Ninja In Arcadia

by Mumei Mu

There is a new kid on the block...And he can do crazy ninja-like stuff! Jim really can't believe his eyes when he watch the new kid hopping around the goblins while making clones of himself, it's good thing he's a trollhunter or he'll have to check himself into a funny farm. "Awesome-sauce!" Toby grinned up to Jim, "Naruto is a freckin' ninja! What's next? Alien? That'll be cool!"

6. Just All Normal Here In Arcadia

Thank you for the reviews and feedbacks.

Some questions won't be answered to avoid the spoilers and if I miss some questions, sorry!

Most characters might be OOC and there might be some grammar errors but I'm trying my best.

Enjoy the fifth chapter of NIA!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and Tales of Arcadia or anything mentioned in this story.

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Chapter 5: Just All Normal Here In Arcadia

---

It have been almost two weeks after the Eternal Night battle and Arcadia was slowly return to normal with some changes. Eli was listening to a radio in his room until he hear a thud and he turn to the window, approaching it nervously. He yelp out when Toby suddenly appear as he shove the phone up in his face. "A thousand texts!" Toby glared annoyingly, "You sent me, like, a thousand texts!"

"That's a thousand less than me." Both boys looked outside to see Steve climbing up the roof with a grumble, "Eli, I told you that I'll be gone camping with coach and mom for a week! You just blew my phone up!"

"I forget!" Eli muttered as they get inside his room, "I tried to call Naruto but he wasn't answering my calls. I have to tell someone."

"What, that your voice dropped." The chubby teenager muttered, "I'm still waiting for mine to do that." He looked around, "Why is it so dark in here?"

"He always keeps it dark." Steve replied, "Something about setting mood…"

"Focus, guys!" The outcast shook them by their shoulders.

"Okay, okay!" Toby held his hands up, "Tell us what?"

"Something that's gonna rock your world." Eli shined a flashlight under his face, "Things in this town are not what they seem."

"Really?" The chubby teenager said sarcastically as he tapped his chin, "Was the huge ray of light shooting up from the canals your first clue?"

"We all already know about the things that go bump at night." The jock raised his eyebrow at his friend with crossed arms.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg." The outcast walk up to his large UFO poster then pull it down to reveal…

"Oh, not the corkboard." Steve smacked his forehead with a groan. It was a corkboard with a lot of strings on map, connecting to pictures and some papers.

"Wow, dude, you've gotta get out more." Toby gets a close look at it.

"I've been putting the pieces together for months." Eli shined the flashlight on the board.

"Trolls, sure." The chubby teenager shrugged, "Wizards? Hmm, I've met a couple." He blinked at the third big label, "Wait. Aliens?" He turned to the outcast, "So you think there are, what, aliens in Arcadia?"

"And more." The outcast pulled a picture out with a flick, "People aren't who they seem, guys. Look." He placed a picture of Tarron siblings in their true form next to their human forms.

"Okay, I get it!" Toby leaned together with Steve, "You think Aja and Krel are aliens?"

"Like alien-aliens?" Steve blinked.

"Aja and Krel are aliens!" Eli repeated, "And if I've learned anything after six seasons of Earth Invaders, they're not here to make friends." He turned the light on, "I'm going to need you and your war hammer. We're gonna set traps all around Arcadia. We'll use my phone to notify us. I just downloaded an app called 'Trap My Friends'/"

"Hold on!" The chubby teenager lift his index finger up, "Traps? You're not planning on killing them?"

"No, no." The outcast waved it off, "My traps are inescapable but very humane. Or should I say…Alien-ane?"

"Yeah, you really shouldn't." Toby replied with a awkward pause.

"We'll use candy as bait, just like in Earth Invaders." Eli lift the case's lid up before he take a candy bar out, "Aliens can't resist Nougat Nummies."

"That's true." The chubby teenager agreed with lifting index finger, "No sentient being can resist the crunchy, chocolatey goodness of a Nougat Nummy." He slowly reach out to the bar with watering mouth.

"Stay focused." The outcast moved the candy bar away from him, "The fate of Arcadia rests in our hands. We're gonna catch those aliens."

"Hey, if it's true…" Steve turned to them, "Who's going to tell Naruto his girlfriend's an alien?" They stare at each other with different reactions. "…And why don't Naruto answer his phone?"

"Oh, he's perhaps busy with his baby sister." Toby replied, causing both unlikely friends to blink rapidly at him.

---

"H-Hey, stop moving!" Naruto tried to put a yellow footie onesies on Mei as she kept make it difficult for him by flailing her limbs around with giggle, "Mei, come on…" He yelp when she manages to get hold of his hair with a yank, "And…" He buttoned her up, "There!" He lift his baby sister up with a heavy sigh as she giggled down at him, "Was I this rowdy like that when I was your age?" The blonde wonder if it's his mother's revenge for everything he put her through the whole life? The time is too perfect. He carry his new sister to the living room as Vendel flicking through some channels with remote clicker, "Gramps, she's all yours now." Naruto hand the baby over to the elder troll.

"Ah, little Mei, are you ready to spend a day with gramps?" Vendel smiled down to the giggling baby as he cradle her before he look up to Naruto, "Have fun, my boy."

"I will, gramps." The grinning blonde wave to his grandpa figure and sister as he leave the house, "Mm, I wonder how many pranks I can make in one day…" His phone vibrate as he pull it out, "I swear if it's Eli…" He pause to see a text from his girlfriend, "Alright!" He read the text with a wide grin.

---

Naruto hide behind a tree at night on a scooter that he recently won through a scooter dealership's lottery and he watch Zadra run off in another direction to chase something before Aja sneak out quietly. He flash the scooter's light to get the pale girl's attention and she run toward him with some kind of item in her hand. "Hey, my cute badass girlfriend." Naruto grinned flirty at her, "I miss you so much that I want to kiss you many time and hold you and never let you go."

"Stop!" Aja replied playfully as they chuckled together, "Do you want me to get caught?"

"Maaaaybe." He singsong, "It'll be very thrilling to have someone chase us while we run away for our happy ending."

"Seeing as this is a stealth mission, not really." She gave him the item with a lopsided grin, "Here, hold this."

"What's that?" Naruto asked as his girlfriend put her helmet on.

"Core scanner." Aja wrapped her arms around his stomach.

"Where to?" He start the engine.

"To find an old friend." She replied and they took off.

---

"This is where Varatos crashed." Aja said as soon as they reach their destination before she check her beeping detector, "No cores detected." She shook her head sadly, "But he's gotta be out there somewhere." She return to the scooter with a mutter, "I'll find you, Varvatos."

"Do you want me to leave some clones behind to look around?" Naruto asked.

"No, thank you." She replied with a small smile before they take off once again.

---

They ride around in the city and Aja look at her beeping phone before she perk up. "It's a core!" She said, "It might be Varvatos! Go back!" Naruto pull a U-turn and they ride down the road until Krel suddenly appear in front of them on a hoverboard before they hit each other, the couple quickly land on their feet as the scooter skid across the pavement. For Krel? He land flat on his back hard.

"Ah, kleb!" Krel winced in pain.

"Krel?" Aja took her helmet off as the couple ran over to the groaning Latino boy, "You snuck out of the house?"

"Honestly, Aja, it's not that hard." The Latino boy get up with some groans, "I just copied you."

"Like sister, like brother, huh?" Naruto scratched his head.

"I see." Krel snatched the phone from Aja to look at the screen, "Looking for the traitor?"

"What are you…" The pale girl glared at him with arched brow, "Are you following me?"

"Yes!" The Latino boy huffed, "Because you know who's in trouble?"

"You?" The ninja stared at him, "Because your sister is gonna kick your ass."

"Oh, I am so gonna kick his ass." Aja glared at her brother with fists on her hip.

"No, our entire planet!" Krel threw his arms open, "We need to focus on contacting the Resistance and getting back to Akiridion."

"Varvatos saved our lives." She retorted, "He stopped Omen from taking Mama and Papa!"

"Enough!" The Latino boy held his right hand out to her face with a huff as his eyes and hands glowing blue, "As the human girls say, speak to my fingers."

"Kleb!" Aja lift her hand up to see that it's also glowing blue, "Our transductions are fading."

"Good!" Krel stomped, "Then we have to go home."

"Let me give you two a li…" Naruto said until they hear a loud growling.

"Did you hear that?" The Latino boy gasped.

"Must be some animals." The ninja looked at them.

"Raccoons!" Krel snapped his fingers, "Right." They reach the crosswalk and a certain different trio run up to them.

"Naruto!" Eli hollered.

"Oh, hey." Naruto greeted before he suddenly get tackle down by the outcast and both Steve and Toby jump on them in a pile. "What the hell? "

"You're safe now, bro!" Steve spoke.

"Safe from what?!" The ninja pushed Eli's hand off his face.

"Naruto!" Aja said worriedly.

"Stay away from our friend, you darn, dirty aliens!" The outcast quickly stood in front of Tarron siblings with wide arms.

"What?" Krel hide his hands behind his back as his sister follow suit, "We're not dirty."

"And we're definitely not aliens!" The pale girl swayed her index finger at him before their disguise drop in a bright blue light, revealing their true forms to the boys. "…Okay, yes, we're aliens." Her shoulders slumped.

"There really are aliens in Arcadia!" Toby pointed at them before he faint.

"For Arcadia!" Eli shouted and Steve ball his fists up.

"Whoa, whoa, stop!" Naruto get in between them as he held the outcast's head back at arm length, "They're good! And don't call them aliens, it's offensive! They're Akiridions." Krel roll his eyes when he notice that his sister was swooning over Naruto for his action.

"Naruto, you know?" The outcast blinked.

"…You know?" Steve uttered dumbly.

"…He know?" Toby groaned weakly on ground.

"Yeah, I know." The ninja replied.

"And you didn't tell us?" Eli muttered.

"Because…" Naruto said before they hear some hard clank in distance and they look around for the source.

"Incoming!" Krel pointed with both of his left hands as some kind of giant weapon spinning toward them before they duck under it and it knock a lightpost out of its placement.

"What was that?" The chubby teenager asked as they get up, their eyes following the spinning weapon until a giant metal figure with glowing fiery color catch it.

"Hand over the royal cores before I break your bones!" The metal creature barked.

"Run!" The Akiridion prince cried and the group ran.

"Take some of this!" The creature hurled the metal hammer at them with a spin and the teenager jump out to avoid it. "Running will only make your death more fun."

"Who the heck is this guy?" Toby asked.

"No idea!" Aja hollered.

"How do you not know him?" The chubby teenager asked.

"All aliens know each other!" Eli cried.

"Wow!" Naruto said.

"That is completely offensive, and complimentary, that you think we would know all fifty trillion life-forms in the universe." Krel pushed the chubby teenager into the alleyway with everyone else.

"Fifty trillion?!" The outcast's eyes widened in shock before the prince drag him in, narrowly dodge the creature's spinning hammer.

"Oh, my gosh!" Toby panted as everyone kept ran, "Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! I thought my running days were over!" The metal creature land near them with a hard crash.

"I will crush you!" The creature threw the hammer at them and Aja defect it with her serrator in shield mode. The weapon hit hydrant and the water shot up onto the creature, causing it to stumble back with a shout.

"Bath time!" Toby cheered.

"Great!" Naruto quickly perform handseal, "Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!" The water from hydrant expand violently to form an giant dragon and it clash into the screaming creature to some teenagers' amazement.

"Whooooooa!" The chubby teenager bounced, "Awesome-sauce!" He pulled his warhammer out, "We got this! You know what time it is?"

"It's hammer time!" The creature yelled angrily.

"Hey, that was my line!" Toby gasped.

"Quick, behind Stuart Electronics!" Aja led everyone to the said building.

"Alright, guys, let's show him who…" The chubby teenager looked around, "Guys? Guys? Oh, n…Whoa!" Naruto quickly grab him from behind then drag him to the group away from the creature. "I hate this shortcut!" He said as they go through the narrow alleyway and the creature try to follow them but he was too big to fit in.

"Hammer in your face!" The creature launch the weapon at them through the alleyway and Aja defect it up in air, causing the creature to fetch it. "You cannot escape Magma-Tron!" The creature return with its weapon, "You…" It stare at empty space, "…Oh."

---

In the forest, the group reach a certain spot and Toby utter in shock and awe of a spaceship. "Wha…" The chubby teenager stared, "There's a spaceship growing out of your house? You have a space-house?"

Aja shush him as they ran back to the spaceship, "That bounty hunter could have followed us."

"Also our 'spaceship' prefers to be called Mother." Krel added.

"Let's hope she knows how to stop whatever that life-form was." The Akiridion princess said before they get inside the house, "Hello?" The Tarron siblings looked around, "Coast is clear. No bounty hunter."

"Even better, Zadra doesn't know we're back." The Akiridion prince grinned and they bring the group into a cockpit within the spaceship.

"Whoa!" Toby uttered again at the floating chairs and rising holographic cylinders.

"So cool, so cool!" Eli squealed as Steve look around in awe before the boys ran to examine everything, "So cool, so cool, so cool!"

"I remember my first time in here." Naruto chuckled at their reactions, "This one is way better than Brotherhood's spaceship if you ask me."

"…You have been on another spaceship?!" The chubby teenager dropped his jaw, "When?! Why don't you tell us about that?"

"Um, that was the day that Jim turned into troll." The ninja recall the day as he tapped his chin, "And why I don't tell you guys about that is because I promise Aja I won't tell anyone their secret."

"Which he kept." Aja wrapped her arms around his arm with a bright smile, "Sorry about that, Toby."

"Oh, that's fine!" Toby waved it off before a holographic screen pop up when Eli push some buttons, "Awesome-sauce! This is so cool!"

"Dude, please tell me they have space gun or any cool toys we can try with!" Steve turned to the ninja, "…Wait, is there a lightsaber?" His eyes lit up at the imagination of him wielding a lightsaber.

"Oh." Toby push a random button.

"Self-destruct activated." A mechanical voice spoke, "You will all die in five sectons."

"Oh, no!" The chubby teenager panicked as he pushed some buttons before Krel calmly push him aside and he deactivated the self-destruct mode with few taps. The boys, minus Naruto, release their baited breathes.

"I can manually access Mother's database here." Krel typed on the holographic keyboard, "Just takes a couple sectons to unlock."

"Log." Mother's voice spoke, "Pulling up Commander Vex's logs."

"No, not logs." The Akiridion prince huffed annoyingly before a screen pop up to show Vex.

"Delson one." Vex sighed with fists on his hip, "Commander Vex reporting. Or should Varvatos say Nanny Vex?"

"Mother, get him off the screen!" Krel shouted.

"Next screen."

"No!" The Akiridion prince shook his fists furiously as the recording change.

"Delson seventeen." Vex dusted the house in apron with a dreamily look, "Varvatos met Nancy Domzalski…"

"My nana?!" Toby dropped his jaw with widened eyes.

"She captured my rook, my queen, and my core." The giant alien swooned with fist on his chest, "She is how the hoomans would say, 'hot'."

"Hot?" The chubby teenager swiftly roll the chair up to the panes with flailing arms, "Ew! No, no, no! She's not hot, she's nana!" The video change to show Vex training, "Oh, man, he's a really good fighter."

"Who is that?" Eli asked.

"Nobody." Krel crossed his arms with scowl, turning it off with a push.

"It's a long story." Aja sighed sadly and Naruto place hand on her shoulder, earning a gentle grateful smile from her. Her brother glance at them from the corner of his eyes before he turn back to the motherboard. "Mother, any information on a bounty hunter with a giant hammer-thing?"

"Searching, searching, searching, searching…" Mother repeated.

"She's still rebooting." The Akiridion prince sighed with hand on his shaking head.

"Your order for red boots has been shipped and will arrive in two to five business delsons."

"No!" Krel tapped the board and the screen pop up.

"Bounty hunter identified." Mother said, "Magma-Tron hails from the planet Cindor. Cindorites are an almost indestructible, violent race of mechanized beings known for their wanton disregard for life. They are prone to quips, ruthless cruelty, and what humans refer to as trash talking."

"Mother, any information on how to defeat this guy?" The Akiridion princess asked.

"Searching my database." The screen zoom in on files, "The only known weakness is…" The voice become distorting, "Wa…Wa…Wa…System rebooting."

"This is going to take forever!" Aja threw her arms out with a huff and they hear Eli's phone chiming, causing everyone turn their heads to the outcast.

"One of the alien traps went off!" Eli gasped happily as he checked his phone, "It caught something in the sewers!"

"It could be Magma-Tron!" Krel guessed before his head whipped back to Eli, "Wait! Were you trying to trap us?"

"Yeah, but only because someone never told us you guys were cool." The outcast stared at Naruto before Steve took his phone, spinning the chair. "STEVE!" The jock toss Eli's phone to the Akiridions.

"We must stop Magma-Tron before he hurts someone." The Akiridion girl examined the phone.

"Or us." The Akiridion boy muttered nervously.

"Still happy Ve is gone?" Aja glared before she hold the phone out to the outcast, "Eli the Pepperjack, take us to the sewers.

---

The group follow Eli through the system of sewers and they didn't stop when Steve accidently bump into the metal pipe with his head, which was lucky covered with a helmet. "The trap is just around this corner." Eli turned to the group.

"We'll take it from here." Aja replied, activate the sword mode of her serrator together with Krel.

"Not without me." Naruto stretched his arm out, "I'm coming too." Toby expand his warhammer with a nod and the Akiridion girl give them a countdown. As soon as she reach zero, they ran out with a battle cry, only to pause at the sight of Zadra in a net as she try to reach the candy bar on ground.

"…Zadra?" The Akiridion girl lower her weapon with a blink, "What are you doing here?"

"You know her?" Toby wobbled closer with the team.

"None of my battlefield training prepared me for the temptations of these delicious confections." Zadra devoured the candy bar then toss empty wrapper away.

"Yeah!" Eli cheered, "The Nougat Nummies, they worked!"

