A/N: Today signifies the sixth year anniversary of "Vault M2J", formerly known as "The Archive Rejects". As of today, I average exactly eleven chapters per year, quite the step down from two years ago when I was averaging just over a chapter a month.
So...
I have decided to give you all of you Mandalore-holics and True Believers something special... A sort of story collage of various things I have or am working on.
Enjoy and let me know what you think!
-M-2-J-M-2-J-
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter of a Fall Out 3, Fall Out: New Vegas X-Over I've been working on for the last year or so...
Chapter One: Sun and Mercy
Caesar's Chambers (formerly, the Lucky 38 Penthouse Suite), White-Gold Tower (formerly, the Lucky 38 Casino), Imperial Way (formerly, the New Vegas Strip), New Rome (formerly, New Vegas), Caesar's Empire (formerly, the Mojave Wasteland)
The uniform Athena Mercer wore was not unlike that worn by generals before the nuclear holocaust of 2077; however, her ensemble was black, with a crimson jacket. Where the stars on the pre-war generals would have been was a golden bull- the traditional symbol of the Legion under Edward Sallow- on her left and right shoulder was a golden eagle, superimposed with the letters SPQR, in silver- the symbol of the original Ancient Roman Legion, which Caesar's Legion had been based. On her left wrist was the glinting, golden Pimp Boy 3 billion and on her right arm was a menacing, modified, ballistic fist.
She smiled as she looked out at the Legion's Domain.
It was all hers.
Their dominance- her dominance- over the Mojave was nearly complete. The NCR's influence was insignificant, only small pockets of their troops still remained- and being slowly eradicated each day. The tribals of New Vegas had fallen into line easily enough- though some, like the Kings, had put up a token resistance. The Boomers were no more, the Khans had been absorbed and the Brotherhood of Steel had been all but eradicated- those that were left vainly struggling alongside the NCR remnants to vainly make any amount of leeway in disrupting Legion Operations. Even the Legion Rebels, who had not accepted her rule on the basis that she was a woman, were living on borrowed time- their leaders having already been captured and crucified. And to top it off, her most worthy adversary had been at long last captured and was currently being delivered to her.
Life was good.
Standing to her right, was her personal physician, Arcade Gannon, looking understandably uncomfortable given the upcoming confrontation. Standing in a corner not too far from her was her personal Praetorian Guardswoman and leader of the Praetorian Guards, Melissa Lewis- a former Great Khan and the second woman to serve in the Legion's military ranks. Much like the doctor, she too was tense. However, unlike Gannon, who was unarmed, Melissa gripped a riot shotgun tightly in her hands. Like those who came before her, she'd traded in the clothes of her old life and donned Legion Red.
The final person in the room looked just as relaxed as Mercer herself. He was Vulpes Inculta, her lead frumentarii- the only member of the Legion's leadership to keep his position in the aftermath of her defeat of Lanius, becoming the new Legate, and her subsequent assassination of Sallow, replacing him as the new Caesar- taking up his duties of converting the Legion into an Empire.
Ms. Mercer smirked in response to her thoughts. Each and every single one of her would be puppet masters had underestimated her and each had paid dearly for it.
Crocker had been crucified, as had Moore- where as General Lee Oliver had simply been thrown off the edge of Hoover Dam. The NCR Misfits were no more and the NCR Rangers within the borders of the Mojave were wiped out. Mr. House, though not dead, was incapable of standing up to her might as she ruled his city with the full weight of the Legion at her beck and call. She laughed at the notion that he thought he'd get the last laugh, but she'd found his fail safe program before she'd installed Yes Man into the Imperial City mainframe, allowing her to gain complete and total control over House's Securitron Army. Even Edward Sallow, the former Caesar, and Lanius the former Legate of the Legion were dead.
Of all who would defy her, the only ones still unaccounted for were the Rose of Sharon Cassidy and Veronica Santiago- the guards who'd let the latter escape were punished quite severely. Even still, Athena Mercer was quite impressed with Veronica's resiliency and ingenuity. It would be that much more satisfying when the Brotherhood bitch was back into her custody, kneeling before her, broken beyond all resistance.
Her musings were cut short when Mercury, formerly known as Yes Man, spoke up from the massive computer terminal in the room. The AI's programming had been modified when she had him installed into the White-Gold Tower's Mainframe after the battle of Hoover Dam (as she couldn't stand his perpetually cheerful personality) and had helped her solidify her power base when she assumed command of Caesar's Legion.
He was now an extra set of eyes and ears throughout New Rome, though most specifically on the Imperial Way. The intimidating presence of a Securitron being deployed in an area, while making possible dissenters more on guard, often drew attention away from her less conspicuous frumentarii, making it easier to do their job. While there were some within the Legion who were wary of her usage of Securitrons as part of the military force, particularly the Homeguard, Vulpes Inculta was actually quite approving of their peacekeeping deployments, being more pragmatic than most other tribals who had long served the Legion under Sallow.
"Lady Caesar, we have a problem..." the AI Said a bit hesitantly.
Before she could ask him what the situation was, there was a large explosion that rocked the White-Gold Tower from somewhere down on the Imperial Way.
"Mercury, what the hell is going on!?" she demanded of her AI angrily.
-M-2-J-M-2-J-
Here is a segment from Konoha Ghostbusters that would end Part 1 and lead into the timeskip.
For the very first time in years, it seemed as if all was silent in it the beginning of the end, or perhaps the end of the beginning? Either way it was the end of an era. Nothing was certain and everything was on the line and just when they'd thought they had finally made a place for themselves in the world, it seemed as if everything would be snatched away, as if everything had come crashing down all at once. Their legacy was beginning to buckle and shatter before it had the chance to become something great, something truly worth remembering.
It was with this mindset that Haruno Sakura, the defacto brains of Ghostbusters Inc., found herself gazing at the various odds and ends scattered throughout her lab within the basement of the firehouse that had served as the Ghostbuster base of operations and her primary residence over the last several years. Whereas everything in here seemed to bring Naruto pain with the looming threat of being shut down permanently hanging over their heads, her lab brought her solace. Everything contained within was a memory- every gizmo, every gadget, every scorch mark was a doorway to a past she fondly remembered with a bright smile. The mere thought of losing it all would have brought her to tears if she had any left to shed.
She sadly sighed.
Between the fearmongering of the Tsuchikage and the various civil lawsuits being filed against them (everything from reckless endangerment to willful destruction of property was being thrown at them), the future of the Konoha Ghostbusters was in question. The situation had become so serious that the Tsuchikage and Mizukage had jointly called a Kage Summit to discuss the "Ghostbuster Issue".
They wouldn't go down without a fight!
Tenten had voiced those words as quickly as Sakura had thought them. Even after everything they'd done for the Elemental Countries as a whole- not to mention the individual countries like Wave, Spring and Wind (just to name a few), it was hard to believe that this was how they'd be repaid.
Unfortunately, there just wasn't anything they could do- except that is, Naruto.
He had taken the news better than the rest of them initially when they found out that all activities and operations of Ghostbusters Inc. had been indefinitely suspended. The sheer amount of authority he exuded when he said he was going to the Kage Summit allowed everyone present to rid themselves of any doubt that Naruto would be Hokage one day. When all was said and done, even Tsunade-sama was looking at Naruto in a new light and, other than Hinata and Sakura; she'd had the least amount of skepticism that he'd actually achieve his dream. While Naruto had always been the "self-proclaimed" Chairman and leader of the Ghostbusters, this was the very first time he truly acted like it and no one, not even Sasuke, thought to challenge him on it.
