Chapter Text
Silence, utter silence.
That is what the one thing present in this darkened space, reeking of an ominous aura it showed. No colors, no sounds, not even knowing where this was or what it even happened to be, it just was dark. It was perhaps something out of the dark imagination of a dream, maybe even a nightmare, but it was something absolutely out of the ordinary.
Especially for the person who lies on the floorless ground. The unconscious blond was lying there for perhaps only an hour or so, yet he didn't have a clue until he started to wake up.
Then, there was movement - but not from the blond, but from the air. Flying in the same colors of darkness, were these creatures that circled the body?
With their yellow glowing eyes, they flew around the body like crows ready to devour its eyeing prey. Ready to strike at any moment with the thought of ease.
Yet this wasn't some easy prey these creatures would feast on. As he wore a Shinobi Headband with a spiral-leaf crest etched on the steel plate identifying him as a member of the Hidden Leaf - and his name was Naruto Uzumaki.
The Hero of the Fourth Shinobi War was seen wearing his upgraded attire consisting of black sandals and orange pants, along with a black jacket with an orange zipper line. He had a red band wrapped around his left arm that had the Uzumaki crest on it. His blond hair had been shortened over the years—not too close to the scalp, but just enough to be noticeable.
Like his appearance, his mentality had also changed as the war had indeed brought an impact on him; he wasn't keen on showboating, as it was a source of shame he still held inside of him that he kept dragging on for the past few years.
And in those past years, he only had one person to talk about that impact, only he wasn't a person; instead-
"DAMN IT, NARUTO!"
The orange colors exploded around Naruto's body as it was set off like flames. Managing to force the unknown creatures of darkness away from the young man, as it also got the eyes of Naruto to snap open.
Gasping for air, Naruto woke up and looked around. Seeing where he was, he caused him to stand up.
"Where am I?" Naruto asked as he then spotted these creatures. "And what are those?"
"Don't ask me, I'm just as confused as you. But something's off about this place."
"You mean we aren't in the seal?"
"No time for questions like that, focus on taking out these things!" Kurama told him, "Whatever they are, they're no good."
The voice that broke the silence was the closest friend Naruto had - Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Fox that had been alongside him since the very first hours of his life. The large orange-furred beast had been a curse to live with for almost half his life, yet had turned into the other half that kept him alive, and now they were friends, a journey of which books can be written about.
"Stand up! We have to fight!"
The creatures sped for Naruto, wasting no time after hearing that.
"Crap!" Naruto shouted as he quickly jumped upwards and just in time, as the first two yellow-eyed things flew underneath him. He crosses his fingers together, hoping to make use of his signature Jutsu to even the odds.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Two puffs of smoke exploded next to Naruto as they appeared to be two clones, each identical to the original.
This, however, didn't seem to deter these creatures as they proceeded to launch their rapid charge against him and the replicas.
"Let's go!"
"Right!" The clones shouted as all three of them disappeared in a flash, right out of the spot.
The group of creatures still charged ahead - but even their minds were still big enough to realize what happened, and before they knew it-
*KICK!*
*WACK!*
*KICK!*
The first three got booked immediately from above by Naruto and his clones, of whom Naruto just chopped his bandaged right arm, right through the black creature, as his partners took out the other two with their high kicks.
The first three creatures disappeared after being hit, looking like they had been beaten. Causing Naruto to then dispel his clones.
"What was that? Got any clues, Kurama?"
"Like I said, no heck of an idea. This confuses me as much as you are right now. But I can tell you this: I felt no chakra coming from these things."
"No chakra? Like, not even inactivated?"
"Literally none, no signs from it. Like they were created without it. There's something about this place that makes no sense to me."
"Hey, look."
Then, in front of Naruto, a path started to be seen, almost guided by a soft, colorful light in the darkness that almost resembled stairs, with the top of it looking like it had an end.
"Maybe these stairs will lead to our answers."
"Maybe, but keep your guard up. I don't like this. Could be a trap."
Taking those words to mind, Naruto opened his kunai pocket and held his bandaged hand over it as he slowly stepped onto the steps upwards.
Not knowing what he was expecting to find, Naruto knew one thing: what he was doing before all this bizarreness that was taking place, with whom he was, and what he was doing.
He was on a mission, one with the corporation of multiple village Shinobi whom he was assigned with, as he was tasked to try and check on the intel their intelligence ops had been searching for a few years now:
The location of an unknown Ōtsutsuki Clan temple that was just discovered by sheer luck, and as it happened to be that many of his team were fellow veterans of the same war, they all had a common interest in keeping anything related to that clan sealed, hidden, or even destroyed. All had traveled for days now after they had found out this place was located far in a corner of the world that many had never even visited.
Far away, even from the Land of Waves, or even the Kage Summit before the war, or not even the Turtle Island, or even Mount Myōboku. No, this place was a trip worth remembering. It was in the Far West, beyond the borders of the Land of Earth, where the Hidden Stone Village was. They traveled and happened to camp out that night.
And it was that night Naruto was in as he began walking up the stairs and was nearly reaching the end of them.
"Finally."
The words were taken out of Naruto's mouth as he reached the end and set foot on the final steps, as he found himself now with even more questions than answers about what was in front of him:
A large wrapping was seen floating in front of him in a circle of white, and that wrapping looked like it was the size of a human, and it looked familiar to him, what this was, taking him back to
"Naruto, those are the same wrappings from-"
"Infinite Tsukuyomi," Naruto breathed out, shocked by what he saw. There was nothing else he could say to describe this.
The sound of tearing fabric could be heard as the wrappings started to unravel. The face that peeked out of the hole had filled Naruto with dread; the form within was undoubtedly masculine, the skin a pallid white. The small crop of hair on top was a dirty green bush that gave the impression of a dying plant, fitting as the right side of the face like the gnarled roots of a tree. The figure looked back, revealing a face he dreaded to encounter—
"The hell are you doing here?" he uttered, half in disgust.
"You didn't think it was over, did you?" asked the figure in the Infinite Tsukuyomi cocoon, taunting him.
It was hard to forget that face; after all, there were a lot of them in the last war. But this one, this face, and those eyes - he knew all too well.
"Naruto…"
"Neji…"
The body of the deceased Hyuga then broke out of the cocoon, and the veins around his eyes sharpened as he shouted in anger.
"BYAKUGAN!"
Naruto gasped for air as he woke up, rising from his sleeping bag, with his face covered in sweat and looking pale. He breathed in and out, the palms of his hands wiping over his face.
"Damn it…" Naruto wheezed, rubbing his head. "Ugh…"
"You alright?" asked a masculine voice off to the side.
Hearing that made Naruto turn his head to the source of light, which was the campfire that was still burning, with his multinational team surrounding it. With one of those faces close to the fire, being one of his friends from the village.
"Naruto," Shikamaru Nara, friend and current co-commander of the team, asked. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just a bad dream," Naruto replied,
Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome. Look, I get why you'd have bad dreams; you're going to get married soon, and you're worried about it…but you still gotta keep your head in the game."
Naruto sighed as he set his head down. "I know, I know…"
"Why don't you sit with us for a while?" One of the other team members asked with a smirk. "We can toast to your future endeavors."
The one who happened to say that was one of the other teammates, one who Naruto met way back before the war on 'pretty awkward terms' by hindsight.
"Sure, Karui, maybe a drink will help." Naruto smiled as he stood up and walked over to the campfire to sit next to Shikamaru. "What have you been making?"
"Warm milk. Silly." Karui said with an uncontrollable smirk as she added. "Maybe you can start practicing now."
A few smirks could be heard from the other members of the team, which was in total a group of eight: two from the Leaf, three from Clouds, one from the Mist, another from the Sand, and lastly one from the Stone.
As both Naruto and Shikamaru were already known figures, they happened to be talking about a Cloud Ninja named Karui, a dark skinned woman of their age group with dark red hair and yellow piercing eyes, with the personality that was to be expected of more than a few hotheads.
Right now, this team of eight of multiple Shinobi villages, mainly those from the Five Great Powers who had fought in the 4th Shinobi War, was on a break from the long journey they were having.
The mission they were given was related to that war they all had participated in: to investigate the rumors of remnants of that conflict.
"Honestly, why not. Give me some." Naruto got in on the joke as he accepted the cup. "Maybe I can give you tips once you and Chōji finally get married."
Then the Snickers turned into laughter when Naruto said that, causing the redhead to flip.
"Why you-MORON!" Karui threw an empty.
This only got Naruto to laugh more than he narrowly dodged the can, as even Shikamaru couldn't help but smirk at that remark.
"Hey, I'm just saying." Naruto held his arms out and smiled. "You two have been dating for a few years now. When are you going to make it official?"
Karui fumed at him and was about to throw another empty can, but instead tried to respond.
"You know, he's not wrong, Karui," added her friend, the often Stoic Samui, taking a sip of her tea instead, "We've honestly been waiting for that proposal."
"Not you too, Samui…" Karui groaned, trying to hide the embarrassed tint on her cheeks as she explained, "We wanted to take it easy…and I just received my transfer papers last month."
"So you are planning on moving in with him!" confirmed her other friend, Omoi, asked up with a popsicle in his mouth as he put more branches into the fire. "Well, hopefully he'll ask you before you reach your mid-twenties and you'll possibly start thinking of having a child-"
"SHUT IT OMOI!" Karui scolded him, causing the white-haired young man to freeze in fear for a moment.
"J-Just saying. You two look like you might be planning for it."
"Don't antagonize her, Omoi." Samui politely warned her friend.
"Yes, it's best not to do that. I can speak from experience." The Iwa Nin of the group said, being the largest of the group, he was also the humblest. "Working closely with the Third Tuschikage's family, I'm sure that gives you life lessons."
"I don't doubt that, Akatsuchi," Shikamaru commented, scratching his head slightly as he had a few encounters with them. "Given the granddaughter is most likely about to take his place in the future, she's just itching, isn't she?"
"Kurotsuchi? Oh, indeed she is, but the old man does not want to back down yet." Akatsuchi chuckled as he added. "He won't retire until his back finally gives out."
"Really? But he's old!" The sand girl added, being more reserved, she was somewhat a bit concerned as she sat next to Akatsuchi. "He'd lived a long life, shouldn't he at least consider retirement?"
With the turban and the purple marks on her face, the seal Jutsu user of the group from the Hidden Sand was a girl named Maki, possibly the youngest from the group compared to the heavy-hitters she was assigned to. A young veteran herself, she did some excellent work on the front lines, which was why her Kazekage had sent her on this particular mission.
Akatsuchi smiled and responded. "Sure, but this is the Third Tsuchikage we're talking about. He doesn't prioritize his health."
"But isn't he a veteran of the First Shinobi War?" Maki asked, bringing up the question of his age. "I mean, he's in his eighties and has experienced more than anyone else."
"And that's perhaps why he's still the Tsuchikage." The Mist member said.
One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, he was the wielder of Hiramekarei. he was undoubtedly a strong young man, but was often doubtful and shyness that he showed. His name was Chōjūrō.
"Mind elaborating?"
"W-Well, he's someone who's seen a lot," Chōjūrō argued, bringing those up. "He's seen the First generations of Kages and served in countless conflicts. Having met even the likes of Madara Uchiha and gone through the Second and Third Shinobi Wars, he outlasted many of the past leaders, to be fair. Even the Third Hokage who got…."
"Lord Third…" Shikamaru sighs as that memory sinks in. "Man, the time I heard that name lastly…"
Chōjūrō panicked. "Eh! I'm sorry, I didn't meanto-"
"No need to apologize, we're over it." Naruto interrupted him, staring at the fire as he drank from his can. "Just the mention of the old man just brings back old memories…"
Omoi was curious. "You were close to the Third?"
"He looked after me, sort of," Naruto said, remembering as he looked down the fireplace. "They used to bring me every month the money to pay my rent and food for the place I lived in…ever since I was able to walk and talk."
"Wait, you lived on your own as a kid?" Karui asked, a bit stunned by hearing this. "I heard you were never adopted. But, no surrogate or something like that?"
"Nope, I was on my own." Naruto simply mentioned. "Was given checks till I graduated from the academy."
Everyone except for Shikamaru was pretty much astonished by this revelation that came from the Hero of the Fourth Shinobi War. They did not know much about his background, but knew from standard info that he was an orphan, which was nothing new in the life of being a Shinobi.
"What was he like? The Third Hokage, I mean…" Samui asked, her being to ask that. "Was he really that beloved?"
"He was like the grandfather we all had," Shikamaru said, adding as he looked at Naruto. "Maybe more so for Naruto, since as far as I remember, they both did spend a lot of time whenever they could…"
"Yeah, eating ramen or watching the sunset. Good times." Naruto smiled at those memories. "I even remember when I was fishing for my own food outside at a river, we shared what I caught, and he would tell me about the stars and other things."
Akatsuchi smiled and asked. "He was like that, huh?"
"He was, indeed." Naruto continued with a sad smile. "Just now… I wonder why he kept some secrets from me… Like how he never told me who my parents were…"
"Your parents? You mean Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki?" Karui asked. "Both the Yellow Flash and the Red-Hot Habanero?"
"Yeah, that's the," Naruto confirmed. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I-"
"Karui actually listed her as an idol." Omoi suddenly blurted out while looking down into the fire. "She used to read the names of the Bingo List, and she was a fan of reading her record-"
*BOINK!*
Her face clearly red, Karui had punched Omoi over the head in a state of embarrassment.
"SHUT UP, OMOI!"
"What? I'm just saying what's the truth." Omoi said, holding the spot where he got hit. "Just like Samui, you both admired her-"
"SHUT IT!"
"Wait, you two too?" Maki was the one to ask the two other girls in the group. "You two are fans of Kushina Uzumaki?"
Samui waited for Karui to finish berating Omoi before sighing in resignation.
"Yes, I am."
"She's got a good record, so ye." Samui admitted with much respect. "I was young when she was reported to have passed away, but I always admired her track record of accomplished missions and furious strength against her opponents."
"Really? I am a fan too." Maki said with delight. "My sensei, Pakura, was also a fan. She wanted to meet her as a kid, even going so far as to say she thought she would've beaten up Tsunade of the Sannin."
The girls were giggling and smiling as they were continuing to talk, with the other boys joining in, except for the two Leaf nin who briefly talked to one another.
Shikamaru whispered to Naruto. "Didn't expect your mother to have a fan base, do you?"
"Honestly, I would not be." Naruto responded with a smirk. "Given I read my mom's record."
"Figures…."
The team continued to have some talk throughout the night, with some laughter being heard as they shared stories throughout the night.
Later
As a few hours had gone by, the fire had been put out, and as of now all the members of the team were in their sleeping bags and taking the few hours left to rest.
All, except for Naruto, who was seen staring at the sky with only his legs and lower half of his body seen inside of it, while wearing his white shirt without sleeves, the pendant necklace around his neck was also present - the one he was given by Grandma Tsunade.
Looking at the stars, the numerous number of those shining bright in the dark blue sky, he was deep in his thoughts as he was, talking with his friend:
'Beautiful, isn't it? The star,s I mean.'
'Yeah, can't argue that. It is a good way to spend your time on. But perhaps a different view wouldn't be bad.'
'What do you mean?'
'Take a look behind you, slowly…"
Slowly moving his head, Naruto turned around to see something unexpected, and in all honesty was not something he was turning away from.
The figure of Samui herself being in the nearby bushes, seen with her back exposed and without a bra, seen tending to her own shoulders with massaging oil to try to ease the pain that was partly being caused by the bust she had.
There was a subtle hourglass figure to her form, a little thicker than normal due to a combination of training and life as a shinobi, but it was still there…though a little more attention was drawn by her waistline. After a good rub, he could see her rinsing herself down at the small waterfall near the camp, her shoulder-length bob cut flowing with the light rapids.
The figure of Samui alone, was a scene that took him back to some old memories-
'Yeah, you see that. Those are some good-looking curves on that woman. Maybe ask her for a quick-'
'Damn it, Kurama! How dare you?' Naruto demanded from his companion as he tried to hidehise blush as he silently turned his head back. 'I'm with Hinata now. And who knows if she got a boyfriend back home…'
'Actually, she had a girlfriend.'
'Huh?'
'Remember Yugito Nii? The holder of Matatabi the Two-Tailed Cat? Well, the cat told me they used to be close friends who were lovers, and it was no small-time relationship…'
Naruto shook his head, feeling bad for Samui if this was true, but he then listened to Kurama, who was suggesting something despicable to what sounded like cheating with a widowed woman.
'Where are you going with this?'
'Matatabi told me her holder, before she went off in peace, wanted to have someone look after that girl. Telling me she was sincere, I figured you might be able to help her since that's what you are most known for.'
'By what?'
'You know, remember what the Elders suggested-'
Nott.' Naruto protested before that sentence was even finished. 'I stand by my wife alone, and nothing else. Sasuke isn't doing it, so why should I?'
What was being referred to was the initial refusal of Naruto being a part of the Clan Restoration Act, otherwise known simply as the CRA. A law that legally enabled him to be in a polygamous relationship that allowed for multiple wives/or concubines to produce multiple children.
'You're not the first one to have gone through that, Naruto. Clans often were nearly extinct due to pointless wars. I'm just telling you.' Kurama told him in an unusually calm way. 'You shouldn't be surprised when your identity was fully revealed that pressure was going to be put on you.'
'Yet I refused, and they acknowledged it. I even got the support of Grandma Tsunade and some of the families of my friends.' Naruto reminded him, the distress clear in his tone, 'Even Hinata's father didn't support it.'
'Was it mainly because he supports you? Or because he feared for Hinata's wellbeing?' Kurama responded, 'Let alone, nobody else knows about what went on behind those closed doors - not even your fiancé.'
Naruto closed his eyes in a painful reminder of how true that statement was. Till this day, nobody outside the Konoha Clan heads, Lady Tsunade and the Elders, knew about the CRA talks. Those discussions amounted to nothing, as it was kept in ultimate secrecy, and the main reason for that was due to the possibility of politicking. Even when the warring nations were on better terms than ever before, the restoration of the Uzumaki Clan could've caused some unwanted tensions if not for proposals being sent to win over favors.
It was a notion that Naruto hated. He'd been used as a tool before, and he refused to let any of his children suffer that fate as well.
'I'm done talking about this, Kurama. Talk about anything else besides that." Naruto clearly stated to him. 'I refuse to do it, that's final.'
'Okay, I accept that.'
'But, it doesn't mean I can perhaps help Samui.' Naruto said, showing a bit of sadness for her. 'If sheweres willing to be close to a Jinchuuriki, I might be able to help her if she needs a friend to talk to.'
Kurama chuckled, laying his head back down on the ground as he went to sleep.
'Of course you will. Always the helper you are, Naruto Uzumaki. That's what makes everyone like you.'
'Goodnight.'
'Night, kid.'
As both closed their eyes, it was Naruto who closed his real ones to finally get some shuteye to try to be prepared for tomorrow, as they were not far off from the location.
Tomorrow, their mission might finally start.
Next morning
Having woken up early in the morning, the team had finally reached the exact location in the Far Western parts of the Shinobi World. And where they arrived at only seem to have gotten them a catch:
The location was a temple on top of a mountain that was a job and a half to travel up to. The temperature alone was dropping below zero the higher they climbed, the lack of oxygen could be felt as the higher altitudes required them to drink more water and get their cloaks on to cover their bodies. It also didn't help that it was snowing, luckily no wind to make it worse as the group of eight continued to walk up the small, but luckily available foot trail that led to this temple, with Chōjūrō leading the group.
"We're not that far away, people." The Mist nin said, holding onto his winter cloak. "Just a few hundred meters and then we must see the temple."
"Right, so prepare yourself." Akatsuchi reminded everyone, semi-serious. "We might come across those Zetsus by chance."
The two were being accompanied by Maki, who was not at all used to this climate. Understandable, as it did snow in Kaze no Kuni, but the temperatures were never as unbearable as it was in this mountain, as she crossed her arms over herself as she proceeded to follow the big guy, putting on a strong front before the others.
"Hey! Maki?"
The Sand girl turned around and suddenly felt another cloak being pulled over her shoulders, by surprisingly Karui herself as she came to aid.
"Saw you were getting cold out there," Karui said with a smile, "You're not used to the weather, right?"
"N-N-No…"
"No problem, just stay behind me and follow." Karui said, holding her colleague by the shoulder. "Omoi! Help out, will you!?"
"I'm right behind you!" Omoi shouted, indeed being behind the two girls as he was following their tracks.
Leaving then only three others behind. Both leaders of the mission and Naruto, seen with his hair slightly covered in snow as Shikamaru warned him.
"Told you we needed a cloak with a hood."
"Forgot about it, I'm still human, you know." Naruto argued back as he walked up the trail slowly behind his friend. "We're close to the end, you go up first."
"Right, I'll see you upstairs." Shikamaru stated, as he took up a notch and ran up the trail to bypass both Karui, Omoi and Maki. Trying to catch up with the two other Jonin.
This left Naruto and Samui in the back. Given the fact that they both needed to catch up to the others as they normally weren't the slow-types, there was no need to rush.
"Enjoy the show?" Samui asked, her voice just low enough for the two of them to hear. "I knew you were watching me, so don't start to deny it."
Naruto looked at her, eyes aghast as he wondered what she was going to do to him. Already in his mind, he could recall moments in time when he'd seen Jiraiya coming out of hiding with a red handprint on his cheek. He'd even had his fair share of handprints from whenever he'd happened across Sakura accidentally on a mission.
"I didn't mean to-"
"You're not in trouble, so calm your nerves, okay?" Samui spoke calmly, stoic as ever. "I've had my fair share of perverts watching my breasts, so I'm used to it. But I have a question for you."
"Uhm, sure." Naruto responded, slightly hesitant. "What is it?"
"Why were you in such a hurry to get back to sleep after only watching my back?" Samui asked up forwards as she turned her head towards him. "If you watched longer, you could've seen my front, but you didn't. Why is that?"
That question was totally unexpected for Naruto as he was internally really baffled, as this was not something out of the ordinary; normally, a girl would confront her peeping tom simply for the act itself.
"You reminded me of Hinata-Chan…"
The answer was something that just blathered out of Naruto's mouth, confounding the both of them.
"I remind you of your fiancé?" Samui asked curiously, "How?"
Naruto was hesitant again, but then proceeded to speak of his experience, able to tell the full story of that moment.
"Back when I was a kid, the Hokage assigned me with Team 8, which is the same team Hinata-Chan's part of. We were on a mission to retrieve a rare type of insect that Shino happened to look for - when we all camped out, I uh…."
Samui grew interested and asked. "Go on."
"I happened to go out and take a leak, then I noticed this waterfall and took a closer look. I saw someone training there in the moonlight; it was too bright for me to see, so all I could see was this shadow, moving fast and in circles, almost like a dance."
"A dance…" Samui spoke.
"Anyway, we eventually ran into trouble during the mission, and Hinata-chan was the only one of us that managed to fight back…and then I saw her using moves I'd seen that shadow using at the waterfall in their training session."
The explanation somehow didn't end as Naruto happened to then add something up that really, even for his often dullness, caused him to accidentally say:
"And she was a beauty in that water in all her pureness, honestly - I think that is why you remind me of her…"
….
Samui released a small snort reacting to that, making the impression that Naruto caught he might've just messed up.
"Sorry, I-"
"You know…your fiancé is lucky to have you."
"Huh?"
She proceeded to walk forwards as he noticed a small on the corners of her face, and he then saw a small tint on her face, as if she were blushing.
"You're really something else, Naruto Uzumaki." She said as she kept on following the trail. "Now let's go, the temple awaits."
