Naruto:
World Tour
By: Nagi-Oki, The Kabuto no Miko
Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. The foreigners and weirdoes they meet is another story.
Chapter 4: A Horse With No Name
The sheets of rain and ripping thunder did not sway the great avenger Sasuke from despencing justice to his brother. Itachi was cornered, on his knees, his clothes shredded and ruined clinging to his dripping wet shivering frame. His eyes which would normally bare the Sharingan were now quaking with fear.
He spoke in a soft whimper of a voice, "P-please Sasuke...D-don't kill me...I'm sorry, please spare me!"
Sasuke stood towering over his cowering brother, "Sorry? NOW you're sorry? Forget forgiveness, dear brother! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time!"
Sasuke reeled his arm back, readting a Chidori for his brother's skull. Itachi covered his head letting out a high pitched wail as he braced himself for the final blow. That blow never came to Itachi, because someone's big fat leg had kicked Sasuke in the stomach!
Sasuke groaned awake, it was the best dream he had ever had and some idiot had to smack him in the stomach and ruin it! He was going to maim, torture, and kill the sunuva...Naruto? He was lying in a bed with the drooling, snoring imbecile, his leg draped gracelessly over Sasuke's stomach. He grit teeth together, giving the dobe a good hard shove out of the bed. Naruto fell out of the bed with a graceful thud and a loud yeouch!
After the initial shock of waking up next to an idiot, Sasuke was ready to take stock of the situation. He blinked realizing they weren't in his house and he was pretty sure this wasn't Naruto's either. The room was all wooden paneling, with a wooden floor, a small closet, a dresser, a nightstand, and a lamp. There was a window close enough to the bed where he could peak out. As he leaned over to look outside, Naruto groaned rubbing the swollen lump on his head.
"Awwww, whydja wake me up? I was having the best dream ever!"
Sasuke gawked at what he saw, it was a rural farming community. All the houses were log cabins of varying heights and sizes. There were large field of plants and grazing fields for livestock. Even the people milling about were a far cry from the sandle and kimono wearing citizens of Konoha.
"You bastard! You listen to me when I'm yelling at you!"
Naruto grabbed ahold of Sasuke and scrambled to get him in a headlock. Sasuke was unprepared, so Naruto in his rage had already gotten him in a lock, "You dumbass! Look at where we are! We're not in Konoha anymore dobe!"
The door opened and in stepped Jiraiya, only he was in a loose fitting poet's shirt and pants, "Looks like you two are awake! C'mon, it's breakfast time and we've got a lot to talk about."
Naruto reluctantly released Sasuke and followed Jiraiya out into a modest kitchen. They took a seat at the table looking around curiously. A pot was already on the stove cooking something and there was some hot tea waiting for them.
Jiraiya casually sipped at his tea, "First of all, we're no where NEAR Konoha or any of the eastern countries. We're in the western village of Green Knot. It has been decided that since you two are so much trouble, the Hokage thought it best if you received some special training under the new captain, Maze Ursarius Bakanetsu."
Naruto jumped up, "You mean we're on the other side of the world?"
Jiraiya scratched his chin, "Well, not exactly..."
"That's so cool! I can't wait to see what cool fighting techniques Maze has! Ohh! Can we kill a monster too? I mean can I make the killing blow! And I'll bring the head back to the village!"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, that green-haired fierce eyed swordsman was their teacher? Something about that guy just made him feel ill inside, "So where is our captain?"
Jiraiya held up a sealed letter, "I found this in my room. It's from Maze..."
The letter read:
To whom it may concern,
I have business to attend to and will not be there when you awaken. As such, I'm turning you over to my sister. She'll teach you the basics of living in our village and what will be expected of you. I expect you three to treat her with the utmost respect and decorum you can manage. If I hear anything less than satisfactory from her regarding any of you, I will see to it that your training is ESPECIALLY excruciating. Also if either of you try anything on her, I will flat out kill you.
Sincerely,
Maze Ursarius Bakanetsu
PS. That goes double for you, frog-face.