"I ordered you not to leave the ship for your own protection." The Akiridion woman attempt to reach for another candy bar on ground again.

"Is there some cheat sheet we could get?" The chubby teenager asked, "Like, how do we tell who's a good alien or a bad alien?"

"Don't we just covered that?" Naruto looked at his friend, "Don't say A word…" The clanking sound reach their ears and they barely dodge the spinning hammer weapon as it fly past them via the tunnels.

"Coming back!" Toby warned as they lift their heads up, narrowly avoid the spinning weapon as it boomeranged to Magma-Tron that appear from a tunnel.

"Give you your cores, Tarrons, before I rip them from your bodies." Magma-Tron stomped toward them.

"That is clearly a bad alien." Eli gulped.

"A Cindorite?" Zadra looked to the royal teenagers, "My royals, run!"

"With Varvatos Vex off-planet, no one can save you now." The Cindorite stomped toward them with his hammer up.

"Off-planet?" Aja caught it as she bring her sword up, "You know where Varvatos is. Where is he?"

"Not here to protect you." Magma-Tron taunted.

"We don't need that traitor to protect us." Krel spun his sword then point it to the creature as Naruto make some handseals and Toby suddenly race toward the creature with a roar before the chubby teenager smash it on Magma-Tron's top with a long clang.

"Eeh, everything hurts." Toby bounced off with rattling armor and he look up to the uninjured Cindorite.

"Say good-bye to your teeth." The Cindorite swung his weapon upward with a spin of its torso, sending the grunting chubby teenager skidding toward the group on his back.

"Toby!" Aja and Krel looked down to the groaning teenager.

"A little rusty since Jimbo left, huh?" The chubby teenager muttered.

"Get me down, now!" Zadra grabbed Eli by his collar.

"You cannot outrun my wra…" Magma-Tron gloated before a whip of water slash across its torso, courtesy of Naruto, and the creature cried out in pain.

"Naruto, what do you do?" Aja looked at her boyfriend in surprise.

"Easy, I use Suiton jutsu." Naruto smirked, "After all, his weakness is water." The group blinked at him as he stare back at them with his own blinks, "What? We all saw how he freak out when hydrant hit him with water. Let's not forget that Mother was going to say water when it keep saying Wa, wa, wa over and over."

"…He's right!" Krel gasped before he narrowly dodge the angry Cindorite's smashing hammer and Aja try to slash the creature, only to backflip away from the creature's wild swing. The creature lift its weapon up in air to slam it again but couple water bullets from Naruto hit Magna-Tron, halt his attack and the screaming Cindorite stumble backward. In middle of that, Aja cut the giant hammer in half.

"You've seen Varvatos." Aja glared, "Where is he?" The cindorite just laughed and the creature hold its arms out to attract the now-two hammers, starting bashing away with more laughters.

"He's on Earth's moon, rotting away in some prison cell!" Magma-Tron decided to humor her since he have them on the rope and will tear their cores out.

"He was taken?" Krel's eyes widened, jumped away from the creature's slamming hammer.

"By whom?!" The Akiridion girl demanded.

"Zeron Alpha." The Cindorite replied as it twirl the weapon up in air, "Commander Vex is heading home to Akiridion-Five for his execution. You'll be reunited with Varvatos in death!"

"We need a large source of water!" The ninja hollered as Akiridions jump away from the crazed hunter and its tossed weapons, it don't look like a small to medium-scale water jutsu can take Magma-Tron down, despite how effective they are.

"Grab the hammers!" Zadra barked out, grabbing the first hammer with Eli and Steve while the Akiridion siblings grab another hammer in some kind of tug-of-war as the creature tried to receive the weapons back.

"Naruto, I get you!" Toby realized there is a huge water source above the creature after seeing some water drip. "Get ready!" He ran then jump high up with help of his warhammer's ability and he hurl the hammer to break a large metal pipe, the water shot out. Naruto complete the final handseal of his jutsu and the waters bend and twisting around the Cindorite, forming a giant whirlpool as the creature screamed in agony.

"No, no!" Magma-Tron wailed and both groups release the hammers under Aja's command. The hammers flew into the Cindorite's body from both sides and Magma-Tron exploded with one last roar, melt down within its magma.

"That was awesome-sauce!" The chubby teenager gave Naruto a high-five.

"I'll say." Naruto chuckled, "I'm so glad that it don't end in one hit like always."

"Sorry, we snuck out." Krel muttered to Zadra, "And were nearly killed." He paused for a moment, "Again. You were right."

"You were right as well." Zadra replied softly, "If you hadn't left the ship, I might have been killed. And I see now there aren't just enemies out there." She glanced to the humans, "These humans can be our allies, our friends."

"This is pretty nice." Krel lift a heavy hammer up with some strains, "Has a lightweight thruster. I can put this to good use." Aja lift the second hammer up with a nod.

---

"Well, that's one creative way to put them to use." Naruto commented as he watch Krel and Toby moving the Akiridion's ship back to its original place with Stuart's help of his truck and he chuckle when Aja direct it with waving of the serrators. Steve and Eli lower the house as they carefully remove the hammers.

"Move to the left." Krel commented.

"You're not helping!" Aja rolled her eyes and her boyfriend chuckle again as the house touch down before they start to clean up the damages around it, which take few hours.

"I'm going home to check on Mei and gramps, want me to stick around for a bit?" Naruto asked her.

"Who's Mei?" The Akiridion girl turned to him with a curious blink.

"Oh, right, I don't tell you." The ninja scratched his head with a sheepish chuckle, "Mei's my new baby sister. My kaa-san suddenly adopted her then shove her on me right before she leave to escort the trolls on a journey."

"Oh, a baby sister?" Aja looked happy for him, "Lively!" She gave him a quick hug then shoo him, "Go and check on her."

"I will, I will." Naruto waved good-bye to her with a chuckle then wave to everyone as he leave to go home.

---

Few days later, the blonde put Mei in a baby carrier, which is fastened around his chest as she face forward. "Alright, Mei, let's get you some fresh air and introduce you to some people." He patted her head and the baby bounce with waving arms and cooing as he pick baby bag up. Naruto leave the house after saying bye to Vendel and Pixie, the latter annoying the hell out of the former to her amusement and his annoyance.

---

"That's it, I've finished the internet." Mary sipped her juice as the teenagers gather at the poolside of Tarron's house, "There's nothing left to see. I'm so bored. This summer isn't crispy at all."

"There's nothing to do, it almost makes me miss school." Darci held hand with Toby.

"That's crazy-town talk, Darc." Toby replied.

"We could go see a movie." Steve said, "Ooh, Gun Robot Versus Laser Ninjas!" Luug jumped on his laps.

"Seen it." The black girl rejected the suggestion, "Needed more ninjas."

"Yup, and jutsu." Naruto bounced Mei on his right knee as he jiggle toy keys in front of her. The girls have gushed over his baby sister early when they arrived at Tarron's house.

"Well, they're not ninja like you." The black-haired girl shrugged her shoulders lightly and some teenagers agreed with nodding heads. She turned to Steve, "Accept it, Steve. This is the most boring summer on record." The chuckling jock get up then approach her with a plan in his mind, "…Steve, put me down!" There was a splash, "STEVE!"

"I'm going inside to feed Mei." The chuckling ninja get up with fussy baby and he walk inside the house to make formula milk. While Mei was drinking her bottle, Naruto notice Steve walk through the secret door with empty glasses and he shake his head at that. He bet the jock was using lemonade excuse to explore the spaceship…Or he was just this stupid to risk blowing the secret to the girls outside. It take a few minutes before Steve come out.

"Hey, they said they want us to keep everyone else out of the house." The jock informed Naruto, "I'm gonna keep the civilians at bay."

"Get it." Naruto nodded and by the time he finished fed Mei, Toby and Eli was playing some game on television in the living room.

"Order up!" Toby told Eli, "Sashimi me, Pepperjack!"

"Yes, chef!" Eli moved the joystick around.

"That is a sad California roll." The chubby teenager said and they didn't notice that Aja and Krel have come out in their human forms, the girl carry a box.

"I keep forgetting the avocado 'cause I'm allergic." The outcast said.

"You're allergic to winning!" Toby gloated.

"What are they doing?" Aja looked at her boyfriend oddly, have never seen this game thing before.

"Playing Sushi Cat game." Naruto replied.

"Thanks for letting us hang here, guys." The chubby teenager said while focusing on the game, "This is the most boring summer ever, and…"

"So, I've got some good and bad news for you." The pale girl blocked the television as the boys lean their heads out to see the screen, "The bad news is that your planet is about to be invaded by an extraterrestrial force."

"What's the good news?" Eli asked.

"Your summer is officially no longer boring." Aja grinned as she dropped the box on floor, "Now, enough fishy games. We must train you."

"A real intergalactic army is coming for Earth, and you want…" Toby looked up to her with furrowed brows.

"Our help?" The outcast leaned forward, adjusting his glasses.

"You are the most accomplished human warriors we know." The pale girl said.

"Ha." The ninja patted Mei's back to burp her, a large spit-up towel rest on his shoulder.

"She means the only human warriors we know." Krel spoke up and Eli celebrate with Toby.

"Do they realize that they are going up against army who happen to have high-tech weapons and who know how many spaceship they bring?" Naruto looked to the Tarron siblings with a raised eyebrow, removed the towel from his shoulder.

"Ay, ay, ay." The Latino boy shook his head with eyeroll.

"So cool, so cool, so cool!" Toby squealed before he shush Eli, "Wait. Play it cool, Pepperjack." He turned to them, "Before we agree to enlist, we're gonna need to know if this training is going to involved laser blasters."

"We'll need a lot more than serrators if we're going to stand up to the Akiridion fleet." Krel replied.

"We've survived some tough odds before." The chubby teenager waved it off, "Imminent death numerous times, the end of Arcadia twice."

"Not to mention the Go-Go Sushi Omakase level." Eli added.

"Alien weapons!" Toby and Eli reached into the box to take a serrator, "How cool is this?"

"We're talking about a warship full of robot soldiers, people." Aja gestured before she look little irritated when the boys get trapped in a ball mode and she push them away.

"Sorry!" Toby muttered.

"This is not a game!" The pale girl scolded as she pushed them into the garage.

"Don't break them, Aja." Naruto teased.

"I'll try not to!" Aja answered back.

"…But it could be." Krel looked at the video game as he cupped his chin with a hum.

---

"So playing this video game will give me access to a parking drone, which will be used to attack this Morando guy's ship?" Naruto raised his eyebrow at Krel and Aja as he control the Luug-like character on his smartphone with Mei sitting on his laps.

"Yes." Krel confirmed.

"…I actually want the invasion so I can fight them physically." The blonde muttered, shooting some objects down. "I kinda suck at the video games."

"See?" Aja gestured to her boyfriend as she looked to her brother, "He gets it!"

"You two…" The Latino boy shook his head while mumbling something under his breath in his native language, "If you excuse us, we're gonna ask Mary to make Dog Fight go viral."

"Good luck." Naruto moved his phone up out of Mei's reach, the baby wave her grabbing hands. He don't know how long he have been playing the game for until Mei slap the screen silly, accidentally exit the app and switch to another app. "Sh…" He caught himself as he rapidly change back to Dog Fight and it look like there was one more left and it have been claimed by someone else. 'Crap, I hope it don't end bad.' He lift his sister up while standing up and he enter the secret doorway to check on everyone else in the cockpit. "Guys, who got the last one?"

"Eli." Toby replied.

"Oh."

"You have this, Eli." Aja encouraged as the said boy played the game, "I have total and complete faith in you."

"Don't take your eyes off the game." Krel said nervously.

"Careful!" The chubby teenager's hands flew up to his temples, "Watch the fire hydrant!"

"All of the hoo-mans seems to be consumed by their communicator devices." Vex brushed his shoulder as he enter the cockpit before he notice the group, "You too?" He grabbed then spin the chair around, "Tell Varvatos what is happening or he will expose your entrails to sunlight!" Aja and Zadra pushed him back as the outcast stay focus on the game.

"Are you familiar with the game of videos call Go-Go Fishing?" Aja said.

"Go-Go Sushi." Naruto corrected her with a whisper.

"The Jack of Peppers has a chance at stopping Morando." Zadra gestured to Eli, "He is our last hope."

"I know I'm the last hope!" Eli tapped rapidly, "I've seen the movies, okay?"

"Come on, Pepperjack!" Steve rooted, "You're a Creepslayer!"

"I can't get a window." The outcast said, "There's just no way. I can't do it!"

"There's always another way." Vex approached them, "A brilliant engineer once told Varvatos that."

"Another way." An idea come to Krel, "That's it! Head for the navigation wing!"

"But the precision required for that shot…" The Akiridion woman said.

"I know, but it's our only shot." The Latino boy cut her off with a shake of his head.

"This is too much pressure, guys." Eli whimpered, "I can't do it!"

"That's right, Eli, you can't." Krel agreed with hand on the outcast's shoulder.

"Krel!" Aja glared.

"Not helping." Naruto added.

"I'm going somewhere with this." The Latino boy turned away from them back to Eli, "Give me a secton. You may be piloting the very last drone, but we are all in this together."

"Okay." The outcast took a deep breath, "Tell me what to do."

"Sharp left!" Krel ordered with animated arms, "Now right. And up ahead! Lock on!"

"My target is locked." Eli said.

"You got this, Eli!" The Latino boy pumped his fists together with few other teenagers.

"No, we got this." The outcast grinned as his drone fired, evading the barrage of lasers from Morando's ship. The screen become clear blue as the drone explode, "We lost." He said sadly.

"A most valiant effort, indeed." Vex placed hand on Eli's shoulder.

"Seklos and Gaylen." A voice spoke via the comm, "You did it."

"Izita?" Zadra uttered.

"What?" Eli looked confused, "No. I lost. They destroyed my drone."

"But not before your last shot caused critical damage." Izita informed, "Morando will be forced to retreat."

"I did it?" The outcast gasped before he cheered, "I mean, I did it!" Everyone joined, "We did it!"

"Oh, thank Seklos, he did it!" Krel give out an relieved sigh.

"Good job, bro!" Steve give his friend a high five.

"Yeah, what he said." Naruto moved out of the way when the jock accidentally send Eli flying backward on floating chair, due to the high five.

"Nice work, the Pepperjack!" The pale girl grinned.

"Awesome-sauce!" Toby thrust his fists up.

"…Hey, I gotta ask." The ninja realized something as his head turned to the chubby teenager, "Why are you wearing armors?"

"To get me in a mood." The chubby teenager shrugged with his hands.

"Boo-ya!" Mother spoke, "That's what Mother calls 'game over'."

"Who's bad?" Eli does a little victory dance, "I'm bad."

"Eli of Peppers, congratulations on your first wartime victory." Vex stood straight.

"Wait, Varvatos." Aja remembered something, "Did you tell the human authorities about us?"

"Varvatos tried, and Varvatos failed." The Akiridion man sighed, "Apparently, our engineer has not perfected his latest creation." He pulled the serrator out and Krel take it to look over it.

"…You forget to remove the safety." Krel looked up.

"Huh." Vex muttered a little sheepishly, "In the future, Varvatos Vex will attempt to listen more closely to you and the queen-in-waiting. Varvatos humbly apologizes."

"An apology from the great Varvatos Vex?" The pale girl gasped teasingly, "Mother, are you recording this?"

"Yes, Your Highness." Mother replied, "I plan to review it on loop."

"Your parents once placed Varvatos in charge of your protection." The commander looked over the teenagers, "But today, it was you and your hoo-mans compatriots who protected Earth and Akiridion-Five. You are Varvatos Vex's equals." The Tarron siblings hugged him.

"Ahem, my royals…" Zadra cleared her throat.

"We are receiving an incoming transmission from Akiridion-Five." Mother informed everyone and the screen pop up to reveal the celebrating Akiridions.

"To the heirs of House Tarron and rightful future queen and king of Akiridion-Five, Aja and Krel Tarron." Izita smiled.

"Serving Akiridion-Five is the honor and duty of House Tarron." Aja stepped up with one hand on her chest.

"But we were not the only ones who saved you today." Krel spoke with his index finger up before he pull Eli into the people's sight, "We couldn't have done it without Eli Pepperjack. He's human."

"Hi, I'm Eli, the human." Eli waved as everyone leaned into the screen to look at the Akiridions.

"Thank you for fighting with us and for our planet's future." The Akiridion prince patted his shoulder.

"Then we thank you, Eli the Pepperjack." Izita kneeled with a smile and the Akiridions follow her action as they chant his name. "Long live Eli Pepperjack!" Everyone in the cockpit follow suit to the sniffling outcast.

"They're bowing for the cheese slice?" Steve muttered before Naruto smack the back of his knees to make the jock kneel. "Okay, okay, I'm doing it, man." Eli decide to join in.

"I'm not comfortable with all the bowing and kneeling." Aja whispered lowly to her brother.

"That's okay." Krel whispered back with a light smile, "I am."

---

"Is she sleeping?" Aja, in her human form, asked Naruto softly as Mei rest her head on her brother's shoulder with closed eyes and they were walk together on sidewalk with umbrella that is hold by the pale girl, the rain pour down hard like dogs and cats.

"Yeah." He replied with equally soft tone.

"She's so cute." She smiled widely.

"She is." Naruto chuckled softly before his expression become deadpan, "Until she wake up." His girlfriend just giggle at that, "Anyway, I'm surprised that you want to come over to my house."

"Because I want to know where you live." Aja hummed as she twirled the umbrella around, "That and I want to spend some time with you, just us two."

"Like a home date?" The blonde perked up as she nodded happily, "Sweet. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know." She tapped her chin, "I heard that 'cuddling' while watching movies is common in home date, yes?"

"Oh, then I'll put some movies in or rent some from demand." Naruto grinned as they get close to his home and he remember something. "Ah, I gotta let you know something before we get in. One, Gramps is a troll and he's living with us so it's why the curtains is always closed all the time. Another thing, I have a pixie as my familiar and she like to play tricks so don't get mad at her."

