I'm getting a couple story ideas off my chest for now.
Don't know how often they'll be updated, especially since I'm at my new job right now.
~NRK~
"This is gonna be great, Gwen!" A jolly-looking man said with a big grin and shining green eyes.
He was tall with a lithe frame, peach skin, and short brownish-red hair with a small tuff that stood up at the front. Wearing a yellow ascot, a green shirt, a short open brown vest, brown khakis, and a pair of brown boots, he looked more energetic as time passed.
"Yeah… I'm actually looking forward to this one, David," the woman next to the man, Gwen, said with a smile of her own, chuckling a bit.
Being about as tall as 'David', bearing a similar set of clothes but with long dark brown hair that she put up in a short ponytail with two thick chin-length bangs, brown skin, and purple eyes. With her wearing shorter khakis, more like shorts really, and having knee-high boots, Gwen hummed as she crossed her arms.
"Hopefully, your nephew can actually bring these kids more in-line."
"Oh! He's probably going to show them the fun of Camp Campbell!"
There was a disturbance down the road they stood by, David's grin widening in anticipation.
Behind them, in the treeline of a forest, a child's head poked out with narrowed eyes.
"The fuck are those two so happy about?" The child wondered, his light brown skin creasing as he sneered at the vehicle coming up the road, teal eyes squinting at it while his black hair shifted as his arms crossed.
Wearing a light blue hoodie, dark blue pants, and a pair of white and black sneakers, the young boy's eyes narrowed as the school bus came to a stop in front of the two.
"Are they finally ready to send in the big guns?" He wondered what that would be.
Executioners? Government agents who weren't Erid's dads? A CLOWN?!
A clown agent who was an executioner who'd TORTURE THEM?!
The doors to the vehicle opened and he slowly leaned forward in anticipation.
"You! We'll have words, Quarter-YO, UNCLE!" Came a raspy voice from the vehicle as a short form jumped out of it. "SUP, GWEN!"
"NARUTO!" The two greeted the boy who Max gawked at.
"Who the hell is this?!" He shouted as he ran over with a look of distaste.
"Max?" The two adults blinked at him as the boy in front of them, Naruto, grinned.
Max's eyebrow twitched as he ended up face-to-face with him… looking UP, technically.
The other boy, who Max thinks is older, was taller than him though not by much, probably a midget.
He had spiky blonde hair, fair skin, and bright blue eyes that were filled with a joy Max hated.
Wearing a pair of odd-looking dark blue… 'sandals', he wasn't sure, a pair of orange sweatpants, in this weather of all things, and a black shirt with an odd, slightly cool, flame-like spiral design, Max was left conflicted.
The boy's pouches on his thigh and lower back, his camping backpack thing, and even the blue headband around his head made him think he had to be a weeb of some sort.
"Sup?" The blonde asked with a chuckle as Max blinked. "Name's Naruto Uzumaki, how's it hangin'?"
"I didn't ask… and didn't know that we were receiving another chump to this dump," the younger boy said as Gwen groaned while David chuckled.
"This is Naruto, well, he's my nephew," he explained like it was a little secret.
The way Max's eyes went up to him with such disbelief got a laugh out of the blonde.
'This second life is so weird!' Naruto thought. 'And this guy looks like he needs some kinda help,' well, not like it was wrong for him to want to help.
"This kid is your nephew?!"
"Yeah! Actually, he's been here before," Max looked shocked. "It was the years before you were here, I mean, he is older than you so it's not surprising… right! Him and Meredith are the same age," David smiled.
"Seriously?" Max looked back at the short blonde. "But he's so short!"
"I mean, I am short," Naruto admitted, folding his arms behind his head. "But you're pretty short for your age, too."
"You tryin' start a fight?!"
Naruto sweatdropped. "You're literally the first one who said it."
"I'm well aware of what nice guys like you are like! There's one right here!" Max said, pointing at David as Gwen raised a brow.
"Ehh, Naruto and David are kinda the same but one's got more wits about him," she said with a finger tapping her chin and a look away.
"Aw, thanks, Gwen!" David said as Naruto snickered and the woman smirked a bit. "Though, I'd say Naruto's got quite the positive head on his shoulders! We've both got wits!"
"Yeah, definitely. Come on, you guys, it's time to re-introduce Naruto to the camp," she said as she jabbed her thumb back behind them. "And we probably should do this now before someone explodes over pudding."
