XxXxX

"That damn brat is nowhere!" A loud voice boomed before a blue fist slammed into the wall of a small hotel room. The wall cracked under the amount of pressure exerted from the punch, while also making the room shake. The blue fisted man was known as Kisame and he was extremely frustrated with his current situation.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP IN THERE!" Another voice boomed from outside the door. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"I'll shred y-!" The large blue man began to shout before another, quieter, man swiftly moved to the door.

"I apologize for my friends actions. Please, excuse us." Kisame's partner said calmly. A vocal 'humph' could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Fine, just don't make any more loud noises. Some of us are trying to sleep!" The older man said. A soft shuffle could be heard from outside the door, indicating that he left the front of their room.

Kisame growled deeply at the way his partner handled the situation. "Why didn't we just kill him, Itachi? He was annoying."

Itachi sighed and turned to his aggravated partner. "Because we aren't here to make a scene. If we killed him then we would give the Konoha shinobi a lead as to where we are."

"I know that… it's just…" Kisame said before sighing deeply and falling into the chair nearby. Their room was simple and small. Two beds, a small table, and two chairs sat on either side of the table. A moderate size lamp lit the room from atop the desk where Kisame currently sat. "I'm just so damn frustrated is all. I don't normally get this angry over something so trivial, but even Zetsu can't find anything on him."

"It's strange, but he is the jinchuuriki for the nine tailed beast. Finding him was not going to be as easy as the others." Itachi said, leaning against the door of the room.

"Even still, we managed to find him easily last time! What makes him so slippery this time? What's changed?" Kisame asked. Itachi sighed before closing his eyes.

To be honest, he didn't know what's changed in the young blonde. He was so full of light and hope that it was no wonder his seething brother became friends with him. But from the description that Zetsu gave them, he was anything but.

"Something happened to him since his disappearance from Konoha. He's become something of a machine. A being that doesn't care about those around him and will do anything to complete the task at hand." Zetsu explained as he recounted the small amount of information he saw of him. "He would even stand against those that were once considered friends."

Itachi knew that there was more to Naruto than what met the eye. His mask was easily picked up by the elder Uchiha, but what lay beneath was completely unknown.

"Anyway, who goes to bed at eleven at night anyway?!" Kisame said with a chuckle as he stood from the chair. "I suppose we should get moving if we are going to catch her before she arrives home from work."

Itachi nodded and opened the door he was leaning against. It was about time they resumed their duties as Akatsuki members.

XxXxX

"Have a good night Kauki! You did well tonight!" An older man said from behind the counter of a ramen stand.

"Thank you, and have a good night yourself!" Kauki replied with a bright smile. Kauki is a young waitress that works at a local ramen stand in Ocato, which is about an eight hour trek west from the gates of Konoha. Home of the world's best chocolate and caramel candy, many candy makers flock to Ocato to test their various candies against the best in the world. With an extremely large population, Ocato is the fire country's fourth largest city.

The seventeen year old brunette dreamed of becoming one of these great candy makers, but doesn't have the money to open up her own shop. Thus, the reason she now finds herself working at a ramen stand in the suburbs of Ocato.

She silently walked down the streets of the massive city until she turned onto her street where her apartment was, but when she turned a man in a black cloak could be seen standing just outside the light of a street lamp near the entrance of her apartment.

"I see you've finally arrived. I was wondering if someone may have gotten to you first." A deep voice said from behind the young women. Kauki turned to see a large blue man with a large sword strapped to his back. The sword was wrapped in a white cloth, making it unusable until taken off.

A loud 'eep' escaped her mouth as she backed away from the large blue man that almost looked like a fish. Kauki continued to back away from him until she bumped into someone else. She looked up to see a pair of sharingan eyes staring back.

"Do not resist and no harm will come to you." Itachi said as he grabbed her and turned her around to face him. Kauki stared into Itachi's eyes for another moment before effectively passing out in his hands. Itachi raised an eyebrow at the spectacle before a loud laugh could be heard from his partner.

