Chapter One: Aquantances Renewed
Sasuke was squirming on the ground. Kira was looking down at him impassively.
"Did it hurt?"
Sasuke glared at her. "No."
"Then why are you writhing?"
Sasuke got up. He lunged for her, probably with the intent to harm. He was too slow. She flipped over him to face away from him.
"You're mean to me."
Sasuke looked at her, in a way suggesting amazement.
"And you're crazy."
She giggled and ran off.
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Konoha Training grounds
Naruto stood next to Jonaza, both of them facing a wooden pole. Jonaza held two kunai in his hands.
"Throw."
Jonaza threw the two kunai. One went to the far right, the other struck the pole but at such an angle it clanged off.
Naruto sighed. Three hours of practicing, and yet no progress. Jonaza growled in anger, and raised his arms. Hundreds of kunai appeared before him, and flew at the pole. Around half of them struck it. Jonaza smiled, though he showed signs of fatigue.
"A bit of progress."
Naruto shook his head. "I rue the day that you had to go fight them."
Jonaza looked at him. He may have been a detailed statue.
"As do I. But, I guess there was a reason to it."
Naruto rolled his eyes. This was one part of Jonaza that he hated; his belief in any god but the Shinigami. Jonaza caught sight of this (Naruto was on his right side) and laughed.
"Come on, forgive me for strangeness."
Naruto couldn't help grinning. "Alright, you've proved you're horrible at ranged weapons; let's try close-quarters." Naruto picked up to sticks in the likeness of their swords. He tossed one to Jonaza, who held it warily.
"It's too light…"
Naruto nodded. "I know. But you just got out of the hospital, so we can't risk sending you back."
Jonaza sighed. "Oh well. Let's start!" He vanished.
Naruto was instantly wary. The one who was hiding always had the advantage. The searcher was always the one who didn't look warily around a corner… and then… BANG!
A small noise behind alerted him. He turned… to see Jonaza coming full-tilt at him. The wood met with a loud noise. How would you describe that? Chang? Clam? Clash? What noise?... Sorry, random moment. Naruto leapt away, only to turn around and rocket back at Jonaza, who swung his sword up to hit Naruto on the jaw with a jarring crash. Naruto flew backwards before gracefully crashing into a tree ( sarcasm). Naruto stood up and grinned ruefully.
"I guess you're just as powerful with close range. "
Jonaza nodded. "One blessing from my god. Yours would just as soon added me to his army."
Naruto nodded grudgingly. "Alright, now for ninjutsu. Let's see the new technique you were working on before we left."
Jonaza grinned. "This one is a beauty, even though I say so myself. Where are those poles…?"
Naruto sighed and led him over to them. Understandable, considering they were on Jonaza's left side.
"Ah. There they are. How'd they get over there?"
"Can you just use the technique?"
"Right." Jonaza raised his arms. He made five signs, simple ones, and called out.
"Ice style: Frozen Death!"
The tree stump was suddenly surrounded by a 3-inch thick wall of ice. Jonaza sighed.
"Must have aimed wrong."
Naruto wondered why he said that, until he saw a tree behind the stump covered in about 9 inches of ice.
"Any others?"
"I have one that's still a work in progress… but I guess I can show you. But you have to show ME the one you insisted on using at our next spar."
"Alright, alright, just show me!"
Jonaza grinned. He held up his hands in a fast series of seals. He leapt into the air… and came down as a weird …thing.
He was dressed in a white and gray armor, with a large oversized katana. But it was perfect for this. It was ten feet tall, dark black in color, with a face that seemed like… well, a monster. It was an elongated face, with a small horn on the snout and several coming out the back of its head. The armor also had spikes coming out of many places, namely the wrists and shins. However, the most notable feature was the wings. Black wings, with a dark membrane, erupted out of the back, with a wingspan of at least fifteen feet. All in all, Jonaza looked like some kind of half-dragon.
"Like it?" The voice that came from the creature's maw was like Jonaza's, but much deeper and more gravelly.
"I intended it to turn me into a full dragon, but as I said, it is a work in progress. However, like this I possess many qualities of the dragon. I can fly, I have a small fire-breathing ability, heightened senses, and, if I were to stay this way for the rest of my life, a much elongated lifespan, up to 500 years. Watch!"