'My dimwit is finally growing up…' Sakura thought fondly, as she stared at the various pieces of Ghostbuster tech that was now destined to do nothing more than collect dust, shelved until further notice- while various potentially dangerous paranormal phenomenon went unchecked.
Doing a quick mental inventory, she noticed only one piece of equipment was still unaccounted for, Naruto's spectro-visors.
KGB- KGB- KGB
Sasuke wasn't sure what to think as he stared at the pictures on his wall. It was a little known fact that he was, by far, the most sentimental of the Ghostbusters, constantly keeping various reminders and mementos to help him, in his own way, to preserve his past, keeping his memories, his thoughts and his feelings alive in ways only significant to himself.
The centerpiece was a portrait that was a painful reminder of happier times when he was naïve and carefree. It was a family portrait the he had been unable to bring himself to remove or damage in any way- a family portrait of himself, his parents and his brother. To the right of it had been one of just him and Itachi; however his treacherous brother had been torn from it.
Just above that one contained his very pregnant mother and a pregnant redheaded woman who didn't look to be quite as far along as Mikoto. When Sasuke asked his spectral mother about this photo, her ghostly visage did not and would not comment on it. However, the nostalgic expression on her face was unmistakable and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if his mother had kept seemingly worthless or insignificant knickknacks of her life when she had been alive.
It wouldn't surprise him, he'd always taken more after his kind-hearted mother than his rather stoic and cold father.
Something about the woman was familiar to Sasuke- her smile, perhaps, or even the look in her eyes, yet he could never quite put his finger on what it was that made her seem so familiar to him. It was an unsolved enigma that would gnaw at him from time to time. It was primarily for that reason why that particular picture had remained while so many others had been locked away into storage in the aftermath of the Uchiha Massacre.
Centered on the mantle of the fireplace was his team photo. He smiled unwittingly as he gazed upon it. Looking at the faces of that photo made him think about how things had changed. How much they'd all grown since the fateful day a year and a half ago when the photo had been taken. Sure the physical changes were negligible, as they all practically looked exactly the same as they had back then, but the other changes…
In the floor ground of the photo was Sakura and himself. Sakura was practically beaming at the camera, her arms thrown around his neck. Her glasses were slightly skewed and she had a smudge on her cheek, likely from the latest explosion from whatever experiment she'd been working on at the time. Back then, he'd thought her an annoyance and a hindrance to his path to getting stronger. He remembered how he'd constantly scoff at her attempts to get him to open up to her and how he had instantly dismissed her like any other common fangirl.
Of all the subjects of the photo, his opinion of her had changed the most.
He didn't know exactly how or when it had happened, but Sakura had become ingrained into his routine. She'd still annoy him, yet it didn't seem so irritating. He'd still ignore her attempts to get him to open up, yet it wasn't the total dismissal it had once been. He no longer saw the raving fangirl when he looked at her, but a friend, a comrade and, on rare occasions that he'd vehemently deny, even to himself (especially to himself) a potential companion.
Focusing on the person in her arms, he saw the person who he believed changed the most.
In the photo he was stoic, irritated and looked as if he'd rather be elsewhere. His arms were crossed and he was scowling while looking away from Sakura, glaring at some unseen object outside the frame of the picture. He wasn't sure about these changes, nor was he sure at what they'd all been, but he did know one thing was certain, he liked those changes. The things Sasuke and his team had been through, both as shinobi and as Ghostbusters had greatly changed his perceptions and left him with a contentedness he hadn't felt since his clan had been killed.
He still wanted his vengeance, as it was still his greatest ambition, yet it was changed somehow- tempered in some unseen way. It was different now in the same way that many things were different from the time when the photo had been taken.
His eyes, roaming from the floor ground of the photo to the center came to rest on Team 7's Jounin sensei, Hatake Kakashi, a man who was laziness and perversion personified- yet in many ways, wiser than he'd let on. Looking back, Sasuke could see the hidden lessons in what Kakashi would tell them- those hidden kernels of truth that could easily be missed if one failed to pay attention. In hindsight, Sasuke knew that more often than not, he had not only failed to pay attention, but outright ignored the man on several occasions. He couldn't contain the frown at how foolish he'd been on those first couple of months on Team 7.
In the photo, Kakashi was slightly hunched over, giving his patented 'eye smile' as Naruto had come to call it.
Moving upward still, his gaze rested on Naruto who was behind and to the right of Kakashi in the photo. The blonde was grinning from ear to ear and had donned his ecto-goggles for the occasion while he gave the cameraman a 'thumbs up'.
Back in the academy, Naruto had always been an idiot and a fool to Sasuke. This opinion hadn't changed, and in some ways had been reinforced. However, when it counted Naruto was likely the most dependable force on the entire planet. The blonde Jinchuuriki was a myriad of contradictions- both simple, yet complex. In many ways he was not just the heart of Team 7 and the Ghostbusters, he was their soul- the very driving force that made them as effective as they were.
He was a leader.
He was their leader, whether or not they wished to acknowledge that fact or not. That very same thought would have sent the Sasuke of old into a blind rage. Now, however, it served to humble him. The biggest difference between then and now was a matter of respect. Though he'd never admit it, especially not to Naruto, Sasuke actually respected the blonde shinobi and both, though it remained unspoken and probably always would, knew it was a mutual thing.
Sasuke's gaze finally came to rest on the last subject of the photo, the unofficial mascot of Team 7, the green menace commonly referred to as Slimer, Naruto and Sakura's nin-ghost. It was behind and to the left of Kakashi with its left arm extended behind Naruto's head giving him 'rabbit ears'. While Sasuke couldn't say he was very fond of the green abomination, the irksome blob had grown on him and Sasuke was certain that he would miss Slimer every bit as much as he would the others.
Shaking himself from his own introspective reverie, Sasuke began looking over the several pictures he'd added to both the wall and the fireplace mantle since the inception of Team 7 and his gradual integration into Konoha's Ghostbusters.
There was a photo of Naruto and Temari holding one another as they stood posed next to Gaara who looked more confused than anything, especially with Matsuri practically draped around him. He gave a slight smile at the uncomfortable expression on the Suna Jinchuuriki's face. The photo had been taken by Sakura in the antechamber of the Shukaku Temple after they had succeeded in foiling Makoto's plot.
Sasuke had mixed feelings about the next picture.
It had been taken at the onset of the Chuunin Exams, right after the business with the Hyuuga that eventually led to Hinata becoming a key fixture within Ghostbusters Inc. replacing Naruko as their primary secretary. The photo, which had been taken by Naruto, featured Sasuke, Sakura and Kankuro in front of the Ichiraku Ramen Stand with Sakura's arms slung around both of their shoulders while they scowled at one another.
Above that picture was one that Sasuke's feelings couldn't have been any less conflicted about. It was by far his least favorite picture and no matter how many times he'd gotten rid of and destroyed it, the picture that commemorated his first sliming would always reappear in the exact same spot.
He briefly contemplated destroying it yet again, but decided to ignore it- for now.
