Author's Note: NIL
Revised at 31st August 2015 to the best of my ability.
Chapter Eight – Picking Up the Trail
0.0
Report: New evidence behind South By SouthWest Line explosion found; Culprit brought in for questioning
By Kristen Corrigan
New evidence has come to light in the recent explosion of the South by Southwest Line which shows that the culprit wasn't the enigmatic 'Sheriff of Hamlin' as was initially reported. The evidence ties back to John Marston, the son of Robert D. Marston, founder of B&O Railroads; the heir to the same train company that owns the South by SouthWest line.
John Marston has been brought in by the authorities last night, but a spokesperson from the Magic Council said that the investigation were still in the preliminary stages, and that the suspect was merely being questioned further to help with the investigation. He went on to add that a full investigation into the incident concluded that the rock slide was caused by explosive lacrimas planted atop the cliffs. The body of famed outlaw, Maltese 'Quick Draw' McGraw, was also found in the wreckage. There were no other fatalities.
A source close to the Marston family, who declined to be named, had this to comment on the now disowned heir:
"John hasn't been too happy about Robert's decision to hand the company over to the board instead of him. He [Robert] informed John about his decision privately, and I believe John didn't take it too well then. When Robert's health took a turn for the worse last week and he lapsed into a coma, I guess John saw his opportunity. Frankly speaking, none of us ever thought John was capable of this.
"Even with his father's passing and the will destroyed, John wouldn't have been named the successor. He musn't have known that Robert had informed the board beforehand about his decision.
"The company deeply regrets what has happened, and wishes to ensure the public and those living in the affected areas that we will do whatever necessary to have our operations up and running again."
The recent destruction of the South by SouthWest line linking the Western region of Fiore to the rest of the kingdom has effectively halted most of its trading activity, causing a ripple effect on the towns in the region. The slowdown in trade has prompted merchants to rely on alternative means to deliver their shipments, incidentally resulting in a large influx of mages into the western towns for the lucrative mission requests.
At the time, the town of Hamlin's Crossing is in a furore just days after celebrating their new champion, the 'Sheriff of Hamlin'.
"The Red Dead Bandits were a real menace to Hamlin, and I'm glad that the Sheriff had the guts to do what he did," a local shopkeeper, Faustus McHale, forty-eight, commented. "Our town has a long-standing request to stop McGraw, but it wasn't until the Sheriff that someone was able to stop him. McGraw's as slippery as an eel and we're forever grateful to the Sheriff for his help.
"On the other hand, now I have to pay a premium for my shipments just because the train service is disrupted. These carriage drivers and mages have been charging a small fortune, and it doesn't help that there's been a drop in the number of travellers into town. It's bad for business."
The general consensus has been largely similar since the effects of train disruption became apparent, and interest in the 'Sheriff of Hamlin's' real identity has surged since the incident.
William 'Bonnie the Kid' McClyde, a member of the Red Dead Bandits, gave a statement about the events leading up to the incident while in custody.
"Yeah, I did see someone survive that thing—that fella with the scary wind magic. Him and that girl brat! A cat too! I saw them running away like there was a madman chasing 'em! I don't know why though; seemed mighty suspicious to me."
Eyewitness accounts have poured in regarding sightings of a similar three-person cell that fits the description within the last few months, but their identities remain unknown at this time.
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"Whoa, I can't believe you kept this." Naruto looked over the worn article. "It's been weeks since that happened."
Her nose crinkled as Wendy pouted.
"It was the first time they wrote about us," she said simply.
"Still can't believe they tried to pin the whole thing on us. I just didn't want to be the guy having to foot the bill at the end." Wordlessly, he handed it back to her. "Come on, Carla's probably waiting for us."
With a small nod, Wendy stood up from the frayed and rickety bed she was sitting on, tucking the newspaper clipping into her backpack. As she followed his lead, she failed to notice his small grimace as he eyed the shoddy and grimy surroundings of the inn. It was the cheapest lodgings they could afford around here; everywhere else was simply beyond their meagre budget.
Sadly, Belgo's Tap and Tack was their lighthouse in the metaphorical stormy seas. The inn, which doubled as a bar, was a favourite hangout among the locals of Ayleid, a quaint village surrounding one of the largest cities in Fiore, Era.
The pungent stench increased tenfold as they stepped into the bar downstairs. Thick, billowing smoke filled up the room as the patrons indulged in their harmful vices. A few of the drunks flashed a crooked smile as the duo passed their tables, breaking out into quiet whispers as soon as Naruto pulled away from them.
Their attention was fixated on Wendy.
Coughing, she had her hands clamped around the lower half of her face. Naruto squeezed her shoulders as he guided her towards the entrance, glaring at any of the occupants in the hazy room who dared to laugh at her plight.
Heavily-polluted areas always had an adverse effect on her, weakening not only her magic, but her body itself. There was nothing he could do but help her through it. Once outside, her coughs subsided. Wendy rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands in a futile attempt to clear the redness from it.
He patted her on the back as he led her towards the waiting form of Carla.
The small cat shook her head as she studied the state of their youngest teammate. "Those vile, uncivilized men. Honestly, what kind of person gets drunk when the sun is still out?" she asked, looking up as she shielded her eyes from the sun's glare.
Wendy waved off her accusations. "It's a-all right. I'm—fine—now," she forced out in between coughs. "Can we just walk a bit further away from the inn first?"
"Yeah, come on. The carriage is a little ways down the road."
Inwardly, Naruto sighed.
