KG: Anyone know how to make cheesecake?
Music of the Week: Fallout Radio
Quote: "When will people learn that our differences aren't what make us weak, they are what will make us strong. If this world turns to dust, it's not because we're similar that we'll survive. It's because we're different that we can do what others can't."
Naruto, Ayame, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Shizune watched the edges of the outside for the longest time. In fact, the very concept of it seemed to slow down considerably for them all. The arm belonging to the woman they tried to save rolled across the ground and out into the desolate wastelands. That… that was the biggest creature they'd all ever seen. Even… even Naruto felt helpless before it. So creatures even like that roamed the world?
After a few moments passed, Naruto seemed to regain his reason first.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki stood up and walked over to the open door. He wordlessly placed it against the entrance. He then tied the cloth to it to keep the harsh winds out. Everything seemed so still. Even the creak of the floorboard made everyone shiver. They felt like they were all in a deadly sand pit, just waiting to be devoured by the massive creature roaming the lands beneath them.
That said, Naruto eased their concerns. "It's gone," he replied.
The other four looked at each other and leaned back. "W-What if it comes back?" Ayame asked.
Shizune stood up. "Then we'd better not be here when it does," she answered.
That statement seemed to diffuse a bit of the tension in the air. Kurenai quickly surprised Kakashi when she hugged him. He seemed to be getting hugged a lot today, but the former jonin could take it. He hugged Kurenai back.
The red-eyed jonin then hugged Shizune. Naruto and Ayame watched them all, gentle smiles on their faces. "Not how I imagined this reunion would go, but it is good to see you, Kakashi. You as well, Shizune-san," she said.
Both agreed. "You as well, Kurenai-san. I always imagined my return to active duty as a Konoha shinobi to be met with friends, and some nice food at a restaurant. I don't think this is how anyone foresaw this happening," Shizune replied.
Naruto turned around. "So Kakashi-sensei, what the heck happened? How did you guys get attacked?" the young Inheritor asked.
The former jonin of Team Seven rubbed his head tiredly. How had all of this gone so wrong?
"Your guess would be as good as mine. The ground started rumbling. We thought it might just be an earthquake until five tentacles wrapped around one of the group's legs. He screamed as he was pulled down. It then began taking all of us one by one until… we're left in this situation," he answered.
"This also makes it a little awkward. If we return now, I doubt Raiga will believe we were attacked by a Wasteland Desolator. Those are very rare, and many don't even believe that they exist. It'll be convenient if the survivors were just people from Konoha," Shizune replied.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki faced her. "Why would we go back if we just escaped then?" he asked.
Kakashi shrugged. "It's not as simple as that, Naruto. We might go back because we want to raid them of what they have. Maybe you want to rule the settlement. Granted, all of these are unlikely, but in these times where… everyone can only take care of their own people, it has to be mentioned," the one-eyed man said.
"But if all of us are together, why do we need to go back?" Ayame asked.
Shizune sighed. "Listen, it is… nice to see all of us citizens of our village together, but we must keep things realistic. Kakashi and I are not a part of you three. We have our own group to look out for. If you need refuge then our settlement is a good place to come to, especially for such a small group like yours. It would be hard out here for you three, even if Naruto-san's an Inheritor," she said.
Kurenai and Ayame glanced at each other. They had already heard of the situation from Naruto. He had said he would join the settlement only because they would give him a team to help him look for his friends. Plus, it was easier to get out of the settlement that way.
"You both would enjoy working under someone like Raiga?" Kurenai asked.
Both shrugged. "He's inauspicious, but he's a law and order that people need. Plus, I won't abandon the suffering of the people. T-Tsunade-sama wouldn't have wanted that," the apprentice to the Sannin replied.
Everyone noticed the quiver in her voice and the sadness in her eyes.
Naruto sighed. "Look, we'll go back for now. How I feel about him aside, I can't deny that Kakashi-sensei put his position on the line in front of Raiga-san for me. I'm not gonna toss that away. That said, we're gonna have to venture outside," He said.
Everyone shivered. They looked outside, but they saw nothing in the distance. Everything was very quiet. The only thing to be heard was the sound of the wind over the desolate lands.
"Well, I don't think a rundown shack is going to be much of a defense against a Desolator should it come back. We should move," Shizune said and everyone agreed with that.
However, Naruto raised his hand for them to stop. "No, we'll wait two days," he said.
Everyone looked at him strangely before the young Inheritor made his reasoning known. "If we leave and return now, there's no doubt he's going to be suspicious of us. We return from a rescue mission missing all but the non-Konoha shinobi. Not only that, it was against a creature that most don't even believe exists? We're giving him all the tools to not believe us, but if we wait two days, he might think we ran off, but when we return that'll ease his concerns. Better if we return injured," He exclaimed.
Kakashi and Kurenai thought of this plan. "That does make sense. It'll be hard to refute us if we do it that way. He'd at least have to toy with the idea that we've been attacked. What if we waited out near Yugakure? It's a bit more stable than staying here. Plus, there are more places to hide or run to if we need to," Kurenai answered.
"We should have enough food and water for two days as well," Ayame said.
Kakashi quickly nodded. "Alright, we'll do that then. Shizune, how much chakra do you have left?" the former jonin asked.
"Assuming we're not doing anything major with it? Enough," she answered.
The silver-haired adult sighed happily. "As do I. We'll also have to wait for Naruto to regain the rest of his. He used quite a lot of ninjutsu to combat the Desolator. Alright, I think we're all in agreement. We should move out then," he suggested.
The others agreed. Ayame and Kurenai packed up their things. The shaking of the shop constantly left them all in fear of the Desolator coming back. Just one shake too many and they wondered if the shop would topple on top of them.
