I do not own Naruto, One Piece, or anything else. If I did then there would be no need for a disclaimer now would there?
Rated M mostly for swearing.
Turbulent Cyborg
Chapter 4: A day in life
Goldrigger Casino, Water Seven
Overall there was only one acknowledged bounty poster and that was the government issued one that mainly listed pirates and other individuals considered dangerous for crimes including, but not limited to, theft, deliberate evasion of taxes, and murder... there have been critics however to some of the crimes that would warrant the attention of the government on what could be considered 'dangerous;' skipping out on bar tabs was often considered more annoying than lethal.
However there was a secondary set that didn't follow any set standards: the local 'bounty' posters. In truth they were often regarded as nothing more than a visual reminder to any at all guards, shopkeepers, and other work related folk to keep an eye out for certain people often considered more troublesome than dangerous for reasons only known to those who set up the poster to begin with. This was a common tactic for grocers on the lookout for people known to take an extra apple on the way out, shopkeepers to level a wary eye on shoplifters (or troublemakers), and for some casinos it was to keep certain people out either because they are known not to pay or have been banned entirely for specific reasons... such as unbelievable winning streaks in the games of requiring luck or chance with no end in sight.
"Say, don't I know you?" a blackjack dealer warily asked as he stared at a bandana wearing teenager with what may or may not be a fake mustache and beard and a mechanical arm...
"Me? No, I don't believe we've met," the teenager replied with a chuckle that sounded a bit strained...
The a narrowing of the eyes, the dealer returned his gaze to a deck of cards that he prepared to deal much to the teenager's relief... until he snapped his head back up and snatched the mustache/beard combo right out from under him.
"AH HA! SECURITY!"
Naruto Frank, banned from all casinos, tournaments, back alley craps games, and quite frankly any other gambling related activity city wide (regardless of legality) for the uncanny and unaided ability to win them without even understanding the rules to begin with.
The scuffling of cyborg versus hired muscle could be heard all the way outside, which in itself was helped with the fact that the casino's doors were wide open.
"Aw damn it..." a man in a black metal lederhosen bearing a red-violet star, a part of the Franky Family uniform, with greasy hair mumbled as he crossed off a note on a notepad. To any observer they would find a list of names and activities have been jotted down on the treated wood... all which was preceded by the emboldened, underlined words of "Super Plan: Get More Money."
It was, quite simply, another day for the Franky Family as a whole... when they blown their coffers wide open and spent all the money again.
"AND STAY OUT!" several workers of the casino bellowed in unison as they ejected a certain cyborg through the front door, the latter of which screaming at the top of his lungs as he sailed through the air, and promptly closed the door afterwards.
"We need a better plan..." another Franky member whined as the cyborg landed, and sank, in the water of a nearby canal with a trail of air bubbles marking his spot for only a moment.
"So what's next on the list?"
XVX
Ocean
Mindless chatter of the ship's crew, the dulled scream of a blade being sharpened by a whetstone, and the roar of the ocean waves fell upon the deaf ears of Kushina Namikaze as she intently stared at the approaching city of water and stone that many ships of legendary caliber have been birthed at. In her company, minus the only known crew the Elemental Nations had to offer for any voyages into the Grand Line, consisted of only of four shinobi wrapped in plain cream cloaks:
Hocho Uzumaki, an elderly, balding jonin from her original home with a curved scar running just under his left eye and cutting into a ragged whitening beard. His own gear, as the Hokage noted before donning a cloak, was a blue variant of her own equipment only marked with the testament of battles long since forgotten and the pride of bearing them.
Ichi Uzumaki, another native of the country that was once Uzu. She was of the same age as the Hokage herself, her hair brunet hair was pulled into a low hanging pony tail that went as far as halfway past her shoulders and well out of sight of her cerulean eyes. She bore the attire of Konoha with the headband of Uzu rather than the Leaf Village.
Then there were the two shinobi encountered and hired by chance, the ones that recently plagued the... otherwise successful mission in the Land of Waves: Zabuza Momochi and Haku...
In all fairness, they were only there at the begrudged cautioning of Kushina's team lacking overall manpower to fend off possible attacks directly aimed at the Hokage's person or an encounter with a wild element such as Sea Kings for example; so far it seemed that luck favored them in their journey.