"I always knew you were a lady killer, but this is something else!" Kisame said in between laughs. Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly before he proceeded to pick up the young women and carry her into the apartment complex. "So, what's the plan now? Our target just passed out."

"Follow me." Itachi said as he entered the door to the large building.

Kisame followed Itachi as he walked through the empty hallways of the apartment complex until they reached a door with the number 492 inscribed on a gold plaque. Itachi opened the door after unlocking it with a key that he removed from Kauki's purse. After the two Akatsuki members entered the room to the one bedroom apartment, which was a simple apartment with a shower room, kitchen, and bedroom, Itachi laid her down onto the bed.

It was then that Kauki began to stir from her slumber. "Wha… what happened?"

The young girl looked around and saw the two black cloaked men looking down at her. "Who the hell are you people?! And what are you doing in my room?!"

A chuckle escaped Kisame's mouth as he looked over to Itachi. "It seems that she doesn't know who we are."

"Who we are doesn't matter. We are here to ask you a few questions, and if you answer them correctly then you will never hear from us again." Itachi said in his normal stoic voice before leaning closer to the slightly traumatized girl. "Do you understand?"

"Y-yes. Just please, don't hurt me." Kauki said as tears began to well up in her eyes. Itachi nodded and moved away from the girl.

"Now, you were born in Kilotic, correct?" Itachi asked.

"Yes." Kauki responded.

"And where you there during its destruction?"

"…" Kauki looked towards the ground in what looked like a mix of shame and horror.

"Where you there or where you not?" Itachi asked again.

"Yes, I was." Kauki finally responded.

"I see, and do you remember what happened during the destruction of the city?" Itachi asked.

"I… I…" Kauki stuttered out as she tried to remember, but as she tried to recall the thoughts in her mind began fight back. As if they didn't want to remember the events of that day.

"Answer the question!" Kisame boomed.

"I can't remember! Okay?!" Kauki shouted. Kisame slammed his fist into the wall next to him in frustration.

"How do you not remember?! You were there, weren't you?!" Kisame questioned.

"I was, but it's not like I try and remember what happened there every day!" Kauki shouted back. Kisame was about to shout again, but stopped when a hand was placed onto his shoulder.

"Can you tell us anything at all?" Itachi asked.

"I remember… fire and screams, but everything seems blurry. Whenever I try and recall what attacked us it's as if it's all blurred out. Like my mind doesn't want to remember what happened." Kauki said before looking up at the two Akatsuki members with suspicious eyes. "Why are you asking me these questions? What are you trying to learn?"

"That's none of your business, little girl." Kisame said with a grin. Kauki looked the two men up and down, trying to place where she's heard of men in these cloaks before. Then, something clicked.

"Wait, are you a part of Akatsuki?!" Kauki asked in sudden horror. Kisame laughed at the young girls' expression.

"Took you a while!" Kisame said.

"We are looking for the person responsible for the destruction of your city, Naruto Uzumaki." Itachi said calmly.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him." Kauki said with stern eyes, the tears in her eyes stopped at the mention of Naruto.

"Oh? And why's that? He's the one that destroyed your city and you want no harm to befall him?" Kisame asked.

"He's the one that saved us! That's why!"

Itachi and Kisame looked at one another in confusion before turning back to Kauki. This was the first time they've heard that from someone that survived the attack.

"What are you talking about? He's the one-." Kisame began to say.

"No! I remember at least that little bit! He carried me down the beach that lined the cliff, while also leading another small group of survivors away from the Kilotic!" Kauki shouted with resolve. "I remember… he looked so tired when the giant red blast hit the city…"

Itachi looked at the now crying girl in front of him. Was she telling the truth? Kisame and Itachi have interrogated at least seven other people that survived the attack and none of them remember this happening. When they asked them what happened, they all turned up blank. Not knowing what happened in the city and just assumed Naruto attacked, and destroyed, Kilotic. But here was someone saying that Naruto was not the attacker, but the defender.

Could this theory be true? Could Naruto be the one who tried to defend Kilotic from being destroyed?

"… and then he turned to the rest of us after he led us as far away as possible and his eyes began to glow a bright blue." Kauki continued to say.