Once everything was gathered, the five scouted out the wasteland for about twenty minutes. When those minutes passed, Naruto stepped out first. His feet met the hot sand. He constantly scanned the area, ready to tell the others to head back inside. The comforting wind brushed against his face. The putrid green clouds hovered above him.
He walked outside and climbed up a sand dune. He beckoned for the others to follow him. Kakashi was followed by Kurenai, Ayame, and Shizune. When the five came together, they walked through the ruins of the Elemental Nations.
Cautiously, they braved the unknown as the winds got even stronger. The air was very hot, even hotter than it had been just a few hours ago. In fact, it was so unbearably hot it was beyond sweltering. In the distance, Naruto could see some type of land beast in the same situation as them, but unlike them, its skin was falling off its face, the heat thoroughly sapping away every single piece of moisture from its body.
The creature roared weakly before the blood inside it began to fall out. Its eyes popped out of its skull. The creature's body fell hard into the sand and it died from the intense heat. All that was left was its bones before those two began to melt from the heat.
Naruto quickly gathered everyone together and coated his green chakra around them. While it didn't do much against the heat, it at least kept their clothes and their skin from falling off their bodies.
By the time the group returned to Yugakure, they were all sweating profusely. They entered into what they could only assume were the remains of a broken-down apartment complex. They fell to their knees and panted, thankful for the shade.
"Why was it so hot?" Ayame asked.
"Who knows what that meteor did to the earth's climate. We should be thankful we're alive," Shizune said.
Not even a second before she uttered those words did everyone hear a loud crash. They looked out one of the windows and some of the wood that hadn't been taken over by the sand quickly caught on fire. That fire began to spread from the wood to the other pieces of wood.
"Amazing, it's so hot outside everything's catching on fire. You'd think it was impossible," Shizune commented. Everyone watched the fire spread while the wind began to carry it wherever it pleased. Hopefully, the sand would smother it thanks to the wind as well.
The spectacle finished, the rest of the day was spent rather slowly. Kakashi and Shizune noticed some of the training Kurenai gave Naruto since they rejoined. Unfortunately, it was too hot to do this for very long. Plus, in the interest of caution, no one wanted to do anything extraneous.
Despite the joy of seeing two Konoha shinobi, Kurenai and Ayame followed Naruto's stance and only gave Kakashi and Shizune the most basic information they could. The latter had said it best. They might all have been from the same village, but they were not the same comrades anymore. To grant them sensitive information was just stupid. No doubt they were doing the same thing.
Still, everyone had a bit of a good time. Naruto, Kurenai, and Ayame shared some of their food with Shizune and Kakashi. As expected from the latter two, their food was mostly military provisions consisting of dried bread, salted seaweed, and some pills. It was a rather… pitiful display.
The five traded stories, constantly aware of the responsibilities between their own groups and friendship as former Konoha citizens. What made it even odder was that everyone knew they were doing it too. Unfortunately, that didn't last for long when Naruto told Kakashi he hadn't found Sasuke or Sakura.
Once that was sad, there seemed to be a mood that overcame the five. Shizune stilled when she looked at the utter guilt on Kakashi's face. The shame on his face was without end.
"I… let Sakura die, Naruto," Kakashi said with pain in his voice.
Naruto didn't speak for a few moments as his jonin teacher told him the story. He left out no detail. He'd been too weak, too chakra-exhausted. When he passed out, Sakura was gone. It hadn't been long before he found her bones, her body had melted from the acid rain in her haste to rescue Sasuke.
Truth be told, Naruto didn't quite remember what he did next. Did he cry? Did he scream? Did he curse? He wasn't sure. What he did remember was that he was outside… and it was raining. Thankfully, it wasn't acid rain. Hell, maybe in how warped his mind was at the moment, he might have preferred it. At least the pain would make him feel something other than his thoughts.
Naruto stared at the dark sky, clouds hovering over it like normal while the rain fell down over him. Strange, when did it start raining? He didn't fucking know anymore. When was the last time things made sense in this world?
First Ayame's father, then Kiba and Bushy-Brows, then Hinata, and now Sakura. The blond chuckled. This was like a fucking sick joke.
They say you never forget your first love. Well, perhaps that was true. Naruto was aware of just how much Sakura liked Sasuke. He was also aware of just how much she didn't like him specifically. However, he'd always been persistent. He knew that. Perhaps just like the village, he thought he could change Sakura's opinion of him with time. Sure it was stupid. Sure he thought it was impossible, but… he always thought that if he gave up trying to get Sakura, would he also give up trying to become the Hokage? Would he give up trying to get people to change their opinions of him? He wanted to say no, but… he didn't feel like he could. For all her faults, and yes Naruto was very much aware of them now, she still kept him trying.
Now, he found out she died. Of course, Naruto knew it wasn't Kakashi's fault. Sakura liked Sasuke too much for her own good. He still didn't see what she liked about him, but what could he say? He actually wondered, would she have gone out into acid rain looking for him? Heh, he didn't really think so. In the end, she died too emotional for her own good.
"Tch, then what am I fucking upset about?" Naruto thought to himself.
The blond stiffened when he heard the door to the rooftop open behind him. He turned his head and noticed Kurenai come up. "You'll get sick if you stand out here in the rain," she said, perhaps forgetting she too was getting wet.
"I'll be fine," he said.
Kurenai sighed. She closed the door behind her. "Last time I heard that you came up with a plan that led us around green sacs of human flesh and skin. If you're fine, I don't think the rest of the world is," the black-haired woman chuckled.
Naruto looked at her and sighed. Yeah, it did seem that way. Whenever things were going well for him, the world seemed to turn to shit. When things went bad for him, the world turned out great. Sometimes, he felt like he was cursed.
