A/N: I return my subjects! THE I's have it! Ya'll are getting another chapter! For any wondering, YES I have seen Jurassic World, and I bloody loved it! Indominus Rex was indeed a bloody clever girl, downright remarkable, really. I found that her death was rather sudden, however, amusing as it was.
And when I saw that there were so few Naruto crossovers with it and all the INSANITY that takes places throughout, well, the gears in my mind got to turning. As another note, this is a sort of prequel to the "Not Going Home" series as a whole, chronicling the adventures of our dimension hopping blond.
Therefore, before reading this, I SERIOUSLY suggest you stop and read that, first.
LET THE NEW ERA BEGIN! Also yes, I've purged another few stories as of this mark. Now...
...off we go! I proudly present another chapter for Clever Girl! Its meant to be short and sweet, so I hope ya like it! AND YES, I take some unabashed shots at Jurassic Park Three, here =D And yes, I strongly believe that there was more than one Spino only Isla Sorna. This story reflects that belief. Now...
...for reals this time! Hope ya like it! Its nice and long!
"I'm not sure I like that look in your eye-
CHOMP~!
...clever girl."
~?
Flesh and Scale
Ladies and gentlemen...I have erred.
There ya go.
I said it.
Happy?
My mistake was grabbing Indy and rabbiting, never once thinking to see what else "Jurassic World" was cooking up. That was no place for a baby, dinosaur, or otherwise. So I took her and bolted, without pausing to try and ponder my actions. That was my fault. My error. Overconfidence, assuming that no one would DARE try to cook up something else in that lab.
I was wrong.
Perhaps, had I known that there was ANOTHER Indominus in that other egg-the one beside hers-things would be different.
Out of sheer curiosity I paid another visit to the island today, on a lark.
That's when I saw her.
It.
Another Indominus Rex. They must've accelerated her growth somehow; she's already twice the size of Indy, three times the crazy, and STILL growing.
That thing...I can't even call it a dinosaur anymore. It's a monster. All that anger-rage-all that hate, not even I could get through to it. Tried to get close, and it nearly bit me in half. Nothing to imprint on, so no parents, nothing to put her in her place. The only stable relationship she has is with a crane. A crane! That drops meet into her paddock!
Poor creature. Did I deprive it a sibling? A life? Questions for later, I suppose.
Of course, no one expects air-tight logic when we have genetically-recreated dinosaurs running roughshod over gullible humans who sought to control nature. But that's the propelling action that keeps me around, the reason I DIDN'T up and destroy everything on that island. Sick as it might sound, I rather enjoy retarded scientists running around an isle populated by terrifying monsters, savoring disbelief until it finally snaps like a twig. When the latter happens, that's where I step in.
But the idea that I could have saved another, innocent life, and that I didn't, well...that hurts.
With the benefit of hindsight...
...I'm kinda glad I chose Indy though, instead of the other one.
Indy's growing at an incredible rate, both in size and personality. She's a fierce one alright, but sometimes she can be...well, downright playful. She's not quite a daughter, and she's CERTAINLY not a pet, but something better. More. A partner, I guess? Don't know. Don't care, really. She's got a life here, far better than what she would've had in a lab and she's happy. So am I. That's all that matters. Ah, crap, this is getting really hard to write, getting all sentimental.
I tell myself I chose her.
Sometimes, though, late at night, I wonder...
...was it really she who choose me-OW!
THAT DOES IT!
INDY! YOU-
-give me back my arm!"
Thus saying, he jerked away from his tented desk in the jungle, spattering red droplets all over his journal-
-and smacked right into her.
The creature he faced was at least three heads taller than him, and despite her close proximity, he felt completely at ease. Well, not completely. His shoulder pumped arterial blood onto the ground, the fresh wound an outright beacon to his charge. Looking up at her, he could've sworn she grinned around her prize. Her head rose, taking half the tent with her.
"You little-
'Mine.'
Indy shook her head from side to side, the motion savaging the limb trapped between her teeth. Her tail swayed rapidly back and forth-much like a dog, he thought-and her bright, reptilian eyes reflecting only a desire to play; not the slightest bit of menace in those dancing, orange orbs. She knew he could regenerate, and knew he'd be just fine. Even so, she wasn't giving up her treat. She was like a hyperactive teenager now, not a child, someone he could barely understand, much less control.
Needless to say, Naruto was feeling less than playful at the moment. Oh, it would be simple to grow another one, but that arm had the chip in it, the one that allowed him to track his charge. He didn't want to tear open the skin again just to implant a new one. Regeneration hurt like hell, and it was something he tried to avoid, when he could.
