I AM ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! Due to popular demand, Sakura, Temari, Tenten, and Lee will be brought in to read about their misadventures on Delfino.
Four flashes appear before Ino can ask if anyone else wants to read. "Naruto-baka, somehow, I know that you're behind this!" A voice screeched out. Naruto pales and quickly hides behind both Kushina and Tsunade. "That's enough Sakura." Tsunade admonished her student. "YOSH! NARUTO-KUN, YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH SHINE BRIGHTLY TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A POCKET DIMENSION FOR US TO MEET!" Lee shouts with a nice guy pose *shudders*.
*Whack*
"Ow! Tenten-chan, what was that for?" Lee asks. "Inside voice Lee." Tenten says with a tick mark on her forehead. Lee just nods with a fearful look on his face. "So, what's going Shika-kun?" Temari ask while snuggling with her boyfriend. "Troublesome, we're reading a bout about an alternate dimension where we died in the Fourth Great War and were cloned back to life thousands of years later." The Nara explains.
"We just got to where the four of you were mentioned last chapter." Hinata pipes up. "Who wants to read next?" Ino asks finally. "Give it here Ino." Sakura says with a hand out to her best friend. Ino hands the book over.
Vacation on Delfino
5 months ago:
Tenten exclaimed, "damn this shuttlecraft is a piece of junk. It's so badly maintained we're going to have to make an emergency landing! Can you swing it Lee?"
"With the powers of youth, anything is possible Tenten!"
Sakura ranted, "if we got brought back from the dead, drugged and experimented on, escaped and then end up dying in a pathetic shuttle crash; I'm going to have some serious words with Kami when we get there! Shannaro!"
"Calm down Sakura," said Temari, "Lee's got the best piloting skills among us, so have a little faith. I could do without all his youth crap though."
The four ninjas crammed into the shuttle were quite angry with their lot in life. They somehow were cloned back to life thousands of years after their deaths and used as lab rats. If it hadn't been for Sakura's medical jutsus, they all probably would be dead or brain-dead vegetables by now from all the drugs that were pumped in them. Four six months, they had played the part of dumb, impressionable, complacent people that obeyed every order told to them by that condescending scientist and his holier-than-thou assistant. Their patience was pushed to the limit but they bided their time while they built their bodies back up to fighting strength. Now they were free! Well, as free as far as this clunky shuttle would take them.
"I hate those kinds of people." Naruto, and Kushina mutter at the same time. Minato just rolls his eyes at his wife and son. Everyone else just sniggers.
They planned to cruise to Delfino and try to get a ship from there towards the core worlds….Maybe these Jedi could help them….But that was then. Now they had to make a controlled crash landing on Delfino and hope for the best. Temari had read up on Delfino. It was a place of bloody civil wars. The native Piantas came in several skin colors and each always vied for supremacy over the others. Where a skin color prejudice came from was Temari's logical mind, but the civil wars came to an abrupt end 300 years ago when Teeto the Hutt took over. Little was known about Teeto's rule except that he closed the planet off for around 75 years. When he reopened contact with the rest of the galaxy, the bloodstained islands of Delfino were transformed into a tropical paradise that welcomed tourists, galaxy wide. It was a tremendous success and the hospitality there was legendary.
"Sounds like the Bloody Mist with their bloodline purges." Jiraiya says with a frown.
Tenten had already made contact with the Delfino Space Traffic Control and they were cleared for an emergency landing. The landing thrusters decelerated the shuttle as it entered the atmosphere but it still wasn't enough. Lee lowered the landing gear to add more aerodynamic drag as they quickly ploughed towards the landing port. Delfino control directed them towards an actual runway since the landing was obviously going to be a high speed one. Lee strained to keep the bucking shuttle under control for a controlled landing. The shuttle hit hard as it dug into the runway. The four ninjas were jarred heavily as their ride careened forward. Finally, the nose gear was sheared off from the stress and the shuttle swerved off the runway into a grass field. The main gear buckled and the shuttlecraft started rolling over. The smoking wreck rolled twice more before finally coming to a halt, lying on its' left side against a hill. Emergency vehicles arrived to douse the flames as the four badly shaken ninjas clambered out of the wreckage. It was a small miracle they were alive, let alone unhurt except for scratches and bruises.