"Maybe I should just die then. Maybe that way the world will go back to normal. Maybe this is Kami telling me it really was impossible for me to become Hokage. Can't become Hokage over a village that doesn't even exist anymore. I guess I'm just not destined to be happy. I couldn't get Sakura-chan to like me, I couldn't become Hokage, I couldn't save Teuchi-oji, I feel like my entire life is just a damn series of I couldn'ts. I…"
Naruto's head suddenly whipped to the side when he felt the sting of a harsh slap across his face. His eyes widened as he touched his cheek. His head turned and he noticed Kurenai glaring at him. Her scowl made him shiver. He couldn't remember the last time he saw the Genjutsu Mistress so angry.
"You saved me. You saved Ayame-san. You've gotten us from Konoha to the lands of Uzushiogakure. We have a home there that we would never have had were it not for you. Naruto, it might be hard for you, but it'd be harder for us if he didn't have you. I know how you feel. I've lost Hinata and Kiba. Shino is the last of my team. I've lost Asuma and I've lost Anko, all my friends, and my home, but we all kept striving because you never faltered. Instead of standing out here, feeling sorry for yourself, you should focus on what you can do. There are just some things, and some people you can't save, no matter how hard you try, but it's because you saved who you could that we're still here, we're still alive, and this world… isn't as hellish with you. We need you. I-I need you," Kurenai replied.
Naruto remained motionless, unsure of how to take her words before he felt her mix her fingers with his. "Hinata always believed you would become Hokage. Konoha might be gone, but I'll believe in you for her. You're our leader, so behave as a Hokage would. Our group won't last without you to lead us," she answered.
"Kurenai, I…" Naruto began to speak before she silenced him… with her lips.
Despite the rain, Kurenai kissed Naruto. Unlike Ayame, this was a slow one filled with a lot of restless love and simmering passion. Though the rain was oddly chilling, the kiss was very warm.
Both separated and Kurenai sighed blissfully. She'd wanted to do that for a long time. When she saw the young Inheritor's dumbfounded look, she chuckled. "Ayame got to you before I could, but… I was glad you were safe also. I'll smack you again if you talk about yourself like that again," she said with a smile.
Before he could even reply to her, she walked away. "Now I'm gonna wipe off my hair and I'm gonna need you to unseal the towels. Stop staying out here and help me," she stated, more like ordered, and he found himself following after her. While his mood had lightened some, it wasn't entirely gone.
That said, he returned all the same. He wanted to speak to Kakashi, but Shizune said the jonin wanted to spend some time alone. The blond acquiesced to the decision and quickly unsealed the towels. Kurenai thanked him and took her own before she walked over to Ayame. That was when Naruto heard them both chuckle. They briefly looked at him before they continued with their talk.
…why did the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki feel like he'd just gotten pranked? It also didn't help when he heard the Kyuubi himself laughing in the recesses of his mind.
"What? What am I missing here?!" the blond asked.
"A whole lot, brat. A whole damn lot! I'll admit your human interactions make me sick, but in this case, it's quite entertaining. You'll figure it out eventually," Kyuubi spoke before he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
…What the hell was that supposed to mean?!
At this point, the young Inheritor stopped trying to figure out the minds of the women around him. As the outside got darker and darker, Naruto didn't see Kakashi for the rest of the night. He decided to head to bed.
He unsealed the sleeping bags and went to sleep. Or, that's what he would have liked to be doing since Kurenai and Ayame slept with him. Ayame wasn't even that much of a surprise. It was Kurenai that threw him off. The former jonin kunoichi never slept with him before. Of course, it could be because they were just happy to see him, but he didn't think that was the case.
Come to think of it. He got kissed by two different girls in one day. Did that make up for the one kiss that he really didn't want to remember? Well, it certainly wasn't a downside. However, that left him confused. Ayame and Kurenai, two women he always assumed were out of his league, were right next to him. Both of them grinned mischievously. He was sure there was some type of joke going on here that he was unaware of. It didn't help that they both smelled kind of nice after their individual baths.
As the rain over the wasteland of the Elemental Nations continued to pour down, Naruto wondered what these two were hoping from him. He wanted to know because they both, knowingly, grabbed one of his hands and held them. Suffice to say, he got very little sleep and when he woke up… it was a very embarrassing morning. Clearly, his body enjoyed having two ladies next to it.
Three days passed endlessly. Naruto decided to make them wait an extra day to really sell the danger they were in. Oddly enough, Kakashi and Shizune didn't find themselves complaining. It felt nice to be away from the settlement for such a time. Of course, the latter felt a little bad. Who knew what was going on over there without its head medic.
Through the time, Naruto chose to spend some time alone, mostly to cope with his own thoughts about what Kurenai told him, but also about her and Ayame themselves. Either way, he walked through the corrupted sands of Yugakure. He did some small scavenging. He picked up some broken cans and unopened snack bars that he found lingering around. Ayame read him the list of the things they still needed.
Thankfully, he found some rolls of torn toilet paper and paper towels in some of the destroyed hotels. No creatures were around to make him cautious. In fact, there was just a whole lot of nothingness. It was actually a little creepy. Just like Konoha, the ruins of Yugakure… turned into a ghost town. Sometimes it wasn't the creatures that terrified the blond, it was the thought that maybe one day the entire world would become like this.
Something Naruto also noticed was that Ayame and Kurenai didn't talk about the kiss they shared with him. In fact, both remained quite distant. He didn't know what he was supposed to think.
Either way, the three days passed and Naruto quickly ripped his clothes. He cut himself with a few slashes of a kunai while Kakashi and Kurenai briefly fought each other, inflicting wounds and bruises on each other. Shizune and Ayame did their own battle at which the former marveled at the latter's skill. Clearly, she'd been thoroughly trained.
