Naruto: Infinity Divide
Shadow Clones
Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Star Trek
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Naruto's famous jutsu makes its first appearance this is chapter 8. Enjoy!
Last time:
"Naruto hasn't been bonded since he was seven years old, and his bond mate died in an earthquake along with her parents." said T'Ara in a hollow voice.
Falor sighed. "How tragic. Did you not seek a new betrothal after his kahs-wan?"
This time it was Sovar's turn to sigh. "Our family tried to make betrothal arrangements on five separate occasions, and each was a complete failure. Naruto finally decided it was better to be alone and dropped the subject entirely."
"But what about his Pon farr?" asked Anuak. "Does he not realize he could literally die? He is taking it far too lightly."
"It is a difficult situation because Naruto is a hybrid." said T'Ara. "Many potential mates do not wish to be with him for that reason."
"T'Lyra does." said Falor. Everyone was silent for a few moments after he dropped that bomb…
Anuak explained quietly, "We informed T'Lyra that we had to start looking for a new mate for her and she was very insistent that she wants Naruto M'Fau to be her betrothed. Both Falor and I were surprised as we didn't realize she felt this way or this strongly about it. T'Lyra spoke very highly of both of you and that she would be deeply honored to become Naruto's wife."
Falor added, "We knew they were dear friends but assumed T'Lyra would not want Naruto as a mate. We were very wrong. It seems T'Lyra exclusively wants Naruto to be her mate. Do you think Naruto would be willing?"
"If Naruto is willing then we would gladly give our blessings." said T'Ara as she held Sovar's hand. 'I knew there was an attraction, but I'm surprised they would propose such an arrangement.'
Sovar nodded. "I know T'Lyra is dear to Naruto so perhaps this could work out. I hope so."
...
Chapter 8
...
Stardate 2267.319, Planet Vulcan, ShiKahr District, Vulcan Science Academy
It was late Monday night and something unusual was afoot in the suite of Naruto M'Fau. His friends had called it a night after their usual study session, but the blonde was still wide awake. "Shadow clone jutsu!" said Naruto as four identical copies of the blonde appeared. Naruto blinked and said, "Excellent, success at last! Gentleman; let's put a dent in these essays. We will start with twenty pages each by topic and then we will dispel one at a time so we will have one continuous paper."
"Agreed!" said all the clones as they began dividing the work up in a logical fashion. Naruto managed to procure multiple tablets for study groups so there were enough for his clones to use…
The next morning…
Naruto exhaustedly made his daily log entry:
"Personal Log: My experiment in shadow clone multitasking was a success but unfortunately has put a great deal of mental strain upon me. I believe that creating one or two clones at a time should be my maximum until my brain adapts to the stress of them dispelling and returning their information to me in numbers. As it is I am returning the spare study tablets except for one which a single clone will be using today to polish and refine my essay on the M'Fau Clan's history. Currently it is obvious that the essay was written in five parts and therefore needs to be blended into one document.
Shadow clone multitasking also has many other applications which I have yet to discover. I suspect my ancestral memories will surface about this now that I can actually perform the technique. Suffice it to say I am exhausted from staying up all night writing. It would be more logical to plan my time more wisely, but I was quite caught up in my shadow clone experiment and did not wish to stop. The excitement of my discovery somewhat ruined my routine daily patterns, and I will have to watch for that sort of thing in the future.
It is my fervent hope that I do not fall asleep in class today as I am totally worn out…"
Naruto closed his tablet and made two fresh clones to continue work on his history essay throughout the day. "I'll trust you gentleman to conceal yourselves should any unexpected visitors arrive." Seeing his clones nod in assent; Naruto went down to the Western Dormitory Cafeteria for a hearty breakfast with his friends that normally ate down there. (He usually ate a light breakfast alone in his suite so he could meditate and reflect before classes started).
…
Western Dormitory Cafeteria
The blonde dragged himself into the breakfast line and tiredly ordered his meal. He saw a slightly surprised Geoff wave him over to sit with his friends.
Naruto sat down and Alison delicately said, "You look like hell blondie. What happened to you?"
The whiskered hybrid sighed at the redhead's usual lack of tact and said, "I stayed up all night working on an essay paper. I fear it was an illogical thing to do upon reflection."
