Welcome back, everybody, and here's Chapter 11 for you to read!

Chapter 11: Each Chosen Path

Friday, February 14, CCY 3381, Pre-Dawn

"Prepare yourself, Naruto. Today, we have come to the decision we shall be fighting you with our full power. As usual, you must use the minimum power you can to hold us off." Naruto gulped at Hagoromo's statement. He, Hagoromo, and Hamura were standing in the depths of the Aitken Basin, the Moon's largest crater. Ever since the incident a month ago that had caused a global uproar on Equus, the trio were forced to move halfway across the planetoid to its dark side, so as to not cause any more significant disturbances.

"Alright, allow us to begin." Hamura gave Naruto no time before he flared his Tenseigan and phased into existence behind the young teen, delivering a vicious double-fist to his head that sent Naruto into the ground. Naruto groaned as he got up and went to attack Hamura in retaliation, but Hagoromo moved in front of his brother and used the Deva Path to blast Naruto away as Hamura recovered.

Naruto quickly regained his bearings and flipped in midair, landing roughly on the ground as he dug his fingers in in an effort to arrest his backward motion. Right as he stopped though, Hamura came out of the ground and struck twenty-seven chakra points with the Gentle Fist stance before Naruto managed to jump away from him reflexively. The second he landed on the ground, though, he could feel his left leg was supporting most of his weight, which meant Hamura had struck a chakra point near his right thigh.

Naruto flexed his chakra to force the points open, and felt feeling return to the various areas that Hamura had struck. Unfortunately, he had been too preoccupied with that, and Hagoromo slammed the butt of his staff into the back of Naruto's head, sending him face-first into the ground. Before Naruto could recover, Hamura struck the chakra points that were more crucial, and Naruto found himself unable to move, his chakra now severely limited and his whole body in pain.

"Oww..."

Hamura chuckled as he unsealed Naruto's chakra points, and Hagoromo stepped next to him. Both had their respective Kekkei Mora active. "We didn't expect you to get very far at all in your first sparring match while we both had our Kekkei Mora active. Even Žiara would be hard-pressed to take us on like this with her current power. We are the only people from the clan on this world to have mastered the Rinnegan and Tenseigan."

"Though, you certainly did admirably for your first attempt, young Naruto. Most others would fail to even register our presence properly when we utilize our Kekkei Mora, yet you were still able to detect our presence, even if our speed, skill, and experience far outmatches your own." Hagoromo added as he helped Naruto up off the dusty ground.

"Well, thanks, senseis. I do try my best, but you thoroughly whipped me just now." Naruto chuckled at how badly he'd lost to the two once the Rinnegan and Tenseigan came into the equation.

"Well, we only wanted to see how far you've come. Battling us with our Kekkei Mora active gives us a good idea of where you are and what you need to work on. Had we done this anytime before, you would've lost in less than a second. You've come very far, Naruto, and I think we can both say we're proud of you." Hamura said as he used some of his chakra and manipulation to fix the craters the two had left while handing Naruto his ass. "In fact, I think you've earned the rest of the day off. Why don't you head down to Earth and enjoy yourself for a while? Is that agreeable with you, brother?"

Hagoromo contemplated his brother's offer for a moment, before turning to Naruto. "I see no reason why I should not allow it. Naruto, you may go."

"Thanks, senseis! When I get back tomorrow morning, I'll start training twice as hard to make up for missing today."

"Nonsense, Naruto. You've worked very hard as it is already, so enjoy your time off." The two waved Naruto goodbye as he jumped off the surface of the Moon, allowing gravity to pull him toward Earth.

Hagoromo turned to him. "You can sense it."

"Yes. After much contemplation, I'm convinced that this Moon also has this dimension's version of our mother trapped inside."

Twenty minutes later, Naruto landed with a heavy thud on the ground in the clearing the group had made camp in when they'd first arrived. As it turned out, Žiara was waiting for him when he landed on the ground, which was a coincidence, considering he'd planned on heading to Canterlot. Due to Žiara's link to the two brothers, she already knew that Naruto had been given time off. "So, Naruto-kun, what do you plan on doing with your spare time?"