Once everyone was nice and fucked up, they grabbed their things. They even dusted up their hair and their clothes. They then made their way back to the settlement.
With so many bruises and injuries, the walk was kind of hard, but after about six or seven hours, they noticed the settlement. The settlement also noticed them. Doors instantly opened. Five of its warriors came out, each of them with kunai in each hand.
"Kakashi-taichou, Shizune-san! What happened?" one of them asked. Others quickly began to help, cautiously, Naruto, Kurenai, and Ayame.
"G-Get us inside. We were attacked. It took longer to get back here than we anticipated. T-Tell Raiga-sama, the Desolators are real," Kakashi groaned. He felt kind of bad lying in such a way, but this would just be one of those things that he'd take to the grave with him.
"D-Desolators are real? Quickly, get Raiga-sama!" someone else shouted.
"H-Hai!" a person saluted before they ran back inside. Meanwhile, the others brought the former members of Konoha inside the first floor of the structure that led to its massive bunker. They were quickly administered emergency treatment.
Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto watched some of the men work on Ayame and Kurenai. So far, they did nothing untoward either. They checked them for injuries and applied ointment to their wounds and bruises. Some people tended to him, but he didn't think he needed the help. He always healed quickly.
After about twenty minutes, everyone saw Raiga come up with at least ten other guards of the settlement. "Scan the area. I want the settlement secured of any threats at three kilometers. Report back anything you see even if it's minor," he ordered.
"Hai, Raiga-sama!" The squad reported before the captain of the group took them out of the settlement. Kurenai and Ayame watched in surprise as they vanished in an impressive burst of speed. Clearly, if they were to try and get out by force, it would require some effort.
Raiga looked over the injuries sustained by everyone. He'd been close to losing it when such a simple rescue mission took longer and longer. He had toyed with the idea that Naruto had rejoined his friends and ran off. He was fully prepared to send people after them. He even thought Kakashi had betrayed him in favor of his former student, but it seemed that wasn't the case. They all looked heavily injured and positively exhausted.
When he'd been informed of a Desolator, he'd written it off as a story to just scare him. However, he couldn't deny the severe report on Kakashi, Shizune, and their return mission. Shock was across his face when he saw that of the five who went with the other Inheritor, only two of his settlement had returned, blood seeping into their clothes.
"What happened?" Raiga asked.
Kakashi was given a towel and brushed off the dust and dirt. "It attacked beneath the sands near Yugakure. Ein left a few feet away on some private business, but he was… pulled down. The ground then rumbled. Sil was taken next. We almost saved Cya-san, but… she didn't make it as well. Whatever it was, it was large. It was very large. It darkened the very sky and nothing Naruto could do worked against it. No katon, suiton, raiton. No element worked against it. Then, its chakra. It brought us to our knees. Even now, I don't know how we lived," the one-eyed man replied.
Some of the people who worked swallowed their fear. A beast that could even force an Inheritor to its knees? W-What did that mean for the rest of them? Were they all going to die?
Raiga looked around the room. The glooming news did just as he assumed it would. Everyone was scared, some willing to take their own lives just to not be a part of this world anymore. He could also see some beginning to doubt the power of Ranmaru and, by extension, Raiga. This wasn't good.
"All of you calm down. We don't know for sure if it's a Desolator. It could also be a very large Sand Lurker. They usually get around this big. What we have to do now is make sure to secure the settlement. Someone inspect those two and then send them to the medical wing!" he ordered.
Naruto noticed two female guards grab Ayame and Kurenai. Though he was satisfied, he frowned when he heard someone sigh with dejection.
Raiga walked over to Shizune. "Will you be well enough to work or will you require chakra?" he asked.
The short-haired woman rubbed her wounds. Damn Ayame could hit hard. "I'll be fine. But I already recommend a few days of rest for us. I believe Naruto can work. He claims he heals fast," she answered.
The green-haired commander of the settlement turned to the blond. Both glared at each other. "We lost a couple of good people saving your friends. I'll make sure you make up their load," he replied.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. He grabbed Raiga's collar and pulled him down to eye level. "Don't get ahead of yourself, weakling," he snarled, which sent a shiver through the man.
He then released him. He then walked away while Kurosuki clenched his fists enough to make them bleed. You damned Inheritor, you were going to regret challenging him like this! Mark his words!
Meanwhile, a day passed for Naruto. He sighed as he came into Kakashi's house and sat down, thoroughly exhausted. While Kurenai and Ayame were taken to the medical facility, he was fucking thrust into the depths of knowledge regarding this underground settlement. Raiga put him to work instantly and that meant helping patrol the area. Of course, he had to deal with other people's crap given that he was new to the settlement. In the end, he was scheduled to patrol the lower sectors in the morning.
When the blond came through the door, Kakashi chuckled. "Rough first day?" he asked.
"I don't know how you can live here, Kakashi-sensei," the younger of the two answered.
The older one laughed. "Maa maa, it's not so hard when you get used to it," he answered as he prepared some settlement dinner which consisted of one bowl of rice, two pieces of dried fish, and a boiled egg. Naruto snorted. This was definitely not like what he had in recent days.
"Kakashi-sensei, you shouldn't be living here. You should be with us!" Naruto said.
The middle-aged man sighed. "Naruto, it's good to see you. I promise it is, but… there is no Konoha anymore. I'm not your sensei anymore. Besides, I'm not fit to be with anyone I can call a friend anymore. Sometimes, that's just how life is. Nothing is as it should be. It's just what you can do with what you're given. You don't need failures," he answered. He really didn't want to have this discussion right now.
"You're talking to me about people calling you a failure?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi leaned up. "Regardless of what term you'd use, it's not like I'm being forced to stay here. I want to stay here," the silver-haired man smiled.