It wasn't as if the trip to Era was that far from the town of Ayleid. He could have zipped them over there in under an hour, but his teammates were weary of his unique mode of transportation. In his defense, they could have easily gotten cramps while sitting in a carriage; a thin cushion on a wooden seat didn't offer that much support anyway.
Distractedly, his mind went through the article he had just gleaned; it was one of the few run-ins he had with the media. It was a totally unknown and foreign concept in his world, although the Bingo Book did come with its 'celebrity' privileges.
Slowly, the reporters were able to piece together what little they knew from different sources, and it wasn't long before their identities were discovered after scrounging around the town of Diligeon; the three of them were well-known in the area, Naruto mostly. His monthly presence in the Oasis Café had been a cornerstone of Yue's revenue stream.
Naruto shuddered at the memory.
He had been forced to perform unspeakable things because of their financial concerns, and the restaurateur paid extremely well. Yue had coined the term 'Ladies Night' everytime he had been forced to work there. Word had spread quickly among the denizens of Diligeon whenever he was in town, and he kept getting weird looks from people...
He shook his head.
By the time their identities came to light, the whole fiasco had blown over when a reckless mage from Fairy Tail destroyed half the port of Hargeon. That, coupled with a few other events, especially the recent inter-guild war between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail last month, allowed them to narrowly escape attention once more.
He really had to thank whoever was involved because by the time the reporters stepped up to the entrance of their humble guild tent for an interview, the masses of Fiore had already put them out of their minds. Upon hearing the news, the reporters could hardly be bothered to follow it up. Instead, their team was mentioned as a blurb in a small column of the back pages.
Their kingdom-wide hype had ended before it even began. However, it didn't mean that they would have totally escaped notice.
Naruto was sure that Stange had been keeping an eye on him all these years; ever since that fateful day in the forest. He couldn't help shake off that feeling that he was being watched, especially when they were out on missions.
A few times, away from his teammates' prying eyes, he had discovered these small, floating orbs, which had an innate ability to blend into its surroundings. They shadowed his every movement. By chance should they sense his awareness, these orbs would vanish before he could even make a move to destroy or even interact with them.
There was no doubt in his mind that it was the shadowy organisation behind the little stunt, but it had surprised him that these people seemed content to merely observe. In the past three years, he hadn't even been confronted once. Neither had he seen hide nor hair of the vagabond known as Stange.
It was either that or something big was in the works, and going by his knowledge of shadowy organisations, it was always something big. As a result, he had began to accrue information about anything related to the organisation and the workings of magic in Earthland. Sadly, all his efforts have landed him no closer to Konoha.
Naruto sighed as he helped Wendy and Carla into the carriage, simultaneously signalling the driver to depart. Finally, their week-long mission would come to head at Era.
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Era was everything that one should expect being one of the largest cities in Fiore, second only to the Flower Blooming Capital of Crocus. Dozens of high-rise buildings with elements exhibiting the kingdom's rich and diverse heritage defined the magnificent city skyline. Its market district, the main centre for trade and commerce, was bustling with activity. One could always find the greatest selections of items at the hub, even rare and illegal artifacts tucked away in small, narrow alleyways of the large district.
That is, if they knew the right people.
The city extended beyond the marketplace with noteworthy attractions, such as the historical temples scattered around the smaller districts or even the impressive arboretum located near the plaza. More importantly, it housed the Magic Council chambers ostentatiously situated atop a small plateau in the heart of the city.
Era was the gleaming jewel of Fiore's elite denizens, but as much as the Magic Council would have liked to ignore the lower districts in the south-western fringe, outside the city walls, they could not.
It was rife with impoverished peasants littering the streets. In the past decade, the influx of people escaping the smaller towns and into the city caused venality and corruption to skyrocket; something that the large ranks of the Rune Knights in the city turned a blind eye to while they carried out their duties. Nothing in this world could ever be perfect.
That was why Naruto cursed their elusive target, Eddy Raja.
Beady and wary eyes followed their every movement as they traversed down one of the filthy streets in the lower districts. His eyes darted around the area, just in case someone got a little too close for his liking. To their credit, Wendy and Carla seemed to be able to hold up well enough under the leers of the vagrants. It was worse when they were at the heart of the lower districts, but with the presence of the Rune Knights guarding the fringes of the area, the vagrants were dwindling down as they neared the outer walls of Era.
Luckily, the towering metal gate to the next district that lead into the marketplace was in their sights. The infantrymen of the Rune Knights, with their recognisable uniforms, stood at attention at the other end of the divide, glaring at anyone that neared the gate.
"Halt!" one of the non-descript guards shouted at them. "What business do you have in Era?" he asked, eyeing them in suspicion as his grip on the staff tightened.
"Mission request," Naruto said, pushing Wendy in front of him. They were more considerate to travellers with children. Naruto reached into his pocket, taking out the well-worn request sheet. "We're delegates from the guild Cait Shelter in pursuit of the criminal known as Eddy Raja."
"Never heard of Cait Shelter before. Show me some credentials first."
In response, Naruto shrugged off the opening of the poncho and pulled up the left sleeve to his black undershirt, revealing the Cait Shelter insignia. Wendy followed suit, tilting her body so that her insignia faced the guards. Carla, however, chose to remain idle, not bothered to undo her elaborate clothes to reveal hers.
The two infantrymen leaned in and murmured to each other before the taller one stepped forward. In his hands, he held a complex rod with a gleaming sapphire adorning the tip. With a forceful stab at the air, their guild insignia glowed a soft blue before it faded. He nodded at his partner as the large gate shimmered out of existence.
