The eagle born to those who pledged their lives and sacred honor was smiled upon by God and freed from chains and iron collar. He is held aloft on unity and by history revered; for preserving peace through strength his wings now reach across two hundred years. But for each of those and one year more, God has smiled upon The Corps, from the Barbary Coast to the Eastern Sand, by sword, by gun, or by bare hand. So it's been, and shall be weighed: though many are born, few are "made". Faithful Always, they shall remain, dogs to loose when war is waged.
—oo000oo—
Naruto had not spoken to his friends or mother for near a week. What time he wasn't spending training with his master, he spent in his room quietly. He would eat, thank Rei for the meal, and would return. There were no words or actions of love to anyone if he did not have to make them. He didn't want to be cold to his sisters but as he was banished to his room, he could not interact with them.
Finishing the evening meal without saying a word, Naruto wiped his mouth clean on a napkin, stood, and said, "Thank you for the meal, Rei-sama." Just as Deis was not truly his mother, Rei could not be his father nor Carol and Yuki his sisters. It saddened the man but he hoped this argument would end soon.
Deis struggled to keep calm from the way he was acting. She wanted to hug him to her and say anything to make him hold her like when he was younger. She wanted her baby boy back. Her chopsticks broke in her hand before she sighed and set them down. "Mommy, why is big brother acting like this," Carol asked Deis.
Naruto hated himself for having to say this but he did. "I am afraid I am not your brother, Carol-chan."
"What? Yes you are."
"No, I am not. You and Yuki-chan are actually my aunts and it is time I start treating you as such."
"No! You're my big brother!"
"I am…"
"Enough," Deis snapped. "You are acting childish, Naruto! You are the heir of the Uzumaki and should stop behaving as such!"
"I am heir as an accident of birth, Deis-sama," he told her. "I am the only child of Rei-sama's eldest daughter. I am heir as default of my mother Kushina dying. But as he has another daughter, a more appropriate heir is available."
Carol looked on the edge of tears and even Yuki was upset. "Hush Yuki," Rei said to him. "We will not have this conversation at the dinner table."
"Yes, Rei-sama. Have a good evening, Carol-sama, Yuki-sama, Rei-sama…Deis-sama." Naruto bowed to them and returned to him room.
"Daddy, why is big brother being so mean," Carol asked as tears escaped her eyes.
"He is upset, Carol," Rei said, wiping the tears away. "Naruto and Deis got in an argument about something."
"Then…they should apologize and stop it!"
"It's not that simple," Deis said, forcing back tears of her own.
"Why not? Why can't it be?"
"It just isn't," Rei told her. "Finish your supper, Carol."
"No! I want big brother back!"
"Carol…"
"NO!"
"If you will not eat then you can go to bed," Deis suddenly scolded, anger covering her face and scaring Carol. Realizing what she had done, she said, "Carol, I'm sorry…" It was too late. Carol started crying as she ran to her room, slamming the door behind her. Deis looked so hurt seeing her go as well. "…I'm losing them, Rei. I'm losing them and I can't stop it."
Rei picked up Yuki and held her close as he said, "My love, you can't control everything. Especially with Naruto."
"But he's…"
"Our daughter's son. He is as stubborn as she was and she was as stubborn as you are. Has Konan really been that bad?"
"Yes! Every time he is hurt it's because he is protecting her! Every time Naruto's hurt, she's involved!"
"They've been the closest of friends since they met, I would hardly expect her to be elsewhere when he is hurt."
"She has been the cause of every bad thing to happen to him since she kidn…"
"That was not Konan," Rei growled, silencing that argument. "Konan is a sweet girl with a bit of an overeager streak. She tries too hard, maybe, she lives life as if it may end soon. But she is not a danger to Naruto or anyone of our home."
Deis looked at him and he thought she might agree. "How can you even say that? She took our son into the Underdark!"
"Sigh. I hope we don't regret you pushing too hard, Deis." He said nothing else. He stood up and carried Yuki to her crib.
—oo000oo—
Naruto woke up the next morning, grabbed his sword, and started to leave for training. "Naruto," Deis called from her study. "Please come here."
Sighing, Naruto went to her. "Yes, Deis-sama?"
She tried not to scowl at him calling her that again. "Why are you punishing your sisters?"
"They are my aunts, Deis-sama, not my…"
"Enough! Why are you doing this, because I won't let you be near that girl?"
Naruto frowned but said, "Yes and no. I would expect a mother to try and protect her child from harm and what she views as harm. I would also expect a mother to realize what makes her child unhappy and upset and be willing to compromise or listen. But a clan head must be unwavering. As you are deciding as a clan matron, as my grandmother, I must treat you as the clan matron and my grandmother. If I must treat you as such, I must treat your family as such. So, as you are my grandmother, Rei-sama is my grandfather while Yuki and Carol are my aunts. That is how it is."