"Yes? What else?" Kisame pushed.

"Nothing. There's simply nothing. The next thing I remember is when I woke up in a hospital in Konoha." Kauki said as she wiped away the tears from her eyes. She looked up at the two men with resolve burning on her features. "But I swear to you that Naruto didn't destroy that city. He was defending it from… something."

"I see, well Miss Kauki thank you for your time." Itachi said as he turned towards the door. Kisame sighed and followed Itachi towards the door. There was nothing else that could be extracted from the girl. Even Kisame could see that much.

But as Itachi opened the door to exit the apartment, the girls' voice came to their ears. "You aren't going to hurt him… are you? I mean he's sacrificed so much to try and help us. He doesn't deserve to get hurt anymore."

The two didn't respond and disappeared from the entrance of door.

XxXxX

The two Akatuski members jumped from rooftop to rooftop while thinking of what Kauki said.

"What do you think? Could be a lie." Kisame asked. Itachi looked up into the sky as he remembered the look on Kauki's face. She was definitely telling the truth, but knowing how much of what she remembers is truth… that's the real question. This story could have been pieced together by her traumatized mind. A desperate attempt to try and make sense of memories that have went missing.

Itachi shook his head before looking forward again. "It doesn't matter what Naruto was actually doing there. We are looking for the Kyuubi inside him. That's all."

"Haha. I suppose you're right. Always business with you, Uchiha." Kisame said.

Itachi looked back up into the air and returned to his thoughts once more. A nagging feeling tugging at the back of his mind, telling him that there was more going on then what met the eye.

XxXxX

Rha sat down onto the floor of the elevator in relative shock at what had just occurred. Naruto had just given her a choice. A choice to either return to the Burning Legion, or continue to follow him across the galaxy.

The door to the elevator opened up to reveal the medical sentinel waiting for her at the entrance of the elevator. It was clear that it had waited for her and was prepared to guide her back to her room, which it did once Rha stood up and exited the elevator. The door softly slid closed behind her, and after a walk that seemed to pass by quickly, the female sangheili found herself standing in the center of her room, head hung low in deep thought.

She knew her mission. What the Burning Legion was trying to accomplish since defecting away from the Covenant. Their main goal was to meet the Creator… to meet Naruto, and ask him questions that their religion revolved around. To strip away the lies that the Prophets had instilled into their minds and find the truth behind these great machines. What was the purpose of the Halo's in this galaxy?

But… this alone was not reason enough to make Rha stay with the mysterious creature known as Naruto. The female sangheili had a feeling that, if she stayed, danger would crop up in his wake. The galaxy was an enormous place with plenty of things that want to hurt you, if not kill you.

Rha jumped onto the bed and stared up into the ceiling of her room. The image of Naruto's face appeared in her mind once again. It was stoic, emotionless, and serious for the most part, but if you looked closely, as she has learned to do over the past few years, hints of emotion could be seen.

Emotions like sadness and grief were the first to come to mind, but signs of kindness could also be seen as well. But, one emotion seemed to stand out above the rest.

Loneliness.

The female sangheili could only imagine how long he's been alone for, without any interaction with an organic being. It must have been maddening for the poor creature that was roughly the same age as herself… she thinks, to stay quiet and keep to himself for so long.

It was then that Rha began to think of her unit and how she fit in with them. While she may be the best swordsman in her unit, it came at a great cost to her social standing amongst her peers. While the men of the 1078th Special Operations treated her with respect and kindness, the other men of the Burning Legion tended to stay away because of her quiet demeanor and skill with the sword. Her helmet was on at all times and she never seemed to relax, which made sense since she was trying to hide her gender from everyone. Even with the voice muffler in her helmet, Rha would often just stay quiet and refuse to talk to anyone. Out of habit? Maybe… but when she was around her unit she tended to relax a bit more.

"Did you always talk this much when you were with your 'Burning Legion'?"

Rha quickly shook the thought out of her head and turned her body over to make herself a little more comfortable. 'No… I used to hardly ever talk when I was with the Burning Legion, but as of late I've been doing nothing but talking. Is it because he already knows of my gender?'