As Samui happened to leave Naruto behind as the last of the team, she intentionally seemed to have swayed her hips left to right, giving the clear signal of what she really thought of Naruto's way of complimenting her.
And all of that in the cold, a fire was certainly burning somewhere.
'Keep that in your pants, Naruto.'
'... Damn you, Kurama.'
Kurama chuckled as he added. 'Your words, not mine.'
"Naruto, come on!" Shikamaru's voice was heard yelling for him. "We're here!"
Hearing that caused Naruto to hurry up and pick up his pace, sprinting over the snow as he finally reached the top of the trail as he then was faced with what they finally found.
"Wow…"
What the team found was beyond what they expected, especially on top of a snowy mountain. It was a wooden entrance that resembled that of an old monastery that was preserved in good enough condition, except for the broken windows and the missing entrance board that normally should show who this temple belongs to.
The first reactions from the team came from the mouth of Karui, effectively summing up everyone's thoughts on the matter..
"I've got a bad feeling about this," she said, drawing a kunai, "This place gives me the creeps."
"It looks like a shrine of some sorts." Omoi noted, taking a closer look. "Must've been abandoned a long time ago."
Then it was Naruto who took a step forward, standing at the front alongside Shikamaru as they both looked at this building with suspicion.
'Naruto, I sense no life in that building. So no Zetsus here, but-'
'But what?'
'I sense something off, something powerful…I can't say what it is from here, but you need to check it.'
Naruto nodded and he then turned to Shikamaru and informed him.
"I sense nothing in there. No Zetsus, no nothing."
"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked. "You sensed it, didn't you?"
"Kurama did, and he sensed nothing alive in there." Naruto told him as he implored. "Let me go in with two guys and check for any traps. Five minutes and then you follow with the rest."
"Hmm, alright." Shikamaru agreed before turning to the others and picked out two. "Maki, Chōjūrō, you're on point with Naruto."
"Right." Maki walked up.
"Okay." Chōjūrō nodded as he joined up.
"The rest of us will wait here for five minutes and then join inside," Shikamaru told the plan. "Make sure to keep your eyes open, we might've missed them."
"Let's go." Naruto said as he walked up towards the entrance with both the Sand and Mist nin, all three were seen drawing their kunai, just in case. They happened to then walk over a broken board, and the footprints that were left had moved the snow away slightly, allowing the board to be more visible.
That board had a very similar looking symbol on it, with black lines and dark crimson red….
Once inside, the trio were met with the darkness of the building itself, with only the cold being the noticeable presence.
"A fire might help."
"Allow me."
In a flash, both Chōjūrō and Maki had to cover their eyes for a moment as they were surprised by the sudden blaze, and once it cleared and they were able to see what it was - they were impressed.
In Naruto's left hand was a clear, burning torch that he was holding as he began to brighten up the room as he allowed it to grow bigger.
"Got any more torches?" Naruto asked as he looked around. "There's got to be something here."
Maki remembered and said. "Oh! Allow me."
*POOF!*
A small cloud of smoke popped out and in her hands were a couple of wooden torches she brought along from the campfire.
"Let me light them up."
One by one, Naruto ignited the torches with three of them given to each member while the other five, except for one, were left unlit for emergencies.
"We'll leave one here for the others, let them know where we are." Naruto said as he looked around and noticed something. "Hey, look around you…"
The two did and saw like Naruto what they were surrounded by, the interior of this building.
It was as though they were in a Dojo, with multiple sparring areas with ripped tatami mats and destroyed barriers, the oaken floorboards either missing planks or rotting away. The only thing decorating the walls were old hooks that looked like they had something on them before they were stripped off by whatever happened here.
"A dojo hall?" Maki sounded confused at what they were coming across. "What is this?"
Naruto happened to walk a bit more until he noticed something on those practice carpets that he saw, and he kneeled down to inspect it.
'Hey Kurama, you see this?"
'Yeah, I'm seeing it.'
Dried black markings, that was what was on those carpets, and all of those even had a few practicing letters written on them in small, and these were the same type of writings that were mainly used for one thing;
'Sealing Jutsu. This was a dojo made specifically for this.'
'Yeah, but these markings look fresh.'
'Meaning someone was here before you.'
"Naruto! Look!"
Hearing his name, Naruto stood up and saw that both Maki and Chōjūrō were staring at something, and by the looks on their faces, they must've discovered something horrifying.
He walked up towards them with the torch and asked. "What is it?"
Maki pointed out. "Look…"
Moving up the torch a little bit, she allowed Naruto to see what she wanted to show him, and what he saw was surprising even to him.
It was a mural of a red Whirlpool with black lines- the symbol of the Uzumaki Clan.
"Uhm, Naruto, if I may ask." Chōjūrō started nervously. "Why is there a dojo of your clan on the other side of the world?"
Naruto could only shake his head in response. "I honestly have no clue."
Maki could only swallow the nerves away as she somehow felt like something bad was about to happen.
*Click!*
The sound was all it took to force the three to then quickly turn around and were then faced with Shikamaru's team.
"Wow-wow!" Akatsuchi began. "Calm down, no need for it."
Standing down, Naruto then began. "Sorry, but we've just discovered something very unsettling."
"What is it?" Shikamaru asked before he got pointed out to the mural. And soon the others also saw it.
"What a drag…"
"Uhm, has anyone seen what's next to the Uzumaki symbol?" Omoi mentioned as he pointed out. "Move the torch a bit."
"Hmm, what do you mean?" Karui asked.
"Just…look."
As asked, someone did start to move the torch a bit to the left, and what was discovered caused even more confusion.
Next to the Uzumaki Whirlpool was a large painting of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and both her sons Hamura and Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, with what looks like them being surrounded by dark creatures that were being shunned away by the power of light - as if they were revered as gods.
"What the-"
"Wait-"
"Naruto…" Shikamaru sounded distrustful. "You also see this?"
For some reason, Naruto was silent as the dead, as he himself was trying to comprehend what had just been discovered. Something that laid even more unanswered questions to him.
"Y-Yeah…"
'Naruto, do NOT touch the mural.'
'Huh?'
'Do NOT touch the mural, especially with Chakra. This is no normal painting, it's a seal, and if the Uzumaki are going through so much trouble over that painting, it's keeping something locked up.'
Naruto indeed began being careful and touched the mural with his bandaged hand, and checked on it.
"Its a seal…"
"Huh?" Karui sounded. "What do you mean?"
"This mural isn't just artwork, but a seal." Naruto explained as he warned. "There's no time to explain, we need to call for help. This is way too serious."
Samui agreed. "We'll send a message-"
"I don't think so…"
The sudden sound got everyone surprised as suddenly they saw multiple dark cloaked creatures jumping for them!
"Disperse!"
The Shinobi did and quickly jumped away from the mural, even dropping the torches to the ground, causing the flames to then spread as the wooden floors happened to get caught on fire and forcing everyone apart.
Naruto was the closest as he was then faced off by several of the dark cloaked individuals that were squaring off. And there, he saw one of them with distinct pale white skin.
"Ah, the United Shinobi Alliance. Old memories. Remember me?"
"Zetsu…"
The paled creature raised his head up and the green haired yellow-eyed thing smiled with no holding back of a chuckle.
"I see that your villages are still getting along with one another, that's adorable to see. But how does it feel to see me again after all these years?"
"You really want to know?" Naruto responded with a clear glare as his fists tightened, especially his bandaged one. "There are a lot of people who personally would want to put you and your brothers down."
"Oh, I'm honored." White Zetsu grinned at that. "But as much as I wish to put you all into the same graves as your friends. I'm in a hurry - and I do not intend to stick around any longer."
"Then let me repay it LIKE THIS!" Naruto sprinted forwards with his kunai knife.
*CLANG!*
The kunai was blocked, by another White Zetsu appeared from the ground as it blocked Naruto off from the main one with both its arms that were hard like bones.
"You're going to play - WITH ME!" Zetsu shouted, as he tried to slash at Naruto who swiftly jumped backwards.
"Damn it!" Naruto then made a hand-seal. "Shadow Clone-"
'Behind you!'
Naruto took the warning and quickly turned around and kicked another white Zetsu that tried to attack him, right in the chest to make some room between them so he could move.
Soon, everybody was preoccupied with multiple White Zetsu coming out of their hiding spots and attacking the experienced Nin on their own.
Karui and Samui quickly got each other's back as they pulled out their blades and slain any of the White Zetsu that dared to get to them, one by one they fell down with deep cuts being dealt by the deadly female duo of Kenjutsu fighters from the hidden Cloud.
Samui held her tantō close to her chest as she scanned the area and quickly noticed another Zetsu coming up from high above the fires.
"Karui!"
"Right!"
Listening to her friend, Karui bent down and allowed Samui to then jump from her back to level up to the Zetsu-
*SLASH!*
"Ugh!"
Landing back on the floor, the Zetsu landed flat into the fire and into the flames, while Samui got back up without any problem.
"Uncool…."
SLASH!
A gasp could be heard before-
*Drop!*
Turning around, Samui found a dead Zetsu having landed near her feet and with an open sword wound across his back, with Karui right behind with her blade pointed at it.
As Samui got back to fighting another Zetsu, another one of those white creatures got defeated by Omoi who happened to be fighting them off alongside Shikamaru to back him up.
He cornered three of them into a corner as he was still holding his own sword, and before he knew it.
"Got them!" Omoi shouted. "Now!"
"Huh?"
"Shadow Paralysis Jutsu!"
The three turned their eyes downwards and saw what they were unprepared for - they could not move, but then it hit them right in the head - their shadows!
"Ah it's one of them!" One of the Zetsus reacted. "That shadow trick!"
This nearly popped a vein for Shikamaru, if he was even bothered by it as he had these three creatures in his grasp, unable to even move their face as they were forced to see the lazy look on the pineapple-haired look-
"Shadow Strangulation Jutsu!"
"AHHHH!"
In a matter of moments, the three white bodies dropped lifelessly to the ground, with only thuds being heard coming from them.
Unfazed, Shikamaru turned to the closest person nearby and called out.
"Maki! Prepare yourself, we might need to seal them!"
"Right!" The Sand Kunoichi said as she grabbed for her sealing scroll. "Give me a moment!"
*SLASH!*
A series of screams could be heard as half-chopped bodies of several white Zetsus could be seen landing in the fire, as Chōjūrō wielded Hiramekarei with the skill expected of a member of the Seven Shinobi of the Mist, assisting Akatsuchi in dealing with the large number of Zetsus in the area.
"FIST ROCK!"
One of the Zetsus was sent through the wall by a rock-covered hand that belonged to the Iwa nin, who held nothing back on dealing against these bastards.
"Not bad."
"You too."
With the large number of targets they had to deal with, nobody could afford to spend too much time on one Zetsu. Naruto's Shadow Clones worked on overdrive, evening the odds by sheer numbers to match the quality of each Zetsu. Nobody used a single high-powered Jutsu if they could help it, as stamina was key to survival here, trying to take down Zetsus quickly and efficiently…if they did, care had to be taken to ensure that they didn't hit their own. As such, everyone focused on Taijutsu and aimed for kill zones for the sake of expediency.
By the time the area had calmed down, the floors of the dojo were littered with the pallid bodies of the Zetsus. Everyone was tired out from the ambush, as they kept their eyes open for any new targets.
"Sound off!" Naruto called out.
The air was soon filled with a chorus of every confirmation one could imagine, earning a relieved sigh from Naruto.
Everyone relaxed as they turned to look at the painting. "We need to send out a pigeon," Shikamaru suggested, "Dangerous or not, we still need to let our Kage know what's going on."
"And I say we should destroy it before we send that pigeon," Naruto replied, "If Zetsu's gone through this much trouble to try and touch it, then it can't be good if we let anyone else touch it."
"Damn it, Naruto!" Shikamaru protested. "We can't argue about this now!"
Then the lone White Zetsu, standing behind the fires that kept most of the Shinobi apart, alone, he faced off close by Naruto, who jumped to his proximity.
"Naruto, wait!"
"No time!" Naruto said as he was holding a pair of kunai with explosive tags attached to the rings, "Not taking any chances!"
A White Zetsu smirked. "Let's end this!"
One of the White Zetsu emerged from under the bodies of his fellows, sprinting for the mural at such speed that the gathered Shinobi were too tired to stop him. Only Naruto was able to make the effort to try and stop him with his demolition tools, throwing both kunai at Zetsu, aiming for his legs to at least prevent him from getting any closer. One hit the ground in front of Zetsu, slowing him just enough for the follow-up kunai to hit him in the hip, the explosion shearing him in half.
However, the momentum behind the run was more than enough to propel the rest of his body forward, sending his torso flying towards the mural, arm outstretched.
Thinking he was defeated, Naruto made the wrong decision to drop his guard when he saw a triumphant Zetsu with his hand on the wall.
"... Join me! RELEASE!"
*CRACK!*
The mural cracked in numerous pieces like glass, the fissures spider-webbing across the whole wall as smoke billowed from those cracks.
'What, is this feeling?...'
'Naruto, use my chakra!'
'Huh?'
'NOW!'
Naruto took no moment to think as he engulfed himself in Bijū Mode, just as then the wall cracked up and-
BOOOM!
The mural exploded, sending bits of debris flying outward, forcing everyone into cover to avoid getting hit by the shrapnel. It didn't stay quiet for long, however, as amorphous shadows with glowing yellow eyes poured out of the opening made in the wall, running out of the apparent portal like a stampede of rats.
"DAM!"
"What are those things?!" Omoi shouted as he saw them. "SAMUI! KARUI!"
The gathered Shinobi fought back as hard as they could, trying to stem the tide of darkness, but they may as well have been trying to fight a tsunami.
"There are too many of them!"
"Get out!" Shikamaru shouted as the team was seen leaving the room, as the last thing he witnessed was his friend getting caught in the explosion that unleashed these things.
And then the darkness that was released soon consumed the whole room with Shikamaru heard shouting.
"NARUTO!"
Wherever they could, wherever they went - these dark creatures had started to roam out in speed across the mountain, and in no time, the whole area.
Everything turned black.
Traverse Town
Walking down the streets of Traverse Town was a lightly dressed woman with waist-length hair tamed in a ribbon near the tip. Her attire consisted of two tank tops, a black one under a white one that helped to tame her generous assets, but left her well-toned midriff exposed until one got to the short skirt that protected what modesty she had. The only bit of color to her attire was the pair of red fighting gloves and leather steel-toe boots she wore, adding to her athletic appearance. Overall, she had the looks that many prospective lovers would have sold their souls for.
She carried a big box of bottles over her shoulder, the contents jingling lightly with every step she took down the cobbled streets.
She received a few waves from the residents of Traverse Town, which she gratefully returned, as they were all like her; the ones fortunate enough to have come here. Traverse Town is the home of those who survived the darkness that consumed their worlds.
And they would be joined by another one:
"Look! Up in the air!"
Hearing that, Tifa happened to look upwards and saw a portal, meaning something was about to come out-
And falling out of that portal was a young man who seemed to be unconscious, causing some gasps from the onlookers, as some were yelling.
"Someone, do something!"
Not hesitating, Tifa began picking up her pace as she ran towards the end of the street where the figure was about to fall.
Into the-
PLOSH!
Like a rock dropped from above, the body fell into the large fountain with no response from the young man. His clothes were mostly shredded by the explosion, and bleeding cuts clouded the water with red. Naruto Uzumaki had just survived the unfortunate explosion in the Uzumaki temple.
And now, he didn't know where he was, what had just happened, and if he was even able to keep his heavy, growing weight on his eyes open, as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.
And the last thing he saw was a girl jumping into the water and swimming towards him in a hurry. As he blacked out, he could see her reaching out for him with her gloved hands.
And there, when he would wake up, an unwanted reality would meet with him.
Chapter 2: chapter 2
Chapter Text
Mystical House
While in his residence, a lone bearded man dressed in a sky blue cloak was hard at work writing words into a scroll with a quill, taking a moment to adjust his glasses before focusing upon his writing. There was a need to finish the document as quickly as possible.
"Pfft, documents, documents, documents. My luck." grumbled the old man, "Surely there is a word for this, but I cannot fathom as to what it is."
"That would be a monster called 'bureaucracy,' Merlin."
"Hmmm?" Merlin hummed, turning his head upwards to look around with his glasses down, "Who said that?"
"In front of you - old friend."
Merlin pushed his glasses back up, and to his surprise, he found a colleague standing before him; a mage who outranked him on the usage of magic.
Even when the man with the sorcerer's hat had a full-grown beard that was still close to its original hair color. The man had a stern look on his face, but that was often a misjudged appearance once you get to know him.
"Ah, Master Sid!" Merlin smiled at the presence of his colleague, "How goes life? Though I must ask, how did you come in…? It seems that my doorbell doesn't work."
Sid nodded. "I'm doing splendidly, Merlin, Thank you for asking." He took notice of the scrolls and documents on the table and asked. "What precisely were you busy with?"
"Oh, business as usual; there is no rest, even when my inkwell is nearly empty," Merlin explained, irritated, waving nonchalantly as he reclined in his seat, "Mainly schoolgirls from many locales across this particular world. Nearly a hundred girls, and a few of their parents."
"Almost a hundred?" Sid asked, quite taken by that number. "For what purpose?"
"The Gullwings managed to evacuate many of them through the portal before the darkness took over their planet. It was a sad sight to be fair." Merlin said, shaking his head sadly, "It is heartbreaking to see many of them realizing they might not see their parents ever again."
And for a moment, Yen Sid turned his face slightly around as he sighed in defeat - as it felt like a pinch to his heart hearing yet another world being perhaps totally taken over beyond any rescue. As it has become the painful norm for some worlds now that were being engulfed by the Heartless.
"And now?"
"Schoolgirls they may be, but they are still a handful, I daresay," Merlin stated, chuckling, "They are trying to live on with what they've got. They were, however, glad to have their tanks brought over with them."
Yen Sid was, however, lost for words. "What are these 'tanks' you speak of, old friend?"
"Far too difficult for me to explain, but the important point is that they're settling down at the moment," Merlin spoke as he added. "I've just finished all of their registrations and they are starting to enter a school for further education, but also for the few parents' their new business,' they'll be opening, like a barbershop. So maybe you and I can try it out for once."
Both wizards shared a short chuckle at that thought, just then when an unexpected third sound made its entrance.
*Moan!*
"Ah, looks like our little friend has awakened. Just for supper." Merlin chuckled as he pulled up the tablecloth a little bit. "Come out, Hen Wen."
A rustling could be heard nearby as a small pink ball in a makeshift paper bed stirred awake, its form slowly coming into the picture as the snout and tail of a pig made itself clear. The now-named Hen Wen yawned before stretching her back and her legs.
"Good evening, my little pink friend. You must be starving, aren't you?" Merlin smiled as he stood up and went to grab something he prepared in the small kitchen. "Here, some leftovers from…somewhere."
Laying down a plate of leftovers that was mixed, it didn't seem to bother the little pig who dug at the moment it touched the floor, making a little bit of a mess as she ate.
Yen Sid then took a look at the pig, not taking long to then recognize her, but before he could raise his question-
Hen Wen's face shot open, looking like she was shocked by something, frightened as she started running around while squealing and screaming.
"What's gotten into you now?" Merlin asked the small pig as he took the plate of food. "You little scoundrel, I've not given you anything over date…I believe so."
"Dallben…"
"Hmm?" Merlin looked upwards, with his finger dipped into the pig's food. "Pardon me?"
Yen Sid spoke upon naming that name. "The little one, it belonged to Dallben, right? He was her former owner."
"Yes, yes, of course she is his," Merlin nodded as he wondered. "Dallben merely asked me to look after her until his return."
"She has a gift of visions," Sid reminded him, "When she is frightened, something is about to happen, or is already happening."
"MERLIN! MERLIN! BWAAAH!-"
The sound of a familiar voice was heard as the door was shut open a white feathered duck crashing in, wearing blue clothing as It fell against the floor and nearly hit Hen Wen who ran away scared from the duck.
A duck with an often loud mouth, hard-understanding, but loyal kind-hearted hothead. Who happens to be a close friend and a good fighter to his disciple. Yen Sid spoke his name.
"Donald…"
Raising his head up, Donald Duck began shaking his head to then stand up to see Merlin.
"Merlin! You need to come quick!- Master Yen Sid!" Donald spoke in shock seeing the master, as he spoke in his incoherent manner as he pointed frantically out the door. "Something happened, you need to come! It's important!"
Yen Sid turned around and looked at his fellow wizard, and he watched as he saw Merlin trying to calm Hen Wen down. Who wasn't stopping looking at all sides with that haunted look.
There was something, and this was too great for a coincidence. And with the companion animal of Dallben, it was anything else than that.
"Lead me, Donald."
Traverse Town - Infirmary
In a room where most of the beds were empty, the infirmary wasn't used to having to deal with so many cases of injured or wounded residents or even new arrivals, as it was a small-run building owned by a few good people who were a helping hand.
But in this case, even the most experienced healers were unprepared for the person laying on the bed. The only part of the blond's body that was spared of the excessive number of bandages was his face, as the only thing the healers could do there was to clean his wounds. His clothes were hanging nearby on a hook, drying out and within sight of him.
Instead, he was laid underneath the blankets with some of the sleeping garments they found, as his upper body wore just the white shirt, allowing his good arm and prosthetic to be shown.
"He sleeps so innocently, doesn't he?"
"Oh, he surely does."
"An odd young man indeed."
Those three voices started to descend from the air as they were flying with wings, and they started to land on all sides of the bed.
All three women were seen wearing very medieval looking dresses, one in pink, one in green and one in blue. All three of them circled the bed as they went closer.
"Look at him, he mustn't have a clue what is going on." Flora, the woman in the red dress stated as she landed right to the left side of the young man. "Tifa said this young man arrived here by himself, in such conditions."
"Terrible, indeed, dear." Fauna agreed, the woman in green, who shook her head at the bandages she had placed. "He most likely will have no clue what has happened to him once he wakes up."
Merryweather, the woman in blue however, stood at the end of the bed and eyed the blond young man with a frown, as little was indeed known about this young man who came to Traverse Town.
She then happened to then turn her face towards the chair - where his backpack was seen hanging alongside a few pouches and the remnants of his clothing and other belongings.
"Let me see who you are, young man…" Merryweather silently spoke whilst flying towards the chair.
"Dear, what are you doing?" Fauna asked, holding a hand over her mouth. "You cannot do that, it is a violation of his privacy."
"But we don't know anything about him." Merryweather stated as she landed next to the chair and used her wand to open the backpack. "From all we know, he could be one of Maleficent's underlings to try to mingle into this town."
Then in response, the young man's backpack was closed again, causing Merryweather to be stunned, until she saw it was Flora who did it.
"But we don't know that exactly." Flora said as she addressed her. "We cannot make up our minds, not until Master Sid arrives."
The two fairies Flora and Merryweather had a long-standing, but mostly decent rivalry in both thought, but more often colors. But after recent events forced the three of the Fairies together to reside in Traverse Town. Both women had clearly different views on the proper method to preserve life and fight the Darkness, but both Traverse Town and its inhabitants' interests at heart. Flora sought to aid any newcomer to preserve this sanctuary town, while Merryweather was wary of newcomers and prioritized fighting the darkness off.
The very darkness and its creatures that consumed their world, to which they were one of the very few survivors of.
Fauna, who was the often mediator of the two, was this time focused on the unconscious young man, who she could only wonder what his story was. Seeing he indeed arrived here by himself, meaning he most likely was the sole survivor.
She looked at the young man's face, with his whiskered face, she wondered how he got those marks. At first, she thought they were scars, but a closer inspection revealed that they were indeed marks, like that of one of the animals of the forests around the old cottage.
