Sorry for the wait, folks. Vacation and other stories took up my time. To make yourself reacquainted with the plot's position, reread chapter 13 for clarification.
Element-Overlord: I can't really say. I don't like evil Narutos in any fic; it may seem interesting, but only if an author is skilled enough to pull that off. I don't think I could do that.
UPDATE!: the newly uploaded chapter is other new chapter fifteen On the chapter select box. Look up Help me, Professor Kokonoe.
Disclaimer: first chapter.
Chapter 18: Enemies of the State
"Rachel! Rachel! I'm being serious here! Tell me! What was that?" It had been minutes after the confrontation against Hazama, now know as Terumi, a member of the Six-Heroes that saved the world from the Black Beast.
"Hey! Quit yelling at the Princess!" Gii, the pink bat familiar, yelled at Naruto; he was ignored.
"And I'm telling you howling beast that I don't know what transpired over there!" Rachel yelled back. The Vampire didn't know what to think about the peculiar event that turned Naruto almost into a mindless beast. It seemed that the Fox beastkin fought the urge to destroy everything in his path while exuding an Aura of death. What's more is that he reacted like that because of the activation of the Azure Grimoire or Blazblue. "I don't know what happened!"
Just as Naruto was about to retort, Tao came along, "NYA! Stop fighting you two, Ramen-guy, Bat-lady! Everyone's sleeping, and I'm hungry!" Naruto sighed. That totally killed the mood. The Fox thought it might be a good idea to teach Tao about social cues of the serious kind. That is if the childish persona Tao has can even understand and apply that lesson in the future. He sure did hope those lessons with Miss Faye-Ling helped, if any at all. Maybe Torakaka helped too.
Seeing Tao's unchanged personality, he doubted that was the case.
"Hah…okay, Tao. I'll make you and the villagers some food, alright?" Naruto sighed in defeat for both not getting an answer from Rachel and surrendering to Tao's infamous stomach (Multiplied with the kittens' appetites). Walking away, Naruto saw Rachel disappear into the void with a deep look of wonder; she must be thinking about what might have happened. He also remembered to talk to Arma the sentient Nox Nyctores he has on his arms right now. Maybe he could help a bunch.
XxXxX
It'd been three days since her mission, and Makoto had arrived back in Kagutsuchi after finding out a horrible truth. A truth that may destroy the NOL if word gets out. First, she had to tell others, meaning her boyfriend and the other Ex-members of the NOL. The Lieutenant of the Intelligence Division ran as fast as she could, worried that if she called, others might intercept it and label her a traitor for revealing such a secret.
Up the elevator, through the market, past Orient town and near the entrance to Ronin-Gai. Makoto reviewed the directions from the port. She waded through the crowd; it was noon time, and the people seem to just increase as she headed for the elevator. When she got to the decently sized elevator, strangely enough, there were no people inside. She pushed the Orient Town level button and waited as the elevator ascended multiple levels.
"I really hope nothing bad has happened to you while I was gone, Naruto." Makoto muttered to herself.
Minutes later, she passed Orient Town and headed for the entrance of Ronin-Gai. Wading through building after building, Makoto saw the familiar orange neon sign of the Beast's Den, Naruto's restaurant. Problem was-
-NOL shut the place down. Fearing the worst, Makoto went to a nearby officer guarding the place to ask what happened. Thankfully, it was an officer she knew; an underclassman during her time at the Academy.
"Ken! What happened here?" Makoto asked a younger, brown-haired boy with a naginata Ars Magus. He was also in the Intelligence Division and wore the Division's shroud. He was lower in rank compared to Makoto as well.
"Makoto-senpai!" The officer named Ken noticed Makoto and greeted her in surprise like he was caught in a terrible act. "What are you doing here?" Ken was terrified. He saw his senpai's worried look and saw a glimmer of rising anger in her orange eyes. It was almost as scary as Mitsuru-senpai's cold glare.
"I just finished my mission and returned to my station here in Kagutsuchi. What's going on?" Makoto asked the boy. Said boy looked shocked, but then again the decree was only announced a day ago; she wouldn't have known it right off the bat as soon as she exited the airship.