"Oh, wait, that happened again?" Naruto asked curiously as the bus drove off somewhere behind the camp. "I mean, last time I saw it? I don't think that kid turned out too well."
"Oh, don't worry, the kids these days are more resilient!" David said with a jolly grin. "And they're not allergic to pudding, thankfully."
As they walked off, Max kept right behind Naruto.
'I don't trust this guy,' he thought while stuffing his hands into his hoodie's pocket. 'No one who's related to David would be a normal person, no fucking way,' so he was gonna find out.
As they walked the forest, he raised a brow before smirking as a familiar ravenous platypus came into view.
"Oh, God, not this shit again," Gwen grumbled as David blinked.
"Why, young lady, where have you been?" He asked the platypus, getting in closer before crouching down to the now growling animal. "O-Oh! W-Well, young lady, we can just… um," David fumbled as the creature's growling grew louder.
Max grinned before frowning as Naruto moved forward only to be stopped by Gwen.
"Whoa, there, buddy, I don't need my favorite camper getting his face eaten by a ravenous platypus, I don't know where those teeth have been," she said as Max's jaw dropped.
"He just got here!" Max shouted.
"Just got back, Max," she corrected as she pat the air's shoulders. "...?! Naruto!"
"Sup, little lady," the blonde said with a grin as he crouched by the now confused platypus. "What's your name?" Naruto chuckled as David sighed in relief.
"Muack!" The creature 'said' as she turned to him, much to the others disbelief.
"... 'Muack' it is!" He grinned, scratching her chin and being rewarded with a tail wag. "Honestly? You're pretty cool," the boy said as he got up, Muack crawling up to his shoulder. "Alright! Let's get to camp!" He said with a grin before walking ahead, leaving behind an in-disbelief Max, Gwen, and a smiling David.
"Ya know, I'd forgotten that Naruto's way with nature is the best in the world!" David declared. "It's been so long since I've seen it but Naruto's actually got a really amazing connection with animals, trees, bugs, and more!"
"Y-Yeah?" Gwen asked, rubbing the back of her head. "Well, I mean, he does hold the most forestry badges… it's been a while, Max," she told the boy by her feet before continuing on. "Hmm, I guess this might keep things to a minimum with the animals, at least."
"Of course! Ya see, Naruto wants to own his own zoo when he grows up!"
"Huh, I guess that explains a lot."
Max, meanwhile, was left staring in disbelief at the platypus being good?!
"What the hell just happened?!"
~NRK~
They all looked on as the kid came out of the Boys Cabin.
"Who's this asswipe?" One of the many kids asked as Max stood in front of their group.
"Some Japanese kid named 'Naruto' or some shit," Max said.
"Japanese! I must meet him post-haste! Though his looks would be rather fetching on a painting."
"You think he knows any kung-fu?~"
"Maybe he's developed some three-acts plays!"
More of such things were said, leaving Max annoyed.
"The hell?"
"I mean, it's not like a lot of interesting people come through here," said a boy at his side.
He was tall and scrawny for his age with fair skin, blue eyes, and curly brown hair. Wearing a yellow sweater, brown pants, and white shoes, he sported a curious expression as David, Gwen, and Naruto came over.
"Hello, campers! I hope the day has been treating you all well because we have a new old-hand around here!" David said as Gwen nodded before patting Naruto's shoulders.
"This kid's name is Naruto Uzumaki, he's been here before so I BETTER not hear any bullshit from you guys!" Gwen said with a knowing look.
"... That's new, usually Gwen just gets angry at ALL of us." A short girl at Max's other side said.
She had teal-colored hair set in a trio of 'poofs', slightly tan skin, and pink eyes. Wearing a yellow shirt, red overalls, and brown shoes, the girl tilted her head at the sight of Muack being… GOOD?!
"Did he hypnotize Muack?!"
"The power to hypnotize animals? That'd certainly be new compared to our usual crazy," the boy from before said.
"Neil, Nikki, focus! I know this guy is bad news, he's David's nephew!" Max said in frustration.
"Seriously, you're David's nephew?" The group of campers asked in surprise as Naruto nodded.
"Yep! He's my mom's bro!" The former ninja grinned. "So, uh, nice to meet you guys. I've already heard a lot from Gwen-nee."
