This is a Naruto/John Carter Crossover Fan Fiction Story Only.

As we kept walking through the temple, Solas actually picked a time when it was mostly empty, Dejah kept asking me questions, questions I had no answers to. How can I jump? How can I resist the blue beam attack when it destroyed her men by the hundreds? How can I know an ability that only Tarks and supposedly animals could use? She just kept asking question after question.

I was tempted to tell her the same way she kept asking questions about things I had no clue about. As soon as we reached the main temple chamber I began to see all these carved walls with many different symbols. "Now Dotar Sojat we know you can talk, and we know you can fight, but the problem I want to address right now is your inability to read. Now I am going to point to letters and you will repeat the letters as I call them. I know you will pick this up in no time."

She kept going through the alphabet and sure some letters looked a little like the alphabet that people learned back home, as I began to try to morph the look of the letters to look like the ones I knew, and sure enough as soon as I did that in my mind, I began to be able to put letters together, words, and later sentences, grammar was the most difficult part for me.

Just as I began reading out loud one of the walls, another slightly older female Thark showed up with several armed men, she ordered them to tie us up and to be brought before our Jeddak. What does this person think I was doing in the temple, I was with Solas, Woola, and the one red woman I had to keep an eye on, or else something might happen I would later regret.

"Jeddak I found these three and that creature in the temple, they looked like they were going to deface our temple walls! I ask they be punished as heretics and be killed immediately!" Ok, the older Tharks woman was not a friend or even fair it seems. Now that I compare her to Solas however I can say without any hesitation that yes, the Ugly tree does exist on Barsoom, cause she was brutally beaten with one of its branches at some point in her life.

"May I explain?" I looked at Tarkis as I asked. He simply nodded his head, "I had to take the red woman with me to keep an eye on her, so she does not do anything that would cause our horde harm. Solas took me to the temple so that I might complete my basic education, I need to know how to read. Woola would follow me anywhere I go, even if I tell him to stay home. Why is me learning to read an act of heresy?"

Tharks Tarkis looked at the woman who clearly accused me and he was pissed. "You dare accuse Solas of basically doing her duty to ensure Dotar Sojat is literate! Guards take this woman and put her in a holding cell, she will receive her brand in the morning for falsely accusing my right arms of Heresy of all things."

As the woman was taken away, I began to think, how many times did she get Solas blamed and punished for something she did not do, the second I began to think about how many brands she had on her, any sympathy I might have felt for her was gone.

"So mind telling me what exactly about the sacred walls was so interested that you decided to learn to read to know about? Oh don't look at me like that Naruto I can pretty much figure there was more than a reading lesson, I am your Jeddak."

I looked at him and began to nod my head as I heard him, "Well actually I been thinking that they might expose some hidden weaknesses in our defenses, and if those weaknesses are shared, then maybe we could use said weakness to attack and conquer the other tribes. You said I was going to invade the other hordes didn't you? Well I was trying to figure a way to do that. The sooner we get the other hordes to unite with ours, the sooner we will be ready should Zodanga try to attack us."

I actually prefer to be more pro-active and flat out have a massive army to attack them, eliminate a danger to us before they have a chance to attack. The idea that Solas or Thars getting killed terrifies me for some odd reason.

He looked at me, and for some reason he was smiling, if I didn't know any better I would say he was reading my mind, "So what did you figure out? I know it wouldn't take you that long to learn to read, you are my right arms after all, so what did you find out from the sacred walls?"

I looked at him, "I found that the main weakness we have is a small river. The River it seems is called the River is named after the main goddess you worship. It is treated as a river of death, so I imagine the other hordes tend to avoid it, but that also means they will never see an invasion for coming from that river. It must touch all the other three horde cities, because a large group of people do need water."

"I figured that I might be able to attack each one of their Jeddak and have them become part of our horde, and since I am your right arms, well that would mean that you would become the Jeddak of those other three hordes wouldn't you?"

He actually began to laugh when I said that, "Actually no, each horde has their own way of doing things, and they might not all decided the position of Jeddak like we do. Even if they did, that would mean you would become Jeddak of three hordes, and I remain Jeddak of yours. Let's face it, if that happens you more than likely be expected to challenge me for the position of Jeddak, and you probably know it is decided with us, with a death duel."

