Chapter 5
Buns, Guns, and Fun in the Sun! The Trip to the Blue Sea
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The transport bus takes the family of 3, a friend, 2 Medarots, and a dog to the beachside where they see the blue sea on the other side of the road. Naruto was dressed in a light, sleeveless hoodie and his orange and black swim trunks already on, while Arika (in blue shorts and an orange shirt) has packed her choice of swimsuit (as a surprise), Chidori is wearing her casual summer clothes (keeping the swimsuit at a later time), Jozō is wearing his usual summer business attire as packs his swimsuit and carries a beach umbrella, Metabee and Brass came as they were as both Medarots were wearing straw hats and carrying the snacks and utilities, including sunscreen. Salty is accompanying them.
This is the first time the Medarots have seen the beach in person as another memory starts showing in Naruto's head about the beaches he explored while on the run in his past life.
Then, Kikuhimé, her mother Rangiku¹, and Peppercat arrived on a different bus fare and they joined in on the fun at the beach.
-Medarots-
The party of 5, plus 3 Medarots, and a dog were getting ready to enjoy the beach, but there were several snags along the way. The kids learn that the beach they're going to has a no litter policy and they have to handle Salty's crap before they dispose of it properly. But the strangest thing about this situation is that there are fewer people around because of rumors of something that is haunting the beach, so they have much of the whole place to themselves for the day.
-Medarots-
(Detailed Nudity Moment)
Naruto removes his light hoodie while the girls remove their outer clothes to reveal them in their swimsuits - Arika in her blue bikini set (showing the "guns" part of her chest) while Kikuhimé sports a black one-piece swimsuit that is very high-cut (showing the "buns" part from her behind). They look at each other and were slightly jealous of each other's undeveloped and pre-developed bodies, so they asked Naruto about how they look, with their cheeks against his face, not knowing that Naruto lost his balance and they land on him in an awkward position - Naruto's left hand is on Arika's flat butt flank and his right hand and elbow on Kikuhimé's flat chest as they made rather cute squeaks. He apologizes to them for the slight accident, but then he gets himself in another predicament - he was lying flat on his stomach, getting grabbed by the legs by Kikuhimé in a Boston Crab Hold as she sits on his backside while at the same time, Arika puts him into an arm-and-head lock with her swimsuit-covered breasts smooshing the back of his head in a sadist manner as both girls wanted to punish their boy-friend for that unintentionally perverted act, not that they didn't want to in the near future. But after the "punishment" is over, both girls decidedly chuckled and pulled down Naruto's swimsuit just for the heck of it and what they saw really knocked them for a loop: Naruto's manhood (imagining as a big daikon radish and a heavy burlap sack) seems to be bigger than the average schoolboys' and possibly getting bigger. The lone boy and 2 girls were utterly embarrassed as they just had to open that particular door. So the girls decided to wait until another time to see if they can really get a chance at Naruto and his particular prize.
Meanwhile, Peppercat asked Brass, "Mrow. Does your handler often compete with Kiku-chan like it's a beauty contest just for 3?"
Brass sighed as she answered, "More or less. Human girls tend to develop differently while we don't change as much… (Although Naruto's size is just…)" (She makes a secret blush that Peppercat finds curious.)
Metabee was busy helping the missus setting up their location, so he didn't understand much about human nature.
(End Moment)
-Medarots-
Naruto, Arika, Kikuhimé, and Salty were practicing their warm-ups after they (sans the dog) took turns putting sunscreen on each other. (The girls admit that Naruto has those "magic touches" as if they were starting to feel like natural grown-up women.) But before they can swim, they notice that the beach is covered in litter and garbage from the last time people were hanging around. So Naruto packed some garbage sacks and some tongs to pick up the loose trash and hoped that nothing hazardous happened like a loose cannon shell or a mine buried from plain sight. Kikuhimé wanted to complain and wanted to have fun in the water with her friends, but her experience with Otokoyama's regiments made her whine less so that she could enjoy the fun. (It didn't take long, but they and their Medarots cleared away the garbage from the sand as they could carry and disposed of it properly.)
"That was a good workout," Naruto said as he put the tongs away.
"Kids, remember not to swim too far and don't go into deep water, alright?" Jozō reminded the kids before he stretched himself and relaxed on the beach blanket shaded by the umbrella after a long session at the Select Corps. The mothers moved somewhere else to talk about the glory days of school, learning gossip between other women, and for old time's sake as Ginjo School's former rivals.