"Don't take that cold tone with me, Naruto! I am not in the wrong and I won't be punished! And as for you and Konan, you are my son and live under my roof so you will obey my law!"
"I do live under your roof, Deis-sama," Naruto said, bowing exactly how Alucard did to her a week ago. Bending at the waist and his arm crossed over his stomach. "But I am not your son, I am your grandson. If you will excuse me, I must go to training." He took a step back, spun on his heel, and left the room.
Deis opened growled and followed him out of the room. "If you want to act so childish then fine, I shall punish you like a child! You're grounded for another month!" Naruto didn't stop nor look back.
—oo000oo—
At the end of training, Suzuka frowned as Naruto did horribly today. He hadn't been this bad for almost a year. "That is enough, Naruto. Head home and meditate. I know it might be hard with what Deis said a week ago but you must clear your mind if we are to continue."
Naruto sighed and said, "Yes sensei Suzuka."
"…She is trying to look out for you, Naruto," she told him.
"As the clan head, not as my mother," Naruto replied before leaving.
That night, the dinner table was empty one chair and so was a room. Suzuka met him the next morning to see his fur was less clean than normal. All in all, he looked more out of sorts. After a week of this, she decided she needed to intervene. Meeting him that morning, she immediately said, "Naruto, sit down."
"Yes, sensei."
When he sat down on his knees and waited, Suzuka sighed and said, "Over the last two weeks, you have been performing progressively worse. Last night, Deis came to me asking if I had seen you in the last week as you haven't returned home. Finally, your decision in going into the Underdark shows a serious lack of judgment. This is counterproductive to your training. I understand that things are not easy right now but I am telling you to end it. If this continues, I shall have no choice but to reconsider my training you."
Naruto didn't look surprise, he said, "If you believe me unfit to be the next master of the Spellblades then please say so, sensei."
"As things stands…you are not. I am sorry."
"Very well," Naruto said, bowing low to her before stabbing Cutter into the ground between them.
"Naruto, what are you…"
"I shall reclaim this blade when I have proven I am fit to be your student once again, Master Suzuka."
She was shocked beyond words as he got up to leave. "Naruto, I'm not saying you have to give me your sword!"
"Master, you and my mother are punishing me for my decision to go into the Underdark. Konan did not need to convince me to go, once I learned that people were dying, I wanted to go and stop it. I cannot do anything but what my heart tells me. And if that puts me at odds with those around me then I must do so still. I will reclaim my sword and position as your student, sensei. Even if it takes me years, I will prove myself." He bowed once more to her before heading away into the forest, not even hiding that he wasn't going home anymore. Suzuka watched him go and had to wonder just what happened to him to change him so.
—oo000oo—
A few days later, Naruto woke up to hear, "Good morning, son."
He shot up and saw Rei sitting on the rock he used while cooking. "Tousan! Eh, Rei-sama, what are you doing here?"
Rei smiled at him and said, "I missed you calling me your father. You know, Carol misses you and can barely stop crying. Yuki knows something is wrong and is just as bad. Your mother is the worst of the three."
"But they aren't my…"
"Don't even get started on that, Naruto," Rei interrupted. "I don't want to hear it. You are their brother just as you are Deis's and my son. No argument will ever change that."
"…How did you find me?"
"Your mother found you the second day you were missing. Nice cave by the way," he said, looking around. Naruto was already well on his way to turning it into a home. "You would not believe the convincing I had to do to keep your mother from coming here and trying to drag you home."
"I wouldn't stay," Naruto said, shaking his head.
"I know, Deis won't understand that the more she tries to control this, the worse it will get. She just wants her baby boy back." Naruto hugged his arms, wishing he was back home and everything was back to normal. "…Son, just come back home and let your mother be mad and over protective for a while. I swear if you do that it will return to normal soon enough."
"I…want to, Rei-sama, I do but I can't. If I do, Deis will try to control my life for the rest of my life. Just like she tries to control everything else. Besides, I started this path by my own will. I can't quit because it is hard."
Rei smiled sadly before rubbing his head. "You know, I had almost this same conversation with Kushina a long time ago. It's when she decided to move to Konoha. Son, I know you feel you must but please, can one of my children just listen and benefit from my experience? Must you do it the hard way?"
"…If I give up now, I don't think I can ever keep going again."
Rei nodded before pulling Naruto into a hug. "When you are ready, your home will be waiting with the family that loves you, Naruto. Just please…when Kushina left, she never returned. Don't do the same to us."
"I'm not Kushina, father," Naruto told him before stepping back. "I think you should leave, Rei-sama."
He didn't want to but Rei did stand and leave. Returning home, Deis jumped to her feet when he entered. "Where is he? You said you would make him return if I stayed."
