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A tale of sadness

A tale of regret

An Alchemist's tale,

You should never fret

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Chapter 10: Preparation

After his meeting with the blacksmith—and having a mouth full of fur in his mouth—He goes off to Rarity's Boutique, which doesn't take him long to get there, since it was only a few minutes away. Only issue he had while getting there is when Opalescence tried to scratch him on the nose, and especially that one time when he sneezed from all the black soot the cat carried. The cat slipped from the grip of his mouth once or twice, but eventually, they did get there without too many problems.

As he entered the building with the bundle of fur in his mouth, he placed the cat down on the nearby counter as he shouted for Rarity.

"Rarity, are you in here? I found Opales… um, however you pronounce her name." Naruto shouted out. Naruto could see the cat trying to sneak out from his gaze, so he flicked his tail on the cat, holding it in place. The cat struggled for a moment as it made all kinds of cat whining noises. As it did, Rarity popped out from the stairs to see what the racket was.

"Oh dear, what is all of this noi—OPALESCENCE!" She screamed as she could see it, held down by Naruto's tail. She rushed towards the cat as Naruto just kept it in place. The cat stopped for a moment and saw its needle-pricking owner, and looked the other way in disgust. Rarity furrowed her brow towards Naruto.

"Why are you holding my cat down with your tail?"

"It's trying to get away from this building. I think it still has a grudge against you Rarity."

"Nonsense, my cat is of high class, and I know Opalescence loves me." She says as she nuzzled her cat. "Don't you Opalescence?" In response, the cat pawed at Rarity's nose with its claw. Rarity immediately reacted but managed to get away from obtaining a scratch. She squint her eyes as her horn shined.

"Naruto, release her. I'll take care of her." Naruto gave a nod as he lifted his tail away from the cat. It tried to take the opportunity to flee, but a purple aura surrounded the cat as it was lifted in mid-air. Naruto 'oohed' from the amazement of Rarity's magic. As she was lifted in mid-air, Rarity looked at the cat closely to see it was covered in black soot.

"My word, Naruto, how did my cat get all dirty with all this… black powder?"

"It was hiding at the blacksmith's shop in a nearby barrel. I guess she got into some materials and she ended up like this?" Naruto guessed. Rarity gave a small nod. Holding the cat in place, she went towards a nearby drawer and got a small pouch out. He could hear a jingle of metal hitting metal as she walked towards Naruto with the bag in her mouth. She placed it down on the counter.

"There's your pay Naruto. And thank you for finding my cat. I would've found her myself, but there was just so much work to be done, and I just didn't want to dirty myself finding her."

"You don't like getting dirty?"

"Not at all, a lady needs to have class after all."

Nobles, why do they keep themselves in such high standards, Naruto thought. Or maybe she was just the type of pony who wants to feel pretty and important. Women were weird, he thought once more.

Giving a shrug, he looked at the bag for a moment and merely placed it in his jacket pocket, where the rest of his coins were in.

"Well… anyway Rarity, I hope to see you soon."

"Of course, darling…"

As he was about to exit through the door, he heard something else from behind.

"Before you go, there's one more thing, Naruto."

"Yes?"

"I hope to see business from you in the future. It means a lot to me that you found my precious Opalescence, it really does. " She said. Naruto couldn't help but give a grin.

"It's no problem Rarity."

"Well then! Now that that's taken care of…" She looked back at Opalescence. "It's time for your bath. I cannot BELIEVE you would run away AND get dirty at the same time, the nerve! You are a cat of class, not some trash digger or such!" Her horn shined again as the floating cat follows Rarity, beyond its will. It tries to struggle out of the aura, but it couldn't. Naruto couldn't help but give a nervous chuckle as he walked out the door.

XXXXXXX

As he walked around the Ponyville square, he could see that the sun was setting slowly in the sky. It still baffles him how it requires two particular princesses just for the night and day cycle to function correctly. But this also meant he had to be quick if he wanted to prepare for tonight. That's right, tonight, Naruto thought. He looked towards the square and saw the request board. He ran towards it to see what other requests were up there. Nothing seemed different than from what he checked last. But he could see the Manticore request was still on the board.