"Troll and pixie?" Aja tilted her head slightly with a blink, "Interesting." They reach the door and Naruto carefully give her Mei without waking her up so he can unlock the door as Aja gently rocking the sleeping baby in cradle holding.

"Gramps, we're home." The ninja called out a little loud enough to let Vendel hear and soft enough so Mei won't wake up a cranky baby, "And we have a guest. She know so it's okay."

"Welcome back, I'm in the living room." Vendel's voice called back and the couple walk in as Aja see Vendel for the first time. "Hello there, you must be Naruto's friend." He greeted with a lifting hand, "I am Vendel."

"Hi, I'm Aja." The pale girl waved back with a smile, "And I'm not his friend, I'm his girlfriend."

Vendel blink once then twice, "Oh." He turned his head to his surrogate grandson, "Did your mother know?"

"No." Naruto blushed, "And I want to keep it this way for a while." Aja just smile at him, know why he want to keep their relationship a secret from his mother and she's okay with that since she would do the same thing with her father…She hope that her parents will recover fully someday sooner. "Are you using the television?"

"No, I was about to go to sleep." Vendel helped himself up with his cane, "You can have the television." He hobbled close to the teenagers so he can take Mei off their hands, "I'll put this little one in her crib."

"Thank, gramps." The ninja said to the elder troll as he walked up the stairs and the couple walk over to the couch. "What kind of movie do you want to watch?" He pick the remote controller up as soon as they sat down and he create a clone to make them popcorns.

"I don't know there are different kinds of movies." Aja tapped her chin, "Um, I want to see a scary movie." Mary told her that it's always best to watch horror movies when you're with a boyfriend because, according to the black-haired girl, it's very romantic to cuddle during a scary movie under blanket. "Oh, can we get a blanket?" Her boyfriend gives her the folded blanket and she stretch it out across their laps as the clone hand them a big bowl of popcorn.

"One horror movie coming up." Naruto selected a zombie movie before he sit back, adjusting his sitting position around to be more comfortable and Aja lean against his side with her head on his shoulder as she tucked her legs under the blanket to one side.

"Are we cuddling?" She took some handful of popcorn as the movie start.

"Yeah." He slides his arm around her shoulders and his cheek rest on the top of her head, due to their positions. The couple enjoy their little snuggle time and halfway into the movie, the power suddenly went out.

"What happened?" Aja leaned up with a blink.

"I guess it's a blackout." Naruto took a peek behind the curtain to see if it was just his house or a city-wide blackout, it turns out to be the latter.

"How long will it last for?" She asked curiously.

"With the storm, I'm not sure." He shrugged, "Maybe few minutes or hours."

"I see." Aja leaned her head on him again with a hum as they sit in the dark, "Now what?"

"I dunno." Naruto shrugged as he checked his phone to see if he have internet or not, which he don't. "…Make out a bit?"

"Sure." The smirking pale girl tilt her head up to catch his lip and they make out on the couch, they would have gone on a little longer if it wasn't for the power come back on or Mei's sudden wail.

"Ah, I better go check on Mei." He get up with his girlfriend, "You wanna come?"

"As I'd love to, I have to go now." Aja checked the time, "It's almost time for my training with Vex."

"I'll have kage bunshin walk you home." Naruto created a clone before he give her a quick peck on lips, "See you later."

"Bye, Naruto." She waved to him as she left with his clone and the smiling ninja quickly jog up the stairs to calm his crying sister down.

---

The next night, Naruto was called to Tarron's house by Toby and the chubby teenager explained everything to him about the encounter of a electricity life-form in museum as the Akiridions gathered in the cockpit with them and Aaarrrgghh. "Wait, why don't you call me to back you up?" The ninja asked the chubby teenager.

"Well, I don't want to bother you at this moment because you have a new baby and I thought I can handle this one with Aaarrrgghh." Toby admitted.

"He is Tronos Madu, an electrothermal life-form from the planet Voltar." Mother identified the bounty hunter as the hologram of said hunter pop up.

"Voltar?" Zadra blinked puzzlingly with crossed arms, "That planet still exists?"

"Barely." The holographic markpoint replied as it shows a broken planet in rubbles, "It's been mostly reduced to rubble after a keltons-long war."

"I saw this guy at the moon outpost." Krel realized this hunter, "He was drinking, gambling, killing Foo-Foos. No class."

"Your valiant rescue of Commander Vex would explain how this bounty hunter tracked us here." Mother said.

"Forgive me for not thinking it was worth it." The Akiridion woman glanced at the giant Akiridion.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to work together." The holographic markpoint floated close to her, "Tronos is a dangerous predator."

"And he travels through electricity." Aja added.

"Hence the power failures." Vex hummed, "He's no doubt using the power lines to infiltrate the grid."

"So it's this guy's fault our date was cut short?" Naruto looked to his girlfriend, her response was a nod.

"Hold on, what date?" Both the giant Akiridion and Akiridion prince turned to Naruto and Aja respectively.

"I came to the same conclusion myself significantly earlier." Zadra said toward Vex snarky.

"Perhaps you should have shared this earlier insight with your allies." Vex shot back.

"Oh, now the traitor is chastising me for withholding information." The Akiridion woman turned her nose up away from him.

"Varvatos should de-core your body with a dull spoon!" The giant Akiridion stomped toward her and they get into each other's face, causing both Aaarrrgghh and Toby to get in between them to de-escalate the tension.

"Hey, hey!" Toby laughed nervously, "We're all on the same team, right? Guys? Come on, this hurts."

"Quick question, were they married or what?" Naruto leaned close to Krel, causing the Akiridion boy to give him a funny look.

"Guys, we have to stop him." Aja gestured to the hologram with her lower arms crossed.

"How?" Krel turned to her with a heavy frown, "He's lightining fast, making him impossible to stop."

"That's it!" The chubby teenager remembered something, "The guy moves like lightning. And who's capture lightning before?" He moved in between the Akiridion royals, "In a bottle? Huh?" He pulled them in closer, "These guys! Back with Jimbo, Claire and Naruto. I still got the bottle thingamajig! We could capture him in that."

"Huh, for a human, that is, shockingly, not a terrible idea." The Akiridion prince muttered.

"Ha!" Toby snickered with Naruto, "Shockingly, am I right? That was a nice one." He hold his hand up to the Akiridion prince for a high-five and Krel lift his hand up confusingly. "No? Okay. It's okay, buddy."

"Toby, you go get the thingamajig." The Akiridion princess put hands on her hip, "It's time for some dividing and conquering."

"Dividing and conquering is not what I meant by working together." Mother sighed tiredly with deadpan tone.

---

In a warehouse that is the only one with light on in the middle of city-wide blackout, Krel fasten the jar to his serrator then lift it up. "Lightning-Bottle-blaster-suction-thingy!" Toby thrust his fist up with a little hop before he pause, "We need a new name for that." The Akiridion prince test it out by pulling the electricity from Christmas lights into the container. "Dude, you're an engineering genius."

"You alright?" Naruto asked Aja as he helped her moving a crate while Toby talk to Krel about random things.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" She glanced at him quizzically.

"You look furious about something." He replied, "Do you want to talk about it later? If you don't want to, it's okay."

"Oh, was it obvious?" Aja muttered as her boyfriend nodded, "I'm fine, don't worry about it. It's just a little something and I'm going to work it out myself." She gave him a beaming smile, "Thank you for asking." Her boyfriend smiled back before Zadra make her arrival.

"Target approaching!" Zadra announced and everyone scrambled to their spots then wait for the bounty hunter as the light bulbs start to flicking with some shattering noises. The lightning merge into one point then shot out onto the floor and Tronos appear in middle of the room as soon as the electricity clear with some crackles.

"What is this place?" Tronos scanned his surrounding and he barely crawl farther when someone shout out.

"Aja, now!" Zadra shouted.

"Ya!" The Akiridion princess jumped out, firing her serrator at the electrothermal creature and he roar out loudly as he tried to reel his electricity back in, causing the princess' feet to skid with some stress. It went on for a while as everyone stand by on guard and the creature give one more roar before he get suck into the jar. "It worked!" She grinned at the lightning in bottle before she pump her upper fists up in air, "Whoo-hoo-hoo!"

"Nice done!" Naruto patted Krel's back.

"Yeah!" Toby whooped with his warhammer up, "That's what I'm talking about." Krel smiled until something flicking catch his eyes from the corners and he look over to see a flicking bulb. He walk close to get a close look, tapping it few times before the power suddenly went out and the bottle start to shaking violently. Aja tried to hold it still and both Naruto and Toby was about to help her but the serrator jerked out of her hands and the bottle hit the floor with a roll. A bright flash went off, following by zooming lightning bolt.

"He's everywhere and somehow nowhere!" Aja cried out as everyone tried to follow it with their eyes.

"It's like he's beyond physics." Krel ducked, "This shouldn't be possible." The bolt hit the ground before Aja and the boys and they quickly dive forward to avoid a lightning strike. The bolt flew toward them and Toby tried to swat it away with his hammer but it phase through the yelping teenager's weapon then Tronos appear behind the Tarron siblings, tossing them away. Naruto quickly catch Aja and Krel with his clone as their backs hit the wall, the clone poof under Krel's weight.

"Prepare to eat stone!" Toby bellowed, slamming the hammer while Aaarrrgghh threw a punch at the creature but he vanish in lightning once again and reform to deliver a haymaker at the giant troll's jaw. Before the giant can counter the creature, it vanish and reappear around the room with hit-and-run attacks as the team attempt to land a hit on the electrothermal life-form. Tronos almost shot Zarda with lightning roar but Vex suddenly appear out of nowhere, punching the creature away into the crates.

"Vex, what are you doing here?" Zarda asked as the Akiridion man help her up.

"Varvatos already lost one family." Vex answered as they turn to face the creature in battle stance, "He is not prepared to lose another." Tronos shove the crates away as he fired a lightning ball at their feet, causing them to fly away from the exploding lightning. The bounty hunter swiftly grabbed the Akiridion siblings then phase through the steel door.

"Oh, no!" The chubby teenager widened his eyes.

"FUCK!" Naruto was first to race out with the team and they look around until they see the lightning bolt zap from one light post to another post. The blonde quickly enhance his legs with chakra to chase the lightning but it was too fast for him to keep it up. "FUCK!" It vanish from his sight and he create many kage bunshins to cover the field. "Come on, come on." He have been searching for who know how long until he hear his name.

"Naruto!" The said ninja look down from the rooftop to see Aja and Krel before he quickly jump down to them.

"Aja!" The blonde pulled his girlfriend in a tight hug as she return it before he pull back at arm length, looking up and down her then at Krel. "Are you two okay? How did you get away?"

"We're fine." Aja exhaled in relief as her brother nodded, "We were somehow saved by the Area 49B guys, they were setting up trap to catch Tronos."

"Is…Is that a good thing?" Naruto frowned slightly, have heard a bit about the secret military base from Akiridions and Stuart before.

"I don't know." Krel frowned.

"…I better let the other know you guys are okay and safe." The ninja pulled his phone out to call Toby as they start walk together, the couple hold each other's hands in some kind of comfort.

---

Several days later, several teenagers were sitting in classroom and the couple was whispering to each other. "You should come over and check out my upgraded serrator." Aja grinned madly, "It got ionic boomerang and, as humans say, pack a powerful punch! The boom! It's so lively!"

"How strong it is?" Naruto grinned widely, "And can I try it out?"

"It's so strong that it knock me off my feet!" The pale girl giggled, "And yes, you can always try my serrator out anytime."

'Ugh, stop flirting with your boyfriend.' Krel felt very annoying, have to listen to the couple talking about new upgraded parts and moves they come up with for who know how long!

"If I don't know any better, I would think they're talking about…" Toby whispered lowly to his seatmate.

"Welcome to summer school!" Lawrence opened the door with a slam as soon as the bell rang, "Alright, listen up, slackers." He grabbed the edge of a teenager girl's desk as he get up in her face, "This is boot camp for your brain." He straightened up as he pick his clipboard up, "Now…" He stammered when he notice someone that does not belong in the classroom, "What? Aaarrrgghh?" The giant troll move the desk around with a grunt, "What are you doing here?" Aaarrrgghh sit in desk then give him a lifting hand before the desk suddenly break under his weight, the pieces flew in all directions as the teenagers lean back to avoid the flying objects.

"Uh, he's looking to expand his educational horizons." The chubby teenager explained.

"Also got hungry." Aaarrrgghh ate a random teenager's textbook, which the owner don't mind.

"Just imagine if we got you on the wrestling team." The coach grinned with clasped hands, "We'd finally make it to state!" He can imagine the trophy in his hands before he snap out of it with a clearing throat, "I'm getting ahead of myself. First, we gotta do attendance and confirm one thing…" He give Naruto a punch on arm.

"Ow!" Naruto rubbed his arm, "What was that for?"

"Just to make sure you're not a clone." Lawrence apologized, "The teachers now will make sure you're the real one from now onward. So when the school start again, don't think about planting your clones during the classes so you can ditch it yourself. We're already on your trick, thank to your mom."

"Oh, come on…" He groaned as several teenagers snickered at him.

"Let's see…" The coach checked the attendance paper, "…Wait, Tarron? You don't belong here."

"Finally, we agree on something." Krel stood up with a swing of his fist.

"Slow your roll, DJ Kleb." Lawrence gestured him to sit down as he checked the clipboard, "Aja, it says you need to make up gym?" He looked up with raised eyebrow, "But you're my star athlete."

"This doesn't make any sense." Aja arched her brow to her brother with a whisper, "There must be some mistake." She looked over her shoulder to Toby, "What are you in for?"

"I missed forty-five days of school." Toby said, "Apparently Trollhunting's not good for your GPA." The giant troll burped, "You okay, wingman?"

"Naruto?" The pale girl turned to her boyfriend.

"English and science." Naruto replied, "But for you, it sound kinda fishy…It's almost if it's a set up."

"Education tasty." Aaarrrgghh hummed until he notice something outside, "Huh?"

"Whoa, what's that?" Someone asked as the military trucks pulled up in front of the school outside the window and the people in hazard suits ran out toward the school, accompanied by Kubritz.

"…Definitely a setup." The ninja whispered to the siblings as he narrowed his eyes at the colonel, this woman awfully remind him of Usurna and he don't like it, not one bit. "Do you think she know…?"

"I think she do." Krel frowned, "Tronos must have told her about us."

"We don't know if it's right or not." Aja also frowned, "But we have to be on guard and prepare for whatever they come up with." The coach left the class to talk to them with few teenagers as the rest stay behind and they overhear them talking about outbreak and quarantine.

"Why do I get the feeling these aren't doctors who hand out lollipops?" Toby asked nervously.

"Because these so-called doctors are here…" The Latino boy narrowed his eyes, "For us. Summer school…It's a trap!"

"Don't we just cover it?" Naruto deadpanned.

"…Just let me have this one." Krel muttered.

---

The team and Aaarrrgghh tiptoe down the hallway and they wait until one solider walk past as he report all clear. "This is bad." Aja said with hands on her hip.

"These people imprison extraterrestrials." Krel said.

"They won't have a problem throwing you under a microscope either." The pale girl's gaze move to Aaarrrgghh.

"Mmm, pass." Aaarrrgghh hummed in distaste.

"You guys get out of here." The Latino boy whispered, "We'll distract the guards' attention and meet back up with you at the mother ship."

"Okay, are you guys sure about th…" Toby peeked out until Naruto cut him off.

"Hold on, did you say…" He smirked wickedly, "Distract?"

"Naruto, no!" The chubby teenager's eyes widened in horror.

"Naruto, yes!" Naruto have a biggest creepy grin.

"Poor souls." Aaarrrgghh shook his head sadly and the Tarron siblings just exchange a puzzled look.

"Heeeey!" The ninja slide out in front of the uniformed soldiers.

"Go back to…" The first agent barked out.

"Wait, are you holding a corncob?" The second agent raised his brow under the mask.

"Yup." Naruto smiled kindly to the agents, "Let me introduce you to my favorite prank, the corncob prank."

"NARUTO, NO!" Toby cried out.

"Poor souls." The giant troll shook his head again and the group split up before they can witness Naruto pulling his infamous prank on the poor, poor agents.

---

Nine traumatized agents later, Naruto wander within the school and he start to feel some concern when Aja and Krel didn't reply to his texts or pick his calls up. 'Did they got caught by these guys?' He frowned mentally, 'Or are they busy?' Maybe it won't hurt to check every place in school to make sure the Akiridions made it out. He peek inside several classrooms in the hallways and by the time he reach the gymnasium, his eyes snap wide in anger at the sight of the Akiridions bind to cot as Kubritz cruelly move the serrator's blade slowly toward Krel's head while it cut through the cot.

"If this serrator can slice so easily through metal, imagine what it can do to your bodies." Kubritz grinned evilly.

"No." Krel chuckled nervously as he tried to lean his head away from the blade, "No, no, no. No need to imagine. I am sure it would hurt really bad." Aja struggle under the ties until Naruto sneak up next to her, giving her a slush gesture as he quickly unfasten the first rope.

"Only one way to find out." The colonel smirked before they hear the doors kicked open.

"Looks like class is…" Toby flashed a fighting pose with Steve before the doors swung back from recoil to hit them in faces, drawing a grunt out and they open it again, holding them this time. "Class is dis…" The doors closed on them again and they open it again, this time they step through to avoid another embarrassing mishap. "Class is dismissed. It's dis…" Naruto took this opportunity of distraction as a chance to leap over Aja with a roundkick to the colonel's side, sending her tumbling on floor and the Akiridion girl quickly grab her serrator.

"Oh, thank you!" The Akiridion boy released his breath in relief as the ninja cut his binds with serrator and he took it back from him as both Toby and Steve fight some agents off. "Suddenly, I'm fine with you dating my sister."