She sighed as she casually glanced back at them before returning to gaze upon the city that Naruto... Frank supposedly lived. Her mind was blank as he thoughts drawn to the son that by rights should have died years ago... it was almost a twisted testament to an Uzumaki's tenacity defy the odds that declare such chances impossible.
Hundreds of questions flitted through her mind at a snail's pace that assailed her in no particular order: What is she to say if they meet? Could she handle the possibility that her son by blood wanted nothing to do with her, let alone the entire village as was his right? What was his life like outside Konoha's walls? Was he really a part of a crime syndicate? Was he aware of his status placed upon him since his birth?
She minutely shook her head as she tried to clear her head with her set objectives consisting of finding Naruto, learning his life... and if possible, make amends for what he was forced to endure in both body and mind.
Hopefully the entire trip will not take more than a little over a month, though it was not to stand as an insult to her lost child, she just didn't want to be apart from her otherwise defenseless children back in Konoha...
She shook her head once again in quiet criticism of herself. She had torn apart factions that still held onto naive thoughts of containers even when confronted with evidence that proved them wrong. She had destroyed enemies that had manipulated events from the shadowed background and still kept a sharp eye out for more. She had even managed to rally the remnants of her clan to Konoha since Uzu would take too much time to rebuild, and left them quite vulnerable in the process as well... and she still lived in fear over what might happen to the children she had watched over for the past few years.
All because of one mistake on her part...
It was almost funny when she thought about it, that people who can be downright brilliant tacticians and strategists cannot heed warnings from those experienced in matters not related to the battlefield.
She can only pray neither Naruto nor Kojo have that same flaw in them... and that Sui doesn't make the same mistake as she had made in the past.
She could only hope that Anko hold down the fort as far as her children were concerned.
XVX
Back Alley, Water Seven, forty-nine minutes later
"Ok, we have crossed out bounty hunting."
"No one on a poster today."
"... right. Underwater salvaging."
"Those homes were long since picked clean."
"... ok. We tried singing at the corner."
"Not as many generous folks today."
"Will you stop commenting?!"
"Sorry..."
"Thank you. Obviously... 'dubious' work is out."
"That because all the guys hit on you-"
"OH THAT'S IT! GRAAH!" Almost immediately, the two Franky members were sprawled out on the ground with one clobbering the other, with some attempts at strangling him, while the other screamed for mercy as he tried to crawl away, thus leaving the notebook on the ground in a state of abandonment till a mechanical hand picked it up and flipped to another page.
"Well obviously Fight Club is out," Naruto muttered as he crossed out the idea. Though troublemakers as a whole, the Franky Family weren't ones to typically break laws for financial gain... sans bounty and pirate related jobs of course.
They tried the karaoke competition downtown... they lost. The foot race was a bust when a Sea King attacked upon the threshold of their victory... cowards.
Though to be fair, civilians didn't typically carry enough ammunition to take down a beastie like that when they dared to get so close to the city.
Cyborgs weren't typically accepted in most boxing matches... jerks.
Though to be fair, history did not help Naruto in the least when other cyborg competitors cheated by running electricity through their fists and packed other nasty surprises for their unlucky opponents. Bastards. That and most cyborgs tend to pack a, quite literally, a mean punch even if they don't cheat... of course that in itself bordered along the lines of cheating.
They tried to sell some spare lumber they had when their quota was filled... slow day in the shipping business amongst other things.
The cyborg sighed as he resigned himself to waiting for the next batch of pirates to enter town...
"Hey guys!" All heads, including the 'fighting' pair, snapped to a wheezing Frank member at the mouth of the alley. "There's some pirates in town, and they're carrying suitcases full of cash in them!"
"How much?" one gleefully barked.
"THREE-HUNDRED MILLION BERRIES!" he shouted excitedly!
A gust of wind prevailed through the alley before proverbial hell broke loose.
"GO-GO-GO-GO!" Naruto heartily bellowed as he, and everyone, else nearly trembled their friend as they scrambled out of the alley.
XVX
Meanwhile, Training Ground Seven, Konoha
Several beads of sweat dotted Kojo's brow while it twitched nervously. "Why am I doing this again?" he rhetorically groaned. His back was against a log post with chakra binding bracelets gilding each hand.
