A Dance of Stars
"It is all too easy to see it unfold in most people's minds:
"In the vast reaches of space, where reality bends and stretches into impossible patterns, there are those who walk the line between what is and what might be. In their hands, the threads of fate are woven and unwoven; revealed and known. Each and every one of their steps into this vast void is sure and premeditated. Grand tales of realms traversed, of threats conquered. Stories of the unyielding spirit that drives these men and women ever forward. A glorious chronicle of their journey, a testament to their resolve — and a glimpse into the boundless possibilities that lie beyond the stars.
"Or something equally grandiose. Typical, right?
"In truth, it would not be a true account.
"I would know. I am one of the people on the job. And actually doing it feels more like a nine to five. Except it begins before dawn and ends sometime after midnight. If you're lucky."
Ino, as she finished reading the short extract, glanced up at Sakura. Who, for once, seemed to be waiting for her expectantly. With a touch of something that might well be anticipation.
"You like it?" Sakura asked eagerly. Before Ino could answer, she continued. "Of course, this is just a very rough draft, I've been toying with many different introductions, and settled upon four. Sarada reviewed them all, but she's much too soft on me, she likes everything."
Ino heard the genuine enthusiasm in her voice.
"I love it." She simply said. "I always find it fun when an author toys around with a common trope—"
Sakura's eyes lit up. "Ah." She said modestly. "I wouldn't call myself an author yet…"
CELESTIALS/CROSSING STARS
One for the Streets
"…Cammy White?"
The woman before him was not clad in the iconic green leotard and red beret. Instead, she wore casual attire, though her athletic build and sharp features were unmistakable.
Her baby blue eyes, fierce and unyielding, narrowed.
"Do I know you?" She asked, with what could only be a British accent.
Gama hesitated. Not only because he had seen an embarrassing amount of SFM porn featuring her on the Internet. This part, he didn't care to admit out loud.
"No. It's just that I…" Gama trailed off awkwardly. "Ah. Never mind. I'm just having trouble believing you're real."
The very concept baffled him. Street Fighter was nothing more than a game, a fictional creation. Yet here she was, as real as anyone else. It raised too many questions about the nature of some worlds, frankly. Again, Street Fighter was supposed to just be a video game. How the hell did that work in the first place…? Did someone out there, in dreadfully not-magical Tokyo somehow peer into the cracks to get inspiration…?
In any case, Cammy White raised an eyebrow. "Real, you say?"
Gama cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. "Yes, real. As in, not just a character from a video game."
Her response was dry, tinged with disbelief. "…Are you sober?"
He let out a chuckle. "Define sober."
It wasn't the answer she was expecting, and her expression hardened.
"…Right. Sober right now. Yes." Gama said, shifting gears with the ease of an adulterer. "In any case, I came here to help you stop Bison." The name tasted strange on his tongue. "…That's him, right? The tyrant mentioned in the briefing?"
She glowered at him. "…What the hell are you talking about? Bison has been dead for a while now."
For a moment, Gama hesitated. Then he stared at the report he had been given.
"…Dead?" He chuckled, if a bit nervously. "Uh… Yeah, no. But we're here to fix that."
Her sharp eyes were upon him. "…We?"
"Well." Gama amended himself. "...I think they might be done soon, actually."
Just as he said so, the two other men arrived. Cammy White found herself unable to look away from the sight of Bison's severed and cauterized head, which was being held by the hair in the grasp of a child's hand.
"Shall we go, Jiruto?" The same child asked, before glancing at the woman. "Shadaloo is toppled. You are welcome, my dear."
"Don't call me—" Gama glanced at the very pale-faced Cammy White and hesitated. "No need to rush — No, wait—"
"We'll come back." The other man said. "For bureaucratic reasons."
And then they were gone.
It was a pretty weak world.
The Chef
Vorakus Gargan was a formidable Jiralhanae warrior.
To the pathetic humans of the UNSC, he was known as a Brute. Being who he was, he was not scared of the so-called 'demons' — slightly less pathetic humans, wearing combat armor. Nor was he scared of the Demon.
In his eyes, all of them were mere challenges, obstacles to be crushed under the might of his strength. The tales of the human in green armor who had single-handedly turned the tide of many battles were but whispers meant to instill fear. Vorakus scoffed at such notions. Fear was a sentiment he had long abandoned.
When once asked why he held such disdain, Vorakus had barely contained his urge to crush the insolent questioner. "Ghosts and fairy tales." He had bellowed. "Are for the feeble. Let this Demon come. I will teach him what true fear means."
And so, the fateful day came on the icy plains of a distant world, a battleground strewn with the wreckage of war.
Vorakus led his pack with a brutal grace, his Gravity Hammer leaving a trail of destruction. The echoes of explosions rang out across the frozen tundra, carried by a wind as chilly as a bastard Sangheili's heart. Carcasses littered the battlefield, most of them human.
Too easy.
His heart yearned for a true challenge, a worthy opponent.
And, on the fourth day of this particular battle...
Well, that's when he saw him. This supposed Demon, standing tall amidst the chaos.
Or two of them, perhaps.
The human in green armor was here, certainly, but so was the one who was called Arbiter.
Perhaps they could be considered imposing figures, to anyone who was not a warrior of Vorakus's stature. Still, he felt a surge of excitement, a primal thrill at the prospect of facing strong warriors.
Vorakus Gargan, Jiralhanae warrior, roared as he launched himself the Demon and the Arbiter. His Gravity Hammer swung with a deadly precision, aiming to crush his legendary foes under its weight. The icy storm roared around them, even as plasma rifle, gunfire filled the air.
The Demon said nothing, opting to draw a combat knife. The same way the Arbiter drew his infamous Energy Sword.
