Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Metal Gear Solid in any way shape or form, if I did, would I even bother righting it?
NU: Null-Fox…
Chapter 25: Interlude…
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Normal Speech…
Normal Thoughts…
Codec Calls…
Cyborg Ninja Speech…
Demon/Beast Unit Speech…
Demon/Beast Unit Thoughts…
Inner Spirit Speech…
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(??)
It has been exactly one year, nine months and twelve days since the fiasco at the Tanker in New York. For all of that time the Gurlukovich Soldiers and their leader Olga had been on the run, Null-Fox still with them, assisting them greatly. However, since one year ago, Olga had taken a secondary position to running their army and Null had taken up Command as she fell into depression over the loss of her child. Many if not all of those who were in the Unit couldn't and wouldn't fault her for this; she had been with them too long to allow petty things like that to cause them to fault her…
In Russia, the Virgin Cliffs to be precise is where they have found a temporary reprieve from the numerous Russian Military pursuits out for their heads. Rain pours down once more as a pair of shadowed figures makes it to the entrance one of their numerous hidden bases. "This is ridiculous! Why must we hide like rats?" One of them demanded and was promptly punched by the man beside of him.
"Because we're all wanted men now! Because of that damn Solid-Snake!" The other man growled as they then punched in the pass code and entered into the base revealing a couple Gurlukovich Soldiers with body armor.
"What about Shalashaska? He killed the Colonel!" The other said indignantly and his Comrade nodded his head. "And for that matter why do we continue to harbor that Traitors damn Subordinate?!" He then demanded and his partner gave him a glare.
"Because he is not Shalashaska himself and we are not so petty as to blame him for his Commander's wrongdoings when he has assisted us so greatly these past few months." The man stated and his partner merely grumbled to himself angrily, before both walked through the halls of the base, seeing Soldiers cleaning their tools, equipment, and weapons even though it was unlikely that any of them would end up in combat anytime soon. The two guards ignore this while soon coming to find Naruto was showing several men how to wield a sword.
The first man was the one to call on him, causing the blond to halt before turning around and seeing the men. The now Eighteen and 5.11 foot tall blond ordered his top student to continue the lesson while he walked away. The man nodded to Naruto and quickly instructed the class while Naruto pulled the two Guards out into the hall and then down out of earshot of the others. "Report." He said simply and the guard who responded was the one who held no anger for him or Shalashaska.
"The KGB are present out in the forest, they are looking over the ruins as we suspected sir. However, they also are moving in our general direction." The man replied and saw a thin frown make its way to Naruto's lips.
"That could be a problem… However, what worries me more is that they didn't notice anything amiss with the Ruins…" Naruto said then muttered and the two guards looked at him obviously confused. "We used the old Grosnyj Grad facility to enter into these old Tunnels, if they had searched the Ruins more thoroughly they would have noticed where we entered from had been disturbed recently." Naruto explained and one of the guards looked nervous, wondering what they would do now.
"And what would you have us do then?" The one still mad at him questioned with an obvious anger in his tone and Naruto frowned towards him.
"We have enough time to gather the men and make a hasty exit, the KGB may have sent in more firepower than we can handle so it would be the most prudent course of action…" Naruto mused allowed at the man scoffed.
"This is ridiculous! Why should we even bother listening to you at all? Lady Olga is our leader, not you!" The man stated and Naruto raised a simple brow with a frown over his face, the man's partner looking at him incredulously.
"Boris stop!" His partner said and the man shook his head.
"No, he could be leading us into our doom! After all he is one of Shalashaska's subordinates!" The man growled out towards Naruto and the blond man barely twitched.
"So, you question my loyalties then?" Naruto asked the man while crossing his arms and raising a brow towards him.
"Of course! You could still be in league with that traitor who murdered the Colonel after all!" Boris said accusingly and his comrade slapped his face.
"I am sorry sir, Boris hasn't gotten enough sleep as of late I shall take him…" His partner started once more only for Boris to shove him to the side.