His expression subconsciously softened when he turned his attention to a black and white photo that rested to the left of his team picture. He still wasn't sure what possessed him to take the picture and was even less certain about his reasons for keeping it. The photo had been taken during one of the 'quiet' days at the firehouse, where Sakura, oblivious to Sasuke's presence, simply sat at the table in her lab poring over an old tome taking notes. Her glasses had fallen to the tip of her nose and her hair was done up in a hastily done, messy bun. Given the high temperature that day, she had also tied her khaki coveralls around her waist. As always, there was the typical smudge on her face from the usual explosion of the day.
With some effort, he tore his gaze from the picture of Sakura to another one on the mantle, this one featuring himself, Naruto and Hinata. Taken by Sakura right after the Hyuuga Incident, the three of them were standing in the partly demolished courtyard of the clan compound. Though he stood apart from the other two, he looked more 'at home' in this picture than he did in earlier photos, as he'd begun to feel more and more comfortable integrating into the Ghostbusters. Of course while Sasuke looked more relaxed than ever in the photo, Hinata looked like she was about to pass out from sheer bliss due to the fact that Naruto, her long time crush, held his arm securely around the painfully shy girl.
Gazing from picture to picture, contemplating each and every one of them, he felt a sharp pain in his chest when his gaze fell upon a picture of him and Sakura in front of Ecto-3. He remembered that day quite well, as it was the day he'd test drove it. Sasuke and Sakura had spent many hours spread across several days getting it to work and he was proud to say that the maiden voyage of the Elemental Countries' first motorcycle was far more successful than its' first car.
Unlike Naruto, he didn't drive through the front window of a flower shop.
The epiphany suddenly hit him like a punch to the gut.
For the first time he realized just how much of his free time not spent on personal training was spent at Naruto and Sakura's firehouse and how much he treasured those moments. The energy in the room was seemingly sucked right out of the room as he realized he might not have those moments to look forward to anymore. It seemed as if he was losing everything all over again, just like he had that night. Though Ghostbusters Inc. operations were only suspended, there was no telling when or if everything would ever be back to business as usual, or if things would ever be the same as they once were…
Sasuke's fists clenched as he shut his eyes tightly- staving off images his overly sentimental mind conjured up. Calming himself, his eyes opened to see the picture just to the right his team picture. This was another picture of him and Sakura, taken by the rosette kunoichi herself as she held the camera at arm's length away from them.
It was the night of their 'not' date.
The evening had been originally scheduled as a Ghostbuster Team get together- a way for them all to connect outside of both shinobi life and the firehouse. In the end, it wasn't meant to be.
Hinata had gotten a last minute mission with her team and Tenten was suffering from muscle strain and mild chakra exhaustion from the intensity of her team's training that day. Naruto had been far too exhausted to even consider having a night out on the town. Between working shifts at the firehouse and the Yamanaka Flowershop, D-rank missions, training (team and individual), Ghostbusting, his dates with Ino, maintaining Naruko, sifting through employee applications with Hinata and helping Sakura with whatever research she had been conducting at any given time and Naruto barely had time for a few bites of ramen, nevermind sleeping.
So after Sakura had drugged Naruto and tucked him into bed, the two remaining Ghostbusters had went out, or rather, Sakura physically dragged Sasuke out with her, as she was determined to relax and have a good time whether Sasuke wanted to or not. Much to his own surprise, he'd enjoyed the evening far more than he thought he would.
Clenching his fists, one apparent truth made itself known to the Uchiha Scion.
The Kage Summit had to be resolved in their favor; Sasuke knew he couldn't go back to the way things were before…
KGB- KGB- KGB
The contented sigh Hyuuga Hinata released was purely reflexive.
While the circumstances of the previous evening hadn't been ideal or anywhere close to how she imagined it being (she'd always imagined Naruto randomly sprouting a classical sense of romance, taking the whole evening to wine and dine her as he smoothly seduced her into succumbing to his will- not doing his level best to get them both as completely and thoroughly wasted as he possibly could in Konoha's seediest bar), it still far exceeded everything she'd ever dreamed.
Uzumaki Naruto was certain that the cocky smirk on his face when she'd told him that as they drifted off to sleep never left his face even as they slumbered. Still, even though he was more content than he ever remembered being, a small kernel of guilt weighed heavily in his gut, as he felt he'd taken advantage of Hinata in their inebriation. However, Naruto knew he wouldn't have traded the night before for anything and was very thankful of the fact that he remembered everything, despite his drunkenness. He also knew that Hinata would likely be having similar thoughts.
He also knew that sometimes words can speak louder than actions. Shifting slightly to see if Hinata was awake, but not enough to wake her if she wasn't he gazed upon her the top of her head, her hair splayed across his chest. Naruto smiled softly at the seemingly slumbering Hyuuga.
"I don't regret this," he whispered- both to himself and to her, as he kissed the top of her head.
"I know," she replied, also whispering. "I love you."
"I... I know..." was his reply, and he slightly winced as he said it.
She lightly kissed his bare chest. "I understand, Naruto-kun..."
And she really did.
It was readily apparent to Hinata that Naruto deeply cared for her- after all, he wouldn't have slept with her if he didn't, he just wasn't the sort who would do such a thing otherwise. She also knew that she did not possess his heart alone and that at least two others- Sabaku no Temari and Yamanaka Ino- also held pieces of it as well- their issues unresolved.
There were times where it hurt that she alone couldn't seem to keep his attention- but in the end all of the heart ache had been worth it. She'd confessed her feelings at last and had Naruto to herself, at least for one night. Hinata wasn't sure if it was a one time thing or if they would continue their liaison after Naruto came back, but she was determined to make the best of her time with him while she could- currently content with him just holding her.
"E-everything is going to change... Isn't it?" she asked hesitantly.
Though she couldn't see it from their current arrangement, she knew he was smiling, even if it was only bittersweet.
"Yeah... But..." He thought over for a moment what he was going to say. "I don't think it's a bad thing, not completely anyway. Change is often painful and I think we're in for a bit more, but I believe it will be worth it. I have to."
"I have faith in you, Naruto-kun..." Hinata said quietly. "I believe you'll make everything all right. Maybe not today, tomorrow or even next week, but everything will be fine and it will be, in part, thanks to you."
"I... I don't know what to say..."Naruto said in a quiet and awed tone. "Thank you, Hinata. I'm not sure if I deserve your belief in me, but I appreciate it. I'll do my absolute best not to let you down... That's a promise... The promise of a lifetime..."
Hinata's contented smile turned to a wide grin. She no longer believed everything was going to turn out as it should, she now knew that it would.
Because Naruto never went back on his word.
KGB- KGB- KGB
The small contingency that was going to the Kage Summit was standing at Konoha's west gate saying their final good-byes. Though the group as a whole would be traveling the "ninja way", Naruto would be taking Ecto-1, with Tsunade riding with him.
Jiraiya would be the interim Hokage while Tsunade was at the summit. Shizune would be staying behind both to aid Jiraiya for the duration of his Hokage-ship and manage the hospital in Tsunade's absence. Going with Tsunade and Naruto was a small collection of jounin and chuunin, the only one Naruto even being remotely familiar with was Mitarashi Anko, who- along with Slimer- was also going to be riding in the horseless carriage.
Naruto felt almost physically pained as he said his good-byes.
"Goodbye, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said after making sure his voice would be steady. This would be the first time he'd be leaving Konoha without those closest to him that wasn't a dire emergency and he had no idea when he'd be back. Even if the Summit was resolved in favor of the Konoha Ghostbusters, he would not be returning to Konoha immediately, as Jiraiya would be taking Naruto around the Elemental Countries to train him.
