Ranger24: Long time period chapter but it just helps cover until we get to Dras Leona. That place is a dump like my younger brothers room. No seriously it's a pigsty in there. He can't keep it clean for a week. But I digest. On with the chapter!
Chapter 28: Master of the blade.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Naruto groaned and opened his eyes. He was sitting in the shade of a tree. The sun was high in the sky. He felt something on his right arm. He glanced down to see that his arm was in a splint. He glanced about. He was all alone in a small clearing. He tried contacting Cortana.
Naruto: Cortana?
Telepathic lady: We are sorry the person you are trying to contact is either out of range, dead, or sleeping. Please try again in five minutes too an hour. Thank you and have a nice day.
Naruto had an anime sweat drop.
Naruto: Okay.
He sighed getting up. He felt dazed and hungery. Rummaging through his bags he pulled out several chunks of bread. He munched on them trying to peice through what he had done. He soon figured that he'd probably done the dumbest thing he'd ever do in his life. He also knew Ranger would probably chew him out once he got back from where ever he and Cortana were.
He made his way over to a stream and looked at a small puddle trying to gather up enough strength to finally scry. Next he called on an image of Cortana it was rather difficult as Ranger had told him before.
Naruto: Dramor Koopa.
The puddle rippled, then on its surface appeared Cortana and Ranger flying through the sky. Ranger was wipin blood off his sword which Naruto now felt was more like a very long knife. He spoke to Cortana but Naruto couldn't hear what was said. Naruto sighed releasing the spell.
Naruto (Thinking): At least they're okay.
He thought of what else he could scry. He soon decided on Edward. He let the power flow into the puddle and the image changed to show Naruto's cousin holding his head in his hands. There was a white background around him.
Naruto: He must be somewhere in therinsford because this doesn't look familair.
He cast his mind about for what else to scry.
Naruto (Thinking): Maybe I can scry something I saw in a dream!
He thought about many of the dreams he'd had but he tossed them all aside when he thought of the woman in the cell! He focused on the image of her in that cell and released the magic. At first there was nothing and Naruto sighed.
Then suddenly the puddle shifted. It went dark and there on a wooden bench was the woman from his dream! She was bent double in the fetal position crying. He then noticed she didn't look much older than he was. Suddenly she looked up grey eyes staring at Naruto who was so stunned he fell right over onto his back!
Naruto: How the frak is she a real person!?
Suddenly there came the thudding of mighty wings! Naruto glanced behind him and saw Cortana landing. Naruto rush over to her as Ranger dismounted her muttering curses. There was still a decent amount of purpleish black blood on his sword.
Naruto: What happened?
(WARNING! Serious yelling at Naruto here, small children and elderly might wish to skip this part.)
Ranger snarled at him!
Ranger: What happened? You did one of the most incredible fck ups I have ever seen!! What the douche made you think that throwing them was a brillant idea! There were twelve Sangheli's! TWELEVE! Sending a rock through they're heads would have been the smart thing to do! But no! You had to knock them out so they could run away later! What were you thinking!
Naruto: I didn't want to kill them.
Ranger: Wasn't a problem at Yazuac!
Naruto: Hey it was me or them then and I couldn't control the magic.
Ranger: MY GOD! THAT HAS GOT TO BE THE WORST EXCUSE I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE DAMN LIFE!! You could have died! I've spent the past three days trying to track them down! Even with Cortana's help three escaped! Now the suriviors are running around the country side with willd stories of a Dragon rider! Just imagen if the king were to hear about this!
Naruto: Well it's not all bad they already knew about me.
Ranger: What?
Naruto: They had orders to capture me.
Naruto quickly related his conversation with the red armored sanghelli to Ranger. The color drained out of the older mans face.
Ranger: No this isn't what I feared...
Naruto: Oh good...
Ranger: It's much worse!
Naruto sighed.
Naruto: Crap.
Ranger: You not only turned they're master down, attacked his men, insulted him, and then got nine of them killed! You've probably completly pissed off one of the most powerfull people in the entire world! Does everything you do just screw things up even more! You've gained more enemies with this!
He shook his sword violently at Naruto!
Ranger: You hardly deserve to be called a rider after this! BOY!
He went around to the other side of Cortana and sat down trying to clean the rest of the blood of his blade. Naruto glance at Cortana who had a look on her face that screamed, you really screwed up this time. Naruto sighed waiting for her to speak.
Naruto: Well?
Cortana: If you'd at least told me what you were going to do I could have told you that you were going to do this.
Naruto: Then why did you let me do it?
Cortana: I thought what you said might at least be half way reasonable. And I didn't want to miss the fun.
Naruto: Gee, thanks.
Cortana: Sarcasam does not become you.
Naruto sighed, walked over to the old man, and sat down next to Ranger who was trying uselessly to remove a stubborn stain of blood. Cursing, he used magic to remove the blood from the blade which now splattered on the grass.
Naruto: Would help if I said sorry?
Ranger sighed setting down his rag.
Ranger: No, not really thats not the way the world works. You can't just turn away from what you've done and hope everyone forgives the sins you've commited. Repenting for those crimes is a hard slog and sometimes trying to obtain it can prove fruitless.
He glanced at his boots.
Ranger: I know that more than anyone.
Naruto: Why?
Ranger: None of your bussiness. I also suppose this mess is partly my fault I've been teaching you things but not the way in which they should be used.
Naruto: Well what now?
