Naruto's world was a far cry from this one, technologically speaking. The young teen was looking around in amazement of the city of Mistral. What made him finally take a doubletake were the giant, floating, blimps near the airport. Hot air balloons were a thing in his world, but nothing ever to this scale. Massive would've been a grand understatement, they were titanic.
Three weeks have passed since they got their IDs, and have been living out of hotel rooms. Simply learning about the city life, Naruto getting used to the hustle and bustle. He found it all mesmerizing, most of these people had no idea just how beautiful this way to him!
The ships themselves were almost as big as The Hokage monument back home. It would just be amazing to see one of these things, but from where he stood on the balcony of the station, he saw eight of them!
He quickly got into Maria's scroll, looking them up via taking a picture. Placing a single earbud in, he wanted to know more! Quickly clicking on a video link that pops up, making sure that they weren't back just yet. He leans forward on the railing, listening to the female computerized voice.
"Today's topic, The Mistralian Skyboat, a massive feat of engineering and testament to humanity's ever progressing expansion of technology! Mistralian Skyboats, also called Albatrosses, are the world's largest civilian transport aircraft. Powered by four massive, SDC designed, gravity dust thrusters. These massive airships have wind dust balloons that help keep afloat whilst traveling. Capable of a max travel speed of ninety knots!"
"Ninety what-now, what does a knot have to do with speed? Hang on," Naruto brought the search bar up, typing in his quandary. "Huh, so it's basically a little faster than what the cars display as Miles Per Hour. Neat."
Yawning before stretching a little bit, he watches as one of the giant airships fly off from the dock. He heard the roaring of what he could only assume were the engines. It lifted higher, and higher, till it breaches one of the lower flying clouds. In a matter of minutes, it turned into a mahogany-colored speck in the sky.
He watches as parents grab their children, ushering them along. Leaning on his knuckle, smiling down, he imagined what if his world had been like this? So advanced, peaceful in a way, minus the monsters in the woods. Watching as time rolled onward, in real time, with to the beat of drumming feet from the hundreds of people gathered in the airport.
"If anyone is going to bring these things to home, it's going to be old man Tazuna." Naruto thought to himself before leaning back off the railing, turning around to find Maria walking toward him. Greeting her with a small curtsy, and two finger salute. The blonde pops his shoulder before walking toward her.
"The first time I saw an airport, kid, I was amazed too. Lapis and Sapphire are grabbing snacks for the trip over across the pond. I'm coming to collect you before we end up doing a Home Alone on you." Maria joked before noting his confused expression, "Oh that's right, you've never seen that movie…never mind I'm pretty we'll have plenty time on the airship."
"Across the pond?" Naruto questioned with sign language whilst walking with her.
"A turn of phrase, it means to go across the ocean. It'll be about a six-day journey," She told him before watching Lapis and Sapphire come jogging toward them.
Their hands were ladened with goodies. Peanuts, a few candy bars, even burgers they got from the hot stations. Maria took one, marked for black beans, and unfurled the tinfoil. Taking a bite, she groans in delight at the vegetarian delight. Lapis hands Naruto one, which was loaded down with thin strips of meat, really thin.
He looks at Lapis, "What's these?"
"They're called bacon, it's like the best thing ever!" The bluenette teen stated before taking a bite out of his, "Sapphire?"
"I honestly prefer the veggie burgers, meatheads, isn't that right Ms. Calavera?" She looked for support, watching as the old woman nodded.
"Too much grease, but I don't think Naruto here has tried bacon before, go on, give it a shot." Maria encouraged him before sinking her teeth back into the veggie burger she held.
Naruto saw the tannish liquid on the tinfoil, taking a deep breath, he bites down. The crunching of the bacon filled his tastebuds with all sorts of meaty flavorings. It made him take a sharp breath from the suddenness of it, and a bright smile filled his face as the cheese spread over his tongue. Blushing, and chewing, the blonde swallows after a few moments.
Lapis smirks, "Well?"
Naruto's only response was to give him a thumbs up. Sapphire just rolls her eyes before taking another bite, "Boys, always in love with their meats."
The quartet walk while still eating their burgers. Naruto saw so many different food stans. Something called boba tea, which he was tempted to try until he saw the price of it. Maria was very giving person, but that was surely too much. Liens, has he had learned, were the currency of the world. They came in a paper form, but the most common was something called "electronic currency." Which was sort of having a wallet, that you didn't have to hold onto.
