XIII Ninja

James the Fox

"Sorry for making you all wait so long…"

Sonic: "You're too—"

Manaphy: (Used Ice Beam)

Sonic: (Frozen)

"Thank you. Now, I know I've been forever. However, I have a chapter of XIII Ninja here and a chapter of PKMN Wizard in the works. However, as you may know from my Journal Update in DeviantART, I've found myself flooded by real-world work, and it will likely only get worse up till summer, and probably not even then. As such, I am currently cutting back, and doing what I once thought impossible: I, James the Fox, am putting some fanfiction on Hiatus, even seriously thinking of completely discontinuing them. I have left the decision of which story will suffer this fate to you, the readers, through a poll on my FF profile. As a cartoony hawk once told me, if you don't vote, you don't get a reason to bitch, moan, and complain. Now, before you get the fanfiction, here's a little something from me. Consider it a (very) late holiday/Christmas/whatever-it's-politically-correct-to-say-day present."


2 and a half years after XIII Ninja Chapter 27

Hallways… Hallways… Hallways everywhere she turned. Hinata ran, faster than she thought she could carry herself, to the sound of a loud noise that had caught her attention.

"Please don't let it be him… Please don't let it be him…!" she muttered again for the 20th and 21st time respectively since hearing that noise and trying to find it in this veritable maze. Finally, she saw light ahead, and sprang for it.

She found herself in what had once been part of the complex she had just been in, but had seemingly just been destroyed. Llednar caught up behind her, and she could see his normally stoic face betrayed exhaustion. She remembered the fight he hadn't been given the chance to recover from. This mission was too important to give up on, for the both of them. Blood dripped from his mouth as he coughed.

'Dammit… the stitches on his lung broke again.' Hinata turned to fix it with her medical Jutsu, but Llednar's eyes widened ever so slightly, showing in their reflection the source of his shock. Hinata turned to face… him.

"Naruto-kun…!"

Naruto stood before them, dressed in an open orange robe held closed at his midsection by a large dark purple rope and a black pair of pants. Despite these new clothes, everything about Naruto seemed to be the same as they had been when Hinata had met him… Until she met his eyes. They were cold… Utterly devoid of emotion, nor even of any sign of recognition of his old comrade.

"Hinata, Llednar!" Riku arrived on the scene, and followed their gaze to Naruto. "…Naruto… We finally found you…!"

"…" Naruto gave no response. Instead, he summoned his claws. The very weapon that had aided Team 9 so many times was about to be their demise.

"Naruto!" Riku yelled. "Stop this madness! It's time you come back home, to Konoha!"

"Konoha…" Naruto snarled, finally letting something show in his eyes: hatred. "You can stuff your 'home' bullshit down your throat and choke on it."

Riku glared back at Naruto, neither ninja standing down. "Orochimaru's using you, Naruto!"

"…That's better than Konoha has ever done. They hated me… cast me out… because I was a monster!" Naruto glared at Riku, a ball of dark flames appearing in his right hand as he raised it, the odd light glinting off of Naruto's face sinisterly. "Orochimaru took me in. He sees me as a monster, too … But since he's also a monster, he doesn't have anything to fear from me… He's brought me happiness… and the power to gain my revenge. When we're done here, we will show Konoha what they've spawned!" Naruto threw the miniature inferno at Riku, who blocked it with his own Dark Firaga and charged at Naruto.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" Riku roared, swinging the blunt side of the Keyblade at Naruto's face…

…dispersing a clone and being impaled by dark claws as Naruto leaped from a Dark Portal below him, in front of where the clone had stood.

"G-Ggghhh!" Riku gasped, clutching at Naruto's searching hands.

"As I thought… You're a monster, too." Naruto glowered. "But why would they allow you to exist in the village, then? Maybe they don't consider you as much of a threat…" Naruto made to pull something from Riku's chest, but another familiar voice interrupted him.

"Naruto, stop. I have need of him… alive." Naruto hesitated as Uchiha Sasuke – No, Orochimaru, Hinata reminded herself from Llednar's fight with him – rose from the ground. "A friend of mine wants something he has… Something our dear Riku-kun can only give him while he's alive." Riku suddenly started struggling, and pulled away from Naruto, leaving his heart out for all to see. In a panic, Riku grasped his heart from Naruto and, with a desperate cry, shattered it. He collapsed, vanishing into the dark.

"Riku-sensei!" Hinata cried out. Riku gave no reply as the last of his body faded away. "RIKU-SENSEI!"

"If you care about a monster like him that much…" Naruto muttered, "I'll be happy to send you on your way to be with him. Maybe you'll both meet at the gate to the afterlife!" Naruto vanished in a swirl of darkness, reappearing below and rushing Hinata. However, a figure jumped in the way, blocking Naruto's path.

"Sai!" Llednar growled, coughing up more blood. The man, Sai, bore a flash of recognition in Hinata's mind: the ANBU that had been assigned to their team for this mission. However, far removed from how she had first seen him, he was now a medical mess: both his arms had been blown away, possibly in the fight that had led up to that explosion. A large gash also made itself known on his back, all the way down his spine. By rights, he should be either dead or dying.

"Just die already, scum," Naruto glared at the man, grabbing Sai's face and smashing it violently against the ground, splattering blood, bones, and brains on the floor. He looked again at Hinata, stalking towards her. Despite knowing that she would soon be just as brutally crushed, Hinata couldn't move, half out of fear, and half because, even now, her mind still couldn't bear the thought of harming the boy who had saved her life so long ago…

Despite his wounds, Llednar had no such reservations. After all, he had always wanted to fight and test his strength against Naruto's. It might not be what he had originally expected, but his chance was here nonetheless.

"HHHHHRRRRAAAGGHH!!!" He was already at Naruto, his entire body a full crystallized sapphire hue as he aimed his sword at Naruto's skull. Naruto vanished at the last moment, reappearing the same exact second behind Llednar, grabbing at Llednar's head. Llednar spun around while ducking, bringing his sword around to chop Naruto's legs off. Naruto hopped over it, landing on Llednar's outstretched right arm. Llednar gasped in pain, dropping his sword. Naruto grimaced at the ninja.

