Mid-Childa Naruto
aka: Mischief Fragment - Mjolnir

a possibility raised by Greylle
Archived by Solitare and reposted by TheBeardedOne.

The plan was to drop this. Time restrictions and there are a few magic-Naruto stories already out there. i haven't run into one quite like this though, and plot details just keep fitting themselves into place. Which is why it's been separated out from the Omake and put here.

Various characters from various series. Mainly Nanoha and Naruto.


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Chapter 4: Princess of Najirea

"KRONK!"

"Oh, sorry Yzma. I was just checking with my minions."

Yzma frowned at that little reminder that her butler/cook/minion had a summoning contract and therefore minions of his own. Even if they were squirrels, rats, gophers, and similar critters. "I need to know what is going on as far as my plans."

"Well, they've been out causing chaos and general mischief," said Kronk. "They've trashed Naruto's apartment, but, uhm, how do I put this?"

"Yes?" asked Yzma.

"It was already pretty trashed before they got there," said Kronk. "There were casualties too. I lost two minions to a clever trap he had laid using expired milk."

"Hmmm, he may be more clever than I gave him credit for," said Yzma. "As unlikely as that seems."

"Well, it IS a ninja village," said Kronk.

"Any more casualties to our cause?" asked Yzma, not really caring about the lives of squirrels except as an indication of how dangerous this place was.

"Well, none since the last report, though several of them seem kind of traumatized by that girl with the pink hair," said Kronk.

Yzma was about to say something about Kronk knowing words like 'traumatized' but held off for now.

"Oh, and none of them will go near that Akamichi compound," said Kronk, remembering a detail. "We lost a few there. And the forest near the Nara compound is heavily trapped. Most of which my little allies can avoid, but some are pretty nasty."

Yzma sat back in her temporary throne, tapping her nails against one armrest as she thought. "Any sign of the Orange Storm?"

"I kinda preferred the 'Mandarin Platoon' myself," said Kronk.

"I think you're the only one," said Yzma drily.

"And no, one of my allies saw him vanish, but his girlfriend is still in the hospital," said Kronk. "Squee has been able to infiltrate and has sabotaged her medication a couple of times now."

"Excellent," hissed Yzma, who regarded herself as a Master Villain and intended to play that role to the hilt. "Tell him to go wild."

Kronk saluted. Squee would enjoy that.

Squee waited until everyone was asleep and the nurse was away, then made his way to the clipboard next to the girl's bed. Exchanging one sheet of paper for another caused some momentary rustling and he stopped in fright, but there was no followup movement and he retreated as quickly and quietly as possible as soon as the task was done.

Yes, the evil pink-haired one would suffer. He might be the runt of the pack, but he had two major advantages over most of his brethren. One, he had color vision. Two, he could read.

Squee's eyes glinted malevolently as he snuck out the window and dashed towards the safety of a tree.

.

.

"He's not able to move?" asked Kurenai of the nurse.

"No, he's completely immobilized right now," said the nurse.

"N-Naruto-kun," said Hinata, sounding quite concerned.

Naruto's eyes flicked towards Hinata, but inside the tube and with a respirator in place, he didn't say anything that could be heard from those present.

"I see, and he'll be in there for how long?" asked Kurenai.

"Four hours," said the nurse.

"Tenten, Hinata, you'll be on guard duty," said Kurenai.

"I really don't think that's necessary," protested the nurse.

"Nothing against your hospital," said Kurenai. "This is part of my responsibility as the leader of this mission."

"Are we guarding him from outside threats or keeping him from leaving?" asked Tenten.

"Both," said Kurenai. "He can hear us?"

"Yes," said the nurse. "Though he can't respond until his jaw is healed."

"Then this is as good a time as any," said Kurenai. "Naruto. We are here at the bequest of the Princess of Najirea, who is apparently here."

Lots of bubbles suddenly came from Naruto's respirator and he went from relaxed floating to where his back was pressing against the back of the tube and he was looking around for potential threats.

"Heartrate and respiration rates up. Administering sedative," said a device connected to the healing tube.

"Okay," said Kurenai as Naruto's panic went away and he just sort of drifted off to sleep. "Any chance we can get one of these to take with us? There are times that function would be very handy."