The image of Naruto's face appeared in her mind once again, and as she thought more about it, there was not a single shred of discrimination on his features.

'Does he really not care about my gender…?' Rha thought as she fell asleep.

XxXxX

*Beep* *Beep*

Rha shot up from her bed and quickly reached for her sword. The energy contained within sprung out and formed in its natural way. She pointed outwards and right into the face of… a sentinel? Except this one was silver with a red light instead of green.

The red light that served as both an eye and weapon blinked a couple of times in relative confusion.

*Beep* *Beep*

The female sangheili looked over to the table that Naruto once sat at and saw an alarm set to go off.

A soft clicking from the sentinel pulled Rha's attention back towards itself. It was gesturing towards the door in an urging motion.

"Do you want me to follow you?" Rha asked. The sentinel hovered up and down before moving towards the door, which opened once it moved near. "I take that as a yes."

Rha moved over to the table where the alarm was going off and pressed the red light. The beeping stopped and Rha began placing her armor onto her body. Once finished, she placed her carbine onto her back and sword onto her hip, which stuck due to the magnets in her suit.

But when Rha picked up her helmet she stared into the blue lenses. After what seemed like ages, Rha was nudged out of her thoughts. The female sangheili looked over her shoulder to see the sentinel floating there. "I know, I know."

Rha placed the helmet onto her head and followed the sentinel out the door. She was finally getting the hang of this place as the hallways were beginning to feel familiar to her.

The duo stopped in front of the elevator. "Thank y-."

But when Rha turned to thank the sentinel, it was already hovering away. Rha sighed and looked into the elevator.

Anxiety was beginning to take hold as she still weighed her two decisions.

Breathing in heavily, Rha entered the elevator. The door closed behind her, locking her into her decision to meet Naruto on the balcony.

The lights inside the elevator blinked and the floor began to push itself up. Rha looked up towards the ceiling and then over to the glass that protected her from the rushing walls outside the elevator. The reflection of herself with her helmet on faintly reminded her of how Naruto looked with his helmet on. Stone faced and mysterious, she didn't like it and pulled her helmet off her head and placed it onto a magnet on her side. Rha continued to stare at her reflection until the elevator stopped.

Rha turned and saw the doors slide open to reveal the sun blinding her like the day before. Her eyes adjusted to the light and leaning against the railing, was Naruto.

His helmet was on and his gaze seemed to be far off. Like his mind was somewhere else. A moderate size gray backpack sat next to his feet

"Glad to see that you made it." Naruto said as he straightened himself and turned towards her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm well. Thank you." Rha said as she moved across the icy surface, careful not fall like she has done so many times before. She stopped next to Naruto and looked out towards the mountains. The two enjoyed a comfortable silence as the cold breeze pressed against them.

"So, have you made a decision?" Naruto asked. Rha stayed silent as she mulled over the question.

"Naruto…" Rha said, making the forerunner turn towards her.

"Hmm?"

"Let me see your face." Rha said as she turned towards Naruto.

"…" Naruto tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Just… please." Rha said as she looked down and to the side.

"Sure."

Naruto lifted his helmet off of his head and looked at the female sangheili. Rha stared into his eyes and examined his face. She even began to walk around him and looked at every inch of skin that she could see.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked as she continued to walk carefully around him. Rha stopped directly in front of him and was mere inches away from his face. She poked his cheek and looked at his reaction, which was a furrow of his brow. "Rha?"

Said sangheili backed away and smiled. "I just wanted to see something is all."

"Okay… so, have you made your-."

"Yes, I think I have." Rha said, keeping her smile plastered on her face.

"… and?"

"And I would like to come with you." Rha said.

"You would? Even after what I did to you?" Naruto asked. Rha sighed as she leaned her side against the railing.

"Look, whatever that was, it wasn't really you. I saw the way you fought against me before you turned all red and that's the real you. I can see that." Rha said.

Underneath Naruto's emotional mask, he was shocked. Was it really that easy? For someone to accept that the Kyuubi was lingering inside of him?

