A.N. Here is Part 2 of the Anime Cinematic Universe! This story takes place several years after the events of Atlas: Titan Rising, in case people are confused about the dates. Don't worry, there won't be any spoilers for that story.
Let'sgetiton!
Disclaimer: OCMixmaster27 does not own any of the franchises represented in this story apart from original characters. This work is made for nonprofit entertainment purposes only.
"Hello there!": Speech.
'This is gonna be fun': Thoughts.
[All systems are go!]: Mechanical Speech
{Welcome to Japan.}: Foreign Speech
"How Dare You!": Monster/Demon Speech, Special Technique
Fanfiction Studios Presents…
An OCMixmaster27 Production…
Long ago, a mighty tree fell from the stars and took root in ancient Japan. The tree bore fruit that granted incredible power. One woman was brave enough, or foolish enough, to eat the fruit and gain its power. That woman's name was Kaguya.
She used the fruit's power, which was called chakra, to end the violent conflicts throughout the land, and bring peace. The people praised her as a goddess and made her their ruler.
But as her power and influence grew, so too did her paranoia and mental instability. She separated her lands from the rest of Japan and sealed it away under a powerful illusion in what is now called the Dragon's Triangle. She then sacrificed her subjects to create an army of mindless monsters to defend her empire.
Seeing Kaguya's corruption with their own eyes, her two sons, Hagoromo and Hamura, worked to put an end to her tyranny. Hagoromo trained his body and mind to their absolute peaks and harnessed his chakra into a powerful force of nature called Ninshu. Hamura, meanwhile, used his chakra and his skills as a craftsman to create an unstoppable and adaptable weapon called Hogo-sha, or The Sentinel.
With Hagoromo's Ninshu and Hamura's Sentinel at their disposal, the two brothers confronted their mother. Kaguya, enraged by the audacity of her sons, bonded with the great God Tree to form a monstrous beast known as the Juubi, or the Ten-Tails. The battle between the mother and sons lasted for days, shaking the Earth itself. Finally, the two brothers sealed away their mother, and stripped her of her awesome power.
After the battle, the two brothers went their separate ways. Hagoromo, who would one day be known as the Sage of Six Paths, would later use his power to seal his mother's body into a new moon, which was destroyed during the epic battle, and transform her chakra into nine Tailed Beasts, each one more powerful than the last. He would go on to teach the ways of Ninshu to his children and students, who would transform it into Ninjutsu and become the Shinobi of modern times.
The youngest brother, however, was able to escape the hidden lands and travel to the West, teaching his magical craftsmanship to his own students. That group of forgers would go on to create weapons of great and terrifying power, and become a secret society known as the Brotherhood of the Forge. Eventually, Hamura returned to his homeland and transported himself and the rest of his clan to the moon, to watch over the body of his mother.
As for The Sentinel, Hamura sealed away his creation into a dormant state to make sure it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. He prophesized that one day, a person with a strong body, a kind heart, and a pure spirit would reawaken The Sentinel and wield its power to defend the Earth from great evils.
Time passed. History became legend, legend became myth, and The Sentinel eventually disappeared from people's memories, both metaphorically and literally.
But those few who do remember the tales know that The Sentinel still exists, waiting silently for its new master.
Sentinel: Odyssey
Chapter 1: Spirited Away
Location: The forests outside of Konohagakure no Sato
Date: December 12th, 2013
A torrential downpour descends upon the Village Hidden in the Leaves and the surrounding areas, with lightning flashing and thunder booming above. In the village, the people quickly close up their shops and hunker down to get away from the storm, which came without warning. The citizens feel as if it is an omen. Rain like this arrives only in times of great sorrow and despair, such as the passing of a beloved leader or the occurrence of a great tragedy. It's as if the spirits themselves are weeping.
Unknown to the people, the spirits aren't the only ones that are sorrowful today.
Outside of the village, a lone figure sprints across the trees in a hurry, running away from the nearby village. The figure's spikey blonde hair stands out from the green scenery, as does his bright orange jacket. His tears mix with the falling rain as they descend down from his face.
As he runs, the voices of his past haunt him, reminding him of the events that occurred in the past week. Events that have changed his life for the absolute worst.
'It's decided then. For the crime of harming the Last Loyal Uchiha, Uzumaki Naruto will forever be banished from Konohagakure no Sato.'
Those words came from the woman who he once saw as a grandmother. A woman who was his leader and family. A woman who ended up abandoning him in his time of need.
'I'm sorry, Naruto. There's nothing I can do to help you.'
Those words came from his supposed teacher, who he saw make as little effort as possible to teach him anything worthwhile. A man who turned away from his philosophy of not abandoning his comrades.
'Please promise me, Naruto! Promise me you'll bring Sasuke back!'
Those words came from a girl who he once saw as precious, even with her violent nature. A girl who likely saw him as nothing more than an annoyance and a waste of space.
'I will gladly tear apart any bonds we have to get my revenge!'
Those words are the most painful of all. They came from a boy who he felt could have understood his pain better than anyone else. A boy who he saw as a brother, and possibly even more. A boy who almost killed the blonde in his quest for vengeance.
It's this voice that makes Naruto lose focus and slip on a wet branch. This causes him to fall and slam into another branch before landing on the ground below. He groans in pain as he attempts to lift himself off of the ground, only to collapse.
Physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted, Naruto curls up into himself, ignoring the rain that is now drenching his body. He silently weeps on the forest floor, lamenting the absolutely appalling amount of betrayals and abuse he has suffered in his life. He's so busy weeping, he doesn't even notice that a figure has approached him.
That is, until that person speaks.
"It's heartbreaking, isn't it, Naruto-kun? Being betrayed by a cause that you have devoted your life to."
Naruto's eyes widen in terror. He knows that voice all too well. He quickly turns to the voice. He's just able to register the black cloak with red clouds and the piercing red eyes before his vision goes dark.
The cloaked man watches as the boy collapses into unconsciousness. He takes the blonde into his arms and lifts him up.
"I wish I could tell you that this will be the end of your pain, Naruto-kun," says the cloaked man, "but I'm afraid your darkest days are only just beginning."
And with that, both him and the boy disappear, a swirling of leaves marking their departure.
Five minutes later, another man enters the clearing, accompanied by a small dog wearing a headband. The man has a mask covering his lower face, a headband with a metal plate that covers his left eye, and silver hair that appears to defy gravity even in the pouring rain.
"Pakkun, where to next?" The man asks his canine partner.
The dog sniffs around the clearing several times before turning to the man with a defeated look on his doggy face. "I can't go any further, Kakashi. The trail ends here."
Kakashi turns to his companion with a shocked look in his eye. "What?! It can't be! Check again!"
Pakkun shakes his head. "I can't. The rain is washing his scent away fast. I was able to find another scent though. It appears somebody got to him before we could. I'm sorry, Kakashi."
Kakashi collapses to his knees in defeat. He looks at his hand which is holding a headband similar to his with a spiraling leaf symbol on the plate. A headband that belonged to his student, who he had let down in the worst possible way.
He grips the headband tightly as lightning flashes above him. He looks up and gives a shout of despair that rivals the booming thunder.
"NARUTO!"
Location: Pelham Bay, Bronx, New York City
Date: June 26th, 2016
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BE-WHAM!
"…Ugh…fuckin' hell…"
A young man dislodges his fist from the now shattered alarm clock. He slowly rises from the bed and stretches out his stiff arms. The ever-present sounds of neighborhood commuting enter his ears. As he runs a hand through his short auburn hair, he looks around his room, specifically noting items such as the blue and orange lion banner on his wall and three trophies on his drawer, each one with the inscription "State Boxing Champion: Jack Maguire."
