Chapter 11

(Jahara, Banks of the Sogoht)

Hashirama stood in front of the low fence that Gurdy used to corral her chocobos, a recently-purchased Cartographer's Guild map in his hand. He looked back and forth between the large yellow birds, trying to find the one he hoped would be a solid mount. "Would you kindly pick one and just get on it please? I'd like to be back in Rabanastre sometime this century," said Bansat, impatiently.

"Be patient, Bansat. He has never ridden one before, most likely. Let him take his time," responded Synneva, shaking her head at her companion.

That was only a half truth. The shinobi had never ridden a chocobo, true, but he WAS familiar with mounted animals; he just preferred to go on foot since he actually travelled faster that way. In his youth, he'd ventured to Tetsu no Kuni and ridden several horses there; the animals were unsuited to shinobi life, but were perfect for a samurai's way of fighting.

Eventually, he selected one and Gurdy led the bird to the outside of the fence. She handed him the reins, telling him that, "Try not to push the little guy too hard, kupo. They might be beasts of burden, but they can feel pain too. And remember, it can only carry you for so long; after that it'll get uncomfortable and will try to boot you off. Safe travels, kupo."

With a newly confident air, the Senju put one foot into the stirrup and mounted the chocobo, which turned its neck around to give him a friendly look. "She's real friendly, kupo. You don't need to worry about her ignoring your commands or anything," said the moogle. "When you come back I'll have a nice big pile of Gysahl Greens to give you, okay girl? Be safe, kupo," she said to the beast, which gave no indication of acknowledgement.

The three of them then gave the signal, and the chocobos sped off to their new destinations.

(Ozmone Plain, Haulo Green)

"So, the quickest way back to Rabanastre is to take the same route we used to come here, but astride these chocobos it'll take only a little while, *snort*. After that it's only a matter of crossing the Giza Plains," said the seeq. The chocobo he was mounting was somehow able to support his large frame without difficulty; there were theories that the beasts were actually stronger than they were given credit for.

"I'm afraid, then, that you will have to make the journey back by yourself; Montblanc has asked that Hashirama and I go to Mount Bur-Omisace in order to complete some personal business," said the viera, briefly looking back at the Garif village.

"Really? That's a shame; I was hoping that you guys would share the story of how we handled that Slaven, *snort*. Oh well," he responded. "Oh, and before I forget, watch out for the undead in the Paramina glacier; those fellows don't play around."

"You need not remind me; I know of the dangers already. My partner has never ventured that way, though. I would be willing to bet that he could use all the advice you and I have to give," she said, tilting her head back towards the shinobi, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire ride.

Hashirama was lost in thought as he rode his chocobo. His mind wandered back to what he'd done the previous day.

(Author Style: Flashback no Jutsu!)

The shinobi was currently walking around the village, talking to the residents and gaining a perspective into their way of life. He learned much from just talking to the warriors and herders as well as what elders he could find; Yugelu and Supinelu had spoken at great length to him.

He was currently approaching the Garif trader; he was in need of some new equipment. His shinobi armor, while sturdy, was now far too dirty and rusted to be of any more use; in addition, both pairs of his leather boots were soaked through with rainwater and he was sure that he'd need a replacement pair or two.

The trader looked at him with a cheerful expression. "Come in and take your time, for the world has much of it for the taking," he said, opening his tent and ushering the wood user inside.

Once inside the tent, the shinobi could see a great variety of weapons, armor, and various sundries for sale; it vaguely reminded him of the armories in Konoha. The main difference was that this shop catered more to the passing mercenary or soldier rather than to the ninja. He looked over the goods for sale; weapons such as guns or bows were of little use to him, so he ignored them.

After cruising the shelves for a small length of time, a small set of scrolls caught his eye, especially one labeled 'Shear'. He asked the trader what this technick did, which the Garif responded with, "It reduces the target foe's resistance to magicks or other special attacks. You may have a use for it."

After some deliberation, he decided to purchase 'Shear', a pair of sturdy new nanna hide boots, as well as a long bamboo pole with two small blades jutting out of each end. He turned to leave after sealing the pole into his weapons pouch when he saw it.

It was a set of armor that, like many others, covered one's arms as well as their torso. Unlike the others, however, this set was lightweight and looked like its composition was made up of separate plates. "I see that you are interested in the Shielded Armor; that is a good choice. Not only is it lightweight, but is imbued with powerful Protect magicks that will not dispel," said the merchant, noticing his intrigue.