Geoff smiled and said, "We all get caught up in schoolwork sometimes Naruto. I could tell you were still going full steam when we called it quits last night."
Seeing Naruto raise a questioning eyebrow; Alison chuckled and said, "Full steam refers to going at full power or enthusiasm; see? It's an old Terran phrase referring to steam powered engines."
"Your esoteric phrases can be confusing Geoff, but I am grateful for the increase in my vocabulary." said Naruto tiredly.
"Are you going to be okay for class?" asked Geoff. "You look exhausted."
"It would be unwise to miss class." said Naruto. "Besides, Professor T'Par is quite strict about attendance."
"That she is." agreed Alison. "She's also very strict about tardiness." Then the redhead grinned. "Besides, Geoff will panic and flunk out of Genetics and Biology if you aren't there to guide him Naruto."
Geoff glared at his redheaded companion and said, "I'm not that bad off. If you need to look at my notes this evening, feel free Naruto."
"I thank you Geoff." said Naruto. "We'd best get to class."
…
Naruto's entire day was fatiguing for the young hybrid. It was true that Vulcans could get by without sleep for days on end but Naruto simply wasn't used to it and with the added mental stress of his shadow clone's memories Naruto felt like he'd been up for a week regardless. After class he went straight to bed and fell into a deep sleep. Unusually he found himself dreaming about T'Lyra instead of his usual ancestral memories…
…T'Lyra was silhouetted by the sun in The Forge as she danced in gold mesh see-through swimwear which showed off all her curves perfectly. It was a slow; sensual dance and the desert wind flowed around her as she slowly spun causing her long hair to fan out behind her. Her golden clothing glittered in the setting sunlight and made Naruto want to caress that softness more and more. She was beautiful and enchanting to Naruto as the blonde stared in unabashed awe at all those amazing curves moving in perfect time to the music that the winds in The Forge played only for her. T'Lyra looked at Naruto with heated eyes and silently beckoned him forward to dance with her…
Naruto woke up feeling incredibly hot and aroused. He'd never felt this way before and got up to get a drink of water to calm himself down. He imagined how her soft lips would feel against his own and wondered if she felt the same before he banished his thoughts away to calm himself. "It's 3 AM." he groaned tiredly. "I need to get back to sleep." In the back of his mind Naruto wanted to see more of his dreams of T'Lyra's fantasy dance but fortunately for his sleep addled mind Naruto slept peacefully the rest of the night…
…
Naruto woke up feeling completely refreshed and for lack of better phrases, energized. 'I feel as if I could take on the entire world today. I must record this in my personal log for later assessment.' "I believe this will be a good day." he thought aloud. After recording his daily log entry, Naruto was surprised to receive a communication from home. It was T'Ara.
"Good morning Mother, your call was unexpected but not unwelcome." said the blonde hybrid.
T'Ara nodded and said, "Good morning to you, my son. Do you have a moment to talk? I can call back at a more convenient time later if you wish."
"It is fine Mother. I have time." answered Naruto. "What would you like to talk about?"
T'Ara said to her son, "There are matters to discuss in person Naruto. Will you be available this evening after your classes are over?" There was urgency in her onyx eyes and Naruto knew this was important.
"Well, I am-" started Naruto thinking of homework." 'Wait a moment. I have all the time in the world. I can leave a shadow clone here to study with the others and can go home personally.' "Of course, I have time. Do you need me to take the 6 PM shuttle home?" asked Naruto.
"Your Father or I will pick you up at six." said T'Ara. "It will be quicker that way."
"A-alright." said the blonde surprised. "Why such urgency?"
"All will be explained tonight my son." said the onyx eyed beauty. "I believe this will be a very positive thing so there is no need for apprehension. I will see you tonight."
After bidding T'Ara farewell, Naruto reflected a bit on his morning and then headed to his first period, Genetics and Biology…where he found his friend Geoff eagerly admiring the females in the class…The blonde mentally groaned to himself; 'Geoff Baker, what are we going to do with you?'
…
Fifth Period -Self Defense
"You should become the Captain of our V'Shan Competition Team instead of me Naruto." said Galsh. "Instructor Aloran said you are almost a match for him and he's a second level V'Shan Master. Besides, you are constantly improving even against him. It seems logical to me for you to compete."