"And I say, we check his belongings!"
"And I say, don't!"
Fauna turned her attention to the two fairies and saw them going at each other while using their magic to open the young man's backpack, seeing they were not keen on giving up as Merryweather went on.
"Don't be foolish to think this boy might not be an infiltrator. He can unleash hundreds of those little devils and cause chaos."
"That you don't know!" Flora protested, trying to reason with her. "We don't know the boy, or who he is or where he comes from!"
"Oh yeah? And what about this!" Merryweather responded, pulling a sharp piece of metal out of her sleeve. "Why was this on him?"
What she happened to summon, was a three-pronged dagger that the fairy in blue found on the unknown newcomer, with then alongside that knife multiple variations of that same dagger.
"Don't tell me these daggers are for hunting or some sort." Merryweather made her case. "This looks like it belongs to a thief, or even an assassin of some kind."
Flora however, was not focused on the fact these daggers were found, but the fact they were even pulled out.
"You went through the young man's belongings without permission?!"
"Dear, I am serious about matters like this!" Merryweather stood by her actions, angered. "I do not trust this young man!"
"Please, no fighting."
The voice that said that, came not from Flora, nor even from the mediating Fauna, but instead from the doorway where the caretaker of this infirmary stood an elderly woman with whitened hair tied to the sides of her head in three bands, and two red lines across the bridge of her nose. She wore simple furs and leathers, which would have suited her quite well in low temperatures, but would have been stifling in warmer conditions, and simple leather moccasins. In her hand, she carried a long walking stick made from a branch that she used to channel her magic.
Surprisingly enough, the three good fairies knew from experience that this human woman was equally as capable as they were in the art of magic; the main difference being that she borrowed her power from nature. Much of what she was capable of doing with her power revolved around the healing arts, but they knew that there was so much more to her than simply being a healer.
"Tanana."
The gray woman with the never-ending smile gave them a humble nod. "Oh please, Fauna. Just call me Nana for short."
"Nana, dear." Flora spoke respectfully. "I'm sorry, but-"
Holding her hand up, the shamaness walked over with her stick as she spoke. "I know what's been happening. You're both concerned. Especially you, Merry."
The blue-dressed fairy looked almost ashamed, as she knew that what she did was against the wishes of this human who she respected to a good degree.
"I'm deeply sorry." Merryweather apologized as she held her wand tightly. "I just…want to protect what I can."
Knowing the good intentions that the blue fairy had, Nana however reached for the daggers and moved them back into the backpack before closing it before walking over to the bed.
"Nana?"
The Alaskan native approached the bedside, and proceeded to then check with her hand, the bandages and state of the young man's body. Simply inspecting the patient she happened to tend the wounds of.
"This young man…is truly extraordinary. I can sense his energy." Nana started as she was smiling at him. "He's strong, no doubt about it; yet I can feel he's kind-hearted and full of good intentions. But…"
Fauna looked distrusted. "But what?"
At this, Nana's smile faded into sadness of compassion. "He's lived a hard life…hatred, sadness, pain and regret…feelings I am all too familiar with - that of a warrior."
"A warrior you say?" Flora asked, concerned. "Like that of a knight?"
Hearing that earned a sigh from the shamaness as Nana nodded in agreement. "Yes, Flora, like that of a Knight - and one who had just come out of a war."
That made the three Fairies look back at the blonde boy, as they were now given a clue to whom, or rather what, he might actually be.
"A knight, you say?" Merryweather asked, "And you say he's strong?"
Nana nodded. "I sense that in him."
"But does that mean, he's possibly a-"
"He has the scars of a warrior," Nana confirmed with a careful, but somber look over the boy. "I believe the young man might've been in battle right before he got here."
The three Fairies looked at the boy in awe, with a tinge of sympathy; even in their time, knights rarely ever returned to their masters as the same person. Tanana herself also wasn't new to this, as the tribes of her world were often engaged in warfare against one another, and with those that did not come back having been given a burial observed by her.
"The young man will surely be dealing with this new reality soon, once he wakes up at least."
"And for that I ask you to help him, Tanana."
The women in the room turned around to see they were given the presence of Master Sid himself who entered the room unannounced, alone as he was walking up towards the bed where the unknown young man was lying.
"Master Sid."
The experienced master gestured to his fellow magic users as he then stood alongside the shamaness who he entrusted the care of the infirmary, and who he respected for many reasons.
"Tanana, what do we have here?"
Nana began humbly. "I believe this young man, I felt like you should know it for yourself."
Following up on her suggestion, the blue-clad wizard leaned over and faced the unconscious blond with his staff, nodding respectfully to the Shamaness.
Nana reached for the shirt that the boy wore and lifted it upwards, exposing the stomach on which then they saw the black drawings on it that were written.
"What is that on his chest?" Flora asked. "Are those runes?"
"I don't know, I've never seen writings like those before." Fauna said just as confused. "What do you think, dear?"
Merryweather narrowed her eyes. "Looks like one of those eastern writings, but cannot put my finger on it."
While the fairies were wondering what it was, Master Sid studied the runes with interest, holding his hand over the inscriptions and planted a palm on it.
…
…
…
The bearded master then removed his hand. "He is a Keyblader."
The mutters ended in silence, the fairies all taken aback by the news. The Shamaness remained unbothered.
"But I'm certain you have already had your suspicions, haven't you?" Master Sid asked, turning to the person in question, "Tanana?"
The elder Nana nodded with closed eyes. "I'd had an idea - given most of his wounds were already being healed by the time I'd arrived."
"And you this is not just any Keyblader, correct?" Master Sid asked for confirmation. "Those inscriptions show it…."
Nana confirmed what Master Sid suspected, her words effectively confirming those suspicions.
"He's from Hagoromo's world…"
That name plagued Master Sid's thoughts, now that he was certain where this young man had come from, alongside Nana. But the three Fairies however were left clueless, to which the master turned to them.
"You can leave now. Your services are needed elsewhere."
The three fairies knew better than to question Master Sid, and left the ward with a polite nod. Confident they were alone with their ward, the elder master and the Shamaness turned their attention back to the young man on the bed.
"The young man needs to rest, and someone to talk to. No doubt he'll be confused and confused on where he is once he wakes up." Master Sid stated as he asked. "Tanana, I entrust you into helping him once he awakens. Can you do that?"
Nana looked at the blond sympathetically as she regarded her friend. "I'll be looking over the boy. You need not worry about my schedule."
"Very well then."
Traverse Town
As the night went by in the small town, news quickly spread around after the news of the newest arrival in the infirmary, with the most vicious wounds anybody had ever seen. The chatter was non-stop as they discussed the recent happenings.
"Have you heard? Apparently, Master Sid went to the infirmary."
"No way, the King's master? Who told you that? It has to be rumors."
"No, the Three Fairies confirmed it."
"Do you think the young man will be alright? Those wounds were horrible."
"Oh yes, his blood was mixing in the fountain. I pity the person who has to clean it."
That was the chatter Tifa heard from the populace as she nursed a cup of coffee in front of her, swirling the spoon inside of it while in deep thought.
"Tifa?"
"Hmm?" Tifa looked up, to find her friend on the other end of the table.
Her companion was a slightly younger girl in a knitted, turtleneck tank top with a leather harness to support the metal pauldron on her left shoulder, and a pair of gloves. She had a slim figure, but not so thin as to be hard on the eyes; much of her form was built of lean and wiry muscle for swift movements and spry acrobatics. Her black hair was bobbed, complementing her coffee-colored eyes, while providing contrast against the bright pallor of her skin.
"Something on your mind?" she asked. "Your cup is still full, and you haven't even taken a sip."
Tifa sighed and laid her hand over her forehead. "Sorry, Yuffie. I'm just…not focused now."
The girl identified as Yuffie, smiled and gave a small giggle.
"It's okay, no need to apologize - you were thinking about that guy you saved, didn't you?"
"Yes, and it's been bothering me." Tifa said, leaning back into her seat while crossing her arms. "I just couldn't believe the amount of cuts he had on him - as if he was cut by a monster."
"Yeah - those were some very icky looking wounds." Yuffie said while she took a bit from a cake she ordered. "Heh, maybe he got mauled by a Big Horn."
Tifa looked at her friend. "Yuffie!"
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Yuffie smiled upon making that remark, she continue eagerly. "I am somewhat interested in this guy. You mentioned something you found, yes?"
"Uhm, yes." Tifa acknowledged as she grabbed for her bag and pulled out a cloth. "I kept it wrapped up."
"Lemme see."
Doing that, Tifa unwrapped the cloth and showed that in it was a sharp blade, one pointed with two less sharp points, but it was made out of metal and had no rust on it whatsoever.
"No way is that-" Yuffie picked it up and inspected it with amazement. "Yes, it is! A Kunai knife!"
"Something you're familiar with?"
"Of course! It's a weapon most ninjas have." Yuffie inspected it for any rust that she wasn't able to spot. "And it's in good condition too! This means that guy you saved must be a good Ninja."
Tifa gave her friend a doubtful look before she then realized something when she remembered. Right before the young man was covered in wounds and similar equipment that Yuffie was used to working with. Meaning her theory might be solid.
"TIFA! YUFFIE!"
Then landing on their table came a small but livable animal on four legs, with its brown fur, the little man didn't need any introduction.
"Koda!"
"Hey guys, it's been a while. I saw you guys sitting and eating." Koda, the small brown bear said, the noisy but confident and likable cub spoke to his friends. "So I decided to come and say hi before me and my brother are going back into the forest. You know, doing our usual thing."
The two girls couldn't help but giggle at the talkative Koda who always managed to barge in and gain the spotlight of attention, even allowing him to go on as he was also adorable.
"So what were you guys talking about?" Koda asked curiously before he closes his arms. "Or am I not allowed to know?"
"Koda!"
The cub's eyes shut open at the sound of that voice, the one he knows too well as he turned around to see two grown bears approach the table.
"H-Hey, Kenai, hey Nita." Koda jumped off the table and tried to speak. "I was just talking to my friends-"
"Koda. How many times have I told you not to run off by yourself." The male adult bear scolded him with a frown. "You know it isn't safe to go off by yourself."
Koda looked down, a bit ashamed that he got told off by his older brother.
"I'm Sorry…."
THUD!
The young Koda felt then on top of his small head, the nose of Kenai leaned against him as the cub saw the big bear's eyes closed as the stern face had turned into that of somberness.
"I am just worried about you, Koda." Kenai suggested softly. "I do not want to lose you to those creatures…"
Koda smiled and snuggled against his older brother. "I know, Kenai, I know…"
The two brothers, who were not bonded by blood, but by destiny. Had a deep bond that really was one of a kind that the gods of their home world had brought them to.
It was a sadden sight once those who knew the story how only a few of the bears' world managed to escape before the Darkness consumed it - with nearly everyone else of their loved ones.
Except for one, the female bear, Nita. The bear who was the female counterpart of Kenai. A human who had chosen voluntarily to transform into a bear to be alongside the bear she knew as a young boy.
"Nita."
"Hmm?" The female bear turned to the table. "Yes?"
"Why are you guys going back to the forest?" Yuffie asked. "You can stay here, you know."
Nita sighed and turned fully to the woman. "Kenai and I decided to be there for the moment. The town is a bit too dangerous for us now."
"Dangerous? But there are no Heartless around here." Yuffie responded quite confused.
"It's not the Heartless…" Kenai said, frowning, "We've got Poachers trying to get us for our hide. The same people who are chasing down the dogs here in Traverse Town"
Poachers? Criminal activity? Yeah, even in this sanctuary town, this kinda thing still happens. Not everybody that comes here is good-natured; some pretty nasty people settle down in Traverse Town too. They normally don't show up in the day, usually operating in the night from the outskirts of the town and dabbling in some less-than-legal dealings to make a dime.
Tifa was saddened and said. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this."
"No need to apologize, we're used to this as bears." Kenai said as he shook his head. "But these poachers are not stopping, they recently even are going after anything that is walking on four legs. So I'm not taking any chances by staying in the town."
Koda and Nita nodded in concern for the decision Kenai made for them. Their safety was his top priority.
"We understand, and so will Nana." Yuffie smiled at them and said. "But just so you know, if there's any problem. You can ask us for help."
"That we know - but we'll be leaving now." Kenai said as he bowed his head in respect. "Have a nice dinner."
"Goodbye."
"Bye." Koda waved at them as they left the table and he waved at the girls. "I'll bring you guys a fish when I come back!"
The two human girls giggled at the cub's offering as they waved him off, alongside the couple of bears who disappeared into the corner. Leaving the two girls by themselves to resume their conversation.
"Well, that leaves just one thing." Yuffie went back on topic. "Will you go look this guy up once he wakes up?"
"Well, uhm…I think about waiting for that." Tifa said, a bit unsure on what to do. "I can imagine he'll be very distrusted on what just happened to him."
"Hmm, you think?"
Meanwhile
Now still laying on the bed in the Infirmary, the blond stranger was still accompanied by Tanana, who was given the privacy to work in peace, caring and nursing the young warrior.
The sound of water dripping down into the bowl, she had dipped a small towel into the heated water she would then twist to allow herself to use it properly.
She turned around to the young man in the bed whose face was already covered in sweat. A sign of something wrong with him. A possible cold or a fever he might've gotten from the fountain he fell into with his open wounds, or whatever the young man was doing prior to his arrival.
"Young man… I can see you're one of many gains."
Nana put the towel over the blond's head and began whipping the sweat off his face and even went to clean his neck. With the amount of sweat his skin was producing, he most likely was having a bad fever.
"But also of many losses." Nana said with a kind voice, "Long before you came here, I can see you've lost friends, loved ones…"
She even went over the whiskers as she then had the towel moved to the arms, where the wounds were already healing, but the sweat was present there too for her to clean.
"A warrior with many wounds indeed, but it's the ones in the mind that will open up once you awaken."
The question was, when would he wake up? The boy was in good health for most part, yet he responded to nothing that would get him out of this situation.
But then a smile on Nana's face grew as she knew just what might be of help, as she turned to her bag and fished out an object from it.
Opening it up, she fished out a fistful of brown and white Eagle feathers. Of the one that was to a young man who had joined the next life and had met with her right before the Darkness took over.
"Sitka." Nana spoke. "You will be helping me, even after your last departure…"
She then laid the feather on the boy's forehead, and watched as it glowed brightly.
A sign that a connection that was taking effect.
…
Deep in the mind of Naruto…a light figure appeared out of nowhere as it then was seen flying like a bird, across the darkness its light was illuminating.
Then it began to fly towards the closest thing it was and landed on it - it was the unconscious form of a giant orange-furred fox with multiple large tails - twitching at the first touch it felt.
"Ugh…."
The big fox woke up as his eyes began to wander around while opening. At first hand he felt nothing different.
"What the… What happened?"
Just then, when his chakra began to flow again - including his senses - he woke up to a surprise that even the Tailed Beasts were unprepared for.
"No…No, no, NO! WHAT'S GOING ON!?"
*Moan*
The panicking Kurama turned to the sound and found Naruto laying on the sewer water, unconscious like he was, the young man was most likely like him unaware where they were.
"Naruto, wake up!"
No response was given.
"Wake up!"
Still, the unconscious mind of Naruto still did not give any response as he remained laid on his back, with clothes drenched in sewer water.
Then the release of pure anger and Kurama's chakra did the trick as it surrounded Naruto's body and he then-
"WAKE THE HELL UP, NARUTO UZUMAKI!"
Naruto's eyes shut open just then.
…
And like in real life, The young man's eyes opened up with his body sprung right upwards.
*GASP!*
The Shaman woman was taken aback by the sudden awakening by the young man. Even questioned her own abilities for a moment.
"Well I'll be…" Nana said, looking at one of Sitka's feathers with a chuckle. "I've still got it."
*Tap!* *Tap!*
Then before she knew it, Nana saw the young man having stood up from the bed on his bare feet. His gaze darted around the room, the fear and confusion written all over his face.
"Young man…" Nana spoke with caution. "You don't need to worry… You are safe."
That voice made the blond, whiskered man turn around and face the elderly Shamaness. Making eye contact - both were strangers to one another.
"Who are you?" The blond panicked by stood in the formation of a fighter. "...And where am I?"
Nana could read this person was not at ease, and knew she had to be careful to talk to him to ease his composure with her.
"My name is Tanana, but you can call me Nana." She introduced herself to him with a reassuring smile. "Fear not, I am the Shamaness who has been tending your wounds in this infirmary. May I know your name?"
Hesitant at first, the blond then took caution to look around first and noticed he indeed was in an infirmary, meaning she wasn't deceiving him.
"And? What-"
"Its Naruto." He fully introduced himself to the old lady. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. A Shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village. Where am I and how did I come here?"
Naruto's direct line of questioning was perhaps an understandable option he took, as he indeed now was in a situation where he was all by himself without his team, far away from the snow mountain climate where he was supposed to be, and in a clean medical infirmary with this unknown woman.
*Pat*
Instead of a straight answer, Nana sat on the bed and patted her hand on it for Naruto to come closer, to which he did as he noticed a chair and grabbed it while sitting on the opposite side of it.
While still on his guard, Naruto decided to listen to what this woman was about to say - because she didn't give any form of threatening aura to her - the Shaman's words, however, were already sounding hollow.
"Young Naruto, I'm afraid of what I am about to tell you - will change your life."
Chapter 3: chapter 3
Chapter Text
Traverse Town
Walking through the town, Master Sid was seen making his way through the market as he was met with a lot of eyes fixated on the robed mage who they bowed their heads to with respect.
The bearded master briefly greeted them back as he was making his way towards the town's infirmary, where he just heard the news that the young man had just woken up. This was good news to hear, so he wasted no time.
As he exited the market district, he saw the Infirmary up ahead. With the lights still on in the room that was reserved for the young man alone.
"I hope I'm not too late to explain this new reality to him."
However, time was not on Master' Sid's side as he walked into the Infirmary. Silence pervaded the room between the shamaness and her patient, who was staring out the window.
"..."
"Are you alright, young man?" she asked
Naruto's focus shifted back to the old lady as he heard the concern in her voice bowing with his head. "Sorry for zoning out…" He said sincerely, "I think…the situation overwhelmed me for the moment."
Tanana smiled and could see the young man was sincere in his words as it was understandable for such a new change.
"So you wish to know more?" Nana asked. "About why you have come to Traverse Town?"
"Traverse Town?" Naruto asked as he sat back down on the bed. "What is that?"
"That's the town we're in now. Young man." Nana said as she explained it calmly with her still warm smile, "It is where all those who manage to escape the creatures of the darkness settle."
"The Darkness?" Naruto's eyes raised up and asked. "What's that?"
At this, the Shamaness looked to the young man, unsurprised.
"The Darkness is an ancient force parallel with the light, and like it, exists in all things, in what is known as a heart. The animals, trees, even the world had a heart. But when this darkness becomes too great, it becomes rampant, corrupting and subsuming all in its path, as it has occurred to countless beings and countless worlds…worlds much like yours."
"Worlds like mine…" Naruto asked, making a sudden realization. "Wait, are they these black creatures with yellow eyes?"
Nana nodded. "Yes, they look like that. Why? Did you see them?"
"See them? My team and I were ambushed by those things! Impossible to kill!" Naruto said, groaned at thinking of that as he then realized but then asked. "Did you…find anyone else besides me?"
"No, I'm sorry." Nana shook her head. "One of the townspeople found you by yourself. Where you with somebody?"
It was at this point that standing at the entrance of the room, Master Sid was seen observing the discussion on what he could presume was the Shaman woman explaining the situation to the newcomer.
He could see the blond young man was then suddenly feeling very disturbed at the thought of what he was about to ask.
"I was with my team. We were with the 8 of us…on a mission." Naruto asked the question, semi prepared for what he expected. "Do you know what happened to them? I was with them when we confronted those creatures."
"You're from the Shinobi World."
Naruto and Tanana turned to the door and acknowledge Master Sid's presence.
"Yeah, I'm a Shinobi from Konohagakure, like I just told her," Naruto said, indicating Nana. "The eight of us were..."
Master Sid did not relish the times when he had to say this. While the words were few and somewhat harsh, they needed to be said.
"I'm afraid that you are the only person from that world who arrived, young man. Along with those who do so because they alone have survived the destruction of theirs."
"Survived..." Naruto tried to keep a brave face, but the blood drained out of him. He knew that the old man wasn't lying, somehow. "Then, that means..."
"Your world is gone, my boy."
Meanwhile, in the corners of Traverse Town itself, not that far away from the Infirmary building the town people were seen going out in the night.
Seen walking through the streets, Yuffie and Tifa were making their way back to their homes after they had finished paying the bill of their meal, while discussing on what they were going to do tomorrow.
"So you got any plans?" Yuffie asked while having her arms crossed behind her head.
"What I usually do, work in the bar and fill in my hours." Tifa explained her job as a bartender that she did to pay the bills. "After that, I just wonder of or hang out with you."
"Really? Just like that?" Yuffie asked, wondering. "Are we really just going to do what we always do? Kinda makes it boring."
Tifa giggled in response as the two just kept walking until she noticed something up front, when two bears happened to enter from a corner and looking like they were in distress.
"Kenai? Nita?"
"Oh, thank the spirits!" Nita said spotting her friends and asking. "Have you guys seen Koda? We're looking for him."
"Koda?" Yuffie looked concerned. "Why? What happened?"
"He's gone."
"Huh? How?" Tifa asked, being disturbed as her friend. "We just saw you guys over an hour ago."
"We think some poachers got him." Kenai said trying to look around. "We've followed one of them back to town but we lost them!"
Unknown to them, a figure was seen staring at them from the dark alley that they stood next to, with a pair of glowing yellow eyes fixated.
"We'll split up." Tifa said as she took charge. "Kenai and I will go up north of the town. Nita and Yuffie will go south."
"Agreed!" Yuffie said as she tapped Nita's head. "Let's go!" Going with the female bear running up right behind the kunoichi girl. Leaving the male bear and the bartender by themselves.
"No point wasting time here." Tifa said to her friend. "Come on."
"Right behind you." Kenai said following right behind Tifa as they were in a hurry to find his little brother.
When the four had left, a creature that was lurking in the dark alley remained, blinking its eyes slowly as more yellow pairs sprouted…
Infirmary
After having heard that, Naruto figured that both Master Sid and the Shaman woman Nana were expecting a reaction; denial, sadness, maybe even anger. Neither were aware of the discussion going on in his head.
'So, I'm really not home anymore?'
'... You're not even on the planet anymore, Naruto. This is way, and I mean way different from the time we went to the moon.'
'... What should I do now?'
'Talk with that old lady and the old guy, you may find some answers.'
But instead it was what they didn't expect from the young man. And that was calm, like really calm. Something they haven't seen from somebody who would be sent here.
Master Sid in particular was paying attention to the behavior pattern of this young Shinobi. He had once in a very long time, and he knew that there were worlds that were more isolated than others. Worlds that had been spared or even unnoticed by the Heartless, but this is for him the first time to actually meet somebody from one of those 'isolated realms'.
"I can only offer you my sincerest apologies, young man." Master Sid spoke. "I know this new revelation in your life must be hard to realize."
Naruto did the unexpected: he snorted.
"Something funny?"
"No, no. It's just… I'm kinda used to this now." Naruto said as he ruffled through his hair for a bit. "Believe it or not, but this is not the first time I've dealt with unnatural situations."
Seeing the smirk was only brief, Nana noticed that the boy was hiding his feelings. Coping perhaps with the news at the very moment he heard it.
Master Sid continued. "Just so that you're informed, we are willing to help acclimate you to the town and help you settle in. It might take a while, but everyone in Traverse Town has their abilities they can use to help those in need."