He gave a brief smile as he ripped it off the Request Board with his teeth. Placing it down on the ground and keeping it from blowing away with his hooves, he started to read it. He only knew the reward money and some person named Canterlot, so it was best for him to read it thoroughly.

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HUNTING REQUEST:

MANTICORE TAIL

REWARD: 300 BITS

REQUESTER: GARY CLOPPER OF CANTERLOT

PLEASE SEE REQUESTER BEFORE UNDERTAKING TASK FOR MORE DETAILS

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It then follows with a picture of some guy in a top hat and in some kind of brown formal suit. No, not some guy, but it looked like a stallion with a white coat and a black mane, with a horn on its head. Now that Naruto thought about it, why did the requester want something from a dangerous monster, especially its tail?

Well, he would have to find out from the requester if he were to know more about it. As he tucked the request sheet into his other jacket pocket, he started to trot off towards Canterlot. Although, thinking of this, he immediately stopped. He didn't know where Canterlot was, or much less, he didn't have a map of the area either. He would have to get directions or at least a map, but from who or where, he wondered?

As he looked around, there were still ponies wandering about. He talked to a few nearby to see where he could get directions or a map. After talking to a few, he learned he could get a map from a nearby bookstore. He sees a sign in the shape of a book right next to him when the ponies pointed to it. He scratched his head with wondering how he could miss such a thing.

Entering the bookstore, he could smell the faint aroma of aging wood, dust, and the faint smell of old paper. It was a pretty big bookstore, shelves of books too. But he didn't have time to be gawking at how great it looked. He needed a map. He sees an earth pony stallion with a light red coat and a yellow mane.

"May I help you sir?"

"Er, yes. I'm looking to purchase a map of the area?" The stallion gave a raised brow at the strange request, but merely sighed.

"Why would you need a map of the area? You don't live here?" Naruto thought that response was kind of rude, but he kept his cool as he kept on talking.

"No, I guess you could say I'm new here, and I'm just trying to feel for my surroundings." Naruto responded. The stallion merely sighed once again as he pointed his hoof towards a stack of what looks like paper pamphlets.

"1 Bit for a map, would you like to purchase a book too while you're at it?"

"No, just the map is fine…" The stallion raised his hoof and banged on the counter. This made Naruto flinch in surprise. The red stallion placed both his hooves onto his head and started to mumble.

"Why is business so slow? You end up having a customer and you're supposed to be happy. But noooo, they don't want a book, they just want to either look around or purchase a paper map…" He then spreads his hooves, as if showing off the store. "WE HAVE BOOKS ALL AROUND! This isn't some tourist attraction!"

Naruto couldn't help but scratch his chin in confusion.

"Um… Sorry, I think?" Naruto's response only pissed off the stallion even further as he banged both hooves on the counter. Naruto couldn't help but just say something in the form of advice. "Er, look… I'm sure you're having a bad day, but we all do… I'm at least giving you some kind of business… right?" Naruto said to him.

"That's not the point!" The stallion replied. "The point is that these books are going to waste. Don't you love the feel of a book, the fine print, the hard texture of a hard-covered book? These ponies are insane I tell you!"

Naruto only gulped. This was probably one insane pony he didn't want to talk to anymore. Taking a Bit from one of his pouches in his pocket, he placed it on the counter, while grabbing a pamphlet map with his teeth, and slowly backed away.

"Well, um… It was nice knowing you too Red Stallion, um, thingy… But I have to get going…" He hightailed out of there, not wanting to detail with anymore of this clerk's shenanigans.

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As Naruto looked at the map, he could see there were several areas around the area. Some places he wasn't aware of, and some he was. He could see that the Everfree Forest was pretty close to the town, and Canterlot was on the way. Unfortunately, the path looked pretty far, and it would probably take him all day just to get there. As he tried to figure out how to get to Canterlot in a quick-like fashion, his head bumped into something pink and soft, and it made him fall flat on his butt. He dropped the map in reaction as it lay on the ground.