Naruto chuckled. "Heh, honestly, I don't really feel like I need a break. I just want to keep training. Call me crazy, but it just feels like something's not right, and I feel I have to be prepared."

Žiara lightly chuckled, and Naruto could swear it sounded like an angel, if he knew what one sounded like. "Leave it to you to be singlemindedly devoted to your training. You and Minato-kun are very much alike in that regard."

Naruto chuckled as well. "Yeah, I've heard a lot of my natural talent and aptitude for these things comes from Dad. Though at this point, the only thing he's got me beat at is speed, for obvious reasons. And I never picked up the aptitude for fuinjutsu wither Mom or Dad have, so I'll just have to get fast on my own."

"Nothing wrong with that. Better you're able to work on your own power than with the assistance of another's, I always say. Though it doesn't hurt to have someone to lend you their power when you really need it." Žiara lightly remarked as Naruto took a seat on another fallen log, the weather cycle having rotted the old one into un-usability.

"Well, either way, You have to think about it like this. Training is basically my entire life now. I do have a few friends and I have one or two hobbies I partake in every now and then, but I'm not nineteen years old." Naruto held his hand up to stop Žiara's retort. "Yes, I may be nineteen physically, and I understand, but between the Realm of the Six Paths and Hagoromo-sensei's Tsukuyomi, I have literally trained as long as he's been around. Despite having trained under Hamura-sensei for the better part of two hundred years inside the Realm, I still don't feel I can trust him, even though I know I've nothing to fear from him, seeing as how he's Hagoromo-sensei's younger brother.

"And between Hagoromo-sensei and I, we came to a mutual, unspoken agreement a long time ago that our relationship is strictly professional, master-student. He has the skill, strength and experience to show me what I need to know and do in training to help control my newfound power, and in turn, I respect him for it, but there's nothing after that. We aren't friends or anything like that because it just doesn't work. Even before all this happened," Naruto said, gesturing around him to the world at large, "my whole life was little more than the blink of an eye to him. And I fully acknowledge that. I don't doubt that if he somehow still had a corporeal form when the Fourth Great Ninja War happened, he would have found a way to reverse Madara's Rinne Tensei, stopped Kaguya from coming back, and stopped Obito and the Ten-Tails before they could start.

Naruto rested his elbow on his left knee for a moment, leaning his chin into his hand. "Even before I started training with Hagoromo-sensei, I could tell he was more than he seemed on the surface. It's probably thanks to all the things Kurama and I had to go through before you guys brought us here, but it's like I can see into who he truly is. Under that calm, immutable expression and his expansive wisdom, I can feel this raging maelstrom of power waiting to be unleashed. I know I'm just coming into my own, but I can tell he far outclasses me even at my level right now. And keeping that power under lock and key, I can sense the will to endure. It's like he cast his own soul out of the reincarnation cycle because he feels he has to repent for some egregious sin in his past. My guess as to that is, from the stories he told me to show me I still have so much to learn, it's because he thinks he failed to stop Kaguya, his own mother, from falling into a pit of darkness that nearly resulted in the destruction of the planet.

"That's not the only reason that could have led him to become who he is, either. Maybe it was his having to kill his brother, though that did turn out for the best in the end thanks to Gamamaru-sama's foresight. Or maybe it was the grief of being unable to find a way to stop the sacrifical ritual to the old Shinju that ended up with Haori and many of his first friends dead. And don't get me wrong, those are all perfectly valid causes for his current demeanor and presence, but I think the true catalyst was watching his own two children tear down every ideal he'd worked so hard, for so long, to build in an effort to bring true peace, in their battling... and being unable to do anything about it other than offer cryptic advice thanks to the doctrines he himself set in place when he first spread the practice of Ninshu." Naruto looked up into the sky, heaving a long sigh.

He didn't notice Žiara's shellshocked expression, so caught up was he in his own musings. Žiara's mind was busy rapidly processing the one-sided conversation that had just been had. How did he just do that?! Hagoromo-kun keeps himself so well-guarded that even I only know that because I personally spoke with the man numerous times over the many centuries! It's like he found a book with horrible errors and over half the pages ripped out, corrected every single error, then figured out to a capital T what was written on every missing page without having seen any of them!

