I OWN NOTHING
Time for me to see how good my writing skills are by tackling the biggest challenge writing these stories, to write a fight with Sasuke while trying to not bash him.
Thank Rashid and his awesome theme song in Street Fighter V and Pokken Tournament for Blaziken's awesome kicks for giving me some inspiration for this chapter.
Recommended music for this chapter's fight:
Ryu Ga Gotoku Zero/Yakuza 0 OST – Red Radical Rage
Disclaimer: Before anyone jumps on my ass to shout what I'm doing with the girls, who is going to be paired with who and whether or not Naruto has a harem… Just read this fic and don't mind that. Sure, I do act like I will give Naruto a harem, but let's be honest people, if the female characters were handled with care, had been fleshed out more, and had far more active roles, they'd be far more loved.
I mean, take away Sakura and Ino's obsession with Sasuke and you can flesh them out as two girly girls trying to be kunoichis with a sort of admirer and admiree rivalry. Have Hinata fight more like how she did with Neji – and winning – and you can see a developing character becoming stronger. Tenten… just give her more screen time, more interactions with others, and you're set, and the same goes for Temari.
We never saw much of Yugao's inner turmoil over having to know her partner died to a Sand shinobi. Anko's struggles to overcome knowing she's related to Orochimaru didn't get any more development than their fight which she lost. Kurenai is supposed to be a badass genjutsu mistress but aside from her fight with Itachi – which she lost – yours truly doesn't recall her doing much else but having Azuma's baby.
Kaguya is actually an interesting concept given she brought peace but saw wars starting because of it. If we could have dug deeper into it, she'd have been a truly great villain.
That is why, even if this fic focuses on Naruto, has no bashing, no pairings, and everything is more comedy and action than drama, I want to give some loving to characters that were just kind of there in the manga. I may not do all of them in one chapter, but I'll try to do my best with what I can get out.
Also, yes, I do have fun teasing you guys with possible pairings, consider it my inner-sadist's doing.
XXXXXX
It was the morning of a new day after the battle between the three legendary shinobi of the Leaf. Things had gotten busier for everyone.
"Damn that brat…" Orochimaru grumbled in his hideout after an embarrassing retreat.
Kabuto growled, "If only I had been paying more attention, I could have helped you better."
"No need to worry… It seems we really have to move things forward." The traitor to the Leaf said, sneering, "Send the Sound 4 to retrieve Sasuke-kun, and tell them that if that Uzumaki boy ever gets in their way... That I want his eyes in a jar, so I can crush them in my very own hands."
"I have a plan to make him come willingly, it's not exactly a lie, at least not fully." Kabuto said, getting his master's attention.
With our young hero, however, things were different. Once he arrived to the village, Tsunade was made Hokage, and he was ready to start training, he found some news he disliked. Namely the fact the self-proclaimed Super Pervert was missing. Thus Tsunade had to deal with answering some of the kid's questions, namely one that had been really bugging him.
"You really want me to train you?" the busty woman asked in disbelief, "I am up to my neck in paperwork and you want me out of this office to train you?"
"I won our bet." Naruto said, holding up the necklace he got out of their deal.
"It's because of you that I'm in this office doing paperwork, you little- Ugh!" the woman wanted to curse, but ended her rant by slapping her forehead, "This is all Jiraiya's fault, always shrugging any problems in his life and leaving others to fend for themselves…"
"Listen Granny," that got him her attention, albeit not for reasons she liked, "Pervy Sage said you could help me control my chakra better. If that is true, then I know I'm not really giving it my all with my kicks."
Heartfelt as his words may be, they confused the deceivingly young woman, "What do you even mean, kid? You kicked Orochimaru's servant like he owed you money. I don't think there's more your kicks need."
Shaking his head energetically, Naruto continued, "No, you don't get it. I don't want to reach a limit and leave it there, nor do I want to break it. I want to go above and beyond. My Dancer Style was a good step up, but after seeing how strong you are I know I can do more. I know I have to do things on my own if I want to get stronger, but I also know I need help to do so. Please, Granny."
Tsunade covered her face with one hand, massaging her temples. On one hand, she wanted to tell him to drop the nickname, on the other, he was giving her a pleading look the kind a cute puppy would use, "Fine, I guess I can teach you. My fighting style is not very complicated but it's also not easy to master. Meet me here in the evening and we can begin."
"Then I'm supposed to wait until you're done with your paperwork?" Naruto asked, childishly crossing his arms.
The pigtailed medic felt her brain ready to burst from anger, "You damn brat, it's your fault I'm locked in this damn job!"
Seeing his mistake, Naruto took the smart approach of smiling, "Well, will Lee be ok?"
Tsunade's anger disappeared as she remembered something she had trouble pondering, "That boy with the busted arm and leg, right? Not even I am confident in this kind of operation, but…" she smiled briefly, "If there's the slightest chance he can recover, I'll be sure to let you, him, and Gai know."
Pumping his fist in excitement, the small ninja cheered, "I'm counting on you, Granny! If it weren't for me seeing Lee fight or how hard he and Gai-sensei trained, I wouldn't be here!" the slug woman saw a fire in his eyes, "He hasn't lost his chance to keep on fighting! So I'm saying this as a guy that got a chance to fight for his dream when things turned grim, give him the chance he needs!"
A ghostly tickle made the woman's lips curl up, "No need to tell me twice. Now get going. Do whatever a young teen does in your age, and meet me in the evening. I'm going to make you regret every bad thing you've called me in our training sessions."
Widening his grin, the blond genin answered to her declaration by exclaiming, "Bring it on!" He threw his right fist forward with his most confident grin.
After watching him leave, Tsunade couldn't help but smile to herself, "That kid… He isn't really fighting for this village, yet he's become the kind of shinobi this place doesn't deserve." She smiled fondly at a few memories, seeing Naruto's face grinning in her mind. After shaking her head, she returned to her paperwork. She needn't worry, this time her necklace would truly protect someone more than worthy of it.
However, just as Naruto exited the Hokage office he found someone he didn't expect to see, "It's been a while."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, "What is it, Sasuke?" the youngest Uchiha had that monotone and serious look on his face that the blond genin didn't like since day one.
"I've heard what you talked about with the new Hokage. That is why I want to see something for myself." He put his hands in his pockets, "We never really fought, so let's go."
Grinning wider and wilder than ever, Naruto showed his more feral side, "Place and time."
"The place where we became shinobi. Right now." In a blue of wind and leaves, Sasuke left, with Naruto gritting his teeth.
"You're not getting there first!" He took a sprinting position and started running.
Outside of the building, Sasuke smirked as he had a good lead, miles away from the Hokage Tower, "He's still too slow to re-" his words died in his throat when a large cloud of dust erupted from the tower. It then became a hurricane, as people screamed in shock and slight fear. Soon the dust tornado zipped past him, towards the place where he would be fighting Naruto.
The black eyed teen found the whiskered boy leaning on the log he had been tied to on their exam with their sensei. The blond Uzumaki had a grin a mile wide, and his arms cockily crossed over his chest, "I didn't train to lose, Sasuke. Let me warn you, no matter who it is I'm fighting, I'll make sure I won't let what happened to Zabuza repeat itself, and I will be strong enough to face that creep Orochimaru when I see him!"
Clenching his hands into fists, Sasuke summoned his Sharingan, "Then I can go all out. Let's see how good that determination is against my clan's legacy which I've always carried with pride and joy!"
NARUTO UZUMAKI VS SASUKE UCHIHA
THE WEIGHT OF A SHINOBI'S PRIDE!