"Alright, you three check out. Although, I seriously doubt a criminal would still be in Era without the Rune Knights knowing." The guard glared balefully at each one of them. "A little advice to you kids: don't go causing trouble around here, you got that?"
"Right," Naruto said. "We'll try to keep that in mind."
He followed after Wendy sedately, whose glee was apparent as they entered the city proper.
It was understandable for her to be excited; it was the first time they had ever been inside Era. Even he could not help that small bubble of awe when they reached the bustling market district. It was famed for housing close to a hundred registered merchants on these grounds, peddling their wares in a mix of store houses and temporary booths.
"Here, Naruto," Wendy said, pulling his eyes away from the odd meat kebab one of the motivated vendors was forcing him to taste. The girl held out a shiny red apple to him; there was an identical fruit in her other hand.
"Thanks!"
"How are we supposed to find this guy?" Wendy asked, her attention divided between Naruto and the mass of booths that littered the area. "It's not like he's going to be hanging around here."
Next to her, Carla hummed an agreement. "Raja is known to have associates in the city. It would be reasonable to assume that at least one of them would know his whereabouts."
"That sounds like an idea," he said around a mouthful, before adding, "Any ideas where to start, Carla?"
Carla raised a brow at his question.
Naruto dismissed her assumptions with a wave of his hand. Usually, it had always been him to plan out and prep the details of their mission. It stands to reason why Carla was wary, but there was a good reason why he didn't want them to know though.
"Well," Carla said. "Raja's trying to remain inconspicuous, so if he's smart, he'll try to stay among the crowds."
"Good! Now, we know he's a mage, but he's not known to be dangerous, especially against civilians. Obviously, this is a guy who can give us the slip if given the opportunity."
"Ah, so we have to lure him to a dead end?" Wendy asked.
"Yeah, that's a good enough start."
"That's all well and good," Carla said, rolling her eyes at the duo. "But how are we going to trap him if we can't even find him? I propose we split into groups so that we can cover a much larger area."
Naruto shrugged.
It was a solid enough plan, but the way that she was looking at him now, it was obvious that the feline was starting to suspect that he had an ulterior motive in coming here, which he did—not that she needed to know that.
"Cool, that sounds like plan. My clones can help us to scout parts of the city but—" he paused as a clone appeared beside him, "—this guy's going to be following you around just in case something does happen."
"You got it, boss!"
Naruto turned back to the duo, clapping his hands together in anticipation. "Now, the others are probably going to be disguised, but some of them will stay close by just in case you find him first."
Carla folded her arms into herself, narrowing her eyes in no small amounts of suspicion. "What are you going to do then?" she asked, the thick tone of accusation evident in her voice.
Naruto smiled.
"The same thing you guys are doing, of course."
0.0
Naruto was glad that Carla didn't push the issue as he stepped into the seedy bar hidden just off a small, narrow street, sardonically called The Feed Bag. He cut across the room, coughing at the combination of the humidity and the suffocating stench of its patrons indulging in their vices. Not wasting a step, he made a beeline straight to the shadowy figure huddled at the back of the establishment.
Well, one of the shadowy figures to be precise; the one he recognised, at least.
"Naruto," Kostya greeted him in his strange accent. The man reached over the wobbly, wooden table and clapped him on the back as he sat down. "I was surprised when you asked me to come down to Era. It's been a long time since we met, yes?"
The balding, middle aged man smiled crookedly under his cowl; it was a smile that Naruto learned not to trust over the years. Beneath the brown monk-like robes was a crafty individual, someone who wasn't afraid to cut another man loose if there was even the slightest hint of trouble.
"I'm surprised to see you without that apprentice of yours," Kostya said. "I thought the two of you were attached at the hip."
Naruto suppressed a grimace at the memory.
It wasn't like the young girl wasn't aware of his 'special' friends, pen-pals, he had explained to her then, but for Kostya to openly greet him in public, and right in front of his companions too, he was sure that it was a not-so-subtle attempt at ensuring his compliance. Information went both ways after all; it could help and hinder him should Kostya decide to go against him at a whim.
"We're on a mission," Naruto said.
"Really? What mission could have brought you to Era of all places?"
Naruto frowned. He couldn't see why not. At the very least, his informant could offer a little more information about his target. "Eddy Raja. You know him?"
The informant laughed jovially as he shook his head, riding himself of his earlier smile. "The illustrious Raja... Of course, who hasn't heard of the little rat? I've had dealings with him before—very crude, very unpleasant. He leaves a bad taste in your mouth," he explained with a grimace. "He's in town from what I hear. But wanted, you say? Surprising..."
"What do you mean?"
"Raja's one of the lesser known fencers in the city, though he is somewhat skilled in moving his products, in the grand scheme of things, he remains but a pawn. It would be a waste of your time to pursue such an individual, as much as it pleases me to see him locked away. Another one will simply replace him in the end."
That was why Naruto took the request in the first place.
Still, it didn't mean that he wasn't feeling uneasy at his sudden decision to allow Wendy and Carla to handle this mission by themselves, but it was the same sink-or-swim mentality he was familiar with back in Konoha. Although, he did take every necessary precaution he could think of here. At least, this was more of a controlled environment compared to the time back at the Land of Waves.
"Any idea where I can find him?"
