Strangers are only family you've yet to meet. Blue-Skinned Man, The Five People You Meet in Heaven.
Chapter 4: Unexpected Meeting
"HE'S GONNA LOSE IT AGAIN!" Xem shouted as TL let out a yell that was turning into a feral roar. The hedgehog was surrounded by a red aura with electricity crackling around him like lightning that had been attached to him. But the most visible part was his eyes, which were fiery red and had slits for pupils.
Sylar sighed before picking up the hedgehog with telekinesis and tossing him around the ship's dojo, like a pinball and bouncing like one.
"OW! OW! OW! OW!" TL yelped, "I'M…OW! BACK TO…OW! NORMAL, SY! OW!"
"I notice, but I need to be thorough." Sylar replied, continuing to send TL bouncing around. He kept it up until the hedgehog's eyes were blue and had their usual pupils. He then dropped the hedgehog.
"Thanks, I think…" TL mumbled, rubbing his chest, "And thanks for helping me out with this." He then looked over to Rattrap and asked, "Did ya get the numbers on this, Rattrap?"
"Sure did, spiny." Rattrap replied, showing the hedgehog a computer screen, "Looks like ya can only go up to 70% of that guy's power before he steps into your skin."
"I…would've chosen a better way of phrasing that." TL said with a shaky laugh.
"You can only go so far before the Demon Ultima takes over." Sylar said, jumping over to them, using telekinesis to extend it, "Does THAT sound better?"
"Uh…no, not really." TL replied.
"TL, this is…insane." Xem said, "You're trying to take power from one of the fiercest creatures that Fictor ever spawned! IT'S FRIGGIN' IMPOSSIBLE!"
"I don't use the word 'impossible'." TL stated, "I prefer improbable or unlikely. But hey, that's just me."
"You're sure you can do this, then?" Sylar asked.
"Yup. I'm as stubborn as my bros." TL replied, "It's a family trait…some say it's a curse…including me." He looked over to Xem and asked, "Are we getting closer to another world?"
It was about a week after they left Roswell and the team was now wandering from place to place, only reaching civilization and stopping only to refuel their Gummi Ship. They never stayed long, though.
Xem immediately bolted up the stairs and talked through the P.A. system.
"We're approaching some world called Konoha." The Roswellian stated.
"Oh, THAT'S gonna be good." TL said with a smirk, "Konoha's a third home to me…first one being Fictor and the other one being Earth."
"How long do ya think we should hang around?" Rattrap asked.
"I think a week." TL replied, "It'd be good to get some exercise and see a forest again…man, I miss those." He shouted, "Hey, Xem! Beam us down, will ya?"
"Sure thing!" Xem replied as the group bolted over to the "hangar bay", which was actually nothing…so people could get sent into the world.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
"And that's all?" Tsunade asked, the Fictorian, serial killer, Roswellian, and Maximal sitting in front of her desk. (A/N: This is pre-Invasion of Pain.)
"Pretty much, Lady Hokage." TL replied, in a more serious voice than he usually used, "We're just staying a week…and all we need is a place for four. We'll be gone by this time next week, on my honor."
"Fine." Tsunade replied, "There's a place on the far east side of the village. Just try not to draw attention to yourselves."
"No promises." TL said with his smirk as the four walked out.
"Were those REAL?" Xem asked as they shut the door.
"I think it's plastic surgery, but I never asked." TL replied.
"Why?" Xem asked.
"Because I value my life." TL answered, looking uneasily, "That woman can level a MOUNTAIN is she wanted to…"
Xem made a noise that suggested fear and that he'd never pursue this subject again.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
The group got to the apartment without getting seen…which is surprising. You'd think a white hedgehog with mismatched gloves, a seven-foot-tall tiger wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and a green techno-organic rat would draw more attention.
Sylar flipped a switch as a single light bulb flickered on. It was shabby and small…about the size of a one-room apartment.
"That big-breasted broad cheaped out on us!" Rattrap stated, angrily, "I don't think there's even running water!"
"It's only for one week, it's only for one week…" Sylar murmured to himself.
"Guys, you get the sleeping arrangements in order." TL said as he opened the (only) window and stepped out.
"And where are YOU going?" the serial killer asked.
"Tree-surfing." TL replied as he jumped on top of the roof and took off running. He couldn't help but shout, "WOO-HOO!"
"Not keeping a low profile, if you ask me…" Xem stated.
"Soul is Soul." Sylar sighed.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
It didn't take long for the Fictorian hedgehog to reach the forest that hid the Hidden Leaf Village. He stepped on a tree and jumped into the air. He took in the scent of the forest before going into a free-fall and catching the nearest branch with his aura arm. He bounced up and immediately set his feet onto the branches and sliding on them.
