~ Before the leviathan, courage trembles and despair flows like wine ~
"Master, please... It's not a problem." Mordred rolled her eyes. "I was a knight. Do you have any idea how often I had to share a tent?"
"I don't care." He crossed his arms. "I'm sleeping on the couch."
He stared at her.
She stared back.
The first fingers of dawn clawed their way through the windows in fiery orange hues, slicing through the remnants of the night like a katana cleaving a bamboo target. One ray landed on Naruto's face, gleaming against the beads of sweat clinging to his brow and pushing shadows into the furrow etched between his eyes. Mordred's armor sparkled like the waves on a golden beach, steel jingling and clanking with the creaking of leather.
'Damn stubborn woman.'
'Is her pride really that fucking inflated?'
'She just has to have her way?'
'Well, tough shit.'
~ Stare ~
~ Stare ~
'Not like either of us is getting any fucking sleep anyway...'
"Master, stop being such a woman. There's plenty of space for the both of us."
"No." He crossed his arms. "I already told you, I'm sleeping on the couch."
"You..." Mordred pinched the bridge of her nose. "You can't treat me like a guest. I am your Servant. I'm not leaving your side unless absolutely necessary."
"I don't care. I'm not sharing a bed with a fucking girl. That's weird."
"I told you not to call me a—"
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
Mordred frowned. "I am going to kill whoever's at the door."
"Stop threatening murder." He walked out of his bedroom. "I'll get it."
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
"Alright, alright! I'm coming."
He opened the door.
Two ANBU agents stood before him.
Their masks gleamed with the pale white of bone. Black paint crawled over them in lines as dark as shadows squirming upon the floor, and crimson crept in rivers of blood. Metal pauldrons glimmered on the Hippo's broad shoulders, and muscles rippled across his massive frame. The smell of tobacco wafted from the Vulture's clothes, and he swayed as if he had just drank too much booze.
"Uzumaki Naruto." The Hippo crossed his arms. "Time to go."
'Motherfucker...'
'Why can't I get some fucking sleep tonight?'
"Alright..." He yawned. "Give me a minute."
~ Thump ~
~ Thump ~
~ Thump ~
Each thud of Naruto's boots resonated through the narrow corridor, echoing off the rough-hewn stone walls with a hollow boom. Shadows writhed and contorted on the uneven floor under the flickering flames, reaching tendrils out towards Naruto with breath he took. The air pressured him with the smell of damp stone and something metallic, a tang that sent a shiver down his spine. The dancing light created grotesque caricatures on the walls, morphing cracks in the stone into ghosts and monsters. Hippo and Vulture walked behind him.
'I can feel them looking at me.'
The Hippo stopped in front of a door. "Here we are."
He opened it.
~ Creak ~
They walked in.
Lanterns hung from the ceiling, fires glowing within like stars twinkling in a lake of light. A bunk bed loomed on the far left of the room, blankets draping over it like curtains flowing from a balcony. Wooden tables and chairs lined the right side of the room, gleaming with the polished radiance of ivory.
Naruto whistled. "This place looks fucking expensive."
"Ten." Mordred poked him.
"Kiss my ass, Saber."
"Leave any valuables and change into your new uniform. We will wait for you outside."
The Hippo slammed the door behind them.
Naruto sighed.
'Fucking finally…'
He went to the uniforms hanging from the closet.
Black fabric gleamed on the hangers, glossy as obsidian carved from a mountain of stone. Red strips flowed down the sleeves, crimson threads drifting through the air like leaves flowing upon the wind. A white ANBU symbol decorated each arm, blazing with the intensity of a sun rising above the horizon.
He grabbed the smaller one and put it on.
It slid over him like silk flowing through a river, soft and smooth as the fur of a rabbit nestling against its mother. Weight settled onto his skin, tightening around him as if a blanket settling over a bed. Leather brushed against his fingers and toes, rough and calloused as the bark of an old tree.
'Holy shit...'
'ANBU uniforms are fucking awesome.'
He grinned. "I look badass."
