Here comes the second chapter! ^_^
As always, I don't own anything!
Maelstrom and the Thousand Year Door
Chapter Two: A Roguish Welcome
Cerulean eyes blearily opened and a groan followed them from the lips of Naruto Uzumaki. He struggled to raise himself up to a sitting position, feeling incredibly disoriented from his accidental trip.
"Dammit," he grumbled, finally sitting up and rubbing the back of his neck. "How the hell'd the seal screw up? I had all of the correct symbols and placements…" He sighed before finally taking a look at his surroundings.
It was obvious that he was underground since he saw a cavernous ceiling above him and great stone pillars reaching from it to the floor. The stone itself was an ashy gray color, and there were broken pieces of rubble scattered around the area. Another thing he saw were steps leading up to a, possibly, eastern side exit while the other side's exit was on higher ground.
He himself was sitting on a circular pedestal with a large star symbol on it. Underneath the pedestal was a larger platform that was still circular in shape. He then looked behind him and saw a massive pair of maroon double doors that was probably half the height of the caged doors that once held Kurama. On the door itself were more star symbols; seven to be specific. Three on each door and one near the top that was perfectly split between the two.
"Weird," he muttered before finally finding the strength to stand up. He stumbled a bit, still feeling dizzy, but managed to stay up. He approached the door and took a closer look, eyes narrowed analytically. "No way is this just some fancy door…" He placed his palm on it, closing his eyes and trying to sense what was inside by pulsing his chakra. His brows furrowed when he felt nothing respond to his pulse.
Stepping back, he looked at the seven star symbols again, and his eyes narrowed further. Something about them felt strangely familiar to him, and he slowly reached into his back pocket for his notebook.
Opening it and flipping through a few pages, he was surprised when his story had seven star based spirits in it. "Seven spirits…" He looked back at the door. "Seven stars…" He then gained a look of utter confusion. "Am I in my book…?" Immediately, the idea was shot down with a shake of his head. "No, there weren't any massive doors like this in my book. But this is similar…almost in a spooky way."
Having seen enough, he turned to the eastern(?) side exit and stepped out. He walked to the edge of the platform he was on and was shocked to see a giant yellow block flushed with the edge. Raising a brow, he crouched and tapped it with a knuckle before hesitantly standing on top of it. When nothing happened, he relaxed and looked down, spotting some strange creatures that looked like green springs with buck teeth and eyes.
"I don't have time for this. I need to get to the surface," he muttered before spotting a large green pipe next to the block he stood on. Curious, he jumped off of it and looked at the opening. "What the hell is- WHOA SHIT!" he screamed as he was suddenly sucked into the pipe, feeling his body twist and stretch before being unceremoniously ejected from the obvious other end. "Urgh…" he groaned as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "That wasn't fun…"
Looking around, he found two smaller, yet still yellow, blocks blocking him in the small cave-in he arrived at. He gave the blocks looks of annoyance before he broke them with well-placed punches. Clapping his hands clean of the dust, he noted some steps to the east(?) and a water flow in front of him that was barricaded by the ground he was on and the southernmost(?) wall. There was also an exit directly to the west(?).
Ignoring the exit, he made for the steps, making sure to avoid the strange brown creatures that had two feet but no arms. 'They kind of look like weird mushrooms,' he mused as he approached another green pipe. 'Aw man…' he groused before sighing and letting it take him to its other end.
When he was ejected, he saw his was in a much more spacious area with a few other green pipe entrances, some weird flat platform that was somehow floating forward and backward in a timely manner, and one last green pipe that led straight up into pitch black.
"That must lead to the surface," he deduced. "Thank the kami. Now I can get out of this place."
Taking the pipe, he anxiously wondered what would await him on its other end.
Deep beneath the earth, through the strange maroon door and its many challenges, there was a tomb coffin that was surrounded by unlit candles. Inside of the coffin, something stirred as it felt a strange energy pulse all the way to its hidden chamber.
'What's this?' asked the coffin's inhabitant curiously as it tried to sort out the foreign energy. 'This power… It feels almost…alive. And it's strong…' One could easily imagine the creature smirking in delight. 'Very strong… I must have more… MORE!'