THIS was something he found out a while ago—he couldn't jump through the trees with ease like Lunatic or D-Dude, so he improvised with tree-surfing...and it was very enjoyable (A/N: Yes, I ripped that from Disney's Tarzan.). He stretched out his hand and flipped himself up and couldn't resist singing a few lyrics from a Phil Collins song.
TLSoulDude: Son of man, look to the sky. Lift your spirit, set it free. Some day, you'll walk tall with pride. Son of man, a man in time, you'll be!
He then noticed a commotion in the forest and his curiosity got the better of him. He returned to his position, jumped a bit, and landed on a branch in a crouching position. He saw a girl running through the woods. He strained his eyes and saw long, dark brown hair and pale eyes.
"If it isn't Hanabi, the little Darkside-lover…" TL muttered to himself. Ever since Hanabi got kidnapped, he had issues with her (A/N: If you don't know what I'm talking about…read Darkside and the Hyuga.). TL knew that she chose the right side in the end, but something told him she enjoyed her time a little TOO much. He got out of his position, curiosity sated, and was about ready to leave, when he suddenly heard a commotion. He looked over and saw that Hanabi was fighting a group of Rogue Ninjas.
"I should probably just leave and not get involved…" TL said to himself, but heard Hanabi scream in pain. He growled before saying, "Stupid guilty conscience!"
He sprung out of the trees and fell towards the Rogue Ninjas while shouting, "BANZAI!"
He landed on top of one of the ninja's heads and sent him to the ground. All of the Rogue Shinobi pulled out fistfuls of kunai and shuriken. At this, TL held up his hands and explained, "Now, guys, I don't kill unless I don't have any other option, so, we can do this the EASY way or the HARD way…"
The shinobi hurled their projectiles at TL, who thrust out his left hand, which began glowing with a pale, blue light. The kunai and shuriken froze in midair as they were caught by TL's telekinesis.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." TL shrugged as he let the weapons fall to the ground with clatters. He pulled out his UFO Blade with his left arm and held out his right one, "LIGHTNING CLAWS!"
Claws made of pulsing, red electricity sprung from TL's hand. With a short yell, he charged in. He brought his sword into one and slashed one across the face with the claws. However, the attack didn't kill the slashed one. TL made sure that the Lightning Claws move wouldn't cause fatalities. He pulled his sword out and beckoned to the other ninjas. They simply took off. The hedgehog smirked.
"Scare tactic, gets 'em every time." He said. The one he stabbed would still live, "Hey, who am I talking to?" He looked over for the person he was supposed to be rescuing…Hanabi, who was out like a light.
"Better get her a good bit away…" he said, heaving the Hyuga heiress over his shoulder and bounding off into the trees.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
Hanabi moaned a bit as she opened her eyes. She immediately sat up, pulled out a kunai, and began looking for her attackers. Her logic suddenly caught up with her body. It was darker, obviously it had been a few hours since…she was attacked! Where were those ninjas?!
"I think you should drop that kunai." Said a voice from somewhere above her, "People might get nervous."
"Where are you?" Hanabi asked as she pocketed the kunai knife.
"Up." Replied the voice. Hanabi looked up and activated her Byakugan. She saw something…with a weird, pink energy pulsing through him, "Good guess."
The energy seemed to be getting closer as the speaker dropped down in front of her. He was probably one of the strangest creatures she ever saw: a white hedgehog with a yellow mane, cowboy boots, mismatched gloves (a battle gauntlet on his left arm and a glove with red circuitry on his right hand), and a strange medallion around his neck.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"TLSoulDude, don't ask what the TL stands for, because even I don't know." TL replied, "And…the guy who saved you from those Rogues."
"You're one of the weirdest people I've ever met." Hanabi stated.
"I've heard that so many times that I take it as a compliment." TL replied with a shrug, "Now that you're conscious, I'm sure you can find your way back to the compound. If you'll excuse me…"
TL jumped onto a tree, skittered up like a squirrel, and jumped away. Hanabi stared. Who was this guy?
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
"Where've you been all this time, Soul?" Xem asked, "We thought you'd be back LONG ago!"
"Sorry, guys." TL said, apologetically, as he climbed through the window, "Got a little side-tracked. So, who's sleeping where?"
"I'm on the chair, Xem's on the couch, you get the bed, and Rattrap gets the floor." Sylar replied.
"HEY!" Rattrap shouted.
"Well, see you guys in the A.M." TL said, jumping onto the bed and closing his eyes. Something was inside of him. Something he hadn't felt before…
He dismissed it for now.