"Helps build character!" A squeamish scream escaped him as a few strands of his hair was shaved off by a blade that not only pierced but skewered the post, and the strawberry blond got out away from the pointed life ender just like any other surprised victim would... the screaming as he jumped forward and pitifully landed onto his stomach.
"Geesh, I would've expected from a guy who witnessed a fight featuring Zabuza and the scarecrow," Anko admonished in a drawn out sigh as she emerged from behind the mutilated wooden post.
"Hey! I will let you know that I was plenty brave in that fight! And in the fight that followed after that!"
Anko merely tapped a finger on her lips as she thoughtfully hummed. "May I get a judge's ruling on that?" she suddenly called out as her gaze drifted to the sky.
"Through all engagements, Team Seven as a whole at most participated as a unit between the clash of the bridge builders and the mercenaries who quickly retreated... I cannot honestly say we did nothing other than join in the swarm of bodies already present."
"Hey!" Kojo cried indignantly as he directed his equally scornful glare at the Uchiha minding his own business in a tree with yet another book in the clutches of one hand while the other absently milled through a pocket for something. With the withdrawal of his hand, a silvered pocket watch with a small chain was revealed, flipped open, and subsequently closed before being shoved back into its origin as he kicked himself off his seat and landed a favorable distance from the former student of Orochimaru.
"Anko-sensei," he respectfully murmur in a bow, "if you have no issue with it then may I please leave? I do not wish to be late for an appointment." Smug eyes narrowed in suspicion with a teasing grin hanging underneath them. "Oh, what is that you need to go to?" she asked dauntingly in the same smug fashion she held in her looks, further enhanced with her hands placed upon her hips. "Please Anko-sensei, I do not wish to be late."
Sasuke kept his head bowed as he awaited the forthcoming answer from Kakashi's substitute, by order of the Fifth Hokage as a reprimand for endangering a squad of fresh genin on a ill-ranked mission, for the duration of two months.
"All right, get going."
"Thank you sensei," Sasuke politely murmured before absconding the field and leaving his teammates at their current teacher's mercy.
"Right, where were we?" Anko rhetorically asked as she whipped a balled hand out and seemingly conjured a kunai between each finger of her fisted hand.
"Uh..."
A face splitting grin of almost demonic origin emerged on the woman as she eyed the trembling genin before her. "Wrong answer."
XVX
Canal , Rooftops, Water Seven
"Operation Hangman, go!"
"We need a better name for that."
"After we get the money!" Naruto barked in hushed tones as he lowered a Franky member down, a rope tied around his waist which was further attached to a industrialized fishing pole wielded by the only cyborg in the group.
The target was a bandana wearing, overalls covered, long nosed teenager with black curly hair passing underneath the Franky Family who was further proceeded by a straw hat wearing teenager in a red vest and blue shorts, and lastily an orange haired teenage girl in sandals, a miniskirt, and a sleeveless black tank top with an emboldened white three on the front; more specifically it was a trio of suitcases the long nosed teenager had...
The Franky goon stuck his tongue out in concentration as he readied a club in his grip while he drew near to his target, courtesy of a cyborg on the move on the rooftops above.
"Hm?" The curly haired teenager came to an abrupt stop and turned to look over his shoulder. He shrugged upon seeing no one there and resumed his trek, unaware that his floating stalker, having been raised to escape detection, assumed the position once more.
Only to come to a sudden stop.
Blinking in confusion, the henchman looked up and groaned to discover a gap lay between the cyborg and the target, and on a second look it would seem in all likelihood then he would become quite acquainted with a shop sign the second Naruto cleared the gab and dragged him along. All he could do was give his club a tighter grip and brace accordingly.
XVX
"Oof!"
"Huh?" The teenager turned again and blinked to find he was still alone with only his friends, and his mind crossed off the gently swaying sign above as an act from the cool breeze that assailed everyone today before returning to his friends. Meanwhile, the henchman was reeled up and over the sign, his face a tad red from impact, and once again readied himself to strike the blow-
WHAM!
That was until an unsuspecting shopkeeper opened a door from the inside to step outside, and inadvertently knocked the Franky member out cold.
"Ok, now I know I heard something..." the teenager muttered as he turned to sternly glare at whatever had been following him for the past few minutes. His glare turned to puzzlement as he find an equally confused shopkeeper peered behind the door to spy on whatever he hit, yet it was the ascending rope that caught his attention and more so for what appeared to be a crane sticking out from the edge of the roof.