ROUND 1!
BEGIN!
Without any other thought, Naruto rushed forward, throwing off his vest the instant he did so. Seeing the heavy piece of clothing hit the ground, Sasuke immediately threw his head to the side, a foot inches from his face. Smirking cockily at the blond, the youngest Sharingan user tried to get a direct jab to his whiskered face. Even with the Sharingan, he couldn't have predicted what happened.
With his foot still airborne, Naruto brought it down, changing his momentum in the blink of an eye and having his other leg up even before his shoe touched the ground. Sasuke winced and was forced to use his arms to block the shin that would have rattled and perhaps knocked off some teeth. He ground his teeth at the force, which had him skidding back two yards. Even with chakra to protect himself, it still hurt.
Not only that, Naruto was dancing! The blond was weaving his body side to side while shaking his arms in odd poses, "The Hell are you doing…?" Sasuke asked more in disbelief than anger. He even felt his jaw go limp. Was Naruto taking it as a joke? Now that started to get him angry. Or it would have had the blond not spoken.
"This is my new style, Dancer Style! You may try to copy my moves with your Sharingan if you want, but…" Naruto stopped, taking a pose with a finger aimed at the red-eyed boy, "this is a style I made to change my momentum! No matter what kick I throw and you see coming, I'll show you a complete new move without wasting a single second!"
Suddenly, a smile grew on Sasuke's face, "So this is what you've been training for. Interesting. However, I can't afford to lose to you! If you say you will grow stronger, I'll have to be even stronger if I want to beat that man! Naruto, I'm afraid I can't let you keep that promise you made to yourself of never losing."
Naruto put his left hand behind his back, his right knee up, and his grin brighter than ever, "You're not even sorry, so drop the act and fight!"
Letting Sasuke get closer, Naruto used both his arms and right leg to block a punch. The Uchiha tensed, feeling that something was wrong if Naruto let him get a hit. Surprisingly, while Naruto trained his arms for defense, without much chakra Sasuke still managed to break his guard like he expected. But Naruto also expected that. Using the momentum of the punch, Naruto let himself fall back, spinning his body around.
Sasuke brought up his own leg to try to stop a mule kick from the whiskered genin, who had his body bent down to throw the strike without much problem, even using a hand on the ground for support. Sasuke felt his foot receive the force from the kick, sending painful shivers up his ankle and to his thigh. He gasped when the force to the kick sent him flying towards the trees. Mentally kicking his ass, the Uchiha landed safe.
"Like Kabuto said, what monstrous will." He said while quickly flashing through hand signs, seeing the blond rush at him, "You're too straightforward, Naruto, even if you manage to change your trajectory and momentum, you're still the same!"
With a deep breath, the Uchiha scorched the area beneath him, leaving sooth and burned dirt on the ground. He grinned when he sensed the blond above him, having heard the noise he made when kicking the air. Roaring, he brought him his right arm for a palm strike, about to strike the chest of a shocked Naruto. However, the most hyperactive and unpredictable of shinobi proved true to being what he was.
Surprising the Uchiha yet again, Naruto kicked the air once again, spun around his body midair, and, defying all logic, landed an axe kick on Sasuke's right shoulder. The boy's red eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he felt the full impact of the kick. His joints screamed as they shook from the force, and he knew that if Naruto used his full strength the strike would most likely dislocate or break his shoulder.
However, Naruto had a flaw, he underestimated how determined Sasuke was to grow stronger. The blond groaned when the Sharingan user forced his other arm to land an upper-cut squarely on the blue eyed Uzumaki's gut. Thanking Gai for training him rigorously to take strikes better, Naruto sucked up the pain and kicked the air again, getting some much needed distance between himself and his teammate.
"I may still be the same in a way…" Naruto grunted, getting to his feet while staring at Sasuke on the tree, his grin returning, "But I'm still here and I still don't plan on losing!"
Despite the way Naruto kept acting cocky, the Uchiha couldn't help but grin, "Good, it wouldn't be fun if beating you were that easy!"
He really should have known to be careful for what he wished, for Naruto jumped at him. He tried to read the airborne Uzumaki, but the whiskered genin decided to show the Uchiha his style's true unpredictable nature. With a kick in the air, Naruto was far away from the avenging boy, up in the sky much to his shock. Sasuke could try to read him, but there was something odd. He could see his chakra, but…
"No hand signs for you to copy!" the blond propelled himself down like a bomb ready to crush its target.
He then spread his legs and started spinning like a saw. Feeling his gut sink to the pit of his bowels, Sasuke recognized the attack as the one that helped cut through Shukaku's armor. This time it was faster, so the red eyed boy had to react the instant Naruto's legs started to cut at the top of the tree. He didn't dare to watch the tree get split in half, he just jumped to the other and watched the large cut and-
"How…" Sasuke started to sweat for, again defying all logic, Naruto had disappeared in the middle of his tree slicing. The top half of the tree was split perfectly in half, with both halves hanging off to the sides. He knew Naruto. It was true that the blue eyed genin was the kind that punched first and asked questions mid-punch, but he was too damn cunning to take lightly. After all, it was he who outsmarted Zabuza.
"Heads up!" was all the warning the Uchiha got as Naruto zipped at him from the side. The Sharingan user ducked under a lightning fast flying kick and thought he saw an opening for a brief instant. He threw his hand up, but missed his target by a long shot. Instead, a large cut was seen on the side of the tree, like a bullet cutting someone's cheek. And the instant contact was made it was like Naruto had disappeared again.
Now he recognized the tactic, "Jumping around to try to land a hit on me like you did with Kiba won't help, Naruto." He finally found a trail of orange, "Unlike him, I can keep up with you and-" And Naruto's hand was on his shoulder, with the blond doing a hand-stand over the Uchiha, ready to bring down his knee on his teammate's face. Violently twisting his body to the side, the youngest Uchiha avoided the blow.
As quickly as his knee passed his target, Naruto kicked the air.
Now Sasuke understood how Naruto was fighting like a ninja, a true shinobi. He wasn't trying to charge in head first, Naruto was using his speed to hide in plain sight!
The blond was using his skills to become so unpredictable that the Sharingan was the only thing giving Sasuke a chance to follow his moves!
Even more terrifying, with his new style Naruto could move any way he wanted and however he pleased to do so, that the feathery haired boy's eyes wouldn't help much in close quarter combat!
Like Kabuto had said, the fox's carrier had a truly monstrous will to win, proven by how he managed to grow so fast after being crippled by Orochimaru.
Thus, he didn't know whether to be afraid or baffled at seeing Naruto dancing again, doing an odd backwards walk in which his feet seemed to move forward while his body moved back, "Sorry Sasuke, but the party of my youth has just started, and I don't plan to ever stop dancing!" and to complete the incoherent line, Naruto stomped the ground and hooked a thumb to his smiling face, his teeth flashing for a second.
Ok, it seemed he'd settle for baffled, "Oh God… I'm fighting another youth freak…" the youngest Uchiha said in a paralyzed state of fear and awe.
"Heh… You think the power of my burning youth is scary? Try this then." With a whirl of his feet, Naruto begin spinning in place on one leg, wind whirling around his body and forming a funnel from which all the air around them was being sucked towards him.
Sasuke stepped back slowly, his eyes whirling rapidly as he couldn't even see through the veil of chakra infused wind. Something was happening, he could feel this fight was turning legendary. His instincts screamed suddenly, blaring in massive red letters along with a klaxon alarm ringing loudly, 'Danger!'
