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Naruto followed Aqua through the thickening floral of the Gapra Whitewood and he had paid attention to the details of the area. From the young girl's movements and familiarity of the area, it seemed she knew the place like the back of her own hand. Due to 'borrowing' the body and heart of this world's Naruto with his awakening, he was allowed to feel emotions even if Tenryū and Naraku aren't connected to him as Cypher Naruto was feeling torn. While he was proud of the young girl's resources, and yet, saddened by how much of her innocence was taken from her at such a young age.
As he was pondering, he noticed they were near a rusty old toolshed. It was old and rusty alright, but it looked like it was turned into a small house capable of living in, and was well kept. As Aqua unlocked it and gestured him in, he was surprised by what was in this toolshed. It was a bedroom. Nothing fancy of course, but still had the basics of a home. It had a hearth in the center for fires, a corner where he assumed the pile of leaves and ragged old mattress is her bed with blankets, and in another corner, a small collection of plants that look like herbs. There was even a bit of kitchen gear here as he assumed was what she used to cook her food.
Where she got her food, he could relate and picture easily in his mind. This child shouldn't have to live like this. This was a new resolve of his, to make sure this girl survives and gets a family full of love that she deserved. "Still thinking of your past, King?" the Cie'th taunted in his mind. He mentally shook it off, as he sat near the hearth as Aqua lit it with her fire magic as they bathed in the warmth of the flames. He was feeling sleepy, as he felt his eyes begin to drop slowly as he let actual sleep take him as he began to see into the eyes of other Narutos across time and space, seeing things from their eyes.
There in one dream, one incarnation of Naruto and Sasuke at the Valley of the End at the peak of their powers clashing with their Rasengan and Chidori respectively, the explosive power sending them into a different incarnation of Cocoon, meeting a younger Serah and Lightning there. Cypher Naruto chuckled in his dream as he gazed through that Naruto's eyes. Of how he soon fell for Lightning himself as he and Sasuke traveled with the famed Master L'Cie Heroes of Cocoon in this different timeline, with a few differentiations in the story as that version of the team were heading towards Oerba. He noticed though, that it seemed that this Sasuke and Fang have a thing for each other as well…very interesting.
In another world, one other incarnation of Naruto Uzumaki is the son of Moon Goddess and Huntress Artermis, clashing with Ares the God of War, and ripping apart even the Kraken itself. It was interesting to see one version of himself as a demigod, and would love to clash blades, or a contest of arrows with that warrior.
This third one was trapped in a virtual world; determined to save many lives from this death game while trying to help beat the seemingly impossible challenge. Courage and compassion was in this Naruto's heart, and Cypher Naruto respected that in this boy.
Now, the Maelstrom King began to dream of normal dreams once again. His wings outstretched as he soared through the skies; into the sea of stars and of infinity, and beyond; to his destiny.
Then he awoke, blinking slowly as he breathed in the cold natural air of the forest as he felt something cuddle around him. It was Aqua underneath his coat, but also Leo and Elo. He carefully moved the hair from the young girl's face, and his soul pulsed. It was not the soul of Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who dreamt of Hokage, but the soul of Cypher Naruto, the Maelstrom King who weaved the infinite possibilities for his incarnations. This girl was an anomaly in the space-time continuum, and was not meant to be in this world or time.
He was being granted a vision, of whom this girl was meant to be…Keyblade Master Aqua.
Keyblade…That was a weapon he hadn't wielded in eons since the Maelstrom Wars. He was no master of that blade or its secrets, but he picked up a few tricks from some self-proclaimed Keyblade Master versions of Naruto he had killed back then. Especially the inheritance ritual as a successor…
—He has to take responsibility if he wants to keep this girl alive and safe from the self-correction will of the world itself. He would have to do that ritual and be responsible for training her, unless an actual Keyblade Master comes to take her somewhere safe. Being a Cypher, he was allowed to learn of things that he'll need to know if he gets involved in something like this. Earning his Keyblade was a surprising thing, and was actually a last resort. No one knows of his secret, not even Shana, his own fraternal twin sister whom he shared everything with.
He began to gently stoke the embers of the hearth and was carefully helping rekindle the flames as he felt something furry to his right. He knew for a fact that Leo and Elo are not real lion cubs and thus, do not have any kind of fur. Plus they and Aqua were on his left, while this furry thing was on his right side. Slowly looking to his right carefully, he saw a Silver Lobo, and for once, breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a pup cuddling to him, as he noticed at the front door, with only its head visible, was the mother resting peacefully. But he realized it was happening again as he knew that it was an entire pack of Silver Lobos out there, drawn to him as he was dreaming. Every time he dreams and subconsciously uses his Cypher powers, animals of all kinds are drawn to him and want to sleep peacefully under his presence, as if he was an alpha predator of the ecosystem that protects them all.
For now, he smiled, recalling one time with a pack of normal wolves as he began to feel drowsy again. They'll leave him and Aqua unharmed, for now, dreams were calling him; and thus glimpsing into the realms of infinite possibilities continued.
Kushina hummed a gentle tune as she fiddled with something in her hands as Lightning kept position as she eyed the area where the smoke was coming from down below in the forest. Lightning didn't need to second guess that it was Naruto responsible, lighting a campfire in a forest full of dangerous animals. He'll never change, especially with his habit of getting into trouble. "You know, it's already morning so I prepared a little something for Naruto. After all, today is a big day." Kushina spoke up with a smile as Lightning turned her head towards her friend. "What do you mean?" the Master L'Cie asked as Kushina merely smiled. "What's the date today?" she asked with a cheeky grin.
Raising an eyebrow, Lightning recalled what the month was, and the current date which was yesterday and…oh. "October 10…Naruto's Birthday." She realized. Lightning remembered her birthday, the last one she celebrated with when she was still on Cocoon and Serah was still with her. Not the best birthday due to circumstances, and never got the chance to actually even enjoy the cake. It made her regret snapping at her own sister and Snow on such an important day, and to not believe in her sister when she said she was turned into a L'Cie. But that was then, this was now, and she'll make it up by getting Naruto something in this forest. There was no doubt that there was something here that could make Naruto's day if she could help it.
"What are you making him?" Lightning asked, as her old friend smirked and showed her a metal wristband. It had inscriptions on it, a series of seals on it for purposes she did not know. "A good luck charm to keep him safe," she replied with a tone of concern on it as she looked at Lightning straight in the eye. "What did you get him?" she asked as Lightning was left lost for words. How was the stoic soldier of Guardian Corp. ever going to get out of this one?
If Lady Luck was smiling upon her, an old enemy she was familiar with, an Aster Protoflorian appeared, with the intent on killing the intruders of the forest. And Lightning new the bio-weapons of the Sanctum always had AMP chips in them and were useful in developing new things in all sorts of fields. And knowing how Naruto loves to be flamboyant when it comes to making things, maybe this will be a start. "Mine just came in the delivery," was her reply as she drew Blazefire from its sheath and began slowly walking towards the bio-weapon with a slight smirk on her face.
Needless to say, Naruto was going to have one interesting birthday today, and this was just the beginning.
A/N: Happy Birthday Naruto! This chapter is dedicated to Naruto's birthday on October 10th, but I'm back to update this fic for a few more chapters for this month and then move on to other works to update. Than you readers who've followed and favorite this fic. I know this chapter may be short, but I promise you it will be back to its usual amounts of words soon.
Fan of Fanfics21-Out.