Hello people! Thanks for the reviews: A Dragon Knight, ragnrock kyuubi, Agurra of the Darkness, vash3055, Raidentensho, farticus3000, Cylon One, and the Random Reviewer. Made me feel all fuzzy and warm for the favs/alerts as well.
- How long does this take place before the show? Well, Naruto is six right now and Hunter is eleven when the show starts. Naruto will be twelve by then so... Six years. Currently, Hunter is five and still listening to his Grandpa's stories on the Inner World now.
Random rant- What the hell. If any of you read the latest Naruto manga chapter, you'd know why I'm so worked up over this. I mean, I was annoyed but mostly okay with Danzou hiding a Sharingan under his bandage...But THIS?! Seriously, Danzou literally has an armful of Sharingans now...(pun intended) Kishimoto-sensei must really like Danzou the ways he likes Sasuke...
Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto or Spider Riders (noooo..)
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Fumant Village
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Dsiban and Arrakis bounded to the little house in which Sarin stayed at. The peeking rays of the Oracle Sun met their eyes. Arrakis and Dsiban were met with the image of a yawning Sarin. She grunted a 'good morning' and stalked off to a nearby stream. The two battle spiders looked at each other before Arrakis scuttled after the raven-haired girl. Dsiban settled on his back legs waiting for the Earthen to wake up. Almost a full hour passed, Dsiban was beginning to get impatient. The door creaked open with a blond head sticking out cautiously. Dsiban got up slowly as to be careful not to scare the boy; considering last time, the Earthen fainted of all things…
Naruto turned his head both ways to look around for Sarin. He noticed a large shifting shape which was moving towards him. Happily, he noted that it stopped within only a few yards away from him and didn't move a step closer. Naruto peered at it with curiosity shining from his eyes. He noted the shade of grey and was surprised to see it match the color of the device on his wrist. He suddenly gasped, finally noticing that this was the spider he saw last time. Naruto shakily smiled all the while hoping that he would get back in the hut before the spider decided he was hungry and in the mood for some human meat. He waved his empty hand while pushing the door open with his other hand.
"Ummm…Hi…?"
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Stream
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Sarin sat at the edge of the stream splashing clear water on her face. Arrakis stood silently next to her. A long tense silence filled the air. Arrakis suddenly spoke up.
"Sarin?"
"Yes?" Sarin answered back while still being preoccupied with the stream water.
"I asked Dsiban to meet him…The Earthen…" Arrakis started with a slight undertone of uncertainty in his voice. "Do you think…Dsiban will…?"
"Don't worry Arrakis; I'm sure they'll get together…" Sarin shot the arachnid a quick grin, "After all, they're spider and rider…Nothing can keep them apart…" Arrakis nodded while repeating after her.
"…They're spider and rider…Nothing can keep them apart…" Sarin looked surprised for a few seconds before staring into the water and picking up a pebble. A wishful look graced her face for a mere second. Arrakis noticed and wondered what she was thinking about.
"Sarin…I was wondering if…I was wondering if you…would like…" Sarin interrupted him.
"Of course I like you, Arrakis…" She threw the pebble and watched it skip twice before continuing. "You're my best friend, and you'll stay my best friend, forever. Naruto coming here doesn't change a thing between us." Arrakis could have smiled if he could.
"Sarin…Thank you…You'll always be my best friend too…" Sarin interrupted him again.
"Even when you find a rider?" Sarin turned away from the arachnid. "Even when you'll be the Bonded to another person?"
"Bonded…? Sarin…I-" Arrakis stammered. "I can't bond to anyone else…You've told me that…thousands of times…"
"I have…?"
"You told me, a battle spider only has one Bonded…and they can only be with their Bonded…For the last few years…I've been with…you…" Arrakis implored while Sarin bit off her next words. "I've been wanting to ask you…Will you…Will you be my Bonded…Sarin?" In the years to come, Arrakis would remember that moment, the bliss in his Bonded's eyes. The happiness in her gestures when she tried to hug his large frame as well as the smile she gave him before answering.
"Yes…Arrakis, my answer is yes…Yes, I'd love to be your Bonded…"
"Really? Sarin?" Arrakis's voice revealed surprise and happiness. "You're not joking?"