Before he could do anything, a wind blade shot past him and split the tree line behind him, blood opening up along a cut on his cheek. As another blade shot out soon he started moving, his entire body forced to dodge frantically, almost dancing himself as wind blade after wind blade were shot out.
"What… What are you doing Naruto!?" His jaw dropped as he saw that the wind blades weren't the actual attack, they were just the prelude to what Naruto had been planning all along. His entire body became a cyclone, whirling around in the air with his legs kicking and spinning so fast he became appeared like the classic image of a wind deity with a cyclone below him.
"This is just one hint of what I've been working on Sasuke! Let's take this out for a test drive! Dynamic… Hyper…!" Spinning like a top, the blond haired teen rocketed forward, the ground below him being marked by a laser-thin grinding point of wind, the "tail" of the twister so to speak. That was when he jumped up, his right foot coated by a drill of pure chakra wind, "KICK!"
Knowing he had no chance to win but to go all out with what was effective, Sasuke's hands flashed through signs. With a deep breath he unleashed a volley of fireballs straight at the blond to slow him down. That or at least get himself some much needed distance. He knew fire would devour wind, but something was missing, and he didn't need the Sharingan to know that. It was Naruto, the most unpredictable bonehead!
And how right he was, for instead of burning his legs the fire got consumed into the tornado. With wide eyes the Uchiha jumped away, watching every single of his fiery projectiles getting sucked into the wind! "He's using the vacuum of the tornado to absorb my attacks and strengthen his! How does he come up with this crazy shit?!"
In an instant, Naruto's leg was covered by a fire tornado which was speeding right at the Sharingan user! Cursing to himself, Sasuke pumped all of his chakra to his legs to get out of range.
"Dynamic Hyper Kick! FIRE BURST!"
Despite making the name on the fly, it wasn't any less fitting. When the tree Sasuke was on was hit, a spiral of flames engulfed it in a true inferno. It became a massive pillar of flames that devoured the bark and leaves, leaving nothing but a pitch black piece of coal. The Sharingan kind of shut off from the sheer shock while Naruto passed right through a hole on the tree he made, skidding to a halt on the other side.
"I can't get careless, if we fight all out one of us might die." Sasuke growled, trying to keep his mind set, but his whole body shivered. Whether it was in fear or excitement didn't matter, he knew it was from realization. The Uzumaki before him had not just trained to become stronger, he had evolved into a real martial artist.
"That was awesome!" Naruto cheered, pumping his fists up before walking to his opponent with his right pants leg burned off, revealing some of his scars from his intensive training. However, behind his shin, hidden from Sasuke's eyes, was a nasty burn that the fox's chakra was healing. While the attack was indeed incredible, Naruto knew he had been reckless.
Even the Uchiha could tell, "If we keep this going, you may not walk again."
Naruto grinned wider than ever, "In that case, I'll find a way to fight without my arms and legs! I told you, didn't I? I'm done being a loser!"
"All right, that's enough you two!"
Time was up!
Both turned to find Tsunade displeased by their destructive fighting if the way her eyes narrowed and her arms were crossed under her more than impressive cleavage said anything.
"Granny? But I thought you'd still be busy at your office." Naruto exclaimed in confusion.
"I would have been if some shinobi hadn't reported seeing you two fight." She said with some venom, "The moment word of it got to those two old f…" she stopped herself from cursing with a shake of her head, "I know you two won't take my word for much given the way you went at each other's throats, so I'll say it once. You are supposed to be teammates, not enemies. Work together, or you might end like me."
With that she left the two boys to look at each other, Sasuke clenching his hand into a fist, "This means nothing. Until we truly fight all out, there's no way either of us can prove we have what it takes for our goals."
Snorting, Naruto decided to be a smartass, "For a second it sounded like you thought I'd beat you."
Sasuke smirked, "Hn, you wish."
XXXXXX
After that, word from the fight and the events that happened on it spread faster than the flames on Naruto's improvised fire kick. Some people went to see the sight, and were amazed to find the tree. Some claimed it had to be Sasuke, but soon those false claims died when everyone say the hole Naruto made with his foot. One of such enthusiasts happen to be none other than…
"Konohamaru?" while in the middle of a jog through the village with a four tons on his vest and weighted bracelets, Naruto found his admirer/rival.
"Please, train us!" the kid asked out of the blue, his friends looking as eager.
All three kids had their fists pumped up and staring at him wide-eyed. Oddly enough, Naruto noted they each had shoes like his. After his fight with Kabuto, Naruto used customized dance shoes for every situation. That way he could fight, dance, run, and avoid fighting barefoot if he fought against someone spamming fire. He also bought new pants similar to the ones he wore when fighting Neji.
However, at the moment Naruto ruffled his hair before slicking it back, unsure of what to say. Sure, he would love to have little apprentices, but his training was now based off Gai's. Let this writer repeat that, his training is based off Maito Gai's insane regime. If the children before him tried to endure it, he could only imagine them falling down a cliff after trying to climb it with only their feet and no chakra.
He tried to think of an excuse, for there was no way he'd try to leave with the blood of three innocent kids in his hands. He only survived Gai's insane training because he was too stupid to give up, he was too foolish to say no to a challenge, and he was too idiotic to die easily. Luckily, it appeared as if someone heard his prayers and answered.
"Hey Naruto!" Kiba said, waving his hand with Akamaru on his head, barking lazily, "If you're not too busy with the ankle biters, lend me a hand."
"Who're you calling ankle biters?!" Konohamaru shouted, "If anything, I bet you were a real ankle biter!"
A vein bulged on the Inuzuka's heir forehead, "Hey that was only when Akamaru and I were teething!"
Naruto snickered, "For real?!"
The tattooed brunet huffed, "What's it to ya? Anyway, care to ditch the kids? I want to spar with you."
"Wait, what?" Now that was a surprise.
"You heard me. If you're gonna be Hokage, I can't let you get ahead of me just like that." Kiba said seriously, baring his teeth in a fanged, eager smirk, "After hearing how you fought Sasuke to a point the Hokage herself had to stop you, I know I got to spar with you more often. No way am I just gonna twiddle my thumbs after the way you kicked my face at the preliminaries."
Now it was the Uzumaki's turn to smirk, "Heh, I've gotten way stronger and haven't stopped ever since."
"Oh, the please let us see!" Konohamaru said to the blond, stars sparkling in his eyes, "You're my rival, so I got to know how to surpass you if I'm also going to be Hokage. That large breasted grandma may be in charge, but I still got to make everyone see me as more than my grandfather's legacy! Let me see how strong I have to get."
Naruto playfully karate-chopped Konohamaru, "Dumbass, it's not about trying to be strong enough, it's all about being stronger every second and never stopping despite the limits!" Naruto couldn't help but smile at the boy's cheerfulness. It hadn't been easy for him to cope with the fact Tsunade replaced the old monkey, but after some events the boy was more than eager to far surpass old Sarutobi.
"Alright, then I'll go and be far stronger than you and never stop!" the broom haired kid cheered.
Kiba heard his partner yip, "You're right boy. It is just like Lee and his sensei."
Soon the Inuzuka and Uzumaki got to a good spot to spar. Kiba nearly regretted his decision in a very thorough manner, but knew that if it hurt then he was feeling weakness leaving the body. Either that or Naruto kicked so hard and fast he wasn't making much sense. Even with Akamaru's help, Naruto could see how much stronger he had gotten. He just dashed at Kiba in the blink of an eye and kicked him.
