Exit Strategy by krakonfive
Summary: Kenobi escapes by jumping into a random simulation. However, things go wrong and he cannot leave. What he needs is an exit strategy... but is he ready to follow it? OC x Canon Naruto Shippuden. Science fiction themes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
New chapter every Thursday.
Rated T for some language and violence.
AN: The first major fight!
UPDATE 3/02/2013: I give in. I'll answer the reviews at the bottom of the chapters.
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PART 2
I- SUNA
Kakashi wasn't late.
We left the village at dawn, with Jiraiya to see us off. I stayed back while he bade farewell to his favorite student and had a short discussion with Kakashi. I got a friendly wave when he spotted me watch them talk.
The trip was mostly spent in silence, occasionally broken by Kakashi calling Naruto back to the group. The blond was worried for his fellow Jinchuuriki, which led him to speed up. For my part, I stayed on Sakura's level trying to get Kakashi to underestimate my real endurance.
I now knew I could use my magnetic powers as long as I could stand the pain and the numbness that crept up from my fingers. My wires could extend my legs much faster than my muscles could do unaided, and did so effortlessly for hours on end.
When I wasn't calculating a path through the branches, I watched Kakashi. I wasn't able to catch the jounin watching me, but I knew he did. What I did manage to do was levitate three iron weights two hundred meters behind the group without being noticed. The weights would go into creating a combat reserve of metal for the duration of the mission, but I didn't want them to know that.
We stopped at nightfall. I crumbled theatrically onto the floor while Sakura seated herself correctly. Show-off... She was sweating and locks of hair stuck to her forehead. Kakashi directed the still energetic blond to collect wood for a fire. After a short while, three sleeping bags formed a triangle around a flaming pile of wood. The team leader had preferred to stay on a thick tree branch ten meters above ground.
Naruto was already snoring while I finished my rations. Sakura put out the fire before wiping herself with a wet towel in the dark. Towels were always handy. Not wanting to spend an hour removing my bandages and possibly revealing my wires, I chose to just remove my cloak and sandals before sleeping.
Kakashi woke Naruto then Sakura to take their turns watching the camp. He didn't attempt to wake me up, choosing instead to rummage through my bag. My suspicion of being under watch proved to be true.
We were back on foot as soon as the sun rose. We left the forest at around midday. At the rate we were travelling, I wasn't surprised cars had not been invented yet.
As we left the land of Fire and started feeling the heat; I was ordered to hydrate and apply sunscreen like the others, even if Naruto neglected to do and gradually developed a red complexion. I exchanged an amused glance with Sakura. Even Kakashi had run his fingers under his mask to apply the cream there.
We met Temari on our way. The blonde Sand ninja had been present as Suna's representative at the Chuunin Exams in Konoha. She was troubled by the news of Gaara's kidnapping, even more so than Naruto. Unlike him however, she didn't forget her turmoil and stayed brooding for several hours. The orange-clad genin sunk into a grumbling melancholy after his attempts at comforting her failed. Suddenly, he pulled ahead, fists clenched and eyes staring at a faraway point on the horizon. Kakashi didn't stop him this time.
When he returned, he gathered us with a troubled face. Sakura went for him to calm him. Instead, he revealed that he hosted the Kyuubi just like Gaara hosted Shukaku, and both were hunted by the Akatsuki for that reason. He despised the way Gaara had ended up as a sociopathic killer; he promised to save him and show the red-head he still had friends.
Temari was touched and her expression lightened. Sakura looked fiercely at Naruto, but it seemed less in anger than a resolve to protect him, somehow, from his attackers. I stayed away from the social drama, having nothing to contribute. Apparently Kakashi hadn't passed the information that I too was supposed to be a failed host for a portion of Tailed Beast chakra.
We arrived at the Hidden Village of the Sand, Sunagakure, on the third day. Our greeting was an angry woman wielding a puppet with strings made of chakra.
The old woman directed her puppet to leap at Kakashi, ignoring the rest of the team. Surprised at the elderly Suna next to the woman wearing official robes not doing anything to stop the attack, he prepared to defend himself.
Naruto was quicker than our assailant. Forming a seal, he cried "KAGE BUNSHIN!" before spawning tens of shadow clones. They rushed the puppet from all directions, fists raised and yelling various battle cries.
I watched the commotion. I sensed the metal joints that moved the puppet, feeling an urge to pull on them. I calmed myself instead and let waves of punching and kicking clones take care of the threat. Seeing the puppet in pieces, the Suna official whispered something in the lady's ear. She gazed intently at Kakashi before giving a cold laugh, excusing herself for turning senile. Apparently she had mistaken the team's sensei for his well-known father, a notable enemy to the Sand. Not that the Copy Ninja's reputation had anything to be ashamed of, of course.