"Huh..." Chalking it up as an odd custom or service of Water Seven, and not to incur the wrath of his now aggravated female cohort, he abandoned his current curiosity to rejoin his friends.
Same could be said for the Franky stalker he had... in their own fashion of course.
The disappointed shake of the head from the shopkeeper, witnessing the downed Franky member being hosted up, only added salt to the wounded pride of the Franky Family.
XVX
Konoha
Bath, check. Hair combed, check. Flowers, check. Box of chocolates... perhaps he should get a size bigger than one he could hide in the bouquet. Avoid current stalker... in progress.
He was fortunate enough to ask Anko an hour in advance to run his errands and to prepare for the unexpected. As expected, his not so planned contingency of running away did little to dissuade whoever followed him and consumed much of the preplanned hour.
His only clue as to the identity of his stalker of the day was that this person had shinobi training... of course he had some ideas as to who it was, in any case he either had to outrun her, or him as some regretful cases have proven, to the point s/he became winded or, if his hunch was correct, run to the only surefire chase breaker he had in his arsenal. All he had to do was take the next left.
Rounding the corner, the Uchiha rocketed past pedestrian, cart, and house pet alike as he raced towards the only blond kunoichi he knew and sped past her with the force of a gale. He smiled as it got the desired effect.
"Was that Sasuke?!" Ino near gushed as she abandoned the front porch of her family's store to get a better look at the retreating raven haired shinobi. Her wish to ascertain the truth of her own claim was cut short when a previously unseen figure slammed into the part time flower vendor with enough force that both were knocked to the ground.
"Hey! Watch where you're-" Ino snarled as she turned to her groaning assailant only to gawk at her before her snarl returned with newfound vigor. "FOREHEAD!"
"PIG!"
Sasuke smirked as he raced against time. "As I thought, it was Sakura alright," he muttered.
XVX
Canal, Water Seven
"Commence Operation Salesman!"
A pair of henchmen, dressed in everyday clothing, relentlessly paddled a raft with a stand built upon it towards the trio, traveling on a yagara bull (a giant sea based horse-like creature of Water Seven), with the suitcases filled to the brim with berri. Manning the stall was Naruto, in disguise via a false mustache/beard combo, thick glasses, and a apron, alongside another compatriot of the Franky Family also in the same disguise.
"Quick, slow down!" Naruto whispered through the side of his mouth as they neared before calling out to the pirates in a deep, boisterous voice. "Ho there travelers! Come take a look at our wares!"
"Huh?" All three heads turned towards the traveling stall, unaware that a scuba diver with a miniature two pincer claw with adjustable length and reach surfacing behind them and silently approach while giving the claw an experimental squeeze to ensure it opened and closed accordingly.
"Come one, come all! We have wares to astound and amaze!" the partner in crime announced in his own deep toned disguise. "We have everything ranging from kitchen knives! Travel sacks for those long hikes up a mountain or in a forest! We even have food ranging from carrots to slabs of meat including, but not limited to-"
"OH! MEAT!" The straw hat wearer was quickly subdued with a decisive blow to the head from the only woman on the bull, clearly not amused and even suspicious of the 'salesmen' as made evident with a stern, wary stare and a pointed frown. Her eyes only left them upon hearing a very soft "clack" from her left, and narrowed suspiciously to find a few droplets of water now decorating the bottom of the gondola strapped to the back of their transportation.
"Sorry," she apologized in a deadpanned voice, "but we really need to get to the shipyard." Her hand patted the back of their yagara, and at the unspoken command the 'horse' pulled ahead in a matter of seconds only to be chased by the 'salesmen' and their 'assistants.' From afar, the scuba diver double timed in a slowly losing bid to catch up to them with a readjusted claw.
"Now hold on madam!" Naruto called out as he reached underneath the makeshift counter and fished out a gold chained necklace. "Are you sure you do not wish to talk? I'm quite certain this necklace would only enhance your lovely features to heights to make even a goddess jealous!"
At this, the orange haired teenager smiled shyly and her eyes batted at him bashfully. "Well, let it not be said you cannot charm a young lady," she remarked softly. "But I do have ooooooonnne question though..."
"Yes?" Both the "stall" and the bull were on equal footing once more.
The orange-ette's smile turned devious as she pointed to her right. "Shouldn't you guys be paying attention to where you're going?"