*Scream!*
The loud scream alarmed everyone in the vicinity, prompting them to go to the window to see what was happening - chaos awaited them. The townspeople were scrambling away in fear as dark creatures were terrorizing the square and the market, with panic growing rampantly right in front of their eyes.
"The Heartless are here…"
Seeing them, Naruto's eyes fixated on those creatures.
'Kurama.'
'Yes, it's the same damn things that we saw on that mountain.'
In a swift movement, Naruto turned around and grabbed his equipment, both of his kunai belts, his boots and his black shirt.
'You're up for revenge, are you?'
'Yeah, so what? You against it?'
'Hell no, let's give some payback to those little bastards.'
"Young man, what are you doing?" Master Sid asked. "You've barely awakened!"
*Click!*
Naruto attached the kunai belt to his leg as they were still there.
"I'm going in there to fight." Naruto stood up and took his jacket on as he proceeded to walk for the door. "I've got some steam to blow off at the moment."
Walking past the two elders, Naruto's legs automatically were going for the danger that was happening outside as he could hear their concerns being voiced behind him.
"Stop! You're still healing."
"Young man, listen to her!"
Those pleas were reaching deaf ears as Naruto walked past a few covering towns' people who were hiding underneath the tables or behind the doors as he took no notice of them. Some of them even saw Naruto walking past them with a determined look on his face.
A desire for vengeance.
…
*KICK!*
Having kicked open the front door of the Infirmary, Naruto walked out of the building with a kunai blade in his hand as he checked his surroundings. Seeing perhaps a dozen of these creatures haunting around and chasing some civilians.
A pair of these with helmets were even seen trying to follow some children inside a café that was closing its doors in front of them.
Speeding in his feet, Naruto ran up towards the two creatures with both his hands now holding knives, and he made sure to finish them in off with one-
*SLASH!*
*SLASH!*
-Singe slash each, Naruto took both creatures out of them, dispersing them into two, with no time given for them to react. Unlike last time, Naruto had no intention of holding back.
"Miho! Come in, it's not safe out there!"
Hearing that concerned voice, Naruto briefly turned his head around to the café where he watched how the lone girl in a white/green school uniform was being hauled inside by her friends before the door was slammed shut.
Focused back on the fight, three more of these creatures with yellow eyes were sprinting for him as Naruto was going for them. Kicking the first one right into the chest before attacking the other two.
*SLAM!*
The second creature's head got slammed to the right by Naruto's fist, simply sending it into the building before it disintegrated as he proceeded to dodge the last creature's attempt to hit him with his claws, only to be slashed across the chest and also being defeated.
"LOOK OUT! ABOVE YOU!"
Hearing that warning, Naruto turned upwards. Not expecting this, but not caught off guard either. He seemed to have attracted more attention from these things.
Circling above him were more of these things, but they were flying with small-looking wings with armored clothing, descending towards him like a horde.
'They're flying?'
'They were flying.'
Naruto jumped backwards as he allowed the flying creatures to be on the ground level.
*SLASH!*
The first creature shrieked in pain as Naruto did not go for the quick takeout, but instead went on to cut the wings off of it in a single moment, right before its body disintegrated.
Naruto swirled around with his kunai as he went on the assault again, picking out the Heartless one by one that dared coming near him, he took them all out without even a hesitation.
…
From a distance, those who were already running, some of the town folks were watching in sheer shock at how somebody they haven't seen before, taking on the Heartless creatures left and right without any problem fighting them on his own.
The small crows that were watching happened to be big enough, that it made it quite difficult for the help against the Heartless to reach there.
"Out of the way!" The person saying this in buccal speech was yelling. "Let us through!"
Making a small gap, both the familiar duck named Donald Duck with his friend and comrade, the dog-face looking Goofy were both seen in their traditional clothing with their weapons ready, as they both then happened to see what was going on.
"Who's that guy?" Goofy asked, holding his shield and wondering. "And why is he fighting the Heartless by himself?"
"Wait…WAIT I KNOW HIM!" Donald said, pointing his index finger. "That's the boy that was in the Infirmary!"
…
Even from the closed buildings, people stared through the windows at the one man who was beating the Heartless away, often with shock at the brutal methods he used.
Those who were witnessing it closely were the girls in school uniforms in the café, unable to turn away as they watched.
…
The last remaining Heartless, trying to crawl away, the weight of a foot pressed against its chest - so hard that it was the final blow that its body couldn't take anymore and disappeared.
That was Naruto's doing as he now stood there alone, he had just finished off the last remaining Heartless in a short time. With the square now mainly void of them, only the blond Shinobi remained with the blades in his hands.
He wasn't exhausted by what he did, but Naruto also knew he wasn't in top condition as he spent energy finishing off about fifty of these things.
"That's quite the show, Uzumaki."
The voice set Naruto off, and he turned right around to face the person who called him out, or for the lack of better terms, what called him out.
"Zetsu!"
Standing right there in front of him and in the middle of the square stood the white half of Zetsu, seen grinning and standing there with no care seen on his face that he was showing to the blond.
The standoff was there, and the two men were in the center of attention by the many eyes that were focused on them.
"Been a while, hasn't it?" Zetsu spoke so carefree, nearly taunting. "I see that you're all by yourself. Where is that team of yours?"
Naruto gripped his kunai knife, sheathing the other as he responded. "You know what happened to them…"
"Oh yeah, hehehe." White Zetsu said, laughing nearly maniacally. "We're both the only ones who made it, didn't we? Everyone else is gone…"
*GRIP!*
"So tell me. How does it feel like losing them all?" Zetsu said smiling. "Come on tell-"
*STAB!*
In a blink of an eye Naruto had not given the white bastard any chance to finish his sentence as he got hit. The blond Shinobi had launched himself at the pale white man with the kunai he held, plunging it inside the chest.
No blood was seen dripping.
"You know that I am void of any blood, right?" The white Zetsu told him in reminder, smiling. "It is futile this way."
"... I know."
*TCHK!*
A small ignition was heard, and the yellow eyed monster looked down to see the kunai had a small piece of paper burning from the side of it.
It was an explosive tag.
*BOOM!*
Both were caught in the explosion as the blast released a powerful blast that shattered the windows and glass of all the buildings that were in the square.
It was a powerful explosion and it even caught the most experienced elders off guard, as Nana and Master Sid were watching with concerned looks.
"It's like he doesn't care if he dies."
Master Sid had an equally concerning look and gave a response to that remark.
"I believe so…"
On the other side of town, Tifa was seen running out of an alleyway as she happened to cross paths with Kenai, who just came from the opposite side, seen exhausted like her from the searching.
"Found anything?" He asked.
"No, I'm sorry."
"Damn it!" Kenai cursed, frustrated as he looked around. "They couldn't be that far away!"
*BOOM!*
The loud explosion got both the bartender girl and the male bear to turn their heads in shock, both seeing that it came from the town square direction.
"What was that?" Tifa asked. "Another Heartless attack?"
"I don't know, and frankly I am not interested. I have a brother to find." Kenai said, still focused as he went into the alley past Tifa. "Keep searching."
"R-Right." Tifa nodded, she then proceeded to continue on, entering another alley as she took one glance towards the sky, where a small amount of smoke was rising up.
What just happened there?
That was even the question for those who were near the town square, as slowly those who were in the buildings were starting to get out through the front doors, with some covered in dirt and dust as they all looked unscathed from the explosion.
Amongst those coming out, were two girls. Both seen in school uniforms but yet both wore different sets. With the girl having the lighter brunette hair seen wearing a green and white uniform while the slightly older looking of the pair, with a darker shade of brown hair. Wore a gray uniform with a black skirt.
The younger girl's name was Miho Nishizumi, and the other girl was her older sibling named Maho Nishizumi, who in fact was trying to help her sister who was seen coughing.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
"Are you alright, Miho?" the normally motionless Maho asked, seen with a concerned look on her face that was restrained, trying to help her sister. "You were too close to the window."
"I'm fine, sister. I am." Miho said holding her hand over her chest as she was done coughing.
Maho gave a small smile and was glad to see her sister was fine, before she then turned her gaze to the source of the explosion that caused this. And watching alongside her were the entirety of the square, as they were witnessing something that they weren't prepared for.
…
A battle with the two figures still standing inside the smoke, with the smoke clearing and showing that the blond man around her age was still standing. With the remaining clothes he still wore, shredded.
Naruto stood there as he was bleeding from the neck and head. With the explosion most likely having caused this, he was unnerved by his own wounds as the Shinobi was staring with void eyes at the White Zetsu.
Whose head by the way was slung backwards, with the lack of a spine this monster had, his head just moved back to its original state with the jeering sound of his body parts moving.
"Ha, ha, ha, I see you really want me dead, don't you?" White Zetsu said with delight. "You look a little hurt."
The open wounds that Naruto received from the explosive tag were already seen healing, but his blood was still visible that barely seem to come as a reality check to the Shinobi who was way too fixated on the thing right in front of him.
'Kid, are you trying to get yourself killed!?' Kurama basically screamed in his mind. 'If you keep this up with that attitude you will be playing into his hands.'
…
'Naruto, this is no time to play around.'
"I am not…"
Naruto's hand started to then glow, his bandaged one to be precise. He was preparing his well known powerful technique that he had used over the years, and it wa turning into a blue round figure that he charged with as he went on the attack.
"Rasengan!"
Zetsu smiled, he sprinted forwards as he readied his blade-like arms that sprung out. Going for Naruto, taking him head on!
Master Sid could see where this was going and yelled out loud.
"Everyone, get down!"
And once those two collided-
*BOOM!*
If the first explosion was thought to be powerful, this one was going to change everybody's minds as the strong power had basically shattered or destroyed anything that remained untouched in a range from the square.
A large dust cloud erupted into the faces of all the bystanders who quickly ran away, with only a few standing their ground, amongst them were the Shaman woman Nana, the Wizard Master Sid and the two weird looking animals who just joined in.
Sid raised his hand upward before his fist turned into a flat palm and stopped the dispersed the dust cloud, ending it and allowing him now to see properly what was happening. And what he saw was discouraging:
Standing alone in a crater that was surprisingly big for the square stood the White Zetsu, deformed by that attack, its bloggy looking body mass was reassembling itself right there with its arms and legs growing back - with on the opposite side standing the boy…
…
Naruto, who was seen exhausted on his knees, like he had given everything that he had.
"... Took you long enough…"
"It's hard finding you in this damned place…"
Looking upwards Naruto was watching something appearing from the ground itself, a black figure that was believed to have died in the 4th Shinobi War…
Black Zetsu himself was there and it was merging alongside White Zetsu. Like Yin and Yan, they had reunited and both halves of these creatures were happy to be complete.
"Ahh…So good…" White Zetsu said. "It's good to feel you back."
"Shut up." Black Zetsu told him off. "You should've laid low until I found you. All you had to do was to rip the seal apart and I'd come looking for you. Instead, I find you fighting the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki and getting yourself surrounded."
"Don't move!"
The full Zetsu turned around and found itself surrounded by a few individuals who were brave enough to oppose them. It being two exactly, just two. One was a talking duck who was holding his staff against him and a weird-looking dog holding a shield.
"You have caused enough chaos in our town!" Donald Duck held his staff out. "Surrender now!"
"There is nowhere for you to go." Goofy said too holding his shield. "So it's better for you to give up now you can."
The Zetus looked at its adversaries and could only chuckle at what confronted them.
"Is this it? A dog and a duck? Please…"
"Get him!"
"Right!"
Both Goofy and Donald went on the attack, jumping straight for the creature with their weapons ready to attack him, but even this was unimpressive to the Zetsu who just merged back into the ground.
"Look out-"
*BOINK!*
Both Donald and Goofy crashed into one another alongside their heads, causing them to knock each other out of consciousness and falling to the ground with stars flying over their heads.
Zetsu then rose up from the ground and was seen going right towards where Naruto was who was still on his knees.
"Fuck… Why didn't-"
'Naruto, look out!'
His eyes quickly shot upwards, and saw that Zetsu had come back for him, and ready to strike at him with only one thought coming through the boy's mind.
'BLOCK!'
Naruto crossed his arms and-
*SMASH!*
The green tentacle-like veins of Zetsu hit the blond with all its might and send Naruto across the square, as he hit a building and went right through it. Knocking Naruto out of the fight. Leaving a smile on the monster.
"Ahh, that's him taken care off-"
Then a sudden flash appeared around him, so bright that it nearly blinded the monster for a moment as Zetsu realized he was surrounded by it, a circle of it.
"You will not harm this town anymore."
He turned to the source of who spoke, and saw it was the Wizard Yen Sid, who had finally intervened and had his one hand out that was covered in light sparkles.
Master Sid made a clear warning. "I don't know who you are or why you are here - but I have an responsibility to see the good people of this town to be protected from the evil likes of you. So if you want to fight, here I am."
The Zetsu looked at the wizard, and he made his quick presumption…
"Not worth it…" Black Zetsu advised to his white half. "I say we leave…we've got other plans."
Then the plant shield of that creature merged back into the ground as the former Akatsuki member disappeared right before the master could even finish his spell. Once dispelling his magic, the wizard walked towards the middle and could feel the monster was really gone.
"That monster is not an ordinary one." Yen Sid commented before he turned around towards the Shaman woman. "Tanana, wake up both Donald and Goofy, we need to search the town for this scoundrel."
"I will do." Nana nodded to her colleague, but asked out of concern. "But what about young Naruto? We need to find him."
The master looked upwards towards where the rooftop was halfway ripped off, the same one that the blond got sent into with the direction to where he might've landed is one of where a frown appeared on his wrinkled face.
"He's in that part of town, meaning you might need an acquaintance to go there." Master Sid said as he turned back towards the aging woman. "I know someone who can help you, if he is willing to help now."
Tanana raised her eyebrow. "Willing how?"
*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*
Strange footfalls could be heard, nearing the two experienced elders enough to regard the newcomer. Entering the room was a cleanshaven man getting in on his years with a mechanical peg leg with multiple parts of his body including, living nearly the life of a cyborg but also that of a chef.
The bearded man wore a crooked smile as his cyborg eye turned yellow.
"That depends, wha' will be me reward?"
Meanwhile
On the other side of Traverse Town, there was a section of the mostly lightened up, safe and welcoming settlement that was the opposite of the whole town. Where many of the normal citizenry would not dare to come there for any kind of reason. Where dark neon-light, creepy alleyways and shady people were residing in.
This big-sized neighborhood was the Red-Light District, the home of many of the more sinister, criminal, and unruly arrivals of those worlds that were overwhelmed by the Heartless. Where they had settled in with the business practices, illicit trade, and horrendous acts they would bring upon only to those who live there.
And it happened to be that Naruto indeed in an alleyway in that district, on top of a few garbage cans that were filled up with trash covering his clothing with a stench that was unbearable to smell.
Yet Naruto himself was not bothered by it. Having not moved upwards from the fight he had just lost. He was staring upwards to the dark sky night as he was bleeding slightly out of his mouth and head.
'Damn it, Naruto. You need to stand up now and get your act together. I've patched your wounds up but you need to clean yourself up if you want to get blood off of yourself.'
Holding his head up still, Naruto winced as he could only do one thing to put out the frustrations of what just happened in one word that he could verbalize.
"Shit!"
'Something's up with your chakra, if you're wondering. I am just as confused as you now, but sitting around in someone's trash and thinking about your defeat is not going to help you. So get your ass out and try to figure out where the hell we are.'
"... Yeah, yeah, you're right." Naruto agreed as he started. "I'll get up."
By doing so a few trash cans fell down and the noise was made, even a few cats that were resting nearby some of them scattered away.
"Stupid human! You nearly crushed me." One black-furred cat cussed him out, wearing funnily a red bow tie around its neck that fits the black-red top hat as it was running away with a trumpet into his mouth.
Hearing that caused Naruto to raise his eyebrow at what the animal just said…and what it held on to.
"Did you just see what I-"
'A talking cat with a trumpet? Yes, I saw it. But all honestly, its the least surprising to what I have seen to this point.'
"Yeah, true…" Naruto said as he continued to get out off the trash. Standing back on his feet, he peeled the trash off his shoulders and clothing, leaving only the more stubborn stains. He walked out of the alleyway and found himself into a street that had neon lights with the townsfolk walking through and going about their day.
'They don't seem to take notice to you. Even when you fell from the sky.'
"We'll use it to our advantage then, less attention paid to me," Naruto replied as he began to walk up the main street. "Let's go."
Once Naruto had just entered the main street, he should've noticed that a neon light above him in pink letters would've given him the heads-up to where he was.
'The Red-Light District. Where lost ambitions are Revived.'
Chapter 4: chapter 4
Chapter Text
Red-Light District
As mentioned before, Traverse Town was essentially a sanctuary city for the displaced people who were lucky to survive and escape the grasp of the dark hordes of the Heartless, yet this didn't mean that only good people were the ones who passed through those life-saving portals.
The Red-Light District was the perfect example of the existence of the 'bad side' of this town. Neon lights of several different establishments with vulgar text and advertisements were largely lit with promises of booze, enjoyment, and fun times of all sorts of activities. All in open display in the center of this district. This place was also no stranger to violence, as often a customer would be seen thrown out on the streets.
Yet the view that some onlookers from the sidelines were seeing was even for them shocking, while a young man was walking through the street, unbothered, looking while he was bleeding and leaving a nasty trail of blood.
Naruto was that one young man walking through the street, and he was looking unbothered. Some even assumed dubious to the situation he was in as the collar of his shirt was now covered in his own blood while he was looking around with barely open eyelids.
The bystanders seemingly decided to turn away and get on with their usual business, as some even went back inside the many bars and other businesses.
'Old memories kicking in?'
'What do you mean?"
'Kid, your old apartment was in the same kind of neighborhood we are now walking through. The only difference is it's with more lights.'
'I only spend a short time there, before I moved out to that other spot.'
'Yeah, but memories die hard.'
As he then continued to walk through the district, Naruto kept on ignoring some of the looks he's been getting from the local populace who were walking by him.
"Ugh…"
Then he had to stop, Naruto had to as he held his hand towards the wall next to him with the intent to lean on it. Holding his hand over his head, Naruto felt liquid drenching his palm as he saw that his hand was nearly covered in blood-
*THUMP!*
And just like that, Naruto fell flat on his bottom as he felt himself getting dizzy in his head. It didn't help that the blood was seen leaking down to his neck, as he felt his eyes getting heavier.
'What the-'
'You are bleeding bad, Naruto. Real bad.'
"Hey man, you alright?"
Naruto turned his head upwards with blood now slightly dripping over his forehead as he saw a pair of guys standing right in front of him. Both were dressed like local hoodlums.
"You look like you could use some help, homie." The one in the dark green jacket spoke, wearing also black sunglasses and a black hat. "What happened to you anyways?"
Hearing him out, Naruto winced as he looked down to the ground. "I got into a fight…that's all."
"That must've been one nasty-ass fight, man." The big guy in the sweater said, noticing the open head wound. "Damn, who you fight with?"
"Nobody…" Naruto said as he stood up, facing the men. "It was nobody…it was something…"
"You say those Heartless did this to you?"
Not exactly speaking about those black creatures, Naruto actually referred to Zetsu, but to spare himself a long explanation to these strangers, he just went along the line and responded with a nod.
"You can call them that, yes."
"Damn, you must be one tough bastard if you're still standing here." The shades-wearing man said as he offered his hand. "Let us help you out patching those wounds over a drink?"
"Sorry, but I…" Naruto grunted out. "I…don't drink."
"Believe me, homie. You look like you new here - and a drink might help you cope with what happened to yo' ass." The shades-wearing man said as he still offered his hand. "So?"
…
Naruto thought it over and decided to accept the offer as he reached out to the man's hand.
"Okay, one drink."
"Good, and a doctor also." The shades man said before turning to his fat friend. "LB, go check out if she's still awake, ask if she can come around."
"I don't know, man. She's possibly sleeping at home with her kids, Ryder."
"She got an older daughter, remember that nigga. She can look after them twins. But just ask, aight?" The now-identified Ryder said as he helped up Naruto with the arm slung over his shoulder. "Say we at the usual spot, she knows where it is."
"Aight, dog. See you there."
As the two parted ways, Naruto was being led by the man called Ryder into the alleyway, having found himself more confused.
"Ryder? Is that your name?"
"Nah, that's what the homies calling me back in my world - Name's Lance Wilson, but call me Ryder, everyone does," Ryder said as he had a cigar in his mouth. "I'm from Ganton, Grove Street."
"Grove Street?"
"Long story, I'll tell when we get there." Ryder kept on supporting the blond. "Let's go."
Walking down the same streets of the Red-Light District, just on the other side of this part of Traverse Town, another individual was seen walking down these parts, one who the locals stepped away from because they knew who he was.
Captain John Silver, a man who was best characterized by two things he himself would admit he'd tell you: he was a genius in his passion as a chef - and his life of Piracy.
Currently, in the non-active life of piracy, the man was a cross between a human and some kind of sentient that reassembled a bear, but his most noticeable features were the leg, arm, and yellow cybernetic eye that were part of his body - all of which shows off what he has lost in that life.
Physically lost, as the emotional loss was not something the man was open to showing anyone. With Silver's world, or for better terms, his dimension, was also caught by the grip of the Heartless leaving very few survivors - only a couple of hundreds.
But now he was walking through the district in search of this newcomer blond who was beaten badly by the latest Heartless attack, some of whom Silver himself took a shot at with his cyborg weaponry. Even in times like these, he could not afford to be a bad shot.
"Ye're a hard whelp to' find, Uzumaki." Silver said as he kept an eye out, speaking in his hard accent. "Wherever that lad was shot off to, he's bound to walk into sum trouble."
"Captain Silver!"
Turning around, the eye of the cyborg was spotted and the man himself smiled upon recognizing who it was, the owner of his favorite pub.
"Ah, Tiffa dear, it's nice to see ye again." Silver chuckled while turning around to face the girl. "if ye came here about me tab, I am ey bit busy-"
Tifa stopped right there in front of Silver, seen as exhausted as she was, it was enough for the captain to see something was wrong.
"Wha''s wrong wit' ye, wench Tifa? Ye're sweatin'-"
"Koda's kidnapped." Tifa raised her face up in distraught. "Please, we need your help. I'm begging you."
….
Groaning, the pirate's soft spot for the bartender opened up as he puts the search on hold for a moment.
"Alright, tell me."
Meanwhile
The center of Traverse Town was being cleaned by the residents and store owners. Clearing the streets of shattered glasses and grabbing their outside furniture, these people have experienced similar attacks over time that caused them to be used to this kind of chaos.
Including a group of girls in school uniforms who were cleaning up the restaurant that was damaged the worst. With this being their local hangout, they were already nearly done getting the place up and running with the customers inside trying to order something to pass their time.
From a distance both Master Sid and Nana watched the people, seeing what they were doing.
"They're rebuilding…again," Nana said as she could only sigh at this. "What a shame, really."
"I agree, but unfortunately that is all that we can do after such an attack." Master Sid said in response. "To rebuild, to repair, and to fortify for the next attack."
"More and more people arrive each day." Nana voiced her concerns. "We'll need more than just good words to protect these people. Let alone provide them with homes."
"I agree… That is why we need to convince the young man." Yen Sid said, sounding convinced of what he had witnessed. "He is a strong individual, no doubt a warrior with experience."
"He is also someone who just arrived here, Sid." Nana brought it up. "He is full of uncertainty, after having lost everything? Who knows what path he chooses."
"That depends….on what will happen next."
Red-Light-District
Walking down the main street, two men were seen carrying some sacks that were full of something that they were trying to contain like whatever was in it tried to escape.