"I beg to differ." Mordred tapped her armor. "This is badass."
"Oi, oi..." He crossed his arms. "Don't hate on my uniform."
"I'm not hating on it." She smiled. "I'm stating a fact."
"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes. "You're just jealous of my sexy bod."
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
The Hippo's voice echoed from the hallway. "Hurry it up in there."
Naruto shook his head and picked up his mask.
'A weasel.'
'Cool...'
He put it on.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" He grinned. "How do I look, Saber?"
Mordred squinted at him for a few seconds before shaking her head. "I refuse to answer that question."
"Aw, c'mon..." He nudged her. "Tell me I look good."
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
~ Knock ~
The Hippo's exploded through the door. "Let's go."
'Motherfucker...'
"Fine, fine..."
He stepped out.
The Hippo turned around and started walking. "Follow us."
Naruto sighed. "Yes, sir..."
Hippo moved like a panther. His massive frame absorbed sound, his footsteps falling on the stone with a soft thud. The darkness clung to him like a second skin, obscuring the details of his armor, leaving only the occasional glint of metal. Vulture sang with a cacophony of clicks and rustles. He jerked and jumped as he walked, and his cloak billowed under the pressure of an invisible and inexistent wind. The air around him crackled with a faint electrical hum, and with each ragged breath he exhaled, a flurry of feathers swirling around his hands.
"Don't be so glum, kid." The Vulture twirled his feathers. "ANBU is awesome. You're gonna love it."
"Silence, Vulture."
"Oh, come off it, Hippo. I'm just trying to cheer the kid up."
Naruto chuckled. "Thanks, Vulture."
"See?" The Vulture nudged him. "The kid appreciates it."
"Stop talking to him." The Hippo kept walking. "You're dishonoring your comrades."
'What's that all about?'
"Jeez..." The Vulture rolled his eyes. "You're no fun, Hippo."
"So..." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Where are we going?"
"You're meeting the big boss himself." The Vulture elbowed him. "You excited?"
The Hippo sighed. "Vulture, we do not talk to him."
"Oh, unclench your butthole, Hippo." The Vulture ruffled Naruto's hair. "Our little weasel here is ANBU whether we like it or not."
Naruto grinned. "Hell yeah, I am."
"That's the spirit!" The Vulture wrapped his arm around Naruto's shoulder. "I'm telling you, you're gonna love being ANBU. All the kunoichi love to—"
"Stop fraternizing with him." The Hippo clenched his fists. "You're not his friend. You're barely his comrade."
The Vulture sighed. "Fine..."
The Hippo stopped in front of a door. "We're here."
He opened it.
~ Creak ~
They walked in.
The room slept in near pitch blackness, and the single oil lamp cast long, skeletal shadows that danced across the smooth stone walls. The flickering flame sputtered and hissed, wheezing in tandem with Naruto's breaths. Parchment piled high on the desk, writhing in the fluttering light as if they held secrets straining to break free. A collection of porcelain dragon masks hung on the wall, each following him with their vacant eyes.
A man in another dragon mask sat at the desk.
"Commander Dragon, sir!" The Hippo saluted. "We've brought Uzumaki Naruto."
"At ease." The Commander stamped a paper. "Thank you, Hippo. You and Vulture are dismissed."
"Yes, sir." The Hippo bowed.
"Alright..." The Vulture sighed and patted Naruto's shoulder. "See you soon, kid."
Naruto nodded.
They left the room.
"Have a seat, Naruto." The Commander stared at him. "We have much to discuss."
"Y-yes, sir!" Naruto rushed to a chair. "Sorry for making you wait, sir!"
"Relax." Mordred sat next to him. "You're making us look like fools."
The Commander glanced at Mordred for a few seconds before stamping another paper. "I will tell you right now, Naruto. I do not like you being here."
"What?" Naruto frowned. "Why not?"
"You lack the skill. You lack the experience. You lack the mentality." ~ Stamp ~ "The Hokage forced you on me, and you will crash and burn on your first mission."