This was what he got for ignoring her. In many ways, she was still a child-a very bitey girl who did not like to be ignored.
"Hand it over." he pointed, indicating the ravaged arm. "Now."
Another shake. 'No. MINE.'
"I swear to god, if you don't give it back right now, I'll turn you back into a human again!"
There was an awful silence.
Then, with a loud, guttural bark of laughter, the Indominus raced away into the jungle, the deep thoom of her footfalls rapidly fading.
"GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE!"
(Miles away)
A lone Rex heard the shouting.
Curiosity peaked, the great tyrant raised its muzzle, looking up from the spinosaur carcass that was its meal. It stomped down on the beast one last time, just to be certain it was dead. Bastard ate Johnny. Johnny was cool. Then he'd gotten himself eaten. Not cool. Pride dictated that the sonuvabitch had to be taught a lesson. right and proper. Youngsters these days, no respect.
Still, what was this noise, so deep in its territory?
Craning its neck, it was rewarded with a flash of white in the trees, mere moments before a massive, dangerous creature came racing across the grove. Arm clutched in its mouth, it gave a single, challenging bark, then it was gone again back into the jungle. The T-Rex huffed, annoyed.
"Don't even think about it!"
Then, somewhere behind the Indominus, it caught sight of a flash of blond hair. Instinct clamped down. Dino-killer. Nope nope NOPE!
'Nope.'
It promptly went back to its meal and pretended it hadn't seen anything.
Within good reason!
(Flashback)
Indy was a dangerous girl, the most brilliant-or was she really?-of any of her kind.
She was special in ways that words simply couldn't describe, unique-no.
Perhaps unique didn't quite exactly define that.
Because Indy was also a very clever girl.
Indominus proved herself so clever in fact, that one might almost think her human. Already more than a month old now and she was the size of a large cat going on a tiger; thin and slender, yet rippling with muscle and sinew and power. She could already hunt and hide on her own but preferred to stick by father more out of habit than of any real need.
The young rex could feel the power in her body when she moved now, and though much awkward growing lay ahead, she knew she was strong. Fearsome.
She also loved to run.
There was just something about it that spoke to her on a primal level.
Such as now; the steady thump-thump-thump of a steady sprint pounding away at her muscles, the heady feel of burning muscles a rich euphoria that she treasured. She wasn't hunting, she was running for sport; for a pure, simple reason. Because she enjoyed it, for the pure thrill of it all. Having already feasted on an unlucky ankylosaur, she was almost pleasantly sated, her body filled with the rich, vigorous energies needed to sprint across the isle she called home.
'Run, run, run, run.' It was a need-demand-in her very blood, and she yielded to it gladly.
It wasn't long before her joyride carried her into the island's interior, into the thick flocks of herbivores and omnivores alike. Easily-effortlessly-she could've had her pick of the island's inhabitants, but, Indy chose not to. They lived because she decided it; and they would die on a whim when she was hungry.
Herds of Triceratops and Stegasaurous scattered before her like leaves on the wind, bellowing their distresses, baring their horns and spikes in defensive postures, shrinking back from her sharp teeth.
Indy wasn't interested in them. Instead she barked out a cry of her own and kept running.
When she was moving at top speed almost nothing could catch her, save the larger predators. And Father, of course. Father could catch just about anything when he wanted to. Soon, she would be able to as well. There was no precedent for it, but somehow, Indy-Indominus Rex-knew that she would be big; bigger than anything else out there. She would be the top predator on Isla Sorna, her new home.
Assuming she survived.
She was still small, compared to the giants that roamed the island, but she was growing now, well on her way to becoming the giant she'd always been meant to be. Part of her pondered that, wondering at the irony. How could she know she would become a giant? It stood to reason that she shouldn't be growing this fast but she was; every day came with a growth spurt; the need to adjust to her ever-changing body was almost a compelling need.
Need.
What needs did she have?
She felt the need to stay near father-Daddy!-the urge to impress him, the Alpha. Both parent and leader. A strange feeling, she thought.
Unusual.
Then again, her life had been destined to be an unconventional one from the very beginning. Bred and born-engineered!-in a lab by scientists ,imprinting on an insane deity and being subsequently whisked away by said deity to another island entirely and raised, alone. Under any other circumstance such a relationship w would have ended in disaster.
Not this one.
Naruto was everything to her. Naruto was all.
He was part of their pack, but sometimes Indy wondered all the same. Were there others like her? If so, WHERE were they? Did she have pack outside of Naruto? It was a traitorous thought, and she wasn't quite sure if she liked that line of thinking.
Naruto was her pack. Father. Family.
