Kisame knelt before Kimimaro's feet, ripping apart his jacket into small bandages.
"We will have to go to the medbay once we are in the air again to wash this properly." Kisame said. "Hold still."
Kisame pulled out the spikes in quick succession, blood dibbled down Kimimaro's pale flesh. As soon as he was done, Kisame quickly wrapped the Angel's feet in the thick bandage.
"We need to make sure it doesn't get infected..." Kisame continued. "Now the other foot."
Kisame repeated the steps for the other foot. When he looked up, Kimimaro's was looking at him with clear admiration, but said nothing at all.
"Are you with me now?" Kisame asked, rising to his feet.
"Yes." Kimimaro answered, the bone in his hand went back into his flesh. "I know how to pilot the ship."
Kisame brightened at the prospect. "Excellent! We could use that. Come, you need to meet my partner."
EHT
"Don't make a sound, it will be a rough ride." Yahiko hissed. They had no padding save for each other in their crates.
Just as he said it, the crates brushed harshly against the conveyer belt and all three of them crushed against Nagato, whose skin tore against the splintery wooden crate. He refused or make a sound.
The cycle continued in which all three went for a wild ride, often hitting their heads and being wound around as the crate marked them from all angles. It was a solid hour before it came to a halt and voices began to fill the air.
"Shh." Yahiko reminded his friends, as they all held hands and felt themselves being lifted and, eventually, dropped off.
No one made a sound until the voices were gone for a solid thirty minutes.
"Okay." Yahiko whispered. "Let's push the crate open and get out. Remember Kakuzu is probably out looking for us, and probably still in town. We have to go someplace they will be unlikely to find us."
"Where's that?" Konan asked.
"I'm thinking we should stay away from beggars and street children, even if that is what we are. Let's sneak into a house belonging to someone rich, and someone not here. We should be in a major trade hub, plenty of rich folks have homes in all the major cities where they don't live all year. We need to find one."
"Easier said than done." Nagato groaned. "But let's get out of here first."
"Right!" Known answered, and all three of them pushed the top of the crate together until it came off. There was complete darkness outside, and they held hands to get out.
They made no sound as they walked through the darkness and the many crates. Even as they hit the pieces.
Nagato felt something metallic and ridged and quickly nudged Konan, whose hand he was holding. Konan nudged Yahiko, and in that way they all followed Nagato to the ridged metal surface that was likely the garage door.
They knelt down together and found the garage door's bottom and pushed up, with a creak the door opened and they found themselves in shimmering twilight.
"Beautiful." Konan said, looking out. "Beautiful."
The others nodded but said nothing at all, and together they walked hand in hand away from the garage.
"Okay, Konan, go find out about any place we can crash at the bars and such. People are more likely to talk to you as a girl. Nagato, stay close to Konan and try to pickpocket anyone she talks to. We need money. I'm going to go try and steal food. Meet at that corner in thirty minutes."
"Got it." Konan and Nagato said in unison, and then they were following orders, heading in their separate directions.
EHT
Sasuke went down to the cafeteria. It wasn't a large place, but it was well setup. There was a cook, Choji, who was kind. He asked Sasuke about the types of things he liked to eat and was very accommodating.
The food was surprisingly good, all things considered. Sasuke had tomato soup and bread. On ships, finding different types of food was difficult, variety was hard to come buy. Bread, rice and noodles were staples that came easy, but fruits and vegetables were difficult to come by. Same with spices - or just depended on what planet you recently visited.
Sasuke sat down with his food and began eating when suddenly a blonde sat down opposite him.
"Sasuke!" Naruto grinned, scooting to sit next to Sasuke. "I was thinking maybe you'd like to train with me today. I heard you were a policeman once right? I was in the military myself a few years back."
"Really? You?" Sasuke asked dubiously, dunking his bread into the soup.
"Yeah. We aren't quite the same but we do have a gym. We can play some badminton and work out."
Sasuke thought about it for a moment. He did need to keep his body in top shape to get Itachi back. "Do you have a shooting range as well?"
Naruto considered this. "Unfortunately we don't but we can get one installed. I could help."
"I'm not staying long enough for that." Sasuke sighed. "But I would like to join you at the gym."
Naruto beamed. Sasuke looked away. Naruto was so bright and happy, he probably never knew what suffering was. Then again, he was a solider once... Sasuke clenched his fist against the surface of the table and finished eating.