Once they entered an alleyway, a head popped out of the sack, that of Koda the cub.
"Please help me-"
"Sod it off!"
Koda's head was pushed back inside the bag, with the knot tightened up that it nearly made it impossible for the cub to even move.
"Horace I told you to knot it better, you dunce." The lanky tall man carrying another bag said to his accomplice. "We're this close."
"Take it easy, Jasper." The smaller, fatter man responded back, hurling the bag with Koda innit over his back. "I didn't know it would be a bugger of a bear."
"Cub, not a bear. Big difference." Jasper said to his brother. "Now get going."
The Badun Brothers, both from their own world that was also swallowed up, were now making their living by picking any misdeed job that would earn them a dime they see worthy. Having been priorly crooks-for-hire for some shady figures, they knew their way around making business.
"Koda!"
Just on the main street, Kenai the bear was still searching for his younger adoptive brother. Desperate as he was not sparing his voice any moment, continuing to search and shout.
"KODA!"
Meanwhile
"Agh!"
The grunt came from Naruto, seen sitting at the counter of a bar, with his forehead being covered in bandages that were tied up around it.
"Stand still, young man." The woman finishing up the bandages said, wearing what was a doctor's white coat underneath a purple dress, she had bright orange hair and was a woman of a motherly age. With blue eyes and tender hands.
"Sorry ma'am." Naruto apologized, grunting as he was now suffering from a headache. "Just my head feels like it's exploding."
"That will be the medication that's working now." The doctor said as she finished up with the bandages. "And no need to call me that, young man. Name's Ann Possible."
"Alright…thanks Mrs. Possible. You didn't have to."
"I am a doctor, it is supposed to be my job." Ann Possible smiled at him. "So I am being told you had a fight with those Heartless creatures?"
"That I was, took out a couple of them before… I got reckless." Naruto admitted as he took a look around.
While they were in the middle of a bar, the interior of it was not something that he expected.
There was smoke, like a ridiculous amount of it present inside the room that was stuck in the ceiling and thick as it could be, this didn't seem to bother the patrons inside of it who were seen playing pool at the table, throwing darts or just smoking whatever substance they were puffing into the air. But what most of these men wore were variations of green clothing, with the most noticeable being the green bandanas on some of them or just green shirts.
It was however Kurama who was the one to recognize the smell, and he wasn't particularly happy about it.
'Okay I get we're in the middle of this district, but for crying out loud! Open a fucking window!'
Naruto just coughed a bit at the smell of it, causing then the woman doctor to ask in a friendly manner.
"Not used to it, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not…" Naruto said waving his hand in front of his face before turning to Dr. Possible. "I knew people who smoke, but I don't know what this is…"
"Weed, nigga."
"Huh?" Naruto turned around to the person who approached him, it was a man of the same type of skin color as Ryder, but was dressed in a white shirt and green shorts with white sneakers. With way more visible tattoos as he wore a green cap, the man stood tall as he spoke to the doctor and patient.
"Weed, homie, my specialty, and nothing less." The big lanky man raised up one rolled-up and unlit joint. "LD Organics. 100% organic, tested, and approved by me. Wanna sample?"
"Lamar!"
Confused by this, Naruto was about to decline until he got interrupted, by one of the other guys in the back, one who was short than him and had a short haircut, with a yellow and white shirt and jeans, the man approached the trio.
"What's wrong with you? Selling to a doctor while she's treating a patient?" The shorter man shouted at his friend. "I thought you were smarter than this."
"Man chill out, Frank. I'm just trying to help the homie out." The now named Lamar said pointing out and saying. "This blond ninja motherfucka here was busting against those weird-ass-looking black figures in the square and he got a nasty beating. So I wanted to pass on to him to light his day up."
"Gentlemen, please." Ann Possible tried to butt in friendly. "As much of a friendly gesture, this is, my patient isn't ready to inhale such a type of drug…nor do I believe such a practice as medical marijuana is helpful."
"What? But you're a doctor, right?" Lamar asked in surprise. "I thought you all believed medical marijuana was helpful."
Ann tried. "I am not in such a position to-"
"Nigga, she a brain surgeon, she knows better," Franklin said to his friend. "She's seen shit, like how it messes with your head and all. Like how your stuff is fucking on another level!"
"Ah, not this shit again, nigga!" Lamar was angered by this pointing at his friend. "Don't be a hypocrite with me, fool. You smoke just as much as me."
The two went on to argue against each other, only causing a scene for everyone in the bar to see. With some even stopping their activity to then pay attention to it.
Naruto turned over to Dr. Possible, only to be more confused to see her chuckling a bit which caused him to have a question of his own.
"What's so funny?"
"Just listen and you will figure it out." Ann Possible said while pointing out.
"Maybe I do but I don't give free samples to anything that talks in this town, nigga." Frank argued back. "Like how you gave it to that talking animal."
"Man, he wanted to taste, Frank." Lamar defended his actions. "He was a potential customer after all."
"The animal was a bear - A BIG BROWN MOTHERFUCKING BEAR!" Franklin reminded him of that fact. "And for some reason, I yet still have to figure out, your shit knocked it out - after one simple stroke of it!"
That mention alone somehow made everyone in the bar laugh at this with some even holding their stomachs out of the pain, as if they were watching a show of sorts from up close.
The fat man LB just stood next to another equally fat man as he asked. "What's going on here, dog?"
"Oh, it's Frank and Lamar from Forum Drive. They arguing again." One guy who's nicknamed Big Bear spoke, unable to contain his smile. "You just missed it."
"How was I supposed to know that package was too strong for that bear?" Lamar said, again trying to defend himself. "It wasn't even my best work."
"Lamar, it is way too strong in general. Like this happens every time." Franklin told him. "I can't recount how many times your LD Organics shit gotten us close to getting us busted."
"Oh? I'm getting? Sorry homie but at least I can still bust something, unlike you." Lamar took it to another level. "While I'm trying to make something out of my talents, your ass is still nagging about not being able to bust inside Tanisha-"
*PUNCH!*
That was perhaps a word too much as Franklin threw a hit at Lamar who grabbed him down as they began to brawl, causing a little bit of a scene that caused everyone else to watch by and let them fight it out, with some even starting to bet money on it.
Once outside the bar, both a patched-up Naruto and a suitcase carrying Dr. Ann Possible were seen exiting through the front door, with the commotion heard in the background, they both took a moment to just digest what they'd just witnessed.
"Aren't you going to heal those guys up?" Naruto wondered, pointing his thumb back towards the bar. "They're going to need a doctor."
"No need to worry, they'll stop soon, plus this is not out of the ordinary with these boys." Dr. Possible said putting her purple coat on. "I've been here not for long, but I've seen that these young men can handle themselves just well - they're good boys."
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked out of curiosity after watching them. "They look like gangsters…fought some of them back home who were threatening villages to sell drugs."
"I had that first impression too until I spoke with some of them, but you don't need to worry about them. They pose no threat," Ann said with a smile as she remembered. "They're just like us, stranded and trying to rebuild what they can."
Hearing that made Naruto think for a bit, unsure as he just looked down the alleyway, where he happened to notice something:
Two men, one slim and lanky and one small and fat were seen passing by, with one of them carrying a bag that was moving.
'Naruto, that bag was moving. And those two give me bad vibes.'
'Yeah…'
'You're going to investigate, aren't you?'
'...'
'Thought so.'
"You know, you can always come visit where I live if you'd like to know." Ann Possible was searching through her purse for a little car she pulled up. "If you ever think of wanting to meet my family you…"
Before she could give her card, Ann saw that Naruto was walking down the alleyway with nothing but his white t-shirt as he went on.
"Naruto? Where are you going?"
Naruto just went on and didn't pay attention to it as he continued to follow those men, continuing to hear the doctor calling out his name.
"Naruto!"
"Took you two so long!"
Two sacks were emptied inside a few small metal cages that were soon filled with animals, frightened animals for a matter of fact.
And they were all barking, meowing, howling, or crying in their own right. In these tiny cages were dogs, cats, exotic animals, and wild ones were all stuck inside the very small and uncomfortable prisons they were being kept in0
*TCHK!*
The sound of something was then followed by a person in a long white fur coat that was twice as big as the thin woman wearing it who was simply dressed in a black piece of dress. With red high heel shoes and black stockings, long red opera gloves, large turquoise earrings and a ring on her right hand, a cream fur coat with a red lining, and a matching purse with three foxtails.
Having just ignited her smoking stick, the black/white-haired Cruella De Vil, and as she exhales the green sticky smoke from her mouth, she also releases a bit of anger on the nearest cage.
"Shut it!"
She kicked her heel into one of them, where the kick rattled in a couple of Dalmatian puppies.
This earned the older dogs to growl and bark loudly, especially a pair of older Dalmatians who were more livid than the others.
"Bark all you want, stupid dogs." Cruella cussed at them before turning to them. "Finally, you two. I've been waiting in this warehouse for hours!"
"Easy for you to say, woman. We've been doing all the heavy lifting." Jasper said while emptying the bags.
One of the bags contained the bear cub Koda who found himself cramped inside one of the steel cages.
"Yes, we needed to go through the alleyways to not get people looking at us," Horace said walking up to his brother. "Those lads around the corner warned us last time."
"Ah! Since when are you two scared from a couple of darkies," Cruella shouted at them, making such a remark, having little patience. "The only thing those mongrels do is sit in that pub and mind everyone's business."
The remarks that Cruella was making were so revolting to hear that even the animals in the cages were disgusted, some even trying to cover their ears from hearing such talk.
"No need for that talk." A bit unsettled, even Horace had to say. "It's just that we still got to pay a toll to them if we want to work here."
"You fat slob! LOOK WHERE YOU ARE WORKING!" Cruella said nearly stopping in the fat man's face. "We are in the Red-Light District. In this part of town, all types of trade are happening what people normally don't want to admit."
"But getting into our trade? I just don't see it." Jasper said. "Look at it, who wants to buy animal fur? Nobody fancies that."
"We might provide that…"
The sound of ticking could be heard as the steps of six spider-like legs were making their way through the cages. The thing was a mixture of a spider and crab, with the hands of a crab and the eyes of a predator that were fiercely yellow. With the only thing he wore were a purple jacket and belt with a brown hat.
"Ah, Mr. Scroop. A pleasure seeing you here." Cruella said, smiling at seeing her new partner-in-crime who just joined in. "I assume you came here to do the skinning?"
"For that, I do came…with some of my men…"
Following up behind came a group of Mr. Scroop's men that made both Jasper and Horace look nervous.
Pirates, but they weren't just any sort of pirates, alien ones, with features that defied all norms of logic to human knowledge as some of them were simply too small and creepy looking while some looked like monsters with more arms than some can imagine.
"We came a little later, be my pardon." Mr. Scroop said. "We had to do a few errands for Mr. Kane on the other side."
"Ugh, those wearing purple." Cruella scoffed a bit, before slightly doing damage control. "No offense."
"None taken," Scroop said as he then turned the cages, with a wicked smile. "Now, is this all?"
"Yes darling, all of these animals," Cruella said taking another puff from her cigarette. "You know what to do. Cheers."
Sharpening his clamp, Mr. Scroop was looking at the lone bear cub he was eyeing with a smile.
"My pleasure…" He turned to one of his men. "Hands."
A Behemoth alien with large arms and a red face named literally 'Hands' came to his captain's aid as he pulled the cub Koda out of the cage.
"Come out." Hands spoke in a near-slurry tone. "Little runt."
Forcing the cub on the floor, Mr. Scroop aimed his clamp closer to the young bear's neck as he intended to do what he was paid for.
"I'll do the skinning now-"
*CRASH!*
Then the metal door was busted in, with it nearly crashing into one of the pirates. Everyone turned to the now-open entrance.
Walking right in came Naruto, who without any sort of plan just entered the warehouse and was met with the scene that he suspected.
'Poachers…'
'Yeah, that of the fucked up kind. Do you see what kind of animals they have in here?'
Naruto did notice the many looks that were given by the trapped animals in the cages, more of confusion and shock while those of the younger ones were of fear and near despair.
But the one look on the small cub, who was looking at him was what caused him to realize what he just found.
'Oh shit…'
"What were you going to do to that cub?" Naruto asked straight away, in a tone that was of a warning. "I better get an answer now."
*Click!* *Click!* *Click!*
The response was of the multiple blasters being pulled out and aimed at Naruto, with the wielders being the alien pirates of Mr. Scroop, who was less than welcoming to the intruder who he was frowning at.
"You got some nerve entering in others' affairs, boy…." Scroop spoke with a warning. "I suggest you use that brain of yours and get lost…"
The threat that was directed at the blond was joined by the giant pirate named Hands who then proceeded to stand up and slowly walk up towards him, with that same angry look and the four arms raised up, ready to pummel the kid.
"Want to die, brat?"
…
…
Not intimidated at all, Naruto just waved his bandaged arm in front of his nose, clearly gesturing to something.
"Get away from me with that stench, pirate scum."
"WHY YOU - DIE!"
Hands raised his right upper fist, which was his strongest, to then lay give a right hook to the unmoving Naruto, who just stood there unfazed and void of any intent to move, let alone flinch.
"YOU RUNT!"
The brute's fist was about to hit Naruto's face - but it then got grabbed when Naruto used his right bandaged hand, stopping it!
"W-What?"
*CRACK!*
Hands screamed in pain as he fell to his knees, Naruto having just started to squeeze hard into the four-armed alien's captured one, forced the brute to bend down as he was subdued in only a matter of moments.
Horace and Jasper were the first to react in such shock, with the small fat man being the first to utter.
"H-He just bent that bloke down, l-like it was nothing!"
"He did!" Jasper yelled, pulling his brother. "Let's bugger it off!"
The two began running for the backdoor, only to be spotted by Cruella who shouted at them.
"Come back here you cowards!"
"Sorry, but this goes beyond our pay," Jasper said ready to open the door. "We'll be off-"
*GROWL!*
"Oh, that doesn't sound right-"
Breaking down the door came two fully grown, pissed-off bears who had without their knowledge just plummeted both Bandun brothers out of consciousness, who lay underneath the door that they were suffering.
The pirates inside the warehouse now had others to aim their blasters at, ready to fire at the bears-
"If it isn't me old crew."
Until they heard that voice, causing some to pale at the sight of John Silver entering the building with the mechanical leg that he was walking on. With him being joined by two other people behind him.
Chuckling, he made no shy attempt to address the old crew that mutinied against him. Scanning with his advanced eye every last of them in this large, dusty warehouse.
The six-eyed slug alien named Onus muttered. "I-Its the capitaine!"
"Ah, I see ya still remember me, Mr. Onus. Good for you." Silver said looking at all of his crew while bypassing the two bears Kenai and Nita.
The tension that had built up previously had somehow made itself up to another level. With now Cruella feeling the heat, she could see that this was getting out of hand.
"You got a lot of nerve, don't you?" Mr. Scroop turned his sight to the cyborg. "Calling us, yer crew…"
"Old crew, I said, Mr. Scroop." Silver reminded him, his eye turned red while staring at him. "Old crew…"
…
*CLING!*
Without a warning, Scroop pulled out a sword and had taken the initiative on going to assault Silver, who in response had seen this coming and equipped himself with his own sword from his arm. A long-needed fight between pirates who were headbutting the day since they arrived at this place.
Scroop seethed. "You should've stayed away…."
"And ye shouldn't have hurt this bird's lad." Silver said with an equal amount of hatred against the spider. Wielding his blade against Scroop's.
Entering with Yuffie, Tifa saw what was inside and saw the amount of captured animals that were in the cages.
*CRACK!*
"Ahhhh!"
Falling on his back, Hands hollowed in pain while he holds his arm that was visibly broken in two. Causing the pirates to be panicking.
"Hands is down!" Torrance, one of the aliens without a head but with a face on his chest yelled. "Get that boy!"
Tifa tried to shout. "Look out!"
The pirates started to then fire their blasters, purple shots coming out and aimed directly at Naruto. Who only then disappeared before the shots could even hit him.
"What the-"
"He disappeared!"
The pirates were left baffled, even some of the caged animals were surprised.
"Did you see that?" A small white kitten with a pink bow said to her brothers. "Toulouse, Berlioz."
"Yes, I saw that." The black kitten said in astonishment, wearing a red tie around his neck. "He went like poof."
"Quick like an alley cat!" The orange kitten who was more energetic said, imitating what he mentioned with his blue ribbon tie. "Scratching like them!"
"Keep it quiet, children." The older white-furred cat who was the mother spoke in another cage next to her kittens. "Don't attract their attention."
The other orange cat who was in the same cage as the white-grown cat was just staring at the whole ordeal.
Back the pirates, who were now looking around, were growing nervous as they were trying to look for the blond who was hiding somewhere, only causing them to be more nervous when they couldn't find him anywhere.
One of them, a one-eyed cyclops with two pairs of thin legs bumped its slug against one of the cages where one pesky chihuahua was in.
"Hey man, look out where you walk."
"Shut it you-"
*PUNCH!*
"Ahhh!" The one-eyed alien yelled in pain as he was punched right in his blind spot as he held onto it while on the floor
"My eye!"
That hit was given by Naruto who had reappeared right behind the alien.
"Nice hit, man, nice!" The chihuahua cheered him. "Now kick him while he's down!"
Naruto turned to the voice, and he wasn't surprised by the sound of it.
"Oh, you can talk."
"Huh?" The chihuahua was surprised. "You aren't surprised?"
"Not really."
"SHOOT!"
Naruto saw several blaster shots nearly hitting him. Spotting three of those pirates shooting at him.
"Shoot him, then slice him up!" One head with only arms said in a feminine voice. "I'll then fill him up!"
'Is that a woman with no body?'
'Don't ask me, just take them out. They give me the creeps.'
As Naruto went on to fight further, things were getting heated everywhere as it showed to be too much for Cruella who saw her plan going into flames, seeing something she didn't like.
"Go, now!"
Yuffie and Tifa were both opening up the cages to allow the captured animals to flee to the nearest exit that they were going to.
"Go, go!" Tifa said opening up another cage. "Now that you can."
Mostly Dalmatian puppies were seen escaping out and going towards the exit, but a very few. One black-eyed was seen going for the cage of the two oldest Dalmatians, trying to help them.
"Yuffie!"
"I'm busy, I'm busy!" Yuffie said trying to open one cage where a few grown dogs were kept in. releasing them. "Now hurry and go!"
The dogs instead started barking loudly, causing Yuffie to be confused until one of them pointed out, making her turn around.
There she saw Cruella De Vil sneaking up on Tifa who had her back exposed against the woman, she was trying to convince a baby elephant with large ears to come out of the cage.
"Come on, no need to be afraid." Tifa extended her to the elephant, trying. "We will help you."
"You noisy brat!"
*GROWL!*
"Ahh!"
Turning around, Tifa saw what happened. Nita the large female bear having just pinned down Cruella to the ground, growled at her with the meanest look to keep the woman pale and down.
"I-I surrender." Cruella held her hands up. "Don't hurt me…"
Nita's teeth were the only thing needed to keep the woman down as she turned to Tifa and nodded.
Tifa smiled. "Thanks."
*CRASH!*
A couple of pirates found themselves being sent across the room into a few empty boxes, with them being knocked out by the other adult bear that was present in this warehouse.
Kenai joined in the fight to protect now his younger brother Koda who he finally had found him and put him into a corner with some of the other puppies and kittens who were freed but unable to get out.
"Ugh…."
Watching as they saw another alien pirate being defeated at the hands of Naruto who dropped the barely conscious criminal to the ground, turning to the big bear.
"Are you alright?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, I am…" Kenai responded with a nod. "Thank you, for helping."
"No sweat about it," Naruto replied as he was about to turn around-
'In front of you!'
Reacting to that, Naruto pulled out his kunai blade and-
*CLING!*
Stopping just in time, the blade of Scroop was now only inches away from his face, with Naruto having to now fight the pirate, who had somehow bypassed his previous opponent.
"I will crush you like a bug for minding our business!"
The blade itself was stronger against Naruto's kunai, with each movement being a push of the upper hand for Scroop, with both being considerably strong individuals, it was just that one wasn't overwhelmingly ready for a fight like this.
Are ye mighty willin' t' risk yer life for some animals?" Scroop asked. "Tell me, is it worth it?"
Naruto briefly took a moment to turn around and look at the bears, the dogs, and other animals who were watching the fight, with some seen cowering behind one another.
"It is worth it," Naruto responded. "I might've lost my world, but I'll be damned to let bastards like you hurt those who cannot defend themselves!"
*CLANG!*
Both men their blades split from one another, with both intending to bring the final blow to one another.
However, one's blade hands shot light, extremely powerful light that nearly blinded everyone in that warehouse.
"What the devil!"
And that light that appeared in Naruto's hand, was a awakening that soon ended this battle.
...
...
...
Once the light had ended, many of those standing around and covering their faces, slowly started to removed their arms to shield themselves from being blinded.
One of whom was the wounded Jon Silver, whose cyborg eye was the first to spot what had occurred, and spot the body of Mr. Scroop lying on the floor with an destroyed sword laying next to him.
Standing over his body stood Naruto, wielding something in his hands that asserted his victory over the pirate…
"Well I'll be damned…"
Chapter Text
3 Months later
Traverse Town
Red-Light District
In an apartment in the middle of the most dangerous district of the Eternal Light town, one person lying on his bed was about to wake up.
Opening his eyes, the young man did as he stared at the bare gray ceiling with his blue eyes that were void of joy as he spoke the first words.
"Good morning cruel world."
Standing up from his bed, he went over to the bathroom, where he was shown to be sleeping in just his undergarments, indicating that his body was still well taken care of after three months of arriving in this place.
As he went into the shower to just get cold water over him, he began scrubbing himself briefly to wake up well as he had been preparing for a good long time now for what he had been training for these past times.
His first mission was one he couldn't decline nor wanted to. He had been eager to go on the hunt for a long time now.
Once he finished showering he then got out and grabbed the dry towel, having spent less than a few minutes on his own hygiene and less for himself to get dried up properly.
Walking back to his bedroom, the young man grabbed the clothes he had prepared the night before, alongside the gear he had purchased from the local markets and shops for preparations.
Among his things was wrapped up in bandages, the weapon he was connected to and had trained with.
"It's time."
Clothed up, he wore brown boots for traveling, cameo cargo pants, and a black shirt with organ Kanji writings in the back, alongside his patches, equipment, and everything else in his backpack. Once that, he grabbed the coat he pulled over himself, then the wrapped blade over his shoulder so it was lingering around his back alongside his backpack.
He was ready, Naruto Uzumaki was prepared now to go to the masters who trained him for his new role as a Keyblader.
Let's go." Naruto said having prepared himself and now making his way to the door. "You awake, you old furball?"
'Shut up, and just go.'
Naruto grabbed then for the doorknob and turned it, opening it as he walked out of his rented home.
Proceeding to walk, the young adult blond had to walk through the hallways that he walked through multiple times before, hearing or even seeing his neighbors' antics.
He didn't mind what their business was, nor did they press on his as this neighborhood in the middle of the Red-Light District was not the home to those of innocent lives. He had seen it before and wasn't shocked much by what their day-to-day lives were.
Some didn't even bother closing their doors to hide what they were doing, like how a man who was a few years older than himself was seen in his baggy clothes making what looked like drugs on his table, while a gun was seen lying next to him as he was wearing a purple bandana from the back of his pants. Meaning he was a member of one of the main gangs living in this district.
Continuing to walk through, he then happened to encounter another neighbor who was seen walking into his own apartment, a lady with a red stain dress and horrible-looking makeup with ginger hair. Who noticed Naruto and gave him a glaring look.