Hashirama put his hand to his chin in thought. While full-body armor was considered an unnecessary item for shinobi (since it restricted movement), this suit could be easily modified to allow for freedom of movement. Additionally, the fact that it was permanently reinforced with protective magick was a bonus; it would bolster his already-mighty defenses.

After bidding goodbye to the merchant, he retired to the tent he shared with Bansat to modify the armor. He cast aside the chainmail and leather shirt beneath the armor and then decided to cut away small pieces from the breastplate, shoulder pads, and long gauntlets. What he was left with was basically a newer, stronger version of his old ninja armor with a distinctly western flair to it.

He then looked at his hitai-ate and decided to modify that as well; the odds were that he'd need protection for more than just his forehead. In the end, he took the metal from the discarded pieces of the Shielded Armor and welded them into the hitai-ate's metal using a Katon jutsu (he made sure to use it carefully; he didn't want to start a wildfire). His new headband looked exactly the same but was now slightly heavier and the Protect spell would also protect his entire head.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked proudly at his work. With the new weapons, armor, and technicks he found in this world, he would become a stronger shinobi.

(Flashback no Jutsu: Kai!)

While the shinobi was lost in his own thoughts, the three of them arrived in a small clearing with a blue crystal hovering off to one side. Synneva grimaced a bit at reaching the area; this was the entrance to the Golmore Jungle. She and Hashirama quickly dismounted, after which the chocobos ran off to return to their corral in Jahara. "I suppose this is where we say goodbye, then. *snort*," said Bansat.

"It isn't. Remember what joushi told us; it's not 'goodbye', it's 'see you later'. So, we shall see you later, sempai," responded the shinobi, shaking the seeq's hand. The corpulent hunter then shook the viera's much smaller hand. With one final wave, he turned his chocobo around and left them in the clearing.

The Senju looked towards the looming gate to the jungle which was covered with overgrown vines and flowers. Being in tune with the natural world, he could easily pick up the heady floral scents coming from the depths of the forest. He could also detect natural energy, powerful and ancient beyond belief; there was no doubt his sage mode would be extra potent here.

He also noticed that his partner balked somewhat at the idea of entering. She unconsciously balled her hands into fists and lowered her head as though in shame; she also said several words in a strange language that the ninja didn't understand. After a while, she raised her head once more and stopped chanting, though she didn't unclench her hands.

"Come, we must cross this place quickly; it would not do to dally. Many wayfarers have quickly fallen here to the deadly nemeses of panthers and gargoyles, or the toxicity of the Malboro," she said somewhat urgently.

Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Is this place truly that dangerous? I felt its life energy; it is very vibrant."

The viera nodded her head. "Yes it is. Even a spiritually-unaware Hume can feel the Wood's life force; it is no surprise that you can detect it. Unfortunately, the life energy you feel belongs to the various monsters and deadly flora within. We had best advance with caution, as I above all others am unwelcome here."

The wood user would have asked why, but she strode forward (albeit hesitantly) and would've left him behind had he not gotten his act together.

(Golmore Jungle, Paths of Chained Light)

As soon as they entered the Jungle, the atmosphere changed dramatically: instead of the bright, direct sunlight of the Plain, the foliage covered and hid away most light, leaving the path they walked on very dark. Additionally, the shinobi felt something in his gut that told him they were being observed by someone, though by who was as yet unknown to him.

The local monsters were very fierce, a factor that both excited the shinobi as well as making him wary. He used his new pole to crush the skull of an unlucky panther and then in the same fluid motion kicked away another that had tried to attack him from behind. Some distance away, a small group of gargoyles dove towards Synneva only to be riddled with arrows.

The panther that had been kicked away eventually decided that the ninja was too troublesome a target, so it went for the female, apparently forgetting that she was of the same race that hunted its kind for food and in self-defense. This lapse in preservation instinct proved to be its undoing as its skull was firmly pierced by a long green-colored arrow.

"These foes are the toughest I've encountered in Ivalice so far. Unlike the ones in Ozmone, these do not fall after only one or two hits," noted the shinobi, searching a panther's body for loot. "I have to focus my weapon strikes in their vital spots or else use my adamantine taijutsu to dispose of them."

"Of course they are. The power of the Wood flows through their very souls; it makes them far studier and stronger than they would be if they were living anywhere else but here. Indeed, you may consider the Jungle itself is against us."

"An entire jungle being hostile, huh. Well, I can't say I've ever had a natural phenomenon as an opponent before, except Kurama perhaps. Oh well, I guess there's a first time for everything then. I can't wait to see how this turns out," he said cheerfully, following his partner's lead.

"Your optimism frightens me sometimes. And just who is Kurama? Back at the clan house you never mentioned any Kurama," she asked.