He smiles as he sees the trophies. They are the reasons that he's about to embark on a special vacation trip today with his friends.
(Insert Music: Jackson Brown – Doctor My Eyes)
With a whoop, the young man known as Jack shoots out of bed and gets ready for the day.
A trip to the bathroom takes care of his morning shower and teeth-brushing. He steps out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, revealing his six-pack abs. Jack goes to his closet and picks out his clothes for today.
A few minutes later, and he's decked out with a pair of blue jeans, nice brown shoes, and a white shirt under his blue and orange Varsity jacket. Jack takes a moment to check himself out in the mirror, even throwing out some fists at an imaginary foe. He chuckles to himself, then grabs his suitcase and heads for the door.
He stops just outside the room before nodding and snapping his fingers, appearing to have forgotten something. He heads back into the room and approaches his bedside table.
On the table are two lone objects sitting next to his ruined alarm clock. One of them is a rosary hanging on a small stand. Another is a police shield that says, "City of New York Police: Lieutenant". Jack grabs both of them with a hint of reverence, his eyes lingering on the shield for a moment with a small, sad smile. He pockets both of them and heads back out of the room.
Jack heads downstairs with his luggage and smells something delicious coming from the kitchen. He enters the kitchen and sees bacon, eggs, and pancakes being cooked by his mother.
'Looks like Ma is pulling out all the stops today', he thinks to himself as he slowly sneaks past the busy redheaded woman. He reaches out to steal a piece of bacon.
WHACK! "OW!"
Only to have it smacked away by a spatula.
(End Music)
"Fuckin' hell, Ma!" Jack cries out as he shakes off his hand.
"Don't you 'fuckin' hell' me, boyo!" Ma fires back with an Irish accent in her voice, waving her spatula at her son. "How many times have I told you not to step foot in my kitchen?!"
"I wasn't gonna do any actual cookin'," Jack offers as he nervously backs out of the kitchen.
"Good! The last thing I need is to call the Fire Department again," Ma says as she returns to her cooking.
"Ma, it was just the one time–"
"Two times!" Ma counters, "Two times I've a new kitchen paid! I won't be buyin' a third!"
Jack wisely decides not to argue any further with his mother and just heads to the dining room.
After a few minutes of him sitting at the table, Jack sees his mother come out with two full plates of food in her hands. She sets down one of the plates in front of him.
"Eat up now! You've got a big day ahead of you," she says with a somewhat strained smile on her face before sitting down at the table with her own plate.
Jack notices the pained look on her face and asks, "You still nervous about me going on this trip?"
Ma gives a tired sigh. "I'll always be nervous when it comes to my boy."
"Ma, it's not like we're going to the Middle East or anything like that," Jack points out. "It's Japan. You know, sushi, businessmen, schoolgirls that love octopus WAY too much."
"Not to mention inked-up gangsters," Ma argues. "I've read up on these Yakuza fellows."
Jack scoffs. "Ah, please. I'm scarier and tougher than any gangster in the West or the East. I knock men out with a single punch on a regular basis. You saw my championship fight right? Poor bastard didn't stand a chance."
Ma gives a quick nod in frustration. "I know, son, I know, but…that doesn't mean something can't…" she trails off as she looks down in sadness.
Jack promptly gets up and gives his mother a big hug. "Ma, I'm not going anywhere. No matter what happens, I'll always make sure to find my way home. I promise."
Ma tears up and returns the hug, practically squeezing the life out of her son with a small smile on her face. Jack accepts the crushing embrace with a smile of his own.
"Now, let's have some breakfast already. I'm starvin'!" Jack exclaims as he quickly sits back down to dig into his food.
"Grace first, boyo!" Ma calls out.
"Right, right," Jack relents. He grabs his mother's hand and bows his head along with hers as she begins grace.
"Heavenly Father, we pray to you this mornin'. We pray for a hearty meal and good health to all of us. We pray that my dear Arthur watches over my son as he travels far away from his home."
At this part, Jack peeks one of his eyes out at a picture resting on the tabletop in the main hallway. The photo is of an older redheaded gentleman wearing a policeman's uniform. The man appears to be smiling as he watches over his family in the other room.
Jack gives a quick nod to his father's picture.
"Ahem."
Jack turns and sees his mother giving him a pointed look. He quickly nods and says, "Right, right," before bowing his head.
Ma shakes her head before continuing, "And may you yourself, Lord, give your blessin's over him and all of his friends. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen."
"Amen," Jack echoes before joining his mother in enjoying breakfast.
Some time later, both of them are standing at the front door, with Jack holding his suitcase. He lets his mother do a final check over of her son.
"Do you have your passport?"
"Yes, Ma."
"Your camera?"
"Yes, Ma."
"Your backup phone?"
"Yes Ma."
"Make sure you call me when you land. Not a second afterwards!"
"Of course, Ma."
Jack's mother gives him one more look over, and then gives him another crushing hug.
"I love you so much, Jack. Please be safe," says Ma as she buries her face into Jack's shoulder.
"I love you too, Ma," Jack responds with care, before smirking, "and don't worry. I'll be back in time for Christmas."
Jack's mother is not amused. She expresses that by pulling away from her son and whacking him upside the head.
"Right, right," Jack relents as he nurses his head.
HONK HONK!
Both Maguires turn and see a yellow taxi waiting on the street. Jack gives his mother a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing his suitcase and heading for the cab. His mother watches from the house as he loads himself and his luggage into the cab. The mother and son give each other one final wave before the cab drives off, taking Jack away from his home and his family.
Once the cab is out of sight, Ma gives a tired sigh and sinks into herself. Her son's going to be gone for two weeks. She's never had him away from her for that long. While she's worried about Jack being in a foreign land without her, she's also worried about she'll survive without Jack around.
She walks back into the house and picks up the picture of Arthur Maguire. She stares longingly at the face of her dear husband and the father of her only child.
"Watch over us both, my love," she whispers, before giving the picture a soft kiss.
Location: St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Pelham Bay
It's a brisk Sunday morning as people gather in front of St. Theresa's for morning service. A priest ushers the people into the church, greeting each and every one of them with a bright smile on his face. The people greet him in return, saying, "Good morning, Father Maxwell," and, "God bless you, Padre".
Father Maxwell's attention is drawn to the honking of a car horn. He turns and sees a taxicab pulling up nearby. His smile brightens further as he sees one of his favorite members of his congregation step out of the cab.
"Keep the meter running," Jack tells the cab driver before approaching the priest. "Hey, Padre! It's been a while!"
"Jack Maguire. Always a pleasure to see you," Father Maxwell greets the young man. They give each other a quick embrace. "Have you come for some heavenly wisdom, my son?"
"As much as I love your sermons, Padre, I actually came to say goodbye before I leave for my trip," Jack responds.
"Ah yes, I forgot that your trip to Japan with your boxing team is today. Congratulations on your tournament win, by the way," says Father Maxwell.
"Thanks, Padre."
"If I may, my son, allow me to pray for you," Father Maxwell asks.
Jack chuckles. "I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to."
Both men bow their heads as Father Maxwell begins to pray. "Lord, bless this child as he embarks on his adventure. May Your light shine upon him and shield him from harm. May he gain wisdom and insight as he explores another world. And, when the time comes, may Your Grace guide him back to his home. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen."
"Amen," Jack echoes.
Both men raise their heads as Father Maxwell reaches into his robes. He pulls out a bible and offers it to Jack. "A bit of light reading for when you're on the plane."