Both of them dodged his two-handed hammer blow. With superhuman agility, with disgusting Sangheili slipperiness. The Demon, with his off hand, fired back with a small gun. Each of the bullets sparked against Vorakus' energy shield, and he grinned a savage smile.
The Arbiter, his Energy Sword ablaze with a fierce blue glow, engaged in a deadly dance with Vorakus. Their weapons clashed, energy against brute force.
Vorakus, undeterred, pushed forward with brute strength. His attacks were relentless. Each swing of his Gravity Hammer was a potential deathblow.
But he realized it soon enough: the Demon and the Arbiter were a formidable duo, their combined skills seemingly matching his ferocity.
It happened faster than he thought, too. In a rapid exchange, the Demon's combat knife found its mark, searing through an already weakened part of Vorakus' shield. The Brute staggered, but quickly regained his footing, countering with a ground-shaking slam of his hammer.
The two others moved too well together for him, especially now. It was as though they shared a telepathic link. It wasn't long before an Energy Sword strike broke through his shields entirely. Then the infuriatingly basic combat knife found its way into his throat.
And still, the Demon said nothing. The only thing that stared at Vorakus as his life ebbed away was that orange visor.
Then the Demon turned to other fights, followed by the Arbiter.
Vorakus was left to die alone.
The last thing he saw, he thought, was a hallucination. A Banshee, spiraling down from the sky, crashing into the tundra with a fiery explosion.
From the wreckage emerged two humans, unscathed – one a child, the other a tall man with striking yellow hair, expressing frustration in a language initially foreign to Vorakus. Then, inexplicably, his words became clear.
"I told you this was a single person vehicle." He grunted. "But did you listen to me?"
The child's laughter, innocent and carefree, contrasted starkly with the scene of destruction. "Now why would I do just that…?"
He then seemingly noticed Vorakus' dying gurgles, and his eyes, horrifyingly, became brighter. The tall man, next to him, just sighed. As though in resignation.
There was a hand, reaching closer...
…
"Hello. My name is Orochimaru." The strange child said, by way of greeting. "Would you, by any chance, know anything about something called 'Installation 00'?"
There were two other humans behind him. Both blond, they sported rather unique marks upon their cheeks. Three, on each side.
Master Chief and the Arbiter, having just dealt with the last of the Covenant warriors, halted at this unusual introduction. The Spartan, ever vigilant, maintained a defensive stance, his rifle at the ready. Though his visor concealed his eyes, his alertness was evident.
"These are dangerous words." The Arbiter, his Energy Sword still active but lowered, regarded the child with suspicion. "Why do you seek such knowledge, human child?" He inquired, his voice deep and resonant, wary.
Master Chief stepped forward slightly, positioning himself between the child and the Arbiter. Who it was that he was protecting, he was not entirely sure himself. He still said nothing.
The Arbiter continued. "What is your interest in it?!"
Master Chief's gaze shifted to the two accompanying blond humans, analyzing them for any sign of threat. The unique markings on their cheeks were not something typically seen among human populations, raising further questions about their origin and purpose.
The tallest human of the three answered the question with a casual shrug. "We're expanding and looking into megastructures, just in case." He said. "We're steering clear of any claustrophobic, sprawling ecumenopolis nightmares like Coruscant or worse, hive cities… and those ghastly Necron Tomb Worlds. There was this pretty nice Ringworld we saw once, however. It felt more humane, more… planet-like."
The Master Chief finally spoke. "I don't understand you."
"I can't blame you."
The other blond man glanced at him, introduced the two of them, before pulling out what seemed to be a report, out of nowhere. "Green armor, not very talkative… You're the Master Chef, aren't you?"
"Chief." He said curtly.
"Ah." Gama said slowly. He nodded to himself, and wrote a quick note to himself. "Got it. Nothing to do with cooking, then?"
The armored man looked at Gama without saying anything, and the other suddenly remembered how difficult it was to read expressions when you couldn't see them.
"So…" Gama tried again. "What kind of tribe are you leading, then? A village, or something…?"
"A fight."
"…Right." Gama nodded. "Okay."
Naruto sighed. "That's not the place for this."
Gama frowned. "You're the one who said it was important."
Orochimaru seemed unfazed by the exchange. The Chief watched it all happen, slightly bemused.
The Arbiter spoke up. "We are not leaders of a tribe or a… village." He said flatly. "We are soldiers in a war that spans galaxies. As of now, our 'tribe,' as you call it, is composed of those of my kin who know the truth. As well as humanity and its allies, fighting for survival against threats both known and unknown."
"Gods, what a mood-k—" Gama began, trailing off as he eyed his flaring Energy Sword. "…What are you doing here?"
"Our current mission is to secure this area." Master Chief said blandly. "Information about Installation 00 is classified and not for civilian discussion." His tone left no room for ambiguity; this was not a topic he was willing to delve into with unknown parties.
Orochimaru, seemingly intrigued by their responses, tilted his head slightly. "A war that spans galaxies?" He mused aloud. Then his eyes met the Arbiter's eyes.
Something seemed to gleam in them, before the Arbiter broke eye contact, cursing in his native tongue. "Gro'gragort!"
The next instant, he threw himself at the child, with a furious howl—
He was forcefully held in place, by ethereal snakes that erupted from the ground. The man named Naruto sighed, wearily, this time.
"I'm sorry about him." He said. "We mean no harm… Please lower your rifle."
Master Chief didn't. He still had one M9 Fragmentation Grenade, 13 rounds in his Assault Rifle, and his trusty combat knife.
He wasn't certain it would be enough.