Jonaza suddenly disappeared, and the pole with the ice was split in two by his blade. He leapt into the air, and the force of the winds from his wings knocked another log over. He inhaled deeply, the let out a burst of fire that incinerated that second to last stump. He swiveled in mid-air, and brought up his hand. The hand had three fingers and long, wicked looking claws. A large sphere, about the size of an average globe, appeared in his hands. Blue in color, with black electrical currents around it, Jonaza threw it at the last log, with was vaporized. He landedand transformed back. Naruto was wide-mouthed. "Wha…."
Jonaza laughed. "Yep. That's one of my shock and awe techniques. Though it probably doesn't need the shock and awe. However, it takes an enormous amount of chakra; nearly half of my ready stores, which you know is a lot. Now, show me that technique you were bragging about."
Naruto nodded. "Alright, but we need to go to a new training ground. This one is out of poles."
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At the new training ground, Naruto was standing in front of the three poles.
"Alright, this attack is meant as a close quarters one. It would go nicely with Haku's ice mirrors." He made several quick seals.
"Ice Style: Thousand spears!"
Several bluish spears, seemingly made of ice, surrounded the poles. They arranged themselves into a dome around one of the poles, then flew in towards it. Several sickening 'thuds' later, the pole resembled a pincushion. Jonaza whistled.
"Nice."
Naruto grinned. "And that isn't my only one. Watch!"
He leapt in to the air, making seals and called out:
"XII blades!"
When he landed, thirteen swords glowing red and blue surrounded him. Naruto brought out his own sword and swung it. The other swords followed suit. He was also floating around 3 feet of the ground.
"And this one…"
The thirteen blades dissipated, and Naruto made three seals.
"Man's Weakness technique!"
"Hold it!!!"
A person, around 5"7' tall, chubby-ish, and pale walked on, dressed in gray shorts and a shirt saying something about being out of his mind.
"This is a story for people of all ages! If you use that technique, I'll have to make it 18+! So stop!"
He walked of in a huff.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head.
"That was weird… I guess I can't do that without angering the one who created me in this fanfiction."
A weird, disembodied voice came on and agreed.
"Yes!"
"Well, then what do we do?"
"Something else! Go to that party Tsunade had sent out about like a week ago, which just happens to have been moved forward to tonight instead of next week! MWUHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA hack! Sorry, little something in my throat."
Naruto grabbed Jonaza's hand and poofed off.
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10 minutes later, 6 swordsmen hotel room
"Why do I have to wear the suit? I'd be more comfortable in my normal clothes."
"But, this is mandatory for all shinobi in Konoha, even ambassadors, to attend, and you're normal clothes are too casual."
Jonaza sighed. He was dressed up in an Armani suit. (Jonaza in an Armani suit… hard to picture.)
"Oh, it's also required that we either sing or tell a story, though there IS a 10k ryou bonus if you do both."
Jonaza's ears perked up.
"What're we waiting for? Come on!"
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17 minutes later, Konoha dance hall or whatever it is
"You're three minutes away from being late."
Tsunade was at the door, waiting for Naruto. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Jonaza, who was oddly unaffected. She narrowed her eyes more, and continued glaring, until she realized he couldn't see her.
"Well, do you have your song or story ready?"
Naruto nodded.
"Just a song, though I think Jonaza is going to do both for the 10,000 ryou. Un-financed groups always need money."
"Well then, there's someone in there to meet you. I want to talk with Mesike."
The Slug Sannin shoved Naruto inside, then closed the door before Jonaza could follow. She looked at him, then moved to his opposite side so he could see her.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I am a member of the Six Swordsmen of the Mist. I am required to be here as an ambassador."
"Are you going to slaughter us? Or take our techniques?"
Jonaza chuckled lightly. "Please. I have enough techniques to supply me for a while. As long as Takigakure doesn't get too used to the ones I have now, I should be well off for a while. As for slaughtering you, why would I slaughter allies who get me closer to my goal?"
Tsunade just glared at him for a minute. Then she opened her mouth to speak, and Jonaza walked past her an opened the door.
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While Jonaza was having his talk with Tsunade
The 'someone' who happened to be waiting for was… Sakura. She waved to him. She was dressed in a midnight blue kimono, like her normal one, though there was no circle, only a pattern of stars. She said to him as he approached…
"You look… different."
