*Well, you guys know how this works. I own not a shred of Naruto or RWBY. Kishimoto owns Naruto, and Rooster Teeth owns RWBY! As simple as that.*
*Speech Key*
"To be the Hokage! That is my dream!" = Talking
'Where is that pesky light switch?' = Thinking
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (Summoning Jutsu!) = Yelling/Demon & Summon Talking
'Stupid humans! Bunch of hairless apes!' = Demon/Summon Thinking
"DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL?!" = Demon/Summon Yelling
Concerns and Beginning of Battle!
Leaping through the forest in one big group, the rest of the rookies followed Kiba as he and Akamaru used their enhanced sense of smell to track down Sasuke. Good thing the rogue Uchiha's scent was still fresh at the crime scene, otherwise this would have been a LOT harder than it needs to be.
Throughout the trip, however, Jaune was being uncharacteristically quiet. He's never this quiet for this long. Usually, he'd be making a plan of attack with Shikamaru. Along with a back-up plan. And a back-up plan to the back-up plan. And so on, and so forth. I could go on forever, but I think you guys understand what I'm getting at.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Neji asked.
"I'm just wondering about why Sasuke would do something like this. Is he that mad about power that he's willing to betray the village just to get stronger?" Jaune asked, expressing his concerns.
Shikamaru sighed at his friend's question. He hated having to do so much work, as it's just too much of a drag for him. Then again, it's that way for any Nara clan male. They are some of the laziest and yet most intelligent members of the human race. And yet the worst part of this for Shikamaru is that he knows exactly why Sasuke did this.
"Because of his superiority complex, Sasuke hates it that you and Naruto are stronger than him. In his eyes, you two are mere peasants compared to him. And because of your ever increasing strength and skill, he feels his position as an elite is being threatened." Shikamaru explained.
Naruto just sighed and shook his head at this explanation.
"I never did like that Teme. And now I find that he's committing a crime that could have him executed on grounds of treason, all because he can't let go of his damn pride!" Naruto grumbled.
As they continued on, Naruto glared at the passing trees as he tried to figure out what it was that caused Sasuke to become the way he is now. He remembers the old days. Back in his and the others' early childhood. Back then, Sasuke used to be a pretty decent guy and wasn't all stuck up and emo like he is now. And yet, just two years before the massacre of the Uchiha clan happened, his personality did a complete one eighty! It's almost like some kind of cruel joke for something like a sudden attitude change to happen.
"Let's not think about the what-ifs right now, Naruto. We need to focus on finding Sasuke, recovering the Forbidden Scroll, and bringing them both back to the village." Sakura said, reminding her friends of their primary objective.
"Sakura's right. Let's just focus on the task at hand." Kiba said in agreement. "First thing's first, we need a plan."
"And I think I have one that'll do just fine." Jaune informed with a grin.
His friends mentally shuddered at that look. That grin was only ever worn by Jaune when he has an idea for a prank that's meant to totally and utterly humiliate someone. And it's happened on more than one occasion. Mainly to stupid villagers who call him and Naruto demons, for whatever reason.
Some of the contraptions he cooks up for those pranks are actually quite impressive. Although, they're always SO MUCH FUNNIER when the prank happens to someone else. All of the rookies had only one thought.
'Nice knowin' ya, Sasuke. NOT!'
Kiba suddenly sniffed the air, as did Akamaru. Their heightened senses picked up the smell of their objective, but also something that does not belong.
"Guys, we've got a trail, but it's not just Sasuke! We can smell Mizuki headed in the same direction as him!" Kiba reported.
"Arr-ruff!" Akamaru barked in agreement.
"Well, then we'd better hurry! Chances are, Sasuke won't stay in one place for long if Mizuki's in on this plan!" Hinata urged.
"Let's hope that Mizuki is just trying to bring Sasuke and the scroll back to the village." Shino mumbled, speaking up for the first time in awhile.
With renewed vigor, our group of rookie ninjas picked up the pace and moved faster to try and get to their wayward comrade before it was too late. But chances are he's not going back without a fight. A fight that they're all prepared to give him.
*Elsewhere…*
Sighing in relief as he set down the scroll by the abandoned cabin in the woods, Sasuke chuckled in sickening mirth at how easy it was to steal not just this scroll, but also a weapon that no doubt held great power for the Uchiha clan. With these and the untold amounts of power that Mizuki promised him, he'd surely show this village that he is indeed the strongest, and he'll finally show those Dobes, Naruto and Jaune, their real place in life! At his feet like the peasants they are!
