NarukoHina - Between Quests 2

With the results in, here are the special items that were chosen, and the following story is a result. A new quest will be up soon, so get ready to pick the next quest! 



The following day went well, the duo took Tenten to the guild to meet trainer Gai, a tall fellow who dressed in green, thick padded leather armour, and weighted boots. His hair is short, black and round like a helmet.
His grin was wide and toothy as he spoke loudly about power, youth, and dedication.
His young apprentice, Lee, was very much a clone of the older man, with only his face and size showing any difference.

Two others were with him, new recruits who already looked tired, not physically, but mentally drained from previous days of training.

"Ah, is one of you girls my new trainee?" He said, enthusiastically.

"Tenten, sir." The twin bunned girl replied, excitedly stepping forward.

"Oh! I've seen you at the blacksmiths." He said, after looking her over for a moment. "You look strong."

"Yes, my father runs the blacksmiths on the western edge of the city." She replied, "And I am, having worked the forge."

"Yes, I was told you have expertise in several weapons." He smiled, before that smile broke, and he looked at her seriously. "It's only a start though."

His expression darkened a little, and it gave Tenten pause.
Gai then looked to Hinata, and noticed something.

"A Hyuuga… I once trained a Hyuuga. Neji was his name." He commented as he stood before the buxom mage.

"That was my cousin." She smiled.

Gai laughed heartily at that. "He was a talented, but serious recruit. I haven't seen him since he went off north with that blonde boy… the Fox King, I think they called him."

They recognised the name from Shion, and Naruko was sure that was her brother's nickname, which he had mentioned once in a letter to her.

After a final well wishing to Tenten, the two girls headed out, glancing at the quest board and noting several new quests.

"We should hit the emporium, sell this loot, and see what DK has." Naruko suggested as they stepped in to the main square from the guild hall.

"Maybe we shouldn't spend ALL our money this time?" Hinata replied, more pointing towards Naruko borrowing money from her last time.

"I know, I'll be good this time." The blonde smiled. Though Hinata felt they were the proverbial 'last words', afterall, the adventurers' emporium always had something of interest.

As they entered, a group of adventurers were leaving, talking about if they were ready for the quest they had taken on to explore some ruins, and joking about ghosts to the more scared one amongst them.

They seemed happy, and prepared for their adventure as they left the shop to the girls, and the ever present gigolo of konoha, DK, to serve them.

"Welcome back, my lovely ladies." He greeted them with a big smile.

"Hey Deek." Naruko waved as the girls approached, Hinata giving a small bow as her own greeting.

"The sword and how may I serve you today?" He enquired, "I have some fine new wares in stock."

“I want to sell a bunch of stuff.” Naruko said, immediately emptying her crystal of the Loot she had planned to sell, all weapons, and some rabbit hides.

“Ah, hides, the tanner just sent me a notice for some skins.” DK smiled, “And what's with all the weapons?”

“Bandits. We saved the blacksmith's daughter.” Naruko grinned.

“Tenten, right? Glad she’s safe. I talked to her father the other day when I took some of the weapons traded in, for some maintenance. He was pretty worried.”

“He’ll still worry, she joined the adventurers guild.” Hinata added in.

DK’s eyes grew wider, with a smirk. “Oh-ho, so I guess I’ll be seeing her come to my store soon.” he said, rubbing his hands as he priced up the tools, and handed Naruko the coins in payment, before looking at Hinata. “And what do you bring me, my sweet raven haired mage.”

Hinata pulled out the Lute she had gotten. It was a bit scratched up, but tuned.

“Oh? Is that all?” DK asked, expecting a few more things, considering Naruko’s haul.

“Yes. A lot of what I acquired might be useful.” Hinata smiled.

“Even those manacles?” Naruko blinked, before ginning “...are you being kink…”

“NO!” Hinata cried out, her face flushed red. “They might come in useful if we need to restrain someone, since rope can be cut through!”