"... Oh, duh, Japanese," Neil, the boy from Max's side, blinked. "Well, I don't think you'd want to hang with guys like us if she told you a LOT," Neil knew how Gwen's impressions could leave someone.
"I don't mind, you guys just have character!"
"Never had it put THAT way before."
"New kid!"
"Nurf don't," Gwen said as the boy in question grumbled.
He's big and rotund for his age, having fair skin with freckles, green eyes, a button nose, and a short mop of red hair.
Wearing a muddy-yellow shirt that didn't fit well, brown shorts, and black boots, he crossed his arms and he squinted down at the grinning Naruto.
"I don't trust you, new kid, though not because you're Japanese."
"... Thanks?" Naruto said unsurely. "Well, tell me about yourselves! Names, dreams, dislikes, likes?"
"Ooh! Ohh! You first!" Nikki said immediately as Max groaned
"Sure! Name's Naruto Uzumaki. I'm Japanese like you know, I wanna own a zoo one day and look after all kinds of animals, and I like training, ramen, my family, and animals. Don't really hate anything but I've got my values and stuff."
"What do you think of the sacred arts?!" Came the call of a girl with braces and a lisp.
Her skin was darkly-colored, her eyes blue, and her hair a similar darker brown shade compared to her complexion.
Wearing a blue magic hat, a similar-colored cape, a yellow top, black pants, and blue boots, the one with the… interesting question seemed like a bit of a nerd as her big circular glasses shined in the sunlight.
"Uh… I'm not exactly a religious guy but you do you."
"No! Not that! The arts of the unknown and wizardry!"
"... uhh, is everything alright?" Naruto asked with a look that said it all.
"No, Nerris is here for Role-Play Camp," David said with a grin. "I hope you all can get along well together and form some of the greatest bonds known to mankind! Why, Naruto's likely been one of the most popular campers for the three years he was originally here before going back to Japan!"
Another of the girls in the crowd perked up. "Popular?" She asked as Gwen chuckled.
"Well, I only knew him for a year but, yeah, Naruto's constantly been a well-liked kid around these parts, thank God," she said with a strained grin as the boy in question raised a brow.
"You might want to take it easy, sis, you look stressed," he said.
"You have no idea. So," Gwen clapped away her issues for now. "Well, actually, Naruto doesn't really have a 'camp' so much as he just comes to Camp Campbell so, I don't know, go and have fun?"
"Hmph, you wanna have fun, do ya?" Max smirked as Naruto turned to him with crossed arms, Muack still on his shoulder. "Stop stealing our mascot!"
"Huh? I don't remember stealing anything," he said as Muack… 'muacked'.
"Muack," the creature… roared? Barked?
Quacked. The creature quacked.
"See."
"Don't take the animal's input! She's an animal!" Max huffed as Neil tapped his chin.
"Well, I don't think any of us would mind her not trying to eat our faces," he said as his friend shot him a look. "T-That is! Y-Yeah, give us… Muack back," Neil said weakly as Nikki grinned.
"So, you can also speak with the animals, can you!?" She asked Naruto, all up in his face in an instant before scrambling back from the growling platypus. "Whoa?!"
"Alright, alright, keep it chill," Naruto said as he scratched the animal's chin, much to Muack's satisfaction. "I just have a good connection with nature, I've been around forests for as long as I can remember, I guess these guys can just pick up on that," he chuckled. "Now, let's have some fun! Last time I was here, we had a special game where we messed around with the numerous talents! Let's do that!"
Many of the kids now looked interested with only Max left annoyed.
'He's taking over their minds!' Was this going to be some takeover?! "I won't stand for it! You wanna play games, do ya?! How about Tag?! You vs us?" Max would be as disagreeable as possible.
"Sure!"
"I knew it-the fuck!?"
Naruto's grin grew a bit cocky as he buffed his nails. "Hey man, if you wanna lose that badly with that much advantage, be my guest," he smirked and Max's eyebrow twitched ferociously.
"That's it, we're putting him six feet under! Come on, guys, we've gotta plan!" The boy said with fire in his eyes as the kids looked excited and curious.
"Hmm," Nurf, the bulky kid, frowned as he cupped his chin. "I like the approach but your skills need work," he said to Max who looked like he'd slapped him.
"Excuse me?!"
Naruto chuckled as David grinned.
