Okay so here we are with Chapter 6, I took more time on this one because I had to sort a few things and really try to pace it better, and still not sure if I did that good a job. It was difficult to write, but hopefully you all like it. I try and keep the story and pacing, the flow and all that in mind as I write a chapter and it's mind numbing to think how I delete whole paragraphs and so may at a time when I reread it and it just feels wrong.
Some have been asking about the skills and abilities, even the weapons naruto and rikku will have. Well some of that is partially answered here. Someone mentioned world jumping and I understand the concern, but I'm trying to show how growing up in a different environment, where naruto actually gets the attention and care he needs early changes him and the difference it can have on him that shows when he goes back to konoha. That's the goal anyway, you all have to tell me how I do. To you who suggested some other crossovers with naruto, I appreciate it and will give them some cnsidering, but I already have a few ideas rolling, however I welcome all future suggestions to be considered for future stories, though I may cut and paste a few to make a whole story if I find certain elements interesting, so don't be afraid to leave it in a review or a pm.
Thank you everyone for the support and liking the story if you do. On a side note, I mentioned this in the AN for my DBZXnaruto story, my grammar is mostly screwed due to twitchy fingers. I miss keys, hesitate or delay on keystrokes, or don't stroke the keys hard enough for it to type some letters. As for the blocks of text, I am actively working on trying to bring those down. Aside from that, I hope everything else is good and if anyone wants to proof or beta, now idea how to go about doing that, I'm up for suggestions. This is all still new to me guys.
Without further adieu, A shinobi's Fayth.
Disclaimer: I do not own FF-X or Naruto.
The walk back to konoha was an uneventful one, and for a moment, totally foreign to both blondes. Not that they haven't walked though a forest before, no. But that they could walk around and not experience a fiend attack. They were paying attention to their surroundings with such alertness it was even making Kakashi nervous.
"You said before you're world is filled with monsters, fiends you called them. I take it they attack at random then?" He asked.
"They can, or they set up ambushes with larger groups or stronger fiends to taken down prey." Rikku said, trying to resist looking over her shoulder for any indication of what they just said.
"Well that explains your alertness then. Relax, we have nothing like that over here. Just enjoy the walk." He said, trying to get the two blondes to loosen up with minimal success. It was small but he'd take it. They got to the main path and walked for a while, before he noticed the two seemed to shiver slightly. "Cold chill?" He asked, the cold on a spine sometimes an indicator of something wrong.
"No, it's cooler here than Home and where we were at before." Naruto said. "Bikanel is a desert Island, and we were in the tropics of spira when we were called here by the Fayth." He relayed to Kakashi, who understood now, they were genuinely a little chilly from going from high heat environment to cooler weather.
"Don't worry you'll get used to it. For now circulate chakra to the top layer of skin, it'll help regulate your temperature." He advised and they nodded. After some more walking, making pleasant conversation as they walked, they soon saw konoha gates, but naruto was walking a bit more slowly now, starting to fall behind and they both knew why. Rikku could practically feel naruto's anxiety over returning to the place that caused him so much torment. Taking his hand in hers an giving it a squeeze, she smiled at him, ad got a smile in return. They started walking faster again and kakashi lead.
The two blondes looked around, taking in the wall and the shinobi keeping an active vigil. "I wonder if those two guards still working." Naruto wondered aloud.
"You know, it's funny you mention that. The day after you left, Itachi pulled two gate guards down to the T&I and had them questioned and worked on. Apparently they've been derelict of their duty by leaving the gate unguarded for a good 5 minutes before the end of their shift, regularly. Apparently enough time for eemy to enter the village unopposed, or someone to escape." He said, eyesmiling at the sheepish blonde. "Better they be apprehended over that, rather than after an enemy has gotten in." He finished.
They came to the gate, signed in, and went through the village. They didn't draw much attention at first, but as they walked further in, people recognized naruto, and the glares started again. Naruto cast his eyes down, and rikku held his hand firmly. While naruto naturally had highly acute senses and didn't need to, they both learned how to increase their senses with chakra, so they could both hear the whispers of monster, demon boy, and all the other hateful things, though they weren't exactly whispers either. What got naruto's ire was what theys aid of rikku, that he tricked her or calling her a demon whore under their voices. Rikku heard this herself, and glared back at them, while holding his hand still.
Oh these people were cruising for payback, but then a thought came to min, and she smiled, deviously, in such a way that made people flinch and question a moment. Naruto's head snapped up and looked to rikku, saw her smile and realized instantly what it meant, and returned her smile in equal fervor. People started getting real uncomfortable seeing the two blondes smile.
"Whatever you two do, leave me out of it please." He asked, fully aware of naruto's pranking habits before he left and what that smile meant.
"You're safe. For now. So no worries." Rikku said, as they walked and kakashi shivered. Finally they stopped by a restaraunt of some kind and initially confusd until they looked to the name sign and naruto's eyes widened.
"Ichiraku's expanded after you left, going from a street stand to full service. Apparently they had changed up their recipe to be more nutritious while staying delicious a few years before you left for some reason. Didn't really catch on until afterwards, but they exploded with business and had to expand to keep up." He told them and naruto was overcome with various eelings, good in all, as he got kakashi's message. They had changed up their recipe to ensure he actually ate better than most of what he had access to.
They went inside and got a table, where they sat and a waitress came, taking their order. Naruto was surprised by the fact that she didn't glare at him like the other villages. "A miso ramen with pork cutlets. A spiced chicken, and a a sample for the girl. Also, a naruto special from the stall menu." He said, offering an eye smile at the widened gaze of the waitress, casting a glance to naruto before nodding and smiling.
Naruto looked at kakashi confused until he heard a squeel and then found himself fixed to the floor, a while mess of brown hair and chocolate eyes staring down at her. "Naruto! It's been years, why did you leave us? We missed you so much!" The girl said as she pulled naruto into a hug, who ow realized this was Ayame, and returned the hug now that he realized it.
"Sorry, it's just..." He went on, but was stopped.
"It's okay. Im just so happy to know your okay. We didn't even know you were gone until we had to ask the sandaime where you went. You should have told us you had someone taking you on a training trip." The girl said, and naruto cued in on the story everyone was told now. People didn't know he ran away, they were told he was sent off for training. Not entirely wrong technically. "Oh! Who is this? Your girlfriend?" and then there was that, and narut's face went scarlet.
