AN: Chapter's long, so it was split in two parts... Both posted at the same time today.

Here's the second one!

First Lessons

World #7570

"Gama." Nacchan hissed.

No answer.

"…Gama." He tried again.

No answer.

"Hey, you piece of shit." He said, more harshly.

No answer. Gama raised his middle finger at him.

A bit further away, Hebi mimed throwing a punch, and Sakura made a choked sound. Nacchan hesitated. That might work for her, but he didn't really fancy getting killed in English class.

He was spared the dilemma.

"…Uzumaki." The teacher called.

Two voices answered dutifully — both Nacchan and Hebi.

"…Whazzat?" Gama blinked, wiping the drool from his chin. Someone chuckled.

"Do you think this is a good place to take a nap?"

Gama squinted his eyes. For a moment, Nacchan was afraid he would do something drastically stupid — instead of just plain stupid.

"This sounds like a trick question…?" Gama asked/declared.

Hatake Kakashi, English teacher, sighed. "It wasn't."

"Then no, it isn't." Gama nodded. "But Nacchan told me I shouldn't leave the building — or his sight."

"Ah, you're a funny one." Kakashi nodded.

Gama laughed boisterously.

"Simply because you already speak English well doesn't mean you can simply blow my class off."

"You said you didn't care, back when this year started." Inuzuka Kiba piped in. His backpack, the one that was sitting next to his legs, seemed to be… moving?

'Typical dog-boy.' Gama thought.

"Ah." Kakashi smiled with his eyes — the only part of him that was visible. "What if I changed my mind since then?"

"But—"

"Look Kiba, I meant to say that I don't really care about you." Kakashi nodded.

"Sensei—"

"I don't mean you in particular, actually."

"Why are you like this—"

"Shh…" Kakashi brought his index to his mouth. Kiba shut up. "Now… Gama was your name, right? — Why are you clenching your teeth so hard?"

"…No reason at all." Gama answered tightly.

"Well, the principal is on my ass — Something about too few people passing my exam last year, so I'm going to actually have to try my hand at teaching, this time." Kakashi sighed. "Let's go with you first, so that the others can hear what actual English sounds like — Why are you guys looking at me? It's true, you're all terrible at this."

Gama gave Hebi a strange look.

'What's English?' He asked, mouthing the letters.

Nacchan stared at him.

'I will have to see.' Hebi mouthed back. 'I'm afraid you're going to have to sacrifice yourself.'

'Why me? I'm sure Nacchan doesn't know what it is either.'

'I want to get into politics, you dumbfuck, of course I know English.' Nacchan mouthed.

'Politics… you…?' Gama blinked, looking him up and down. 'Aren't you a bit scrawny for that…?'

'What does it have to do with anything?'

'Are you stupid?' Gama laughed. 'If you want to become Tokijo's Kage, you're going to have to become much, much stronger… The other villages are going to eat you alive, otherwise.'

'He's right, you know.' Hebi nodded.

'I could probably do a better job than you right now — and I don't even know the first thing about politics.' Gama laughed.

Gama's senses sharpened. He flipped backwards, landing himself on someone else's desk. The piece of chalk Kakashi had thrown hit the wall behind him.

The students stared.

Kakashi blinked. "…Wow. Jumpy, are you?"

Gama seemed to realize this was not an appropriate reaction — Nacchan's glare indicated as much. "My bad, sensei."

"Whatever." Kakashi shrugged. "…Get down, at least."

"Sure."

"Alright, now that everyone's all nice and not crouching on tables…". Kakashi switched languages. "Complete this sentence. James, do you know the _ of Snow White?"

Gama stared at him.

Kakashi stared back.

Gama gave Hebi a surreptitious glance. She looked away. He stared back at Kakashi, missing Nacchan, who was desperately trying to get his attention.

Kakashi waited.

The silence stretched on.

Gama chuckled. Quietly at first, then louder. And louder. Tears came to his eyes, and he wheezed, as he slapped the table. Hebi couldn't hide a chuckle either.

"…What is so funny?" Kakashi asked.

"Oh man, you're such a jerk." Gama shook his head, wagging his finger. "I almost fell for it."

He continued to laugh, until his throat was hurting.

"That's so like you!" Gama wheezed. "You've got such a great poker face, man. Well, eyes, really."