"Sorry," said the nurse.

Kurenai nodded, having expected that. "Now, you two. Be on the lookout. This Princess Kodako is a VIP and guest of our own host. That does not mean she gets to take Naruto home as a souvenir."

Tenten and Hinata nodded to show they understood.

.

"Your analysis, Miss Notch?" asked the Princess in their assigned Chambers.

"There are several benefits to formalized relations with Mid-Childa and the Time/Space Administration Bureau," said Miss Notch. "Not only will we have access to at least some of their magitek, but trade will benefit. Your brother the Emperor was quite clear that he wishes nothing to impede this deal."

"I was speaking of my Naruto's situation," said the Princess Kodako.

"Oh," said Miss Notch, her head cocking to the side as she considered that particular issue. "For a thirteen year old boy who has only been practicing magic for about a year, he shows promise despite being of the male gender. From what I've seen of the two males of his party, their own reserves register quite high as well. It may be something genetic within the humans of their world that allows this when the female gender is considerably more magically adept within Mid-Childa itself."

"While fascinating, you have still avoided the question I wished answered," said Kodako impatiently. "The two girls that accompanied Naruto."

"I do not have much in the way of information," said the lifesize maid doll. "I can only speculate there."

"Do so," commanded Kodako, wondering at the maid's hesitance to address this issue.

"Very well," said the maid. "If Naruto's world does not normally feature polygamous relations, then it would be my guess that the girl with all the knives is a bodyguard to the one with the odd eyes. Every time that Naruto was struck during the test, the shorter of the two girls flinched. Whenever Naruto managed to score a direct hit on Nanoha, her body language indicated some pride. The bun-haired girl, on the other hand, didn't react much to whom was being hit but was clearly intrigued by the higher-powered attacks and defensive moves."

"So, they are trying to trick me," said Kodako, her voice indicating some admiration and irritation.

"Well, they ARE ninja," pointed out Miss Notch. "IF, however, they do have polygamous relations in that world - it may be that the shorter girl is one with affection for him, while the bun-haired girl has an arranged marriage instead. That would account for the remark and the differing attitudes."

"What are the odds of a polygamous society within their world?" asked Kodako, going thoughtful for a moment.

"Possible, though I deem it unlikely," said Miss Notch. "As they have repeatedly used the terms 'ninja' and 'shinobi' - they are most likely similar to other groups described by those terms. Ninja are 'those born in darkness, who act in darkness, and ultimately to die in darkness' - not exactly a lifestyle which lends itself well to stable family relationships."

"Yes, but a polygamous relationship would allow for the increased chance of a next generation," said Kodako. "If I can merely take him and break him to the role of my consort, I could use the relationship with his 'fiancee' as another tool in breaking him in. Then she would remain whole and hale as a hostage to his performance."

"Your brother, should he learn of such a thing, would be most displeased," warned Miss Notch.

"My brother, should he learn of such a thing, would most likely clap me in irons, put me in a dark little cell somewhere, and forget about me while he seeks to smooth over relations with Mid-Childa and Naruto's world," said Kodako. "What's life without a little danger?"

"Safe," replied Miss Notch.

"See? How boring would that be?" said Kodako.

.

"Okay, she's prepped."

"Let's see. Paperwork's filled out but her handwriting's pretty atrocious. Yeah, this is the waiver. Awfully young, but she's a genin - so it's legal."

"She's got to be all of twelve. Is it really all right to be doing this?"

"I suppose she must have needed the money, and it may actually come in handy in her line of work."

"If it works."

"Well, that is always the thing isn't it?"

.

Tenten glanced to the side, her back to the tube with Naruto inside. Hinata was fidgeting again.

"So," tried Tenten. "You and Naruto?"

"Eh?" asked Hinata.

"You're engaged to Naruto?" asked Tenten. "That must be rough."

"W-w-well, that is, I mean," fidgeted Hinata.

"Eh? You could probably just ask him to let you go if you hate it that much," said Tenten.

"EH?" squeaked Hinata.

"He was always dead last in everything back when I was at the Academy," said Tenten. "The instructors always brought him up when it came to giving a bad example. Then there were the stupid pranks he'd pull, like some baby that'd never grow up."