"Wow. That just screams that we had Gaara's Ultimate Defense." Temari says with a look of astonishment on her face.
The ninjas sat there huddled on the ground together staring at the wreck in a daze as the flames were put out. It wasn't until a few minutes later that they noticed they were surrounded by the multicolored native Piantas. Questions like "are you alright?" "Was anyone else in the shuttle?" And other concerned questions were rained down upon them before a medic came up and pronounced that they were probably in shock. An emergency medivac with equipment to treat humans was rushed to the scene and the one ninja and three kunoichi were taken to the Delfino central hospital for treatment.
"KEEP ME AWAY FROM THOSE EVIL PLACES!" Both Naruto and Kushina scream/shriek at the same time, getting facepalms from both Hinata and Minato.
Lee came around with a start and noticed the smell of antiseptics and the white ceiling. "Whoa! Settle down. You're in the hospital." Said a blue colored nurse as she gently pushed him back in bed. Lee looked at the large, conical being. She was wearing a nurse's uniform and a…..grass skirt?
Lee queried, "ummm, nurse-san?"
"Yes?" She replied.
"Why are you wearing a grass skirt in a hospital?" He asked.
The nurse looked angry. "Ahem," she said, pushing that question aside. "You were in a shuttle crash. We brought you and three others here for medical treatment. You're very lucky. You only have scratches and bruises. Can you tell me your name please?"
"It's Lee. Rock Lee. Are my friends alright?"
The nurse answered, "yes, the one named Tenten is awake. She and the blonde one is in the next room."
"What about Sakura?" He asked. "The pink haired one? She's sleeping right there." Lee looked over and saw Sakura sleeping like a baby. 'She really is my angel' he thought. The nurse continued. "We ask that you let her sleep until she wakes up on her own. She seems as uninjured as you and the others but we want to make sure. Are you hungry?" Lee's stomach roared to life and the nurse chuckled. "I'll get you something to eat."
Sakura has a throbbing tick mark on her forehead at Lee's thought, causing Lee to start sweating in fear.
The next day, the ninjas were all awake but still at the hospital under observation in case the shuttle crash had caused nervous system damage. The doctors were amazed there were no hairline fractures or pulled tendons (they didn't know that the ninjas used chakra to reinforce their bodies on impact). Now the four escapees were sitting together in robes the hospital provided and were eating fruit –again. They were talking in Japanese so they could discuss things without anyone understanding them; they were fugitives of a sort after all.
The readers all look confused. "Japanese is one the many languages of my world." Scheffinator says while appearing from thin air. "What brings you by Scheffinator?" Minato asks politely. "Just hear to clarify a few things and to let you all know that I've prepared a snack bar for all of you once you're finished with this chapter. Yes, Naruto and Kushina, there is ramen." Scheffinator says with a chuckle at the dual looks of salivation between mother and son.
Temari grumped ["So we have no money, no I.D.'s, no ship, no weapons and no supplies."]
["All the stuff we looted when we cleaned out the lab went up with the shuttle."] Tenten said tiredly.
Sakura interjected, ["I know Tenten but maybe the local authorities will help us out."]
["Are you kidding Sakura?"] Hissed Temari. ["The 'local authorities' are run by Teeto the Hutt and almost all Hutts are gangsters."]
["What about the grass skirts?"] Asked Lee.
["Are you still on about that Lee?"] Asked Sakura with narrowed eyes.
Lee nodded. ["If these people are so advanced, why would they wear something so primitive? I've asked several and they either brush the question off or look mutinous. Something's off."]