"W-what, no, that's-!?" He spoke, trying to get his words out, but as Ayame stepped back and looked them over, smiling at naruto's fluster, noticing how oddly they dressed, and how rikku seemed to be embarrased as well. But her eyes immediately caught the glint of rings, and her eyes widened.
"Exscuse me, Ayame, not to be a bother, but it's been years since naruto has had a proper bowl of ramen I think." Kakashi said, trying to save naruto and rikku from the embarrassment, and trying to desperately stay off the prank list. The woman gasped, remembering the kitchen and rushed back.
"Wow... Women throw themselves at you naru. Something I should know?" Rikku asked, and naruto buried his face into the table, much to the other occupants of the table's amusement and laughter. "Well it's good someone here missed you. Aparently enough to name a menu item after you." She said and kakashi nodded.
"They did, but the stall menu is really only known by the people who visited the stall before their expansion, they don't publicize it, so it's a secret menu." He stated, and naruto lifted his head, realizing that only people who didn't mind naruto at that time would know that menu and smiled. It was nice to know that more than a few didn't hate him.
"And here we are." Ayame spoke, returning with the bowls in question. "I'll come back for the next round of orders naruto and whatever you choose from the sampler. Afterwards I'd like to properly talk to you again. I'll call for dad so he can see you too. For now, enjoy your meal." She started and smiled as they dug in. Naruto immediately fell back in love after so long of being away. He ate lowly to savor, and ikku found a new dish to favor, seeing what naruto meant of the noodled broth dish. They continue to eat and once they finished, naruto hearing the dishwashers cursing his name, he talked with ayame and teuchi. After a while they left
later that night they stood in front of the apartment. "Here we are, well I'll see you monday afternoon naruto, rikku. Have a good night. It's good to see you two again." He spoke, leaving the two of them to their own devices. Naruto looked to rikku and nodded, taking his key, he opened the door and walked in. True to his word, the apartment had been fully renovated, none of the damages he remembered ti having were there, it was spotless. New appliances, new furniture, it didn't feel like his old apartment, which he was actually thankful for. Walking around, they looked to one another and nodded, taking out their scrolls ad got to work unsealing all of their stuff and putting it away.
It was a few hours later before they finished, looking around the finished apartment. "Not bad, not bad at all." He said, taking a seat in his leather chair that he unsealed from the scroll. Rikku came over and sat on the arm of the char leaning against him. "Feels a little more like home now." He said, pulling on eo fhis boots off and dumping the sand out of it from besaid.
"Hah! Just had to do that didn't you?" she said with a grin, before they settled. "So, now that we're not being dragged everywhere or crowded...where do we start first?" She asked, looking to naruto and considering all they had to talk about now.
Naruto sighed, thinking over the last 24 hours. "I don't know... Jecht is Sin, I'm the container to something likely equally as destructive as sin..." He shivered at the comparison, really not wanting that t be true, but there it was, the dates and every fit. "There's just too much, I mean, it's hard enough to think of what we have to do with spira, but the news of what I carry. that's insane I mean I just-" he was cut off when a finger pressed to his lips.
"One thing at a time. No panicking, alright?" She said and got a nod. "Now, elt's start from the beginning, and work our way through. Sin is Jecht, so what do we do about that?" She asked, leaning back against him as they started talking one thing after anther in the order of how things happened. Processing everything that's happened so far, all the news and just getting everything settled and understood. Sighing rikku laid her head on Naruto's shoulder. "Why does it feel like we're in over our heads?"
"Probably because we are. We're just two people...but once we get back home, and find tidus, we can start from there." He said relaxing into his chair and taking comfort from the warmth and pressure rikku gave to him as she leaned onto him. "Still, we're going to be here a while I think, maybe a year. So best to train as hard as we can here to better our chances in spira." He said, looking out the window. "This world is lucky by comparison. While the biju did present a risk like sin, they have ways of dealing with them. while spira has to sacrifice to deal with sin who destroys more than the biju, and yet they still war against one another." He said in thought of how this world was so different than spira.
"I know, it's infuriating that they have such power and yet they choose to war with each other rather than live peacefully." She said, disbelieving of how these people could honestly live the way they do.
"Yeah...well, it's late, best get to bed. I'll take the couch." He said, getting up, but to be stopped by rikku grabbing his wrist.
"Oh no you're not. your not turning your back into knots. Come on." She said, dragging naruto to the bedroom, where they dressed down to the mesh shirts, which had solid material for rikku where she needed it, and shorts, getting in together, like they've done a hundred times before. Rikku laid her head down on naruto's chest and shoulder, drawing comfort from him. Truth was she was scared out of her mind being in such a new and foreign place, and naruto was the only thing familiar to her, and she wasn't about to be separated from him. Naruto didn't question her, for his part he was still emotionally drained, so having her there beside him helped keep his mind grounded and he could find rest, as they both drifted to sleep.
The rest would have been much shorter if not for being together like they were, the foreign room and atmosphere would have been enough to make the rest minimal. Thankfully for them, this was avoided and they got a good long rest in after what was essentially 20 some odd hours of constant back and forth from besaid, to boat, to temple and fayth, to hiruzen and co. to the village, to ichiraku and now here. To say they had been tired would have been an understatement. So when they awoke, they held clearer minds, rested bodies and clear focus.
Breakfast was a simple affair, they had taken some of their pre-made meals meant for their world trotting in spira and ate quickly before leaving. Instead of walking around the village, they smiled to one another as they kaihen'd into two hawks and took off, flying above the village, using their raptor eyesight to see all they needed. They played, flying around one another, and did a little people watching, but like they had trained themselves to, using their vision, they memorized the lay of the land for future use if needed. Course they had pranks to plan, the village had gone far too long without a proper prankster to keep them on their toes. He'd need to inspire someone to take up his mantle when he left. Question was who?
They stopped by the hokage's office, naruto handing over a few things he meant to after they came back, but the emotional tornado of yesterday stopped that. The recording sphere and some pace offerings, such as machina designs, samples of spiran tech and a few other things they could find useful and replicate. When they stopped for lunch later, they sat on the tallest structure of the village, a hotel, sitting on the ledge as they ate a packed lunch together and just talked. Partly about the up coming pranks and several classics he wanted to re-use to remind the people he was back, including an end of year one he had thought of the last few years in spira for when he came back and now wanted to use right before graduation. Other things they talked about was the use of the spheres they had, now that they were here, they had to be careful how they used their spheres in which empty nodes they had available, until they decided to make use of their luck spheres first.