Ranger: It will take a week or two for your arm to heal. In the meantime I'm going to have to teach you how to think. There's a reason we have brains in our heads and not rocks! And no it's not to hold a helmet in place.
Naruto: But we're still going to Dras Leona?
Ranger rolled his eyes.
Ranger: Yes we can still keep hunting the echoplasmares. Now get you're ass in gear. We have to get going to Dras Leona or we'll never get there.
They set pretty soon on horse back. Every bump in the road jarred Naruto's arm. He knew though that he really couldn't complain. Ranger began drilling him with tactical situation questions. They often involved civilains, sanghelli, Shades, or other magic users. Some times soldiers or another dragon were thrown into the mix. Most of these resulted in Naruto, (A) Dieing, (B) being captured, (C) Cortana Dieing, (D) Civilans dieing, or (E) Naruto ending up mortally wounded. During the ride Naruto brought up his scrying of the woman in the cell.
Ranger: You say she looked at you?
Naruto: Yeah.
Ranger shook his head.
Ranger: Sometimes dreams touch the spirit relam but this is different, somehow you were able to scry something you have never seen before. And as far as I know nobody can tell if they are being scryed on.
Naruto: Do you know who she is?
Ranger shook his head.
Ranger: If pressed I could make some guess but none would be very likely.
Naruto: Perhaps to understand this we should search every towns jail to see if we can find her!
Ranger laughed.
When they stopped for the night Naruto got his usual ass kicking from Ranger and he was sore all over again, rather like at the start of the training. The next day however Naruto was able to answer more of Rangers questions corectlly. Of course he still wasn't to happy.
Naruto: Hey how do you block other people's spells?
Ranger: What do you mean?
Naruto: Well supose I was attacked by shade, how could I counter his magic?
Ranger sighed.
Ranger: What you're talking about, a wizards duel as you might call it, is highly dangerous. And there are certian rules that must be followed. The penalty is death for both combatants.
Naruto: How's it work?
Ranger: Well first neither combatant can use magic until one breaks into the others mind.
Cortana: Why wait? By the time an enemy can realize what you're going to do it will be to late to react.
Ranger shook his head.
Ranger: Wrong. If I were to attack you with my powers right now then you would have a split second to counter attack. Of course that relys on knowing how the enemy is attacking you. Understand?
Naruto: Yeah I guess.
Ranger: Right now however if you ever find your self in a wizards duel I suggest you run away as soon as possible. You ever wonder how Xemnas was able to kill all of the riders with only a dozen traitors helping him? There are many reasons but the main one was that he was a master of breaking through mental defense's.
The camped for the night on the edge of the lake. After there usual fight Naruto contacted Cortana who'd been swimming.
Naruto: How's the water?
Cortana: Deep, cool, clear, and plenty of fish. Oh and some singing dolphins.
Naruto: Maybe I'll go swimming tomorrow.
The next day Naruto woke up early, the lake was clear as day.
Naruto: Hey Cortana come on!
He grabbed onto her back and they skimmed over the water! Spary flew up as Cortana diped a claw or two into the water. Naruto smiled.
Naruto: Want to take a dip?
She grinned.
Cortana: Hold on.
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That night Naruto was wearing some dry clothes as he blocked Zaroc's killing edge. Ranger did the same with his knife. They circle each other around the fire in they're fighting stances. Naruto searched the area for anything that might give him an advantange.
He spotted a stick by the fire and dove towards it! The splint got in his way however and he stumbled to the ground! Ranger lunged at him! Naruto brought Zaroc up in an arc just in time to block the blow!
The two surged about the fire stricking at one another with the killing intent Ranger had started drilling into Naruto! Sparks flew from they're blades as they continued the battle! Neither landing a succesfull hit!
Then as they entered the first ten minutes of battle Naruto noticed a change in the way Ranger fought. His praies were slowing, his strikes less than as powerful as when he had started the battle. Sensing the weakness of his opponent Naruto surged forward in the battle hammering away at the old man's defenses! Ranger realized what Naruto was doing and tried to make up for it by increasing the speed and ferocity of his strikes! Still Naruto wouldn't and couldn't be stopped in his stream of attacks!
Finally Ranger gave one final attempt to break Naruto's guard with a feirce slash! Naruto side steped the blow! Rnager tumbled to the ground, rolled to his feet only to find Zaroc pointed at his neck. Naruto grinned, it was the first time he'd ever beaten Ranger without resorting to trickery of some sort. Ranger panting sheathed his sword.
Ranger: We're done for the night.
He sat down taking a long drink from his canteen.
Naruto: But we've only just started!
Ranger: I've fought many warriors in my time. Of them only a few of them could best me. And even fewer with they're off hand.
Naruto: So we're not going to spar?
Ranger: Oh you're not getting out of it that easily. But it won't be to much of a probblem if we miss a night here or there.
Cortana: Not bad kid.
Naruto: Thanks.
Then he went right to sleep. That is until he hit a rock.
Naruto: OWW!! WHO PUT THAT ROCK THERE??
Ranger: If I could tell you that, you could stuff me in a pokeball and call me a Ditto... Oh shit.
A ditto jumped up and Ranger chucked a knife in between his eyes and Cortana snapped it up, after spitin out the knife that is.
Ranger24: And thats the chapter. Next time I quote Star wars! Read and review my friends! Also I've got the AP world history test tomorrow. Wish me luck!