Naruto frowned. He was sure Kakashi could tell that he heard the lie in his voice. "Whatever," the blond said as he got up.
"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked.
"Wherever I want to go," the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki answered before he closed the door. Kakashi placed his bowl down and sighed. He held his head in his hands. It was better this way. It had to be.
Naruto decided to spend a bit of time patrolling some of the other parts of the settlement. His stomach grumbled, but he'd unseal something later. He didn't feel like eating at all. Besides, this would rack up some extra time so Raiga would get off his ass.
After the end of his three-hour patrol, Naruto decided to check up on Ayame and Kurenai. With some directions, he found his way to the medic side of the settlement. He pulled open a rusted door. He noticed a couple of beds, but the ones he saw he made his way towards.
Ayame and Kurenai watched the blond approach them. They smiled, but they quickly took note of his attire. "You definitely fit the settlement look," Kurenai replied.
Naruto looked over his body at the clothes he'd been more or less forced to wear. "Just don't tell Tenten about it. I don't need her criticizing my fashion choices dattebayo. So how are you guys doing?" he asked.
"Well, our injuries have already healed, so we've just been sitting in these beds keeping up the appearance of aching survivors all day. It gets kind of boring after a while," Ayame answered.
"Plus, there've been a few wayward eyes recently. Every hour or so there's a guard coming through and checking on the doctors and patients. I'll be frank. I don't like this place. All these people give me an odd feeling," Kurenai whispered.
"Yeah, they keep talking about the Church of Inheritors. Some of them invited us to pray to this Ranmaru guy. When we declined they looked like they were about to attack us. I can't even close my eyes cause I feel like I'm gonna get eaten. It… it reminds me of back in the boiler room back in Konoha. Naruto, please tell me we'll leave soon," Ayame replied.
Naruto stared at Ayame and sighed. He slowly nodded. "Yeah, I've already got an idea on how to do that, but I can't explain it. Something's keeping me here," he said quietly.
"Keeping you here?" Kurenai asked.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki nodded. "Well, not forcing me to stay here, but telling me that I should. Look, we're already deep enough in this as it is. I'll just do my best to ignore the feeling so we can leave," he returned.
"Is it… Kakashi-san?" Ayame asked.
Naruto didn't answer immediately. That seemed to be the answer they were expecting, but he shook his head. "No, it's not him. Besides, he said he wants to be here. That's his problem I guess. I can't stop him. I have you two to take care of and everyone else," he said.
Ayame and Kurenai agreed.
"Oi, New Meat, you're still on shift. Talk to your sluts later!" a man said before the settlement suddenly rumbled. It rumbled heavily. It rumbled with such force people outside suddenly screamed. The man gasped as Naruto turned to him, the green hue in his eyes glared ferociously.
The guard shivered as he fell to his knees. His breath was caught in his throat. His heart was pounding like mad. A thousand deaths rushed through his eyes before Naruto raised his foot and slammed it over the man's head. He crashed his face into the floor.
"You've got quite the mouth on you, worm. I shall be merciful and grant you one chance to apologize," Naruto remarked as Ayame and Kurenai heard the man scream beneath the blond's heel. However, they weren't disgusted. In fact, they were smiling, a tiny green hue in their eyes as well. They smiled because… their king chose to defend their honor.
"Y-Y-You fucker, do you know who I am? I'm a guard captain of Raiga-sama's settlement! You won't get away with this!" the man snarled while Naruto pressed down harder.
"Elite worms are still worms in the end. Inferior combinations of dung skin and blood. Well Guard-Captain, how would you like to die like a commoner?" Naruto asked.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm very sorry!" he cried over and over as blood fell through his nose as he felt the bones in his face crunch out of place. Blood even began to seep out of his eye sockets.
"Please don't kill me! P-Pleeeeeeaabllllrrrgh!" He gagged as his teeth popped one by one out of his mouth.
"Sorry, we're all out of forgiveness," Naruto said as he crushed the man's head. Ayame and Kurenai sighed as they watched their king, their god, exert his authority. A surge of green chakra moved through their eyes.
"And how are we gonna get rid of that?" Ayame asked.
As if a moment of clarity moved through his body, Naruto held his hand over the corpse. The two bed-ridden ladies watched as tendrils of green chakra, so strong they became visible, latched onto the corpse. The chakra from the body was taken away and both could feel their king, their god, grow in strength. The more chakra he absorbed, the more he could give to others if he was willing.
It wasn't long before the corpse decayed more and more until it was not but dust. A tiny fire jutsu burned the rest away.
"Well, it looks like we don't have anything to worry about then. So what do we do now?" Kurenai asked, the green chakra in their eyes fading.
Naruto rolled his neck, suddenly very tired. "We learn how I get you guys to start using jutsu again," he remarked. The two nodded before Naruto gave them a goodbye.
After a brief patrol, thanks to the earthquake caused by Naruto, the settlement calmed down and everyone was allowed to go back to bed. Despite Shizune's protests, Naruto was given a chair and a blanket to sleep in next to Ayame and Kurenai. When asked why, Ayame claimed she couldn't sleep without Naruto near her. In fact, she'd barely gotten any sleep all week.
Soon, the next morning came.
"Uzumaki Naruto, get up. You have patrol with the other recruits. You've slept enough," a gruff voice said while Naruto opened his eyes. He threw off his blanket. He noticed Ayame and Kurenai still sleeping.
"Yeah yeah, I'll be right there," he answered back. When he concentrated his gaze he noticed it was the man who apparently saved him, Ao. He glared at the man for a moment before he stood up.
Ao opened the door and Naruto was led out of the medic ward. The two walked past Shizune who had been in her open-door office, writing on a piece of paper. It didn't look like much of a desk. It was more like one table on top of a bunch of chairs with one hanging candle for light. He noticed the bags under her eyes.