It struggled to free itself from its confines, much like it had done for a thousand years, but it was unsuccessful. This made the creature furious, for it had already grown fond of the strange energy; addicted to its power and essence.
'Wherever you are, whoever you are, I will find you and bathe myself in your power,' swore the creature, and once again one could easily imagine its delighted look. 'Perhaps I could sway them to my side. I could always use a…companion.'
The chamber echoed with its laughter, and if one was in there with the coffin, they would be able to hear a distinctly feminine tone. (1)
Once he reached the surface, Naruto took in the fresh(er) air of the town he found himself in, smelling the sea as he took in each breath. However, the town looked to be in a less welcome state, as he discovered by the pungency of the air he breathed. Sometimes, he really cursed his shinobi enhanced senses.
He looked up to the sun, seeing it slowly moving to the west and telling him that his guessed directions underground were correct (2). With a pleased smile, he made his way to what he assumed was the center of the town, taking note of those strange mushroom-like creatures along with anthropomorphic canine-like ones, mouse ones, and even humanoid ones that had mushroom-like heads.
He ignored their stares – having grown used to ignoring such things as he grew up – and focused on the gallows that was in the center of town. "Cheery," he commented sarcastically, taking note of how lawless this town was when he saw a green cloaked person zip by at high speed and pickpocket a random citizen. "What is this, a thief's haven?"
He took another breath of air and followed the scent of the sea, hoping there was a working port that could have a ship. Wherever he was, he didn't really feel like staying in this place for too long.
As he made his way there, he spotted someone selling, in their own words, curios from around the world. He eyed the merchandise, seeing nice lamps, fruits, plants, and even a weathered and rolled up parchment. He paused in his steps, eyeing the parchment curiously and wondering if it was a map. If it was, it'd be immensely helpful and show him where he was.
The problem was that he had no currency for whatever this place was since he saw the exchange was in gold coins. The only money he had was ryo, and he doubted it would mean anything here. So, feeling a mix of guilt and desperation, he approached the seller's "shop" and easily took the parchment without anyone noticing. Or so he thought.
Unknown to him, the cloaked seller had a smirk on their face as they watched the Uzumaki leave. The young man gave off a strange essence, one that their master would certainly find worthwhile.
Back with Naruto, he sat on the empty docks of the port, not surprised in the slightest that there were no ships, and looked at the map in his hands. He had been correct in his assumption and saw that the town he was in was known as Rogueport. He also saw six distinct locations – one of them being a flying city of all things – and couldn't help but feel as if they were linked to the seven star symbols on that large door.
He was interrupted by a commotion a bit closer to town and he turned around to see another one of those mushroom-like creatures, this one distinctly female, backing away from a large man in black with a white "X" on his torso, a pair of purple pants and a purple horned helmet, slightly curl-tipped black shoes, a red cape that also covered the lower half of his face, and yellow rimmed goggles.
Next to him were no doubt two of his lackeys in similar attire, except their color scheme was mainly red and white with black "X" marks on their torsos. They were also noticeably smaller than the one approaching the girl.
"Hey, what do you want?!" she yelled to the man, giving Naruto the feeling she was a definite tomboy. "Get away from me, freak!"
'Yep, definitely a tomboy,' he concluded with a small chuckle.
The man took a menacing step closer to her with a growl. "Oh, come off it, you airhead!" he fired back, insulting her. "I know this is hard for you, but don't play dumb with me!"
'Okay now, that was uncalled for,' mused Naruto.
"I've seen you walking around town, asking for information about the Crystal Stars!" continued the man. "Well, now I'm the one doing the asking! So, be a good girl and tell us what you know right now!"
The girl had a fire in her eyes as she glared at him. "Never! I don't have anything to say to you freaks! Buzz off!"
The man chuckled at that while Naruto moved to stand in front of the small crowd that kept their distance. "I suppose it wouldn't be right if a sassy little lass like you met an untimely demise…" He chuckled again, but in a crueler tone. "Boys, we're taking this little firebrand back to the fortress!"
One of the lackeys saluted and said, "As you command, Lord Crump! We're on it!"
The three of them then moved closer, making the girl step back as some of the fire died in her eyes. Naruto saw fear taking its place and he scowled at no one making any moves to try and save her. With a growl, he chose to act.