He learned this because that's what Maria's money was coming from. Also learning, as something called a minor, he wasn't able to open himself one without an adult's permission. Even Lapis, who was just a year older than him, couldn't open one if he wanted too. It was confusing to Naruto, very confusing, because where he came from children their age was killing each other.
It felt wrong, but then again, perhaps the way he got brought up was also wrong? In what world was it ever correct for a child to kill someone? That thought had been purveying around his mind for a little while, it wasn't because he was getting soft. No, he was viewing a lot of this world as soft, despite the threat of The Grimm. He didn't hate that, in fact he was glad that these people could grow into a childhood, but it bothered him.
Because no matter how hard someone would push him, childhood ended for him when he saw Haku and Zabuza die. That's when becoming a shinobi became very real for him, death was always around every corner, and every day. Getting thrusted into a world where, yes there was monsters, but seemed a lot safer just threw him off a little bit.
Last night, if he hadn't stopped himself, Naruto could've broken Lapis against the wall and not even missed a beat!
It was only the very small moment of clarity that saved Lapis from being put through a wall. It scared the bluenette, but Naruto himself was afraid of it as well. Because it was pure instinct, just like him sleeping on his left side constantly. Something that was hammered into him every single day, of every single hour, for the past twelve years of his life.
Turning thirteen years old was the only break from it, because initially he had given up. Walking toward the Akatsuki had given him clarity. That's when the plans between him and The Nine Tails formed. It was the one time, and hopefully the only time, Naruto ever would listen that insidious part of himself.
"What bothers me, brat, is that you never asked her to go back to the area. Perhaps we could've killed any survivors if they somehow remained there." The Nine Tails stated through the mental link.
Naruto frowns, taking a deep breath, "If there was any alive…I extremely doubt Maria would've just been able to walk away with me."
"Hmph, I see your point, but just make sure to keep an eye out. Something tells me this won't be the end of them, even if they are quite literally a world away from us." The Nine Tails advised before cutting the mental link for the day, leaving Naruto standing there to ponder what it said.
"Can't help but have that feeling too, but it's probably just because it seems too easy for us. Nothing ever goes according to plan for this long, hopefully it keeps going." Naruto pensively reasoned before marching alongside Lapis, finishing his burger.
He tosses the tinfoil in the trashcan, while Lapis finishes his at the next trashcan. Maria burps before tossing hers in the same can as Lapis, leaving only Sapphire who was savoring her meal. Maria checks her scroll, seeing that their tickets were going to be called in ten minutes.
She leads the trio kids toward the boarding area. They walk up to the window, getting their tickets scanned in. She was nervous for a moment when they had an issue with Naruto's ticket but managed to get it to go through. Eventually the clerk was handed his ID and Travel Pass (TP), and looked at it.
"Naruto…Calavera?" The clerk asked, looking between him and his 'grandmother,' before scanning the ID and TP once more. "Did you just get these today, kid?"
Naruto nods his head, signing, "Yes, my parents were killed in a Grimm attack. My grandmother and I got my ID straightened out here."
The woman was confused, until Lapis stood up, "He said that his parents were killed in a Grimm attack. So, his grandmother and him got his IDs fixed today."
"And you are little man?"
"Oh, I'm Lapis, Lapis Lazuli. I'm flying with my sister, Sapphire, we're not related to them in anyway. It's just that I can read sign, and figured you needed a translator." The bluenette offers up, giving the woman a bright smile.
The clerk blew an errand hair from her face, rolling her eyes, "Fine. Here's you official boarding pass. I don't get paid enough to deal with governmental issues."
Naruto pumps his fist before grabbing the pass out of the woman's hands gently. He stared at it, actually feeling giddy, in all of his life he never exactly got the chance to fly before. Riding on top of Gamabunta back didn't count, by any stretch of the imagination, big guy was the mechanical bull from hell!
The old woman got her pass, followed by the blue-haired siblings. In that fleeting thought, Naruto had an epiphany, perhaps there was way he could get back home! However, The Summoning Jutsu also had a reverse counterpart. So, if Jiraiya knew he was missing, then it should've been used by now. He lightly grabs his head, groaning a little to himself about the complicated thoughts going on in his head.
"Hey…"
He turns around looking at Sapphire, she places hand on his shoulder, "You, okay?"