Sighing, Ken answered, "Lieutenant Nanaya, I'm afraid that Ex-Captain Naruto Namikaze and the rest of the Tailed Beast Squad, Major Kisaragi, and Lieutenant Vermillion have been reported assaulting Captain Hazama and were aiding the SS-criminal Ragna the Bloodedge in eliminating the NOL officers in the Kagutsuchi branch and almost destroying the Cauldron. For those actions, the Imperator has condemned them and has proceeded to call them the top enemies of the NOL." He didn't stop yet, "As such, anyone who has made contact with any of them in the past three days has been called for an interrogation and the restaurant is closed for the time being."
"What?" Makoto interrupted.
Ken ignored the intrusion of his explanation and kept talking, "Zero Squad is also being deployed to lure them out of hiding and to arrest them all." Makoto was flabbergasted by the information shoved down her throat. Naruto and the other's are criminals? That had to be a fabrication of lies; it had to be! "Lieutenant Nanaya, I'd advise you to keep a low profile, being who you're in a relationship with. Many of the officers here are trying to use you as information and a bait." Ken warned. "Though there are some from other Divisions and our own denying the claim that you've been a part of this scheme."
"So you're telling me-"
"I'm telling you to get out of here, Senpai!" Ken viciously whispered. "Me and other rookies are guarding this place for only about five more minutes, the big guys are coming soon, and they won't hesitate in capturing you to get in the good graces of Zero squad and the Imperator!"
Makoto eyed the other officers, rookies as Ken had called them. They were hesitant to do anything to her. Her attention was brought back to Ken, "Makoto-Senpai, you have to leave now!" Not wanting to be there when the security changed, Makoto sprinted off to a place she had to go to before going to the place Naruto would surely take refuge.
"Warrant Officer Amada!" Makoto yelled as she ran away, "I appreciate your assistance!" She took her beret and waved it around to show her farewell to the boy.
Ken nodded and saluted the woman, Be safe, Senpai. "Alright guys! We didn't see anything, right?!"
"Sir!"
Makoto stopped at the museum and waited while staring at the colossal bones of a T-rex looming above her head. Thankfully, she didn't need to wait long. The loud footsteps alerted her to her guest's presence.
"Nice to meet you, Red Devil." Makoto said to the newcomer, not bothering to look at the muscular, bespectacled, red-clad cyborg with giant gauntlets. The man was Tager, a member of Sector Seven an organization opposing the NOL.
"Are you-" Makoto chucked a microchip towards Tager. The man caught it with his large, mechanical hands "Huh?"
"That's what you needed right? I've got nothing else to say. I've a boyfriend to get to."
"I wouldn't suggest that." Said a feminine voice.
"I'm guessing you're Kokonoe?" Makoto said to no one in particular.
"Perceptive."
"Lucky guess really." Makoto lied. During her mission, her consciousness was transported to an alternate reality where some of the events in history were changed. Jin wasn't a hero, Naruto lost his parents and was a servant for a loli, and Noel didn't exist. This particular voice was indeed Kokonoe from the alternate reality. "And why shouldn't I go look for him?"
"If you haven't realized it yet, it's nighttime, a citywide curfew is in effect, and your bushy tail isn't exactly inconspicuous at the moment." Kokonoe snapped at the Squirrel beastkin. "So sorry for trying to look out for you."
"Hm?" Tager noticed something-
"Don't even start, Tager."
"I was-"
"I said don't even start!" Kokonoe yelled over the transmission.
"Yes Ma'am." Tager stiffened at the tone of her voice. "I didn't hear anything about you stating that you cared about someone." The Devil mentally slapped himself, inadvertently saying what he wasn't supposed to say. He would get a very in-depth upgrade later.
Annoyed by the little old couple arguing, Makoto interrupted a rising conflict, "So whaddaya suggest I do? The NOL know I'm here, and I can't exactly stay at one place at the moment." Kokonoe pondered for a bit. Makoto's situation was a very dangerous one, and she has only a few places to go to that most of the officers of the NOL have safeguarded in order to intercept her or any of the wanted criminals. And with the NOL knowing that she's in Kagutsuchi at the moment only keeps the NOL here further and thus further intensifies the search for Makoto.
"Tager, bring her to HQ." Kokonoe said to the large man before cutting off communications. Tager tried calling back because he wanted to know why she'd want him to bring the (Unofficially) wanted officer. He calls were ignored, and the cyborg sighed. He hated it when Kokonoe did decisions without explaining her purpose.
"Makoto Nanaya, follow me."
"When will I be able to search for Naruto?"