Just as Lord Crump was about to grab the Goomba girl, he was suddenly hit by a dropkick from a teenager that came out of nowhere. With a cry of pain, he was pushed back and rolled a ways before crashing into a crate while his lackeys made to help him get back up.
The girl gaped at the kick and then looked up to see her savior. He was a humanoid dressed in orange pants with black sandals, a sleeveless black shirt with a red spiral mark on the back. His hair was spiky and crimson, reminding her of ecliptic solar rays since it shot in all directions. Around his waist and acting like a belt was a black cloth with a metal plate acting like a belt buckle. When he turned to face her, she saw that he had strange whisker markings on his cheeks and piercing blue eyes that made her unconsciously blush. However, the strangest thing about him were the two small horns sprouting from his forehead and the furry ears that poked out of his untamed hair.
"You okay?" he asked her, breaking her from her awed stare.
Nodding, she replied, "Y-Yea… I'm okay. Thanks."
He offered her a smile before turning back to Crump, and she saw that his left hand had a rolled up and worn out parchment in it. She eyed it curiously, as well as the black circular mark on his right palm, before turning back to see Crump getting up, but needing to lean on his lackeys to stay up. 'Wow… That kick must've really rattled that creep.'
Crump glared at Naruto and growled out, "This doesn't concern you, brat! Now get out of the way so we can take this smartass girl with us!"
Thanks to Naruto's intervention, the Goomba girl regained the fire in her eyes. "Like I'd go anywhere with smelly lunatics like you! Not happening!"
The man looked furious, even with his face covered, and would've gave an order if Naruto didn't crouch down and place a hand on the girl before both of them left in a strange flicker of speed. "W-What the-?!" he shouted out in shock before he snarled. "Take me back to base, now!"
"Yes sir!" replied the lackeys as they carried their boss away.
In a second flicker, Naruto and the Goomba girl appeared on the wooden platform of the town's gallows. Her eyes swirled due to the disorientation, but she shook it off after a moment. "How did we…?" she began, looking at their new surroundings.
"You should be safe now," Naruto said. "Who was that guy, anyway?"
"I don't know. I was asking around about some old legend and then got cornered by that creep. But that's not important!" She gave him a fierce look, one that reminded him of Shikamaru trying to decipher something, and asked, "How in the heck did we suddenly arrive here from the docks, what's that paper you have, and who are you?"
He blinked at the triple threat question before he gave his reply. "In that order, I used a speed based technique to get us here, this paper in my hand is a map of the area," her eyes widened at that, "and my name is Naruto Uzumaki. And your name is…?"
She got over her shock and looked embarrassed at coming off as rude to the guy who just saved her. "Sorry about that. I've had a pretty hectic day. The name's Goombella, and thanks for saving me from the Crump guy."
Naruto got a better look at the girl. She had a pink skin tone with reddish cheeks, blonde hair tied in a ponytail beneath an archeologist helmet, complete with a light on it, and wore a brown shirt with a red scarf that was tied in the front. For a strange, to him, creature she was pretty cute.
"Don't mention it. I was actually doing what those other people should've done. No one should be harassed like that, y'know." She nodded gratefully. "Hey, would that legend you were asking around about have anything to do with some strange door that had seven star symbols on it?"
Her eyes widened and she got in his face. "You saw the Thousand Year Door?!"
Feeling awkward about his personal space being invaded, he gently pushed her back a couple of steps. "Too close; but yes, I think that's what I saw. Actually, I woke up in front of it."
"Wait, woke up? What do you mean by that?"
Now, here was a difficult situation for Naruto. As a shinobi, he was disciplined in secrecy and warned about just giving away information to just anybody. It was when he was told that he held Kurama by the late Third Hokage that he was also given this lesson.
However, he was far from home if that vortex of light and color had anything to say about it; let alone the strange inhabitants of wherever he wound up. For all he knew, there weren't any shinobi or ninja to worry about in terms of shared information. But, there were still some unsavory characters if that Lord Crump and his lackeys had anything to support that logic.
But this girl, she didn't give off any kind of sinister vibe. If anything, she came off as excitable and naturally explorative about the world beyond the town she lived in. Plus, she knew about the door he had arrived in front of; so that had to count for something.