"In a moment, the filth alien sympathizer won't dating you anytime again!" Kubritz sneered in disgust as she aim a green blaster up at them and she fired dozen of lasers at them. Aja swiftly protect themselves with shield and it explode under the chain reactions, sending both parties flying onto the walls.

"Guys!" Steve ran over to check on them worriedly, "Are you okay, guys? How many fingers am I holding up? What's today's date? What's the capital of Alaska?"

"We're fine, chill." Naruto get up with a grunt before he help the Akiridion girl up, "Aja, you alright?"

"You came to rescue me." Aja smiled at her boyfriend.

"Yeah, you're one of my precious people." The ninja smiled.

"I'm so going to kiss you once we get out of this situation." Her smile widened.

"Ugh!" Krel groaned annoyingly, "Please kill me or just get us out of here."

"Guys!" Toby batted his hammer around to defect the agents' blasting lasers, "Royals! Someone! We gotta go!" The team ran out of the gym before Toby and Steve block the doors, "The hazmat guys blocked all the exits." He shouted, "Get to the roof!"

"We can't leave you guys here!" Aja said.

"Don't worry." The jock grunted, "We'll hold them off."

"Come on, Aja." Naruto put his hand on her shoulder, "They'll be fine, trust me."

"Ok." The Akiridion girl gave him a nod and they was about to run but the flicking lights with crackling noise distract them for a moment before a rings of lightning blast at them, knocking Toby and Steve off their feet. They look up ahead to see Tronos crawl across the ceiling then the lockers and he jump on the floor, firing another blast of lightning rings at the Akiridions and ninja. Aja once again bring her shield up and they were knocked back before Naruto quickly pull them up to their feet then ran down the hallway around the corner, the electrothermal creature give a chase. Naruto spamming his kage bunshin to slow Tronos down as Krel summon the hoverboard and they jump on it. In no time, they were on rooftop as they maintain their balance and they were about to make a clear getaway until Tronos appear in front of them out of nowhere. They fall off the board as the hunter throw it away in another direction.

"Going somewhere?" Tronos approached them with eyes of predator.

"Tronos, you're working with the wrong people." Aja back away with her brother, her bottom right hand refuse to release Naruto's hand and unknowingly prevent him from using his jutsu. "Colonel Kubritz is using you."

'Shit, I have one kunai on me.' The ninja need to find a right time of window to throw it at the hunter to get away. They was dangerously close to the edge of the rooftop.

"Please help us." The Akiridion girl pleaded.

"Help?" The bounty hunter hissed, "When my planet was besieged by war, we begged House Tarron for help. When we need help the most, they left Voltar to burn."

"Our parents would never do that." Krel denied.

"Mama and papa didn't help Varvatos' family either." Aja reminded.

"Don't believe his lies, Aja." The Akiridion boy replied.

"I would have ended the king and queen myself if I had…" Tronos growled before Naruto surprise him with a dagger to his face and the creature narrowly avoid it by tilting his head to one side, thank to his years of hunting experience, before Aja fire her new shooter mode at the creature. Again, the creature evade it with a stepside "You'll have to be a quicker shot than that." He taunted the couple.

"It works!" Krel laughed to their confusion, "It's coming back!" Tronos barely turn around when the energy blast flew into his back, hurling him toward Krel before the Akiridion boy flip him over the rooftop into the bushes with the serrator's shield.

"That?" Aja looked over the new mode of her serrator, "That's what it does?"

"Klebtastic, right?" The Akiridion boy activate the upgraded mode with his own, "More shooting!"

"Damn." Naruto whistled, "I can't wait to see what you will come up with next." Before they know it, Tronos lunge toward the rooftop with a roar and the teenagers start to run the other way before Aja turn around to fire lasers at the charging hunter with war cry, her boyfriend back her up with several elemental bullets.

"To the left!" Krel cried as they tried to hit the swift-footed hunter, "Right! Left! No, no, no! Right again! Right! Right!" The trio slowly skidded back to the edge of the rooftop, "Aim! Aja, Naruto, aim!"

"Hold on!" The Akiridion girl glanced over her shoulder, "I have an idea!" Her bottom hands grabbed both Naruto's and Krel's arms.

"No, Aja, don't!" The widen-eyed Akiridion boy realized her plan right away and he don't like that at all! His sister pull the trigger at full power and the recoil launch them backward up in air then plummet down into a large bush as Aja use her shield at last minute to cushion their fall. "I hate your ideas." He groaned weakly.

"I love your ideas." Naruto said cheekily before he look up for any signs of the hunter.

"On the bright side, we survived the fall." Aja said to her brother as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Incoming!" The ninja hollered to them as soon as Tronos landed on another lower rooftop near them.

"When I'm done with you, you'll wish you hadn't!" The electrothermal creature roared in fury as he fired another lighting rings at them and the blonde swiftly tackle the Akiridions out of the range, rolling into their own stances. Tronos teleport to other side with lighting roar and Krel block it with shield as Naruto launch wind blades toward the creature while Aja launch herself high up in air with some flips and she come down at the creature with her sword overhead. The hunter receive few nicks from the wind blades when it move back then quickly spun around to hit Aja with his tail, sending her crashing into her partners until they hit the wall behind them. Tronos land in front of them with a boasting laughter and before they know it, he got hit from behind by the neurometer of the soldiers.

"Drop the serrators and put your hands in the air." Kubritz ordered before she looked down on the hunter, "I said you'll get your cores when I'm done, not before." The soldiers pick the hunter up, "Throw him in the van." They carry the creature away with grunts as she turned to the teenagers, "Oh, don't cry. I'm sure you'll find our detention center quite comfortable."

"Over my body, you're not getting them." Naruto growled at colonel with deadly glare before they hear some footsteps approaching and Tarron siblings quickly transform into their human forms.

"Hey!" Lawrence hollered at them as the teenagers follow him, "The only one who gets to send these kids to detention is me!"

"You tell her, dad…" Steve coughed, "I mean, Coach. Uh, coach-dad. Uh…D-Daddy-o?" Unknowingly to them, the ninja pull his phone out to record them out of their sights. He doesn't know but he has a feeling that he should recording Kubritz and his gut is never wrong…Most of time.

"Stand down, sir!" The colonel barked into the coach's face, "You have no idea how dangerous this situation is."

"Dangerous?" Darci scoffed, "These are our friends. What have they even done?"

"You lied to me once, and now you're lying to me twice." The coach squared his shoulders, "I'm not dying, so what's this medical quarantine really about?"

"These children aren't from around here." Kubritz gestured to Tarron siblings, "They may be carrying disease and need to be removed for the safety of this community."

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" Mary have her phone out at her, "you know, the part about how the kids 'who aren't from around here' are 'dangerous' and 'sick' and 'need to be removed'? I'm sure that's gonna sound great in a viral video." Everyone took their phones out to record Kubritz and soldiers.

"Whoa!" Aja uttered as the soldiers back away from the colonel uncomfortable, "Lively!"

"If you think that's lively." Naruto said out loud to her as everyone glanced to her, "I already caught everything aaaaaaand…" He showed them the screen as the view count went up rapidly, "It's going viral!" He really hope the others will send him the video of the color draining from colonel's face.

"Nice!" Mary gave him a high-five.

"Colonel, we need to go." Sergeant Costas whispered to his superior.

"Take a hike, okay?" Lawrence stepped in between her and his students with his phone out, "Before I call the school board and police."

"M-Move out." Kubritz said furiously as she glared at the ninja, "This facility has been cleared."

"You heard her." A soldier said, "We were never here…"

"Dimwit, they got video of us!" The second soldier reminded and most soldiers were glad that their uniforms cover their faces.

"This isn't over!" The colonel jabbed her fingers at the teenagers, farther digging her grave deeply with teenagers still recording her then upload the video to follow up with the first video.

"We're great." One of the teenagers said as soon as the army left the school and the siblings hug each other happily.

"Thank you!" Aja break apart from her brother to hug Naruto, "Forget the kiss, I am so making out with you!"

"Nice, bro." Steve teased Naruto lightheartedly with a nudge.

"P-P-Please." Naruto was little flustered with some pink tint in his cheeks.

"I can't believe you all came to help us." Krel looked around at the teenagers and coach.

"We don't know what to say." The pale girl turned to them, leaning against her boyfriend's chest with his arms around her.

"Aw, it's nothin'!" Toby threw his arm around the Latino boy's shoulders, "The only way to survive all of Arcadia's weirdness is if you…"

"Stick together!" Eli popped up, "Yeah!" He hold his hand up, "High five! Ha!" It look like he was going to be left hanging until Aja give him one, "Oh, that feels so good right now."

"Alright, everyone, head home." Lawrence looked around at the students, "I'm sorry that you all have to stay here all day and night. I will call your parents and let them know what happen." He turned to Tarron siblings, "Would you like me to drive you two home? Who know if these guys will try do something to you on the way back."

"Yes, that will be nice." Aja nodded together with her brother, they don't want to risk the chance of Kubritz catch them again on the way back to their mothership. She turn to Naruto, "See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." He gave her a peck on lips and everyone say their byes as they leave the school.

---

After a quick anti-vortex siphon heist at a planetarium for Krel's wormhole project the next day, Aja and Naruto was having best time of their life as they spar each other in temporary training room within the mothership. Their blade weapons clang off each other and Naruto deliver a uppercut, which was dodged by Aja as she jump back before propelling toward to tackle the blonde down across the floor. Her upper arms pin his arms over his head and her bottom right hand hold the serrator's blade close to his throat, her bottom left hand hold his chest down. "Gotcha." She smirked, "Do you yield?"

"Yeah, I yield." Naruto grinned goodheartedly, "Just you wait, once I master the kawarimi no Jutsu, you won't be able to pin me down like that anymore." They share a little laugh as she put her serrator away, "…Um, aren't you going to let me go?" He asked, still pinned down by his girlfriend.

"Mmm, nah." Aja low her head to catch his lips with her own then slide her tongue inside his mouth and they start to make out on floor, their tongues wrestle as their hands start to roam all over each other's bodies. It went for a bit while until…

"Stop it!" Mother popped up above them with a scolding tone, "I told you two, no makeout allowed in this house! Get off each other now. Off. Off. Up, up! UP!"

"Mother!" The Akiridion princess gets off her boyfriend with an annoying and embarrassing groan. Why do they always cut their makeout short?!

"Now go to living room, Stuart need you for something." The holographic markpoint 'stared' sternly at the couple, "And your hands better stay at your sides! Don't even think about feeling each other up on your way!"

"Wow, your AI is…" Naruto whispered to his embarrassed girlfriend as his face gain heavy blush, "Very 'alive', isn't she?"

"Maybe I'll have Krel fix her." Aja muttered under her breath and they reach the living room to see Stuart paced around nervously in front of Vex as Krel look over the item and Luug hopped across the room until the pet jump into Naruto's arms then lick his face happily.

"He really like me a lot." The chuckling ninja scratched the pet's belly as the creature kick happily.

"Not much as I do." She giggled.

"Oh, the wormhole generator." Stuart finally take a close look at Krel's anti-vortex siphon, "Hey, any chance you could get that thing up and running by, say, this afternoon before Stuey goes kablooey?"

"Why?" Aja turned to him with a frown, "Is Kubritz after you now?"

"I have been keeping four eyes on Kubritz." Vex crossed his arms, "She appears to be lying low as the humans say." He gestured to the pudgy man, "Stuart has a worse stalker…His ex-girlfriend." The couple just notice a giant four-eyes creature peek inside from a window.

"Hello, there." The Akiridion girl gave her a wave before Stuart quickly close the blinds. "Hey!"

"No, you don't understand." The pudgy man walked around the island bar nervously, "Gwendolyn of Gorbon is a true monster, okay? Things might've started out good, yeah, sure." He pluck a rose out of a flower vase, "Ah, we were practically kids. Oh, every day was love's newest adventure. I remember on our first anniversary we made a snorfing pot together." He bring an odd shaped object with tube and curving pipe out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry, what's snorfing?" Naruto blinked and his question was answered in form of Stuart sticking pipe up in one of his nostrils as river of green liqud pour down on counter from another nostril. "…Ooooh." He muttered so quiet.

"That is ridiculous!" Vex huffed annoyingly as Luug jump on surface to lap some liquids up before the ninja pull the pet back into his arms, he don't know if this liquid will make Luug sick or not.

"But I couldn't ignore my four hearts' true feeling." Stuart said, "I wasn't ready to settle down. I had no choice but to break it off…Gently."

"How?" The ninja asked.

"I told her I was going out for a cup of jorb and I'll be right back then I took off." The pudgy man answered.

"And you never came back?" Aja dropped her jaw as the rest stare at him in disapproval.

"Never." Stuart sighed, "Gorbons have very simple principles…They either mate for life or they devour their ex. I had to escape, so I hightailed it out of Durio and crashed here. Hadn't heard a peep from her since, well, since today."

"You ran out on her." The Akiridion princess said, "She probably just wants closure."

"Yeah, well, I hadn't thought of that." The pudgy man scratched his head before he looked to them nervously, "I still don't want to go alone."

"Varvatos will tag along, but only because a dance lesson with Nancy sounds most enjoyable." Vex does a little twirl across the house.

"Yes!" Stuart pumped his fist, "Thank you!"

"Ugh." Krel groaned, "Dating." He walked away while carrying anti-vortex siphon, "While you all mash your faces together, I'm going to break the laws of physics."

"Naruto and I will come to this dance lesson, too." Aja lift her top left hand up with a gasp.

"Ooh, taking me out for a dance?" Naruto grinned at her as his girlfriend coil her arm around his arm, "What bring it on?"

"Varvatos is right." She said, "Kubritz hasn't shown her face. We can relax and have a normal human date."

"Ah, you're right." The ninja nodded as she gets up while giving his arm a little pat, "It'll be nice to have some relaxing time together."

---

"How marvelous!" Gwendolyn gushed at the sunset over the horizon near the cliff of a hill, "What a beautiful planet you've chosen, Stuey. Exceptional taste."

"Thank you." Stuart replied nervously as he turned to face his ex.

"And dance lessons." The Gorbon said, "What a romantic idea. Although I would much prefer to grab a bite." She chomp the air few times.

"Yeah, yeah." The pudgy man sweated, "Maybe later." He looked to his left to see a small group approaching, "Oh, they're here."

With the small group, the couple were chatting about random things as Vex walk with Nancy. "Ready to move and groove, Varvatos?" Nancy asked the old man.

"Whoopsie-daisy!" Vex 'accidentally' knocked the elderly woman's glasses off to prevent her from seeing the gorbon clearly.

"Oh, my!" The elder woman stepped on it.

"Clumsy Varvatos!" Vex said to the blinking woman, "He seems to have broken your looking devices beyond repair.

"Oh, my vision's a bit blurry without them." Nancy squirted her eyes and the old man wave his hand in front of her face.

"Glorious." The chuckling elder man clasped his hands with a whisper.

"Fortunately, you don't need to see to move your body!" The old woman swayed, "That'll be a dance lesson number one for ya."

"Nancy, thanks for joining Varvatos and his friends on this platonic excursion." Vex held her hand with both of his hands and behind them, Aja bump Naruto's hand with her own then jerk her head at the elders with animated eyes. Naruto give her a little nod and he walk ahead.

"My pleasure." Nancy giggled, "Always nice to spend time with friends."

"Let me help you, Domzalski-san." Naruto picked the boombox as he helped Nancy find her way, "Can you give me some advices on how not to step on feet while dancing."

"So, Varvatos, how are things going with Nancy?" Aja moved up to Vex's side with hands behind her back as the elder man stare at Nancy lovely before he become worried and bit scared, "Have you told her you like her yet?"

"Peh!" Vex turned his head away from her, "Varvatos refuses to busy himself with the frivolity of emotion. A fearless warrior such as…"

"Fearless warriors aren't afraid…" The pale girl imitated him, "Of little old ladies or feelings." She gave Vex's arm few hard poke, "Tell her." The elderly man look at his crush as the old lady give them a wave and he suddenly have a daydream, never notice that Aja have join them until he snapped out of it.

"Is everybody ready?" Nancy turned the music on as she dance a bit in front of her class, "Oh, good! First, use your feet. Then step left and step right." She demonstrated the dance moves as everyone follow her, "Cross your feet, cross your legs." The elderly man trip onto Naruto after made some clumsy mistakes and Stuart attempt to dance himself way out of here but Aja drag him back in. "Now, grab your partner's hand." Aja end up with the pudgy man while Naruto hold hand with Gwendoly…More like the gorbon have his tiny fist in her giant claw and before the blonde know it, Vex grab his free hand. "And put your other hand on their hips."

'How am I supposed to dance like that?' Naruto sweatdropped as both partners put their hands on his hip.

"Oh!" The elderly woman giggled, "Ooh, that's good! Bring them in close."

"Uh-oh." The ninja uttered before Gwendolyn pick him up off his feet.

"Oh!" Nancy twirled around, "You're doing so good." The gorbon move her partner around as if she was playing with a doll, "Now, let's spice things up! Switch partners." Gwendolyn tossed Naruto into Vex as they crash on ground.

"May I?" Gwendolyn asked Aja and Stuart silently begged the pale girl to refuse.

"Yes!" Aja spun Stuart over to the gorbon, who then toss him up in air.

"Oh, what wonderful tones." The gorbon caught the nervous pudgy man, "Did this one ever tell you what a crooner he was? Stuey, sing our song."

"No, that's okay." Stuart gulped, "I don't like…Really."

"Pwease, for me?" Gwendolyn asked cutely.

"My pipes are a bit rusty…" The pudgy man muttered.

"I said sing the song!" The gorbon jerked Stuart close with a deadly growl and the nervous man start to sing in his native language as she enjoy it.

"Now switch partners." Nancy announced and Gwendolyn spun the pudgy man away across the field.