Kakashi's eyes twitched.

"Huh." Gama wrinkled his nose in confusion. "Who would have thought that English was an actual language."

"Me." Nacchan whined — he was doing a lot of that, Gama thought. He should be happier about getting two brother figures — Gama didn't consider Hebi to be very womanly anymore, so she was a brother, by default.

"It was pretty surprising." Hebi admitted. "Once I get more time to do research, I will be able to avoid us — well myself, mostly — this sort of mistake."

"I'm glad you're adapting so well." Gama grinned.

"Do not mistake my patience for acceptance." Hebi said, something cold passing through her snakelike eyes. Gama felt a shiver run down his spine, caused by the corridors lack of proper heating. "The very moment I can leave, I will."

"Sure, sure." Gama grinned easily. "But that could be a while. Let's try this whole futuristic living thing, alright?"

"I do not have any choice in the matter." Hebi said, mustering as much patience as she could in her voice.

"It's going to be great fun." Gama laughed. "Right, Nacchan?"

"…"

"Well, I hope the rest of the classes are not quite so boring — by the way, when does the school day end? I'm getting kinda antsy, I can't wait until we get to sparring."

"…What sparring?" Nacchan asked.

"Well, the Taijutsu practice." Gama squinted.

"…We don't have PE today - no sparring or whatever."

"…For real?" Gama whined. "That's bullshit. What am I supposed to do…? I'm pent-up."

"Oh, I'm sure." Hebi muttered.

"What about you?!" Gama turned to face her. "You must be in the same state."

"I am not." Hebi said tightly. "Unlike you, I can spend time doing things that are not brawling."

"Sure you can." Gama snorted. "Scheming, plotting, killing children…"

"Do not tempt me."

Something about her tone didn't sit well with Nacchan. "Say, why do you keep on repeating that?"

"Repeating what?"

"This whole killing business. Since this morning, you keep on… I thought you were just threatening me, but now…"

"What do you mean?"

"…You don't actually kill people, do you?" Nacchan asked.

Gama laughed, and Hebi was amused too. "What do they even teach you in civilian school?"

"…No, but seriously, guys." Nacchan tried again.

"We don't kill people." Hebi said. "We only neutralize targets." She quoted.

Gama roared in boisterous laughter, and Hebi smiled slightly as well. Nacchan didn't.

"Well… that was terribly boring." Gama muttered, once Sarutobi Hiruzen's History class was over.

Hebi didn't answer, but then again, he hadn't really counted on it. It was lunchtime, which meant that Gama had managed to convince Nacchan to let him out of his sight for an hour.

A trio of hard-faced guys had walked in and tried to get them to leave, first peacefully and then more aggressively. Gama had beaten two of them up, and gotten the third one to take them away. He was sure that Nacchan would be proud of him for dealing with this so efficiently, once he told him.

"Right." Gama continued, as though Hebi had graced him with an answer. How very like her father, lacking a true opinion about things. Maybe once she spent enough time with people like him, she would develop a soul of her own. Well, it was never a sure thing with snakes, but only time would tell.

"Hey, Hebi."

She ignored him.

"Yeah, be like that." Gama grunted. "How can they manage to sit on their asses for hours like this…? This is terrible. I want to see more of the wonders this world has to offer — not stay there, while an old man drones about—"

Hebi finally cut in. "It was interesting. Had you paid any attention, you would have learned a lot, too. Sarutobi-sensei is a true scholar, Father was right about that."

"My father was right." Gama repeated, in a high-pitched voice. "Like he was right about everything. I love snakes."

Hebi stared. "Was this supposed to be an imitation of me?"

"Who else?" He guffawed.

"Impressive."

"Thanks, I made it for you." Gama grinned, finished the rest of his meal — stolen from a red-haired teenager — and stood up.

He stretched. Hebi pinned him down with a glare. "…What do you think you're about to do now…?" She asked.

"Well…" Gama grinned. "I'm leaving, of course."

"Unwise, at best."

"Oh, come on…" He rolled his eyes. "I know you're not interested in mathematics or moral studies, and that's what we got this afternoon."

Hebi winced.

"Come with me instead." Gama smiled. "I got the Eye, remember?"

"How could I forget…?" She hissed. "I could just subdue you and wait a few days."