"Th-that isn't q-quite it," protested Hinata.

"Oh?" asked Tenten.

Hinata touched the bracelet on one wrist. "N-Naruto-kun is... very special to me."

"Oh? 'special'?" asked Tenten.

"Y-yes," said Hinata, not going any further.

"You saw that Princess, right?" asked Tenten, switching subjects. "You saw her bodyguard? What exactly WAS that?"

"She had a chakra network," said Hinata, a little more confident with a technical subject. "I used my Byakugan briefly in the booth. She's made of cloth and metal and gears and things, but she's also alive somehow. I couldn't examine further without being obvious."

Tenten's estimation of Hinata went up a little at that. Covertly gathering information on potential enemies right under their noses? Especially while one's fiance was having the heck beaten out of him. Definitely not useless. Hmmm. "I'm a little familiar with the Byakugan because your cousin Neji is on my team. Did you get any information about anything else?"

Hinata nodded. "I've been practicing at turning my Byakugan on and off for brief periods while no one's looking. The use of chakra here is different from typical jutsu use, but there seem to be things in common as well. Mostly it goes through those devices they have with them, which also have chakra networks of a sort."

"I see," said Tenten, turning her gaze to the bracelet. "That's a gift from Naruto?"

"Y-yes," said Hinata, touching a part of the bracelet. Abruptly the bracelet unfolded and extended, becoming a hankyu-style shortbow of the same white material as the bracelet.

"No arrows?" asked Tenten.

"Naruto said it would fire chakra arrows," said Hinata. "I haven't tried it out."

"Hmmmm," hmmmed Tenten, one hand straying towards the pouch that held her own recent purchases. Yes, this trip was proving QUITE educational.

One of Naruto's eyes cracked open a bit. Sure, he was heavily sedated and drowsy. Didn't mean he couldn't HEAR most of that.

"B-by the way," stammered Hinata. "Thank you for earlier."

"Eh?" asked Tenten.

"You telling them that you were Naruto's fiancee distracted them from me, which helped me use my Byakugan without them noticing," explained Hinata.

"Hey," admitted Tenten, "no problem. That gal and her doll rubbed me the wrong way, and we're all ninja of the Leaf."

"Right!" said Hinata, nodding and smiling.

.

.

Yzma shook her head as she looked over the map. "Squirrels."

Well, technically it was just mainly squirrels. There were also the rats, the chipmunks, the occasional weasel. Kronk's 'squirrel summon' wasn't entirely squirrels, merely involved mostly squirrels.

It was just that what she had initially thought of as a completely useless ability of her manservant was becoming a major asset. Everyone saw the squirrels and hardly anyone reacted to them.

Okay, the Inuzuka and the Aburame and the Akimichi compounds were apparently deadly to the little rodents. Other than that though, they were mostly able to navigate through this overlarge village without much difficulty.

Ah, here she was. Naruto's girlfriend.

"Are you one of the doctors here? I don't remember you," said one of the nurses who'd brought the girl in.

"Oh, don't worry about that," said Yzma, wearing surgical gear that left only her eyes showing - and she had glasses on to help disguise her there. "I'm with that hidden organization that doesn't even exist. You know the one."

The nurse paled. "I... I see. You're with them."

"Exactly," said Yzma. It was a ninja village. Of course it would have such an organisation, or at least a lot of people would believe it did. "Now, I'm going to get to work on this shinobi. You don't want to be present for this, do you?"

The nurse practically fled the room.

Yzma smiled as she locked the door, and turned to regard the unconscious pink-haired brat. She'd asked around and had uncovered that while many people talked about the boy being engaged to a 'Hyuga' girl - there had been a few who'd talked about THIS girl as his long-time crush.

A genius such as herself could see through the deception.

Not that she hadn't stalked and found the severely underage 'Hyuga' girl with the odd eyes. She'd deal with THAT one later. Now to deal with the most likely candidate.

Opening her "doctor's bag", Yzma looked over the choices before deciding how to proceed.

