No, we're not done with this yet! i guess I've just been on a roll with the others that I nearly left this in the dust! Nevertheless, it's time for a battle that no one asked for and really doesn't have any importance to the story at all, so please don't pay it any mind, okay? Anyway, here we go!
Super hero time!
Ex-aid: Looks like things are about to get physical with old friends!
Naruto: And that's a lot of bodies... the game's going to have to go up in rating.
Ex-aid: If Kamen Rider Chronicle is rated for everyone, then i think I'll be fine with a T.
Naruto: Well Super Sentai always was the more kid friendly choice... kinda.
E-a + N: Game start! Here we go!
"So, what are you guys' opinions then?"
"Well, it doesn't seem like it could be too hard… If we want to give a proper showing, we'll have to use the ranger forms and that means revealing them in front of the kages of different nations along with a good amount of genin, jonin and bodyguards…"
"I would appreciate it if we were allowed to use them Naruto. I fear that I may not be able to have enough training otherwise with the changing techniques."
Sat within the Gokai Galleon's main living room, Naruto glanced out of the window with thoughtful eyes, looking down upon the entirety of Konoha. It had been ridiculous when it had been first revealed that a giant red ship would be hovering over the village like a protective force, many people trying to find a way up and ninja using their skills to ascend but after the initial cannon fire, the majority had been rightfully scared away.
But somehow it took two more before everyone went away.
But with the letter resting lazily within his hand, Naruto peeled his gaze away from the window to where his crew had been debating their current issue, everyone but Haku seated with the ice mistress standing beside one of the pillars, ready to attack at any moment.
"You know Haku, I highly doubt that anyone other than us can actually get up here; you don't have to be so tense all of the time." The captain remarked, a light blush gracing the girl's cheeks before she visibly melted slightly.
"My apologies Captain, it is just… I've grown used to a hostile environment." She returned with a bow, Naruto's scoff and dismissive wave causing a tinge of confusion to enter her features.
"What did I say about titles?"
"Just call you Naruto, yes… I understand Captain."
"Goddamnit, you …"
"But back to the topic, we'll still have to do the Chunin Exams at one point, so why not get it over and done with right now?" Tenten interrupted, knowing full well what those fists would mean even if they were paired with a great smirk from the red captain. "Same with the ranger forms; they'll eventually have to come out and be revealed and during the exams would make sense; they contain enclosed encounters so it would be better than when we're trying to be stealthy. Wave wouldn't count because no one there was willing to betray our secrets too early."
The chunin exams, held to allow for the judgement of genin to see who would be promoted to the next level in their careers. It was now Konoha's turn to host them, the hosting village being constantly rotated to ensure that they were fair (or more realistically, so everyone would have the same chance to cheat) and that meant it would be easier for them to enter, not even having to go out of the village. Of course, they could've taken the Gokai Galleon there, but that wouldn't be the most friendly sign and walking for the chance to be refused the promotion also didn't sound so nice.
"Well there's no way we can miss such an excellent opportunity! We should take it and show the world the fruit of our labour!" Lee declared, his resolution clear in his every word, Hinata, though slightly more reserved, joining him with just as much enthusiasm.
"We should make it a spectacle if we are to reveal it and what better place to do it then a highly populated exam?" the indigo haired Hyuuga reasoned with a small smile. "I'm certain that my family would be watching these exams intently and that I will be made to enter even if I didn't want to, so if I could reveal all that I've been working for, I would be happy."
"Besides, Haku's clearly chunin material at least if she's able to stand at the side of a famous missing nin without any major losses." Tenten added before a smirk took over. "Well, before us at leas- Hey, icicles are not allowed!"
"My apologies, my hand must've slipped."
"Put those away now!"
With a sigh, Naruto stood from his plush seat, a single swipe having the ice formed senbon out of Haku's hands to her unspoken complaint, pulling the thrown ones from the walls with a grunt.
"Oh good, so you can repair the holes later. Is that some of her hair?" dropping the ice along with the brown strands stuck to them, Haku's all too happy smile seen in a different light by all there. Most likely red. With a lot of fire behind her. "So we're agreed that we're going to take the chunin exams then? Good, then we can get to work training. At least that way Haku can have an actual excuse to throw senbon at Tenten."
Thank you Captain."
"I thought you would be on my side!" the weapons master cried, Naruto's smirk sticking to him as he hummed, the door not too far away.
"Oh, I am on your side Tenten," Naruto clarified. "But what's a little bonding if you don't beat each other up every once in a while?"
"I must agree! Come my friends, we shall train like we have never done so before!" the exuberant second green beast of Konoha exclaimed, Hinata giving a surprised cry as he dragged her by the arm beside him, leaving only the two girls on the ship.
"Just know, you're going down." Tenten promised with a hiss, her malice returned in kind.
"I do believe that I have more experience in the battle field, so I highly doubt that." Haku countered, closed eyes and a serene smile hiding that promised pain.
"And yet you still got your ass handed to you by a bunch of genin."
