Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Metroid. There I said it.

A/N: This story takes place after the Sasuke retrieval arc and after the events of Metroid Prime.

PLEASE REVIEW!! I need to see how well (or not) I'm doing; please review!!

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Blood of the Chozo

II: Escape

It has been three months…only three months…and we're trapped here. I tear myself away from the map on the table, rubbing my forehead. The only countries the aliens HAVE'NT taken over are Earth Country and the one she was unfortunate enough to be in.

Sound.

It's amazing how easily friendships are made when the planet is being invaded by aliens who are abducting anyone they can. Well, that isn't quite true; they were in the beginning, but now the invaders focus on ninjas only. Probably because we pose the most threat. People are sailing off the Earth Country's far western shores in hopes to find new land away from this threat. I wish they would just realize that they aren't limited to land.

I am the only Kage left, the others have been abducted or killed, how I am still alive I'll never know.

Terrible news came in yesterday describing how the Wind Country had fallen, its defenses bypassed and ninja taken captive, several civilians slaughtered. The ninja that gave this unfortunate report also told me that his brother was taken and that he could do nothing to stop them. He then went into an angry rant about how Temari shouldn't have knocked him out and dragged them here. I felt he didn't even care that I was standing right next to him, so I left the room. I returned 15 minutes later to see him finally calming down.

If these aliens could take down Gaara, could they be stopped? I have talked to so many Jonin from all of the various villages, trying to figure out what we should do. At one point we almost led ourselves to disaster with a plan we thought would work, fortunately Shikamaru stopped us and told us exactly how many things could go wrong. A lot of them dealt with uncertainties with the technology the invaders use. I see him constantly in his 'thinking pose' and everyone knows that we shouldn't bother one of the few people who might figure out a way to save the captured ninja.

Neji has been training constantly, literally. In the beginning he only stopped every twelve hours to eat before continuing. I stopped this immediately and have put him on a more reasonable training schedule. Due to circumstance, Neji is now the head of the clan, considering most of the Hyuga clan has been captured. Oddly enough, Sasuke is training with Neji, both trying to become stronger to beat the invaders.

Sasuke still has to gain the trust of many leaf ninja, but so far he is proving invaluable in reconnaissance. He is able to track enemy movements without being caught; even if he is spotted, he outruns them anyway.

Probably the worst part about this whole arrangement is that Orochimaru is now on OUR side. I don't think anyone trusts him. Only Shikamaru really listens to some of the ideas he has about rescuing the ninja,

"We may have to resort to forbidden jutsus if we hope to succeed."

Still, the whole idea of Orochimaru wanting to rescue the ninja is foreign to me and I simply can't accept it. Luckily, if worse comes to worse, Jiraiya's here to back me up.

I fear we may be running short on time. They are avoiding this place as much as they can because of the difficult terrain and Sasuke's help, but how long will that last? If we have any chance of winning, we must strike first, not them. If we don't, all is lost.

-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-

I found myself reliving a memory in a dream, a moment in my life when something…strange happened. Though I was more watching myself on a TV screen in a dark room. The Naruto on the screen looked around the large, stone-walled room and noticed that he was standing on a stone floor as well.

The room was circular, the stone walls curving into a dome above him. In the center of the room sat a statue. It resembled a bird, but also looked humanoid as well, sitting on a chair of somesort; the bird seemingly trading its wings for arms and longer legs, each with taloned hands and feet. The face remained bird-like, with feathers, beak, and all, though the eyes seemed slightly closer together than on a normal bird. The creature wore a robe that covered everything but his head and hands, which were out in front of him, as if it was holding something that wasn't there anymore. The only way Naruto was able to see all of this was from the fact that the statue's eyes glowed a topaz color that shed some light on the room.

I watched as Naruto walked around the statue several times before noticing an opening in the dome. He walked through the doorway and found himself in another room similar to the last. The only thing in this room was a sphere. It was about the size of a basketball made out of stone. "Hey…that looks like it matches the statue." His voice echoed off the walls. He walked over to it and lifted.

Well, at least he tried, "How much does this thing WEIGH?" he struggled a few more seconds before his grasp slipped and he stumbled to the ground. He growled and tried again with several shadow clones helping him. That didn't work either. "Why am I doing this again?" he asked himself, "I should be figuring out a way to get out of here!" His echo responded similarly. I chuckled before realizing I was laughing at myself…I found myself amusing!

Naruto plopped himself down and closed his eyes, the screen going black, "Think, Naruto, Think…" Naruto almost missed his echo…not repeating what he had said.

"There is no normal way to leave this place…"

The screen showed the room again as Naruto turned to the opening, no one was there. He scanned the dimly lit room as best he could. Suddenly the room lit up with yellow-gold lights, casting away all shadows in the room. Naruto shielded his eyes for a few moments before looking again.

Standing a few feet in front of him stood a creature similar to the statue; a bird-like being whose eyes shone with wisdom and power. Naruto opened his mouth to ask something, but the bird cut him off.

"I am a priest of the Chozo race. White Eagle." The semi-deep voice reverberated off the walls. He stood regally, he struck me as one who didn't demand respect, but should be anyway, "I am here for one reason, and one reason alone. To wait for the Maelstrom to descend to bring the world darkness and light. For the golden warrior of this planet."