Jiraiya fumed, "Frog face! Where does he get off calling me that!"
Naruto laughed, "He speaks the truth!"
Jiraiya childishly turned his head from the table, "I'll bet his sister is some axe wielding she-hun with muscles as big as your mouth!"
Naruto growled, getting ready to fight Jiraiya when the door of the house opened. In stepped a girl about Maze's age with long wavy pink hair. Not the candy pink color of Sakura's but more of a magenta color. Her gentle almost motherly eyes sparkled a radiant blue color. Her smile was warm and kind, not one hint of malice behind it. She closed her eyes smiling to the group, "Good morning, I'm Mirru Karyo Bakanetsu. I'm Maze's sister."
Naruto and Jiraiya froze at the table, Naruto backed down into his seat. Jiraiya rubbed his chin looking back at the letter, "This is going to be a harder promise than I thought."
Mirru stepped inside, she was wearing a simple peasant dress and laced up bodice. Her fingure was a little fuller than Sakura or Ino's but she moved with definate grace. She was carrying a basket of eggs, "I hope you boys are ready, we have a BIG day ahead of us."
Naruto elbowed Sasuke, "(Ne, Sasuke, she's a looker isn't she? I hope she's not violently psychotic as Sakura though...Her hair kinda reminds me of Sakura's...)"
Sasuke averted his eyes, yes the girl was pretty but he was more concerned with training. Why did he have to be dragged out to the boonies with a pervert and an idiot to train? Then the answer came to him...Orochimaru. They wanted him away from Orochimaru, and Naruto away from his brother. It seemed like a good plan, travelling here was probably a huge deal and took a lot of time. So even if they were found it would take them a lot of time to travel.
Mirru was spooning some textured glop from the pot into three bowls, "It'll be nice to have some company in the house, father's always busy and mother lives in the mountains. It gets so quiet here. Here we go!"
She cheerfully placed the bowls before the three with spoons. Jiraiya poked at it with his spoon, Naruto just sniffed at it. It was Sasuke that asked the perenial question on all their minds, "What the hell is this?"
"It's oatmeal, think of it as a hot cereal."
Naruto bleghed, "Ya got any instant ramen bowls?"
Mirru's confused blank expression was followed by a phrase that drained the color from Naruto's face, "Ramen? I don't think I've ever even heard of that..."
Jiraiya mused, "Looks like we're all in for a big change in diet here. Oh well, can't complain about something you can't change."
Sasuke had already spooned some of the mixture into his mouth as Naruto stood there, frozen in time. He looked over, "Got anything to flavor it with?"
Mirru nodded, "I have fresh strawberry jam, brown sugar, orange marmalade, and some maple syrup."
Jiraiya tasted some of the mixture, "I'll try the strawberry jam."
Sasuke hmmed, "I'll try that maple syrup."
Mirru handed out the condiments when into the house burst a laughing Dagger. She was holding a video camera up recording her brother walking around with a fishbowl on his head like a space helmet. Vulvine followed behind, talking in an upset manner, "Steel, I'm being serious. Now tell me what you did with my fish."
Steel spun around with his arms out, "Not now! Can't you see I'm a wiggy angry space man on a rampage! Rrraaarr! When wills yous loirn dat evil is wrong-hahted!"
Mirru eh hemed, silencing the reverie, "And why did you just barge into the house unexpected?"
Dagger moved the camera behind her back, scratching the back of her head blushingly, "Um, my latest project...The Thing From Uranus. This is the part where the thing kidnaps the princess and holds her hostage."
Mirru shook her head as she took the bowl off of Steel's head, "Honestly, you didn't even ask me if I wanted the part. You two play too much as is without dragging me into another one of your home movies."
Naruto poked at the oatmeal sadly with his spoon sniffling about being so far from his beloved ramen. Sasuke had finished his bowl taking it to the sink and washing it out. Dagger spied the three from Konoha, then inspiration struck her anew. With a quick movement she switched tapes in the camera before turning her attention to the three, "So they're staying at your house! We have to document this for posterity!"