Jack smirks and takes the book. "Thanks, Padre. I hear it's a best-seller."
Both men laugh at the poor joke. Father Maxwell urges the younger man away. "Well, hurry along, then. Don't want you to miss your flight."
Jack nods and heads back to the cab. He looks back and calls out, "See you later, Padre!"
"You as well, my son!" Father Maxwell responds.
As Jack approaches the cab and starts to get in, a man approaches the priest with a stern look on his face and asks, "Father, forgive me for asking, but why do you continue to associate with that boy?"
Father Maxwell turns and raises an eyebrow at the man. "Why wouldn't I? He's a good boy with a kind heart, and he's a devoted follower of the Lord. I find no reason not to associate with him."
"But how can you call him a devoted follower, considering his…tastes?" the other man points out, giving a wince at the end.
The priest shakes his head and places a hand on the other man's shoulder. "My son, there are far more heinous sins in the world than who you choose as a partner in life, ones that God punishes men much more severely for. I believe that if humanity didn't focus so much on controlling who to give their love out to, this world would be a happier place."
Both men turn to see the taxicab drive off to the airport.
"Besides," Father Maxwell continues, "God would not have made Jack Maguire the way he is without purpose. Something tells me that The Lord has given that boy a great destiny."
Location: JFK Airport, New York City
Thousands of people travel through JFK Airport daily. One particular group of travelers is a school boxing team currently standing at the International Check-in area, waiting for their final member. Two older gentlemen and fifteen teenagers stand in a cluster with their luggage. They all wear the blue and orange of their team's school, Herbert H. Lehman High School.
One of the teenagers notices a taxicab approaching them and gets the group's attention. "Hey guys! I think that's him!"
Everyone turns and sees their fellow teammate waving at them from the cab window. As soon as the cab pulls up to the curb, Jack practically jumps out of the cab with his bag. He quickly pays the driver, then walks over to the team.
The two older gentlemen head to the front of the group. One of them waves at the approaching redhead. "Jackie Boy! There's our champion!"
"Hey Coach Howards. Hey Coach Fleming," Jack greets his coaches, before turning to his fellow boxers. "Hey dickheads."
"Fuck you too, Maguire!" One of Jack's teammates calls out with a laugh. The rest of the team gathers round Jack, high fiving him and patting his back.
"Listen up, Lions!" Coach Howards calls out, getting everyone's attention. "Before we get checked in for our flight, I just want to say a few things. First off, I want to give a special shoutout to the one who fought his way to the top and earned us this vacation trip. Our State Champion three years in a row! Let's all give a shout out to the King of the Jungle himself, Mr. Jack Maguire!"
Coach Howards lifts Jack's arm up in the air as everyone in the team gives a round of applause and some hollers for the redhead, who gives a victorious grin.
Coach Howards quiets everyone down as he continues, "It's not just him I'm proud of, though. It's everyone on this Lehman High boxing team. It's thanks to you all that the Lions are a name to be feared and respected, not just here in New York, but across the country. I and Coach Fleming are proud to have trained each and every one of you guys, and I hope you all continue to be successful in boxing and in life." Everyone nods and claps at the coach's words. "Alright, now everyone join in. We'll do '1-2-3-Go Lions'."
The team members all put their hands in the middle of their makeshift circle.
"On three!" Coach Howards calls out. "1! 2! 3!"
"GO LIONS!" The team shouts, lifting their arms in the air. They then gather all of their luggage and head for the Check-In kiosks.
Jack notices one of his friends sulking on their way to the kiosk. "Ah, chin up, Leon. We're going on vacation!"
The dark-skinned teenager turns to Jack and laments, "Yeah, but to Japan? That ain't exactly in my Top 10 Vacation list."
"Japan's not that bad a place to visit," says another boxer with a slightly lanky appearance. "There's lots of interesting history in Japan, especially the Warring States Period. There's also lots of fascinating temples and structures to look at. In fact, the entire culture–"
"Alright, Steve, we get it! You're a nerd," Leon interrupts with a roll of his eyes.
Steve gives a small glare. "The proper term is Japanophile. If you're going to insult me, please do it properly."
Elsewhere, in a small town in Japan, a beautiful redheaded girl feels a disturbance in the Force.
"Fine then, Mr. Japan," Leon relents. "The point is, I can get a hell of a lot of culture in someplace like Brazil or Italy."
"Yeah, yeah, we know exactly what kind of culture you're interested in," says a heavy-set teenager.
"Oh, come on, Mitch. Don't tell me you wouldn't be on the hunt for some fine local ladies," Leon argues. He turns to Jack and asks, "What about you, Jackie Boy? I'm sure you'd rather hang out with some hunky Brazilian surfer than a Japanese businessman, right?"
"Well, both are preferable to hangin' out with your ugly ass," Jack quips, getting a bunch of "oooh"s from the rest of the team and a sarcastic chuckle from Leon.
"You know, I'd knock your ass flat if I could, man," Leon says as he shakes his fist at the redhead.
"Yeah, well, you can't, so…" Jack points out with a shrug.
"Knock it off, boys! Passports out!" Coach Howard calls out, ending the team's conversation and getting everyone focused on the boarding process.
After several hours of grueling maneuvering through airport security, the team boards the plane that will take them to their vacation destination.
Location: Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan
Date: June 27th, 2016
(A.N.: From this point on, English has "", and Japanese has {})
14 hours is how long it took for the group of Americans to arrive in Japan. As soon as they stepped off the plane, each one of them groaned and stretched out all of the kinks that accumulated from spending that long in coach. Jack, of course, immediately rushed off to call his mother and let her know that he arrived safe and sound. Heaven help him if he made her worry on his first day in Japan.
The group is now currently going through Customs and Immigration, which, surprisingly, is taking quite a bit longer than anticipated. The line moves slowly as each person in line is examined with great scrutiny.
Jack leans over to Steve and murmurs, "Fuckin' hell. I thought we Americans had strict security."
Steve shrugs. "Japan is known for its professionalism."
A security officer walks over to the two teenagers. "Passports, please." Both teenagers hand their passports over to the officer. After inspecting them both, the officer asks, "You are from America?"
Jack nods. "We are."
The officer nods back with a smile as he hands the passports back. "Please enjoy your stay here in Japan."
"Thanks," says Jack as he takes his passport. He then nods to the long lines. "You fellas always this busy?"
"We take our security very seriously here in Japan," the officer explains. "There are some…what is the word…'unsavory' peoples who we don't want coming in or out of the country."
Jack raises an eyebrow. "What, like those Yakuza guys?"
The officer has a tentative look on his face. "Not exactly." He then moves on to check on the rest of the people in line, leaving behind two confused teenagers.
Jack turns to Steve and asks, "Oi, Mr. Japan, you know what's he talking about?"
Steve ignores his new nickname and thinks for a moment. "Well, when I was researching Japan for our trip, I did read some conspiracy articles about some monsters roaming around Tokyo City."
Jack's confusion grows. "What, like Godzilla or some shite like that?"
Steve shakes his head. "No, they're apparently called 'ghouls'. According to the articles, they look just like humans, but they eat human flesh, grow weird body protrusions, and are immune to knives and other stabbing weapons."
Jack blinks several times before throwing his hands up in the air. "Brilliant. Fuckin' brilliant. Earth already has aliens, mutants, and witches roamin' about. Why wouldn't there also be superpowered cannibals? Ma's gonna ring my neck when I get back."