"I'd never joke about something like this, Arrakis. Either ways, I never joke." Sarin leaned closer to the battle spider while quickly unwrapping the bandages around her manacle, "I'll be your Bonded Arrakis…"
Arrakis and Sarin both raised a hand/leg while chanting.
"In the name of the Oracle, Arachna Power…!"
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A far off village
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An Invectid looked up to the sky before turning again. He could have sworn that he saw a golden light reaching towards the sky. He shook his head, and quickly jumped away.
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The same time, in Fumant Village
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"Fear not, little Earthen." Dsiban's deep voice rang out somehow managing to sound reassuring, "I will not harm you."
Naruto shrank back some more, his hand already falling back to his side. He sat down with his back against the door.
"Fine, but stay there spider." Naruto narrowed his eyes and added an afterthought, "And don't eat me."
"The name's Dsiban, Earthen. Not spider. And I definitely don't eat humans. Too chewy." Dsiban snickered at the flabbergasted look on Naruto's face. Naruto scowled as he realized the spider was joking.
"Stupid spider…" Naruto's scowl brought his face to a new meaning of 'annoyed.' "What do you want?"
"Idiot Earthen, aren't you going to thank me? I rescued you after you fainted after all. I could have just left you there for the Invectids." Dsiban's voice held a noticeable sneer, "Or I could have just nudged you into the lake instead." Naruto would have steam coming out of his ears if it was possible.
"Alright, thank you." Naruto snapped at the battle spider, "Now, go away!"
Dsiban sighed. And he thought befriending this Earthen was going to be easy. Arrakis was right; now that he was paying attention, he noticed the slight attraction between the Earthen and himself. But then again, Arrakis was always right about these things…And Arrakis thought he was stubborn, obviously he hadn't met the Earthen yet. However, this Earthen seemingly brought out his more disagreeable side on instinct. Dsiban tried to calm his breathing and his temper.
"I am not leaving, foolish child. I only want to talk." Dsiban settled on the dusty ground making a visible effort not to jump forward and throttle the blond. Silence reigned. Naruto glared at the large arachnid for a while before crossing his arms over his chest.
"Fine…Talk…" Naruto grounded out. Dsiban looked amused at the display.
"Alright then, Earthen-" Naruto scowled before interrupting.
"Just what is an Earthen?! You just call me Earthen and Earthen, why don't you explain what is an Earthen?!" Naruto shouted at the now silent battle spider. Dsiban looked at the blond before slightly lowering his head.
"An Earthen is a human, which was not born in the Inner World. It doesn't matter where you were born, but if you are not born in the Inner World, you are an Earthen." Naruto had a surprised look on his face as if he didn't believe that Dsiban had actually answered his question.
"Well…Thanks for telling me, but why do you say it like it's something bad? Like you're disgusted by Earthens?"
"Superstitions..." Dsiban sighed, "There is a prophecy about an Earthen. About how the Earthen might be the destroyer of the Inner World... It's turned the opinion of many people in Arachna. Earthens used to be welcome in the Inner World, you know, until the Arachnians found out about the prophecy. The few Earthens living here at that time were...killed. The portals connecting the Inner World and Outer World were closed. However those idiots probably didn't do a good job of it, I mean if you got through... " Naruto's eyes reflected sadness as Dsiban told him the tale behind the dislike of Earthens. He jerked as something came to him. Naruto didn't notice that he was getting closer to Dsiban. Almost leaning on one of the battle spider's legs, words tumbled out of his mouth.
"...This village, won't people notice that I'm an Earthen?! They'll kill me!" Dsiban looked on in shock at the ranting blond before suddenly huddling the boy close to him.
"Foolish boy... Haven't you noticed yet? Fumant village is empty except for Sarin, Arrakis, me, and now you. No one will hurt you here, especially not kill you." Dsiban sounded indignant at the last few words. "And no one will know that you are an Earthen. The only reason I know this is because battle spiders have an uncanny sense for these types of things." Naruto smiled slightly feeling safe in the spider's arms/legs.
"Dsiban?" Naruto looked up at the arachnid and continued when the spider in question nodded his head towards him, "Sarin... Can she be trusted?" Dsiban looked surprised at the question.
"Sarin? Yes... I've known her a long time, not as long as Arrakis, but long enough." Naruto grinned with relief visible in his features.