"Hm… I can see you have some power yet. Despite that… Why would Konoha send a shinobi with only one arm into a battle? I didn't think even they'd be that foolish…"

Llednar gave no reply. Orochimaru had been strong… Extremely strong, with those eyes. It had ended with Llednar, Riku, and Hinata barely driving him off, but not without the snake ninja severing the red-clad Leaf ninja's left arm. Hinata had tried, but their original Medic Ninja, Sakura, had been killed in the same battle, and Hinata wasn't quite good enough to reattach limbs… And now it would cost Llednar his life.

Naruto stepped off of Llednar's wrist, kicking the shinobi's face with the foot that had been pinning him down earlier. Llednar hit the ground a far distance away, not getting up. Again, Naruto turned to face Hinata.

'No… This can't be…'

Naruto started walking closer.

'It… It's not…'

Hinata backed away, only to find herself in a corner.

'…not real… this has to be…' Hinata formed a handseal. "Kai!" she breathed.

Naruto was still stalking closer, like a hunter towards its prey.

"K-kai!" He was in front of her now. She stared at him, searching him for any sign of her old friend… She reached out, touching his face. "N-Naruto… It's… It's me… It's Hinata… Don't you…" She stared, tears filling her eyes, as Naruto reached back with his left hand, starting a swing that would surely decapitate one his oldest friends.

His claws met her neck.


"NARUTO!" Hinata screamed in horror and shock, breathing heavily. "…Wha…What?" She looked about, trying to calm herself down. "…My room… A nightmare." She suddenly heard knocking on her door. "C-come in," Hinata stuttered, still calming herself. Hanabi walked in with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you alright, Hinata? I heard you scream Naruto's name."

"It's… nothing. Just a nightmare… a really bad one, but I'm fine."

"What, did Naruto die or something?" Hanabi asked, a teasing tone in her voice. Hinata looked away.

"I almost wish it had been something like that," Hinata muttered, rubbing her neck. That dream had been so vivid, as though it were real

All that day, she couldn't shake the image of Naruto's cold eyes meeting hers, showing no passion as she breathed her last…


Naruto: (Gawking) "You can't be serious."

"Actually, considering some of what happens in the future of XIII Ninja and everything revealed right now, this could happen in the plot. Mmhmhm Mmhmhmhmhm…! HAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA!"

Naruto: "I'm not going to comment on your maniacal laugh."

(The 17th Immortal: "Neither am I. Needs work.")

"I thank you for that. Now, on to the fic."


NOTE: 'This is a format.' Thinking

'SHANNARO!' Inner Sakura/Hinata/Ino/Any Random Girl/Kyūbi/Kyūbi-Naruto


Naruto ran through the streets as fast as he could, having just learned the most recent location of Lady Tsunade.

'I've got to get this information to Ero-sennin…' he thought to himself. 'Now, where could—' his mental question was answered prematurely by the unmistakable laughing coming from the building nearby. Naruto looked at the source of the noise, and deadpanned. 'Of course… the bar.' He sighed, and walked in.

As expected, there was Jiraiya, holding an obviously alcoholic drink while being surrounded by women in various states of undress, across from another man in a similar situation. Naruto forced back the blood rushing towards his nose by willpower alone, walking towards the old shinobi, his composure cracking further with each and every second.

Someone else, however, had already let go of all semblance of composure.


"THAT FUCKING PERVERT!" Larxene raged, lightning flying everywhere. "I'LL KILL HIM! I SWEAR I'LL BE THE ONE TO KILL HIM! LET ME OUT, NARUTO! LET ME OOOOUUUUUUUUTTT!"

"TAKE COVER!" Xigbar cried, hiding behind Lexeaus. "Remember, Lightning is weak against Earth!"

"Isn't that only in that one game… Pok—" Lexeaus asked before being shot in the face by Xemnas for almost breaking the fourth wall.

Zexion sighed. "Yes, that is true. However in this World, Lightning is strong against Earth."

"That's kinda stupid…" Xigbar muttered. "In that case, what's Lightning weak against here?"

"Wind," Zexion replied absently as he flipped through the pages of his book, unmindful of the lightning bolts that were always just barely missing him.

"That's absolutely LAME!" Xigbar said in shock and anger.

"Yes, it is lame…" Zexion said, lazily turning the page in his book. "However… I think that you're missing the point—" Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck Zexion's book, charring it to a crisp. "—which is that EVERYONE NEEDS TO HIDE BEHIND XALDIN!"

"Hm?" Xaldin asked as he found himself at the front of a long line of men scared out of their minds. "You expect me to do something about this?"

Axel and Demyx nodded.

"…There is no way I'm going into that," Xaldin pointed at Larxene, whose rage and lightning was seeping even into the Kyūbi's chamber, where the pained screams of the monster could be heard. Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.


Naruto, however, seemed almost as angry. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU PERVERT?! I thought you—" Suddenly, Naruto found a hand on his mouth.

"Shh…" Jiraiya muttered. Grinning at his companions, "I'll be right back!" he grabbed Naruto and guided him away from the group of luxurious women. "Be quiet! Have you ever heard of subtlety? These women work for a very important man… one who is as skilled with women and rumors as he is with politics and business. He could be the means to lead us to Tsunade, and I won't have you angering him."

"But that's just it!" Naruto replied. "I just found out where she's just been! The carnival here today said they saw her heading for Tanzaku Town!"

"Ah, yes, the carnival. I actually just brought them here a while ago," said the man Jiraiya had been speaking with. "I could get you there quite quickly, if you'd like," the dark-haired man smiled, lowering his sunglasses.

"Oh, that's not necessary," Jiraiya said.

"I insist, it's no trouble. You are quite a wonderful source of conversati— oh?" The man looked at Naruto closely. "My, my… you wouldn't happen to be Naruto, would you?"