"Relax, Jack. That information was from conspiracy articles. Nobody believes information from them," Steve reassures his friend. "If ghouls really were roaming around a major city, everyone would know about it. I'm sure the Japanese government wouldn't lie about something that major."
Jack takes a moment to ponder his teammate's words, before nodding. "Yeah, you're probably right." Jack leans in close to Steve's face. "Just warnin' you, though; If I do get eaten, you're answering to my mother."
Steve gulps. "G-Good to know."
Jack notices that he's in front of the line, and heads over to the Customs kiosk. He'll soon forget about the conversation he had with his friend.
He'll remember that conversation tomorrow.
Location: Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Date: June 28th, 2016
Not much happened after the group left the airport. They met up with their tour guides, who loaded them into the shuttle bus and drove them to their hotel. There, they got their itineraries for the next two weeks and enjoyed a hearty dinner full of local cuisines.
Ironically, it was Steve, the group's Japanophile, who had a bad reaction to the sushi.
The next day, after a jet-lag fueled slumber, the group of Americans begin their tour of Japan with a visit to the Tokyo National Museum. The group is currently walking through the halls of the museum with their guides, taking in the many exhibits being displayed.
As the tour stops for a bathroom break, Jack and his friends notice a trio of schoolgirls giggling to themselves and looking their way.
Mitch slaps Leon's back with a chuckle. "And you were worried about not seeing any ladies."
"No, I was worried that I wouldn't see any hot bitches. There's a difference," Leon points out. He gives the schoolgirls a look over. "Still, I have to admit that there's a certain…allure to Japanese ladies."
The guys notice that one of the girls is being pushed towards them by her friends. She finally relents and nervously walks to the group of boxers. She stops right in front of a straight-faced Jack and hands him a piece of paper with some writing on it.
"C-Call me, please," the girl nervously asks in broken English.
Jack gives a small smile and bows slightly to the girl. "Thanks a million."
The schoolgirl gives a squeal of delight at the slightly Irish accent. She runs over to her friends, who seem to congratulate her.
Jack, meanwhile, takes a quick glance at the number and pockets it. He turns to see his friends giving him incredulous looks.
"Are you serious?!" Leon asks in shock. "How is it that the only guy who plays for the other team gets all the girls' numbers?!"
Jack chuckles and gives a shrug. "It's a gift, really."
His smile drops, however, when he notices something strange a distance away from the group. He sees a man wearing a hoodie leaning on the wall clutching his stomach in pain. The man has a pained look on his face, as if he's starving.
'Poor bastard must have skipped breakfast.' Jack thinks to himself, ignoring the feeling that he's forgetting something important.
"Everyone! We're continuing with the tour!" one of the tour guides calls out, prompting the group to follow her through the museum. Jack gives one last look to the suspicious-looking man before walking away. As they're walking, Jack discretely slips Leon the girl's phone number.
The group stops at an exhibit containing the hull of a large, wooden ship that appears to have been rotted and water damaged. In front of the wreck is a row of display cases, each one containing an artifact, including a knife and a rusted anchor.
"This is our newest exhibit," the tour guide explains. "This shipwreck was discovered off the coast of Shizouka in Southern Japan two months ago. Our scientists have dated the wreck to around the 15th century, during the Muromachi Period. Their studies have also determined that this is likely a merchant vessel, due to the massive amounts of goods found in the wreckage. One particular note is that the ship was found near an area of water known as The Devil's Sea, or The Dragon's Triangle, where many ships and planes disappear without a trace. I believe you Americans have something similar near your waters, yes?"
The group gives nods of affirmation, with the exception of a few people. Nick is gawking at the impressive shipwreck and taking photos, Leon is busy being bored out of his mind, and Jack is lazily scanning all of the artifacts on display.
Then, Jack's eyes land on a particular item right in front of him. It's a shiny metal ball, perfectly rounded without any scratches or lumps. He idly notes that the item is labeled in English as "Mysterious Orb". That's all he's able to note, however, before he begins to feel a strange sensation throughout his body. It feels like a tug, as if his body and eyes are being drawn towards the metal ball. His eyes start to go blank as he stares at the orb in front of him.
Meanwhile, up in the rafters, a trio of individuals hide from the general populace. They are dressed in black from head to toe and armed to the teeth.
"Can you see our objective?" One of the figures asks in a deep masculine voice.
"Yes. It's being displayed in front of the shipwreck," Another figure in a feminine form confirms.
The first individual nods. "Good. We'll wait until nightfall, then we'll secure the artifact."
The female gives a nod of affirmation. The third individual, however, is distracted by something down below. He points down and asks, "What's going on down there?"
All three black-clad figures look down and see a man in a hood hobbling in agony towards the center of the room.
The first figure narrows his eyes. "Trouble."
Down below, Jack is oblivious to all of this, and the world as a whole, as he continues to gaze at the orb. A strange hum slowly builds inside his head, reverberating all around his skull. Strange words are being spoken inside his mind, which a part of Jack recognizes as being Japanese from what little he has heard from the trip so far. His vision tunnels around the orb, which starts to give an orange glow.
{Hey! Are you alright?}
Those words and a shaking of his shoulder snap him out of his trance. Jack blinks rapidly and shakes his head. He looks back at the orb, appearing to have been inert the whole time. He looks to his side and sees a security guard looking at him with concern.
"Sir. Are you okay?" the guard asks again, this time in English. "Do you need medical assistance?"
Jack shakes his head. "I-I don't. I'm okay." He then turns around and sees his entire team along with the tour guides giving him strange looks.
"Uh, are you feeling alright, Jack?" Mitch asks with concern.
Jack chuckles nervously and waves his hands in front of himself. "I-It's just a wee bit of jet lag. I'm fine. I'm fine!" He then stops and looks over to the side. He points at a person in the middle of the room. "But I think that fella over there's having a crisis."
Everyone turns and sees a hooded man hunched over himself. The people part around him nervously as he groans in pain.
The security guard narrows his eyes. "Wait here, please," he says to Jack before heading over to help the hooded man.
The rest of the boxing team moves closer to Jack, checking him over. Leon says, "Jack, if you're gonna start doing that Twilight Zone shit, please wait until I'm out of the area."
"Shut it!" Jack yells out as he focuses on what's going on in the middle of the room.
The guard is now standing in front of the crouched figure. {Sir. Do you need medical assistance?}
{I…I…} The hooded man murmurs.
The guard speaks into his walkie-talkie. {All units, this is Fujita Saito. I need medical assistance in Exhibit 9. I repeat; I need medical assistance in Exhibit 9.} He bends over and slowly pulls the hooded man up to his feet. {Don't worry, sir. Help is on the way.}
{I need…I need…}
The guard, Saito, leans in closer to hear the other man's words. {Sir?}
The hooded man looks up, allowing Saito to see the man's face. The guard's eyes widen in terror as his heart stops. It isn't the man's crazed smile that creates such terror.
It's the man's eyes, which are solid black with red sclera.
{I need to eat,} The man groans out.
Saito snaps his arms in front of his body reflexively. Unfortunately, this allows the man – no, the monster – in front of him to bite into the guard's arm and rip a chunk of flesh right out.
From a distance, Jack's world slows down for a second as he watches what just transpired. Then the world speeds up again. He sees the hooded man with blood on his face and the guard gripping his bleeding arm. He hears the screams of terrified civilians all around them, with Leon's cry of "HOLY SHIT!" being the loudest.
Then, he runs right at the two men, his internal fighting instincts kicking in even as his friends call out for him to stop.
Meanwhile, Saito cowers in front of the black-eyed man, who licks his bloody lips in satisfaction.
