Chapter 9
Behind the Veil pt. 2: Naruto and Jasper's Massive Clash!
I own Nothing
"NOOO!" Naruto exploded with raw power, blasting Jasper backwards with force that she wasn't seen for a long time, the second source of power that's ever brought excitement to her very core.
"There it is! That's what I've been looking for all along! My true Obsidian!"
Obsidian, unfazed by Jasper's words, scoops up Amethyst's gem - he stares mournfully at it as he noticed a crack beginning to set through it's once perfect gemstone. "Amethyst, even if you never look at me the same way again, I'll protect you with all my strength." his thoughts gave him strength as he slips his friend's gem into his pocket and turns to his opponent, a deadly glare settling into his features. "You wanted the true me and you'll regret it! I'll make you pay for everything you've done to my friends!" And with that heated decree, both combatants pushed off, charging at one another with powerful strides and blistering speed, prepared to clash in a battle for the ages.
"Come on then, I want to see you back up those words!" Her demand was soon met as the glowing enraged gem smashed into her with blinding speed, kicking up mounds of sand with their impact. Jasper's feet dug deep into the sand, pushing her back and yet locking her in place for what was to come. Deciding to take the offensive quickly in this fight, Jasper tightened her fist and went for a swing to Obsidian's open face, but before she could even rear back for it Naruto's visage was gone - a trail of kicked up sand being the only evidence that he was even there in the first place. "What the-"
"You said you wanted me," a voice called to her from behind. Quickly she turned, hoping to put up some defense for the attack that was to come but was surprised to find that he wasn't behind her, but in fact, above her - dropping towards her with an axe kick with her name on it. "You've got me!" Another impactful hit shook the beaches of Beach City as the two titanic gems go at it.
"Humph," Jasper chuckled, her forearms taking the brunt of this attack before quickly gripping onto his extended leg like a vice, refusing to let him go. "If that's all you've got this fight was over before it even began!" With one quick twirl Jasper chuckled Naruto across the beach, skidding to a halt towards the edge of where the beach ends and Beach City begins.
"Damn, she's getting me closer to the city." Naruto hissed, jumping to his feet. "I have to keep her on the beach at all cost, the less property damage the better."
"You know, if their was one thing I would change about you, Obsidian, it was your backwards thing about speed over strength." Jasper sighed, dusting off her uniform with a somber expression. She wasn't pleased with the recent showing of skill from her supposed rival - he hadn't expanded his arsenal of moves or even gotten stronger, it offended her as a warrior. "No matter how fast you get, I'll always be able to take it and hit back 10x harder!"
"You can't hit what you can't see," zipping from his position, Naruto once again blurred out of existence for the human eye - making a beeline straight for Jasper's smug face. Prepared for anything Naruto had to throw at her, Jasper stood confidently in her spot only to regret it mere seconds later as, blurring back into existence was her target but inside of using only his fist to try and throw her off, he was brandishing his trademarked scythe and it was poised to slice straight through her.
Without hesitation, Jasper's helmet sprung to life just in time to take the slash from Naruto's scythe, leaving a deep gash across its usual smooth exterior.
Jasper grazed her hand against the gash, infuriated at how close she was to losing at that very moment. Her eyes were taken off the price for a single second and Naruto was prepared to capitalize - maybe this world hasn't softened him as much as she thought it had...but that didn't stop the fury that was building up within her. She whipped around, prepared to lay into Naruto for his blind sided attack, "y-you….you bastard! You nearly took my hea-" but was immediately surprised to see that he wasn't there anymore. He disappeared again!
"Not again!" Jasper barked, scanning the beach for any sign of Naruto's whereabouts. "Where is he?! He can't be this fast, not five minutes ago I could still spot him...i-is he speeding up?!" She thought hectically, spinning around in her own area, hoping - no, praying that their might be a single sign as to where the blonde haired blur would end up.