"Why, that's the kind of spirit I hope to instill within them! How'd ya do it?!" He asked his nephew.
"Well, it's not like that Max guy didn't give me a ton of room. He's like their kinda-leader," Naruto snickered.
"Not just their leader?" Gwen asked him.
"No, they've got that kinda dynamic. I'm pretty sure they're gonna fight over whose leader if this goes on for too long. That's why I'm gonna win fast," Naruto said as he slapped his fist. "Muack, you'll be watching from the sidelines, alright? It'd be bad if you got hurt."
"Muack," the platypus answered.
"Actually, I'm curious," Naruto turned to the counselors. "You guys do have days and stuff where you go and play games with the other camps, don't ya? I mean, Sasha should be in the Flower Scouts and Eddy's in the Wood Scouts."
"Oh, yeah, a month back we had the Camporee," Gwen explained to him as Naruto grinned. "Honestly, we barely came out of that one alive," she muttered, lifting up the blonde and hugging him like a safety toy. "Ahh, calmness and a good child! I've missed this!"
"Ah, don't be like that! Why, I bet Naruto can really help brighten things up around here!" David grinned. "Now, Naruto, I feel it is necessary to warn you of all our kids' amazing talents!"
"Please, I'm all ears," Naruto grinned mischievously.
~NRK~
With the Campbell Campers, Max growled.
"We're gonna tear that bitch apart!" He told them as he paced in front of the group. "I don't trust him and none of you guys should either!"
"Um, yo?" One of the kids, a taller girl than the others and even taller than all the boys, spoke up. "So, yeah, what's this guy about?" She asked.
She was tall, as said before, with peach skin, long blonde hair with a pink stripe on top, and polio-blue eyes. Wearing a black biker's jacket, a yellow shirt, blue jeans with rips, and a pair of dark-colored boots, she flipped a skateboard into her hand, calling out from the side.
"What do you mean?! They're excited for him to be here!" Max said in disbelief. "There's clearly something up! And he was a smug bastard? Hello, Meredith?"
"Hmm, I guess," Meredith frowned. "Still, it's not like we won't win, right? It's one guy verse all of us," she said even as she considered 'Naruto'. "Besides, he's seems like nerd girl over here," she said, pointing to Nerris who gasped. "Totally a weeb."
"Another party member?!" Nerris said in awe. "Then, he might be really awesome!"
"... Yeah, uh, I'm not worried about that," Max said. "Besides, once we trounce that motherfucker, I doubt he'll look at ninja the same way ever again!"
"So, uhh, you said he was 'It' but in what way?" Nurf asked. "Like, if I'm gonna beat someone up, I'd like to know my limitations."
"Well, I mean, he'd be the one trying to catch us, right?" Neil offered. "If that's the case, we should probably place some ground rules, a timer, and all that. Honestly, am I the only one worried for why he wasn't bothered?"
"What if he's got superpowers?!" Nikki grinned. "He won't care if he's a werewolf, he'll just eat us and be done with it," she waved him off.
"For the love of God, no! He's not some fucking werewolf, he's just another nerd!" Max shouted. "And I've already got the limits," he smirked. "If he thinks he's hot shit, we'll give him bullshit time limits. He gets one minute and if he can't do it, we get to call him 'bitch boy' for the rest of the Summer!"
"The agony!" Another boy said, a lanky one like Neil with lighter skin, short dark brown hair that curled in by his neck, and yellow eyes. "I'd love it! His anguish might inspire plays the world over!"
Wearing a yellow medieval blouse with puffy green-pinstripe sleeves, pale-green pants, and some small brown boots, he grinned.
"I'm all for it!"
"Hmph, well, when should we do it?" Nikki asked. "I mean, I wanna strike while the iron is hot!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Max said. "So, like, we'll need some plan. I want to make sure that bastard can't do anything!"
"Why not have Nurf hold him down?" Neil offered. "I mean, considering his size and mass, that should be game and match."
"Hey!" Nurf crossed his arms. "In this context, I'll allow it but don't make me pound you, dweeb!"
Neil flinched. "Y-Yes! I-I'm just, uh, making plans! After all, this should go well with just that!"
"So, this is where you all meet, Forest Army," Gwen said as she broke into the area they were chatting in, smirking a bit. "Finished your planning, Naruto's out meditating in the main camp area. Said he got bored waiting."