{Delicious,} says the crazed figure as he stares down at the trembling guard. {I think I'll have another bite. Don't worry, it'll all be over soon.}
"OI! CUNT!"
The hooded man's eyes widen as he turns to the source of the voice.
POW!
He's rewarded with a fist hitting him square in the jaw, sending him flying and turning his vision black.
Saito's eyes widen further at seeing the monster in front of him being knocked out. He turns and sees the redheaded American from before with his fist extended forwards and a murderous look in his eyes.
Jack quickly crouches down in front of the guard and shrugs off his varsity jacket. "Don't worry. It's gonna be okay." He then pulls of his shirt, causing some civilians to blush despite the circumstances, and wraps it around Saito's arm. Jack firmly places Saito's hand over the covered wound. "Just keep pressure on it, okay? Hold firm!"
Jack looks over and sees three people with medical equipment standing a distance away. He waves them over.
"Oi! Over here!"
The medical personnel appear to be frozen in shock.
"Are ye bastards blind?!" Jack cries out in frustration, "Get over here! This man's wounded!"
"How…" Jack's attention is turned to Saito, who is looking at him with awe. "How did you do it?"
Jack blinks for a moment, before shrugging. "I knock out people all the time. I'm a boxer." He holds up his fist. "You know, boxer."
"N-No! You don't understand! You just knocked out a ghoul!" Saito cries out.
Jacks eyes widen like saucers as a particular conversation he had yesterday suddenly rears its ugly head. He stares straight at the guard as he points to the still form next to him.
"That's a ghoul?"
"Yes!"
"That's a ghoul?!"
"Yes!"
"GHOULS ARE REAL?!"
"YES!"
Jack looks to his still stunned boxing team and levels his wide eyes at Steve. "You lanky bastard! You said ghouls weren't real!" He cries out, not noticing the twitching form right behind him.
Steve shakes his head in denial. "N-No I didn't! I-I said that–" Steve suddenly gasps and points past Jack. "JACK, LOOK OUT!"
Jack turns around and quickly brings his arms up in a tight guard just in time for a red tendril to slam into him. Though his arms take the brunt of the attack, he still finds himself screaming as he's flung all the way across the room. He lands right in the shipwreck exhibit, crashing into one of the display cases.
It takes a couple of seconds for Jack to recover from his impromptu flying experience. "Ugh, fuckin' hell," he groans out as he raises himself to a seated position. He inspects his form and sees his upper body sporting quite a few cuts from the broken glass, with a particularly large one on the palm of his right hand. He's so busy inspecting himself that he doesn't notice the metal ball free of its case right next to him.
He does notice the screams of fright as everyone runs away – or in Saito's case, crawls away – from the red tentacle thrashing about from the ghoul's back as if it's protecting the body. The hooded man grunts as he slowly pushes himself off of the ground and up on his feet. The ghoul then spits on the ground, revealing blood and a few loose teeth.
The ghoul smiles, showing his missing teeth quickly growing back in. {That was a pretty strong punch for a human,} he says as he slowly walks over to the redhead. {I was just going to take a few bites and leave, but now, I'm going to devour you from head to toe!}
Jack grits his teeth at the monster approaching him. "I don't know what the hell you're sayin', dickhead, but your superpowers aren't gonna stop me from tearing your asshole a new one."
The ghoul chuckles dangerously. {Oh, so scary. I'm going to enjoy hearing your screams as I tear you limb from limb!} With that declaration, the ghoul rushes at the human.
Jack quickly moves to stand up on his feet. In his haste, however, he plants his bleeding hand right on the mysterious orb next to him.
FWOOOM
Everyone and everything stops as a pulse radiates from the orb. The ghoul quickly ceases his charge and looks at the redhead in confusion. Up in the rafters, the three black-clad warriors gasp in shock.
Jack is the most surprised of them all as he feels the same tugging sensation from earlier, only amplified. He slowly stands up and brings the metal ball up to his face, his hand clenching the item tightly.
The ghoul blinks a few times and points at the ball, his hunger forgotten. {Hey, what is that thing?}
Jack glances at the ghoul. "I don't know what you're asking, but – GAH!" His response is cut off as he feels a piercing sensation go through his hand. He realizes that the ball is somehow stuck on his palm. "Get this fuckin' thing off me!" Jack cries out as he shakes his arm, trying to dislodge the ball.
FWOOOM
He stops his shaking as another pulse is released from the orb. He watches as the orb gives a slight orange glow for a moment, then stops.
And then, the orb just…melts. That's the only way Jack could describe it as the metal ball slowly turns to liquid. Jack's eyes widen in fright as instead of dripping to the ground, the liquid metal crawls up his arm, encasing his whole arm in metal.
"O-Oi, get it off! GET IT OFF!" Jack cries out as he uses his other arm to try and pry the metal off of him. His horror grows, however, as the metal soon begins to cover his other arm.
Up above, the mysterious figures are experiencing their own kind of horror as they see the teenager below being consumed by the metal.
"The orb is bonding with him! We must stop this!" the female cries out as she draws her sword out, ready to intervene.
The larger male stops her. "It's too late."
Down below, Jack screams as his body continues to be covered with metal. Soon, his upper body is encased, followed by his jean-clad legs and his shooed feet. Finally, Jack gives one last cry as his head and face are covered by the warm liquid metal.
Everyone looks with trepidation at the metal figure thrashing about in place. Then, the figure stills. Shocked cries go off as the metal gives an orange glow and crackles with orange electricity. The glow brightens more and more, and the electricity gets stronger and stronger, until finally–
KRA-KOOM!
–a small explosion of energy goes off that sends everyone nearby, even the ghoul, stumbling to the ground. When the light goes down, and the smoke clears, a large burn on the ground marks where once stood Jack Maguire, who is nowhere in sight.
The ghoul is the first to recover and stand on his feet. He gives the people around him an incredulous look. {WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED HERE?!}
{That's what I would like to know.}
The ghoul's eyes widen at the sound of the voice right behind him. He turns around–
SQUELCH!
–and receives a lance straight through his cranium.
The ghoul's body twitches as he sees the cold gray eyes staring at him through a pair of thin-framed glasses.
{D…Dove…} are the ghoul's last words before the light leaves his eyes.
Everyone flinches when the stranger pulls his weapon out of the ghoul's head, allowing the body to collapse to the ground. The crowd takes in the sight of the white-haired man wearing a pure white coat over a black suit.
{It's the CCG!}
{The ghoul hunters!}
{We're saved!}
All of the local civilians cry out in joy at the sight of their savior. The visiting Americans, however, have absolutely no idea what the locals are saying or who the man is.
The white-haired man calmly adjusts his glasses, before looking around at the crowd. {Medics, please stabilize the security guard. Everyone else, I'm going to need statements from every last person here.} He then turns to the group of tourists. "I will need testimony from your group as well."
Leon turns to his two remaining friends with wide confused eyes. "What the fuck is going on here?"
Mitch and Steve are unable to answer as they stare at the smoldering spot where their champion once stood.
Up in the rafters, the three strangers look at the scene below with dread.
"Our mission has failed," states the less-built male in the group.
"Oh really? What gave it away?" the female asks incredulously. "Was it the surprise ghoul attack or the boy who disappeared with the orb?!"
"Enough!" The larger male demands, silencing his teammates. "We must report this to the Master. With any luck, and the will of the gods, we will keep our heads."
The other two strangers nod nervously. The team silently vanishes from their perch, leaving behind a room full of confused people and a horde of questions needing to be answered.
