Ranger24: Sorry for the wait, had writers block, had a lazy spell, and had trouble writing this chapter all at the same time!
Chapter 33: Capture at Gilead
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The next few days were tough on Naruto, riding made his ribs shake with bursts of pain that would have once made him wince. But now he'd suffered so much that most physical pain hit him with little effect now. As they rode Naruto couldn't help but admire Ichigo's rapidash.
"Nice rapidash, what's it's name?"
"Kisuke, after the guy who taught me to fight. You'd be hard pressed to find a more loyal animal." Ichigo replied.
"He really is nice."
"Thanks but Demonwing's a close match." Ichigo said with a smile.
They sold Al in a near by village. Naruto sighed pocketing the small amount of coin he'd gained from the exchange. It saddened him to watch the horse he'd crossed half of the Empire on be lead away by it's newest owner.
As they went from town to town Naruto checked each town for a jail. If it did have a jail he would take a look inside. However he couldn't find the woman from his dreams. Every time he attempted to search a town he had to disquise himself as wanted posters of himself showed up in almost every town.
Traveling with Ichigo was some what odd. They both soon discovered that they had similair interests. They spent hours discussing the finer points of archery, hunting, and porn. They could spend hours arguing the differing topics.
One thing they didn't talk about was their pasts. Naruto didn't say anything about how he found Cortana's egg, and Ichigo didn't say anything about his own past.
However they couldn't help but learn about eachothers pasts. Ichigo knew a good deal about the political situation in the empire and the differences between them all. He also seemed to know some of the basic's about magic but he couldn't use it himself.
After two months and nothing really bad happening Naruto finally could remove the bandages from around his chest. He drew out Yamato and walked over to Ichigo. Ichigo eyed the sword warily his own hand moving to his own blade.
"Since I've recovered do you want to spar?" Naruto asked.
Ichigo relaxed his arm. "With sharpened blades? We could kill each other."
"Hang on, give me your sword." Naruto said. Ichigo spun out his sword and handed it to Naruto who ran his finger's along the black edge of the blade. He blocked the blade with the spell Ranger taught him. When his task was finished he handed the sword back to Ichigo. Ichigo tested the swords weight and ran his hands down his sword. Naruto had only finished blocking Yamato when Ichigo nodded in satisfaction.
"It'll do," he muttered before he entered a combat stance. Naruto spun Yamato in a circle eye's fixed on Ichigo's legs. One thing Ranger had taught him was how to predict an enemy's movement by his footing. Ichigo had his legs in a defensive posture and with such a large blade Dealing any hits would be tough for Naruto.
Then Naruto lunged at Ichigo who parried then countered! Naruto caught Ichigo's counter merely second's before he had a new air hole. 'Damnit he's fast' Naruto thought to himself before countering on his own.
The two strove back and forth evenly matched. They grinned having more than a little fun with one heck of a battle. Evenly matched sweat poured down their backs and faces.
Finally after an hour Naruto finally lowered Yamato. "Enough! Halt!" He shouted. Ichigo sighed before flopping down on the grass and Naruto did the same. They lay there panting until Ichigo broke it.
"Damn, you're good. I've faced decent fighters my whole life, but you're good enough to be Xemnas's Weapons master."
Naruto grinned. "You're just as good, the guy who trained you, Kisuke could make a fortune off of a fencing school."
"He's dead." Ichigo said flatly.
"Oh sorry." Naruto muttered.
Ichigo grumbled a little but didn't say anymore.
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The next few days Naruto and Ichigo continued to spar at night. All of the while they made their way north towards Gilead. Naruto had expected to find Sanghelli all along the way but he didn't even see a single foot print.
"You know I thought these remote places would be teeming with monsters." He commented. Ichigo shook his head.
"Sanghelli stick to the mountains and forests. They get peace and quiet there."
"You seem to know something about them." Naruto noted. Ichigo shrugged.
"You have to if you go traveling about in these lands."
As they traveled Naruto's sixteenth birthday came and went. In carvahall there would have been a celebration for Naruto's passing into man hood. But here in the wild he didn't even mention it.
After two months Naruto, Cortana and Ichigo could see a mass of log cabins in the distance. Naruto frowned as he gazed on gilead. The outer defense was mostly a palisade of wood. In the center of the city was a large fortress. To Naruto's eyes the place looked like a temporary trading outpost than a city.
"So here we are." Naruto said starring at the town. Ichigo rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"I'm not sure you should be the one to go into Gilead." He said eyeing the city with sucpsion.