Sakura had already sped ahead to the hospital. We followed her once our welcome party let us through.
Team 7's medical expert was hard at work. We watched as she drew the poison from Kankuro's body in a stream of black liquid. The nurses sighed once his vital signs stabilized, Sakura already directing the deadly liquid into a vial for later use. I'd helped restrainingKankuro during the extraction; Naruto looked lost but seemed glad to be of use.
Kankuro stirred. He opened a blood-shot eye, then another, groaning weakly.
"I … I have … a …" he mumbled between difficult breaths. A nurse rushed to his side, steadying him. Sakura was absent, creating an antidote with herbs from the botanical greenhouse. The injured ninja looked like he was accomplishing a feat of superhuman strength. He pulled a piece of dyed cloth from under his shirt.
"It … is from Sa ... Sasori…" he uttered before collapsing back into his bed. Kakashi took the black-dyed fabric then bit his thumb.
A pack of dogs clad in ninja wear and disproportionate Leaf headbands appeared on the scrolls Kakashi had rolled on the floor. He gave the piece of fabric to the smallest dog. I was going to declare it cute until it accepted its new mission with an unfittingly gruff voice.
"They'll be able to follow the trail with only that little piece of the guy's shirt, huh?" Naruto asked, having seen Pakkun summoned often enough but still amazed at his abilities. Even I wondered if it was possible.
"Sure." Kakashi said. "Pakkun can track any scent."
The silver haired jounin didn't sound proud or impressed at all at his summoned creature's ability, just… unaffected. I wondered if Kakashi ever dropped his act. My wonderings were cut short when a ninja of the Sand bowed hastily before entering the room.
"Team 7! I have a message for you." the man declared before handing out a wax-sealed scroll of paper. Kakashi took it from his hand. I noted that the seal was imprinted with Tsunade's symbols of duty. An official message? Kakashi's right eye scanned it rapidly then looked up.
"Team Gai has been sent as reinforcement." he stated.
Lee, Tenten and Neji, I thought. Byakugan! Damn. The Hyuuga would see that I was lacking chakra coils, which would lead to questioning about my magnetic powers (of which I had revealed none so far) and how I could use them without chakra… I had to deal with him quickly. I turned to Kakashi.
"How long until they join us?" I asked.
His eyebrow rose slightly.
"They left yesterday…" the grey haired man answered.
"Good. Akatsuki members are dangerous and we'll need help." I continued, giving plausible reason to my concern. It backfired.
"And what do you know of the Akatsuki- " Kakashi started before being interrupted by Naruto.
"We'll kick their asses and save Gaara!" the blond shouted.
"Of course we will …"
Sakura rushed in, holding vials of yellow liquid. She immediately started preparing a needle with the help of three nurses. The antidote, I thought. Her speed at countering a poison the whole village had declared unbeatable was amazing. She must have had some pretty intensive training with Tsunade, I mused. As she bent over to reach for Kankuro's arm, I asked myself what kind of training had left her with such perfectly toned … I left the room before my musings took me any further.
I was soon on the hospital's rooftop, shaping the weights into projectiles I would be using in the upcoming battle. Pakkun the ugly little ninja dog was out following a scent trail. Kakashi was occupied in a closed-room discussion with the village's leaders. Sakura was at the laboratory preparing more antidotes. Naruto … I didn't know what Naruto was doing. Probably comparing Konoha's ramen to Suna's ramen.
I decided on a finger-long dart with three fins. I created a weak magnetic field in my pouch to align the darts and stop them from moving around. I hadn't fought anyone yet, and soon I was going to face S-rank criminals. I slid off the roof to find Naruto.
I found Naruto trying on traditional purple desert robes. A dark skinned vendor fretted around him, suggesting different pieces of clothing and alleviating him of a few coins each time. I removed him from the grasp of the man before more coins were lost. I took some back into my pouch too, floating them from behind the vendor's back, along the floor and up my leg.
"Wh-What is it, Kenobi?" he asked, confused. "I really wanted to try that pair of -"
I punched him on the cheek, knocking him to the floor.
"Let's spar." I said, grimly.
"WHAT THE FU-!" the blond screamed, jumping to his feet. "Come and get some!"
He created a dozen orange-clad clones and directed them at me. One idiotic grin was bad enough, thirteen of them babbling menaces and taunting was horrible. They charged from all sides. I flipped backwards to leave the circle.
"RAAAAAGH!" they shouted in unison and leapt at me together. One dart rose from each of my leg pouches and was hurdled at an assaulter's chest in a spike of expected pain. They poofed out of existence. Eleven angry Naruto's remained. Two landed first within my reach. I grabbed one by his shirt as a punch connected with my jaw. I lifted the clone and threw him as hard as I could at my second assailant. The force I exerted on my wires re-opened my old cuts. One more clone disappeared as I accelerated a dart to the spot it landed on.