"Is there someplace private we can talk?" he asked after a moment of thought, making her tilt her head in query while her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Look, I'm not planning to hurt you or anything like that. It's just that what I'm going to tell you will be hard to believe, and I don't really feel like having everyone else within earshot, y'know."
She took a quick look around and saw that some people ignored them while others were trying to be sneaky about eavesdropping. Turning back to him, she nodded. "I know a place, but it's my Professor's house. Are you okay with that?"
Sighing, since he was hoping for somewhere more discreet, he agreed. "Alright, but I want to see if I can trust him first. No offense to you, but I'm still a bit unsure about fully trusting you."
Using one of her feet, she waved him off. "Hey, I get it. This place isn't exactly one where you share secrets like everyday gossip. And while I really appreciate you saving me, I've never seen you here in town before. I mean, with your ears alone, I would've recognized you."
"My ears?" he asked in confusion before he felt his left one twitch. Reaching up, he didn't feel the fleshy texture of his natural ears. Instead, he had to actually reach a bit higher and felt fur, so he grabbed his left ear and pulled it down to see the tip of it looking very familiar. 'Kurama,' he noted in surprise before smiling fondly. 'Couldn't let me forget about you, could ya?'
"If you're done fondling your ear," began Goombella, making him blush in embarrassment at her wording, "you should also know that you have a pair of horns too." She saw him immediately let go of the ear, which flicked back upward as he felt said horns. "Oh, come on! It's like you don't know your own body! What, do you not know about the mark on your hand, too?"
"Mark?" he asked in confusion before looking at his palms, taking note of the circle mark on his right palm. "What the hell…?"
"Man, you really didn't know about any of that, did you? Did you hit your head or something?" asked the Goomba incredulously.
"Probably…" He looked back at her and asked, "So, where's your Professor's home at?"
Smirking, she took the lead and guided him to the eastern side of town. She took note of Naruto looking at the warp pipe that led to the Rogueport sewers and mentally filed that for later. She stopped at the house next door to the famous Merlin's, opening the door to show a book filled home that had papers and reports scattered over the single desk and the floor. At said desk was another Goomba with a tan complexion, white hair, swirled glasses, and a white shirt.
"Professor Frankly," greeted Goombella as she and Naruto walked into the elderly Goomba's home. "I think I finally found something concerning the Crystal Stars!"
The Professor looked up from his notes and smiled at his protégé before regarding the redheaded humanoid with her. "I take it this young man has something to do with it?" He moved around his desk to stand in front of the Uzumaki. "Frankly, once a professor at U Goom and a mentor to archeologists the world over."
Naruto saw the respect in Goombella's eyes as she looked to the older Goomba, so he offered him a small bow in greeting. "Naruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you, sir."
"Likewise. So, what exactly did my most recent student drag you to me for?" he asked with an amused smile.
"Professor!" shouted a scandalized Goombella. "I didn't drag him here!"
Naruto chuckled at the banter between the two. "Actually, I asked her for a place I can speak to her privately and she suggested your home." After seeing the Professor give him a look, the redhead raised his hands up placatingly. "I'm not going to do anything to her; I promise. I was just going to answer a few of her questions, and almost all of the answers require an incredible amount of discretion."
"I see," the elderly Goomba said before he went back to his desk. "Well, you should know that I'll find out whatever it is you tell my student; so you might as well say what needs to be said. But, I swear I won't speak of what's been said unless you let me. I understand the weight of secrets and mysteries, considering my profession in uncovering the unknown."
Sensing no lie or ill intent – something he figured Kurama had given to him – the Uzumaki nodded and took a seat on a stack of books. "To start things off, I'm not from this world; and yes, I mean world as a whole. I woke up in front of that door Goombella called the Thousand Year Door a couple of hours ago, but I was born and raised in a world known as the Elemental Nations…"
"Whoa…" gasped out Goombella while Frankly was taking notes. "I mean, everything that you said was just… Whoa…"
Naruto chuckled sheepishly at that. "That's actually a totally different reaction than what I was expecting. I thought you two would think I was crazy?"
Frankly chuckled at him. "We're archeologists, boy. We live for mysteries like this so that we can explore the lore about them. This world you came from is quite intriguing, and I only wish I could see it for myself. Just imagine the amount of legends I could research there!"