Location: Unknown Forest
(A.N.: From this point on, Japanese has "", and English has {}. Confusing, I know, just bear with me here.)
In an area of the world unknown to most people, in a forest no one really bothered to name, two individuals speed through the trees. One of them is a young man with jet-black hair and tired gray eyes. The other appears to be a hybrid between a shark and a man, with his pale blue skin, dark blue hair, razor sharp teeth, and marks under his eyes that resemble gills. Both of them wear black cloaks with red clouds, the uniform of their organization.
"Another day, another boring scouting mission. I tell you, Itachi, there's not really that much excitement with our missions anymore," the shark-man grumbles to his partner.
"Understandable, given our circumstances, Kisame," Itachi reasons. "Our organization only has a few assets left to acquire, but those assets have hidden themselves exceptionally well. That's why these boring scouting missions are necessary."
"I'm not a spy, Itachi. I'm a fighter," Kisame states, gripping the bandaged object strapped to his back. "Samehada and I have been itching for a fight for some time. Not even that bandit camp we ran into was enough to get my blood pumping. I just want some real action, you know?"
FWOOOM
Both men perk up as they feel a pulse a distance away. They stop at the top branches of a tall tree, appearing to defy gravity as they look around the forest.
"You felt that too?" Itachi asks.
"Yeah," Kisame confirms. "Something's coming."
KRA-KOOM!
Suddenly, a bright flash and a crack of lightning erupts in an area of the forest, causing the two to look away. When they look back, they see a section of the forest blown apart with a column of smoke rising up in the air.
Kisame smirks. "Looks like I'm gonna get some action after all." He sprints towards the smoke, his partner following close behind.
They arrive and see a crater dug into the ground, with trees blown apart all around the rim. The two men look into the center of the crater, and see a figure lying prone.
"Whoever it is, whatever it is, it's alive, and strong," Kisame notes, reaching for the handle of the bandaged item. "Not for long, though."
Itachi halts his partner as his eyes change color from gray to blood red. "Stop. I'll go in first."
"Ah come on, Itachi!" Kisame grumbles, before being silenced by the red eyes staring right at him. He relents. "Fine, fine. Be my guest."
With that, Itachi heads into the crater to investigate. He arrives at the epicenter and takes in the sight before him.
The sleeping figure is a teenage boy with auburn hair and a rather unusual facial structure. His upper body is exposed, revealing a toned body that suggests that he is a fighter of some kind. His blue pants are made of an unknown material, as are his shoes.
'Definitely a stranger to our lands,' Itachi calmly muses to himself.
A groan gets Itachi's attention, causing him to look at the stranger's twitching face. The boy's eyes open slightly and turn to Itachi, revealing emerald-green irises. The boy tiredly stares at Itachi for just a moment before he appears to fall back into unconsciousness.
Itachi idly notices Kisame land right next to him. Apparently, his partner decided not to wait.
"Well, what's the verdict?" Kisame asks impatiently.
Itachi considers his options for a moment, then turns to Kisame with his decision. "Kisame, grab the boy. We're taking him back to the base."
"What?! Why me?" Kisame asks incredulously.
"You're stronger," Itachi answers in a matter-of-fact tone.
Kisame grumbles but moves towards the stranger anyway. Kisame tries to lift the boy up, but seems to be having some difficulty, judging by the pained look on his face.
"H-Heavier than he looks!" he grunts as he strains his body. Eventually, he's able to lift the unconscious figure up off the ground and onto has back.
Kisame pants as he regards the boy behind him. "What do you think he is?"
Itachi narrows his red eyes in thought. "I'm not sure, but we're about to find out very soon."
Location: Unknown Cavern
"Where did you find him, Itachi?"
"In the forest about a mile from the base. He appeared out of nowhere in a burst of energy."
"A Transportation Jutsu, perhaps?"
"His heartbeat feels…irregular…as if it's somehow artificial."
"Just give me a moment with my scythe! I'll give you an up close and personal look at his heart!"
"Must you always try and dismember everything, Hidan?"
"Duh! I'm a priest of the almighty Jashin! It's part of my religion, dumbass!"
"Enough! The boy is waking up."
The English-speaking American that is Jack Maguire understands none of the words spoken around him as he slowly and groggily wakes up. He rises up to a seated position and rubs his bleary eyes, smacking his dry mouth.
"Here you go."
Jack barely makes out a cup of water being presented to him. He accepts the cup and drinks, idly looking over to the one who gave him the cup.
It's at this point that his eyes fully clear up, and he registers the grinning man-shark inches from his face.
PPPPPPFFFFFFFFT!
That's the sound of water being sprayed right into the man-shark's face from a freaked-out Jack.
Kisame frantically wipes the water off of his face and glares at the now coughing boy. "Hey! Watch where you're spraying, you little brat!"
Jack recovers from his coughing fit and stares wide eyed at the shark-man. {WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU!}
Jack suddenly realizes that there are more than two people in the room and looks around. He idly notes that he's sitting on a stone table of some sorts inside a cavernous room, but that pales in comparison to the sight of the people surrounding him.
Some of them appear to be somewhat normal-looking, such as the black-haired man with gray eyes and a tired look on his face, as well as the blue-haired woman with a flower in her hair and piercings on her ears and lip. Then there are those who look more unusual, such as the man with slicked back silver-hair and a manic look on his face, as well as the giant man with a mask and bandanna covering his head, leaving only his red and green eyes exposed. Then there are the absolutely bizarre individuals. The shark-man, for starters. The blond ponytailed man with an artificial eye. The man wearing an orange mask that swirls around his right eye. And, the icing on the cake, the black-and-white man with green hair looking like a walking Venus flytrap.
As Jack takes in the sight of the people around him, the man in the orange mask quickly walks towards him with an aura of childlike cheerfulness.
"~Hello there, Stranger-san!~" The masked man shouts with joy. "I'm Tobi! Tobi is a good boy! Would you like to be Tobi's friend?"
The blond man pulls Tobi back with an annoyed glare. "Tobi, you can't just walk up to a stranger and ask to be their friend, un!"
Tobi gives the blond man what appears to be a pout. "Aw, Deidara-san! Tobi's just trying to be friendly! Besides, he seems like a nice guy!" Tobi turns back to Jack. "Right, Stranger-san!"
Jack blinks a few times at the scene before him, takes another look at the crowd around him, and does the only logical thing he can think of.
SMACK!
Slaps himself in the face.
The rest of the group flinches at this action. Tobi approaches the boy with what appears to be concern. "Stranger-san, why did you–" Tobi gets cut off when a hand is put in front of his face.
{Back. The Fuck. Off!} Jack growls with a crazed and angry look on his face.
Despite the language barrier, Tobi gets the message. "R-Right! Tobi is a good boy!" Tobi backs away next to an annoyed Deidara.
Jack clutches his head with a pained and confused look on his face. {Keep it together, Jackie Boy. This is just a dream. This is just a dream. This is just a dream. This is not a dream. This is not a dream! THIS IS NOT A FUCKING DREAM!}
Seeing that the boy is having a breakdown, Itachi calmly and slowly approaches. "Young man, we can't understand what you're saying. Please calm down so that we can discuss things with you."
Jack turns his crazed gaze to the black-haired man. {Look, pal, I have no idea what you're talking about! I've only been in Japan for a fucking day, so if you could kindly – GYAAH!}
Jack gets cut off as a stabbing sensation goes through his head. He clutches his temples in pain, gritting his teeth as the mother of all migraines hits him.
Itachi, meanwhile, notices that the boy's eyes appear to blink an orange color several times, before seeing the boy recover.
