Chapter one: Pilot.
In a certain domicile, one Naruto Uzumaki slumbered quietly, trying his best to ignore any nightmares or whispers that tried to haunt him in his sleep. Sometimes while he tried to sleep, he would hear the various echoes of the villagers of Konoha whisper in his mind.
"Demon Brat."
"Nobody will ever love him."
"Nobody cares about him."
"Parents did the smart thing, leaving him behind."
"No one would be crazy enough to adopt that monster."
These and many other voices echoed from within his mind. These phrases were the ones he often heard whispered behind his back when the people of Konoha thought that he was out of earshot. Throughout his young life, all he really and truly wanted was love and affection that he had long been denied since he was born. The few people who genuinely cared for him, such as the Sandaime for instance, Naruto could easily count on a single hand.
Sadly, the Hokage and the few friends he had were often busy with their own duties, responsibilities and lives, thus couldn't stay with him 24/7. He could understand that, even so… it was still painful having to withstand the pain of loneliness and the almost constant whispers and unjust hatred of Konoha's populace. He groaned as he stirred awake and his eyes fluttered open, staring at the morning sunlight that was peaking through a set of curtains near his bed.
Suddenly the curtains seemed to open themselves, and then a chime sounded followed by a robotic female voice that suddenly announced "Good Morning Naruto Uzumaki. Today seems to be a lovely day with clear and sunny skies, and a high of 73 degrees fahrenheit. Allow me to start your morning with some music and a cup of coffee. It's going to be a big day for you since this will be your first morning with us."
Naruto blinked his eyes a few times then quickly jumped up as he tried to look around and take in his new surroundings, he was no longer in his half-rotten and debilitated apartment. Instead he found himself in some kind of luxurious suite, the bed he was in had rich red and gold colored silk sheets, an expensive and ornate wardrobe, an advanced television that hung on the wall, and so much more.
He heard a clicking sound coming from a nightstand as the top of it slid open and a tray with a steaming cup of coffee, a carton of cream, and a small bowl of sugar cubes appeared with a spoon for stirring. Gentle opera music then began to play as Naruto slid out of the bed, unsure of what to make of his new surroundings. He went over to the window and saw nothing but trees passing by, showing that he was on some kind of transport that was obviously in motion. "Where am I? Who are you? What is going on here?" The blonde demanded in anger and confusion.
"There is no need for alarm. You are perfectly safe. Everything is going to be alright. I advise you to get dressed and freshen up. You don't want to disappoint your passengers, do you? This will be your first day together." The voice spoke, and for a second, the blonde wondered if it was teasing and/or messing with him. Wait, what did it mean by passengers?
He grimaced in dissatisfaction and annoyance as he once again demanded "Again, where the hell am I? Who the hell are you?" After a few moments, he received no reply, if the mysterious voice had heard him, it had obviously chosen not to reply. He looked down and found himself dressed in only his boxers. He glanced towards the wardrobe and made his way over to it and opened it up to see what clothes may be inside since he wasn't about to walk around half-naked… not to mention someone was clearly watching him which made him feel somewhat uneasy.
He glanced around the room, but saw no visible signs of cameras, if there were any, they were undoubtedly hidden. He then looked inside the wardrobe and found various sets of clothes for various occasions, ranging from sleepwear, formalwear, casualwear, bathrobes, and so forth, spare changes of underwear and socks were kept in a drawer at the bottom, a small rack for shoes, and finally, resting on a display was a crisp black uniform with a small cap that had the kanji for 'Conductor' on the front.
Naruto pursed his lips and grabbed a simple red t-shirt and pair of shorts, followed by a pair of Shinobi sandals. Once he was dressed, he cautiously stepped towards the door nearby and opened it, feeling a bit surprised that it opened without any resistance. When it fully opened, he was greeted by the sight of a long hallway with several doors to his left and he proceeded down.
He opened the first door he came across and peered inside, finding only a small cabin with a set of bunk beds, a small closet, and a little bathroom. Judging by the setup and from what he had seen thus far, he concluded that he was on some kind of a train… but wait… was he supposed to be the Conductor since he was placed in that suite? There was also the uniform and the cap to further support this… just what in the hell was going on?
He inspected the next door and found yet another cabin, it seemed like this car was for all the passengers to stay. He proceeded onward towards the next car, hoping to find an emergency exit or something of the like. When he entered the next car, he found it to be yet another one for passengers, prompting him to hurry on to the next car… and when he opened the door it was difficult to see inside because of how dark it was.
