Ch. 15 : Presage
A/N : A Month's Respite, choosing allies, and reestablishing friends.
Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.
XxXxXxX
- Private Chambers : Naruto -
Naruto woke in one to the best moods of his life. Judging by the light streaming through the curtains and the shadows it was casting, it was early afternoon. The new 'recruits' had finished their tour at about nine the previous evening, and they had gone their separate ways not long afterward. That meant he had been asleep for the last seventeen hours.
He grinned happily as he rolled over onto his back, staring up at his ceiling and stretching out. Kakashi had let him know that the next week or two was to be down-time after such a strenuous mission, which meant he had some time to kill however he wanted. There was no doubt that his Masters were going to want him to continue his training, but even then he was going to have some time to kill.
The blond threw back his sheets and rooted around in his dresser for a fresh set of clothes and headed for the shower. This was the first time in weeks that he was free to take a shower without having to worry about people interrupting or limited hot water, and he was going to take advantage of it.
By the time he was done the air in the bathroom was thick enough to cut with a knife, and he didn't even bother checking himself in the mirror. He left his personal bedroom with jeans and boots, hair still wet and a dry towel thrown over his shoulders. There was a kitchen full of hot food waiting for him, then he was going to hit the weight room.
"Good afternoon, Master. I hope you aren't still mad about my comment last night. I had no intention to offend, I just-..."
"Just relax, alright? Don't worry about it."
Naruto cut off the Droid's apology with a wave over his shoulder. He harbored no more malice for the machine. It was just cracking a joke at his expense. Couldn't blame it for that much. He probably would have done the same thing, had it been someone else after all.
"The new arrivals have been up and about for the last few hours, Sire. Their personal guides showed them where they wanted to go. They all went to the warehouse at first, though I don't know where they went after that."
The young Force user called a thanks over his shoulder without stopping. There was a stack of pancakes with his name on it, just waiting for him.
–-
The smell of cheese burgers permeated the hallways, growing stronger as one neared the cafeteria area. The sound of group laughter quickly followed, and Naruto quickened his pace. Sure enough, both of his Masters, Haku, Gozu and Meizu, and HK-47 were gathered around one of the tables closest to the double doors leading to the kitchen.
"...So by this time the Droid is pretty much pissing himself, right? So this other one is all like, 'You are all cowards! I'll show you how its done!'. It kicks the door open like it owns the damn place and starts to yell out his name."
"So what happened then?"
"Well he barely gets out 'good morning' before he gets hit with a Force Push that sends it out the door, past all the others, and into the wall on the opposite side. Left an imprint in the stone that had to actually be repaired."
Gozu laughed around his half-eaten burger, and even Haku giggled at her Master's antics. Who would have guessed he would be such trouble in the mornings?
"Just couldn't resist talking about me behind my back, eh Master Kyle?"
"What have I told you about that, kid? It makes me feel old, dammit."
"Feel old? Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're like, ten years older than god man!"
Naruto ducked under the glass that came flying over his head, laughing at his teacher's expense. Kyle was glaring at his apprentice, but there wasn't any real malice behind it.
"Well, its good to know that your first serious mission didn't change you too much... I guess..."
Naruto dropped casually into an empty chair next to Meizu and took a paper plate from the stack, loading it with food. Naruto didn't catch the blush Haku was sporting, nor the mischievous grin Kyle had when he saw it.
"So Naruto, I knew you said you had a place of your own that we could stay at, but we had no idea you meant something like this! I mean hell, the warehouse alone is massive. Where in the hell did you get all that stuff?"
The blond sighed happily as he chewed his burger. Medium rare, dripping with juice and melty, cheesy, goodness.
"Well," He answered around his mouthful of food, earning a cocked eyebrow from Bane. He caught it and swallowed before continuing. "This place has been around for ages before I even knew it existed. The people who owned it before me used it to store all the things they gathered over the period of time since it was built. In case you couldn't figure it out yourself, its been around for freaking ever."
"Well, that would explain all the different designs. There are so many different styles in there that I have never even heard of before! I can't wait to go through it in more detail later."
Gozu and Meizu shared a look at their younger 'sister's' expense. She had spent over three hours running between shelves this morning alone. How much more time could she possibly need? They had gone in, found some clothes and equipment they liked and been out in a sixth of that.
Naruto looked over at Haku for the first time, and almost choked on his food. Her formal kimono and turtle-neck had been replaced with a white sleeveless button-down shirt, and a surprisingly tight pair of jeans. Her hair was down and she had kept the black choker she wore when Naruto had seen her in the woods.
She caught Naruto looking at her, and she smiled softly before averting her eyes in embarrassment. The Demon Brothers noticed the exchange between them, and they made a note to have a little chat with Naruto about messing with family. They might trust Naruto with their lives, but not with their surrogate sister's heart. He would have to earn that one separately.
"Oi! No flirting at the table you two, I don't want to lose my lunch before I even get to finish it."
Naruto turned red for a moment before yelling at Kyle about being a perverted old man. He might have grown up since they had taken him under their wing, but some things just never changed. Bane took the moment to speak up for the first time that morning.
"While that's all well and good, I have to ask. What do you plan on doing now that you have a few people looking to you for guidance, Naruto? What do you expect them to do?"
Everyone gathered looked at Naruto expectantly, apart from HK who was polishing his rifle with an oil stained rag. Put on the spot, the blond just shrugged.
"I uh... I don't know?"
Kyle rolled his eyes while the three younger people blanched at their commander. They had expected him to at least have some short term plans. Bane meanwhile, crossed his arms, indicating his displeasure.
"You mean to tell me that you are gathering forces without any thought as to what you plan to do after you have them?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes, not liking where the conversation was heading. He had just gotten back from his mission, and he was already getting grilled. This was bullshit!
"What do you want from me? I'm still new to this shit. I thought you guys were going to walk me through this whole 'leadership' thing."
"Walk you through? No. Guide you and catch you when you fall on your ass? That we can do."
The boy glared over at Kyle, but the man didn't give an inch as he stared right back. He was being serious here, and Naruto knew it.
"We aren't going to tell you everything you need to know. We lack the time, and much of it you need to learn through experience anyway. All we can do is provide the lesson."
"Wait a minute. So you want me to learn without teaching me anything? How is that supposed to make sense!"
Bane frowned at his tone.
"We aren't teaching you to become a productive member of society. We aren't even trying to work you into running a successful business here, kid. You are our legacy, and as such things will be expected of you that normal people wouldn't be able to manage in a hundred years. If you think this is going to be fun and games, you've got a sore wake-up call coming!"
