Training of Dimmensions Chapter 1: Sai La's Offer, a naruto fanfic

…………The sequel to The Naruto Before Christmas………Enjoy. This starts near the final Christmas of Naruto's three year training trip………Apologies ahead of time, I couldn't fit Aladdin into this…
Disclaimer: I do not own absolutely anything at all. Just Sai La and Pensrap.

Training of Dimensions

Chapter 1
Sai La's Offer

It was not long ago when a boy pulled through
In setting right the chaos he drew,
When he and his tall white skeleton friend
Nearly brought Santa Claus to his untimely end.

When Kyuubi had schemed and gained a release
Though Naruto still doesn't know in the least.
When his teammate Uchiha gave a Chidori stab,
And Naruto's Resengan made only a dab.

When he left for three years to make a new stand
To get his friend back, by head or by hand.
Traveling with the toad sage he set out for strength,
Unknowing of his training's true and long length.

He's still being watched by the cloaked Sai La
As he readied to go forth to coo out his caw,
To take Naruto under his wing
And begin for him a great deal of things.

After all, Peacemakers can only go so many rounds,
And friendship truly knows no bounds.
So now, sit back as I begin anew,
The equivalent of 'The NBC 2'…

Sai La sat on a simple wooden chair, trembling as sobs sounded from behind his face veil of dark energy. He was barely reaching seven inches tall, and was dressed in a monk style robe.

"Sai La, you know there's no escaping it. It's always for certain the moment you become a peacemaker." A new and much taller figure came, dressed in the same attire. "When the apprentice is taken, the predecessor must stand alone."

Sai La remained silent as his sobs quieted. "Pensrap, you know that I've learned the humanity in weakness, so please, for now, let me be weak."

Pensrap sighed as he placed a scaly green and clawed hand on Sai La's shoulder. "Sai La, you've also learned of the penalties of letting sorrow anchoring you, so stand and do as all peacemakers must do. The 500 generations of the peacemakers didn't come to be by mourning the loss of your teacher."

Sai La clenched his fists as he stood up. Some dark energy formed in his right hand and then dissipated to show a silver rod with rounded ends. "But it doesn't feel right to technically be your teacher's executioner."

Pensrap removed his hand and stood before his student. He removed his hood as his dark veil dissolved, exposing his head. "Think of it as shooting a suffering dog. Better to end the pain then and there than to let it suffer."

That didn't stop Sai La's tears as he slid up one side of the rod to show that it was a nuralyzer from a certain government agency. He set the dials and raised it to his calm teacher. "…Take care, Pensrap-sensei."

He pressed the button, and the memory erasing flash came forth.

(Now playing beginning theme: Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional…)
(The following images mentioned are in a montage form……but what else is new?)

We see a puddle with the reflection of a full moon. Suddenly a child runs through it as the guitar begins to play. We then see the child running away while a mob of citizens give chase. It was the night of Naruto's fifth birthday when he first came to Halloween Town. We then see Sai La standing over a crypt in the local graveyard as he makes a drawing of a jack-o-lantern out of his blood on the doors. He turns sharply hearing something, and disappears in a wipe of dark energy. The child Naruto then comes by, throws open the doors, and hides in the stairway that the crypt had turned into, closing the doors behind him.

Hope dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption
Winding in and winding out
The shine of it has caught my eye

The child Naruto is sitting on the steps, crying. Until he looks up to see a dim light. We see him walking through a pitch black place until he walks up to a pumpkin headed scarecrow with a sign that says Halloween Town. The scarecrow turns in the wind, seeming to point. We see him running and then throwing open new crypt doors as he looks around in wonder.

And roped me in
So mesmerizing, so hypnotizing
I am captivated, I am

We see Naruto walking across an abandoned Halloween Town square. We then see him standing before a tall and lean figure until it turns around and squats down to get a better look at the boy. It was Jack Skellington. They then look to the side to see a swarm of bugs racing to them to attack. They then each raise one of their own wrists which have some kind of frog attached to it. They then run into the swarm head on as their frog guns shot out their horrid stench.