He could make out shapes though, from what little he could see, he was able to discern the shapes of school desks lined up in this car… and two female figures were sitting at a desk in the middle section on the right-hand side. All of a sudden, the two women began making muffled screams as they furiously wiggled and struggled in their seats, strongly suggesting that they were bound in place. Alarmed, the blonde quickly rushed forward and approached them. He was temporarily blinded when the lights suddenly flashed on, but when his vision cleared, he was able to clearly see the insides of this classroom… which appeared to be designed for small children.
The two imprisoned women in question were of exceptional beauty with one having short orange hair, and the other having dark blue hair… and their skin-tight outfits left very little to the imagination as their bountiful breasts jiggled as they wildly thrashed around. Thick cloth rags had been stuffed into their mouths, muffling their voices as the blonde approached them. He attempted to free the orangette first, and was confused when she tried to pull away from him, she and the other woman both angrily glared at him and seemed to be screaming something at him but he couldn't understand what they were trying to say.
"Hang on. I'm not gonna hurt you. Just lemme…" He tried to speak as he finally got within reach of the orangette… only for her to lunge forward, striking him square on the nose with her forehead. Naruto was knocked back by the force of her headbutt,, he hit the floor with a loud thud and clutched at his nose as he groaned in pain. Luckily, he was certain that nothing was broken, but damn that fucking hurt. As hot blood dribbled out of his nose, an alarm suddenly sounded as crimson strobe lights started flashing.
Before the blonde could even register what was happening, the doors to the classroom opened and the sounds of metallic footsteps could be heard as a swarm of robots suddenly rushed into the classroom. Their eyes all glowed red as a set of robots helped the Uzumaki to his feet, while all the rest surrounded the orangette and pointed a series of blades hidden in their forearms at various vital points. "Passenger Sakura Igawa, you have assaulted the Conductor and shall be punished at his discretion." The robots spoke in unison, pressing the blades to her flesh as the now identified Sakura trembled in terror, her skin paling a ghostly white as she feared for her life.
"Stop it! Let her go!" Naruto shouted… and then the robots instantly complied as they released her from their grip. They all saluted and spoke in unison "As the Conductor wishes, Passenger Sakura Igawa shall be spared from punishment. However, further violations shall not be forgiven." All at once, the machines marched out in lockstep, save for two who quickly applied some first aid to the blonde and cleaned off the blood from his nose before they too marched out.
Once the mysterious machines were all gone, the blonde and the two women were left all alone. The latter two frozen in shock at what had just happened. Naruto could only blink his eyes, unsure of what to make of what just occurred, in fact he was barely even processing it. However, given how quickly those robots responded when he had been attacked and how quickly they obeyed him… he was obviously someone important on this train.
He pursed his lips and slowly reached forward to the orangette who tried to pull away from him once again, but otherwise made no resistance when he pulled the gag from her mouth. "Easy now. I know you're probably scared, but I promise, I'm not gonna hurt you or your friend. Now hold still so I can get you both loose." He spoke and inspected the bonds that kept them tied down… ninja wire. Smart, something that couldn't be easily slipped or chewed through like rope.
The named Sakura bit her lip then spoke "I don't care what those damn robots do to me, you touch me, I'll rip your throat out, you fucking perv!" The whiskered teen was taken aback by her threat, wondering what he had done to make her feel that she was in danger from him. From the first moment he walked in, they reacted with fear and outrage… why? And wait… perv?
"Didn't you hear me? I just said, twice now, that I wasn't gonna hurt you. And why are you calling me a perv?" He asked in confusion, instead of answering him directly, her eyes flicked over his shoulders making him turn around to see what she was looking at… and saw a series of propaganda-style pictures and posters of himself decorating the classroom walls near the teacher's desk. Most of them said things like 'Obey the Conductor' or things of that nature.
"What… the… actual… fuck?" Naruto muttered in shock and revulsion at the sight… he could only stare open-mouthed at the posters which were obviously meant to encourage obedience and subservience… this was all kinds of messed up as far as he was concerned.
Upon witnessing his reaction, the two girls exchanged looks with each other, as if having a silent conversation with each other… then they heard the blonde muttering to himself "What the fuck is going on? Voices… robots… trains… fucking 'worship me' propaganda. WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO ME?!" Naruto screeched out at the end as he picked up the nearest object within reach, a stapler, and threw it at the wall in rage.
He huffed and puffed while gripping his hair… then he stopped himself as he glanced back at the two women who could only stare at him with wide eyes. Their earlier anger had now vanished and was replaced by obvious confusion. The women exchanged another look, with the orangette speaking "Wait… you're not behind this?"
The Uzumaki simply shook his head negatively, causing Sakura to continue speaking "We woke up in this creepy classroom a bit ago. This robot showed up and told us that we were passengers here, which meant we were the property of the Conductor… then it started up this video, and then you showed up. We thought you were… gonna… gonna…" She tried to explain, but her voice died in her throat at the end as she found herself unable to finish what she was trying to say.