"Then why haven't you done so?" Gama lifted an eyebrow. "Your father would have done it, and you know it."

"…I do not always agree with my father's methods."

Gama looked at her intently. A small, honest smile pulled on his lips.

"I know." He said, with bright eyes.

"How can you know…?" Hebi asked slowly.

Gama let the silence stretch for a little while, before he delivered the next words, powerfully.

"Because you are your mother's daughter as well."

"Gama…" Hebi said quietly.

Gama nodded emphatically.

"Yes?"

"Don't try to emotionally manipulate me." Hebi finished dryly.

"Ah, fuck, you caught on." Gama cursed. "Well, it was a nice try, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm almost proud of you, it sounded pretty honest."

"I learned it from you." He gave her a thumbs-up.

"I'm sure. Where else?" She smiled. "It's not something the toads would teach you."

"You'd be surprised." Gama chuckled. "Shima is pretty good at it — and guilt-tripping as well, it's the only way she managed to make me eat so many insects."

Hebi winced in understanding. "Insects, then…?"

"Yup." Gama nodded. "Eggs and rats for you, I assume?"

"…Please don't ask." Hebi's hand went to her mouth.

"I won't, then." Gama extended his hand to her. She didn't take it. "Let's go exploring, you and me?"

"You and I." She corrected. Hebi looked toward the school again. "…Let us. I know where Nacchan lives, anyway."

They jumped off the building, quickly enough not to be seen.

"Uzumaki." Someone called him, sounding very much as though their nose was broken.

"What is it—" Nacchan turned around. "…What happened to you?…And him?"

'You' being Mitokado Seiji and Utatane Tatsuya — two of the House of Representatives members' relatives. Before he even looked, he knew who the last one — the one who barely seemed conscious would be. Shimura Ryo, of course.

He managed to keep the schadenfreude from showing upon his face. He hated the three of them, frankly. Everything he hated about people in power, and especially the people associated with them, was particularly notable in each of these three guys.

"What do you think happened?" Tatsuya spat.

"How should I know?" Nacchan shrugged, hoping he didn't look too gleeful.

"Your cousin did this." Tatsuya sneered. "When my father hears of this, your dad can forget about his lofty ambitions."

Nacchan closed his eyes in frustration.

With a last smoldering look, the beat-up trio left. Nacchan counted to ten, and tried to keep his temper down.

He really tried.

Then he took off running, intent on telling Gama what he thought of his 'staying out of trouble' ways.

It took less than an hour for Nacchan to notice they were gone. It took one more minute for him to start freaking out.

"Why shouldn't I steal it?" Gama asked Hebi dubiously. "They have plenty of phones."

"That's not the problem." Hebi said.

"What is?"

"We do not know how they work." She continued. "What if they can track us with it? We shouldn't steal it before we know more about it."

Gama paused.

"Who is They?" Gama frowned.

"I do not know yet." Hebi said. "The powers that be. The worldly government. Such advances in technology have to mean something."

Gama stared at the shop's display enviously.

"…Perhaps you're right." He admitted. "Such an utopia cannot exist without sacrifices, can it…? These phones are still untouchable to us, it seems. I can't reach them yet. So, this is it, huh?"

Gama smiled painfully, eyes hooded in shadows. His hand rose to softly touch the glass window.

"This world truly is wicked. Tempting me to the very end." Gama said, true emotion welling up in his voice. "But… I forgive it. The things you cannot possess are the most beautiful of all, aren't they… Hebi…?"

She looked at him dubiously. "I guess so."

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Gama grabbed a man's - who was wearing a strange-looking three piece suit - sleeve.

The man sneered at him.

"Let go of me, kid." He said. "Last warning."

"Sure, sure." Gama nodded. The man barely looked older than him, frankly. And much weaker, too. "Where can I find the intanet for free?"

"Intanet?" The man jeered. Dumbass. "Probably at around the same place you'd find a free fex machine."

"What's a fex, Hebi?" Gama raised an eyebrow.

"I do not know." She admitted, shaking her head. "Ask that guy. Whatever it is, it seems we can use both for free."

"Can't you notice sarcasm when you hear it?" The man mocked.

"I like funny jokes, why would I bother with sarcasm? Do I look like my life is miserable and I'm a Suna ninja?" Gama chuckled.

"…What? Hop off the drugs, kid. Go back to school."