"We're not here to fight." Naruto said, once more. There was steel in his eyes, however, and the Chief knew at once he had gone through combat training, as well. The Arbiter was still held in place, growling.
Gama took a glance at the Chief. "Do you want to come with us there, man? With your alien friend?"
Silence was his only answer.
"Flood…?" Orochimaru asked, rolling the world upon his tongue with renewed interest. "A parasite…? And false gods…? Oh, me. Oh, my."
Naruto seemed to notice the glimmer of interest in Orochimaru's eyes. "We're not doing this." He said flatly. "Let's go to this Installation."
He turned to leave, followed by the two others. The Arbiter fell upon the ground.
None of them moved to attack the three humans' retreating backs.
Wisdom, after all, dictated caution.
…
"…A parasite?" Gama asked, somewhat shrilly. "I'm not going anywhere near Oro— this sort of thing."
"You can say Orochimaru shit." Naruto nodded gently. "He doesn't mind."
Orochimaru nodded, as well. "It's only fair, Jiruto."
"Don't call me that." Gama said automatically. "…I'm not doing it anyway."
Orochimaru shrugged. "We'll send clones ahead. That's just standard protocol."
"Remind me why that is standard protocol?" Naruto scowled.
Orochimaru rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. Because I brought home deadly parasites this one time. I do remember. Gods, you are worse than Anko. It all turned out fine, didn't it?"
"That's where we disagree." Naruto said. "What if clones are not enough? What if you give this parasite access to chakra instead?"
"I won't."
"Are you so sure of it?" Naruto asked, then saw him nod. "…Let's find out how to access that place, then."
"Oh, but I know already." Orochimaru said fondly. "My constructs were scouring this planet. There is a very convenient portal to access the Ark. On this very planet."
"Fine, fine." Naruto grunted.
"Aren't we supposed to meet these guys' leaders?" Gama asked, pointing at Master Chief and the Arbiter, who were following them from a distance.
"We'll do that right after." Naruto said impatiently. "I have clones running around to figure out what we're dealing with, exactly. To figure out who we're supposed to help, if at all… if we need to send the fighting factions to different realms or else." He took a moment to pause, as a clone dispelled. "Except ONI. This one has to go."
"What's ONI?" Gama asked.
Naruto shrugged. "The ROOT of humans in this world."
"Ah." Gama grunted. "Got it. But what about this parasite—"
"We'll figure out what it is first." Naruto said. "Then we'll try to see if we can heal its victims." He turned toward Orochimaru. "That's the sort of parasite we are dealing with, right?"
"Aside from Shisui vampirizing my student, yes." Orochimaru nodded, and Naruto tried to hide a chuckle by coughing. "It's called the Flood."
"Great. Let's just go." Naruto said. "We'll just make up some anti-Flood parasite to eat it. Or something."
Orochimaru laughed. "My, my… You are even grumpier than Shisui is, these days."
"Don't compare me to him."
…
"Wait, humans."
The trio halted, turning to face him. "What is it, now?" Orochimaru inquired, his tone laced with a hint of impatience.
Halting at a distance he deemed safe, the Arbiter locked his gaze with Master Chief's helmeted face, before turning to the others. "Your path leads to peril."
Master Chief remained silent for a moment before giving a slight nod.
"The Installation you seek." The Arbiter continued, his tone growing even more somber. "Holds secrets, dark and terrible." He noticed Orochimaru's eyes gleaming with an unsettling interest and hastened to add. "It is not just a place, but a weapon of unfathomable power."
"Yes." The child-man nodded. "We gathered as much."
The Arbiter's expression remained stern. "It is a weapon that demands a heavy toll."
Naruto shrugged. "We're not looking to activate it."
Silence hung in the air, thick with tension.
"What, then?" The Arbiter finally asked. "What is your goal?"
Orochimaru exhaled a sigh of exasperation. "As we've already explained..."
The Arbiter's posture stiffened. "Given the vagueness of your goals, I cannot allow you to proceed."
Naruto remained unfazed. "Our originals are already there, though. We are only clones."
"What do you mean—" The Arbiter's question was cut short.
In that instant, both Master Chief and the Arbiter witnessed the impossible. A universe seemed to materialize within Naruto's palm — a sphere of dark, enigmatic light expanding rapidly.
Reality warped around them and in a blink, their surroundings transformed. They were still standing in the snow, but somewhere else. A massive structure started under them and stretched into the horizon, curving far into the sky. Master Chief recognized the location: Installation 00.
"Slispace Manipulation…?" The Arbiter muttered.
"No." Naruto shook his head. "Teleportation."
Neither the Chief nor the Arbiter were paying any attention.
Their focus was fixed on the infected creatures nearby, a grotesque amalgam of Covenant and human forms, all corrupted by the Flood.
"Ah, so this is the parasite you mentioned." Orochimaru mused, his eyes narrowing as he observed the abominations. Around him, a faint shimmer appeared, an almost imperceptible barrier that seemed to envelop them all.
With a casual flick of his hand, Naruto conjured a storm above. Bolts of lightning cascaded down, striking each infected being with ruthless precision. The electrifying display illuminated the area, casting eerie shadows. Leaving nothing behind.
Throughout this spectacle, the Chief and the Arbiter remained silent, their thoughts inscrutable. Naruto gave them a questioning glance.
"This is the place you wanted to go to, right?"
…
The Arbiter, once known as Thel 'Vadam, stood upon the precipice of a sight that defied his comprehension.
One which demanded his reverence. Before him, the reconstruction of a Halo ring unfolded. In mere minutes. An impossible show of the power that had once commanded his blind faith.