Increasing their luck wasn't some grand ability to alter the laws of the universe, just heightened their own personal probability to make things they wanted or beneficial to them happen more often. They could worry about strength or speed and all that later, they had two starter grids they both had access to, and enough spheres to complete the pair. Which led them to their next point, they had resources now to alter the scope of their training to find where they each wanted to be, and kakashi had been right, they worked so well together that being apart could be very bad for them, so they'd have to work on that, and developing skills the other didn't, would help on that.
They thought a long time on how to fix this, and decided the first thing to do was to find custom weapons, something that they could definitively rely on and be comfortable with. For all his skill with it, naruto was fairly utilitarian with his knife, focusing more on CQC, while Rikku openly employed the knife way more often than he did, but neither were uncomfortable using the other either. So perhaps if they found a middle ground, they'd be set. So their next stop was a weapons shop.
They had visited several but after seeing naruto a few refused him service, and that added more to their prank list. Finally after an hour, they found one a bit tucked out of the way. "Higurashi Weapons - The Wolf Claw" Naruto read aloud, and looked to rikku who shrugged. They walked into the shop and saw it was well stocked. There was a girl with brown hair, done up into two buns on the top of her head that reminded them of animal ears. She seemed bored as she read a magazine, until sh heard the bell of the door.
"Well to the wolf claw. What can I get you?" She asked, almost automatically without any opinion.
"We're looking to find weapons better fit to us. We got knives but, we're at an impasse since we seem to be growing away from them." Rikku said, less interested with weapons that didn't go boom, but she could make those whenever she wanted provided she had materials. Thought the girl behind the counter perked up at the idea of personal, possibly even custom weapons.
"Well what can you two do and what are you comfortable with?" She asked, looking the two up and down now, seeing they were young, about genin age same as her. Very well trained physiques from what she saw, so definitely genin or last year before graduation, likely the latter since she didn't recognize them.
"Well I'm more open to using blades so I think getting paired blades would be better for me, but something I can still punch with, while he's more of an in your face fighter, but will use a knife when he has to." Rikku went on, both coming up to the counter know.
"And something that won't rust easily, since we spend a lot of the time in the water, training and recreational." Naruto added, making sure to add that on, which got a confused look from the girl behind the counter.
"In water a lot? Where? There aren't that many water sources around here to warrant such a need unless you intend to got tot he ocean or something." She went on, confused a bit by that request.
"We were on a training trip recently, a lot of the training was done on islands, ships or directly in the water. Best way to train the body, do weight training in heavy clothes under water. works resistance, muscle, stamina and breathing, while retaining a slimmer physique." Naruto said, opening up his vest a bit more to show the well developed body his mesh shirt did nothing to hide, rikku doing the same with her shirt and shawl, showing the toned abdomen.
"Damn! younger than me but cutting a better figure. So not fair." The girl said, mock crying at the unfairness of it. "But that is some serious training regimen, though I can see the benefits now. Might have to try that myself. Okay so hard to rust, close quarters, blades for you and possibly something to enhance your punches and kicks I'm guessing. though the vice versa option for both when you two need it." She considered the options a moment, thinking of what could be done. "You would be easier, a pair of trench knives would suit you, but the length and design we'd have to discuss. You on the other hand, aside from getting a better knife as a secondary, the options for your main weapon would be limited. Though would you mind if I saw these knives though?"
"Sure, here you go." Rikku said, pulling hers and naruto's knives from their belts, handing them to the girl, who marveled at them.
"Wow... they're beautiful. How'd the smith get the water pattern onto the steel though, I've not seen anything like that before." She spoke, examining the blades. Obviously they were designed to be all purpose for combat, work, survival, the whole deal, not a dedicated weapon. She took a moment to wield both in reverse and forward grips, finding them quite wieldly. getting a few ideas. "If you're sentimental to these, we can melt them down and use them as material for custom weapons. They're too beutiful not to use for a better grade of weapon." She said and naruto had an idea now.
"Actually that sounds like a good idea, but I think we can make a better deal." He said, pulling out a scroll, and from it, unsealed a smaller scroll. The scroll had several storage seals on it, and unsealed a few of them showing different materials. "Those knives were made from an iron on an island we visited, their steel they made all looked like that. The name they had for it was a bit too complicated for me to repeat, but it's called something ebcause of that water pattern on it. We got more here and other materials we picked up intending for weapons or barter with. So let's do that, you can have access to these materials, provided a discount on orers of equal value to the trade of raw material. Deal?" He asked, and the girl was looking at each of the materials, thinking.
"Hold that thought a moment." The girl said, before walking tot he back, leaving the knives on the counter. A short while later, she returned with a well defined man with leathery skin and soot crusted exposed skin, most of his features obscured by dirtied clothes, leather apron, gloves and shaded goggles.
"Little tenten here says you got a deal for me, told me about it. But before we accept, do you mind if I forge a piece of each into a sample to take a look at the structure and traits of each?" He asked, and with their nod, he collected enough of each to form a small bar of each before he left again, where soon, hammer blows could be heard.
"Dad was a shinobi, but a injury put him out of fighting, so he puts his old skills he had with weapons and his use of elemental jutsu to work as a forgemaster, making high tier quality weapons. If he says the material is good, he'll buy it outright and then get you a discount since unique materials are hard to find." She stated, and they talked a bit further on possible weapons they could potentially use, trying out some of what was available already in the shops. "Okay so you want to add more force behind your physical attacks, but keep your hands free for jutsu and utility use. That leaves you with fewer options, mainly striking armor pretty much." She mused, thinking.
"Striking armor?" Rikku asked.
"Mainly armor plating over just the area's of the body you'll use for taijutsu. which really sounds like is what you'd be comfortable with. So how do you fight then?" She asked and naruto gave a demonstration of a few attacks. "So hands, feet, elbows and knees mainly, forehead protector will take care of the forehead." She spoke to herself mainly, before walking down another aisle, and pulling off the gauntlets of a suit of armor. "Hands." She said and naruto followed the simple command, slipping them on. "Well, throw some punches." She waited and watched. Naruto had to adjust for the weight, but instead of accommodating, he found that throwing the weight forward with his strength resulted in more force in his punches.