He rubbed his head in pain as he looked up to see Pinkie Pie flat on her butt as well.

"Ow… man that hurt… I didn't see you there Pinkie Pie…" Pinkie Pie also rubbed her head in response, but hearing Naruto's voice, her ears went up as she gave a very cheerful smile, and tackles Naruto. He gave a yelp as he sees Pinkie Pie on top of her.

"Ooh, Naruto! Good to see you again! How are you doing?" She said as she lightly hopped on his stomach. "Did you have a good day? Did you do anything great? Ooh, or maybe…" She runs off in mid-sentence, in a cartoon fashion. Naruto slowly gets up until he gets knocked on his ass again from Pinkie's unexpected return… from above!

"Or maybe you're lost, because I don't like being lost. Being lost is scary and spooky. I knew a friend named spooky, but he was nothing but air, but I liked talking to him. He's all whoosh or breezy, but he's a kind friend."

Naruto got up once more, not understanding a word Pinkie has said. How he runs into her is a mystery, especially since he doesn't understand how Pinkie can be so damn hyper all the time, he thought.

"Ugh… no, Pinkie… I'm trying to figure out the quickest way to Canterlot." Pinkie stopped hopping from Naruto's comment. Her mouth shaped to an o and started hopping all around him once more.

"Ooh, what for? Business, friends, enemies, animals, flowers, riches, bits, um, candy?"

"Business, mostly… I need to meet somebo—er, somepony named Gary Clopper."

"Gary? Clopper? Mr. Cloppity clop clop, hahahah" She said in laughter. To Naruto's amusement, it was a little funny to earn him a chuckle.

"Eh heh, good one… But seriously, I need to meet him. But according to my map…" He said as he picks up the map in both hooves. "…It's going to take me a good while just to get to this place called Canterlot." He said, rubbing his chin. The sun was going down, so it was possible that he would have to delay it until tomorrow. He didn't want to, but it seemed like he didn't have a choice at this point. Pinkie took a peek at the map and gave Naruto a cheerful smile.

"Aw, put that frown upside down Naruto! Maybe Twilight can help you?" Pinkie Pie said in her cheery state.

"How is she going to help me?" Naruto wondered.

"Silly filly, she has Magic! She has that horn for a reason, Naruto! Just ask her to make you go poof and appear there! You'll end up getting there before you could say 'Cotton Candy'!"

Twilight… That was the last pony that he wanted to ask. He couldn't let her find out he was going to accept this task too, so he would have to be careful…

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea Pinkie Pie. Thanks for the advice."

"Noooo problem!" She then starts to hop off in the opposite direction of Naruto. But then he shouted out.

"Hey wait, where are you going Pinkie Pie?"

"I'm just going to see spooky. He's probably all lonely!" Naruto half-closed his eyes in disbelief. As he sees her hop off on the distant road, he couldn't help but think to himself.

"That pony is insane…"

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"Why are you so interested in Canterlot, Naruto?" Twilight asked. It didn't take long for Naruto to get to Twilight's house and ask her if she could teleport him to Canterlot, but she obviously needed to know why he needed to go over there. He had already thought up a good reason to do so without having to worry her, way before he even arrived here even.

"I just have some business over there to do. Some ponies in town said there's a guy I could talk to over there for some work. Maybe even a job." Twilight gave a smile at Naruto.

"Really, what kind of job?" She asked. Now this response Naruto didn't prepare for. Funny how he forgot to think about that part of the excuse, he thought. He laughed a little nervously while trying to think up a good excuse.

"I um… Oh! That's right. Someone's looking for a dishwasher pony over there, and I hear the guy is short on help over there in terms of servants, so I figured I could go over there. I hear the pay is pretty good too." Twilight raised a brow at Naruto's response.

