The Dragon Dilemma
I don't own Naruto and Zoids
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
/-- Scene change
)-()-( Different point of view
?-? Flash back
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 11
He frowns as he remembers how Sasuke bolted from the room once he walked into it to grab a change of clothing. He just sighs and then grabs some clean cloths, making a mental note to do his laundry once he gets back from visiting Shadow. As he was leaving, Kakashi is standing by the stairs. "Is there any reason why Sasuke bolted through the hallway?" The jonin asks. "I think he had a nightmare and on seeing me enter the room, he just couldn't remain in my presence." He answers honestly.
Kakashi nods and moves out of his way. He soon leaves the inn as he heads off towards where Liger Zero is hiding. He wants to visit Shadow before having a cold bath in a small stream. It takes him a few minutes, but he arrives at the spot after traveling at a fast pace through the forest. He grins as he comes within sight of the multicoloured coverings that rest over the Liger Zero.
"Shadow!" He cries out as he notices the black Organoid lying on the ground. The black metal Dragon looks over at him and growls out a greeting. He slows up into a jog as soon as he spots his friend. Shadow also gets up off the ground and waits for him to come closer. He slows to a walk once he's within ten feet of Shadow.
He looks puzzled about something, the feeling he feels rolling off of Shadow is satisfaction as well as worry. "What's wrong?" He asks once he's within three feet of Shadow. Shadow makes a throaty sound and he waits for Shadow to tell him, curious as to what happened to make Shadow think before telling him what happened.
/----
He frowns slightly as he follows Shadow through the forest. It's been two days since Shadow told him about the Sound ninjas and Shadow knows where to find them. So he decided to check them out before what ever event they're planning to do tomorrow, happens. He didn't want to be caught unawares by their appearance or behaviour.
Oddly enough, he felt like something within him had woken up and also seems interested in what's going to happen. He has to admit that it's kind of freaky feeling to feel from one's own body. He tries to shake those thoughts out of his head, deciding that they're caused by him reaching puberty.
He pushes those thoughts out of his head as he trails behind Shadow, trying to figure out how to tell Kakashi about these Sound ninjas. He didn't want them to have the upper hand in what's about to happen tomorrow. A stray thought about the message he left just in case he experiences a critical injury. It gives the descriptions of the Sound ninjas that Shadow told him. He just hopes it he's not in over his head doing this.
)-(Sasuke)-(
He muses as he watches Naruto's still body on the bed. It's been a day since they're encounter with the Sound ninjas and they still haven't figured out just how Naruto found out about the ninjas, only that he headed off the pervious night to spy on them. It was Kakashi that found the note about what Naruto was doing and the jonin came for them to help find Naruto.
He frowns as he remembers what happened once they arrived.
?-?
He flinches as he feels some kind of dread aura radiating from somewhere ahead. He turns his head slightly to the left to find that Sakura paler then usual. He looks ahead, cursing the blond for getting into this mess. Though he'll be the first to admit that this promises to be more interesting then guarding the shop.
Kakashi motions for them to slow up and they do. Kakashi stops and they make it to the tree that Kakashi is currently resting on. "You two will grab Naruto and run, I'll try my best to keep them occupied so you escape." Then the jonin pauses, then continues, "The man Naruto described being the leader is a S-rank missing nin, so this isn't the time to play hero. If I don't show up after forty minute, abort the mission and race back to Hidden Leaf and report to Lord Hokage about what happened. There's a high probability that I'll be killed holding them back."
He looks stunned that their instructor, he feels chills race down his spin and then through his entire body. 'If Kakashi doesn't think he'll make it out alive, then…' He swallows and feels his fist shake as he fights down his roaring emotion. Fear was the major emotion that he's feeling and it brought back memories about his clan's murder.
An image of Naruto's dead body enters his mind and he closes his eyes, trying to banish it. He growls and says, "Then what are we waiting for? Naruto might be dead now!" Kakashi and Sakura look surprise, but he narrows his eyes. "If we're going to do this, then lets hurry this up! Naruto might not have long to live if we're just standing here!" He practically shouts out.
He's also hoping that by shouting at the other two members of his cell that he'll be able to calm down as well. He launches himself off the tree and towards the next one. He continues, focusing his fear into launching himself forward. He will not let Naruto died without at least trying to save the blond. Oddly enough, he just knows that this wasn't just about Naruto getting kill, but to prove that his not the same little coward he had been when he was six years old and his brother telling him, no ordering him to run away.
Soon he arrives at the scene of the battle to find not only Naruto hurt and bleeding profoundly, but also one of the Sound ninja dead as well. He flinches as something sends Naruto flying through the air; he blinks and notices a man that had been in his dreams. "Naruto!" Sakura's voice rings out behind him. He curses mentally to himself as the pale man looks at Sakura and then leers at him.