Naruto smiled at that, happy that the two Goombas had believed him. "So, now you know how I got here. If I wasn't worried about what would happen if I made a second attempt, I'd honestly be in the middle of making the seal that sent me here again. But, the first attempt cost me my home, a close friend, and my dream. I don't want to know what a second try will cost me."
"That's a good call. Best not to try again unless you're absolutely sure you can pull it off. From what you skimmed over, these sealing arts of yours are very intricate in their creation and decoding," noted Frankly. "However, if you don't mind, we'd greatly appreciate you taking us to the door you arrived in front of. If it really is the fabled Thousand Year Door, then that map you have is a crucial component to the Crystal Stars."
Naruto rose a brow in skepticism, pulling out the map in question. "This old thing? It's a faded map, and it has tears all over the edges. How could it help you?"
"You'll have to take us to the door so that you could see for yourself. Just trust me."
Naruto looked to both of them, and while Frankly was giving him a small smile it was Goombella's determined gaze that made him relent. "Alright… I already trusted you with my origins, so I guess taking you to some big fancy door isn't that big of a deal."
As he said that, the Professor smiled brighter while Goombella gave an excited whoop that she blushed at when she saw the amused expressions aimed at her. So, Naruto led them to the warp pipe and into the Rogueport sewers. Along the way, they had to deal with a variety of Goombas from the average to ones with spiked caps and to some with wings that strangely fell off of their bodies after a solid hit.
Goombella showed that she was no stranger to self-defense when she pulled off headbonks that rattled the brains of her kin. She was also surprisingly well-read on them, having a notebook on various kinds of creatures that tried to impede their progress.
When they had arrived back at the giant yellow block, Naruto was about to help them get on it, but Goombella found a blue switch that sunk into the ground after she hit it. It shocked the Uzumaki when a once solid wall had sections sink inward and form into stairs, but he didn't comment as he followed the two Goombas up the stairs.
Once on the large platform the stairs led to, Naruto saw a smaller one over the ledge that had a strange black key on it. Curious, he leapt down to grab it before leaping back up just in time to follow his companions into a small room. The room was empty save for a black chest that made Naruto stare at the key blandly.
'You can't be serious…' he mentally deadpanned before he used the key to unlock the chest. Once he did, the room went pitch black and a pair of eyes and jagged mouth – both glowing an eerie yellow – formed from the darkness.
"WHEEHEEHEEHEE!" cackled a voice from the face. "You fools freed me without me even needing to ask! How stupid could you-?! ACK!"
It suddenly yelped in pain as Naruto punched the face with his right fist glowing with surprisingly golden chakra. He blinked at the chakra's color, not noticing how the face had disappeared and the color returned to the room. "That's weird… I never had gold chakra before…"
"THAT'S what concerns you?!" cried out Goombella. "Not the weirdo in the chest or how he was gonna do something to us?!"
"I've dealt with all kinds of weirdos; especially perverted ones. Seeing one come from a strange chest is like seeing a tree in the woods," waved off Naruto (3). "What concerns me is how my chakra changed its natural color. It's normally blue; not gold." He emphasized his point by calling chakra to his right fist, making it gain a golden aura.
"We can figure that out later," Frankly said, getting them back on track. "Could you get us to that doorway?"
"Yea, give me a sec," Naruto said as they got back to the block. Once again enshrouding his fist in chakra, he knocked once on the block, cracking it slightly, before punching and shattering it. From its rubble, a spring was revealed.
"Excellent work!" Frankly praised, using the spring to jump onto the higher ledge followed by Goombella while Naruto easily made the jump without the spring. Once they walked into the large room Naruto had woken up in, the Professor gasped and stared directly at the door. "My word, just look at it!" he exclaimed. "It's here; the Thousand Year Door! The legends were true all along! Quick, let's get closer!"
Showing a surprising amount of energy for a Goomba his age, the Professor raced over to the door followed by an equally excited Goombella while Naruto, not as enthused about the legend as they were, just walked casually after them. "So," began Goombella, "what do you think's up with that weird pedestal?"