It was then the kids were playing in the water, splashing around, having a good time. Salty is chilling out on a buoy on the water. Brass and Peppercat (with her safety locks on) are a good distance away as they watch a very cheerful moment, that is until Metabee shows up wearing diving gear (a snorkel and some flippers) trying to experience the sea life. The trio started to double over from the hilarious sight.
"What's so funny?" Metabee asked.
"*chuckle* Metabee, you look so silly with that getup!" Naruto chortled, "Oh! Sorry, but I can't stop it! I can't stop it! *LOL!*"
Arika and Kikuhimé haven't had a good laugh in a while seeing Metabee about to do something crazy. Even Brass and Peppercat are caught in a contagious laughter.
"I show ya who's laughing!" Metabee angrily declared as he boldly made a big jump into the water… with a belly flop.
:: This isn't going to fare well,:: Salty thought with a whine.
The kids heard bubbling of water for a moment, but found Metabee scurrying back to the rock where he was diving from, absolutely turned chicken, as he yelled, "What the hey! That's salt water!"
"Silly Metabee, of course it is! We're near the ocean, y'know!" Naruto refuted.
"Why didn't you say so in the first place‽" Metabee yelled, "I could have rusted!"
"Medarots don't rust that easily even in salt water," Kikuhimé explained, "It says so in the instructions."
"Yeah, and only certain attacks from Medaparts can cause you to rust," Naruto added, "If you hadn't looked before you leap, I would have lent you some Leg Parts that are built for swimming."
"That's not the point! You should take better care of me! I'm getting out of this crap and go for a walk somewhere… Kiki...kikikiki!" And Metabee makes clacking beetle noises as he hopped from rock to rock to brood over his fear of the salt water with Brass and Peppercat following him, worrying that he'll get himself into trouble.
"You sure that it's okay to let your Medarot walk away like that?" Kikuhimé asked.
"Metabee will get over it, Kiku-chan," Naruto answered, "He'll be back."
"Metabee just needs to cool off," Arika agreed as she puts her hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Brass and Peppercat aren't too far behind, so there is nothing to be worrying about."
"Famous last words, Arika. Famous last words," Naruto is feeling a bit worried about something that is about to annoy him, but for now, the girls splashed Naruto's face with water and the playful water fight resumes.
-Medarots-
Metabee is sitting on the sands of the shore wondering why he had to jump into the salt water so recklessly. Is it that the Horned Beetle set made him naturally afraid of the water, fearing that he'll rust and discombobulate, let alone can't have the ability to swim?
Brass and Peppercat sat down on both sides, next to Metabee to hear his problems.
"Who does Naruto think he is? Metal plus water equals rust. Rust plus me equals me getting… you know what I was saying… keke… kekeke…"
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Metabee," Brass said, "In retrospect, you should have known that the ocean would be salty."
"That's right, meow," Peppercat agreed, "I would have had trouble dealing with water because of my electric abilities, if it weren't for the safety lock program. And besides that, you and Tenryo did defeat me, Cyandog, and Keithturtle."
"That could be so," Metabee replied, "But what I don't understand is how did Naruto get along with me as my Medafighter? He already awakened my Medaforce ability and trained with me like we're more than just soldiers in a military camp." (Naruto and Metabee practice using the Medaparts on an empty lot that support the Horned Beetle Medal, now at Class 2, as Naruto sorts out the Parts specified in separate categories: Strike, Berserk, Shoot, Snipe, Protect (Defense), Heal, Support (Boost), and Disrupt.)
"So you're saying that Naruto is exceeding your expectations, is that what it is?" Peppercat asked. "If only Kikuhimé has that kind of ambition."
"Sounds that way, especially me with Arika-chan," Brass agreed.
Metabee looked at the diving mask, snorkel, and flippers and was about to put it away at the designated area, but then a boy's voice called out, "Oi!" And he threw a small rock at Metabee.
"What the hell was that for?" Metabee yelled at the culprits who were 3 local boys around 10 or 11 who were feeling rather peeved as the leader of the trio said, "Tell your handlers that they are not allowed to come to our beach, you hear me? We don't take kindly to litterbugs!"
Metabee growled in anger, almost losing his temper.
"What's with that Yellow Beetle Medarot?" Boy #2 questions his pals.
"It must be an old model from what I see," Boy #3 said with a ratty grin.
"What the hell are you and your female friends doing in a place like this?" Boy #1 asked the Medarots.