"Wow…" Konohamaru and his friends gaped, Moegi speaking, "All that only with his legs…"
"Oh, Kiba, you ok?" Naruto asked, waving a hand over the defeated Inuzuka.
"Ugh… I think I liked it more… when you were hurt…" the brunet grunted, "At least it felt less painful that this."
Naruto chuckled, "Well, I didn't stop training. You up for another round?"
"Yeah, just… gimme a minute…" Kiba looked up at the sky, pondering a few things, "How?"
"Huh?"
"How did you become so strong? Talent can only get you so far, I know this as someone with a clan. Neji's Gentle Fist and Byakugan may be better than my clan's techniques. And yet, you got this strong because you suddenly trained real hard, it's surreal." Kiba gave a pained chuckle, "Ugh… It hurts all over, but… somehow, seeing you this strong and losing to you… It doesn't hurt as much as I thought."
Naruto arched an eyebrow, "What are you even saying?"
Kiba grinned wider than ever, "Knowing you beat me, when you have no special powers and just your legs… It's like someone tells me and shows me I can be stronger if I just try. You can't even use jutsus, and if you had a bloodline there's so little you can do without your arms. Even if you had talent, it'd be crippled by how restricted you are to fight. And despite that, here you are."
Naruto got it, "You better not be confessing to me." He couldn't help but make that quip.
Kiba snickered, "Jackass… I ain't gonna kiss your ass or anything. But, thank you. If a guy like you can get this far with far less than me, then I got no excuse to not try to become Hokage."
XXXXXX
After his sparring session and talk with Kiba, Naruto trained harder and harder. Konohamaru and his friends tried to tag along, but catching up to him was still far from their reach. It came as no surprise when some girls started to eye him. Hearing that a boy managed to hold his own against the Uchiha prodigy and was ripped like a washboard helped.
Unknown to Naruto, he was being followed and watched by several pairs of eyes.
"That little shit-head seems to think he's worth a damn." Said a feminine figure.
"Tayuya, you should be mindful of how you speak. It'd draw attention to us." Said a far bigger figure. "Besides, Orochimaru-sama told us he's a Jinchuuriki, he might act like that due to some mental issues."
"Kiss my ass." Was the reply from the girl who spoke like she hated everything, and she just may as well do, "Little pissant just annoys me. He's so happy all the time, like the son of a bitch ain't got a damn to give."
"Orochimaru-sama was clear with his orders, we have to take him out if he becomes a problem." Another figure with what looked like a hunchback reminded them.
"Bet you we could just cut his head. Orochimaru-sama said he's a Jinchuuriki, nobody would miss him." Replied another one, covered in a cloak.
"We can probably take out that Uchiha asshole." The girl said with a sneer, "This brat may have beaten Kabuto, but he is probably just a co-"
"Tayuya." The largest of the group started to try to calm her down.
"You don't have the balls to keep me from cursing above a T-rating, fatass." She growled, glaring at the blond, "Look at him, he would die against us, against the one that bested us. What's so special ab-"
And her mind kind of shut down when the blond walked to the river he trained by and decided to wash himself. In doing so he stripped himself down to his light green boxers and briefly soaked his sweaty clothes in the water. Once he put the clothes to dry, he dove in to relax in the cooling water. Tayuya stared more than she should at the obviously younger boy's body.
No Sound shinobi worked hard enough to get any kind of muscle a still blossoming girl would like to see. The only sign of muscle she had seen at Orochimaru's forces came from the largest member of her team or the one man that beat her and the others. It really wasn't easy being a girl in a place full of dudes that were creepy, demented, or both. Thus she would take her time admiring the rippling six pack near the navel-
"Tayuya!" one of her teammates snapped her out of her trance.
"Shit damn it." She cursed with a shake of her head, "Let's make sure he is no problem to get the Uchiha asshat."
The males shrugged, unsure of what to think, and knowing she would just insult them if they asked questions.
However, Naruto had some other things to worry about than stalkers. Mainly, the fact he won a certain bet and that required some concentration.
"Dammit!" a certain knuckleheaded blond cursed upon getting flicked by Tsunade.
His body sailed through the trees surrounding the clearing they used which was on the side of a cliff. His back ached as it broke through three before he righted himself in the air, kicked the air, and dashed right at the more experienced shinobi. This time it was the blonde woman's turn to grind her teeth. She brought up her leg and thanked her healing that she could take out the bruise that was forming on her shin.
"Not bad, brat." She said before showing her own monstrous strength by punching the air.
Once again, the whiskered boy's body soared through the air as the force behind the deceivingly young woman's strike caused the air to ripple and blast him back. Or it appeared to be that way. Tsunade took a moment to realize her shorter fellow yellow haired martial artist didn't have her fist imprinted on his torso. She watched him cheekily grinning after he kicked the ground and bounced high in the air.
He kept himself afloat kicking the air, "I knew you were strong, Granny. But I've still got moves I haven't shown you."
She curled the left side of her lips slightly upwards in a small smirk, "That so from the kid running away from me? Are you too afraid to handle a good looking lady?"
He snickered, "I'd have to see one first."
Less than a second passed before Tsunade threw a boulder she picked from the ground. Naruto kicked the air to dash at it, kicking it with a wind infused foot to cut right through. However, his blood got cold when on the other side was the Senju woman. She looked ready to murder him in thirty different ways. It was mostly by instincts, following his gut that Naruto threw his leg and managed to stop her punch to his side.
The two fighters bounced back from the force, landing on the ground and skidding to a halt, "You little punk!" she shouted, cracking her knuckles, "If I weren't so busy training you I'd be teaching you some manners! I am not going to hold back any longer, start throwing your kicks how I thought you or you will end up dead!"
Naruto grinned, hopping from one foot to the other in eagerness, focusing his chakra through his legs, condensing it, "I think I'm getting the hang of it."
Tsunade paused her rage to speak, "Far from it. You have so much chakra in your legs due to how messed up you arms are that you're using more than you need to." She walked to him, holding a finger, "Why do you think it hurts when I flick you? What you feel is not me using large amounts of chakra, it's a balanced concentration that won't burn my body like opening one's chakra gates."
"I don't get it." Naruto admitted, "You clearly use a lot of chakra, what's the deal?"
She huffed, subconsciously puffin up her chest in pride, "Think of your chakra as your breathing. Each strike requires you to take some air, and you let it out in controlled exhales to not burn your lungs. No matter how much chakra you have, if all you do is abuse it you'll only burn your body. That's why Gai and that kid that follows him have to be careful with their last resort."
Slowly the gears in his head started to turn, "So you want me to control how I unleash my chakra in my strikes rather than let it all out? Like, I should let out short breaths when throwing a punch."
A smile crossed her face while she crossed her arms under her breasts, "You're getting it, kid. Now, let's start once again, from the top. Remember, keep your chakra flowing and let it out when you have to make contact. It'll be like an explosion when that happens and you'll have plenty more firepower for more."
Naruto grinned and put up his fists, "Alright Granny, I ain't going easy either now!"
And, as far away as possible from the training duo, Naruto's stalkers kept doing what they did, "That kid isn't human. Jinchuuriki or not, he can't be human." Said the one with the odd hunch.
"Maybe I can trap him in my web." Said the guy in the cloak hiding a multitude of extra limbs, "That way it'd be a matter of being careful to cut off his head."
Their biggest member pondered on it, "We just have to get the Uchiha boy. It doesn't matter what happens to this one. Killing him is a bonus."
"It doesn't matter who he trains with." The only female in the group commented, "With the Sharingan at his disposal, there's no way he could beat- Shit!"