Naruto took a deep breath, nodding, "Going nutty. Isn't this place totally awesome!"
"Y-yeah it is, it's super cool! Lapis, aren't you ready to fly?" Sapphire inquired from her brother, only to see him nervously walking with the,
"Yeah, sure, fly…hehe…" Lapis laughs nervously before hanging his mouth agape as they followed behind a line a people.
The skyboat came into view, it was humongous. If Naruto wasn't sure how big it, he was now. Never mind The Hokage Monument, this thing was double that size! It looked like a massive ship, the one he only heard of back at his village. This thing may have been mahogany in color, he saw the rivets. Sapphire did too, apparently, and looked over toward Maria.
"Ms. Calavera, why do they make it look like wood despite being steel?" She inquired, slowly walking with the rest of the people.
The old woman pensively thought before answering, "Well I can't see colors. However, I'd imagine it would only be for the aesthetics looks."
"Kind of reminds of the tales of Skidbladnir," Sapphire commented while looking over it. "I never imagined that these ships were so huge…"
"Why," Lapis questioned her before looking down, "There's no way we can ever repay this."
"Please, child, if I was worried about payment, I'd have you carry the bags. No, I rarely come into company, and my young grandson here fancies you as friends." Maria politely said, withholding the true nature of her relationship to Naruto.
Naruto smiles, slightly blushing, "Wish you could see this, dattebayo."
"I actually do, contrary to your belief, once your mind is asleep, I can replay memories like movies in here. The way you're feeling right now, giddy, and excited, I will enjoy this…"
"Aww, shucks Nine Tails, careful now…that almost sounded like you're enjoying my company." Naruto teases mentally before hearing a chuckle, and smiling. "I got a chuckle out of you!"
"Whatever, brat, I'm cutting our link for the day…"
Naruto felt the mental link getting cut, sighing before getting close to the gangway. The glass, bay windows across the airship were marvelous. They probably allowed people to feel as if they were walking on air. Judging by their thickness, he reckoned that they could possibly even hold against one of his rasengans.
Maria and co. began boarding the Skyboat, walking up the gangway. The kids noted that her name was written on her side. The Mistralian Skyboat: Fenghuang, embroidered with a bird symbol at the end of the name. The name written in brass-colored letterings against the mahogany-colored steel. Naruto noted despite it being a civilian craft, there was large guns on the side.
The old woman took notice, "They're called flak guns. Basically, if any flying Grimm try to attack, the ship can defend itself"
The blonde made an 'oh' face, figuring that made sense. Lapis meanwhile upon walking up the gangway saw the beautiful inside. Finely decorated, pictures of the previous captains who all had captained The Fenghuang before. Sapphire wasn't too far behind him. She practically gushes over the artwork. Running over to the artwork, noting how lifelike it was.
Lapis was walking with Maria and Naruto as they gazed at the various pieces of decor. Everything was red, and he even recognized some of the designs. Red tori gates used as openings between walls. This ship was expressing the very culture based on the name it was given. It felt bewildering to him, since some of them could be dead ringers for stuff he could find at his home world.
Adjusting his new jacket that Maria had got him since his last one got destroyed, the orange fabric fit loosely around him. His navy-blue sweatpants, and white undershirt making him standout from the suits and dresses around him. Lapis like his sister, was wearing all dark blue. Their golden eyes and lighter blue hair the only thing contrasting.
Eventually Naruto roams away, finding himself in the main lobby. The bay windows showing him the rest of the airport. He wondered up in amazement, peering at through the windows. Finding a nearby seat, the blonde watches several trucks carrying some sort of violet dust moved away from the skyboat.
"Excuse me…"
Naruto turns around to see a white-haired girl standing there. Her hair tied up into a bun. Her complexion was dark, and she wore a green dress, with yellow sleeves. Her alabaster-colored eyes shimmered from the light. She slowly walked over to a seat just in front of his.
"Is this seat taken?" She inquired further before looking at him nervously.
He held up his hands, signing, "No, it's free I think."
She smiles, sitting in the seat in front of his, extending her hand out. "My name is Amira," she greeted him as he took her hand, "It's nice to meet you stranger."
"Nice to meet you too, stranger." Naruto signed before looking over his shoulder to see Lapis and Sapphire heading his way. "Why did you want to sit here?"