The kunoichis all pondered this. Lee had a point, even if it was a very odd one. Sakura said, ["tell you what Lee; there's an old nurse named Vikki that does the nighttime rounds. I've gotten to know her because I mentioned that I was a medic too. I'll ask her tonight."]
Lee spoke excitedly, ["thank you Sakura. This mystery has been most vexing to me!"] Sakura rolled her eyes with a smile.
That night around 2 AM, Vikki came in to check on her charges and as usual, found Sakura awake. "You really should sleep, dear." Vikki said in a motherly tone.
"I know but I enjoy visiting with you." Said Sakura, "my friend asked me an odd question but he said it offended one of the other Piantas. Can I ask you since we know each other a bit?"
Vikki sat down. "Ask away; I have a thick skin. I won't take it personally."
Sakura queried, "thanks Vikki, can you tell me why all Piantas seem to wear normal clothing from the waist up but wear grass skirts below? As advanced as your culture is, it didn't make sense to us."
Vikki's eyes filled with rage for a second and then she calmed down. She took a calming breath and whispered, "they are a sign of our subservience to Teeto the Hutt." She saw the questions in Sakura's green eyes before she continued. "300 years ago, Teeto the Hutt brought an army of mercenaries with him to 'unite our people in peace.' We had civil wars for decades and some of us even welcomed him. He started out helping some groups consolidate their lands in exchange for their loyalty but before long, he started raining terror on those who were against him. Slaughtering villages to the last child as revenge for disobeying him. In the end, all that were left alive were either his under an oath of fealty or dead. He saw an old tribal painting of one of our people from ancient times wearing a grass skirt and thought it was hilarious. One of our people said it was demeaning. That's when he decided to force us all to wear them as a sign of loyalty to his rule. It humiliates us and is a symbolic collar he has on our people. Piantas hate these ridiculous skirts with a passion." Vikki finished.
*Icky Vicky plays in the background*
"Where is that coming from?" Naruto asks while looking around before being blinded by a bright flash of light. "OH KAMI, I'M BLIND!" Naruto screams before being restrained by Kushina so Tsunade can heal his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I had no idea…." Said Sakura.
Vikki gave her a strained smile, "it's all right dear. You didn't know. It is a really sore subject though. Just explain to your friend not to bring it up."
"Thanks Vikki."
"Goodnight Sakura."
The ninjas were very worried. They were being watched. Sakura explained what Vikki had told her and they were a bit shocked. But they had more pressing problems…. Tenten said, ["I stuck with the story that we cooked up. We're colonists from the backwoods farming colony Endep and were in this system to visit our research friend Klem since he was from that world. I said no one answered us at the lab we were dropped off at and we had to borrow that old shuttle to get here. They didn't seem too convinced."]
"Hold still gaki, so I can heal your eyes." Tsunade says to a struggling Naruto.
["That's our story; we all have to stick to it."] Temari said with a tone of finality. ["Anyway, what are they going to do, deport us? That could work to our advantage. If they do then us fighting them is the last thing we want to do."]
Two police officers came up to them. "We have researched your story, off-worlders. You are all unregistered non-citizens and were on an unregistered shuttle coming from a place on Melfina we know does not exist. You are under arrest. Come with us quietly please." The ninjas offered no resistance.
Three hours later, in a cell block: ["Great, we are in a unisex holding cell with no privacy in ORANGE jumpsuits. Only Naruto would have worn this."] Lamented Sakura, thinking sadly of her old teammate.
Temari snarked ["look at the bright side Sakura. If this had been Suna, we would have had nothing but loincloths and chakra cuffs with bread and water. Even though we get nothing but fruit here, at least we're clothed and aren't being starved."] She looked at Lee who was unconscious with blood leaking out of his nostrils. She smirked. ["I guess the idea of being locked up with three hot kunoichis in nothing but loincloths were too much for his mind to handle. So much for the power of youth."]
