So, this story is approaching its 4-Year Anniversary! As a gift to it and you readers, I've included a special look into Connected at the end of this chapter.
Warning: Characters are a bit OOC.
I do not own Naruto, nor do I make any money off of this.
"talking"
'thinking'
Chapter 48: Fights X Tests X Sleep
Gon looked up when he noticed that several hunters were looking in one direction. "What's going on?"
"It seems they've finally noticed," Killua said. "That we were being followed."
-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-
"They've noticed," Sasuke said. "Let's wait and see if they'll make a move." Naruto nodded.
-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-
"They aren't coming out?" Gon asked.
"I bet they're afraid of us," Hanzo said. "I mean a lot of hunters in one place is a bit dangerous for intruders."
"Then I'll go greet them!" Gon said. He jumped up and started heading towards the forest.
"Wait! Gon!" Killua ran after the other, easily catching up to him. "They could be enemies."
"Or they could just be lost," Gon said.
"Killua sighed. "At least be on your guard." Gon nodded. Together the two walked to the edge of the forest. "You can come out now." Killua put a hand on his hip.
Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other before stepping out. The moon shined down on the four as both pairs took in the other. Suddenly, Gon grinned. "Hi!" I'm Gon!" He held out a hand.
Naruto grinned back, shaking his hand. "Naruto. And this is Sasuke."
"This is Killua," Gon said.
Naruto nodded. "So, is there a village nearby? Sasuke and I need a place to stay for the night."
"Why don't you join us?" Gon asked. "I don't think the others would mind."
"Sure!" Naruto said. Gon took th lead with Naruto following behind him. Killua and Sasuke glared at each other before catching up.
"So you're travelers?" Gon asked.
"Kind of," Naruto said. "We are trying to go home, but things keep happening to... stall us."
"What kind of stuff?" Naruto smiled at Gon's curiosity.
"You see, we've been through several different places, each with their own drawbacks," Naruto said. "There had been giant people, aliens, and a whole bunch of strange creatures."
"Really?" Gon's eyes were wide with wonder. "That's cool! Did you see some of the forest creatures?"
"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "There were some people back there too." He paused as he saw the gathering of the hunters. "So is this the village?"
"No," Gon shook his head. "You see, we're Hunters! We are in the middle of an exam. But I'm sure Satotz can help you. He's our first examiner."
"Exams?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah," Gon nodded. "We are trying to improve our hunter rankings."
"That's like the Chunin Exams!" Naruto exclaimed.
"I see you brought friends Gon," Hanzo said. "Are you hinters that got left behind?"
No," Satotz said, passing Hanzo. "They aren't." He looked at the two. "Who are you?"
"I'm Nauto," Naruto said, holding out his hand "Naruto Uzumaki! And this is Sasuke Uchiha. We're ninjas from..."
"Ninjas?" Gon exclaimed. "Like Hanzo!" Hanzo stood more straight.
Sasuke took in this Hanzo and frowned. "Hn."
"Oh?" Hanzo stepped forward, leaning down slightly. "Do you doubt my shinobi abilities?"
"If the Dobe can be a ninja, I don't see why you can't be," Sasuke said.
"Teme!" Naruto yelled. "i'm stronger than you and him!"
"Hn," Sasuke grunted.
"Teme!" Naruto got right into Sasuke's face. "I'm sick of you saying I'm weaker than you. I'm much stronger than I was at the Valley of the End."
"Back up, Dobe," Sasuke ordered.
"Oh yeah?" Naruto put his hands on his hips. "And what will you do if I don't?" Naruto moved closer.
"Come on guys," Hanzo said, smacking Naruto on the back. "There's no need to fight."
"Yeah," Gon agreed.
Two glares turned towards them. "Stay out of this!"
"I'm gonna beat some sense into you," Naruto said.
"I'd like to see you try," Sasuke said.
"Teme!" Naruto glared. Red chakra leaked out of his body, surrounding him. Sasuke let his sharingan spin as lighting rapped around his. All hunters watched in amazement as the two lunged at each other. Gon's eyes kept moving between the two, part of him thinking that this was his fault.