The group of spies dispersed when chunks of boulders flew their way like cannonballs.
Both yellow haired shinobi were standing on the side of the cliff, throwing kicks, boulders, and punches at each other. Though it was obvious Naruto stuck to only kicks, he still brought his arms to deflect any rocks that got too close for comfort. Tsunade eyed the boy carefully, able to tell Gai's training paid off if he could swat aside falling debris in the middle of their fight.
Continuing with their training, they left the spies to watch in mute shock as things escalated quickly. Naruto would dance around the woman's strikes and throw his own, putting her on the defensive. However, they could see he was keeping his breathing even. It was like the moment he got more and more into the fight the blond stopped getting tired.
"Like that, just like when you exercise. Soon this strength will come to you as naturally as breathing." The first female Hokage said to her odd student.
He merely took off his vest, the impact it had on the clearing's fall left a massive crater the size of a pool, "I'll breathe better without this. Now get ready, Granny!"
"Heh, if only you could use your hands, you'd be perfect as a medic-nin." She muttered to herself before taking a more serious stance, "Alright, brat! Stop holding back or you'll get really hurt now!"
"We need to act, now." Tayuya told her teammates, the lack of swearing making them nod seriously. Thus they left Naruto to train for as long as he wanted.
Time passed.
Full moon in the sky. That was what Naruto's exhausted mind registered after his intense training with Tsunade. All around them were large rocks in the clearing, he was panting like a dog, and yet he was beaming. The pigtailed woman looked kind of happy too. She bumped a fist on one of her stiff shoulders with a content smile and sigh while she sat on one of the many boulders she threw at him, which was split in two.
"You're really determined to become Hokage, aren't you?" she asked the boy, who let his body fall back, sprawled on the grass.
"Damn right. With all this new training, I know I can." He looked so proud of what he did, she felt sorry for him.
"Is it worth it, though?" she asked, dropping the bomb, "I've seen the way people look at you, and I know what secret you hide. Thinking about it, these people don't really deserve you as a Kage. Hell, I still don't like this place much. Yet here you are, fighting for people who only praise you when you seem to be useful to them."
Naruto gave his trademark squinty-eyed foxy frown, "Must you be so cynical, Granny? What if those people think I'm nothing but the fox or its carrier? I'm still going to make them see me for who I am." He grinned, feeling at ease, "Becoming Hokage means they'll have to respect me as the strongest shinobi in this village, someone that will lead them."
Tsunade frowned, "My brother was the same… He just wanted to…" she sighed, "I'll be frank with you, kid. It's not a fun job. Everyone expects you to be perfect and do their damn paperwork. When it comes down to it, being Hokage is being something people want to see you as. It was that what caused me to lose them…"
Closing his eyes, Naruto held on to his necklace hidden under his shirt, "Maybe you're right, but even then, I just want them to eat their words. Even after what happened to my arms, I have gotten stronger. I'm a lot tougher than I ever dreamed. I will make everyone see that. I will make them realize that I can be more than what they think of me. That's why I don't care what they think, being Hokage means they're wrong."
Tsunade listened closely, fearing the worst: that he'd be full of hatred and perhaps become… "Naruto…"
He smiled dumbly, "They will see they were wrong saying what I am and have to be. It doesn't matter what they say or think, I'll do something none of them can do and be better than everyone at it." He chuckled and patted his legs, "And since I can't use any jutsus except whatever I can do with my legs, I'll be even cooler when I get the hat, like saying I did it all with my hands tied to my back!"
A small smile crept on the woman's face before turning into a smirk, and she snorted, "I was wrong about you, then. I thought you were an idiot too blind to see what he's doing… You're a blind idiot too stupid to give up."
"Hey!" he sat up, glaring at her.
For a moment she could see he had grown yet remained the same. It was oddly endearing. If only she were a good certain dozens years younger she wouldn't mind teasing him. Oh what the Hell?
"You're kind of cute, like a dumb puppy that gets its head stuck in a jar and smashes it around walls to get it off."
"Well, you're still old as dust!" he retorted.
All good mood was gone, and thus they returned to another intense hour of training in which Tsunade tried to purposely harm him. She tried, though.
XXXXXX
"Ugh… I'm sore all over places I didn't know existed."
"Lady Tsunade, you can't be serious."
Said woman moaned face down on her desk, "Shizune, that kid is definitely going to cut my life short." The busty Senju groaned, "Gai was perhaps the closest to a worthy teacher he needed. It takes someone with such insanity to teach that brat…."
Shizune giggled, "Then it means Naruto is a good student."
The pigtailed woman hummed, "If only he could use his chakra to heal… But the kid's too hotheaded to learn the medic arts, and only way he could help would be to fight with one foot on top of an injured fighter."
Shizune looked up, "That'd probably be useful, to learn how to heal with my feet…"
"Don't even think about it. You'd have your hands full with something, and then to use two extra and longer limbs?" the slug woman retorted with a tired glare.
Sheepishly smiling, the dark haired woman apologized with a bow, "I guess you're right. It'd require too much concentration I couldn't lose in battle."
"Though the worst pain is… Danzo." Tsunade glared at the figure that entered her office.
The old war hawk merely bowed with a small smile, "Good to see you too, princess. I see you took an apprentice to teach your fighting style to. However, I'm not the only man worried about that fight between our Jinchuuriki and the Uchiha."
The blonde glared, "Don't talk like they're objects, you old coot. What is it you want? Because if you say something related to either of them, I'll do what my sensei never did and-"
"Orochimaru has grown impatient." The elder said to cut her off, "It's come to my attention that the Jinchuuriki boy may be one of the targets. I hope your training is enough to keep him alive. Otherwise, well, I do think I may have the kind of regime someone like him could use for the sake of this village."
"Out. Now." Tsunade needn't say more, she was livid.
Bowing, Danzo did as told with a few words, "I hope you are ready to correct the mistakes your sensei did, then. After all, Orochimaru cost both of you."
Snapping her desk in half with a punch after he left, the Senju woman groaned, "I can't wait to see him fail. Men like him who want more power than they can handle always fail."
Shizune glared at the door where the man left, "Do not worry, Lady Tsunade. He promised he'd never lose, didn't he? Besides, Naruto doesn't strike me as the kind of boy who'd try to get power from others. Your training him shows he wants to earn it."
Tsunade chuckled, "Don't say that aloud next to him, he's got enough hot air in that empty skull of his."
That night Sasuke didn't have much to care in his life except styling his hair, plotting what horrible way to murder his brother, and buying tomatoes. There was also the major tug at the back of his mind to train harder to actually beat Naruto. Having seen how insanely strong the blond had become to surpass him would mean he'd be one step closer to Itachi's death.
He did get ambushed by four, actually five, unknown shinobi. They talked about power after knocking him down flat on his ass with a simple jutsu. The one with blue hair and painted lips started to talk about power. Power was good since having more meant the Uchiha clan could rest in peace. But there was something that they said about Orochimaru that really interested him more than it should.
"It is your choice to meet us." The six-armed one said, "But think of this. Your seal was purposely made to make you stronger, but the one on your teammate…"
Question after question flooded the young Uchiha's mind, "Naruto? What's he got to do with this?"
Now it was the time for a well-placed line, "You think that little shitstain got that strong because he trained?" Tayuya retorted, though she knew the obvious. Naruto did earn his strength.
The lies kept coming from the shinobi that was two in one, "Now, it is partly because of what he is. After all, not many shinobi can compare to a Jinchuuriki, a carrier of one of the Tailed Beasts, the Kyuubi."