The vast skeletal structure of the ring arced across the expanse of clouds, its complex frame weaving together like threads. Of fate, perhaps. His gaze traced the elegant curvature of the ring. It was a marvel of engineering, he knew.
He was no longer a zealot blinded by the false prophets' dogma, but the magnificence of this sight stirred something profound within him.
Light shimmered across the metallic surface of the ring, glinting off the unfinished segments. Such ingenuity, such ambition. It had defined the Forerunners, brought the Arbiter one step closer to an understanding of his place in the universe's grand design.
This was not just the reconstruction of a weapon; it was a remembrance of all that had been lost and all that might still be reclaimed.
Even he, a warrior shaped by conflict and tradition, found himself facing an unfathomable future.
As he watched, the Halo ring seemed to pulse with a life of its own, a silent heartbeat echoing in the cold expanse of space. The power to threaten all life. The power to protect it.
In this moment, the Arbiter stood in quiet contemplation, his soul unburdened.
…
"Yeah, it's kinda impressive, considering they don't have chakra." Naruto admitted.
"I'm sure they won't mind if we take the time to look for their archives, will they?" Orochimaru queried.
"I thought they were long dead."
"Exactly."
…
A mere ten hours later, after a horrifying show of power that resulted in the demise of several false prophets, the Covenant had found a new god to worship.
The Flood was seemingly gone overnight.
On that same day, a tentative peace accord was brokered between the UNSC and the Covenant. Neither Master Chief nor the Arbiter were entirely sure what had happened.
But the former, at least, was not going to say no to a military order. Especially not one he agreed with.
That One Other Highly-Advanced Machine Race From Dark Space
"…Didn't we just leave this world?" Gama murmured, his gaze sweeping across the landscape yet again.
He had joined them rather late, and hadn't seen much of the action here.
Futuristic aesthetic, advanced technology and interstellar travel. The architectural styles, with their sleek, metallic surfaces and imposing structures, were nearly the same.
Then there was the presence of various alien species. The military technology, particularly the design of the spacecrafts and ground vehicles, to him, seemed to be the same.
"It's not the same." Naruto simply said. "It's all centered about some human soldier, yes, but it's about a person named Shepard, here."
"You good, man?" Gama's concern was evident as he glanced at Naruto. And at his eyebags, in particular. "You look…"
"Weary?" Naruto's lips curled into a faint, amused smile.
"I was going to say you look like shit, but 'weary' works too."
Naruto let out a snort. "Just haven't slept much in a while, that's all. And there were many of these things."
"You're stretching yourself too thin, big man."
Naruto gave a nonchalant shrug. "Thanks for the concern, toad guy. The worlds won't wait, though."
"If you say so." Gama said, unconvinced.
It was no surprise, though. Fixing the seemingly unending wave of messes across the realms tended to do that to a person. And considering just how many the other man, whom Gama was not entirely sure was still younger than him now, had engaged with…
"That's why I'm hanging back…" Naruto gestured towards Orochimaru, who was currently engaging a hastily convened council. "…Letting him handle the talking, even though every fiber of me is screaming to do otherwise."
Orochimaru, who definitely heard them, didn't seem to mind.
"I stand before you with vital news." Orochimaru said, to his audience. "Through our combined efforts, Emperor Uzumaki Naruto, his faithful aide Gama, and I, have successfully executed a plan of unparalleled magnitude. We have indeed warped the Reaper threat from this realm to a distant, unreachable domain. This decisive action ensures that the Reapers, a scourge upon your existence, can no longer pose a threat to your world or its inhabitants.."
Gama's eyebrows knit together slightly. It wasn't Jiruto, but… "Did he just call me an aide…?"
Naruto's laughter echoed softly. "I guess so. Toru hates it, too."
The worst part was, Naruto was pretty sure Orochimaru actually enjoyed spending time with either of them, exploring these strange worlds. Whether that was with Anko, Kaguya, Toru, Shisui, Sakura, Kaguya or Naruto himself. The man would never say it out loud with honesty, of course, but he had made one too many jokes about spending quality time with people he considered his former students.
Orochimaru's emotional dysregulation aside, Naruto himself couldn't say he hated it himself. There was always more to learn, new ways to help safeguard a brilliant future for humanity — or whichever new aliens they tended to meet out there. That he could do it with a man he did respect was a nice bonus.
In any case, the Reapers, where they were now, were likely Shibai's concern. Orochimaru had already extracted what he needed from them anyway.
C's World
"Oh, great." The tall, muscular, red-haired woman said, in something that sounded like sigh. "Another Sharingan-lite-wielder."
The pink-haired, one-armed woman made a rude gesture at her, but there didn't seem to be anything to it.
Lelouch vi Britannia, 98th Emperor of Britannia, successor of Charles zi Britannia, kept his eyes firmly upon them. But his command didn't take.
Why didn't it take?
The pink-haired woman, who had introduced herself as Sakura, before she snapped her fingers and made his entire guard fall asleep, stared at him up and down.
"He doesn't really look Uchiha, however." She said. "...And he's even thinner. Are you eating enough? It's dangerous, for a shinobi—"
Lelouch bristled. "What is it you?"
"Don't body shame him, Sakura." The other said, frowning. "You have a bad habit of doing that."
"I don't—" She thought of it. "Well, I won't do it from now on."
"Good." Karin nodded decisively, and then tilted her head. "Do I need to bring out the portable Moon?"
"No." Sakura laughed. "There's one here, and I won't need it anyway."
Karin nodded, and then turned toward him.
"Emperor Lelouch." Karin said. "We came here to stop you."
Lelouch, feeling cornered, replied tersely. "I had assumed as much." .
His mind was working frantically, however, racing for solutions; his Geass was ineffective, and Suzaku, his loyal knight, lay unconscious.