"Seems like a fit, just a pair of fitted ones and some boots too will set you up, and if these materials are up to snuff, a custom order from them will have a nice discount since you're also providing material." She said, taking the guantlets back and setting them with the armor. They walked back to the counter and talked, introducing themselves finally. After a short while longer he returned with several small bars, setting them on the counter.
"We'll take them, the entire supply you have. In exchange we'll give a shop discount and a custom order for fitted weapons for both of you. Deal?" He asked and naruto smiled, nodding and shaking the man's hands. "Still it's impressive. Several of the material behave like other metals yet have superior qualities, the one like iron cools down to show a water type damascus pattern and perform like a high grade abrasive and erosion resistant steel." The man spoke, getting his daughters the two blonde's attentions.
"Damascus?" She spke, not having heard the term before.
"Damascus is a name to refer to either pattern welded steel, or crucible steel. pattern welded used to be used for weapons that needed certain traits back before we improved our smelting and smithing techniques and used hotter fires, today it's mostly aesthetic to make patterns that this has naturally occuring. Crucible is made when steel is melted in a crucible to liquid to mix it with other metals and materials to get a material with certain desired traits. So tell me what you want and we'll get you measured for weapons to fit." The man spoke, looking to his daughter who nodded, retrieving a tape measure, pen and paper and got to work. Naruto had to be measured for his body, and a slightly bigger knife, while rikku's measured both knives, discused some ideas of different types of trench knives, before settling on a long straight blade type with a blunted and gapped knuckle spikes to punch and catch weapons with, both had rounded pommel rings as well for blunt striking.
"Good, I'll take a few days to experiment with the material before I make them with whatever material I produce for the best qualities you want in them. Check back in about a month to see your order." he said, taking the two survival knives as well for material. They'd pay for the weapons at their pick up, as higurashi wouldn't sign off on a weapon his customer couldn't use.
"Can't wait to see what dad makes, he hardly gets excited over weapons anymore unless it's a new type or rare material he has access to. He doesn't get challenged that much by what he does anymore, so seeing him eager to work is refreshing." She said, glad her dad was motivated for a custom project again. "So tell me about this training some more. I'm the only one on my team not a taijutsu nut so additional training to close that physical gap will help me out." She asked, not ashamed to ask for help when she had to honestly admit, physically she came in last with her team and while she had perfect accuracy, the force behind her throws for range and penetration can always be increased. So the three talked of their training and eventually they set up next weekened for water training with tenten at a training ground with a clear lake. next weekend since after the academy they were doing individual training with kakashi.
"Wait, you're getting training from kakashi after academy let's out? how'd you bribe him to get that?" She asked, thinking about that for a second. "I'd hate to ask, but mind if I tag along too? Nothing against my sensei, but his focus on taijutsu leaves me a bit out to dry at times. So additional training can only help." She voiced, now embarrassed. She wanted to be strong, but recognized without proper instruction her progress was going to be much slower.
"Sure, just show up tomorrow at training ground 7 after the academy let's out. Hell as a graduated and active genin you might be able to help us out, since we had to go tot he academy after we came to the village rather than instant ninja status." Naruto said, smiling now that they were making more friends it seemed. "But I warn you, our training menu is a bit harsh." He warned, thinking back to the desert death march's that woman would have them do.
"Please, Gai has the most excessive training menu in all of the land of fire, doing reps of everything in the thousands and some while handicapped." She mouthed, a little challengingly now. Of course she didn't exactly mention that she only did so much of these herself.
"Do you here that Rikku?" Naruto asked.
"I believe I do. That sounds like a challenge." She said, looking to naruto.
"I thought so. Alright, tenten, why not bring your team with you this weekend and we'll see who's menu is more challenging. Deal?" He asked and she smirked victoriously, feeling like she'd already won knowing her sensei's methods.
"Deal. though what are we betting?" She asked, not letting this go by without stakes.
"How about simple favors for now. Nothing too extreme, but has to be followed out on. Agreed?" he asked and got a nod. "cool, see you then tenten." He finished and they left the shop, satisifed with their deals and orders, and after having replaced their old worn out equipment, were feeling quite prepared for the future. Having weapons made of materials of both worlds was exciting, and couldn't wait to see how they performed.
Checking out the training grounds tenten mentioned, the lake was beautiful, crystal clear, had a waterfall that flowed into it and a river that flowed from it that kept the water circulating and clean. They stripped down to bare essentials, before they jumped in, relaxed and happy to be in the water again. It was a good swim session, unsealing a regulation blitzball and playing with it to maintain their underwater skills. When the two got out, they sun dried as they finished talking about everything, getting their heads together for the next day, before going home for the night.
The next day's breakfast was again a simple matter, packed and ready for the day, they arrived at the academy a full hour earlier and sat up in a tree talking quietly as others started to arrive a half hour later. They studied and analyzed each of them as they arrived, being careful to collect information, not make too many judgements of them yet before they knew more of them. Soon the academy doors open and they all filed in, rikku and naruto dropping out of the tree once the other students were inside and walked in last. They reported to a secretary of sorts who pointed them in the right direction, but the glare he got from her said enough of her opinion on him in the academy. It's been 5 damn years, couldn't these people had forgotten him? No that'd be too easy.
Finding the classroom, they knocked and waiting before entering with a call to come. "Ah, you're here. Alright, class we're welcoming two new students today. They've been on an extended training trip outside of the village so welcome them properly. Please, introduce yourselves." The man spoke, he had brown hair tied up into a pony tail, a scar across the bridge of his face, damn near ear to ear, and wore a standard konoha active duty uniform. Another man with white shoulder length hair and identical uniform stood beside him, scrutinizing them through narrowed eyes.
"Well M name is Naruto Uzumaki." He stated, looking to Rikku.
"And I'm Rikku Arubedo. Pleased to meet'cha." She said, giving a mock salute and wave. A couple of the guys in class were eyeing her and naruto crossed his arms while an eye twitched. He did not like the looks they were giving her. Though the girls, fewer in number, were appraising the both of them.
"Why are you coming in so late in the year, wouldn't it have been better to get back at the start of the year?" Someone asked, she had purple hair that was longer on one side.