"Kurama? That's just the big bad kitsune you saw in your visions," he answered, warily looking around the huge trees. He was sure that there were people watching him, but he couldn't see them; he only saw shadows that disappeared as soon as he noticed them. 'Whoever that is is really good at stealthy observation; even better than many shinobi I know. Just who are they?'

"I thought his name was Kyubi, since you called him that whenever I asked about it."

Hashirama shook his head. "Okay, first off, Kurama is the true name. 'Kyubi' is nothing more than a title that means 'Nine-Tails'. It's not a true name. Secondly, despite the voice and general menacing-ness Kurama is actually a female; believe me, I was surprised when she told me so herself. Imagine my shock when I discovered that the most powerful of the Biju (Tailed Beasts) was actually a woman! It was a day full of surprises, I tell you."

Synneva shook her own head. "You are unbelievable; you face the most fearsome beast in your homeland and you do not even know its gender. I cannot say I know you sometimes."

An easy grin crossed the ninja's features. "Mito-chan said the same thing. Come on, which way is the mountain? I feel as though we've been in this forest for ages," he said, taking out a kunai and using it to chop down an obtrusive fern.

"It is true; in this place one tends to lose all track of time. The Paramina Rift and the mountain beyond it are this way," she said, going off in a completely different direction than they had been going in thus far. The shinobi was somewhat hesitant to follow her, afraid that he was going to get lost; eventually he remembered that his partner knew the area well, so there was no need to worry. The fact that they discovered a highly useful Map Urn (which shed light on the path they were travelling) was additional reassurance.

Soon they came to a large, glowing rune floating several inches off the ground. Upon closer inspection it was discovered that the rune wasn't just a magickal pattern; it was similar to a Paling in that it prevented things from getting past. Unfortunately, they were included in those things. The viera slowly removed her armband and held it up in front of the rune; it seemed to pulsate and waver but did not disappear. She then tried to walk through it but was repulsed. "This is strange; the Lente's Tear in the armband should have afforded us passage."

The ninja slowly approached the rune, looking over it with a critical eye. "It seems that this particular one's been modified to resist the power of the gem in some way. But it does respond to the jewel, so we can use that to our advantage."

Synneva raised her eyebrow in curiosity. "Advantage? What do you mean?"

A devilish grin spread across Hashirama's face. "If we cannot dispel it, then the only way through is to shatter it completely," he said, unsealing an inkpot full of chakra ink and a calligraphy brush.

"Shatter it?! How are going to accomplish such a thing?"

"It's easy. I'm going to use my fuinjutsu in order to amplify the amulet's power. If it all goes well its power will be too much for the barrier, destroying it and allowing us to go through. Simple as that," he said, taking the armband and inscribing it with the seals he normally used to enhance his physical performance. When he finished, he took the armband and slammed it against the rune, glowing brightly as it did so.

It was only a short while before the magick glyphs were overwhelmed by the magnified power given off by Lente's Tear, and soon cracks appeared on its 'surface'. Eventually, the cracks grew and the entire barrier shattered with nary a sound. "There, see? I told you my idea would work."

His partner shook her head in disbelief. "I…never thought that would actually work…this is unbelievable."

He smiled at her. "Believe it. Now, shall we get going? We do have someplace to be after all," he said, handing her back the armband, the seals once covering it disappearing due to their usefulness being at an end. The viera, still in shock, walked forward robotically, her partner following her.

After a while, they came upon a huge gate that lead to a clearing with no ceiling, instead featuring a large hole that allowed shafts of sunlight to pour in. however, that wasn't what caught their attention: a large dragon seemingly made of plants prevented them from going any further. The dragon roared as it barred the way out of the jungle, setting the partners on edge.

The viera growled. "The Elder Wyrm, here? I had thought it was sealed away by the tribal elders!" she exclaimed.

'Apparently they didn't use a tight enough seal. Dammit, who the hell let it out again?!' shouted Shara from within Synneva's mind.

While the viera would have asked her tenant about her history with the Elder Wyrm, she had more pressing matters at the moment; namely, narrowly escaping death in the form of a large fireball issuing from the beast's mouth. She quickly nocked an arrow and let it fly, but unfortunately the beast knocked it away with its tail.

Meanwhile, her ninja partner was in some problems of his own. Mainly the fact that the dragon was accompanied by a pair of gigantic golems that resembled a jutsu he once encountered near Iwa, but upon closer inspection the golems were revealed to be made of living wood.