"Good luck, Naruto. It's been a pleasure working with you," Kakashi replied.
"Likewise," Naruto responded. He then turned to Ino.
"Come back soon," she whispered into his ear as she engulfed him in a hug.
"I'll be back before you know it," Naruto replied with a small grin.
"You'd better," Ino told him in a mock-stern tone as she released him with a kiss on the cheek. Temari was next.
"You know, I'm actually going to miss you, knucklehead," Temari told him with a smirk as she also hugged Naruto.
"I'll miss you too," Naruto replied tenderly.
"Be safe..." Temari whispered before she kissed him on the cheek.
Following Temari was Tenten.
"You really are Konoha's number one, most surprising, knuckle-headed ninja, you know that?" she commented.
Naruto raised an eyebrow in response. "What do you mean?"
Tenten hesitated a bit, carefully choosing her words. "I had my doubts, you know... About everything, but I was wrong. You made me a believer."
"I... Don't know what to say..."
"Just be yourself, Naruto," Tenten told him. "Show them what you've shown us and everything else will work itself out." She then pulled Naruto into a quick hug.
"Thanks, Tenten."
Sasuke was next.
"Dobe."
"Bastard."
"Boys..." Sakura muttered under her breath in exasperation with a small smile one her face.
While many others might have thought this exchange strange, Sakura knew them both well enough that she could easily see that the nonchalance in their customary interaction was more than a little forced, as both were doing their level best to appear manly and not show the other than they would miss each other.
Sakura, however, had no compunctions about showing her feelings on the matter and practically glomped Naruto. This would be the first time in six years the two of them would be spending any significant time apart. Tears quickly came and before Naruto knew It, Sakura was sobbing against him- making him almost break down as well.
They held each other in a tight embrace and neither spoke, for no words were necessary. Naruto ran his fingers through Sakura's hair and rubbed her back as she clenched onto him. After a long moment, it was Naruto who broke their mutual silence. "Everything going to be fine, you'll see..."
"I know," Sakura replied, releasing Naruto, her eyes still glistening with tears.
Naruto looked around to see if Hinata was there, hoping she'd come to see him off and was disappointed. They'd had a tearful goodbye when the parted ways at Naruto's apartment and he figured that saying goodbye once more would be too hard for her to do a second time.
"I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise," Naruto said to the group of well wishers as he turned towards Ecto-1, which Tsunade, Slimer and Anko had already boarded. He had only gotten the car door open when he heard a desperate shout.
"Naruto-kun!"
Naruto smiled, instantly recognizing the voice and turned to see Hinata running towards him. He absently noted Neji in the back ground. He'd have to than the Hyuuga prodigy later, as Naruto instantly knew that it was very likely that he had convinced his cousin to say one final goodbye before he left.
However, before Naruto could say anything, Hinata grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled Naruto in a desperate, soul searing kiss. To say Naruto was shocked by Hinata's uncharacteristic move was more than a bit of an understatement. So caught of guard was he, that his mind froze, unsure of what to do. Unfortunately for Naruto, as soon as he got his bearings and started to respond to Hinata's kiss, she pulled back, her face flushed for various reasons.
Neither said anything as they rested their foreheads together, oblivious to the reactions of those around them. Anko was cackling wildly and Tsunade was grinning ear to ear while Jiraiya had his notepad out was was taking notes. Tenten was smiling as well, both happy for Hinata and amused by the shell-shocked expressions on the faces of Temari and Ino.
Sakura was sporting a small, soft smile while Sasuke had both eyebrows raised in surprise. Only Kakashi seemed to be unaffected by the scene, though if one looked close enough, they could tell that his eye was slightly crinkled, signifying that he too was smiling at the scene.
"Goodbye, Hinata-chan..." Naruto whispered to the Hyuuga Heiress.
"Goodbye, Naruto-kun..." she whispered back. "Aishiteru..."
Naruto smiled at her as they released one another. Hinata took several steps back as Naruto started Ecto-1. She began to cry silently as Naruto waved as he drove off towards the Kage Summit, knowing that no matter what Naruto's feelings for her were, her heart was going with him.
-M-2-J-M-2-J-
This is an excerpt from a future fanfic of mine- Ultimate Kitsune: Youko Naruto which has made an appearance back in Chapter 20/
Emotions were beginning to run high as the marquee cycled through the names. As of yet, only four people had not been chosen to fight.
Chouji was visibly nervous.
He was certain all three of his opponents were much stronger than he was. As the names cycled, he was hoping to draw Naruto, as he was the least likely to inflict major bodily harm on him. Then again, since Hinata's match with the Suna kunoichi and the words he'd traded with Hinata's cousin, his demeanor had changed greatly.
Still, Naruto wasn't one to needlessly take his frustrations out on others.
The hunchback, however, might be another story; it was hard for Chouji to tell through the mask of bandages he wore.
The remaining Suna Shinobi outright terrified him. Just the mere presence of the red head made Chouji shiver and after what happened to Hinata… Chouji was in no mood for a repeat. Asuma-sensei couldn't even bribe him with barbeque to fight him.
Dosu wore an apathetic look on his face that was greatly obscured by bandages. However, no matter how cool and collected he was on the inside, he was in turmoil on the inside. Not only had his team failed to kill Uchiha Sasuke, but both of his teammates were soundly defeated rather easily.
He needed a victory, or else… And it wouldn't be easy. It was easy to see that the blonde was likely the most skilled of the entire lot of them. The speed in which he'd moved during the Hyuuga's match was but a small testament to that
As for Kankuro, the Suna-nin, while Oto and Suna might be allies for the foreseeable future, Dosu doubted that if he made even the slightest error, he would not be spared death. He'd already identified Kankuro as a puppet user and they heavily relied on poison and long range attacks. Unless Dosu could score a quick victory, it was unlikely he'd defeat Kankuro the longer the fight went on.
And then there was the fat Genin. It was easy for Dosu to discern how terrified he was. The battle was already half won, provided the boy didn't rally his courage.
Despite the confident front Kankuro put up, he'd been getting progressively nervous as the names went by and neither he nor the male blonde Konoha Genin was selected. While he could admit his sister might have overdone it a bit for an exhibition match, the raw cold fury in the blonde's eyes actually frightened him more than Gaara's bloodlust. Should the two be paired together, Kankuro was certain he'd be pulling out all the stops from the very beginning.
The other two, on the other hand, were inconsequential. So long as the hunchback didn't get close, Kankuro was most certain that victory would be his. As for the fat Genin, Kankuro didn't think of him as a threat in the slightest, certain that his poisons would be more than effective enough, although given the boy's girth, it might take him a bit more than normal to put the Konoha shinobi down.
Naruto watched stoically as the names cycled. He could smell the fear permeating around the room and on some level he'd enjoyed it. He felt that was odd, as fear was not something he'd ever really enjoyed even when he was a full-blooded demon. He figured it was likely due to Kotarou's influence.
Still, making it to the final round of the tournament was a must; if for nothing else than for a chance to not only avenge Hinata, but to perhaps literally beat some sense into Neji once and for all. Thinking on those of he'd thought of as family for the last several years, he hoped that his sister would be alright.
Finally, the marquee stopped.
Match 09
Sabaku no Kankuro
Vs.