"I said I would try to, love."
"That's it; I'm going out there now and…"
"No, you're not. He doesn't want to see you right now." She sat back down and looked ready to cry. "Deis, please, just let it run its course. If you hadn't tried so hard to change it, it wouldn't be so bad. Just let it go."
"…What can I do to fix this, Rei? This has gone beyond him wanting to be friends with Konan."
"I think this is something Naruto must fix. Doesn't mean we can't help him along though."
—oo000oo—
Naruto was setting a fish to cook over his camp fire when suddenly Alucard appeared. "Naruto? What is…Oh, I understand. Camping, correct?"
"Something like that, Alucard," Naruto said, smiling at the man. "What brings you here?"
"I have something for you." From behind his cloak, Alucard withdrew his sword.
Naruto stared at it before saying, "Your family's sword? You are giving me your sword?"
"No, not mine," he said, moving the cape to reveal his own still at his side. Giving the new sword to Naruto to examine it, the boy pulled it out of its sheath and looked it over. "This sword belonged to a man named Alucart. I came across it when I was younger. Much younger. The blade is nowhere near the quality of my own. Not to say that it isn't a good sword. It is well balanced and cared for with magic of its own." Naruto gave it an experimental flip and swing. "The enhancements to the blade isn't as strong as mine. Rather it bestows on the wielder a great degree of luck."
"How great," Naruto asked before giving another swing but over extended and it hit the wall. The blade bit into it a little, causing a crack to travel up the wall, over his head, and drop a rock on his head. A rock that turned out to be a diamond. "…Wow."
"That great," Alucard replied.
"…It is a fine sword but the blade is too heavy and hilt too short for my style. I have no idea how to use this."
"I can teach you that, Naruto. I will be coming and going from Uzu with the trade caravans."
Naruto shook his head. "I would rather not wait weeks for one lesson."
"Then you will have to find someone in your clan that knows similar blades."
Naruto bit his lip as he sheathed the saber. "…I'm not staying with my clan anymore. Mother said, 'as long as you live under my roof…"
"You would listen to what she said," Alucard finished while looking around the cave. "How long you been here?"
"Few weeks."
Alucard frowned and then shrugged. "Then you will have to come with me. If I am to still teach you."
Naruto considered it and nodded. "That will probably have to happen."
"But Naruto, you come with me then I will teach you how to use every blade you could ever pick up. And I won't stop until I am done. That could take years; do you want to be gone from your family that long?"
"I think we need some time apart."
"Very well then, take what you want from this camp and we will leave."
Naruto looked around and saw nothing. "I have my daggers and this saber, I need nothing else. But I do need to do something before I go."
"Then do it."
—oo000oo—
It was the middle of night when Konan woke up from hearing something hitting her window. "Nya?" Yawning, she went over and opened it. "…Hello?"
Naruto lightly smacked her cheek with a chuckle. "Finally got you."
"Naruto!" She lunged out the window and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Feels like forever since I've seen you."
"And I you," he replied before pushing her back. "Konan, has anyone been looking for me?"
"Everyone!"
"…That so. Konan, I'm going to go somewhere and I'm not going to come back for a while."
"Where," she demanded of him.
"To… No, better not to say. I just wanted to talk to you before I go."
"What about the others?"
"You and Din are my best friends but Din is in trouble because she followed me. If I hadn't left, I know I would've been banished from seeing her just as I was from you. As for my other friends, I'm not as close to them as I am with you. You're who I have to say goodbye to."
"…You better come back, Naruto," she told him softly. "Because I will hunt you down if you don't. And if you dare die while you're gone, I will beat your corpse so bad you will come back to life just to beg for mercy."
Naruto smirked and hugged her close again. "I'm sure I will. I got to go, Konan, only a matter of time until the guards find me and drag me home."
"Okay, you be careful."
"I will be and I'll send a letter if I can."
"You better," she growled before climbing back into her window.
Naruto looked around before heading to the wall and jumping over it. Not far away he met up with Alucard. "I'm ready."
"Let's go then." He grabbed Naruto's shoulder before vanishing.
—oo000oo—
A few days later, Konan stood before Deis as she paced before her in anger. "Konan, I want to know right now, where is my son?"
"I don't know," she told him.
"Don't lie to me," Deis roared. "I can find Naruto almost anywhere! While he is in Uzu I can not only find him immediately, I can track where he has gone! I know before he vanished he met with you so tell me what you know!"
Konan looked at Deis coldly and said, "I know nothing, Uzumaki-sama."
"Don't even start that shit," she yelled in the younger girl's face. "I've gotten enough of it from Naruto before he left!"
"I can't call you aunt Deis anymore so the only thing left is something not fit your position."