"That's what I woke up on," Naruto noted before he felt a pulse from his pocket. He reached into it and pulled out the map, which gave off continuous pulses. Curious, he moved over to the pedestal and stepped on the star symbol.
As soon as he did, the symbol lit up blue and the map began to glow brightly while floating out and above his hands. While this happened, the larger circular platform was cleared of the dust over it, showing archaic symbols and seven distinct areas. The map then showed a castle with a tall tower and a diamond star floating over it.
After that, the flash died down, and a burst of power flowed through Naruto as well as the knowledge on how to use it (4). He gave the map a narrowed look before handing it to Frankly. "Extraordinary! We should take this back to my home!"
With that decided, the three headed back to the surface. After a moment to settle down in the cluttered home, Goombella asked, "So, what happened back there with all of the glowing lights and stuff?"
"Well, without a doubt that map Naruto took is related to the Crystal Stars and the Thousand Year Door," began the Professor. "Based on what it shows now, the map has been updated and has revealed the location of the first Star; the Diamond Star."
"But something else happened," Naruto cut in. "I felt this…power coming from the map, and these images of how to use it. I want to know what that was all about."
"Well, according to the legends, the one who has the map, can use it – along with the Stars – to perform incredible powers and abilities. You achieved one now, but I'd assume that each of the seven Stars grants you another power, for a grand total of eight."
"Wow… So, these Crystal Stars really do exist?"
"I'd think that was made clear from the map showing that the first Star is in a place known as Petal Meadows, where Koopa Village is said to reside. It is said to be to the east of Rogueport, but I'm not entirely sure how you would get there."
"Well, what about a warp pipe?" suggested Goombella. "There're tons of them underneath the town, so one of them has to get us to Petal Meadows!"
"She makes a good point," Naruto agreed. "I saw a lot of those pipes when I first explored those sewers. If Petal Meadows is east of this place, then we just need a find a pipe on the eastern side of the sewers."
"Well then, it looks like you two know what to do," concluded the Professor. "I'd say you best get moving."
"But what about those creeps I told you about?" the female Goomba asked.
Naruto turned to her and grinned confidently. "If they show up, then we'll just kick their asses! If that Lord Crump was anything to go by, then they shouldn't be too hard to handle."
She remembered how easily Naruto had taken care of the supposed boss of those strangers, and the memory had her fighting back a laugh. So, she nodded in agreement and grinned back. "Yea… We can totally kick their asses!"
Frankly chuckled at them. "Well, if that's the case then I have a request of you, Naruto."
"Sure, what's up?"
"Take care of my student for me. I know she can handle herself, but she's only one Goomba in a big world. Based on what I saw from you, you can help keep her safe."
Naruto turned to Goombella, who looked both embarrassed and grateful for the Professor's worry. Turning back to him, the Uzumaki said, "You got it, Frankly. And to make things better, I'll be sure to help her train and get even stronger than she is now."
"You will?" she asked in surprise, making him grin.
"Of course! I'm not gonna do all the work, y'know," he joked, making her roll her eyes. "But let me warn you now, you're gonna hate me when we get down to it."
"Pfft! Please!" she waved off confidently. "I can handle it, so bring it on, Whiskers!"
He gave her a deadpan look at the overused nickname. He had been called that by quite a few people back home; Anko, Tsunade, and even Ino to name a few. "You're gonna pay for that later…" he threatened blandly.
'Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say,' she noted with a nervous sweat, somehow knowing he'd follow through on his threat.
"Well, we better get going. See you, Professor!" bid Naruto as he walked out of the home.
Frankly turned to his student and smiled. "Be careful out there. And I don't mean just for yourself."
"Then what do you mean?" she asked. "If you mean Naruto, then I doubt he really needs to be careful."
"As much as I acknowledge how strong and resourceful he is, based on what he told us, even he will need help on the quest. And that's where you come in. You both are partners in this, so be sure to look for him as he does for you."
She felt a small weight come down on her, thinking about the responsibility she will have. "Man… I never really thought I'd go on an adventure like this. I'm so nervous…but I'm stoked too!"
"And so was I on my first excursion. Oh, before I forget," he handed her a bag that held a few mushrooms and jars of honey. "Use these in case you or Naruto need them to restore your strength. There aren't inns or rest stations everywhere, after all."