Sufficiently raddled, Jasper was prepared to resort to the only thing she could do only to pause when she noticed something. It was subtle, anyone else would have simply looked past but thanks to her experience this little tidbit might give her an advantage. The sand around her, every few sands a few particles would be kicked up - it was Naruto's feet - no matter how fast someone goes their feet still have to touch the ground, Naruto is no different. "Gotcha," she chuckled as she saw Naruto's final kick off towards her direction and with one twist of her helmet she connected with the tip of Naruto's scythe, stopping its strike before it could even land it.
"Damn, how the hell did you-"
"I found your tell, Obsidian!" Jasper sneered as she pushes back with her helmet, adding pressure to the scythe's blade, Naruto's appearance visibly shaken - "yeah, you should be afraid!" Naruto quickly backed off, giving himself and his opponent some much needed distance. "You don't look so hot right now, Obsidian. Are you sure you want to keep using that form?"
Naruto tightened his grip on his weapon, his breath now ragged and raspy form using this form for so long. "Damnit! Don't crap out on me now, I need this form…but if she can track my movement it won't matter…"
"What's taking you so long, trying to think of another trick to beat me?" She snickered, "I suppose the trainee has surpassed her trainer."
"Humph, that's always been your weakness Jasper, hubris," said Naruto, before a smirk of his own appeared on his features. "Besides, do you really think I'd be foolish enough to teach you everything about me? No matter what, a teacher must keep their own secrets even from their students." Naruto said, gripping the head of his blade and, with one quick twist, detached the scythe's blade. "You've always been a one trick pony, Jasper - while I'm full of surprises!" Sliding into a low stance, his arm carrying the scythe blade stretched out behind him, Naruto took off towards Jasper as he's done several times this night, but this time it seemed like his speed had double once again.
Before Jasper could even bat an eye a cut appeared across her right upper arm, next was her left thigh, another appeared across her chest - this continued without stop for only 5 seconds but each second riddled her with slashes and cuts, enraging her just as much as it pained her. At the moment Naruto saw his opening, he aimed to slice straight through Jasper's mid-section - harmlessly poofing her out of existence...he planned anyway, and as many people know, the best laid plans often go awry.
As he stopped before Jasper, his heated blade poised for the strike a sickening crack echoed through the battlefield - and just like that, power drained from Naruto's body.
It was his gem, it was starting to crack.
It wasn't major, a few chips and hairline fractures here and there, but it was enough to give Jasper the opening she desired. Now seething from Naruto's relentless assault, Jasper took charge, scooping up the stunned gemstone and rushed forward with a bone chilling battle cry.
Her destination; Beach City.
With zero care for the well-being of the establishments and homes of Beach City, Jasper plows Naruto through the first building she could find - the Big Doughnut - as she breaks through the glass doors, demolishes the front desk and embeds Naruto into the wall full of delicious doughnuts. "Y-You're….a real...piece of work, Obsidian!" Jasper stated tiredly, still gripping Naruto in a bear like hug over her shoulder - half of her body along with Obsidian's whole body still embedded in the Doughnut case. "Most would have….killed over by now, I'm glad this...damn planet hasn't taken away your...fighting spirit." However, her praise was short lived when she started to rip both of them from their spot on the wall, stepping back in preparation. "But, unfortunately, I'm gonna half to break that fighting spirit in two!" Taking a running start towards the wall, Jasper uses Naruto's body as a battering ram to smash clear through the Big Doughnut's back wall, trucking towards the next establishment that had the unfortunate luck of being next to the Big Doughnut, the Beach Citywalk Fries.
With one more primal roar, Jasper thrusts Obsidian through the wooden panels of the frying establishment, allowing Naruto to flop lifelessly into the establishment like a limp noodle.
"Well, I think that's enough….abuse for today...now I just need to drag you...back to the ship," Jasper chuckled, breaking off a few pieces of wood that was obstructing her way to Naruto only to be surprised to see her punching bag slowly bring himself to a kneeling position, using the cast iron flat top grill for support.
"D-Don't you dare….c-c-c-count me out yet," Naruto hissed, gripping the grill tightly as his gem glowed the same hellish red as it did minutes before.