"See?" Aja pressed her hands on Stuart's back to stop his spin, "You don't need to be afraid of Gwendolyn." She swayed her upper body with up-and-down swinging of her fists, "She is lively!"

"Yeah, and I just wanna stay a-lively." Stuart threw his hands up with some stammers, "Alive. I…Alive."

"Another dancey, dear Nancy?" Vex jogged toward the said woman.

"Hey, gorgeous, care for a dance with me?" Naruto appeared near Aja with a flirty tone.

"Yes, handsome." The giggling pale girl take his hand as they start to dance, "Hey, can we revisit this kissing tree in a bit?"

"Sure." He grinned as he twirled her around, "Then we can head down to Benoit's for a milkshake."

"A kissing tree?" Gwendolyn overheard the teenager couple, "I've never heard of such a thing." She walked closer to her ex, "Oh, I would love to explore it with my Stuey…" Her claws wrap around the nervous man, "Alone."

"Oh, who cares?" Stuart grinned nervously, "You've seen one tree, you've seen them all, haven't you?"

"Go on, Stuart." Aja said to the pudgy man, "Some alone time will really help you reconnect."

"Come on, my yummy widdle honeycake." The gorbon opened her mouth in a wide grin.

"Why don't we all go, yes?" The pudgy man gulped with heavy sweats as Gwendoly carried him into the forest, "Nancy? Aja?"

"Oh, but that would kill the romance." The pale girl smiled.

"Better the romance than me!" Stuart cried.

"If Stuart and Gwendolyn get back together, they can be Gwooart." Aja turned to Naruto with cupped chin, "Or wait. Stendolyn!"

"Mm, Gwart?" Naruto suggested, "Stuoly?"

"Ooh, I like Gwart!" The grinning pale girl snapped her fingers.

"Can I ask you something?" He arched his brow at her slightly as Vex went to talk to Nancy, "Why are you keening on matching everyone up?"

"Mm, just feel like it." Aja tapped her chin, "I don't know why, but for some reason I like to get some people together."

'Oh, so she's a shipper, huh?' Naruto hummed as they didn't notice Vex getting heartbroken when he found out that Nancy is seeing Phil, he hope she won't make matchmaking a habit. "So shall we go back to dance?" His girlfriend was about to accept it until they hear a savage roar within the forest, following by…

"HOOOOOO!" Stuart's voice screamed out for help.

"Okay, that's kind of weird." The pale girl muttered.

"Quickly!" Vex ran into the forest while dropping his transduction, "Before love's grasp rips Stuart limb from slimy limb, like it's already done to Varvatos." Aja and Naruto follow him as the former make a call to her brother, the latter create a clone to stay with Nancy. It took some times until they find Stuart as Gwendolyn was about to put his head inside her mouth, "Put your date down!"

"I told you she was a man-eater!" Stuart cried as they surround the gorbon. The giant Akiridion lunge at her back with his sword before Gwendoly use the screaming durian as a shield, causing the giant Akiridion to twist his body to halt his attack and he hit the base of the tree with a grunt. The gorbon was about to attack Vex until Aja hit her back with blaster shot and Gwendolyn turn her head around with a growl, only to receive a flying kick to side of her jaw from Naruto.

"Let go of my friend!" Aja smack the gorbon's tails with her blade, only to yelp out when the tails cramp on her then lifting her up in air.

"That's the problem." Gwendolyn growled, "I can't! My love life must continue, and it can't until he's gone." She turned to Stuart with a glare before Vex choke her from behind with serrator in spear mode and she cough out when Naruto ram his rasengan into her stomach harder, causing her to skid few yards back and free the Akiridion princess in process. The gorbon start to spin around in attempt to throw Vex off her back and Aja swiftly scoop her serrator up then she wrap her left arms around Stuart's torso as her ionic boomerang gun mode come to alive with charging noise. She fire it at Gwendolyn's face, sending each other flying backward in opposite direction and the Akiridion princess quickly sit up to fire more blasters at the leaping gorbon until the giant creature knock the serrator away.

"Maybe we could just talk about this?" The Akiridion girl smiled sheepishly at the growling woman.

"I don't talk, I eat!" The gorbon growled.

"Then eat that!" Naruto suddenly thrust a giant rasengan in the gorbon's face and the giant creature scream out in pain as she spun across the field. "Aja, you okay?" He asked as soon as he land next to the said girl.

"Yeah, thank for the save." Aja stood up with his help.

"Down the hatch!" Gwendolyn tossed the screaming durian up in air.

"I'm too young to die!" Stuart screamed before he end up inside the gorbon's mouth with kicking legs, "Oh, it's dark! Dark and cramp! Hang on, is that Daryl? You told me you and Daryl were just friends!"

"Don't worry, Stuart!" Vex shouted as he jumped up in air to grab the durian's legs and the gorbon jerking her head around. "I've got you!" The giant creature spun around rapidly, "Glorious!" The young couple race to hold Gwendolyn's claws down and the gorbon's eyes pop out when a earth pillar shot up into her stomach below, courtesy of Naruto's earth jutsu. The gorbon spit Stuart out with rough coughs before she pass out.

"DJ Krel is here to party!" Krel appeared on his hoverboard before he blink owlishly at the sight in front of him.

"You're late." Naruto replied and Stuart brush some dirt off himself until he hear a snarl behind him before the durian turn to see his ex up.

"No." Stuart widened his eyes with his hands up, "Gwendolyn, please, please!" The woman held his shoulders, "Must you seriously devour me?"

"Destroying you is the only way to forget about our time together." Gwendolyn growled as everyone get into their fighting stance again.

"But you don't need to forget the past to have a future." The durian said, "Some memories are worth holding onto." He took the snorfing pot out behind him, "I…I held onto this."

"You…" The gorbon released him with surprised blinks, "You kept our snorfing pot?"

"Yeah, of course I did." Stuart sniffled, "Remember when we made it?"

"Oh, how could I forget?" Gwendolyn smiled fondly, "You kept getting clay on your nose." They share a laughter.

"You see?" The durian smiled, "We had some happy times. I kept this as a reminder of you, of us." They chant together, "Snorf, snorf." They smiled, "Hey, let's not finish as enemies, huh?" He lift the pot up before he cry out as the gorbon chomp on it and everyone yelp out in shock. "What the…" He looked up from his hands to the woman as she swallowed the pot up.

"That's what I needed." The gorbon smacked her lips, "Yep, devouring that snorfing pot was just like devouring all our memories together. All those, ugh, feelings for…" She coughed, "You. Just…" She coughed as she digested the pot, "Yep, yep, yep, you're gone. You're dead to me." She laughed, "I mean, I can't believe we even dated." She walked away from them, "I am so far out of your solar system."

"Hey!" Stuart have some mixed feelings about that, "I was gonna suggest we remain friends…"

"Yeah, sure…" Gwendolyn waved over her shoulder, "I'll text you…Or something."

"Ooookay." Naruto have no idea how to react to that.

"You know what sounds good right now?" Aja wrapped three of her arms around her boyfriend's arm, the free hand slip into his hand with entwined fingers.

"Milkshake?" He smirked.

"Milkshake." She nodded with a smile before the couple walk away from the confused group.

"…Man, I can't believe we missed all good stuff for the film." Toby said to Eli, had arrived few minutes ago.

---

The next day, Naruto was completely confused when his phone blew up and he didn't check it because he was too busy spending a day with his baby sister inside the house as he tried to teach her how to crawl for a while. Mei roll over on her chest then lift her head up with a coo before she give out an big yawn. "Guess it's time for your bedtime." Naruto pick her up carefully and Mei just kick her legs with some squirm as her eyes fluttered close. The blonde bring her up to her crib then lie her down before he quietly head back down to the first floor. "Let me see what I missed." Naruto checked his phone before he blink few times at common word, asteroid and something about missing Earth. "…Meh, guess I don't miss anything today." He sit down on the couch with a shrug, turning the television on to watch some random movies.

---

Several days later, the blonde was somewhat concerned that he hasn't heard from his girlfriend for couple days since they often text each other but he wasn't worried because he know she can take care of herself until one of them call him for help. Right now, he was gagging while changing Mei's diaper. "What did gramps feed you, Mei?" Naruto dropped the soiled diaper inside a trash can with green face and Mei just giggle happily at her brother's silly face as he cleaned her up then put a new diaper. He was about to pick her up when his phone ring several times in rapid fashion and he answer it. "Hello?"

"The Akiridions need our help!" Toby shouted, "Morando and 49B guys are there! Meet us at Aja's and Krel's house!"

"I'm on my way!" Naruto ran into his room to get his bag of tools and daggers as his newly-created clone bring Mei to Vendel before he ran out, praying that he'll get there in time.

---

By the time Naruto reach Tarron's house, the soldiers were patrolling around and he spot Toby and Aaarrrgghh with Steve and Eli. "Guys, where are they?" Naruto quickly appear at their sides, "Where's Aja and everyone?"

"I don't know." Steve whispered back, "We just got here and…"

"Hey!" They whipped their heads around to see Costas standing over Toby with neurometer up, "What are you doing?" He looked up and down between the giant troll and chubby teenager, "What are you? And what are you wearing?"

"Would you believe we're going to a Greek restaurant?" Toby chuckled nervously and Naruto was about to sneak up on the sergeant until he hear Eli's voice behind him.

"N-Naruto." The ninja turned his head to see an agent pressing the neurometer up against Eli's back as the widen-eyed outcast sweated heavily, Steve have also been caught by another agent.

'Shit!' Naruto gritted his teeth, he can't act fast to take them down since one of them have weapon at blank-point and he don't want to risk set the trigger off on his friends. He have no choice but to surround as more agents surround them.

"Please don't call my mom." Eli gulped.

"Or coach." Steve added.

"Bind this blonde's hands and put them in the truck." Costas gave orders and the agents moved the teenagers and one troll into the back of the truck, closing the door after one of them tied Naruto's fingers together with zip ties. They feel the truck move at high speed.

"Dammit!" The ninja wrestled with his ties and he notice that Vex was inside with them. "Anyone get knife on them or anything to cut them? They have my tools."

"No, sorry." Toby shook his head along with everyone else.

"Fuck." Naruto kept tried to free himself for a while until Vex suddenly woke up with a scream, causing everyone but the ninja and Aaarrrgghh to scream out.

"Pipe down back there!" A guard shouted behind the wall.

"You humans don't seem to understand what a rescue mission entails." Vex struggled in the chains as his head turn to his side, revealing Aja and Krel.

"Aja!" Naruto was about to check on them until Aja open her rolling eyes.

"Aja?" The pale girl grinned crazily as Krel sit up with equally crazed grin, "I'm not Aja, silly."

"What happened to your face?" Steve screamed.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey." The Tarron siblings' forms flicked to reveal the blank robots.

"Mrs. Lucy?" The jock realize the housewife, "Aja is Mrs. Lucy? Are they the same person?"

"Wait, where's the real one?" The ninja asked, "Are they okay?!"

"Calm yourself, young human." The giant Akiridion grunted as Ricky free him, "I suspect Aja and Krel are fine, thanks to these two."

"I'm a helper!" Ricky turned to them happily with his index finger up and Lucy lift her finger up, blowtorch shot up.

"But who'll protect them from Morando?" Naruto frowned in worry and concern as the househusband cut zip ties off his hands, "If this bastard get his hands on them, I'm gonna…"

"They'll be fine." Vex placed hand on the ninja's shoulder as Lucy cut through the backdoor, "Varvatos is very sure."

"Surf's up, buckaroos!" Lucy kicked the piece of door out and she jump onto the piece, skidding down the road as if she was surfing.

"Move out!" The giant Akiridion barked and Aaarrrgghh jumped out with a tucking roll, following by Ricky, Toby and Naruto.

"Okay, I can do this." Steve pumped himself up, "Who's the man? I'm the…" He screamed out as Vex shove him out then grab Eli, jumping out with the screaming outcast.

"I did it!" Eli cheered.

"What?" Vex lift his head up to glare at him, "You did nothing! Are you all unharmed?"

"Well, what's it look like?" Ricky's voice spoke and everyone turned around to see the blank robot with his head lying a bit away from its body.

"Oh, honey, are you okay?" Lucy crouch down next to him.

"I have a little headache, actually." Ricky replied.

"Oh, no!" The housewife gasped, "Ricky!" She suddenly become calm as she pick the head up.

"According to my geo-positioning system, we're still several horvaths away from Arcadia." The giant Akiridion bring a holographic world map up from his forearm before a thump can be heard behind him and he look back to see Ricky's headless body walk into a tree.

"You could say we haven't made a lot of head-way." Ricky joked.

"Oh!" The housewife lift the head up, "You made a funny, honey."

"Thanks." The head chirped, "I was worried that one might go over your head."

"Okay, don't press your luck." Lucy rolled her eyes amusingly.

"Stuart's not answering." Vex placed hand on his forehead, "Varvatos forget…He has aerobics class on Tuesdays." He turned his head to the chubby teenager, "Tobias, you must recruit your nana."

"To drive us?" Toby blinked, "She's legally blind."

"Well, considering my non-saggy appearance, her ocular deficiency may be for the best." The giant Akiridion replied, "We must expedite our return. The king and queen-in-waiting are in danger!"

"And if you're worrying about driving, I'll do it." Naruto frowned and the chubby teenager gulped, he hope it'll be okay.

---

Toby is wrong, he is wrong, he's wrong, he shouldn't have let Naruto take the wheel! "Now remember, Naruto, you want to keep your hands at five and seven." Nancy said, completely unawake of Naruto speeding at over hundred mph as he drift around the curves with some of his screaming passengers.

"Who knew student driving was such a brutal form of torture?" Vex said from the roof.

"Car worse than gyre." Aaarrrgghh cling on the truck.

"Hold on!" Naruto spun the wheel sharply as the car drift along the cliff and Steve hugged both Toby and Eli with triple bloodcurdling screams as the rear wheels barely went over the edge of cliff in air then they pull back on the road.

"I think I just wet my pant!" Eli shivered with widened unmoving eyes.

---

The car immediately reach Tarron's house and Naruto was first out to ram a rasengan into one of OMEN bot while Aaarrrgghh powerbomb another OMEN bot as Vex knocked the third OMEN bot away, rushing inside, followed by Naruto and others.

"Don't worry, we'll hold them off." Toby turned to face the OMEN bots with his warhammer.

"No one messes with my friends!" Steve bring his fists up and the giant Akiridion give them a nod before he run deeper inside the mothership with the ninja behind. They race down the corridor to see two OMEN bots shooting at door and they were about to stop the bots…Only to have a giant blue bolt shot past them with a loud explosive. Both Naruto and Vex peek past the corridor to see Aja behind the hole in gate with heavy pants.

"Most impressive!" Vex said proudly.

"Varvatos, Naruto, we need your help!" Krel hollered as soon as he spot them as he carry a blue OMEN bot with Aja, "Mother's hurt and our parents' cores are failing!" Vex immediately support Mother.

"We need to hurry!" Aja shouted as the group ran toward a certain room. Once they reach the stasis chamber, Krel immediately look over everything as he tried to figure out how to repair it before they'll lose their parents for good.

"Did you reroute the biometric capacitors?" The giant Akiridion asked.

"Of course." The Akiridion prince dig around.

"What about unplugging the pods and then plugging them back in?" The Akiridion princess suggested.

"That isn't the answer to every technical problem, Aja." Krel looked at her annoyingly.

"How about…" Naruto was about to say something before the Akiridion boy suddenly ran over to red screen.

"No." The Akiridion prince gasped, "No. No. No, no! No, no, no!" He banged his fists on it as Aja approached his side, "I don't think there's anything else I can do." He sniffled, "We're losing them." He turned to hug his sister with a sad sigh and Naruto stay quiet, sad for them as Vex place his hand on the king's pod upsettingly.

"…I may have an idea." Mother spoke up, "I still have some energy reserves. They are scarce, but they should be enough to power the stasis chamber."

"Mother, if you do that, you'll be erased…" Krel waved his hands in crisscross, "Forever."

"And if I don't, the king and queen will die." The blue OMEN replied, "This is our only option."

"Mother, please, no!" Aja threw herself on the robot before she turn to her brother, "Krel, fix this!"

"I…I just…" Krel stammered sadly, "Can't."

"I have seen you endure everything during your time here on Earth, and I've learned so much." Mother placed her hand on Aja's hand as her another hand end up on Krel's shoulder, "What it means to be family. What it means to love. I've watched you truly sacrifice for those that you love." She looked at the sniffling Akiridion children, "I will go, and you will remember me. Isn't that what a mother does?"

"Mother, I'm scared." The Akiridion princess whispered with sobs.

"I'm scared, too, but I also feel…" The blue OMEN lift the crying girl's chin up gently, "Love, and pride, and peace." She pulled the sobbing Akiridion teenagers into a bear hug, "I gather this will make a good bedtime story one day."

"I promise I'll tell it." Aja wiped her tear.

"Good, tell your and Naruto's children a lot about me." Mother teased.

"Mother!" She can't help but to give out a teary laughter and her boyfriend also can't help but to blush. Mother stand up then walk slowly toward the stasis machine and she give one last long look at her family.

"I never thought a glorious death could hurt this much." Vex said gently with his hand on Krel's shoulder and Aja hugged Naruto tightly.

"We…" Krel sniffled, "We'll miss you, mother."

"And I'll miss you, my royals." Mother replied before her arms glowing blue and she stick it into the machine. She scream out as she pour all of her remaining power into the stasis chamber and the pods light up at full power, a pop sound can be heard. The blue lights within Omen bot fade and the body break down with clatter before both Akiridion teenagers get close.

"Mother…" Aja stared down at the bot pieces before her gaze shift to the pods as they start to glowing brightly while the system whirring to life.

"…She's…" The Akiridion boy checked the status screen, "…Gone." He turned back to the screen as everyone exchange a sad look, "Seklos and Gaylen…She did it. It's…" The pods become orange as the bodies take shapes within.

"My royals." Vex kneeled in front of the pods.