"Why is that?" Naruto said with a frown.
"Umm… I don't know? Maybe it's because Gilead is the primary staging area of the army! Those aren't houses they're barracks! Going in there would be suicide." Ichigo said. Naruto rubbed the back of his head.
"Well how do I contact Vic?" Naruto said. Ichigo sighed.
"I have to find him."
"You don't know what he looks like." Naruto countered.
'You know,' Cortana said. 'I can give him the description and certain words that will prove to Vic that Ichigo is a friend.' Naruto sighed.
"Well we can deal with that tomorrow." Naruto said. The truth was Naruto hadn't forgotten Ichigo's deal of only going as far as Gilead.
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The next day Ichigo got ready to head out.
"If you aren't back by night I'm coming in after you." Naruto warned. Ichigo laughed.
"That'll be one hell of story, who a lone rider took on the whole Kings army." Ichigo said before riding into the city. The day was, to say the least, dull. Naruto paced back and forth for a few hours before his legs got tired. Then he and Cortana played twenty question for a few hours.
When it was nearly three in the afternoon Naruto cracked open Ranger's book and began trying to figure out what it read. For hours he poured over the book trying to glean something from it or at least start deciphering the language until it became to dark to read. He sighed and began starting a cook fire.
'It seems as though Ranger keeps secrets even in death.' He commented to Cortana.
'He did like his secrets,' Cortana replied.
Naruto was halfway through dinner when he heard the beats of hooves! He looked up to see Ichigo riding back on Kisuke. Ichigo threw frequent glances over his shoulder which made Naruto feel uneasy.
'This doesn't look good.' He told Cortana.
When Ichigo reached the camp he dismounted and flopped onto the ground and began wolfing down his meal. Naruto waited until Ichigo was done before he said anything. When Ichigo was finished he gave one last glance at Gilead.
"What happened?" Naruto asked urgently.
"Well I found Vic, he believes me but he wants to meet with you first. We're to meet him tomorrow at dawn on a hill just north of town." Ichigo reported.
"Okay so why were you riding so fast?" Naruto asked. Ichigo sighed and rubbed his shoulder.
"It's hopefully nothing serious be I was seen by someone who knows me."
"Is he going to talk?" Naruto said quickly. Ichigo groaned.
"If you knew him you wouldn't need to ask. His got lips so loose they'd sink the whole navy. It's not what he tells, it's who he'll tell."
"We'll have to keep watches to night." Naruto said spreading out his bed roll. Ichigo nodded and brought out his bow.
"I'll take the first watch."
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It was late at night when Naruto awoke, his palm tingling. He glanced about, Cortana was on watch. She glanced at him with her large eyes.
'What's wrong?' She asked. Naruto frowned.
'Nothing just my hand itches.' He replied. Cortana sniffed the air suddenly.
'There are horses near by.'
Naruto immediately roused Ichigo. Ichigo however once again nearly stabbed Naruto when he awakened him. Ichigo opened his mouth to apologize but Naruto slapped his hand over Ichigo's mouth. "Cortana says there are horses near by," he whispered. Ichigo quickly rose to his feet and drew out his sword. Naruto drew out Yamato and the two took up opposite positions on either side of their camp.
Suddenly Naruto heard the tell tale wort wort wort of a sanghelli! Naruto whirled around to see one in red armor on the edge of the camp holding a large hammer. 'What the hell are they doing here? We haven't seen their tracks around here anywhere,' Naruto thought alarmed.
"Brisingr," he shouted and the Sanghelli yelled in surprise as he exploded! But then Ichigo gave a shout! Naruto turned around to see at least four more sanghelli attacking Ichigo! Naruto swore, of all the stupid tricks to fall for! He ran to help Ichigo but as he did six more leapt at him weapons ready! Naruto slashed one in the throat with Yamato! The he used jerida to send a pebble through another's throat. Cortana tried to get over to him but two more sanghelli with poleax's ran at her!
Naruto stabbed another sanghelli through the heart before tripping up a second. Then one of the sanghelli swung a mallet at him. Naruto moved to block him but was to slow! Mere nanoseconds before the Mallet hit him he cried out, 'FLY CORTANA!!" Then the mallet struck him and he knew no more.
Ranger24: Oh great. Naruto's been captured, AGAIN! Second time in five chapters. Seriously does Cortana need to just keep him on her back for all eternity, or at least until he stops getting captured? Read and review.