Jasper grimaced, feeling the toll this battle has taken on her as well - she needed to end this and fast. "Fine, if you want to prolong your suffering, then who am I to stop you!" Jasper charged forward, prepared to continue on this pain train she's gotten so much milage out of. However, her plan was quickly dashed as, with one single tug, Naruto ripped the flat top from it's position and smashed it into the unsuspecting Jasper with a sickening thud - sending Jasper crashing through the other side of the building.
Slowly, the feeling of being used as a battering ram still fresh on his mind and nerves, Naruto exited the Fry place, staring in front of Jasper, who was trying to gain back her footing. "You've been….holding out on me, haven't ya?...W-Who knew you were that strong."
"Like I said...I'm full of surprises," he stated coldly,
Then Jasper did something that threw Naruto a bit off guard, she laughed. "Hahaha," it had been so long since he's heard such a thing it was practically foreign to him.
"What's so funny?" He asked, keeping his guard up just in case.
"I'm just so….excited!" She declared with a wicked smirk. "This...this is what I've been...waiting for, for 5 years now….back to the way things used to be….me and you, fighting like wild animals! You can't tell me that you don't feel the same rush that we used to feel every day!"
Naruto stayed silence, glaring down his enemy with the most heinous of stares. "...No," he refuted but that did nothing but make her smile even more.
"Heh, now you're just lying...I can see it in your eyes...the fire, the passion...I bet you haven't felt this way for years….especially with that band of weaklings." She snickered,
"Leave them...out of this," he ordered and yet his words were not heeded.
She snarled at his weak attempt to protect those rejects, "keep pretending that they mean something to you….that you can hide who you once were! I know you better than even you know you!"
"Shut...up!"
"Stop pretending to be someone you're not!"
"You know nothing about me, I've changed!" He retorted, and yet it seemed like he was stating that more for himself than anything else.
"You're a fighter, a ruthless warrior - just like me! You're no peace keeper and you're sure as hell no Crystal Gem!"
"AHHHH!" Dashing forward, Naruto delivers a devastating left uppercut to Jasper's gut - rocking her instantly. "I'M NOTHING LIKE YOU!" He bellowed, sending another harsh fist crisp across her face and then another one across the other cheek, then another and another and another, until he was laying down a blur of combos that a normal individual couldn't follow. "I AM A CRYSTAL GE-" but, before he could deliver the final blow his fist was caught, held firmly by the massive hands of Jasper.
She wiped away the marks left on her face by Naruto's fists of fury before delivering her own bone shaking strike, a knee straight to the gut. "You can lie to yourself but you can never lie to me," Jasper mocked, still holding tightly to Naruto hand as she dropped him to his knees with another knee to his stomach. "I've seen the real you, just like you've seen the real me and I won't let you deny yourself who you truly are!" Gripping his fist tighter, Jasper twirls before releasing said fist, sending him through another building as if it were made from balsa wood and tinsel.
Naruto tumbles out on the other side, his vision blurred by the abuse he's received and the dust that wafts around him. He goes to stand but feels the wear and tear on his body begin to form - he couldn't keep up this pace, no matter what he threw at Jasper she was always one step ahead of him. She planned for a war and she wasn't afraid of doing what she had to do to win….so Naruto couldn't be either.
"I don't know if I can use this technique again without consequences," Naruto thought, reflecting on the cracks appearing on his gem, "but I have to try everything for the gems! No matter what!" placing his hand on his left side pocket - feeling the groove Amethyst's gem has left - he knew he couldn't give up without giving everything he's got. So, with his resolve emboldened, Naruto rose to his feet and released his full potential once more. "I need power this time," he said to himself, his aura changing from a neutral red to a dark one. His true potential could not have been activated at a better time as Jasper decided to make herself known at this very moment. Rushing through the hole she made with Naruto's body, Jasper takes this opportunity to go on the offensive, leveling a hard left hook towards the gem in her sights. It connected, rocking Naruto slightly - only for him to in turn deliver his own backhand across Jasper's cheek.
The battle continued for what felt like hours, each gem trading blows with one another - eachs body scraping across the small place of Beach City, causing unknown amount of property damage. Nothing seemed to stop these two from their brawl, each refusing to give the other one the satisfaction of giving up. Soon, however, the two had reached a breaking point, neither of them could continue this pace for too long, even Jasper - the battle hardened brute - was showing signs of massive fatigue. Neither of them have faced a challenge this daunting and now they're paying the price of such a battle between two immovable objects.