"Oi, oi, oi..." Mordred crossed her arms. "You're forgetting I'm here. I will handle any mission you throw at my Master."
"Do you think that makes it better?" The Commander's arm shook. "You are a Servant. A force beyond anything that exists in this world, and you depend on a boy!"
Mordred tensed. "Watch your tone."
"Or what?" The Commander chuckled. "You'll attack me?"
Naruto gulped.
'Holy shit...'
'I really don't want to be here...'
Mordred smashed her fist on the armrest. "I will put you in your place."
Naruto sighed. "What do you want from me, sir?"
"I want you to quit." The Commander leaned back. "I want you to transfer Saber to a more competent ninja and go back to the genin corp."
"No." Naruto clenched his fists. "I earned this."
The Commander snorted. "By stealing the Forbidden Scroll? By resting on the laurels of a being beyond your comprehension?"
"I—"
"Let me tell you something, Naruto." The Commander put his stamp down. "ANBU isn't easy. It's dangerous. It's brutal. Your friends will die. You will kill. You will see things that would break a normal ninja, and you are not ready for it."
Naruto gritted his teeth.
'Damn it...'
'Why can't I say anything?'
Mordred scowled. "Quit mouthing off. We understand."
"Do you, Saber?" He clenched the stamp. "How did you become a knight?"
"Through training. Blood. Sweat. Tears." Mordred clenched the chair. "I clawed my way to the Round Table."
"Thus you prove my point. He did not pass the assessment. He did not complete the training. He did not go through the thrice damned loyalty test!" He took a deep breath. "Do you have any idea what it takes to earn that mask?"
Naruto looked down.
'Fuck...'
'How do I fucking respond to that?'
"That is enough." Mordred stood up and slammed her palm on the table. "My Master is neither weak nor incompetent. I will vouch for him with my life and defend him to the bitter end."
Naruto stared at her.
'She...'
'She's so fucking awesome...'
"You do not have the mentality for this, Naruto." The Commander sighed. "I know how you grew up. Working on a genin team will lead to your peers recognizing you. Wouldn't you like what childhood you have left to be normal?"
Naruto looked away.
'Damn it...'
'He's right...'
"Master." Mordred grabbed his shoulder. "You are no longer a child, no matter what he says. Among warriors, there is no age. The ANBU will see your quality."
"Are you referring to the same ANBU that had to suffer through the recruitment process?" The Commander shook his head. "The one he gets to miss? Is that who you're referring to?"
Naruto gulped.
'Fuck...'
'Why do I feel so fucking lost?'
'I never second guess myself...'
~ Sigh ~
"I am telling you this for your own good. Quit now before you get yourself, or your comrades, killed."
Naruto looked down.
'Should I?'
'Is he right?'
Mordred grabbed his chin and turned his head. "Look at me."
The lamp light reflected off her helmet, gleaming with the radiance of the sun shining upon the ocean. Emerald flames blazed beyond the eye slits, a forest fire raging upon the earth. The scent of flowers flowed from her hair, sweet and intoxicating as sugar flowing from a beehive.
She gazed into him. "Trust me."
'Yeah…'
'What am I even thinking about?'
'I never give up.'
'That's my ninja way!'
"I'm not quitting." He clenched his fists. "I will never quit."
The Commander stared at him.
The dragon mask gleamed like a bone of quartz under the light, and the right hole glimmered crimson. Numbness spread through Naruto's head, as if electricity ran under skin, and a pool of water and mist descended on his mind. He blinked. A surge of fire rushed from his stomach, burning through the water and mist as if destroying a cobweb.
The numbness disappeared.
'You can look at me all you want.'
'I meant what I said.'
'Just try me.'
"As you wish." The Commander shrugged. "We will see how long you last."
'Man...'
'Fuck this guy...'
"So..." He took a deep breath. "What are my orders?"
The Commander sighed. "You cannot go on missions until your skill is at a level that will allow you to survive them. Report to Training Ground 44. Your instructor will meet you there."
"Yes, sir."
"Dismissed."