"Thank you." Naruto said quietly.

"For what?"

"For looking past my anger." Naruto said with a smile. "So, for that, thank you."

Rha's smile broadened as she looked into Naruto's blue eyes. A sense of calmness seemed to pour into her as Naruto brushed some of his blonde hair out of his face.

"It's no problem. Any sensible person could see that." Rha said. Naruto's smile disappeared and he turned his body towards the mountain range.

"You'd be surprised…" Naruto whispered. Rha barely picked up on what he said, and before she could apologize he waved his hand. The ground beneath them began to shake, and the ice began to crack and break. Finally, after a few moments of shaking, two pillars began to rise out of the ground. The two pillars looked like the ones that they had passed through to get here from the swamp world. "This is our portal."

A blue light began to emit from Naruto's wrist. "Do you know where we're going?"

"Nope." Naruto replied simply.

Rha watched as the two pillars rose from the ground in the center of the balcony. It amazed her how easily Naruto could control the forerunner machines.

That could either be a good thing, or a bad thing. Rha wasn't sure yet.

Naruto may seem like a good person, and from everything she has seen thus far, not counting their dual, he has been completely humble, but he is still a complete mystery. She knows nothing of his past and what he's done. The prospect of being used is a constant worry for the female sangheili as Naruto has no real reason to let her come with him, but that was a risk she is willing to take.

Her mission to bring him to Hyus, as well as her own curiosity, was driving her to stay with him. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that no other sangheili, or any other species for that matter, would ever have the chance to experience. So any danger that would come their way, Rha had decided it was worth it.

"Do you really not know?"

"The terminal doesn't tell me which planet the next terminal is on. It only gives me a basic layout of the facility and some hints as to what the environment is." Naruto explained as he picked up the grey backpack. He placed his helmet inside the pack and slung it over his shoulder. Since he had no idea where they were going he prepared some essentials just in case.

"And that blue light on your wrist?" Rha continued to ask.

"It's a timer that tells me when the terminal will shut down and lock itself. The timer activates when the portal opens." Naruto explained as he walked up to the portal. "We were fortunate that this portal allowed me to choose when to open it."

Naruto stopped in front of the portal and turned to Rha, who continued to stand next to the railing. "Is this really what you want? I won't-."

Rha walked up and placed a hand onto his shoulder. "Yes, this is what I want."

The forerunner sighed and turned towards the portal. "Okay. If this is what you want, but there is at least one rule that you must follow if you are going to come with me."

"And that is?" Rha asked.

"You must always stay by my side. No matter what." Naruto said. Rha grinned and looked into the portal that had fully developed. The black orb sucked in the air around them, including the snow that lay around it.

"I can do that." Rha said as the duo walked into the portal to the next world.

XxXxX

"Calling Commander Hyus to J wing. Commander Hyus please make your way to the J wing."

"That's the fourth time it has called for you. Must be pretty important if they want you all the way down in J wing." Bresse said as he stood in an elevator with his commander, Hyus, as well as Ugana.

"What could be so important in J wing? Isn't that a construction zone for a thermo generator?" Ugana asked aloud.

"I wouldn't know. I haven't really studied up on this place like you have." Bresse said with a grin. Ugana shook his head at the thick headedness of Bresse. Bresse may be a good soldier, but when it came to tactics and strategy, he was one of the lowest in the Burning Legion. Why he was so high rank, Ugana may never know.

"Shut it you two, we are here." Hyus said, effectively silencing the two bickering officers.

The three Burning Legion officers exited the elevator only to be met by a wall of hot steam entering the elevator.

"It's hot as hell down here!" Bresse exclaimed as he tried to wave the steam away from his face, but to no avail.

"It's like the sauna back on Sanghelios that I used to visit." Ugana said.

"This area is under construction for a thermo generator so it's not that surprising." Hyus said as they exited the elevator. The steam was thick and the lights barely cut through the room. The floor was rock and soldiers could be seen rushing all over the massive room. Loud bangs and clatters could be heard in the distance, most likely by mining equipment, and bright orange lights would occasionally flare off behind the veil of the steam. The lights would show shadows of men working on the walls and mining equipment being used. How large was this room?