"Hehe, this'll be easy," Max said as he walked off with the others behind him. "Prepare for your 'camp favorite' to be called 'bitch boy' for the rest of the time here, Gwen!"
Gwen blinked before tapping her chin. "Well, considering Naruto's big on promises, he'll probably follow through if he loses," she grinned. "So, what if he wins?"
They all stopped and shot her a look that said it all before looking unnerved by her confidence.
"Excuse me?" Nerris blinked. "I'd assume he doesn't have good enough modifiers for this."
"Ignoring nerd speak, what the hell are you so smug about?" Max growled as Gwen chuckled.
"Nothing, nothing, I'm just asking what'll you do if you lose?"
"... I don't like that confidence," Neil said. "You're not going to help him somehow, are you?"
"Hah!" The way Gwen snorted got a jump out of them. "Nope, me and David are staying out of this. In fact, he went back to prepare Naruto's 'Welcome Back' party," she grinned again. "So, come on, you're not so bad at this 'bet' thing that you didn't prepare to possibly lose, did you?"
Nikki hummed. "I mean, he just got here so we don't know what he'd want…" She tapped her chin. "Oh! Maybe we'll become his slaves all Summer!"
"Gotcha!"
"Nikki, no!" Max gaped at the wild girl. "W-Why the fuck would you say that?!"
"I mean, I figured since we were uppin' the stakes, I'd make it really exciting!"
"No!"
"So, right, you'll all be slaves before the end of Summer," Gwen grinned as she walked ahead. "Try your best, kids, this ought to be fun."
They were all left there in silence, now uncertain.
"... t-that doesn't mean anything… right?" Neil considered. "I-I mean, it's Gwen, she'd put all her eggs in a basket with her Liberal Arts degree."
"Yeah, ignore her, this is gonna be easy," Max said as he walked ahead once more but with an annoyed frown on his face. 'The fuck is she on about?' Asking them what'd happen if they'd lose?
Bullshit.
~NRK~
Naruto meditated in a rather nice area of the camp, Muack, some squirrels, and a pack of bees all around him.
'So, I guess I'll just go all-out from the beginning,' he thought. "You guys don't mind if I go at you with everything, right?!" Naruto called out to the treeline, eyes still closed.
"Fucking…" Max mumbled as they saw him. "Fuck off, we're here for our game."
"Alright," Naruto said as he got up before pulling his headband down to cover his still closed eyes. "This should make this mostly fair," he added with a thumbs up. "What's the time limit?"
That cheeky bitch! "One minute, you asshole!"
"Alright, when do we start?" The blonde boy asked as he stretched out. "Also, how far are we willing to go? I mean, this area's always been pretty big."
"It should be decent enough," Neil said even as he rubbed his arm. 'I don't like this,' something about this was off.
Why all the handicaps? Despite Max's inclination towards calling him a bitch, Neil wouldn't hold it against him to deny the '1-minute' rule but he'd even put on a blindfold.
What was going on?
"Alright, so, when?" Naruto asked again before turning his head to the side. "Gwen-nee?"
"I've got a timer," she said with a grin, shaking the item in her hand while also carrying a foldable chair and laptop. "I'll start it in, like, ten seconds."
She set up before sitting down with the timer on the ground.
"On your marks," Gwen said as she put on some shades. "Get set!"
Naruto finished his stretches while Nurf roared.
"You're going down, bitch boy!" He declared as Max nodded with a serious expression.
"This is gonna be easy!" He said.
"Go!" Gwen declared as she pressed the button atop the timer.
They'd begun to scatter, Nikki and Nurf rushing out to attack Naruto… only for the boy in question to fly right between their heads, tapping their noggins.
"Two!" He grinned as he landed into a roll before lunging after two other kids. "Make it hard, guys!"
"What the FUCK!?" Max choked as Neil squealed before they ran to the other end of the area. "The fuck is this shit?!"
Naruto had tackled a pair of boys, one who dressed like an astronaut, his underwear outside his outfit with a yellow blanket cape around his neck, and the other who looked like an 'archeologist' without the hat.
"Four down!" Naruto grinned as he turned his head towards two other kids. "Gotcha!" He called out as he gave chase after Nerris and a tall boy with magician attire on.
"Ahh! His speed stat is ridiculous!" The RP girl squealed as the boy next to her grew anxious. "S-Slaves are never treated well in my sessions!"