"Kyle is right. The time for making last minute decisions is long past, and now you have to start thinking things through. You did well in Ruusan, don't get us wrong. But at the same time, don't let that fool you into thinking we're done here. Time is running out, and there is still much you have to learn if you are going to be ready."
Naruto grunted in aggravation, and dropped his food onto his plate, forgotten.
"Ready for what! All you ever tell me is vague ramblings and cryptic riddles. I don't even know what you plan for me to do, goddammit!"
As soon as the boy started shouting, Kyle had thrown his chair back. Not to get into Naruto's face, but to stop Bane from doing whatever it was he had planned. Since awakening, Bane had been on his best behavior. Kyle knew this better than anyone, having been one of the Generals facing Bane personally in the battle leading to the destruction of life on the planet. Still, the Dark Lord of the Sith wasn't always the people person he was now, and at times he would revert to his old personality; Darth Bane.
Kyle's preemptive attempt was too little too late, and before he even cleared his seat, Bane had lashed out with the Force and gripped Naruto by the throat. The bald Sith lifted Naruto with the Dark Side until his feet were dangling at table level.
"Don't tempt me, boy!"
Haku and the Demon Brothers had both paled significantly at the actions of the usually quiet man before them. They had seen and felt Naruto's power during their mission, especially during their fights and it had been something to acknowledge. But this? This was just terrifying.
Naruto meanwhile, was practically having a heart attack. Never before had he seen either of his Masters so angry. For a moment as he hung by his throat and looked the Sith Lord in the eyes, he was forcefully reminded of why he was only the apprentice, and Bane was the master. But while he should have felt fear, all he felt was... rage.
As he hung, humiliated and fighting vainly to draw breath into his lungs, he wanted nothing more than to lash out against his Master. To use the dark power the beast within had gifted him with to wound his teacher in same manner in which he wounded his pride. Even now he heard the Kyuubi, Mikhail, whispering his loathsome words into his ear. Urging him to strike out. To use the Force to put his Master on the ground at his feet. And honestly? He wanted nothing more than to do as commanded.
Kyle frowned as Naruto's face darkened. Hatred and rage flashed across the boy's visage, and he knew Bane saw it just as well as he did. That kind of emotion wasn't of the Light, and it was all too possible that Naruto would fall to it if they weren't careful.
Whether Bane agreed with him or not, he wasn't sure. Either way, he let the boy drop to the ground, and Naruto supported himself on the table to prevent his knees from buckling underneath him.
"You want to know what we expect from you? Fine. You are to continue your training until you can best both Kyle and myself in battle. Soon after you are to leave this village alongside every Droid here. We are currently working on reactivating some of the larger transport vehicles in storage. When that day comes, you shall take everything of use, including the contents of the Warehouse, Armory, and storage areas to bolster the reserves of Ruusan. There is likely to be confrontation that day, on a massive scale so you will need to expect battle. When everything is ready, you will leave Konoha for the last time, taking with you everyone you feel will benefit you and your new home. It will be at your discretion who will be useful to you or not. From there on you will be on your own."
While not forgotten, Naruto set aside his anger for a moment.
"What do you mean I will be on my own? Where will you two go?"
Bane's eyes flashed with something unreadable, before he shook his head.
"That is no concern of yours. Just know that we will no longer be capable of providing you with any instruction. You will have to have your goals in order by then."
Naruto seemed like he was about to retort for a moment, but slung the towel across his shoulders and turned his back on the group instead.
"Well I guess I have some work to do then, don't I?"
"Naruto! Where are you going?"
Naruto didn't look back at Kyle as he left the cafeteria. The two men knew to leave Naruto to his own devices for a while before approaching him again. Sometimes it was necessary to remind students of their place. This was a fact shared by both the Jedi and the Sith, though as in everything, their methods differed immensely. Kyle had to wonder if Bane had done the right thing by attacking Naruto as he had, or if it would only serve to drive the boy away from their teaching.
Haku watched her new Master leave, and her heart ached as she saw the hatred he was emanating with every step. She meant to talk to him later, after he had calmed down some. The Demon Brothers didn't share the same amount of tact, and she had to grab their sleeves as they made to follow him.
"Wait. Give him some time to cool down first, okay?"
The twins shared a look and shrugged out of Haku's grip.
"We'll give him ten minutes..."
"...but he can't be alone right now."
Haku pursed her lips, but nodded carefully. While being under Zabuza's command had somewhat helped their temperament, the two had somewhat of a reputation for their tempers. Meizu especially had a short fuse, so it was granted that he would know something about these bouts of rage. She would put her trust in them to know how to deal with the situation, and apparently so were the two older men watching them with thinly veiled approval.
They followed Naruto out of the cafeteria and into the halls, before they lost track of him in the maze of corridors that made up the compound. When the three were gone, Haku turned to Kyle and Bane.
"Did you really mean what you said? Are you really expecting Naruto to do all of that?"
Kyle sighed loudly in irritation and sat back down, sinking his face in his hands.
"Yeah, yeah we do. That boy has a hell of a destiny laid out before him, and as he is it would destroy him. We need to make sure he is prepared in the next month or two. Time is fast running out, and we can only hope we can pull this off. "
Bane remained standing and just stared at the door through which Naruto had left.
"There are things to come that he will not be able to handle on his own however, even if we had a hundred years to teach him. This is where you will come in."
"M-me?"
Kyle put a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly.
"Yeah. I think its about time we had a little chat."
XxXxXxX
- Weight Room : Naruto -
"Fifteen. Sixteen..."
'You're pathetic. A coward.'
"Seventeen. Eighteen..."
Naruto grunted the numbers as he bench pressed the iron weights. He was up to his own body weight, but he still wasn't satisfied with his progress.
'He had you by the throat, he humiliated you in front of your slaves, and you did nothing.'
"Nineteen. Twenty."
He put the set the weights back on their stand and wiped the sweat from his face with the now damp towel he had brought. Mikhail had been whispering his venom ever since he had exited the cafeteria, and it wasn't doing his mood any favors. He knew he was being manipulated, sure. The same as he knew the Kyuubi was a scumbag that couldn't be trusted. That didn't mean he was lying though. Every word it had spoken had been the stinging truth, and he was even more disgusted with himself now than he had been while it was happening.
He threw the towel to the side and added another twenty pounds to the bar.
"You're going to shred your pecs if you keep going like this."
Naruto closed his eyes as he heard Gozu and Meizu approach, but he didn't reply. He only laid back down on the bench and took a deep breath to brace himself before lifting the bar from its support.
The Demon Brothers looked around the room, checking out the different equipment that they had never seen before. Gozu picked up an heavy dumbbell and started curling them while his brother started up a treadmill, not far from Naruto.
"Haku's worried about you, you know."