"Well, well, well, my prize prey comes to me instead me hunting him." The man says in a creepy voice. He swallows as he feels like a mouse before a cat. 'Or before a hungry snake.' He thinks as he suppresses a shiver and snaps out of it as Naruto moves to stand up. "So what am I? Some discarded toy? You're alone now because you underestimated me. Now with my team mates here, you'll be running away with your tail between your legs." Naruto says as he knees, for Naruto doesn't have any strength left to stand.
The man turns to look at Naruto and says in a sneer, "You might have lived longer if you kept you mouth shut." Naruto chuckles soundlessly, which sent a chill down his spin. "You wouldn't have liked the results if you did, snake man. I have a life to look forward to and right now, you're just in the way." Naruto says in a light voice, like he's in charge and not kneeling down as his life blood pours out of him. "Naruto…" He says softly, not sure how to react to how Naruto's acting.
Then a thought crosses his mind and he looks around the forest in search of any signs of Kakashi. 'We just need to buy time, but what's Kakashi planning?' He thinks, some how, that calms his nerves despite the fact that, to borrow Naruto's nickname, snake man's aura just increased. Though it puzzles him how despite being seriously injured, that Naruto could still act as if he's not in pain.
He has been moving slowly towards Naruto, leaving Sakura frozen in place. Pale snake man seems to be smirking, clearly amused by what Naruto said. "You're quite insolent, boy. Perhaps I should teach you some manners." The man says in amusement. He watches as a sword comes out of snake man's mouth. As the man raises the sword, he charges, his hands flying through a jutsu without him even thinking about it, he grabs a hold of Naruto to pull him away, but once he touches Naruto, he's thrown back by some force.
He pales as he watches Naruto's whole body pulse. He then realises which jutsu he used and swallows nervously. Naruto's body begins to grow and the odd mixture of fur and scales begins to grow on Naruto's body. Though Naruto seems to be screaming, no sound was heard. Even snake man moves backwards to give Naruto more room. What remain of Naruto's cloths bursts at the seams and Naruto falls forward. Naruto's body continues to grow and wings grow from Naruto's shoulder blades. Naruto continues to grow more beast-like, a tail grows from Naruto's butt and within three seconds, a blade grows at the tip of the tail.
The transformation took a whole ten minutes from start to end and the creature that Naruto transformed into throws back his head and roars. He gulps as the creature turns to look at him with navy blue eyes. After taking a sniff, the creature that is Naruto turns to the snake man and growls throatily. The man takes a fighting stance, from the looks of things the man's oozing with confidence at facing the freaky creature that Naruto transformed into.
Within a minute of studying snake man, Naruto snaps at the man and takes a swipe with one of his fore paws. One of the talons on the forepaw rips the man's shirt and before getting the chance to go on the offensive, Naruto is attacking the man unrelentingly. Even he can't believe that the man can dodge most of the attacks from Naruto.
"Orochimaru seems to have met his match, for the moment anyway." Kakashi says from behind him. He turns and blinks owlishly at his teacher. "Why didn't Naruto pass out like last time?" He asks. "Inner Beast Form jutsu is unstable for this very reason. You continue to get different results with every use, even when used on the same victim. We should be glad that he's not attacking randomly and all we can do is just sit it out. So we just need to wait for it to wear off." Kakashi says. He blinks and sighs before saying, "I guess I messed up again." "Maybe or maybe not, it depends on the outcome of this fight." Kakashi says lightly.
He blinks as he muses on that thought as he returns to watching Naruto as this strange creature now fight a large purple snake summon. He watches as Naruto leaps into the air, spreading his wings. Naruto flies out of reach of the snake and begins to dive bomb the snake summon. The snake tries to use its tail as a whip on the fifth dive bomb. Naruto snarls and bites down on the tail, with his hind paws landing before the front part. The snake bites Naruto's neck with lightening speeds.
Snake man tries to dispel the jutsu, it doesn't work. Naruto raises his right paw and takes a swipe at the snake's head. The snake couldn't let go fast enough and Naruto bats the snake using his left forepaw. Naruto moves in and bites down hard on the purple snake's throat, causing the snake summon to disappear in a cloud of smoke. Naruto roars triumphantly with his wings spread.
After a few minutes, Naruto falls forward and his whole body shrinks into that humanish breast form, but this time with wings. They rush over and find that Naruto seems to be passed out once more. The injuries that Naruto had were gone. Sakura gathers up what remains of Naruto's kunai pouch. He helps move Naruto onto Kakashi's back. He looks around, he sighs, suddenly feeling exhausted, even though he didn't really do anything.
?-?
He turns to find Kakashi appearing at the door with a plate with a tea pot and some cups on it. "Hasn't woken up yet?" Kakashi asks. Though Naruto's now human, he still hasn't woken up yet. He just shakes his head and then gets up off the floor.
He follows Kakashi out of the room and into the room Kakashi's using. He wonders how Sakura is doing, guarding the shop without having much rest. None of them have had a decent night's rest since Naruto's transformation. Everything just feels so surreal and he's still numb about what he did to Naruto yet again.
To be continued …