"Ha-ha, I bet that Beetle Medarot can't swim, is that it?" Boy #2 sneered.
That comment hits Metabee where it hurts as he starts to turn away and sulk. Then the beach boy trio started teasing and poking Metabee with sticks from pieces of driftwood. They kept on annoying Metabee, along with Brass who was being skirted from behind, and Peppercat yanked by the tail, and their Safety Locks were still active, until…
"Hey, you!" It was Naruto who yelled as he and the girls ran past the sand dunes towards the scene, "Get away from our Medarots!" And he swiftly slapped Boy #1's stick away, kicked Boy #2 in the pants, and karate-chopped Boy #3 on his head to make him lose his grip on Peppercat.
"Arika-chan!" Brass called as she ran to her handler and felt embarrassed as she thought about her messed up skirt, ::I can't believe that Naruto-kun saw my underparts…::
"Kiku, mrowrrr!" Peppercat cried before going on all fours, making like a cat, and let out hissing noises at the culprits. She doesn't like getting her tail yanked.
"What's your problem, blondie?" Boy #1 yelled as he rubbed his hand from the stinging, "We're just having a little fun, that's all."
Boys 2 and 3 tried to jump at Naruto, only to get biffed by Naruto's acrobatic handstanding kicks to the chin, knocking them into the sand, impressing his friends and Medarots.
"I'm glad that those Capoeira lessons I took were paying off," Naruto murmured as he got back on his feet and pointed to Boy #1, "Now then, if you're messing with our Medarots, you're messing with us all, y'know! So what'll it be?"
Boy #1 scoffed as he helped his friends up, "You're the ones that should leave. You nisémono (outsiders) have no right to come to our beaches, especially while there's a monster haunting this very area…"
"Monster?🌟🌟" Arika's eyes light up as her journalist's brain is starting to tick while Kikuhimé tries to keep her under control.
The boys regained their mojo as they explained, "This shore is a dangerous place, you see."
"It attracts disasters."
"We're not responsible for what happens to you. Baka (idiots)!"
And the beach boy trio left the scene to lick their wounds.
"What's their problem?" Kikuhimé asked as her arm reflexively held Naruto's arm and Arika's arm was wrapping around his other arm as she said, "I dunno, but this could be a real scoop once I get my things together."
Naruto replied, "Whatever the reason girls, those guys are up to something and I'm not very certain about this 「monster」is what we're thinking." So they left for the Yakisoba shop to take a lunch break.
"Man, I'll never understand them," Metabee complained as he, Brass, and Peppercat soon followed (with secret blushes on their cheeks).
-Medarots-
[Beachside, House of the Sea - Yakisoba Shop]
The owner of the restaurant is an older woman who is cooking up the noodles and a combination of sauce, fried veggies, and edible seaweed. Naruto and the girls ordered and paid for their meals as they waited for their lunch.
There is a nagging question that has been bothering the group for a while. What was this 「monster」that the local boys were mentioning? Arika thinks it could be either an umibōzu (sea monk), a giant sea serpent, or mayhaps a dinosaur from the depths of the ocean. It unnerves Kikuhimé as she clings to Naruto in fear.
Naruto on the other hand, isn't entirely sure about this so-called monster, but it could be a real mystery that can be solved, just like the kids' mystery shows they used to watch.
Then the shop owner finished preparing the Yakisoba for 3 people and what the kids utterly saw was something that normally they didn't ask for in their meal: peppers; chopped, dried, spicy red peppers mixed into the yakisoba.
They thanked the lady for the meal and said Grace before reluctantly starting eating them. Naruto, Arika, and Kikuhimé tasted the hot peppers and then did a staring contest to see if they could take the heat before drinking their water cups. The girls, unfortunately, lost first as their mouths were on fire from the spicy peppers, but Naruto he held out a little bit longer as another memory was recalled about Ninja Arts that use the element of fire. He snapped out of it and finished eating his share of the noodles. Arika and Kikuhimé looked at each other in shock and they soon finished their noodles with reddened faces from the spices.
"That really hit the spot, y'know," Naruto thanked the owner as he patted his belly. The girls fainted from eating a little too much noodles. (They know that they can't swim on a full stomach for at least an hour so that they won't get charley-horsed from cramps.)
"I'm glad you enjoyed them," she said, but then she started to murmur, ::I know nothing about that monster. Oh, so busy. So busy, busy, busy...::
Naruto whispered to the recovered girls from their fainting spells and said this 「monster 」is probably a taboo word that suspiciously has been going on for a while now. It should be talked about elsewhere.