"Oh, because this is the best view! It's always a thrill to see these Skyboats lift off!" She stated chipperly before watching the blonde sign.
"It's my first time on one of this skyboats." Naruto admitted before leaning back in his chair, "Why are you here alone?"
"I'm not alone," Amira told him before looking over at her shoulder. "My dad and mom are here with me. They said I should just go introduce myself to you…since well you're sitting over here alone."
"He's not alone anymore, figures you'd be here!" Maria stated before coming to sit down at a chair next to his, "Hello young lady, keeping my grandson in good company?"
"Oh, he is your grandson?" Amira acknowledged before holding her hand out, "I'm Amira."
"Nice to make your acquaintance, lady Amira." Maria said with a small curtsy, "So nice of you to come hang out here with my social awkward grandson."
Naruto shot her a small glare, then smiling softly before they both saw Lapis and Sapphire run over to them. Sapphire was the first to take her seat, "Ha, beat you to it!"
"Dang it Saph, tripping me doesn't mean you won, it means you che-…" Whatever Lapis wanted to say died as he stared at Amira, "H-Hi."
Amira herself, with her alabaster eyes, looked up at Lapis. She smiles softly, holding her hand out, "Hello sir."
"Um, he-hello, nice to meet you too." Lapis spluttered out nervously, a small blush on his face.
She giggles before blushing herself, "Never said it was nice to meet you."
"Oh, wow, you didn't. I mean, I'm sorry, I'm being an idiot." The bluenette nervously continued before sitting down at the last chair, "S-sorry."
Naruto looks at Sapphire, signing, "What's wrong with Lapis?"
"He's got a crush," She replied back quickly, stupidly smiling at him.
The blonde looks at Lapis, noting his blush, and then chuckling the best he could. Sapphire cringes a little at the broken sounds coming from Naruto's throat, which made him shrink back just a little. The bluenette girl slides her hand over on the table, smiling at him. He lightly blushes before smiling brightly.
Maria looks at him, "Warrior or not, you're still just a boy."
Speakers around them suddenly crackle to life. A computerized voice sounding off from it.
"Attention all passengers of M.S Fenghuang. Lift off procedure is about to commence! Please, find a seat, and brace yourselves!"
Naruto scooted closer to the window, along with Sapphire. The machine began to shake a little bit. Maria smiles brightly, watching as the blonde gazes out. A sudden lurch brings him to smile brightly as they began to lift up. A high-pitched whirring noise could be heard from the window. Slowly, more and more, they climbed up.
Then it happened, he stood up as they lifted up faster and faster. The blonde seeing the city below them. The large academy sitting near the top of the mountains, Haven. As they climbed, he saw where snow accumulated all around the city's walls to the west and south. Seeing it all from so high up had his heart racing.
He places his hands on the window, for the first time since arriving at this world, Naruto fell genuinely in love with the beauty of it all. The huge city was nothing but a speck tiny footnote below him. He felt the aircraft turn, staying anchored down via chakra. He saw the entirety of Mistral City now.
Surely, The Nine Tails would love this view, when he fell asleep in their cabin tonight!
They began to move forward, lurching at first before he saw the massive machine move! The blonde was just stupidly smiling, giddy, and felt like a kid seeing the most amazing thing in his life. He looks back at Maria, not even noticing the happy tears rolling down his face before turning back to the window.
The old woman smiles before lowering her head down, "Still…just a boy at heart."
Nighttime came rather quickly, from the all the excitement, Naruto found himself tired. He walks into their cabin, with Lapis and Sapphire passing right in front of him. Their room had two bunk beds, with Lapis quickly climbing up top, sticking his tongue out at his sister. She pouts before diving into the bottom bunk.
Naruto walked over to the other one, smiling at the light-colored wood. Checking it's sturdiness, and nodding his head. He watched as the siblings were already getting under the covers. The excitement of the day getting to them as well. He looks in the middle of the room, seeing a small table with four chairs, a deck of cards at the center.
Maria yawns while walking toward the bottom bunk, "You alright, Naruto?"
The blonde wistfully purses his lips, and then signs to her, "When can we start training to try unlock my aura?"
"We can start tonight. All you have to do is meditate for three hours. Focus on one thing, and focus on it. When you get done, climb into bed. As for me, sunny boy, I'm dead tired." Maria told him before climbing into the bed, "I assume you know how to meditate?"