"Um, yeah, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. How did you…?"

"Your sensei, RiD-san, or Riku-san, I guess, served as a guard for me sometime back. We've been in contact for past last year or so… Awhile back, he told me about a group of Genin he was training… He even sent me several photos of his little Team 9. I had volunteered to be one of the Judges at the Chūnin Exams, just to see if he was exaggerating. Team 9 was quite quick to fell any doubts I had, from what I saw… especially your comrade, Hinata-hime. Why, if she were but a few years older and I a few years younger…" The man caught the look in Naruto's eye. "Then again, it's nothing as is… Oh, silly me, I haven't introduced myself, have I? I am Al-Cid Margrace."

"Naruto, Al-Cid is a son of the Wind Country's Daimyo as well as a very rich and powerful tycoon, and has almost cornered the market in mass overland transport with the machines he's built…"

"Airships, Jiraiya. There's still much room for improvement, but I have every confidence that these ships will be capable of flying amidst the clouds someday. But for now, however, they still don't have sufficient energy in order to support their own weight for very long. They can, however, provide for a quick and relatively safe passage anywhere you wish. So then, would you like a ride?" Before Jiraiya even opened his mouth, Al-Cid turned around and beckoned his entourage of ladies. "Come, my fair birds… It's time to fly again. We'll be at the north edge of town." His crowd followed him as he left the building.

"Something about that guy… ticks me off. I mean, he just assumes that we're going to say yes?" Naruto asked.

"Yep. But that's him, and it does help us out. If we don't hurry, we might miss Tsunade…"

Naruto sighed. "…Fine, fine… I guess I just gotta trust a friend of Riku-sensei's is a friend of mine…"


The Gambler of Fate vs. The Legendary Sucker! Place Your Bets!


Hinata sneezed as she walked through the streets, heading for Ichiraku Ramen for a break from her training. In the weeks, she had changed very little, although her hair was beginning to grow out slightly. As she walked, she found herself outside of Konoha Hospital. She considered going in to check on Riku-sensei.

Anko-san seemed resigned as she revealed the outcome of her talk with Riku. "Riku decided it might be better if Naruto left with Jiraiya on a long-term training trip… and then they'll leave."

At once, all thoughts of visiting Riku was quickly kicked in the face, knocked to the ground, stomped on, blown up, and hit with Sennin Goroshi just to make certain it wouldn't enter her mind again.

'What does he know, anyway… It would be easier for Jiraiya-sama to protect Naruto-kun if he were where he can get a lot of support… Here, in Konoha!'

A small voice inside her own mind suggested that Naruto being a moving target might actually be a better idea, but that thought was as quickly put in the same place as the previous pro-Riku idea.

Just as Hinata was about to continue on her Riku-free day, Anko's voice called out from the direction she had been walking.

"Hinata, I've been looking all over for you! Riku wanted a word with you."

Deep, deep, deep down inside her mind, a single word echoed.

'DAMMIT!'


Hinata sulked (albeit subtly) into Riku's room, escorted by Anko.

"You wanted to see me?" Hinata asked calmly, despite the vast number of things that were precisely not"You wanted to see me?" that she wanted to say. In fact, she was currently wanting, deep inside, to say 'What do you want, you backstabbing little…?'

Riku apparently couldn't read minds, and he beckoned Hinata closer, pointing to the empty bed next to him. "Sit down, Hinata. I've got to speak with you."

'Fuck you!'"Of course, Riku-sensei." Hinata walked over to the aforementioned bed, and sat, trying and failing to lock eyes with the Jōnin.

"Hinata, I've got to say… I'm proud of you." Riku got into a more comfortable position, smiling. "You showed improvement beyond anything I expected from you, and that's saying a lot."

'Ah, but not enough improvement to be able to protect Naruto-kun like you Jōnin and Sannin, huh?' "I'm happy to hear you say that…"

"It's because of that improvement, Hinata, that the Council has decided preemptively to promote you to Chūnin rank, starting today."

'Say what?' "Eh?"

Riku rummaged around beside his bed, and eventually produced a flak jacket. "Congratulations, Hinata."

For once, the inner voice had quieted down, stunned to silence. However, there was one thing Hinata wanted to know. "What about Llednar and Naruto-kun?"

"Unfortunately, Llednar can't because he never made it to the Finals, period. As for Naruto, they're still debating on that one. You know how it is. Anyway… I'll be frank with you. The village has been devastated. Our numbers our low, and we need everyone we can afford to be out there. People with strong minds and strong jutsu are being promoted. As it stands, I'd say there's a good chance that the Council will promote pretty much everyone who made it to the second round of the finals. That's you, Naruto, and Shino from Team 8. They're also promoting Shikamaru, since he damn well could have easily gotten to the second round…"

"So they're doing this mostly just because we're understaffed?" Hinata asked, leaving out some of the more rude and sarcastic parts that her inner self had suggested.

Riku waved his hands in a denying manner, obviously trying to reassure her. "No, don't think that you're just getting promoted because of that. You did wonderfully, Hinata… You and Naruto both. But I'm getting off track… now, why I called you here…" Riku suddenly became serious. "As a Chūnin among the kunoichi, it's time that you start learning more about the more… gender-specific parts of espionage you may be tasked with."

'Oh Kami-sama…' Hinata mentally swore. 'Don't tell me I'm going to get the kunoichi edition of The Talk from Riku-sensei of all people?'

Riku cracked a small smile at Hinata's face. "I can tell you have an idea of what I was about to talk to you about. Don't worry, nothing embarrassing is coming from me, rest assured of that. However, I am going to assign you some training for Kunoichi espionage. I know you learned a little about it in the Academy, but you obviously haven't learned enough. Therefore, I'm having Anko here teach you about that. This will be in addition to whatever other training you're already currently undertaking. Got it?"

'Oh, yay.' Hinata nodded, hesitatingly taking the Flak Jacket. Riku nodded to Anko, who seemed like she was enjoying a thought FAR too much. The moment Riku signaled, Anko spoke up in her 'Army Commander' voice.