The two left and entered the metal roads of the settlement's underground structure. Naruto watched the harsh light of the flames beneath the steel city illuminate the roads. Each step was a creak that made the blue-eyed Inheritor if this place would crumble to pieces at any point. He watched some people begin to come out of their houses. He narrowed his eyes when a family screamed as they were kicked out of their house while guards searched the perimeter.
"You guys must be so proud of yourselves," Naruto said to the older man. Ao noticed where the blond was looking and frowned.
"Safety is the prime concern. A bit of discomfort must be accepted," he answered back.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki rolled his eyes, but he said nothing. The sounds of odd machinery in the background by way of oiled cylinders worked through his ears. It was rather grating.
"Go eat in the mess hall. You've got a hard day today," Ao answered.
Naruto grunted. "I'll live. You might have saved me, but I'm not stupid enough to eat anything you guys give me," he said. The one-eyed man didn't reply to that statement. He couldn't fault the logic behind those words.
Seeing that Naruto wasn't going to eat, he was taken to an area with most of the new recruits. That included the one he fought before, Chojuro. The two stared at each other before they, and the recruits, were given their patrol routes.
"Hey, did you feel that earthquake last night? Whole settlement's in uproar lately. I heard a few of the representatives are going to speak to Raiga-sama about it. Glad we've got the easy routes for now."
Naruto heard the talk of some of the new members as they walked off. He was given his route and his partner, a girl named Hokuto.
"You always frown so much?" she asked.
…oh, he was going to hate today.
Anyway, Naruto and Hokuto traveled through the southeast tunnels. Apparently, they were supposed to be patrolling that route that some of the settlement miners used. They complained about weird noises traveling in the distance.
"Clear!" Hokuto replied as moved her flashlight down one of the hallways.
Naruto looked down another of the hallways. "Clear," he replied.
The hot air which flowed through the tunnel made both sweat profusely. It seemed to be a mess of sweltering heat from all the iron, steel, and fire beneath the ground. Even the walls started to burn their skin.
"You'll want to put your gloves on for this one, blondie," Hokuto said, which made Naruto snort.
"Sure thing, Freckles," he fired back.
Hokuto widened her eyes. "Don't call me Freckles!" she exclaimed as she opened another door.
Naruto moved his flashlight over the area. "Gotcha, Freckles," He said as he turned around a corner and noticed a bunch of mining equipment. Pickaxes and shovels laid unused. In a corner, the blond saw a pair of clothes. He moved his flashlight over them.
"Clear!" Hokuto's voice echoed as he stepped inside.
He walked over to the clothes. Once he was close enough, he raised an eyebrow. He placed on his gloves and grabbed the clothes. They seemed to be the type of clothes a woman would wear. His eyes narrowed. He turned the shirt over. There was a tiny hole in the back of the clothes. At first glance, one wouldn't think anything of it. It was like a tiny hole that most clothes in this time seemed to have. However, Naruto was oddly concerned because… the hole seemed jagged… like teeth marks.
"Am I overthinking this?" he asked before he picked up the torn-up pants. When he moved them, he noticed a tiny hole. It was a very tiny hole, barely even worth notice, but it was because there was no reason a hole should be this small and this deep from a pickaxe.
"Oi Blondie, you gonna clear me or not?" Hokuto asked as she noticed what he was doing. She looked over his shoulder at the clothes.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
Naruto trailed a finger over the ground around the hole. "The dirt's uneven," he said.
The teenage girl frowned. "Well, we have some civilians working to mine the area. The rock provides good material for the steam vents. How do you think we got hot water for the bathing areas?" she asked.
Naruto's mouth thinned. What was he worried about? He wasn't sure. Still, anything that could prove a threat to Kurenai and Ayame had to be investigated. He hardly cared about the settlement outside of Kakashi, but he never wished for anyone to die.
"Okay, look. We'll document it. At best, some guys got a nice view of a lady without some clothes on. At worst, it's probably just a mole or whatever. We've got like twenty-three more sectors to check and I'd like to finish before lunchtime," she replied.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki dropped the clothes and nodded. "Yeah, let's do that," he said as they left the working area. He looked back at the hole one more time before he followed the settlement survivor.
After some time, Naruto and Hokuto finished their routine. Unfortunately, now they had to have lunch… while in a class designed for the settlement protectors. Then there were the combat courses. Oh fuck, there were the combat courses.
At this point, Naruto couldn't deny he finally discovered what it was like to be Sasuke without the attitude. He'd mercilessly put down everyone in his age group, the instructors, and any guest guards called to attendance. It was an odd feeling to see so many… females eyeing him now that he was conscious of it. Of course, he had to deal with the glares of most of his male counterparts. That said, though the attention was nice, Naruto already knew that the ladies of this settlement would not compare to Ayame and Kurenai. When both were better, he would speak with them both about what happened.
The day seemed to end and he went back home. The night was rather awkward with the blond and his former sensei. Ever since their talk from last time, neither found much to talk about. Admittedly, Kakashi tried some times, but he came up short. He wasn't sure what he could say to his former student that could make the situation better. The one-eyed former jonin just couldn't do it. He couldn't go back. The guilt would threaten to tear him to pieces.
"Friend-killer Kakashi. Maybe there's some truth to it," Kakashi thought to himself before he heard the door close behind him. He sighed and placed his bowl of food down.
Naruto walked through the iron settlement without much cause. He watched some people laugh to themselves while they spoke of Ranmaru. In a broken mirror, he saw himself in his new attire. He had to get Ayame and Kurenai out of here.
"Yo Blondie, what are you doing out here by yourself?"