"Mama?" The Akiridion girl checked on her mother's pod as her brother looked at their father's pod, "Papa?"

"Now we have to…" Krel turned to them with a plan.

---

"Check the AIT connectors." The Akiridion prince hold the pod still as best as he can and his sister was holding the other one with Naruto and Toby as Stuart drive everyone in his truck down the road as fast as he can go.

"Photon levels in the blue." Aja responded before the truck bumped over something, "Whoa! It'll be okay."

"Sorry!" Stuart called out, either to them in back or another driver.

"Everything will be okay." The Akiridion princess said to the pods.

"Stuart, what's our ETA?" Krel asked.

"Not long now!" The pudgy man hollered back, "Nearly at my humble abode."

"Not near enough!" Vex in his human form barked, "Step on it, Durian!" The truck hit its max speed and some cars honked at it.

"Energy levels normalizing." The Akiridion boy checked.

"Mama, papa, if you can hear me, we're on Earth." Aja put her hand over Krel's hand on their mother's pod, "Remember that old mudball?"

"It's not much, but it's alright, I guess." Krel said, "Aja like it more than I do."

"Here we are!" Stuart announced as he hit the brake with loud skidding noise in front of his store and Vex hit the window with a grunt. "Let's move!" They quickly move the pods into the store as Naruto distract some bystanders with his pranks and one or two jutsu showoff and he head inside right away after completed his task.

"Hurry, here!" The Akiridion girl shouted.

"Hook them up to the daxial array." The Akiridion boy moved the pods up with his sister and Vex carry the said object as Stuart tossed some kind of cords with claws on floor.

"Anything we can do to help?" Naruto asked.

"I have a nougat nummy if they want one." Toby offered, earn a strange look from the blonde before they pick the cords up.

"Recalibrate the power gauge to one-seven-eight." Krel tapped into the floating screen.

"Checking diagnostics." Aja push something on the machine as it light up, "Daxial array powering up."

"Ha, mama and papa's cores are stabilizing." The Akiridion boy grinned happily.

"Hey." The Akiridion girl turned to Naruto before she give him a hug, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." Naruto hugged back, "If I could have come sooner…" He sighed softly, "I'm glad you're okay and that Morando don't get you…I was worried." He kissed her, "I love you."

"Naruto…" Aja gasped breathlessly before she kiss him back, "I love you too." That is the first time they say it and she know it hold a lot of significance here.

"Does this mean you're going home soon, back to Akiridion-Five?" Toby asked Krel.

"Of course." Krel chuckled, "That was always the plan."

"What?" The chubby teenager gasped, "But you can't, not yet. I've got good news. Great news!" He ran over to his laptop to show the Akiridion boy the video, "Captain Kleb is going to premiere before Gun Robot Seven at the local drive-in!"

"Oh, that's amazing." The Akiridion boy gave him a smile, "All our friends will love it."

"We'll be local celebrities." Toby said, "Maybe they'll finally name a street after me. Domzalski Drive!"

"Your moving picture party will be the perfect way to celebrate after we stop Morando." Aja emphasized on 'after' with all of her fists on hip, "He's already on his way to Gaylen's core."

"Gaylen's core?" Stuart gasped behind the teenagers with widened eyes, "O-M-Gorbon! Are you…Are you trying to tell me that Gaylen's core is real?"

"Yep, pretty much." Both Akiridion sibling confirmed.

"Um, what's Gaylen's core?" Naruto asked and the curious chubby teenager nods his head rapidly.

"Well, uh, according to legend, as recounted in A Brief Recapitulation of Akiridion Lore…" The pudgy man fetch the book as everyone follow him out into the store.

"What?" Toby jerked his head up, "You guys have one of these, too?"

"I'm pretty sure everyone have their own lores." The ninja deadpanned at him.

"Gaylen ruled as a being of immense power…" Stuart tapped a page in the book, "Until he was defeated in the battle that shook the universe. And Gaylen perished, sadly, but some Akiridions believe that his core remained and contained the latent power of a god. Whoever uses his core has the power to create and destroy entire planets." He turned a page, "And I have always wanted one." He coughed as everyone looked at him, "Not to destroy a planet, of course. I'm not a lunatic, but it'd just be nice to shed some weight."

"Uh, I don't think weight loss is Morando's plan." The chubby teenager said.

"Fortunately, when we were in mama and papa's memories, they showed us where Gaylen's core is, or at least who's protecting it." Krel said.

"We need to talk to Jim or your grandpa about a troll named Can-in-jars." Aja looked to Naruto, "We saw him with our mama and papa when they give the other troll the core."

"…Wait, gramps know about life in space?" Naruto blinked rapidly before he pull his phone out to call Vendel, "…No answer." He is so going to ask gramps everything about his life because that is very news to him.

"Do you mean Kanjigar?" Toby asked.

"I guess so." The Akiridion boy shrugged, "Is there a way to contact your Jimbo?"

"Let me check if I have my best friend in the whole world's phone number." The chubby teenager took his phone out, "Yep, totally do!" They connect his phone to some television and the chubby teenager make a call.

"Your timing could not be worse." Blinky appeared on the monitor, "Master Jim and I are below Hoboken, New Jersey, mid-confrontation with a mysterious armored foe…Oh!" Jim clash into him and the camera turn to show some kind armored figure for a moment.

"What was that?" Toby whimpered, "He looked scary. I don't wanna interrupt, but it's kinda super important. Long story short, but remember Aja and Krel?"

"Hi." Aja waved with Krel.

"How's it going?" Jim blinked before he turn to his opponent and resume the battle.

"Perhaps we can save the introductions for a more opportune time?" The six-eyes troll get up, "This foe requires our undivided attention!" Once again, Jim clashed into him.

"You know anything about something called Gaylen's core?" The chubby teenager asked, "As in where Kanjigar stored it for safekeeping to protect the universe?"

"Kanjigar kept many secrets." Blinky looked at something offscreen, "Begone!"

"Our parents gave Gaylen's core to Kanjigar and another troll named Vendor." Aja said.

"Vendel." Naruto quickly corrected her.

"In that case, I would recommend…" The six-eyes troll yelped when he got knocked down by Jim before they get up, "Back, you foul beasts!" He picked the phone up, "I would recommend you consult the Soothscryer!"

"Good luck with the scary armored guy, Jimbo!" Toby hollered as the feed ended, "You know, I worry."

"What is a suit-cryer?" Krel asked, "More importantly, where can we find it?"

"In the most incredible place ever." The chubby teenager chuckled, "You, my friends, are about to be the first Akiridions inside Trollmarket!"

"Oh, kami." The ninja paled when he realize something, "Please don't tell me we're gonna visit some ghosts, aren't we?" The human teenagers stare at each other, "…I'll have some holy waters and talisman papers at ready."

"They're not going to hurt you, Naruto!" Toby sighed, "Name one ghost that want to kill us!"

"Morgana."

"…She don't count."

---

"I'll see your guys' super-out-of-this-world serrators and raise you…" Toby led the Akiridions, Aaarrrgghh and Naruto under the bridge before he lift a orange crystal up, "The Horngazel!" He start to draw the door on wall…With some difficulty and the giant troll touch it to open the gateway. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Lively!" Aja smiled before they heard some thuds behind them and they spun around to see OMEN bots. "Oh, no!"

"Morando's here already!" Krel cried out as the said Akiridion land behind his soldiers.

"Kill them all!" Morando pointed at them with a roar.

"Inside!" Aaarrrgghh pushed everyone inside and the gateway closed before one of OMEN's shooting hand can get to them.

"We have to get to Gaylen's core." The Akiridion girl yelled as everyone ran down the staircase.

"Will that entrance hold?" The Akiridion boy asked the other.

"It will." Naruto grunted.

"Yeah, don't worry, there's no way they can get in." Toby confirmed until they reach the end of the stair, "At lease I think they can't. Welcome to Heartstone Trollmarket." He turned to the ruins.

"Did you forget about what Gunmar did to it?" The ninja whispered to the sheepish chubby teenager.

"This is the most incredible place ever?" Krel gestured.

"It was before the Eternal Night." The chubby teenager answered.

"Damp and creepy." The giant troll uttered.

"With an aura of death and decay." Vex looked around as they walk through the Trollmarket, "I like it."

"Ah, wait, wasn't this Bagdwella's place?" Toby asked.

"Yeah, it was." Naruto said, "Kami, this woman is so lazy that she always push everything off to Jim."

"Yeah, and I thought the gnomes did some damage." The chubby teenager hummed.

"They pooped everywhere." Aaarrrgghh said after he licked the floor.

"Do you have to do that?" Toby gagged.

"Come on, let's get to the Suit-cryer." Krel said as they moved on.

"Soothscryer." The ninja corrected him.

"Sad." The giant troll grunted sadly at the sight of his ruined home.

"We know what it's like to lose one's home." Aja placed one of her hand on the troll's shoulder before her another hand slip into Naruto's hand, "But we can always find a new home."

"Yes, found new home." Aaarrrgghh nodded, he's glad that the people in Arcadia accept him and several trolls that remain behind.

"But Jim, Blinky, and the trolls are safe, and that's what matters the most." Krel patted Toby's shoulder and there was a rumble as some rocks drop from above, a booming sound can be heard in distant. "But we might not be."

"Okay, let's pick up the pace." Toby said and they power-walk until they hear some grunt. "What was that?" They notice something move in dark, "We have to move." They start to run.

"Morando and his forces are drawing closer!" Vex barked as they reach the Hero's Forge.

"Lively!" Aja gasped at the sight of the training area.

"You should have seen it before." Naruto said fondly, "All the deathtraps in obstacle and many weapons to try out. I always spend most of my time training here…I wish I should have bring you here sooner before Eternal Night happened."

"Come on!" The chubby teenager hollered as they ran across the bridge.

"Where is this tooth-scraper?" The Akiridion girl asked.

"Soothscryer." Her boyfriend corrected her.

"It's up there!" Toby pointed to the tall platform.

"Come on!" Krel jumped then climb up to top with everyone.

"Okay, maybe the armor was a mistake." The chubby teenager admitted, "But I look so good."

"So, where is the Suit…" The Akiridion boy caught himself, "Sooths-cryer?"

"Step here." Aaarrrgghh tossed a large stone off and Krel stepped on the said spot, blue footprint glow as the platform form an blue formation before the soothscryer raise with some rumble.

"How foreboding." Krel muttered, "How does it work?"

"Put your hand in." Naruto said, "And pray for better outcome."

"Stick your hand in and it'll tell you if you're a trollhunter, or where Gaylen's core is, or maybe bite your arm off." Toby explained, "Honestly, I'm not sure, but you have four of 'em anyway."

"And I would like to keep them all…" The Akiridion boy hugged himself with a nervous chuckle, "Thank you."

"Come on, Krel." Aja gave her brother a look.

"Here, let me give you a boost." The chubby teenager ran over to kneel on his limbs before the Akiridion teenagers use him like foothold as he chuckled, "Not my first rodeo."

"Uh…" The Akiridion girl stare at the whirring blades within the soothscryer's mouth.

"Together?" Krel gulped before they stick their hands in nervously until the blades suddenly stop with a clank sound. "Uh…Well, that was underwhelming." The light glow brighter within its mouth.

"Toby, Naruto, what is happening?" Aja asked.

"No idea, but that definitely never happened for Jimbo." Toby answered confusingly.

"Please don't tell me the ghosts have been released…" Naruto paled before the air whoosh with glowing blue balls. "…FUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" He pulled a charm out to ward the ghosts off in fear.

"Fascinating." The Akiridion boy uttered, "What is it?"

"Whatever it is, it must be your answer." The chubby teenager ignored the fact that the ninja was backpedalling away from the will-o-the-wisp as it nudge the Akiridion boy's back to the edge and it fly ahead of them.

"I think it wants us to follow it." Aja guessed before she chase it, "Come on, it's getting away! Keep up!" The team follows her until it fly down into the deep hole.

"That looks…" Vex peeked over the cliff, "Deep."

"How dod we get down there?" The Akiridion girl asked.

"We don't!" Toby replied, "That's the Deep. If you go down there, you face your deepest fear."

"Why would anyone want to do that?" Krel asked bewilderingly.

"Long story." The chubby teenager replied, "But Jim made it out alive. Unfortunately, he's the only one who has."

"We don't have much choice." Aja held her serrator up, "We have to find Gaylen's core before Morando. I'll go. You and Varvatos need to fight whatever's coming." She summon her hoverboard.

"Are you sure?" Krel looked at her.

"Yeah, if I'm not back in five mekrons, you all come after me…" She gave Naruto a quick peck on lips, "For good luck."

"Be careful." The blonde said to her before Aja jump down into the Deep on her hoverboard, following the spirit ball until they disappear from their sight. They stare for a bit until a snarl attract their attentions and their heads turn to the entrance of the Hero's Forge.

"Uh, I got a bad feeling about this." Toby gulped.

"Hold on…" Naruto created dozen of kage bunshin and send them out to the source. There was a pause until the ground rumble for few minutes then halt with some silence before he turn to everyone, "It's all good now. I think I got them all."

"What was that?" The chubby teenager asked.

"Um, I think they were zombie Gumm-Gumm trolls that was left behind." The ninja scratched his head with questioning expression, "Or were they cannibal? I mean, some of them were missing limbs. But like I said, it's all good because my clones took them out with rasengan and several earth jutsu."

"…Oh…" The chubby teenager paled at his imagination, "I hope they were zombie…"

---

Some time passed as the team waits for Aja's return and few of them start to worry a bit. "Um, how long have it been?" Krel asked and someone was about to respond until they feel a powerful rumble.

"They're here!" Naruto warned them, "A clone spot them dropping in from the ceiling. They'll be here in a minute!"

"Kleb!" Krel transform his serrator into a sword.

"Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh." Toby gulped.

"Varvatos Vex, you cannot keep me from Gaylen's core." Morando announced loudly as he enter with his OMEN bots in tow.

"So, that's Morando, huh?" The chubby teenager said.

"Dude, you just saw him a while ago!" The ninja said from one side of his mouth.

"The overgrown one and I shall hold them off." Vex took his serrator out.

"We're not leaving you!" The Akiridion boy said and Aaarrrgghh toss a large boulder with a shout. It hit the spot above the entrance and the rubbles fall down to block the entrance, prevent the evil Akiridion and his robots.

"We must keep Gaylen's core out of Morando's hands." The giant Akiridion tossed all the three boys into the Deep, "Get to your sister." The boys hold onto Toby as he float them down with his warhammer, "More incentive!"

"How many times has he thrown you off a cliff?" Toby can't help but to ask Krel.

"More often than I'd like." Krel admitted.

"Twice for me." Naruto said, earning a odd look from his friends. "He didn't take it well when he found out that I'm dating Aja early in our relationship. Of course he tricked me into going to this hill and shove me off the first time. Second one was from spar and he accidentally threw me over the cliff…But I still think he did it on purpose."

"Sound like him." The Akiridion boy nodded calmly.

"Yikes." The chubby teenager muttered and it took a while until they reach the bottom, immediately spot Aja fidgeting around in front of a giant metal vault door.

"Aja!" Krel called out.

"Krel? Toby? Naruto!" Aja ran toward them and the brother hold his arms out for a hug but she end up running into Naruto's arm.

"Oh, hug your boyfriend instead of your worrying brother." The Akiridion boy rolled his eyes as he put his arms down.

"Why isn't the Deep doing its thing?" Toby asked.

"I don't know." The Akiridion girl muttered, "Maybe the Deep's defenses were made to protect this." She gestured to the vault, "And I made it through by confronting my worst fear."

"I'm glad I didn't have to confront mine…" The chubby teenager shivered, "Dieting. Ugh."

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked Aja.

"What did you see, sister?" Krel added.

"Morando." Aja sighed, "He was destroying everything in Arcadia. That's what he'll do if he gets Gaylen's core." She looked around, "Where are Varvatos and Aaarrrgghh?" As soon as she finished her question, they hear a scream and they look up to see Vex bring a large shield out. The teenagers move back to avoid the giant Akiridion and troll as they land with a hard crash, kicking dusts up.

"This one pushed me!" Vex get up with a cough, pointing at the troll with a furious look.

"Oops." Aaarrrgghh said.

"Wingman!" Toby ran up to his troll friend for a hug, "You're okay!"

"We stalled Morando, but he is not far behind." The giant Akiridion informed, "Quick, open the door!"

"I've been trying, but nothing works." Aja replied before the runes glowing around the vault, "Krel, look."

"Mama and papa really did hide the core here." Krel said.

"It looks like there's a password." The Akiridion girl squirted her eyes at the runes, "The end of the inscription is in Akiridion, but I've never seen the other language before."

"It's Trollish." Naruto said.

"Mm, trollish." The giant troll nodded.

"Well, by all means, my stone-faced friend, enlighten us." Vex said.

"With valiance and justice…" Aaarrrgghh read the inscription.

"Long may…" Krel said.

"House Tarron reign." Aja finished and the vault glow bright.

"Glorious." The giant Akiridion uttered.

"Lively." The Akiridion girl uttered.

"Awesomesauce." The chubby teenager cheered before a explosive went off behind them and they spot a red light in distance. "Open up, open up, open up!" He banged the door with his fist and it slowly open up. "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my…" It open up to reveal pitch-dark space, "Or we could stay."

"And face OMEN and Morando alone?" Naruto looked at him.

"Um…" Toby gulped again before the red lasers flew over their heads as OMEN get closer with Morando. "Go! Go, go, go!"

"Take cover!" One of them say as they get inside and one of OMEN hold the vault door open…Only to knock back out by Naruto's and Aja's combined kick. The vault closed and everything become dark.

"Uh…" The chubby teenager gulped, "So, now what?" The spirit ball pop up and Naruto swiftly hide behind his girlfriend as it form some kind of smoke.

"Pretty." Aaarrrgghh said as it turn red and a holographic-like arm rise from ground with some kind of blue orb in its hand before it pop to reveal a holographic figure of an Akiridion.