One of these soldiers suddenly appeared in front of them wearing a mask over his face. "Sorry for the urgency Commander Hyus, but it's important. Please take these and wear them while you're down here. It may make breathing a little easier as well as protect you from any dangerous fumes that may pour in from the mining process."

The soldier handed Hyus, Ugana, and Bresse face masks that covered their face from the steam. The lenses are clear and a headlight was built into the mask. The mask had a filter that was also built in that filtered the steam into something a little more comfortable to breath. The three put on the masks and turned on their lights.

"Very good, now follow me please. I'll take you to Commander Vel." The soldier said before turning and walking into the thick steam.

"What's exactly going on? The message sounded extremely urgent for something this deep underground." Hyus asked.

"I can't say anything until you meet with Vel himself. I'm sorry." The soldier said.

Hyus cursed under his breath. He wanted to see if he could get any information out of the soldier before they arrived.

"It's okay. Just curious is all." Hyus replied.

The four continued to walk in the nearly blinding mist until the floor began to slant downwards with the walls becoming more and more narrow. It took them five minutes until finally a bright blue light began to cut through the steam.

"Hyus! Is that you?!" Vel shouted, his voice echoing off the nearby walls.

"Yes! I am here!" Hyus replied. When Vel finally came into view at least twenty sangheili soldiers, carrying an assortment of weapons, stood nearby. It looked like they were preparing for combat, but upon closer inspection, Hyus saw the soldiers carrying packs. Packs that would normally be used in an expedition.

"Glad you could make it commander." Vel said as he turned towards the group that came near him. A drill had been backed up away from the rock wall and turned off, unlike the other machines in the hollowed out room.

"What's going on? All I heard was to head down to the J wing with a couple of my officers." Hyus said. The blue light becoming ever more distracting for the new arrivals. The light was coming from a hole in the wall, but several of the soldiers where blocking the view into it.

"You remember that forerunner artifact that's underneath our facility?" Vel asked.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well we finally reached it." Vel said as he moved out of the way. A few soldiers moved out of the way as well, letting Hyus, Bresse, and Ugana look into the four foot hole.

To their amazement, inside was a massive forerunner structure built into the rock on the far side of the colossal room. A large crystal sat atop a floating platform near the ceiling at the center of the room. The steam inside the room continued to bellow out into the chasm and dissipate into the air.

"That building is huge!" Bresse said in awe.

"Indeed it is. How big do you think it is?" Ugana asked.

"Can't say for certain. We have no idea how deep it goes beyond what we see." Vel explained. "It could be just the surface, or much larger. Again, we have no idea."

"So… why did you call us down here?" Hyus asked as he glanced over to Vel.

"I called you down here to see if you would be willing to join the expedition into the structure." Vel said.

"Why would you want me to go down there? Why not just go yourself?" Hyus pressed. Vel sighed deeply and leaned against the wall.

"I'm getting old son. I'm not as physical as I used to be." Vel said. "And I'm sure as hell not scout material either."

"So you need me to scout out the facility for you?" Hyus asked.

"I would send one of my own officers down there, but none of these guys have any experience with forerunner facilities. They wouldn't know what to do once they got in there." Vel explained.

"I see, well what do you guys think?" Hyus asked Bresse and Ugana.

"As long as I get to come with you then I'm okay." Bresse said with a shrug.

"The building itself doesn't look too dangerous…" Ugana muttered, "But forerunner facilities have been notorious for fight back once entered." Hyus nodded and looked back over to Vel.

"Sure, I'll go, but as long as Bresse comes along." Hyus said.

"Fair enough. We've got some extra equipment here so take what you need." Vel said.

"Ugana, I need you to tell the men what's happening." Hyus ordered. Ugana nodded and turned to leave, but Hyus grabbed his wrist. "Also, tell the men to be on standby. I don't know what it is, but this place doesn't feel right."

The last bit was said in a whisper, and Ugana nodded slightly, confirming that he understood what had been instructed. Hyus let go of Ugana, and the old soldier disappeared into the steam, followed closely by the soldier that had escorted them here.