Yzma knew that this was Naruto's girlfriend. That the brat who'd ruined her chance of becoming the Empress and ruling all Najirea would take any attack on HIMSELF without thinking much about it at all. There were indications of other things that she discounted. There was no way in Zandru's Nine Hells that she would accept that the boy who had fouled HER plans was a blithering incompetent who thought painting snot under a statue's nose was high art or great comedy. The whole bit about actually being a demon she discounted as well, and for reasons less involving her own pride. The Mid-Childans were many things but incompetent was not one of them. If Naruto Uzumaki was actually a demon, they'd found a way to either suppress or control his evil. She'd prepared an Inner Nature potion to use just in case, that would cause the Inner Nature and Outer Nature to switch temporarily. Experimental to be sure, but she was pretty confident it would work. Last resort though, a powerful demon set loose would likely not be friendly to her either.

"Amazing though that his girlfriend is THIS flat-chested," noted Yzma as she stripped the drugged girl bare. A little extra sleeping draught when she was done and the girl was basically as limp as an empty pair of socks. "Now where to start?" Oh yes, Naruto Uzumaki would no doubt take any attack on HIMSELF without much difficulty. His obviously weak, underfed, not-very-bright girlfriend? Oh yes, THAT would get him!

The door swung open, causing Yzma to nearly have a heart attack.

"I got her, Yzma, this is the 'Hyuga heir', that everyone says... who's that?" asked Kronk.

"Kronk, you idiot, you - you got her? That IS her, well well well," said Yzma. "How interesting?"

"Why is she naked?" asked Kronk, trying not to look.

"Never mind that, Kronk, just stand guard and don't let anyone in," said Yzma, getting a funnel out of her bag and choosing a potion. "I'll be done with these two shortly. Oh dear. The label fell off."

"Well, I DID tell you that you should spring extra for the more expensive labels, this stuff doesn't stick to glass very well," pointed out Kronk.

"Oh, bother," said Yzma. "Well, good enough. Let's see what THIS one does."

*POOF!*

"A llama? AGAIN! I'm SICK of llamas," declared Yzma.

"Well, this one's pink so that's different at least," pointed out Kronk.

"Kronk. Outside. Guard. Now." Yzma pointed helpfully at the sole door to the room.

"Right, right," said Kronk. "Don't get in a mood again. Everything seems to go South when you do."

"I. Am. NOT. In. A. Mood," said Yzma very precisely.

"Oh boy," said Kronk, taking the time to go outside and close the door carefully behind him.

Looking over the slumbering pink llama named Sakura, Yzma was momentarily tempted to keep her like that. Maybe an amnesia potion. Then breed her and see if that lovely pink color bred true. Might sell well enough to recoup her finances somewhat and she WAS running short of cash. "No, let's try this one."

*POOF!*

"A panther? Now THAT is ridiculous, whoever heard of a Pink Panther? Let's see. Maybe a little of this to the Hyuga girl?"

*POOF!*

"Oh, now THAT works out considerably better, a helpless little black kitten. Yes, now back to the girlfriend," said Yzma.

.

.

Hanabi Hyuga knew SOMETHING was wrong. She hadn't thought anything in particular about all the squirrels gathering nearby. They were just rodents after all, even if they were CUTE rodents. When one had approached her, all big eyed and furry and cute, she'd first made sure there were no witnesses before trying to coax the squirrel a little closer.

Then the damn things had MOBBED her, tied her up, stuffed a smelly rag in her face, and carried her off!

What, were they saying she was some kind of nut to be gathered up and stuffed in a tree or something?

Now she was slowly coming to, but careful not to betray her wakefulness. There was some liquid that went down her throat, that had been what caused her to awake, and now she was feeling most peculiar. Her tail twitched in annoyance as she tried... to... figure out. Wait one moment. Tail?

Slowly an eye opened, revealing a black-and-white vision, there was some weird doctor over there, going through a medical bag and working on a... giant chicken?

Making each move as slow and deliberate as possible, Hanabi craned around to look at herself. Aided by the fact that there was a set of medical instruments on a tray and the stand holding it all up was reflective.

A black-looking cat with familiar looking eyes blinked back at her, with exactly the same blinking as she was doing. Oh that.

"MEOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW?" asked Hanabi, going straight into a panic and running. Not caring where she was going as long as it was away.