"Hmm, I can't just let it slide," Arika whispered back with her hand on her chin like she was a detective, "There hasn't been any kind of monsters like that before, unlike the certain incident."
The trio nodded as they remembered the 「10 Days of Darkness 」 crisis years ago when they were little.
Kikuhimé mentions that the other monsters they have heard about have a hint of truth to the matter, from what her mother says, like the rock wall near the beachside would be the ideal hiding place.
"Don't even think about going there," the owner eerily warned, "It's better if you don't get close to that rock wall." She suspiciously returned back to the stove.
But just when things couldn't get any stranger, a crowd of people outside of the restaurant started screaming as they fled for their lives in panic.
"It's the monster!" a man yelled as his feet made tracks.
"Somebody help us!" a woman screamed as she charged forward without looking back.
There's no doubt about it, Naruto says to his friends, "Looks like we got a real mystery on our hands."
Arika is determined as she wanted a piece of the action as she said, "Okay, guys! I've been waiting for this. I accept this urgent challenge!"
"We're coming too," Kikuhimé said as she fist her hand into her palm, "The boys may miss out on the fun, but this will be exciting!" And the kids and the Medarots come into a mutual agreement as they investigate the rock wall on the other side of the beach.
-Medarots-
The group checked out the rock wall separating a section of the beach where what they found wasn't the said monster, but a group of natural rocks jutting towards the sky next to the rocky shoals. What's more is that there is a sound of a shamisen playing by an older man with a shaved head, a hachimaki headband, and black, water-resistant clothes as he was playing the instrument while the waves beat next to him and water droplets on him.
Arika wouldn't go forward because she is a "fragile girl" and Kikuhimé is goose-pimply scared, almost enough to wet her swimsuit. So Naruto decided to take the risk to talk to the beach hermit for an interview and maybe some training advice with Aquatic Medaparts, but the hermit seems to be occupied with his music, so Naruto waits it out. That was when a smoother CLA-type octopus Medarot appeared from the depths and appeared to be standing on the surface of the water. Naruto recognizes the Medarot as a newer model of [Kanéhachi].
-Meda Vital Stats-
Kanéhachi Mk-2
Owner: The Beach Hermit
Medal: I - Kraken
Specialty: Binding
Kanéhachi is normally built for handling rough, rocky terrain, but he (as a male-type Medarot) seems to be one with the waves, without losing its balance. He uses his anchor-hookshots (Catch and Twist) into the water and soon catches a net full of maguro (Tuna) and lifts the heavy contents over his head without missing a beat.
The kids and their Medarots were impressed by the catch of those whoppers for fish.
"Thank you for your hard work, Kanéhachi," the hermit said to his Medarot as they saw the kids watching them, "So have you come here just to watch the waves?"
Naruto didn't answer immediately but he answered, "My friends and I were just going out for a walk, we got a little curious, that's all."
The hermit plays another tune as if it plays an ancient song that almost felt like a melody from another space and time as he says, "Hmmmm… It seems that you are familiar with the sea."
"I don't quite understand," Naruto was baffled, "My parents and I used to come to the beach every other year, but…"
"One's visage to the sea isn't limited to age," the hermit said as he plays his shamisen to the rhythm of the waves, "Whether it's through generations past or lifetimes, the connection to the seas will never waver."
More of Naruto's memories are burning through his mind - the oceans of different lands, helping people build bridges over the waters, and the ability to walk over water. (All of this happened in the matter of 3 seconds.) "You're right. I felt like I had been to a beach unlike the ones I've been to."
The hermit slings his instrument behind him and he transported an extra Kanéhachi Swick (Legs) part and said, "To handle the lesson I am interesting to you is that you first must defeat the sea that lies within your heart. Your Metal Beetle can do it too. The training can be tough."
"Huh? Me?" Metabee asked as if he's on the spot.
Arika and Kikuhimé and their Medarots decide to split up as they continue the investigation of the monster and find their respective families while Naruto and Metabee stay to handle the hermit's training throughout the night and much of the morning.
(Thankfully, the hermit shared some of the fish that were gutted, seasoned, skewered, and fried over a campfire after they threw the bad fish away into the sea.)
