Note: Okiedokes, I see a few a people has been e-mailing me and reviewing me to make one of the pairings NaruRikku. Sadly to say, Rikku in this case is too old for Naruto, considering this fic takes place just before the chuunin exams; hence making Naruto STILL twelve, and Rikku between seventeen to eighteen (Around some time after Yuna is re-united with Tidus, married him, and had a pair of twins). So at this moment in time Naruto's too young for Rikku. I must admit thought, if it wasn't for the age gap, or if Naruto was actually older (I mean like Naruto: 20 and Rikku: 25-type older, not Naruto: 16 and Rikku: 15. Know what I mean?), I would happily pair them together. So instead, I'll just make this a type of brother-sisterly relationship. Sorry to those who wanted this to be a NaruRikku... U.U;;
Warnings: Spoilers for Naruto and FFX-2; mostly concerning the Akatsuki, and a change of plot especially how things are suppose to go in order, such as the fact that Yuna had a pair of twins. Not to mention maybe some mistakes I'll make along the way (coughhistoricalmistakesonffx2becauseofacertainbrothercough). On that fact though, I'm counting on your reviews to point that out! X3 Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
Pairings: Hmm... I'm thinking GenmaRikku, ItaRikku and/or Saso(Sasori)Rikku (As suggested by 3b1L 8unn13 5L1pp3rz). Then there's KakashiPaine, AsumaPaine (Kurenai! Don't point that shuriken at me!) and/or RaidouPaine. Maybe Ibiki/Paine or DeidaraPaine? O.o Of course, there are the usual SakuSasu and NaruHina, etc. Any suggestions on who gets to be paired with whom? I don't even mind writing a shonen ai! (Yes, that means vote)
Damn... Long notes... Tadashi! Please read them!
"Uhh... Hi?" Paine greeted awkwardly, she and Rikku now back-to-back as they are circled by the ninjas. A man with a bandana who just saved Rikku stepped forward.
"Who are you? Are you here as an enemy?" He asked cautiously, pulling out a kunai in preparation. Rikku marveled at how he was able to talk with a stick-thingie (Which happens to be a senbon) in his mouth.(Can you guess who? X3)
"Ec dryd cusadrehk oui fuimt cyo du cusauha dryd oui zicd cyjat?" Rikku whispered to Paine in Al Bhed, sweatdropping. Paine shrugged.
"Famm, fa'ja kud pekkan bnupmasc dryh dryd nekrd huf, cu fa paddan luhjehla dras dryd fa'na hud uh rucdema dansc. Yht po dra fyo,"
"Oac?" Rikku inquired.
"Ec dryd Lnocdym-drehkea cibbucat du tu drec?" Paine asked sternly, causing Rikku to wince.
"Answer the question, are you here as an enemy?" Another ninja demanded, repeating the senbon-chewing shinobi's words. The two girls turned their attention back to the people surrounding them, and Paine gave a nod to Rikku.
"I understand your suspicion towards us, but with all due respect, we're not here to cause trouble at all," Paine explained, lowering her sword, Rikku tucking away her cards. The shinobis around them still kept their weapons up, not taking any chances.
"Where did you come from?" Kurenai asked, despite the fact she realised they fell from the sky.
"Uhh... Before we answer that, do you know what Spira is?" Rikku countered, sweatdropping as she thinks up the worst-case scenario...
"No."
...That just happened.
'Crap...' The two girls thought in exasperation.
"Uh... Well, one more question before we answer yours..." Rikku requested again.
"What?"
"Where is this?" Kurenai hesitated, but her comrades gave an assured look to her.
"You're in the forest in the outskirts of Konohagakure, our village. This village is a hidden village of ninjas representing the Fire country... Now, answer the question."
SOMETIME LATER... AFTER A FEW EXPLANATIONS
"...So...We've landed in another world. What are we gonna do now?" Rikku asked, the other shinobis and the two newcomers more relaxed after the exchange of explanations.
"Maybe it's best if we actually report you guys to Hokage-sama first. There we'll be able to figure something out," Kakashi suggested, his book whipped out of nowhere. Some of the other ninjas have returned to the village, leaving Rikku and Paine in the custody of the four ninjas that found the fiend first (Genma, Kakashi, Kurenai & Raidou).