Naruto was not catching a word of this. The Chozo somehow noticed and continued somewhat differently,

"A great evil is about to infect this land, Naruto. You are the one to lead the evil away."

"Lead them away? What's this great evil…" Naruto blinked, "HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?!" The Chozo gazed down at the youth with patient eyes, "You said your name mere seconds ago, and you have already seen the evil you are about to face." Naruto shut his mouth and listened. This happened after the aliens first came, a few days before they overthrew the village. "I say 'lead them away' because you are not the one who will defeat them. Even so, you will not survive this brush with darkness without preparation." The Chozo pointed at the sphere, "Only the strongest of Chozo are able to lift this sphere and give it to the holy statue."

"And why should I know that?"

"Giving the sphere to the statue is the test for all Chozo who wish to become warriors for our race. Only those with Chozo blood are able to partake in this test, and for those who pass, great power will be granted to them." The Chozo took a few steps forward, his imposing height made Naruto look very small.

"I have been waiting here for the past five centuries for YOU. For Naruto Uzumaki, so that I may give you the strength you need to survive this terrible ordeal."

"Five hundred…years?" Naruto couldn't believe his ears. I still can't believe how old this guy was.

"This is a gift…a gift you do not have to accept. Just know that you will die otherwise." At the time I couldn't find the words to say 'of course I accept!', but the priest seemingly read my mind again.

"Very well, prepare yourself…"

"What? Why?" Naruto's question was answered as vines erupted from the ground and grasped his feet, pinning them to the ground. Naruto looked down and tried to move. Finding that pointless, he looked back up and wished he hadn't.

The Chozo's talons were imbedded into the priest's own chest, as if he were clutching his heart. Naruto lurched as the priest dragged his hand out, his talons now a blueish-red color. Naruto didn't have time to ask as the bloody talons sunk into his chest. Naruto jerked in surprise, expecting pain in the next few milliseconds…but it never came.

He (and I) felt a strange warmth spreading through him before the sensation faded away. Naruto felt the priest grasping his shoulders and uttering out,

"You are now a Chozo. Destined for great things…" Feathers slowly fell of his head and face like leaves off a dying tree, "Make us proud…we will be watching…" The priest slumped before disappearing into light. Naruto could only stand in shock.

The vines around his feet withered and he broke free. He took a step back and looked at the floor where the Chozo priest had stood.

"Nothing left…" A deep sorrow soon welled up inside of him; it looked to me as if he had just watched one of his friends die, which he soon questioned, 'Why do I feel this way…I hardly knew him…so why?'

Naruto walked solemnly over to the sphere. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the sphere. It was no longer stone, but as smooth as glass. It was black with a yellow thunderbolt streaked across its diameter. He bent down to test its weight again, still skeptical that it would weigh any less, only to find it was no heavier than a bowling ball now.

He returned the sphere to the statue, placing it in the Chozo's hands. They shifted under the weight of the ball, causing it to slide down slightly before the talons locked it in place. The statues gleaming eyes stared at Naruto.

"You are troubled young Chozo, before I send you away, let me give you solace." The statue said in a deep, booming voice. "All Chozo are drawn to each other, even those who are not pure Chozo. To see a Chozo leave this plane of existence for eternity brings involuntary sorrow to any Chozo who witnesses it. Do not let it disturb you, the feeling will pass soon."

The screen paused.

"The time has come." I turn to the voice. I see White Eagle stand in front of me as a ghost, pale and translucent. For whatever reason, I am not all that shocked to see him in this dream. I am happy to see him, another feeling that is unexplainable.

"For what?" I ask.

"For you to set the bait…"

"huh?"

"Now…awaken!"

-n-n-n-

I snap out of sleep, blinking several times. It takes a full minute to realize three things: One, that I was running; two, that three angry aliens were shouting at me from behind; and four, that I was outside the cell. I wasn't just outside the cell; I was outside of the giant base that the cell was in.

"I'm free!"

I keep running.

"But how did I get out?" I don't have time to think much on it as I suddenly feel exhausted. The ones chasing me are gaining with surprising speed as I feel like I'm about to collapse. Where did all my energy go?

The forest I'm running through changes into a grassy field. Then, I'm face down in the dirt. I turn myself over and prop myself up on two shaky arms, still trying to catch my breath. I see the three aliens close in on me. The one closest to me aims his gun at my chest.

Suddenly, a suit of orange armor comes out of nowhere and grabs the wrist of the one about to shoot me. With a cannon on his right forearm instead of a hand, he (I'm assuming it's a he) shoots the alien's left shoulder joint, causing the arm to fall off. Then he grabs the falling arm, activates the scythe on the arm, and slices the top half of alien off. While the aliens are still in shock, the orange clad warrior dashes over and cuts the next in half vertically. The last alien fires several shots which don't seem to faze the warrior as he twirls the scythe and hurls the arm like a javelin at the last of the three. The scythe imbeds itself next to the alien's head, seconds before the warrior fires a large energy shot and blows it to oblivion.

As I'm passing out, I can't help but think that I have such a badass guardian angel.

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PLEASE REVIEW!!

Next Time: The Mystery of the Chozo! Old Ties Reforged!

A/N: Please review and give feedback, what do you think?Also, I know Samus' true identity, but Naruto doesn't.