They stand in the epicenter of Beach City, the area surrounding them was just as banged up as they were, only a handful of establishment were free of damage. Jasper, gripping her left arm in pain, stood towards the east, her ship in the background as she slowly took in air - visibly beaten down by this fight. Her opponent, who was taking a knee, was in a bit worse shape than she was, his clothing tattered and dirtied, his face covered in sweat and dirt - everything about his was a mess and yet his eyes still held the determination of a true warrior. He was prepared to keep going even if it killed him - Steven, Garnet, Pearl, Connie, and especially Amethyst were his motivation and he couldn't let them down!
"D-D-Damn….I-I never thought I'd….be this messed up again…." Jasper wheezed, her breath now ragged and beaten as she glared towards Naruto, her left eye shut from exhaustion. "O-Of course….only you could...d-do this to m-me...I'm actually….k-kinda proud…."
"P-Pride….that's….a-all you've ever cared a-about," Naruto hissed, feeling every ack and pain shoot through every fiber of his being. "P-Pride and….strength,"
"...T-There was...something else...I-I cared about more than...t-those two things," Jasper said, her voice more somber and subdued. Her right hand tightened around her left shoulder, her teeth bared in anger, "but then….that thing was taken from me! Ripped from me by others and I'd throw away my pride and my strength to bring him back!...Even if that means I have to break him to do it…"
"J-Jasper," Naruto looked to his once beloved partner, her aggressive facade falling away from just a moment to show her true self after his departure five years ago - she was hurt, dejected and prepared to do anything to bring back the one thing she cares about more than her own pride and strength. In a way, Naruto couldn't help but feel bad for what he did all those years ago - it turned a confident gem into a broken one trying to find her missing piece….but even though he feels for his once close friend, what he did needed to be done - he will never repent for it. "I...I'm sorry about...everything. M-Maybe in another life….another time...we'd still be as close as we were…."
"Oh, don't worry, I'll make that a reality, I assure you!" Jasper barked, setting up for another round. "My mind has not changed, whether you choose to come peacefully or not, you will be mine again!"
"I was never yours to begin with," Naruto said solemnly, preparing himself for his next and hopefully final attack. If he could land one more hit against her gem he could possibly end this battle once and for all - just one clear shot could make or break him….so he needed to dip into the well once more, to call upon his dormant energy for a final time. So, tightening his muscles, a lighter red aura now whipping around his frame, Naruto kicked off towards his opponent, his eyes set squarely on her gem. "This is the end," Naruto thought as he appeared before Jasper, his fist cocked back ready to strike...too bad his luck had ran out. Another, thicker crack began to make it's way up his gem - halting his momentum and his thoughts indefinitely.
This was all Jasper needed.
Reaching for her belt she pulled out her gem destabilizer and dug it deep into Naruto's stomach, allocating a wale of pain from Obsidian before his for bursted out of existence. "You were always mine," Jasper remarked, scooping up the damaged Obsidian gem carefully - rubbing her thumb against it's cracks gently. "You just didn't know it,"
Peridot, locking up the remanence of this so called resistance, heard the ramp of their lower, indicating that someone is boarding. Rushing to the entrance, she had one finger on the button to release the Robonoids just in the off chance that Obsidian was the victor. As the ship's doors released and opened she was relieved to see a battered and weakened Jasper standing triumphantly before her….well, as triumphantly as you could after a battle like that. "Jasper….were you able to capture Obsidian?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't, now would I?" She grumbled, pushing past Peridot with little care - practically knocking her on her backside. Quickly following behind, Peridot and Jasper found their way to the containment area. "His gem's been badly damaged, keep him secure until we get back to homeworld, I don't want him shattering during our trip."
"B-But what about the Kindergarten?" Peridot asked, nervous to even statement something contradictory to Jasper's claims.
Jasper looked to Peridot, aggravation clear across her features. "My only concern was to retrieve what was mine, you job does not."