"Part of our training was doing practical tasks while traveling. We were a far ways out when it was decided to return, so that's why we're here now. But we had scrolls with all the required work for the current curriculum so we're safe to come in late." Naruto said, answering the question vaguely, but they wouldn't ever know how truly vague he was being.
"What's with the clothes? Different style and lots of mesh, but little fabric." Another girl said, and rikku answered.
"Spent a lot of time in the tropics and in the water. besides you didn't expect us to cover such perfectly tanned skin did you?" She asked, doin a bit of teasing with a reveal of her flat, toned, and tanned stomach that showed some definition with their left hand, naruto following up to do the same. The gazes increased, now on both of them, and naruto painfully heard a few whistles, but left that alone.
"Alright one more question then we need to get on with the class." The brown haired man asked, before selecting a black haired boy, though it seemed all the girls had raised their arms too. Almost excitedly, after having caught their eye on something about the two.
"Are you two strong?" He asked simply, and both blondes quirked an eyebrow at him, before looking to one another and back to the black haired boy.
"I suppose that's a matter of perspective. But we'll have to see on that won't we? Don't want to spoil any surprises." Naruto said with a smile, chin down slightly as he connected eyes with the boy. He smirked coldly, raising his chin upward, as if to look down on him. The stare down lasted for half a minute, before a cough from the man broke the tension of the silent room.
"Alright, please find some seats, we'll be starting the lesson." The man said and after that they took a seat in the back, where they could watch the other students and the teachers. For the next few hours they covered basic academics practically everyone should know, along with subjects solely needed for ninja, theory, and several other subjects that apparently required a classroom environment, Rikku and naruto looked to each other. Yeah, way different than the teaching method their instructors from home used. Decidedly more boring too. However they also spent the time making further analysis of their now fellow students.
The girls kept glancing at them for some odd reason, not looks like some of the guys kept sending rikku, at him, but curiosity and apprehension if he had to guess. Some of the more interesting ones caught their attention and they added to their list of things to know about them. However he caught the gaze of the black haired one, named sasuke now, from time to time an it irritated him a bit the look in his eyes. Just what the hell was his problem? But he ignored it and when they were let out for lunch, he and rikku quickly shunshin'd outside to get away from the others so they could have their lunch. No doubbt they'd be found, but no sense to rush it as they enjoyed their meal.
Halfway through their meal, they could see a boy, brown haired with a dog in his jacket, one of the guys who'd been giving rikku looks, coming their way, looking right at rikku. Naruto regarded him with a lazy eye, ready to move, however the boy he learned wh's name was kiba was stopped by a few girls, one with long blonde hair in a pony tail and the other with long pink hair. Pink...he forgot that his world had some wild hair colors and spira didn't, which made gippals pink hair prank he did back then come t mind and even funnier, but he restrained from laughing. He watched as the girls seemed to be talking/scolding to the boy, he pointed at rikku, then the girls motioned to them and whatever they said, he couldn't hear from this distance over the wind. But whatever they said, he looked to them both then, seemed to recognize something and slumped dejectedly before walking away.
Naruto and rikku looked to each other. "What in spira was that about?" She asked him and he shrugged.
"Beats me, but I'll have to remember to thank those two girls from saving us the trouble. He looks to be a stubborn one and didn't really want to make a bad impression of bashing his head in." He said, saying that with no shortage of mirth and sarcasm. She laughed and started eatting again, and when they were almost done, they were approached by the same girls.
"Mind if we sit here?" The blonde asked, smiling and the pink haired one doing the same.
"Sure, we were jsut about done anyway." Rikku said and they both ate their last bites, before sealing away their dishes to be cleaned later when they got home. The two girls nodded and introduced themselves as they sat under the tree with them. "So what can we do for you two?" She asked, looking to the two women.
"Well, we were wondering how long you to have known each other?" Sakura asked, leaning forward slightly with a grin that naruto wasn't sure he liked.
"Umm, about 5 years." He said, looking to the two and rikku.
"Just rom looking you two are real close. How long have you been like that?" Ino asked this time, wearing the same grin.
"Well, we were young at the time, so we got along easily when we first met, but we started getting closer about 3 and a half years ago. Wasn't till about a year ago when there wasn't much about the other we didn't know about." Rikku said, a little unnerved by their widening grins and excited fidgeting. By now a few other girls ha come and set down, introducing themselves, including the purple haired one from earlier, Ami.
"But how'd you get so close though? Isn't it hard to have any personal time on a training trip that you're always traveling on?" Ami asked, she was almost visibly hopping over something.
"Ugh...well we kinda just make time regardless of what's going on. Training and all is good don't get me wrong, but what's the point if you distance yourself away from the people important in your life?" He started. "As far as how, we spent damn near all our time together, helped one another without being ashamed to ask for help. It helps to start out as friends and just try to trust each other and it'll come. That's about all I can say for that." He finished, not sure why they were asking all of these things.
"So you trust each other with everything then?" Another asked, and naruto tapped rikku, passing the question to her.
"Pretty much, yeah. There's not another soul in any world I'd trust more to have my back or beside me." She said, this seemed oddly familiar for some reason, but she couldn't place it.
"Wow, that's a lot of trust. But you said start as friends, you mean yo need a foundation of friendship?" sakura asked, a bit nervous but excited, now a new girl wearing a large coat with hood stood near by, not sitting with them. Naruto waved her over to sit, might as well. She blushed for some reason but came over, sitting but not looking at them. Okay so a shy girl. He shrugged that off and thought on the question
"I'd say so. In fact that should hold true or any kind of relationship that isn't purely business or professional, because you're going to shout and fight with each other, it's going to happen. So having a strong friendship with the person before you get close or whatever kind of relationship you have will help make sure the fight won't ruin what you have. Hell Id recommend friendship in just about anything you do that involves people you want to be on good terms with, as it tends to be very beneficial for everyone involved." He spoke, giving some sagely advice he had learned over the years doing his people watching.
The girls all seemed to be enamored with the two blondes, and considered their words with certain weight. However before any more questions could be asked, the bell rang and the girls groaned. "Damn and we were just getting t the good parts. Oh well, come on, latter half of the day is mostly practicals and gender specific lessons." Sakura said, getting up with the rest of them. They made their way inside, both blondes still confused, but they had a bad feeling about this. Just what in the hell had changed since naruto left konoha?