After dodging a synchronized punch by the golems as well as a tail swipe by the Wyrm, the gears in his mind began spinning frantically, trying to find an advantageous strategy. 'A ninja must use everything to his advantage, including the terrain…and the architecture as well.' The words of the head of the Nara clan ringing in his head, an idea suddenly crossed his mind.

It was…well, it was reckless and slightly demented (he'd risk running out of chakra), but as his fiancé would say, to hell with the consequences! Gathering up his chakra, he flashed through the handsigns he'd used to defeat his enemies and establish Konoha. "Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kotan (Wood Release Secret Technique: Nativity Of A World Of Trees)!"

Instantly the ground in the clearing came to life as many sturdy tree branches exploded from the fertile soil, snatching up the golems and even the huge dragon. The branches were unrelenting in their grip and slammed the unfortunate victims against the roof until the targets were knocked out. Then, the Senju molded his chakra again and the branches began to fuse with both the monsters as well as with the clearing itself.

After a while, there was no trace of there ever being monsters in the first place, only a massive clump of trees near the roof that, upon closer inspection, were marked by beautiful, lifelike engravings. The flowers dotting one side of the construct gave off a sweet, delicate floral scent that filled the clearing.

Down below, the pair had arrived in the clearing and encountered ferocious beasts; when they left, the only sign that they had been there in the first place was a lovely wooden work of art that could have been wrought by none other than Mother Nature herself.

The shinobi took out a food pill and popped it into his mouth while Synneva took a drink of water from her canteen. "I had thought I knew the full extent of your strength. But for you to put down the mighty Elder Wyrm with just one technique and make it a permanent part of the Wood itself, well I can safely say that I have gravely misjudged you."

Hashirama chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't know whether my move would actually work or not. Not to mention that it took a lot out of me; I expended almost all of my remaining chakra. I won't be able to perform that move for a while."

"You will not need to perform such a move for a while either, for you two shall go no further until you have answered for your misdeeds," said a powerful, commanding voice. A group of warriors of the same race as the ninja's partner emerged from the trees, bows at the ready.

The wood user gulped nervously. 'Today just isn't my day.'

ATTENTION

Makoto: listen up readers, this is important! I've just been informed that the author has several story ideas and excerpts in the works and wants to give you, faithful readers, short previews of a few of them. So without further ado, bring in the first one!

-Story break-

Tenmei Mikogami was not what one would call an impatient man, yet even one of the great Dark Lords had limits. He just about had enough with the sheer amount of paperwork; where was Ruby when he needed her, anyway? He was just about to flex his youki and destroy the vile sheets of paper when a soft yet raspy voice interrupted him.

"Still struggling with paperwork I see; you haven't bothered to learn Kage Bunshin, have you? You haven't changed at all Tenmei-san," said the voice. Mikogami blinked for a few moments; no one called him Tenmei-san except…

"Nagato-san, is that you?"

At his words, a man in a wheelchair rolled into the room, being pushed by a beautiful blue-haired woman. The man was very pale and sickly-looking and had long red hair, but his most striking feature was his violet eyes with a strange ripple pattern instead of irises and sclera. "It's been a long time, Tenmei-san. How do you fare?"

The Exorcist flashed an evil grin that would terrify most people, but the man and woman seemed unaffected by it. "I cannot complain, though I am most curious as to how you managed to arrive here; it was my understanding that you had died after using a forbidden technique."

Nagato gave his best approximation of an amused grin. "I thought that I had as well. But Kami had other plans for me, I believe. Now, I came not for pleasantries, but for business."

Mikogami's glowing eyes flashed with interest. "What sort of business?"

The Uzumaki gestured to the woman behind him. "Tenmei-san, this is my good friend Konan. She has recently made it known to me that there is a special group of children and their teacher who have taken it upon themselves to fight the evil that arises on campus. I would like to know who they are."

"Konnichiwa, Mikogami-san. It is pleasant to meet you," said the woman, bowing in respect.

The hooded man smiled. It wasn't often that the young ones showed proper respect anymore. "It is nice to meet you as well, Konan-san. Now, I believe the group you have informed my friend here is the Newspaper Club; they've recently made a name for themselves by putting an end to the Student Police's tyranny. Their adventures are quite amusing," he said, chuckling evilly.

"We're sure they are, but there's something I'd like to ask you, a favor if you will," said the redheaded man, coughing a little.

"Oh? What sort of favor?"

This time, Konan answered for the both of them. "Nagato wants to take them, teacher included, for a period of time during which our associates shall train them. We want them as strong as they can get in order to face the dangers they will soon be facing."

-Story break-

Makoto: That's it for this chapter. Hope you guys like the preview! Makoto, out! *flame shunshin*