Naruto sighed as they finished their V'Shan routine. "I'm afraid my Academics must take precedence. I've never been in a real martial arts competition in my life. All my training has been from my Father and Mother."
Aloran was listening to his students' banter. He was a practitioner of several martial arts but from what little he'd seen Naruto's raw power with Kareel-ifla was positively bone crushing. 'Naruto is unbelievable and his Father is a sixth level Master at Kareel-ifla. It really would do Naruto some good to compete and grow as a martial artist. I have to wonder what he really can do.' "Naruto, there are open competitions as well as team ones. We're hosting an open competition next month. I recommend you try it. There will be competitors from schools all over Vulcan. There are different martial arts practiced besides V'shan. There are even Kareel-ifla and Ponn-ifla*① competitions."
One of the female students said, "I'm surprised something as brutal as Kareel-ifla is still allowed in competitions. I saw a match once and it was quite savage."
Master Aloran replied, "Kareel-ifla is an ancient and respected martial art. Admittedly it is considered violent by modern standards, but it is part of our culture. I tried my hand at it back when I was in my teens."
"What happened?" asked another student inquisitively.
"I didn't have the upper body strength necessary to use the art effectively." admitted Aloran. "After three months my Master and I agreed I was better suited for V'Shan and Ponn-ifla among others."
Alison and Senva were listening to the discussion with the rest of the class when Alison whispered to her friend, "For some reason I think Naruto could do Kareel-ifla. I've seen him move stuff easily that would require major upper body strength. He's like a tiger even against Galsh and Instructor Aloran. Considering the way blondie knocked that grayth senseless I'll bet there is a lot we've never seen. Instructor Aloran and Galsh are right. Naruto really ought to compete."
"I agree." said Senva. "As Naruto's friends we should encourage him to try it out."
…
Naruto's Suite
After class Naruto created a shadow clone to study with his friends in Alison's Suite (It was Alison's turn). In the meantime, the original Naruto dressed in his regular robes and went out to the school entrance where he saw Sovar waiting in the family hovercraft. The blonde was a bit surprised.
"It is good to see you Father but aren't you usually at work still at this time?" asked Naruto as he strapped himself in the passenger seat.
Sovar nodded. "Normally I am but this matter is important, and I need to be there. I took off work early."
The blonde raised an eyebrow in the exact same manner T'Ara always did. "And what is 'this important matter' that you and Mother are referring to Father?"
Sovar reached over and ruffled his son's blonde hair. "Be patient. You will see soon enough."
With that they took off back towards ShiKahr City…
…
T'Ara and Sovar's House
T'Ara was pacing nervously. She rarely got this wound up about things (outside of scientific discoveries) but Naruto finding a mate was of great importance. She and Sovar agreed that talking to Naruto themselves before involving T'Lyra's parents was the most logical course of action. Once matters were discussed they would (presumably) call Anuak and Falor with the good news. 'I can't think of any logical reason that Naruto would refuse but I can't help but worry. Naruto was terribly distraught about the subject and gave up so it may be like opening an old wound for him…'
She heard the family hovercraft pull up out front and heard Talok say from the front window, "Mama; Daddy is home with Naruto. Did Naruto come home to play with me?"
T'Ara came over and scooped up her daughter fondly. "Daddy and I need to talk seriously with your big brother and brought him home to do so. Can you give us some private time with Naruto little one?"
"You mean play in my room for a little while?" asked the little girl.
T'Ara nodded and said, "It would be appreciated if you could keep yourself entertained for a bit."
Naruto came in about that time with Sovar. He said, "Mother, Talok; how are you this evening?"
Talok said with big onyx eyes, "Can you play Kal-toh with me after you finish talking to Mama and Daddy Naruto?"
The blonde wanted to chuckle. "How about I show you a new trick I learned with chakra instead?"
The little girl looked surprised. "What kind of a trick?" she asked.
Naruto winked and said, "Watch carefully Talok. Shadow clone jutsu!"
Another Naruto appeared and said, "I'll play with you while the original me talks with Mother and Father."