Žiara was snapped out of her shock by Naruto tapping her on the shoulder. "Well, that did take one severe swerve, but any chance we could head into the Realm and get some more training in?"

She chuckled. I guess I still have so much more to learn about you, Naruto Otsutsuki. She shook her head quickly to clear her mind of the stray thought and opened a portal to the physical aspect of the Realm. "Sure. Though sometime later we'll have to pay a visit to the realm of the Shinigami. I have an important favor to ask of him regarding your training." The portal closed behind the two of them after they walked in, leaving the clearing that had been the entry point into this dimension quiet once more, as a light breeze blew in from the direction of the treeline. Had the two stayed even ten seconds longer, though, they would have caught the distinct smell of fresh blood on the wind.

"And that is the situation. I understand your son has caused a bit of trouble, especially in sparring sessions in the Royal Guard barracks and courtyard, but I shall have them pardoned if you can find the pony who committed this grave atrocity." Celestia spoke with an authoritative voice from atop her throne in the castle main room. Minato, Hiruzen, and Jiraiya wore an almost perpetual frown on their faces upon receiving the grave news. Each had been pulled from the campus class they had just settled down to start by a Royal Guard member, and brought to the castle to address what appeared to be a murder-suicide in the White-Tail Woods.

Minato looked at the papers Lieutenant Armor handed him one more time, just to be sure he had all the straight facts. According to the Guard who'd logged the initial report, the victim was Desert Sunrise, an earth pony who'd been sent to the Woods to weed out a vampire bat infestation. He'd been well-liked among his various peers and was set to run in a campaign for the mayoral bid of the small town on the outskirts of the Woods he'd called home. That immediately ruled out any kind of coincidence. This had to have been planned in some way. The most likely theory was that whoever had sent the middle-aged man to the Woods had been a spy who'd already arranged the man's murder. And by picking someone so devoutly loyal to whatever cause that represented that they'd lay down their own lives to prevent betrayal to actually do the deed would likely also explain why the suspect, whose identity was currently unknown, had killed themselves in the aftermath.

Minato gave the copy of the papers he'd received from the Lieutenant to Jiraiya and Hiruzen to peruse as he turned to the Lieutenant. "Lieutenant Armor, do we have any print items at the castle archive that would reconcile possible political machinations being involved? I'd like to see some kind of recent news or events coming from this town, because it seems like this was done right in the middle of advertisements for a campaign the victim was planning on entering."

"We came to that conclusion too, but when we seized the town hall and the library to search for any records or news, we found both buildings devoid of any ponies or records of anything. They'd been swept clean. I have to believe whoever was there before was even taunting us, because the floors were shining like they'd just been cleaned."

"Did you check for evidence of any spells?"

Armor shook his head. "Nothing. We even brought in one of CUA's magical theory masters, and he couldn't find a trace of any magic having been used."

Minato sighed, twirling one of his bangs with his finger before putting his other hand to his chin, as if thinking. "Things like these can never be easy, can they? At least when I was Hokage, all I had to do was sit behind a desk and do a lot of paperwork, and occasionally go stop a threat that was capable of destroying the village." Minato sweatdropped upon seeing a wicked glint enter the Lieutenant's eyes. Oh crap. Maybe I shouldn't have said that out loud.

"You're thinking about how you shouldn't have said that out loud, aren't you?" Minato groaned loudly, slapping himself upside the head for being so stupid. His reaction allowed a brief moment of levity in the room as the others chuckled, before the atmosphere of the room returned to its serious nature.

"Either way, if that's the case, something has to explain how they could have disappeared without a trace, to the point none of your best men can find any tracks." Minato turned to Celestia while Jiraiya and Hiruzen did the same after handing the papers back to Armor.. "I cannot see any other way to resolve this issue than for the three of us to head out and investigate this ourselves. Will you grant us that request?"

Celestia chuckled, to which the three raised an eyebrow. What was funny? "I already informed you you'd be the ones to find out what's been occurring. I thought that would include the implication of free reign as long as it is necessary."