Naruko and DK glance to each other, their perverted minds having similar thoughts.

“I MEAN IT!” Hinata whined.

“Okay,okay.” Naruko giggled a little, “and the gems?”

“Jeweller is a little flush right now, but I’ll always take them.” DK said.

“I was thinking of saving them for now.” Hinata answers. “We need to start saving money.”

“Ah, that’s a good plan.” DK smiles, “But, before that, why not peruse the wares. Matt Dropped in just yesterday with a few specialty wares.”

“No, it’s fine…” Hinata spoke up, before looking at Naruko.

“There’s no harm in looking, is there?” Naruko sheepishly smiled.

“J-just don’t spend so much, okay?” Hinata sighs.

“I promise, I’ll be super restrained…” Naruko exclaimed, before looking. “Oh, I need some more Lamp Oil.”

“Sure, want a refill, or an extra flask?” DK asked.

“I’ll take ten!” Naruko ordered.

“Naruko!” Hinata gasped.

“What? It’s just in case!” Naruko blinked, unsure what the issue was, as Hinata facepalmed.

“Oh, and I was thinking of learning to cook better, since our rations don’t taste as good.” Naruko explained with an enquiring tone.

“I have just the book!” DK said, pulling out Stone Oven Volume 2. “It’s dwarven recipes, but they’re pretty delicious. They do some I’ve tried when I was up in the dwarven cities.”

“Great!” Naruko smiled.

“By the way, I recall you brought that  book by the trickster prince.” DK continued, pulling a second book out. “It was recommended to me, this is a great companion to that book.”

“Oh wow, enchanting!” Naruko said aloud.

“That could be interesting!” Hinata said, taking an interest too.

“Great, anything else?” DK smiled as he calculated the current value.

“Hmm… let me look around.” Naruko said, moving around as DK turns to Hinata.

“Hmm… well… anything of interest? I do not wish to spend much…” She said.

“Well, I got a new batch of sending stones in?” he suggested. “Oh, and the spellweave scarf would suit you.”

“Oh, we could use a Sending stone in case of an emergency.” Hinata pondered, “And ‘spell-weave’ is an excellent material… father has a whole cloak made of it…”

“Well then, of course you should have a simple scarf.” DK insisted, reaching up to the shelf.

“Oh, that dagger has an arcane stone!” Hinata noticed, as she watched him.

“It’s a Mages dagger.” DK said, grabbing it too to show her.

Hinata looked at it, and it had a nice shine to it, the blade itself having runes etched into the metal, and she could feel a pull on her magic.

“It stores magic, that could be useful…” She chewed her lower lip, feeling the urge to buy a little more.

When Naruko stepped back in, placing a leather whip on the counter she noticed two books, and three scrolls had been added to the items, and then a cube covered in arcane symbols.

“Err… Hinata?” Naruko looked over to her partner.

“It's a magical camp.” she chuckled, nervously. “It’ll save us time setting one up!”

“What about saving?” Naruko smirked.

“I-I couldn't help it! It’ all useful!” she said, defensively.

Naruko laughed, “Well, I’m still being good.” she said, before they all heard the sound of something move on the shelf.
Looking over they notice a dark green jar with some thick black liquid inside, seemingly innocuous at first, before tendrils shoot out, and stick to the glass insides like a web, making it shake.

“Huh?! What is….?” Naruko reacted, the substance acting more now that it had been noticed.

“Oh! That’s something weird Matt brought back… he called it, "Cursed Ooze.” DK explained, putting it on the counter. “Apparently it’ll bond with its owner, and obey it. That’s its curse.”

“Ooo, so like a pet?” Naruko asked.

“I guess so.” DK said, unsure. “I still need to get it properly evaluated, so…”

“I’ll take it!” Naruko interrupted.

“Err… sure.” DK said, not wanting to lose the sale by cautioning her.

“Naruko, that is very expensive…” Hinata pointed out. “I think we have spent enough.”