Talok exclaimed, "You can make REAL copies of yourself Naruto?!"
"Pretty much." said Naruto. "But my shadow clones only last a few hours and can't take hits like I can so make sure to be careful."
The shadow clone said, "Let's go to your room and do something together Talok."
Talok was excited. "Okay Naruto shadow clone; let's go!" Naruto's clone picked up Talok and they went back to her room to play…
"…" said Sovar. "I'm in disbelief."
T'Ara paused and said, "That's a most intriguing technique Naruto; when did you learn it?"
The blonde smirked. "I was able to use it successfully for the first time Monday night. I have another back at the Academy studying with my friends. Everything that a shadow clone learns I also learn when they dispel so technically, I'm still doing my homework even though I'm here."
T'Ara's brain was whirring at warp speed at the myriad possibilities of the shadow clone technique. "This is absolutely fascinating!" she exclaimed. "The uses aren't limited just to studying; why it's-"
Sovar interrupted his wife before she took off into scientific la-la land. "T'Ara; we have something important to discuss with Naruto remember?"
The Vulcan scientist all but had to smack herself to get her mind back on track. T'Ara could tell Naruto was quite amused at her actions but decided to let it slide. "Come in and sit with us Naruto. Let us have some tea together and talk."
…
"Your friend T'Lyra Tolaris has broken her betrothal to Arev as you know." said T'Ara. "Her parents Falor and Anuak are concerned that Arev may try to harm her."
Naruto frowned and set down his tea. "If Arev shows his face near her, I will crush him. He is a despicable person."
Sovar nodded and said, "I understand your reaction but there is another answer."
The blonde hybrid raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean Father?"
T'Ara said gently, "T'Lyra's parents want to get her betrothed again because they hope that Arev will feel honor bound to leave her alone."
Naruto replied, "That's completely illogical. Arev is twisted and has no honor. He was lying to T'Lyra as far back as when we were in our first year of primary school."
Sovar raised his eyebrows. "I had no idea."
"I suppose it's a moot point now." said Naruto as he took a sip of tea. "It is hard to fathom that they are seeking a new mate out for T'Lyra based on faulty logic though. What does T'Lyra think?"
T'Ara gave her son a very minimalist smile. "T'Lyra insisted to her parents that she wishes for you to be her mate Naruto. Falor and Anuak asked us for a formal betrothal last night, but we told them we wished to discuss it with you before we gave our approval." She reached out and held Naruto's suddenly shaking hands.
"You will have our full blessings if you wish to be bonded to T'Lyra my son." said Sovar as he placed his hand on top of T'Ara's.
The blonde swallowed hard. He had tears welling in his eyes though they did not fall. "T-then T'Lyra is to be my mate?" he choked out.
"If you wish it." said T'Ara gently.
Naruto blinked and the tears slid down his cheeks. "I would be honored to have T'Lyra Tolaris as my wife."
Sovar gave his own tiny smile. "You have no idea how glad we are to hear that Naruto. Your Mother and I are very proud of you, my son."
…
Vulcan Science Academy, Allison Fairbank's Suite
Naruto's shadow clone was listening to his friends as they encouraged him to try out for the martial arts competition…
"Seriously Naruto, you could kick some major ass if you entered!" exclaimed Alison. "I'll bet you could take first place."
Naruto gave his redheaded friend a withering stare. "You really aren't going to let this go are you, Alison?"
Alison shook her head. "Nope! I want to see you show your stuff. Tell him Geoff; Senva."
Geoff said, "Well, I've never seen you spar but since you took out that grayth in one shot I'd certainly like to watch."
"It seems very logical for you to test your limits so you can improve." commented Senva in a reasonable tone. "Few offer a consistent challenge for you here with the exception of Instructor Aloran. You should take this opportunity to grow and make some new friends from other schools competing."
Naruto finally caved and said, "Very well; I will look into it provided it doesn't interfere with my homework schedule." 'I'll have to polish up with Father and Mother on weekends if I'm going to compete for real.'
"Awesome!" said Alison exuberantly. "I wonder what the prize for first place is."
Senva asked, "What do you mean by prize? The competitors all enter for the honor of competing, not for any sort of material gain. That would be illogical."