"That all depends on the product he's carrying." Kostya methodically ticked off his fingers, saying, "If it's jewellery; try Red Ruby. Weapons; Rindir's Good as New Merchandise. Anything else; go to the Copious Coin Purse. Raja is bound to visit any one of those places if you wait long enough."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Naruto surreptitiously signalled to a disguised clone seated at the bar, who was listening in. No one batted an eye as the clone exited the bar, ready to dispel itself with this new information. It would be a boon to his team.
Kostya pulled his cowl higher. "Now, onto new business."
Naruto mimicked his actions, nonchalantly clasping his hands together. "What have you heard?"
The older man sucked in a breath. "There has been rumours whispered, my friend; something about another underworld besides our own, a place called The Ninth Circle."
"I don't understand. What's the Nin—"
"Not out loud," Kostya said, slipping a small scroll into the his hands. "Quickly, read this and destroy it!"
Naruto frowned as he skimmed the short missive, so short in fact, only the words Crucible, North of the town of Freya were written down in an untidy and hasty scrawl.
"I've never heard of Freya before."
"It is a town which intersects the borders of three kingdoms of Fiore, Bosco and Seven. Ask me no more of this," Kostya said hurriedly. "Now quickly, eat the scroll!"
Naruto blanched at the notion. "Like hell I'm gonna do that! I could burn it if you want, but I'm not gonna eat it!"
Kostya scowled, snatching the open scroll before hastily stuffing it in his mouth. He grimaced as he swallowed the scroll with a visible gulp. The informant took a moment to collect himself, swigging down on his mug of ale as he did so. Finished with the unpleasant deed, Kostya turned back to Naruto with a livid glower.
"Lesser men have died for this information, friend. So please, the next time I ask you do something, do not hesitate to do so immediately."
"Right... anything else?"
Begrudgingly, Kostya nodded. "You have asked me to find out more regarding the inner sanctum of the council." The man regarded him with indifference. "May I assume that you are planning to infiltrate our most esteemed Magic Council?"
"You can assume all you want, but that doesn't make it true."
Kostya chuckled, attracting a few stares from the rest of the patrons in the bar. "Ah, the wiles of youth, but I'm afraid you're out of luck. Ever since the activation of Etherion days ago, the council has undergone a change—and not the good kind."
Naruto furrowed his brows. "How so?"
"The council is in turmoil. The Will of the Ten has been disbanded under orders from the King ever since their humiliation was made public. It is, of course, a punishment befitting for the heinous act of activating the holy weapon."
Naruto had read the news regarding the event yesterday. Apparently, the misfiring of the Etherion was a big deal among the citizens of Fiore. Coupled with news of deceit from two of the council members, the King was facing an enormous pressure to reform its ruling body.
If they couldn't rely on the council, who else could they turn to?
"How does that prevent someone from entering the inner sanctum?" Naruto asked. "Not that I'm saying someone might."
The informant remained silent, mulling over the question with a frown. "Security has tripled ever since Seigrain was found out to be a traitor. It would be nigh impossible for someone to break in unless you have the proper clearance from the Rune Knights."
Of course, everyone had heard the rumours of the impossibly intricate runes that littered the compound of the Magic Council building. One misstep and the intruder would be stuck in place, deprived of air and sealed in a perfect vacuum, leaving a person unconscious within seconds and dead under a minute. It wasn't as graphic as Naruto would have liked to believe, but the Rune Knights weren't ones to be lenient to anyone who dared to intrude on protected grounds.
He had been torn with indecision on his choice to sneak into the sanctum of the Magic Council. On one hand, there had to be oodles of texts and tomes stashed inside, containing the intracacies of the long-lost arcane arts. Even the Kyuubi, which he had conversed with sparingly over the years, had agreed that it was a worthwhile avenue to pursue. But on the other hand, there was the implication that anyone caught intruding would be charged with treason and then executed if he or she had not died from the runes first, along with their known accomplices.
That was more than enough to deter him. Naruto couldn't pull Wendy and Carla even further into his mess. There was no way he'd burden them with that.
"So you're telling me that only an idiot would try to break into the sanctum?"
Kostya nodded, smiling. "Yes, a soon-to-be dead idiot."
Naruto had shelved the idea back then, but remained constantly plagued by the sporadic thoughts of following through with his plan; however, Kostya's new insight only added to the growing list of cons. At least, the clone which he had ordered to scope the compound had been told not to proceed beyond that. He had escaped notice from the council for three years; he didn't need another faction looking in on him.
"Great, anything else I need to know?"
Kostya held his hand out. "There is the matter of my payment."
Naruto scowled, resentfully handing the agreed amount to the man. It was against his better judgement to do so since this was all of their remaining Jewels. He hoped everything went well with their mission to capture Eddy Raja. If so, they'd be able to spend the weekend at the Akane Resort just like he had planned, and then have enough left over to tide them until their next mission.
Naruto made a small, disconcerting sound under his breath. "You know, real friends don't ask for Jewels when helping each other."
Kostya chuckled, looking over the amount meticulously. "Then, wouldn't you be glad to know that we aren't real friends." Despite his upbeat countenance, there was a sharp glint in the man's beady green eyes.
"Funny, I always thought we went way back, Kostya."
"In my line of business, one does not make friends easily. But you should happy to know that I consider you to be an acquaintance at best."
"Yeah? Acquaintances who understand each other, right?"
"Of course, Naruto. You are a very dear acquaintance of mine," Kostya said, standing. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."
Naruto waited as the man left, downing whatever drink the Kostya had ordered for him when he arrived, but only after checking the drink was not spiked with poisons or mind-altering substances. It had been commonplace among those who practise this line of work to induce a temporary selective amnesia after their meetings to ensure that their clients would not blab their mouths about their identity.
Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, Naruto stood up, leaving in a similar fashion like Kostya had done previously.
There was still the matter of Eddy Raja to attend to.
0.0
The small cat next to her would not stop muttering about Naruto ever since they went their separate ways. She even went to so much as to glare at the clone Naruto had left behind. "What do you think he's doing?" Carla asked, whispering low enough so that the clone wouldn't be able to eavesdrop.
"Maybe he's looking around for our target too?" Wendy said.
Carla wouldn't accept that apparently. "No, he was definitely acting suspicious. Well, more suspicious than normal."
"You're just over-thinking things again, Carla."
Her feline companion did have a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill, especially when it came to Naruto. Her tenacity when it came to cracking the mystery that was their leader was admirable, but it did get frustrating when Carla acted out like this; Naruto had once called her tolerance saintly, but then decided that she was instead too naïve and kind.
She pouted at the memory.
Sure, it wasn't as if she hadn't notice his suspect mannerisms or the strange activities over the years.
The most glaring one being that he had been shying away from the rest of their guildmates, even Grognak, whom she had thought was his closest friend in the guild. It became obvious at the beginnning of last year when she noticed that he was spending more and more time with them away on missions; not that she was complaining at his companionship. He rarely went to the guild tent anymore and spent most of his time hiding in the forest, either alone or with them.
Wendy had to be blind if she didn't notice the strange looks Chief Roubaul and Naruto exchanged whenever they met in the guild tent on his infrequent visits there, but she didn't have the courage to ask either of them, and she couldn't confide in Carla. If the small cat had known about that, there was no doubt in her mind that she wouldn't stop until she got to the bottom of that particular mystery.
Wendy would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't as interested in cracking the secrets out of their leader.
The sheer number of magical disciplines he had mastered was beyond words: from transformation to high-speed magic; his abilities were endless. Then, there was the fact that he would often reminisce about his home, yet remained tight-lipped about his origins. He went to great lengths to tell her of the people he knew and was never short on describing all the qualities he admired about them and the good times that they shared together.
However, if she ever tried to broach the subject further, he would wave her off with a tired smile. She had lost count on the number of times he had done so.
There were lots of things she found curious and equally perplexing about Naruto, but it didn't matter to her in the end. Should the time come when he was ready to reveal what he was hiding from them, she would listen and smile afterwards. There was nothing in her mind that would cause her to think badly of him.
A small smile graced her lips.
Naruto was their leader. That was all that mattered.
"You know," Naruto said. "It's not nice to talk about someone right in front of them."
Wendy squeaked, startled that the clone had somehow snuck up on them again. Carla, on the other hand, didn't even bat an eye as she levelled an accusatory finger at him.
"Fine, I'll talk to you after the mission! And you better not run off again!"
Wendy sighed, turning her attention back to the entrance of the Copious Coin Purse—one of the three places that Eddy Raja was said to frequent. Carla had already coordinated with the rest of the disguised clones to cover the other two establishments. Now, all they had to do was wait until he arrived. Waiting was always a chore, so much so that it had become routine in most of their missions.
But as it turned out...
"Is that him?" the clone asked uncertainly.
He pointed at the heavily-tanned man, dressed in vulgar get-up consisting of a mismatched track suit complete with gaudy jewellery, who had just exited the store. The resemblance to the wanted poster on their mission request sheet was uncanny.
"That must be him! I'll tell the boss right away!"
With that the clone dispelled itself before Wendy had the chance to stop him. As the fugitive studied the area, she felt a vice-like grip seize her heart. The fear was that Raja had already caught on to their little sting operation as his eyes shifted around his surroundings in suspicion.
"Carla, what should we do?"
Carla looked at her briefly before giving a resigned nod. "We'll stop him ourselves," she said firmly. "Come on!"
The small cat dragged Wendy by the wrist before positioning herself behind the Dragon Slayer. Within moments, they shot upwards, zipping past their target as they blocked his path, scaring a few passers-by in the process.
"Eddy Raja! You are wanted for several counts of theft and fencing illegal goods," Carla said, jarring Wendy.
The moustached individual blinked, swiping at his eyes as he stared at the odd duo.
"What the fuck?"
Wendy could sympathise. After all, how many times a day does one see a hovering girl being lifted by a cat with wings? They made for an odd pair.
"Come peacefully or—"
"They sent kids after me?! Kids! Come on!" Raja bit out a curse, saying, "Who the hell do they think I am?!" He held his hands out in the air, conjuring an orange-hued magic seal before him. Hysteria ensued. It caused the small crowd to flee from the street square, away from the vicinity of the imminent battle. Above the din of the chaos surrounding him, Raja shouted:
"Heavy Net!"
A crisscrossing white light shimmered into existence. It whooshed towards the duo, taking the shape of a large nylon fishing net which threatened to trap them underneath its thick and heavy bindings. Carla was barely able to avoid it as she took to the sky, allowing the net to sail harmlessly past them.
In the ensuing chaos, Raja had taken the initiative to flee, weaving through the panicking crowd as he made his escape.
Wendy tried her best to focus her magic. The effects of the gravitational force as Carla zoomed through the air, flying over and twirling under the onslaught of magical nets the thief had continued to bombard them with as he ran, made her incredibly nauseous. She felt the familiar surge of strength as the surrounding air fuelled her magic.