Some of his frustration might have shown.
Karin blinked. "Ah, you're still trying to use your Sharingan?" She waved him off. "Don't bother, we killed that thing powering it."
Lelouch spluttered. "You can't kill the Geass."
"Well, obviously we can." Sakura said snidely. "Otherwise, how do you explain…" Dramatically, she mimed unzipping reality, and C.C. fell out of the rift that suddenly opened. "…That?"
Lelouch froze. She was alive, and breathing. But the mark upon her forehead was gone. Entirely.
"Yes." Karin said wisely. "We gave your friend some life-force. She'll manage."
Lelouch stared at them for a long moment, and then sunk back into his throne, arms folded across his chest. He was still trying to find a way out of this mess, but it was looking less and less likely with every passing second.
Who the hell were they?
"So, in any case…" Sakura said, plopping herself down into a plush, floating seat that suddenly appeared. "So, about your martyr plan..."
Lelouch froze again.
"What?" He demanded aggressively. "Where did you learn that?"
"You just told me." She grinned like a cruel cat.
"I did not!" He retorted. "I haven't told you a single thing, in fact!"
Sakura feigned boredom. "Call it instinct, then."
"You somehow read my thoughts, didn't you?!"
Sakura frowned. "I don't appreciate that insinuation — or teenagers' thoughts patterns, for that matter."
Karin intervened. "Do you truly think that your death will fix this world's problems?"
"What does it matter to you?" He snapped at her. "Wherever you come from, I'm sure—"
"My question was…" She said, with steel in her voice. "Are you certain this is really about trying to fix this mess you contributed to…? What happens a decade from now?" Her eyes were firmly into his. "…Or are these the words of someone who seeks to atone for a weight he can't bear, through death?"
Lelouch bristled. But he didn't answer right away.
"As she says." Sakura nodded. "Either way, we can help. Even with killing you, if that's what you want."
Lelouch dismissed the offer sharply. "No, thank you."
Sakura shrugged. "Your choice. Need help fixing this mess, then?"
Lelouch blinked.
Hunters
The pale-eyed woman leaped through the air at an impossible speed, and Killua knew for sure he was about to die.
This was not like the catlike Chimera Ant that had likely killed Kite, though there was a hint of similar agility. No, this was different, eerily familiar. It bore the unmistakable grace of an assassin.
Killua's eyes widened in disbelief as the pale-eyed woman, at the apex of her jump, simply… stopped. Her initial leap had already defied the very laws of physics, of course. But they were Hunters. These things were acceptable. Flying was rarer, but it could be done.
Not with that sort of ease, however. Not with eyes that shone in the dark, radiating enough cold power to seemingly tear the air itself, opening a rift into a void that he couldn't help but peer into. A cold shiver of terror ran down Killua's spine. He stood frozen, and the stark realization hit him: he was utterly defenseless here.
After five seconds floating in the very air, she came back down to the ground, with nary a sound. Her steps, like her fall, made no sound at all. She was like a shadow.
"Is this the NGL Autonomous Region?" She asked, and it didn't really sound like a question. More like asking for confirmation she didn't need.
Killua, jaws clenched shut, nodded wordlessly.
"Good." She said coolly. "I've heard you had a little bug problem here?"
Killua stiffened.
At her words, memories flooded Killua's mind: the harrowing encounter with the Ant, the overwhelming fear, the desperate escape carrying Gon.
He was snapped out of his reverie by a familiar laugh, emanating from Chairman Netero, who stood beside him.
Netero, with an amused twinkle in his eye, addressed the woman. "You seem rather confident in your abilities." He said, twirling his beard.
The woman tilted her head. "I am."
Netero smiled. "Would you care to put your strength to the test?"
The woman folded her arms. "I mean, no one is here to stop me, so… why not?" She said. "What sort of contest are you talking about?"
"A friendly spar." Netero suggested, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"With whom?" She asked. "…The trembling kid, the unconscious one…? The two others?"
Netero smiled sinisterly, and Killua felt another shiver run down his spine. This was the strongest Nen user in the world, a man who was rumored to have tamed or destroyed nearly any foe in his path.
"Against me." He simply said.
"You?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "…An old man?"
Netero chuckled mischievously. "Indulge this old man, why won't you?"
"Feels like home already." The other said. "Fine. I guess we can always talk shop afterward."
Netero laughed, a sound that echoed with decades of experience and hidden strength. "Assuming you're still standing!"
He took a combat stance, and his aura grew around him, amazingly strong, shaping itself searing hands of gold…
Five seconds later, Netero and his Nen guardian were sent soaring through the skies.
Dragon Soul
"I haven't been smacked around like this since the Academy." Toru muttered, his voice laced with a mix of exhaustion and irritation. "I hate this place."
But he had done his part. In spite of the lack of a moon and the fact that he hadn't managed to make his illusions work on that pink creature.
Bought enough time for the warrior in orange to arrive with his latest power-up and fumble the bag, enough time for the same guy to get absorbed, enough time for two more of these stupidly powerful (but unfortunately non-human, so impossible to bring along into the fight with Susanoo-Arashi) fighters to fuse into one and for a single, more powerful warrior to emerge… enough time to recover the people that the pink monstrosity had swallowed, enough time for Toru to sit down against a rock and catch a breath.
…Oh. Enough time for the two warriors to come out of the pink monster, separate again, apparently.
"What about you?" Toru muttered, trying to wake one of the people he had helped rescue. "…You okay, green man?"
The green man with pointy ears didn't answer. Was he an elf? They had some in the Ring.
Gama, next to him, was rocking back and forth, seemingly traumatized. Toru wasn't sure if that was because of the pink thing's growing chakra, or something about video games again.
