immense stamina in more ways than one. “I truly love a challenge. We could have a union like no other. Just give yourself to me.”
The opening of the door surprised them both. The appearance of a Yaksha at the threshold to the room had Kuko’s face contorting in rage.
“We had our deal. I was not to be disturbed until the two of us were completely spent. It is far from that time.”
The cowled being walked into the room. He was followed by another of his kind. The third who entered was older than the rest. He pulled his cowl off of his face, showing a visage with demonic and human features.
“You were granted the room,” the demi-god said, speaking in a lovely melodic voice that was at odds with his true appearance. “It is so.” he swept his arm around the room. “You were granted the water of the fountain.” He waved his hand in the direction of that structure. “It is so.” The other two Yakshas left the room. “You were granted the use of one of the sacred jewels.” Walking over to the fountain, the creature looked down into the largest basin. “It is so.”
“But we agreed that I was not to be interrupted,” the kitsune fought to control her temper. It was not wise to anger such a powerful being.
“You were granted a guard by the door. It was agreed, that he would deny entrance to those without temple privileges, and with no reason to enter.” The Yaksha looked to the door and nodded to someone out of Kuko’s field of vision. “It is so.” With that, the creature turned and left.
Hinata walked into the room, before the door was closed and locked once more. Her eyes immediately went to the couch where Kuko was still straddling Naruto. There could be no doubt as to what the two had been doing.
“N-N-Naruto-kun….”
Hinata brought her hand to her mouth. It felt as if someone had drained the blood from her, and caused all of her organs to form a puddle at her feet.
“Little sister,” the kitsune practically growled. “You should not be here. This is none of your accord. They should not have brought you yet.”
“Hinata…… I can’t stop……the water…… the gem….” Naruto’s urges felt as if they had been doused by a waterfall of ice water. But, a glowing ember still remained, and threatened to burst into flame again, at any moment. He moaned when Kuko began moving up and down on him slowly, her eyes speaking of her victory.
Hinata stood trembling. She wanted to close her eyes, making it all go away. But, for some reason, she remembered being on the floor of a small arena in the Forest of Death. Naruto had stood up for her there. She had to face this and stand up for him now.
Not because of her feelings for him, but because it was the right thing for a shinobi of the Leaf.
“You will leave Naruto-kun alone,” Hinata said, advancing.
Kuko stopped in her act. She tossed her hair and looked down into Naruto’s face. “He doesn’t want me to leave him alone. Not deep down inside. Just ask him.”
“Naruto-kun…… is that…… is that what you r-r-really want?” The white-eyed girl put her hand over her chest, feeling as if she were about to faint.
“Yes!” Naruto practically shouted, his one hand grabbing hold of Kuko’s hair. His body shuddered and he drew in a deep breath. “NO!” He shouted even louder, releasing his grasp.
“That ‘yes’ is all that matters here,” the fox woman said. “He is male. I am beautiful. Nature has done what it should do.” She began moving again, lips parted and eyes closed.
Naruto moved to stop Kuko. That had her eyes opening in anger. She was not about to be denied.
“She’s…… she’s so beautiful….” Naruto said. “And…… she wants me….” His voice sounded so anguished next, that it had Hinata biting her lip. “I’ve…… I’ve always been so lonely…… no one else has ever wanted me….”
“If you care to watch, you are more than welcome, little sister. We have shared so much together, I will gladly grant you that.” Kuko’s smile clearly said that she was in control, certain that the shy infatuated girl would not do what was necessary to stop her. “You can learn a great deal that way. Consider it a gift.”
Hinata looked away. She couldn’t believe that his was happening, even though she knew that the risk had always been there. If it had been another girl from Konoha…… or if no tricks were involved…… she would have tried to accept things in her heart, wondering if Naruto might change his mind when he grew older.
But, this wasn’t right.
It was more than that. How could it not be? What Naruto said was not true. If she told him the truth, would it make a difference? It would be hard to speak what was on her heart, especially with Kuko there, and seeing the two together like that.
When Naruto closed his eyes, grimaced, and reached for the kitsune, Hinata spoke in a rush, needing to get her words out before she changed her mind.