-Medarots-
[The next morning]
Naruto and Metabee (with Koran-Koron Leg Parts) have to climb the hill, draw water from the pump into buckets tethered to a long yoke, chop and gather wood to be carried as they make their way back down the hill and past the log bridge. Naruto hasn't felt this much invigorated after Otokoyama's regiments, and when he was getting close to the shack, he senses an incoming attack and he tells Metabee to jump to avoid the strikes, a crack by the hermit's whip and a hookshot by Kanéhachi's arm parts.
"You have good senses and sturdy legs," he said to them, "What I want to see is a man and Medarot with a look of determination."
Naruto and Metabee helped with other of the hermit's projects, including heating the oven, lifting a big boulder with the hermit on top, learning how to massage sore muscles, and stilt-walking while hauling the extra weight.
Naruto and Kikuhimé's mothers, (with Arika's mother on videochat), secretly watched both the boy and Medarot work like crazy, wishing that the girls were there to see this.
-Medarots-
Naruto lies down after finishing a long workout as Salty gives them water bottles (by the saddle sacks) to cool off.
"Have we really gotten stronger?" Metabee asked Naruto, "I wonder if we can take on those three bullies by now?"
"I don't think the old man's training is useless after all, Metabee," Naruto answered as he checked Metabee's stats on the Medawatch and it seemed to have gotten a significant boost in his abilities.
Then the hermit returns as he tunes his shamisen as he said, "You have done very well, boy. Would you like me to teach you how to Robattle in the water?"
Naruto blinked as he asked, "Why now? Why the sudden offer?"
"There are times where you and your Medarot won't have the option to fight on your favorite terrain. From what I see between breaks in your training, you were busy trying out other Medaparts designed for sea battling. You are facing those three boys that demanded you to leave, am I wrong?"
"That's right, how did you guess?"
"I've known those rascals since they were babies growing up and they have been causing trouble whether it's one thing or another. It's time that they need to be taught a lesson in humility. But first, let's start cooking some more fish. I'm sure that your girlfriends would want some."
Naruto blushed and stammeringly said, "They... they're not girlfriends, y'know! We're...we're not that close…"
Metabee doesn't quite understand much about his handler's expression, almost like steam is coming out from the collar of his jacket.
"Hmhmhm… To be young again," the hermit laughed, "I was like you once upon a time."
-Medarots-
Metabee was outfitted this time with Kanéhachi's spare Swick Legs after making an agreement with Naruto's Part Trading (a salvaged and repaired Aquatic part for a male Medarot in exchange) as they were ready for the ultimate test. Of course, Metabee looks ridiculous having multiple legs instead of his usual set, but Naruto said that it's not the looks that count in a Medarot, but it's the principle of how the Medaparts work above and beyond their usual capabilities.
Metabee follows Kanéhachi's instructions as he slowly moves forward on the surface of the water. Soon Naruto followed as he also walked on the surface of the water.
The hermit couldn't believe his eyes, but he laughed as he said, "Well, that is something that we don't see everyday." And they continued the training on the water's surface as they moved further away from the shoreline.
-Medarots-
[At the beachside]
Arika is with Kikuhimé as she eats her cucumbers from the cooler as she is upset at the recent developments.
"I hate it when Naruto leaves us girls on the lurch like that," Arika grumbled as she munched her snacks.
"Yeah, and Naruto-kun, he shouldn't leave us ladies waiting while the mon… mmph!"
Peppercat shushed her handler, telling her about the taboo word.
"Arika-chan, surely you and Kikuhimé-chan aren't that mad at Naruto-kun, are you?" Brass tries to calm the girls down.
Arika drank some juice and begrudgingly answered, "Yeah, I suppose you're right. But this is our weekend for us to be together. I can't help that I'm a little upset. That's all."
"Not that we want a girls' night out, Arika," Kikuhimé said as she munched her snack, "But it's not the same without Naruto-kun."
"So you're saying, Kiku, is that Naruto-san is your boyfriend without the spaces?" Peppercat surmised and Brass chuckled at the suggestion.
Both Arika and Kikuhimé blushed at each other about Naruto as they have been fighting over since last year as they came into a crossroads. They know that they liked him, but aren't sure about how he would reciprocate their feelings. (After all, they're still grade school kids getting ready for Junior High in a couple of years.)
Then Arika decides to try again as she prepares her gear in search of the sea monster before they get a chance for a bowl of shaved ice later on.
Kikuhimé wanted to soak up the sun, not too far from her mother's location to show off her beauty, even though she still hasn't got the shape that she wanted, other than her legs and hips. And it gets lonesome without anybody else on the beach.