Uzumaki Naruto
Chouji cringed while Dosu let out a small sigh of relief as his two most dangerous of possible opponents were selected to fight each other. Kankuro, on the other hand winced, as did Temari. Gaara, on the other hand looked eager to see what Naruto could do.
The Suna-nin immediately vaulted over the railing, hefting the heavy package on his shoulder with practiced ease- despite it's immense weight. His face was filled with determination, though a small bit of perspiration could be seen on his brow. Naruto, however, simply looked apathetic as he formed a half ram sign with his right hand and vanished in a swirl of rose petals, reappearing in front of Kankuro. Kankuro visibly gulped as he met Naruto's hardened gaze as the blonde Jinchuuriki's eyes narrowed.
-M-2-J-M-2-J-
Here is the initial chapter of Konoha-Taichou, a fic idea that fuses Naruto with Captain America. EVENTUALLY, this will be its' own fic. One thing that sets this fic idea apart from others is the fact that not only is Root an active special branch of ANBU, Danzou is actually a "good guy", or at least an anti-hero.
He and Sarutobi are best friends- however Sarutobi is the idealist while Danzou is the realist. In a sense, Naruto, and the ideology behind his symbolism for Konoha in this fic would be a bit of a bridge between them.
Chapter One: Uzumaki Naruto, Agent of Root
Inside one of the most imposing buildings of Konohagakure no Sato there was a meeting taking place. The topic was of interest to the four shinobi in the room, and it was a grim one.
"Hokage-sama, Danzou-sama," said a mournful Maito Gai. "I've done every type of mental and physical training regimen I can think of. Naruto-kun's body is just too frail. His body just won't adapt to physical conditioning and even the simplest ninjutsu are too much for his body to handle."
"His condition makes him even frailer than Yakumo and his abysmal chakra control makes him completely unsuited for genjutsu of any kind," stated Yuuhi Kurenai. "We've even consulted Ebisu, on different training techniques, but nothing seems to be working. Naruto is just unfit to be a shinobi."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, grimaced as if he'd swallowed something incredibly foul.
"I refuse to believe that Kurenai-san," Gai argued with a frown of his own. "Look at the progress Lee-kun has been making."
"Lee's progress is nothing short of amazing Gai, but sometimes there is just nothing you can do," Kurenai argued back. "Not every obstacle can be conquered. Not every handicap can be overcome."
Gai shook his head. "I cannot, I will not, give up. It goes against everything I believe in. Naruto-kun's spirit is that of a shinobi. His heart is that of a shinobi. There are very few that possess as youthful a drive as Naruto-kun's. I truly believe that he will not only do his absolute best to become a shinobi, but truly excel at being a shinobi."
Kurenai sighed. "Gai, the last thing I want to do is crush Naruto's dreams. But delaying the inevitable will only make things worse. Uzumaki Naruto, as he is now, is simply not capable of being a shinobi and I doubt he ever will be."
Gai straightened, his face filled with defiance. "Naruto-kun takes his promises seriously, as do I. I refuse to break my promise to him. I will not go back on my word."
"Admirable as that is, Gai, you have other responsibilities," Sarutobi intervened, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "I find your faith in Naruto-kun admirable, as well as your desire to help him succeed, but I'm afraid his goals are beyond our current capabilities. As much as I'd love to see him become a shinobi, I think... I think it's time we all opened our eyes to the inevitable."
The fourth person in the room had been silent since the meeting began. It was only when Gai's will was reluctantly succumbing to the reality of the young Uzumaki's condition that he made himself heard.
"There is a way, Saru," Shimura Danzou finally voiced. Gai and Kurenai looked over at Danzou with a surprised look on their faces, as if they'd forgotten he was in the room with them. Sarutobi merely looked at Danzou in suspicion. "A simple procedure is all it would take. I believe the gains far outweigh the risks."
"No!" hissed Sarutobi. Kurenai's could hardly believe what she was hearing as her eyes widened in astonishment. Gai, however, looked between the two men speculatively.
"Hokage-sama?" he asked.
It was Danzou who responded to the inquiry.
"As you know, Ne is more than just another branch of ANBU." he began. "We have our own elite operatives and head many, if not most, special investigations. Many of our operatives are in possession of unusual abilities. What you may, or may not, be aware of, is the fact that the Department of Research and Development also falls under the jurisdiction of Ne."
Gai simply nodded grimly, as while that fact was neither widely known nor advertised, it wasn't classified. Kurenai maintained her astonished expression as she hadn't been aware of the fact and was wondering where the conversation was headed.
"In the aftermath of Orochimaru's defection from the village, it was Ne that quarantined and appropriated the contents of the various facilities positioned throughout the village," Danzou continued. "Since, we've spent a considerable amount of time understanding the results of his research, as well as working on ways to improve on what we deem worthwhile."
"I see..." said Gai. "So you think you might have something that could help Naruto-kun?"
Danzou nodded. "Orochimaru might have been a crazed mad man, but he was still certifiable genius. His research has led us to a greater understanding of the human body and chakra manipulation and has helped us implement many of the breakthroughs in medicinal ninjutsu for the last several years. Had they not abandoned the village, Orochimaru's genius mixed with Tsunade's natural talent, would have resulted in a much different dynamic when it comes to the balance of power between the Five Great Villages. Never-the-less, we have managed to synthesize an experimental treatment designed to augment the natural abilities of the average shinobi."
"Really?" asked Kurenai clearly impressed as she thought of the possible implications of such a substance actually existing.
Gai was less impressed and was uncharacteristically pessimistic. "What are the drawbacks?"
"The fatality rate," answered Sarutobi. "Of all those who have volunteered for the procedure, there has not been a single success. All who have tried have died most horrible deaths."
"True, but we have reason to believe that Uzumaki would be able to succeed where others have not," countered Danzou. "As frail and weak as his body is, he has excellent regenerative abilities. My specialists theorize that it is only because of this advanced self-healing ability that the boy has managed to survive this long. We have already tested several tissue cultures with the Super Shinobi Serum and all were successful to varying degrees. My people are very optimistic about the results. If his will is as strong as Gai claims it is, he should have no problem surviving the process."
"I have the utmost faith in Naruto-kun, but I don't think this is really the best option," Gai responded.
"It shouldn't be an option at all if it will most definitely kill him!" argued Kurenai.
"In the end, I'm not sure it even matters," Danzou retorted. "By doing nothing, we'd just be delaying the inevitable."
"What do you mean?" asked the Hokage concernedly.
"We've recently discovered that his regenerative ability is degrading," Danzou explained. "Eventually, it will stop all together and Uzumaki will still die."
"How soon?" asked Sarutobi.
Danzou shook his head. "It's impossible to determine. We don't think it's going to happen within the next week, or even the next month or next six months. We estimate Uzumaki has no more than two to three years, but that's being optimistic. At least if he dies during the serum trial, we could bury him with full shinobi honors since he will have died in the line of duty, sacrificing himself for his village."
"Should Naruto-kun survive, what would happen to him then?" asked Gai.
"Then he will be automatically enlisted as a Konohagakure shinobi as a part of Ne," Danzou answered. "We would take over his training completely, as well as monitor him for any possible undesirable side effects of the Super Shinobi Serum."
Gai grimaced.