"Alright! First training session begins NOW!" Anko said, grabbing Hinata and dragging her off…


Naruto stared at the large wooden ship that was floating just barely over the ground.

"Are you sure that thing's safe?" Naruto asked, looking at Al-Cid. It was obvious that he had his doubts. "You, Pervy Sage, I'm sure you could handle this mission all by yourself…"

"Oh, don't be such a scaredy-cat, kid!" Jiraiya laughed. "I'm sure it's safe. Right, Al-Cid?"

"The safest. It does not fly all that high, but it is fast. It has even outrun a Tailed Demon, once." Al-Cid looked at the sky in remembrance. "Ah, good times… Good times."

"However, building something like this is extremely expensive, so much so that most countries aren't willing to have one made, despite the advantages it could offer, compared to on-foot ninja guarding a caravan," Jiraiya continued.

Al-Cid laughed. "That is why I have the monopoly on quick cross-continent trade. We can zoom right through a country and not worry about being shot down, whereas ninja are going to be stopped by enemy ninja every time."

"Then why'd you call Riku-sensei as a guard once?" Naruto asked skeptically.

"My birds tell me many things. You can guess that my monopoly has angered quite a few people… certain various companies who lost business because they were unable to stop my clients from getting their wares to far-off areas. So I caught word of a bounty on my head… Quite unfortunate, really. Because my own country's Hidden Village was far too busy to lend assistance at the time, I commissioned Konoha for assistance instead. They sent Hatake Kakashi-san and his team: Ichidō Nochi, the taijutsu specialist, Tebiki Anchū, the genjutsu specialist and medical-nin of the three… and RiD, the ninjutsu specialist, sword-master, and otherwise team leader." Al-Cid shook his head. "Those three… I could tell that they were among the more highly skilled shinobi of the world… Of them, though, RiD was by far the most cautious, even once I came to know him. Never went without those bandages during the entire time they were with me, I assumed he got those from his sensei. In the end, we discovered the one foolhardy enough to place a bounty on my head, and RiD… persuaded them to remove it. I do not know what exactly he did, but I've not been bothered by assassins since. Though there has been talk of a shinobi who defeated over 40 different assassins attacking him at the same time…"

Naruto didn't seem to realize it, but as he was walking and talking with Al-Cid and Jiraiya, both were subtly guiding him onto the floating ship. "You know, he took off those bandages a while back."

"Yes, so I've heard. I don't know why he was hiding in the first place. His face is actually quite beautiful. I doubt there's a single girl in your village who doesn't envy his girlfriend."


Hinata suddenly felt like someone, somewhere, was complimenting Riku too heavily. The mere thought annoyed her, even more than Anko's so-called training methods. Hinata's "feminine espionage training," if that was what it could be called, had started instantly with Anko demonstrating how to seduce a person with only her vocal and body language.

Until this point, she had believed that the only thing she shared with the rest of her clan had been her eyes. Now she realized how indignant she was over this training… Although that could just be her pride as a female acting up. How any decent woman willingly went along with this… training… she didn't know.

Anko sighed. "Come on, Hinata, even if I were a boy or a lesbian, I wouldn't be turned on at all by this! Try again, you need a bit more foreplay…"

Oh, she hated Riku and Anko SO much right now.

"Do I have to show you how it's done again?"

"No. I'm fine." Hinata growled as she looked up from the large dummy she was currently in a very inappropriate position with.

"Okay then! Now, use your sexy talk, Hinata. Sexy talk."

'AGGGHHHH!! WHY ME!?' "…"

"Come on… Pretend it's Naruto, and you're trying to seduce him. This is your one shot! Now, try again."

Hinata stood up and readjusted her clothes in the way Anko had suggested. She then bent over a bit so that, according to Anko, a person the height of the dummy would be able to see a bit down her shirt. Again, Anko interrupted.

"For the love of… Hinata, you're too rigid! You'll need to be more casual about it, like it's as natural to you as walking!"

"Well, it's not! And, well, to be honest, that… that… thing…" Hinata stammered, pointing at the dummy, "…is starting to creep me out!"

"Ahhhh…" Anko grinned. "I see what you're asking, you little perv. I'll be right back."

Hinata stared as she left. 'Perv!? Me, a pervert!? What did I say?'


Naruto stared at the ground moving quickly beneath him, as he had for the last few minutes. 'Whoa…' As Al-Cid had said, his airship was FAST. He could barely make out the details of the trees below as they moved at incredible speeds beneath him.

"You think this is fast? Man, the ones they have in Radiant Garden are much faster… Like, five times as fast!" Roxas bragged. "They can get from one edge of the world to the other in minutes."

"Oh, how were they doing when you last saw them?" Xemnas asked absently, showing slight interest in his old homeworld.

"Okay. They've finished fixing the damage the Organization caused from our big invasion…" Roxas shrugged. "The population was starting to fill back up, so they were thinking about building a new castle… one that floats high above the ground, like ours did. However, theirs was apparently going to be able to travel around."

"How'd they manage something like that?" Vexen asked.

"Gummi Block Foundations, obviously."

"Huh." Vexen muttered, now uninterested in the topic since he had learned what he had wanted to know.

"Anyway, they said they were going to call it Neo Radiant Garden."

"They?" Xemnas asked.

"Cid Highwind and his gang of wrench-monkeys. They were really proud of it."

"And he built the airships, too?" Axel queried.

"Yup." Roxas said. "Sora wanted one so much… but Riku was afraid he'd crash it into the islands." Roxas laughed. "They'd argued incessantly, up until Cid finally got fed up and showed Sora the cost. 5.32 Million Munny."

"Dude! And that stopped him?" Axel smirked.

"Heck no. He kept just started saving up the old-fashioned way…" Roxas looked at the visage of the old Destiny Islands, beyond his seat, just out of his reach. "He was about… 3000 Munny short when… It… happened." Roxas pulled out the Oathkeeper Keychain. Unlike the version Sora had given to Riku, which now hung from Naruto's neck, this one, Roxas' version, was still whole, without even a scratch on it. "I think his hoard is still there, on the islands. Unspent, it lays there, a symbol of a lost dream."