"Fast winds that run the heavens!" Focusing the support magic on both Carla and herself, she shouted, "Vernier!"
A soft white glow gleamed around them momentarily before it died down. In an instant, Wendy could feel Carla accelerating as they dived forward. She yelped as her hair was whipped across her face, causing her to squeeze her eyes. Inwardly, she groaned; she really should have tied her hair first before the mission.
"Let me down, Carla!"
They pulled up at the last second just short of crashing onto the concrete pavement, dodging the odd wooden crate or milling passer-by, whom remained stock-still in their path. Her feet were hovering just centimetres above the ground as Carla dropped her. In a single fluid motion, the small cat shot back up to the air as she tried to block off the fugitive's path once more.
The effects of Vernier caused her to glide momentarily, stumbling on her feet as she made contact with the ground. She staggered for a few steps then held her hands over her mouth as her stomach lurched. That was... unpleasant. They shouldn't have had that meal right before their stakeout.
Wendy took the precious few moments to collect herself before continuing full-tilt towards Carla's position. Their target was in her sight, at the other end of the street she was on, and she approached tentatively.
"Damn it!"
Raja had ran into a dead end, his eyes looking around the area desperately for an escape. The few store owners in the dead end had barricaded their doors shut. The fugitive tore off a wooden board from a crate and hurled it at the fragile-looking glass of an antique store. Instead of a familiar crash, the wooden board was repelled before it reached the window. There was a soft purple barrier separating it from harm's way with translucent purple runes dancing across the length of the display window.
"Runes!" Raja screamed. "It's always with the fucking runes!"
"You have nowhere to run." Carla approached, hovering a few metres away from him and blocking the only exit out to the street. "I suggest you give in, Raja-san."
Raja snorted, a grim smile reaching his lips as he chuckled. "Heh, you're just a cute widdle cat, aren't ya? Kinda makes me wonder why I ran away from you in the first place. I may not like killing, but that doesn't mean that I won't do anything to get away," he growled. "So fuck off before I do something I might regret! I'm a businessman, not a murderer. I don't want that to hang over my head. It's bad for business!"
"Ah, we can't do that... Please give up, Raja-san."
"Fuck!" Raja bellowed, causing Wendy to shirk back. "You can't just say it like that! Oh, sure! I'll give up! Just take me to fucking jail, why don't you?" He looked at them incredulously. "Are you crazy?! Do you know what people are gonna say if I just give up to a little girl without a fight?! And a talking cat too?! I'll be a fucking laughing stock! Our rep means everything in my business!"
"It'll be worse if you end up losing to a little girl and a talking cat," Carla drawled. "Just make this easier for yourself, idiot."
Raja scowled, drawing his hands up at his sides. "Even I'm not that pathetic. Just remember: you made me do this."
His orange magic seal appeared before him, and he began waving his hands as if in a trance. It spun wildly as the man continued to mutter incantations under his breath. Slowly, his seal unravelled, branching off into two, much like a snake bobbing its head to its charmer's flute, as it travelled up his arms. A shrill scream escaped his lips as the soft searing sound of burnt flesh hissed. The orange seal was now impressed onto the man's skin, snaking up the length of his arms.
Raja flexed his fingers, letting the small beads of sweat to travel down his temples. Allowing his arms to cross in front of him, he released it with a heavy groan, spreading his arms outwards.
"Cheena Vala!"
A web-like net erupted from the slits on his wrists as the adhesive net latched onto the wooden booths set up at both ends of the street like a spider's web. With a forceful tug and a grunt, Raja pulled his arms together into a cross guard, causing the booths to sail through the air, almost sandwiching the duo in the middle with an emphatic crash.
They evaded the attack thanks to the added boost to their speed. It was painfully slow, Wendy realised. In the frequent sessions she had with Naruto, the older boy had been so much faster—so much more relentless.
Their adversary screamed again as he fired a rapid salvo of his Net Magic, intending to ensnare and bind them under the webbings. The intensity of the attack caused her to fall back, and sensing their distraction from the onslaught, Raja quickly fired his adhesive webbing at the building to his right.
Just as Wendy was about to dash forward to stop him, a flash of yellow caught her attention at the roof of the building. The shadowed figure loomed for a second before vanishing; Raja's net had been mysteriously sliced in mid-swing. She frowned at the interference, knowing who it was, but capitalised on the opening.
"Sharp winds that tear the heavens asunder," Wendy intoned, raising her forefinger heavenwards.
The wind coalesced around her person as if caressing her, slowly concentrating the bulk of it on the tip of her finger. Raja must have sensed the potent build-up of magic from her attack. He was quickly constructing a hasty defence in the form of a makeshift shield in front of him, but Wendy was faster. Bringing her hand down, she shouted:
"Ictus!"
A hopeless scream tore from Raja's throat as he abandoned his defence, which had somehow collapsed on its own, and squeezed his eyes shut, awaiting the inevitable.
"Uhm, Raja-san..."
Wendy's smile was sheepish as she stared up at him, bringing her hands up to scratch her cheeks, unconsciously imitating a certain someone without realising. "It's okay!" she said brightly. "I'm not going to hurt you!"
"W-What...?" The man faltered in his steps then snarled. "Damn kid! You think you can make a fool out of me! Fu—"
"Kyaa! Behind you!"
"Like I'm going fucking fall for that!"
"You should," Carla said lazily, just as he turned. "Boo."
The feline spun, slamming her tail across his face. The force of the snap knocked him out in an instant, and his body slumped lifelessly to the ground with a forceful thud. Carla floated down, her white wings disappearing the moment she made contact with the ground. She massaged her sore tail, scowling.