"Drugs?" Gama frowned. "Are there any drugs around here? Where?"

"Figures." The man scoffed. "Let me go."

"He's not holding you that hard. You just have to answer some questions, we're kinda lost." Hebi said.

"Fuck off, kids." The man scoffed and pulled his hand away, harshly. His sleeve ripped apart entirely, staying in Gama's hand.

"Ah, good job man." He laughed. "Such flimsy material — I hope you didn't get ripped off as bad as it did."

"You little—" The man roared. Gama grabbed his wrist, this time. "Let me go!"

He tried to free himself, to no avail. Gama's eyes turned hard, and serious too.

"Tell us where is the intanet. Now."

"Are you for fucking real?!" The man shouted.

"I know it works like one of these phones — that a lot of people seem to have, around this big street."

"Spill the beans." Hebi threatened him. "Do not make me brainwash you."

"Where?" Gama asked again. "For free." He added.

"Everything needs to be paid, you dumbass!"

"Ah, so we need money?" Hebi nodded. "I thought so. Could you lend us some?"

"No fucking way!"

"It might have sounded like a question, but do not get the wrong idea." She said evenly.

"I just need a few hours of intanet. Give that to me and I'll let you go." Gama said.

"I'll call the police on you!"

Gama cackled. "Empty threats. I did not see a single adult Uchiha around here. It's going to take them a while to reach you."

"Coins, please." Hebi repeated.

Gama chuckled. "People are such chumps around here. I thought it was just Nacchan, at first."

Hebi stared at him. She was sitting next to him in the small, cramped, ash-smelling 'cybercafe' they had found. There had been a strange machine in which Gama had apparently dropped the coins they had gotten in order to grant them access.

"…What happened to seeing everything the world had to offer?" She asked quietly.

Gama laughed. "Well, we're looking at it."

Hebi motioned at the dark place, at the clicking of keyboards, the chain-smoking, the heavy-eyed people who were playing some sort of game, ears covered by large headphones.

"Sure, it may look somewhat rough, but they have the internet." Gama said proudly, having finally learned the right word. "Don't judge a place by its appearance."

"I wanted to see more of the city." Hebi said and Gama thought she was being quite petulant, but she would understand.

"Oh, Hebi." Gama chuckled derisively. "Every city is the same. Don't you know it already?" He pulled out a scratchpad. "Oh, here's a new city… I can't wait to see… Let me see. The old quarter with a long historical past. The rice growing in the suburbs. The temple. The abandoned hospital. The hot springs. The shrine. The annoying Land of Earth tourists." Gama's voice began to rise. "This annoying motherfucker from Rice in our hotel with swampy feet that says it's pronounced Ōnnamiaizthu-no-Kuishi — like you got a lisp — because we're in the Land of Rainstorms… not in the Land of Clags, so it can't possibly be Ōnnamiaizu-no-Kuishi, and thinking otherwise means you're a country hick that hasn't seen anything of the world, and certainly not the sunrise in Kōtsugō and then the motherfucker proceeds to talk over the woman you brought with you until she gets so damn bored out of her mind that she leaves you alone with this asshole who can't fucking understand that you're still too young to have realized that some people needed a good kick in their teeth yet." Gama finished, face growing red from the exertion.

"…Wow." Hebi muttered. "That sounded kind of personal here."

"…Yeah, sorry."

"I don't know what triggered you, but I did not mean to drag you to this dark place."

"It's not you." Gama muttered.

There was a moment of silence.

"So… Ōnnamiaizthu, right?" Hebi smiled.

"Don't start." Gama groaned. "Which one is the internet?" He asked, clicking on every icon that was on the screen.

"I'm going to go find my own computer."

"Ah… this might be tricky." Gama winced, seeing her smoldering expression. "I only paid for one — we get two hours, though. Do you think it needs chakra to work or is it Wind-powered like the phones? Or electricity, you think...? Do they have it here?"

"Don't glare at me like this, you already had your own hour." Gama muttered. "Too bad you chose to waste it on worldly events and history."

"It was pretty interesting." Hebi said, looking more at ease now that she understood the basics of this world.

"I'm sure I needed to waste some precious internet in order to know that East Aja—"

"Japan."

"Japan is not currently at war."

"Don't blame your ignorance on me." She said.