Little do the girls know, they are due for a big surprise and it won't be very pleasant.
-Medarots-
[Naruto and Metabee]
The boy and Medarot are getting the hang of gliding and moving along the water's surface without losing their balance and practice jumping without sinking. When a few wild waves started rocking them, Naruto guides Metabee to swerve around them just in time. (Metabee's other stats from his medal started to power-up.)
The hermit gladly said, "Once you and Metabee train hard enough, you won't need a medium to become sync'd. There's nothing more I can teach you."
"Thank you, shishō," Naruto and Metabee kowtowed in respect to the hermit.
"Remember, there are things that can be taught and there are things to be learned. You and your Metal Beetle must learn to understand and read each other in order to work together."
Naruto is starting to remember more of the reasons about teamwork as he and Metabee (back into his regular legs) left the rocky side of the beach just when Arika and Kikuhimé's voices yelled with terrible screams. The duo has no choice, but to investigate the incident.
-Medarots-
Naruto finds Arika's camera dropped in the sand, with its lens broken. Thankfully, the camera doesn't use film, but a tiny micro-SD that is still intact. But the more important question is where are Arika, Brass, Kikuhimé, and Peppercat. Metabee pointed out, "Maybe this overgrown seaweed monster has to do with this?"
And sure enough, the girls were tangled precariously in the 8-foot monster's body while Brass and Peppercat are practically helpless as their weapons are safety-locked without their handlers' permission.
The monster's face is unevenly proportioned as it looks at Naruto and it scarily moves toward him, but suddenly, the monster trips over a rock it tumbles over in the sand with a big crash. Naruto swiftly grabs the girls, but soon finds out that their swimsuits ripped apart in the struggle; Arika's bikini set was forcibly ripped off and Kikuhimé's lower half of the swimsuit was stretched into a wedgie before it was ripped also. They embarrassingly had to hide their assets with their hands and arms before concealing themselves behind the rock wall to hide their shame. Brass and Peppercat had to go ahead to find their spare clothes.
Naruto realizes that this monster isn't just a monster, so he remembers a Fire-style Ninja Art and uses it successfully, "Bakuen Ryu (Explosive Dragon Blast)!" He unleashes a fireball slinking towards the monster and burns its disguise of seaweed, tarp, and netting off, revealing 3 Medarots stacking on top of each other. From the top, it was a manta ray (aquatic MNT-type) Medarot named [Flat Steak], followed by a shark (aquatic SAK-type) Medarot named [Yuichiitang], and the last one is a military-ish Jellyfish (a tank JEL-type) Medarot named [Pururun Jelly]. They appear to be belonging to [you-know-who].
-Meda Vital Stats-
Yuichiitang³
Owner: Beach Boy #1
Medal: E - Bear
Specialty: Gravity Break
Flat Steak⁴
Owner: Beach Boy #2
Medal: G - Snake
Specialty: Flux
Pururun Jelly⁵
Owner: Beach Boy #3
Medal: D - Jellyfish
Specialty: Missiles
The local beach boys have returned with a vengeance as the ringleader said, "I guess our little disguise is busted, huh?" The other 2 boys laughed arrogantly with him.
Naruto pointed out, "The game's over, boys! I knew that it was you the moment you started this monster rumor and scaring everybody else away! Not to mention, you ripped my friends' swimsuits off like they were paper! Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?"
The ringleader smugly says, "I thought I told you outsiders to leave our beach!"
"Just what the hell are you saying, y'know?" Naruto argued, "This beach belongs to everybody who enjoys and respects them, so what have you got against them? Well?"
"So what?"
"We don't wanna listen to losers like you."
Then the hermit suddenly appeared, making the beach boys very nervous and said, "If you want to settle this dispute, then settle this in a civilized manner. However… Ryōta! You, Iruka, and Tanosuké are going to have a lot of explaining to do with your parents when this is over!"
The revealed local boys gulped as they declared a handicap Robattle with their Flat Steak, Yuichitang, and Pururun Jelly against Naruto and Metabee.
"Then it's agreed!" Mr. Uruchi appeared wearing a speedo and goggles, while sporting a bronze tan, "In a few moments, a Robattle match between Team Ryōta and Naruto will be taking place. Since it is a handicap match and Naruto is battling solo, one member must decide which will act as team leader. Any last-minute changes before we start the match?"