"Is that…" Krel gasped.

"Seklos and Gaylen!" Vex also gasped.

"The legend of Gaylen's core." Aja said.

"Aw, man!" Toby took a photo of it with his phone, "Wish I brought my film camera."

"From the stars, Gaylen created Akiridion-Five." The Akiridion girl said as the holograph show them a story, "But his power grew too fearsome."

"Only Seklos found the power to stop Gaylen." The Akiridion boy picked up as a blue holographic figure appear in front of the red figure, "Channeling her own life energy, she sacrificed herself to pierce his core." The blue figure pull its core out to make a cannon arm then shot through the red figure's chest before everything flash white, blinding them for a moment.

"But the legend did not end there." Kanjigar appeared before them.

"NOT AGAIN!" Naruto cling on Aaarrrgghh's arm with a high-pitched scream.

"Kanjigar!" Toby realized, "You led us here?"

"Of course." The ghost laughed, "I built this place to guard Gaylen's core for when House Tarron would one day return." Some bowed and Vex tell Toby to kneel with a clearing throat.

"Fine, but you're helping me up." The chubby teenager said to Vex, "This thing weights, like, a million pounds."

"Sir Can-in-jars, we are Aja and Krel Tarron, daughter and son of King Fialkov and Queen Coranda." Aja spoke, "It is our honor to meet you."

"The honor is mine." Kanjigar replied, "And Gaylen's core is yours, House Tarron, as it always has been." He gestured ahead and the purple crystals float together to form a pillar with a floating core above.

"This is truly a sacred place." Vex said.

"It is now yours to protect." The ghost said as it vanish.

"We did it, Krel." The Akiridion girl hugged her brother.

"Come on, for mama and papa." Krel rode the hoverboard up with his sister before a red laser shot the board down, sending the screaming Akiridion sibling falling until Aja grab the crystal with a slip and she caught her brother.

"Here ends the House of Tarron." Morando boasted as the team turned to face him and his OMEN robots. "Gaylen's core is mine."

"Not on my watch!" Naruto flashed through handseals before he toss a dagger at the evil Akiridion. Morando laughed for a bit before his eyes widened when a dagger multiplied to several dozen and the evil Akiridion swiftly pull his serrator out in shield mode, blocking most while the OMEN shot some down.

"Let's light them up!" Toby bring his weapon out with Vex.

"OMENs, attack!" The evil Akiridion barked and the OMENs fired their arms at the team as the Akiridion siblings climb with haste. The team charge at the OMEN and most robot focus on all four, allow Morando to freely climb up the pillar with evil laughter.

Naruto use a water bullet jutsu at first on a OMEN robot, believe that it will put the robot down since water and technology don't mix well but he was wrong when OMEN shrug it off. 'Guess it's either rasengan or earth jutsu.' He don't know if a fire jutsu can take it down, same goes for wind type. It took Naruto some time to figure out OMEN's weakness, which is its head. First he scattered the OMEN robot's pieces around then he quickly crush the head, either with his favorite jutsu or any earth jutsu with heavy damage. The ninja was about to go help the Akiridion siblings but another OMEN take its place, force him to repeat his strategy few times. By the time he took three OMEN out, the ground rumble and he turn around to see the pillar of crystals crumble then bounce back up. He ran toward to it, seeing Vex and Aaarrrgghh catching Krel and Toby and he hear some yelling.

"OMEN, FIRE!" Morando's voice shouted before several red lasers hit the ceiling over the floating core and pillar crumble down, for good this time. Naruto spot his screaming girlfriend falling and he move faster, leaping up to catch her as Vex appear in front of them with a giant dome barrier to protect his team.

"MORANDO!" Aja shouted angrily at the empty space.

"Rocks!" Someone cried out before everything crash down and there was a blackout for a moment until some come around groggily.

"Aja!" The Akiridion girl heard her boyfriend's voice.

"Krel!" Aaarrrgghh's voice grunted.

"Guys!" Toby's voice said worriedly.

"My lieges!" Vex said as everyone cleared the rubbles away, "Are you okay?" Aja get up with rings in her head.

"Take it slow." Toby said, "It'll be okay."

"Yeah, listen to him." Naruto brace Aja up.

"Morando?" Aja asked, "Where is he?"

"Varvatos regrets to inform you that he got away." The giant Akiridion frowned.

"With the core?" She stumbled and she would have fall down if it wasn't for Naruto holding her up.

"At least we're all safe." Krel exhausted.

"Yeah, but now the universe isn't." Toby said and Aja glance at everyone until she notice something.

"Naruto, you're bleeding!" Aja cried out as soon as she see some blood running down the ninja's face from right temple and she can see a nasty bruise on the same temple.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Naruto pressed his injury with a wince, trying to stop the bleed.

"How does you…?!" She asked worriedly until she remember something, before her blackout, she saw Naruto shielding her when the rubbles break through the barrier and she realize that he took the hit for her. "We need to go back to Stuart's and get you some first aid." She place one of her hands on his forehead gently, ignoring the warmth of the red blood tickling down her palm and the team slowly make their way out of the Deep.

---

"You're lucky it's not deep, neither will leaving a scar." Aja sighed in relief as she wrapped a bandage around Naruto's head after she clean him up.

"See, what did I tell you?" He gave her a grin to ease her worry, "Thank for patching me up."

"You're welcome." She gave him a gentle peck then she walk into the back of Stuart's shop to her parents' pods with Naruto in tow. She press her hand up against her mother's pod, "…We failed, mama. Morando has Gaylen's core. We can't stop him." The blonde place hand on her shoulder and she cover it with her another hand.

"Whenever I found myself in a situation where I didn't know what to do…" Krel glanced from his sister to his father's pod, "You always knew the words I needed to hear." He sighed, "I wish you were here to say them to me now."

"But he's not, little brother." Aja turned to her brother, "Neither of them are. Not yet. But think of all we've done without them. We've rescued Varvatos from the moon, and we've kept mama and papa safe." She smiled at him, "We can do this without them."

"You do know that 'this' is defeating a god, right?" The Akiridion boy smirked.

"Then we need to find a way to defeat a god." The Akiridion girl wrapped both of her right hands with her brother's hands before Stuart push himself in between them with a blowing nose.

"I'm on it!" Stuart grinned with his arms around their shoulders, "I'll decode the EllyDuc transcripts, review the Illiac Mythos, and maybe piece together the Oxiom Gospels. Simple."

"You really have to do all that?" Toby questioned.

"What else is an intergalactic library card good for?" The pudgy man chuckled.

"Um, what about looking for Seklos' core?" Naruto suggested, "I mean, if Gaylen's core exist then…"

"Yeah, he's right." The chubby teenager agreed, "Why don't we just stop Morando the way Seklos stopped Gaylen?"

"What is the armor-teethed one and cat-faced one talking about?" Vex furrowed his brows.

"Cat-faced?" The blonde's eyes twitched, "Don't call me cat, I hate cats."

"I don't know…" Aja can't help but to giggle at him, "You're my kitty cat because you always purr when I rub your birthmarks."

"…You promised not to call me that in front of everyone or tell anyone about my secret…" Naruto blushed embarrassingly, "Why can't you ever call me foxy man since I like foxes…"

"According to the light show in Trollmarket, Seklos destroyed Gaylen with a really, really, really, really…" Toby stretched his arms out as the giant Akiridion looked annoyed, "Almost done, really big gun."

"Seklos' cannon." The Akiridion girl clenched her fist up for a moment.

"A little on-the-nose as names go, but, yeah." Toby lift his index finger up.

"Good thought, but the cannon was destroyed during Seklos' battle with Gaylen." Stuart said, "You can't just pick one up at the supermarket."

"But what if you built one?" The chubby teenager took his phone out to show them the picture of the holographic figures, "Hmm? Hmm? Yeah? Think you could use this as a blueprint?"

"Nice work, Toby!" Krel swung his fist with a grin, "This is some high-definition footage."

"Yeah, the phone company upgraded me after I dropped my eighth phone." Toby grinned, "I gave them a lot of business."

"Thermal phasers…" The pudgy man snatched Toby's phone up to take a close look.

"Hey!" The chubby teenager cried out.

"Look like you'll get your ninth phone." Naruto smirked at the pouting boy.

"Some ionic wiring…" Stuart muttered.

"So, can you build it?" Aja asked.

"Of course I can." The pudgy man puffed his chest up, "I'm an electronics whiz."

"Acutally, I was asking Krel." The Akiridion girl gestured to the said boy with left hands on her corking hip.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." Stuart deadpanned.

"This weapon looks fairly simple." Krel took the phone, "Even Stuart could build it."

"Ugh, or that." The pudgy man groaned before they hear a ringing bell that bring a happy glint to his eyes, "A customer!"

"Now?" Aja raised her eyebrow.

"It's still a customer." Stuart scoffed as he jogged out, "I haven't had one of those since 1986!" He halt in his track with a startled gasp when he see sergeant Costas, "Not a customer! Not a customer! Oh-hoo!"

"You're a fool to attack us without your fellow warriors, hoo-man." Vex stomped out to grab the sergeant up by collar, "Varvatos will floss his teeth with your entrails." He swung the man onto the shelves few times.

"No flossing!" Costas coughed, "No flossing! I'm on your side!" The giant Akiridion tight his grip, "I mean, I'm now on your side. I've had a change of heart?"

"Excellent!" The giant Akiridion grunted, "Varvatos will pull it from your chest!" Aja stepped forward with her index finger up before she swap it down at the ground.

"Don't kill me." The sergeant pleaded before the giant Akiridion toss him into the casher's counter with a yank.

"Speak as if your life depended on it, because it does." Vex said as everyone surrounded the sergeant.

"Colonel Kubritz has lost her mind." Costas massaged his neck, "She sold out to Morando because she thinks it's the best way to protect the Earth from other aliens."

"Ugh." Krel grunted with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

"Sorry." The sergeant apologized, "Extraterrestrials. But I think she made a deal with the devil, and now they're making the devil into a god."

"Wa-wait!" Aja waved her hand, "What do you mean they are making him? He's not a god already?"

"No, no." Costas shook his head, "He's gotta go through some kind of integration process. The colonet says it'll take several hours. During that time, he's asleep."

"You mean he's in stasis?" Krel raised his eyebrow.

"Kind of." The sergeant replied, "The point is he's vulnerable."

"Finally, some good luck!" The Akiridion boy grinned widely as he turned to his team, "We have a minnow of opportunity!"

"I think you mean window, or, I guess, a really lucky fish." Costas stood up before he yelp out when Vex knock him down with a fist to head, "Here's the thing. Before losing consciousness, Morando sicced Kubritz on you. Then he did this evil laugh." He mimicked a evil laughter before he clear his throat, "Ahem, anyway, I lied about knowing where to find you, but she says she knows how to draw you out."

"And how will she draw us out?" The Akiridion girl narrowed her eyes before they hear a ringtone playing and Krel hold a phone up.

"Would you terminate that infernal noise?" Vex frowned.

"Eli, this is not the time!" Krel answered.

"Where are you guys?" Eli asked on speaker, "Everyone in Arcadia's here for our big premiere except you and Toby!"

"How can I forget?" Toby gasped as the Akiridion boy made a realization, "This is my big night! I was supposed to rent a tuxedo. My nana's going, Darci's doing concessions…"

"I know how Kubritz is going to draw us out." The Akiridion prince spoke up.

"How?" Naruto asked.

"The big premiere!" Krel turned to them, "Kubritz is going to attack this place!"

"…This bitch." The ninja scowled, "Why isn't she fired after this viral video?"

"Um, it turn out that she have been ignored the calls from the high-ups and keep us in dark." Costas lift his index finger up, "I just found out today before I come here."

"Let's go!" The Akiridion boy urged everyone to get ready for the upcoming battle.

---

Naruto scan the drive-in cinema from distance with Toby as the movie start to play, "All clear so far." He said to the chubby teenager.

"Good, good." Toby adjusted his helmet, "I hope Kubritz'll show up after the movie. I put a lot of work into this one." They wait for a while, "…So scratching your birthmarks make you purr? Wait until Jimbo and Claire hear about…"

"Tell a single soul and I'll give you a corncob prank once every month." The ninja turned to him with deadly look, causing the chubby teenager to break out in cold sweat.

"…This epic battle we will have without them." The chubby teenager gulped before the screen explode and Kubritz jumped through in her new armored suit. "Oh, come on! At the beginning? Really?!"

"Show's over." Kubritz announced as OMEN robots arrive around the drive-in and they hit the cars, capturing some fleeing people roughly. "We're here for Aja and Krel Tarron." She smashed the police car, "Do not resist!"

"She's getting unhinged, huh?" Naruto ran with Toby, "Good thing I have a clone filming her right now." The chubby teenager looked at him questioningly, "Evidences to put her in slammer for good. No one harass and attack my girlfriend's family and get away with it."

"Gotcha." Toby nodded, he has no problem with the ninja dragging her name through mud.

"Anyone protecting them will also be detained." The insane colonel pointed at the frightened people and a OMEN fire its weapon up in air. At this time, Aja and Krel make their arrive on the hoverboard, "Gotcha." Krel jump down with his sword and Luug before they were joined by the rest of the team.

"You're looking for us, Colonel?" Aja held her serrator up.

"You know the human saying…" The Akiridion boy said, "Be careful what you wish for."

"I knew you'd show up." Kubritz smirked evilly, "OMENs, fire!" The robots fired lasers over the screaming people's heads without regard of their safe-welling as Krel shield his team.

"Get everyone to safety!" The Akiridion girl hollered as Aaarrrgghh jumped out to help the citizens, "We need to deal with Kubritz now so we can stop Morando before he becomes a god."

"I'll handle the OMENs." Naruto nodded.

"Let's pop this colonel!" Toby grunted before he hum, "Hmm, now I'm just thinking about popcorn. This is what I get for going into battle on an empty stomach."

"I'll take care of Kubritz." Aja looked at the boys, "You two, help Naruto with OMENs!" Everyone split up and she fired her powerful blast at the colonel with a battle cry.

"Hey, tin can, up here!" Naruto leaped over several OMEN and they tilt their heads up to him with their blaster, "Kage bunshin!" He created several clones in midair and they combine their hands together to create a huge rasengan, the size of a one-story house, before the ninjas let the gravity take control as the jutsu flatten the OMENs beyond repairs and a deep crater form under it.

"Duuuuuude!" A random teenager said out to him, "Since when you can do that one?"

"Oh, just a while ago!" The smirking ninja use a earth jutsu to create a pitfall for couple OMEN then finish it up with burying them in heavy rocks, "I would use elemental rasengan but the damage is too much that it'll put anyone near in danger!" He looked back at the gawking teenagers, "And why are you standing around? RUN!" The teenagers and some adults ran as soon as he shout at them before the blonde turn back to see few more OMEN flying toward him with red blades, "Alright, come at me!" Naruto lunge at them.

Eleven destroyed OMEN later, the cinema have been cleared out and Naruto end up jumping in the back of the truck with Steve, drove by Eli and Toby. "Tokyo Drift!" Eli screamed out as the truck skid around, launching a OMEN up in air with a flip and Naruto turn to the Akiridions as the robot explode in front of the truck. "Come with me if you want to live." Naruto offered his hand out to his girlfriend with a joking tone, ignoring the angry shouting of colonel in blue holographic-like orb near them.

"Oh, you!" Aja took his hand with a giggle.

"Man, what a line." Steve said, holding onto the roof.

"Oh, man, I cast the wrong guy." Toby agreed.

"You stole Senor Uhl's truck?" Krel asked the outcast as he climbed into the back with Vex.

"I prefer the term liberated." The outcast replied.

"Leave the semantics for later!" Vex grunted, "Apply pedal to the metal!" The truck sped out of the area with Aaarrrgghh in tow.

---

"We can hoverboard the rest of the way." Aja said as the truck braked with a skid on a bridge and the Akiridion siblings hop off the truck.

"Can you…" Krel was about to ask.

"Say no more." Toby cut him off with a smile, "Creepslayerz, crazy ninja and ol' War Hammer will keep Arcadia safe."

"And Varvatos will keep the slayerz and the hammer safe." Vex grunted.

"Aja, I'll make sure to give Kubritz a biggest ass-kicking she'll never forget for you." Naruto said to his girlfriend.

"Stay safe, my Naruto." Aja hugged him.

"You, too, my cute badass girl." He kissed her.

"Barbaric." The giant Akiridion grunted while holding Luug and Aaarrrgghh just giggle.

"Ugh." The chubby teenager cringed before he look to Krel, "Are they always this mushy?"

"Tonight is better than most." Krel deadpanned, "At least they don't start making out…" He looked back to the couple, "Oh, come on! Don't make out, you two! We need to go!"

"Good luck." Naruto break apart from his girlfriend and she give him one more peck on lips before she bring her hoverboard out, jumping on it with her brother then they took off in the sky. "See you later." He waved to them in distance.

"Hey, lover boy, snap out of it!" Eli honked, "There's still creeps that need to be slayed."

"And one racist to put down." The ninja jumped back in the truck and it speed back into the city.

---

Few hours later, there was a explosive as the OMEN pieces flew out in the empty street and Toby shake his head clear to snap himself from his awe of Naruto destroying the robots…By throwing a rasengan with wind blades. "Everyone's too spread out." Toby said to Naruto and Steve, "I can't keep up!"

"It's okay." Naruto said, "I still get you guys with my clones."

"But they can be taken out with one hit." Steve swung his bat to knock a head off the robot, "There's just too many of those bots and only six of us."

"Five." Aaarrrgghh appeared.

"Where is the bespectacled one?" Vex asked and they look around until Naruto jerk his head up slightly.

"At the park with everyone else!" The ninja quickly led the team, "One of my clones spotted them." It's good thing he have one of the clones stay on Kubritz to filming her in act of crimes. Once they reach the park, Kubritz was about to attack the citizens and Vex quickly shot her back with his serrator as the team take their stances.