Cue sweatdrop.
"Two years, and all you can say is 'You look different?"
She nodded, blushing and rubbing the back of her head. Naruto shook his head and sighed. Just then Jonaza burst in.
"She's annoying. Gotta hide. See ya."
He shot off towards somewhere. Tsunade burst in as well, looking angry. She looked around for him, and then, not seeing him, turned to Naruto and said, "Why don't you start the singing?"
Naruto didn't have the chance to utter a reply as Tsunade pushed him off towards the stage, Sakura helping. When Naruto got there and all eyes where turned on him, he said:
"Well, the song I have to sing is one that was inspired by my teammates, and was written by a man I greatly respect."
He stepped away from the pedestal and started to sing:
We are united now within these ancient wheelsWe are united in the spirit of the music at our heels
On reflection we rebuild and we restore
We are as Mother Nature's children as we dance
Around the floor
All together, all as oneAll together
Relentlessly we're dancing on
We are invisible upon these dancing feetWe're shape and shadows revolving to the one
eternal beat
With hearts connected we will turn the other round
We are as mother nature's children as we dance upon the ground
All together, all as oneAll together
Relentlessly we're dancing on
We'll stay forever here within these timeless wallsWe'll stay forever here no matter how the turning
Silver falls
Exhilarated we have seen this place before
We are as Mother Nature's children as we dance around the floor!
When he finished, several people just stared, until one person started to clap, then another, then another, until the entire crowd was clapping.
Several more people then went, until it was Kira's turn at the bat. She stood and took the microphone, brushing her gold hair out of her eyes.
'Um… I'm not normally this serious, but I want to dedicate this song to anyone who's lost someone who they loved."
She took a deep breath and the back ground notes began
"Here I stand, helpless and left for dead. I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies. I won't stay long, in this world so wrong. Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight. Trembling, crawling across my skin. I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies. I won't last long, in this world so wrong. Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight. Hold on, hold on. Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight. Hold on, hold on."
Close your eyes, so many days go by.
Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right.
Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight.
Feeling your cold dead eyes, stealing the life of mine.
Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight.
Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight.
The crowd was stunned speechless. They were expecting a joke, maybe some kind of parody, but not this. The room erupted into cheering and Kira blushed and raised her fist into the air.
"I'll see you on Broadway!"
Many more people went, until It was finally Jonaza's turn.
He stepped up to the pedestal and said to the crowd:
"This song was written by a respected man, at least by me, and I feel it describes my life perfectly."
He started to sing:
"Your form which returns gently to heaven
What else can I do, besides avenge you?
I watched it for the longest time, until my tears dried up.
And the sorrow overflowing from the scar which can't be erased,
I swore that I would never forget it.
I'll flap my broken wings and erase it all some day, you'll see,
Until the last bell ringing the dirge completes.
You told me to live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Fail not and be what we were now
Face as if we want to have forever
Bright red tears traced by a trembling finger,
I had nothing to lose, nothing to lose
It crashes through the dark memories.
The last smile wavered, and disappears,
And the warmth is all that's left.
Your kind and gentle words can't heal me now,
This body's only dedicated to the never ending fight.
Because everyone returns to heaven, some day,
You'll never need to say goodbye.
Break out!
I'll flap my broken wings and erase it all some day, you'll see,
Until the last bell ringing the dirge completes.
Your kind and gentle words can't heal me now,
This body's only dedicated to the never ending fight.
Redemption...redemption... "(1)
No one clapped. Jonaza stepped of the stage and went quietly back over to the bar, where he enjoyed a drinking contest with Zabuza. They were both tipsy, so maybe that's why Jonaza sung that song. Everyone watched him go, following him with his eyes. One girl in particular, with hair like a panda, started to clap, and then Naruto started to clap, and then everyone did, at least until Jonaza threw a wine bottle out in the crowd. (He was extremely drunk at that point, and very…. strange, so his story might be as well.)
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Five minutes later
Sakura had dragged Naruto onto the dance floor, and was dancing with him to a cool, soothing music until someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see the bar manager.
"If your friends cannot keep their tempers, they will be expelled from the premises."
Naruto looked over at the bar. A extremely drunk Jonaza and Zabuza were shouting at each other. Zabuza said, just at that moment something rather crude.