She pulled out some dice from her pocket and threw them behind her only to freeze as a shadow shot overhead and landed in front of them.
A hand on her shoulder had her on the ground along with her fellow 'runner'.
"Six," Naruto said as he walked off. "How much more time, Gwen-nee?" He asked the relaxed counselor.
"45 seconds!" She shouted.
"Gotcha!"
"Fuck! Are we seriously about to lose?!" Neil screamed as Naruto's form turned to him. "EEEP!"
"Dammit! Stop sounding like a girl!" Max shouted at him before growling. "Erid! For the love of God, stop him!"
The tall girl frowned before throwing her skateboard ahead of her, Neil, Max, and the 'drama' kid.
She hopped onto it before grinning as she shot around.
"Come and get me, ninja guy," she smirked a bit as Naruto's form skidded to a stop and faced her. 'He can't keep up with my board-'
"Caught you!" She heard as her speed was arrested instantly, currently hefted in a pair of, surprisingly strong, arms. "You weren't fast enough," Naruto said with a snicker as Meredith stared at him in disbelief.
"T-The heck?!" She flinched before he put her down, kicking up and grabbing her board before handing it to her. "..." Meredith groaned. "That was way uncool."
"Maybe," Naruto smirked before patting her shoulder and walking off. "Seven!" He announced before rushing after Neil and the drama kid.
Meredith grumbled a bit before walking over to the sidelines along with her fellow 'tagged'.
"Mmm, that was so stupid," she grumbled as she crossed her arms, watching along with the others as Naruto caught Neil and the other boy quickly. "Stupid blondes," Erid grumbled.
"He's like a wild animal!" Nikki said with excitement. "Do you think he'll make us make him a pyramid?! I've always wanted a tan!"
"H-He beat us so easily!" Nurf cried to the sky, on his knees. "What's the point in all of this?!"
"I don't know," Neil huffed as he walked over to them with a grumble. "What I do know is that this is all Max's fault," he groaned. "Me and Preston didn't stand a chance."
"Alas! It was not to be!" Preston, the drama kid, wailed dramatically. "Now, I shall know slave labor!" He declared, looking down at his hands. "... You don't suppose he'll wish for entertainment, do you?! I can handle that role!" He looked relieved.
Meredith raised a brow at that. "Skate shows?"
"Most likely!"
Well, maybe this wasn't so bad.
Especially when Naruto came back with a struggling Max underarm.
"Fuck off! Fuck you! Dammit!" The short Indian growled as Naruto dropped him on the ground.
"What's my time, sis?" Naruto asked Gwen who chuckled.
"36 seconds!" She answered back.
"Nice, new record," Naruto said with a grin before ruffling Max's hair. "Alright, good to get to know you guys a little bit. Later," he waved them off before leaving.
"H-Huh?! What about the slavery?!" Nikki cried as Max's jaw dropped.
"Nikki?! What the fuck are you doing?!" He shouted while Naruto blinked before turning back to her while lifting his headband.
"Uhh… what?"
"It was their lose condition," Gwen said as she snickered at her laptop. "They'd be your slaves until the Summer was over."
Neil looked very nervous. "... W-Well, you'll always need a science guy, right?" He asked the older male who sweatdropped.
"No, screw that, I don't want slaves, what the hell do I look like? Him?" Naruto asked before jabbing a thumb in Max's direction.
"Excuse me?! You motherfucker!" The shorter male raged before Naruto rolled his eyes.
"That potty mouth's not gonna get you far," he said before walking off again. "So, yeah, you're all relieved of slave duty, whatever that is," Naruto declared before walking off.
"Ahh, you kids are honestly so confident sometimes," Gwen said as she tilted her shades. "Maybe, next time, you'll take the hints I'm dropping. Naruto's been one of the most physically powerful of our campers since I've known him. He has held the top place in every Lake Lilac Camporee the three years before last year."
"And you told us nothing," Max grunted.
"And miss this? Nope, besides you all wouldn't have listened anyway."
"... yeah, I can see that," Nikki said with a shrug. "Alright! I bet he's gonna go and tame more animals! I've gotta learn! Like an apprentice!" She ran off.
"Well, perhaps he'll feel a little more willing to tell me what to do!" Preston realized in awe. "Wait for me!"
Watching the two go, Neil rubbed the back of his head.