Before Mirru could stop her, Dagger sped right over to Jiraiya, getting the camera right in his face, "Today's moments are tomorrow's memories! EXTREME CLOSE UP!" Dagger practically shoved the camera right up Jiraiya's nose, getting a big close up of his nose hairs. Naruto saw this and started snickering to himself.
Dagger zipped over, pinning Sasuke to the fridge behind the camera, "Day one of Life in Green Knot, and I'm here to ask the burning question...What do foreign tongues taste like?"
Sasuke called out to Mirru, "Mirru! Get thisthisbubbling lunatic away from me!"
Mirru was about to grab Dagger's shoulder when the speedy runner zipped over to Naruto, "And how about you shorty? Any words for the public?"
Naruto was more than willing to play around with Dagger. He dramatically stood up on the chair, "Yes indeed I do! I Uzumaki Naruto intend to master the jutsus of Green Knot and return to Konoha where I will be welcomed with open arms as a hero! I'll slay the baddest beasts you throw at me! Bring it on!"
With that Naruto did a macho pose, flexing his muscles and looking mean into the camera. Mirru had had enough playing around, "Alright you two play time's over. Naruto, sit down and finish your breakfast. Dagger, you wait outside."
The two were still ignoring Mirru, Naruto now making rude faces into the camera. Mirru sighed, raising her hand and concentrating, Dagger felt preassure on her belt before being lifted by it. The speedy shutterbug grumbled as she hovered in mid air, "Fine, fine, I get the message. I'll wait outside, I need to get more tape anyway."
Mirru lowers Dagger who saunters out of the house muttering something about a pink-haired killjoy. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "How did you do that?"
Mirru turned to Sasuke, "I'm a mage or magic user. It's a simple levitation spell."
Naruto turned, still trying to avoid eating the glop before him, "Hey, hey, you use magic? That's cool! Teach us to use magic too! Well, teach me anyway. Sasuke doesn't need to know magic!"
Sasuke hmphed, folding his arms. Mirru held up her hands, "Now, now, boys. There'll be plenty of time for that after we get you settled. I'll just go get you two a change of clothes. Then we'll go tour the village."
Jiraiya finished off his bowl, sipping his tea casually as he watched Mirru toddle off to go get clothes. He grins to himself, thinking what a looker Maze's sister is, "Better eat up Naruto, you'll need your stength. You been asleep for over a weak."
Naruto shot up, "A weak? How the heck did that happen! I like sleeping in but that's ridiculous!"
Jiraiya smiled smugly as he sipped his tea, "Maze slipped you two some weak sleep when you drank with him. It's a very potent sleeping potion they use here. Once consumed you sleep for a weak. Nice thing is you'll have the best dreams of your life while out."
Sasuke rubbed his head, "That explains my dream...It was the best one I've had in years."
A little later, after Mirru force-fed Naruto the cold oatmeal and the boys got changed into the loose fitting shirts, comfortable pants, and leather shoes, Mirru took the boys and Jiraiya on a tour of the village. The most interesting points were the smithy, the town meeting pit, the weapons storage house, the mage guild house, and the Grand Hall of Valour. Of course Dagger and Steel followed, Dagger snapping off pictures every few minutes or getting in the way with her camcorder.
Jiraiya smiled to some washer women by the river, "Nice little village you got here Mirru, really rustic, down to earth and back to nature..."
Mirru smiled, "This village has been around for several hundred years and very little's changed. Our people believe in preserving our way of life while the world passes by."
Naruto watched some older men practicing their fighting, "Hey Mirru, when're we gonna get to training? I can't wait to try one of those swords out."
Mirru blinked, tilting her head, her hand tapping her chin thoughtfully, "Well, I'm afraid that'll have to wait until Maze gets back by the end of the weak. I'm not a fighter, I wouldn't know where to begin teaching you. So I'm just going to teach you utilitarian tasks."