"Can't Kronk do ANYTHING right?" asked Yzma as she saw the door swinging shut behind the vanished kitty. "Well, that's the improved version of the transformation potion. She won't be able to talk. Now for you, my dear. Just on the off chance she can find a way to communicate, I can't spend time doing the sort of experimentation I'd really like to. Certainly leaving you as a giant pink chicken would have its possibilities, but let's try this."

"MEOW! MEOW MEEEEEEEEEEEEEOW!" said the kitten, running into the compound. "MEW MEOW MEORRRRR!"

Hiashi Hyuga looked at the odd kitten, carefully reached down, then picked it up by the scruff of the neck. Walking to the compound gate, Hiashi flicked his arm, causing the now-yowling cat to slam into the wall across the street and slowly slide down it.

He managed to get four steps in before hearing that cat yowl at him again, limping back across the street towards him.

"I don't know what you think to accomplish, but pets are not allowed here," said Hiashi to the creature.

The cat looked up at him giving more plaintive yowls and hisses.

"BEGONE!" thundered Hiashi, hoping the creature would read the tone of his voice and posture and go back to whatever alley was its home. He didn't raise his voice, simply putting enough force in his words that it might as well have been. That and a little Killing Intent should do the job. "GET OUT OF HERE! YOU HAVE NO PLACE HERE AND NEVER WILL!"

The cat's eyes were very large and it began shaking.

Hiashi took in the stance and figured that once more should rid him of the beast. He stomped a foot down. "Get out of here before I order the guards to kill you."

The cat fled, making the oddest noise. Almost as if it were crying.

Hiashi shook his head at the bizarre illusion. Then checked to make sure he wasn't under a genjutsu. Well, whatever. It was gone now.

Hanabi looked back at her home. Former home.

Feeling more alone, cut loose, abandoned, and just generally miserable than she'd ever felt in her life, she began trudging off (at least as much as a black kitten could trudge) to wallow in some self-pity. She really felt she deserved the right to do so at the moment.

"ch-ch-chik," said something.

Hanabi's head shot up to behold exactly what she had feared. Squirrels. Who would no doubt take her back to that weird medical ninja with the round glasses. All she'd been able to see was the rough height and the glasses - everything else had been covered up with the surgical gown/hat/gloves/mask combination. She knew one thing though, she did NOT want to go back and have that medic-nin finish whatever he'd been planning to do to her! No way!

Hanabi turned and sprinted away, veering away from the false safety of her former home when she'd realized that had been her first instinctual reaction.

.

Yzma watched, not sure how this would work out. The salesman over at the Evil Supplies And Sundries Store (she'd been rather surprised to find such a place, even more so when she found out you could mail order from them) had heard her out and when told about Kodako's golems had made a deal right there and then. In exchange for the details of such manufacture, he'd provide a potion that would do something very similar.

Yzma already had such details, it was just that she found the whole thing very tedious and time-consuming and had little talent in that regard anyway. It required skills she didn't have and didn't care to develop. She'd gotten ahold of one of Kodako's golems that she'd disabled in the process of going back after some hidden supplies, turning it over to the salesman had been payment on her end of the deal.

She'd just gotten the potion and was anxious to see if it worked as advertised. If it did, then she was going to have to do more business with that particular company.

The fluid went down the funnel and into the drugged girl's mouth, and a few strokes of her throat inticed her to swallow it. Choking on it would have been momentarily amusing, but this was all about VENGEANCE. Odd how the salesman's eyes had lit up on hearing that. Vengeance quests must rake in the money. Well, Yzma could see how that could be the case.

Yzma stepped back with the funnel as the girl's body suddenly spasmed and her mouth opened wide. The girl's eyes stared at the ceiling and a wind began to flutter through the room. All of which was good in Yzma's eyes as a certain dramatic effect really did add to the atmosphere.

The changes began to spread, first from the chest as it took a darker hue, which visibly spread along the girl's arteries. When the whole body had turned that hue, it began fading to something approaching her previous coloration but then other changes were occurring.

The girl aged. Going from a twelve-year-old undeveloped form, to perhaps seventeen or eighteen. Taller, more developed, and quite obviously past pubescence. Her skin was smooth, slightly shiny, and had seams appearing. The joints however were made of brass or something that looked like brass, emphasizing the artificial nature of the golem.