"A dishwasher, huh… Well, that wouldn't be a bad job to have, especially since Canterlot is always looking for servants these days." She only sighed when she said servants though. "Nobles though… they always depend on other ponies to do their work for them… It's sad to think about." Naruto gave a small nod. She stopped what she was doing and looked straight at Naruto.

"Alright then, we can go. But can it wait until tomorrow?" Naruto shook his head at Twilight's response.

"I need to see if I can get that position today. Its good money and I'm sure that position is in a lot of demand…" Twilight looked towards the ceiling and then towards Naruto again, and gave him another smile.

"I guess that's true… Alright, come near me Naruto." She asked him. Naruto walked up next to Twilight, waiting for whatever she was about to do.

"Spike!" she shouted towards Spike, whom was dusting the bookshelves. He turned towards Twilight's direction and gave a nod. "Take care of the library while I'm gone, it won't take too long."

He didn't want to lie to Twilight to begin with, but he didn't want to tell her he was going to hunt a Manticore after all, it would just worry her, in his opinion. As she closed her eyes and focused magical energy into her horn, a flash of shining light enveloped Naruto's eyes, as he felt himself whisked away into the far unknown…

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When the shining light dissipated, he could feel his stomach churning as his hooves landed on the ground. He kneeled; almost felt like he wanted to puke. It was a strange sensation, or maybe it was a strange pain, either way, it felt like his body parts were stretching in several different directions while being teleported. Twilight placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"Naruto, are you alright!" Twilight asked.

"Y…Yeah, I think so, it's like my limbs were being pulled into several different directions…" Naruto said weakly, as he slowly tried to get his bearings straight and his mind off his stomach.

"You're probably just not used to teleporting from one place to the next. I know it was like that with some of my friends. But you get used to it after a while, at least!"

Naruto just shook his head. "I doubt I'll get used to it…" He raised his head and blinked his eyes a few times. He could see himself surrounded by really expensive buildings. A lot of white, he thought, and everything he could see just looked uniquely made, it seemed more of a noble district than Ponyville was. Was he really in Canterlot he wondered?

Twilight looked at him for a moment and then looked at the town.

"Welcome to Canterlot, Naruto."

So this was Canterlot, he wondered. He could see a few unicorns here and there, wearing suits and really exquisite clothes. It really did seem like more of a noble town than anything he's ever seen. He took a few steps forward as he took a quick look.

"So this is Canterlot… I didn't expect it to be such a… noble place around here." Naruto said out loud. He then turned back towards Twilight. "Twilight, I'll meet you back here in about an hour or so, is that alright?"

Twilight raised a brow, she was wondering what Naruto's rush was. First it was Canterlot, and already he wanted to head off after just arriving here. "You don't want me to give you a tour?"

"Nah, it's alright Twilight! I need to hurry anyway; I wouldn't want that position to be taken before I get there!" He said, running off into a random direction. Twilight blinked a few times, thinking it strange on why Naruto would do that.

"Maybe it was a really good dishwashing position?" She thought to herself.

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Once he managed to get away from Twilight, he took a look around as he got the request paper out. He needed to find this Gary Clopper fellow, and fast. The sun was sinking down the horizon as he trotted along. Maybe he could ask a few unicorns around here on where this Gary might be?

He stopped for a moment and showed a picture to a few unicorns, but they all ignored him as they passed by. Naruto raised a brow at this. He then approached a lone unicorn, and immediately shrieked as he ran away. That was a pair of girly lungs on that stallion. Naruto repeated to do this, but to no such luck, they shooed him off, ran away, or told him how filthy his fashion was. That last one was a bit of an insult, but he didn't have time to be angry with them.

Eventually, he took a seat on a nearby bench, grumbling a little why everyone was treating him like an outcast. Maybe they had a higher standard here in Canterlot? As Naruto tried to ponder how to search for this Gary Clopper guy, he looked up to see another unicorn he hasn't talked to yet. He was wearing a brown suit and had a black mane on him, plus a top hat, and it looked like he had a lightning bolt on his rear end. Again, what was with all the markings on everyones butt, he thought. But nonetheless, maybe this guy knew where this Gary was. Figuring it was another option, he walked up to the stallion. He gave him a poke on his back and he turned around.