He looked at Solas and I am surprised she never even noticed how many times he actually looked at her. "I am sure you would look after Solas if that happened. So what exactly do you plan to do?" I guess challenging the Jeddak of the other hordes would have to wait, maybe I can find a way not to have to fight Thars.

"I still feel that there is something hidden on the river, there must be a reason why the sacred walls, would teach such fear of the river. I would like your permission to scout the river to see if my theory about the river and the three other horde settlements is true."

He again began to laugh, this is weird, he has laughed more times today since than any other day. "Yes, I do approve of you going to the River, but under two conditions, one Solas goes with you, and you must take your red woman with you. She would not be safe here on her own, or she could end up doing something to cause you trouble."

Dejah began to blush something fierce the minute I heard him say she was mine. I still have not been able to figure out why she was blushing like that, I mean it could all be a trap to get me to lower my guard so she can escape to that city of hers.

As we began to ride I realized our map has a few parts missing, so I decided to ask Dejah being the head scientist of her city, she must know more about the area that we are headed, and suspiciously she actually agreed to act as our guide. Thirty minutes later, and I got the feeling that something was wrong, the sun was strange for some reason."

"Solas call me crazy but don't you think we are headed the wrong way?" I began to pull the reins and making my mount slow down a lot more than Dejah expected. "You are right Dotar Sojat, the sun is setting in the wrong direction, if I am right, she is leading us towards Hellium."

I had no reason to not believe Solas so I decided to comfront Dejah about her little deception. I rode till I held the reins of her mount causing her mount to stop, "Now Dejah, I believe this expedition was to explore the river, but the sun and the hills are nowhere what I would expect, and Solas and I got the sneaky suspicion that you are leading us towards Hellium. Care to explain that Professor?"

She didn't bat an eyelash when I said it, "If you can see the plight of my people, the beauty of Hellium, and how just defending such a place is, you might be more willing to help us." Honestly, you save one beautiful girl from falling to her death and she automatically or conveniently thinks I am a hero.

I looked at her and for a second I lost track of what I was thinking, I mean she is rather beautiful and the way she was dressed and such left me with the impression she was very appealing, but this is important I got to focus. "Look Professor, I am no hero, I just do what is necessary for my survival, and as such it means ensuring that the Tharks are safe. But fine, you love your city, your people and your position of Authority."

"To save Hellium you will never manage to do it by yourself, you need allies." She looked at me for a little bit, and she didn't look happy with what I told her, "We only need you, Naruto, you were able to resist the blue beam from the Zodanga Jeddak, you could lead us in defeating Zodanga and saving Hellium, why would we need anyone else?"

This is getting ridiculous, "Have you ever thought that the weapon the enemy leader is using was just a prototype that he was testing? Now that he sees it is successful who is to say that he will not simply make more? Sure I can stop one but dozens? Also you are being pretty selfish in just thinking of the safety of just your city, the Tharks, and the other hordes also deserve to live, and they can help."

She turned around and looked at Solas with such a glare, "The green ones never care about anyone but their own horde, I curse the rotten luck that they found you first rather than us. They don't even think of me as a person, they think I am your property. What makes you think they will care about anything other than their own selfish goals?"

I could tell her that Solas and her father were some of the kindest people I ever met, but it is clear she would not believe me. "Why are you so sure that your city would not give you to the Jeddak of Zodanga in other to save themselves? You don't like the Tharks then you should not ride on the mounts they provide, or receive their help." I pulled the rope that kept her bags that caused her dismount and provisions to fall on the ground, she managed to jump off the last second.

I moved my arm to tell Solas we were leaving her behind, as we began to ride the right direction I could practically feel her smiling at me, "You are right, I like this idea better Dotar Sojat." I stopped for a few seconds until I knew desperation will make finally stop lying to us.

"YOU FOOL, THE GREEN ONES NEVER CARE ABOUT ANYONE! I CAN'T GO BACK WITHOUT YOU, I CAN'T, I RATHER DIE! I WILL NOT MARRY HIM!" Wait this is what all this was about, an arranged marriage she did not like? So the Zodanga were not attacking Hellium they were after a runaway bride, that makes no sense at all.

I turned around my mount till I was looking at her, tears following down her face, "What is the matter with the Jeddak of Zodanga? Is it his breath? Why do you not wish to marry him?" She glared at me while at the same time had a blush on her face. Someone is getting mixed messages here, and that someone did not like it one bit, why can't she just be clear for once?