Ten angry blonds looked at me before pausing. They grouped into pairs of two's, one of the pair holding an arm and a leg of the other. I prepared two darts, unsure of what was happening.
Five ninjas spun their partner and launched him at me. I nailed two and dodged out of the way of another. The remaining duo was successful. One dived for my legs and the other landed knee first on my chest. I got the wind knocked out of me as I sprawled on the floor, one leg caught in a clone's grip. I kicked his face with my other leg. I broke his nose; he turned into a cloud of smoke and chakra. The other one lunged to stamp on me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw five identical clones running towards me. The original HAD to be one of them.
I got up and did two back flips. I caught a flying kick and pulled the leg to the side. I used the momentum to connect fist with face.
The five remaining ninjas gave an odd look at the floating darts. Two dived, two jumped and one weaved to the side. I pushed pieces of metal into the bodies of the ones in the air. They burst. I jumped out of the reach of a diving clone. He rolled away; the ninja next to him received a kick. He blocked the attack, tripped me over then rolled out of my reach. I levitated another dart and launched it.
A roundhouse kick got the back of my head. The dart missed and sunk into the dusty street. The vendor was watching, amused at the scrabble.
I brought my arms up to break my fall, shaking my head to clear the dizziness. A powerful kick to the side rolled me over. I turned to get up; another kick followed. A pair of hands grabbed my shirt from behind and lifted me to my feet. I looked at the calmly approaching Naruto as I rolled my head. He cocked back an arm, readying a punch.
"That's NOT how we spar!" he declared before smashing into my jaw. I was not going to lose to this dumbass blond, sparring or not. I clenched my fists.
"So?" he asked. He awaited an apology. Two darts sunk into his back.
He didn't disappear. The clone holding me threw me to the ground, all eyes to his creator. I grabbed an arm, kicked the opposite leg backwards and rolled the clone on its back as we both fell. An elbow to his plexus cushioned my fall. Broken ribs: the clone turned to smoke.
I looked up. The remaining clone was pulling out the darts from the original Naruto's back. I helped him. The darts launched out his back and rammed the clone's head and neck, spraying blood. The last clone disappeared.
Naruto coughed while on his knees and twisting his face in agony. I kicked his head, bending him on his back. He groaned as his wounds were stretched by the movement.
"More clones!" I barked, wiping blood from my lips.
I watched him bring his hands together, eyes red. Kakashi appeared, stopping him. I noticed a copy of Kakashi had an arm around my neck. When did he..?
"That's enough for now" the jounin stated calmly. "Naruto, go seek medical assistance. Kenobi, there are rules when sparring."
He didn't release me until Naruto got up, giving me an angry look and turned away, supported by his teacher. His orange suit was marred by two red holes, under his left shoulder.
I dusted myself. My hands trembled slightly: they felt burnt by the electric shocks from the strong magnetic pushes. I slowly regained sensation in my fingertips and regained control. After a moment, I grumbled an apology at the waiting masked ninja. He stared at me for a little longer, glanced at the darts and left in a cloud of smoke. I was sure he had watched the whole thing.
The vendor, arms crossed and leaning against the door to his shop, chuckled. I smashed his shop window with one of the darts on the floor then collected the remaining ones magnetically, directing each one into my pouches as I stormed away.
I first headed down the street then turned around, going back to the hospital. I better make up with Naruto if I was to fight alongside him in the future, I thought. I flashed a middle finger at the enraged shopkeeper as I passed by him again.
The next morning, Pakkun arrived with good news. He had followed the trail to an Akatsuki lair; we were to approach and proceed with caution.
Temari volunteered to join us. Chiyo took her place when the Suna girl was ordered to protect the village from future attacks. Kankurogave a heartwarming plea to Naruto, a request that he saved Gaara. The blond accepted cheerfully, yesterday's events forgotten.
A group of four ninjas and one intruding hacker set off to the Land of Rivers, laden with weapons and camping equipment.
A few hours into the trip, I noticed that Sakura had an unusual frown. I timed my next jump to get closer.
"What's bothering you?" I asked a bit loudly to cover the noise of the wind.
She looked up. Naruto heard too. Kakashi was ahead, following Pakkun while Chiyo was probably deaf. Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but her speech was delayed by having to jump off the next branch. By the time we were aligned again, she was facing Naruto.
"Naruto-kun, you say the Akatsuki hunts you for your demon…" the kunoichi asked "but for how long? Why did you not tell me? Why didn't you tell us?!"
Her voice was drowning in worry and concern; eyebrows bunched together and chin trembling slightly. Naruto also looked visibly affected. He took his time to formulate an answer.