Hanzo couldn't believe what he was seeing. He hated to admit it, but Sasuke and Naruto were in a class of their own. If he was to fight against either one of the them, he'd lose. Suddenly, two bodies were sent flying. Sasuke slammed into a tree while Naruto went over the cliff. Luckily, a red chakra arm shot up and grabbed the edge of the cliff in time to stop Naruto from falling into the rocks below. Using the arm, he swung himself up just as Sasuke pulled himself out of the destroyed tree. Both looked to the source of their separation. Kana had managed to not only get between the two, but she also slammed a hand against their chests. "This stops now," she said.
"Indeed," Satotz said. "Your fight is disturbing the exam. Either stop fighting, or take it else where." Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other before returning to normal. Sasuke sat down where he stood while Naruto went to Gon, apologizing. Killua kept his eyes on Sasuke, wondering if he'd be able to fight the raven.
-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-
"About time you got here," Satotz said.
"I had some stuff to do," the girl said.
"Biscuit!" Gon called, running up to her. "Long time no see. How have you been?"
"Oh you know," Biscuit began. "Same stuff different day. I became a Triple Star Hunter a few months ago. I was asked to be an examiner for this exam and I couldn't turn it down." She looked around. "Quite a bit of hunters left. You've lost your touch Satotz."
"They are already hunters after all," Satotz said. "Anyone that didn'tmake it through the first round won't ever be able to be a Single Star Hunter."
"True," Biscuit said, putting a finger up.
"Six!" Gon and Killua yelled.
Biscuit smiled. "Good." She lowered her hand. "Satotz tested your endurence. I'll be doing something simular. However, my tests will separate you into catagories for what type of hunter you are. Are you a Archaeological Hunter like Satotz? Or may be a Treasure Hunter like me? Of course there are more battle-ready hunters like Blacklist Hunters. My tests will find out what kind of hunter you are suited to be. Of course, this doesn't mean you have to be that type of hunter, but it will further your status as a hunter."
Hanzo raised his hand. "I'm already an Information Hunter. So for me, what is the point of your tests."
Biscuit sighed. "Do you want a star?" Hanzo nodded. "Then know this, my tests will place you into the categories in which you will meet your third examiner."
"So you are a go between?" a random hunter asked.
"Kind of," Biscuit said. She was beginning to get annoyed. "But my job is much harder than that. I will be testing you physically and mentally. Now, enough with the explanations. Let us begin." She closed her eyes and smiled. The ground shook under everyone. "So the first thing to do is to cut this large numble down." The ground broke in several place separating the hunters into various group sizes. Some hunters fell into the water, forming a large group of twenty people. A tree fell in between a group of thirty people, cutting them in half. A few more fell, making even more groups. "So the rules for this will be simple, beat your opponent without using Nen. And I will know if you try to cheat."
Killua looked over at Gon who was on a piece of rock with four other hunters, each at least two feet taller than him. He himself was up against only one person. He sighed. This was going to be too easy.
Biscuit turned to Satotz. "So who are they?" She pointed to Naruto and Sasuke. The two were sitting on a fallen tree, watching the hunters fight each other.
"Travelers," Satotz said. "They aren't normal though."
Biscuit raised an eyebrow. "And you let them join you?"
"They promised not to interfere with the exam," Satotz said.
"Gon," Biscuit began. "He's very persuasive."
"Indeed," Satotz said. "Done already Kana?"
"Yes," the girl said, sitting down next to him. Satotz and Biscuit looked down into the water to find a log covered with the unconcious bodies of nineteen people. "I used Nen to keep the log afloat."
"That's fine," Biscuit said. "I have to say that I'm surprised we have our first winner already."
"Second," Kana said. Biscuit followed Kana's line of sight to see Killua sitting on the unconcious body of his opponent. "And that makes four." This time, three pairs of eyes took in both Hanzo and Gon finishing their battles.