"Do you remember the name of the dating thing?"

"No." Hebi answered. "Use the search bar."

"You're right." Gama began typing, one key at a time, tongue out. "I want to fuck a hot woman in Tokijo."

Hebi sighed audibly.

"What..?" Gama asked.

"This is too informal of a request. The machine-god won't approve it — it probably has plenty of them to sort through. Perhaps someone has to go into the back of the archive room to deliver the request itself, even. In any case, better to err on the side of caution."

"Ah, right." Gama realized. "I hereby request the means to meet and date attractive single ladies - preferably older than 25 - in the city of Tokijo." He typed.

"Better." Hebi nodded. "It's more specific, too. Machines are not quite so advanced that you can forgo that, yet."

"Thanks, Hebi." He nodded gratefully. "We make a decent team, in the end, don't we?"

"Tch." She scoffed amusedly. "I guess two brains are better than one — even if the second one happens to be tadpole-sized."

"It's not about the size of the boat, it's about the motion of the ocean." Gama quoted.

"I don't think this means what you think it means."

"You sure?" Gama grinned.

"Don't make me regret this backhanded compliment." Hebi grunted. "Now type, frogboy. Our time is running out."

"Yes, snake-girl." Gama nodded. "Your wish is my command — just for now."

Hebi found she didn't mind that too much.

(Anti)Hero's Comeback

World 01 - Umigakure

With a yawn, Naruto stepped out of the dark portal.

He looked around. It was night, as it had been when he had left World #07. Good. It meant that they had mostly managed to keep time flow similar enough.

(They really hadn't thought things through, when they brought Sasuke in the fold. And then they had to try and make things manageable, which meant synchronizing.)

(Wherever Gama and Hebi were, he knew that the same would not apply to them.)

The others would come soon enough, and there was no real rush or reason for them to hurry, really.

First things first. Naruto reached deep into his Mindspace.

He pulled out a strange looking item, halfway between a bracelet and a chakram — the Thunder Glove. Something that he had Created, after realizing some of the shortcomings of his methods.

It had one — well, two, technically — purpose. Homing on to his active clones and Shadows.

Naruto slipped his hand into the tool, and reached for what most people would consider a massive amount of chakra.

He extended his hand to the heavens.

It started far away, far from the mainland.

Which usually meant Umi.

Many people saw the celestial lights raining down upon the cities, and many thought that the Emperor had come back to execute more sinners, of course.

Far up north.

They had been practicing tonight.

No gig, but he found that he enjoyed these quiet moments almost as much.

These moments where she relaxed and let her guard down.

He looked at the sky.

Ah.

"Tayuya… I'm sorry." Hotaru muttered, looking at the stars, and the arrows of blue light that spread through it. "I wish we had more time."

"What?" Tayuya asked, suddenly looking at him frantically. "What's going on?! Hota— Fuckhead!"

"I've known this wouldn't last for long." He said quietly, closing his eyes. "I enjoyed our time together, and I wish we could have played some more… That I could have told you how I—"

"…Could have told me what?!" Tayuya asked, just as quietly. "You can't leave like that—"

"It was fun." Hotaru said, caressing her cheek tenderly.

"No way." Tayuya said quietly. "Not like this..."

"Naruto." Hotaru smiled a sad smile. "You're lucky."

The blue arrow was drawing closer to him.

Hotaru opened his eyes again, wide. He faced his destiny. He was ready.

"Looks like my winter vacation is… finally over."

The arrow pierced his head and Tayuya screamed.

Instead of nothingness, as he had expected… he got memories.

From the man he had split from.

A rough outline of the few years Naruto and — most of — his group had spent in between worlds.

'Here's a little update — even for the few of you who decided to pull the exact same move I did before you — sorry… First mover's advantage.'

Hotaru took it all in with a wince.

'Did you really believe I wouldn't notice?' Hotaru heard Naruto's mocking voice. 'Well, whatever. You and the other mutineers go on with living your life. The world's doing fine as is. See ya around.'

Hotaru dropped to his knees, breathing hard.

Then he stood up with a gasp, grasping his chest in order to make sure he was still…

Yeah. He was alive.

He was still here and—

Tayuya was looking at him expectantly.

"Aw, fuck."

Naruto nodded to himself, extending his senses.