The redhead sweat dropped. "You mean you don't even get a trophy?"
"Sometimes they award medallions of achievement at higher levels, but I don't know about this one." explained Naruto. "Sometimes competitions are held to advance one's levels as well."
"Well, that kind of sucks…" muttered Alison sullenly…
Geoff said, "I still think you should try to win Naruto."
The blonde hybrid raised an eyebrow and said, "There is no point in competing if you don't aim to win."
"That's the spirit!" cheered Alison.
…
T'Ara and Sovar's House
Naruto opened the door and welcomed the Tolaris family to his home. T'Lyra gripped him in a tight hug before he could react. He reciprocated a moment later and felt her warm softness against him. She whispered to him as they embraced, "I am so happy Naruto M'Fau. We shall be husband and wife."
As they basked in each other's warmth Naruto whispered back, "I am so glad you chose me T'Lyra. I will always keep you safe."
Such a display of emotionalism was generally frowned upon but both sets of parents were very pleased for their children. "It seems that this is a logical and beneficial match for our children." said T'Ara in a contented tone as she watched Naruto lead T'Lyra into the house by the hand.
Sovar held his wife's hand affectionately and said, "Indeed it is."
…
Naruto and T'Lyra were sitting on cushions beside each other while their parents discussed the bonding ceremony. "There is a Temple in the Old Quarter right here in ShiKahr City where the koon-at-la*② can be performed." said T'Ara. I see no reason for a big ceremony for a bonding. The wedding perhaps; but not the bonding."
Anuak was of a different opinion. "Do you not want our extended families to be there for the koon-at-la? The Temple is a very nice and historical place, but I don't know if it will fit dozens of people."
Sovar replied, "You yourself said haste was a necessity. I believe a small ceremony for the bonding would be to our advantage. It's not logical to make huge arrangements at the last minute."
Anuak looked like she wanted to argue but Falor patted her hand. "We want the koon-at-la to be as soon as possible to protect T'Lyra from Arev. The M'Faus are right. Let us settle for a small ceremony now so we can plan a proper wedding later."
T'Lyra's Mother sighed. "I suppose that is logical. Given the circumstances it can't be helped. I'm sorry your bonding won't be a large event at Mount Seleya*③ T'Lyra."
The brunette girl shook her head. "All I care about is being bonded with Naruto. We don't need a great deal of fanfare within our clans. When is the koon-at-la to take place?"
Seeing her future daughter in law was more sensible than her Mother Anuak; T'Ara said with approval in her tone, "We will make the arrangements T'Lyra. The ShiKahr Temple isn't a terribly busy one so probably we can do it in the next few weeks."
"The sooner the better." said Falor. "If we can get in this weekend, I would be all for it."
Anuak's eyes widened. "There would be so few family members that could make a trip on such short notice though."
Falor replied, "T'Lyra's protection is paramount here Anuak. Let us make haste. T'Lyra seems quite content with a simple koon-at-la ceremony so we should be too."
"Very well…" said Anuak. She turned to Naruto. "You haven't said a word Naruto. What do you think of all this?"
Naruto's blue eyes brightened. "As long as T'Lyra and I are together I'm not concerned how big or small the koon-at-la ceremony is. If it pleases T'Lyra then it is fine with me. Besides, Mother and Father were wed in that Temple, so it seems appropriate to at least have our bonding there."
Sovar nodded in approval. "Yes, our marriage was a small but very intimate one. I'm glad you feel that way Naruto." He touched two fingers with T'Ara affectionately and said, "Besides, the ShiKahr Temple is a very historical place being near The Forge."
T'Ara gave a tiny smile. "I will go to the Temple tomorrow to see what arrangements can be made."
"I will join you to see how many invitations we will need to send out." said Anuak.
T'Ara's eyebrow twitched in irritation. 'Why do I get the feeling that a half dozen M'Fau Clan members will make it and hundreds of the Tolaris Clan members will be invited?' "Of course; we shall go together Anuak. We can meet in the morning after I drop Talok off at school."