"…Man, you don't have to be such a downer, Roxas." Axel frowned. "It's called optimism. O-P-T-I-M-I-S-M. Got it memorized? You should try it out."

"…"

"…How about this? When we get out of here, we'll work together, and finish saving up that munny, and buy us an Airship." Axel grinned, wrapping an arm around Roxas in a friendly manner. He stretched out his free arm, waving it slowly. "Then we'll use it to go all over the worlds, as a dynamic duo! And when we do, we'll have completed Sora's dream, right?"

"…Yeah."


Hinata suddenly woke from her slumber as a loud, annoyingly obnoxious voice called out from behind her.

"Heeeey, sleepyhead! Wake up!" Hinata glared at Anko. She was having the most wonderful dream, and she just HAD to ruin it before it got to the best part, where she killed Itachi and lived safely with Naruto forever more… Hinata grumbled inaudibly in response to this, and Anko laughed. "I've got you your new training dummy!"

"…What?" Hinata raised an eyebrow.

"For your training. You said you needed someone to practice your seduction skills on! So I got the best man for the job." Anko stepped aside, leaving a completely bored-looking Llednar.

"W-wait… what?" Hinata's eyebrow twitched.

"You said the dummy was creeping you out, so I got something better! He's a boy. He's your age. He's straight… I think."

If Llednar took any offense to that, he didn't show it.

"Plus he's attractive, if a bit odd, and since you're friends, there won't be ANY lingering awkwardness between you!"

Hinata didn't even bother giving that statement a retort.

"He's also probably the most unperverted person your age I've ever seen, so if you actually can seduce him, you can seduce anyone!" Anko laughed.

"Unperverted… Is that even a word?" Hinata mumbled in question. Llednar gave a slight motion resembling a shrug, but nothing else.

"Now, time to begin the training!" Anko laughed.


Naruto suddenly wished he could be back in Konoha, mostly to be back with Hinata. He wasn't quite sure what caused this homesickness and desire to see Hinata, so he shrugged it off for the most part. Instead, he watched Jiraiya conversing with that Al-Cid guy. The two of them obviously seemed to be good friends. Naruto assumed that Al-Cid was one of Jiraiya's major sources of information, and that they had gotten to know each other over the course of many missions.

"Ah, so he is…" Al-Cid looked at Naruto. "Does he know?"

"No."

"I do not know why you have yet to tell him. He seems like the kind who would take it well."

"…I've considered that, as well. But he's already overconfident as it is, and I don't want to swell his head too much, or else it might burst. I think I'll wait till he's grown a bit more, so he has more space for all that hot air."

Al-Cid laughed.

"Also, he has a lot on his plate as is… In his own right, he has many enemies who want him. Orochimaru, Akatsuki, the people in the village… I don't want to add the Fourth's enemies to the list until I think he's good and ready."

"Ah… I can see that line of thinking. However, you need not worry too much about Akatsuki right now."

"Eh?"

"One of my sources states orders have just came out for them to go into hiding for a time, while they set up for the next phase of their plans… There are estimates that this will actually go on for a number of years."

"And Orochimaru?"

"He seeks a healer currently, and is setting up plans of numerous sorts. Unfortunately, my man within that circle was uninvited to that little party, and so knows nothing of said plans as of yet."

"A healer… He may be going after Tsunade, as well. We've got to hurry!"

"Do not worry, then! We shall soar, and be there in no time!" Al-Cid pulled a lever, and the ship sped up a fraction, though enough to nearly bowl Naruto over.

Naruto stood, rubbing his head. "Owwwww! What's the big idea!? It's not like we're in that big a rush, dattebayo!"


Tsunade collapsed, staring at Orochimaru's hand, doused with blood. Her breathing increased more and more.

"Think about it, Tsunade… Restore my arms, and I'll happily restore your lost loved ones…" Orochimaru laughed maliciously. "I'll await your reply in one week." Orochimaru stepped away, and vanished.

His assistant, Kabuto looked at her. "Remember, Tsunade-hime, that if you answer yes, the Jutsu will need two human sacrifices. Be sure to have them ready when the time comes." With that, Kabuto left as well, leaving Shizune to tend to the hyperventilating Sannin.


As the Airship landed outside of Tanzaku Town, Al Cid pulled Naruto aside.

"A word of advice. Do not worry overmuch about your troubles. Be sure to take a vacation every now and then. The answers to all problems come at their own pace. Push them, and they may very well pass you by."

"Eh? What brought that up?"

Al-Cid took off his sunglasses, gave them to a woman standing at his side, and crouched enough to stand face to face with Naruto. "With all the dangers surrounding you, certainly there is heavy stress on you. Akatsuki, Orochimaru… Let's also not forget your troubles at home."

"How do you know all about that?"

"Jiraiya tells me many things, and I tell him many things as well. I am, I am proud to admit, one of his better sources of information, due to my traveling the world and collecting many tales and many sources of my own. It is not often that I hear of the movements of such groups, but that number has been growing as of late. Riku himself is one of those sources, in a sense, for me to learn more of what is happening in Konoha and the places he travels."

"…"

"Oh, but don't worry, I keep these to myself. I do not betray my friends so easily. But I do learn much news before it hits the papers, so to speak. For instance, I learned of your adventures in the Land of Waves from not just Riku, but four other sources which granted me some perspective. From Riku, I learned you had single-handedly freed the Land of Waves from oppression, and had spared the lives of two missing ninja. From a young villager I met on a trip there, I received a letter about an amazing group of people who had stopped the 'bad people' from taking his sister away every week, with her coming back in tears…

"From a man I had posing as part of the underworld of that region, I learned of a large power vacuum that had collapsed the crime industry in the Land of Waves. From a friend in the government in Kirigakure, I learned they had evidence pointing to the death of Momochi Zabuza; they claimed to have found traces of his blood on the new architecture known as the Great Naruto Bridge, as well as confirmation from that village that they had hired Leaf Ninja to kill him, afterwards dumping his corpse into the waves. Finally, from another friend in that same village, I found that, in truth, they were simply covering Zabuza's tracks and those of the young boy traveling with him.