Toru heard, into the distance, the guy named Goku mumble something to the other alien warrior.
Ah, no. They were playing a game of rock, paper, and scissors. To decide who'd fight.
…Yeah, that was way less funny to watch as it happened to you, Toru decided.
The pink guy shrank, began beating on his chest, before releasing a loud wail.
Toru paused.
Gama squinted.
"…Toru…?" He said slowly. "Why is that pink thing holding up a ball of energy above his head…? OH FUCK—"
Dancing with the Devil
The grand ballroom, bathed in opulent light, and echoing with music neither Ino nor Yoisen were familiar with, was a rather impressive, if ostentatious display. The outside world was experiencing a sandstorm.
The two of them stood near a small alcove, dressed elegantly. Their mission was to blend in, for now. Until they could figure for sure how to intervene.
"Shall we not go in right away?" Yoisen asked.
"No." Ino said curtly. "That might perhaps be the way Sakura does things—"
"Wouldn't she simply have cast an illusion upon most of the people in the room?"
There was the ghost of a smile upon Ino's lips. "She would have, yes."
"Would you mind if I went ahead and did the same, then?"
Yoisen obtained no answer.
Ino, her gaze sharp, broke the silence. "You would do whatever you want even if I tried to talk you out of it, wouldn't you?" Her words were blunt, cutting through the air like a knife. "I've never really liked you, Yoisen."
Wonderful. "Wonderful." Yoisen said slowly. "Are we doing this now?" She glanced around the expansive room. "…Have you been dosed with a truth concoction, perhaps?"
Ino smiled. "I haven't." She said. "I just thought it bore repeating."
That is fine. "That is fine." Yoisen said neutrally. "And I always found your jealousy rather petty, Ino. You never stood to lose any of them. Besides, from what I understand, this is what you agreed to, wasn't it—" She cut herself off.
The words had taken Yoisen by surprise. She had thought them, certainly, but had not meant to say them out loud. Ino didn't seem surprised at all, however.
"Oh, really?" She asked coolly.
Certainly, but I do understand your feelings about me, however, Yoisen thought. "Yes." Was what she said, instead.
Ino nodded to herself. "That's what I thought." She said.
"What is this place…?" Yoisen asked, looking around. "There are magics there, aren't there?"
"Yes."
"Do they diminish inhibitions?"
"No." Ino replied, almost agreeably. "Not exactly. No lie can be spoken, however."
"Ah." Yoisen sighed. "Is that why you brought me here?"
"Not really." Ino said. "I do believe our skill-sets work decently together. Although it is a nice bonus."
Yoisen looked at her. "Was reading my thoughts not enough for you anymore?" She grumbled. "Was this half-formed Ninshū from last time not enough?"
Ino shrugged. "I already told you this was simply a nice addition."
Yoisen sighed. "As you say. Well. I do not have many questions for yo. Ask away, then."
"Have you ever deceived us?"
No. "Yes."
Ino's eyes narrowed slightly. "What about?"
Little white lies. "When I asked Naruto to establish this bond between us, my own immortality was only the second of my concerns, although that was how I presented it. I meant to charm him over time." Yoisen looked appalled.
Ino, her voice edged but composed, simply nodded. "I suspected as much. And now?"
"I believe he loves me. Besides, there was never any need for my foolish tactics."
"Is that so?" Ino asked very, very neutrally. "Do you love him, truly?"
Yes. "Yes."
Ino displayed clear displeasure. "I won't bother asking you about your definition of love."
"How kind of you." Yoisen said coolly. "What about you? Did you extend this month-long trial just to ridicule me?"
"No." Ino said. "I decided to see if it was workable."
Yoisen sighed. "And what are your thoughts, as of now?"
"I'm undecided."
The words slipped out of Yoisen's lips again, unbidden. "Are you leaning in a particular direction?"
Ino smiled mirthlessly. "Yes."
"…Will you tell me which?"
"Are you certain you want to hear it?"
Yes. Yoisen thought but spoke her truth anyway. "No. I am not certain."
"Then do not ask." Ino said. "Now… I understand that you are firmly on our side."
Yes. "Yes."
"Were you truthful at all times, on that day we discussed the arrangement?"
Yes."Yes." Yoisen said.
"Do you care for the others?"
Yes. "Absolutely."
"Do you love my wives?"
I could. "I could easily, and hope they will eventually feel similarly." Yoisen's words flowed unchecked. "Including you."
Ino's eyebrow arched in response, a silent challenge in her gaze. Beside her, Yoisen's lips tightened into a thin line, her expression speaking volumes without a word: 'Isn't this what you anticipated?'
Ino didn't say anything for a moment. "…Would you hurt them — any of us?"
No. "No. Not if I can avoid it." Yoisen said. "And I would strive to prevent it."
"If you say so." Ino shrugged. "You said something before. Would you use any of us, to reach him or the others?"
No. "No. Not Naruto. Not them. Nor you."
"Why not?"
Because I disagree with the idea. "Because I disagree with the idea."
There was wry amusement in Ino's voice. "So you won't try to seduce me, during this month?"
No. "No."
"And why not? Didn't you consider it, before?"
Yoisen's brow furrowed as she tried to think of the best way to formulate, but she spoke before she could do that anyway. "Because you seem rather opposed to the idea of you and I being involved in any way that is not necessary. Being… metamours is entirely fine by me. Regardless of this, ah, complicated polyamorous situation, I do not believe in forcing myself into someone's life who clearly doesn't want me there."
"Not anymore?"
Yoisen frowned. Never. "No. For as long as you are fine with us…"
"Sharing a few lovers, maybe?" Ino supplied neutrally.