"That leaves sixteen more spots," Biscuit said. She raised a hand. Her aura shot out of her, forming a hand to capture a hunter that had started to use Nen. "Cheaters won't win." She tossed the man into the water. The man swam to the log, making it twenty people holding on to it. The woman that was fighting that man became the fifth one to pass Biscuit's first test. When only twenty hunter remained standing, Biscuit stepped forward. "Alright. Now that there are only twenty of you left, lets move on to the real test!" The giant airship from before appeared behind Biscuit, the trace of Nen that was hiding it disappeared. "We shall continue inside." A door opened allowing Biscuit and Satotz to jump inside. Kana followed closely behind. Killua, Gon, Hanzo, and the other hunters went after them. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other before doing the same.
Once everyone was inside, the airship began to raise into the sky. "First things first," Biscuit said. "Who's hungry?"
"I am!" Gon said cheerfully.
Biscuit smiled. "Then lets have some lunch." She turned and head for the dinning room. Some of the hunters remained on guard as if the lunch break was apart of the exam. "You can all relax. This isn't apart of the exam." She took a seat at the long table. Satotz and Kana sat beside her. Gon, Killua, and Hanzo sat across from them. The others took various seats and began to talk amoungst themselves. Naruto sat next to Gon while Sasuke sat across from him, next to Kana. Food was served just a few seconds later by the waiters.
"So Naruto," Gon began, taking a bite of his chicken wing. "You said you were ninjas. Are you apart of a village?"
"Yeah," Naruto said. "Konoha is my home. But you won't find it on a map of this world."
Sasuke poked at a tomato as he watched Naruto interacting with the others. He felt eyes on him and turned towards them. "What?"
"You seem upset," Kana said.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted, eating the tomato. "Aren't you going to eat?" He noticed that Kana still had bandages around her face and that her plate hadn't been touched.
"No," Kana said. "I don't need to eat."
"You're not human, are you?" Sasuke asked.
"No," Kana said, lowing her voice. "I'm not. And you aren't from this world."
"You know about different worlds?" Sasuke whispered.
Kana nodded. "I've spoken to Yuko before."
"She's..." Sasuke began.
"I know," Kana said. "Watanuki told me."
"You had a wish," Sasuke said.
"Yes," Kana said. "And before you ask, I cannot sat what it was. Part of the price is for the wish to be a secret."
"Have you gotten your wish fulfilled?" Sasuke asked.
"Not yet," Kana said. "But it will come into fruition soon." Sasuke wanted to ask more, but he fell silent. Time went on before he felt it. His eyes widened. There was something in the food. He was going to warn the others, but Kana stopped him, shaking her head. A thud allerted him to the first hunter that had fallen asleep. It wasn't long before only Satotz, Biscuit, Kana, Killua, Hanzo, Naruto and Sasuke were the only ones awake.
"I knew you'd stay awake, Killua," Biscuit said. "I'm a bit surprised you two are still conscious." She looked at Naruto and Sasuke.
"I'm immuned to such things," Sasuke said. Naruto nodded in agreement.
"They are shinobi," Hanzo said. "It is only right for them not to fall victim to sleep medicine."
"Does this mean that Gon failed?" Killus asked.
"No," Biscuit said. "It just means you've already passed. Those that fell asleep will have a different test. Besides, Gon didn't eat any of the food that had the medicine in it. He was simply tired."
"Some of the food wasn't poisoned?" Naruto asked.
"It's not poison, Dobe," Sasuke said. "It's sleep medicine."
"Shut it, Teme!" Naruto yelled.
"No," Biscuit said. "But everything you ate was. Honestly, you ate the most of the stuff that was. How you are still awake..." Biscuit just shook her head. "In all honesty, you should be dead by now with hos much you ate. We had a medical team on standby just in case this happened, but you don't seem to need it."
Naruto scratched the back of his neck, grinning. "Let's just say that my body is use to it."