When the changes finally ran their course, the body seemed to go limp again and the eyes shut with a click. Turning the body over, Yzma noted the wind-up mechanism and the little lever next to it. Clicking that rewarded her with the sound of the gears and springs within the golem releasing their stored up energy.

Perfect.

She'd just throw this doll somewhere and torment that brat with the idea of his girlfriend being on a rubbish heap somewhere, then blackmail him with the location.

.

Kronk shook his head at the now-crated puppet. There were times this whole 'minion to the evil witch' thing didn't sit well with him. Oh well, he'd signed the contract knowing there would be chores like this.

"Now, let's see," mused Kronk aloud as he hauled the crate on his cart. "Yzma said to put it out of the way but somewhere safe. Somewhere she can get to it later. Maybe these abandoned apartments? One of them should do."

Finding that one of the apartments on the floor showed signs of recent use, he chose the one next door which had been abandoned for quite some time.

"Huh, squirrels have been through here recently," said Kronk, again to himself. "Have to remember to ask them about that after they get back from their 'sabotage the training grounds' and the 'find that cat' mission."

.

.

Three days later:

"Okay, this is bizarre," said Naruto. "Why is there a Sakura doll in my apartment?"

"I was about to ask that myself," said Tenten, moving aside so Fate and Hinata could enter.

"You know, that actually looks like one of Princess Kodako's soldier golems," pointed out Fate.

"Oh hell," said Naruto, backing away.

"Uhm, it's faint, but it has a chakra network," observed Hinata, her Byakugan going.

"Ugh," said Naruto. "I suppose I have to. Dang."

"Have to what?" asked Hinata, still examining the doll.

"Wind her up," said Naruto. "The golems that Princess Kodako makes are wind-up. Except Miss Notch who has a steam generator. You charge them with chakra and they store that and the energy from winding, and that keeps them alive. I just don't know why she'd build a Sakura version."

"Is... this possible that it IS Sakura-san?" asked Hinata, getting a really bad feeling.

"No way," said Naruto. "Why?"

"Because it has a rivet where Sakura-san has a mole, and the chakra patterns match," said Hinata.

"Oh, heck," said Naruto, hurrying to the back of the golem and winding it up.

"To turn a person INTO a golem," mused Fate. "The only one I can think of who could possibly do something like that would be Yzma. Her metamorphosis potions were capable of some impressive things."

"Except she's dead," said Naruto.

"Maybe she had an understudy or apprentice or something," said Fate, "IF that's your friend."

"Someone out to avenge Yzma's death?" asked Naruto, continuing to wind up the naked clockwork doll. "I don't see it. Let's not mention it to Sakura though. That'd make it MY fault and I don't really see how-"

(CLANG!)

Sakura withdrew her fist from Naruto's face, having backhanded him through a wall. "This is all YOUR fault, Naruto!"

(CLIK!)

Hinata watched as the gears wound down and Sakura slumped to unconsciousness. THEN she removed her finger from the release switch.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to go back to Mid-Childa," said Fate into the silence that followed that.

.

.

"Okay," said Kakashi-sensei. "Sakura has run into some difficulties, so we have a substitute for Sakura for the team for the next few days."

Sasuke looked on curiously towards their "substitute Sakura" team member, who seemed to be familiar with Naruto to some extent.

"Miyuki Takamichi," said the young woman, inclining her head.

"You know each other?" asked Kakashi.

"This is the first time we've met," said Miyuki, putting her glasses away and snapping the case closed. "I've heard about him."

"She's a ninja from her own world, Nanoha's sister," provided Naruto.

"Nanoha was that girl who beat you to the point you were floating around in a tube, right?" asked Kakashi.

"Yeah," admitted Naruto, looking a lot less happy at that reminder.

"I'm not a mage though," said Miyuki. "I'm told I don't have enough, you call it 'chakra' here I think, to use one of those devices like she does."

Sasuke frowned as he added more questions to his 'to ask later' list.

"Not much chakra?" asked Kakashi.

"All my techniques use chi," said Miyuki. "I specialize in a twin kodachi style form of swordsmanship, but I'm also proficient with katana and archery. I'm hoping that some of your 'chakra building' exercises will benefit me though I'm afraid I'll never reach Nanoha's level."