"What you looking at, brat?" The woman cussed him out. "Move it!"
Naruto didn't say much as he just glared at the woman, before bypassing her and hearing her door slam behind him.
'What a bitch.'
'Agreed.'
But not all of his neighbors were exactly of the asshole types he dealt with, as the next door that was seen left open was proof of it.
There was a person of a strange alien species, meditating with her back turned against the door, showing her to be close to his age, some metal and mechanical parts were seen floating in front of her as she was in deep concentration.
'She must be one of those members of that Order I heard.'
'Must be, but strange she isn't living with them in that commune like the rest of them.'
'You never asked, nor do you speak to her much exactly.'
Proceeding to let her in peace Naruto continued to walk down the hallway, With most of the other doors closed, Naruto went down the staircase towards the exit.
*Rumble!*
The sound of something falling was enough to then be followed by an angry raging yell that was not new to the blond Keyblader.
"Son of a piece of shit!"
'Oh, no.'
"He's at it again."
…
Underneath the apartments laid a bar that was named Paddy's Pub, with the owner also being the landlord who owned in fact the whole building; this was also the only main entrance for the tenors above.
Walking in came Naruto, who took a look around at the bar that was just finished with its renovations, it had the 'Irish heritage' that the landlord wanted, and even to his surprise, it looked quite good.
'I must say, this place looks kinda neat.'
'Hard to imagine that thing managed to get this build in less than a month.'
'Kurama, you know better than anyone calling someone a thing is not a nice thing to say. Even if he is our landlord.'
"GOD DAMN IT!"
There was an almighty crashing of several more objects hitting the floor, along with shattering glass, before a man emerged from behind the counter. He was by far the weirdest, ugliest man they had ever seen, standing at 4'10", with a huge pair of glasses, a balding head, and no shirt. He was quite rotund and hairy to boot.
He was Frank Reynolds, owner and landlord of Paddy's Pub, somehow one of the most successful businessmen in the Red-Light District. Even worse, he was keeping something in his office that had just woken up.
"Frank."
"Naruto! Good to see you! Have you seen my gun? " Frank asked while looking around, trying to find them. "I've been looking all over for the damn thing, but I can't find it anywhere."
"Have you been drinking?"
"No…. I mean maybe… Yes, I did." Frank admitted while scratching his stomach, "Why do you ask?"
"I can smell it…"
Frank took note, turned back to the counter, and grabbed from the floor behind it an empty unbroken bottle of beer.
"Nothing much," Frank burped before answering. "Like six beers I think."
Naruto could only shake his head at his landlord who was the only survivor of his world seemingly, or that is what he claimed, his memory wasn't the best, nor was his track record of the truth.
"So listen, I need your help, and it is quite important." Frank began to explain. "I got business in the back that can be beneficial to the both of us-"
"Sorry Frank, but I got my own errands to do," Naruto said to him and walked past him, "I already paid my rent, old man. Later."
"But-"
Naruto already walked out the front door of the bar before Frank could finish his sentence, leaving the smelly old man to himself.
"Shit." Frank cursed as he was out of luck, "Now what?"
"EYETA!"
"UTINNI!"
Hearing that, Frank turned around to see his business had come out of the backroom, with the two brown-cloaked Jawas of the same height as him looking at him with their yellow eyes.
The one who stood taller than the other began to speak, sounding a bit angry.
"Not now, Teeka" Frank told her off, "We talk business inside the room, alright?"
Teeka cussed him out further in her native tongue before she walked back into the room.
Leaving Frank to do some much-needed damage control, he thought of something and grabbed for underneath the counter, and pulled out two bottles of hard liquor.
"Hopefully these little bastards drink."
Traverse Town
Once outside, Naruto did not wait to make his way through the busy crowd, blending in and bypassing them as he tried to not gain any attention.
It didn't take long for him to leave the Red-Light District as he now had gotten over the supposed borderline that divided the crime world district from the rest of the town growing still in numbers, with hundreds of newcomers having arrived in the past few weeks due to the continued chaos that was being caused.
That chaos wasn't only because of the Heartless, that's for sure.
'That Zetsu bastard sure is leaving his tracks around, that is for sure.'
'Well, that's where I come in with my new job. Trying to prevent that from growing.'
*TING!-TING!*
It happened to be Naruto's lucky day as he turned around and saw the tram going by, right next to him with a whole load of passengers that were being transported to the center of town, a quick lift for him as he jumped right in the back and sat on the edge of it to hike.
'Quite remarkable that in just a few months this form of transportation is built by some newcomers. Where were those guys from again?'
'I believe a place called Danville, if I remember correctly. Some kids who have a neck for building.'
'Figuratively or literally?'
A hint of a chuckle coming from the Fox was enough to make Naruto shake his head.
'Very funny, Kurama. Given these kids made life easier for everyone, I doubt their parents were really happy knowing their children can build these things.'
'Well according to their oldest daughter, she had been trying to snitch on them for a while now. Yet they never get caught - It's either stupidity or those things keep disappearing, but that sounds illogical.'
'Kurama - in a place like this and how our lives are - I doubt logic is the right word to explain all of this.'
'Point taken.'
"Let's go!"
The tram stopped and many men in working gear were seen exiting the tram and going to a few construction sites that were in the early phases of being built. Among those construction workers were mainly humans, but also other sentients who were in different sizes and colors.
'Lately new arrivals of different races and aliens.'
'Yeah, more people who survive Zetsu's chaos are arriving here, trying to rebuild their lives.'
The tram continued on as it went through the market where vendors were selling and trading anything of value to anyone with a coin. No matter the appearance.
It happened also that they passed by a recently opened Cinema that was yet to be open,
"Heyo! Naruto!"
Turning down to the road the blond was surprised to see the craziest Chihuahua of Traverse Town running up towards him, it was the same one he met three months ago and helped out. Wearing a green headband and the wildest energy one creature could get, but had one of the biggest hearts.
"Tito?"
"Of course, it is me, man. Been a while!" Tito jumped on the back of the tram next to him, "I got a message for you."
"Master Yen Sid?"
"Yeah, he wants you to go to Merlin's spot."
Naruto jumped off the back of the tram and landed on his two feet as he responded to the stop.
"Alright, let's go."
Merlin's House
Taking a while before arriving, the state of the wizard's home was as usual.
"Curses!"
A whole stack of it fell to the ground and scattered all over the floor, causing the wizard to then go down towards the ground and try to clean up the mess he made by himself.
"Paperwork, paperwork, and even more paperwork."
The little pig Hen Wen sleeping underneath the table was not bothered, but her little pink nose sniffed up a few times and opened her eyes up.
"Perhaps hiring somebody to bring some order here would help-"
"I think you should, old man."
Merlin turned around to see it was Naruto who had entered his home, causing the old wizard to smile at seeing his presence.
"Ah, Naruto, glad to see you."
Hen Wen squealed at the sight of the blond and ran over to him.
A smile equally appeared on Naruto's face, "Hen Wen." He kneeled down and began to pet the little piglet on the head, "How are you doing?"
Hen Wen leaned her head into the blond's hand for the moment she cherished.
Naruto finished patting the pig and stood back up. "I'm here for my assignment. Tito said that Master Sid told me to come here."
"I did."
Hearing that voice made the young adult Naruto turn around and see that Master Sid himself had somehow appeared behind him, without any sound being made.
'Still fast, not going to lie.'
"Master Sid," Naruto bowed his head respectfully to the wizard. "I just arrived here for my first assignment."
"That I am fully aware, young Naruto," Master Sid acknowledged, "Your training has been followed and I am glad to see you have made the necessary progress for a Keyblader."
For Naruto, it was already clear what his duties were, and what was told to him.
Flashback
3 months earlier
A day after the rescue we see Naruto following Master Yen Sid in the hospital towards an elevator. Waving his hand across the button the wall shimmers and a second button appears, and Yen Sid pushes it.
Naruto raises an eyebrow as he hears gears whirling and levels shifting as the door slides down revealing a hallway and Yen Sid looks at the blond newcomer.
"Come my boy there is someone I wish for you to meet that is the highest priority for what i am about to tell you."
Nodding his head. Naruto follows the wizened master as the hallway closes up behind them as if nothing happened. The hallway turns once to the right and there is a single door with a magic circle glowing faintly.
Sitting next to that door was a guard in what looked like a police uniform, wearing a light blue shirt with shoulder patches showing her rank, with tight blue pants, where not only a radio, handcuffs, and other patches were on her belt, it was also showing her curvy thighs that were squeezing from her upper parts to the slender legs. Never mind the woman herself who's face screamed similarity to someone the blond knew.
The woman sees Master Yen Sid approaching with a blond newcomer she has never seen before she instantly gets in a stance to protect this door but after seeing the wizard wave her off she relaxes and bows her head.
"Master it is good to see you. There has been no update on the patient. No threats. All clear."
She eyes the newcomer and senses his power.
"Is he one of them Master?"
"Yes, my dear. Thank you for the dedicated work. Please take a break. I will be speaking with this young gentleman inside for some time."
She bows her head and leaves as Master Yen Sid walks to the door and presses his hand against the circle it glows bright and then fades away.
"Inside is a very special person. Probably the most important person in this entire town in a manner of speaking"
The door opens and Naruto sees a room that is all white. And a single bed with an occupant sitting against the headboard as the person in it is staring straight ahead and then a flash of pink and he whips his head around so fast you would think he broke his neck.
"Sakura!"
He rushes forth and captures the woman in a tight hug as tears fall down his face as he shakes.
"Kit…. That's….. that's not the banshee…."
As Naruto slowly opens his eyes and sees a woman of pure innocent beauty with pink hair and an equally pink face from the sudden contact as she stammers out.
"I. I… 'm sorry I don't know who this Sakura is…. My name is Joy. Nurse Joy…."
As she stammers out blushing up a storm from this handsome man still hugging her as she hangs there as she is a little bit shorter than him. He immediately sets her down and backs up five feet so fast as he waves his hands and shakes his head.
"I'm so sorry. I thought you were someone I knew. Please forgive me. I didn't…. I didn't realize…."
He softly says at the end the weight of the single survivor rearing its head once again as the woman and Yen Sid look sadly at him. The woman calms herself and has a look of determination as she sees that he has yet to process all that has gone on as her life as a caregiver takes over she boldly walks up to Naruto and he looks at her with confusion as she brings him down and hugs him tight and runs a hand through His hair and rubs his back and speaks softly.
"I understand." Nurse Joy brought up the usual smile she used to give to everyone in her former workplace, "I understand what you went through, young man. But just so you know you do not need to apologize, I was in the same position as you when I arrived here…"
"Nurse Joy, can we?" Master Sid asked the pinkette nurse, "We're in need of seeing the state of poor Kairi, if you allow us."
Nurse Joy obliged, "Of course."
Pushing aside the shroud, there she lay.
Standing over the bed are Master Yen Sid and Naruto who are looking at this teenage woman who was close to Naruto's age when he returned to the village, who is gazing straight ahead as if they weren't even there. Wearing nothing but a white overall as her bright hair was grown and covering the bed.
"This is Kairi. She is a Princess of Light. One of 7 of the most pure souls in the galaxy. She was found in an alleyway just as she is now. I fear the darkness has corrupted her but after examining her. She lost her heart."
Naruto looks at the wizened old man like he is crazy.
"Old man… she is alive… i can see that she is breathing. Although she looks out of it."
Before he can continue Yen Sid holds up a hand to stop his words and breathes deeply.
"What I meant to say is. Her spiritual heart. What makes her who she is, is gone. What you are looking at is in a medical term… a husk. A soulless body. Yes, she is alive… but she isn't living. Her heart is out there. Somewhere. Lost. A person is not whole without the heart my boy."
Naruto looks down at Kairi with a sad expression. Then anger. As he growls out.
"Did Zetsu do this… the heartless? Did they take her heart?"
Unknown to him when he set his hand down on the bed near Kairi's hand, her finger twitched… ever so slightly that Yen Sid barely glimpsed it as his eyes widened slightly.
"I do not know who this Zetsu is but the heartless do have a part to play with the stolen heart yes. As a keyblader. You have a duty to defend the Light. And as a Princess of Light. Bound to protect them… but I believe you have a greater role to play than just a mere guard… I believe you will be the one to find Kairi's heart."
Naruto raises a brow at this.
"How do you figure that?"
Yen Sid merely gestures down and Naruto follows his eyes and does a double take with wide eyes as before he knows he put his hand down. But now clasped in his hand is Kairi's. Holding it tightly fingers entwined.
"What... how… how did I not notice this?!"
Master Yen Sid strokes his beard in thought as he ponders possibilities. Before looking at young Naruto.
"My boy. I must ask you for a big favor. I wish for you to train to become a Master Keyblade Wielder. For the good of this town. For the good of the Light… and for the safety and rescue of Kairi."
Being given this information and plea of this man, the Konoha Nin thought for a moment as his own thoughts were even going through with this idea.
'Kurama...'
'Don't ask me, kid - ask yourself. Because you already know the answer.'
A sigh was all that came from Naruto, a deep sigh as he turned around to the bearded master and the nurse who stood there and watched something she didn't expect.
"I'm in."
Traverse Town
Walking now through the district, Naruto was accompanied by Master Sid himself who was telling him his mission.
"My boy you have come a long way from three months ago with your training. I feel it is time for you to learn why I asked you to train so hard."
Naruto listened closely.
"Long ago there were many others like you. I myself am a retired master. I know not what has happened to them, but there is one wielder. I have had many conversations with this one and have aided her on her journeys." Master Sid spoke and continued, "Her name is Aqua and she is a Keyblade Master. I have recently discovered a trail of where she was last seen many years ago…. But I warn you… This area is exceedingly dangerous. I would not even think to send you if I believed I had no other choice. You must find a way to the Realm of Darkness."
Master Yen Sid strokes his beard as he peers at Naruto.
"I believe you will find what you need out there. Journey to other worlds. Meet new people. Create bonds. Somehow you will find a way. I am sure of it."
"Do you wish for me to track her down now?" Naruto asked the old man, "It sounds like you are very connected to her…"
"As much as I want to say yes. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The Realm of Darkness is not so easily accessible. You must either have been born there. Lose your heart and become heartless. Or. Have a link. I believe somewhere out there. There is a link connecting Aqua. And using that will be like a map…."
Pausing momentarily as he watches the children laughing he sighs heavily and looks into Naruto's eyes.
"I must ask another favor of you my boy. As you journey through the different worlds. Please. Help any lost soul you come across. This town was made specifically for the lost souls who have lost their home world. But unfortunately. Not all have made it here. They are out there lost. Please help them…"
A couple of moments pass as they continue to walk before the wise old man nods his head.
"Do try to keep the World Order as well. It is not known that you can travel between worlds. And most will not be able to handle that knowledge. It is up to us to protect the World Order of each world. Be mindful. And should there ever come a time where you are caught…. "
He waves his hands in a gesture like he is trying to think of something before he just shrugs.
"Improvise."
Red-Light-District
Walking towards an unassuming building within the Red-Light District Naruto knocks on the door.
A couple of moments go by, and a slot opens, A pair of black beady eyes peer through and see Naruto.
"Give me a moment."
the slot slides closed with a slam. A couple of locks click and a heavy bar slides and the door opens, and there stands a man with a pistol ready as he peers behind Naruto and ushers him inside.
"Welcome back Naruto. A little busy tonight. Please don't break anything….. again…."
Naruto rolls his eyes and walks in and the beat of a nice melody starts thrumming along the walls and floors as lights flash with different colors as Naruto parts a curtain and the scent of alcohol. Drugs. Lust permeates the air as on stage the normal band is blasting along with some people dancing.
Up above in cages, women in scantily clad clothes sway to the beat and move around. Private tables circle the cantina where there are shadows and some light where those that seek privacy can have it.
Managing the large bar was a large man who looked up and saw Naruto and nodded as he motioned to an open seat on the corner.
"Mister, I need some information"
"Naruto, nice to see you too." The large bartender spoke without turning around, busy cleaning up an empty glass, "Haven't seen you in a while, a drink?"
"No, I don't have time for that now." Naruto told the bartender, "I need a crew."
The bartender rubs his chin in thought, placing the clean glass on the counter.
"You will probably need a ship. And captain…" The bartender mentioned, not forgetting the details, "There is one here. He's got a ship. Doesn't have a crew but says he doesn't need one. He goes by Silver. John Silver. He is a cyborg but he is one of the best flyers around. You will find him soon he usually comes in…."
He stops as the music slows and everyone turns to the door as a thump is heard. Followed by what sounds like metal on stone. As it continues before the curtains part and in walks a beast of a man. He looks around the room before shaking his head and motions for everyone to carry on before he goes towards a table. The previous occupants cleared it and even wiped the table clean with their sleeves. And sits down.
Naruto walks over to the table Silver is sitting at and sits down.
"Hey, John."
"Aye, Naruto lad," John looked at him with his cyborg eye, giving a confident smirk, "Coming 'ere for the rum?"
The bartender was confused, "You two guys know each other?"
"Merely acquaintances, but not of the bad kin'" John laughed remembering that as he turned to the blond, "So what ya here for?"
Naruto didn't waste any time and turned to the big pirate.
"I need a ship and crew. I have a mission. I have the money. Can I hire your services?"
"For what be goin'?"
"Heartless business."
Silvers looks at Naruto as his red eye blinks before he smiles wide. And laughs loud and slaps a hand on the table.
"Seein' as I did spot thee wieldin' a blade loike that there, I would not be surprised." Silver made a slight bow to him, "Aye, I got me a ship. And I got a cabin boy. I can take ya where we need to go my boy. I'll do it for half pay if you show me that keyblade of yours."
Some of those looking from the shadows heard that, curious.
"I'll pay you, but I won't show you it here, too much in the open." Naruto responded, "I plan to leave within the hour, that works for you?"
Silver grin widens with a chuckle.
"My ship is in docking bay 17. I'll have her ready to set sail in a couple hours. Now shoo. Be off I got me some rum to drink"
And by that Naruto took his leave and left a sack of money on the counter, making his way to the door as he noticed some of the looks that were being given by some of the patrons.
'They're watching you.'
'Yeah, I know why.'
'They are wondering why you haven't hired them instead. This place is full then just crooks and criminals.'
'I'll keep that in mind when I return.'
Once walking out of the door, the blond made his way to make several stops. Final preparations for his first mission.
Docking Bay 17
A few hours passed by as Naruto was making his way through the gates, to the ship with a full backpack with what he needed, ready to start his mission.
"Let's go."
Once Naruto walked through the gates of Traverse Town, it would be the first time he left this settlement. Not expecting any new developments to take place.
Like for the fact a person was running up trying to catch up to him. With her own backpack and her own instructions, she was given the task of joining the blond
Running with her red boots.
Chapter Text
Walking down the docks behind the man with the metal pegleg, Naruto took in the surroundings. People were moving to and fro, hauling ropes and pushing carts around him, and everybody seemed focused on doing their jobs. He was following a big man, John Silver. They soon reached the end…
"´ere it is, lad."
Naruto looked up and saw a large ship docked nearby. It was the size of a frigate, and the crew was lowering its sails in preparation for departure.
"Oreyt, I'll be in the kitchen, lad." John gestured up the plank with a satisfied grin and tapped on Naruto's shoulder, "Up."
"You're not the captain?"
"Naw, I got a few bits 'n bobs to see. But I fetched 'ee a cap'n with a trusty crew." Silver said, turning to Naruto with a chuckle and raising his head as farewell. "Let's start yer journey, me babber Keyblader."
Naruto shook his head as he walked up the boarding ramp. A few men carrying crates greeted him as he ascended.
"Excuse me."
The men look at him and both gesture their thumbs up to the helm, where Naruto sees a large, black, bald man standing with his arms crossed, smoking a cigarette while supervising the ship loading supplies. The person wore a moss green flak jacket over a tank top, military fatigues, military jungle boots, a belt with a sabertooth tiger skull emblem on the buckle, three gold earrings on each ear, and a pair of circular sunglasses.
Naruto nods his thanks and heads over and up the stairs.
*CLICK!*
The quick sound got Naruto to pull his kunai out, instinctively pointing it down a woman's throat. She was prepared, though, and had already put something to the temple of his skull. It was the barrel of a custom-made pistol; no doubt, the noise source was the hammer engaging.
"That's not very nice," he says with a frown.
The person who held him at gunpoint, rocking her head to the side, not minding the blade whatsoever.
"Hey, Dutch! This guy just comes aboard our ship like he owns it. That ain't right. Right? Can I off him?"
Naruto sees a mad glint in her eyes, but mad intelligence, and carefully turns to the man named Dutch, who blows out smoke.
"No can do. That man is our client. Got orders straight from the boss man. We are to take Mr. Uzumaki here to other worlds to provide help…And Revy… put the gun away."
Naruto deliberately turns back, forcing Revy to adjust her posture to continue pressing the gun against him. They stare at each other for a solid moment, until she grins evilly and puts her gun away.
"You need to be faster than that, Ninja Boy…"
Gesturing down with her head, Naruto raises an eyebrow and looks down to see another gun pointed right at his crotch.
"Coulda offed your family jewels."
Naruto just looked blankly at her, and Revy raised an eyebrow in defiance. Naruto also gestures down, and her eyebrows lift slightly in surprise as she looks down to see another kunai ready to pierce her femoral artery.
"I can say the same thing."
Revy grins widely, placing her guns in their holsters as Naruto does the same for his kunai. "I like you, Ninja Boy. Name's Revy, the quartermaster of this dump," She points to the black man, "That's Dutch. He is the Captain. Welcome to our ship. Don't touch my stuff, and don't go into my room. Welcome aboard."
Naruto stares after the attractive woman as she yells at the crew before turning towards Dutch.
"Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking me out to the other worlds."
Dutch inhales some smoke before blowing it out. "Think nothing of it. We get paid. You get to where you need to go. Your cabin is below deck. Third floor on the starboard side. Right across the way from Revy's…"
Puffing out more smoke, Dutch wasn't done yet. "Sorry, but that's the only nice one we got. Don't let her get to you as well. She means well."
Naruto nods and, realizing the ship will depart in about an hour, sets out to locate his stateroom.
While making his way to his assigned room, Naruto has to head down several sets of stairs and go past multiple other rooms. Down one hallway, he detects the aroma of cooked food, and decides to visit there after locating where he'll be staying.
Finally entering his room, he immediately spots the full-sized bed, before his eyes wander over to a porthole looking out into the dark expanse of the universe.
A view that, in itself, was beautiful to watch.
Naruto placed his bag on the bed, and he also set down a cloth-wrapped item.
"Hey."
The voice he heard caused Naruto to turn around and see who it was. In the doorway and carrying a bag of her own, stood Tifa Lockhart.
"Tifa? What are you doing here?"
"I'm joining you," Tifa said, not moving from her spot. "Master Sid asked me to volunteer, so I've been assigned to this crew alongside a few others."
"Others?"
"GET OFF ME!"
Both the brunette and blond ran out to the deck to see a small crowd of the crew that gathered, and by the sounds of it, a scuffle had broken out.
"You better learn something about respect!"
Ryder, a burly crewmember, was easily holding down a struggling young man. Possibly a teenager, he was white with brown hair parted down the middle and a braided rat tail, and was wearing a jacket.
"Get off me, damn it!" The teenager underneath Ryder cried out. Commenting on the smell emanating from Ryder's mouth, he continued, "I can smell you from a mile away! Ever taken a bath?"
"Ever looked at yourself in the mirror, punk?" Ryder said before raising an eyebrow, "Hey, I recognize you!"
"Pfft," The teenager scoffed and tried to turn away, "Yeah right."