Biscuit nodded. "Now then, let's move the others into a different room." She picked up one of the female hunters and carried her towards a door. The door opened on its own, allowing Biscuit in. Satotz picked up one of the bigger men, doing the same. Naruto decided to help, and carried the biggest hunter into the room. Hanzo did the same. Killua simply dragged two hunters into the room. Once they were all in the room, Biscuit closed the door. "Their test will begin once they awaken. As for Gon, you can bring him to one of the bedrooms." Killua nodded, picking Gon up. Hanzo followed after him.
"Should we go with them?" Naruto asked.
"You can go," Sasuke said. Naruto raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything as he ran after Hanzo and Killua.
"You're distancing him," Kana said.
"Hn," Sasuke said.
Kana sighed. "Just becareful. You might not know it, but you have something very precious."
"Hn," Sasuke said.
And now, a special preview of Connected:
"You do know that this will cost you," Watanuki said.
"I know," Naruto said. "I don't care what the cost is. I just can't go back there, nor can I stay in a single place for too long."
"You won't be alone," Watanuki said. "There are three others that will be with you."
"That's fine," Naruto said. "I will help grant them their wish."
Watanuki nodded before looking to the sky. "Here they come." Naruto followed his gaze. A flash of lightning hit the ground in front of them. A man wearing all black fell to his knees. He coughed before looking up and glaring at the two in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the wind picked up and he watched as two people appeared in a cyclone of leaves and wind. Once the wind stopped, a boy with black hair and a girl with pink hair were revealed. "Welcome."
"Where am I?" the man in black asked.
"My shop," Watanuki said. "You have a wish that I can grant you. That is why you've come here."
"Then you can help us?" the pink haired girl asked. Watanuki nodded. "We need to find the..."
"I know," Watanuki said. "The thing you seek has been broken into pieces and distributed among several different worlds. I can send you to those worlds, at a price."
"A price?" the boy asked. He looked at Sakura who nodded. "Whatever the price, it's fine."
Watanuki nodded, turning to the man in black. "And you wish to return home." The man nodded. "Go with them. You will eventually arrive in your world."
"What's my price?" the man asked.
Watanuki motioned someone forward. The girl had long black hair and greenish-blue eyes. She world a purple kimono. In her hands were three orbs. "Your price is that sword."
"My swords?" the man questioned, voice rising slightly in anger. "But it's my family heirloom."
"If you wish to go home, that is the price you must pay," Watanuki said.
The man clenched his teeth as he grabbed his sword along with its sheath. "I'll get it back."
Watanuki nodded. "As for you two, your powers are the price required for your wish."
Both looked surprised, but nodded. The black haired girl stepped forward, holding two of the orbs out. Neither knew how they knew what to do, but the black haired boy and pink haired girl raised their hands. A blue aura leaked out of their hands and was sucked into the orbs, one turning black while the other turned pink.
"My powers must be the price as well," Naruto said.
"Only half," Watanuki said. "If I took all of your power, part of you wish would be broken."
"Half then," Naruto said. "That's fine." He walked up to the girl, taking the last orb. A light blue aura was sucked into the orb. "Hm... feels weird." He dropped the orb back into the girls hand. She place the three orbs in her picket before picking up the sword. She bowed to Watanuki before walking past him and disappearing into the darkness.
"Now then, you will need something to move you between the to worlds," Watanuki said. This time, a boy with short blonde hair and brown eyes walked out of the darkness. He was wearing a dark blue kimono. He had what looked liked like four watches. "These will help you move between the worlds. Three days is the minimum time you will spend in each world. You must be together when you travel to the next world. A green light on them will signal when it is time to move on. But know this, not all of them will turn green at the same time. They will only be green when you are ready to move on. Understand?" The four soon-to-be travelers nodded, each accepting one of the bracelets. "Then good luck." Each bracelet gave off a green light before the four were engulfed in a green light. Once the light was gone, so were they.
"They are like the other two," the blond boy said.
"Yes," Watanuki said. "But their journey will be much harder."
Hope you liked it! Happy Birthday Worlds Together!