Naruto frowned and saw Hokuto waving at him. He exhaled. "What do you want, Freckles?" he asked.
He was punched in his arm, but without much force. "I heard you tore up the courses. Why do you look like you didn't?" she asked.
Was that what he looked like? He didn't exactly remember anymore. "I'm fine," he snorted while Hokuto laughed.
"Yeah sure. Tell me all about how fine you are somewhere else. Come on, I'm off duty anyway," the young woman replied. Naruto raised an eyebrow, but he found himself following the young girl anyway.
They walked through a couple of tunnels and through a few steel structures. In time, they found themselves looking over the settlement. Both watched the massive structure creak and shake, the numerous people going about their lives, buying and training through the use of kunai and shuriken. If nothing else, this gave the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki an insight into how transactions would be going with the rest of the world. So… kunai and shuriken became currency now.
"So Mr. Fine, what's going on with you? Is it the long hours? You'll get used to them. I know I had to when I first joined this settlement" Hokuto said, as she munched on some stale popcorn. She grumbled to herself. First thing she was going to do if society recovered from this, make herself some DAMN popcorn with LOTS of butter!
Naruto leaned against the wall. "You always care about other people's business?" he asked.
"Hey, I allowed you to go on a date with me. You should feel honored. Besides, we're gonna be partners for the next few weeks," she replied.
"Hmm, you'll be lucky if we're partners by the end of the week. Wait, this isn't a date! I'm taken… I think," he mumbled to himself, yelling the last part. Hokuto chuckled.
"Yeah yeah, I'm just messing with you. Like I'd date you anyway. So what's up?"
Naruto sighed. "Look, I'm sure you guys have a nice deal here, but I'm not into the whole… worship thing going on here. I think once my friends are better in two or three days, we'll be leaving," I answered.
Hokuto sighed. "To be honest, I don't blame you. Freaked me out too when I first got here, but… it's the only way some of us can get our chakra back. Surely you know what it's like to be without something you've had nearly all your life. Plus, most of the people here weren't shinobi. They were the lucky, or unlucky, ones that managed to make it here. Most people just wanna get from one day to the next. Others have lost their families and are looking to make another start. For most of them, it's better to just lower your head and pray than risk going out there alone," she replied.
Well, Naruto could understand that. He was an Inheritor, or something, so he was definitely more suited to survive the world than those around him. Plus, not many people had a chakra 'god' in their gut. They were just… normal people. "Well, in my experience, sometimes the worst monsters aren't the ones out in the wilderness," he spoke back.
Hokuto chuckled and reached into her popcorn bucket, only to realize she had no popcorn left. She sucked her teeth and threw the box away. "True point. I heard you were saved by Ao-san and you knew Kakashi-san from our settlement. How'd you know him?" she asked.
Naruto closed his eyes. "He was my sensei," he replied.
The young woman nodded. "Ah, so I assume if you leave he'll be leaving with you?" she asked.
Naruto widened his eyes and reached for a kunai, but Hokuto waved him off. "Please, I've seen people like you sometimes. They pay for a place to sleep for a day or two, pay for some medicine or healing services, and then they leave. Some usually pay by helping out, but they never stay for long. They're very detached from everyone else. Truth be told, I've lived here for three years. I've thought about leaving too," she whispered.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki lowered his kunai. "Why's that?" he asked.
Hokuto laughed. "The Church of Ranmaru, they're a group comprised of the more… zealous members of the settlement. I don't interact with them too much, but they try to recruit people, and those who don't pray to Ranmaru they are willing to assault. However, none are able to prove it's them as those caught never reveal information. Raiga tolerates them because they are willing to follow any of his orders in the name of Ranmaru-sama. I think it's all nonsense, but don't let them hear you say that," she answered.
She then looked over the railing and pointed down. The blue-eyed young man followed her finger to the building at the very bottom, nearly covered by the orange flames. He noticed a bridge leading to a tunnel. "That's their 'church' or so they like to call it. It's just some old shack that I've heard was built with this place. It's been rumored that Raiga's the leader of the church, but won't publicize it because that'd drive people away. He's supposedly Ranmaru's prophet or whatever, he receives all his orders from someone we never see. Every two months or so, we get someone disappearing. It's never someone new. People think they're being taken by Raiga to that place," she said.
"Why don't they do something about it then?" he asked.
"Yeah, face the man who has their 'god's' trust and a limitless supply to his chakra, or pack up your shit and brave the unknown outside. A lose-lose no matter how you look at it. However, one at least guarantees food and a place to sleep. People will tolerate almost anything if it means being safe," she replied.
Naruto then glanced at her. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked. No one told this type of information without wanting something in return. She could be playing him as well.
Unfortunately, he stiffened when she fingered his chest. "Hell if I know. Something makes me trust you. At the very least, I distrust you less than this settlement," she replied.
"And why do you stay?" he asked.
"Saving up my stuff. I plan to leave one day, but better to be prepared. Maybe there is a home out there for me, but it ain't here," she answered.
Before he even caught himself, the blond spoke. "You could come with us when we leave," he said.
Hokuto gasped and placed a hand over her chest. "A marriage proposal already? But we haven't even had our second date yet!" she exclaimed.
"It's not a marriage proposal, Freckles!" he fired back while she laughed and held her hands up defensively.
"Alright, alright. Sheesh, people's sense of humor probably died with the apocalypse. Sorry, but I think I've had enough of groups and settlements for a little while. Who knows what the future's got though," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.
Naruto leaned off the wall and sighed. "Well, thanks for the talk. Maybe you'll get your chance before the week's over," he said as he walked away. He waved goodbye to the girl while she watched him leave.