"Right. Well, wish us look Prof. Frankly!" she exclaimed in excitement as she raced outside after Naruto.
Smiling at the closing door, the archeological Goomba said aloud, "Good luck."
Back in the sewers, Goombella and Naruto headed eastward towards an arched pathway. It was on a higher ledge, so Naruto had to carry his partner as he made the jump up there. Once the two stepped through the archway, the approached a waterway that had a pale tentacle resting on the cement they stood on.
"Huh, there's something you don't see every day," noted Naruto before he turned to her questioningly. "Or do you?" At her bland look, he shrugged. "What? You forget, I'm not exactly a native here."
Rolling her eyes, she deadpanned, "No, we don't see tentacles poking out of the water every day. If I had to guess, that belongs to a Blooper."
"Uh… A Blooper?" he asked, almost face palming at the weird name.
"Yep." She looked behind the tentacle, noting the distance between the cement they stood on, and the cement surrounding a stone gray warp pipe. "Look, I know you said you can do stuff like walking on water, but how about we take care of this Blooper so that he can get off of the water platforms?"
"You sure?" he asked for clarification. At her firm nod, he shrugged before casually kicking the tentacle, bruising it and making it twitch.
It kept twitching before it sunk back into the water and a large, pale squid-like creature burst from the water, releasing the platforms it was weighing down. It glared angrily at them, making annoyed sounds and showing its new bruise.
"Hey look buddy, I could've just walked around you, but she," Naruto jabbed a thumb at Goombella, "told me to get ya to move." The Blooper glared directly at her now, making her sweat nervously and give an awkward chuckle. "So, if you don't mind moving so we can get to warp pipe behind ya, that'd be great."
The Blooper had several tic marks appear on its head and it swung at them with its two tentacles, making Goombella squeak in fright while Naruto sighed.
"I was hoping you wouldn't do that…" he grumbled before he disappeared in a flicker of speed, dropping a heel kick directly on the head of the Blooper. The strike nailed the squid, making a massive bump form and tears sting its eyes before it swam off with a whimper. "Dammit… Now I feel like an asshole."
"You should, you jackass!" cried Goombella. "What the hell was that, placing all of the blame on me?!"
"Well, it was you that told me to get him to move instead of just carry you across the water," pointed out the Uzumaki with a smug grin.
"But I- I mean, you- But that's- AUGH! FINE!" she yelled, grumbling in defeat with an embarrassed face.
Naruto chuckled at that. "Relax, I was just teasing ya. Let's get moving, yea?"
"Fine… But you're still an asshole," she said, wanting to get the last word. All Naruto did in response was chuckle, taking the insult in stride as he and Goombella took the warp pipe, going after the first Crystal Star of their journey.
'So, the one with that intoxicating power has the map I had Bedlam find,' noted the being trapped within the coffin. 'Interesting. I hope they find those accursed Stars soon. I'd love to see just who it is that has me so interested.' A feminine chuckle, dark and cruel, was heard echoing throughout the chamber. 'Perhaps I may finally find the companion I've been searching for. Hmhmhmhmhmhmmm…'
1~ Can anyone guess who that is? *grins*
2~ In the Paper Mario games, I always thought that left was West, right was East, and forward and backward were North and South respectively. So, I applied that thought process to this story!
3~ That's right! I just had Naruto cut off the Curse Guy! C'mon, does someone with ninja training really need "curses" placed on him?
4~ Since the game never explained exactly how Mario could use the powers granted to him by the Map and Crystal Stars, I had to come up with a cop out method. Thus, he learned through mental implanting and visions!
And there's the second chapter for you guys! I hope you're enjoying it so far!
As for Naruto's new look, Kurama used his chakra to both leave a last impression on the first human he could call friend and awaken the link between him and the Ōtsutsuki bloodline. So, he got ears from Kurama, horns from Hagoromo (and Kaguya) Ōtsutsuki, and finally the Sun Mark and golden chakra from his link to Ashura Ōtsutsuki!
How are you liking how Naruto interacts with the world and characters around him? Does it seem believable? I want Naruto to be realistic in this story, sticking relatively close to how he is naturally in his canon storyline. I hope I'm doing a good job!
Until next time!
pain17ification