The Fox Bandit ch 8

The Fox Bandit
Chapter 8:  Devil in Disguise

Naruto woke with a start. He sat up quickly, his eyes wide. The sun was shining brightly outside the window. For the first time in seven years, he slept the entire night. Not one single moment did he have the nightmare. If he did have any dreams, he couldn't remember none of them. It surprised him greatly. Maybe all he needed to do was tell somebody his story. He'd kept everything bottled up for so many years that it was driving him insane. Naruto stretched his arms and yawned widely. Smiling slightly, he got out of bed.
Sakura was not in the house. Naruto noticed she'd left the water basin out so he washed his face, greatful for the cool water.  He felt great, better than he's felt in a long, long time. He also felt hungry. So without much thought, he grabbed his hat and coat and left, heading for Ichiraku's Saloon for some breakfast.
Not many people were there this morning. Shikamaru was in the corner being lazy as usual, and Chouji was there playing cards with Lee. Chouji waved at Naruto, who returned the wave and then went to sit at the bar. Not three seats down from him was a young woman he had not met. She wore a pink, foreign looking dress and wore a large bun in her dark brown hair. Her eyes were a startling violet. But what really caught Naruto's attention was the two knives and pistol she had on the bar in front of her, and a rather small hatchet she was polishing. She was muttering something. Naruto focused his ears toward her.
"I've never in all my years as a weapon's specialist seen such dirty weapons," she muttered. "Not even the knives from that Massacre seven years ago when my father brought home some of them were they this hard to clean."
Naruto shifted uncomfortably. He'd chosen to sit by a weapon's master. She could easily kill him as fast as he could shoot her. He wouldn't shoot her of course, but who knew what would happen nowadays on account of who he was.
"If you're going to eavsedrop on someone, Fox Bandit," said the girl, making Naruto jump. "You might want to make sure your less noticable and also if the person you're eavesdropping on is not armed. It would also help if you were listening for something that was of interest to you."
"How did you...?" began Naruto, shocked.
"I've been around, Fox Bandit," said the brunette. "Name's Angel."
"I'm Naru..." he started. But she interupted him again.
"I know who you are, Naruto Uzumaki," she scoffed. "Aka, The Fox Bandit.  You may not see me very often around these parts, but I hear things. I knew you were in town. And I know who's looking for ya."
Naruto said nothing.
"You don't talk much do ya?" she asked. "Tell you what, let's have a little chat out back." And with that she got up. Naruto wasn't sure what to do. But he eventually decided to go talk to her. Besides, she had forgotten her knives. He grabbed those and followed her out the door.
"Shika, who was that girl Naruto was talking too?" asked Chouji as he watched Naruto walk out.
"Don't know, don't care," said Shikamaru, but he kept an eye on the door just in case.

o0O0o

"Miss Angel?" Naruto called when he got outside. The girl was nowhere to be seen. He scratched the back of his head, confused. How could a girl just dissapear like that.
WHAM!
Naruto felt a pair of booted feet hit him slam in the back. He lurched forward, rolling along the ground and then slamming into the wall. Dazed, he shook his head.
"What the he...!?" but he never finished. He was kicked aside just as quickly as before. Rolling to a stop on his stomach, he made to get up but could only manage to raise his head before he was kicked in the face again.
"Ok that's it!" he growled. Jumping up quickly he grabbed a foot before it could land yet again on his head. He twisted it hard, hearing the bone snap. A woman yelled. It was Angel.  
"You?" he said, dropping her foot. She fell to the ground. Naruto stood above her, glaring. "What the hell was that for?" He noticed she had changed out of the dress into trousers and a loose shirt.
"I was trying to knock you out!" she hissed, wincing. "You're tougher than you look."
"Fox Bandit!?" Naruto turned and saw Chouji and Shikamaru standing in front of the saloon's back door. "What are you doing to that woman!?" Shikamaru yelled.
"Nothing!" growled Naruto angrilly. He pointed an accusatory finger at Angel. "She attacked me!"
"I did no such thing!" cried Angel in a weak voice. Naruto turned around. Angel was sobbing, clutching her ankle. "I was just minding my own business at the bar. He came over and we talked. He  told me to meet him around back. I did so and he attacked me!" she sobbed.
"Don't listen to her she's lying!" growled Naruto, realizing that Angel was trying to pin her attack on him. "It was the other way around! She attacked me first! I swear! I was just defending myself."
Both Chouji and Shikamaru were doubtful. The woman was clutching her ankle and crying. No way could she have attacked him. But then Shikamaru noticed the large purple bruise forming around Naruto's eye. He hadn't had the bruise just a few moments ago and he couldn't have done that to himself.
"I believe you, Fox Bandit," said Shikamaru, glaring at Angel. Said girl stopped her fake sobs and growled.
"You believe the murderer over me!?" she barked. "You believe the man who slaughtered his entire family over a defenseless girl?!"  Naruto froze.
"I saw the weapons on the counter, miss," said Shikamaru. Chouji nodded. "You're no more defenseless than a calvary charge." Angel glared. "Chouji, go get Tsunade and Sakura."
"Alright," said Chouji and he ran off quickly despite his bulk. Naruto remained frozen in place, his eyes wide and his back to the girl. Angel huffed.
"I can't believe this town!" she growled. "I was trying to reign in a murderer! I need money! And he's got one hell of a bounty on his head! Please, what's he to you!? Why won't you let me take him!?" Naruto began to tremble.
"He murdered innocent people! He killed his own father! His own sister! It was a slaughter! How can you be so trusting of him?!" Naruto snapped.
Turning so quick he was a blur, Naruto grabbed Angel by the collar of her shirt and slammed her into the wall behind her, her feet dangling in the air. Angel cried out in pain, and opened one eye.
"Fox Bandit!?" cried Shikamaru. He ran over to the two, grabbing Naruto's arm before he could punch the woman. "Troublesome bandit!" Naruto ignored him.
"How dare you!?" growled Naruto menacingly. "How dare you say something like that!? I never killed anybody! You have no idea what happened that day! Don't talk like you know!" Angel said nothing.
"You got something to say!?" he cried, pressing Angel harder against the wall. She winced, but said nothing. She spit in his face.
"Why you...!" he growled, wiping it off. He jerked his arm out of Shikamaru's grip and reared it back.
"Naruto!" Naruto froze right before his fist hit his mark. He glanced in the direction of the voice. It was Naren. "Big Brother, what are you doing!?" she cried.
Naruto relaxed and let Angel go. The girl fell to the floor. "Big Brother?" she asked, gasping for breath. Naruto looked down at her, an angry glare on his face.
"She's my dead sister, Devil," he hissed. Angel's eyes widened. She looked from Naren to Naruto. There was no mistake. They were identicle, besides the obvious. They were twins.
"You're sister? Impossible, but......what about your father!?" she said. "I saw the body! There's no way he's alive. You may not have killed your sister, but you killed him! You killed Mister Minato. You killed him Naruto!" she said, sobbing for real this time. Naruto and Naren both stared at her.
"Who are you?" they asked in unison.
"Angel Nakamura," she said, wiping her eyes. "I am, or I was, your friend."