"What the fuck was that all about?!" Jack yells out in fluent Japanese.
Itachi and the rest of his group are shocked by the sudden language change. He comments, "Well, at least now we can understand one another."
Jack blinks for a moment, having understood those words. "Hey! I understood that!" Jack then gets a confused look on his face. "Wait, are you speaking English, or am I speaking your language?"
"What is English?" Itachi asks.
Jack nods. "That answers that question. But it raises a hell of a lot more. Like whether I'm actually dreaming or not."
Ting!
Jack blinks again as he feels a tap on his back. He turns and sees the silver-haired man with a confused expression on his face holding a knife.
Jack frantically pats his back, checking for injuries. "Oi! What the hell did you just do?!"
"I was trying to stab you to prove that you weren't in a dream," The silver-haired man answers as if he's talking about the weather.
"You pinch people, dickhead! You don't stab them!" Jack yells in anger. "Good thing your knife is dull as hell!"
"Hey, fuckface! My knives are perfectly sharpened to slice through flesh like butter! It's a standard for all followers of Jashin-sama!" The silver-haired man argues. "You're the one with the metal skin!"
"…" Jack blinks, looks down, pinches his soft fleshy arm, and gives the silver haired man a deadpan stare. He then turns to the masked giant. "Is this fella on drugs or something?"
"Hey!"
"Believe me, I've been asking myself that about Hidan for a while now," the giant answers evenly.
"Fuck you, Kakuzu!" Hidan yells at his partner. "I'm getting sick and tired of all the sass coming from you, you money-grubbing heathen!"
As the now named Hidan and Kakuzu devolve into an argument, Jack's ears pick up the sound of the black-haired man whispering into the blue-haired woman's ear.
"Konan, this facility may be compromised. With your permission, I'll prepare the Nine-Tails for transport."
The woman named Konan gives a nod of approval. "Go ahead, Itachi."
As Itachi leaves the room, Jack turns to the woman and asks, "What the hell's a Nine-Tails?"
All chatter stops, and everyone else flinches at the question. Itachi pauses for just a moment before continuing his exit. Meanwhile, Jack looks around and realizes he may have stepped on a landmine.
Konan gives Jack a small but piercing look. "Nothing you need to worry about."
Jack quirks an eyebrow at the cold answer. "I guess so. What I should be worrying about is where I am and who you people are."
Konan approaches the boy and answers, "As to where you are, that is classified. As to who we are, we are the Akatsuki. We are an organization devoted to bringing peace and stability to the world."
Jack slowly looks around the room, notating every bizarre, dangerous, and most likely psychotic individual giving him suspicious glares, then shifts his gaze back to the woman.
"…right…"
"Enough about us! What about you? Itachi-senpai said that you came here in a burst of energy. What's that all about, un?" Deidara asks with suspicion in his voice.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Jack answers honestly. "I was on vacation with my friends. We were only a day into the fucking trip when we decide to visit a museum of all places. Then this monster – a ghoul, apparently – shows up out of nowhere and tries eating the security guard. I fight the bastard, who knocks me clear across the room. Then I grab this metal ball, and I end up getting…eaten by it. That's the only way I could describe it. It felt like I was getting swallowed by the damn thing. Next thing I know, I wake up here surrounded by you people."
Jack finishes his explanation and is treated to a row of disbelieving looks.
"And this guy accuses me of being on drugs?" Hidan asks Kakuzu with heavy amounts of skepticism in his voice.
"I'm not bullshitting here!" Jack defends himself.
"Yeah, right," Kisame says with disbelief. "'Ghouls?' 'Metal ball?' You're gonna have to come up with a better cover story that isn't from the depths of your imagination, brat."
Jack glares at the shark-man. "Really? You look like you'd be in the Soup of the Month at the local seafood restaurant and you're giving me shit?"
Kisame matches the boy's glare with his own and reaches for the handle of his weapon. "You'd better mind your manners, kid, or you're gonna find yourself shredded."
"I'd like to see you try, Cocksucker from the Black Lagoon!" Jack taunts.
"THAT'S IT!" Kisame furiously pulls out his weapon and swings it at the boy.
Only for a strong hand to grab his wrist and halt his swing.
Kisame is shocked at the fact that he's being overpowered, so much so that he misses the fist coming straight for his face.
POW!
Kisame finds himself crashing to the ground, his face having a clear, deep imprint. The rest of the Akatsuki is shocked at seeing their comrade go down so quickly, while Jack clenches his extended metal fist in anger.
Wait…what?
Jack goes wide-eyed and examines his arm. The limb, which was once peach-colored flesh, is now shiny gray metal. He taps the limb, finding that it has indeed become metal; smooth, durable, and surprisingly warm. His shock grows when the metal appears to fade away, revealing peachy flesh once more.
"See! I told you so, motherfucker!" Hidan cries out, pointing his finger in accusation. The rest of his comrades instantly become on alert at the possible new enemy in front of them.
"W-What the hell is happening to me?" Jack asks himself. His eyes widen at a sudden thought. "Is this…the ball?"
Jack barely has time to consider this possibility before his instincts scream at him to jump. He leaps off the table with a surprising amount of force, just in time to dodge a three bladed scythe crashing at his former position. Jack recovers from the jump and sees Hidan rushing at him with scythe in hand.
"You think you could infiltrate the Akatsuki and get away with it, you shitty spy?! We'll get answers from your corpse after I dice you to pieces!" Hidan shouts, swinging his scythe at the boy.
Surprisingly for all, Jack is able to dodge every mad swing effortlessly. For Jack, it's as if everything is moving in slow motion, his enemy's attack pattern clear and visible for him. Believing this to be his instincts, Jack decides to trust the feeling as he weaves around Hidan's attacks, planning his counter.
"Stay still, fucker!" Hidan shouts angrily as he goes in for another big swing.
"Fine then," Jack answers as he follows his instincts and raises his left arm in a block in front of the deadly scythe.
CLANG!
The scythe bounces off the metal arm without leaving a scratch. As Hidan stumbles in shock, Jack goes in for his own attack. He gives the silver-haired psycho a strong metal right cross into the man's jaw, breaking bone and causing teeth to fly out. Jack follows up with a left-right-left jab combo into Hidan's face, then a right uppercut that sends the silverette flying in the air.
As Hidan lands in a heap with a bloody and bruised face, Jack inspects his still shiny and intact metal arms. He still hasn't figured out where these things came from, but right now, he can't really complain.
Jack turns to the rest of the surprised Akatsuki with a cocky grin. "Okay, cunts, who's next?"
"I am. Shinra Tensei!"
Jack barely registers the new voice before an unknown force sends him flying into the wall with a crash. He idly notes that his back had also turned into metal for a moment, providing a layer of protection against the rock wall. Of course, that doesn't mean there isn't any pain from the crash.
"Ugh…fucking hell," Jack groans out as he attempts to pry himself from the wall. Unfortunately, his attempts are halted when a hand gives his throat a crushing grip.
Jack looks forward and sees two individuals in front of him. The first one has orange spikey hair and multiple piercings through his nose, bottom lip, and ears. His most prominent feature, however, are his eyes, which are solid purple with rings around the pupil. The other figure appears to be a carbon copy of the other, only with an older, more heavy-set face.
"Now what?!" Jack grits out as he grips the arm clenched around his throat.
"We are Pain," both newcomers answer simultaneously, surprising the boy. "We are the leader of Akatsuki, and you have answers for us."
Kisame has since recovered from Jack's punch and gives a dangerous grin. "Hehehe. You're in trouble now brat."