“Yeah… I know you’re right.” Naruko rubbed the back of her head. “So I guess we tally up then.”

“You seem to have a way of charming your companion in to behaving.” DK chuckled.

Hinata blushed. “M-My sensibility is just correct, and she trusts my judgement, is all.” She says. “Charm has nothing to do with it.”

“Oh? But, that does remind me, I got these new eye lenses you might be interested in.” DK prompted.

“N-no, I have spent too much already…” Hinata says. “Besides, I have glasses and they are special so…”

“Oh, I know.” DK said, as he pulled out a small box, opening it to show two seemingly clear lenses. “But these are eyes of charming” he explained, “Latest from the Succubus Mage, Fuuka, these enchanted lenses enhance Charm spells, as well as giving off a natural charm when in eye contact with another, enhances vision in general AND…” he pauses for effect, “Can subdue natural ocular skills, curses, and effects.”

Hinata gasped, and Naruko looked at her with surprise. “That means you could get rid of your glasses!”

Hinata nods, “O–okay, but that is ALL! No more.!” she insisted, getting a little flustered.

“Of course.” DK said, and soon calculated both their totals.

“Err… DK… I’m a little… short…” Naruko said, looking at Hinata, wondering about another loan.

“I am also slightly low on funds.” Hinata sweatdropped.

As the girls began to look through the items, wondering what to discard, DK grinned, and chuckled.

“My dear ladies… then perhaps you would be interested in a discount…” he said, though his tone seemed somewhat sinister.

“Err… what's the catch?” Naruko gulped.

“For a twenty five percent off, this time only…” he said, “You can help me here in the Emporium as temp staff.”

There was silence for a few seconds, before Hinata says, “Oh, well, that is not so bad.”

“Yeah.” Naruko chuckled. “I expected some perverse request.”

“Worry not, just three days.” DK says.

“Sure, I think that's fine with me.” Naruko says, looking at Hinata.

She nods too. “Yes, that will be fine.” She agrees, and after DK discounts the money,t he girls pay, and store their items.

“Great, thank you for your patronage.” DK says, “And come back around dawn to start work, and I can also get you fitted with the uniform.”

“Sure, we’ll see yo…” Naruko says before realising. “Wait… uniform?! What Uniform?”

“The store uniform.” DK grins, with a perverse grin.

The girls suddenly felt worried.


========================================================


Naruko lays on the bed with her new book about enchanting and starts to read the first few pages.

Hinata was looking in a mirror as she was placing the lenses onto her eyes. Her glasses folded and set to the side of the drawers.

“You know, we’re never going to get our own place if we keep spending money.” Hinata comments.

“Nothing wrong with living at an Inn.” Naruko replied.

“I know, but, much of our money goes to room rental, meals, and bathing houses.” she explained.

“Well, we just need a big score or three.” Naruko says. “Or a big treasure find.”

“Yes, but we should save too.” She adds, turning to look at Naruko, “So, how do I look?” She asked, without her glasses.

Naruko puts the book down. “Gorgeous.” she says.

Hinata smiles with a faint blush. “Thank you.” she says, walking over, and sitting on the bed too. “Since we'll be working at the Emporium for three days starting tomorrow, I think we should take the rest of the day to train.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same.” Naruko agreed.

“And…” Hinata said, pausing.

“What?” Naruko asked

“What are you going to do with that Ooze?” She asked.

“I haven’t decided yet. It’s a pet, right?” She asked “Maybe you could use Identify on it?”

“You are such an impulsive buyer.” Hinata chastised.

“You’re one to talk.” Naruko smirked, making Hinata blush.

“W-well, anyway, let me cast the identify spell.” she says, moving the topic onward.

After a few moments Hinata seemed to be a little uneasy.

“What?” Naruko asked.

“Well… it seems it is not a pet, and to use it… you need to… drink it.” Hinata vaguely explained.

Naruko blinked, and looked at the weird ooze inside the jar as it moves around…