Onyx eyes narrowed, "You expect me to believe you?" he looked insulted, "Even if what you said were true, Orochimaru didn't train, guide or do anything but try to cripple him."
"Tell me, do you want to be in that Jinchuuriki's shadow?" Jirobo asked, "In this village that boy houses the monster that your clan couldn't stop. Only a man who had to use his life could stop it, and only the legendary Madara Uchiha could hold the fox back. Now think what you'd learn from a man that tries to master all jutsus."
"But you can always watch that fox boy grow stronger than you, and doing so faster than you thanks to the nine-tailed monster's power." Kidomaru taunted, "We've heard of your fight, and also some details. Like how he would have won had the elders not asked your Hokage to stop him from kicking your face in."
Seeing him clench his fists, Sakon smirked, "We only arrived to give you a choice. Help Orochimaru-sama achieve his goal, or let not only your brother but a boy that depends on a monster's chakra to surpass you. The same power your brother desires."
Cold paralyzed Sasuke's body at those words, "What're you talking about?! Itachi using that thing's power?! What for?! He's already powerful enough to-"
"You don't get shit, do you?" Tayuya growled, "The fox isn't the only one. There are more, but you can let your wet dream get ahead of you and take him and others out to smack you like a little bitch."
They said their piece, but something else settled in the Uchiha's mind, "The fox's power? Who're you trying to fool?" he snorted, "I've seen him fight. Not once did he use chakra that wasn't his, even for a moment. Orochimaru may have given him a handicap, but it was he who became stronger. Tell your master I refuse. If Naruto's that strong with what little he has, I have no excuse to not get stronger on my own."
Sakon spoke full of cynical joy, "Then we have to inform you that your brother hasn't been idle at all. After all, killing your clan was one of many steps to become the man he is."
That touched a nerve, "You basta-" the Uchiha tried to get out, but got kicked by the redhead kunoichi.
"Are we sure this is the same kid we have to bring in?" she asked with disdain, her body covered in tattoos, "He's nothing but a shitty menstruation joke."
"Is this power what you call unique or is it just a crutch?" Sasuke heaved out some spit, wiping his mouth with a grimace, despite the obvious strength she had nailed him with, he felt like it was still just there.
"The power he has given me, and my retarded teammates too, is unique to us dipshit. You could have it too if you wanted." Tayuya stated with a sneer, Sasuke spitting at her feet in response. "Motherf-"
"Stop it, Tayuya!" Kidomaru said, holding her back to prevent her from kicking the boy, "I know what you feel, but it's not worth it."
"Let's make two things clear right here and now." The Uchiha heir said with a sneer of his own, "First, I'm no one's pawn or minion, I can take two guesses why your boss wants me on his side and both have to do with what I am, not who I am. Second, this power is based off of what he's done, and I don't want to be beholden to anyone but myself. Yet, you've caught my interest…"
Rubbing his chin with a grimace, the last Uchiha was actually considering the idea. The one thing that held him back, the one thing that kept him from fully turning his back from everything he knew in the Leaf, was the fact that that he knew Naruto got to where he was by training hard on his own.
The formation of a plan and a goal begun spinning like the tomoe of his eyes in his mind. If he couldn't train in his village, then he'd take his chances in the Sound to get what he wanted from them. Then cut his ties with them when he learned everything worth learning from there, however… His eyes hardened, he'd be sure to give his only reliable teammate something personal to know his plans.
"Seems we got to you." Sakon said with a smirk before he and the others tensed.
"Someone's-" Jirobo barely managed to say.
Before Sasuke could react, the sound of a wind rushing alerted him that someone was close, too close. Feeling a hand on his shoulder for a handstand, the young Uchiha smiled when a black and orange blur zipped over his head. Jirobo, the one closest to the black haired boy, found his ribcage painfully cracking from a black and orange shoe firmly planted on his side.
"What took you so long?" Sasuke asked while the Sound 4 took their distance the instant the new arrival attacked.
Naruto huffed upon landing, "Hey, you could say thanks! You're lucky Granny noticed I was being followed!"
The four servants of the snake tensed, Tayuya narrowing her eyes, "Little shit's got reinforcements. Tch, we'll have to take two for the price of one."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "What're you talking about? We definitely have the whole village ready to help us." He smirked smugly.
Naruto arched a brow, "Uh, what do you mean?"
The Uchiha blinked a few times before slapping his face, "Naruto, you did inform someone about this, right?"
Now the blond sweated, scratching his right reddening cheek, "You see… Granny thought I had some girl swooning over me since she recognized something around the area we trained. I thought it was nice to have a fan…" he blushed with a silly grin on his face, before shaking his head to focus, "Anyway, I tried to see what kind of girl would be admiring me, and now here I am."
Sasuke lowered his hand and quickly slapped his face again, feeling that he needed the extra pain to focus on how stupid that was given a certain Hyuuga's affection, "You have to notice at the worst t-"
"What do you mean admiring?" the girl with the odd hat asked, glaring and glad her long locks hid her cheeks, "What's that old hag told you?"
Naruto couldn't lie worth half a licked lemon, "I don't know, she just warned me about not taking off my clothes in open spaces."
A third slap to the face, followed by three more from the males of the Sound. Tayuya grit her teeth, "How about you take us seriously, you bitch?!" getting the hint it was time for battle all sides took stances.
However, Sasuke turned around to face his teammate, removing his headband, "I've seen enough." He said as he turned to his teammate, "Catch." He threw his headband at the whiskered genin, who caught it and grit his teeth when his teammate dashed at him.
In a split second, both exchanged punches, Naruto throwing his fist to stop Sasuke's from connecting with his face, "What's the big idea, asshole?!" his eyes widened in shock at what he saw, before feeling a direct strike on his gut.
The four Sound shinobi were shocked into silence at the coldness of the Uchiha's actions, millions of questions rushing through their minds as to why he'd do that just like that. Even more shocking, Naruto doubled over and fell on his face. What truly froze their blood was to see a red liquid form a puddle underneath the Uzumaki.
"Let's go." Sasuke said with his back turned to them, quickly putting up his headband, "If he gets back from that, then he really is a monster like you told me."
"Hey, douchebag!" Tayuya growled, grabbing him by his collar, "You just killed your own teammate in cold blood, why?! You were questioning us like you thought you actually had a di-"
She was horrified at what she saw, there was no emotion in the black eyed boy's face, "I told you, you got my interest. Now make it worth my while." He said coldly, making the elite members of Orochimaru's forces grit their teeth.
What they failed to notice as they left were two very important things. One was Naruto groaning as he got up with a bottle of tomato juice Sasuke bought for his midnight stroll, and a serious look on his face. On his hand was a sheet of paper with numbers and letters. To anyone it'd have made no sense, but to Team 7, in a rare occasion in which Kakashi took teaching them seriously, it meant more.
"Asshole…" Naruto grunted as he read the code, mumbling to himself, "Let's see… What did Kakashi-sensei say…? 1E meant… and 47T was…"
Soon he translated the letter to a simple message: "I'm acting. Follow me."
It wasn't long until he confronted Tsunade about the situation and how grave it was. The woman listened intently with a stern tone.
"That brat…" she ground her teeth, "Naruto, even if he has a plan, it's crucial to bring him back. Orochimaru's not to be messed with regardless of what he may think. That idiot…"
Naruto shook his head "It's not going to be easy, Granny. He's too much of an asshole to change his mind." True enough, it was easier to convince sardines to tap-dance than getting Sasuke to do something he didn't like. "He's also got some dangerous guys around. I could tell just by being close that they have lots of tricks up their sleeves. I'm going to need help."