"That hurts..."
Wendy winced, noticing how rough Carla had been in doling out the damage. Her attack had left a noticeable impression on the man's cheek. She was glad that she had cancelled her spell when she did, not wanting to seriously injure the thief. Even if she had the power to heal, she didn't revel in the joy of seeing her adversaries in pain.
It was why she was secretly in awe of Naruto. His actions had always been controlled when it boiled down into a fight. He never lashed out unnecessarily or was too lenient on the tougher ones. He was never not in control, and it irked her that she was rarely allowed to help. Most of the time, she had been forced to watch from behind the overprotective form of his clone.
Today was the first time she was able to fight someone properly, and she knew it only because he allowed it to happen. As if secretly hearing her thoughts, the older boy landed in front of her, having just jumped from the roof of one of the adjacent buildings.
"That was hilarious..." Naruto said, smiling. He then flicked a finger on her forehead, just enough that it hurt. "But stupid. Even if you didn't want to follow through, you left yourself wide open for him to attack you. I taught you better than that."
Wendy puffed her cheeks out, rubbing at the spot. "I didn't want to hurt him..."
Naruto sighed. "I know, I know. But don't look so down. This is great! We should be celebrating!" he said, as he tousled her hair. "You guys didn't even need my help! This is kinda like your first mission on your own. Just the two of you!"
Wendy stared up at Naruto under the large cowlick on her forehead. "Ah? Then why were you waiting up there?" she asked, motioning at the roof which he had just jumped from.
"Huh?" Naruto said. He stepped back, eyes crinkling together as he waved it off. "I just got here."
Wendy nodded reluctantly as Carla approached them, not wanting to force the issue. There was no use when Naruto got like this.
"Nice one, Carla," Naruto said. "You really got him good with that last one."
The small cat hummed an agreement, raising one her half-lidded eyes. "Thank you," she said plainly. "But what are we going to do about that?" She pointed towards the small contingent of Rune Knights marching towards them.
Leading the charge was a refined, bespectacled man with his long black hair tied up in a neat ponytail. His altered uniform indicated his rank above the rest of the infantrymen. If that didn't help to point it out, that billowing cape of his, certainly did. The man cleared his throat as he held out a missive in his hand.
"We've received reports regarding a disturbance in this district. I assume you three are the ones responsible?"
From behind Naruto, Wendy watched as their team leader shrugged, handing their request sheet to the enforcement officer for inspection. She had been told it was routine for Rune Knights to examine it to clarify that they were on a proper mission—or even from a legal guild in the first place.
"Quite impressive considering a man of your stature, Sheriff," he said, passing the request sheet back to Naruto. "I would assume a mage as infamous as you would have torn the city apart to catch your target." He regarded the downed man. "Is this him?"
Naruto furrowed his brows, frowning. "You've heard of me?"
The officer pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. "I keep track of troublesome mages in Fiore. You just so happen to be on that list now after that train stunt of yours, Naruto Uzumaki. You are a hard man to find though... I've never heard of you until recently."
Naruto's frown deepened. "You know, I didn't catch your name," he said dryly.
"You may call me Captain Lahar, Uzumaki-san. As I was saying, I was hard pressed to find any information about you or your guild. Cait Shelter? I've never heard of it. Is it a sanctioned guild?" he asked, features neutral. "You do know that it is illegal to form a guild without first seeking consent from the Magic Council, right?"
"A-Ah, I'm sure Chief Roubaul has done all the paperwork," Wendy said uncertainly, stepping out from behind Naruto. "We've been doing missions together for almost three years now, and the others in the guild have done it since before we were there!"
Lahar's eyes shifted to hers. Normally, she would have shirked under the attention, but emboldened by Naruto's presence, she returned it measure for measure.
"Is that so...?"
She nodded.
"Yeah," Naruto said. Like a switch, everyone's attention turned back to him. "Our papers check out, don't they? Isn't our information supposed to be all on that thing?"
"They do... However, it is rather curious that your authentication seal is dated; a few years back to my knowledge. It is in fact quite rare to use one now, considering the latest security protocols imbued with our latest seal."
"Our guild is kinda small compared to the rest, and pretty damn backwater, to be honest. Our Chief must have forgot or something. He's getting senile."
"Shouldn't your Guild Master know to—"
"Uh," Naruto interrupted, making a face. "Sorry. I'm probably not gonna understand what you're about to say; I'm the last guy you should blab to about stuff like that. You gotta ask our Chief if you really want to know. We're just the ones doing the grunt work."
"Perhaps I will." Lahar glanced around the street in disinterest. "I must commend you on limiting your damage to the area."
Naruto smiled, pushing Wendy in front of him and inclining his head at Carla. "If you have to thank someone, thank my teammates. Wendy and Carla did all the work. I just sat back and watched."
"A young girl and a cat for teammates? You certainly keep interesting company."
He shrugged.
Sensing a lull, Lahar signalled one of his men to pull out from the ranks. He exchanged a few words with his subordinate, restricting their voices to low whispers to avoid attracting eavesdroppers. With a small nod, three more men broke formation and surrounded the downed thief, lugging him up by the arms and slapping magic-restraining cuffs on him. Runes shimmered on the locks of the cuffs before vanishing with a noticeable click.
"Are we in trouble here?" Naruto asked. "Cause we have other things to attend to, Lahar."