"That's a job well done." He smiled.

He reappeared inside Orochimaru's spire, next to the modified Hiraishin tag the man had allowed him to leave here.

Orochimaru sighed.

"How I hate this jutsu. Even though this one can only be you… How unpleasant this feels." He said.

"You can say I surprised you." Naruto grinned, picking up his sensei's diminutive form and spinning him around. "Wanna go faster?"

"Put me down."

"Why would I?" Naruto chuckled. "I won't get the chance to do that often."

"Oh, I'm sure that you will get many chances in the future." Orochimaru mocked. "Give it a month, or so, in fact."

"Aren't you happy, Yashagoro-chan?" Naruto chuckled. "That you're going to be a big brot— Well, now. Were snakes really necessary?"

"If they got you to put me down, they were." Orochimaru nodded.

"Well?" He grinned. "Aren't you glad to see me, Orochimaru?"

"Hmpf." Orochimaru scoffed, a small, amused smile pulling on his lips. "I expected you to come back in a few weeks."

"We messed up our timing — and our time, too. So I came back to warn you that we're alive and all." Naruto shrugged.

"A letter would have been enough, don't you think?"

"Man, you're always such a killjoy. It's been years - for me." Naruto shook his head. "And after everything I did for you—"

"I thank you for the Eye."

"We stole—… obtained some plans for fancy tech stuff, figured you could use it more than us." Naruto nodded.

"Anything space-related?"

"Nah, not really." Naruto laughed.

"Then I doubt that it's going to be groundbreaking." Orochimaru huffed. "I have had plenty of time, and between these eyes, clones and near infinite access to chakra…"

"Brag some more, I'm very impressed already."

"As you should be."

"Well, I'm going to stay a day or two… Perhaps three if you play nice." Naruto began. "To check how everything's running and to tell you we're going to be departing for worlds further away, likely. Perhaps you'll get your space stuff, after all."

"Finally." Orochimaru nodded, eyes bright.

"Perhaps."

"Don't dampen my enthusiasm." Orochimaru sighed morosely. "If we're lucky enough, your friend left for one such world."

"My… friend?" Naruto asked slowly. "Who do you mean, exactly? Also, why is there something that feels suspiciously like... Kaguya around — minus the monstrous Bijuu power?"

"That's because she is Kaguya — minus the monstrous Bijuu power."

"…Can you please not?" Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Did we learn nothing about meddling with forces beyond our comprehension?"

"Are you or are not currently playing with time and space?"

"That's fair." Naruto acknowledged. "But different."

"Kaguya is a very polite guest — most of the time. And she won't be able to do much. Besides, it's too late." Orochimaru shrugged. "What would you have me do?"

Naruto stared at him. "…Put her back on the Moon?"

"Be realistic, Naruto." Orochimaru chided.

"If you fuck things up, I'm leaving you to clean the mess." Naruto warned. "I'll find a more hospitable dimension—"

"Realm."

"If I have to." Naruto finished. "Speaking of terrible messes… Is Anko's child born already?"

"Not yet." Orochimaru simply said. "She refused the child-incubator."

"How surprising." Naruto mused. "That puts the total of people who willingly used it to… One." He said dryly.

"Two now, actually." Orochimaru corrected. "I count it as progress. Perhaps in time, we will see higher adoption rates."

"…Of the incubators or… because of it?"

"Yes." Orochimaru nodded.

Naruto sighed. "So. Who's my friend who left after me—" He cut himself off. "Ah."

"I see you've realized." Orochimaru nodded. "Not that you have that many friends, and since you have a strange tendency of getting most of them involved in this terrible… romantic entanglement of yours, it really doesn't leave that many."

"It's not a harem, we're married." Naruto said automatically… and absentmindedly.

"I didn't say it."

"My bad. Habits."

"I know."

"But… Yoisen…? Really..?" Naruto paused. "She's actually coming after me now? Oh, boy."

A long time ago.

"Shachi." Indra barked. "Ensure that everyone is ready to leave. Immediately."

"Running?" She frowned. "Why is that?"

"I have received a warning. This was a trap. Kiwai's forces are closing in on our position. This is not a battle I'm willing to fight — Asura won't stay in Yotsuno forever."

"I see." She stood up. "You go, then."

Indra scoffed. "This is foolish, and I have further use for you."