Tsunade eyed him before nodding, "Then go and gather a team. I can't let word of this get out so you'll have to be subtle about it."
That wasn't what he expected, "But it's Orochimaru, that creep would just-"
"Keep quiet, Naruto." She said coldly, "It's true, in any other circumstances I'd have tried to gather a proper group to get him back, but time is of essence, and the walls have eyes and ears."
"What do you mean, Granny?" he asked, feeling the tension in the air.
"Back when you and Sasuke fought, I didn't stop you just because two sacks of dusty bones asked me to, but because someone was interested to use it as an excuse." She balled her hands into fists, "His name's Danzo, and he has been interested in the power of the Sharingan and your own. He's an old war hawk, but he's not to be taken lightly. Had you injured Sasuke in that fight, he'd have tried to use that for…"
Silence, and it was all Naruto needed to know that whoever Danzo was had some very dark ideas in his mind, "Then I'll get to it with people I can trust."
She smiled at that, before reaching for her drawer, "Before you go." She threw a black headband at him, "I wanted to give it to you tomorrow after our sparring session, but congratulations, you're a Chuunin."
He gripped it tightly and nodded, running off.
XXXXXX
And that's my rap!
There will be a next chapter, perhaps the final one for this fic at long last. It'll include an epic fight between Naruto and Kimimaro – which I already wrote bits here and there – and the match between Naruto and Sasuke.
I hope you all enjoyed the fic and had fun with it. I would have wanted to do much more, but I fear it'd have taken too long, which is why I am working on the next chapter. I don't know when I may have it done, trying to make things flow in this story is not easy. There is a reason why I keep the status as "complete", because once I decide I've done everything I could with it, that's where I'll leave.
Now, the omakes. Sorry people, but you won't see continuations to the old ones. Don't worry, I do plan on releasing omakes once I feel I have finished with this fic, I may even write a real fic with this Naruto later on. For now, enjoy yourselves.
Warning: These ones will an AU to this fic. Warning for this AU, if you do not like gender bending, skip it. You've been warned.
(What if Sasuke were a girl?)
As both fighters decided to try to hit the other, Naruto brought up his leg. The Uchiha grunted when his foot lashed up, cutting through the fabric of the youngest Sharingan user's shirt to reveal bandages.
"W-What?!" the black haired teen squeaked in a higher pitched than normal tone. However, Naruto was in the middle of another kick, so he didn't pay much attention to what his actions caused. With a yelp, the blond genin's teammate went flying back after receiving another kick, crashing into a tree. Now that he was more focused on his opponent than on kicking them, Naruto saw… something…
Hairpins were on the floor, thus revealing that a duck-rear shaped hairdo hid a long black mane that reached the Uchiha's lower back. And his second kick, which was aimed to the chest once again, revealed… "Wow…" was all the Uzumaki could say with a blush so intense his birthmarks disappeared in the red of his cheeks.
With a growl, Itachi's sibling got up, "You… What're you staring at…? Why is it so… cold…?" there was a pause as the girl looked down, before slapping her arms to her torso, "K-Kyah, you… You!"
"What the Hell?!" was all Naruto's mind, which ran at a thousand miles per hour, could get out.
"D-Don't stare, dumbass!" she cried, a large red hue over her pale face, "Y-You saw nothing! Th-This is me using that dumb Sexy Jutsu of-"
Now, Naruto was not the brightest or sharpest, but even he could call such bull, "You've always been a girl?" he paused, thinking on it before grinning, "Yeah, my first kiss was with a girl!"
Said raven haired lass glared, "Asshole, that was my first kiss too! You… You… You insufferable…"
"Wait, so if you've always been a girl, why use a disguise?" he asked with an arched brow.
She glared, "Idiot, if I used jutsus and got knocked out, anyone checking could… Why am I even telling you this?! You saw nothing, you heard me?!"
"Uh… why keep it a secret, then? And, um… what do I call you?"
Her face resembled her favorite veggie, "You… Listen, the name is Satsuki Uchiha, as for this disguise, do you really think I want to be the last of my clan being a girl? To think people would want to marry me for this damned bloodline? Do you have any idea what's it like to think there could be men that'd try to…"
"W-Whoa, hey, take it easy!" Naruto said, taking off his vest and quickly removing the weights in it. "Hey, I know this is weird, but... you want to keep this a secret, that much I know. Then, I'll keep my mouth shut."
Her eyes widened, "W-What…?"
He beamed, "I don't care who or what you are, you're still someone I want to be fair and square. Next time we fight, I won't care about this, only that you're strong!"
"You… dummy…" said the tsundere girl, looking away from him with the biggest blush in her life.
(Persona 4 Arena)
"Hello?! Anyone here in this creepy school?! Help! Let me out! I already served my time in my village!"
Naruto tried to find life of any sort in a large and very surreal school. Halls were filled with odd shadowy monsters, there were towers of bizarrely stacked chairs, things were covered in yellow tape that said to not cross it, and… things were just bizarre. Thus he kept walking without a clear direction, just the knowledge that he was lost.
And that he had company, "Gigigi…" there was a shadow behind him, a being made of a dark blob like matter with a blue mask on and tiny arms. It slithered at high speeds at the blond who didn't even bother to turn and look at it. He merely threw his right foot back, splitting its head in half and thus killing it instantly.
"Man, you guys are annoying." He said as it vanished. "I just wish I could find some people."
Ask and thou shall receive, "Stand back!" his head whirled to a nearby classroom's door. Upon stepping inside he found that it was a gym with odd statues of men posing in manly ways. What really stood out was a very, very, very cute girl with frilly reddish brown hair in pigtails, glasses that made her look adorable, and a gray school uniform. She even looked close to his age… and was being attacked by more shadows.
He was about to dash and help her, but watched when she held up her hand, a blue card floating over it. With a flash of light that momentarily blinded him, he saw something, an ethereal being, manifest itself behind her. With a wave of its hand the figure had all the shadows deep friend with a powerful lightning strike, leaving the genin more than baffled.
"Amazing…" the girl heard him, turning her head around.
"Oh, you're different. Are you with that creep that makes awful puns?" she asked, ready to fight.
Naruto knew one thing, you never fight girls unless they deserved it, and since both he and her seemed to be targeted by the monsters he quickly raised and shook his arms, "No, I'm just lost. I was fighting my own teammate and then… I just kind of ended here." He looked around, "Do you have any idea what this is?"
She tilted her head to the side, "You don't seem to be lying… Very well. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Rise. You may know me as Risette."
Naruto tiled his head to the side, "Ok, I'm even more lost."
She gasped, "You are from really far off, or…" she examined him further, "You don't… seem to be a Shadow."
"I just want a way back, Rise… Oh, and I'm Naruto… Sorry for taking so long to greet you." He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
Rise giggled, "Well, since we both seem to be looking for something, wanna tag along? I'm not as used to fighting as my friends, so I'd really appreciate if you could help me find them."
He nodded, "No worries, I've worked as a bodyguard before!"
She clapped, smiling widely, "Good, I may even hire you after this."
(Blazblue)
"Ugh… What hit me?"
Naruto got up to find himself seated in the middle of a massive rose garden. All around him was a sight to behold straight out of a Halloween special. Pumpkins, a large castle, and the endless ocean of roses. More surprising was to find himself in the company of an amused little girl with yellow hair in long pigtails, a black gothic dress, and sharp red eyes. Her face was best described as bored, like he just bored her.