I am Vindicated
I am selfish
I am wrong
I am right
I swear I'm right
I swear I knew it all along
And I am flawed
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself

They seem to land in a field like place as they turn to see a large locust. They then seem to spin like a dance as they threw bats that took life and attacked the large bug. They two then were running down a path as an overgrown pill bug rolls after them. They then jump over a winged jack-o-lantern. The pill bug then rolls into the pumpkin, which then exploded, forcing the bug to sprawl out stunned. The two then threw pumpkins at the pest while it was vulnerable. Then we see the two leap up as Oogie Boogie, who was riding a cycle that looks like a cross between a beetle and an alligator, comes down which delivers a flame like shockwave. Then Naruto drinks a bottle of red fluid and in a burst of flames transforms into the scarecrow but on fire. He then leaps up and bursts forward like a fireball, striking through the cycle. The cycle shakes as Oogie screams into the air, and then the contraption bursts in crushed bug guts.

So clear
Like the diamond in your ring
Cut to mirror your intentions
Oversized and overwhelmed
The shine of which has caught my eye
And rendered me so isolated, so motivated
I am certain now that

We then see an older Naruto in his orange jumpsuit walking down a familiar path in a nearby wood. We then see him finding the holiday doors, open the Christmas door and get sucked in by a flurry of snowflakes. We then see Naruto and Jack hiding behind a pole in Christmas Town as they see the silhouette of Santa. We then see the two of them at the assembly to show Christmas to Halloween Town. We then see them in their Sandy Claws outfits, waving to the citizens on Christmas Eve. We then see Hinata Hyuuga and Sally both get captured by Oogie in their attempt to save Santa. We then cut to the Kyuubi possessed shadow clone that Naruto made, who was about ready to kill Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kiba Inuzuka with his pet dog Akamaru who just happen to be caught with them.

A door slams open to release light as they turn to see Sai La with hand cover blades, ready to kill. He then leaps in an attack to Kyuubi. We then cut to see Jack and Naruto in their sleigh, but on the targeting system of a cannon. The cannon fires and makes a direct hit while a portal opens up beneath the now destroyed sleigh. We then see Naruto mourning on the same crypt in Konoha, alive but sad. It fades into the view of an uplifted Naruto in his Pumpkin King outfit. He then turns to see Jack with Santa's hat in hand. Naruto then rushes to the crypt doors and makes the blood jack-o-lantern. He throws open the doors and he, Jack, and Jack's ghost dog Zero run in.

So turn
Up the corners of your lips
Part them and feel my finger tips
Trace the moment, fall forever
Defense is paper thin
Just one touch and I'd be in
Too deep now to ever swim against the current
So let me slip away
So let me slip away
So let me slip away
So let me slip against the current
So let me slip away
So let me slip away
So let me slip away
So let me slip away

We then see the crypt passage in Halloween Town slam open as the trio rushed out and toward Oogie's house. We then cut to their fight where they were dodging the traps on Oogie's roulette wheel. They dodged the spinning swords of the cards, Naruto was leaping on the guns of slot machines as they fired, he used the momentum of an approaching buzz saw to land next to Oogie with Jack on the other side trapping him. Oogie then uses a hidden springboard to launch himself onto an eight ball blade spinner which was rising for an escape. Jack and Naruto then were pulling on a loose thread, undoing the sewing of Oogie's body, revealing his being really made up of collected bugs. The bugs fell apart into boiling water below. One final bug was skittering on the ground to escape, until Santa stomped on him, killing him. We then see Santa scolding the pumpkin kings, before magically going up a shaft like a chimney.

We then see Sasuke and Naruto's battle at the Valley of the End. Sauske was turning into the curse seal form with large hand like wings while a Kyuubi chakra enriched Naruto stood at the other end. They were then launching at each other with their greatest attacks. We then see Naruto's rasengan scratching Sasuke's headband plate while Sasuke's chidori pierced Naruto. We then a normal and knocked out Naruto lying on the ground at Sasuke's feet. We then fade to Naruto who was leaving with Jiraiya out of Konoha for the three year training trip. The image then ripples and we zoom out to see Sai La standing over a filled cauldron showing the image. He then walks away and the entire sight fades out along with the song.

Slight hope
It dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption...