"If I do not piss now, I shall… I shall… I shall piss now!"
Jonaza clapped wildly before collapsing. Naruto shook his head.
"Throw a bucket of water on them."
The manager bowed and proceeded to do so, very much sobering them both. Jonaza cleaned himself off with a technique and threw the wine bottle against the wall. He then proceeded to the area where the ones who were telling stories were. No one noticed a certain bun haired girl also slip away towards that area.
Naruto and Sakura continued dancing, until Naruto noticed the food stall. He somehow got a doppelganger to dance with Sakura, while he checked it out. They had ramen, much to his eternal enjoyment.
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Jonaza was waiting his turn to tell his story. He was enduring some freak with large eyebrows yelling about youthfulness. When it was his turn to tell his story, he began to speak.
"This story is about a man… and what he did." He cleared his throat, and began to speak…
"Several thousand years ago, there lived a normal man, named Sonin Makia. He was around 28 years old, around 6"0', with dark turquoise hair, red eyes, and a birthmark on his hand in the shape of a heart. His favorite garb was a black suit, equipped with all sorts of hidden pockets for storing weaponry and such like. His favorite weapons were two long blades, much like a long kitchen knife used to cut meat into pieces, though they did not have saw-like extensions. He was married to a woman named Hira, and she was the highlight of his life. He basically lived to see her in the doorway when he came home. One day, as he was out on a mission, for he was a mercenary or assassin, depending on the job, a man raped and murdered her. When Sonin got home, he found that the man was his own brother. They fought, and the battle razed more than one village to the ground. However, Makia was defeated, and he swore revenge on his brother. From that day, he trained and battled the toughest creatures he could find, without fear of death. He did not care, for if he died he would be with his beloved. Eventually, he adapted the powers of the mage to be more usable for the un-magically inclined, and he called it ninjutsu, adapted two of the words for 'combat' and 'magic'. That has been adapted over the long years into 'ninjutsu', and those are the arts known today. He was one of the first to realize elementals, large creatures that roamed the earth at the time, were weak to the opposite element. And so he went to a smith, and demanded that the smith create him eight weapons of unequaled power, one for each element. The smith labored for seven long years to find the materials necessary, and another seven to create the blades. It was during these fourteen years that Sonin Makia, by then not caring about living, and living only of the thirst for revenge, went deep into a cursed forest to meet a great evil. This evil, under the name of Gre-snazqt, or in his cursed language 'winged king', the father of the two races of vampire and werewolf, demanded to be made the mixture that a select few were. Gre agreed, and upon being made a werepyre, as we shall call them, he slew Gre-snazqt and took his position as High King of the Forest, also winning the title of Evil Race Champion. He then commanded all three of his armies, save around three thousand of each race, to search the land for this man, Makia's brother. He also called the smith to him once more, and commanded that the smith forge him an axe fitting for his new shape. The smith labored another seven long years to make this axe, and upon its completion Makia also slew the smith. He combined the eight blades of the eight elements, fire, water, energy, ice, earth, wind, light, and darkness, with the greataxe and forged the Reaper of Souls, an evil weapon inside of which the smith had imprisoned the King of Daemons, a great 121 tailed wolf, inside. With this weapon, he wreaked devastation until he found and killed his brother. However, his evil was so great that next he turned his armies on the people of the world. The Ring of Ancients, the last and most powerful of the mages, using an ancient and powerful spell, managed to stop him just before he unleashed the daemon inside his sword. However, their spell merged him with the blade and freed the monster anyways. Using the last of their strength, they split him into a host of lesser demons, the greatest being the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Rumour has it that the Reaper of Souls, with Sonin Makia sealed inside of it, is still out there somewhere, waiting for someone evil, unfortunate, or stupid enough to free him. However, this evil man was the father, not only of the demons, but also ninjutsu as well. We owe him the greatest evils that this land had been plagued by: us ninja, and the Demons."
He stood up and walked away. This story had entranced most of the people to listen and watch, for Jonaza had used a genjutsu on everyone in the story corner to show the tale. Most of them were in a shock after hearing this, and the happy atmosphere that had pervaded the space was gone.
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Well, now. If I say so myself, HUGE CLUE! Syrnon might not know what he is dealing with here… Mehehehehehe… remember this come the third book. Also, expect a timeskip between this and the next chapter.
