The Dragon Dilemma
I don't own Naruto and Zoids
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"Talking"
'Thoughts'
/-- Scene change
)-()-( Different point of view
?-? Flash back
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Chapter 6
Despite the looks he's receiving from Sasuke and, in time, from Sakura, things seem to settle down. He kind of shocked himself in telling Kakashi some of his plans for his future. Quite a bit of what he said held a great deal of truth in it and from the way Kakashi acted towards him since then, he guesses he hit a deep nerve with the older ninja. He felt guilty for altering something within Kakashi, but it just seemed like he needed to tell someone what he has thoughts are about the village and what he wants out of life.
He had quit trying to prove himself worthy of people's friendship when it was clear that their parents set an example of distain and hostile. Oddly enough, in that's how he ended up becoming friends with Shikamaru and Choji. He stopped seeking out attention and actively trying to make friends, since Shikamaru and Choji never objected to his presence and slowly something began to grow as it appears that the other two were seemed to accept him in their own ways, like Shikamaru asking if he knew how to play Go or Choji asking for him to spar with. He had been confused at first, considering he didn't expect that to find acceptant without even trying. Luckily, Shadow was more then willing to give him advice about how to be a good friend. He kind of feared that Shadow would be angry about him making other friends, but it seems that Shadow wasn't jealous and he's thankful for that. All this happened during the first year he met Shadow.
'I understand now why Shadow began to advice that I start finding more deserted streets to walk home. They can't glare at you if you're not around to be glared at. It also stopped the drunks from following me and beating me up in alleyways. I swear I don't know why they need to drunk to beat me up. I was just a little kid, it's wasn't like I could fight back.' He thinks as he walks behind the others. He studies the three before him and knew that none of them really cared about him unless it affects the mission or the team work. His good at working with them, for either of his team mates ever put any effort into working with him.
Sakura is totally focused on Sasuke that she leaves herself wide open for attacks and Sasuke just loves to race into battle head first, not even really thinking about his back. He's had a long time studying the pair of them, so he can adapt to any position that his needed to fill. It was the strength, but also the weakness of their team, for it the enemy gets him out of the picture, either of the other two would last in a serious fight with the way they act and react. Sakura didn't have the staying power to keep up with Sasuke and Sasuke would be overconfident.
He glances at the adult of the team, wondering if Kakashi figured out what his contribution to the team work is. But then, considering the remark that he received from the jonin that night, it seems that it's true that Kakashi might not really see it. He really wishes that he had Shadow to talk to, he knows that Shadow would listen and it would have helped keep him from having that out burst he had that night. He also can't blame Kakashi for being blinded by the past to see the reality of the present or to think in terms of long time future of the team. Nor can he blame either of his team mates for thinking and being more concerned with their own lives then to see what's happening with him.
His thoughts once more turned towards Shikamaru and Choji, he kind of wishes for the like the hundredth time to be paired up with them then with Sasuke and Sakura. At least Shikamaru and Choji have some kind of understanding about what's going through his head, most of the time. 'Though with Shikamaru, you never can tell.' He thinks thoughtfully as he walks behind the group.
)-(Sasuke)-(
He's currently trying to piece together the being known as Naruto from what he knows and the rumours that he might have heard. It doesn't help that Kakashi refuses to speak about what happened that night either. He also kind of wonders just why Kakashi doesn't want to talk about it, for shouldn't their teacher be trying to talk Naruto out of his plans to quit being a ninja as well as moving out of the village? Then again, why does this matter to him?
He sighs mentally and thinks about what his plans for the future are. 'I want to kill Itachi, right? I should be grateful that Naruto isn't going to be trying to horn in on my time with Kakashi, it means I'll get stronger faster. Why should I care about that Dobe? He's not even that strong and he is dead last.' He feels a bit better, but something just wouldn't let up about Naruto. In the end, he scrawls at those thoughts and searched for that empty spot deep within himself and centered himself with it. He straights up slightly and he becomes more alert to his surroundings. Without thoughts to distract him, he walks unconcerned through the more open portion of the road.
)-(Naruto)-(
They make it to the town about ten days of traveling. He glances around at the town that they're going to be staying in until the sword is finished. He does wonder why the smith chose Hidden Leaf instead of Hidden Sand to protect him. He does grin as he realises that he's going to finally hook up with Shadow once more. His mood brightens at the thought of the black Organoid and just knows that Shadow missed him as well.