“It isn’t true, Naruto-kun.” She felt somewhat relieved, simply saying that much. “You were never truly alone…… you have friends…..” She was tempted to stop. But, she knew that such a simple truth would not make any difference. “And someone has…… someone has always…… someone has been watching you for a long time.” She swallowed hard. “Someone felt so empty when you left the village to train….”
The look that Kuko gave Hinata should have turned the water in the fountain into steam.
“I’m certain it’s a very touching story. But, that’s all it is, the longings of a shy quiet girl. You cannot offer him what I do.” She began grinding her pelvis against Naruto again, once again frustrated when he moved to stop her. “You can save your confessions for later, if you like. Unless you want to drink from the fountain, and offer him this.” Her face softened. “I care about him too, you know. That’s what will make this so perfect.”
“Hinata…… what are you saying….” Naruto managed to pull his eyes off of Kuko, looking over at the smaller woman.
“You don’t really want to….” The kitsune made a small squeak of protest when Naruto pushed her off of him.
“Hinata….” Naruto was visibly fighting against his urges.
“I always watched you,” Naruto-kun.” Hinata looked down at her feet, her hands clasped. “You were my inspiration.” She swallowed hard again. “I…… I always…… I always wanted you to notice me…… but not as a shinobi….”
Naked, and glistening with sweat, Kuko hopped down from the ornate couch and began walking towards Hinata, a clear challenge in her eyes. Clenching her hands into fists, Hinata stood her ground.
“Drink…… or leave….” Kuko created balls of fire in each hand. She would fight for her mate, and she would fight for the chance to mate. But, her certainty was her undoing.
Nodding her head, Hinata walked over and kneeled by the fountain. She turned to look over at Naruto again, unable to see his facial features from that distance and angle.
“I will f-f-fight you, if I must….” She said. “Nauto. I wanted…… I wanted you to notice me as a girl…… I wanted you to feel about me the way that I feel about you.” She stared down at her reflection in the water, well aware that she was nowhere near as beautiful as the fox woman or any of her family members.
“I love you, Naruto-kun.” Those last words came out in an inaudible whisper. But, that was all that was necessary. Having braved those words once, she could speak them again. “I’m…… I’m in love, Naruto-kun…… I love you….” With that, she held her hands together, filled them with water, and drank.
“Hinata-chan….” Naruto felt stunned. Suddenly, he didn’t know what he wanted.
“Touching. I wish I had a tissue,” Kuko groused, her confidence beginning to show cracks. “I don’t think that’s going to be enough. Not after he has tasted the pleasures of the flesh.” She walked over to stand by Naruto again. “If he truly relishes your look, I can give him that, but with a woman’s skills.” Taking on Hinata’s form, she leaned over and kissed Naruto, before climbing up on the couch. She began moving her lips down from his face, one destination in mind.
“I….” Naruto shivered when Kuko found just the right spot. “Hinata….”
“Naruto-kun.” Hinata began blushing fiercely. The water was beginning to effect her, making it easy to break down the many walls that she had formed. Part of her resisted, wanting to act properly, with dignity and honor. That part no longer held sway.
Hinata slowly disrobed. At first she crouched behind the fountain, but she soon stood, then turned to face Naruto and Kuko.
Naruto’s indecision granted him the strength to roll off of the couch, then walk to stand behind one of the silken partitions. At that moment, he was ashamed to be naked, and he wanted to regain control of his thoughts and actions.
Kuko stood up herself, flabbergasted, beginning to grow very angry. Angry and desperate.
“How can you even be here, little sister?” The kitsune asked Hinata. “I had a pact with the Yaksha. They were to heal you, but keep you away until I was with child.” Closing her eyes, her posture became rigid. She turned inward, seeking answers about her body. She had not conceived. “Even though you had reason to enter, you have no temple privileges!” Her eyes flashed. “This is an outrage….”
Hinata looked over where Naruto was peaking out from behind the huge sheet of colorful fabric. Looking down at her body, she bit her lip, but held her head high. “That’s…… that’s not true.”