Deis glared at her and said, "Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"…Alright, I over react. I was scared and mad and I want you as my niece again," Deis finally admitted. "Please, where is Naruto so I can make this right? Please tell me Konan, I can't find him by myself."
"…Naruto didn't tell me. He said he was going to go and he might be gone for a long time and he will try to send me a letter."
"You swear?"
"Yes, Aunt Deis, I swear."
Deis nodded sadly and said, "I'm sorry."
"Are you sorry you lost your temper or that things have come this far," Rei suddenly asked.
"…I shouldn't have lost my temper because it was wrong and it hurt my son."
Rei nodded and smiled. "See, you shouldn't try to control everything. Naruto is with Alucard, the man said he would look out for Naruto until he felt it was time to come home."
"So he'll be safe," Konan asked hopefully.
"Yes, nothing is going to happen to him. I'll go tell Carol where he is and that when he comes home he can be her brother again." He stood up and kissed his wife on her forehead before leaving the room.
Deis sighed and looked back to Konan. "And I apologize to you Konan."
"…I accept, Aunt Deis."
—oo000oo—
Naruto had been gone for almost two months now and Konan was certainly not happy. She pressed on Alucard whenever he came to Uzu for the letter Naruto promised and there had only been two. He spent all his time training with the dhamphir it seemed. Naruto said he was getting headaches from using his darksight so much but other than that it was kind of nice down there. The mine entrance had been closed off, the tunnel caved in, and a redirect created. All in all, it had been better. Most importantly, always wearing himself out left him feeling better, he was no longer angry or frustrated. He was almost ready to come home except he told Alucard he was prepared to stay however long it took.
Sighing for the umpteenth time that day, Konan continued helping her father inside the Uzu prison. It was honestly pretty empty with most of the occupants from outside the country. She saw one man that looked more like a fish than a man recovering from what looked like a rather rough time. He was chained to a wall, arms outstretched while his body hung off the ground. A gag was in his mouth to prevent him from biting off his tongue while his wrist and ligaments were slashed and scarred so he couldn't use jutsu. He was a sorry sight and didn't even have the strength left to glare at the girl looking at him. "Hishigaki Kisame," Tiga said behind Konan. "He is likely our most dangerous prisoner. He tried to kill Naruto when he was younger."
Konan frowned but not at his trying, it was as if she already knew that. "Child abusers deserve worse."
"Oh? Kisame, you awake?" The shark looking man groaned as he opened his eyes and looked at him. He tried to growl but couldn't even do that. "Kisame gets a special visit from Rei once a week and it take the rest of that week for him to recover for the next one. When was your last session, Kisame?" This time Kisame did growl. "He gets it in two days."
"He's been here for years, hasn't he?"
"And will be for many more. Let's go, still more to check."
Farther down, Konan trailed behind her father when she came across a new arrival. He was an Uzumaki in more of a hospital room than in a prison cell. He was a prince but his body was withered and gaunt. Looking at the information sheet outside his cell, she read that his name was Uzumaki Nagato and he had severe cellular degeneration throughout his entire muscular system. He could barely walk on his own, while his eyes held an advance dojutsu called the Rinnigan. They were waiting to decide what was to be done with him before muscle reconstruction and healing. Looking up from the clip board, she found Nagato looking at her. "…You look different than the other Uzumaki I have seen here," he told her.
"Because I'm unique," she told him. "I look like our noble ancestor and the first hero of the Uzumaki, Shalula the Panther."
"…Something to take pride in," he muttered. "The world needs a hero. I tried to be that."
"It says here you started a war."
"That war had been going for over fifty years. I'm Nagato, child."
"Konan," she told him and it made him smile.
"Beautiful name. I knew a woman by that name once. I don't know what happened to her though."
"What happened?"
"…We kidnapped one of your princes; he was born in Konoha and had a demon fox sealed inside him on the day of his birth. I intended to extract that fox, killing him in doing so, and use its power to force the world to stop its fighting. And the Uzumaki came down hard to stop us. A few died, a few were captured, and the rest escaped. Our group, Akatsuki, never recovered from it. Among those captured was a woman named Konan. She was brought here."
Konan took out her own list of inmates and scanned it. "No one named Konan here anymore."
"Then she is dead and the last of our friends."
"…Why would you do something so horrible?"
Nagato gave a dry laugh at her question. "There are those that are willing to do the most horrible of things if it meant that the world of tomorrow will be better than the one of today. If you could go back in time and change the past and all that was required was one innocent life, would you make that sacrifice?"
"No," Konan said without hesitation. "Who I am now was decided by what I did in the past. I love my life. I love those that touch it. I love my adopted family and I love my best friend. I cherish every moment I spent with them. If I went back in time and changed my mistakes, I wouldn't be who I am and I wouldn't have spent all that time with my family."