"That's got some worrying implications," he said as Max huffed. "Well, considering all the interesting stuff is going on in that direction, I guess we're going?"
Max grumbled before following after the others with Neil shrugging and doing the same.
~NRK~
"So, you guys seem like quite the weird lot," Naruto said from up in a tree.
Meredith looked at him curiously as she leaned back against the tree he was in.
'He's super weird,' she thought as the newest member of their crowd hung upside down from a tree branch. "How the hell are you so fast?" Erid asked without hesitation.
"Huh? Oh, well, I've trained nearly every day of my life," Naruto grinned as she raised a brow. "Animals are all kinds of crazy so you need to be able to keep up with 'em. Besides, I like being the ninja of the rainforests," he snickered.
"Ninja?!" Nikki asked in awe while Max snorted.
"So, you are a weeb," he said and Naruto raised a brow.
"What's that?"
The entire area went silent as they all stared at him in disbelief.
"W-Wait, wait, wait!" Neil stood up from the stone 'his' inner circle were sitting on. "Are you trying to say you don't know internet lingo?!"
"... I mean, I know how to use a computer but I don't really spend too much time on it. I could be having fun outside."
"Blasphemy!"
"So, what? You're an outdoorsy type?" Erid asked.
"Yep! We live in some forests in Nagano so I can just keep on running through it playing with the animals. There was even an alligator who showed up!"
Alright then, color her intrigued.
"I won't stand for it! How can you not know the wonders of the internet?!" Neil exclaimed.
"It's not like I don't get that it's important, dude… I don't know your names," Naruto realized. "It's just, I'm not that type of guy."
Neil's eyebrow twitched before he climbed up and pulled the blonde down.
"That's it, we're educating you in the ways of the internet if it kills us!" He said as Naruto blinked before shrugging.
"Alright, lead the way."
"... It's 'Neil'."
"Lead the way, Neil."
They set up a small 'station' in the clearing before the others gathered around the two, Neil showing Naruto the wonders of a laptop.
"And this allows you to watch any Youtube video your heart desires," the science kid said dramatically as Naruto tilted his head. "Videos can range from anything, you'll likely find it on the internet… a-along with some other things I don't think are a-all that great."
"Like what?" Naruto asked.
"... wow, you're really…" Nikki tried to phrase it. "Not good at computer stuff."
"T-That's not computer stuff!" Neil said. "It's the perverts of the internet invading my nerd shit and using it for evil!"
"Right… So only perverts use the internet?" The ninja enthusiast asked.
"No!" Neil squawked. "No! Goddammit, it's for culture and art!"
"Most guys would call that stuff cultured," Max said with a smirk as Neil's eyebrow twitched some more. "Come on! Show him the spicy shit!"
"Hmph," Erid smirked at that while the other kids chanted.
"No! Damn it all!" Neil growled.
"Alright, come on guys, Neil wants to help me get used to the internet," Naruto said with a hum. "I mean, no offense, I don't think I'll really use it but I'm glad to learn."
"... thank you, you seem to truly understand the greatness of science."
"I mean, you care a lot about it, it's not my place to joke about you helping me."
Neil looked like he'd ascended while Max's eyes narrowed in a glare.
"For fuck sake, are you some boy scout?! If you wanted to be one so badly, go be in the Wood Scouts!" He exclaimed as Naruto blinked.
"Oh, snap, right! You guys had a whole thing with the other camps here, right?"
"Huh?"
"You know our archenemies!?" Nikki said with clawed hands. "Nrg! Nrg! Nrg!"
Naruto chuckled nervously. "Well, I do… okay, so, my childhood friends are in each one," the group balked. "Yeah, my cuz is also in the Flower Scouts."
"What?!" Max gawked. "You sonuvabitch! You were on their sides!?"
"Uhh, we're childhood friends, what 'side' am I on?"
"... Wait," Neil now looked very nervous. "N-Naruto, by some chance, do they know you're here?"
"Oh, yeah, totally-"
"THERE YOU ARE!" Came a voice that Max growled at. "At ease, men, this extraction will be simple and painless."
"O.M.G! Naru! What the hell are you doing here?!" Came another voice that Nikki growled at.
"Wood Scouts!"
"Flower Scouts!"
Naruto grinned. "Sup, guys!"
~NRK~
That's the beginning of a new one, I hope it's well received.
Ciao.
~NRK Out~