The skeletal hand of a dead tree, the victim of years of wind and rain, clawed at the sky with broken branches. Sunlight fought its way through a dense canopy of leaves the size of dinner plates, dappling the forest floor in a mosaic of light and shadow. The air hung heavy and still, thick with the cloying sweetness of rotting vegetation and the metallic tang of decay. The Forest of Death pulsed with a hidden life, a symphony of unseen creatures slithering, stalking, and scuttling in the undergrowth.
'This place is fucking awful.'
'It smells like shit.'
'And these fucking mosquitoes keep biting me!'
Naruto smacked another one and rubbed the bite. "Motherfucker... I need some fucking ninja bug repellent..."
"Honestly, I'm not even going to count you for those." Mordred shook her head. "I remember how annoying those things are."
"Oh, fuck you." ~ Smack ~ "Don't you fucking pretend you aren't getting bitten too."
"I'm not. I'm a Servant."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"The educational system has really failed you, hasn't it?"
"Like you're such a fucking scholar."
She chuckled. "Do you even know what a scholar is?"
"I know that Iruka-sensei said I'll never be one, so you definitely won't."
"You cannot fathom how much smarter I am than you."
"Why don't bugs bite you?!"
"Think about it, dumb-dumb." She poked his forehead. "Why do bugs bite you?"
"Because they fucking hate me?"
"Because of your blood, dumb-dumb." She grinned. "And what am I?"
"Hold up." He crossed his arms. "Are you telling me that you don't have blood?"
"Of course I have blood." She put her hands on the back of her head. "It's just made of mana, so it's poisonous to... well everything that can't utilize that mana once it drinks it."
"You..." He facepalmed. "You are so weird."
"I am a Servant. It's not like—"
~ Whoosh ~
A kunai flew by him and struck the ground.
Mordred picked him up and jumped away.
The ground exploded.
The blast roared with the boom of thunder smashing into the earth. Heat rippled through the air, gulps of liquid fire raging like a flooding river. Smoke billowed out, thick and gray as iron flowing from a furnace. Rock flew everywhere, shards scattering across the air like arrows smashing upon the battlefield. Ash swirled through the air, powdery and choking as sand flowing through a desert.
"Your friend there has some good reflexes, brat." Cackling echoed from the forest. "But he can't save you forever."
Mordred stood in front of him.
A kunoichi jumped through the smoke and landed in front of them. Purple hair framed her face in bangs and rose in spikes in the back. Bandages coiled around her arms and legs, white as clouds drifting through the sky. A kunai gleamed in her hand, blade gleaming with the intensity of lightning flowing from the heavens.
"Hey there. I am the sexy and single Mitarashi Anko." She grinned. "And I am your new instructor."
"Hello..." Naruto gulped. "It's nice to meet you."
"Alright, brat, listen up." She twirled her kunai. "Lesson one. Dodge."
"What?"
She threw the kunai.
Mordred blocked it.
"Oi." Anko frowned. "I appreciate your protective instinct, my demonic looking friend, but this entire fuckin' operation breaks down if you don't let me train the brat."
"You may train him. Not kill him."
"Oh, grow a fuckin' pair." She pulled out another kunai. "It's my job, and it's now his job. If he can't take it, he might as well quit right now."
"He's a novice. Train him properly."
"Well that's exactly the problem, isn't it?" She scoffed. "I have about a month to get him into fighting shape, and that's pushing it. You want him to train like the other genin? Transfer to a proper ninja and send him back to the genin corp."
Mordred clenched her sword. "How dare you—"
"Saber..." Naruto put his hand on her shoulder. "It's fine."
"What?"
"I'm not gonna give up. I'll show her." He smiled. "I'll show everyone."
Mordred stared at him for a few seconds before sighing. "Alright."
She moved away and sat beneath a tree.
"Good." Anko twirled her kunai. "Let's try this again. Dodge, bitch!"
"Alright. We can take a little break. A little." Anko-sensei pulled a dango stick out of her pocket and shoved it into her mouth. "You guys hungry?"
Mordred tilted her head. "You carry your food in your pocket?"