Once inside, the two instructors talked over the practicals and guided them back outside, where they stood in the fenced in clearing. "Alright, throwing. 10 of each weapon, extra credit for extra weapons you show proficiency in throwing, we'll shout your targets for you on which dummy to hit. first up..." Iruka went on to name off names, alphabetical from A on the last name. Rikku was the first to go, throwing Kunai, shuriken, senbon and just to hackle them, threw a four pointed slim large shuriken, to hit right in the crotch of the further dummy. More than a few guys drew their legs together, while the girls smirked. Overall she had an average of 8 hits of 10. Others went on, eventually sasuke and Naruto and ino were all that were left.
Sasuke got an average of 9/10 with kunai and shuriken though a 5/10 with senbon. Naruto went next and got an 8/10 with kunai, shuriken, senbon, anda extra kunai in the left eye and a big knife in the right eye of the furthest dummy, Naruto and rikku given replacements until their custom orders were done. Sasuke growled, looking at the blonde who was confused until he remembered, uchiha, eyes...whoops. He just smiled sheepishly, before letting ino go after he collected his projectiles. The girl got a 7/10 with kunai and shuriken and that part was done.
Next was demonstration of the basic jutsu, lined up in groups of fire, displaying their use of the 5 basic elemental jutsu at a time, some had effects larger and stronger than the other, while some had more refined uses. Naruto rikku displayed strong usage of all 5, but surprised everyone when their wind jutsu was the most powerful of the five. Graded, they went on to the old academy three, doing well, though their henge was the kaihen, clones were shadow clones, and substitution could have been performed sealless like their shunshin, but they restrained themselves so they could not seem too far ahead. Tree walking and water walking was easy enough, and finally their final practicals was taijutsu. Genjutsu had it's own classes for two days a week since it had to be performed by instructors individually rather than groups.
Pairs were called out, unless volunteers were given, so they watched the fights go on. To rikku and Naruto who already have combat experience, a look to each other said this was rather tame by comparison, but they stayed quiet and just watched. "Rikku Arubedo and..." the instructor looked through those that haven't gone yet to find a hand up. "Hinata Hyuuga?" He said a bit confused. "Um, okay, thank you for volunteering Hinata. Step into the ring, remember the rules, and begin at the signal." Iruka said, looking over to Mizuki who shrugged and nodded. A few tense moments went by, and rikku was confused, the shy girl she saw earlier was staring daggers at her, and the veins around her eyes bulged out. Several whispers told her this wasn't common behavior for the girl, so why was she acting like this?
"Begin!" Mizuki called out and Hinata raced forward at Rikku, aiming multiple finger jabs at her, rikku dodged all but one, but that one told her something important as her left arm went numb. Narrowing her eyes at the girl who had a small smile on her face, rikku took a more aggressive stance, left arm held behind her now with his right forward and up, Riku started breathing harder, taking deep, heavy breathes, circulating her chakra more forcefully, and could feel her heartbeat rising, pumping blood faster, before she rocketed forward. Instead of attack with the right, she threw the left side of her body forward, using the numb arm for a swing, making her counter meant for an active arm to numb it useless on an already numb arm, when rikku stepped in with a low kick at the ankle, causing her footing to weaken and thus the foundation of her strikes, and then delivered three follow up hard punches into the girl's left side, each movement fast, before snaking her left leg into the girls legs with the extreme close quarters, beyond the range of her strikes and headbutting her with her forehead right between the eyes, and with her legs tangled up, she fell when she tried to back up.
Rikku followed her to the ground, using her one good arm to keep her arms busy while she knee'd at her, getting a few groans and grunts of pain. however a risen knee ready to be brought into the girl's chest was the signal that the instructors called the match in rikku's favor. "Good fight. Let's do it again some time." She stood, and offered the girl a hand, who looked up dejectedly, before taking it, rising to her feet.
"m-maybe some other time...you're strong." She said, before walking away, leaving a confused Rikku. Just what the hell was going on? She sighed and looked at her useless left arm.
"This does go away doesn't it?" She asked.
"Yeah give it about ten minutes." Said one of the other girls, and she nodded with a sigh, returning to naruto's side, while the others were more than a bit surprised. Hinata might not have been the most confident of kunoichi, but she was a strong taijutsu fighter with the gentle fist. So for someone to willingly go in close, and not only use the numbed limb and then get hits in on her, then to take it to the ground like that. It wasn't pretty, but the results spoke for themselves. So looking at rikku, and then to naruto who she had an obvious connection with, they wondered about him now.
"Naruto Uzumaki and... sasuke uchiha, of course. Come on up, and please, don't get excessive sasuke, this is a spar." Iruka stated, sighing as the boy immediately volunteered before he even finished saying naruto's first name. The comment iruka made told naruto that this sasuke was likely someone who took it too far. In all honesty it reminded him of gippal before he got his head out of his taking their stances in the ring, he noticed sasuke's stance seemed weird, like it was open to attacks, but primed to react more quickly. A defense, reactionary martial art?
"Begin!" Mizuki called out, a bit excitedly. Naruto stood in stance for a moment, as sasuke just stood there, and then naruto felt a bit of psychological warfare was needed.
"Ya know, we can just stand here looking pretty all day, I don't mind at all, but I prefer if someone who's supposed to be fighting, you know, actually kind of does. You're kind of losing my interest here." He said, testing the uchiha, some slight goading to see what he fell for. He looked irritated, but still focused as she shifted and rushed forward. Several punches and kicks were thrown, but naruto used swings and jabs to block or parry the attacks before they fully extended and small short kicks to intercept his kicks, using an active defense rather than static blocks.
The uchiha seemed to becoming frustrated and was using more strength and speed now. Naruto stepped in, shooting both arms out to a block a heavy right, but swung his own right fist as a hammer from the block, almost using his arm as a ramp, to hammer fist his jaw, rattling his head a bit. But in this position, naruto pivoted on his right foot, stepping in with the left and from the same block position his left arm was still in, twisted his body with a left hook on the same jaw, compounding on the hits, before following up with a right hook from the position his hammer fist had ended up in being perfect for it, right at the other side of the jaw. dazed, staggering and arms up and wide, naruto took the original right arm he blocked, turned and kneel'd forward, taking the black haired boy to the ground from the shoulder throw, before rotating his body over top of him, knee on his chest, and went on with some down and dirty ground and pound.