…
Vulcan Science Academy
Naruto returned late to his suite that night and found his shadow clones hard at work doing homework. He was in exceptionally high spirits and wanted to share the good news with his friends. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite sure how Alison and Geoff would react since he knew human mating and wedding rituals were quite different. He was afraid they would share the news with everyone. After pondering the matter for a while, the blonde decided that it would be better to keep the news to himself. 'If I tell Senva I'm going through the koon-ut-la then I'll have to explain the extenuating circumstances surrounding Arev and that matter is best kept private.' With those thoughts in mind Naruto dispelled his two clones and went to bed.
His last thought before he went to sleep was, 'Now they want me in a martial arts competition? Gods…what next?'
…
ShiKahr Old Quarter, ShiKahr Temple
Thursday morning T'Ara dropped off little Talok at the ShiKahr Primary School and walked over to the Old Quarter where she met up with Anuak Tolaris a 10 AM sharp. Anuak was looking over the ancient temple with an appraising eye to decide if it was good enough for her daughter to have her second koon-at-la in. Anuak sighed. "Mount Seleya would be so much better." she thought aloud.
T'Ara felt her eyebrow twitching again and said, "Good morning to you Anuak. I see you got here before I did."
Anuak said, "Ah! You are right on time. I was early so I've been…admiring this Temple. I'm not quite sure that it is right for our children's koon-at-la ceremony. It lacks the grandeur for such an occasion."
T'Ara wanted to face palm. 'You'd think it was a shrine dedicated to the goddess T'Vet*④ from the way she's staring at it' "I assure you this Temple is fine and has a long and distinguished history dating back to when ShiKahr was still a Kingdom in Surak's time. Let us go inside. It is quite beautiful."
The two women were soon conversing with a Junior Priestess about arranging a koon-at-la ceremony to take place. The young Priestess went over to a podium and said, "We can have the koon-at-la for Naruto M'Fau and T'Lyra Tolaris here two Saturdays from now at 9 AM in the main hall. Would this be suitable for both parties and their families?"
"That would be excellent." said T'Ara. "That is where my husband and I were wed."
Anuak twitched. "How many people can be seated in the main hall?"
"One hundred and fifty can be seated there Mrs. Tolaris." replied the Priestess.
'Is this adequate enough for a daughter of the Tolaris clan?' pondered Anuak. 'The Honorable Blue Dynasty usually has all of their ceremonies performed at Mount Seleya but that could take months…'
T'Ara's onyx eyes were turning hard, and she said with forced politeness, "Anuak, I am sure this will be fine. Remember we are on a timetable."
Anuak sighed, "I suppose I could limit the guests to only seventy-five people. That would be half of the main hall. It will be difficult, but it is for T'Lyra's sake."
'Only seventy-five people?!' thought T'Ara disbelief. 'I might invite twenty tops…and half won't show up I expect…' "Well, let us sign the agreement then and arrange payment." said the onyx eyed beauty. "There is much to do."
…
Vulcan Science Academy
While T'Ara was dealing with the personal hell of Anuak's apparent bourgeoisie tendencies, Naruto was dealing with the ever-inquisitive Professor T'Laan in her Logic and Philosophy Class. As always, she wanted his opinion as a hybrid on the teachings of Surak and others. Generally, she was disappointed that Naruto had very typically Vulcan views but today was different….
Today they were studying an emotionalist named Grelek that preceded Surak by about a century. Apparently, he was a pacifist and his writings influenced Surak early in his life. Naruto's opinion of Grelek wasn't all that high though. "Tell us what you think of a young Grelek coming to the conclusion that peace was beneficial in a time of war Naruto M'Fau." said Professor T'Laan.
"Instructor;" replied Naruto crisply. "Grelek's writings and conclusions may have been great, but his morality and reasoning were not. He was of the upper class and hired others to fight in his place with his wealth. Grelek wrote of pacifism but did nothing to promote it himself having supported wars employing the lower classes. He was a corrupt and cowardly politician as history shows and had the Kingdom of ShiKahr not been in a stable time of relative peace during his lifetime his writings would likely have ended up leading Grelek to incarceration or worse. It is a great credit to Surak that he was able to distill the finer points of true pacifism from such a fraudulent promoter of the subject."
There were a number of gasps and another student said, "Do you not consider Grelek the Father of Vulcan Pacifism?"