Lee, like in the story, is unconscious with blood leaking from his nostrils. With Jiraiya not far behind. Both are soon beaten bloodier by their kunoichi teammates.
Tenten shook her head at Lee. ["Well, how long do you think it will be before a judge sees us?"]
Sakura muttered, ["I don't know Tenten but I hope it's quick. Not that we couldn't break out at will but I don't like enclosed spaces."]
They were in a cell for six weeks. The ninjas were treated well enough since they weren't considered criminals but rather illegal aliens. They were taken before a judge and he said that they were going to be held until they got verification from a higher court. He said that the circumstances were very unusual but they couldn't risk letting criminals out in Pianta society. He finished by advising them to continue their good behavior and hopefully they would be out soon. That was two weeks ago.
"I didn't know that you were claustrophobic Sakura-chan." Naruto says with a hint of empathy in his voice, getting a small smile from his teammate.
The warden arrived with eight guards. "I'm sorry but we have received orders that you are to appear before His Royal Majesty, Lord Teeto the Hutt." The warden said with guilt in his eyes.
"What does this mean?" Asked Tenten.
The warden responded, "truthfully, I don't know girl but I wish you the best of luck." The warden and his men put restraining cuffs on the four ninjas and led them out to an armored transport with two other prisoners.
"Looks like we're going to see the big man," said the shorter prisoner, "think he'll offer us a job?"
"I don't know," said the taller one. "Maybe us and that guy." He said noticing Rock Lee had a bit of muscle. "The girls will either be slaves or dancers."
"Quiet! No talking!" The guard yelled, as the six were pushed onto the transport.
The ninjas furious made signals to each other: Sakura: {I don't know how to dance! What the hell are we going to do?}
Temari: {I can. It was part of my training to use my fan.}
Sakura: {Good for you! What about the rest of us?}
Tenten: {You and Lee can break these restraints physically, can't you Sakura?} Sakura and Lee nodded. {Fine. We wait for our chance to break out and you two snap your cuffs. I was taught some taijutsu to use only my feet so I could hold weapons, so break me out after you've broken Temari loose.}
Temari: {Let's see how this plays out. We may be able to use these two creeps as a distraction.} She said while looking at the other two passengers. The four ninjas nodded in agreement.
When they arrived at Teeto's palace/fortress, the males were taken one way and the females in another. ["What do we do about Lee?"] Whispered Sakura.
["He can take care of himself for a while."] Whispered Tenten. ["We have to believe in him; he's a tough ninja. Besides; he'll want to come back and rescue his angel Sakura-chan."]
["If we break out first, we'll rescue him,"] said Temari, ["we just need to watch each other's backs for now."]
Two Weeks later: Rock Lee was locked in a cell. Several people speaking various languages had come and apparently sized him up. He was being fed lots of protein-rich lean meats. They also were running him through obstacle courses. Lee's instincts told him to prepare for battle; they were conditioning him for a fight. A heavy-set human came to visit him that day. Rock Lee was doing push-ups. His body stank because the only water he had was for drinking; not for bathing. His hair was getting longer; soon he'd have to braid it like he did as a child.
"You looked ridiculous when you had your hair braided Lee." Tenten said with a small smile. Lee just pouts.
"I've got my eye on you boy." The man said. "You've got drive. You need to stay alive and eventually you'll be admitted into Teeto's ranks like I was."
Lee stood up and looked at the man. "Why are you telling me this? –And my name is Lee." He spoke.
The man said, "names don't matter until you're up to guard rank. For now, you're a slave who fights. They'll throw you in an arena to entertain Teeto. Put on a good show by killing your opponents. If you're good enough, he'll offer you a job as one of his protectors. Fail and you're dead."
"I don't like killing." Said Lee.
"Teeto does; that's all that matters if you want to stay alive." The old man turned away, "I think you'll win."
"One more question please!" Said Lee.
"Yes?"