Naruto changes Metabee's Arm Parts and Leg Parts - Scope Arm⁶ for the Left Arm, Death Bomb for the Right Arm, and Swick for the legs.
The boys laughed at the mix-up parts that Metabee was equipping, making him angry, but Naruto says, "Whether it's mixed or match, it's not the looks that win the match, but how we fight in a match. Standby to attack, Metabee!"
Mr. Uruchi declared, "All set. Robattle, FIGHT!"
(DING!)
Naruto's Metabee is fighting in a sandy/rocky/water battlefield as Flat Steak and Pururun Jelly prepare their attacks while Yuichiitang dives into the water to prepare his attack. Flat Steak uses his parts as he fired a beam aiming to mess with Metabee's aim - - - Metabee moved out of the way as the Flux attacks hit Pururun Jelly just as he was shooting a volley of missiles and the flux effect made it lose control and hit Flat Steak - causing considerable damage and making his left arm to jettison and cease function - and causing Yuichitang to take damage on its sea-legs.
Metabee counterattacks with his Scope Arm on Flat Steak and Death Bomb on Pururun Jelly - - - Flat Steak took extra damage from the part's effect to the sweet spot in the Head Part and the parts jettison down to the Tinpet and its medal ejected, showing that he is out of commission. Pururun Jelly took the full blast to the Head Part and his parts and the medal jettisoned as well. Pururun Jelly is out of commission.
"Flat Steak and Pururun Jelly, down!" Mr. Uruchi declared as Metabee cooled down his weapons for another command as Naruto told him to move closer to the water to draw Yuichitang out and remember the ability to float on the water.
Ryōta is losing his cool as he orders Yuichiitang to dive in and circle around Metabee before preparing for an attack.
Naruto recalls a lesson from the hermit about his occupation as a fisherman as he remembered his words, "The fisherman's job is to observe the fickle sea and to find where fish are hiding through the signs of the water."
Since Yuichitang is a Shark Medarot, Naruto senses the movements like that of a real shark and says, "He's coming from behind at 5 o'clock! Charge your missiles on my mark!"
Metabee turned around to his right, right where Naruto said where his opponent is charging, where he was about to use his Gravity weapons. Naruto says, "Fire!," and Metabee's Horn Missiles made their mark right at Yuichitang's head parts, causing them and the medal to jettison, signaling that the match is over."
(DING-DING-DING!)
"Leader function ceased!" Mr. Uruchi declares his judgment, "The winner is Naruto with his Metabee!"
Arika and Kikuhimé's hearts were stirred as their hero kept their honor, just as Brass and Peppercat brought them their spare clothes, but not before the girls shamelessly hugged their hero. Naruto covered the girls' nudity as they said to the witnesses, "Show some decency, people! Can't you see that they just lost their swimsuits, y'know?"
The three beach boys were forced to turn away by the hermit and Mr. Uruchi just whistles as he leaves to fill in another Robattle report.
Arika and Kikuhimé (with their oversized shirts on) shook Naruto as the former argued, "You bozo!" She slapped him on the face, "That's for me being left behind for much of the day!"
Kikuhimé also slapped him on the other cheek as she said with tears in her eyes, "That's for leaving us out of your training!" Both girls sobbed loudly as Naruto comforted them on their heads and said, "It's alright, girls. I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."
Arika cried because those 3 idiots broke her good camera for the Newspaper Club and her swimsuit ripped clean off by the boys' Medarots, while Kikuhimé was minding her own business trying to get a light tan before taking a dip in the water and her swimsuit was caught by one of the Medarots causing her to get a big wedgie that rubbed her the wrong way before it got ripped away. And poor Naruto couldn't help but see their bare breasts showing from the collars of their shirts as they were glomping against him.
-Medarots-
The beach hermit revealed himself to be Ryōta's grandfather, and Iruka and Tanosuké are his grandsons from his lineage, making them cousins. They explain their reasons, starting with Ryōta, "My dad said that the recent tourists are very ill-mannered."
Iruka, "They litter the beach with their trash and all kinds of animal poop."
And Tanosuké, "If this keeps up, we don't know what will become of our favorite beach and the seas."
The hermit gave his grandsons a good knocking on their noggins as he scolded, "That doesn't give you three the excuse for you to go chasing off the tourists like that, especially kidnapping this boy's girlfriends."
Naruto, Arika, and Kikuhimé blushed madly, not being able to riposte.