"…Yes." Yoisen said quietly, hesitantly. "It boils to that."
"Boils down to that."
"Right."
"Even if it means you might just have to leave forever once the month is over?"
Yes. "I would hope the years would soften your stance." Yoisen palmed her face.
Ino seemed rather amused. "What was that about not forcing yourself into anyone's life?"
I meant it. "I meant it. Both notions can coexist."
"Whatever." Ino said. "That's assuming we don't die in eight years."
I have faith. "I have faith in us, working together." Yoisen said. "Naruto deserves freedom. We all do. We all deserve rest from kami. And Sakura deserves her revenge."
"She does." Ino said. "I suppose we can agree on something, in the end."
"So we can." Yoisen felt weary. "Are we done with this? There is a mission to be completed."
"Certainly. Is there anything else?" Ino asked. "Any other big lies, aside from what I'm sure you'd call little white ones…?"
No. "Yes." Yoisen said. "…The Bentō incident was my doing. Toru simply decided to take the fall for it, because he thought it would be... funnier that way. I was only too happy to comply."
Yoisen just stood there, looking mortified.
Ino said nothing for a long moment. "…You should be ashamed."
"I am." Yoisen murmured, eager to change the subject. "Will you dance with me?"
There was a long silence.
"I am not dancing with you." Ino said quietly.
"Not currently, no." Yoisen pointed out. "Which is my point. Nearly everyone else is. Which is going to make us look suspicious soon enough."
"What of it?"
"Nothing, if you are willing to use your powers to influence them, but it does not seem as though you want to." Yoisen said, and unwillingly spoke some more. "I am not trying to seduce you."
Ino snorted. "Oh, I realized. I didn't get your nude pictures through mail yet."
Yoisen looked away. "The question still stands."
"…"
"Moreover." Yoisen said, eyes firmly into hers. "I believe you owe me that much, after this entire interrogation."
"…Fine." Ino relented. "Just one dance, then."
"Elsewhere"
"Where are we?" Kage asked again, his gaze drifting across the endless dunes.
"Elsewhere. I don't know." Sasuke replied. Again.
"How should we know?" Jinsuke muttered, his voice carrying a hint of frustration. "It's only sand and the occasional moon-sugar cane. We were warned about this by the feline priest."
Kage scowled. "Oh, yeah?"
"Oh, yeah." Jinsuke mocked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Please, be quiet. Both of you." Sasuke said. "The sun is hurting my eyes."
"Oh." Kage said, a realization dawning upon him. "I didn't know it could affect you like this. Don't you have this…?"
"Rinne-Sharingan." Sasuke simply stated. "Yes."
Jinsuke tightened his fist slightly. He himself didn't have a Rinne-Sharingan, and he wasn't entirely sure whether Kage would even have noticed it if he possessed one.
"I've overused it recently." Sasuke continued. "And didn't take enough time to rest."
"Do you want to stop?" Kage asked, his voice laced with concern.
"No, I'm fine." Sasuke assured him, managing a chuckle. "I'll just avoid staring directly into the sun."
"Why would you?"
Sasuke paused. "Why would I... stop?"
Kage laughed and punched his arm. "Oh come on, I'm not that dumb. Don't be a bastard."
Jinsuke's makeshift shovel shattered in his hands.
Kage glanced over, a mix of annoyance and amusement in his eyes. "Great job. How are we supposed to dig now?"
Sasuke just sighed. "We'll find another way. The tomb can't be that deep, anyway."
Secretly, he had hoped to utilize his limited Sand Manipulation abilities. However, legend had it that the temple they sought would only reveal itself to travelers who adhered to the old ways of seeking.
"Can chakra really check for that?" Kage asked, as though he had read his thoughts. "Can't we just… Rinnegan a shovel out or something?"
"It's not chakra." Jinsuke snapped, more sharply than intended.
"…Why are you so angry?"
"Am not."
"What is it, if not chakra?"
"It's magic." Sasuke said. "The cat people who live in this place worship a sun god. I suppose it lends them its strength."
Kage snickered. "I know someone else who might need it."
"What was that, loser?" Jinsuke bit back, sharply.
Sasuke sighed, began digging with his hands, and was soon joined by the others. So much for thinking a mission without Naruto would be more peaceful.
Celestial Ring/Home
"…And that's when I told this Gohan guy, 'Your dad fucked up. It's all up to you this time. The power was in you all along.'" Toru said, with his most serious face. "'Trust yourself with it. Let go.'"
"Why would anyone listen to you, though?" Sakura asked, slurping down some noodles.
Toru frowned. "What are you, Hanabi?"
"Hardly."
"In any case, he became really emotional about it. Then he screamed. Very loudly. I don't think I can remember anyone screaming as hard, actually. Like, ever."
"Uh huh."
"And he released his incredible inner power." Toru continued. "Then he proceeded to beat the bad guy."
"I thought the bad guy could regenerate." Karin said, frowning.
"Well, yes—"
"How did this Gohan beat him up, then?" Sakura asked.
"Oh, so you're paying attention, now?" Toru asked, scowling. "He beat him harder, duh."
"Ah, that's fair." Karin nodded. It always worked for her.
"How so?" Sakura asked softly. "Explain, Toru."
"No."
Karin rubbed her chin in thought. "So, what about the… Dragon…?"
"Balls?" Toru asked. "They just work for their world, apparently."
Sakura sighed. "I guess I can forget about wishing for all of your eye powers to be removed, then."
"Very funny." Toru said.
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "...Funny?"
...
"Sakura killed someone we didn't have to." Karin said. "Again."
Toru sighed and proceeded to engage someone else in conversation. Sakura glared at Karin. "You just can't help being a goody two-shoes, huh?"