"And by the way, my name's Kakashi. She's Kurenai, that's Raidou and there's Genma," Kakashi introduced, motioning the respective people with his look. They gave a low nod in acquaintance, Rikku and Paine doing the same.
"Pleased to meet you, we're Rikku and Paine..." Rikku said.
"Okay, which one's Rikku and which one's Paine?" Raidou asked.
"I'm Rikku."
"Yo mamma." They answered Raidou, where he sweatdropped at Paine's answer (Sorry, Can't help myself X3). Rikku then turned to Genma, who was pre-occupied with the senbon in his mouth.
"Genma-san, was it? Thank you," Rikku bowed, catching the brown-haired man's attention.
"For what?"
"For saving me from the Marlboro's attack,"
"Maro-who?"
"Marlboro, the creature just now?" She tried to remind him (Considering it didn't even happen half-an-hour ago), her face starting fluster for some reason.
'Uh... W-why am I blushing...?' She thought to herself, looking at the droopy-eyed ninja.
"Oh. Yeah..." His comrades sweatdropped.
"T-thank you..."
"No prob," Raidou turned to the blonde-haired newcomer.
"So that thing is called a Marlboro?" He asked, looking at the direction of the destroyed area where the Marlboro was defeated. Paine gave a nod of confirmation, as she ran her fingers through her hair, still exasperated from what she had just learned;
One: They ended up in somewhere NOT Spira
Two: They have no idea how to get back
And three: Rikku is getting a crush out of thin air with the damn toothpick-chewing one!
"Right. Hokage-sama it is then," Kurenai said, breaking her thoughts. With that, the ninjas escorted their newfound guest to the Hokage's office.
While they were walking through, Rikku can't help but feel awkward with all the attention the village is giving her and Paine. Paine on the other hand, although also slightly uncomfortable, ignored the stares and walked on.
"...Are we really that outstanding?" Rikku asked sheepishly to no one in particular.
"Pretty much... You've got a very distinct atmosphere about you, that's why," Kurenai answered, smiling reassuringly to the younger girl.
"It's definitely the hair." Paine replied, giving Rikku a vein pop.
"I like my hair, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" Rikku exclaimed, balling up her fist in the air. Paine sighed.
"Yeah, but it stands out. We're probably gonna stay here for a while if we don't find a way back immediately, so why don't you get a new style?" Paine suggested, earning a pout from the blonde Al-Bhed. Their conversation was cut when they finally made it to the building.
HOKAGE'S OFFICE
When they entered the office, escorted by Izumo and Kotetsu who met them along the way, the Hokage was sorting out some papers until they came in. He looked up, finding two oddly-dressed strangers with some of his ninjas. Around him are a few anbus.
"So, Ms. Rikku and Ms. Paine, is it?" He inquired, where the two girls looked shocked at his knowledge. Before they could ask, the old man answered.
"My orb has shown me your... Interesting arrival, to say the least. It enables me to see current happenings around the village, and a few radius around the forest outside the village." The two girls, on cue, looked at the round glass crystal on his table. He then began again.
"Now, to start things off, since we already know about your world, can you tell us a bit more about yourselves?"
"Umm... Yeah, I'm an Al Bhed, whose culture revolves around mechanism. I have a cousin named Yuna who is a summoner and a sphere hunter. I was one of her guardians when she went out to destroy Sin, and one of her partners when she became a sphere hunter to find Tidus, who is now her husband. I have a weird dad named Cid and I like coffee." She finished. Paine sweatdropped at the final irrelevant information.
"As for me... I'm the other partner of Yuna when she became a sphere hunter. My favourite weapon is this skull-crested sword I wield which can morph into other types of swords, whenever I change my style of sword fighting. 'nuff said." Paine finished, the Hokage nodding in confirmation.
"Right... Now tell US more about this place," Rikku inquired, and then looked around at the anbus. "And what's the deal with the masks?"
The Hokage chuckled.
SOMETIME LATER...
"...That's about it. If you have other questions, just ask around." The Hokage concluded.
"And I have one last question. What are your professions now? I gathered you're both this... Sphere hunter, but since it served its purpose in your world as you told me, I'm just wondering." He asked.
"I'm just a warrior for hire. Most of the time I just get rid of troublesome fiends." Paine answered simply. Rikku, on the otherhand sweatdropped; she was contemplating between thief, mechanic, occasional berserker, occasional alchemist, occasional gunner mage, coffee fiend? She settled for thief, even though she realised she's a Lady Luck at the moment.