Nagato looked to her and smiled. "That is exactly something my Konan would've said. …You have her eyes."
"My eyes," Konan asked as she raised her thumb and forefinger to touch under them.
"You have the same look in your eyes. It is actually…good to see it again."
Konan stepped away from his cell and put the chart back. She was going to continue on with her work but couldn't; she wanted to know what happened to the Konan he knew. She ran to the office and began digging around in the prior inmate file list. And there she found it.
—oo000oo—
"Konan? Konan, where are you," Tiga called out as he walked down the hall.
"Tiga, you looking for your daughter? I saw her in the office going through the files," one of the other guards said to him.
"Thanks." Quickly making his way to the office, he opened the door and saw her completely absorbed in one of the files. "Konan, what are you read…ing." The file name had one word. Konan.
"Konan, member of the group Akatsuki. Age at time of capture, twenty eight. Blood type, O. Birthday, Febuary twentieth. Special abilities, the creation and manipulation of paper from her body. Time spent in prison, three months, seven days. Notes. Inmate is calm, accepting of punishment, and respectful to guards. Shows remorse for the acts she has done but believes in the need that they need be done. Recommendations, rehabilitate and allow her to going Uzu society. Current location. Blank. What happened to her, father?"
"Konan, whatever you are thinking, this isn't what it seems."
"What happened to her," she asked again.
"Konan, it doesn't mat…"
"WHAT HAPPENED TO HER," Konan screamed while throwing her hand forward and a fist made of paper hit the wall beside him, shutting the door. Taking several deep breaths, the paper retracted into her body while she waited.
"…On the recommendation of the head of security, Konan was taken, her memories removed and replaced, and her body reshaped as one of ours. Uzumaki Rei himself decided she should look like Shalula the Panther in hopes that she will find a role model in her. She was placed as an orphan living and working at an Inn. After a time of two months, Rei decided that the change took and could fully join the Uzumaki Clan. This information was kept from all but the inn keeper, head of security, Uzumaki Deis and Uzumaki Rei. No one else knows."
"You lied to me," Konan cried.
"No, I have never lied to you. I love you as my daughter."
"How can I believe you? How can I when this is right here!"
"Konan…when she was a little girl, war had ripped her childhood away and forced her to become a soldier. When I made that recommendation, I wanted her pain to go away and for the child to come out again. But Konan, you aren't her. That woman, she may physically still be here but the events that shaped her life are gone. You are Uzumaki Konan, the adopted daughter of Rinpu and Tiga. You are the best friend of Uzumaki Naruto. You are you. And I love you very much."
"…I helped try to kill Naruto," she whispered.
"She did, Konan, not you," Tiga said before stepping forward and holding her.
"How could you trust me? After what I did…"
"She did, Konan. And she tried to stop it. She tried to protect Naruto. That is why you are here and Kisame is still in there." Tiga was almost at a lost on what to do. Konan never needed to be held like this before. She was always confident, wild, and immune to harm it seemed. "It's okay, dad is here and he will make it better Konan. I don't know how but I will."
"…Dad, can you change my memories one last time. Make this day go away. I never want to even doubt that I'm your daughter ever again."
"If that is what you want, Konan, then I'll ask."
She wiped her eyes on his shirt and said, "What will happen to Nagato? I can feel it, he isn't bad, just hurt like I was."
"Don't you worry about Nagato, he's family and he has an aunt here who would like to see him again. We'll help him, somehow."
"Thank you papa," she said, tears still coming.
—oo000oo—
The next day found Konan practicing on a wooden sparring dummy. When she got up that morning, she couldn't remember anything about yesterday and she felt that she didn't want to. When she had breakfast, her father told her that she would no longer be helping him inside the prison. And she quickly agreed. Now, she was slamming her fist, elbows, knees, and calves against the dummy, cracking wood. Her mother was surprised as it was from an ironwood tree. It was supposed to be unbreakable. Going into a series of round house kicks, Konan kept hitting it in this one spot until the top half of it was thrown out of the clearing. "Nya! I feel better!"
"OW!" Rinpu and Konan looked to the cry of pain while Konan covered her mouth. Running to the source, they found a woren with shoulder length red hair, about Konan's age, and a large goose-egg on his forehead from the dummy hitting him.
"I killed him!"
"What hit me," the boy groaned. He shook his head and looked at the two. "…Hi," he said, staring at Konan.
"You okay young man," Rinpu asked.
"Uh…I got a headache," he said while moving his hair out of his eyes, showing them with many rings instead of a normal eye. "I'm Nagato."
Konan blinked in déjà vu at seeing him and that it made her smile. "I'm Konan! You have pretty eyes!"
"Thanks…I'm honestly not sure how I got them. I woke up like this," he said as he got up.