Naruto, away from Kuko’s touch, regained some of his willpower, not to mention some of his irreverence. Tugging hard, he detached one piece of silk from the ceiling and fashioned himself an impromptu toga-like robe.
“What happened, Hinata?” He had to look away from his fellow ninja, feeling a renewal of his urges when he took in her nakedness. Slowly, he began moving around the room, trying to keep some distance from Kuko, who seemed intent on getting close to him again. She still looked just like Hinata.
“After they healed me, I asked the Yaksha to return me to you.” Hinata stood transfixed for a moment, having the strange opportunity to essentially watch her own naked self stalking Naruto. “They told me that they could not do so, and were kind enough to tell me why. It seems that they were not sworn to secrecy.”
That final statement had Kuko cursing under her breath, using some words that she had learned from Naruto on this journey.
“They took offense at my insistence, and the elder one asked me riddles.” Hinata felt a chill pass through her. The Yaksha did not inform Hinata of the penalty for being incorrect until after she had answered for the first time…… but before telling her if she was right or wrong. “He asked ‘What equals the ocean? What can compare with the brightness of the Sun?’ I was frightened. I almost couldn’t speak. But, the answers came to me. I said ‘I think the sky is bigger than the ocean.‘ Thinking some more, I tried to figure out what he wanted me to see, or what he wanted to know about me. I took a chance, going with my first thought. I said ‘Truth equals the Sun in brightness.’
Naruto stopped walking for a moment, very impressed. Hinata was certainly full of surprises. He felt his admiration begin to change into something earthier, then began walking again, away from Hinata and Kuko, making certain he didn’t get himself cornered by the kitsune.
“Next, he asked me ‘What is greater than the earth? What is higher than the skies?’ I almost answered incorrectly. But, I thought about my family. I told the Yaksha that ‘My mother is greater than the earth. My father is loftier than the skies.’ He….. he smiled….”
Kuko slowed, then stopped. She looked over at Hinata.
“I misjudged you,” there was no disguising the approval and admiration in her voice. There was also no way to miss the bitterness. “I thought I had been so clever in my trick; but, it seems, my pride may lead to my fall.” She ran her hand through her hair. “But, I am not one to give up.” She smiled. Looking over at Naruto. “It’s my Kitsune Way.”
“Were there more riddles, Hinata-chan?” Naruto felt his resistance melting away again. He couldn’t help but look at Kuko, drinking in the appearance of Hinata’s body. It wasn’t spectacular like the kitsune’s, but for some reason it was beginning to have an even greater appeal.
“Yes, Naruto-kun….” Hinata bit her lip, hearing the change in Naruto’s voice. “I was asked ‘What is faster than the wind? What troubles a person always?’ That one was very easy for me. Kurenai once asked me something like the first one. I answered ‘The mind is faster than the wind.’ And, the other is a part of me. I know that, because I felt it often…… ummm…… watching you…” She smiled, thinking back to some of those past times. They seemed so long ago now. “I said that ‘Worry troubles a person always’.”
“Very good, little sister. But answering riddles should not have been enough to gain you temple privileges!” Kuko found herself eager to know just what Hinata had done.
“The Yaksha…… he offered me a reward…… a great deal of wealth. I turned him down, asking to come here and make certain Naruto was OK.” Hinata blushed. She began to tremble when Naruto spoke her name quietly in response. “I was told that I could not do so. But, he said that he suddenly felt compelled to have one of you killed.”
That had Kuko stopping. She looked over at Naruto, then back at Hinata.
Naruto took the opportunity to walk away from Kuko. He chose to slowly move in Hinata’s direction.
“He…… he told me…… he told me that I would have to choose which one…… or he would kill you both.” Hinata shook, then steadied herself by grabbing hold of the fountain. “The answer seemed obvious. I was about to ask for Naruto to be spared.”
“What did you say, little sister?” Kuko spoke very softly. The answer might not trump her desires, but it was still very important to her.
“I said ‘I do not wish to make any difference between them, just as I would not answer, if the choice was between my sister and my father.’ The Yaksha smiled again, and told me that even though I am not a believer, I uhhold Dharma. He said that victory is mine.”