"Shut up Boskov! This isn't about me being tired, this is about us harboring this Traitorous…" Boris wasn't able to finish his tirade; a right hook sent him flying back before he could. Boskov looked to the one who had slammed their fist into the mans jaw and was shocked to see Olga Gulukovich standing next to the boy, her hair having grown out slightly though the frown on her face was still plainly visible…
"M-miss Olga!" Boskov said with some amount of shock, not having seen the woman in several months after all.
"You seem to have a problem with the man I choose to lead in my absence?" She questioned and Boris groaned before shaking his head from his place on his back. "Good, then I expect you to treat him better from now on." Olga stated then turned, looking over her shoulder to Naruto. "We need to discuss something." She said simply and Naruto shrugged before turning and walking away with the woman.
Meanwhile, Boskov walked over to his partner and held a hand to him, Boris taking it gratefully before being lifted onto his feet. "Be glad that Miss Olga seemed in a better mood than she was before." He said and Boris groaned while rubbing his stomach.
"I don't really think it matters Comrade… that still hurt…" Boris said and Boskov chuckled good-humoredly, patting the man on the back and helping him off down the halls of the base.
Back with Naruto and Olga, the blond was silent, however noticed a couple of things about the woman. One, she was wearing a different type of Camo pattern now, it looked somewhat like Snake-Camo if he wasn't mistaken, with a belt around her waist with suspenders and a knife sheathed at the front of her left hip. She also had on her old striped shirt, with the same kind of mesh as him under it and a pair of fingerless black gloves, a simple pair of combat boots covering her feet.
"You let your hair grow out…" Naruto questioned with a single eye closed and saw Olga frown, crossing her arms as she walked next to him.
"I just didn't care to cut it…" She said simply and Naruto hummed in thought.
"It suits you…" He said simply and saw Olga twitch.
"What is the Situation thus far?" She questioned and Naruto yawned before answering while rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"The KGB are sure to find us soon enough if we remain in this place. As such I've got Sasaki securing a plausible escape route for us." Naruto stated simply while reaching into one of the pouches on his belt and pulled out his Balaclava about to pull it on when Olga spoke up.
"Don't put that thing on… you look better without it and I know it's actually you talking to me without it on…" She stated and Naruto's hands stilled, before he placed the Balaclava back into its place with a sigh. He wore the Balaclava for two reasons, one, it kept Psychics out of his head, two, it wasn't so weird hearing the voice of someone else coming out of him if you couldn't actually see his face.
"Figured that much out I see." He muttered and Olga nodded her head while continuing down the halls.
"Now what is the status of the men?" Olga questioned and Naruto frowned.
"As you saw, some of the men don't trust me, moral is low, and to top it all off there tired, hungry, and getting antsy." Naruto explained with a shake of his head and Olga frowned to herself while turning down a Hall, Naruto still at her side.
"Do we have anything good going for us?" She questioned and Naruto shrugged.
"I taught a few who were willing how to use a sword…" He offered and Olga rolled her eyes before frowning once more.
"This is looking worse and worse…" She mumbled to herself before getting an idea. "Do you think you could teach me how to use a Sword?" She asked and Naruto gave her a strange look before nodding his head. "Good, that should give me something to focus on for now. In the meantime we need to figure out what the Patriots want with us…" She stated with an angry growl in her tone and Naruto frowned.
"You got another photo from them?" Naruto questioned and Olga shook her head with a snarl barely restrained.
"Not yet, and it's starting to get on my nerves… Those damn Patriots…" She gritted out angrily and Naruto clicked his tongue.
"They're eventually going to send someone to recruit us if they are so interested in keeping you under their control Olga." Naruto stated and saw Olga frown more deeply than before.
"I can tell, I would prefer they do it already instead of waiting and putting us all on edge." Olga gritted out while Naruto hummed in thought, cupping his chin and closing his eyes with a thoughtful expression.