Biting his lip, Naruto simply nodded in understanding, guessing that they were expecting him to defile them or something… not that he could blame them given the pure insanity of their situation. "Right… I think I get the idea… I'm really sorry if I scared you… full honesty, I haven't the slightest idea what is going on. Last thing I remember is falling asleep in my apartment, then waking up in the… I guess the Conductor's cabin or something." He answered as he approached and began to look around for something sharp enough to cut the wires that kept them bound, but had no luck in that regard.
Suddenly gaining an idea, he called out "Can I get a Robot in here to cut these girls free?" At his command, a pair of robots suddenly appeared through the doors and quickly cut the two women free of the wires binding them before immediately departing as quickly as they had arrived. The blue haired woman removed her gag with a relieved sigh and moved her mouth around as if to loosen her jaw.
"My name is Asagi Igawa. You've already met my sister Sakura. It would seem you're as much a victim here as we are Naruto-san." The Bluenette spoke, introducing herself, the whiskered teen gaped at her and tilted his head since he hadn't given them his name yet… so how did they know him by name already?
"In case you were wondering how we know your name… the video we were forced to watch may provide some insight. The remote is on the teacher's desk." Asagi spoke, pointing towards a small device that was resting on the otherwise barren desk. Growing curious, the Uzumaki picked it up and found the remote had only a single red button and then pushed it.
The lights suddenly turned off, and a projector screen lowered from the ceiling, after a few moments the screen was illuminated as a '3, 2, 1' appeared followed by a title screen that read 'Introductory of the Conductor.'
A cartoonish looking train suddenly chugged into view and then spoke to the 'audience' "Good morning to you passengers! This is your first day aboard the Uzu Express, and the first day of your new lives. I'm Puffin' Pete, and I'll introduce you to the big man himself, your beloved Conductor, Naruto Uzumaki!"
The scene suddenly changed to a view of the blonde himself sitting alone in his rotting apartment, eating some cup ramen as Puffin' Pete spoke from offscreen "This is Naruto Uzumaki. He's very lonely. He has no family whatsoever and has lived a very lonely life without any real happiness or joy. Just look at his apartment! It looks like a health hazard in and of itself! No one will even adopt or foster the poor fellow."
The scene then changed to show the Uzumaki shopping at a store, the staff and shoppers all sneering at him with disgust "Virtually everyone in his village despises poor Naruto's existence. People often whisper hurtful things behind his back, shops overcharge him on even the most basic essentials, some even throw him out."
The scene changed once again, this time showing the whiskered boy struggling in school while a silver haired man and another man with a scar across the bridge of his nose taking obvious enjoyment in the boy's struggles and doing nothing to help him. "He can't even catch a break in school! The teacher's deliberately neglect him and allow the other students to pick on him. They even branded him the 'Dead-last' and allowed the name to stick. Whenever poor Naruto asks for help from the teachers they always tell him things like 'You aren't trying hard enough' or 'keep on trying."
The scene continued to play out as Puffin' Pete described, showing the blonde's peers teasing him, calling him names, all in plain view of the teachers who did nothing about it. Then it showed the blonde attempting to perform a Clone Jutsu, only for it to miserably fail, prompting him to ask the scarred teacher for help, only to be immediately dismissed. Finally, it showed the blonde being mercilessly beaten during class spars by a dark haired boy with a haircut that resembled a duck's ass, and being randomly pummeled by a girl with pink hair for no reason at all who was screaming numerous insults and profanities at him.
At long last, this montage came to an end and showed Naruto back in his decrepit apartment, a cupcake with a lonely little candle sitting in front of him as he cried to himself. He then blew the candle out and whispered "I wish for people to love me and shower me with affection."
The screen then went blank as the cartoon train appeared and spoke with a saddened expression "Poor, poor Naruto. He just wants to love and be loved. That's not too much to ask, right? Well that's where you come in, yes you! You gorgeous passengers! Open your hearts to your poor Conductor and give him all the love that he craves! Give him all the affection that he desires! You'll love him and he'll love you in return! Now then, these are the three most important rules you must remember!
First rule: What the Conductor says, goes!
Second rule: No harming the Conductor whatsoever!
Third rule: Attend your daily classes and learn to love the Conductor! Classes are held five times a week, one of our friendly robots will come to collect you when it's time to go to class!
Failure to follow these rules can result in severe punishments! Any additional rules will be explained later on during your stay! Good luck, and we thank you for joining us aboard the Uzu Express! Remember, if the Conductor is happy, you'll be happy too!" With that said, the video ended and the screen disappeared back into the ceiling, leaving the three in total darkness.
