[POV: Asriel]
[Scene: Konoha Village Market District]
[Track Change: Deltarune Ch. 2 – "Girl Next Door"]
The next day...
[Date: October 12th, Year 65 of the Konoha Calendar]
The early afternoon crowd buzzed with the usual rhythm of Konoha life, merchants shouting prices, the scent of grilled dumplings and soy drifting through the air, chatter bouncing off wooden storefronts.
Asriel walked down the main road, hood down despite the sun, hands tucked behind his back. His horns caught the light, and the black cheek marks stood out clearly against his white fur. The stares began immediately.
It wasn't new. He'd felt it before, the pause mid-conversation, the half-whisper when they thought he couldn't hear.
"Is that him? The one that walks with the fox?"
"Looks like something out of a legend…"
"No legend ever looked that eerie."
Renjiro's voice echoed lightly within his mind, calm but sharp-edged.
"Don't react. They're testing you without realizing it. Your restraint will say more than your words ever could."
"I know," Asriel thought, eyes forward. "But that doesn't make it pleasant."
He passed a food stand. The owner, an older woman, froze as he neared. Her smile faltered just enough to be noticeable. She shifted her trays inward, as if afraid he'd touch something.
"Good afternoon," Asriel said politely, voice calm and steady. "Could I have two skewers, please?"
She hesitated before replying, "A-ah… sure. Two skewers. That'll be..."
[-20 Ryo]
Her words trailed off when the Ryo hit the counter. The exchange was wordless. She handed him the food without eye contact.
Renjiro's voice came again. "You see? Fear is louder than reason. But the way you spoke, steady and polite, that's what matters. Leave impressions, not arguments."
Asriel nodded slightly to himself and moved on. He didn't eat right away. The smell of grilled meat felt heavy against the silence around him. Even the air seemed to hold its breath whenever he passed.
[Track Change: Naruto – "Loneliness"]
A group of children ran past, laughing, until one saw him. The boy stopped, tugging at his friend's sleeve.
"Look! Look at his eyes!"
The other child frowned. "Mom said not to stare at the monster."
"I just wanted to see!"
Their mother turned, panic flickering across her face as she grabbed their hands and hurried them away.
For a brief moment, Asriel's composure cracked. His tail flicked once, a small, involuntary twitch of irritation. But he steadied it immediately.
"Renjiro… do I really look like that to them?"
"To them? Yes. You're tall, horned and unfamiliar. A walking contradiction in a world that's been told what 'normal' looks like since birth. They don't see you, they see the unknown."
Asriel sighed. "Then I'll just have to make them see differently."
He stopped at another stall, this one selling flowers. A younger girl worked there, arranging bouquets in silence. Her eyes met his, wide but not afraid.
"Um… would you like some flowers, mister?" she asked, voice cautious but genuine.
Asriel blinked, caught off guard. "You're not… scared of me?"
She shook her head. "You look sad. Mom says flowers help sad people feel better."
The faintest smile touched Asriel's face. "Your mother is very wise."
He knelt slightly, enough that his eyes were level with hers. "Which one helps the most?"
She thought for a moment before holding up a small white bloom. "This one. It's called a peace lily."
Asriel pulled a few Ryo from his pouch, but she waved her hands quickly. "No, no! You can have it."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded firmly. "Uh-huh!"
Asriel accepted it carefully, his fingers glowing faintly green as a trace of healing magic kept the petals fresh. "Thank you. I'll remember this."
He turned to leave, but now, more eyes were on him. The small, innocent exchange had drawn attention. Whispers changed tone, softer this time. Curious, not cruel.
"Did she just give it to him?"
"He said thank you."
"He sounds… normal."
[Track Change: Naruto Shippuden – "Homecoming"]
Renjiro's tone lightened inside his mind. "You see that? A small act can unravel a hundred fears. Never underestimate what empathy can do when no one's expecting it."
Before Asriel could respond, a loud bark cut through the marketplace. A shinobi hound, one of the Inuzuka clan's, had caught his scent. It growled, fangs bared, pulling against its leash.
Its owner, a young Inuzuka boy, tried to restrain it. "Hana! Stop it!"
But the hound lunged forward, teeth gnashing, stopping only inches from Asriel's leg.
The market froze. Merchants, customers, pedestrians, everyone went silent.
Asriel didn't move. His left hand rose instinctively, palm open, but he didn't summon Magic.
The hound's snarl vibrated in his ears, its nose wrinkling, sensing something different within his aura, the remnants of DETERMINATION and the faint touch of SOUL energy.
Renjiro's voice was low and controlled. "Do not attack. Just project calm. Show strength through stillness."