EHT
"Samehada, you are amazing!" Itachi complimented. "Truly a remarkable skill in hacking ships."
Samehada preened, the spikes softening back as a sound of pleasure roared through the blade.
Itachi smiled and set back. "Let's get this thing in the air."
"Open the door Itachi!" Kisame's voice came in as he knocked on the pilot's door.
"Coming!" Itachi went and opened the door, eyes widening at the new figure by Kisame.
One look was all Itachi needed to recognize the S class species. He thought they were extinct.
"Itachi, this is Kimimaro, our new pilot. He needs medical attention as well."
"Nice- nice to meet you." Itachi said with a frown, his gaze wandering over Kimimaro's tattered body and the blood seeping at his feet. "Your kind they-."
"Itachi- go get medical supplies. We can discuss the story later. The ship is secure and Kimimaro can pilot us out." Kisame said quickly. "Before the Haai return."
"Got it." Itachi went past Kimimaro and ran through the ship in search of the medbay.
The medbay wasn't hard to find. It was on the second floor of the giant ship, the same floor as the pilot's room. Itachi memorized the area and quickly set about finding a red plastic box containing the medkit. It was out on the counter and Itachi grabbed it and ran back to the pilot's area.
As he walked he felt the ground beneath him move slightly as the ship went into motion. He pushed his way into the pilot's room, now unlocked.
Kimimaro sat by the buttons and steering, pushing buttons and other things. Kisame was speaking to Samehada, giving instructions of some sort.
"- and hack the mainframe getting us official ship papers. Then go outside and change the plates so we can avoid the galactic police..." Kisame was saying.
Itachi took a seat in the cushioned leather chair next to Kimimaro.
"When you're ready, I'll tend to your wounds." Itachi said calmly.
Kimimaro glanced at him impassively. "I can do it myself."
"You are clearly in too much pain." Itachi shook his head. "Please allow me."
Kimimaro did not protest, instead he continued working with his buttons as Itachi rummaged through the medkit.
"I will have to touch you, it may sting." Itachi said softly as he opened a large alcohol swab. "I'm going to start with your chest and arms and move from there."
"... I will switch to autopilot." Kimimaro said. "The ship is still leaving the atmosphere but this is an advanced ship. It does not require much work from the pilot."
Itachi nodded until Kimimaro finished and turned to face Itachi.
"Would you like to tell me how you got like this?" Itachi asked gently. "I had heard - probably incorrectly - that your people heal instantly."
"We do." Kimimaro answered as Itachi gently swabbed his skin. His eyes did not leave Itachi's the entire time, his state was almost unnerving. "I was tortured and enslaved on this ship. Kisame broke the chains and offered me a place on this ship. I agreed."
"I'm sorry you had to suffer through that." Itachi slowly bandaged Kimimaro and worked his way to Kimimaro's feet. "From now on you are one of us, and we will not let anyone hurt you again."
Kimimaro's fingers clenched around the armrest of his chair. "What exactly are you?"
Itachi chuckled. He was still wearing his police uniform, now dirty and tattered. "I am a former police officer, left for dead. Kisame is one of the legends of Haai. We ran away together just recently. We don't really know each other much yet, but here we are stealing a ship and going off into the wild. I half think I will wake up from this dream any moment now."
"So are you the captain? What are we going to do?" Kimimaro asked.
"I suppose... Kisame is the captain." Itachi decided. "He said he wanted to be and he seems to know what he's doing. Samehada can hack into ships and it sounds like much more as well. I'm just... A police officer with an interest in physics and other subjects." Itachi continued. Itachi knew almost every language as he and taught himself. He knew the history of almost every culture, their laws and standards. "I suppose I'd be sort of a diplomat. I don't know how long I'll stay because I do want to find my family and make sure they are alright. However, they are involved in starting a war I want nothing to do with..." Itachi's eyes glazed. "So perhaps I will find a different path to walk, now that fortune has shined on me and brought me you and Kisame."
Kimimaro nodded. "The stars aligned for me to meet you and Kisame."
"What a couple of lovebirds." Kisame snorted. "Are we out of the planet's atmosphere yet?"
"Yeah." Kimimaro answered. "I didn't know where to pilot the thing so I input a rest stop I know near a major trading hub - over by Majora Athena. We could blend in among many vessels there."