"True, I must accept that defeat, but now I have access to the same powers as you? How long do you think it would take me to learn?"
Seconds later, the two were laughing as they left the living room. Girls, they're weird sometimes.
"So, we're all clear about the rules right? We're having one on one just like the last section of the exams before we can have three on two to represent the second section as well as possible." Naruto instructed, nods coming all in attendance. "Good. So should we just get the cat fight out of the way?"
"I'm happy to do that."
"I will acquiesce to your request."
"Haku, how many people do you think understand the word 'acquiesce'?"
"Okay, you two, stand to the sides with weapons at the ready!" Naruto stated, hand held high as Tenten and Haku stood at the edges of their loaned battleground, fingers itching towards the hilts of their weapons. "Okay, we begin in three! Two! One! G-!"
"Oh, are you going to spar?"
The group turned to where the voice came from, its annoying tones far too familiar. A sour look threatened to burst forth onto Naruto's face, but he was willing to hold it back if it meant not breaking too many bones. A few wouldn't be missed though…
"Ah, I see that you're doing well, Sakura, Sasuke." The captain greeted jovially, admittedly cheerful at the scowls they wore. "How may I help you today? As you can see, we're somewhat busy."
"Why don't you fight me instead? I'm certain I could give you a better fight than any of these." Sasuke offered, his surprising lack of venom almost taking the blonde back before his eyes narrowed, concentrated blue focusing on disinterested black.
"Is there anyone else who you could challenge? I'm sorry, but I'm here to train with my team." Naruto dismissed, his turned back allowing the enraged Uchiha to grab onto his shoulder, Naruto stone as Sasuke spoke.
"I'm afraid you didn't understand. I was trying to be polite; it wasn't a request." The boy growled, even more so when his hand was quickly flicked off of Naruto's shoulder.
"What, do you think you're better than Sasuke Naruto?" Sakura asked. "Do you not want to get your ass kicked by someone better than you!?"
"Oh my god, Sakura, just say quiet. We've got stuff to do." Tenten stated with a hand to her forehead, the pink haired girl squawking indignantly as she fumed.
"Hey, just because our team can be strong with only two people doesn't give you reason to be jealous about it!" Sakura screamed, Lee quickly rushing over to place his hands upon Tenten's clenched fist, her fingers reaching far too close to the trigger of her gun.
"Is that all you came for, to challenge me and mock my friends?" with a finger to his ear, both Sasuke and Sakura seethed at how similar his actions were to his previous teacher, the Uchiha thrusting out with a fist in a burst f instinct.
"Now now, that's no way to act Sasuke. You'd think I actually did something to you." Naruto jokingly scolded, his grip tightening around the fist. "I suppose I can't reject it now, can I? Oh well, looks like I'll have to take you up on your offer!"
"Fight e properly Naruto!" Sasuke roared, his leg rising up to meet Naruto's other hand, the returning kick entering an unwanted area as he pushed Sasuke into a tree, a second punch driving him into the wood with a great cough.
"Sasuke!" Sakura rushed up to the boys, only to be blocked by both Haku and Hinata, struggling against the furious fangirl as she shrieked. "Get out of my way! Naruto's going too far!"
"Going too far!? Do you not remember that it was mere seconds before when that boy lashed out at him when he though Captain was not aware?" Haku asked incredulously, the toxic stare turning down onto her from Sakura.
"Who the hell are you? I don't remember seeing you around before. Probably some nobody who took pity on Naruto and joined him." The heated atmosphere instantly cooled to freezing as clouds came out of Sakura's mouth, her breath sitting heavy in her lungs.
"I ask you not to take such a tone with me. Your body is seventy five percent water and it's all at the mercy of my jutsu. Tell me, have you ever wondered how much your body would expand if all of it were to be frozen in a second?" her hushed tones were made all the more frightening by the two senbon held close to Sakura's neck, the tips leaving frost upon tender skin. "Just watch and be quiet; your skin is far too soft to have been forged in labour, so who would I be to assume you put any effort in whatsoever?"
A trio of senbon were thrown, only to collide with wood as Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, the kick to Sasuke's back showing just where he went. With a flip, the boy pushed off one of the trees to force his punch even further, but with a simple step to the side, the jinchuuriki was out of the way, giving a small tut even as the Uchiha corrected himself in a crouched position.
"Honestly was expecting more from you Sasuke. With what's to come, a performance like that's not going to help you succeed; it's not going to let you appear anything more than a laughing stock." Naruto warned with a condescending shake of his head, full aware of the growing anger in the Uchiha. If he was going to survive the exams, he would have to learn to reign in his emotions in combat. To feel them while fighting was fine, that was just having a motivator, but to let them control your every move was to become a predictable puppet that your opponents could easily read.
"I don't need those words from a failure like you!" Sasuke's roar was paired with multiple hand signs, a fireball following a great inhale as with widened eyes, Naruto followed with his own.
"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!"
"Suiton: Uo Tsuba no jutsu!"