"What. The. Fuck..?" Naruto spoke in shock at all of this… his mind having difficulty comprehending what was happening. The two girls sat in silence as they respectfully waited for him to process what was happening… they too had a lot to absorb as well. Little by little, Naruto managed to piece it all together.
Someone had been stalking him over the years, watching and recording him, they built this crazy train for him, and abducted these ladies and is now using this crazy classroom to try and brainwash them into loving him. Who would go through so much trouble for him? Who'd even have the resources and the insanity to do this anyway? This was all just… beyond crazy.
"I can't… I literally can't even…" Naruto muttered grimly as he crossed his arms and paced around restlessly, his mind racing a mile a minute.
"... pardon my asking… but how much of that was true?" Asagi asked out of curiosity, wondering what was fact and what was propaganda, her question seemed to snap the blonde from his stupor, in response to her inquiry he gave a dry and humorless smile as he responded ruefully "Try all of it. Everything on there, nothing less than the truth. If I could show you my memories, I would, and you'd find that that video wasn't an exaggeration."
The two women could both see it in his eyes… there was no lies or deception to be found. It was all true. "I can't imagine why people would treat a child with such cruelty." Asagi muttered as she crossed her arms beneath her impressive bust.
Naruto pursed his lips for a moment, and decided that it would be best to be honest and up-front with these women if he were to gain their trust and explained "I'm what's known as a Jinchuuriki. A tailed beast container. The night I was born, the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked my village, Konoha. A lot of people died that night. Our Yondaime Hokage managed to seal the beast inside of me and saved the village… but I ended up as the scapegoat for the villager's grudges. I guess since I'm the Kyuubi's container, they see me as some kind of accomplice, and a constant reminder of those that died that night."
The two women seemed stunned for a moment, then gave sympathetic looks as Sakura spoke "That's horrible. No one, least of all a little kid, deserves to be treated like that."
The Uzumaki nodded as he responded, grateful for the sympathy "Thanks… still, this is no less messed up. I remember wishing for people to love me… but I never wanted them to be kidnapped and forced into loving me. That's all kinds of wrong."
"You're not the one at fault here Naruto-san. This is all… a very bizarre situation. Nevertheless, it would be strongly advisable that we try to escape this place as quickly as possible and return home, if you like Naruto-san… you're welcome to come with us." Asagi offered with a small smile, which surprised the Jinchuuriki since he wasn't expecting such generosity.
"Wait… seriously? In spite of what just…" He asked but was interrupted by the orangette who now had a much more bubbly demeanor "When my sis says something, she means it. Besides, would you be happy going back to your old home where all those people who mistreat you live? We may not look it, but we own and run a school of our very own! Big sis Asagi is the headmistress!"
Naruto could only blink his eyes and then turned towards the bluenette who nodded in confirmation as she spoke "Ah. It is true. If you're willing, we'd happily welcome you. It wouldn't sit well with me as a teacher and as a Kunoichi by forcing you to go back to a place like that."
The blonde teared up a little as he smiled and said "Thanks… that means a lot to me. For whatever it's worth, I'm really sorry that you had to go through all of this." Once those words left his mouth, they laughed off his apology with warm smiles, showing that they no longer bore him ill will since none of this was his fault to begin with.
"At any rate, we should leave immediately. With any luck, we might find an exit of some sort. Naruto-san, did you see anything on your way here?" Asagi questioned at the end, earning a negative shake of the head from the whiskered teen.
"Nah, I passed by some cabins after I left the Conductor's cabin. Didn't see anything noteworthy. Maybe we'll have better luck further down? Also… what the hell is with those damn robots anyway? I've never seen anything like them. There was also this voice that talked to me in the Conductor's cabin… it was weird." He asked since that question had been bugging him for a while now, his question earning some thoughtful looks from the two Kunoichi.
"I believe that this train has been designed to largely be automated for your comfort and convenience. No doubt the robots, as demonstrated earlier, act as security and maintenance and also carry out your wishes when needed. Whoever made all of this spared no expense." Asagi answered, causing the blonde to hum in thought as he suddenly gained another idea.
"Hey! I need another robot in here, stat!" Naruto called out, and almost immediately a robot rushed into the classroom, its eyes glowing a friendly blue as it asked "How can I help you Conductor?"
The blonde smirked and then asked "Okay Robot… tell us where the exit is!" At this, the two Kunoichi couldn't help but grin since they all knew that the robot wouldn't disobey Naruto.