Kakashi scratched his head. "In any case we have a mission... Naruto, where'd you get that cat from?"

"Oh, I rescued it from some bullies," said Naruto, scratching the cat behind one ear. "For some reason it doesn't seem to dislike me like most of them."

"Nyow wow," said the cat.

"Is it a ninja cat?" asked Miyuki. "I saw some ninja dogs around earlier."

"Hey, that's an idea," said Naruto. "I can train him-"

"NYOW!" said the cat, glaring up at him.

"uhm. HER. I can train HER to go on ninja missions," said Naruto.

Kakashi looked at the cat and frowned at the unusual eyes, but decided to let it go for now. "Today's mission is a D Rank Mission. There's this cat named Tora."

"Nyow raow?"

"Sure, you can come, Kurochan! Then you'll have a D-rank mission."

"The cat understands you?" asked Kakashi.

"Sure, Kurochan's a really really smart kitty!"

"Nyow rowr," said Hanabi, deciding that 'Kurochan' wasn't all that bad until she found a way to change back, as long as...ooooooooh yeah scratch right there."

Naruto hadn't particularly liked cats, nor had cats liked him, but this one seemed to slump almost bonelessly in his hands as he scritched her behind the ears.

.

Sleeping outside had been a new experience. Eating out of garbage cans, also a new experience. Dodging ambushes from squirrels - ANOTHER new experience. There were a lot of new experiences she could do without, quite frankly.

Hanabi Hyuga had then run away from squirrels, gotten cornered by some little kids who'd argued about whether to use her for LIVE TARGET KUNAI PRACTICE or taking her off and going with the idea of tormenting her with some tea party. Except that the whole thing had gone bad and then worse, and just when she was sure that this was it - she was about to die - HE came.

He rescued her, took her away from those kids, and cleaned the wounds off. He'd even bandaged her and given her a fishcake off of his ramen.

She'd never paid attention to ramen before, but that was SO good. Maybe it was just that she'd been starving at the time. The shop owner had found a little box that her savior had put some broth in.

When her savior had tried to leave, she had been a little anxious about that and had insisted she had to go with him.

Not that this was anything other than convenience. Of course, that was all there was to it. As the heir of the main branch of the Hyuga family, she most certainly was self-reliant and not afraid of squirrels, round-glasses-wearing medic-nin, or anything else. No, it was just about convenience.

When this boy had met with his genin team and missions had been discussed, Hanabi had further added a layer of plan. Stick with this guy and when she was turned back to normal, she'd be able to document that she'd already been involved in accomplishing ninja missions. She'd be ahead of the game instead of just missing out on class time. Win!

"Naruto? Your cat is snickering evilly."

"Oh. Must be a cat thing. C'mon, Kurochan, let's go find that kitty. I want to check on Sakura this afternoon."

.

Sakura woke up with the oddest sensation of looking at where her body was sitting on a table a few feet away. "AGHHHHHHHH!"

"That's quite enough of that," said a blonde girl, looking up from where she was raising the table on a winch. "No screaming. This is delicate work."

"B-b-but," began Sakura.

"Look, they explained what happened," said the girl. "Someone used some sort of magic to turn you into a clockwork golem. An enemy going out for revenge. Unfortunately he or she got you."

"This is Naruto's fault!" said Sakura, gritting her teeth.

"No, it's not," said the girl. "It's the fault of whoever done it. You're one of these 'ninja' right? Better get used to people swearing vengeance on you. As I understand it, it's an occupational hazard. My name's Winry Rockbell, by the way. I'm working on your upgrades and rehab."

"Just turn me back!" suggested Sakura.

"Okay," said Winry. "How?"

"How?" asked Sakura.

"How do we turn you back to normal?" asked Winry. "Look, I'm an expert at magimechanical systems. I build automail systems, which are artificial limbs for people who have lost limbs and can't handle the regenerative drugs for whatever reason. I've never run into this. I've seen self-willed golems before, but there are only two groups that do it. Najirea is one. The other is a bit more friendly, but still not exactly sharing with its technology. Turning you back to human? Love to. How do we do that?"

"So it isn't that you can't do it, but you don't know how," said Sakura. "So what are you talking about upgrades?"