"That…is uncertain at the moment." Tager answered truthfully, "With the attack on the Captain, which really shouldn't have escalated into a manhunt and a declaration as enemies of the NOL, I can't say for sure. All I know is that the NOL will use this chance to assert their power to show that they're the boss."
"Not surprising, Ragna did make people lose hope with the NOL."
"Indeed, now please follow me. We can't stay here too long."
"Aye, aye, Red Devil!" Makoto mock saluted the man and walked along with him to a secure room in the museum before teleporting both of them to Sector Seven HQ, or more precisely, Kokonoe's disheveled room of candy, notes, computers and holograms. "Woah!" Makoto exclaimed in awe and slight disgust; she did not expect a storm to blow by here. "Sheesh, and I thought my siblings made a bigger mess…"
"What you're seeing is only ten percent of the mess."
"No WAY!" Makoto and Tager were hit with a pair of mechanical arms, which were rocket powered. In Makoto's case, the arm erupted from the pile of files and papers of filled with research, blueprints, etc. The rocket propelled arm headed for her, but lost its propulsion. The arm was front heavy, and thus when it lost power, the fist it was making turned into a chop; a spinning chop aimed for her head. A chop she didn't seem to see coming.
As for Tager…all I can say is…
ROCKET FACEPALM!
Both gave a synchronized, "Oww…!" Makoto gained a bump on the head, which comically had intersecting bandages on it while Tager was on his back with his right hand still planted on his face with the rocket still going.
"I deserved that…" Tager groaned.
XxXxX
"You called for us, Captain Hazama?" Said the womanly voice of Tsubaki Yayoi. She and her colleague were in the Intelligence Division department and were talking to the victimized Captain of said Division. Hazama turned around from his swivel chair, sporting a cast on his right arm while his left fed him perfectly hard-boiled eggs. All in all he seemed fine for a man that took on all nine members of the now disbanded Tailed Beast Squad. The interviewers he answered to said he got lucky. Though many doubt that.
"Ah yes, Miss Yayoi." Hazama said coolly.
"I rather you call me by my title, Captain." Tsubaki politely growled at the Captain.
The green-haired man smiled eerily, though neither of the officers in front of him would ever notice, "Apologies, but I'm not one to stick to formalities." Hazama explained to the red-haired officer. "The Imperator has issued you and your friend here on a mission of utmost importance."
"What does the Imperator ask of us?" Tsubaki inquired from the Captain. Hazama opened a drawer and pulled out a letter. Tsubaki opened it and read the contents, while her acquaintance lazily gazed over key words and names-
Eliminate Naruto Namikaze and the Tailed Beast Squad along with Major Jin Kisaragi and Lieutenant Noel Vermillion.
Almost immediately, the other officer spoke, "What's the meaning of this?" His voice snarled at the Captain, unfazed by the tone of the officer's voice. Disappointed by the lack of a reaction, the officer walked to Hazama's desk and slammed his palms on it, shaking the pile of papers into a small hill and his hard-boiled eggs rolling off the desk. "Answer me, Hazama!"
"My oh my, Lieutenant Mutsuki, while I'm not one to do formalities, yelling against a higher-ranking officer deserves punishment." Hazama sneered at the black haired officer. "I'll let it slide for the moment for there are more pressing matters to attend to."
Tsubaki kept reading the details, trying to not miss anything. She didn't want to believe it; Jin, Noel, and Naruto were helping Ragna the Bloodedge. As such, the mission assigned to her and her partner was to eliminate them.
There were no details to arrest them at all.
"Miss Yayoi? Are you still with us?" Hazama asked, not really caring about Tsubaki's dilemma. She was a pawn…a powerful pawn, but a pawn nonetheless. And she would be very useful to apprehend Jin Kisaragi and the 12th Prime Field Device, or Noel Vermillion. As for Sasuke Mutsuki, Hazama would wait and judge the man during his mission; he was a wild card as all of the men in that family are. "I'm sure Mister Mutsuki has gotten the gist of the mission, but do you still not get what the Imperator asks of you?"
"Yes, bu-"
"You are to eliminate Ragna the Bloodedge's accomplices, Naruto Namikaze, Jin Kisaragi, Noel Vermillion, Gaara Sabaku, Yugito Nii, Yagura Nami, Roshi Saru, Han Kemono, Fuu Yukari, and Kirabi or Killer Bee!" Hazama reiterated as he stood up from his chair. "The Imperator has imposed her will, and you'd do well to abide by it right, Lieutenant Yayoi?" Hazama's closed eyes were opened to show golden, narrow eyes with a piercing gaze. Tsubaki took a slight step back when she saw his eyes, Sasuke didn't flinch.