"A little decorum, if you please, Uzumaki-san. Please address me as Captain Lahar," the man said curtly. "But no, your team is not in trouble. However, your mission reward will be deducted for the damages you've inflicted on the city of Era."
"Wait! What do you mean deducted?"
"We are obligated to inform the bounty office to deduct your pay accordingly for this." Lahar motioned to the wreckage strewn across the street; that and all the noticeable damage done to the buildings in the ensuing fracas. "It's a routine procedure if you've undertaken a mission from the Council, especially one held within our walls. By no means am I acting on any undue grudges against you and your team, Uzumaki-san. Please understand that."
"But the thief did this—not our team! Ask him to pay for the damn damages!"
"Well then, you should have stopped him beforehand. Just to save you the hassle." Lahar smiled sardonically. "Don't worry, I doubt they'll deduct much from your reward. The damages are really quite minimal, considering." The officer turned, ordering his men back into formation with their new prisoner in tow. "Thank you for your service to our city, Uzumaki-san." He paused, then added as an afterthought, "Hopefully, it'll be on much better terms the next time we meet."
Naruto scoffed. "I'm looking forward to it."
Their team leader stewed silently as they watched the Rune Knights contingent march down the street and out of their sights. Wendy, knowing that she had the sole responsibility of cheering him up in their team, grabbed him by the wrist. "Ah, come on, Naruto! I'm sure we'll still have enough for a big dinner. I think I saw a noodle shop somewhere while we were flying."
The older boy perked up. "Really? You think they serve ramen?"
"Maybe!"
With the altercation over, the commotion from the crowds died down around them. As the wary store-owners and patrons stepped out of their stores to examine the destruction that was strewn around the street, Carla turned a suspicious eye towards Naruto.
"What do you mean you just sat back and watched?"
Omake: The Prisoner
Carla stood on the opposite side of the divide, paws folded around her arms. There was a haughty look in her eyes as the prisoner made eye contact with her.
"What could have possibly compelled you to do something so, so... idiotic?"
The prisoner shrugged, the small candle in the dungeon-esque chambers that acted as the temporary holding cells didn't provide enough lighting, shrouding his features in darkness. "Where's Wendy?" he asked. His hands were glued to the bars of his cell as he tried to fit his head through in an effort to look around for the Dragon Slayer.
The Exceed scowled as he avoided her question, rapping her paw against the bars in an effort to snap him back to reality. "The guards won't allow children to visit dangerous criminals like you."
He frowned. "They allow pets, but ban children from visiting? That sucks."
Carla hummed under her breath, not bothered to be annoyed with his blasé attitude. "I really should be angry with you right now, but standing on this side really does give me a better perspective on, well... everything."
"I bet," the prisoner said. "Life must be good on the other side. I kind of miss it now."
"You've only been in there for a few hours. Idiot." A brief silence settled between the two before Carla broke it, saying, "Just to let you know, we're planning, well, I'm planning on letting you stew in prison for the time being. Your bail's been set at fifty thousand Jewels, and that's far too high a price to pay for your freedom."
He nodded, stroking his chin in what he thought to be a thoughtful manner. "That's kind of high."
"You attacked a council official in the middle of a busy street on broad daylight. That justifies your bail price, don't you think?"
The prisoner made an eh sound at the back of his throat. "Well, I thought she was somebody I know from way back when. And I didn't attack her, I just tried to tackle her... softly." He huffed. "Give me a break, we all make mistakes."
"Someone you knew?" she said in disbelief. "The official is a frog! How could you have possibly met and mistaken someone like her?"
"You'd be surprised at the number of strange people I've met in my life."
"Sure. I bet they'll be able to help get you out of prison." Carla turned on her heel, her back facing the prisoner as she walked towards the exit. "See you in forty-eight hours, Naruto. If you survive, that is."
"Tell the boss yourself, Carla. The last I heard he's somewhere in the city having lunch with Wendy." With that, the clone leaned back onto his grimy cot, releasing a soft sigh. The clone missed the small widening of her eyes, followed by the rapid fluttering of her eyelids as the implications of the dastardly prison break finally registered.
Carla shook her head numbly. "Huh, figures..."
Fiore Criminal Registry File
Name: Eddy Raja
Age: Thirty-one
Magic: Net Magic
Alleged Deeds: Several counts of theft and blackmail, bond forgery and known fencer of illegal and highly sought-after art pieces
Bounty: Two hundred thousand Jewels
Threat Level Assessment: Low (classification level: C-Ranked)
Notes: More commonly referred to as the 'King' in his small circle of associates, Eddy Raja is a prominent link to a much larger smuggling ring that operates in the Kingdom of Fiore. Suspect is wanted for questioning in relation to a series of thefts linking back to highly valued transactions that is suspected to be involved in dealing with royal artefacts dating back to the founding of the kingdom. Said art pieces are rumoured to have been shipped outside Fiore. Reports are unconfirmed.
~Prisoner ID No. 3694 4289~
EOM
Side Note: Done! Thanks again to all the readers who were kind enough to leave a comment. Some of them turned out to be very helpful.
Clothes: Let's just say there's a rotation of clothes and ponchos over the past three years, with the similar-looking Chuunin vest and orange pants as a primary outfit. Honestly, I am not to beat up about what he wears; his personality and keeping him relatively in character matters most to me.
Wendy and Carla: They are in the driving seat this chapter, more than the last which I felt they sorely lacked in action. It plays in on Naruto trying to let them grow slowly. He's hesitant but he has learnt from past experience with his previous teachers. You can't keep them sheltered forever.