Asriel exhaled slowly. "Easy there," he said quietly. "You're just doing your job, aren't you?"
The hound blinked, confused by his tone. Its growl softened. Its tail, once rigid, began to lower.
The Inuzuka boy finally pulled it back. "I-I'm so sorry! She's never acted like that before!"
"It's fine," Asriel said, smiling faintly. "Be proud, she's a good guardian. She knew I wasn't from here."
The boy hesitated. "You're… not mad?"
"Would anger make her less afraid?"
That silenced the boy completely. He bowed awkwardly before leaving, dragging the hound with him.
But the moment didn't fade, the villagers were murmuring again. The tension that had softened reignited.
"That dog knew something," one said.
"He didn't even flinch…"
"He must have some kind of control over beasts..."
The tone was shifting back to suspicion.
Then a shadow fell across the street.
A low, rumbling growl rolled through the crowd. It was not loud, but deep enough to vibrate in the chest.
Kurama stepped forward from the end of the street, tails swaying like slow-moving waves. His golden eyes burned faintly in the afternoon light.
He didn't say anything at first, he didn't have to. The villagers scattered back instinctively, some dropping their baskets in panic.
Renjiro muttered in Asriel's head. "Oh great. Uncle's doing his 'scary fox' thing again."
Kurama's gaze shifted to Asriel. "I turn my back for half an hour and you start attracting rumors again," he said dryly.
"I was just walking," Asriel replied.
"And yet the whole market looks ready to bolt."
Kurama's eyes turned briefly toward the onlookers.
"You should be ashamed," he said flatly, voice carrying over the murmurs.
"The boy's done nothing but speak politely, buy food, and compliment your children's flowers.
If that's enough to terrify you, perhaps it's not him who looks monstrous."
No one dared respond.
The silence stretched long enough that even the cicadas seemed to stop.
Renjiro whispered mentally, half amused. "Subtle as ever, Uncle."
"Seems like he doesn't do subtle," Asriel thought back.
Kurama's gaze softened as he looked at him again. "Come on. The day's too short for fools. Let's head home."
Asriel nodded and followed.
[Track Change: Naruto – "Sadness and Sorrow"]
They walked through the quieter part of the village. The air had cooled slightly; the crowd was still distant, watching but no longer whispering.
Finally, Asriel broke the silence. "Uncle… was that really necessary?"
Kurama huffed. "You were letting them step on your shadow. You think silence earns respect?
Sometimes you have to make them look fear in the face to see how small it really is."
"I wasn't trying to provoke anyone."
"I know. And that's why it worked.
You held your ground without anger, that's strength most shinobi can't even grasp.
I just gave the crowd a reminder of what respect looks like."
Renjiro interjected, "Yeah, a reminder with nine tails and a death glare."
Kurama flicked one ear. "Effective, wasn't it?"
They rounded a corner; the market was now behind them. Asriel looked down at the white lily still clutched in his hand.
It hadn't wilted, its petals glowed faintly in the sunlight, faintly tinted green from his earlier magic.
Renjiro's voice was quiet now. "You see? That girl wasn't afraid. That means the village isn't hopeless. It just needs time."
Asriel smiled faintly. "Then I'll give it time."
Kurama grunted in approval. "Good. Because patience isn't weakness. It's pressure. Keep it steady long enough, and even stone will crack."
They reached the edge of the district, their home was now in sight. The late light glinted off the windows, warm and inviting.
Asriel stopped once more, turning his head slightly to glance back down the road. The market had resumed its life, merchants shouting again, kids laughing, chatter returning to normal.
But a few faces still watched. They were not fearful, not hostile, just uncertain. Curious.
He raised a hand briefly, not waving, but acknowledging. One of the children waved back.
It was enough.
[Track Change: Deltarune Ch. 2 – "Faint Courage"]
Asriel resumed walking. "Renjiro?"
"Yeah?" Renjiro replied.
"I think I'm starting to understand why Grandpa Gerson always said that monsters don't need to fight to prove they're strong."
Renjiro chuckled softly. "Looks like you just proved him right."
Kurama grunted again, though there was pride behind it. "You handled yourself well, nephew. Maybe next time, they'll whisper something worth hearing."
Asriel glanced toward him, a small smile forming. "Next time, I'll make sure of it."
They turned the corner toward home, the sunlight catching on the lily in his hand, a small, fragile thing that somehow didn't wilt under the heat.
And for the first time since stepping into the village, Asriel's steps felt light.
(A/N: Next few chapters, including this one, are full of scene and music changes, as it's one of the best ways for me to convey emotion and tension. Hope y'all are cool with that!)