"Huh?" Both sides, minus the smirking teen, turned to find that they were already at the end of the canal... which consisted of a waterway going up and going down... The Franky Family were on the downward half of the canal.
"Oh crap..." Naruto murmured pitifully as the two 'assistants' furiously pedaled in futility now that the current had entrapped them and brought them down the spiraling slide against their will...
They were not in any fashion quiet about it. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
"That was a little mean Nami," the curly haired teen commented as he winced pitifully at the 'shopkeepers' and their friends disappear down their path, still screaming all the way.
"They said they had meat!" the straw hat whined as he rested his chops on the side of their boat.
"Those guys were just suspicious to me," Nami rebuked as she settled back into her seat with a triumphant smirk plastered on her face.
XVX
Konoha
Three minutes late... overall inconsequential but embarrassing nonetheless for Sasuke; he prided himself on being on time for her where all others were secondary in concern by comparison. Yet no matter how embarrassed he was, or angry, melancholy, disheartened, any combination and then some, she was there awaiting him with that gentle smile of hers that sat beneath those clear pale pools that were her eyes with the slightest tinge of blue to them; he always felt at peace the minute he saw her waiting for him with a smile so soft that it could put him to sleep. Her cheeks always light up in a faint dusty red the second she learns he brought her a give of affection.
This time was no different than the others, yet the twin pairs of lips washed away whatever monotony there was to be had for either of them when they met. He wouldn't have it any other way... save one.
Yet the Hyuga clan were set in their ways... and were no friends of the Uchiha clan any means as a whole.
XVX
Canal, Water Seven, an hour later
Angry muttering could be heard as a discombobulating chorus as four members of the Franky Family, including Naruto, morosely marched down the street to their 'hideout' with their clothes, and bodies, thoroughly soaked.
"Oh, Naruto!" With a drawled "huh?" the cyborg lazily turned towards the speaker and nearly sputtered as he quickly corrected himself by standing a bit straighter and mindlessly trying to un-bunch his drenched pants.
Standing before him with a pleasant smile often synonymous with her was the shopkeeper Ruby, no last name. A pale skinned woman with soft mauve eyes and jet black hair that fell naturally past her shoulders save for two bangs held together by a white ribbon for each one, though they only rose above the rest of the strands by a slight margin. Her clothing, of a seemingly limited wardrobe by the speculation of many, consisted of a brown leather corset that hugged her chest, allowing a small portion of cleavage to be seen, and a black skirt that went down about ten centimeters past her knees. Underneath that skirt, as the wind occasionally proved itself mischievous at times, were knee high stilettos of the same quality as her corset that covered black panty house... and possibly black undergarments as well as many speculated. Lastly, completing her attire, were black velvet fingerless gloves that went as far as he elbows; the hands of which were interlocked with each other in a pose often associated to her when she was either in a conversation or awaiting something.
With a mild blush of embarrassment, she turned to the others and greeted them with a small apology following soon thereafter.
"R-Ruby! How're are you doing?" The shopkeeper smiled ever more pleasantly as her attention returned to the sopping wet cyborg and giving him a critical looking over. "I'm doing well... but what of you...?"
A strained chuckle escaped the cyborg as he rubbed the back of his head with his more human looking hand. "Oh I'm fine. Accident's are bound to happen every now and then, especially when you're on the job. You know how it is!" A pointed frown marred her features, more so with the dulled muttering of an "evil orange haired girl" arising from the others as they departed, but she nodded nonetheless. "Be that as it may, just don't stay in them unless you wish to get sick," she gently admonished before her smile returned.
"On another note, Karin has been looking for you." She giggled softly at the nervous twitch from the taller of the two. "No you are not in trouble as I understand it, but something obviously excited her that she stormed a few of the other businesses looking for you a few minutes ago and wanted to let you know that a goal of the Franky Family has been fulfilled."
"Goal?" Naruto muttered quizzically as his hand scratched his head in thought... till it struck him with the force of a bolt of lightning. "Sorry-Ruby, -gotta-go-bye!" She chuckled once more as the cyborg bolted, nearly ran over his comrades while yelling "We've reached it!" and lastly vanishing behind a corner followed by his equally excited friends.
With a small, good natured, derisive shake of the head at the relative insanity of it all, she returned to her shop with a hum on her lips.