"They probably want us on edge if they've gone to these lengths to do it…" Naruto mused to himself and saw Olga frown while they turned into a room, only for Naruto to quickly draw his SAA and Olga to pull out her USP on a man sitting down calmly at a table and drinking some tea.
"Do you two point guns at all your guests?" He quipped while taking a sip of the tea and chuckling lightly in his throat.
"Shalashaska!" Olga gritted out angrily towards the old man and Naruto narrowed his eyes on Revolver-Ocelot as he sat before them. The old man was now dressed in an off-brown colored striped suit, the accessories he normally wore all present on his person including his twin SAA's.
"Why Olga, is that anyway to treat an old friend of your fathers?" Ocelot quipped and then saw Olga grit her teeth. "I'm not here to talk about that however." Ocelot stated and then reached into his suit before tossing something to Olga, the woman catching the thin paper and her eyes widening seeing a photo of her daughter. "I am here as a messenger, a messenger for "The Patriots!" Ocelot stated and Olga moved her hand to lower Naruto's SAA and the blond holstered it at the back of his waist.
"What do you want then, Ocelot?" Naruto questioned while crossing his arms and Ocelot shrugged, leaning back into his seat.
"It's not about what I want, it's what The Patriots want." He stated and Naruto narrowed his eyes on the man while Olga spoke up.
"What do they want from me? They've already taken my child, and you've killed my father personally… what else is there left for you bastards to take!?" Olga demanded of Ocelot, holding her USP towards him and Ocelot chuckled once more.
"We don't want to take anything from you my dear Olga. I'm here to make a deal for the safety of your darling little girl…" Ocelot stated while leaning back in his chair and Olga clenched her hand on the photo in her hands.
"What is it that your masters want?" She questioned and saw Ocelot frown.
"Null over there got a transmission from Solidus about two months ago requesting assistance. Correct?" Ocelot questioned and Olga looked to the blond haired boy and saw him frown.
"I did receive that transmission, however I felt it would be unwise to join up with him given that he is more than likely going to go against the Patriots. Thus endangering Olga's child further." Naruto stated and saw Ocelot chuckle in his throat while Olga sneered towards the older man.
"To true. However, the Patriots are testing something, and thus we need you and the Gurlukovich Army to join up with Solidus." Ocelot stated simply and Naruto frowned while Olga narrowed her eyes.
"And how do we know that you will return my daughter to me?" Olga questioned and Ocelot chuckled darkly.
"I never said that Olga, I said for her safety." Ocelot stated with a smirk and Olga moved to shoot the man only for Naruto to grab her arm.
"I take it your wired with Nanotech that is transmitting your vitals to the Patriots even as we speak?" Naruto stated more than questioned and Olga lowered her weapon while glaring towards Ocelot.
"Always quick to think eh, Null." Ocelot said with a nod and the younger blond man frowned. "But enough about that, this is about the safety of your daughter Olga. We want you and your men to join forces with Solidus for a little test that the Patriots have cooked up. In exchange you must see to the survival of a man they plan to have undergo a Mission in three months." Ocelot said while reaching into his jacket and pulled a file from it before tossing that to Olga.
The woman caught it then looked over what he wanted from them, gritting her teeth as she saw what it was exactly. "You want me to betray my unit!?" She demanded and Ocelot gave a cruel grin in response.
"Would you rather your daughter died?" He questioned and Naruto frowned darkly, Big Boss in his head complaining about how he should have killed the bastard during the Cold War. "Null, you are going to be outfitted with new gear for this Mission, Olga you're the same. However, I heard you talking to Null about Sword Training, that's good Olga, it will help you greatly for your role." Ocelot explained then reached behind himself with both arms and then slid two large footlockers to the two soldiers feet. "You have three months to prepare, three months to train yourselves and the men, three months… or your dear daughter is dead." Ocelot said coldly before standing up, and walking out of the room, leaving behind both Naruto and Olga…
"What should I do?" Olga questioned once he was gone, walking over to a seat and sitting down with a defeated look.