"In all honesty, guys," Naruto stated after he recovered, "You could have come up with something better. You know, set up a cleaning committee, make the mayor enforce a no-littering policy, do community service, or something like that."
The beach boy trio also apologized to Arika for trashing her camera. She forgave them and said that she was planning to get a newer one, but warned them not to smash anyone's property and throw them into the scrap heap like that. They're lucky that the micro-SD card is salvaged, she angrily says.
So the parties said their farewells as Naruto and Co. went to the Shaved Ice place for a celebratory dessert - Green Tea with Red Sweet Beans. It's bitter as real tea, but it makes the victory all the sweeter.
But then, Naruto gets a call from his mother Chidori that he'll have to stay at the hotel another day because there was a traffic issue with the bus system and that his father overdid himself by sleeping too long, now that he has gets himself in an awkward, inattentive case of a sunburn and he didn't even flip over until it was too late as he felt the burning sensation. ("YEEEOOOOOW!") So they have to go to the pharmacy to get some aloe vera solution to treat his sunburns.
This is going to be a long, summer weekend as Naruto helps the girls and their Medarots on some training.
Omaké
[Warning: Descriptive Nudity]
Kikuhimé and Arika took showers together after spending the day with Naruto to understand the art of skinship before taking a bath. They realize that they are becoming women sooner than they are thinking, although their physiques are growing at different rates.
As they started looking at each other, Arika's body image looks almost like a milkshake (like an average grade school girl), but her shoulders seem to be a little bit wider and her breasts are about the size of oranges (low B-cup) with her areolas mounding, but her nipples are inverted from likely taping her chest and some odd exercises. However, her hips, waist, and thighs are still showing no sign of curvatures yet, and hasn't seen signs of pubic hair on her currently trident-shaped (boxy W-shaped) girlhood.
Kikuhimé is almost the opposite of Arika as she has wide hips, thin waist, slightly curvaceous thighs and gluteus maximi, and a stripline of pubic hair covering her lightning-rod V-shaped womanhood with a medium cleft down the middle. But her chest is still flat and undeveloped. Even her nipples haven't been developing yet.
They are jealous of each other's looks.
But then, Chidori and Rangiku joined in on the bath and discussed the girls more about the art of skinship, being a woman, and how the rest of their parts of their bodies will catch up in the near future. But the grown women asked Arika and Kikuhimé about real love, their relationship with Naruto or possibly other boys, and the facts of life. Speaking about the facts of life, both Arika and Kikuhimé just stepped out of the tub and noticed that there was something red flowing down and some slight cramps coming from their girlhoods. They just had their first periods together (nothing too serious, though).
Chidori decided to call Arika's mother about her little situation while Rangiku escorted her daughter back to their hotel room.
The young girls know that they have to step up their game on making Naruto choose which girl would be the best for him.
Naruto, in the hot bath, is getting the shivers about the "chick magnet" feeling again. It's too bad his dad has a bad case of sunburn on the front half of himself and his mother just put on some skin medicine.
The real question is who's zooming who, getting inside one's pants first without taking too soon of a big dive?
-Winning Medaparts-
Naruto
Yuichiitang: Bittan-Bittan (Leg Part)
Flat Steak: Slipper (Head Part)
Pururun Jelly: Missile Base (Head Part)
Kanéhachi Mk-2: Swick (Leg Part, Traded)
§
A/N: ¹ - Rangiku looks like an older Kikuhimé with the animé color scheme and shares her daughter's unique traits: the big forehead and the curvatures around the waist and hips. She used to go to the same school as Chidori and even had a small gang (similar to the Screws) at the time growing up. She never actually shows her face in the original animé, so she's more of a semi-OC in this story.
² - Kanéhachi Mk-2 is Tentaclam/Octoclam's original name
³ - Yuichiitang is Sharkkan's original name, an aquatic SAK-type Medarot; surprisingly named after the Chinese name for Shark Fin Soup. It usually doesn't have the ability to fire torpedoes, maybe the original writers forgot to read between the lines about Yuichiitang's abilities.
⁴ - Flat Steak is Flatstick's original name, an aquatic MNT-type Medarot
⁵ - Pururun Jelly is Giggly Jelly's original name, a tank JEL-type Medarot
⁶ - Scope Arm, [Clear Diving] (aka Aquamar) Part; Naruto bartered that Medapart with the other parts he salvaged and repaired. Good for shooting anti-water attacks.
»-Line Break-«
And the heat will be on!
-blukmage19