Kuko was even more impressed than before. Nevertheless, she was not going to let her feelings stand in her way. All she needed to do was get Hinata to give up.
The kitsune began clapping her hands together. When she stopped, she bowed gracefully to Hinata.
“You are like a small unassuming bud,” Kuko said. “I think that a number of people will be truly amazed when you fully blossom.” She began walking towards Naruto again. “But, that is neither here nor there. I doubt that Naruto will be able to resist me much longer. This will work to my benefit. If he returns to my arms a second time after walking away, I doubt he will choose to deny me ever again.”
“Hinata…… I….” Naruto began to buckle. He straightened his shoulders for a moment, but soon began to move towards the kitsune wearing Hinata’s form. At that moment, the intimacy they had shared was pulling at him. “No.” Naruto shook his head, then began backing away.
“There’s no sense in fighting it. Once you taste the honey, you will always want the fruit of the bee’s labor.” Kuko licked her lips. “If little sister is unwilling to become intimate with you, you will not be able to resist me forever.”
“I….” Hinata grabbed hold of the fountain to maintain her balance. She was truly conflicted. The water made her feel braver, willing to throw aside her boundaries, no matter how necessary they might be. But, just the same, her heart held on to feelings of propriety and honor.
The kitsune smiled. She took her own form. That was what Naruto had seen moaning above him. It’s what he would want to see again… and again… and again…
“Naruto-kun…… I do…… I do want you to care about me…… I feel alone too, even with a family….” Hinata had to speak the deepest truth, even though she knew that she would be mortified when she returned to normal. “If you touched me…… if you wanted me…… I…… I would…… I couldn’t resist you….”
Naruto began breathing heavily again. He was being tugged at from different sides, feeling like a noodle that was being stretched too thin.
“The water won’t work for the two of you, unless he has feelings for you too.” Kuko fluffed her hair. “It would only have to be lust. But, you can’t compare to me. I’m a woman, and you’re a girl.” She ran her hands down along her sides. “And while I have no illusions about winning his love over time, you should know that you can’t cause him to love you while you stand there.”
Hinata looked down at her feet.
“I meant it when I said you were someone I could like,” Naruto said, shaking his head and trying to maintain the modicum of control he had managed to regain. “You’ve…… I think…… the things you did on this quest….” He bit his lip hard, on purpose, trying to use the pain as a way to resist Kuko’s charms. “You’re somebody special, Hinata…… but…… but I don’t know for sure…… I can’t promise that I could love you.”
He began trembling. Part of him didn’t want to continue, needing to see Hinata the way that she normally was, knowing that her bravery here could end up hurting her later. But, once he thought the words, he found that he had no choice but to speak them.
“When I saw the kitsune’s dancing naked, looking like you…… I…… well I kind of dreamt…… you know.” Naruto thought back to that night, feeling his urges grow again. “And when you brushed up against me in the bathe…… I…… uhhh…… I kind of wished….”
Hinata blushed, even as part of her wanted to sing out in triumph.
Kuko stamped her foot. This was ridiculous. She was not about to let human emotions stand in her way. Especially since she felt the pointed sting of jealousy, on top of everything else.
“Well, it seems that the two of you might be able to make use of the water after all, thwarting me. I would be ecstatic for the two of you, because you both have come to mean something to me.” That was unadulterated honesty.
“But, I ask you to let me have this, little sister. Please.” The kitsune found herself becoming uncharacteristically emotional. Her tact changed, without being a ploy. “You can have him forever, after this, if he truly cares. I need to have him now.”
Hinata felt pity welling up inside of her. As upset as she was with Kuko, she knew that the fox woman was not evil. She was only doing what she felt she had to do. It was natural for her to be acting that way.
And there was an elegant truth in her plea.
“No. It’s not right for him.” Hinata stood firm. Her conviction rang through her, as if she were a bell made of the purest metal. “That’s what matters.” She looked down at the water in the fountain. “You want him to come to you for you. I want him to come to me for him….” She nodded to her reflection. “And for me….”