"Someone has to hold your leash, darling."
Sakura grinned. "I guess we—"
Karin gave Sakura a pointed glance, then glanced at Sarada. "Have some decency, we are not alone."
Sakura laughed. "Coming from you—"
Sarada intervened. She shook her head gently. "I'm sure Sakura had a good reason for killing that person. Right, Sakura?"
"Yeah." Sakura said. "I didn't like him."
"..."
"And he was a serial murderer, too." Sakura concluded. "I guess."
Karin frowned. "You said the same thing about that Conan kid."
"Well I didn't kill that one." Sakura scowled. "Though, to be fair, you have to admit that death seems to follow that little creep everywhere he goes."
"Maybe." Karin admitted. It was kind of suspicious.
"Actually, maybe I should go back there and make sure he's not—"
"Do you want more noodles?" Sarada asked helpfully.
"I'd like that." Sakura nodded and Karin elbowed her. "What? I'm hungry."
Sarada nodded. "Boruto!" She called out to the kitchen. "We need more noodles."
Boruto grunted something back and resumed his cooking. Uncle would be back soon, hopefully.
...
Hanabi came back, covered in purple blood. She said something about hating insects and went to shower.
Ino and Yoisen came back, and neither of their clothes didn't seem to be singed. Ino said something about a new peace treaty with some remote sandy world. The three of them sat down to eat with the others.
"Yes." Hanabi said. "I do know what a boot is."
"That's not what I meant." Ino protested.
"Doesn't matter." Hanabi lifted her hand up. "I meant it. I'm finished with all three worlds."
Ino blinked. "Are you now? On your own? That was..."
"Fast. Yes." Hanabi said. "I was hoping to get some training done before the Bath." She sighed a bit at the last word.
"The Bath is very important." Yoisen simply said. "But I shall join you for training, as well."
"Right, I know." Hanabi nodded. "Doesn't mean I have to enjoy floating in it."
"We can spend some time in the hot springs afterward if it helps." Yoisen offered.
"Eh." Hanabi said. "I don't know if I'm going to feel like spending more time in water tonight."
"Then we do not have to do that."
Ino grunted. "Who died and made you our boss, exactly?"
"No one had to die, Ino." Yoisen gave her a long look. "I simply happen to have seniority."
Ino raised her eyebrows, and a small chuckle escaped her. "Admitting it's the first step."
Yoisen sighed. "As long as you recognize I am the best architect on the Ring, I am fine with that."
"No way." Ino contested. "You're not even..." She thought of it. "...twice as good as me."
"That is not saying much." Yoisen said, slightly amused.
"Oh, yeah?" Ino grunted. But her half-smile hadn't dimmed. "Maybe I'll show you how good I am."
Yoisen smiled, too. "If you wish to do so... please do so."
"After training, them."
"Will you join Hanabi and I in Shade's Realm, then?"
"You bet."
Hanabi glanced at them both, and while she was not entirely surprised, no, there was something soft in her eyes.
Hanabi, like most Hyūga, preferred to read people through their eyes, which told stories that even bodies couldn't. There was something there, in Ino's eyes. Her gaze held a new light when she looked at Yoisen this time. Previously, Yoisen might as well have been an inconvenient piece of decor in Ino's world — acknowledged but dismissed. The annoyance was still there, but there was a subtle shift to it. Something that hinted at a begrudging acceptance, or at least the possibility of one in the future. Not friendly, perhaps, but a hint of how things might someday become.
Hanabi smiled and said nothing of it.
Celestial Ring/Bath
At the last moment before night, Naruto passed the torii gate. Its vermilion pillars rose from the earth, and as he passed them, the sky turned pitch black.
He was the last of them to enter, he thought, as he treaded the earthen path under the sakaki branches.
Together with Sasuke, they had consecrated this grove, illuminating it with chakra-light that bathed the place in an ethereal glow. Enclosed by shimenawa, the space was separate from the others, and the fluttering shide signified a boundary. Not just of place, but of purpose.
Before approaching the sacred bath, Naruto underwent the misogi, a ritual cleansing, preparing himself for the communion to come. It was a solitary moment of purification, and a necessary prelude to the immersion.
Only then did he approach the pool of clear water.
As he stepped in, the waters welcomed him with a warmth embrace that went beyond the physical, something that seemed to seep into his very being. The essences of their souls, repeatedly poured into the bath, both offering and invocation, mingled in the water. Their combined energies, swirling in a luminous dance. Here, it seemed to replace the invisible stars, painting the night sky in their colors.
It was not about bridging their worlds or appeasing deities. He held no fondness for the kami, nor for their powers. But he had made a promise. And he would use anything to finish the fight Susanoo-Arashi had started when he took Sakura.
It was not an act of faith. They were shinobi, all of them. And the others, whose presence he could feel even through the thick waters, were equally quiet, for once.
It was simply preparation for the trial ahead.
Days like these, spent training or doing their best to help faraway worlds, flowed seamlessly into each other.
Others were strange dealings in places where good sense was even less commonplace than it was in the Rings or among them, or the opportunity to shape several futures at once.
Within the realms far beyond and their shared ambitions, they found a rhythm, a peculiar cadence to their lives. A way to tread confidently toward the ever-moving future, and live as they did so. Beneath this rhythm lurked an undeniable truth, a silent whisper that grew louder with each passing day.
Time, in all its inexorable glory, continued its unrelenting march.
lensdump:
i/K9g7Y9 : Toru's Ninja Cards
AN: Yes, yes an interlude chapter, and the last of the crossover ones — and a fulfilled request or two, hopefully...
Next chapter: The Passing of Years