He nods his head, smiling brightly, "Focus on one thing?"
"Focus on that one thing, as soon as you can do that…we can work on deeper mediation." She explained before laying back on a pillow, "Goodnight…Naruto."
With that, her clicking on the scroll she owned, the room's lights dimmed down. Naruto took a deep breath, walking over toward the table in the middle of the room. It was steel, cold to the touch, but it would do. He climbs up on top of it, moving the deck of cards. Perhaps Maria knew some card games they could all play together in their free time? He'd ask tomorrow, but for now, time to find some sense of normalcy through training.
The snoring from Maria profaned the silence. However, he was used to people snoring back in his world. Taking a deep breath, Naruto crosses his legs, lowering himself down on the table. He breathes slowly, in and out, getting a rhythm going.
"One thing…" Naruto thought as he focused, "Just one thing…"
He felt the air around him from the AC unit inside the cabin. Thinking about memories, images from before and finding one of where he was swinging. Focusing on that one specifically, and felt himself drifting toward it.
Feeling time slow down, and finally come to a stop.
Naruto wakes up still sitting on the table. He stretches before getting his keycard and opening his cabin door. He begins to wonder through the halls of airship. Looking around the structure, smiling giddily like a child. He sees someone familiar, looking past the crowd, he saw pink hair. Running toward her, he bumped into a few people.
"Sakura," Naruto called out as he found himself able to speak, "Sakura?!"
The pink-haired girl turns around, smiling at him before takes another step forward. The flooring giving out, making him fall through the sky. He screamed out, seeing eight different bodies fall around him. One of them being the wheel-chaired bound Pain. Trying to keep himself focused, he crashes through trees before ending up in a familiar location.
This wasn't Mistral, but the forest of Konoha. It's leaves falling around him, the night being filled with moonlight of the full unshattered moon. Naruto gets up, uninjured, but disturbed when the other bodies falling with him never impacted the dirt, or trees around him.
"Naruto!"
Her voice screams out to him. Without thinking he careens forward through the forest. Calling out to her, screaming her name, begging her to hold out until he got there! Tears filled his eyes, orange darting through the nightly trees, with wearing his old tracksuit!
"Sakura!"
"Sakura hold on!"
"Sakura! I'm coming, please hold on!"
"Fight back, Sakura! Fight!"
"Help me, please, Naruto!" She screamed in pain, her voice echoing all around him. "Stop, please, I don't know where he is!"
Naruto crashes through the forest, tears rolling down his eyes. Please no, Gods please no, this couldn't be where it happens. He can stop, he can change destiny! The blonde, orange, blur crashes through brush, shrugs, and small trees. He roars out as trees cut into him, slicing his arms open!
"Sakura!"
Naruto bursts out into the shoreline of the river, seeing all six puppet Pains there. One of them was holding Sakura under the floating water, pressing its boot down on her head to drown her. He roared, charging forward while only getting stabbed by black rods as a reward. He struggled, hearing the loud foot stumps as the wheelchair bound Pain came forward.
Sakura's flailing stops, her arms drifting lifelessly the currents. Naruto pushes himself up, ripping his body open as he picks himself up off the rods. He screams reaching out to her, managing to smack away the one holding her down. He quickly drags her assure. He flips her over!
She's smiling at him, bringing a hand up to his face, "Why?"
"Sakura, I'm here, you're alive!"
"Why did you…let us die?" She asked before her face become hollow, and she slowly bled pink into the river!
"Sakura…no…no-no-no-no-NO! NO!" Naruto wailed while getting up, and charging out at the Pain in the wheelchair.
Maria was dodging Naruto left and right, barely able to keep up. Lapis and Sapphire were still asleep throughout their exchange. She blocks a strike aimed right for head with her left forearm, teal aura shocking itself to life. She struggles to keep up, her prereflexes semblance barely keeping her ahead of the teen.
She finally finds an opening, punching square in the face!
Naruto stumbled back, falling over a chair. She readied herself until he shot back up, breathing hard. Blood leaked down his nose from where she had punched him. She had a small bruise forming on her forearm, breathing hard while looking at him.
"Naruto," she called out to him, "Are you okay?"
He stood there shaking, sitting down in a chair, and clutching his head. He had just hurt someone that he called friend, and he hadn't even been awake! Breathing deeply through his nose, trying to calm himself, hot tears spilled from his eyes. She walks over to him, placing a chair in front of him before sitting in it.