Minato chuckled at having missed something so obvious. "Ah, of course. In that case, we shall be on our way. Hopefully, we'll return in time bearing good news."

As the three turned to leave the throne room, Celestia called for their attention once more, as well as Armor's. "I have also tasked Captain Iron Will to assist you in your search. He awaits you at the train station on the bottom level of the city."

Minato paused as he heard that. He wasn't the only one, either. Jiraiya stepped forward to address her. "Princess, I have to inquire. Are you certain that's not a bad idea? Drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves will only make things harder and alert whoever is behind the scenes that we're aware of their existence."

"Which is precisely what I wish them to believe." Celestia cracked a small smile, but the group could tell this was one of triumph rather than contemplation.

Jiraiya was the first to begin putting pieces together. He smirked. "You want them to know we're on their tails. Especially considering we're virtually unknown factors, they'll more than likely-"

Minato finished Jiraiya's sentence as the two turned to each other. "-be in a hurry to cover whatever tracks they have, and in the process make rookie mistakes trained professionals would otherwise never commit, giving us a clear trail to follow." The two turned back to the Princess as Hiruzen smiled at their deductive reasoning.

"Exactly. If I had wanted the operation to be low-profile or undercover, I'd have the Royal Guard task a special agent exactly for the purpose. But I want them to know that they're dealing with things they don't yet understand. They will be more prone to be affected by anxiety and make mistakes they otherwise would not be caught dead making. Which will, no doubt, lead you right to them."

"In that case, we'll meet the Captain at the station, as you have planned."

Celestia nodded. "Though I did have to pull some strings to give the Captain the ability to join you. While you three are wild cards, Iron Will has a reputation in every corner of Equestria."

Armor turned to Celestia. "Princess, what do you mean by pulling strings?"

"On paper and in the eyes of the Guard, Iron Will is an outcast."

A sliver of fear entered Armor's heart a spilt-second before he pieced together Celestia's plan, and he smirked. "I see. You've done that to discredit his reputation on purpose, knowing any spies trying to track the group would be able to pick him out from a crowd of a thousand. This will, on the flipside, make them look for him exclusively, believing he's done something worthy of forcing him out-"

"-which will, in turn, draw any other unneeded attention away from Minato, Jiraiya and Hiruzen, allowing them to operate with impunity." Celestia finished for him.

"So I can assume, in order to fit the role, you stripped him of his armor as well and made his 'exile' a public event?"

"Well deduced, Acting Captain." Armor froze at that last bit.

"I'm sorry, I didn't copy your last. What?"

Celestia chuckled again as she lit her horn with its signature golden glow, and the set of Captains' armor floated out from behind her throne. "While Iron Will is away, I cannot leave the Guard without some form of leadership. And being the next highest-ranked officer in active service, you will be acting as Captain of the Royal Guard in his absence."

To say the Lieutenant- well, Acting Captain now- was shocked was a major understatement. Armor humbly accepted the Captains' ensemble. "Thank you for this great honor, Princess Celestia. I swear to uphold the ideals of the Guard and all of Equestria to the best of my ability."

Celestia nodded, a gentle smile on her face. "Of course, Shining Armor. I know you'll do very well." She looked back at the group preparing to depart the room. "If you three are ready, you may go whenever ready."

Minato nodded. "In that case, we'll be taking our leave now." The three turned as one and walked out of the throne room, leaving a content Princess and a humbled, thoroughly shocked Acting Captain in their wake.

"DAMMIT! Why can't I control my chakra?! What happened to my Magnet Style?!" Shukaku was throwing a fit from his meditating position deep inside the cave next to the group's original entry point. "This is so damn frustrating! AGGHHH!" He smashed his fist into the hard bedrock below him, creating a small web of cracks from the impact.

Isobu cracked a closed eye from his spot a few feet away and harshly stared at Shukaku. "If you cannot calm yourself, you will never be able to regain control of your chakra and your nature." He shut his eye and exhaled heavily after he finished, tuning out Shukaku's resulting rant.

