Chapter One – Gunslingers and Prize fighters

A/N: Okaaay so this is my first fic for a long time! I wonder how many people will still be around from the last one...? I'm going for something a little more complicated than usual, so just for now I'm going to hold off on an update schedule since I don't know how long it will take me to get each chapter going. Here's hoping I can deliver XD The fic combines my love of Naruto with my love of Western movies, which makes it all very much AU. The characters in this world are here as actors, and they're taking part in the production of a new TV series based around the story of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Aside from asking you to please let me know what you think, and to let me know if it's all a bit too complicated, I think I'll stop rambling now and let the story tell itself!


Naruto stepped out onto the set, shading his eyes against the blazing sun. It was hot out, and the pressure of the first day of shooting was high. He had not even met his co-stars properly yet, beyond a short briefing session on the day they received their scripts for the pilot episode, and he was not sure whether or not he was going to get along well with them. He was confident in his own ability, of course – he had not been cast as the male lead because he was a bad actor, after all – and he loved the script, but it all came down to whether the other actors could cut it.

The scene they were shooting first today was a relatively simple one. It was to be the opening shot of the series, right after the credits and a couple of arty long shots of people on horses, and it was to serve as the introduction to his character, Wyatt Earp. The setting was 1879, which explained the odd Western suit he had to wear, and the faded wooden boards of the buildings that made up their flimsy set. It looked none too stable, though the director had assured him it was perfectly safe, and besides any indoor shots they had to make would be done in a nearby studio.

Looking past the set lights and all of the camera equipment he saw the director himself, lounging in a comfortable chair right at the edge of the set, surrounded by assistants waving bits of paper at him and talking into headsets. In the midst of it all he looked relaxed, and from what Naruto had heard he had no reason to be nervous. The guy was a bit of a legend in the adult movie market, apparently, as well as being not unknown in the cult movie scene, and was just now making his first step into daytime television with this new series. It was already expected to be a huge success – just the push Naruto's career needed if he was ever to realise his dream of winning the Oscar for best leading actor.

'Ah, Wyatt!' the grey-haired old man called out, waving him over, and although it was not his name Naruto went over to him as requested, a little grudgingly.

'Hi, Jiraiya,' he said, casually, not wanting to seem like a young actor awed by a great director. He wanted to appear like he was used to this sort of thing, although truthfully he was quite excited to be working with such a man.

'It's... Naruto, isn't it?' Jiraiya asked, propping his chin on one hand. 'Uzumaki Naruto.'

'Yes, that's right,' Naruto replied, feeling pleased in spite of himself that the director had been able to recall his full name so easily.

'Well, you're our lead, so in this scene I want to see a very strong character,' Jiraiya told him. 'I know from your audition and the meetings we've had since that you're quite a happy-go-lucky, cheerful guy, but this Wyatt character is very intense, alright? He's moody and he has something on his mind, so try to express that through your face and the way you say the lines. He's sort of a bad character, but he also has a good side in that he likes to uphold justice. Remember that this is just a pilot episode, so we want to get it right as quickly as possible to stay within our budget.'

'Right,' Naruto agreed. 'You can count on me.'

'So this is the scene where Wyatt arrives in town with his two brothers, Virgil and Morgan, for the first time. The other two guys are already here, so I want to do a briefing,' Jiraiya took a breath and looked to the side, calling out in a louder voice: 'Morgan, Virgil! Over to the directors' chair, please!'

Two men walked over from a nearby water cooler, dressed in a similar costume to the one Naruto had been dressed in. One was taller, dark-haired and eyed, and walked with a lazy kind of attitude, while the other was a redhead of about Naruto's own height. It went beyond him why three people with completely different hair colours would be cast as brothers, but then an audience would probably believe whatever Jiraiya told them.

'Nara Shikamaru,' the lazy-looking one said, by way of introduction, sticking his hand out to shake. 'I think we met at the script meeting. Anyway, I'm Morgan.'

Naruto shook his hand, then turned to the other man. 'That makes you Virgil, then. I'm Uzumaki Naruto if you need reminding.'

'Gaara,' the redhead replied, either ignoring or refusing the hand that Naruto held out and turning his attention back to Jiraiya.

Feeling a little put out, Naruto wrinkled his nose. 'How much eyeliner are you wearing?' he asked, a little spiteful on purpose.

'None,' Gaara answered without looking at him, really only serving to increase Naruto's instant dislike of him – especially since he did not believe that at all. 'Mr Jiraiya, you wanted to brief us on the scene?'

'Right, right,' Jiraiya said, with a touch of amusement at their exchange of words. 'Now you boys must remember that this is a very important scene. None of you have held down big roles before, so remember that this could be the beginning of your career.'

'I've had roles,' Naruto muttered, a little defensively.

'Nothing like this, you haven't,' Jiraiya assured him. 'This is where you boys are going to learn your craft and make your names, so you'd do well to listen to my advice. I've been around for a while and I've learnt some techniques in my time that will take you a long way – to Hollywood if you're prepared to put in the hours to get there. Enough of that, back to this scene: You three have just moved out of your old lives to start up working on your own silver mines, so you're part of a close family unit and you're working together. Let's see some real brotherly rapport on the set, alright? Focus on your lines. I don't want to spend all day on this one scene, and I have your stand-ins ready if you can't cut it, understand? Now take your places so we can get started.'

The three of them nodded, each feeling a little uneasy at his parting words, but with no intention of showing it. They all climbed up onto the seat of a wagon to one side of the set. It was actually stationary, and there was not even a horse harnessed to it, but the cameramen would make it look like they were moving anyway. It was their entrance into a new town, and behind them a clear sky boasted only a few clouds, the perfect weather for their first day on set. Naruto pushed a cowboy hat firmly onto his head, and pulled his face into a suspicious glare to take him into the character of Wyatt Earp.

'Action,' Jiraiya proclaimed from his chair, as the cameramen began their work.

'Tombstone, Arizona,' Naruto drawled his first line, putting on an accent and even lowering the tone of his voice to make it sound right. 'We're gonna make us some money here, boys, you can be sure of that.'

'We should get down to meet with the guy who's selling us the mining claim right away,' Shikamaru, in the guise of Morgan, drawled in return. 'Make sure he didn't sell to no one else while we was getting here.'

'He wouldn't sell it to no one else, Morgan,' Naruto replied, with a self-confident smirk. 'I'm Wyatt Earp. Now just why would someone wanna cheat the man who caught Spike Kenedy? The same man who shot George Hoy on a moving horse? Hell, I'm a lawman. Ain't nobody in their right mind would cheat me.'


Hahaa~ Here we have it, chapter one. I'd say it'll be a week before the next one, so keep your eyes peeled... and don't forget the review!