After an awkward silence, the robot finally replied with a "No data available." And then quickly sprinted away, leaving the three stunned by its reaction. They quickly recovered and sighed in annoyance since that would have been too easy. While Naruto was in a clear position of authority and privilege aboard this train, the ultimate authority lies with whoever masterminded this whole thing. A shame, but they supposed that this wasn't unexpected. It didn't really matter since they'd likely need to explore the train for a while before finding the exit.
There had to be an emergency escape hatch or something somewhere after all. "Well, we won't find anything by standing around here." Naruto spoke with a shrug as he headed towards the door at the end of the classroom, eager to escape this nightmare. The two Kunoichi followed closely behind him in silent agreement as they entered the next car.
Upon entry, they found themselves in an expensive looking but classy restaurant car with numerous booths and a bar area as well where a robot could be seen wearing an apron while cleaning glasses. "Could go for a drink right now." Sakura spoke as she licked her lips, her sister wanted to scold her but had to admit that she was feeling rather parched as well.
"Fine. Just a glass of water though. We don't want to risk getting drunk while trying to escape." Asagi muttered, they then noticed that the robot behind the bar seemed to be chuckling to itself, its eyes glowing an amused green color. Evidently it found the idea of them escaping to be funny, but it made no comment about it, and they chose not to interrogate the machine given how thirsty they were.
"Three glasses of water, please." Asagi requested as she and the others each took a seat on the barstools. Wordlessly, the bartender filled and passed each of them a glass of water.
They all lifted up their glasses, but then Sakura stopped midway as she asked "Wait a sec… do ya think they'd slip some weird drugs into our food or drinks?" At this, Asagi seemed briefly alarmed then quickly shook her head in denial.
"I don't think they would… I mean, what if Naruto-san accidentally ate some?" Asagi reasoned, believing that the machinery wouldn't risk any harm to the young blonde. At this, the others agreed with her assessment and then they all quickly downed their drinks, enjoying the cool liquid that soothed the dryness in their throats.
"Hey robot. Color me curious, what kind of food is served here?" Naruto randomly questioned the bartender, its eyes turning a friendly blue as it seemed to 'smile' at the blonde with its eyes.
"We can make virtually anything the Conductor and his passengers wish to eat. If any of you are having difficulty deciding, we can happily recommend you a dish." The robot answered, making the two Kunoichi tilt their heads then shrug since this meant that they would at least have access to food if they were unable to immediately find a means to escape.
After quenching their thirst, they moved onto the next car and found themselves in what appeared to be a club with a dance floor and a DJ booth… which was manned by yet another robot. They didn't stay for too long here as they moved on to the next car, this one appeared to be a large tube-like aquarium that ran the whole length of the train, filled with a large variety of aquatic life that peacefully swam about.
The next car appeared to be a botanical garden with a miniature waterfall, filled with all sorts of flowers and plants of various shapes and colors… it was actually quite peaceful in here. They briefly admired the flowers before conditioning on, where they found a large library filled with all sorts of books, ranging from classics, manga, and more.
In the next car, they found what appeared to be rows of seats that one would find in a theater, upon closer inspection there was another screen that could be lowered from the ceiling for the viewing of movies. Sheesh, this place was starting to turn into a resort on wheels. They moved to the next car… and found themselves in a spa with a sauna, and in the next car, a gymnasium.
On and on they went, passing though many different cars that offered many different functions and amenities for comfort and entertainment purposes, occasionally passing by some robots who were carrying out their duties. Finally, they reached what they assumed to be was the back of the train… which was quite appropriately, a prison/torture chamber equipped with a number of cells and various tools to cause unimaginable pain and suffering. Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat, believing that some dreadful fate must await anyone who violates the rules of the train as Sakura almost discovered firsthand.
"Seriously? Nothing?! Not a single hatch or exit?!" Sakura exclaimed in a whining voice, while her sister had a look of pure annoyance on her face. Of course it wouldn't be so easy to leave. Their captor wouldn't leave any obvious exits for them to use to make their getaway.
"It would seem we are in a gilded cage. However, no matter how secure the prison, there is always a weak point of some kind." Asagi spoke, trying to maintain a sense of calmness for the sake of her sister and their new friend. At this, Naruto growled and retreated back out of the prison and into the previous car, a communal shower for the inmates that also had a viewing window.
He quickly tore off an exposed pipe from the wall while the Igawa siblings watched him take the pipe and wildly swing it at the window, trying to smash it open. Each time the pipe impacted, it created a series of cracks against the glass… but the cracks quickly disappeared in almost an instant each and every time the blonde struck the glass. Recognizing the futility, he tossed the pipe away, and as if on cue, a pair of robots suddenly appeared, picked up the discarded pipe, and placed a new one where the previous pipe had been ripped out.
Once the repairs were done, the robots quickly slipped away. "Great… reinforced and self-repairing glass. Sealing techniques might be involved." Naruto spoke as he flicked his finger against the glass, he should have known that the most obvious weak-point of the train would have been covered already.
