Chapter 3: Mission Start
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Two days after entering the village, Naruto, Kei, and Shade were exiting the said village to head on their mission. The Sand Village outpost was about a three day walk from the village hidden in the leaves. Naruto, Shade, and Kei once again found themselves sprinting through the trees in the forest that surrounded the Hidden Leaf Village.
"Quite a busy schedule your village has," Kei said, "Back in my time we usually had a week between assignments."
"Yeah things have been kind of hectic since pain destroyed the village a little ways back," Naruto replied, "We can't let the other villages know that we are weak or we'll be open to attack from our enemies."
"I understand that," Kei replied, "Showing weakness can mean your downfall in the ninja world."
"Hmmm, what kind of tactics do you use Kei," Naruto asked, "I saw you mainly use light clones when we were fighting Sasuke. I know Shade actually gave Sasuke the finishing blow due to that poison on his sword."
"I'm actually the one who made that poison," Kei said, "I'm pretty good at making them. I studied poison making back before I went into hibernation. My favorite kind of poison is chakra reducing poison since I prefer to capture enemies alive. I also carry elemental poisons such as petrifying poison, incendiary poison, and my personal favorite, berserker poison."
"What does berserker poison do," Naruto asked a little afraid of the answer.
"It awakens the animal side of you," Kei said with an evil grin, "Berserker poison is especially potent when dealing with large numbers of enemies as it causes the poisoned enemy to attack his comrades. Not only that but if he bites or even slightly scratches one of his comrade in the process, the poison will be transferred to that person as well."
"Remind me never to piss you off," Naruto said with a scared look on his face, "You sound like you have your poisons down to a science."
"Oh it is a science I can assure you of that," Kei grinned, "All my weapons are poisoned so that if I can score at least one hit on an enemy it will be the final winning hit."
Naruto and Kei kept on chatting about various things throughout the day while Shade ran alongside them in silence. Eventually the three settled down and made camp for the night. Naruto and Kei continued to talk around the campfire while Shade maintained his silence. At one point Naruto was about to attempt conversation with Shade but broke off when Kei gave him a warning shake of his blonde head.
"He gets like this sometimes," Kei whispered to Naruto, "Whatever you do don't interrupt him when he is silent."
Naruto nodded.
Naruto groaned as he woke in the middle of the night. He got out of his sleeping bag next to the dying fire to go relive himself of the pressure in his bladder. He didn't notice that one of the sleeping bags was empty as he walked out of the forested area into a small moon lit clearing.
"Had to piss I assume?" Came a raspy voice said from the shadow of a tree.
Naruto spun around, grabbed a kunai and threw it at the voice in one fluid motion. The knife flew straight and true to its target. However, the expected 'thunk' never came.
"Jumpy aren't we?" came the same voice from the exact opposite direction Naruto threw his kunai. Naruto turned to see a hooded figure walk out of a shadow. Naruto froze as he saw the brightly glowing blues eyes with the shuriken pattern in them.
"Shade?" Naruto asked.
"Bingo," Shade said with a slight smirk. "Your kunai," He said tossing back Naruto's knife.
"But how? I threw it over there," Naruto said gesturing to the tree behind him.
"I wouldn't think too much about it, many have tried to figure me out, and all have failed." Shade said, his face shadowed from the moon's luminescent glow.
"Right," Naruto said catching his kunai and putting it back into its sheath.
After a couple minutes of silence, Shade spoke up.
"We are a lot alike, Uzumaki. We have the same eyes," Shade said turning to face the blonde.
Naruto cocked his head to the side I confusion. "I don't have an ocular justu."
"I know, that's not what I'm talking about," Shade said. Turning back to look over the clearing. "You, much like me, walk the path of solitude. I can see it in your soul, you have been alone from the start haven't you?" Shade asked.
Naruto was a little surprised how accurate the observation was.
"Yes, I was an orphan and hated by my own village." Naruto said, sadness stitched in his voice.
"That is why he is so important to you," Shade said, earning a confused look from Naruto. "Your so called friend Sasuke."
"Yes, he was the first person, besides Iruka-sensie who acknowledged me." Naruto said with a slight grin at the memories that flooded back to him. Naruto frowned as a thought hit him. "You said we are similar, yet you are not alone. You have a brother."
Shade chuckled bitterly. "Me and my brother are polar opposites. We always butt heads, so I am alone because no one in the world understood me except the Sage of the Six Paths. My fate was decided since a very young age, a doomed cruel fate." He said standing. He shed his cloak and strode towards the moonlight.
Naruto noticed for the first time Shade's tattoos that covered both his arms. On his right arm, there was a large tattoo of a wolf, which started at his shoulder and spiraled down to his wrist. His other arm looked as if it had many inscriptions along the arm.
"We tread the same path, Naruto." Shade said as he walked into the moonlight. "Yet we have different sandals strapped to our feet. Now please go, there are things hear that you are not yet meant to see."
Naruto nodded his head and turned to go. As he started to walk to a different place to squeeze the lemon, he looked back at Shade. He was standing in the direct light of the moon, and naruto's mouth fell agape.
It had seemed that new tattoos rose from the inside of Shade to cover his chest and torso region. Naruto felt a little sick as he saw they were chains, all around his chest and stomach. Shade was gazing up at the moon with a longing stare, his arms spread wide. Naruto could start to feel the chakra in the air, so he decided to let Shade have some privacy. It would not surprise Naruto if Shade just needed to blow some steam. Naruto himself was often found on the Kohona training fields blowing up trees and rocks to vent his frustration. Especially after Jeriya's death. Even during his leak, the blonde haired shinobi was deep in thought. Pondering over the words his black haired counterpart had told him. Even as he slid back into his warm sleeping bag his mind was focused on why he seemed to understand Shade to such a degree. It felt good to know that there was someone who knew what he had been through, and who could relate through their own experiences. In fact, as Naruto slipped into sleep, he was so distracted he didn't hear a single howl fill the air. The howl of a alpha wolf, singing its lonesome song to the white, luminescent orb in the sky.
***The next morning
Naruto, Kei, and Shade got up from their beds and broke down their tent before eating a quick breakfast and setting off again. For the next two days the three talked about very little and focused mainly on getting to the hidden sand outpost. As expected they arrived early on the third day and found guards to the outpost waiting for them.
"We've been expecting you," One of the guards said as Naruto, Kei, and, Shade entered the outpost, "Head to the primary's office in the center of the base and you will be briefed further on the situation."
The three walked through the sandstone base occasionally meeting a guard returning to his post. After fifteen minutes of walking they came to the primary's office and found Tamari inside at the primary's desk.
"Well look who it is," Tamari smirked as Naruto entered the room with Shade and Kei, "Who are your new comrades."
"Their names are Shade and Kei," Naruto replied, "We are here to help get rid of the wandering ninja remnants that have been annoying your village."
"We suspect that their encampment is north northeast of here," Tamari replied, " That is where a lot of our troops have gone missing. Head there and you might find them. If not scout out the area and take them out when you find them."
Naruto nodded and he, Shade, and Kei left the room for the designated territory.