Winry began going over Sakura's body. "Your joints aren't strong enough to support your body's strength, your split soul is manifesting as a seal-array that's unstable, and you cracked your knuckles when you hit Naruto."

"Oh," said Sakura.

"We've got a way we can possibly get you a NEW human body, cloning from some hairs and cell samples, but it'll take a year and we need your permission to proceed."

Sakura frowned, then tried to nod. On finding she couldn't, she made a face. "Go ahead. Do it. A year with a mechanical body."

"Yeah, since you're a ninja we have to reinforce this body a bit," said Winry. "The TSAB is picking up the tab on this, so at least it isn't going to cost you anything."

"Oh," said Sakura. "So this is like a ninja puppet?"

"I suppose. I've never seen a 'ninja puppet' but I think I have the idea."

"Can you add any hidden mechanisms, storage compartments, gadgets?" asked Sakura, thinking she might as well get some use out of it.

Winry looked up, and her grin gave an immediate answer.

.

Kurochan/Hanabi watched as the team settled into position, Naruto carefully setting her down.

"Stay there, Kurochan," said Naruto, taking a couple of steps away. "Mjolnir!"

[Yes Sir. Set Up.]

Kurochan blinked as Naruto was suddenly holding a hammer and his clothes had changed.

"Wide Area Search," commanded Naruto, whacking his hammer on the ground. Five spheres of crackling yellow energy formed and shot off in different directions.

"Nyow?" asked Hanabi.

"It's exactly what he said it is," explained Kakashi, looking down at the cat. "He sends those off to find something, in this case the cat 'Tora', and when one finds the target - he'll know about it."

"Nanoha can do it while doing other things, I take it that Naruto isn't quite as good at multitasking?" asked Miyuki Takamichi.

"Yes, that's probably it," agreed Kakashi.

"Mrow," said Hanabi.

"So is the cat some sort of magical mascot?" asked Miyuki. "I was wondering. Most magical girl series on TV have a mascot, but Nanoha doesn't have one. Unless you count Yuuno but he was just stuck as a ferret while he healed."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what she is," said Kakashi, giving a flash of Killing Intent and evil look towards the cat.

"Mew?" asked Hanabi.

"No, I don't think you're an innocent little kitty," said Kakashi. "A normal cat doesn't understand human language or have those eyes."

"Those are rather distinctive," admitted Miyuki.

"Mew?" asked a beginning-to-panic Hanabi.

"Just answer me one thing," said Kakashi, glancing at where Naruto was still concentrating on his search. "Are you an enemy?"

"Mew mew mew mew MEOW," denied Kurochan frantically, shaking her head and looking nearly panicked.

"That's good then," said Kakashi by way of reply. If this WAS a spy or enemy, he'd expect more competence or confidence. Instead of the cat's body language changing to 'please don't kill me' in a heartbeat. "That leaves what to do about this."

"So Naruto has a magical mascot who's a cute little kitten?" asked Miyuki. "Better not tell Nanoha, she'll be so jealous."

"Nanoha being the young lady who basically pounded Naruto to the point he collapsed from wounds and ended up in the hospital," qualified Kakashi.

"What exactly happened while I was off duty?" asked Sasuke.

"Naruto has a rank as a mage in addition to a rank as a ninja," explained Kakashi. "Apparently the test for mage advancement has some things in common with the upcoming chunin exam. Mainly that they both involve a certain degree of violence."

"Darn," said Sasuke, sounding regretful. "Wish I could have seen that."

"Got her!" announced Naruto. "Distance two point three four kilometers. Eight O'Clock from my position. She's near the hot springs. She sees my probe and is running. INTO the hot spring. Women's side."

"Keep watch," said Kakashi. "If the cat remains there, Miyuki will have to go after it."

.

.

"How does this work?" asked Kakashi, standing behind Miyuki who was sitting in front of the odd device.

"This is a communicator that allows us to contact Mid-Childa and vice versa," said Miyuki. "I'm contacting the lab working with Sakura-san."

The image of a blonde girl appeared. "Winry Rockbell. Rockbell Engineering."

"Hello, Winry," said Miyuki. "This is Team 7. We're checking up on Sakura Haruno."