"Huh? That's something I would notice," Konan said while helping him up and biting her lip while looking at that bump on his head.
"Well, my aunt told me I won't remember anything since the day my parents were murdered to today," he stated. "My body was really hurt so they fixed it and erased the memory of it. And I don't want to remember. But…that makes the hurt just as strong as when it happened."
"…I'm sorry," Konan said, her ears drooping sadly.
"Don't be, this happened near almost twenty years ago, how could you know?"
"Twenty years," she demanded while Rinpu watched curiously. "But you look…"
"Oh course, it wouldn't do to erase the memories and still be thirty three. They were trying to restore who I was. Look, Konan, I'm sorry but I'm exploring. My parents were born here but I wasn't. I want to get to know the land they called home. Bye."
As he was walking away, Konan suddenly called, "Nagato, don't worry! This is our home and it always knows how to make things better!"
He looked back to them and finally smiled. "I know it will, Konan!"
—oo000oo—
Naruto swung a saber with no magical enhancements in an attempt to break through Alucard's block only for the man to easily turn it aside without his superior strength and then stabbed Naruto through the chest. The both of them had a spell cast on them so that non-magical weapons couldn't hurt them, though the sting of it was a good reminder not to get hit anyway. "Stop trying to force your way, Naruto! You are not swinging a hammer trying to break rock, this is a saber, a weapon of elegance and grace! Be fluid, at ease, and quick, not strong and powerful!" But the spell wasn't why neither of them had a magical weapon. To form an appreciation of power, Alucard believed you must earn it. To be given the great strength from the beginning is foolish. You build up to it.
Naruto stepped back off the sword, the wound closing without even losing a drop of blood. "Yes, sensei." He took a deep breath and tried once again to break a habit that had formed from years of using a bokudo.
—oo000oo—
Once Naruto was finished for the day, he sat down on one of the tier ledges and watched over Suldanessellar. It always seemed to remain active no matter what time it was supposed to be. Letting his sight return to normal, Naruto rubbed them to help relieve an ache from constantly using his dark vision. There was just enough light to watch the city with being cast from some of the buildings that held designs of fairy fire on them. In his time here, he had learned much of this city and its history. In ages pass, a Dungeon Keeper ruled here and tried to attack the surface. He pissed off the wrong people though and a group of heroes came down to stop him. That had been done before but these were different. They were a group of the fabled 'adventurers'. Adventurers fell into two classes, disposable heroes and legendary warriors. It was not disposable heroes that came to him. Six men and women, that was all, against the legions of nightmarish creatures. But as with all legendary heroes, they fought the odds and won. They couldn't be stopped and soon enough, everything that could be thrown at them was instead running in fear as they came.
Naruto could picture it, six adventures clad in armor of some kind or another, a bright light in the darkest, probably literally, running through the horde right to the dungeon heart. A spear enchanted with lightning was thrown into the heart and it remained there still as all the magic that empowered the original city faded. Everything decided to run, with the heroes there and their master gone Naruto could understand why. They left and this place was lost among all the thiags of lost cities and tunnels. Then about three hundred years ago, a wandering house came across it and laid claim, renaming it Suldanessellar. That house became the first noble house, Olath'velve. Talinth had aged rather well for being over three centuries old.
Someone sat down next to him and said, "Enjoying the view?"
Naruto glanced over to Aliizsa and then back out over the city. "…No. I miss the light and the wind."
"That sucks, I was hoping you liked it here."
"I do…but it isn't home. I can't smell the ocean here."
"…Ocean? What's an ocean?"
Naruto sighed and said, "An ocean is a body of water that stretches out far beyond what you can see. It could fill Suldanessellar thousands upon thousands of times. It could flood the whole Underdark almost without the surface moving. It can be clear and beautiful or dark and murky and in the distance it is as blue as the deepest sapphire, the same color as the sky."
"The sky…I'm almost afraid to ask what that is?"
Naruto smirked at that. "On the surface, there is nothing overhead. It just goes on and on with only clouds breaking your veiw. From them falls rain or snow. Sometimes lightning strike from them at the earth. The color of it in the morning and evening changes with the seasons and so does the time the Sun spends in the sky. In winter, the sun spends little time and it gets very cold but in summer, the sun is almost there over four hours longer and it gets really hot."
"…How can you stand living there," Aliizsa asked while shivering. "Not even going into not having something overhead…I mean, what keeps you from falling into the sky?" That made Naruto laugh. "I'm serious! There's nothing there to stop you! And the ocean…I can't even imagine something that big. And everything is always changing, why? Not a single day is like another. And rain and snow? Water just falling from the sky? Who makes it fall?"