"Do we have a choice in the matter Miss Olga?" Naruto questioned and Olga gave a bitter laugh in response.
"I suppose not… what is that he left for us anyways?" Olga questioned while waving a hand towards the two footlockers and Naruto knelt down and opened his footlocker first, his eyes widening in shock as he reached into it. "What is it Null?" Olga questioned while leaning her head forward. In response, the blond man pulled a white helmet out of the box and turned it around, showing a bright orange light between the eye holes, a triangle pointing down to the light with the words Null-Fox over it…
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(One Week Later…)
Olga and Naruto stand side by side and looking up to the air, Naruto has his Balaclava and Gasmask both on over his face. "I don't like this, Ocelot is the reason for my father's death and the unit being hunted all this time…" Olga muttered and Naruto looked at her from his place at her side and sighed. He had explained to Olga the truth behind her father's death, while at the time it helped keep her from killing herself he was sure it was going to bite them in the ass during this mission.
"We have little choice Olga, your daughter's life is at stake here…" He reminded and saw Olga flinch before nodding her head as a Kasatka hovers overhead before slowly coming down on the old Grosnyj Grad Research Facility Remains.
"So, do you think he knows?" Olga questioned and Naruto shook his head while the Kasatka landed amongst the Ruins.
"He's more than likely just a pawn like the rest of us…" Naruto stated simply with a familiar eerie breath like tone, while the Kasatka opened up to reveal an old man walking towards them. He looked to be in his late fifties with slicked back white hair, a beard and mustache over his face, and he looked like he could pass as a duplicate of Big Boss. He wore a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a pair of black dress pants and black Italian leather shoes. "Solidus." Naruto said with a quick bow of his head when the man stopped before him and Olga.
"We were beginning to think your group was going to turn down our offer, Null. I'm glad to see that our predictions proved false." Solidus-Snake said before giving a curt bow to Olga who frowned. "It's an honor to meet you my dear, I am George Sears, but you may call me Solidus-Snake." The man said and Olga nodded her head stiffly while Naruto noted Ocelot exiting the Kasatka with three other people behind him.
"Who are they?" Naruto questioned while nudging his head towards the people with Ocelot and Solidus smirked.
"I figure someone like yourself can appreciate the talents of an Elite Special Unit, Null. These are the only surviving Members of the infamous Dead-Cell group." Solidus said and Naruto raised a brow in intrigue, having heard of Dead-Cell in rumors. "Let me introduce you both to them." Solidus then said and motioned them to follow him over to his group of 'Elite Warriors' and Naruto frowned in distaste. No one was elite in his mind, you had people with skill, and people with talent, there was nothing else on the battlefield. If you had talents you use them, if you have skills you pass them on to someone else…
Shaking his head at that Naruto stopped beside of Olga and crossed his arms as the Dead-Cell group stopped before them and Solidus motioned first to a woman. "Of course you both already know my right hand, Ocelot." Solidus said while motioning to the old gunslinger and Olga barely reigned in her temper to just glaring at the man. "This however is Lady-Luck herself, codenamed, Fortune." Solidus said and the woman merely looked at them, lingering on Naruto for a while.
The woman was heavily curvaceous, was of obvious African-American descent; her hair was shoulder length curly and bright blond, with a pair of piercing blue eyes and gold painted lips. She wears a skintight black Leotard with the words U. printed at her throat, a green belt synched around her waist with a pair of clip cases at the front of her right hip, with green Suspenders holding the belt up, a green gun holster strapped to her right thigh, a pair of black fingerless gloves over her hands, a long green coat thrown over her shoulders and hanging down her back, with black socks made from the same material as her leotard visible over her old green combat boots. Hanging over her shoulder via a large strap is a massive weapon, what looks like a miniature version of REX'S old Railgun to be precise.
"You're the one they call Null-Fox aren't you?" Fortune questioned and Naruto nodded his head with a dull look. "Channeling spirits from the dead and making their skills your own… I wonder if you can even do anything without their help." Fortune wondered aloud and found a sword pointing to her throat as soon as she finished, a man with black hair smirking at her side and chuckling in his throat.