The gruffer orange-haired man approaches Jack with his arm extended as both of the Pains say, "You will give us answers."
Jack struggles even more as the arm gets closer to his face. He looks around the room frantically, searching for a means to escape. He only sees the rest of his enemies looking at him as if his fate was sealed. He idly notes that the black-haired one has returned, this time with what appears to be a blonde teenage boy in rags and chains next to him.
Jack clenches his eyes suddenly as a pressure begins to form behind his eyes. As his panic grows, the pressure continues to build.
"Get away!"
And build.
"Fuck off!"
Until…
Both Pains suddenly finds themselves with large metal hands clenched tightly around their own throats, appearing to be stretched out from the boy's arms. But that pales in comparison to what happens next.
Jack opens his eyes, which are now bursting with orange energy.
"I SAID FUCK OFF!"
FSHWOOOOOOOOOOM!
That's the sound of two beams of burning orange bursting from Jack's eyes. The beams easily tear through the fleshy throats of the orange-haired men in front of him and continue into the rock wall across the room. The energy digs holes into the solid stone for a few moments before ceasing.
Jack rubs his hands into his eyes as the two headless bodies plop to the ground in front of him. His migraine only gets worse, head feeling like it's about to burst open. Not only that, but an itching sensation goes through his whole body, as if his outsides and insides are shifting about and changing. Jack screams as his sight turns orange, before darkness claims his vision and consciousness.
Meanwhile, the rest of the people in the cavernous room are stunned to say the least. They just watched as Pain, their illustrious leader, the man many people feared and worshipped as a living god, was just struck down by an absolute stranger, a boy no less. Konan is feeling the most shock, having been by Pain's side for the longest time.
"GRAAAAH!]
Everyone's attention is turned to the screaming stranger nearby, whose voice has changed, becoming more…artificial. They bear witness to an incredible and frightening transformation.
They watch as metal appears to ooze out of his back and torso. The metal travels up and down the boy's body, covering him from head to toe and turning him into a thrashing metal statue. The metal doesn't stop there, though. It continues to expand, causing the statue to grow bigger and bigger. The statue eventually stops thrashing about and halts its expansion at a height of 12'. The metal then appears to solidify and smooth out along its body and limbs. Finally, an opening forms at the face of the statue, revealing a glowing orange orb that appears to serve as the statue's eye.
The result is a colossal metal cyclops bearing its massive eye down at the stunned and apprehensive group of warriors beneath it.
[SENTINEL EMERGENCY MODE ACTIVATED.]
Everyone flinches when the cyclops speaks in a mechanical version of Jack's voice.
Konan's eyes catch some trembling to her side. She sees the black-and-white flytrap shaking like a leaf, looking at the colossus as if he's seen a ghost.
"Zetsu, what is it?" Konan nervously asks her comrade.
"I-It can't be. It just can't! That's impossible!" Zetsu cries out with terror in his demonic voice.
"Do you know what this thing is?" Konan inquires.
Zetsu ignores the question as sheer panic fills his body. "We're doomed! We're all doomed!"
[BEGINNING SCAN OF COMBAT ENVIRONMENT.]
Konan turns back to the mechanical voice just in time to see orange light surround her form. The light originates from the cyclops' eye and sweeps all around the room, passing over every object, feature, and person in the room. Once it makes a single pass around, the light shuts off.
[SCANNING COMPLETE.]
Several small beams shoot out of the eye and land on every single black-cloaked individual in the room. The Akatsuki panic at first, but then calm slightly when they realize they aren't being hurt by these lasers. It looks like they're being marked.
[TARGETS IDENTIFIED.]
Another beam shoots out of the eye. This one lands on the chained-up blond boy paralyzed with terror.
[CIVILIAN IDENTIFIED.]
The lasers shut off as the cyclops crouches down and clenches its fists, appearing as if it's about to pounce. The Akatsuki brace themselves for a battle as they see the orange eye glow with power.
[INITIATING OFFENSIVE PROCEDURES. DESTROY ALL TARGETS!]
A.N.: And cut! Sorry about the long wait. Family time, friends, the weather, and Covid-19 complicated things a bit for my writing schedule, but with focus, determination, and coffee, I was able to make some major progress with my projects.
Speaking of which, I bet quite a few of you are curious as to just what I have in store for the Anime Cinematic Universe. Well, here is what I have slated for the first Phase:
Phase 1:
Atlas: Titan Rising: a TigerXBunny/Young Justice crossover fic. In Sternbild City, heroes fight crime for fame, money, and glory. But an armored vigilante arrives to disrupt the powerbase in Sternbild City in a quest for justice, and make the people question what it means to be a hero.
Sentinel: Odyssey: a Naruto fic that technically exists in the Young Justice universe. A teenage boy from New York City is transported to a hidden land near Japan by a mysterious power. Using this power, he searches for a way back home, shattering the status-quo and finding love along the way.
Night Raid: Assassin's Ball: an Akame ga Kill/Young Justice crossover. Taking place at the same time as Sentinel: Odyssey, a former assassin has left his murdering ways behind and now uses his archery and stealth skills to protect his home city of New York. But when his former league threatens to purge the city, he enlists the help of a group of fellow deserters to save everyone.
Godspeed: A Young Justice/Tokyo Ghoul crossover with lots of other elements mixed in. A young man wakes up in Tokyo with amnesia and super speed. As he tries to piece together his past, he uses his superpower to defend Tokyo City with the help of other fellow outsiders, including a half-monster and an alien princess.
Supernatural Chronicles: A Highschool DXD/Blue Exorcist crossover that technically exists in the Young Justice universe. This story follows three individuals: An archangel's daughter from Los Angeles training to be an exorcist, a young man wielding blue flames forced to become a devil's servant, and a mega-pervert recruited by fallen angels. All three characters interact with one another, eventually culminating into a grand showdown for the fate of humanity.
There'll be another Phase of solo fics before it all culminates into the formation of the superhero team known as Final Justice. After that, apart from some side fics, the story will mainly focus on the Final Justice team, which consists of both OCs and established characters, all of which have powers so extraordinary that they will surpass the Justice League as defenders of Earth. Keep in mind that though this story takes place in the Young Justice universe, events will change from the Young Justice story in a very dramatic fashion.
Anyways, let's talk about what transpired in this chapter.
First off, majorly important, yes, this main character is part of the LGBQT community, and there will be a yaoi pairing in this story. If that's a problem, then as they say in the Fanfiction community, "No Like – No Read".
Secondly, ghouls exist in this universe. The ghoul and the ghoul hunter (cyber cookie for those who recognize the latter) are just a way to get Jack on his merry way for his adventure. Ghouls will play a much bigger role in my other story, Godspeed.
Thirdly, The Sentinel is a fusion of the futuristic Sentinels from X-Men: Days of Future Past and the robot from the 2008 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still, with a few touches from the T-1000 from Terminator: Judgement Day (I own none of those properties, by the way). The result is a seemingly indestructible juggernaut. Don't worry, Jack will still have plenty of competition in the future.
Which leads to my fourth topic. I know you're going to ask; how the hell did Jack gain the upperhand against Pain?! First off, Pain is far from indestructible, as the show clearly proves. Secondly, Pain doesn't know he's far from indestructible, which means his guard is down against a seemingly unremarkable teenage boy. Thirdly, never underestimate the element of surprise.
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoyed this story so far, along with the other stories being written in Phase 1. Next update will be Iron Man: Titanic Adventures.
Dropareviewifyoucanflamerswillbeignored.