"Yeah, I do, youse from that Benbow Inn—"
Ryder didn't get time to finish as the rat-tailed young man pulled a surprise move and hit him across the face, causing the shades-wearing and shady-looking crewmate to fall on his back. Taking advantage of the separation, the young teenager jumped back up and made a cocky remark.
"Shouldn't let your guard down—" The kid's taunt was interrupted as he was punched from behind by one of Ryder's friends, LB. Letting out a shocked wheeze, he was grabbed and thrown to the deck, where a few others were ready to join in.
The surrounding crew used the opening to stamp and kick at the downed teen, when suddenly—
*BANG!*
A gunshot rang out, causing everyone on deck to duck their heads before turning to see who it was. Dutch stood imposingly at the top of the stairs, casually holding a smoking shotgun, pointed up but ready to fire again.
"Alright, that's enough." Dutch said, slinging his shotgun back on his shoulder, "Who thought it was a good idea to start a fight on the deck?"
The rest of the crew pointed out the single black jacket-wearing young man, as Ryder's friends backed away carefully, trying to avoid Dutch's ire. The boy, with a busted lip and the beginnings of a few bruises, gingerly worked his way up and stared at the shotgun-wielding man.
"State your name, kid."
"Hawkins, Jim Hawkins," The young teenager introduced himself, wiping the blood off his mouth, "I'm with the cook."
"Then why the hell are you thinking it's a good idea to cause trouble on the deck?" Dutch asked him, before disregarding his question and cutting off any response with a command. "Get back in the kitchen and stay out of my sight for now."
"Yes…Captain," Jim said as he got back up and moved through the crowd, with a few giving the kid some glaring eyes.
"And you, Ryder, start using that brain of yours and don't escalate any more fights, or else I'll take that smoke of yours." Dutch warned him and his group, "The only reason I hired you bunch is because we need some muscle."
"G'yeah, I hear you." Ryder said, joined by his friends, "Ya'll be hearing nothing from me."
"THEN LET'S STOP DICKING AROUND!" Revy shouted out, asserting command, "Let's fucking go!"
The ship's sails dropped as it began departing from the docks, and bystanders looked on while the RLS Legacy made its way out of Traverse Town.
Hours later, the Legacy was smoothly sailing through the wild, unending space. Naruto, sitting up in the crow's nest alongside Tifa, held a pair of binoculars to his face and was scanning their surroundings. Turning to him with a thoughtful expression, Tifa opened her mouth to ask—
"You're probably asking why I am not so surprised to be in space, right?"
"Uh, yeah…" Tifa answered and asked, "How come?"
"Would you believe I once went to the moon to fight a guy?" Naruto asked her while turning to her, "The man threatened to destroy my home planet, and I needed to send a message with my friend to send a signal that the world was saved?"
Hearing that caused Tifa to look at him in amazement, but she also found herself saying, "...I don't think I would doubt that."
"That's what I am used to hearing, but thanks," Naruto said, cracking a small smile, "Back where I came from… I'm not sure we have even explored our entire planet, now that I think about it. I never really got into that… Sakura would probably know more about that."
Gazing around, all he could see were the countless stars dotted throughout the endless space. He kept it simple for her.
"But even then. This is beyond anything I ever even thought to dream about. It is wonderful. Believe it…."
Tifa covered her mouth and turned her head, her shoulders shaking slightly with repressed laughter. Naruto pouts and turns his own head away with a huff. Recovering a minute later, Tifa looks at Naruto with a small smile.
"Okay, Mister Navigator. Where are we headed?"
Naruto closes his eyes as he places a hand over his chest. Tifa sees a faint glow emanate before it flares softly and quickly fades. Opening his eyes, Naruto turns to the left and points to a distant star that shines faintly green.
"Right there. That one."
Tifa holds up her binoculars and finds where he is pointing before nodding and then turning to where Dutch is manning the helm.
"DUTCH! Take us 56 degrees to port!"
Dutch blows out some smoke and nods at what he hears.
"Got it! Full sails! We got our heading!"
The ship changed course, and it then made its way to the green star.
Naruto and Tifa climbed down from the crow's nest to grab supplies from the storage bay. Once down there, they split up to look for what they needed. Searching through a barrel of fruits, Naruto disturbs a patch of dust, which puffs into the air and causes him to sneeze.
"ACHOO!"
"Ah-hyuck Bless you."
Naruto scratched his nose and thanked him.
"Thank you… wait a minute….."
He spins quickly and looks up to see an anthropomorphic dog smile and wave. Naruto looks at him in silence for a moment before recognizing them.
"Wait, I've seen you before."
"Name's Goofy. Nice to meet ya too." The now-named Goofy answers while holding his hand out. "You're Naruto, aren't you? The Keyblader!"
Tifa walks in holding a large duck by its collar. "Hey, Naruto, have you seen… ah. Nevermind. Hiya Goofy. I figured you were here since Donald is as well."
Donald has his arms crossed, grumbling about being picked up so easily. Naruto waves at him, too.
Goofy chuckles. "We were meaning to say hi to ya'll, but we couldn't find you guys. We want to offer our help, 'cause we are also on a top-secret mission to find King Mickey."
Donald immediately slaps him across the head. "It's a secret for a reason, you nincompoop!"
Naruto raises an eyebrow at Tifa, confused, as she just sighs with a smile.
"Naruto, this is Donald and Goofy. They are the Court Wizard and Captain of the Guard, respectively."
"Master Yen Sid mentioned a King named Mickey." Naruto recalled, asking then, "So he is missing?"
Donald nods and pulls out a letter, and hands it to Naruto, and Tifa moves close to him. Naruto notices as she unintentionally presses her bust against his arm, but he ignores it in favor of reading the letter.
Donald,
Sorry to rush off without sayin' goodbye, but there's big trouble brewin'. Not sure why, but the stars have been blinkin' out, one by one. And that means disaster can't be far behind. I hate to leave you all, but I've gotta check into it.
There's someone with a "key"—the key to our survival. So I need you and Goofy to find him and stick with him. Got it?
We need that key or we're doomed!
P.S. Would ya apologize to Minnie for me? Thanks, pal.
Signed - Mickey.
Naruto reads it a second time before he turns his gaze to the dog and the duck, handing the letter back to them.
"Looks like you're stuck with us for now," Naruto said to the two, "Mind helping bring up some supplies to the kitchen with us?"
"Sure!" Goofy said before grabbing a crate, "Let's go, Donald!"
"Right!"
"'Ere you go, lads!"
In the cafeteria, the entire crew was enjoying their meal, prepared by the cook and his lone staff member. Every table was occupied by humans and non-humans eating together, except for one table that remained mostly empty. At the emptier table sat Naruto and Tifa across from Donald and Goofy. Since the four had arrived late after bringing in supplies, most of the crew had already joined other tables, but they were soon approached by another group.
"Hey, Ruto, you mind?"
Naruto turned his head to see the green-wearing guys, and he nodded, "Sure, hop in."
Ryder and LB did so and sat right next to Naruto and Tifa, with Goofy and Donald recognizing the two.
"Hey, aren't you the guys from the red-light district?" Goofy asked the two, "I heard of you fellas."
"Aye, that's us," Ryder said with a grin, adjusting his green jacket. "Small world, eh?"
LB chuckled and took a swig from his drink. "Word travels fast 'round these parts. What of it, dog?"
Donald's feathers ruffled as he puffed up indignantly. "What of it? You two were causing nothing but trouble! The shopkeepers were complaining about—"
"Whoa, whoa!" Ryder stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "Watch your tone there, duck boy."
"Yeah," LB added, cracking his knuckles. "We don't take kindly to being lectured by some fancy bird."
The cafeteria began to quiet as other diners turned to watch the brewing confrontation. Donald jumped onto the table, his sailor suit ruffling with anger.
"Fancy bird?! Why you no-good—"
"Hey, hey, cut it out!" Tifa quickly stood between them, raising her hands. "Donald, these guys are cool. They helped us out back in Traverse Town, remember? And Ryder, LB—Donald's just protective of people, that's all."
"Hey!" Somebody from across the room shouted, "Can we please just eat in peace for once?"
Goofy chuckled nervously and pulled Donald back down to his seat. "Gawrsh, Donald, simmer down now."
"Yeah, man, take a chill pill," Ryder said, settling back into his chair. "We ain't here to cause no beef."
Donald grumbled but remained seated, stabbing his fork into his food with unnecessary force. The cafeteria gradually returned to its normal volume of chatter.
Naruto leaned forward, curious. "So what's your deal anyway? You guys run that district or something?"
LB exchanged a glance with Ryder before answering. "We're Grove Street, part of the Families. Been holding down our turf down in the District since our world got taken by those Heartless, you feel me?"
"G'yeah, until those purple-wearing punks started moving in. Now we sharin' that district with those marks," Ryder added, his expression darkening. "Ballas has been trying to push us out, flooding the streets with product."
Goofy's face lit up with realization. "Ahyuck! That's why Donald's all worked up! Some fellas were trying to sell stuff to his nephews—Huey, Dewey, and Louie."
"That wasn't us, man," LB said firmly. "We don't push that stuff to kids. That's Balla tactics."
"Exactly," Ryder nodded. "We're about community and protection. Ballas just want money and power. And now, with our world gone, they wanna slang."
Naruto's eyes narrowed with interest. "So who exactly are these Ballas you guys keep fighting with around town?"
Tifa took a sip of her water, watching the conversation unfold with cautious eyes.
"They're the ones in purple," Ryder explained, lowering his voice. "Been at war with the Families for as long as anyone can remember. Used to be small-time, but lately they've been getting bolder, more organized."
"Like they got new backing or something," LB added. "New weapons, new vehicles. Something ain't right. They gotta have backup from some of the other gangs."
"Other gangs?" Tifa raised an eyebrow upon hearing, "But it's not a big district."
"Yeah, but it's tightly packed, and everyone in there wanna make moves against each other. We're just one of the groups operating there." LB explained, "We even had to put past our beefs with other sets, Seville, Temple, Chamberlain, Forum Drive—"
"Forum Drive?" Naruto remembered, "You mean Lamar?"
"Yeah, that Nigga, he's that loudmouth fool who's trying to impress the OGs but gets on their nerves, like Sweet," Ryder said while rolling his eyes behind his shades, "He always starting shit, fights, beefs with the other groups, in and outside the Red-Light District, but he makes some good spliffs when it comes to that. Still strange, 'cause he's from a different time."
"Different time?" Goofy asked.
"The homie LB and I are from 92, that nigga and Franklin are from 2010s or something, they bang differently," Ryder says that while he pulls out his own made cigar and was looking for a lighter. "Damn, where I put it—"
"Need a light, meatbag?" came a gruff, metallic voice behind them. A rusted robot with a cylindrical head and glowing yellow eyes extended a flame from its finger.
Ryder turned, surprised. "Sure," he said, leaning forward to light his cigar. "Thanks, man,"
"No problem, Mammal," the robot replied, taking a swig from a bottle of beer.
It then took a moment for those at the table to realize who it was, with Tifa being the one to first speak.
"Wait... is that...?"
"Bender?!" Donald exclaimed, nearly choking on his food. "From Planet Express?"
"The one and only, bird-brain," Bender replied, puffing on his cigar. "Bender Bending Rodriguez, baby. Greatest bending unit ever made and professional universe-hopper since my world went kaput."
LB leaned back in his chair, eyeing the robot suspiciously. "Man, what kinda crazy shit they putting in this food? Now we're talking tin cans?"
"Watch it, gangbanger," Bender warned, his eyes narrowing. "I've stolen more cars than you've even seen. I'm bad to the binary."
Tifa couldn't help but laugh. "So how'd you end up here, Bender?"
The robot pulled up a chair and sat uninvited between Ryder and LB, placing his beer on the table with a clank. "Same sob story as everyone else."
"I think she means how you ended up on the ship." Naruto clarifies, asking the drinking robot, "Whole ship is accounted for, but you joined up unannounced?"
"Oh, that," Bender waved dismissively. "Simple. I was bored out of my shiny metal ass, had no money, and most importantly—no booze. Then I heard some meatbags talking about this 'Keyblader' gig that pays well. Figured, why not? Beats sitting around rusting."
Ryder raised an eyebrow. "That's it? You just decided to tag along?"
"Well..." Bender's voice took on a slightly evasive tone as he took another swig of beer. "There might've been some other minor considerations. Like maybe I owe a teensy bit of money to some very unfriendly folks back in Traverse Town's Red Light District."
LB perked up with recognition. "Hold up, you talking about debts in our hood?"
"Your hood?" Bender scoffed. "Please. I was running cons and gambling scams in that district before you carbon-based life forms even showed up."
Ryder's eyes lit up with sudden memory. "Wait a damn minute... you're that robot! The one who owes Big Tony at the poker den!"
"And Madame Rouge at the brothel!" LB added, pointing at Bender. "And Sal's Bar, and the underground casino, and—"
"Alright, alright!" Bender interrupted, looking uncomfortable. "So maybe I owe a few people some money. A robot's gotta have hobbies!"
Donald's beak fell open. "How much money are we talking about here?"
Bender mumbled something into his beer bottle.
"What was that?" Tifa pressed.
"I said... roughly fifty thousand munny," Bender admitted reluctantly.
The entire table went silent. Even the conversations at nearby tables seemed to pause.
"Fifty thousand?!" Tifa exclaimed. "Bender, how did you even—"
"Hey, it's not my fault those card games were rigged!" Bender protested. "Well, not rigged in my favor anyway. And those slot machines were definitely broken. And the roulette wheel was obviously magnetic. And—"
"So you ran away," Goofy observed.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Bender protested, waving his beer bottle. "I prefer the term 'strategic relocation.' Besides, I fully intend to pay back every last munny... eventually."
"Eventually?" LB leaned forward skeptically. "Man, Big Tony, don't play that 'eventually' game. That fool's got no temper."
"Which is exactly why I need this Keyblader gig to work out," Bender said, pointing his bottle at Naruto. "Blondie here is gonna help me earn enough to pay back my debts and then some. Right, meatbag?"
Naruto looked around the table at the expectant faces. "I mean... I guess if you're committed to helping with the Heartless situation..."
"Absolutely!" Bender stood up dramatically, beer sloshing. "I'll blast those shadow freaks into scrap metal! I'll bend them into pretzels! I'll—"
"You'll what now?" came a gravelly voice from the cafeteria entrance.
Every head turned toward the doorway, where two figures stood silhouetted against the corridor lights. The conversations died instantly as a woman with amber hair and cut-off shorts stepped inside, followed by a man in a Hawaiian shirt with slicked-back hair. Dutch and Revy, and the black man started addressing everyone inside the cafeteria.
"Everyone! We are about to reach our destination." He ordered, "So get your useless asses up and get to work!"
…
Arriving on the planet, the ship drifted through the blue, clean waters of a peaceful river. Beyond both banks were luscious green forests, showing nature in its most beautiful form.
Naruto was the first to leap from the ship's loading ramp, his blonde hair catching sunlight as he landed gracefully on the sandy riverbank. The crisp, untainted air filled his lungs, so different from the recycled atmosphere of the ship or the smoky haze of Traverse Town's districts.
"Wow," Tifa exclaimed softly, as she jumped beside him, her boots sinking slightly into the soft earth. She stretched her arms above her head, with a genuine smile. "This is incredible. It's been so long since I've been somewhere this... pure."
The sound of rushing water mixed with birdsong created a natural symphony that seemed to wash away the tension from their recent travels. Ancient trees towered overhead, their combined canopy filtering the sunlight into dancing patterns on the forest floor.
"So," Tifa turned to Naruto, still smiling as she took in the pristine wilderness around them, "where exactly are we now?"
Naruto surveyed the landscape: the winding river, the untouched forests stretching endlessly in all directions, the way the land seemed to pulse with an almost sacred energy. He pulled out their star map and cross-referenced their position.
"Judging by the terrain, the nature here, and where we were on the map..." Naruto folded the chart and looked up at the towering trees. "This must be Pocahontas' world."
Behind them, the rest of the crew began disembarking with considerably less grace. Bender immediately started complaining about getting sand in his joints, while Dutch barked orders about establishing a perimeter.
"Set up camp!"
As the crew started to disembark and prepare to set up camp, Tifa and Naruto decided to help with the crates, tents, weapons, and defenses that were being brought out. Once they had established their perimeter and worked to conceal their position, they focused on ensuring that they wouldn't be noticed.
Unknown to the crew, they had already been spotted by a pair of dark-skinned women, wearing deerskin aprons and leather mantles, observing their landing. After a time, the women disappeared into the darkness of the trees, but by then, they weren't the only ones who had seen the new arrivals. Some Heartless were silently eyeing the crew from the shadows of the treeline. The creatures often acted as ambush predators, waiting for their prey to let its guard down before striking.
…
A few men from the ship were setting up a sentry just on the edge of the forest, only a few feet away from the camp. The three men, all human, were nearing completion as night fell. The idyllic nature surrounding the crew left them sloppy and unwary.
One of the three sentry men on watch audibly yawned, and a second quietly griped.
"Come on, man, you know that's—" but he yawns too, "contagious."
The third watchman turns around to see what the first two were talking about, and it was at that moment that the Heartless rushed out.
Chapter Text
Jebest, thanks for helping.
Because I was stuck, I decided to go wild again with the crossovers - so here it is!
Enjoy
As dusk settled over the camp, Donald Duck paced anxiously around the makeshift fire pit, his webbed feet leaving faint impressions in the soft earth.
"We should establish a patrol schedule," he quacked, tapping his staff against his palm. "Those shadows in the trees don't look natural to me."
Goofy nodded solemnly, adjusting his shield on his back. "Gawrsh, Donald's right. Heartless could be anywhere in these woods."
Naruto finished securing the last of the perimeter traps and approached Dutch, who was cleaning his revolver with methodical precision. The flickering campfire illuminated the mercenary's face.
"Dutch," Naruto said, crouching down beside the older man. "Tifa and I are going to take first watch tonight. We'll circle the perimeter and make sure nothing gets close to camp."
Dutch didn't look up from his weapon. "You sure that's wise? Unknown territory, unknown hostiles."
Tifa stepped forward, adjusting her fighting gloves. "We're the most mobile. If there's trouble, we can get back to camp quickly."
Revy snorted from where she sat cross-legged on a supply crate, her twin cutlasses resting across her lap. "Let the ninja boy and Miss Punch-a-lot handle it. I need some shut-eye anyway."
"We'll take second watch," Donald declared, puffing out his chest. "Me and Goofy know what to look for. The Heartless leave certain signs."
"Ahyuk, we sure do!" Goofy added with a cheerful salute that somehow still looked serious.
Dutch finally looked up, his eyes reflecting the dancing flames. "Fine. Four-hour rotations. Any sign of trouble—anything at all—you fire a flare. No heroes." His gaze lingered pointedly on Naruto.
"Understood," Naruto nodded, his wrapped-up weapon placed on his back, and he turned to the dense forest. "We'll head out now, get a feel for the area before it gets completely dark."
Tifa grabbed her small pack with water and emergency supplies. "Ready when you are."
As they prepared to leave, Donald waddled over and pressed something into Naruto's hand—a small, glowing stone.
"Signal charm," the duck wizard explained. "Squeeze it three times and throw it high in the air if you need help. We'll feel it."
Naruto pocketed the stone with a grateful nod. The weight of it was reassuring against his thigh as he and Tifa walked into the darkening forest, with the first team leaving the area. Shortly afterwards, Donald and Goofy went the other way,
"So, Dutch." Revy spoke from her seat, asking her friend, her legs still crossed as she stretched her arms, "How long do you think we'll have to stay in this crap hole?"
"So long they can pay us, Revy…" Dutch glanced over to his double-wielding partner-in-crime, "So long they pay."
…
An Hour later
At the main camp where most of the crew was, some people were grabbing their grub, which was being served by Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins, who were standing outside with the cooking utensils, serving to the line.
Silver ladled the steaming stew into each bowl with practiced precision, his cyborg arm whirring softly as he worked. Jim stood beside him, passing out spoons and hardtack, his face a blank mask. He hadn't spoken much since their last argument this morning.
"Yo, hook me up with an extra portion, man," said Ryder. Always demanding more than his share, as he just finished setting the camp up, with LB standing next to him.
Silver chuckled heartily. " Ar, ar, Muster Ryder. Everyone 'ull get their vitty bit, no moor, no less, see."
Ryder scoffed but moved along, joining his friend LB at a nearby crate serving as a makeshift circle around a fire. The two immediately fell into conversation, pointedly ignoring Jim's existence, as the boy handed another bowl to Bender, who took it with surprising grace despite his usual clumsiness.
"Thanks, meatbag. Now where's the booze?" Bender asked, looking around impatiently. "Don't tell me this is a dry ship. That would be cruel and unusual punishment!"
Jim raised an eyebrow, breaking his silence. "Why would you need alcohol? You're a robot."
"Precisely why I need it!" Bender exclaimed, patting his metal chest. "It's what powers my circuits, kid. Without it, I'm just a pile of shiny junk."
Before Jim could respond, he got a look from Silver and handed over an unopened bottle of alcohol, which Bender accepted before joining the others at the fire.
Bender took a swig from the bottle, letting the liquid gurgle down into his metal stomach with a satisfying hiss. He settled between Ryder and LB, the firelight glinting off his shiny exterior.
"So, what do you even do around this dump when we're not fighting for our lives?" Ryder asked, pulling out a cigar from his jacket pocket. He rolled it between his fingers, searching his pockets for a lighter.
Bender's eye sensors shifted toward him. "Do? I perfect the art of doing absolutely nothing, my fleshy friend. Traverse Town's got some decent bars, though. When I'm not being dragged into universe-saving nonsense, I'm usually hustling pool at the Third District tavern."
"Hustling pool?" LB raised an eyebrow. "You mean cheating?"
"I prefer the term 'robotic advantage.'" Bender's chest compartment opened, and he pulled out a thick cigar. "Besides, those chumps never suspect the drinking robot. Their mistake."
Ryder was still patting his pockets, frustration growing on his face. "Damn it, forgot my lighter."
"Allow me." Bender's finger extended, a small flame appearing at the tip. "One of my many upgrades. Comes in handy more than you'd think."
"Thanks, man." Ryder leaned in, puffing until his cigar glowed orange. He exhaled a cloud of smoke that drifted lazily upward into the night sky. "Not bad."
"What about you two losers?" Bender asked, lighting his own cigar. "What's your story? Besides being terrible at dimension-hopping and getting us all stuck in this mess."
LB chuckled, watching the smoke curl from Ryder's cigar. "We didn't exactly plan on crossing worlds. One minute we're handling business back home, next thing we know—boom—darkness everywhere."
"Yeah," Ryder added, taking another drag. "At least the company's interesting. Never thought I'd be sharing a campfire with a robot and a duck with anger issues."
Bender laughed, a metallic sound that echoed slightly in the night air. "Donald? That guy's wound tighter than my backup springs. You should've seen him yesterday when I 'borrowed' his hat."
The smoke from their cigars mingled above them, creating ghostly shapes that dissolved into the darkness. Around them, the sounds of the camp continued—hushed conversations, the clink of utensils against bowls, the occasional laugh breaking through the tension.
"You think we'll ever get back?" LB asked suddenly, his voice quieter now. "To our world, I mean."
Bender took another swig from his bottle. "Who knows? I've been bouncing between dimensions since before you meatbags were born. Sometimes you find your way back, sometimes..."
Bender's words hung in the night air as heavy footsteps approached their fireside gathering. Dutch emerged from the shadows, his massive frame silhouetted against the deeper darkness of the forest. His face, partially illuminated by the dancing flames, looked grimmer than usual.