Naruto didn't say anything as he focused on pressing the weights. He didn't feel any better, now that the Kyuubi had actually fallen back into silence, but at least he could try to calm himself down without lashing out in irritation.
"She's seen people she care about tear themselves to pieces over anger. All the time."
"Yeah, some of which was our fault."
"More like most of it, you ass."
Naruto rolled his eyes at the brother's bickering. He didn't need them to tell him about Haku's disappointment. He had seen the look in her eyes just fine.
"But we didn't come here to bust your balls about that."
"We aren't?"
"Shut up, Gozu. We came to let you know that we've got your back. Even with all this 'building an army and dah da dah'. You gave us a chance, and we'll repay that by serving you."
He didn't say anything, but the twins knew he was listening, all the same.
"Don't get us wrong. We're total crap when it comes to diplomacy, and no promises that whatever you ask us to do, you couldn't do better yourself."
"Hey! Speak for yourself!"
"Seriously, Gozu!"
"Fine, fine. Don't get your panties in a wad."
"But my point is. You can count on us to do what we can, when the time comes. As long as you don't make us have to fight HK. That dude scares the shit out of me."
"And Bane, while we're at it."
"Yeah, him too."
Naruto couldn't help but laugh at that point. He set the the bar on its stand with no small effort, and shook his arms out as he felt them burn and tighten.
"So you guys are serious huh? You've got my back."
The brothers shared a look, surprised that their little speech had done something positive. Meizu honestly hadn't expected it to take.
"Yup! We're your guys."
"To the horribly dramatic, and most likely grisly end!"
"...inspiring."
They all shared a laugh at that, and the smile lingered after he was finished. As he looked over the twins, an idea started to strike him, and he grinned. The other two must have seem something in it, because they got an excited glint.
"You got a mission for us, boss?"
"Actually, I just might. Kyle and Bane said that I was going to need to decide who I was going to bring with me when I left, right?"
"Uh-huh."
"Well I might as well get a handle on that. And you guys are going to help me. Tell me, how are your stealth and evasion skills?"
Gozu and Naruto both glanced over in surprise at the sound of Meizu tripping on the treadmill and sliding into the wall behind it. Gozu snorted at his brother's expense while he extricated himself from the crumpled heap he had landed in.
"Well, one of our best techniques is the whole 'Hidden in Water' thing, and that worked pretty well. I guess."
"It's better when it rains though."
"Yeah, obviously."
"But it should work pretty well for Genin teams, right?"
Meizu nodded confidently.
"Yeah, sure. In theory."
Naruto decided to ignore that little point.
"Well then, here's what I want you to do. I want you guys to split up and follow the two other Rookie teams in Konoha. Eight and Ten. Team Eight is comprised of Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba. Plus their Jonin Sensei, though I don't know a whole lot about her. You've heard of the Hyuuga clan, right?"
The brothers swallowed and nodded.
"Then you know to be careful of Hinata's Byakugan. It shouldn't give you too much trouble as long as you be careful and stay under the radar. The problem is that they are pretty much exclusively a tracking team, so you will have to be extremely cautious."
"And what about the other team?"
"Team Ten is Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, and Nara Shikamaru. These guys shouldn't give you nearly as much trouble, since they are your basic combat and stalling squad. Just stay out of sight and you'll be fine."
The two nodded and silently decided between them who would shadow who.
"So what exactly are we looking for?"
"I want you to keep an eye out for anyone that looks like they will be beneficial to our operations. I don't want someone who might sort of come in handy. I want people you will be able to help us specifically, and be worth the effort. Got it?"
The two stood at attention and snapped off a salute.
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. It should take you at least a few days to do it right. Only shadow them during daylight hours when you can do so without getting caught. I would do it myself, but I am going to be working on other stuff."
"You can count on us."
"We won't let you down."
Naruto grinned darkly.
"I know you won't."
XxXxXxX
- Ichiraku Ramen : The Next Day -
Iruka sighed happily as he made his way down the relatively crowded street. The Academy was out this week for the spring vacation time, and he intended to spend most of it relaxing before he had to go back and deal with the Hokage's grandson and his two partners in crime.
Ever since they had been 'watched over' by Naruto, their attitudes had changed worryingly. Before they had been somewhat troublemakers, always starting fights (Moegi), pulling pranks (Konohamaru), or skiving off in class (All three of them). Now? It was as though they had taken Naruto as an example and tried to imitate his examples. They were total hellions! Now not only did they continue to pull the same crap as they used to, now Konohamaru was getting better and better at roping other students into it. He had had to write more referrals the past month alone than he had for his last three classes, not including the blond himself.
The school teacher smiled as he fondly recalled his favorite student. He had been too busy to see him since the exams, but he had heard good things about him from the Hokage. With the various mission reports came news that Naruto was growing up and maturing, finally. Maybe it had finally gotten to the boy to be a quieter, calmer, and all around more mellowed out version of the old him?
"Look out! Get out of the way! ICH-I-RA-KU'S!"
Iruka's head snapped around fast enough to give him whiplash, and he barely reacted quickly enough to dodge out of the way of a metal contraption that came barreling down the middle of the road, leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. There was only one person who could lave that much confusion in his wake. Sure enough, sitting on the back of the vehicle was a blond mountain of spiked locks.
"Naruto!"
The Chunin jumped to his feet and started to pursue his old student, intent on braining him for scaring him out of ten years of his life. He knew exactly where he was heading too, everyone did after that little stunt.
"Yo, Old Man! Warm up the pot, you've got a long day!"
"Naruto! It's good to see you again, son. It's been an entire day!"
Naruto beamed happily as he took his favorite seat in the middle of the bar. Teuchi yelled for a bowl of pork back to Ayame in the kitchen at the back, then leaned on the counter next to his best customer.
"So what have you been up to lately? And what was with all the shouting?"
"Well I had to get the guys accustomed to the compound and everything. This is the first time I had the chance to get out here."
"Yeah, I guess I can see how that would take a while. But still, what was with you yelling up a storm?"
Naruto grinned as the closest thing he had ever had to a sister brought over a steaming bowl of ramen.
"Thanks, Ayame! Well, I rode my speeder up here and some of the villagers were a little slow getting out of the way. The brakes on that thing aren't exactly perfect."
He was just about to take a bite of the fresh food when Iruka burst into the establishment, yelling his name. Naruto huffed and dropped the noodles back into the hot broth.
"Jeez Iruka-sensei, what do you want? I'm trying to eat here."
"Show some respect, ya little brat! Besides, what do you think you're doing trying to run people down? What the hell is that thing outside the store?"