We now see a simple traveling road. The winter season was abundant as it decorated the trees better than any ornament could. And wouldn't you know it, Naruto and Jiraiya were walking down the trail with snow boots for the season. The two were surprisingly quiet. Naruto looked up into the cloudy sky. He sighed. It was now December 23, and this was looking to be not only the third Halloween without Jack, but the third Christmas as well.

Oh wait, I just realized we need to do some recap. Okay, here's the deal. Soon after the time Naruto and Jack tried to do Christmas, all the holidays and their worlds had to connect with each other for peace. Also shortly after the incident, using information from Naruto, Tsunade had placed the celebration of Christmas into effect. This proved to be no problem for Santa of course. Finally, since Naruto would be leaving for three years, he can't exactly keep being the liaison for Konoha and Halloween Town. Henceforth, Naruto had to appoint Hinata to take his negotiating place until his return. I think that about covers everything.

The duo soon looked up at the town gates. Jiraiya then dug in his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper and a small bundle of money. "Listen Naruto, I have some business to do so I'll need you to check us into the hotel. I should be there by three, okay?"

"Ah, no problem," Naruto sighed taking the money and paper with the hotel's address. "Pervy sage," he muttered under his breath, thinking that this 'business' was just some more peeking. He walked into town while Jiraiya stood back.

As soon as the blonde was out of sight, Jiraiya turned. "You can come out now."

Sai La landed on the ground out of thin air as the sage smiled. "Hey, how's it going friend? Still need me to call you by that fake name?"

"For now," Sai La answered, his voice showing none of his earlier depression.

"So then Sai La," Jiraiya said as he leaned against a tree, "why do you show up now? It's been about, what? Thirty years?"

"Think so," Sai La answered with a shrug. "My time as a peacemaker has pretty much dulled my sense of it. As for why I'm here, it's time for me to take my apprentice under my wing."

Jiraiya frowned at this. "Naruto I'm guessing." Sai La nodded the positive. "Well then, I won't stop you. When should I expect him back?"

"Oh about…" Sai La drifted as he counted on his fingers. "Three days." Jiraiya's eyebrow quivered in confusion. "Keep in mind comrade," Sai La continued as he leaned against another tree, "time flows differently throughout all of the worlds. It'll be years to him, but his body won't age. The only time he'll really spend is the one for his final trial."

There was a moment of silence until Jiraiya stood back up. "Well then, I don't suppose you have time for a meal to catch up on old times?"

Sai La smiled as he threw back his hood to reveal his head. "I'd like that buddy."

Naruto sighed as he strolled through town. He was passing through the shopping district in hopes of finding Jiraiya. He looked through all possible bathouses, sneakily through the red light district, and not a painted hide nor a white hair was found of the ero educator. He looked all around through the restaurants in hopes of finding the drinking addict.

He then looked up as he heard the voice of his teacher. He turned to see the elder waving goodbye at what seemed like a teen in a monk robe who waved back, his hood up to hide his face. The stranger then walked into a nearby alley as Naruto went straight up to Jiraiya.

"Hey ero-sennin, just who was that?" Naruto asked loudly.

"Ah, just an old friend kid," Jiraiya answered. "Now come on, it's time we went to our hotel room."

He then ushered his student along with a smile, ignoring Naruto's questions. 'Well kid, I hope you're ready,' the hermit thought to himself. 'It's not easy meeting up to peacemaker standards. Sai La, you better treat him right.'

Meanwhile inside Naruto's head, Kyuubi was having trouble restraining his self. He recognized that stranger the second Naruto saw him. 'That was that peacemaker mortal that stopped my dinner plans! What's he doing here? I know there was something about them that I heard about in hell… Wait, they only appear in any world when there's trouble to end, or when there are matters with their apprentices! But then that means… maybe it's time I put that clone to use.'

Soon, Kyuubi coiled in his cage, seeming to rest. But in fact he was sending his subconscious to another body. Way out in Fire Country, there was an isolated cave, and sitting inside was a shadow clone of Naruto with a red aura surrounding it. Suddenly the aura flared up to surround the clone's body until it ended with nine chakra tails. The clone smirked a toothy grin.

Later that night, Naruto sat on the roof of the hotel, looking up into the starry night sky. He sighed. 'Another year gone by…'

Silence kept hold over the night. That was of course until a certain robed figure landed quietly on the roof, not startling Naruto.