"But yellow diamond specifically stated that-" Peridot tried to continue but Jasper wasn't in the mood to care about the plight of some useless, run of the mill Peridot.
"If you desire to stay on this miserable planet and fix the Kindergarten here, then be my guest, but I'm taking Obsidian back home to fix him regardless of if you're on this ship or not. Is that clear?" She asked, but the way she held herself it seemed like more of a demand.
"Y-Yes Jasper," Peridot stated, averting her eyes from Jaspers - intimidation once again silenced Peridot's legitimate concerns. "I-I'll stay on the ship, I just need to report back to Yellow Diamond that we've retrieved the defector and we shall be coming back to homeworld."
"Fine," stated Jasper, though, whether or not she was on the ship made no difference to Jasper. Soon, the arrived at their destination, one of the last cells the ship had to offer. Tapping a few select keys on the dashboard the yellow forcefield that laid before them evaporated, giving them entrance to the cell's interior. "Keep an eye on our prisoners while I'm gone." Jasper stated, handing over the damaged gem to her second in command before heading off towards who knows where.
"Wait, where are you going?" Peridot asked only to get a stern yet tired look from the retreating Jasper.
"I don't think that's in of your business, now is it?" She fired back,
"N-No Jasper, sorry Jasper." And with that, Jasper was gone, leaving Peridot to do what needed to be done to secure Naruto's safe trip back to the gem Homeworld.
Rows of cells lined the walls of this portion of the ship, many were empty, prepared to hold more inmates for transport to Homeworld, but a few of them housed key players in the fight for Earth. Pearl and Amethyst were placed in the same cell, each dejected and disheartened by their latest defeat. Garnet was nowhere to be found nor was Steven, probably held deeper into the ship - the blue Lapis Lazuli was sitting 'comfortably' in another cell, her minor transgression in protecting the enemy sentenced her to imprisonment. The final cell at the very end of the hall held a special guest, the newly captured Obsidian who, unlike the others, was bound by his hands - keeping him stationary for the trip. His arms were locked in a strange contraption that even he hasn't seen before, this so call contraption was locked to the floor by some sort of energy, keeping him stationary for the trip home.
This binding was a bit unnecessary when you take into account his cracked gem, he couldn't break out even if he tried - his energy is zapped from him, he couldn't summon his energy or his weapon, he was practically defenseless.
A statement that, though true, is hard to swallow for Obsidian.
"I gave Steven my word," Naruto mumbled to himself, staring down at his bound hands in shame. "I gave him my word that I'd protect him and his family and I couldn't even do that for him."
"Your word?" A voice spoke, catching his attention. Looking up from his hands he sees the one gem he never thought would ever want to see him again, Peridot. "As if that means anything anymore,"
"P-Peridot?"
"Oh, you've finally noticed my presence, have you?" She asked curtly, raising a single brow before focusing back on her work that was being projected by her right arm limb enhancer.
"W-Where are we going?" He asked,
"Where do you think? We're going back to homeworld," she stated in a rather condescending tone.
"How long have I been out for, how far are we to getting to homeworld?!"
"As if I'd tell you that, you don't have the right to know anything, prisoner!"
"Peridot, please don't take us back to Homeworld, the Crystal Gems would be executed for-" Naruto began to explain but was interrupted by his captor.
"For being traitors and aiding the Resistance all those years ago, a fate you should be sharing with them but Jasper's helped you in that department." Her statement was cold, bitter in fact, and Naruto knew that she would be - after everything that's happened to her because of him he wouldn't be surprised that she wanted him dead.
"Peri, you have to listen to me-"
"Don't you dare call me that!" Peridot hissed, pressing a button on her LED monitor, sending a yellow batch of electricity through Naruto's very core, silencing him. "Call me that again we'll see just how much you can take before you shatter."
Obsidian pushed through the pain to continue his plea. "Y-Y-You can't….do this, they'll….they'll die…"
Peridot seemed to grow visibly frustrated with Obsidian's please, "of course you'd worry about those clods, traitors will stick with traitors to the very end. I wonder if you cared this much about us before you turned on us,"
"I-I always...worried about...you two," he whispered high enough for her to hear, earning him a scoff from his green skinned captor.