Naruto whimpered pitifully as he stared longingly at his bowl of food. It was obvious that Iruka wasn't going to just disappear though, so he resigned himself to explaining it. Ayame and her father both gathered round as well to listen to his explanation. They had heard it arrive after all, and Teuchi had caught a glimpse of it through the curtain. They were just as curious as Iruka. Without the shouting of course.
XxXxXxX
- Outside : Shikamaru -
'Troublesome woman. Making Asuma-sensei get off his lazy butt and train. I had a good thing going, too.'
Shikamaru wandered lazily down the street with his hands in his pockets, staring up at the sky. Team Ten's Jonin Sensei had let them off early today, since they had all had the weird feeling of being watched. Ino had been the first one to pick up on it, but by the end of the session it had been unmistakable.
Still, the lazy Genin was just taking the opportunity to relax before he got back to the Nara compound and his bossy mother.
'She's probably got a ton of chores she wants me to do. I wonder if she has forgotten about my old hiding place in the attic yet?'
As he rounded the corner on a path that cut through the restaurant district, a growing crowd caught his eye.
'Great. They're right in my way, and it will take forever to walk around. Geez, what a drag. Well, I might as well see what they are all staring at.'
The throng was obviously too thick for him to just shoulder his way through, and he couldn't be bothered to even if it wasn't. Instead, he made a Chakra powered jump and made his way over by rooftops, looking over the shoulders of the civilians. What he saw made the largest impact on his interest since he was introduced to Shogi.
The... thing, was big, about ten feet long and brown. The front end stretched out on two bar-like parallel protrusions and ended in a strange 'L' shape with a pair of barrels sticking outward. The body was made of metal like the rest of it, with a seat near the back. Two handles emitted from the sides and angled upward, used for steering. What really drew his attention and the weirdest thing about it was the fact that it was hovering about two feet off the ground.
Shikamaru had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. The sheer power that seemed to radiate from the machine was intoxicating, and he felt himself being drawn to it inexplicably. He dropped down from the roof and got closer to the machine, pushing aside everyone who got between him and the machine. He didn't even register the angry shouts, and he lay a hand on the rumbling engine with single minded devotion.
Immediately his mind started breaking down the machine into its components and analyzing how they interacted to make the work of art as it was. Still, all he had were theories until he was able to open it up and see what made it tick. Spurred on by that thought, Shikamaru glanced around him frantically until he found a blacksmith with a wrench sticking out of his tool belt. With a hastened thank you, he yanked it from the man's belt, ignoring the man's shouts of indignation.
With only a single goal in his mind, Shikamaru approached the hoverbike with a malicious gleam in his eye and cracking his knuckles. Before he was able to begin dismantling it, his dreams were brought to a screeching halt by a voice off to his right.
"What the hell are you doing to my bike?"
Naruto stared in surprise as Shikamaru stammered. He noticed Naruto looking at the wrench in his hand, and he hid it behind his back in a futile attempt to plead his innocence.
"Uhm.. I was... uh..."
The facts were taking a moment to process, so Naruto ran through them again. He parked his bike outside. The brainiac was staring at it with a worrying look in his eye. He had a wrench in his hand. He was a brainiac.
"YOU! You were going to hurt my baby! I'll KILL YOU!"
The Nara's eyes went wide and he threw the wrench on the ground, doing his best to avoid a fight.
"I wasn't! I swear! I just wanted to see how it worked. I've never seen anything so... so..."
"Weird?" One of the citizens offered.
"Dangerous?" Another threw out there.
"...beautiful."
Naruto stopped in his building of Force energy and just had a blank look on his face.
"Huh?"
Shikamaru seemed to throw off his confusion and replace it with that same fervor from a moment before. This time he didn't have a wrench in his hand though, so Naruto didn't mind as much.
"Yeah! The sleek design. The powerful engine. The propulsion device. I never in my wildest dreams imagined something so perfect was physically possible!"
Here he spun to Naruto and dropped to his knees in front of him, clasping his hands in a begging motion.
"Please! You have to let me study this beauty. I'll do anything! I'll give you all the money I have! I'll... I'll do your missions for you. I'll even spar with Ino! Just please..."
"You really want to study my technology that much?"
"Technology! You mean you have more than just this?"
Naruto's face split into a grin, and for the first time in recorded history, his ramen lay forgotten.
"Sheek, I have things you could only dream of. Tell you what. Why don't you follow me to my compound, and I'll let you have a look around?"
Naruto didn't have time to finish his sentence before the dark-haired genius was on the back of the hoverbike, trying to make it start.
"Come on already! We don't have all day. How do you make this thing go?"
Naruto shoved Shikamaru to the back of the bike and mounted the front so he could drive.
"You're going to want to hold on tight. It's got a bit of a kick."
He kicked the machine into gear, and it took Shikamaru almost falling off the back before he took him seriously. The rest of the trip was spent with the Nara enjoying the ride and trying to yell questions to Naruto over the roaring wind, which Naruto would answer to the best of his abilities. Some of the boy's queries were too in depth for him to understand though, and he made sure to introduce him to Kyle as soon as they got there.
XxXxXxX
- Outside Compound -
Naruto sped along the subdued path leading to his fortress while Shikamaru rode on the back still. As they came into view of the clearing and passed through the stealth field keeping it hidden, he heard the boy behind him gasp in surprise. Naruto slowed down the bike and made a lap around the pyramid to allow his guest to take in all of its majestic beauty. After the initial overview, Naruto parked the bike in the main garage where Kyle happened to be working on the HK-53 Droid.
"Hey Master Kyle, I have someone I want you to meet. This is Shika-... Sheek? Dammit, where'd that guy go?"
"I don't believe it! I honestly never thought this sort of thing was possible."
The words came from a stack of rubble and left over Droid parts, where Shikamaru was staring at, still in his fervor.
"R-ight, anyway. Like I was saying, this is Shikamaru. He's one of the Genin that passed along with my team. He's pretty lazy, but he's also extremely intelligent. I think you might be able to teach him a few things. What do you think?"
Kyle stood upright from his kneeling position and wiped his hands on a ragged once-white towel, leaving black grease streaks. The movement pulled Shikamaru from his examination, and his eyes widened at the sheer size and power from the man. Kyle easily stood at least three inches taller than Asuma, and despite the friendly smile he had a sense of being able to crush a boulder just because it was in his way.
"Well he doesn't look like much, but neither did you at first, so I guess I can give him a shot. What do you think kid? By the way, my name's Kyle. Kyle Katarn."
"I'm Nara Shikamaru. Are you one of the 'Masters' Naruto has mentioned here and there?"
Kyle's eyes gleamed and he turned to Naruto with a grin.
"He's mentioned us, huh? Well don't I feel just all light and bubbly. I had hoped he was going to start introducing us to his friends, but I never dreamed he would bring so many home so soon!"