Naruto chuckled, "Who makes it fall? It falls. Oh, I'm sure long ago we thought a god did but we know better now. When water evaporates, it bunches together as clouds. When it gets cold, it turns back into snow or ice and falls. Depending on how cold it is, it could melt or stay the same. Where it then heads back to the ocean and evaporates again."
"…When does it stop?"
"Never stops, as long as there is water it will continue."
Aliizsa shook her head. "That is some kind of magic."
"No magic, water evaporates with heat and the sun warms the surface."
"…What is the sun again?"
"Now that is a good question. Truthfully, I don't know, I'm not a scientist. And scientist can't agree. Some feels that it larger than even our world while others that it revolves around us. I don't know, it is all far bigger than I can think. It is there, that is all I care."
"…What else is on the surface? Oh, I know, tell me about the mushrooms."
"Mushrooms? Oh, I understand. Not mushrooms like you know, Aliizsa." She looked shocked at that. "Mushrooms never grow large as the ones down here. There might be some that are a quarter the size of some of…" Naruto looked around and saw a fungi vendor trying to sell a mushroom the size of a tree. "Make that an either of that one right there."
"No way… What do you eat?"
"Me? I like bacon and eggs. But if you mean plants there are trees that bear fruit and vegetables that are edible."
"Trees?"
"Kind of like mushrooms but where mushrooms live on things that are decaying and in the dark and dank, plants live on the soil in the sun. I've seen some trees almost as tall as the gorge itself." Aliizsa looked to the bottom and then to the ceiling.
"Now you're just shitting me."
"No, they're called Giant Redwoods. Fresh cuts into them show the wood is red, thus the name. They live longer than dragons even, some being thirty thousand years old. They grow so tall that it can't get water to the top branches and has to pull it in from the air through the leaves."
"That's impossible…I mean nothing is that big. Is there?"
"If you ever come to the surface, I'll show you. I'll even give you stone shoes to keep you from falling into the sky." Seeing him laugh at that, she slapped his arm.
"Just you wait! One day, someone you know will fall into the sky and you'll come to me crying about it!"
"Not likely, most people I know can fly anyway."
She glared at him as he held his hands up. "Don't make me push you over."
Naruto held up his hands and chuckled. He got a cat smirk and said, "Not that it is all fluffy clouds and sunshine. There is a danger of living on the surface."
"As with anywhere," she pointed out.
"Ah, but you don't have to worry about…the Shleets," he said that last part darkly.
"…What's a sheet?"
"They're an animal that eats two legged creatures."
"What's the worry then? Just kill them."
"Oh, I would but you can't ever notice them until they're eating your legs." He had her full attention and was trying not to smile. "Have you ever heard of camouflage? I know that most everything here seeing through heat but on the surface, we see through light reflecting off surfaces into our eyes. There are many colors that some animals copy to hide with. Well, the Sheets use something like this. But instead of hiding in colors, they hide as a shape. They look like a pair of pants and when you look at them, they just lie on the ground. But when you turn away, they get up and lunge at you! Gnawing with these fangs and whipping you with their legs!" She looked so uncertain if he was lying or not so Naruto pushed more. "I have a scar from my first encounter with a shleet on my leg, right here," he said, pulling his pants leg up and pointed along his calf. She looked but he was already pulling it back down. "Why, one attacked Alucard while he was up there last! There he is now!"
Aliizsa looked to where he was pointing and saw Alucard coming. "Hello Aliizsa, Naruto. I was just about to head to the surface, would either of you like to come with me?"
Aliizsa nearly screamed at the thought. "No! You can have it and the shleets! I'm staying down here away from those pants monsters!" She blinked when she heard herself say that and glared at Naruto harshly. Naruto on the other hand was laughing like a Hyena. He was holding his sides and trying not to roll off the walkway as he couldn't control his laughing. "Naruto! I'm going to get you back for that! You were lying about the whole thing, weren't you!"
"Maybe," he said, wiping a tear from his eyes. He looked to her, snorted, and started laughing again. "Don't let the shleets get me! I don't want to wear evil pants! HAHAHA!"
"I knew there was no such thing as an ocean," she scoffed while Alucard arched an eyebrow. "I bet none of that was true. I'll go with you, Alucard," she said proudly and sticking her tongue out at Naruto childishly.
"Have fun," Naruto said before getting up. "…Away from those pants monsters! HAHAHA!" Naruto walked away, feeling better than he had. He would wait for her to come back.
—oo000oo—
Koharu called Yamanaka Ino into her office. "Hello, Ino."
"Good afternoon, Koharu-dono. How can I help you?"
"By doing something for the village," she replied. "Do you remember during the Chunin exams when you fought Uzumaki Aisha, where she offered to train you in her 'Lodge'?"
"I do," she said, rubbing her forehead where you could only just make out parts of the symbol of the Leaf still. She was considering having one put there anyway. Held her concentrate on chakra there.