She didn't rightly know what she was; she was the only one of her kind-that she knew of-after all. But she knew, without a doubt, that she owed him her life. That she was happy here.
"Hey!"
A sharp whistle drew her attention to a patch of forestry at her flank, and she wheeled westward with delighted chirrup. Scenting him, she hastened her stride, barreling through branch and bramble alike. Circumventing a decayed fence, she darted through a wide opening and-
-there he was.
Crashing through the undergrowth Indy spied him there across the clearing, at a distance.
His stride was leisurely, almost lazy in his silly looking robes. A massive bronchiosaur lay aways behind him, its decimated carcass burning brightly on an immense pyre. Despite her supposed-lack-of-hunger, Indy felt herself begin to drool again, almost grinning at the concept of such a meal.
"Eyes on me." he waved, the motion drawing her attention.
Indy stood rigid at his approach.
"Eyes up!" Those were her favorite words. She'd come to associate them with all manner of things, many of them good, few bad. "Alright then, let's see how you did today. "He looked down at a device on his wrist, and whistled softly. "You cheeky little dickwaffle! That was even faster than last time! How did you...you know what? I don't want to know."
Indy warbled a query.
'Good?'
"Very good!"
Her head trained towards, him, tracking.
"Whose my clever girl?" he waved, ushering her closer. You are!"
A low hiss said otherwise. Indy froze in her tracks, rational thought abandoning her.
Danger!
Danger!
DANGER!
Her mind wheeled frantically as a large shape resolved itself amongst the trees; a great, towering creature stepping out into the light. Instinct seized her, her body warring between fight or flight. It was close to her, so very close, and the need to stand her ground and declare her territory was almost overwhelming. So was the fear. Anxiety. Terror. Meat. It had scented the meat, and was here to feed.
Spinosaur.
Angry.
Male.
Danger.
Naruto clicked his jaw in warning, still a fair distance away.
"Don't even thing about it, Spiney." he called. "I'll turn your ass inside out."
The Spinosaurus yowled angrily, shaking its head on side to side in annoyed confusion. For a moment-just a moment-it seemed to consider those words. Naruto emitted the presence of an alpha predator, a creature of pure, bestial intent. A parent who would fight to the death for their children. They glowered at one another for a long moment, two alphas, neither willing to budge.
Then the angry theropod charged.
Not at him.
At her.
Too fast.
Too close!
Jaws closing on her neck swiftly, so swiftly-
"Nurt otni namuh!" Naruto barked something in a strange, reversed language and suddenly Indy felt herself falling, the spino's long jaws sweeping harmlessly over her head as she tumbled to the ground. Still she was plummeting, tumbling. But that didn't make any sense. She could feel the ground beneath her, dead leaves against her bulk. Her entire body shuddered, convulsing as it fell inward, compacting. A terrified eye gazed up at the cold trees. The world looked...larger, somehow. Everything...everything...
Crack.
Above her the Spinosaurus yowled.
A giant, golden fox had caught its jugular squarely in its jaws-holding it steady-and with a deafening crunch, broke the beast's neck. Sent it crashing to the ground. Again, she barely saw it. Was barely aware. The dead body-corpse-crashed to the floor only feet away, but she didn't even see it.
Instead she saw something else.
Quivering, she stared into the giant muddy footprint-her footprint-the murky brown water reflecting her face.
A small, tiny being stared back at her.
Long silver-almost white-tresses fell about a heart-shaped face from which eyes of bright, molten amber shone. Her skin was pale, almost grey, even, but that wasn't what rooted her. It was the eyes. Those, were her eyes. Orange and slitted, staring out at her from a human's face. She did not recognize the face of this young girl, her beauty, didn't care for her nakedness. She only knew that it -this!- felt horribly wrong. Her entire body started shaking, flat teeth clicking together in distress.
All that emerged was gibberish.
"Oh, hell." Naruto muttered. She barely heard him. "Look, just breathe, its alright-
Indy whined, hugging herself for warmth. Distantly, she felt him throw a cloak around her.
Not right.
Wrong.
She felt weak in this form. Vulnerable. No scales. No claws. No tail to balance herself. Her throat felt strange; she couldn't make the proper calls, couldn't convey her distress. All she heard was a sound that sounded a good deal like a whimper. In that, species held no difference. Terrified and furious, she clamored about in the mud, failing utterly to stand.
Didn't like it!
Did!
Not!
Like!
"Easy," her entire body nearly flailed when Father embraced her from behind. "Just breathe."
So Indy did.
In...
Ouuuuut...
(End Flashback)
It had been many months since he'd inflicted that humiliation on her.