Naruto just rubbed his face and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'idiot'. Kyle laughed it off and turned back to Shikamaru only to find him examining the insides of the -53, which was still standing motionless.
"What... what is this thing? I've never seen anything like it."
"Well, the exact definition of a Droid is a mechanical being with a self-aware consciousness, as distinguished from a computer by having a self-contained method of locomotion."
"So they're machines that can think and move for themselves?"
Kyle just stared at Shikamaru for a moment. He really hadn't expected the kid to catch on like that, instead opting to impress him with his knowledge. Turns out he was going to have to crank it up a notch.
"Exactly. Droids can be designed for a variety of different uses, all of which are very useful. This one specifically was meant for assassination and combat, though I am having a bit of trouble getting him working right. He's a prototype and actually pretty advanced."
Shikamaru stared at the intricacies of the machine for a moment before turning to look hopefully at Kyle, with stars in his eyes.
"Can... can you teach me?"
Kyle winced for a moment at the intensity of the look before turning away.
"Alright, fine! So long as you never make that face again. Ever."
"DEAL! So what do you want me to do first?"
Kyle finished wiping his hands once more, then led Shikamaru by the shoulder towards one of his offices.
"First I'm going to show you a couple of old field manuals I have. Those'll get you up to speed on the basics. From there I'll teach you some of the finer points on working with engines in general. You're still pretty far from being able to tinker with anything as precise as -53 over there."
For the first time in more than he could remember, Shikamaru grinned in excitement. Naruto watched the pair leave and for just a moment, he considered the possible ramifications of what he had just allowed to happen...
"Hey! I never got to eat my ramen!"
XxXxXxX
- Konoha Streets : Choji /Three Days Later -
"So you haven't seen him lately?"
The old man thought for a moment before shaking his head sadly.
"Sorry, but I haven't seen him since you and your team finished working on my garden the other day. Why? Is he missing?"
"Yeah. No one has seen him for the last couple of days. We're starting to get worried. He has never been gone for so long before. A couple of hours here and there, sure, but never for days straight. Even his dad is out looking for him at this point."
The old man patted Choji on the shoulder reassuringly.
"Well don't worry. I'm sure he'll show up sooner or later."
The young Akimichi thanked the man and left the small store. He had been wandering through Konoha for the last couple of hours looking for his best friend, who had disappeared without a trace. He tore open a fresh bag of potato chips to help him focus. It just didn't make sense. Shikamaru had never been gone for this long before. He feared the wrath of his mother too much to even consider it an option before now. So where could he be?
He was torn from his thoughts by a wave of whispers from the people he was sharing the main street with. From the direction of the training grounds, a figure was making his way towards the clan compounds. He was slightly taller than Choji, had his black hair pulled straight up, and looked a lot like...
"Shikamaru!"
Choji closed the bag and slid it into a pouch before running to meet his best friend. Upon closer inspection it looked like the Nara heir had been awake for the entire time he was gone, judging by his disheveled appearance and zoned out expression. Despite that, he had a look of manic excitement on his visage that reminded the chubby boy of some of his more enthusiastic clan members when a new restaurant opened up in town.
"Hey Shikamaru! Where have you been man? We were worried about you."
He either didn't hear him, or just ignored him outright. Either way, the lazy genius didn't respond or slow his pace, refusing to be distracted from whatever mission he was on.
"Your mom is furious man. Even your dad got mine and Ino's dad together to go looking for you."
Again, Shikamaru wasn't deterred or slowed in the least. The process repeated itself until they arrived at the Nara compound, and Choji decided to stop asking questions and just follow his best friend to make sure he didn't just disappear again. He had never seen his friend like this before, and he wasn't about to just leave him to whatever devices where fascinating him.
Their trip continued through the streets with Shikamaru ignoring any greetings from his family and the other members of his clan. They finally stopped just outside the restricted building where the records of all of technology in Konoha were kept. Anything of historical value that was too delicate to be left in public places were placed here for their safety and well being. After the Uchiha Incident, anyway.
The guard standing watch cocked an eyebrow as Shikamaru approached.
"Hey, I thought you had disappeared? What happened to you man? Your mother has been keeping us all awake at unholy hours trying to make us find you. We figured you would just show up, but you know women. So what are you doing here?"
Shikamaru showed no sign of hearing his questions, just stood there with that same look on his face.
"Breaching the Yugara Castle."
The guard looked down at him with a strange look.
"And when you have the king in your grasp?"
"Let him go. It would be a drag to capture him."
The guard watched him closely for a moment before shrugging and pressing his hands into a hand seal. His shadow then stretched out from behind him and through a crevice in the side of the wall. After a moment of silence, the doors of the building shifted slightly, showing them to be unlocked.
"I don't know what you want with the records, but it is your right as Clan-heir. Your visit has been logged, and will be brought up with Shikaku-san."
Shikamaru nodded and wandered inside. Choji made to follow him, but he was stopped by the guard.
"Sorry little dude. Only people with authorization are allowed inside."
"Uhh... Breaching the Yugara Castle?"
The guard grinned and leaned back on the wall, popping a cigarette in his mouth.
"Yeaaaa-, no. Good try though."
Choji shrugged and reopened his bag of chips, choosing to wait until Shikamaru returned. Finally after what seemed like twenty minutes his friend exited the building with a handful of scrolls in his possession. The fire in his eyes was burning brighter than ever, but for the first time he looked directly at Choji and frowned.
"Choji? What are you doing here?"
"WHAT! What am I doing here? I've been following you around since you finally show back up after three days, and that's the most you can say to me? What the hell is wrong with you man?"
Shikamaru shook his head and started jogging back in the direction he came.
"Come on! I have something to show you. It's why I've been gone for so long. I've never seen anything so awesome in my life!"
Choji looked back at the guard, who at this point had dropped his cigarette in shock at the heir being so worked up over... well, anything. The round boy just shrugged in response and started running to catch up to Shikamaru before he got too far away. Whatever it was, it had to be good. The guard watched them leave before looking down at his dropped cigarette and pouting at the waste.
XxXxXxX
- Outside Naruto's Compound : Choji & Shikamaru -
"So what am I looking at?"
Shikamaru sighed at his friend's impatience and readjusted the heap of scrolls in his arms.
"Just follow me, and don't blink or you'll miss it. You're going to love this."
Shortly after he said that, the pair walked through the stealth field being generated by the compound, revealing the pyramid structure in all of its glory. Shikamaru looked back at Choji and grinned at the look of shock. Much like his own had been, he assumed. No wonder Naruto had cracked up when they arrived.
"What- what is this place?"