He had hoped to be able to take both Naruto and Lee under his wing once they were eligible to become Genin. It had always been an unlikely scenario, but now it was nothing more than a pipe dream, a lost ambition. Induction into Ne, while a prestigious opportunity, meant that Naruto would likely work exclusively for them. Very few Ne Agents went on missions with other shinobi and even then, it was only on ANBU missions or those whose teams were comprised entirely of elite Jounin. With Gai making the transition into becoming a Jounin sensei, his chances of working with, never mind training, Naruto had plummeted severely.
Gai nodded and then reluctantly added, "Perhaps this is the only way."
"Naruto's only a child, you can't expect to be able to put a decision like this into his hands," argued Kurenai.
"He's a child, yes, but he is also a prospective shinobi and a shinobi must be prepared to lay down his life at any time, for the sake of the village as a whole," countered Danzou. "If he is even half as dedicated to our cause and our village as he claims, then he will not hesitate to do what is necessary to keep the foundation of our village strong."
"As distasteful as I find this, Kurenai, it may be the best option available," stated Sarutobi.
Kurenai reluctantly nodded. "I still have reservations about this."
"As do I," the Sandaime replied, "As do I."
-US:KT-US:KT-
Kurotsuchi Nemu was typically a rather cold and distant individual, the result of her upbringing by an overly abusive father. She often rationalized that such emotional detachment often made it easier to do her job. Yet, the boy, Naruto, managed to worm his way into her heart very much the same way he had Iruka, Gai and Kurenai's. She fought hard to keep the distasteful expression off her face. She'd personally overseen the Super Shinobi test subjects, and knew all too well what this serum would do to the boy, rather than what they hoped it would do. However, one did not go against their orders, especially not ones given directly by the Director and personally signed by the Hokage.
"It isn't too late to back out, you know," Nemu commented to the Uzumaki child as she helped him onto the table top. His frail body felt slightly emaciated to her touch and she couldn't help but cringe internally about what she had committed herself to do.
"You worry too much, Nemu-chan," Naruto assured her while rolling his eyes in annoyance. He coughed into his hand as he sat at the procedure platform's edge and then tried to discreetly hide his hand as he wiped it onto his shirt. She frowned as she'd noted exactly what he was trying to hide- the fact that there was more than a little bit of blood mixed with the phlegm he'd coughed up.
Nemu frowned. "I don't think you worry enough, Uzumaki-kun."
"Everything will work out... And I'll be a shinobi- the best one ever!" Naruto said with a grin as he removed his shirt before he lay down.
"That is the goal, Uzumaki," said Danzou in an even tone, giving nothing away of his emotions. He didn't even react to Nemu's glare.
Not for the first time in the last few weeks did she curse herself and Danzou for testing the mysterious tissue samples he had collected. Still, she went about her task diligently, restraining Naruto to the table before hooking him up to the various machines around him. Though he tried to put on a brave face, she could tell he was nervous and she felt a little stab in her heart each time he slightly winced in pain as she inserted various needles into his skin.
Nemu then inserted a mouth guard into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue off- like their third test subject had done. Though it had been the sheer amount of pain the man had experienced that killed him- he had nearly choked to death in his own blood and the piece of tongue that had lodged itself into his throat. Looking at Naruto, she couldn't suppress the unpleasant chill that ran down her spine. That had been one of the more pleasant failures. Their fifth test subject had literally melted from the inside out. The sixth's muscles had bulged until they had exploded.
Naturally, she was pessimistic about Naruto's chance at survival despite the positive test results with the most recent version of the serum.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" she whispered to him. Though she was certain Danzou couldn't hear her, or read her lips from the angle she was standing, he was pretty sure he knew what she was doing.
She sighed at Naruto's small nod.
"Danzou-sama, the test subject is ready," Nemu stated in an emotionless tone. Already she could feel her heart breaking. The emotional walls she'd built up were crumbling and she knew once the experiment failed she would never be the same.
"Thank you, Nemu," Danzou replied, his tone giving nothing away. He turned to the Ne Agent at the nearby console. "Begin the procedure. Project: Konoha is a go."
"Hai, Danzou-sama!" The Ne Agent replied before pressing several buttons on his console. All around the room, machines for varying purposes activated. Danzou and Nemu stood by watching as the glowing blue liquid traveled through the tubes and into Naruto's body.
It took everything Nemu had to remain still as Naruto convulsed. Suddenly his vitals became erratic.
Suddenly, there was a burst in pure spiritual pressure and Naruto was bathed in royal blue chakra.
The two shinobi monitoring the read outs from the machines were scribbling furiously, recording their findings and observations. Naruto, whose eyes had been closed up until this point, opened them after one large convulsion that heavily strained the leather straps, despite his frailty. His eyes were a darker blue than they had been, but were slitted. Many were unsure as to whether or not the bijuu sealed within Naruto was helping or hindering the process.
"Start the second phase," ordered Danzou calmly. Nemu's eyes narrowed.
"Hai," was the only response from the two man team standing by. Moving swiftly, they took up positions on either side of Naruto. In perfect unison, they began pulling out various seal tags, channeling chakra into them. Seals were placed on Naruto's forearms, biceps, his abdomen (on either side of the Kyuubi's seal), thighs, calves, the back of his hands and bottoms of his feet, and his neck.
Once the last of the seals were placed, the two Ne Shinobi started running through hand seals. Once completed, they each placed a finger on the seals on Naruto's abdomen, carefully dispersing the molded chakra into them.
The seals glowed brightly for a moment, before dimming just a second. When the seals began glowing brighter than before, streams of chakra began branching out visibly on Naruto's body. Then, each seal began connecting with the others. Each time a new seal was reached, the lines of chakra would dim slightly, before regaining its luminescence. The process would repeat as the chakra left the seal to join it to the next one.
Nemu was startled to see the seals also combine with Minato's Shiki Fuin and was about to call for the abortion of the procedure when she felt a pressure on her wrist. She turned her head towards Danzou, who'd grabbed her to get her attention. Though she remained tense, she did nothing as he shook his head.
"Begin phase three," Danzou spoke once more as the seal team backed away.
With only a slight nod of acknowledgment, a second seal team placed themselves at the four corners around Naruto. This time, it was a barrier team. In mere seconds, Naruto was surrounded on all sides by a purple barrier of chakra.
"Do it." ordered Danzou.
"Hai!" replied the shinobi at the console. Pushing a few buttons on his console.
Suddenly, five symbols at either side of Naruto began glowing, each different color: red, blue, green, yellow and purple. Each colored symbol represented a different element being fire, water, earth, lightning, and wind respectively.
A line of chakra then connected each of the seals to Naruto's chakra seal network. All ten seals began to grow dimmer as the leylines on Naruto began to glow brighter and began shifting through colors. Naruto convulsed in pain and his muffled screams became louder. The observers watched as Naruto's no longer emaciated body began bulging as muscles formed.
The leylines shifted in color going from a glowing deep blue to a luminescent bright white. Naruto's eyes became two glowing orbs as he screamed out in pain. The area inside the barrier was turning into a maelstrom of pure chakra as the chakra that had been infused into Naruto's body was being released. The Ne Agents could barely hold the barrier as wave after wave of pure chakra battered against it.
"Sir, we need to..." Nemu began, but Danzou interrupted her.
"Increase the dosage," Danzou ordered.
"Sir?" asked the Ne Agent at the console.
"Danzou-sama!" argued Nemu.
"Do it!" Danzou snapped.
Naruto was thrashing around violently at this point, as even more of the blue liquid was pumped into his system. Suddenly, the Shiki Fuin began glowing a menacing red- the whisker marks on Naruto's face began to darken, as the glow in his eyes subsided, revealing red slitted eyes.