"Humph, I can see that your ability to fabricate lies hasn't changed," she commented, focusing more on her LED screen than his statement. "What lies did you tell the others to make them trust you? Did you tell them that you were a grunt? That you had nothing to do with Yellow Diamond or us for that matter? What did you tell them to gain their trust?!" She looked past her screen to see that Obsidian refused to answer, or even look her in the eyes. "Fine, don't answer me, your guilt is written all over your face. Spies like can't help but lie, it's in your nature."
"I'm not….a spy," he murmured, "everything that I've done….I did to help our people,"
"How is giving our secrets to the enemy helping us? I can't find logic in your madness," She asked rather curtly,
"Yellow Diamond….doesn't care about you, Jasper...or anyone under her command. The Diamonds….w-want to…..control you, to stifle who...you can be, I want...to free us all from their hold over….us. I can't do that...without toppling...the Diamonds," he said, he's confident in such a statement clear in his eyes - something Peridot didn't like to see at all.
"You're insane! The Diamonds give us peace, order, and a purpose - without a Diamond none of us would be here!" She retorted, unable to follow his twisted, skewed ideals.
"Even though...they created us...that doesn't mean they….own us," Naruto stated definitely. "They treat us as….expendable play things….sending us to fight the...battles they don't wish to….fight, they force us to….serve them as if...our existence is to serve them….I refuse to believe that!" Another shock rushes through his system courtesy of a annoy Peridot.
She released the bottom with a knowing smirk, "that's enough propaganda from you,"
His form still smoking from the extra voltage running through him, he still refused to keep quiet. "P-Peridot….i-it's not too late for….you and Jasper," he whimpered, slowly raising his head to meet eye to eye with his once close friend. "Y-You don't have to be….Yellow Diamonds puppet...anymore,"
Peridot gritted her teeth, her floating finger hovering over the button, "be quiet,"
"Y-You two are...better than this…." He said, refusing to break eye contact with his captor, something that unsettled Peridot.
"I said be quiet," she repeated,
"You two….deserve better than this," he continued,
"I'm warning you!" Peridot's finger grew closer.
"I want you two...to be your own gems! Free of Yellow Diamonds….grasp! No matter what's happened in the past, I still wish to see every gem free to do what they will, that includes yo-AHHHHH!" He wailed as the voltage ripped through his body like a million tiny razor blades. Peridot, her face scrunched into a hideous frown, continued to hammer down on the button over and over again until she believed this preachy fool had enough.
"Are you done?" She hissed, watching as his withered from crumbles to the ground, his breath leaving him in one ragged, pained wheeze. "Good, I was growing tired of hearing you prattle on and on." Peridot harshly stated, focusing on her data screen. However, the more she let his words rummage around her head the more she felt like she needed to speak. "5 years, it's been 5 years since you abandoned us like we were nothing to you and yet here you are, pretending that you even care about us. Where was that care when we fought for you to keep you alive! Did those clods in the resistance do that for you?! Were they there when Yellow Diamond was calling for your execution? NO! It was Jasper and I who fought for your survival, it was Jasper and I who begged Yellow Diamond to hear your case rather than destroy you on the spot and it was Jasper and I who put our careers and loyalty into question just because we stood by you! And what did you do?! You stabbed us in the backs! You admitted to be a Resistance spy and even worse you tired to talk me and Jasper into joining you! We….we put everything on the line for you and….and all you did was throw it back into our faces…..you never cared about us, did you? No one who cared about someone else would do what you did, Obsidian...that's why I can never forgive you for what you've done!"
"Peri….I'm sorry,"
"You don't have the right to say those words to me!" She paused, there was something she needed to know. Regardless of everything that happened there was one burning question that ate at her night and day for 5 years and now that she has the chance she couldn't pass it up. "...How long?"