"Good thinking. Athena also has a place we can get supplies and jack up this ship." Kisame said thoughtfully. "I want to do some upgrades now that it's ours. Samehada has done all the work online so that this ship won't be flagged. It's going to go change the plates now and we can get it repainted in Athena."
"Sounds good." Itachi said. "Now then... I think we should get to know each other a little better."
"First, we name this ship. Any ideas?" Kisame asked. "Kimimaro? Itachi?"
Itachi shrugged. "Anything is fine."
"I do not care." Kimimaro said.
Both eyes looked at Kisame who shook his hands. "Why me?"
"You brought it up!" Itachi began putting away the medkit.
"How about... Sharkgazer?"
"I like it." Itachi said, locking the kit into place.
"It works."
"Sharkgazer it is!" Kisame grinned, stretching his arms into the air.
"Kimimaro, could you show us around the ship?" Itachi said, ignoring Kisame. Still, he couldn't hide the small smile on his features.
EHT
The gym turned out to be well equipped. Sasuke was surprised to find Ino and Sakura sparring through a glass window. Naruto led Sasuke to the weights.
The gym had specific clothes already set out, and Sasuke put on some blue shorts and a white t-shirt. Naruto did the same with orange and white. The sneakers were the kind that fit to your feet, clearly the gym had some serious effort put into it, something Sasuke took note of.
"Let's stretch and try it out." Naruto stretched his arms. "You know the drill, warm-up before extraneous exercise."
Sasuke nodded and followed Naruto's stretches and warm-up routine, going through all the usual without breaking a sweat.
Naruto smirked. "I'm surprised you can keep up with me."
"What do you take me for?" Sasuke asked, feeling a familiar thrill rush through him. He always was a little competitive and now his blood was rushing in anticipation.
"Wanna jog?" Naruto asked.
Their jog started off slow, and somehow Sasuke found himself trying to one-up Naruto every step of the way. Every chance he got, he ran ahead. Naruto did the same and soon the two were going at an all out run, glaring at the other as sweat poured down, drenching their white t-shirts. They kept running until they collapsed against each other at the end.
"You aren't have bad officer."
"Tch." Sasuke responded, mentally reprimanding himself for losing to a kitsune of all things.
"Think you can keep up with me in boxing?"
Sasuke glared. "What, afraid you'll lose?"
Naruto turned out to be a good boxer as well, despite their recent excursions. In fact, now that their t-shirts were thoroughly soaked with sweat, Sasuke could make out a very well toned body beneath. Naruto was ripped.
Military, Sasuke thought.
"So... When were you in the military?" Sasuke asked as fought.
"During the war of Jae Hades." Naruto answered. "I fought for the alliance, it's how j got my first tail, when I was 12."
"You were a solider at 12?!" Sasuke asked, shocked enough that Naruto managed to knock him over onto his back. He skidded across the ground and jumped backup, wiping blood from his face.
"Yeah." Naruto straightened his shoulders, huge grin on his face. "It's ancient history now. We won and the Jae backed off."
"I know that much." Sasuke dodged another attack and tried to hit Naruto's stomach. Naruto blocked it and somersaulted backwards and away.
"So why did you become a police officer?" Naruto asked.
"My family did it." Sasuke shrugged. "I'm Uchiha. We are basically the entire galactic police force."
Naruto laughed. "You aren't your family."
Sasuke pondered this as they fought. "Perhaps, but I like my family, and I like being an officer."
"Then why are you here?"
"Looking for my brother." Sasuke finally landed a hit on Naruto.
"Brother huh?" Naruto asked, as he hit the ground.
Sasuke threw off his gloves and held out his hand. "Yeah."
Naruto threw off his own gloves and captured Sasuke's hand. "I'll make sure you find him."
And that was touching somehow. Sasuke couldn't help but feel his heart warm a little.
"I don't need help." Sasuke answered.
"No." Naruto agreed. "I can see that. But I think, we're friends now and friends help."
"Who decided we were friends? Idiot." Sasuke scoffed.
"Me." Naruto grinned.
And it was such an innocent grin. Innocent coming from a child soldier. Darkened blue eyes that were so full of light - yet still coming from a war vet. Sasuke felt a chill up his spine. Naruto was an anomaly and Sasuke was intrigued, not that he would admit it, not yet.
It only occurred to Sasuke after they had left the gym. Naruto hadn't used a single tail while sparring with Sasuke. Naruto hadn't even gotten a little serious.
EHT