"Maybe you'll find out… but for now it's unnecessary to show you anything I can do…" Naruto stated before flipping his HF-Blade in hand and placing it back into it's sheath on his back while Fortune seemed only mildly impressed.
"Glad to see your both going to get along. Next is our own personal scout, mystic, and wizard with knives. Vamp." Solidus said somewhat humorously and Naruto frowned at the "Mystic" part of the introduction, being somewhat of a mystic himself. The man was extremely pale with an athletic build, long slicked back hair that reached his shoulders and a goatee/mustache on his face, dark eyes looking at him dangerously. He wore a pair of brown military issue pants with black combat boots half covered, a green coat left open to expose his chest, with a green utility belt around his waist with nine scout knives placed at the front, and last he wore a pair of brown leather gloves.
"It is a pleasure… I heard you were trained by a Shaman, and happen to be a Spiritualist Medium yourself, I think we'll get along just fine." Vamp said with a slight bow and Naruto noted the Romanian accent instantly, as well as the elongated canines when he spoke.
"And last, our demolitions and explosives Expert, Fatman." Solidus said while motioning to the last man and Naruto looked to Olga who looked a little disgusted. The last man was extremely pale, paler than even vamp, with his blue eyes gazing over his coats high armored collar, however, his hands were extremely well taken care of with long slender fingers for delicate and intricate work in bombs. He wore a pair of green pants with a green trench coat, a set of clip cases at his left side on the front, with some pouches strapped to his legs, a Glock18 placed into a holster on his right, a radio placed into his left bicep pocket, with an equipment vest over his torso, and last were the roller skates on his feet.
"It's an honor madam, I'm sure." Fatman said with an obvious accent while holding a hand to Olga who merely crossed her arms and frowned at him. "Sorry, didn't know you were all military and no lady…" He offered while holding up his wrists and Olga growled while stepping forward, only for Naruto to place an arm before Olga so she wouldn't attack the foolish man.
"Solidus, why exactly are they here?" Olga questioned with a frown on her face and Solidus looked around then straight at Null.
"Could you show Fortune and the others to a place to bunk?" He asked and Naruto shrugged his shoulders before placing his hands in his pockets and walking over to the three soldiers.
"Follow me." He said simply while watching Solidus, Ocelot, and Olga all walk into the main structure alone. 'Olga will explain his plans to me later…' He thought to himself while walking into the lower tunnels of Grosnij Grad.
"What a dump." Fatman said while looking around and Naruto shook his head.
"We're wanted men, what did you expect Buckingham Palace?" Naruto quipped and Fatman muttered under his breath while Vamp grinned as he walked next to Naruto.
"So, I hear your somewhat of a Ninja because of your skills, Null." He said simply and Naruto nodded his head only once. "Hmm… But do you have any other skills I wonder?" Vamp questioned with a smirk and Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Vehicular Combat, Scouting, Urban-Non-Urban and Aquatic Sniping, Urban and Non-Urban Infiltration, CQC Specialist, Demolitions Expert, Heavy Artillery Expert, and fully trained in Metal-Gear piloting and maintenance." Naruto stated simply gaining a surprised expression from Fortune and Fatman at the list of skills though he didn't see it and Vamp merely chuckled.
"A regular Jack of all Trades." He mused with a smirk and Naruto merely grunted in response while crossing his arms. "I wonder however, do you have any actual Ninjutsu Training?" Vamp questioned and Naruto shook his head no. "Then I wonder how you're supposed to be a Ninja…" Vamp wondered mostly to himself and Naruto grunted once more while turning down into another hall.
"I meant I have no average Ninjutsu Training, I have a different form of Ninjutsu Training specializing on a spiritual Aspect of fighting rather than stealth… However I have heard of things that the Ninjutsu of this world offers that I do not know but have managed to recreate." Naruto explained, then admitted and Vamp stroked his goatee.