"How long what?" He questioned,
"How long were you going to toy with me?!" She practically screamed, "I thought you were my friend, I thought we meant something to one another….but no, all you were doing was trying to get closer to me so you could rely more information to the Resistance, weren't you?! Admit it!" Peridot hissed through gritted teeth, a tremor going through her body - it was slight but Obsidian could see it. This was genuine emotion bleeding through Peridot's cold, analytical facade. Just like Jasper during the fight, Obsidian could see the damage he's done to these two gems he considered, at one time, to be the closest thing to friends he'd ever had.
"I wasn't. All the times we spent together, our friendship….that was all real, Perid-" He tried to defend himself but was silenced by Peridot.
"Liar!" She blurted out, her emotions getting the better of her at this moment. She didn't care what he said, all she needed right now was to release all of this pent up aggression and pain that laid in the back of her mind, waiting to be set free. "You could you expect me to believe that?! You used everyone else, how could you not use me as well! How stupid do you think I am?!"
"Peridot, please-"
"No, I'm done listening to your lies and I'm done with you!" She turned, prepared to leave only to turn her head ever so slightly, enough for one of her eyes to peer over her shoulder. "Now you are nothing more than a disgrace and a traitor to me, from now on I'll treat you as such." Leaving Naruto with such a devastating statement, Peridot took her leave to head towards the control room - the ship was about to break the Thermosphere and the ship needed some steady hands to get it through this thick layer of atmosphere. So, Peridot now off to do what she needed to do, Naruto was left alone with only his thoughts. What could he do now? His gem cracked from the pressure, his body beaten and his friends captured - he had nothing and could do nothing. This...this was one of the lowest moments of Naruto's life.
*!AUTHORS NOTE!* Sorry this one's a bit shorter than the other's but that's all I can do for now, I'll be getting a break from college and hopefully my job soon so maybe I can keep up on the updates a bit more but don't hold me to that PLEASE! Also, before you leave a review or send me a PM about this, I'd like to address it first. Yes, I'm well aware that I made Jasper a bit stronger than in canon and though, knowing my fans, I don't think it'll bother too many people, I would just like to explain why she was able to beat Naruto in this chapter. I've said through multiple chapters that seeing as Naruto's been on the bench for about 5 years because of his cracked gem he is A). A bit rusty at his skills that he used to use every single day(And if you don't think he should be rusty, I want you to stop doing a skill that you do everyday for five years and then tell me if you'd be rusty or not.)
and B). Jasper has been fighting, training, and dominating all those 5 years trying to go stronger to bring Naruto back whether he wanted to or not. Also, in the chapter I started Steven's training, I stated that Naruto had trained and helped Jasper be a better fighter, meaning that she knows how Naruto fights to an extent, so that s another notch in her belt against Naruto. I didn't want this to seem insulting to those who have read my story and kept up with the Naruto I am trying to construct here (He's not a bad ass yet, he was before but because of his injury he's been knocked down a few pegs) but there have been a few people who send me PM's or Reviews saying "why's Naruto so weak?" or "I can stand reading this thing because you made Naruto a little bitch." and I knew I'd get more of those in droves if I didn't spend the time explaining why Naruto seems so weak right now. Don't worry, he'll gradually get better and back to his prime, but I wanted it to seem natural. I didn't want it to seem like him training for a month or two would make him just as good as he once was, that'd be foolish.
Also, before anyone asks, no, the aura that surrounds Naruto at the end is not the Kyuubi chakra. It will be explained in a later chapter what exactly this aura around him is and where it comes from but just to say it now, it's not the Kyuubi chakra it's more like a parallel to the Kyuubi chakra. Now, some might wonder why I don't want it to be the Kyuubi chakra and that's simple, I don't really see, in the story aspect, how I could work with it. Sure, I could just say that he's Naruto's reincarnate and he has all of Naruto's powers and he just needed to awaken them in a moment of rage and stress but I just find that a bit cheap in a way, but don't get me wrong, if you like that concept then roll with it, that's great. I just wanted to run with something at parallels with the original Naruto but isn't exactly Naruto if that makes any sense.
Anyway, sorry for the long Author's note, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I hope you'll leave a Review or PM me if you have any questions. Thank you and I hope you all have a wonderful day!