She smiled sadly before she looked out at the settlement. "Hmmm, he's taken. Well, that's a shame. Why are all the good ones always taken?" She thought to herself before she leaned against the wall.
Meanwhile, Naruto headed back home. Tomorrow, Ayame and Kurenai would be cleared from the medical area and then he would tell them how he planned to get out. Actually, Hokuto gave him quite a good idea. With any luck, he could leave without having to cause Kakashi any trouble.
"Greetings, fellow settler. Come, pray with me! Lord Ranmaru shall usher in the new age of this apocalypse. May we forever be within his embrace. Would you like to donate 25 kunai to the Ranmaru settlement? By donating, you will be donating to the very future of the world. We're also accepting new recruits. Will you be one?" someone, a worn and torn hood over their head, said with a large smile.
"Piece of advice. Decide your own fate. Don't let someone else decide it for you. People like you annoy me the most dattebayo," Naruto replied before he pushed past the person. Suddenly, he stiffened when he felt a massive burst of killing intent directed at him. He turned around, but the hooded figure was already gone.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki stepped into Kakashi's home. "Hard day?" he asked.
The blond looked at his former teacher, a frown on his face. "I'm gonna go to bed," he replied. He then walked into the spare room and closed the door. Kakashi sighed but continued reading the book he'd been given as a gift. He hoped to clear his thoughts before it was his turn to guard the upper decks of the settlement.
-x-
Bando sighed as he sat in a tavern, a cup of some odd shit that was supposed to be a delicacy for them. He didn't buy it. He didn't even know why he was here. Well, actually that was a lie. The girls were nice to look at. Additionally, he gave him a much-needed break.
For the past few days, Bando had been in talks with Raiga about the weapon shipments and trade of needed materials. A caravan had been selected by Bando to cross the tumultuous deserts, arid air, and violent forces from Iwa all the way to the outskirts of Yugakure. The negotiations had just ended. The trades of steel and iron ore for wool and food were all set to go.
Still, Bando did not like these people. Ever since the world had gone to shit, he'd been wary of most people. Of course, he didn't relent on getting potential business opportunities. He'd raided quite a few homes for some money. Sure, it might be worthless now, but when civilization got back on its feet, if ever, he was gonna be one of the richest fuckers walking these decrepit lands.
After finishing his dinner, Bando paid with one rusty kunai. He then left the area. As he walked back to his abode he noticed a woman looking at him. The red-haired man narrowed his eyes. He saw her lick her lips and wink at him.
"Tch, fucking sluts. Then again, I have been a little overworked lately. I think I could spare a kunai for a night. Not like Kagura's gonna know about my activities. Everyone needs some fun in these times," he thought as the muscular man met up with the woman.
Bando had to admit, she was very beautiful. Long, sleek black hair and dark-brown eyes, a sultry smile, and a nice-looking body, what more could a man ask for?
"So what's your name?" he asked.
The woman merely smiled before she traced his long, broad arm. He noticed that she didn't have any clothes on. The only thing which covered her modesty was a dirty robe. However, its open veil allowed for a wonderful view of her legs that he didn't miss.
She grabbed his hand and guided him out of the settlement's main steel roads. Bando smirked. Ah, the strong silent type. Maybe she was a mute, maybe she just didn't want her name mentioned. Well, it didn't matter to him.
The two went deeper and deeper until Bando could hold it no longer. "This is far enough!" He said before he pinned the woman to the wall. She bit her lips and dropped her robe, revealing to him her luscious body.
The arms dealer gasped. This was a pretty damn fine body! He was tempted to actually ask the woman if she wished to come back with him when he left. The thought that some other man might get to hold such a pleasure as this was almost an injustice to him. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head.
The two then kissed. Sounds of bliss and pleasure roamed through the open halls with no one to hear them. The woman panted and sighed, sweat falling down her face. Her thin arms wrapped around Bando's neck, her legs helpless before his strength as he thrust into her.
"Fuck, you're tight! Mmmmph!" he growled, his voice filled with lust. He closed his eyes and groaned. Oh, yes! This woman was unlike any he'd ever had before. He couldn't be separated from her. He'd take her with him! He'd marry her if she so desired. All he knew was that no one else should be allowed to enjoy this except for him!
"Aaaaah! Ooooooh! Kkreeeeeeeeeahk!"
Bando opened his eyes and suddenly his face shifted in horror. "W-What the fuck?!" He gasped as the woman's face formed a mangled mash of teeth, saliva-coated tentacles, and worms sliding down the side of her mouth.
Fear overcoming him, Bando screamed as he threw the woman off. She rolled to the side and grunted while her teeth snarled. "KRAEEEEEEEKCK!" she screamed, her voice making Bando's ears bleed. He rolled over to the side and grabbed his clothes.
The big, bulky man ran as hard as he could, tears falling down his face. Fear and adrenaline moved through his body, but he didn't get very far. "UGH!" he grunted as something pulled him to the ground. His head bashed against the floor, making it bleed and disorienting him. As he rubbed his bleeding forehead, he turned around and noticed four tongue-like strings wrapped around his left arm and leg. They pulled him back in the darkness of the tunnels.
"No! No! I won't die! I can't die like this! I-I don't wanna die! Let go of me you monster!" Bando exclaimed as he used all the strength that could to free himself, but the tongues were strong. They were stronger than anything he'd ever fought against before. He pulled so hard skin started to peel itself from his arms.
Blood dripped and dropped from his arm and leg! He reached into his clothes for some form of weapon, but in his clumsy haste… he dropped one of them and could only watch as the blade got further and further away as he was dragged into the darkness of the settlement tunnels.
"A-A-A-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGuguggghhhhHhgh!"
"KREEEEEEEEEEAEAEAK!"
KG: I've been playing too much Metro Exodus...
KG: CREAM SODA!