"This is Naruto's new place. The one his team has mentioned him going on about? Turns out they haven't actually been here yet, but Naruto brought me here... what did you say it was? Three days ago? Well at first I just saw him riding this big... majestic... beautiful... machine."
Choji saw him trail off and got that look back in his eye again, so he nudged him with an elbow. Shikamaru jerked as though waking up, and continued with his sentence without missing a beat.
"Well he went into the ramen stand that he loves right? So I just wanted to get a closer look, and when I saw the design and how powerful it must have been, I just wanted to take it apart to see how it worked. Naruto caught me about to take a wrench to it, and I thought he was pissed, but he agreed to bring me here! I met his master, and the Droids, and the weapons and machines, and then Kyle said he would teach me, and- "
Choji stared at his oldest friend, wide-eyed. He sounded like Naruto used to back in the academy after he had shared some suger-coated candy with him. His words were coming out too fast to understand, and that manic gleam was back. For the first time in a while, Choji wondered if his friend was going to be okay.
"-and now here we are!"
Before Choji could even register what all Shikamaru had just said, he was dragged over to a small garage, where a spare hoverbike was parked, in a state of disrepair with parts lying all over the place. Over to one side of the building, a door slid open and Kyle walked in, dangling a piece of plastic with six circle holes from one finger.
"Hey Sheek, did you drink all of my Wired?"
The boy spun around to face his new mentor and shrugged.
"Idon'tknow,maybe. ?"
Kyle just stared in shock at how fast he was speaking before rolling his eyes.
"Yes. Yes they were. When did you drink them?"
Shikamaru made a show of thinking it over before shrugging.
"Idon'tknow, ,butIdon'tknowwhen."
"That was two days ago! And let me guess, you drank them all in one go, right? Have you even slept since then?"
Before he could get a reply, Kyle reached out with the Force and used it to slow him down to manageable levels, as well as perform a quick diagnostic to ensure that he wasn't about to collapse from OD'ing on taurine, caffeine, and god knows what else.
"Well you see, I was reading through the manuals and disassembling the bike like you told me to. Well before to long I started getting kinda thirsty, so I went through that little mini-fridge of yours."
"My stash! You went through my stash!" Shikamaru just shrugged innocently.
"You never told me not to."
"There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no emotion, there is peace."
Choji chuckled as the man rubbed his forehead, muttering some kind of mantra under his breath. He calmed down pretty quick, and Shikamaru seemed to be toying around with his slowed state, making a variety of ridiculous faces while staring at a mirror. It would be worrying if it wasn't so funny. Finally Kyle calmed down enough to talk to Shikamaru without throttling him.
"Alright, look. One, don't touch my stash. EVER. If you are thirsty or something, hit up one of the Droids. They'll show you where to go. Two, go easy on the energy drinks. We have plenty, but I'm not sure how many of them you can handle before you, oh I don't know, DIE!"
Shikamaru stopped playing with fingers for long enough to nod seriously. Deciding that that was probably the best he was going to get out of boy in that condition, he turned to Choji.
"Sorry about all that. You must be Choji, right?"
"Yes, sir. How do you know my name?"
Kyle walked over to him and dropped down onto a metal crate, kicking his feet up on the back end of the hoverbike, which was propped up with what looked like cinder blocks.
"Sheek here talked about you incessantly while I was teaching him about engines. I hear you guys have some pretty interesting abilities. Revolve around food, right?"
"You mean our jutsu? Not food, just changing the size of our mass."
"No, I knew you guys could do that. I was talking about your pills. You guys have made ways of doing incredible stuff with your pills, right?"
"Oh, right. Yeah, my clan were actually the original creators of Soldier Pills that Konoha uses."
Kyle nodded and leaned back, crossing his hands behind his head.
"It's pretty amazing the stuff you guys have figured out how to do with your Chakra. Shooting fireballs from your mouth, catching people in your shadows... crazy."
"You're one of Naruto's Masters, right?"
"Yup! Taught him damn near everything he knows. Well, half of it at least. Well technically... whatever. Yes, I am. Kyle, Kyle Katarn. Should have introduced myself earlier, I'm sorry. Living around robots and Bane has fried my manners. Speaking of which, I'm starting to get hungry. You want to come with? I happen to know a great chef.
"You're offering me food?"
"Uh-huh."
"For free?"
"That's right... why?"
The boy didn't reply, instead he only turned his back and wiped furiously at his face as though he had something in his eye. Kyle chalked it up to some 'ninja-thing' and called out to his non-jedi apprentice.
"Hey Sheek! What about you? Want to grab a bite to eat?"
Said boy turned to face him with his arms drawn back into his sleeves, and a wrench and screwdriver poking out.
"Check it out! I'm a Droid!"
Kyle rubbed his forehead again and led Choji out with Shikamaru tripping over stuff trying to keep up.
XxXxXxX
- Cafeteria : Naruto & HK-47-
Naruto was on his way to the cafeteria to get some lunch after a long day of training with Bane. Over the last couple of days the Sith Lord had been teaching Naruto everything he could about gathering, maintaining, and utilizing an army effectively. Historical references, strategies, personal revelations; the man was sparing no details.
After today's lesson, Naruto had really started thinking about how little he knew about the people he could possibly bring with him. This was where HK came in.
"Do you understand the assignment?"
"Reiteration: Yes, Master. I am to wait until tonight and under the cover of darkness, I am to infiltrate the Shinobi records within the Hokage Tower. I am to target the records of the 'Konoha Twelve' and download as much as I can before getting caught."
"Right. After that I want you to bring the information back to me."
"Query: What do you plan to do with them?"
Naruto frowned as he glanced at his first follower, and right hand.
"Are you questioning my orders?"
"Horrified No Master! I just-..."
"If I thought you needed to know, I would tell you. Don't make it a habit, okay?"
"Acknowledgment: Yes, Master."
HK-47 watched as his Master walked away before hurrying away to complete his task. The Master was reasonable much of the time, but he had no tolerance for failure.
Naruto meanwhile, was surprised to see not only Shikamaru and Kyle in the cafeteria, but also a familiar chubby boy of the same age.
"Choji? What are you doing here?"
The Akimichi looked up from his enthusiastic meal to grin happily.
"Hey Naruto! I saw Shikamaru in town today after he disappeared for a few days and I followed him. We ended up here and I met one of your Masters."
Kyle was sipping at a bottle of something that looked like beer, while Shikamaru was cradling his head and moaning softly about a headache. Naruto meanwhile, didn't seem too pleased about Choji's presence, making Kyle perk up and start paying attention.
"Really? The guards just let you in?"
"Well... yeah. I mean, I didn't see a single guard on my way here."