...Although he could do without the backaches lugging around that scroll gave him. Seriously, that thing weighs a ton! It's a wonder how ANYONE would be able to move it around without problems!
He at first thought about taking a peek at the scroll. Maybe he could learn one of the techniques within it and become stronger before Mizuki got there to hold up his part of the deal. But then he thought against it. He doesn't know just what could be in the scroll in the first place that makes it so forbidden. For all he knows, he could summon the ruler of the dead and send his own soul to the afterlife without even meaning to!
...Well, I mean, he's not wrong about the possibility of that.
Sasuke looked to the weapon in his hand. A sword hilt that seemed very strange to him. It almost looks like the Raijin no Ken that the Nidaime Hokage used in life. It used to be in the Hokage Vault as well, before it was stolen by a Konoha Nin who went rogue. Something Rokusho… Sasuke can never remember who he was called. Only that the guy never made it past Chunin rank before defecting.
The duck-butt haired Uchiha shook his head in disappointment at the foolishness of that ninja. He thought that stealing that weapon would make him strong. Not true. In Sasuke's eyes, a weapon as grand as the Raijin no Ken belonged in the hands of an elite Shinobi. A ninja like himself. But this one would do for now. It even has the Uchiha clan crest on its display case, so why would it be in the Hokage Vault?
"What is it? What is it about you that makes you so special?" Sasuke asked the sword hilt, as if it would talk back.
He had no time to ponder this as he heard someone land in the clearing. He looked up, expecting to see Mizuki, but scowled as he saw his stupid cousin and his Dobe of a friend looking at him with disapproving gazes. He scoffed at that. Like he cares about what they think.
"So this is where you were hiding, eh? Well, why don't you be a good boy and return the scroll?" Jaune asked.
But you could tell from his tone of voice, it wasn't a request. Not that Sasuke would ever acknowledge such an order from someone who's clearly stronger than he is. His stupid pride and sense of self importance won't let him.
"I don't think so, Deadlast. The techniques are completely useless in the hands of peasants like you, and can only be used by an elite like myself. So I think I'll be keeping the scroll." Sasuke said, his eyes developing a deranged look.
"Then you've left us no choice but to take it back by force!" Jaune growled, drawing his lance and activating his Sharingan.
He had a feeling that his foolish and selfish cousin wouldn't come willingly, but had planned accordingly for it. It was certainly a good thing that he and Naruto have been learning several techniques to restrain and immobilize an enemy long enough to knock them out and seal off their Chakra for a certain period of time. And that's what he plans to do to Sasuke.
He feels he doesn't need to waste the power of his Mangekyo on this guy, as he's not only easy enough to handle without it, but Jaune doesn't want to risk his vision on a simple recovery mission like this. He's done his research on the Mangekyo and knows that with each use, the user's vision gradually deteriorates until they are rendered blind.
Naruto himself got into a defensive stance as he took out a scroll from his coat. He opened it up to reveal a sealing array, bit his thumb and smeared some blood onto the seal while applying Chakra. In a poof of smoke, Naruto had called upon his own personal weapon. It was a Bo-Staff that looked to be made from a highly durable, yet lightweight metal that's perfect for a ninja's use.
Sasuke got ready to retaliate by taking out two kunai knives, crouching down and holding them in a reverse grip.
But watching from the shadows was Mizuki in an ANBU outfit. The same one belonging to that one ANBU from the vault. He smirked as he saw what was happening now.
'Excellent! Not only did Sasuke blindly follow my instructions with the promise of power, but he also drew the demons into the open! It was a simple matter to get past the security detail. All I needed to do was disguise myself as the ANBU who was supposed to be guarding the vault tonight, use a special Chakra enhancing pill to raise my Chakra reserves to ANBU level, and voila! Instant access to the vault! And since Sasuke's theft of the scroll and that Chakra Blade hilt was met with top priority recovery, it was easy to draw out those demons. Now, I can finally finish what the Yondaime started, and will be regarded as a hero by the village!"
With that thought finished, Mizuki grabbed one of the giant Fuma Shuriken off his back and prepared to make his move.
*To Be Continued…!*
Poll Question: In my story, An Arc Jinchuriki, should I have Jaune's Biju actually evolve from the Yamata no Orochi (the Eight-Headed, Eight-Tailed Snake) into the Eight-Tailed Spinosaurus?
Current Results:
No, Keep it the way it is: 10 votes (62 percent)
Yes, but draw us a picture: 6 votes (37 percent)