"…Yes, Captain." Tsubaki said in surrender. There was no way to lighten the punishment of death and it was orders from the Imperator too; she can't disobey. She was a tool of justice and she would carry out that justice in the name of the Imperator. She just wished this didn't happen to force her hand.
"…Hn," was Sasuke's enthralling answer to the order given to Tsubaki and him. Inside his head, Sasuke was contemplating the order. Two Zero Squadron officers are being dispatched to eliminate the strongest squad in NOL history along with a Major and his Lieutenant? If anything, Sasuke thought this was a suicide mission! The raven-haired man eyed the Captain.
If this is a suicide mission, how did the Captain get off with only a broken arm?
Sasuke did not like the feeling of dread. There was something about the man that anyone has the feel to need to keep his or her guard up. "So is it only us?" He asked.
"No." Hazama shook his head in amusement. "The Akatsuki are coming too; they have the same orders as you two. Their targets however, focus on the members of the Tailed Beast Squad, but they still are on the lookout for the Major and his Lieutenant." Sasuke stood silently, analyzing the details he'd been given. So the Akatsuki are coming.
Itachi is coming.
Akatsuki, a Squad that dealt mostly with traitors will be working with the Zero Squadron. It is truly a rare sight in the eyes of Veteran NOL officers. They were some of the most fearsome officers anyone would ever come across, and some of them are rumored to be immortal! Sasuke gritted his teeth. The more ways he tried to find an escape route for Naruto, the more doors of opportunity close.
Just what did you get yourself into, Naruto?
XxXxX
"I'm going back." Ragna declared. He just recovered from his wounds and the first thing he says is to go back and get his ass kicked badly. Naruto sighed while his teammates facepalmed. Jin was still asleep, though not for long-
"W-What?! Are you crazy?!" There it is. Jin should totally wake up from that right?
Nope.
"Are you STUPID?!" Noel yelled louder, not comprehending or at least aware that someone was still sleeping. Not anyone's problem really, unless he, meaning Jin, decides to freeze everyone in the room at the moment. Wait…that means it's totally not Naruto's problem then because he can thaw himself out!
"Hey! Who are you calling 'stupid,' Stupid!" Ragna retorted with a very lame comeback.
"You, STUPID!"
"You're both stupid." Gaara calmly stated, walking in on the argument.
"Shut up!" Ragna and Noel turned to the redhead at the same time just to say it in a synchronized manner. Said redhead didn't flinch at the tone, the volume or the sheer violent jerk the two gave just to say that. Gaara was the master of giving a 'Poker Face.'
Though not when it came to cookies or listening to funky music or dancing to said funky music. Thankfully, not many people have seen Cookie Monster Gaara or Gaara of the Funk.
"Sheesh! You two are acting like kids." Roshi commented offhandedly. "Take it outside would ya?" The man made a shooing motion in an attempt to somehow get them to bicker outside the house and continue their argument in the streets. Han sighed; he didn't need to see such childish acts from grown individuals.
Fuu walked up to the two, "Can you two SHUT UP?!" She yelled to the heavens above as she grabbed both heated adults outside to punish them publically…well at least to the Kaka clan members outside curious about the commotion.
"Ow! HEY! Let go, lady!" Ragna ordered as he tried to reach for Fuu's hand to force her to let go of his collar. He squirmed so much like a worm that most likely Rachel had seen his futile effort to escape the beetle beastkin's grasp.
"Fuu-san! Please unhand me!" Noel squirmed too, though not as much as Ragna for she had her purity to cover up underneath the short skirt line. Then again, it left little to no imagination on what type of panties she might wear not that anyone cared really.
"Let them go, Fuu." Naruto commanded from a room over. He was fixing up dinner for all of them and was finished when he said that. The blonde fox had a frown on his face seeing as he heard the declaration to go back and fight Hazama. Naruto didn't want Ragna to be soundly beaten like his teammates; he'd need backup, but from who was the problem. Everyone in his team is injured to an extent and he had a feeling Noel should stay away from Hazama as far away as possible.
Reluctantly, Fuu let her captives go and almost immediately, Ragna stood up to yell, "I don't care what anybody says! I'm going back; I'm going to kill that bastard!" To prevent debate, he exited the house and left the Kaka Village.