"Okay, I'm really a thief, but now and then I change to somethings else, like a Lady Luck that I am now." Rikku finally explained. Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow.
"A thief? Can you even consider that as a profession?" He asked, earning a grin from Rikku.
"Hey, you get money off it don't you? So I'd say it is!" She exclaimed, holding up a few wallets. The eyes of the ninjas in the room widened when they realised something.
"AA! THAT'S MY WALLET!" Some of the ninjas, including a few anbus exclaimed, pointing at their respective cash carriers. The rest of the people (Excluding Paine) stared at her in disbelief, as Rikku threw them back their wallets.
"When did you...?" Kurenai began, checking to make sure the money's still inside. She then stuffed away her blue wallet in her red sleeve (Couldn't think of anywhere else she could've placed it. Nyah.) Rikku giggled, while Paine sighed.
"When you guys aren't looking."
...Insert a whenexactlywerentwelooking look. Paine, your cue.
"And you know, Hokage-dono, keeping your wallet in that funky hat you're wearing is the weirdest place you would put, but at least it was effective. Took me a while to steal it." Rikku noted/complimented. At this, the Hokage laughed, while some of the jounins looked at the old man oddly. While they did this, Rikku turned to Paine.
"Fryd tu oui cibbuca femm rybbah du ic?" She asked the older girl in Al Bhed.
"E's hud cina... Pid yc silr yc E veht drec bmyla ehdnekiehk, E fyhhy ku pylg," Paine answered truthfully, sighing. She then chuckled.
"Drah ykyeh, drana'c dra pnekrd ceta! Yd maycd oui sekrd ryja y lryhla fedr dra duudrbelg lrafehk uha!" Rikku blushed twenty shades of red, if that's even possible.
"F-f-fryd dra ralg yna oui dymgehk ypuid! E lyh'd pameaja oui, Paine!" She shrieked, making the non-Al Bhed occupants in the room look at her with a weird face. Paine just gave an amused expression, leaving the ninjas to rely on Rikku to give them at least a hint of what's going on.
"Uhn... Forget it..." Rikku mumbled, pouting a bit.
"What language was that?" Raidou finally asked.
"Al Bhed. Our native language, basically." Paine answered, back to her somewhat monotone look, although her amused look was still slightly visible. Deciding to leave it at that, the Hokage began again.
"Well for now, you guys need a place to live since we're not even sure how long it'll take to find your way back..." The two girls nodded. "...And also, since from what I heard that you both are quite strong, would you like to be ninjas for the moment?"
"WHAT!" They all (minus the Hokage) blanched, looking at the leader of Konoha with shocked expressions.
...TSUZUKU...
TRANSLATIONS
Ec dryd cusadrehk oui fuimt cyo du cusauha dryd oui zicd cyjat: Is that something you would say to someone that you just saved?
Famm, fa'ja kud pekkan bnupmasc dryh dryd nekrd huf, cu fa paddan luhjehla dras dryd fa'na hud uh rucdema dansc. Yht po dra fyo: Well, we've got bigger problems than that right now, so we better convince them that we're not on hostile terms. And by the way,
Oac?: Yes?
Ec dryd Lnocdym-drehkea cibbucat du tu drec: Is that Crystal-thingie supposed to do this?
Fryd tu oui cibbuca femm rybbah du ic: What do you suppose will happen to us?
E's hud cina... Pid yc silr yc E veht drec bmyla ehdnekiehk, E fyhhy ku pylg: I'm not sure... But as much as I find this place intriguing, I wanna go back
Drah ykyeh, drana'c dra pnekrd ceta! Yd maycd oui sekrd ryja y lryhla fedr dra duudrbelg lrafehk uha: Then again, there's the bright side! At least you might have a chance with the toothpick chewing one!
F-f-fryd dra ralg yna oui dymgehk ypuid! E lyh'd pameaja oui, Paine!: W-w-what the heck are you talking about! I can't believe you, Paine!
Final comment: Thnx lots to Yuki3x3 for pointing out that Paine's name doesn't need to be translated. Sorry, I translated the Al-Bhed dialogues VIA an Al-Bhed translator n.n;;