She holds out her hands to him, which he slowly took. The blonde looked into her digital eyes, shuddering with each breath. "Poor boy, I wish there was a way for this to leave you." She told him before clutching his hands. "It's okay, I'm here."
He pulls his hands back, signing to her, "Why am I still here? I should've died…I should've been with them."
"Who, child, who should've you been with?" She inquired softly, watching his face contort to that one full of pain.
Something she only saw when he was writhing on the observation table nearly two weeks prior. The blonde looks up at her, shaking his head. He pointed himself, then signing for the phrase 'my fault,' and then leaning back in the chair.
"Survivor's guilt…" Maria recognized while looking at his expressions, "You poor thing, no wonder those Grimm came after us a few weeks ago."
"Naruto," Maria called to him, watching he looks up. "You're here for a reason, always remember that."
"What reason is that?" He signed dejectedly before looking off to the side.
She frowns at this, and then slowly reaches out to him. "You saved me that day, without you, I'm not here." Maria reminded him, and then watches as he turns to her. "You are here for a reason, and I believe that with all my heart."
Getting up, Maria has Naruto follow her out into the hall. Walking him down the decorated ship, they come into the lobby. There, above the clouds, he saw the stars. His eyes widened while they journeyed to the bay windows, looking out at them. He presses his palm against the glass, laying his forehead against it.
Standing there, rubbing his back, feeling as he took a deep breath. He turns to her, holding up his hands. Slowly he began to spell out something to her, ADA making sure to copy the signs down for a quick translation later.
"Their names were Sakura Haruno, and Kakashi Hatake, My world, we were always a team, closer than family. Because of me, because of people hunting me, they died. I was too late to a party they were throwing, a celebration in honor of our late leader who defeated a massive beast." He revealed to her slowly, she watched his face scrounge up.
"It's okay, you can tell me why, I'm not going to leave you."
Naruto lifts his shirt up, channeling charka just enough to reveal the tattoo. Maria never noticed that it had disappeared on him, up until now. She noted how it ornate, focused, and obviously deliberated. He lowers his shirt down, looking right at her.
"The beast that he defeated, lives inside of me, because I'm a vessel. For the sole fault of being born, I was condemned to this…" He continued signing, taking a seat inside of a chair, "You probably think I'm a monster now…too."
Maria shook her head, sitting down, and looking right into his eyes. "I think, despite not having any choice in it, you're brave child." She whispered to him while making sure he heard her, "You're not a monster Naruto Uzumaki…you're just a hurt child, and you need love."
"Love?" Naruto questioned with a hand sign.
"My father said that the very thing that could bring us down to be equals amongst each other is through love. Not romantic love, not familial love, but just love. To cherish the person next to you, because they stand next to you, and that you move with one purpose." Maria told him while holding his hands, "Whatever brought you here…hold onto that purpose and move with it."
Naruto nods his head before looking off to the side, she comforts him, "You are going through Survivor's Guilt."
He snaps his back at her, removing one of his hands to sign, "What's that?"
Maria took a deep breath, sighs, "It's a response to extreme loss. Loss that you, yourself, feel shouldn't have survived."
The blonde took a moment, biting his lip before signing, "I made a pact with the beast inside of me. We killed the people who killed my…family."
The old woman nods, "And did it ever make the pain go away?"
He shook his head, "Weirdly enough, just made the hole bigger."
"The more you take away from it, the bigger it gets, Naruto. You're trying to rationalize something that isn't rational. Every single feeling from is validated because it's yours. The more you try to push it down, the more it comes back up to the surface. Like waking up, fighting, because somewhere in your mind you think you change their fates." Maria lectured him cautiously, making sure he wasn't hammering him.
"You're not afraid of me?" Naruto asked, the real test question.
Maria doesn't even hesitate, and shook her head, "Not even a little bit, grandson."
Those words hit him hard, at first recoiling before feeling hot tears roll down his eyes. The boy lunges forward, wrapping her into a hug. Sobbing into her shoulders, much like he did three weeks ago when she found him in the bathroom. She brings her arms around him, her adoptive grandson.
She knew then, no matter what, he'd never be alone…so long as she lived!
Broken Moon!
"The problem with surviving was that you ended up with the ghosts of everyone you'd ever left behind riding on your shoulders."