"Overall, I understand that much good was done there, partially because of you, Naruto." Al-Cid laughed. "Quite amazing how many perspectives of the same story you can get, hmm?" There was a short pause, as though Al-Cid was contemplating his next words. "Perhaps things are happening in your life now, that you have no way of knowing."

"Like what?" Naruto asked, vaguely wary. He never liked it when stuff was happening to him that he didn't know about; it reminded him too much of before.

There was a silence. "…I simply do not know. That is something you will have to find without me… however, I give this advice: You are never truly alone. Find the perspective you need to see the whole story." Cid accepted his sunglasses back and donned them again. "For this very moment, though, you will have to work with what you have." He turned and walked back to the controls of his ship.

Naruto sighed. "…He's a nice guy," he concluded to himself.

"Yeah, perverted, but nice," Larxene conceded.

Xemnas smirked.

"But not nice enough to stay my hatred of perverts like him."

Xemnas shook his head and went back to reading his Icha Icha Violence.


"So what now?" Naruto asked upon entering town. It was late and he was tired, but he had a promise to keep.

"…Should you encounter your former teammate, Tsunade-himesama, could you possibly persuade her to come to the village?"

"Don't you worry, Llednar! We won't let you down! I promise!"

"We search, and quickly. We have to find Tsunade, before she leaves town. And we'll start… there!"

Naruto looked at the pub. "…You can't be serious." he deadpanned, but followed anyway.

"Yes, I'm serious. Pubs are where information gathers…" Jiraiya trailed off as he looked at a corner. "Ah, and also where certain medic ninja gather as well, apparently."

"Eh?" Naruto asked, following Jiraiya's gaze. "…Wait… That's her?"

"That can't be! She's… almost as young as when I last saw her!" Larxene stared.

"Eternal Youth, hm?" Xemnas muttered.

"Okay, I'd hit that!" Axel grinned, before being hit HARD with a lightning bolt.

"And I'll hit that," Larxene grumbled as Axel collapsed limply.

"J-jealous?" Axel grinned again, before being zapped again.


Hinata stepped into the Hyūga Complex looking quite burnt out. Hiashi smiled as she passed him by.

"Training hard?"

"…Yes." Hinata grumbled. Hiashi noticed that she was now wearing a Chūnin Vest.

"I see the village has appreciated that. Do you know if the rest of your team will be advancing as well?"

"We don't know about Naruto-kun yet. The council is… reluctant to promote him, despite the village's need."

"And the young Twem?" Hiashi noted that Hinata froze in place for but a moment.

"…No."

"I notice that I do not see you spending much time outside of training with him."

"Oh, we're spending plenty of time together, especially recently."

Hiashi noted the tone in her voice, and shook his head as she left into the dining room.

"…Am I to take it, then. from the vest that you're training her in… espionage… Mitarashi-san?"

Anko jumped from behind the roof of the complex's outer wall, grinning like a loon. "Yep."

Hiashi shook his head. "Of course. It is a part of every kunoichi's training, and she is learning from one who is considered the best. However I would ask that you are not so… rough with her, in this. She looked as though she had been through the Bijū's lair and did not like what she saw."

"Well, what do you expect from her first lesson? Of course, when she really realizes the alternate uses of this training… heheh… I'll bet when Naruto-kun comes back, she'll use what she's learned on him and…" She trailed off, letting out a perverted giggle.

"…I choose not to indulge you in that bet. I know I will end up owing you something… unsavory."

"Ha! You know me too well!"

"Very well. Just… try not to corrupt her too much."

"Can't promise what I can't control!" Anko singsonged, grinning as she left. Hiashi shook his head, then looked to the stars.

"Kami-sama, I do not ask for many things, but please… Do not let Hinata follow that woman's example."


Llednar walked into the Twem Compound, his expression entirely neutral. Mid noticed him walk in.

"Hey, Llednar-sama, what did Anko-sensei want?"

"To help with Hinata's training."

"Don't you usually do that?"

"Yes, I do."

"Hm… Wait, isn't Riku-sensei your team's teacher?"

"Yes, he is."

Mid scratched his chin. "Then wha… oh, yeah, Riku-sensei is in the hospital, right?"

"Yes, he is."

"So, what is Hinata learning that required your help?"

"Espionage techniques."

"Huh, sneaking and all that stuff? Sounds tough. Tell her I'm rooting for her." Mid turned around and walked away.

"…I shall be sure to pass that along."


"WHAAA…!?" Naruto slammed his cup on the table, coughing. "H-Hokage!? I didn't hear anything about THAT!"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Jiraiya said jovially. "Silly me."

"Jiraiya, who is this brat?" Tsunade asked.

"My apprentice, Uzumaki Naruto."

'Uzumaki Naruto… The Kyūbi Jinchūriki, and Namikaze Minato's son.'

"So, Tsunade, are you willing to accept?"

There was an all-consuming silence.

"…Impossible… I decline…"

Jiraiya was the first to get over the shock and chose his next words carefully. "I remember… you used those same words every time I asked you out."

"Wait… So we came all this way to ask her to become Hokage?" Naruto asked, unable to hold it anymore.

"Yes. I assure you, she's very well-qualified. It was because of her that we did so well back in the day, and why we now have the one medic ninja per squad requirement. Also as the granddaughter of the Shodai Hokage, she is appropriate for the job… This is the decision of the Council. It's out of your hands, Naruto."

"Hmph." Tsunade took another drink of her sake. "This kid is worse than your previous apprentice."

"Yeah, well… It's not exactly easy to compare a kid to the Fourth Hokage, now is it?"

"W-what?" Naruto muttered under his breath in shock.