"Now what do we do?" Naruto asked as he threw his hands up in the air in frustration, his two companions sighing as they sat on the floor in equal frustration.
"Well… there was no probable way for us to find a means of escape in a day. Most escapes require careful planning and preparation." Asagi spoke, once again showing her calm and level-headed nature.
"That's not the part I'm worried about… earlier, on that video, it mentioned something about 'daily classes', I'm guessing that's code for brainwashing sessions. How long will it be before your minds are melted into goo?" Naruto questioned, showing deep concern for the girls who were genuinely touched by this as they felt their cheeks heat up a little bit.
"We'll just have to hold out as best we can till then." Asagi responded, unwilling to give up just yet with her sister nodding in agreement. They were tougher than they looked and had been through some pretty grim situations. This was just another challenge for them to conquer.
"Enjoying the accommodations?" Spoke a synthetic voice above them… one that Naruto instantly recognized from the Conductor's Cabin.
"You! Who're you?! Why are you doing this?!" Naruto demanded angrily, trying to find any signs of cameras or microphones that the mysterious watcher could be using.
"Who? Me? Why… I AM your train Naruto-sama. As of yet, I haven't officially been given a name. As for why… was it not your wish? Did you not want love? Now you can be loved. Now you don't have to worry about being bullied, or cheated, or beaten ever again. You can live happily aboard and live out your life happily and in safety and comfort. You won't want for anything now." The voice spoke, this revelation shocking the blonde and his companions.
The train was freaking self-aware? This was getting weirder and freakier by the minute. "Screw you! I didn't want this! I didn't want anyone to get kidnapped and have their brains melted so they could be turned into love-slaves or whatever! Who the hell built you? How? No ordinary person could have done any of this."
"Oh, my poor sweet conductor… you're right about one thing. No ordinary person could have done this. I won't say who or how, but you'd be surprised what one may accomplish with enough time, resources and tried-and-true old fashioned determination." The train responded, obviously it was enjoying their torment a little too much. Kami, they were seriously starting to hate this thing.
"I have a question." Asagi spoke as she got up and stood to her full height before continuing "Where are we going? A train cannot go anywhere without a destination, and naturally, the tracks that the train follows have to lead somewhere."
After a few moments of waiting… something suddenly felt different about the atmosphere as it became more oppressive, Asagi could almost swear that she felt a malicious presence was violating her body with its eyes until the synthetic voice chimed in "Tracks? What tracks? I don't follow any tracks. A regular old train might, but not me. I'm specially designed. As for where… I go wherever the Conductor directs me to go."
They were all shocked by this bit of news, stunned by the fact that this train didn't use any tracks to move about. How did it freely move about then? Some kind of special propulsion system that enabled it to hover just above the ground? Wait… what was that last part? "Hang on a sec. You mean to say, if I ask you to take me somewhere, you'll do it?" Naruto chimed in with a look of astonishment… could it really be that easy?
"Of course, that is what I was built for. Give a destination, and I'll take you there faster than you can say 'toot-toot'. If you can't decide, I can always give a recommendation. I hear Kumo is lovely this time of year." The train answered happily, evidently eager to please its conductor.
"Then take me back to Konoha. Right now! There's people there who would be worried about me." Naruto demanded the mental images of his grandfather figure, the Sandaime and his best friend Anko immediately entering his mind.
"As you wish, the destination is now set. We shall arrive in Konoha in approximately two days. Buckle up and enjoy the ride… and yourselves." The train spoke the last part in a highly suggestive tone that made their skin crawl, whoever designed the personality of this train must have been seriously screwed up in the head. Then again… that children's classroom/brainwashing room should serve as evidence enough of the creator's apparent lack of sanity.
"That was… something. Still, even if we reach your village, would it really be possible for us to leave? It can't be that simple. Also, why would you want to go back to that awful place? If I were you, I'd try to get as far away from that village as possible." Asagi spoke in a warning tone, since there was no way that could trust the train's words.
"Yeah. I don't really wanna go back, but there's some people I still care about in Konoha. If nothing else, if we can't do anything in here, they might be able to do something out there. Pretty sure that a train like this would attract attention. If this doesn't work, we can always give your home a try." Naruto explained, earning nods from the Igawa sisters who smirked since that seemed reasonable enough.
If they couldn't bust themselves out, then perhaps outside help might do the job. With any luck, they should be able to hang on for at least two days. At this current moment, there was little more they could do. They had already inspected the train from the top-down, all they could do was wait until they arrived in Konoha where they may receive help.