"Steve?" Mary raised her eyebrow at him oddly, "What are you wearing?"

"You came back for me!" Eli cheered.

"Like I said, that was your last chance!" Kubritz shouted, "OMENs, fire!" Vex shielded everyone with a giant shield as the lasers exploded on contact and the giant Akiridion charge with a bellow, Aaarrrgghh join in the charge with a roar.

"Everyone, scatter!" Steve hollered as the team start to battle it out with the OMENs and Kubritz.

"Hey, creep!" Eli held Luug upside down as OMEN turn to him, "Say hello to my little friend." He pulled the dog-like creature's tail to fire couple lasers then blow the smokes off Luug's rear.

"HEY, BITCH!" Kubritz turned her face to the voice before a rasengan ram her helmet with a ear-splitting grind and it send her tumble across the park, breaking some benches in process as Naruto land on his feet then charge toward to the colonel. No one notice that Vex have disappeared during the battle.

"YOU FLITHY ALIEN…" The colonel shouted angrily.

"HEY, I CAME TO USA LEGALLY, GREEN CARD AND ALL!" Naruto shouted back with a smirk, "Smile, you're on camera!" He pointed to the clone that has been filming her the whole time and the colonel's eyes widened with ugly sneer.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Kubritz roared unhinging as she fired her weapons at the ninja, who have evaded every single wild shot with some acrobatic skills. "THEN EVERY SINGLE ALIENS THAT COME HERE!"

"WOW, YOU'RE ONE BIGGEST RACIST I'VE EVER MET!" The ninja shouted, "THREATENING TO KILL EVERY PERSON THAT MOVED TO USA?! YOU'RE A PSYCHO!" He twisted her words to fan the flame so people that will see this videos hate her more and the colonel realize what he was up to as she charge toward him with a savage roar and he hopped across the rooftops in some twisted kind of cat-and-mice game.

"DIE!" Kubritz was about to shot him down until a blue blast smack her arm away before Aja hit her with a flying kick and the Akiridion girl land with a flip, firing her blaster at the crazed colonel.

"Aja, what…?" Naruto landed next to her.

"Morando have merged with Gaylen's core but it's okay, we have a plan." Aja fired more with a frown.

"None of this would be happening if you and your brother had turned yourselves in like I asked!" The roaring colonel ran toward to them and she swung her fist down few times but each one was parried by the Akiridion girl's sword.

"You attacked our home!" The Akiridion girl blocked another blow from the colonel.

"This isn't your home, it's…" Kubritz shouted before Naruto send her flying backward with a air bullet then he shot few fireballs from his mouth to keep at her bay and Aja fired few more shots with her ionic boomerang mode. Every attack cause the colonel to skid back farther and her head shot up with a deadly glare as a blood drip down from her mouth. "YOU FLITHY AL…"

CRUNCH

Suddenly, a giant foot step on Kubritz with a heavy thud as an bloody sickening crunches echoed then lift up for another step, leaving behind nothing but gores and broken armored pieces.

"Jeez, not the way I want to go out in." Naruto muttered to himself at the sight before he look up to a giant version of Morando but he have red markings instead of usual blue.

"Surrender the Tarrons to me." Morando growled at Toby, who was floating in front of his face with the war hammer.

"Someone had a grown spurt." Toby whimpered before he drop down, just in time to avoid the giant evil Akiridion's clap with red beam. The chubby teenager was caught by Aaarrrgghh, "Wingman! Always there."

"Aja, how do you want to handle it?" The ninja asked his girlfriend as Morando shot few beams around the city, trying to strike some people down at same time.

"Easy, we fight him!" Aja change her serrator's mode to bring the sword out.

"Alright, no holding back then!" Naruto crackled his knuckles.

"HEY, I'M RIGHT HERE!" The Akiridion girl shouted out to the giant evil general to halt his attacks.

"Ah, the queen-in-waiting finally decided to come out of hiding, I see." Morando smirked evilly and he shot a beam at the girl, only to have Naruto scoop her up then jump far back to avoid the explosive. "Goodbye, princess…" He aim his fist at them to prepare another shot until he hear some shouting above him and he lift his head up to see…Nine clones of the ninja with different elemental orbs.

"ULTIMATE MOVE!" The clones shouted, "Senpo: Cho Rasenshuriken!" Every orbs crash down into the giant Akiridion with series of explosive, sending the evil general to fall back with a hard crash and the falling destroy a city hall in process.

"What was that, Naruto?" Aja gaped at her boyfriend.

"A powerful jutsu that I have been working for a long time in secret since gramps taught me rasengan…" Naruto panted heavily, something that she notice immediately. "But I only can do it once in a while since it take a lot of chakra out of me…" He looked at the giant Akiridion, "Let's hope it'll keep him down…" The ground start to rumble as the general slowly get up, "Oh, come on!"

"Naruto, we have to go!" The Akiridion girl pulled him onto a hoverboard, "We have to get him out of Arcadia." She said out loud so her team can hear and everyone ran toward a certain direction as soon as the evil Akiridion stood fully up, giving a chase. "Krel, are you there?" She asked her brother on comm and there was some chatter. "I could use those reinforcements about now!" The team stop at the bridge.

"That giant god guy's right behind us!" Steve dropped down from Toby's war hammer's shift.

"Why end at the bridge?" Toby groaned as Morando get closer with some stomps, "There's no production value, we're using the same location. What's the plan? Please tell me there's a plan."

"We just have to keep him busy a little while longer." Aja said.

"That's your plan?" The chubby teenager gawked.

"Don't worry, we'll improvise." The Akiridion girl grinned as she summon her spear, running to the giant evil Akiridion before she slide-tackle his foot, forcing the giant Akiridion to kneel. Morando attempt to squash her with his hand but Aja jump back to avoid the slamming hand then stab through it with her spear, drawing an painful groan out from the general and the Akiridion girl run up the giant with few jumps, slashing the face then jump high up in air to fire few blasts at her opponent.

"Whoo, go, Aja, go!" Naruto hollered, "That's my girlfriend!" He would back her up if he wasn't almost completely exhausted from overuse of his chakra and he'll jump in once he make some recovery, beside his girlfriend have it under control.

"These two are so made for each other." Toby commented under his breath and the jock nodded in agreement.

"Ok, let's go!" The ninja get his second wind before he slam his hand on road to create a earth dragon head and it fire few large boulders from its mouth to the giant general's stomach, striking him few times in row. The chubby teenager took off in air and swing his hammer at the giant's head.

"Begone, nuisance!" Morando swatted the chubby teenager into the canal and Aja flew past on her hoverboard, shooting at the giant until he shot her out over into the canal. Somehow on the way, she grab Naruto and Steve out there and they land in barrier orb, which break apart right away on the contact of the ground.

"He's too strong." Toby ran up to them, "He's stronger than Morgana."

"Yeah, he just brush my ultimate move off, despite how much it weakened him." Naruto grunted.

"We'll never stop fighting you, Morando!" Aja shouted before a powerful shield-shooter mode appear in front of her, "Ya!"

"You will once you're dead." The smirking general fired double beams at them few times, pushing them back.

"I can't hold it any longer!" The Akiridion girl hissed before a laser hit Morando's face from above and he look up.

"What?" Morando gasped, "Impossible!" Dozen space fleet flew down from a giant wormhole and they fired at the giant Akiridion.

"It worked!" Aja gasped in joy.

"Finally, the cavalry are here." Naruto breathed out, if they made it out in one piece, he is so going to sleep for days!

"Yeah-heh-heh!" Toby hopped in excitement.

"Just like Earth Invaders." Steve referred to his favorite show with a grin as Morando swing his hands at the zooming fleet, his body hit by laser shot after shot. The team start to climb the canal while some ships shot his back at same time, pushing him forward.

"My liege, you and your brother should fight by each other's side." Zadra arrived in her ship to drop Krel off.

"Little brother, you did it!" Aja moved to hug her brother happily before she turn to the Akiridion woman, "Naruto weakened him. We can take him down." The giant turn to aim his fist at them until a purple light shine down on him, causing him to look around confused until he look up to see…A giant bunny-like spaceship before countless Foo-Foos jump onto him. He shake them off with a shout and an drone appear. "Is that an parking drone?" She asked before she turn to them, "It's the Eli Pepperjack!"

"…How does he get the parking drone to here from there?" Naruto can't help but to ask them and they just shrug their shoulders.

"ENOUGH!" Morando roared as red wings appeared behind him after few minutes.

"RUN!" The Akiridion girl shouted and everyone cleared the area before a red shockwave knock everyone off their feet and pushing the ships far away from the evil general.

"Ugh…" Naruto slowly get up with a ring in his head and he look around until he see Steve pushing Toby off himself. "Guys, are you okay?"

"Where's Pepperjack?" Steve asked.

"Pepperjack?" Toby looked around worriedly.

"He's fine, he's still in city, remember?" The ninja told them and the boys felt stupid the moment he point it out.

"Go back to town, make sure everyone's safe." Aja appeared in front of them with her brother.

"On it!" Naruto nodded.

"Please don't get stepped on!" The jock called out as the Akiridion siblings took off on their hoverboard.

"Alright, hop on, guys!" The chubby teenager held his hammer up and the boys take hold of him before they took off in air, flying back to the city. By the time they reach the city, there was a blue and red light in the distance as it glow brighter that can been seen for miles and miles until it explode. "Oh!" He yelped at the sight as they checked on the Akiridions and citizens, "What was that? I hope they're okay!"

"Do you think they fired the cannon?" The ninja wondered and the chubby teenager make a call to Krel.

"…We did it!" Toby turned to them with a grin, "Morando's dead!" The Akiridions celebrated as he turned back to his phone, "Don't worry, everyone's fine. Turns out Akirdions and those bunny dudes are really good at killing robots. Plus, they're super into Eli."

"They're okay?" Naruto asked him.

"Yeah, they are." The chubby teenager nodded to him.

"Phew, I don't know you but I'm taking a little nap." The blonde exhaled and his friend feel the same way.

---

Early in the morning, the people were gathering in the school as Toby spoke on the stage in gym. "I know you all came to see a totally awesomesauce sci-fi epic…But first, Aja and Krel Tarron…Our friends, classmates and our real life-intergalactic heroes." He stepped back to let Aja take the stage as everyone applaused.

"Hi." Aja said nervously before she recoil from the feedback of microphone, "Oh." She chuckled sheepishly, "Hi. My name is Aja Tarron of House Tarron, and I want to tell you a story. It's a good story. It is very lively, with lots of humors and excitements." She read the paper, "It begins someplace very, very, very far from here on an entirely different planet called Akiridion-Five." She took her serrator to drop the transduction to reveal her true form, "And this is what we really look like there." The people cheered and applauded for her, "My brother and I were forced to leave our home. We are not like you, but we are like you. And you welcomed us, and your world became our world. We made many, many friends. And together, we embarked on adventures we'll never forget. And that inspired this little movie."

"Epic!" Toby hollered from Naruto's side, "This epic movie!" The movie start to play and Aja walk to her boyfriend.

"So now what?" Naruto turned to her as they held hands.

"Um, I…I don't know…" The Akiridion girl cast her eyes down to her feet and Krel look at them for a moment before he make his decision.

"What happen now is that we need an first extraterrestrial ambassador to Earth." Krel approached them, "But there is no volunteer for it and I'm thinking that an Akiridion could take it. Maybe someone close to us." He looked to his sister as if he was giving her clue and she caught it.

"…Little brother, are you saying…?" Aja gasped.

"Yeah, I think you should stay here." The Akiridion boy gently take her bottom hands in his bottom hands with a lighthearted chuckle, "Let's face it, we know you're a free spirit and no throne should hold you back from what you always want to be…And only Earth can give you what you truly want. That is your home now." He smiled, "Don't worry about Akiridion-Five, it'll be fine because I'll take the throne since papa and mama had prepare me for it for a long time." It was true that he have more knowledge of royal customs and everything between the siblings.

"Brother, I…" She said breathlessly before she jump on him with a tight hug, "I'd be honored to! I'll take the position! But you better call me often, no matter what kind of call it is."

"I will, I will." Krel hugged back with a chuckle before he look to the blonde, "Naruto, you better take a good care of my sister."

"I will, always." Naruto give him a fist bump.

"Good, because if you don't." The Akiridion boy smirked, "I'll come back with the biggest ionic cannon and disintegrating you."

"Krel." Aja rolled her eyes at him and the ninja hope it was just a joke.

---

It was time for the Akiridions, minus Aja, to leave for their home and everyone say their long goodbye to each other since they don't know when they see each other again. "The humans and this planet are lucky to have you." Vex looked down to Aja, in her human form.

"Yes!" Mary pumped her fist, "Badass girl is staying in the house!" Everyone celebrated.

"Unpack the bas, Lucy!" Ricky opened the case with a wide grin, "We're staying on the mudball, too."

"You can say that again!" Lucy tossed the cookies and plates up in air with laughter.

"You'll be okay without me?" Aja asked her brother again.

"Of course." Krel smiled, "Now we will both be home." The wormhole open up and the spaceships went through it.

"Many moons from now, when Varvatos' bones groan, and his blood slows to a crawl, and he sees the twilight of his life, there would be no greater honor…" Vex kneeled in front of Nancy, "Nothing more glorious for Vex than to have you by his side." He kissed her hand, "But I am the royals' guardian…And I must go back and stand by his side."

"I know you can't stay, but is there oxygen up there?" Nancy asked.

"There is, in abundance." The giant Akiridion replied.

"Then when Toby-pie leaves for college, make room for one more!" The elder woman grinned.

"You mean it?" Vex gasped happily with waving fists.

"Now kiss me, you big, blue lug!" Nancy pulled him in for a smooch.

"UGH, NO!" Toby shivered at the sight.

"Guess you'll have a step-grandpa." Naruto teased him with a chuckle before they watch the Akiridions and Foo-Foos enter the wormhole and Eli ran in excitingly, since he's the Earthling ambassador. Krel turn to give his sister and their friends one last look with a goodbye wave and he enter the portal to his homeworld with the rest as Aja hugged her boyfriend sadly before Luug jump into her bottom arms, she's glad that the pet will stay with her to make things less lonely.

"Why do these things always end in tearful goodbyes?" The chubby teenager wailed.

"Hey, it's not like we won't see them again." The ninja said to him, "We always can call them or visit them when we get a chance to. Who know?" The chubby teenager nodded before everyone slowly return to the city.

---

"How are you holding up?" Naruto asked Aja as they take their seat in his living room with late dinner, Vendel was sleeping in basement and Mei was also sleeping upstairs in her crib.

"I'm doing okay so far." She smiled gently back at him, "Just…Little sad after the entire goodbye we have today." Her lower hands take hold of his hands as she turn to face him, "But I'm also happy that I can stay here…With you."

"Mm, me too." He pecked her lips, "Me too."

"Naruto, I want to tell you something…" Aja knead their hands together as her cheeks seems to bright up, "Just something to know about in a future if we ever get…Intimate with each other…" The thought made him blush harder, "N-Not that I'm saying we should do it right now! Just in the future if we decide to do it, when we're ready!" She cleared her throat as he stay quiet since it's something that never cross his mind until now, "I…I want you to know…That it's possible…B-Because the female Akiridion are very similar to female humans here."

"Really?" Naruto blinked, "Um…What about male Akiridion? Out of curiosity."

"It's same down there but…" She muttered embarrassingly, "It's retraction in Akiridion's case."

"Oh." He uttered in surprise.

"And…" Aja looked away with heavy blush, "It's possible for us to have children." Naruto blinked rapidly, "Before Mother died…I asked her about it out of curiosity and she explained it to me…While we can have children, we don't know how they will turn out…Since it's something unheard of…"

"Will they be healthy?" Naruto asked, "What about you? Will it affect you or anything?"

"Mother said there'll be no risk involved so we'll be fine." She answered, "Only things we have to worry about is the chance of defects and any complications but since when childbirth is never complicated? It's not like we're Foo-Foo." He nodded at that, "W-Well, that's it. That's all I want you to know about it…J-Just to get it all out of the way and may give us something to think about in the future."

"Y-Y-Yeah, I get it, I get it." He nodded again in understanding, "It's better to know something before it's too late, you know?" She also nodded, "Um, wait, what about cores?"

"Oh, they can be created in the same way you humans do when…" Aja blushed again.

"Oh, that's interesting…" Naruto coughed, "I need to learn a lot more about Akiridion biology and all."

"Yeah, and human biology for me." She muttered under her breath and they just sit there flustered. "…Can we just make out and forget all about what we just talk about?"

"Yes, let's." The blonde said before they make out on the couch for a while until a voice break them out of it.

"Naruto, I'm home!" Zelda walked in, "Where's Mei and…" She froze at the sight of Naruto under a pale girl on the couch and she see some sign of them in middle of their makeout as they stare back at the changeling with widened eyes before Aja's transduction ran out to reveal her true form to the changeling.

"Um, hi?" Aja waved with her top right hand sheepishly, "I'm Aja Tarron, his girlfriend."

"Um, kaa-san, I don't know you were coming back today…" Naruto gulped nervously at his quiet mother, "Oh, and, um, extraterrestrials does exist. She's Akiridion."

"…" The sound of ringing can be heard as the changeling's blades slide out with a hiss, "Tell me how far have you get to?!" Her son better not be defiled while she's gone!

"Eek!"

"Kaa-san, no!"

---

And that end the fifth chapter of NIA!

And done! We just finished the 3 Below final season off!

A lot of things going on in this story! There are several little changes and in the end, Aja stay on Earth while Krel return to Akiridion-Five!

By the way, the next chapter is the final and epilogue of NIA.

What will the future bring us in the epilogue? Let's find out in the next chapter!

Anyway, I think that's all I can say for now. Thank you for your time to read it.

Please leave reviews and feedback here. The flames will be fed to gnomes.