Naruto huhs? Sasuke sighs, "She means everyday stuff people do, dobe. So what do we do first?"
Mirru smiled as she lead the group over to a fence. She whistled loudly. Then a from the field came walking over some horses, beautiful strong equines. They heard the whistle and headed straight for the source. She turned around, "We'll start with basic horseback riding."
The pink-haired lass lead them to the main stable where a majority of the horses were kept. Naruto bee-lined to a tall black draft-type horse. The horse was a giant, big as a tree, the feet seemed to shake the very earth with a casual stomp. The boy's eyes went wide as he stared up at the horse, "Wooooow..."
"I see you like my father's warhorse, Sleipneir. He's the most powerful of all our warhorses. But he's a big pussy cat at heart."
Mirru demonstrates by stroking the nose of the beast, who gently snorted and watched her. She took an apple from a nearby barrel and placed it in Naruto's hand, "Here, make friends."
Naruto nervously held the apple up to the horse, half afraid the horse might bite him. But Sleipneir's deft lips tickled over Naruto's hand as he ate the apple. He couldn't help but giggle, "Heh heh, it tickles! Can I learn on him please?"
Mirru patted Naruto's head, "Maybe after some practice, but let's see if I can find some suitable horses for you."
The girl looked through the stables, her bright eyes glancing over each stall's occupants before moving on. She stopped and turned, pointing at some horses barely bigger than Sasuke, "Here we go! We'll start you off on the training ponies!"
Sasuke and Naruto almost fell over hearing that and seeing the little horses. Naruto looked at Mirru like she lost her mind, "T-training ponies? You can't be serious!"
Mirru blinked, surprised by the reaction, "But your friend Jiraiya said neither of you had ever ridden before. And ponies are a lot gentler on children than a real horse."
Sasuke and Naruto just stare at Mirru, wide eyed, mouths agape. She just called the two ninjas children. Jiraiya was straining to keep from laughing, the poor girl just stood there, a blush decorating her pail cheeks.
"Was it something I said?"
Naruto thrust his finger towards Mirru, "Do you know who we ARE? We're ninjas of the Hidden Village of the Leaf! One of the most powerful ninja villages in the east! We've fought demon snake monsters, evil sand raccoons, and freaky guys in green spandex! And you have the nerve to call us children?"
"Young Naruto please understand, I don't want you to get hurt. I'm only looking out for your best interest."
Sasuke turns, folding his arms, "I have to agree with Naruto on this, you underestimate our abilities."
"But I..."
Jiraiya leaned over Mirru's shoulder, whispering as he stole a quick glance down her peasant shirt, "It's better if you just let them ride a real horse, humiliate themselves, then make them ride the ponies. Otherwise they'll just keep fighting you."
Mirru rubbed her forehead letting out a heavy sigh, "Ok, I'll let you two ride horses but if you get hurt you'll have to listen when I decide what's for your own good ok?"
Naruto nodded eagerly, happy enough to have gotten his way. Sasuke just gave his typical aloof 'hmph' as an answer. Mirru picked out two horses for the boys and gave a demonstration on saddling the horses and attaching the reins. Dagger of course was standing by with her camera, ready to record the ordeal.
Dagger oohed as she watched Mirru lead a deep brown horse and a grey horse out of the stable, "Good choices, this is gonna be good."
Mirru held the reins as she directed Naruto in what to do, "Ok, now put your right foot in the stirrup. Then, hold onto the saddle and pull yourself up, swinging your left leg over."
Naruto grinned putting his foot into the stirrup, he started to pull himself up when his footing slipped in the stirrup. His foot was now through the stirrup, he let out a starled cry as his grip slipped and he fell. The horse, startled by the noise takes off in a trot, draggiong Naruto along the ground.
"Gaaaaahhhh! Stupid horse! Stop! Please stop! What's horse for stop?"
Sasuke let a smug hmph go as he watched Naruto being dragged across the pasture. He took Mirru's intruction and mounted the horse, once on top he gave a self-assured smirk, "Can't you go five minutes without screwing up, dobe? Now how do I make it go?"