"He was smart, strong, and handsome, just like me! He was a genius!"

"But even he died all too quickly… Giving up his life for the village. Life is far different from money… Anyone who gambles it so easily is fool…"

"Grrrr…" Naruto growled.

"My Grandfather and great-uncle, the Shodai and Nidaime Hokages… They wasted it all trying to bring peace to Konoha, and so they died in the middle of their dream, just like losers… The Third died that way, too, because he was just too old to live those dreams. It's a shitty job, with shitty payoff. No one but and idiot and a fool would take it!"

At once, the table turned over, Naruto glaring with full force on Tsunade while being held by Jiraiya. "What did you just say?!" he snarled.

"Naruto! You're making a scene! Settle down!"

"No way! I can't forgive anyone who dares badmouth the Hokage!" Naruto shook his fist at Tsunade. "I'll just kick her ass!"

Tsunade laughed. "You've got some guts, kid… Alright, let's take this outside."

"Happily." Naruto followed Tsunade out, and Jiraiya shook his head.

"I just hope they don't cause too much damage…"

"We have to stop her! She'll kill him!" Shizune said.

"Don't count him out yet… Naruto held his own against not only Orochimaru, but two reincarnated Kage as well with the aid of the Sandaime, if reports speak true. He'll probably be able to hold his own against Tsunade… and if not, then I certainly can." Jiraiya walked outside and watched the two of them stand off.

"This will be easy… One finger's all I'll need." Tsunade smirked, raising that finger.

"Don't underestimate me," Naruto grinned. "After all, I'm Konoha's #1 Unpredictable Ninja!" Naruto vanished into darkness, reappearing above Tsunade. Tsunade jumped backwards, only to find a Shadow Clone waiting with a punch. She spun, flicking the clone and dispersing it.

'When did he get the chance to…' She saw Naruto standing where he had landed, with no sign of him preparing to move against her.

"So, you're the Legendary Sucker, right?" Naruto grinned. 'This is going to be fun…!' With that thought, he transformed. Now, his hair was shorter, and earrings adorned his ears. A bit of peach fuzz also made itself apparent, and Naruto spoke, this time with a second voice speaking in a vague sort of accent. "Care to play a game?" Naruto snapped, and two Nobody Symbols appeared on Tsunade and Naruto's respective right hands.

"Wha-?"

"When that symbol is gone, you're out of time. The first to run out of time loses."

"I can tell that Luxord is savoring this," Xigbar smirked.

"Land a hit on your opponent, and they lose more time…" With that, time froze, and when it started again, a bunch of people sized cards were face down on the ground, and Naruto had vanished. "Now, let's play! CARDS!"

"These cards…" Tsunade shook her head. "Don't hide from me!" She smashed her finger into a card, only for it to explode in her face. True to Naruto's words, a little of the top of the symbol had vanished.

"Argh…"

"'One finger's all I'll need,' isn't that what you said? Well, it looks as though you'll need to put a little more into this fight, if you want to keep your honor. Test your luck or you might just lose your life!"

"You BRAT!" Tsunade roared, slamming her finger into the ground, creating a crevice that hit two of the cards at once. The first exploded, but the second turned into a bunch of cards, which flew to surround Tsunade.

"Did you teach him this, Jiraiya-sama?" Shizune asked.

"No, this is something only he can do. He has several other powers, as well. I guess he thought this one was perfect for the job."

When the card had vanished, Tsunade found that she, too, was a card. 'Strange… somehow, I… know how to move in this form…' The card moved forward slightly, then backwards. "Okay, this isn't so bad…" Suddenly, one of the facedown cards brought itself up to reveal Naruto inside of it. Naruto stepped out of the card with all the ease of walking out of a building, and smiled.

"That will wear off in time… But for now, you're a sitting duck!" Naruto thrust his palm forward, and all of the facedown cards flew at Tsunade, exploding on contact.

'I see… This really is a game… He hides in one card and leaves several decoys, most of which explode, and one of which transforms me into a card…' Tsunade narrowed her eyes. 'You can't stop me this easily!' With her willpower, she forced her card form to spin and fly at Naruto, who ducked the attack. The card flickered, and Tsunade found herself back to normal. "I'll get you for that…"

"That's what you get for not taking this seriously…" Naruto grinned. "Now, DICE!" Naruto summoned a large die and threw it at Tsunade. Tsunade punched it, and it stopped immediately, breaking into two and bouncing on the ground. "For your information, if you get cho, you're safe. If it's han… not so much."

The first die settled.

'Five… I need another odd number…!' Tsunade stared at the last die, which, after what felt like forever, settled. Tsunade found herself transformed into a die herself. "SHIT! 2!?"

"To fight purely based on luck… That's insane," Shizune muttered.

"Not when the Legendary Sucker is your opponent…" Jiraiya retorted.

Tsunade flung herself at Naruto, intent on at least damaging him. Naruto summoned a card and swung it like a fan, blowing her away. This short cycle repeated five more times before Tsunade returned to normal.

"Having fun?" Naruto asked.

"I'm about to…" Tsunade retorted, charging like a bull. "…I'm sure I'll enjoy punching that smile off your face!" She threw a fist at Naruto.

"SLOTS!" At once, Naruto vanished, and a large white slot machine appeared. Tsunade stared at it.

"What the…?"

"The game is simple…" Naruto said as the machine started up. "You'll notice that instead of your usual symbols, you can see our faces and a second symbol attached to it. If we get three of one of our faces in a row, the person depicted takes the effects symbolized by the attached symbols. If we don't get a three in a row, we try again until we get a three in a row."

The first slot stopped, showing Naruto's face on the top with a frozen clock attached, Tsunade's face in the middle with a bomb attached, and Naruto's face again at the bottom with a heart attached. The second slot stopped, with Naruto's face and a crossed out N at the bottom, Tsunade's face with a fist and an arrow pointing up at the top, and…

"Ohh, we've got a wild card." Naruto noted at the odd symbol Naruto recognized as the Nobody Symbol with a G crossed out.