Sakura's mood also perks at the sights and sounds of the town. He smiles as he watches as Sakura moves between windows as they head towards their destination. He can tell that Kakashi was also enjoying the reactions that Sakura was displaying, though Sasuke seems to be disapproving of their team mate's behaviour. It doesn't take long before they arrive at the shop that their client owns.
Kakashi enters in first, followed by Sakura and Sasuke. He pauses and looks at the sign before entering into the building. He blinks at all the weapons that are begin displayed and notices that Sasuke and Sakura were looking around the shop, leaving Kakashi to speak with the man behind the front desk.
He studies the man, he notices the bandages around the man's left fist as well as a scar running down the from the man's right temple to his jaw. The man is tall and his hair is beginning to grey. He guesses that the man has rough hands from his job as well as fine muscles to show for it.
He considers trying to over hear their conversation, but then decides to wait for Kakashi to inform them more about what's going on. He walks over to look at some decorative weapons that were more pieces of art then for actual use. His eyes lingered on an axe that seems to have a dragon circling around the hilt as well as the gem for eyes. He smiles as his thoughts drift towards Shadow, whose suppose to be a dragon.
He looks away as he looks to see what Kakashi is doing. He takes one last look at the axe, then walks over towards his instructor. "We'll be staying?" He asks. Kakashi seems startled slightly and looks over at him as the jonin answers, "There's an inn a bit north of here, on the out skirts of the town." He nods and shifts his weight before saying, "I'm sorry I snapped at you that night, I was edgy and I shouldn't have taken it out on you." That really startled Kakashi, for Kakashi just seems to stare at him in a dumbfounded way. The jonin recovers after a few seconds and asks, "You really want to leave?" He nods and looks at one of the spears behind the counter. "I just don't see any real future in the village. I just know that in time, someone might get the bright idea of sending me off on a suicide mission, one that I can't handle and I doubt that if I arrive at the gates injured but the mission completed, that they'll take me to the hospital. It's more likely that they'll slight my throat and leave mine corpse to the animals." He says.
Kakashi doesn't reply to that, which means that the jonin can see that there was quite a bit of truth in that vision he painted out for the old ninja. "What about Shikamaru and Choji?" Kakashi ask after a minute of silences. "I think they'll understand, especially Shikamaru. Shikamaru might not look like it, but he's a really brilliant, I'd say he's a genius in all scents of the word. He's just too lazy to show it is all." He tells Kakashi. Just as Kakashi is about to make a comment, Sakura and Sasuke join them, putting an end to their conversation. "And?" Sasuke asks in a cool tone. "We're just waiting on direction to the place we'll be staying at." Their instructor says. He notices the smith coming through the door before anyone else and soon Kakashi takes the piece of paper, then pauses. "Naruto will begin guarding now." Kakashi says and he nods and hands over his back pack. Soon the other leave and he turns to their client. "You can sit begin the counter, just call me if anyone is going to buy something." The man says and he just nods and soon he's sitting down, watching as customers browse through the store. So began a long day in the life of Naruto Uzumaki.
)-(Shadow)-(
He's had to keep himself from checking out the eight Zoids that were located around this area. Most of them were a few days journey from the town, while others were close. From what his scanners say, about two are huge; he figures that those two might be carriers or transporters. There were about three that were easy to get to without going too far from the town.
It's night time and by his calculation, Naruto's team should have arrived today. So he's been drifting around the perimeter of the village, in hopes of finding Naruto. He turns as he notices a flash of blond moving down a path towards this inn that's on the out skirts of the town. He snorts and roars out a greeting. "Shadow?" He hears Naruto say softly. He growls and he is very pleased to watch as Naruto found him. "So, what have you been up to?" Naruto asks and he growls out, "Nothing much, just waiting for you." Naruto grins at this and says as he motions for Shadow to follow, "Well, just let me clean up and eat something before we got check out the Zoids you've located. Also, it seems that Kakashi is also going to searching for Zoids too. I also think Sasuke knows about Zoids as well." He nods as he trails behind Naruto. He doubts that Kakashi will find any Zoids for a while yet, even if the man does, they'd have already checked them out and declared them unsuitable.
)-(Sasuke)-(
He frowns as he checks the time. It's been about five hours and still no sign of Sakura to relieve him for his break. He eyes the building, then heads off to see where his female team mate is. He just knows he should have asked to be partnered up with Naruto, for at least the other boy takes his job seriously, even though he has no plans on continuing to be a ninja for the rest of his life. 'If I find her sleeping…' He thinks darkly as he jumps from roof top to roof top.
To be continued …