"Whenever you're ready. My men are prepared to leave whenever you are." Vel said. Hyus and Bresse each grabbed a backpack from the portable armory. The backpack was hard and the same color as the heretics armor, which was maroon. Inside was provisions for at least two days and ammunition for a carbine. "You can grab a weapon from the weapons pod."

Both Hyus and Bresse grabbed carbines from the pod. "Are you sure about this, Hyus? I mean, we are leading at least twenty soldiers, that we have zero experience with mind you, into a unknown forerunner facility that jams signals."

"I know, but you must remember that this is an untouched forerunner facility." Hyus stated as he loaded a clip into his carbine.

"I realize that, but what do we hope to find? I mean it would take weeks to map a place like this out, let alone find anything." Bresse said.

"Don't you think I know that?" Hyus replied sharply, surprising Bresse. "But this may be the only chance we have before Vel's men completely clear this place out. So being able to move in with the leading scouting party is perfect."

Hyus turned and began walking over towards where Vel stood. Bresse sighed and began following Hyus. "Just don't lose your head over this…"

The two walked up to Vel while he was talking to his men.

"You have your orders! You are to follow Commander Hyus's lead!" Vel said apparently ending his speech when they approached.

"Yes sir!" All twenty men shouted in unison while saluting. Vel turned to Hyus and put his face inches away from his own.

"You better take good care of my men Hyus." Vel said in a very threatening voice. "These are twenty of my best scouts."

"I understand." Hyus replied. Vel was entrusting him with some of his best men, which is something that should never be taken lightly by any commander.

"Well you better, because if anything happens to my men, it's on your head." Vel said while poking Hyus's chest.

"Yeah…" Hyus replied before looking over at the twenty soldiers that would be following him into the facility. They all looked like seasoned scouts that have mapped the jungle above, but that doesn't mean that they could fight. Being a scout, and being a frontline soldier, are two completely different things. 'Maybe that's why Vel chose me. He knows of my past missions… at least the ones I've done under him.'

A hand landed on Hyus's shoulder. Said commander looked to his side to see Bresse looking up at him. "You about ready commander?"

Hyus chuckled at bit and shook his head. "Yeah. Let's get moving."

XxXxX

"Not as bad the second time around, is it?" Naruto asked with a slight grin. Rha was sitting on the ground, breathing heavily with sweat pouring down her face.

"I feel like I'm going to puke." Rha replied as she stared up into the clear blue sky.

"Well, take a break, and let me know when you're ready." Naruto said as he began to walk to the edge of the platform they were currently on.

"Will do…" Rha said before slumping to the ground.

Naruto chuckled as he stopped at the edge of the small platform, but what he saw was nothing like the hints that was given to him in the last terminal.

What spread out before him was a vast desert that spanned as far as the eye could see, but if one looked closely a large tower, that got larger as it got closer to the ground, could be seen in the distance.

The wind blew against Naruto, pushing his cloak against him as he looked around the platform they had entered from. The poles that made the portal never went back into the platform, meaning that the energy stored in this platform was withering. A gravity pusher sat on the edge, aiming out towards, presumably, where another platform should be, but there was nothing in the direction that the pusher was aiming.

"Wow, we are certainly high up, aren't we?" Rha said as she walked to the edge of the platform next to Naruto. "A desert?"

"Yeah… this was not the environment I was expecting." Naruto admitted as he looked down towards the ground. It was a long drop, at least three to four thousand feet, maybe more.

"I take it that tower is the place we are heading?" Rha questioned.

"That's the one." Naruto replied.

After a moment of silence Rha looked over at Naruto with a confused face. "So, how do we get down?"

"Come with me." Was all he said before grabbing Rha's hand and jumping off the edge of the platform.

XxXxX

A/N: Okay everyone, I'm so sorry for this one taking so long, but I had an unexpected trip that took up a lot more time than I originally intended.

Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed this one because I must made, remade, fixed, and cried over this chapter at least twelve times.

And, as always, thanks for reading my story! :D