"Kakashi told me the Akatsuki have only recently increased their activity. Jiraiya-sensei was there to protect me, and now…" -we kicked off the next branch- "I didn't want to burden you with my troubles."
His devotion to his teammates was exemplary, I thought. I pitied his obsession of shouldering everything alone.
"Don't… Don't ever hide something like that from us again! You needn't worry about us like that! Lee, Neji, Shino, even Ino-pig cares about you! I - I do too. We don't want to see you taken away without even knowing why!" she cried. Tears were forming in her eyes.
Naruto didn't know what to do with his hands.
Chiyo stared at teenagers and muttered something about her own generation. I turned to Sakura to explain.
"Jinchuuriki lead dangerous lives, Sakura, and you know that. Naruto believes that to protect his friends he must not bring his own troubles upon them."
Sakura was wide eyed.
"How do you know?" she asked. Naruto frowned.
"I was a jinchuuriki too." I told them. Naruto's eyes widened in shock and he barely got a grip on the last branch. "I mean only partially; I was to hold Kokuo's chakra without being noticed doing so… I failed. I know the feeling when people are scared of you losing control and going on a rampage. I didn't have friends or family. I understand why he wishes to hide these things from you…"
Naruto was awed by the totally fabricated revelation. He looked at me differently than before, a mixture of shock, surprise and respect. Good, I thought. He'll listen to me more from now on, if having suffered at the hands of Sasuke wasn't enough to convince him. Sakura made a little 'Oh!' and stared fixatedly too.
The blond took over the explanation. I watched as he tried to use his hands to describe the situation.
"You see Sakura; my whole life people would be scared that the Kyuubi would influence me into releasing it somehow and destroying Konoha again. For a long time, no-one ever cared for me… then I had Iruka then you and Sasuke and then all of my friends came to me and said they cared for me. I - I don't want to lose that. I'd do anything, anything to save my friends."
Sakura warmed to his speech. Naruto had been hiding his problems to protect them. She hit him on the head, sending him cartwheeling away.
"How STUPID can you be, you idiot! It's not all about you! You'd save us from worry by hiding your troubles, right? Well you're WRONG. We're all in this together, and real friends take care of things together, as they come!" she shouted, brandishing her fist but with misty eyes. Kakashi looked behind him to check on the commotion.
"But…" the blond protested. Naruto was visibly embarrassed. He stumbled on his words as he tried to mutter excuses, hand scratching his unruly hair. I looked at the brown-robed figure a few meters to my right. Chiyo wasn't looking at us but she had a shocked expression.
Naruto was going to say something. I rushed forward to escape possible questioning, ignoring Chiyo's suspicious glare and Kakashi inscrutable look.
We were approaching a clearing when I felt several kunai rush into range of my sixth sense. I deflected them to the side and shouted a warning to the group. All dropped into formation, forming an arc around the shooter at the edge of the forest.
My eyes adapted to the brighter sunlight. I saw dark robes with red clouds, a scratched Konoha headband, and then glowing red eyes within a deathly white face. Itachi. Kakashi had already unveiled his Sharingan, while Sakura gasped as she recognized the man sent to stop us.
"My, my, look what we have here… " he sneered with his silken voice. "I'm sorry children, but this is as far as you go."
Naruto boiled in anticipation of the fight. Kakashi was trying to warn him of something.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH GAARA?!" he screamed in anger.
He now had a target for all the frustration of not being able to help a fellow jinchuuriki. He put his hands together to form a seal… then froze. A genjutsu? I wondered. I heard a chirruping sound then Kakashi lurched into action, hand blazing with bright, arcing electricity. Sakura rushed to Naruto's side to dispel the genjutsu.
I prepared two darts and launched them at the Akatsuki agent. I had around eighty meters to cover. The projectiles would reach deadly speed in half the distance at the cost of a wave of pain. Itachi just dodged them easily, disappearing from sight before I could even redirect the darts. My arms gradually stopped trembling as the pain subsided. The Uchiha appeared at Kakashi's side, negligently slapping his Chidori-charged hand into the ground. The lightning attack carved through the ground before it dissipated with Kakashi nowhere to be seen.
The Copy Ninja rose from the ground behind Itachi. Kunai flashed, Itachi and Kakshi facing each other again. To my side, Naruto shuddered and sprang into action. Two dozen clones filled the area, shouting at the top of their lungs. I looked at Itachi, trying to observe his movements and aim my next set of darts. He snapped his head to me. I looked up and met his eyes.
His tomoe started spinning…
Guest, Narutorox: You two are cool as well.
Chrisrawr: The Hitchhiker's guide works in any universe... you''ll be surprised at Kenobi's reaction. Remember how Kishimoto explained that genjutsu affected the chakra in the brain? Kenobi has zero chakra.