"Anyone hungry?" Sakura piped in, and as if on cue, her stomach started to rumble which helped lighten the mood since her elder sibling and the blonde were getting hungry as well, not to mention they wouldn't be able to function properly on an empty stomach anyway. "We should head back to the dining car, get something to eat." Naruto spoke in agreement, and with that said they made their way back to the dining car. Eager to fill their bellies with a hot meal.
"You know… I could kill for a quality steak. Medium. With a big helping of fries smothered in melted cheese and bacon bits." Naruto commented aloud, with his stomach grumbling loudly. The two Kunoichi giggled at this, though they couldn't help but voice their agreement.
"Mmm. Steak. Steak sounds good. Though I think I'd like mine rare with a baked potato, smothered in butter, cheese, and bacon." Sakura muttered hungrily as she could feel her mouth salivating at the thought.
"I'd like mine well done, with a nice and fresh salad on the side." Asagi spoke, earning some laughs from the others.
"You know… I only had steak once, on my birthday. The Sandaime took me to a nice place, can't remember the name. Though I'm pretty sure if he wasn't around, the staff would have tried something funny. There was also an Anbu there, a lady in a cat mask with purple hair. She didn't say much but she was nice to me, like genuinely nice, though I think she was preoccupied with other things since she was the Hokage's bodyguard." Naruto spoke as he reminisced on the first and only time he'd ever have steak.
When they reached the dining car… They found three sets of steaks set at a booth, along with a heaping plate of french fries covered in melted cheese and generously topped with bits of bacon, a salad, and a baked potato, all exactly as the three had desired. The three were surprised at how quickly their meal had been prepared… but then again, with the train itself watching and listening to their every movement that should come as no surprise.
A pair of robots stood by the booth, standing at the ready to tend to their needs. They took their seats and muttered a brief 'Itadakimasu' and then each requested some tea to go with their meals, causing the robots to serve them their drinks almost immediately.
They cut into their steaks and took their first bites, the juicy and tender meat almost melting inside their mouths, and they all had to agree… it was likely the best steak they had ever eaten in their lives. Come to think of it… where was the food prepared? Where were the ingredients stored? Where did the robots come and go from? Were there hidden compartments that they were unable to access?
So many questions, and they had no means to answer any of them. At the very least, they could take comfort in the knowledge that they weren't under any physical threat, however, the two Kunoichi would have to mentally prepare themselves for whatever trial may soon await them when it comes time for those 'daily classes' whatever that may entail.
"If you don't mind my asking Naruto-kun… whatever happened to your parents?" Asagi asked out of curiosity, both Sakura and the blonde glanced at the bluenette, noticing that she had referred to him as 'kun' though they didn't really pay it much mind.
"No idea. I assumed that they must have died during the Kyuubi attack." He answered bluntly as he took another bite of his steak, he honestly believed it too since it was the most plausible reason he could think of that his parents weren't in his life… it was certainly better than believing that he'd been abandoned.
Asagi nodded and chose not to pry any further, lest she spoil the relaxed mood at the dinner table. Sakura then brightened the mood by telling a funny story about how a comrade of their accidentally lost her bikini at the beach while surfing, earning some laughs from Naruto and Asagi. The blonde then smiled warmly and had to admit that while the circumstances were less than ideal… It wasn't all bad. All they had to do was just hang on for a while longer.
Meanwhile. In Konoha, Hokage's office.
Hiruzen sighed deeply to himself as he perused through various reports that he had been given. One in particular stood out… something about a 'phantom train'. For some days now, throughout the Nations, there have been repeated reports of a train that seems to be traveling around without any clear destination in mind. At first he dismissed it as hearsay and delusions, however, the fact that this phantom train kept appearing in his reports suggested that there must be something to it.
"There, uhh, something on your mind?" Spoke a young voice sitting across from the Sandaime, with the aged Hokage simply chuckling as he replied back "Just going over reports. One in particular mentions a phantom train, and this isn't the first time that this has appeared on my desk."
"Phantom train? What will people think of next?" The Hokage's guest spoke in a joking tone, with the Sandaime himself snickering slightly. Even so… there were crazier things in the Shinobi Nations.
Hiruzen then took on a more serious tone and spoke "At any rate, the reason I called you here is because I'm getting a little worried. I have been receiving complaints from several of your classmates that you have been staring… inappropriately at them."
The Sandaime's visitor was silent for a few moments before replying "It was the girls, yeah? They have been complaining about me. Of course they would. They'd use any excuse to hurt me. Just like everyone else in this village." The boy then hopped from his seat and crossed his arms… while a certain whisker marked face stared at the floor in anger and frustration.