"Hello. Do you know somepony named Gary Clopper?" Naruto asked, while showing him a picture of the guy. Naruto was expecting another negative response, like all the others, but what he was expecting didn't happen. The stallion adjusted the glasses on his nose, and gave a nod towards Naruto.

"Indeed, I know this Gary Clopper. What is your business with him?"

"He placed a request on the Request Board back down in Ponyville. I'm here to accept it." The stallion blinked for a moment as he took a good look at Naruto. He hmm-d at Naruto's appearance and squints towards his hair, his clothing, and the bandana that Naruto wore.

"Follow me; I'll lead you to him." Naruto gave a big smile at this Unicorn's response.

"Wow, really! You know where he is, and you'll lead to him!" He couldn't believe it. After spending whatever minutes he spent, he was finally going to meet this Gary Clopper guy. As they trotted along, they stopped at what looked like a medium-sized house; it was white and red, with a small gold trim on the sides of the house. It was a noble's house, and was very exquisite, Naruto thought. Naruto looked at the stallion in the brown suit and waved his hoof towards the house.

"This is Gary Clopper's house. I'm sure he's expecting you." The stallion said. Naruto raised a brow at the stallion's response.

"He is? But, I haven't even made an appointment, or even met him yet…" This only made the stallion grin from Naruto's response.

"That's because he's right in front of you, my dear boy." Naruto blinked at the Stallion's response. He looked at the picture in the request sheet, and then back at the stallion. The look on Naruto's face was that of surprise, and confusion.

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As they both entered the house, Gary led the way to his study. Before they even got there, Naruto had to be surprised by all the exquisite decorations; a few statues carved after Gary, priceless antiques like vases and art, even canvases of fine art. Naruto didn't recognize what famous ponies were depicted in the art, but they looked extravagant to his eyes. As Gary led the way, he used the magic from his horn to open a slightly dark, but dim, room. As Naruto entered, his nose and eyes hit something strong.

All around him, the sight and smell of tomes, paper, books, ink—it made him blink for a few moments as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Gary looked at Naruto with a chuckle.

"Ah yes, forgive me. It tends to be rather dark here in my study. Allow me…" His horn shined once more with magic as the area was lit up instantly. A flame crackled in a nearby fireplace, making Naruto blink once more as he re-adjusted to the light.

It was a study, full of bookshelves of books and, what looks like certain plants and mushrooms. He even saw a few bottles of unknown liquids with some metal things attached. Naruto raised a brow at this. The shapes of those bottles seemed… familiar, to him.

"Please, take a seat, we have much to discuss, I'm sure…" Gary said to Naruto. He looked at Gary and gave a nod. He sat in a nearby sofa seat. It was really soft, and the texture felt fantastic; solid smooth wood and cushions that just felt, amazing, to Naruto. Gary did the same as he sat in the sofa chair across from him. There was a coffee table in front of them, holding what looked like a picture frame of somepony, and a couple of books on the table. There was also a small tea set sitting on the glass coffee table.

Gary brought his front hooves together, as if thinking and studying Naruto in an intelligent and elegant matter.

"So then… What is your name, young one?"

"It's Naruto, Mr. Clopper."

"Please, no need for formalities. It's flattering, but please, call me Gary." Gary corrected. Naruto scratched his head as he gave a nod.

"Alright then, Gary it is." Naruto said. Gary used his magical horn to pour himself a cup of tea from the kettle into an exquisite looking cup, having that of yellow and blue rims around the cup. With the magic enveloping the cup, he takes a small sip of his tea.

"Tea, Naruto?"

"I'm fine, Gary. But thank you."

"Very well then…" He places down the cup and eyes Naruto carefully. "What brings you in search of me, Naruto?"

Naruto took out a sheet of paper from his pocket and showed it to Gary. "You made a request on the request board down in Ponyville. I came here to accept it." Naruto began. "You're in search of someone to hunt down a Manticore and to get its tail. It was rather annoying trying to get here to Canterlot, but I'm here to make your request come true."