"And I have something against Kiwai." She said curtly. Her friend Natsuko had been killed during the man's assault on the imperial city. "Give me the order… and I shall follow. But tonight or in the near future, he will die by my blade."

Indra squinted his eyes. He could order her directly, of course, but he knew just how difficult she would be. He laughed.

"As you wish, then. No matter what happens to you tonight, do make sure to deal his forces a crippling blow." He said bluntly.

"Once the night is over, there won't be a force to speak of." She answered.

"Is it that much of a surprise?" Orochimaru asked with a pointed look.

"No. Oh, did she tell you anything about a letter?" Naruto frowned.

"…A letter?" Orochimaru frowned too. "No."

"...Perhaps it's better that way." Naruto nodded. "…Do you have any idea if she reached her intended destination? Our first few jumps were sort of… messy."

"I do not know."

Naruto winced. "Then it could take forever until she lands."

"She might choose to come back here—"

Long ago. Another time.

"What is the meaning of this, Shachi?" Indra asked slowly, eyes roaming over the pile of corpses, as well as the moaning soldiers under it.

She was standing next to it, of course.

The men flanking him kept their hands close to their swords, only waiting for him to give the order.

"You told them to celebrate our victory — and you told me to make sure it didn't get out of hand." She said evenly. "Well… They got out of hand."

"And pray tell…" Indra began, eyes narrowed. "Which part of keeping things tame involved killing men that just joined our forces…?"

"I did what I thought was best." Shachi said evenly. "Should you prefer for me to not get involved, you only have to give a more precise command, next time."

One of the men next to Indra tightened his eyes. "Why you—" He began.

Indra lifted his hand.

The man bowed. "I am sorry, my lord."

"I assume you have a good reason for this, Shachi."

"There are women fighting on our side." She said evenly. "I promised them strength, as well as some measure of safety. The least we can do is ensure that they are safe from our own soldiers."

Indra sighed.

"Or does the end really justify the means, perhaps…?" She asked pointedly. "The women are not that many, after all."

Genkichi didn't take too well to her tone — but then again, he didn't take too well to anything she did, even when it was less drastic. He had never liked being on equal footing with a woman. "You do realize that you are in no position to give orders…?" He hissed.

"I do not presume to be." She nodded. "But I am not beholden to you, either. Your word does not matter."

Fukumatsu butted in, before the other man could do or say something more reckless. "But you are beholden to our Lord."

"Of course." Shachi nodded. "I await your command, Indra-sama."

There was a long silence.

"How amusing." Indra chuckled. Genkichi pursed his lips. "I will overlook it tonight. It will set a nice precedent as to what is and what is not allowed, when it comes to fellow soldiers."

"Indra-sama…" Genkichi began.

"If they can't keep it in their pants, tell them to pay the whores a visit." Indra smiled. "That is what they are here for, aren't they…?"

The men laughed as well. Genkichi's face turned sullen.

"Yes, my lord." Shachi nodded.

His red eyes met hers.

"Of course…" He began slowly. "Do not presume I will be so agreeable next time. And… do not overstep your bounds, Shachi."

She bowed her head.

"I will not, my lord."

"She won't stop before she reaches me." Naruto said with finality. It had never stopped her before, back when she risked more for her defiance. "She will do it, over and over again — like I would. Now we need to find her, too. Let's…"

"You seem a bit out of it." Orochimaru said casually. "I did not poison you by the way, you have my word."

"I know." Naruto muttered. "It's just… a lot to take in."

Between Gama's shit, a baby on its way, Ino and Yoisen's incoming spat… Naruto was starting to believe he was going to meet Enma again. Soon.

"Uzumaki can be stubborn." Orochimaru nodded.

"She's worse." Naruto said, sighing. "Everyone will gather by tomorrow, anyway. Which is great. I want to get drunk."

World #?

Yoisen quickly realized her first jump could be considered a complete failure.

...Maybe not a complete one.

She was still alive and in a breathable world, which was a start. Its inhabitants didn't speak any sort of language she was familiar with, which lowered the chances that Naruto might be here.

She would still look for traces of their chakra, in case they had been here before. This and learning what she could glean from the language would give her something to do while she became more familiar with the Rinnegan's workings.

And she probably should do something to hide this… otherworldly gleam in her eyes, too.

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