"The Kyuubi's resisting the process!" exclaimed one of the technicians.
"Activate the suppressor seals!" ordered Nemu.
"No, it's too late for that," countered Danzou. "It's up to Uzumaki at this point. Infuse more elemental chakra into him. We'll overwhelm the Kyuubi's chakra, forcing it back into the seal."
"That will kill him!" argued Nemu.
"He's dead already, unless we can lessen the Kyuubi's influence in his system," Danzou shot back, glaring at the woman, before turning back to the other agent. "Do it, now!"
"Hai!"
The elemental seals began glowing once more at full intensity and began infusing more chakra into Naruto. Another strong convulsion hit, and suddenly Naruto's left arm broke through its' restraint. He struggled to get free to no avail, as the chakra leylines throughout his body coursed with conflicting white and red chakra, both trying to overcome and subjugate the other.
"More." Danzou ordered.
Nemu could hardly stand it and was only seconds away from breaking her given orders for the first time in her career when a tendril of mixed red and white chakra slammed against the purple barrier, cracking the chakra construct.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Sir!"
Danzou gripped his cane. "Make sure both the secondary and tertiary containment teams are ready... The chakra backlash is going to be immense."
"Sir, what about medical teams?" asked one of the other Ne Agents. Before the cracks in the barrier could be repaired, another tendril hit another barrier wall causing several more cracks, followed shortly by another impact. A fourth tendril had hit in nearly the exact place the first tendril had impacted with the not quite repaired barrier wall. The damage to the barrier wall worsened and a small measure of chakra escaped the barrier.
"Negative. Have them standing by to assist Uzumaki, everyone else will likely be dead or wishing they were before it's over," Danzou ordered before pressing a button on the wall next to the observation window. A heavily, seal enforced blast door began lowering itself, leaving everyone in the observation room to rely on the monitors they had set up.
However, soon after, the monitors went blank, no longer receiving feedback from the cameras inside the room. There was a loud impact on the blast door that seemed to cause the whole building to shudder, knocking loose particles from the ceiling and the power to flicker. The observation widow cracked and the blast door seemed to be bulging from the procedure room.
"Report," Danzou ordered.
"I-I'm not sure... Everything went off the charts and then nothing... We're reading too much interference from the room," said one of the technicians.
Danzou looked to Nemu, who was frozen in place from the severity immense chakra backlash. It was unlike anything that ever happened before. "Let's go have a look. Containment teams, release the barriers."
The secondary and tertiary teams did so reluctantly, despite the fact they no longer felt the strain that had battered their chakra barriers for those few agonizing minutes. Nemu moved to open the door, hesitating briefly to prepare herself for what they might see.
What they encountered as a warzone. It was if someone had lit a powerful explosive tag in the center of the room. The equipment that had been positioned around the room was now completely trashed. No amount of actual repairs or jury-rigging would get them working again. Nemu knew they'd be lucky enough to just find the odd component still intact enough to cannibalize to use in other pieces of equipment.
"No bodies..." noted a technician under his breath as he surveyed the room, seeing the carnage first hand, carefully examining the scorch marks on the floor, ceiling and walls.
Danzou nodded, "Vaporized."
"Such backlash... Astounding..." said another technician in awe.
"Naruto-kun... He was just a boy..." whispered Nemu, who'd grown attached to the boy.
"He was a shinobi," correct Danzou. "Take whatever solace you can from that. He died for a higher purpose."
"Urgh..." came a groan from near the center of the room, where a small section of the ceiling had been knocked loose. The rubble shifted, revealing an unsteady, but greatly changed Uzumaki Naruto.
All but one person in the room was looking at Naruto with astonishment. Only Danzou's expression was different, eying him speculatively. "Success..."
-US: KT-US: KT-
"How is he?" asked Sarutobi quietly. Naruto had collapsed after emerging from the rubble and had been unconscious ever since. That had been three days ago and as he had done the previous days, Sarutobi was getting the daily progress report on Naruto's condition from Danzou in person.
"I'd say he's fine... Better than fine," Danzou said with pride. "Preliminary tests no longer show any cellular degeneration. He is the very peak that all shinobi aspire to."
"He almost died," Sarutobi pointed out.
"You always were soft, Saru," Danzou replied with a scowl. "Loss of life, while regrettable, is inevitable."
"I'm the last person you need to lecture about loss of life, Danzou," Sarutobi shot back with a slight edge in his voice. "I send people... Comrades... Friends... To their potential deaths several times a day."
"As do I, as did those who came before us," Danzou replied. "Don't focus so much on the individual that you forget the big picture. We don't have the luxury of regret or second guessing ourselves."
"Do you truly regret nothing, after all these years?" asked the Sandaime Hokage.
Danzou snorted. "Either I'd have an enviable memory or have lived a pitiful existence to know nothing of regret."
"What thoughts have you given Naruto's training?" Sarutobi inquired, shifting the conversation.
"Ne Agents are not your average shinobi," Danzou replied. "They each have unique qualities about them. Everything ranging from their arsenal of weapons, to their tactics to abilities is unique in some way or another. But Uzumaki isn't just another rank and file shinobi. He's extraordinary, even among Ne Agents and Jinchuuriki. He will be better than all of us one day. I'm going to be cashing in a lot of favors."
"Don't forget the boy, Danzou. He is more than your idyllic shinobi, more than an icon or symbol," rebuked Sarutobi. "Don't focus so much on the big picture that you forget about the boy. Many atrocities could have been avoided had someone taken the time to actually see the person they were and not just one potential end result."
Danzou huffed. "I am not you and he is not Orochimaru."
"No, you're not. We both know that in our prime you were better than I was. And Naruto-kun will be even greater than Orochimaru. Your mistakes will be that much greater," Sarutobi warned.
"Noted," Danzou replied dryly.
"You never answered my question. What thoughts have you given Naruto's training?" asked Sarutobi once more.
"Taijutsu, primarily, at least in the beginning, then we'll follow up with seals and ninjutsu. During each of these, I would like bi-annual assessments from Gai, Jiraiya and Kakashi," Danzou answered.
"Jiraiya will be an issue, though I think I can answer for Gai. Kakashi could go either way," replied Sarutobi.
"He may have his reservations, but Kakashi will fall into line. As for Jiraiya, he's your student and your subordinate- let's not forget that he's Uzumaki's godfather. If duty doesn't bring him back, remind him of his duty to those he once called family."
Sarutobi nodded in agreement. "As distasteful as I find that type of manipulation, I'll likely have to resort to it. What about genjutsu training?"
"Uzumaki has the potential to be a prodigy not unlike Yuuhi, but we both know that Konoha doesn't have the resources needed to train him properly in the art. Even Yuuhi has already exhausted everything we could teach her."
"Too true," Sarutobi grimaced. "Genjutsu users are a dying breed. Not even Waterfall Country possesses nearly as many as they used to and their Genjutsu mastery was the primary reason they managed to remain independent from their surrounding neighbors."
"Their alliance with us and their over-reliance on their Hero Water have made them weak. Never mind how atrociously they treat and misuse their Jinchuuriki. We should have assimilated them a long time ago," Danzou scornfully replied.
Sarutobi shook his head. "Taking Waterfall Country isn't even half the battle; it's holding that region that's the big issue. The biggest reason Takigakure is still standing is mainly due to the amount of resources they have that everyone else wants."