The fireball was met by a stream of water, both attacks dissipating without a moment's hesitation as Naruto burst through the scolding steam without a single grunt, his fist meeting Sasuke's as with a push forward, their arms were locked in a deadlock.
"Tell me the truth Sasuke, why did you challenge me today? Was it to feel the joy of beating someone weaker than you? Is this some form of stress relief to you?" the captain questioned in all seriousness despite his previously playful demeanour. After all, it was a reasonable excuse – many combatants who had delved into the sea of battle could say that there was a tiny bit of pleasure that came with coming on top, even if it mostly was born of adrenaline.
"When did you learn these techniques? You struggled with the Bunshin jutsu, how on earth did you master anything else when you couldn't do something so easy?" Sasuke asked in reply, a scoff coming from Naruto.
"Did I not tell you before? So much chakra meant I needed another way, the shadow clone way." He clarified, fingers close enough together to form the symbol as two other Naruto's latched onto Sasuke's arms, allowing the red pirate to back up as the Uchiha struggled.
"But who would want to teach you those techniques!? How can someone like you know that which I don't!?" Sasuke demanded, his movements futile but still as fierce; there was no way he could escape multiple people whose sole purpose was to keep him held in place. "Everyone saw how much of a Dobe you were, how could you convince anyone to teach you?"
"That's the issue now isn't it? Who would be willing to teach the Dobe of the class?" Naruto repeated, his pacing being the only other sound other than Sakura's cries. "But that's the thing, there are those who can see through a stupid school title Sasuke. There are people who believe that those who struggle, especially if they struggle through no fault of their own, should be able to get help. If it just so happens that the help is taken in at a good pace and they're willing to teach you more, then so be it. Does that satiate you?"
Well, the log standing in Sasuke's place certainly didn't give that impression, nor did the fist that impacted the back of Naruto's head, sending the boy crashing to the floor as an smirking Sasuke stood victoriously over his body.
"Don't try and mess with me Dobe, you are the dead last and that will be how you remain." The Uchiha stated until the fallen body fell in a burst of smoke, Naruto's laughter echoing in the forest.
"Hey Lee, I guess I owe you that money."
"I trust you to hold your end of the deal then! There was no way he wouldn't fall for the shadow clone to shadow clone trick!"
Turning wouldn't be quick enough for Sasuke to avoid the double punch that collided with his stomach, followed by a flurry of attacks that had him blissfully unconscious at the foot of a tree, Sakura finally released from her prison so she could rush over to her beloved.
"How could you do this to Sasuke Naruto!?" she squealed, Naruto's hands to his ears this time done in pain rather than humour.
"Oh god, I think one day, you're going to end up damaging my ears. If that ever does end up happening, then I'm asking for compensation." Naruto casually remarked, a single hand preventing the pinkette from speaking up. "Just take him out of here. You still need to get prepared for the chunin exams; if I know Kakashi, he probably hasn't even told you about them yet in case you still aren't prepared and from the looks of things, you aren't."
"Want on earth are you talking about?" Sakura asked, but shoving the limp body into the girls hands, Naruto was already pushing her away from the forest.
"Go search for Kakashi, he'll probably tell you if he feels like it, now goodbye!" with the interruptions gone, Naruto gave a deep sigh as she slumped against another tree, his position mirroring that of Sasuke's.
"What's got you down Naruto? They're gone now and they probably won't bother us for a bit." Hinata asked as she gently took a seat on the grass beside him the other pirates following her example.
"I don't see how those two are still like that." Naruto explained with a sad chuckle. "You'd think that being in the ninja corps would show them that life isn't all about petty crushes and beliefs, but it's like they never even actually left the academy. It's almost making me pity them a bit and I don't like that feeling."
"Well, it's not like you're responsible for them, let them be stupid." Tenten dismissed with an exhale, the girl rather saddened by the lack of battle. Of course, the two weren't really well acquainted, but it still would be nice to fight so they could see how good they were. "There'll be a time where they'll be shown how stupid they've been and then they won't mess around anymore."
"It's more the fact that I'm somewhat frightened that they'll end up getting themselves killed through some stupid act before they reach that stage which is scaring me." Naruto clarified. "Even if they're spiteful arrogant little… yeah, they're still classmates and ninja of Konoha. I guess it would be needless to continue hating on them, but they keep riling me up."
"All I can say is focus on yourself." Hinata interrupted. "They've got their own teachers to keep them at bay and safe, so you just need to keep yourself strong for yourself."
"And don't forget you lot as well. I need to keep tall to make sure we get along at maximum efficiency, especially seeing as we've had a recent addition!" Naruto agreed before a hand went to his chin. "Now who is it this time? Beat five?"
Anchors Aweigh! So, does that seem wore than the others? i fear that having not written then recently has caused my writing to deteriorate when it comes to this story and it wasn't exactly that good in the first place, considering that this is my second story. When next time comes around eventually, it's time for the arrival of new people to the fray; how will the crew react when they meet these new arrivals? Will they find magical number six to fill the yellow place?