Finally, the last one stopped, revealing Tsunade's face with an angel attached at the top, Naruto's face with a clock that had an arrow pointing up at the middle, and another picture of Naruto's face with a Shield attached.

"I see, three in a row…" Jiraiya muttered.

The slots turned into a bunch of particles, revealing Naruto in the middle.

"Oh, crap," Naruto muttered. 'Stop, No Genjutsu, and Protect…' Naruto moved into a defensive stance, a clock appearing above him that slowed down a stopped. Suddenly, Naruto was frozen in time.

"…What?" Tsunade rose an eyebrow. "Is he… frozen?" A smirk appeared on her face. "Looks like I win this one…" She walked up to the Stopped Naruto, and flicked his forehead.

Nothing happened for a few seconds, until the clock started moving again and disappeared. Naruto flew straight into the air, his forehead protector flying off as well.

'She's… strong!' Naruto thought, then heard a beeping. 'What!?' He looked at the back of his hand, where his Nobody symbol had almost completely vanished. "With… with just one attack!?" Naruto hit the ground, the damage incurred finishing his symbol off. At once, an explosion of light occurred, and Naruto slid backwards, using the momentum to roll backwards back to his feet. He was back to his normal self.

Tsunade grinned. "Now that that's done with… I want to ask a question before you lose consciousness. What with you and the title of Hokage, anyway?"

"Simple…" Naruto said, summoning a shadow clone. "Because unlike you, I want that 'shitty' title…" He put his hand out to the side, and his clone started helping him form his chakra into a spinning ball of destruction. "To be Hokage… is my dream…"

'T-that's…' Tsunade's eyes widened, both due to something in her past, and due to shock of seeing the Rasengan being pulled out of nowhere.

"…And I won't stop till I've accomplished that dream, even for so-called Sannin like you!" Naruto charged at Tsunade, Rasengan spinning at full throttle. Tsunade thought fast, and thrust her finger into the earth, breaking it in half, tripping Naruto up. The Rasengan hit the earth, drilling into it.

"What power…" Xemnas muttered.

"Yeesh… that's insane," Axel muttered.

"She was lucky," Luxord muttered. "I suppose Fate decided to ignore her infamous losing streak this once…"

'I never expected…' Tsunade looked at Naruto's teacher. "Jiraiya, were you the one who taught him the Rasengan?"

"Yeah, I was…" Jiraiya replied. "What of it?"

"Tch… You know the only ones who can use that are you, Yondaime, and his student. Why teach a jutsu like that to a brat who can't even use it right? It just fills them with silly thoughts like 'I'll be Hokage someday!'" She pointed to the still recovering blonde. "Look at him! Him, a Kage in the making? He has to use a Shadow Clone to even use the Rasengan! How do you expect him to become strong enough to protect anything? It's so pitiful, it's funny!"

"It's no joke!" Naruto retorted. "You want me to use the Rasengan without shadow clones? FINE! Give me three days, and I'll be able to use it, and you won't see a Shadow Clone from me within a few miles!"

"Big words, kid. A man's words should never be taken back."

"And I won't! After all, that's part of my ninja way! You just wait!"

"Fine then… I'll give you a week, brat." Tsunade produced a necklace with a small crystal on the end. "If you can perform it without summoning a shadow clone, I'll acknowledge that you can be Hokage, and give you this."

"T-Tsunade-sama!" Shizune gaped. "You're not seriously…"

"Why'd I want a trinket like that?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Naruto-kun, that necklace is a really rare ore that belonged to the Shodai Hokage. If you sold it, you could buy three gold mines and the mountains on top of them!"

"Daaammnnn…" Axel said, and Roxas could almost see the ryō signs in his eyes.

"Hmm… Fine…"

"And if you don't, I get this little guy and everything inside him," Tsunade revealed Naruto's wallet.

"Kupo…" The moogle-shaped wallet squeaked.

"Ahh! Kupo-chan!" Naruto shrieked. Tsunade threw the doll/wallet back to Naruto, who caught it and stuffed it back in his pocket. Suddenly, he got an idea. "Hey, let's make this just a bit more interesting, old lady."

"Hm?"

"If I win, you have to come back to the village with us."

"What, to be Hokage?"

"No… I could care less about that… But I have some friends who need your help. If you win this bet, I'll do whatever you want."

Tsunade laughed. "Alright, I'll humor you."

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune frowned. "That necklace is…"

"It's not like he can do it, anyway."

Jiraiya decided to speak up then. "Tsunade, how about we have a drink together, just the two of us?" Tsunade hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Shizune, could you and Naruto find a hotel to stay at tonight?"

"Alright…" Shizune replied, taking Naruto with her.

"Now then… I believe we have much to talk about, Tsunade…"


"Damnit… How the hell am I going to get this to work without a Shadow Clone?"

"Think on it, Naruto, an answer will come!"

Next time on XIII Ninja: Tsunade's Choice! The Necklace's Curse!

"I'll get it down… eventually."


(The author is reading the Naruto Manga) "GO, GO! KILLHIMKILLHIMKILLHIM!"

Hinata(XIIININ): "Wait… What is she…"

"…"

(Long silence)

"There can be only ONE answer to this." (Pulls out odd knife and cuts a hole in dimensions. Leaves.)

Hinata: "I can't believe…"

(From the still-open portal) "Sorry bout this! Lucky for you that you don't need to revive Chrono to beat the game!"

(Also from the portal) Voice: "GIVE THAT BACK!" (James appears from the portal, a singe on his jacket and several arrows in his posterior. He hastily closes the portal, carrying an egg.)

"HA! With this Time Egg, I can revive ANYONE from death!"

Hinata: "Don't you need an exact duplicate for that?"

"… Crap. Well, anyway, Sorry about the long wait, folks. Me and my Beta were busy as bees with other things. However, I am also working on PKMN Wizard, so expect that sometime soon. I'll be seeing you then! Now, I'm sure I saw a life size doll somewhere on Ebay…"