"You know how to channel your inner essence then?" Vamp questioned and Naruto figured he meant his Chakra by this.
"Yes. And I've learned how to keep myself warm in cold climates, among other little tricks with it." Naruto said and Vamp looked pleasantly surprised while Naruto soon stopped and opened a door to a room. "This will be Fortune's room, you two will have to bunk together this place is packed pretty tightly as is." Naruto explained simply and Fortune nodded, walking into the room while Fatman attempted to follow, only for Naruto to spin on his heel and kick him in the chest, sending the man into a wall. "Pervert…" Naruto said with a frown and Vamp laughing as he did so.
"Impressive and most amusing, Null." Vamp said while Fatman glared at the blond before brushing himself off and then rolled down the halls.
"Don't try and find Olga's room, it's set with claymores when she leaves…" Naruto said then added as an after thought and Fatman scratched his head before rolling down the halls anyways… A few seconds later they heard Fatman screaming and the sounds of Machinegun-fire in the distance… "I also probably should have mentioned the auto-fire machineguns she also set up…" Naruto then mused with a thoughtful expression and Vamp chuckled to himself once more.
"This Olga woman doesn't trust anyone does she?" Vamp quipped with a smirk and Naruto shrugged his shoulders disinterestedly.
"She's the only female among hundreds of sexually starved and primarily straight men… I think she deserves to be more than a little paranoid…" Naruto said flatly and Vamp allowed that with a shrug of his shoulders.
"What about you, she seems rather… close… to you." He stated with a wide grin and Naruto rolled his eyes. He idly wondered why it seemed that everyone seem to think it was fun to tease him, or start rumors about him and certain women…
"We sleep in the same room so it's a moot point when it comes to us…" Naruto said simply, and then silenced himself as he walked down into the halls once more, causing Vamp to chuckle.
"So the old fox caught himself a Vixen…" Vamp quipped with a smirk before following after the blond haired soldier further into the base. They soon came to another door that Naruto stopped in front of and opened. Within, they were slightly surprised to find that Fatman had already laid claim to the bottom bunk and was laying back, dents visible in his armor as he was pulling it off.
"This will be where you bunk with Fatman, Vamp. It's a bit small but it's all we've got left since Fortune gets her own room." Naruto said and Vamp merely shrugged before he walked into the room then looked around.
"This will be fine, I've had to bunk with this old Mad Bomber for months already… I can take a few more…" Vamp said then mused with a smirk as Fatman gave him an annoyed look for his words.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm NOT a mad Bomber! I am an Artist!" Fatman stated with an angry tone and Vamp merely grinned before shrugging his coat off and jumped onto the top bunk.
"Good, I'll let you two settle in, I have to go speak with Olga about something…" Naruto said while walking out of the room and Vamp yawned while lying back.
"So, what'd you think Vamp? Kid seemed like an emotionless wreck more than a soldier if you ask me." Fatman stated while looking up and Vamp frowned for a few moments before he gave his reply.
"He's not like us. He is more like a mystic like Chinamen was than anything…" Vamp mused aloud and heard a grunt from Fatman.
"He gives me the creeps." Fatman said with a light shudder and Vamp merely rolled his eyes.
"I give you the creeps." He reminded and heard Fatman shuddered once more.
"Yeah, I know…" He stated and Vamp laughed lightly before closing his eyes to get some rest while Fatman pulled a bomb from his coat and began to fiddle with it… things were most definitely going to be interesting for them soon enough.
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TBC…
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A Dead-Cell member named Chinaman is referenced numerous times in this Chapter; he was a possible member of the Dead-Cell unit who died before they joined up with Solidus. I actually looked this up, the character was originally able to walk on walls and water, so while they got rid of him, Vamp somehow learned his skills. I believe that Chinaman might have taught Vamp how to walk on walls and water before the Liquidation of Dead-Cell. Sorry for righting all this but I didn't know of Chinaman till I looked up Dead-Cell for reference.