The clash of kunai could be heard as Kokuo, Chomei and Kurama sparred with each other on top of the natural aquifer next to their makeshift hideout. Kokuo jumped back as she nimbly avoided Chomei's palm strike, allowing herself to sink below the water before coming back up on the other side, though she was flung back toward the cave wall, a result of blocking the kick Kurama sent her way immediatealy after she'd resurfaced.

Kurama then went to attack Chomei, throwing her kunai at the water in front of the dark blonde. As expected, Chomei jumped back slightly, but that was all Kurama needed, as she quickly Substituted with the kunai and struck Chomei in the leg, disrupting her chakra control and sending her into the water. Kurama breathed lightly as she wiped the sweat off her brow, while Kokuo and Chomei approached her again, doing the same.

"That was a pretty good match. Guess you won this time, though, huh, Kurama?" Chomei commented.

"Very good job indeed. I didn't even have time to do anything other than block, that was how fast your kick was this time. Your speed is definitely improving." Kokuo complimented.

"Thanks, you two. I think that makes us ninety-five to ninety-seven to ninety-four, right?" Both of them nodded to show their agreement. "Well, either way, that was a good match. You actually had me on defense for a brief moment at the beginning, which means you're getting better with your speed and attacks, too." The three stepped off the water, intent on returning to their daily meditation.

Son Goku and Saiken traded exaggerated, slowed blows as they practiced their adapted forms. "So what do you think about Naruto's progress so far?" Saiken asked as he returned from a strike to his initial stance.

"He's definitely gone far under Father, Uncle, and Žiara's training. I sparred against him a while ago and he actually beat me, which isn't an easy thing to do." Son said as he returned to his own initial stance, before deliberately extending his right leg in a low sweep.

"Agreed. You probably have the most flexible taijutsu out of all nine of us, and besting you in battle, even in a mock-up like a spar, is no easy feat, by any means." As the final stance was completed, the two men relaxed and stood up, stretching their limbs to get out any kinks. "Well, I suggest we grab a quick snack before we move on to our actual spar, what say you?"

"Sounds good. I could use a quick bite right now."

Matatabi and Gyuki sat against the far wall of the cave, watching the others. "I guess it's a good thing we both had jinchuriki who unlocked the full transformations, as it wasn't nearly as hard for us to rein in our chakra, huh?" Matatabi said as she looked at her long-time brother.

Gyuki nodded. "You're certainly not wrong there. Though I don't think it would do for us to sit here and relax just because we've once again mastered our chakra. What say we get in a little sparring practice ourselves?"

Matatabi nodded, scratching at her hair to get out some of the dirt before the two hopped up off the wall and headed for the lake that the three women had just finished using. "Sounds good to me. I need to stretch out the ol' muscles anyways. Just make sure you don't wreck the place like you did Kumo."

"We both know that was only the first time because I had just been betrayed by someone I thought I could trust and allowed myself to succumb to desires of revenge. You know I never actually wanted to harm them."

"Taa, taa, I'm just teasing."

Just over a year left, and then I'll have revenge on Celestia for casting me out! The world shall experience true night like never before! The woman known as Nightmare Moon echoed in her thoughts.

Of course, she wasn't alone in the slightest. An ancient being, even by her own standards, with a name as of yet unknown to her, spoke in a distinctly female voice. I thought we had concluded with this inane rambling.

It is not inane! I have been trapped here for shy of a thousand years because Celestia could not see that her ideologies were harming her subjects! And because no one appreciated the vast effort I expelled to create my sky!

For the fifteen thousandth time, the sky is not some material object to be passed over or claimed on a whim! I... The other voice trailed off as she felt, once again, the power which had reawakened her consciousness so many centuries ago. It was creeping closer to its own release, from what she was unsure, as her senses had been perpetually clouded ever since being trapped inside the Moon. I can still remember the day I awoke and felt this unimaginable power, threatening to destroy all of reality, possibly even the whole multiverse. To think whomever this power is contained within could even be stopped is inconceivable. That taught me the error of my ways and showed me violence was not the way. I couldn't be more grateful, but I also still feel terror when I try to examine this power. The other voice slowly faded away, leaving only silence.