"Don't knock it 'till you've tried it, Demony."
"I enjoy many condiments, but disease is not one of them."
Naruto collapsed on the ground. "Food... yes... good... please..."
"Well..." Anko-sensei laughed. "It's a good thing we're in a forest full of nutritious animals."
He blinked. "What?"
"Hunting." She grinned. "It's a skill every ninja must possess."
"I can't hunt now!" His hands trembled. "I've been dodging kunai for five hours straight!"
"What do you think is gonna happen on missions, brat?" She raised her eyebrow. "You think the enemy will go 'Oh, let's give Weasel some R&R, he's so tired...'?"
'Fucking psycho...'
"Fine..." He made the Shadow Clone hand sign. "I guess I—"
A kunai whirled past his cheek, and blood trickled down his skin.
"No clones, brat."
"Oh, come on!"
"Get movin' or get starvin'."
'Shit...'
'Damn it...'
He got up. "Fuck me..."
She winked at him. "Be careful what you ask for."
Mordred sighed. "He's twelve."
"You jealous, Demony?"
She snorted. "You're not my type."
"You have a problem, Psycho-sensei." Naruto shook his head and started walking. "A serious problem..."
Branches swayed above him, leaves rippling through the air like waves crashing upon the beach. Roots crackled under his feet, mosses crunching against the soles of his boots like blades of grass being trodden upon. Bark scraped against his armor, scratching like bone rubbing against a rock. A spider web, impossibly vast and shimmering with an oily sheen, stretched taut between two gargantuan trees, its delicate threads glinting with an ominous luminescence in the filtered light.
'This is gonna suck so much...'
'But...'
'Damn it, she's not wrong...'
The forest sprawled around him.
The ground stretched in a maze of exposed roots slick with moisture and the slime of unseen creatures. A skittering sound, like a thousand tiny claws scrabbling against dead leaves, echoed from all directions. His heart hammered in his chest. A blur of movement disappeared into the undergrowth, iridescent scales and a forked tongue flickering in the dim light. A root snapped beneath his foot with a sickening crack, and a guttural hiss erupted from somewhere deep within the fetid darkness.
'Where do I even find an animal?'
'This place is so… huge...'
He sighed and jumped up to a branch.
Birds chirped above him, tweeting and trilling like children laughing in the streets. Squirrels scurried around, tails fluttering through the air like flags flowing upon the wind. Fluffy, gray fur covered them, soft and plush as cotton flowing from a bag.
'There we go...'
'Squirrels are easy.'
He threw a kunai.
~ Thud ~
It struck deep into the tree bark next to the squirrel's head.
The squirrel hissed and ran off.
'Fuck...'
He ran after it.
The forest floor blurred beneath his boots. The roots twisted like petrified serpents, threatening to trip him with every stride. Thorns ripped at his uniform, and the filtered sunlight burned into his eyes with strobing flashes. The chittering of insects grew frantic, a hiss followed him from behind, and every snap of a twig or rustle of a leaf sent adrenaline through his veins.
'Why is this thing so fast?'
He jumped up to the canopy.
~ Crack ~
Branches snapped underneath his feet, twigs and leaves shattering upon the ground like glass across stone. Sweat dripped down his neck, salty and hot as lava bubbling from a volcano.
He tracked the squirrel to a riverbank.
The water flowed in a golden stream under the gleaming sun. Driftwood bobbed through it, logs drifting in its flow like leaves flowing upon the wind. It gurgled as it danced around smooth, sun-warmed stones at the water's edge. Butterflies flitted from flower to flower blanketing the grassy bank, bearing splashes of color against the blue sky.
He crouched on a branch.
The squirrel scampered around the riverbank, hopping on rocks and logs, and staring straight at him.
He blinked.
'What...?'
~ Hiss ~
He froze.
~ Hiss~
'I feel like I'm missing something…'
The sound was behind him.
~ Hiss ~
He glanced over his shoulder.