"W-wait! Ragna, stop!" Noel yelled, her plea fell on deaf ears.
"Let him be." Naruto said as he put a comforting hand on her left shoulder. "He needs to do this." Noel lowered her head, saddened by Naruto's words. "But he doesn't have to do this alone." Noel snapped her head up to look at her big brother figure, who was smiling at her, "If you really have to, go."
"I'm coming too." Jin declared coming into view. "No way am I letting my brother get hurt." Naruto smirked. These two would and could help out Ragna, to an extent. His team however, can't; a sad fact he has to factor in.
Turning to his team, "You guys look like you could use the rehab, I'll go look for Ragna too." He gave a smile to them.
"What? You too! Are all you damn IDIOTS?" Obviously Fuu flat out rejected. "Did you see how our asses were kicked?" Gaara stood silently as did all the males and Yugito. "Are you seriously wanting themselves and yourself to get killed by that monster?!"
"…No." Naruto answered. "They're my friends as are all of you. Heck, you may as well be family. I'm letting them do what they want, but not alone. Besides, that guy has to go through me before I'll let him lay a hand on my friends."
Just then, a portal opened beside Naruto. "You will do no such thing, Naruto," Rachel said as she exited the void.
"What're you trying to say?"
"You…out of everyone here…and Ragna are the one that has to stay away from Terumi the most." Rachel answered, still not getting to the point.
Naruto scowled uncharacteristically, "What are you trying to say, Rachel?"
"I asked Jubei to find his wife's blueprints; blueprints of all the Nox Nyctores that were built. He found yours and-"
"-And what?"
"If Hazama, or should I say Terumi uses the Azure Grimoire in your vicinity, you will go berserk. Same can be applied if Ragna does it near you." Rachel cleared her throat. "Nox Nyctores: Solis Chirotheca, Astral Armageddon was made as a failsafe should the Six Heroes be defeated. Your Nox Nyctores was built to eliminate all and any forms of Azure."
"Then what about the test?" Naruto asked the Vampire. Judging by the reaction, she didn't know about it.
"What test?"
"I went through some type of trial just so I won't die trying to revert Arma's form! You mean to tell me that is meaningless?"
"I suppose so. After all, that is the purpose of your Nox."
Naruto steeled his resolve, "I'm still going."
"You'd still try after what I just said?"
"It's a risk I have to take." Naruto simply answered, "Besides I'm sure you've met my ancestor, you know the Uzumaki's will of never backing down, right?"
"Yes… and that's what I'm afraid of. The fact you won't give up will just spur on Terumi into unleashing the Azure and in turn causing you to be a calamity equal to that of the Black Beast! So I apologize if I am worried for a miniscule amount!" Rachel huffed and turned away from him. Naruto blinked several times, surprised by Rachel's attitude. He recovered quickly after that.
"Thanks for the warning, Rachel," Naruto said to her, "Jin, Noel, once we get out, we spilt up to search for Ragna." The two NOL officers nodded and ran out of the building. "Again, thanks for the warning, Rachel." He turned to his teammates, "Guys? I gotta go." He left, disappearing into the shadows of the City.
XxXxX
"What do your officers have to report, Relius?" Hazama asked, leaning back on his chair. Relius handed him a folder regarding what Hazama needed. The green-haired man looked over the papers; pictures of a village in a forest, another in a desert, another in a mountain, another in a canyon, and one mountain covered by a veil of mist.
"These are the prime locations, but I have an idea of where they may be."
Interested, Hazama lowered the folder to look at the masked man, "Oh? Do point it out for me." Relius the paper of the village in the forest; it showed an enhanced image of a structure on a cliff: Four faces, and one looked eerily like the Ex-captain Namikaze.
"Excellent…" Hazama grinned madly, "I want him out, Relius. I want you to make them bait!" Hazama pointed to the village, "I want him to go home, and I want him to not interfere, understand?"
"Yes."
So once again, sorry for the wait. I put in a lot of plot for you guys to enjoy. And now you see how the Blazblue world changes now.
So, let's review what happened.
Naruto will naturally go berserk if signs of Azure is in the vicinity.
Makoto is now with Sector Seven.
Zero Squad consisting of Tsubaki and Sasuke are working together with the Akatsuki.
Hazama and Relius found the Hidden Villages.
I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. And please wait for the next installment, and sorry for making you wait.
This is Azure signing off.