As Mirru tried telling Sasuke to gently squeeze with his feet, the arrogant young ninja in advertently kicked the horse's side. The horse took off at top speed, Sasuke's hands clinging to the saddle horn for dear life as he bounced on the saddle screaming.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
Mirru put her face in her hands, shaking her head in embarrassment, "Why wouldn't they listen?"
Jiraiya had cracked up laughing, leaning against the fence post. His face bright red with mirth as he slapped his knee, "They're gettin' what they deserve! Let 'em be, the lesson needs to soak in!"
"Dagger, go stop the horses, ple...Dagger?"
Her friend's too busy chasing after the boys with her camera, getting great shots of them. Mirru sighs heavily as Dagger follows Naruto getting a good strip of him screaming for help.
"PUT THE CAMERA DOWN AND HELP ME DAMMIT!"
Dagger just laughed and continued her naration, "Blondie here, couldn't even get ON the horse while Blackie over there succeeded in ticking the horse off!"
Mirru sighed heavily, watching the scene from the sidelines, "Can I go help them now? How long does it take them to learn their lesson?"
Jiraiya looked up at the sun, "Give 'em a couple of hours, just to be sure. Now why don'tcha show me that brewery your dad said was here?"
About two hours later, Mirru had finally regained control of the horses. She freed Naruto, whose shirt was now in shreds from being dragged through the field. Sasuke, glad to be off the horse was quick to request an icepack, a BIG one. Mirru only agreed to treat them if they promised to listen to her from now on. Soon the two were back in the house, Naruto lying on the floor while Mirru rubbed salve onto his scraped up back. Sasuke was seated on an icepack, his behind couldn't have been in more agony.
Naruto looked up at Mirru with a sheepish look, "Uh...Mirru? Can we try riding the PONIES tomorrow?"
Sasuke winced as he chimed in, "Yes, ponies are good...little horses less hurt..."
Mirru offered a small smile, the two boys had indeed learned something from their adventure. She nodded, "Ok but remember, you have to listen to me..."
The boys nodded, deciding it was less painful to let a girl tell them what to do. Jiraiya smirked to himself, the two were sure showing the Green Knot people what Konoha ninjas were made of: bravado and stupidity. He couldn't help but hope that Tsunade could cover up the disappearance for a while.
"GYAAACHOO!"
Tsunade sniffed, rubbing her nose, "You were saying Sakura?"
Sakura cleared her throat, "I want your permission to assemble a team and go look for Sasuke and Naruto."
The Hokage sighed, "Sakura, I've already had everyone searching the area. They're not anywhere near Konoha."
"I know, that's why I want permission to leave the boundries of the country to find them."
Sakura felt Tsunade's eyes widden before she even opened them. Tsunade was surprised that Sakura would jump to such an extreme conclusion. She thought for a minute, if she turned Sakura down, the girl might be crazy enough to risk going off on her own.
A smile tugged at the corners of Tsunade's mouth, "Sakura, I think you have a point. If any leads come in from out of the country, I'll put you in the team I send alright?"
Sakura smiled, "Thank you Tsunade-sama, and I was wondering if it was possible for me to train under you in the mean time. I respect your abilities and I want to be strong for my friends. I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines, I want to do something and stop burdening everybody."
Tsunade smiled, Sakura was a strong girl and needed the right guidance. It might be good for her to train the girl, who knows she might have the makings of a great medical ninja in her, "Alright, be here tomorrow around 7 am. And be prepared to sweat..."
To Be Continued...
Will Sasuke and Naruto ever learn to listen to Mirru? Will Dagger use the tape as blackmail in the future? Where will Tsunade send Sakura first?
Find out in the NEXT exciting Chapter: Seeking Those Who Walk With Dragons!
Big Thanx to Hikagi, DBoon, RecRaptor, and Donuts for reviewing. Please review I need to know you're out there people!