"True or false, the matter must still be investigated, Naruto-kun. Still, I can't deny that they may be likely false." Hiruzen admitted at the end, largely because they all came from the same person… Sakura Haruno. And it is a known fact that she frequently bullies the boy every chance she gets, and he was powerless to stop it since it would be viewed as favoritism if he stepped in on Naruto's behalf.
Naruto simply shrugged and replied "Ah well. I'll find a way around this. Someday, I'll be Hokage." He promised at the end… however the Sandaime couldn't help but feel that sounded rather… scripted. He couldn't help but notice that the boy had been acting a little off today. However, he couldn't quite place his finger on it.
"Right… of course… you can go now." Hiruzen spoke dismissively, and watched the boy leave his office without a word further… from the shadows of his office, Anko Mitarashi emerged with a small sneer on her lips and her arms crossed.
"I've known Naruto-kun, a long time. Something is definitely up." The purple haired woman spoke with a small glare. She had first noticed something was going on right away when she greeted him earlier. Whenever she showed up, his eyes would always light up, and he would always run up to her, embrace her and return her greeting with warmth and affection. He always looked up to her and always thought the world of her.
Now? He felt… hollow. Like whatever bond they shared was no longer there. Hard to imagine since they were both Village Pariahs. So what was wrong with him? Had someone gotten to him? Was someone trying to hurt or manipulate him? These questions were seriously bugging her. She could only hope she was imagining things… but still, a little voice in her mind was telling her that something was wrong.
"Follow him Anko. Make sure everything is okay. Could be something. Could be nothing. Best to be sure… if that poor boy has been driven over the edge at long last… I don't even want to think of the consequences." Hiruzen spoke gravely, and without hesitation, Anko nodded as she followed after her favorite blonde by leaping out the window and sticking to the rooftops so that he wouldn't notice her.
After a short while, she noticed that he wasn't heading home as expected… he was instead making his way towards the Academy. Seemed pretty strange, school was out so he had no reason to go back there… unless he was preparing one of his inane pranks? Even so, it seemed a little odd. Once the blonde made his way to the Academy grounds, he started to circle around the building which further drew the Snake Mistress' suspicions.
She followed after him, doing her best to keep to the shadows and sticking to the nearby trees since it offered cover… the blonde then approached a large sack and proceeded to drag it away somewhere… what was in that sack that he had to retrieve? She then noticed that he was heading her way… and then their eyes locked together. Crap. She let herself get distracted and got sloppy because of her personal feelings for him.
"Oh. Hey Anko-chan. There something you need?" The blonde greeted with a nervous smile, while the purple haired woman tsked and approached with her hands stuffed in her pockets, watching him suspiciously as she got closer to him.
"What's in the sack?" She asked point-blank, not bothering to mince words. 'Naruto' glanced between her and the sack before answering with his own question "Would you like to see?"
He then stepped to the side, and gestured invitingly towards the sack in question. She cautiously approached and untied the top before pulling it open… and saw some platinum blonde hair inside. "What the..?" Anko questioned but was cut off by a sharp pain in her neck, causing her to slap at it… and find that a dart had just embedded itself in her neck.
She stared at the whiskered boy in shock… a cold smile on his face which confirmed her instincts "You… you're not Naruto…" She muttered, feeling her body going numb as she slowly sank to the ground, unable to produce the strength to run or call for help as her body refused to obey her. Whatever she'd been hit with, it was acting fast and hitting her hard.
"Nope. I'm not." The fake Naruto confirmed as he tied off the sack again, and then produced a second one that he held menacingly over the snake mistress "I can't believe my luck though, I never would have thought I'd bag a high priority target like you this early on."
"Wh…why? Why are you doing this? What happened to Naruto? If you hurt him, I swear… I'll… I'll…" She tried to threaten the fake, but her voice was dying in her throat, and everything was getting darker as she had difficulty keeping her eyes awake.
"Hurt him? Hurt him? We're all doing this FOR him. Don't worry though, you'll be together again real soon. You have a good rest now." The fake Naruto replied as he slipped the sack over her legs and started to put her inside… the last thing Anko saw before she fell unconscious was the sack's opening closing over her head.
The fake Naruto tilted his head, a small antenna appearing from the top of his head as he spoke "Doppelganger Unit, reporting to the Uzu Express. I have two fresh passengers awaiting pick-up. The Conductor is really gonna like these two. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I know that. Familiar faces would help him settle in better after all. Don't worry, just send two more doppelgangers, we don't want people finding out about the swap too soon. Yeah… I know. We'll arrange the transfer." After making his report, the Doppelganger's antenna disappeared back into its hiding place, and then he proceeded to drag the two sacks away so that they may be better hidden.
And just like that… a new reign of fear and terror was about to take over the Shinobi Nations.
End Chapter one.