Naruto frowned and made a mental note to have a word with the HK-50s. A total stranger had waltzed right in like he owns the place, and they didn't even notice? What the fuck!
Choji noticed the look Naruto's face, and wondered if maybe he wasn't supposed to be here after all.
"If I had known that it was private or something, I wouldn't have come in without you knowing. I just saw Shikamaru going in and out, and thought you were..."
Naruto ran his fingers through his hair and bit back a groan.
"That's right, you did. And you were just able to walk right in without anyone checking you first. That means anyone can do it. Including enemies or someone who wants to steal my shit."
Kyle sat up at that, unhappy with Naruto's comments.
"Hey, relax man. Me and Bane will be able to sense if someone with malicious intent crosses the shield. We have been here for a couple of months after all. You think we wouldn't have a system for this?"
"That's not the point! The point is that Choji was able to wander onto the premises simply because he was tagging along with Shikamaru, who was allowed to wander in and out with no one to check them."
Choji put down his fork and pushed the plate away from him, his appetite lost.
"Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. Like I said, if I had known it would be a problem, I wouldn't have come."
As he stood up to leave, Shikamaru lifted his head for the first time.
"Naruto, you're being troublesome, and that's not worth it for me. Even with all the awesome tech you guys have access to. If you are going to make Choji leave for something like this, I'm going with him. And I'm not going to come back."
Naruto grumbled for a minute before sitting down.
"I'm not mad about Choji being here, alright? That's no big deal and if you vouched for him, I would have let him in anyway. I'm just pissed that he was able to get in so easily. He should have been stopped and brought to either me, Kyle, or Bane."
Kyle looked between the three, and when the hostility had filtered out of the air, he grinned and raised his glass in the air.
"Well, now that that's all sorted out, can we be friends again?"
The lazy genius mumbled something in response and dropped his head back on the table. Naruto looked to Choji in surprise.
"Actually, what's up with Shikamaru? He doesn't look so good."
"Apparently he had something called an 'energy drink', and he is feeling the after-effects. You should have seen him about twenty minutes ago. I've never seen him so..."
"Hyper?" Kyle offered helpfully.
"I was going to say energetic, but that works too."
Shikamaru made a noise that sounded a little like a whimper before falling silent.
"Yeah, those things can really catch up to you if you aren't expecting it. How many did he have?"
Choji looked at Kyle, who held up five fingers.
"Five? Geez..."
"Yeah, I know. From what I've been able to gather, he drank them almost two days ago and hasn't slept since. Dude is such a lightweight its not even funny... No wait, its hilarious!"
Shikamaru made an obscene gesture with one hand lazily, and Kyle laughed, pushed him out of his chair to land in a crumpled heap, and laughed again.
"Anyway, its good to have you around Choji. Things have been pretty quite for the last couple of months, and its good to have company. You're free to come by whenever you want, even if Shikamaru isn't here. The Droid's will give you a guided tour later on if you want."
Choji thought about it for a moment before shaking his head.
"Nah, I think I've seen all I need to." He grinned before attacking the fresh plate of food that had just been provided, courtesy of the Droid from the kitchen.
Naruto took the opportunity to make his request to the Droid for some of his own before Choji took to obliterating their entire stock.
XxXxXxX
- Konoha Training Ground : Naruto /Two days later -
Naruto wandered through the various training grounds looking for someone in particular. After HK-47 returned with the documents he requested, he had spent the next day going over everything in an attempt to find out who would be the best candidates for him to take with him during his... defection. He didn't really want to have to phrase it like that, but that was essentially what it came down to.
After careful reflection, he had a basic idea of who to bring with him. Shikamaru would be a valuable asset. Especially since he was such a natural when it came to machines and technology. The guy was soaking up everything Kyle would teach him, and come back for more. It was like he was a machine himself, he never stopped. Choji was almost certainly a given, as he was practically never seen without Shikamaru, or vice versa. If he could be convinced to share some of his clans knowledge of soldier pills and medicinal applications, he would prove to be useful as well.
Besides those two, Naruto had found some rather interesting details on a few of his fellow Genin that he didn't know. Rock Lee, the enthusiastic student and apprentice of Maito Gai, had caught the attention of HK while he was copying the records. Enough so that after he was finished downloading what he could, the Droid did some background checking to come up with some appealing results. His medical records, physical type, even his cellular signs pointed to him being a descendant of an old companion of HK-47. Canderous Ordo. Who would have guessed that that friendly little spaz would be a Mandalorian? Funny how these things happen. Now Naruto just had to find a way to convince him to leave his home, his team, and his mentor behind. And maybe that jumpsuit too, if he could manage it...
Another person that caught his eye was a daughter of a blacksmith who ran one of the more popular Shinobi supply stores in Konoha. Her name was Tenten and she was the teammate of Lee. To maybe to her being raised around weapons, and perhaps because it is easier to harm someone with a chunk of metal than your bare hands, she had taken a liking to weapons at a young age, and had devoted herself to becoming a weapons mistress. He wasn't totally sure what he would have her do in his army, but a person with such a talent with weapons of all kinds was just too good to pass up. He would have to have someone teach his army how to fight, maybe. Between her and her teammate he was sure to have some powerful warriors emerging to fight for him. May the Force have mercy on their souls...
Shino, the quiet Aburame, had scored second in his class when it came to strategic planning and had a great mind for details. Combined with his mindset and the natural loyalty of the Aburame 'hive-mind' mentality, he had the potential to be a great general. This was going to be tricky, as Naruto wasn't exactly sure what made him tick. Initially Naruto had passed over him in his choices, but as he slept he had a vision that he was pretty sure involved Shino. Even if Shino refused to follow him, Naruto felt it was his duty to warn him.
He was actually who Naruto was out trying to find at the moment, as Meizu had informed him that he often frequented this training ground. Chosen for its solitude, naturally. If the information was accurate, the boy should be arriving right about...
"Kiba, for the last time. I have a technique I wish to practice in private. Without my clan or you from seeing it."
"Aw come on man! We're your teammates. Besides, Akamaru wants to know what you've been working on that is such a secret."
The little dog riding on Kiba's head barked in agreement.
"I will show you when it is done, and not before. Now leave before I set my Kikaichu on you."
The Inuzuka winced, having been subjected to the technique before and knowing exactly what it was like.
"Alrght, alright. Damn, you don't have to be so secretive all the time. We're on the same side ya know. Kurenai-sensei said we are supposed to meet up tomorrow morning at the usual time. I'll see you then."
Shino didn't reply to that, but Kiba didn't expect him to, having already turned to leave. Akamaru yipped a goodbye, and Kiba waved without turning around. When the two disappeared into the trees, Shino turned to where Naruto was standing.