A serpent towered over him, its immense form blocking out a swathe of the already dim sunlight. Its scales shimmered with an otherworldly iridescence. Emerald morphed into sapphire and amethyst as it moved, each scale catching the light and refracting a kaleidoscope of colors. A forked tongue, black as midnight and tipped with a venomous glint, flickered in and out, tasting the air. Its eyes, reptilian slits with vertical pupils, locked onto him, cold and emotionless.
It lunged.
'Mother—'
"I can't believe you let a snake eat you, brat." Psycho-sensei snacked on dango. "You really are an embarrassment."
"Fuck you." Naruto glared at her. "It was huge!"
"Excuses..."
Naruto glanced at Mordred. "Oi, Saber, help me out here."
"I have no sympathy for you." She chuckled. "That was very un-knightly."
"Why did you even let it eat me?" He pouted. "I thought you were supposed to protect me."
"We both know you weren't in any real danger."
"It was gross!"
"And that makes one."
"Damn it!" Naruto glared at her. "I'm gonna get you back for that."
"I'd like to see you try."
"So..." Psycho-sensei threw her dango stick at a tree. "If you're done recuperating from being snake chow, brat, get up and make me some clones. It's workout time."
"Workout?!" He blinked. "We've been out here since morning! You never gave me any food!"
"Did I fuckin' stutter, brat?"
"Fine..." He groaned. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Three clones appeared.
"What the fuck?" Psycho-sensei took out another dango stick. "That's pathetic! Where's the thousand clones you summoned last night?"
"I have no idea." He scratched the back of his head. "I was trying to make thirty..."
"C'mon, brat..." She shook her head. "Tell me you know how to gauge your own chakra level. Lie to me."
"Um..."
"Damn incompetent brat..." She sighed and made her own clone. "Your clones with mine. Time for some basic chakra control exercises."
Her clone jumped away, and his three followed.
Naruto squinted. "What are we doing?"
She pulled out a kunai. "Conditioning."
The moon glowed in the sky, and stars twinkled in the darkness, specks flowing through the celestial ocean like souls wandering through the abyss. The cool air flowed past him, breaths drifting through the breeze like ghosts whispering in a graveyard.
Naruto slashed at Psycho-sensei.
~ Clang ~
She blocked.
Metal shrieked against metal, and sparks flew like fireflies twinkling in the night. Sweat dripped down Naruto's brow, and his limbs pulled him down like weights.
He pushed off and jumped back.
'Holy shit...'
'Her taijutsu is unreal...'
"You need another breather, brat?"
"I need sleep, Psycho!"
"Awh, you dropped the sensei from my name." She twirled her kunai. "And sleep is for genin. ANBU can go days without a moment of rest."
"Bullshit."
"I'm awake, aren't I?" She smirked. "And I'm not even in the corp."
"So? That's just cause you're a fucking psycho."
"Big words for such a little brat." She gestured him forward with her free hand. "Now shut your mouth and attack me."
'Motherfucker...'
~ Clang ~
They clashed again.
Naruto fought like a hurricane. He struck with the fury of a forest fire blazing across the earth. He slashed and sliced like a river flooding its banks, sweeping all before him in a flood of steel.
~ Clang ~
Psycho-sensei intercepted every attack. She blocked every strike, parried every cut, and matched every blow with the fury of a gale screaming through the skies. Her kunai flickered in a blizzard of metal, silvery slivers of steel dancing like snowflakes flowing through the air. She attacked like lightning, blades stabbing out at him like snakes lunging from the shadows.
~ Clang ~
Naruto gritted his teeth and jumped back.
She cracked her neck. "Alright, that's enough of that."
'Finally!'
'I am gonna sleep like a fucking log!'
"Thanks..." Naruto leaned against a tree. "Damn I'm tired..."
"Not yet, brat." She sat on the ground. "Meditation first."
"Fuck off!"
She stared at him.
"Oh come on... I can't do anything else today."
"Meditation is essential, brat." She crossed her legs and closed her eyes. "You must maintain perfect balance between your mind, body, and spirit during missions. Any imbalance can result in chakra drain or mental fatigue, or worse, psychological instability."