"Yes, this is true… I am in search of a Manticore tail… But tell me Naruto…" Gary began, leaning back in his chair. "What's driving you to take such a dangerous task? Every other pony didn't want to take it due to how fierce and dangerous Manticore's are these days, especially since there has been an increase of them as of late."

"My reason…" Naruto began, and Gary merely nodded. "I'm hoping to get the money from this request so I can purchase a house in Ponyville. Plus, it sounds like this Manticore business sounds exciting."

Gary raised a brow at Naruto's reasoning. "A house, you mean… you don't live in Ponyville?" Naruto shakes his head. "Where do you live then?"

"I'm temporarily living in a friend's house." Naruto began. "You could probably say I'm a traveller, and that I'm hoping to settle down in Ponyville. But since I don't have much in terms of bits, this Manticore request should get me a house. At least, I hope so…" Now that Naruto thought about it, he didn't know how much houses usually cost around here. He could imagine it would be expensive in Canterlot, but Ponyville, he had no idea.

"A house, hm… Well, yes, 300 bits would certainly get you at least a small house of your own…" Gary started to ponder slightly, as he used the magical power of his horn to bring to him what looked like a wooden pipe. No, not just some plumber pipe or a certain other kind of pipe, but it looked like one of those pipes you puff. He placed the tip of the pipe into the fireplace, letting the cackling flames light it up for him. Using his horn, he places the pipe into his mouth, giving it a small puff and blew it out.

Gary gave a small sigh as he held his pipe with his magic. "It's a decent reason for taking this request, I suppose… Unlike some other ruffians who just want to make riches just for the fame and such…"

"Others have tried to take it too?"

"Only two… One of them I greatly denied of them taking the request, because he looked like the suspicious sort, always grinning and twitching like a madman. I tell you my boy; there are some weird ponies in this world… Ah yes, and then there is one named Tasgon. He seemed like the hunter sort, carrying a crossbow and had muscles all over. So I did give him the request at one point, but…"

"But…?"

"He disappeared without a trace, and this was 2 days ago. So he either got eaten, or he ran away. I only pray it was just running away… He was rather a bit of a boaster, which made me hesitate slightly." Gary gave a small chuckle. "Ah… He was funny though. It gave me a good laugh."

Naruto gave a nod. "Sounds like he could boast well at how good he runs away." Gary gave a small laugh at Naruto's joke.

"Indeed… But anyway, yes, a house sounds like a decent reason. You are aware of the Everfree Forest, correct?"

Naruto shakes his head. "I saw such a location on my map, but other than that, I do not know it."

"I see… It's a rather dark and dangerous forest that contains all sorts of creatures and beast; including the Manticore itself. All ponies tend to stay away from it. It is surprising that you don't know about it. But then again…" He stops for a brief moment to puff at his pipe, and looks at him once again. "You're not from this area, after all."

Gary seemed to be a pretty nice unicorn, compared to the other nobles around the area. Very content, sophisticated, and seems to be well-off, but not acting like a greedy snob like some of the others. Naruto simply nodded towards him.

With the fire and crackling shattering the brief silence between the two, Gary pondered at Naruto, wondering what to ask him next. He blinked a couple of times before knowing what to say next.

"Care to hear a little story, Naruto: A story that wants me to have a Manticore tail?"

Naruto gives a nod. "Actually, I was hoping to ask you about that. Why do you need a Manticore tail: To show it off as a trophy?" Gary sat up for a moment, pondering at Naruto's words, and walked towards the fireplace.

"No, not as a trophy, but to save a life: my daughter's life." Naruto went wide-eyed at his sudden declaration. He had a family, Naruto thought?

"You have a family?"

"I used to… My wife had passed away a long time ago, and the only surviving bloodline of mine, is my daughter… She's in that picture frame in front of you."