"I'm assuming it was you that told that Mist-nin to shadow me?"
Naruto stepped out from the tree into the open. They were classmates and everything, but he still didn't want to look like a threat. While he wasn't particularly sure what effect an Aburame's destruction bugs would have on him, he had no intention of finding out if he didn't have to.
"Yeah, actually. How did you know about that?"
Shino was silent for a moment before answering.
"Even if you didn't have slight traces of his scent on him, this is an out of the way training area. The chances of two people just happening to find it within a few days of each other are remote."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to spy on you to be mean about anything, or try to steal any techniques. I just wanted to learn more about you and your team."
While he made no physical motion to indicate it, Naruto could almost sense his doubt.
"And so you ordered someone to follow me without revealing themselves? You have a strange way of meeting people, Naruto."
Naruto laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah, they were also hanging around my place and screwing around with nothing to do. I told them to do that just partially so they wouldn't be breathing down my neck while I'm trying to get work done. I'm guessing you would know something about that, huh?'
"Indeed..."
Unsure of what to say after that, the pair stood in a semi-awkward silence for a few minutes before Shino prompted him on.
"I'm assuming you have a purpose for coming here?"
Naruto wasn't exactly sure how to broach the subject in a roundabout way, and he doubted that Shino would appreciate it if he could, so he decided to just come out with it. He dropped the friendly small talk and got serious.
"Yes, I did. I know you have no particular reason to trust me, but I am here to make you an offer. At some point in coming times, and due to circumstances out of my control, I am going to be forced to leave Konoha. There are a few people that I will be taking with me to Ruusan, and they will all serve a purpose in its rise to power."
Shino made no motion to stop him, so Naruto continued.
"Once, a long time ago, there were two great civilizations..."
The story didn't take long to recount, and Shino made for a decent audience. He never interrupted, though he asked a question here and there to clarify points. When he was done, Naruto made his offer.
"Assuming this is all true of course, you want me to join you when you leave the village in order to recreate a village that combines the qualities of both the Jedi and the Sith?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"I don't understand your logic."
Naruto frowned at that, having not expecting that kind of response.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it doesn't make sense. Why would you come to me with this? We have had practically no association. You don't know me and I don't know you. I admit that you seem to be of much better character than during the academy and I have heard the rumors of the change, but that doesn't make us best friends. Furthermore, I don't know why you would expect me to leave my clan, team, and village."
Naruto was uncharacteristically silent for a moment.
"Because they are going to leave you."
Shino said nothing, waiting for him to elaborate.
"You probably don't know this, and I try not to make it common knowledge, but you deserve to know. Ever since my change and I truly began learning what power I command, I have been having... visions. They are like dreams, but of things yet to come. Most of them are fleeting and pointless, quickly forgotten. But I have had a few that were different from the rest. Two, to be exact. The first was of a young boy, losing his mother. I had thought I was the young boy in the vision, but I was wrong. My mistake cost a young boy his mother's life, leaving him under the care of his grandfather."
"Why are you telling me this?"
While Shino's face and voice betrayed nothing, a faint buzzing could be heard from under his coat.
"Because I think the second one is of you. I wouldn't come to you if I wasn't sure. I saw-..."
"Wait."
While the word wasn't spoken loudly, it still silenced Naruto. As far as he knew, Shino never interrupted anyone. The Aburame persisted before he could ask though.
"Such visions, as you call them, are illogical to place faith in. You said so yourself, that they are imperfect and easily mistaken. You have been wrong before, and you are likely wrong now. I have much to accomplish in the coming weeks, and I cannot afford to be distracted by your cryptic words of warning. I appreciate your action, but I do not need them."
Naruto nodded, eyes hiding some unspoken emotion.
"I thought you might say that, and I will respect your wish. But still..."
He drew an envelope out of his back pocket and offered it to the boy.
"If I'm wrong, and I hope I am, then you will never need to open this if you don't want to. You can throw it to the side and forget about I. But if I'm right, I want you to open it. So you will understand why I came to you when I did, and know that I can offer you what you crave."
Shino simply stared at Naruto for a moment, examining him. After a short eternity, he reached out and accepted the envelope, placing it in a pocket on the inside of his jacket.
"Very well. I will keep this in mind."
With that the somber atmosphere was lifted, and Naruto grinned. He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and turned away, laughing in embarrassment.
"But yeah, like I said. I could be wrong, and I really hope I am. Either way, I'm sorry for interrupting your training. I'll get out of your hair now."
The blond took off running, and before Shino could think of anything to say to him, he was gone. Shino watched the sun sink below the horizon, thinking about the enigmatic blond and the envelope in his pocket. Surely it was nothing, but only time would tell. But the question is, how would he know if Naruto's prediction was correct?
XxXxXxX
- ? -
A tall, cloaked figure watched as another faced off against a fresh wave of HK-50 Droids, each armed with stun rods. With an enraged roar, the second and more heavily built of the two hefted his massive sword in two hands and in a show of sheer brute strength, cut through three of the machines at once. The momentum of his swing left him off balance, and another of the Droids was able to dart in behind him and jab him with it's rod.
The resulting electrical discharge sent the figure to his knees, and the first raised a hand as the rest of the Droid's fell upon the fallen, ready to finish him off. The Droids halted instantly and backed away, standing at rigid attention and watching the fallen's muscles spasm.
"You are still slow. Your movements are not fluid. Were you in a real fight, you would have died... again. I expected more from you when I saved your life."
The second figure was unsatisfied with the statement, and growled fiercely while trying to force his body to be still.
"Well maybe I would be better if I wasn't trying to move with this goddamn metal piece of shit you put where my arm used to be!"
"Would you fight better had I left it as an oozing socket? Your arm is beyond hope, I have told you this. Be thankful you are of more use to me with two functioning arms. Now, again."
The fighter cursed loudly as the -50's descended upon him once more, and he proceeded to fight them off as well as he could with the foreign appendage that replaced his once perfect arm. Still, it was better than nothing... Possibly better than his real arm was, assuming he ever got used to the damn thing.
A/N : Well, I finally got around to finishing the chapter, though the minute I did, dot net started acting up, so I had to wait a while before posting. Pissed me off, but what can you do?
What could Naruto have seen to worry him enough to approach Shino? Will he be able to convince two of the three members of Team Gai to join him when he leaves? What kind of crap will Shikamaru invent, now that he knows how to do it? I guess you'll find out when I do.
As always, feel free to bask in my glow. Oh, and spread the word. I want fame and fortune, and since I'm not getting paid for writing this crap, I'll settle for twice as much fame!
Next up will be a chapter of Nulla Gratia... maybe.
Stay Frosty...
- Nikolai