But what stood out were the ribbons keeping her hair in place, looking almost like… "I see you have awoken." She cut his train of thought before he could comment on her rabbit-like looks, "I should be mad that you've fallen and crushed my precious roses, but your arrival has been quite shocking. Not every day do I see a traveler from another world end in my place."
"You're not really making sense." He said as he stood up, dusting himself, "Sorry about the roses, though. I wish I could pay them back, but I'm kinda broke."
"There is a way for you to pay me back." She said in an icy yet not threatening tone, "There is power in you, I can tell. An… acquaintance of mine could use some help in his quest."
He perked up, "Huh, that doesn't sound so bad. Maybe I can find a way home on the way."
She smiled, albeit faintly, "Then it sounds like a deal, shall we- oh my, how horrible."
His eyes snapped open, "What is it?! Did I step on another rose?!"
She shook her head, "No, nothing as horrible. I just realized my poor lack of manners. And here I was about to make a deal with a boy like you without introductions." She cleared her throat, "I am Rachel Alucard, owner of this very land you have landed on."
He bowed awkwardly, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki… shinobi." He really didn't know what else to add to his curriculum.
Rachel smiled slightly in amusement, "At least you try to be polite. Very well, I shall see if you have what it takes for this task."
"What do you m-" he cartwheeled backwards when a pink lightning bolt, an actually pink colored pillar of electricity, nearly hit him.
Rachel grinned, "Good, you are fast on your feet. Shall we get serious?" she floated up, more pink lightning surrounded the two of them.
Naruto sighed, "Why does my luck with girls always involve pain?" nonetheless, he got into his stance, ready to give the small girl a sample of what he was capable of since that was what she wanted.
(Pokémon/Pokken Tournament)
"Would! You! Just! Stop! Trying! To! Punch! Me?!"
Naruto could have questioned a lot of things, and the first that came to mind was if the towering, four-armed being trying to make his face a pancake was real. Behind the creature was some man in a dark uniform with a red R on it, growling at the blond. Despite the humanoid's extra limbs, he found the blond Uzumaki hard to hit when said whiskered Uzumaki started to dance.
"What're you doing Machamp?! Finish that twerp!" the man growled at his partner.
The Machamp pulled back two fists, intent on knocking Naruto down. Big mistake, "Dynamic… STRIKE!" with both feet on the muscular creature's torso, he sent the Machamp flying back and crushing the man under his weight.
Naruto allowed himself a sigh of relief before turning behind him to a small chicken-like creature. Its feathers were orange, it had a natural Mohawk made of feathers, and only two bird feet with sharp talons, "Hey little guy, you ok?" he crouched before it, waving a hand, "That guy won't hurt you any longer, so just take care."
"Torchic." It said, jumping up before bowing.
Naruto gave his most intelligent reply to date, "Huh?"
"Tor, Tor, chic!" it said, bowing once again before standing up and trying – key word being trying – to throw a kick. Naruto caught it before it fell down.
"Oh, you want me to teach you how to kick." He said as he set the little bird back on its feet. It nodded energetically, "Well, I do have to get back home, but…" he looked at its beady, pleading eyes, "Oh what the Hell? I always wanted a pet!"
"Tor, Tor!" it cheered and jumped at his arms, snuggling into his embrace which he replied to by hugging it,.
The little critter cheered more, "Ok little guy, I'm going to train you hard. I will teach you the meaning of a good kick through your own passion! Little guy, no… I'm calling you… Suzaku! How's that sound?! I'm gonna train you to be the coolest bird ever!"
Suzaku would have grinned had its beak been able to curl up.
(Fairy Tail – written by The Lord Of Pages)
"So… hungry…"
Naruto groaned in the middle of what appeared to be an ancient forest his stomach growling at him in displeasure, demanding food. He was about to pass out honestly but something stopped him from doing so. He saw a young girl sobbing in the woods, stripped completely naked. One hand clenched the tree he was leaning against, hard enough to shatter the bark completely before he took a heavy whiff of the air.
He felt some relief as she didn't smell of… he shuddered at the thought. He was just glad it was a sign that she wasn't traumatized in other ways. Getting up with a grunt, the genin took off his weighted vest after removing the weights. He bundled it up, and then threw it out of the bushes he was in towards the crying girl.
"Hey! I'm not looking at you right now, so you can put some clothes on. I'll come out too but with my eyes closed, so please don't scream." His voice made the girl shoot up trembling, her blackish blue hair moving with her as tears poured from her eyes in embarrassment now.
"What're you… doing…?" the way her voice trembled made Naruto stand up as nonthreatening a way he could manage, with his hands over his eyes along with his headband hiding them completely, he looked extremely goofy as he stumbled forward, then tripped over a rock and fell flat on his face.
"In all honesty that wasn't supposed to happen and I totally did not look like a spaz right now… I'm sorry for being a creeper too-" he begun to say before he heard the girl giggle. It wasn't much and she was clearly still hiccupping through her tears, but it was a start. "What's your name?" He asked after she sniffled for a few more minutes, his face ground against the dirt to a comedic degree.
"Minerva. Minerva Orlando." She said after a long silence, but a giggle pierced the air every now and again as she watched him grind his face against the dirt in a manner that reminded her of a giant fox.
He raised up a brown smeared face then wiped the dirt off of it with a cough.
"Name's Naruto Uzumaki. Why were you crying?" He asked her, his face not even facing her but somewhere past her ears.
"It…" She didn't want to tell someone who she didn't even know, but the fact that he had an expression of honest concern, his attempt at comforting her, and the fact that his vest was very warm and thick swayed her.
"It… It was my father… He's very strict and cruel and he treats me horribly. He trains me all day and night, yells at me if I don't get a spell right, beats me if I don't do a movement perfectly, takes me on horrible training trips, and strips me if I don't work hard enough or do anything right!" Despite herself everything she had suffered spilled out of her mouth rapidly, the words flowing as quickly as her tears had.
"I see." Naruto was silent for an extremely long time, his expression as emotionless and cold as a stones, he got up slowly after the silence became oppressive. "Hey, can you tell me where he is?"
"Why?" Minerva couldn't help but ask him that, she hated her father and what he put her through daily, yet she had to ask for its own sake.
"I'm going to beat some manners into him." He said that simply, matter-of-factly, like it would happen no matter what and that there was nothing anyone could do to make him stop.
"But he's really strong…" Despite what he said, and how much she hated the man, she didn't want the man she just met to get hurt.
Naruto in response slammed his foot down so hard the entire clearing shook, trees being uprooted in rapid succession before a massive crater appeared below him after the rumbling had fully died down.
The expression he held in that second sealed the deal for her, but his next few words helped her feel hope as well, "I'm really strong too."
"He's down that path there… You'll know him when you see him." He tore off his headband, revealing determination filled blue orbs that to the young girl, in that moment, represented hope for a better tomorrow.
"I'll be back shortly. Just sit tight."
With that he walked off into the woods, a few tense minutes passed for the girl, minutes so tense she was wrought with worry. Shouting was heard, then explosions, before a blast so loud she had to cover her ears. She looked behind her and saw a figure with its face sunken in fly at a speed so fast it disappeared over the horizon before she could get a good look at it.
Naruto walked back shortly thereafter, his right leg dripping red and a proud smile on his face, "If he ever comes back, I won't hold back."
She went silent after that, tears coming to her eyes and a small smile on her face now as she rubbed them away, and clutched his jacket tightly to her body.
"Thank you…"
XXXXXX
Swordslinger out!