“Hey!” Some of Naruto’s spunk returned. “Don’t I have a say in the matter?”
“NO!” Kuko said, regaining some of her own fire. “So just stand their looking pretty.”
Naruto scowled. The word was handsome, not pretty.
“Yes,” Hinata said.
“But, you have to feel strongly for him, little sister. Not just now, but after….” The kitsune did not mean ‘after you lay with him.’ It was something much more drastic. It would mean betraying Naruto’s secret; but, she had to break an egg to make her omelet. “After you hear his secret. The secret that your village has been keeping hidden from everyone your age.”
“THAT’S NOT RIGHT! ” Naruto shouted, suddenly enraged. “YOU…… YOU……”
Kuko cringed some, but stood ramrod stiff, hands oh her hips.
“You can shout as loud and as long as you want,” The kitsune said. “Why don’t you go running off down the hallway. Maybe you can get the Yaksha…… or something even more unforgiving…… angry at us.” She clenched her fists, but soon relaxed them.
“That’s just dirty….” Naruto said, not knowing what to do. There was a reason that Tsunade kept upholding the secret. But, he couldn’t just stand there and let Kuko blackmail him.
Especially not after Hinata had come out and made a difficult confession.
“Yes,” Kuko said, her face falling. “I wanted you to come to me of your own choice,” she said, tears coming to her eyes. “But, if I was willing to trick you before, how can I turn down this opportunity now.” She spun her hair around her fingers, then unwound it again. “If you give me my daughter…… I will keep your secret….” Her voice crackled ever so slightly. “I would…… I would really want you to be the father…… even if you didn’t have….”
“SHIT!” Naruto pulled at his hair. He tried to settle down. This was just like the tenth question of the chuunin exam, in a way. Ninjas were often faced with difficult choices.
“N-N-Naruto-kun….” Hinata hated to see Naruto torn in that fashion. The look that she gave Kuko had her fellow shinobi gaping. “Don’t give in. You are a member of the Leaf. This is like an enemy interrogation.” She had been thinking along similar lines.
Kuko returned Hinata’s stare. “Is it? Maybe it is a test of wills. But, in this case, the village secret gets out of he does nothing.” She looked over at Naruto. “Please. It’s only a matter of pride. It would be pleasurable for us both again.”
“Hinata…… I have to….” Naruto had decided to give in to the kitsune’s demands.
“N-N-Naruto-kun….” Hinata shook her head, angry that she still stuttered under the influence of the water. “D-D-Don’t you trust me?”
“What? Huh? Hinata?” Naruto twitched. Just what could she mean by that?
“Don’t you trust m-m-me to keep the secret, Naruto-kun.” She stood straighter, trying to look strong. “Don’t you trust me to care about you…… even after I hear the secret….”
“Not this secret,” Kuko said, trying to work on Naruto’s fears as well as his sense of duty.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Naruto kicked over one of the smaller couches. He took a pitcher of ice water and dumped it over his head. “I HATE THIS!”
Hinata took a step towards Naruto, wanting to comfort him. For a moment, she considered resorting to violence, as that was a big part of her profession.
“Hinata…… I can’t…… I just can’t let Kuko tell you the secret.” Naruto’s statement had the kitsune smiling in anticipation. “So…… I should…… I will tell you myself….”
“What!” Kuko hadn’t expected that.
Naruto sat down on one of the larger couches. He removed the pillows, and patted his hand next to him.
“Would you come sit with me. I think you will need to be seated. I hope you won’t hate me when I’m finished.”
“OK,” Hinata answered. There was a definite risk, sitting next to Naruto in their current state. But, at that very moment, it didn’t matter to her. He was going to share an important secret with her. Doing as he had done earlier, she chose to cover herself up, choosing large tassel-hung pillows instead of a silk divider.
When they were both seated, Naruto looked over at Kuko, to make certain that she wouldn’t try anything rash. His eyes on the fox woman, he began speaking.
“There was a time when the village was doing very well. The Fourth Hokage was both wise and strong….”
Hinata listened intently, wondering just what she was going to hear.
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