"She has returned, with approval from her Lodge to train you there. She is waiting in this very building for your answer." Seeing Ino hesitate, Koharu cleared her throat. "No one can tell you to accept the training, Ino, but I would like you to consider doing it. You will be the first person ever invited to Uzu no Kuni to fully explore one of their training methods. I would also remind you that their 'berserkers' possess the ability to transform into powerful animals."
"…So no matter what, if I go, I benefit the village."
"Yes," Konaru replied. "Greatly, if Aisha is to be the example of them. If you are able to gain a bit of their power, then Konoha will able to understand them that much more."
Ino took a deep breath. "…This isn't something that will take a short amount of time, is it?"
"No, it is not. From what we know about the Berserkers, they are all in the peak of physical fitness. They will probably start there with you and then build on it with their secrets." Ino looked down to her arms, they weren't twigs but they certainly weren't oaks either. She thought herself pretty but if she did this, she was afraid she would look like one of those muscle bound body builders. She actually grimaced at the thought. "Let me guess, you are worried about your physique?"
"…A bit."
"I would remind you that Aisha was not as built as Perrin. You remember him?"
"Giant mountain of muscle, hard to forget."
"Did Aisha look like that?"
"No. Build but still…"
"The body most women would kill for. Strong but still feminine." That was no lie, Ino had gotten to see Aisha after she transformed back to normal. Really made her self-conscious in comparison.
"…But what will happen to my team?"
"Naturally, it would need a new member until you return. Also, you would not be able to enter a chunin exam or be promoted otherwise. Effectively, your ninja career will stop until you return. Which is why no one will tell you to go."
"…Will they accept anyone else from the village?" She asked it hopeful as she didn't want to be gone for years.
"No one."
Ino sighed. "Then I will go. For the betterment of the village."
"Very good, Ino," Koharu told him, smiling. "Now, while you are there, try to take note of everything you can. The more you learn, the better."
"Yes, Koharu-dono. When will I leave."
"You may ask Aisha that. She will be the one taking you after all."
—oo000oo—
Ino was led to the room Aisha waited in. "Ah, there you are," she said, looking at Ino. "Well, I'm here to fulfill my promise. You want to go?"
"Yes," Ino replied.
"Good," Aisha said with a smile. "We leave in a week. Have everything ready by then."
"Aisha, what's it like to be a berserker?"
She closed her eyes and thought about it a moment. "…It is acceptance," she said, surprising Ino. "Everything around you, you have to take it in and make it part of yourself. Others bottle things up, you revel in it. If you're angry, be angry and let the world fear it. If you're happy, shout it from the highest mountains. If you're sad…tear something apart, it does wonders. You'd be surprise how much you can save on therapy just by finding someone and beating the hell out of them. Or them beating the hell out of you. Works both ways. Gets out a little pent up aggression."
"…How does that help?"
Here, Aisha smiled widely. "When was the last time you had to kill for your food? Or kill not to be someone's food? Where is the struggle a normal person has to face if they were an animal? Those instincts don't just go away. There are in there, deep down, in the wild part of your mind, waiting for a chance to stretch and make everything tremble around you in terror. You saw people at the end of the second exam. How were they?"
"Exhausted, worn out, hurt."
"And after they rested?"
"They…" She hesitated. She remember the feeling herself. "I felt good." That grin grew on Aisha's face. "I felt better than all the makeup and prettying myself up ever could. I went in there afraid, I left afraid, but after the fear left…"
Aisha nodded as Ino left off what she was saying. "Like a good exercise session. You just feel better for it. So, you will be doing things like that all the time. It is very addicting. Sometimes we have fights just to fight and have fun. Now, before we continue, there are some rules. Number one, don't talk about. Number two, do not talk about! This is very serious, it is a tough and enduring life that has existed since spirits ruled the world and man was just a monkey sucking eggs. Do you understand?"
"…Honestly? No, I don't. None of this makes any sense."
"Good, you understand the first part of it. There is no sense! If there was, you would worry." Aisha chuckled and led Ino out. "Don't worry, three years, five at the most, you will be the toughest kitten to walk these streets."
"…If you say so."
—oo000oo—
Naruto was smirking as Alucard and Aliizsa appeared. "HOME!" Aliizsa ran to the wall and hugged a stalagmite, rubbing the stone to her skin.
"So, how was the ocean? And the sun? And the trees too. Did it rain?" At her glare, he laughed and said, "Did you see any shleets?"
"Naruto, I will kill you! I mean it, I will kill you!" He could only laugh as he walked away.
—oo000oo—
Author's notes. Even in Uzu no Kuni, things are not perfect. Somethings just rub people's fur wrong. He will return home next chapter. Cutter might take a bit of time to replace, haven't decided yet.