The spar was stopped when the boy was bleeding from his mouth, called in naruto's victory. Much f the class, even the instructors were stunned. Naruto got up and offered his head, giving a smile. "Need some work, but you're good. Can't wait to see more of what you can do." He said, offering a hand, but the boy just swatted it away, getting up by himself and walking away. Most of the girls crowded around him, asking if he was alright, he just stayed to himself, brooding, and cast glares at naruto. He sighed and walked back to rikku. "Can't win them all I guess." He said.
"True, but beat his ass enough like you did with gippal and he'll come around." She said with a smile. "I wonder what the problem was though. That girl was glaring daggers at me like I stole something, and then he's acting like you just crushed his pride and wants revenge." She spoke idly, yet a voice from beside them laughed.
"Technically and very close, you're not wrong." The voice belonged to kiba, who was looking to the two in question, at their questioning looks he just smirked. "You'll figure it out in time. By the way, nice to meet you, I'm kiba Inuzuka of the inuzuka clan and this is my partner Akamaru." Said dog yipped. "Didn't think there was anyone in our age group stronger than them in taijutsu. Though how'd you learn to fight like that. It sure didn't look like anything we're taught, but once you got in close or on the ground, you dominated." He asked, and naruto noticed he wasn't giving those possessive looks at rikku anymore, more curious and discerning now, so he calmed.
"Oookay, well, nice to meet you too. And we've been around a bit, saw a lot of how different people fight. We used to spar with each other and learn together, so we knew everything the other could do and just started doing anything and everything we can to get the better over the other, put that together with some things we learned in passing with the academy style, and then we got that. It's not fancy, but it hurts. and that's really the point of getting in close isn't it, either to shut them down or inflict damage and pain." Rikku said, flexing her arm that she got feeling back in now.
"I can see that. That's actually makes so much sense now that I think about it." He said off handedly and the two blondes smiled to each other.
"Well if you want, maybe we can do some training some time, maybe some time this weekend?" Naruto asked, and kiba smiled.
"Oh yeah, I'm all for that. I'll even bring some of what I got to see if you can use anything. Sound fair for the trouble?" He offered and they nodded. "Sweet. We'll we got self development tomorrow for those that finish their genjutsu sections early, we could also talk then too." He started, getting a nod. The bell rang and sighed. "Gender specific classes. C'mon naruto, hopefully you've learned a few things about this already otherwise this could be embarrassing for all of us. Might want to follow the other girls rikku or they'll leave you behind." He finished and they separated after a quick squeeze of their held hands.
Naruto followed kiba, hands in their pockets. "So what does having akamaru as a partner entail exactly?" he asked, making a slight tail pun that kiba caught and laughed at.
"Well akamaru is trained to fight with me, he has my back and I have his. He can use jutsu too, so we fight together as a single being." He commented and naruto nodded.
"That sounds awesome. That's how me and Rikku fight a lot when we had to fight fi- ugh, fiercer enemies that really made it hard to take down. We trust each other completely to have each other's back, no questions or hesitation." He spoke, carefully covering his small slip of the tongue.
"Wait, you two have killed before?" He asked, shocked by the news.
"only a few, about a year..maybe a little more ago. We were travelling between towns when bandits occupying the road showed up, that's the thing about training abroad, life doesn't wait to see if you're ready to make use of your training." He spoke, and it wasn't a lie. They really did travel between towns, disguised as merchants so they could get close to the temples to sneak in to get the info cid wanted when small time bandits stopped them, and they did have to kill. They both ha to deal with it, thankfully the Al Bhed are family and they got the help they needed to live with what they had to do to survive.
"Damn, that's rough man. Mom says even with the new curriculum we're not blooded until several months after we become genin, when we take a more serious mission meant to blood us to get us accommodated to what the job requires. We of the inuzuka have to be careful because once our partners taste blood, it could go very badly, just matters how strong we trained, raised and befriended them." He spoke, rubbing akamaru's head as he whined, the dog knowing he'd have little, at most partial control, over what happens, and afraid he might not be o the good side of what happens.
"Well I hope you and Akamaru pull through, I can't imagine what losing someone your so close to can do to you...I certainly don't want to know." He stated somberly, kiba nodded in agreement.
"Anyway, enough of doom and gloom, here we are." He said, walking into the classroom with the others. All the boy were seated near the front, a litle closer together, and he could tell this lesson was more vocal than paper. The instructor a male obviously, looked up and then back to a paper and nodded.
"Ah, Mr. Uzumaki, Welcome. Please take a seat, My name is Ichirou Arata.I've been informed you've been on training trip for the last 5 years and you knowledge in some of the gender specific subjects may be lack, though obviously you at least know some considering your status." The man spoke, getting naruto's attention with a confused look. "Some of the subjects we learn would be better used by single males before they are married, but since you're already married, it could be difficult for you if you tried with anyone but your wife, even if it is for a mission. Which I would like to tell to the whole class here, even if you get a mission for it, do not believe you are safe from your significant other." He stated, looking tot he others, who noded, some gulped and others just paled. The man missed naruto paling as he sudden;y realized...everything that happeed since the fayth to now, the looks, the words, all of it, even the girls and to his thought, kiba's change in attitude. ALl of them thought he and rikku were married.
But instead of outright denying it, he err'd on the side of caution and wanted to probe for information, despite how he may look as a fool if he did. "Excuse me, Arata Sensei, but what would be some f the other things I'd learn if one weren't already married?" He asked, phrasing it such a way to mean in general.
The man nodded, his status made some of the thngs useless to learn so he likely wasn't taught those things on his training trip, or his mentors were just that useless. "Well you see..."
"...various other methods to seduce your targets, how to approach and not to mention the things I've told you already, and like the rest of the girls here, your physical innocence would be given up to keep that from being taken from you forcefully and for prep for such assignments where experience is needed. However the more hands on lessons such as those are voluntary to those kunoichi who do not mind taking those missions." The instructor said, smiling softly at rikku who was using all of her willpower to keep an even face, despite the total maelstrom of panic and other emotions wailin like a banshee in her head. If she were calmer she might have been able to feel more than just her own dread, panic and distress, but she'd remeber that later. For now she had a problem.