He'd made her remain human for an entire day.
A!
Full!
Daaaaaay!
An unnerving thing it was, to become a puny human. No strength. No power. Not like Naruto; Naruto was a different breed. He insisted that her human body-should she ever deign to use it-would be just as powerful as her true form, but the thought of being weak and powerless again terrified her. No teeth. No claws. Nothing to defend herself with.
And yet...
...some small part of her yearned to feel it again.
Human.
Dinosaur.
Both?
Perhaps that was why she'd snatched his arm in the first place. Curiosity killed the cat as they said, but Indy was certainly no cat. She had too much pride to openly ask-vocalize-what she wanted so she'd gone to all the trouble of biting off his arm and leading him on a merry chase through the jungle. In a way it was elating, the adrenaline pulsing through her veins drowned out his furious shouts at her back.
He had promised her they would go "home" if she learned to act like a human. That was her drive. Her focus.
In the end, she got her wish.
"Got you!"
A startled yip burst out of the Indominus as something collided into her from behind; in the next instant she was shrinking, tumbling, rolling to the floor in a bundle of arms and legs. The world spun madly around her as her brain struggled to orient itself with the sudden change in perspective, her startled cry turning to a human shriek of surprise.
"Checkmate." Naruto crowed, skidding to a halt beside her.
Glowering up at him, she spat the arm out, her mouth now too small to contain her proud prize. Stumbling, she tried to stand, and failed miserably. Her human body was larger now, reflecting her growth rate. Her arms and legs were longer now, still stumbling through the awkward years of human in puberty. She resembled a teenager, angry and irked with her parent. She still didn't understand the concept of "nakedness" that he only always referred to, but she accepted the tattered cloak regardless, draping herself in it.
"Give it." Naruto beckoned. She knew what he wanted, orange eyes narrowing.
The limb sailed through the air to smack him in the head.
Laughing he reattached his arm,
"If you wanted to be human again, you could've asked."
Indy felt her face burn. What was this sensation? She remembered him calling it "blushing" what was a blush? She felt ashamed. Embarassed. This time, when she tried to stand, she was marginally successful. Her body held its balance for an instant then-traitorous thing!-arms pinwheeling, she crashed back into the muck. Naruto's cackle made her ears burn.
"Not as easy as it looks, is it?"
Indy growled, snapping her flat teeth at him.
Naruto thought it was absolutely adorable.
Indy...
...not so much.
She would...master this capricious flesh, just as she'd mastered all else. There was no other alternative. Growling and snarling she struggled to stand again, and each time met with a resounding failure. An angry hiss of exasperation snaked between her clenched teeth.
"Use your words."
"Un...fair." her voice-weak from lack of use-sounded like that of a dusky goddess. Smoke, roiling through honey. It was, in truth, one of the only words she knew besides his name.
"You're a clever girl," he soothed, crouching beside her. "You'll figure it out eventually."
She purred softly, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Then go home?"
A deep rumble of laughter thudded through his chest, reverberating up her ear like the drums of a great hunt, out for her blood. "Yeah...
...home-JESUS MOTHA!"
His words warped into a strangled yelp as her supposedly "harmless" teeth sank into his shoulder, nipping him.
"What in the hell was that for, ya little bugger?!"
Indy's grin was practically demonic.
"Payback."
A/N: Aye, this is a two-three-shot primarily to show how Naruto both met and "tamed" if you will, Indominus Rex, who will appear later on during his travels. Of course we all know she's a savage beast, but I like to think that she's misunderstood because of her horrible upbringing...just a little...
So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly? Hope you enjoyed the story! And of course, enjoy the preview! Hope it makes ya grin!
(Preview)
"ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US."
...what.'
Another series of snarls and chirps.
"MY HOVERCRAFT IS FULL OF EELS."
'Mocked. I...am I being mocked, here?' Indy snorted in disbelief, baffled by the creature-her sibling?-odd vocalizations before her. 'You, there! Beast! Make sense!' Its grunts and warbles sounded warped and distorted, by comparison, mindless gibberish that made not a lick of sense besides. She stared at the creature for a long moment, this twin, this reflection of herself. It mirrored her movements, looked just like her, only larger-a good foot longer
"MY-
'Quiet!' Indy snapped, roaring, and the larger creature cowered as though it had been struck. 'Cease your gibberish!'
There was a moment of shared silence between them-comprehension, perhaps?-as the two dinosaurs stared one another down. Indy clicked her jaw, irritated.
'Are you talking to-
"SOMEONE SET US UP THE BOMB."
An orange eye twitched.
'Die.'
Then she pounced!
R&R~! =D