Lee implored, "I had three women come in with me; could you tell me what happened to them?"
The older man shook his head. "I don't go over on that side of the compound much boy. If they're lucky, they've become serving maids or maybe a dancer if they have that kind of talent. If not, they are dead or sex slaves to please Teeto's guests." The old man left….
The kunoichis were going through their own kind of training. They were deemed pretty or exotic enough (apparently natural pink hair was considered interesting) by the head mistress and were being taught how to be good serving maids for Teeto and his guests. Temari, however was picked out as a dancer. She explained to them that she would need metal fans to dance in her style with and a beat-up pair of hand fans were provided. The mistress was highly impressed with Temari's dancing (which was actually her wind jutsu katas and warm up routine) and whisked Temari away to be beautified and dressed properly. She also was given a pair of new, highly polished metal hand fans that were perfect for her dancing –and wind jutsus.
"You look beautiful as you are." Shikamaru says with a small blush on his face while Temari just has the biggest smile ever seen.
Sakura and Tenten were being taught how to serve their new lord hand and ….tail? Whatever. Tenten was admired for her slim athletic figure and had her hair done up in a ponytail which she wasn't too happy about (she liked her hair in buns damnit!) Her main job was to stick close to Teeto and "worship his majesty like a god" in the words of the mistress. She was 99% sure there was some higher power at work that hated her.
"Nobody messes with my hair buns damnit!" Tenten growls, scaring most of the males.
Sakura was to be paraded around because of her exotic pink hair. One of the other slave girls objected, saying she was too flat-chested, causing Sakura to punch her out in rage. The mistress liked Sakura (she had a small chest as well) and arranged it so she could be in the main room with Teeto as well. All three girls were in position to move up from slave to servant if they did well enough.
Sakura cracks her knuckles while giving a look that dares anyone to make fun of her chest, scaring most of the guys.
Rock Lee hadn't seen the older man again. He was told to get ready to fight. Lee was given a short sword and buckler before he was pushed out into the arena. He looked up and round. There were several people of various races betting and pointing at the various contestants though Lee noted the arena wasn't very full. He figured it was just an entry level fight. He looked ahead and saw the shorter criminal that was on the transport he rode in on. The man had two daggers. There was another person that Lee recognized as a Rodian in the ring. He had two small axes. Lee looked back up and laid eyes on the corpulent form of Teeto the Hutt….and Tenten!
Images of a Rodian and of Teeto appear on a screen, causing everyone to gag like they want to throw up, especially Tsunade because of being a summoner of slugs.
Tenten was close to the disgusting creature serving the Hutt drinks out of a large basin. She saw Lee and with a desperate look on her face, she hand-signed {Bow! Kill! Win! Bow!} It was all she could do. She'd been watching people murder each other to the sounds of the Hutt's guttural laughter all day. It made her sick.
The readers/watchers are also sick. "Sounds like the Chuunin Exams Finals but killing is demanded." Tsunade says while swallowing some of her bile. The others nod in agreement.
Lee nodded at his teammate and bowed deeply to Teeto the Hutt. This earned several raised eyebrows. He then sized up his two opponents. He could take out the short man quickly. He didn't know much about Rodians but figured it would be much easier to deal with the green-skinned humanoid if the short man was out of the picture. He steeled himself. Teeto made a cutting motion at his M.C. who yelled "Begin!"
"That's the end of the chapter. Who wants to read next?" Sakura asks, only for a hand to swipe the book from her.
Here's the next chapter. I'll give you, my loyal readers, a chance to guess who the mysterious guest that I brought in is before I announce who it is in the next chapter. I will give a hint; he is a former enemy that Naruto and Sakura defeated. Leave your guesses in your reviews. Also, I had to add that whole Icky Vicky song from The Fairly Odd Parents because it screamed at me to add in with that nurse named Vikki. As always, R&R.
Scheffinator signing off to kill Sith Imperial scum as a Jedi Guardian.