"Naruto Uzamaki," he spoke, causing the blonde to leap up into a battle stance. He eased a bit when he recognized him to be Jiraiya's friend. "Discovered the way to Halloween Town upon his fifth birthday." Now his guard was up again. "Made friends with Jack Skellington. On October 31st of that same month, you fought along Jack's side against Oogie Boogie and his army of bugs. Shortly after you began to train under Jack, eventually becoming Jack's appointed successor and the Pumpkin Prince of Halloween. Rarely using your newfound Halloween skills in your ninja career, you became the mediator between your home village of Konoha and Halloween Town. Years later you and Jack discovered Christmas, and decided to take the responsibility from Santa. This caused him to almost die along with Sally and Hinata."

Naruto began to shake in fear, though he didn't let it show. But inside, he was in a panic. Absolutely nobody other than him, Hinata, and currently Tsunade were to know about all of this! Not even Jiraiya got a whiff of this secret life. "How do you know all of that?" he finally asked.

"Simple Naruto, I made it all happen!" the robed one exclaimed. Naruto looked confused at this. "Oh come now boy!" Sai La scoffed. "You really think it was just coincidence that you hid in that crypt just when it became a path to Halloween Town? I set it up so that you would discover the path and take the first step to a whole new life. And now I'm here to formally extend that offer."

Naruto still stood on guard as the full meaning of his words sank in. "So you're saying that you let me run into Jack, and now you want me to follow you?"

"Not in the way that you think Naruto," Sai La reasoned. "I came here to help you. I know why you've been training at all, and I want to help."

Naruto remained firm. "You think just because you gave me one good thing that I would owe you something?"

"Allow me to explain," Sai La said. "My name is Sai La. I am the current top peacemaker of the worlds. My job as the peacemaker is to maintain the safety of the worlds. Whenever a problem comes up that won't resolve by itself, it's the peacemaker's job to end it at the root. But like all living things, we can't last forever. So when the time comes, we must take on an apprentice to become a new peacemaker."

"So you want to train me to take your job. Why me and how? And why are you looking for one now? You sound younger than me!" Naruto wondered.

"You? Because you're a good soul," Sai La answered. "Your sense of justice, equality, love and understanding are rare traits of anyone these days. And only a goodhearted soul can even become worthy of being a peacemaker. As for how? Simple. A trainee is sent into a set of certain worlds where they train under special masters. These training sessions are meant not only to train you physically, but morally too. Once you go through the worlds, then you will return to your own life, only occasionally stopping a few days to be trained on becoming a peacemaker yourself. And you've already started boy. As for why now, I may keep my youth but my time still grows short."

Naruto remained stoic. "How long will it take?"

"Depends on what you'll measure," Sai La shrugged. "When it comes to this world, probably only a day. But when you're in other worlds, they could go on for years. But no time will pass here in your world."

Naruto stared a while longer until he slid out of his fighting stance. "What if I don't want to?"

"Then there's nothing we can do," Sai La answered grimly. "I would have to search for a new successor, and you will miss out on amazing friendships and strength that you wouldn't get from anywhere else."

Naruto remained still, he and the robed peacemaker staring at each other. Sai La then turned around. "Think about it." He then disappeared in a warp of dark energy, leaving the ninja alone on the roof again. He sat at the edge of the roof, resting his chin on his hands as he thought.

An hour later Naruto sighed as he stood on the rooftop. He stood silently as Sai La landed on the roof once more.

"Well Naruto, have you made your decision?" Sai La asked.

"…I'll do it. But on one condition," Naruto answered. "That if this turns out to be a trap that you will let me leave."

"I don't see why you'll have any reason to doubt me boy," Sai La spoke. "After all, one can't easily manipulate you without getting beaten to an inch before death. Nonetheless, yes. You'll have my word as a peacemaker."

Sai La then reached out his hand as Naruto reached out and shook it. "So," Naruto began, "just where and when will we start?"

"Sleep tonight," Sai La answered as he opened up a portal of dark energy. "Tomorrow morning I shall introduce you to your first two teachers."

Sai La then stepped aside, allowing Naruto to enter the portal. The peacemaker soon followed. Looking back on his life from far into the future, he was glad that he agreed.