The blonde wanted to growl and Professor T'Laan was practically giddy (by Vulcan standards) with excitement. "Please clarify your views Mister M'Fau." she said eagerly.
Naruto explained, "Grelek enjoyed watching gladiatorial fights and other blood sports for entertainment and sent countless mercenaries to their deaths without the slightest bit of respect for the lives of others. He never faced adversity and supported pacifism only where his safety was concerned. He was not a true pacifist or a realist. Surak is the true Father of Vulcan Pacifism and history has proven it many times over. Grelek's writings were only from behind the safety of well defended walls. Had he faced the trials that Surak did he would have crumbled into dust. Read Grelek's personal life history as I have and tell me if you do not agree that this is a logical conclusion."
"Do we have any historians in class that would care to support or refute Mister M'Fau's assertions about Grelek?" asked Professor T'Laan enthusiastically.
The five students that were history majors in the class all agreed that Naruto's reasoning was both logical and sound. One of them summed up with, "It is difficult to refute Naruto's claims that while Grelek's writings were inspiring; he as a person was a fraud…"
…
After class, Professor T'Laan said to Naruto; "You certainly brought up some interesting points about the philosopher Grelek today Naruto. Have you ever considered pursuing Philosophy as a major?"
Naruto wanted to faint…
…
Western Dorm Cafeteria
"It must be tough being the teacher's pet." snickered Alison. "Maybe you should drop all your science courses and study Philosophy and Theology instead."
Naruto cringed at the concept. "Professor T'Laan is a good person but she is a bit too interested in me because I'm a hybrid it seems. She seems to think my point of view would be radically different from others even though I was raised as an ordinary Vulcan child."
"Being raised by a Father who is a Master of the martial arts and a Mother who has three doctorates is hardly what I'd consider ordinary Naruto." commented Senva in a conversational tone.
Naruto resisted the urge to face fault. "You are not helping at all Senva."
Senva sipped her tea. "You seem to be under the false impression that I was trying to help."
Geoff and Alison burst into laughter and Naruto just shook his head…
…
LONG POSTSCRIPT:
*①: Ponn-Ifla: It is considered a very young discipline by Vulcan standards. Ponn-ifla was the opposite of Kareel-ifla in that it was non-violent in nature but was still quite an effective hand-to-hand combat art. This discipline focused on the use of minimum force and movement by turning an attacker's own force back at them rather than initiating combat. Master practitioners were known to take on a dozen opponents as well as incapacitate them without even moving a foot or two from their starting position.
*②: koon-at-la the mind-melding of chosen bond-mates at age seven that causes them to seek each other out during the adult awakening of pon farr These ceremonies are intensely private, and none are normally open to the public.
*③: Mount Seleya is a sacred mountain located on at the far end of Vulcan's Forge. It is said to be the place where Surak formulated his philosophies, including logic and the IDIC, in the 3rd century. On a planet rife with hundreds of monasteries, temples, shrines, and ruins to the many sects and even gods which have held sway upon various regions of Vulcan, no place of worship is more important to the modern Vulcan way of life than Mount Seleya.
*④: T'Vet is a female deity known to the Vulcan civilization. She is considered a goddess, though it was not clear whether she was ever a real person. She was the patron saint of the warrior clans. During the time of Surak, she had already been worshipped for a long time. Many of the attacks done against Surak's community devoted to logic and peace were done so in T'Vet's name. Whilst Surak's philosophy of logic prevailed, an active shrine dedicated to T'Vet still exists within the L-langon Mountains as Surak's ways did not seek to destroy the old ways.
T'Vet represented the female force toward racial survival and in the ancient days she was perceived as a protective force for warriors in their battles for food and water. Prayers were made to her to keep the women and children of the clan alive through the summer times. As Surak's teachings became more widespread, the people began to cooperate instead of making war, which allowed them to use irrigation to plant crops instead of relying on animal meat. This led to a diminishment of war and famine which in turn led to T'Vet's worshippers dwindling in number with only a single shrine left in future years. Even by the modern era, ceremonies from T'Vet's rituals were adapted by future Vulcans for ceremonies that were still practiced.
Well, the footnotes came back with a vengeance this chapter. See you next time. Blue out. 9/19/23