Paolo Bacigalupi, The Drowned Cities
Inside of a tavern, sitting at a bar. A woman with a miss left arm sat there. Her blue hair flowed in the wind as she felt the person enter. She had waited for him. Sipping the drink, whiskey, the clothes she wore stolen off a dead bandit she killed along the road. Sitting down next to her, the man wore an orange mask with one eye appearing through the hole.
"Madara," the woman greeted softly before throwing back the drink. "Why are you here, didn't see you at the meeting."
"Konan, look at you, the beautiful angel laid low by a mere child." Madara replied before sitting at the bar, watching as the man covered in paper struggled. "Looking for a score to settle?"
"I'm going to kill that little bastard," Konan stated before breaking the shot glass in her hands. "I'll find him, and kill anyone that he's turned on his side."
Madara nods his head, reaching over and lifting mask up to drink from a can. Beer, something he had come to enjoy after raiding a bandit camp he ran across. The masked man lowers his mask after finishing the can. Crushing it in his hand, tossing it behind his back.
Konan made paper bring her another liquor bottle, "Why weren't you there?"
"I had prior engagements hunting down The Seven-tailed Jinchuuriki." He stated before laughing, "Feisty little girl, she was in the tower before everything got sucked up into it."
"Do you think she came here as well, Seven Tails?" The bluenette questioned before knocking down the bottle once for a few seconds, "He was lucky that we were trapped in that in-between realm for a couple weeks."
"Indeed, he was, but he's got an entire world to hide on. I don't really want to slaughter town after town looking for him. It'll just make us hunted, and I prefer we capture both him and the Seven Tails." Madara told her before she suddenly slams the bottle against his mask, "That was very rude of you, Konan."
"There is no longer an Akatsuki, they're all dead! You selfish prick, you snake in the grass, we dedicated everything to this! Now, I don't even have the last bit of my friends, all for a plan that can no longer come to fruition!" Konan argued before getting another liquor bottle, "I'm going to take him apart slowly…and then kill him."
"What makes you think the goal isn't to get back home? I'm sure with enough chakra, I can open up a rift back to our world…but I need at least The Nine Tailed Fox to do so. The Seven Tailed Beetle would just extra insurance." Madara reasoned with her, taking a deep breath, "Normally I'd just kill you…but it'll be impossible for me to track him down in this world alone."
"So, you need me, to help you track him?"
'Yes, Konan, you were the Angel Of God for a reason. Nothing ever got pass you, together, we can hunt him down together." Madara took a deep breath, "For some reason…I cannot access Kamui in this world."
"Which means that demonic brat can't use any summoning jutsu," Konan realized with an evil smirk. "No Jiraiya to contend with, unless he figures out a way here."
"Indeed, that toad sage could've been an issue." Madara agreed with her, and then chuckled sinisterly. "Only fate would have that the little bastard would turn out to just be as much as a headache as his mother…and father."
"You fought his parents?"
"I killed them," He corrected her sternly before getting up from the bar. "Which is what I recommended you do to everyone here in this little bandit town."
Konan drunkenly walks out of the bar, the town full of people wrapped in paper. This little hamlet having been taken over by bandits recently. This little town, called Kurosaki, just do west of a city called Mistral.
The woman snaps her fingers, and everyone body wrapped in paper screamed briefly before the papers all stain red!
Blood slowly oozing from in-between the edges.
A green-haired girl wasn't too far away. She stood in a tree, looking over at the hamlet. Her orange eyes shining the dark before she grew a pair of wings. Flying off into the direction of where the City Of Mistral was. Her body nimbly avoiding the trees!
She had to find The Nine Tailed Fox's Jinchuuriki before they did, only together would they have chance!
Author's Note
BANG!
What an ending to chapter five. Hope this answered to some of your questions. The stakes are getting raised, will Naruto be able to keep this life he's rebuilding? Probably, probably not. Fū is here ladies and gentlemen. Stay tuned, because with the hunt now on…surely this'll come to head!
Thank you for following, I go back to work after tomorrow, so I'll update semi-regularly from now on. Likewise, I may just make the chapters a little longer. Because I love you guys, and it's an honor to write for you all
Special thanks to Zagger the Bloody Angel, whose conversation about Madara helped inspired this little bit of evilness!
If you haven't check out ALL of his stuff, he's frigging awesome!
-Blazeraptor54