'Mental fatigue?'
'Psychological instability?'
'I don't wanna go crazy...'
He sighed and sat down. "Fine..."
"Close your eyes and take a deep breath." She opened one eye and looked at him. "You can't learn how to meditate if you're falling asleep, dumbass."
'Damn psycho…'
He took a deep breath. "Alright... what now?"
"Just relax and empty your mind. Think of nothing but your breathing."
~ Inhale ~
~ Exhale ~
"Feel the breeze flow through your lungs. Let the air fill you."
~ Inhale ~
~ Exhale ~
"Tell me, Weasel, what do you think makes a good ninja?"
"Um..." He opened his eyes and scratched the back of his head. "I dunno... getting strong?"
"Wrong. The strongest ninja isn't always the best. You want to live?" She tapped her temple. "You have to be smart."
'"What?"
"Fights aren't always about how fast or strong you are. Or about how much chakra you have." She crossed her arms. "It is about how you use it all. You need to develop strategies in combat. You need to be able to think on your feet. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I guess." He nodded. "But what does meditation have to do with that?"
"Meditation trains your mind." She crossed her legs. "It teaches you focus and concentration, and allows you to remain calm when needed."
"Oh." He closed his eyes again. "Well why didn't you just say that?"
She glared at him. "You wanna run laps until sunrise?"
"N-no!" He shook his head. "Let's just meditate already!"
"Good." She took a deep breath. "Now empty your mind and feel the world around you."
~ Inhale ~
~ Exhale ~
Bugs buzzed, fuzzy wings whirring like hummingbirds flying through the sky. Flowers perfumed the air, scents wafting from them like sugar flowing from a beehive. The breeze drifted, gusts blowing against him like cotton flowing through the wind. Tree bark scraping against his back like swords.
~ Inhale ~
~ Exhale ~
The pool of chakra inside him rippled with waves of golden light. Currents flowed through it, streams and currents rushing through him like rivers flowing across the land. Mist rose from it, silvery clouds swirling around him like shadows floating on a moonlit night. Golden sparks floated around him, pulsing with the glow of sunlight shining upon the sea.
'Amazing...'
'It's never been this calm before...'
'Like there's no tension at all...'
'None of that weight or pressure...'
'Just calmness.'
Psycho-sensei snapped her fingers. "Alright, that's enough. We'll go again tomorrow."
"That..." He opened his eyes. "That was actually pretty cool. Thanks, Psycho-sensei."
"Don't mention it, brat." She stood up and stretched. "It's my job."
"So..." He yawned. "Can I finally get some sleep?"
"Sure. Pick a spot and get to it."
He blinked.
'Did she...?'
'Did she just tell me to sleep in the fucking forest?"
"Fuck no." He shook his head. "No way. I'm going back to the barracks."
"You try to leave this forest and I will kick your ass."
"You cannot expect me to stay here until—"
She flicked his forehead.
"Ow!"
"Brat..." She grinned. "I'm not letting you out until you're ready to go on missions. You better start loving it here."
"What about the giant snakes and psycho kunoichi?"
She snorted. "Demony will protect you."
~ Snore ~
"Okay, I will protect you."
He crossed his arms. "What about when you fall asleep?"
"Clones don't fall asleep."
"What?!"
"Yeah, the Original fucked off right after that snake ate you."
"We've been sparring for hours!"
She chuckled. "And what does that say about your skill level?"
He glared at her. "I hate you."
"You'll get used to it, brat." She patted his back and sat under a tree. "This training will keep you alive."
'Man...'
'Fuck my life...'
Chapter three is here, yay!
Hope you had as much fun with it as I have.
Let me know what you thought about it. Let me know what you liked and disliked. Let me know about any questions you might have. All three preferably in the reviews, I cherish every single one.
For an early (and currently a rare, unedited) look at chapter four, check out my p. a. t. r. e. o. n. at: user?u=53437875 (just paste that after p. a. t. r. e. o. n. / (don't forget to remove the spaces)). It's already available there.
Otherwise, see you at Chapter Four here!