Sarutobi sighed before bringing the conversation back on topic. "You know, even as a fresh Chuunin, Kurenai is one of our best genjutsu users. Perhaps she would tutor Naruto in the basics of Genjutsu for a time. You said so yourself, that there are few in Konoha that match up to her skill in the art."
"That would be acceptable," Danzou approved with a nod. "She can tutor him once a week whenever she is in the village."
"What have you decided for the type of weapon he'll wield?" asked Sarutobi.
Danzou went silent for a moment, as if contemplating something. "Hashirama and Tobirama left me something that had been forged by the same blacksmith who crafted Hatake Sakumo's Chakra Blade. As you can imagine, such a relic is priceless, now more than ever since Kakashi shattered his father's sword- the only other known surviving relic."
Danzou then stood up from his chair reaching for the shield that was the centerpiece of his wall. It was surrounded by various commendations and weapons that the old shinobi had collected throughout the years. Sarutobi had always assumed that the shield was put into place to hide a safe, real or booby trapped- as cliché as that was, but had never had a strong enough urge to either look or inquire about it.
He wasn't surprised to not see anything behind the shield as many paranoid high level shinobi used genjutsu in combination with seals as security measures. However, he was surprised when Danzou placed the shield bearing Konoha's symbol on the desk almost reverently.
"When it was first given to me, I had thought only of its symbolism. That it was a metaphor for what I needed to be. As Hokage, you were the tip of the blade poised at our enemies and the voice of the people in your charge. So I took it as my duty to be the shield, defending the village from all threats that our words and weapons could not. I founded Ne on that principle," Danzou explained. "A good shield, however, doesn't just defend. It's also a weapon, one that can bludgeon with surprising force. And I used Ne for that purpose as well, secretly striking out at threats to our security and way of life, often preemptively with little provocation. Both the organization and I began to change beyond our original purpose; we had subverted it to fit our own ends."
Hiruzen remembered that time well. Though he'd seen the dark path his friend had followed, he hadn't wanted to believe it. He'd been appalled by some of the rumors he'd heard about Danzou's shadow organization and had been about to pull the plug when something had suddenly changed.
"What happened?" the Hokage asked, intrigued.
Danzou smirked. "All shinobi have secrets Saru. Even from their Kage and especially from their friends. Just let it be enough that I am loyal, despite our decades old disputes and disagreements."
"I trust you."
"You shouldn't."
"I know."
-M-2-J-M-2-J-
And last, but not least, an excerpt from a Vamp!Harry fic I've been toying around with for a while.
Chaos.
Pandemonium.
That's all the Fourth Year Slytherin girl saw around her as people scrambled to make sense of what was happening. The poor girl wasn't sure how it started; only that one moment she was enjoying a nice moment in Hogsmeade with her elder sister and the next she was sent tumbling as an explosion rocked the entire area. She shakily tried to lift herself off the ground, but she was knocked back down again by an unknown fleeing classmate.
As she began to stand up once more, she noticed a shadow looming over her.
"Hello morsel," said a mocking voice.
She gasped in surprise and jumped a bit, warily eying the person behind her. The man was tall and thin, with yellowish green eyes that looked almost predatory and short black hair that had been slicked back. What really had her taken aback, however, was when the man smiled she noticed two elongated fangs.
Vampire.
The girl paled considerably, knowing that her fate was looking rather grim. At best, she'd become a vampire, but more likely, if she read the near feral gleam in his eye correctly, she was going to be nothing more than nourishment- prey to be stalked, cattle to be slaughtered.
And that was only if she was lucky.
Otherwise she'd become a thrall, a mindless husk for the use of the beast's pleasure, whether it be sating it's hunger or slaking his lusts from her body.
She shivered at the thought in both mind numbing terror and revulsion.
"L-Leave me alone..." she stuttered frightfully.
"Why would I do that, morsel?"
"Because you wouldn't like the alternative," said a voice Astoria easily recognized. She shifted her gaze towards the speaker, it was a boy well known through out all of Hogwarts, Harry Potter, looking heroically defiant with his hair looking windswept and sticking up all over the place, his wand gripped tightly in his hand.
"The Boy Who Lived..." the vampire noted with an amused smirk. "You would stand between me and my meal?"
Harry pointed his wand at the beast who still had yet to release Astoria.
"I would," Harry replied in a steady tone, his eyes narrowed in anger. Astoria could almost feel the revoltion he had for the vampire. "It's one thing to feed from a willing host... Another to attack out of frenzied hunger... You're doing neither."
"And just what will yo do to stop me?" the vampire asked. "As you can see, the power of the sun holds no dominion over me and as a Child of the Night, I am the pinnacle of power. My reflexes, speed and strength greatly outmatch those of a human. Very few spells could harm me and those that could would harm the morsel as well."
"Then it's fortunate I won't have to cast any spells to defeat you," Harry replied, tossing his wand aside, shocking both Astoria and her vampiric captor. Harry then tensed as if he was going to charge the vampire and the girl and for a brief moment Astoria had thought that perhaps the Daily Prophet was right and that the Gryffindor Golden Boy HAD gone insane, until she noticed his glasses slipped down his nose slightly.
Gazing into his eyes, she noticed they were no longer green, but blood red.
Her would be consumer, noticed as well because the shock of Harry Potter's appearance caused his grip to slacken slightly.
Astoria blinked.
Suddenly she found her would be savior was standing next to her, his right fist extended. The vampire that had sought to make a meal out of her was several feet away, laying flat on his back.
She gazed at the Chosen One's face in astonishment and fought back a flinch when he turned his feral gaze towards her. His eyes were completely black, except for the irises which were now a deep crimson, and glowing.
"Run," he hissed at her. "You're not safe here..."
"Well, well... This is quite the surprise..." the other vampire noted as he stood up rubbing his jaw. "And such power..."
He then gazed up at the sun.
"Very interesting..." His gaze turned towards Harry inquiringly. "Enchanted lapis lazuli.? No... You are Nosferatu... Such power in your blood... I'm surprised I hadn't detected it sooner."
"What are you waiting for?" he snapped at her. His elongated fangs barred at her menacingly.
There was desperation in his voice- fear. But not of the creature he was about to face. It was directed at her, Astoria noted. 'But why?'
"Run."
It was then that it hit her like a freight train. He wasn't afraid of her, he was afraid for her. Thinking back on all she knew about vampires, which was admittedly not much, she knew that there would be potentially be plenty of collateral damage. There was also a huge possibility that neither she nor anyone else would safe even if Potter was victorious. If he used up a great deal of his power, as was likely, he would very likely fly into a blood frenzy, driven by pure instinct to seek sustenance to replenish his body- to seek blood.
A lot of blood.
She gulped in fear but did not move. It wasn't until she felt someone tugging at her arm did she finally start to move. She faced the person to thank them for helping her, expecting it to be her sister or one of her friends or fellow Slytherins. She was surprised when it was none of them, but Weasley, Potter's anti-Slytherin friend. With him was Granger and Longbottom.
"He'll be scary enough from far away, you don't want to be over there," Weasley told her.
"Why?" she asked confusedly. The three Gryffindors looked at her if she was crazy. Correctly interpreting their look, she clarified, "I mean, why are you helping me?"
"Because it's the right thing to do, because that's what Harry would want, because that's what Harry would do," Weasley answered. "Take your pick."