"I was just so...surprised...that she took me in when you found me. I had a caretaker back in Konoha one time... She always spent the money the Sandaime gave me. She never cared for me even when the Sandaime told her to watch over me...and care for me as if I were her own..." Tears tracked down Naruto's whisker-less cheeks. This apparently touched a chord in Dsiban as the large spider's voice lost some of its harshness.
"Then be glad you are no longer in this Konoha... Sarin is not necessarily the kindest person, but she won't leave a person in need of help." Naruto laughed.
"Like you, Dsiban. You aren't the nicest, but you did 'rescue' me from the lake's wrath." Naruto joked as Dsiban snorted.
"You'll make a fine rider someday, boy."
"I'm Naruto, Naruto Namikaze. Don't call me 'boy.' And just what is a rider?" Dsiban looked surprised before explaining.
"A Spider Rider. One might call them heroes... They protect the Arachna Kingdom, and fight against the Invectids." Naruto looked even more confused. Dsiban sighed before making himself confortable.
"King Arachna I was the first Spider Rider. He made a pact with the Lord of Spiders, Ancestral, to fight the Invectids together. The Oracle gifted them with manacles, a symbol for Her warriors." Dsiban paused and pointed with one of his legs, "Like that one around your wrist."
"Does that make me a Spider Rider?" Naruto had yet another surprised look on his face.
"What do you think? You, a Spider Rider? You don't look like you're up to riding spiders." Dsiban sniffed. "And you'd have to be Bonded anyways..."
"Bonded? What's that?" Dsiban looked exasperated at all the questions that were directed at him.
"Being Bonded to a spider marks that spider as your life partner. You can be Bonded only once and to only one spider. The spider does not choose the rider and the rider does not choose the spider. That is decided for you by The Oracle. You might call her the 'God' of the Inner World. There is nothing that takes place without Her knowing about it." Dsiban explained with reverence in his voice.
"How do you know which spider you're going to Bond with?" Dsiban laughed outright at this question.
"You don't. Some people spend years looked for their Bonded." Dsiban said thoughtfully before snickering. "However, there are some spiders, *cough* Arrakis *cough*, who can sense this type of stuff."
"Are you Bonded to anyone, Dsiban?" Naruto asked.
"No... Why do you want to know?"
"I...I don't want to spend years searching for my Bonded..." Dsiban looked surprised at Naruto's answer.
"I see... Naruto." Suddenly Dsiban looked up and straightened, "They're finally back... Took those two long enough..."
Naruto turned his head and stood up, bracing himself on one of Dsiban's many legs. Sure enough, there were two figures coming towards them. He recognized one as Sarin, but the black and golden battle spider she was sitting on he didn't recognize. In a while the two stopped in front of Naruto and Dsiban. Sarin grinned, happiness glowing in her eyes.
"Hey Naruto, Dsiban. Glad to see that you're getting along." She turned towards Naruto and gestured at Arrakis. "This is Arrakis, my Bonded." Naruto gaped at the newly Bonded pair while Dsiban laughed.
"Took you two long enough to Bond..." As Dsiban spoke, Naruto noticed Sarin's gold and silver manacle around her wrist. He blurted out.
"You're a Spider Rider!" Sarin looked over at Naruto with a wry smile on her face.
"Kind of... Technically I am a Spider Rider, but I'm not registered in the Arachnian military and they give the title to you... so let's just say that I'm a Spider Rider-in-training. After all, I just Bonded... I need to learn how to fight." Sarin mused. "It's not as if I'm not a Spider Rider, I don't need a title to know what I am." She patted Arrakis on the head. "All I care is that I can fight together with Arrakis here." Arrakis practically glowed at Sarin's words. "We're going to go gather some food for later, see ya!" Arrakis swiftly jumped away and the clearing was filled with Sarin's shrill laughs and yells that this was too fast for her.
Naruto frowned slightly, envying the Bonded pair on their relationship. Wistfully, he wondered if he would ever have a relationship with his Bonded like that of Sarin and Arrakis's. He was startled as Dsiban looked over at him and halfheartedly embraced his smaller body. He sank against Dsiban's large body with a true smile on his face.
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YES! Another chapter finished! I'd appreciate if you'd offer me some ideas on Naruto's weapon. I've been thinking of a kusari-gama (thanks Raidentensho!) but I am open to other ideas as well. I already have Sarin's weapon. =D PM me or leave a review.
R&R
Ja ne