The instructor for the kunoichi only class, Miss Yumiko Tsubaki, just up and told her if she wasn't married, they'd claim her virginity with a tool and possible have to learn how to seduce other men and possibly even women, and variou other things she didn't care to mention or remember. Nodding her head, she took a seat, and calmly listened, but in her head all her thoughts wer racing to everything from the fayth to now, and like naruto, realized the impression every had of them. They were so emotionally riled up from coming from spira they didn't even give the rings another thought after leaving the fayth. And now they were basically locked into being wed, otherwise she'd lose something important, and while she couldn't imagine it for naruto, seeing how devious ninja could be, she didn't want to guess, only hoped that he didn't deny whatever accusation of them being married was shot at them until they met up again to talk about this.
By the sands, did hiruzen and kakashi think they were married too!? They had to, now wonder he asked if they were comfortable in the same appartment or the fact kakashi didn't question how well they worked together. Oh she wanted to bash her head into the table for this. But she settled for cursing the fayth and could have sword she heard laughing in the distance. She managed to calm down and reign in her emotions, but then sudenly felt distress that she had just calmed down from, but oddly it didn't feel her own. How was that- she looked down to the ring and paled...two way mood rings. Are they serious!?
Rikku wanted to cry, she really did, she liked naruto, she really did, but this was all happening way too fast. Hell she wouldn't have minded the kiss on the boat, but basically being thrust into marriage like this. She strangled a groan, listening to all the ways to manipulate your targets with seduction or other gestures limited to kunoichi...She was glad that these classes were only two days a way, monday and friday.
After the classes let out, Rikku found naruto in a hurry, thinking of wantig to find him, she felt a pull from the ring and followed it, like the fayth said it could do to track them. Apparently naruto had been doing the same as they saw each other running toward one another. "Swing tree." She whispered just loud enough for naruto to hear and he nodded, they both shunshin'd out and into the tree they'd been hiding in that morning. "Married?" she asked, cringing as she said the word.
"Married." He sighed, defeatedly. "I don't even want to mention some of the things they'd do if I weren't." He shuddered.
"I think we both just dodged the bullet on that one. But you do realize why everything that's been weird up to this point from the fayth to now, has been right?" She asked, hoping he got and he nodded, holding his head.
"Everyone since coming here, thinks we're married, not just the class and teachers, but ayame, teuchi, Kakashi, Jiji, even tenten and her dad, and..." He stopped and closed his eyes tight, remembering something kiba said in class and what he spoke of about hinata in regard to what rikku said about hinata. "I think Hinata too..I remember now. I saved her from bullies one winter before, and now..." he spoke, face palming as he trailed off and Rikku caught on.
"And now the girl has a massive crush on you for it only for you to come back apparently married. that's why she was starring daggers at me. She thinks I stole her man." She muttered, putting her head to the trunk of the tree, wanting to jsut bash it in till her head was buried into the tree. "Ohh, naruto wha are we going to do, I mean, we, you, I..." She tried to make words for how she felt about naruto, she really did, but it came out a garbled mess since the object of said feelings, was right there before her.
Naruto, while sharing similar feelings, was looking away, blushing red as he remembered how they almost kissed on the boat, and then all the teasing back in spira from the other Al bhed, fighting gippal who challenged him for the right to rikku, which he didn't believe was how that worked in any way shape or form. He had to admit, he did like her, a lot. Seriously how could he be so close to and not. But admitting to it openly, especially after being dropped into an assumed marriage, as in everyone else has done assumed it, and it's likely spread past those who made the original assumptions now. He sighed and nodded. "What other option is there. If we admit to not being married, they'll surely do...that, to us, whatever they obviously intended for you if you weren't married since you didn't deny it either, and to me. However if we stay supposedly married, then sooner or later, they'll expect to see public shows of affection..." He stated, trailing off again to let that hang in the air.
They both blushed at the thought. Hadn't even had their first kiss yet and this happens, and now it's made the idea of it awkward and forced. Though Rikku understood naruto was right and she really didn't want to lose that to a tool, that was special. But what she said of it happening if she got captured, she didn't want that to happen either so either she lost it their way, or her own way, but it'd have to happen and more than likely, way sooner than she was ready for, since as she figured, no mission outside of the village was garunteed. This time she did bang her head into the tree trunk. As much as she wanted to curse the fayth more now, she couldn't help but be thankful since the situation would have probably have been forced, or persuaded if the ring hadn't been on her finger.
"We can talk more about this later, first let's get out of here Naruto. Kakashi should be here for us and we don't want the man getting suspicious of us not showing up." Sh stated, dropping down out of the tree followed immediately by naruto. A few of the students and parents were there, the students just smiled knowingly at them, while the parents scowled, saying a few things improper before their kids corrected them and told them they were married, and sure enough they looked again and saw the rings, the light of recognition flaring in their eyes and some gave a small smile towards them with a nod. The others were indifferent, but that was an improvement over their disapproving looks they had before hand. The both of them held back groans, great, it was already spreading further.
Kakashi was there, reading an orange book and just giggled perversely, but whether at the book or them, the others didn't know, and the two blondes had no idea about the book so they assumed them. Walking over to the man, naruto started first. "Could have told us about that last class you know. That could have saved us some embarrassment." Naruto spoke in a betrayed manner.
"Not like it matters since your marital status exempts you from certain practices. Besides I was hoping you two would come out flustered, instead you come out from a hiding spot where I'm wondering what a young married couple would do away from prying eyes." The man giggled in the same way as before and the two face palmed, while others around, parent and student, laughed.
"Can we just go please." Rikku asked, mortified at the teasing with the already awkward situation they seriously could talk about and were trapped just nodded and grabbed the two's shoulder, the three performing the technique themselves for a joint shunshin, kakashi deciding the location.
Okay, there it is. Hope it's well received. So what did you think about this? I figured that surprising bit would have been one of the things cut from the old curriculum for civilians to pass without issue when the standards were lowered. Not this time! Hahaha! I'm bad, I know it, but sometimes, it just feels right to write a certain thing a certain way without even realizing you did it until after you reread it and find it's perfect. That's what happened here and I'm not changing it.
So what did you all think? Leave a few words or a whole page in the review, or even a pm, promise I'll reply and talk to you.