"A marriage based on a bargain is no marriage at all, a marriage to someone I hate, that can not feel any love other to himself, that is no life, I rather die than live that life, that is not marriage it is slavery, and yes, Hellium, my own father sold me to save themselves." Solas actually got of her mount and went over to her to help her stand.

"Dotar Sojat, she is the daughter of the Jeddak of Hellium, I read her mind, I tell you true, she is a princess of Hellium." I have no reason to doubt Solas, she always has been honest to me, and for some reason I came to think of her as family. The second I saw Woola right next to her I knew that there really was no other alternative but to try and reason with her again.

"Princess, in order to have a fighting chance we need more warriors, and we can not have that unless I managed to gain control of the other three hordes, while we wait Zodanga would be doing just that to limit our numbers, have you thought of that, that is why we are going to the River, I will challenge the Jeddak of the other hordes and once I gain control, we can all fight against that which is killing everything here on Basoom, Zodanga."

Solas was now glaring at me, "You told our Jeddak that it was a simple scouting mission. Do you mean to tell me you liked to our Jeddak? How could you Dotar Sojat! Don't you care at all what he feels? He placed his trust in you!"

Boy, she really does feel like family, "I never said right now did I? Honestly I might as well call you sister, because you sure love to guilt trip me every chance you get. We are scouting, that is always vital for any future invasion to an enemy territory you know that or at least you should know that."

I looked as Woola and began scratching behind his right ear before continuing. "Look, only a complete and utter fool decides to invade any enemy territory without proper scout information. Who jumps blind head first into something like that without having a proper entry and exit strategy? When the lives of thousands are at stake you don't want to be doing things without planning things out."

The more I explained the more it seems Dejah was giving me the impression I was hitting her in a sensitive spot. I would not hit her, but her ego and self-confidence sure seem to be getting hit a lot.

Solas looked at me with such a radiant smile, "So what do you expect to find on the river Dotar Sojat?" I didn't bother stopping scratching Woola's other ear, which apparently Woola was very happy that I did. "Like I told Thars, I expect that there is something hidden in the river, something that is valuable enough to make everyone fear the river as much as it is."

"I expect we will find some answers to how did Zodanga become that strong and that quickly, or we will find something we can use to better get ready when we challenge the other hordes. Granted I could have done this with you and of course Woola alone, but something tells me the princess here will be instrumental in figuring what we will find, I don't know what that is, since it is basically a gut feeling."

Dejah just looked at me and she was glaring at me for a second there, that is when we finally reached the river, it turns out that the discussion and me scratching woola's ears were a good distraction. I guess they never even noticed I was doing that while riding in the direction I felt was correct.

"You talk like you been in a war before? Yet, you don't look that old to me. How can you talk about things like strategy and such if you look like you never even seen a woman naked." I completely wanted to scream that it was sexual harassment, but it would do me no good. I know Dejah is only doing it to get back at me for something she felt I did that offended or hurt her pride.

"Actually I been to several wars, and some even turned out with me being the only survivor. As for physical relations with the opposite sex, well I been married and had a child. It was before I got sent from Jasoom, that is why you see me with no hurry to get back there, truth be told my wife and child were both murdered in cold blood."

Solas dismounted first and looked at me with this real sympathetic look. I could probably think that Dejah didn't believe a word of it. I began to move one of the rafts that were on the river edge and began to look for a paddle. "So why did you marry?" I didn't turn around and told her because I loved her, enjoyed working with her on things, and could spend days just being together. I said my late wife was my partner in everything I did, and especially after the war, she was also the person who got me through the worst of my post war depression.

"So to you, your wife is more than a baby maker, you actually seem to treat her as a friend, adviser, and quite possibly ally." I finished making the two paddles I found stronger with some string and a bit of work on my part. I turned around and flat out told her to me she was my partner in all things, she put into the relationship as much as I did. "You can't dance alone, and you need at least two people for a really nice dance to some romantic music. I miss her, but it will never change the fact that she is gone and I am not going to see her again."

Solas wanted to change topics and flat out asked me how old I was, I had no reason to deny her question, and since she honestly seem to want to know, I told her, over seven thousand years old, but I lost count. This of course was meant as a joke, but I guess they didn't take as such as they stared at me with their mouths hanging open like that.