Naruto blinked a couple of times as he looked at the glass coffee table, seeing a small picture frame. With both hooves, he reached out to take a closer look at it. In it was an adult earth pony with a gray coat and a pink mane, wearing what looked like eye-liner and lipstick, and there was also what looked like Gary Clopper on the right side of the picture. They both looked so happy together, and in the middle, looked like a gray mare in the picture, with a stylish black hairstyle, and a sophisticated smile that could probably shatter a pony's sanity with cuteness.

"Ah, my wife, Termione… She played very sweet music when it came to the piano… always elegant, had class, and was like a sweet little flower in a blossoming field…" Naruto looked back up at Gary and blinked a couple times.

"When I hear her music, it is like a sweet symphony of heaven; you could just lose yourself to her tune. You could say it could manipulate any male stallion out there, and use that to puppet others into her dirty work…" Naruto went wide-eyed at this, but Gary only gave a small chuckle.

"That last part was a joke my dear boy. But regardless, I was the luckiest man to have her as my wife… And the luckiest man to have a daughter with her… Which; brings me to my reason with my daughter, Octavia."

"What's your reason?" Naruto asked.

"My daughter is dying, you see… with a disease that my wife had."

Naruto almost dropped the picture frame in response to what he just said. Dying? His daughter was dying, Naruto thought? Gary continued, but looked down towards the fireplace.

"My wife had a genetic disease, a disease that infects the heart with some sort of virus. I am not too keen on medical knowledge, but it was like winding up a grandfather clock. Once you wind it up, and time runs out…" He began, and then looked back at Naruto. "…it is over."

Naruto looked down back at the picture frame while Gary continued on, with a frown on his face.

"I had a chance to save her… But no matter the components I had for my potions, I could not save her…" He said as he placed a hoof on part of the fireplace. "I wanted to save her, but I couldn't… Just because there wasn't a known cure, because my knowledge of alchemy didn't save her, and because the hospital didn't know how to save her either… I had been researching my days away to figure out how I could've stopped this, to see if there really was a chance… And yet…"

"When I actually did find a cure, after several weeks of studying, I told myself 'what was the point? She was dead, you couldn't do anything, and it's not like you could revive the dead'. I wish I could revive the dead, only to see her again…" Tears ran down Gary's eyes, all the way down his cheeks and landing on the edge of the fireplace. Naruto couldn't help but be moved by all of this. Here was a father finding a cure, and now he's guilty of not being able to save his wife. Naruto sat up a bit to pat him on the back.

"Don't be like that Gary. While her life was short, I'm sure she had wonderful memories with you. I bet they were the happiest times of her life, and she couldn't be happier." He said with a smile. "What you should focus on now is actually saving your daughter… She's your pride and joy, isn't she?" Gary shot his head up from Naruto's words, and he gave a firm nod as he wiped his tears away.

"Yes… Yes, you're right. I… I need to focus on the now, I need to focus on the very thing I can defeat that I couldn't defeat before…" Gary sat back down to collect his thoughts, while Naruto also sat back down.

"Alright… yes, yes… Anyway, my daughter, Octavia, has the same genetic disease, and so far, the hospital has kept it in check, but I do not know for how long… which is why time is of the essence. I have already researched a cure, and already have most of the components for it… All I need left is a Manticore's tail. And as I've said before, no one has succeeded in doing so. It would be a miracle if anyone were to take down such a beast… this, is why I sent out the request. I lack combat experience, and my magic is not the type to doing combat with. This is why, Naruto…" Gary leans forward towards Naruto.

"Please, accept my request and bring me the tail, and I will forever be in your debt. My daughter is the only thing I have left as family." He said with a pleading look.

Naruto stood up and gave him a firm smile, a smile of hope, a smile of glee, and, a smile of determination. He pounds his chest.

"That tail is as good as mine, Gary. I won't let your daughter pass away from some stupid disease. Not, at all. And you can believe it!"

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AN: I must apologize in advance if the writing looks a little… odd. I had to re-write part of the chapter due to rushing the plot by accident. But honestly, I couldn't help myself. Finally, the next chapter will involve hunting the Manticore! Stay tuned!