"Any of you seen the first sentry team?" Dutch asked, his deep voice cutting through their conversation. "They should've reported back an hour ago."
LB shook his head and set his bowl aside. "Haven't seen anyone come through here."
"Not a soul," Ryder confirmed, tapping ash from his cigar. "You think something happened to them?"
Dutch's expression remained unchanged, but his hand drifted closer to his holstered weapon. "In a place like this? Wouldn't surprise me."
Bender took another long swig from his bottle. "Eh, they probably just got lost. Or found something more interesting than babysitting duty. I know I would."
"That's not how my people operate." The mercenary's eyes narrowed slightly as he pointed out to the three, "Except for you three, they all have some sort of experience."
"I object to that!" Bender pointed his finger out.
A sudden rustling came from the bushes at the edge of their camp clearing. The sound was too deliberate, too heavy to be the wind. Dutch's hand moved with practiced precision, drawing his revolver in one fluid motion. LB and Ryder were on their feet in an instant, pulling out their own pistols and aiming into the bushes.
Bender lazily raised his arm, his hand retracting into his wrist to reveal a small cannon. "Ten bucks says it's one of those shadow things again."
The bushes shook more violently, branches snapping and leaves crunching. Dutch aimed directly at the source of the noise, finger tensing on the trigger.
"Three seconds to identify yourself," Dutch called out, his voice cold and steady. "One..."
The bushes exploded outward as something came tumbling through them. Dutch's finger began to squeeze—
"Wait!" Bender suddenly shouted, recognizing the flailing red figure that sprawled face-first onto the dirt. "Hold your fire!"
The creature looked up, revealing a crustacean face with stalked eyes and tentacle-like mouth appendages. He wore a tattered lab coat and seemed utterly bewildered.
"Zoidberg?" Bender lowered his arm-cannon. "What the hell are you doing here?"
The lobster-like alien scrambled to his feet, claws clicking together excitedly. "Hooray! Bender! Friend!" He noticed the weapons still pointed at him and raised his claws defensively. "Don't shoot! Zoidberg is a friend, yes!"
"You know this... whatever it is?" Dutch asked, his gun still trained on the newcomer.
"Unfortunately," Bender replied. "This is Dr. Zoidberg. We worked together. Sort of. He's harmless. Annoying, but harmless."
"Hooray! I've been searching for days!" Zoidberg's claws clacked together with joy. "Wandering through this horrible forest alone... well, not completely alone."
Dutch kept his weapon raised. "What do you mean by 'Not completely alone'?"
"Oh! Zoidberg was stuck with the amateur doctor!" He pointed a claw back toward the bushes. "Very grumpy. Always criticizing my medical techniques."
Before Dutch could ask for clarification, another rustling came from the same bushes. Everyone tensed again as a figure emerged, hands raised slightly.
The newcomer was a man, a middle-aged one with greying black hair and skin that would give away his Middle Eastern features. He wore a specialized tactical blue-and-black uniform with a GIGN patch visible on the sleeve. His face was set in a perpetual frown.
"Putain de merde," the man muttered, eyeing the weapons pointed at him. His voice was calm despite the situation. "I see you have found friends, crustacé."
LB glanced at Dutch. "Another one?"
Ryder raised his eyes under his shades, "And a Frenchie?"
The GIGN operator stepped forward, movements measured and controlled. The firelight revealed a medical pack attached to his combat gear, along with various specialized equipment that pretty much gave away that this man was not from this world, meaning another survivor from another world.
"Allow me to introduce myself, name's Gustave Kateb," he introduced himself with a slight nod. "Call sign 'Doc.' GIGN Special Forces."
"GIGN?" Dutch kept his weapon steady. "What's a French counter-terrorism operative doing in these woods?"
"The same as you, I imagine," Doc replied, his accent thick but his English precise. "One moment I was extracting something from a parasite in a tent full of Claymores and C4 in New Mexico, the next..." He gestured to the dark forest around them. "This place."
"He follows Zoidberg everywhere!" the crustacean added unhelpfully. "Always complaining about my doctoral practices."
"Because you are not a real doctor," Doc hissed, his patience clearly worn thin, throwing a clear glare at the pink creature, "You told me you once tried to reattach a severed finger with butter and dental floss."
"It was all Zoidberg had!" he protested, claws snapping defensively.
Dutch's eyes narrowed. "How long have you two been out here?"
"Three days," Doc answered, slowly lowering his hands as the tension eased slightly. "We encountered others, but they were... hostile. Not human. Moving like shadows with predatory yellow eyes."
Bender took another swig from his bottle. "Yeah, we've met those jerks too."
Dutch holstered his weapon but remained wary. "My men are missing. You see anything out there? Anyone else?"
Doc's expression darkened. "We heard screams about two hours ago, northeast of here. I wanted to investigate, but..." He glanced at Zoidberg with thinly veiled contempt.
"Zoidberg got scared! Dark forests remind me of the mating grounds back home. Very dangerous place!"
Ryder and LB exchanged glances as Dutch processed this information.
"Look," Gustave spoke with his hands held up to try to show he wasn't a danger, "I've been stuck in this place for three days without any knowledge of what is going on, what those creatures were, and where I even am. So, can someone please explain to me?"
Dutch looked at the two newcomers and then turned his gaze to the crew, who still held their guns aimed. Seeing that others had also joined in, it only took a moment before the black merc would decide on what to do.
"Alright, we'll explain."
…
Meanwhile, in the forest, dark with Goofy and Donald on patrol by themselves, the Captain of the Royal Knights and the Court's Magician were making their way through the forest's bushes and the large trees, while Goofy held onto a burning torch that helped them in the night.
"Gawrsh, Donald, I think we might be lost," Goofy whispered, lifting the torch higher to cast its glow farther into the darkness. The flickering light barely penetrated the thick canopy overhead as he held onto his shield.
Donald huffed, his webbed feet stamping impatiently on the forest floor. "We're not lost! We're just... temporarily misplaced." He squinted at their surroundings, trying to remember which direction they had come from
"But we've been walkin' for a while now," Goofy said, scratching his head with his free hand. "The shore camp should've been that-a-way." He pointed vaguely to their left.
"Or maybe that-a-way," he added, pointing in the opposite direction.
Donald crossed his arms. "If you'd let me lead from the start—"
*SNAP!*
A twig snapped somewhere in the darkness beyond their small circle of light. Both friends froze.
"Did ya hear that?" Goofy whispered, his voice suddenly tense.
Donald nodded slowly, summoning his staff into his feathered grip. "Stay alert."
The bushes rustled, and then they appeared—shadow-like creatures with glowing yellow eyes emerging from the darkness. Heartless. At least a dozen of them, twitching and jerking as they surrounded the duo.
"Wak! Heartless!" Donald squawked, immediately raising his staff. "Thunder!"
A bolt of lightning cracked from the sky, striking three of the creatures. They dissipated into black smoke, but were more quickly replaced. Goofy set down the torch and pulled out his shield.
"Don't worry, Donald! I gotcha covered!" He spun in a circle, his shield extended, knocking back several Heartless that had gotten too close.
The shield and magician deflected and pushed back many of the black creatures that attempted to penetrate their defensive circle, with many perishing in the process; the mindless creatures not learning, but instead forming more hordes to try and breach the defense, which was about to work.
"There are too many!" Donald cried, blasting a Fire spell at an extensive Shadow that lunged at him. The heat from the spell singed his feathers, but the creature disappeared with a hiss.
Goofy slammed his shield into another Heartless. "We gotta find a way back to the others!"
The battle continued, Donald's spells illuminating the forest in brief, colorful flashes as Goofy's shield connected with Heartless after Heartless. Despite their efforts, the creatures kept coming.
Donald backed up against Goofy, both of them breathing heavily. "Any ideas?"
*KA-CHINK!*
*TAKATAKATAKA-*
Before Goofy could answer, several loud shots rang out through the forest. The remaining Heartless jerked and dissolved into darkness as the gunfire continued. Goofy jumped for Donald.
"Get down, Donald!"
"Wak!" Donald stumbled backward and fell to the ground with Goofy's weight over him as the gunfire kept on going.
The gunfire continued for several more seconds before abruptly stopping. The forest fell eerily silent, save for the ringing in their ears and the heavy breathing of the two friends huddled on the ground. Wisps of black smoke—all that remained of the Heartless—dissipated into the night air.
"Are they... gone?" Donald whispered, cautiously peeking out from under Goofy's protective stance.
Goofy slowly lifted himself, shield at the ready. "I think so..." He squinted into the darkness beyond their small circle of torchlight. Not a single yellow eye glowed in the shadows.
Heavy footsteps crunched through the underbrush, drawing closer. Donald scrambled to his feet, staff raised and ready to cast another spell. Goofy positioned himself slightly in front of his friend, shield braced for whatever might emerge.
"Who's there?" Donald called out, his voice cracking slightly. "Show yourself!"
The footsteps grew louder, more deliberate. A massive silhouette appeared at the edge of their light—a figure standing at least six feet tall, bulky and imposing. As he stepped forward into the glow of their torch, they could make out green mountain military gear and a helmet that obscured most of his face. In his hands, he carried a large machine gun—a DP-27—that still smoked from recent use.
"Do svidanya," the man said, his voice deep and accented. He rested the massive weapon against his shoulder with practiced ease as his helmet gazed down to the pair, "Those little dark creatures give you trouble?"
Donald and Goofy exchanged confused glances. The duck lowered his staff slightly, but remained wary.
"Gawrsh, thanks for the help, mister," Goofy said, lowering his shield just a fraction. "But, uh, who are you exactly?"
The tall man chuckled, the sound echoing slightly within his helmet. He shifted the weight of his weapon and took another step forward.
"I am Alexsandr Senaviev. But call Tachanka." He glanced around at the forest, now clear of enemies. "Good thing I was here. Those shadows—not for the first time I see them. Very annoying, like mosquitoes, but more... how you say... hungry for hearts?"
Donald's eyes widened. "You know about the Heartless?"
"Is that what they are called?" Tachanka shrugged his broad shoulders. "I only know they die when shot. Many bullets, very effective."
"Mr. Tachanka—" Donald began.
"Just Tachanka," the helmeted man corrected, adjusting his grip on the massive machine gun.
Goofy nodded respectfully. "Uh, Tachanka, sir... what were you doin' out here in the forest anyway? Not that we ain't grateful for the help an' all."
The massive man fell silent for a moment, his helmet tilting slightly as if considering the question. Then he let out a short, humorless laugh.
"Funny story. Been asking myself the same question for three days now." Tachanka gestured broadly at the surrounding woods. "Was in New Mexico, dealing with this problem of creatures at the border with my team. Then suddenly, these... Heartless, you call them? They swarm everywhere. Like angry bees, but worse."
Donald's brow furrowed before realizing. "New Mexico? But that's—"
"Different world, da?" Tachanka finished for him. "I know. One minute I'm in the desert. Next minute, I am running through trees, shooting shadow creatures." He patted his machine gun affectionately and also the number of ammo bags he had strapped to his chest, "Luckily, I have plenty of ammunition."
Goofy scratched his head before turning to Donald, "Gawrsh, Donald, sounds like a survivor."
"Ya think!" Goofy said, turning to the large man before breaking to it, "Sorry, mister, but you're not on your planet anymore…"
"...Figures," Tachanka shrugged, despite the situation, he kept his cool and then looked around to his environment, "I have been moving east—at least, I think it's east—trying to find... anything. Civilization-wise…but figured out quickly I'm far away from anything close to home."
Donald opened his beak to ask another question-
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
*BANG!*
The sound of gunfire, then a bright light suddenly streaked upward through the trees, bursting high above the forest canopy in a brilliant red light. The crimson glow illuminated the surrounding woods for several seconds before slowly fading.
Tachanka's posture immediately changed, his body tensing as he brought his weapon down to a ready position. "Someone is signaling."
"But who?" Goofy wondered, squinting up at the dissipating light.
"Could be Naruto!" Donald exclaimed.
"Or could be more trouble," Tachanka countered grimly. He checked his weapon with practiced efficiency. "Either way, we should investigate. You two coming?"
Without waiting for an answer, the armored man began moving toward the flare, his heavy boots making surprisingly little noise on the forest floor for someone his size.
Donald and Goofy exchanged glances before hurrying after him, the duck still clutching his staff while Goofy kept his shield at the ready. Whatever—or whoever—had fired that flare, they were about to find out.
(Several minutes earlier)
At the same time, Donald and Goofy were lost, Naruto and Tifa Lockhart were making their way through the forest with Naruto holding the torch while Tifa kept an eye out for anything suspicious, in the form of possible predatory animals to the Heartless. Naruto adjusted the torch in his hand, its glow flickering against the bandaged keyblade strapped across his back. The weapon looked out of place, wrapped like a relic too dangerous to be seen. Beside him, Tifa moved with quiet grace, her fists clenched loosely, eyes scanning the dark.
'Kid, try and talk to that Tifa girl.'
'About what precisely?'
'Anything you idiot, I can sense her wanting to start, but she's nervous as can be, and I honestly hate the silence now - so talk.'
Naruto took upon Kurama's advice and started, "So… Traverse Town's been busy lately," Naruto said, trying to break the silence. "Haven't you noticed?"
Tifa nodded, her voice low but thoughtful. "It has been - ever since that weird Zetsu person, different worlds we thought wouldn't be touched - now have their survivors reached there." Tifa said with a few mentions that she honestly cringed at, "Like that Frank Reynolds person…"
Naruto chuckled softly. "Yeah… my landlord… crazy little guy, but knows how to work with money." Upon remembering, Naruto spoke, "Just before I left, he started a card game with some Jawas."
Tifa grimaced at the mention of the small, robed traders. "Those Jawas? Don't get me started. They'll take anything that isn't bolted down—and half the things that are." She shook her head, dark hair swaying in the torchlight. "Back at my neighbor's store, we'd have to lock up our tools twice over. Those little scavengers have fingers quicker than pickpockets and eyes for anything shiny."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "They tried to buy my headband once. Offered me some weird contraption they swore was worth triple."
"Let me guess—it broke within a day?" Tifa's lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Didn't even make it out of their shop." Naruto adjusted the bandaged Keyblade, its weight a constant reminder against his shoulder blades. "But they're resourceful. Have to give them that."
The forest around them creaked and whispered. Leaves rustled underfoot as they picked their way through the undergrowth.
"Speaking of resourceful," Tifa continued, her voice dropping slightly as if sharing a confidence, "that Frank Reynolds is something else entirely. Never seen anyone turn garbage into munny quite like him. Last week, I watched him sell a broken toaster as an 'interdimensional communication device' to some poor soul."
Naruto snorted. "That sounds like him. But he's also an unapologetic asshole…yet it is still enjoyable in a sense," Naruto gave it to him for that, raising his torch, "Never a dull moment for a guy who was a divorced businessman who found out his wife lied to him about his twin children not being his."
"Yeah…that is completely messed up." Tifa said as she found it uneasy, "Fact he celebrated it in front of his kids with a bottle of champagne after she died of a botched necklift-"
*TAKATAKATAKA—*
Naruto's head snapped toward the sound of gunfire, his instincts kicking in. Tifa tensed beside him, her fists raised and ready.
"Donald and Goofy?" she whispered, already moving towards the shots.
"Maybe," Naruto replied, adjusting his grip on the torch as they began to run. The flickering light bounced wildly with each step, casting strange shadows across the forest floor. "They could be in trouble."
*!*
A tingling sensation prickled at the back of Naruto's neck. Something wasn't right. The familiar presence of Kurama stirred within him.
'Kid, behind that rock formation to your right,' Kurama's voice growled in his mind. 'Someone's watching us.'
'You sure?' Naruto mentally responded, not breaking stride but shifting his awareness to the large boulder Kurama indicated.
'Trust me. I can sense them.'
'Them?'
'Two individuals, but one's got a gun.'
Without hesitation, Naruto reached for his kunai pouch, fingers closing around the familiar metal handle. In one fluid motion, he hurled the weapon toward the rock-
*CLING!*
The kunai struck something metallic that wasn't stone. Instead, a helmet flew into the air, spinning as it caught the torchlight before clattering to the ground. Before Naruto could react further, the night erupted in chaos.
*BOOM! BOOM!*
Shotgun blasts tore through the space where they had been standing. Naruto dove to the side, the torch flying from his hand as he tackled Tifa behind a fallen log. The torch hit the ground and rolled, its flame guttering but somehow staying lit as it illuminated their attacker's boots from a distance.
"Ugh!" Tifa hissed, her back pressed against the rotting wood. "What was that?"
Another blast splintered bark above their heads, hitting a tree. Naruto peered through a gap in the log, catching glimpses of their assailant reloading a pump-action shotgun. The figure was dressed in some kind of tactical gear, face now exposed without the helmet.
"Not Heartless, that's for sure," Naruto whispered. He reached back, fingers brushing against the bandaged keyblade. "Human. Military, maybe?"
Tifa nodded grimly, her eyes scanning for an opening. "Shooting first, asking questions never. Great."
The attacker pumped the shotgun with a mechanical click that echoed through the trees, but it kept on pumping, and some arguing could be heard from the assailants' side.
Naruto locked eyes with Tifa, a silent plan forming between them. He held up three fingers, then two, then one…
They sprang into action. Naruto vaulted over the log while Tifa darted to the side, both moving in perfect sync. The shinobi's hands flashed through familiar signs, preparing a shadow clone jutsu when something small arced through the air between them.
A metallic *ping* caught his attention a split second before—
*FLASH!*
Blinding white light erupted, searing into Naruto's retinas. A deafening bang followed, disorienting him completely. His ears rang with a high-pitched whine that drowned out everything else. Stumbling, he tried to blink away the spots dancing across his vision, but the world remained a blur of smeared light and shadow.
'Ahhh! My ears!' Kurama growled within him, the fox's voice muffled even in his mind.
Naruto sensed movement—a shape rushing toward him from the right. Pure instinct took over. He pivoted and threw a punch, connecting with something solid. A grunt of pain told him he'd hit his mark, but his opponent didn't go down.
Slim fingers wrapped around his wrist, twisting his arm at an awkward angle. Naruto countered, dropping his weight and sweeping his leg out. The attacker jumped back, then closed in again. A fist grazed his cheek. He blocked the next blow. The unknown assailant moved with practiced precision, each strike aimed at pressure points. Military training, definitely. Not shinobi, but dangerous all the same.
"Who—" Naruto started to ask, but he was cut off with a flurry of strikes.
To his right, he heard Tifa shout in surprise. His hearing was returning, but his vision remained compromised. He couldn't see her clearly, just blurry movement.
Tifa felt strong arms wrap around her from behind, pinning her elbows to her sides. Her attacker's grip was like iron, squeezing the breath from her lungs. The flashbang had left her disoriented, but her combat instincts remained sharp.
She threw her head back, aiming for her captor's nose, but hit only air. Changing tactics, she drove her heel down and back, putting the full force of her martial arts training behind the kick.
A strangled howl told her she'd found her target. The arms around her instantly loosened as her attacker doubled over. Tifa spun around, her vision clearing just enough to see a tall man in tactical gear clutching his groin, face contorted in agony.
"Bastard," the man wheezed, struggling to straighten up.
Naruto, meanwhile, lunged forward with desperate energy, slamming his forehead directly into his attacker's face-
*CRUNCH!*
"Fuck! My nose!" The voice was distinctly female, though Naruto could only make out a blurry outline as his vision slowly returned. Blood spurted between the woman's fingers as she clutched her face.
Seizing the opportunity, Naruto tackled her to the ground. They rolled across the dirt, each fighting for dominance. The woman was strong—military strong—and knew how to use leverage against a larger opponent. She hooked a leg around his and flipped their positions, pinning him momentarily.
"Stay down, you little—" she hissed, blood from her broken nose dripping onto Naruto's face.
He bucked upward, throwing her off balance enough to roll again. His hand scrambled across the ground, fingers finally closing around a smooth, round stone. Perfect. Three quick squeezes—the signal they'd agreed upon earlier—and then he hurled it skyward with all his might.
The stone arced high above them, higher than should be possible for a simple rock-
*BANG!*
At its apex, it erupted in a brilliant flash of light, a makeshift flare illuminating the entire clearing with orange-red brilliance.
'Nice thinking, kit,' Kurama growled approvingly in his mind.
A few meters away, Tifa drove her elbow into her attacker's solar plexus as he tried to recover from her first strike. The man doubled over again, gasping for breath, but managed to sweep his leg out, catching her ankle. Tifa stumbled but turned the momentum into a controlled roll, coming up in a fighting stance.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her fists raised defensively.
Instead of answering, the man reached for something at his belt, and Tifa reacted quickly, grabbing his arm. They wrestled for control, her fingers closing around his wrist in a vise-like grip while his other arm shot out to grab her shoulder. In the flare's crimson glow, Tifa caught a glimpse of her opponent's face—a strong jawline, dark hair cropped short on the sides, intense eyes that burned with determination. Military through and through.
"Jordan," the female attacker called out, her voice strained as she continued struggling with Naruto. "Little help here!"
The man—Jordan, apparently—snarled and twisted his body, breaking Tifa's hold with a practiced counter move. He lunged forward, but Tifa was ready. She sidestepped and grabbed his outstretched arm, using his momentum against him. With a grunt, she spun him around and locked her arm around his throat, pulling him into a tight headlock.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Tifa hissed in his ear, tightening her grip as he clawed at her forearm.
The flare cast harsh shadows across the clearing, illuminating Naruto's struggle with the woman, who wore a deadly look, auburn-to-red colored hair in a braided hairstyle, freckles, and a will not to lose. She had somehow managed to reverse their positions again, straddling his chest with her hands wrapped around his throat. Blood from her broken nose dripped onto his face as she squeezed, her eyes wild with rage.
Naruto grabbed her wrists, trying to pry her hands away. His lungs burned for air. He could feel Kurama's chakra stirring within him, ready to surge forth if needed, but he held it back—these were humans, not demons or Heartless.
"Eliza, stop!" Jordan choked out from within Tifa's headlock. "We need them—alive!"
The woman—Eliza—didn't let up, her fingers digging deeper into Naruto's windpipe. Her face was a mask of blood and fury in the red glow of the flare.
"They're not giving up!" she spat. "We can't risk—"
*BANG!*
A single pistol shot cracked through the night. Everyone froze.
The flare's light illuminated the gleam of a handgun barrel pointed skyward. Behind it stood a third figure at the edge of the clearing, emerging from the shadows. It was a tall man wearing mountain camouflage, named Tachanka, accompanied by Goofy and Donald.
Tachanka lowered his gun, his steely gaze sweeping over the scene. His helmet was off, revealing his piercing eyes through his camo balaclava, which assessed the situation.
"Tachanka?!" Eliza and Jordan exclaimed in unison, their voices a mix of surprise and disbelief, each syllable trembling as it escaped their lips.
"Eliza, Jordan, Stand down. Now." His voice was deep and commanding, brooking no argument. "The people you are fighting are not our enemies."
Donald waddled forward, his feathered finger pointing accusingly at Tifa. "Hey! Let him go this instant!"
Goofy nodded emphatically beside the duck. "Gawrsh, Tifa, you're about to choke him out."
Tifa slowly released her chokehold, letting Jordan slump forward as he gasped for air. She kept one hand firmly on his shoulder, ready to restrain him again if necessary. Her muscles remained tense, adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
"Sorry, I-"
"It's okay," Jordan croaked, rubbing his throat while lying on the ground and gasping for breath, "Nice job, really impressive, I have to commend you on that."
Eliza, however, wasn't as quick to surrender. Her fingers remained locked around Naruto's throat, her weight still pinning him to the ground. Blood continued to drip from her nose, spattering onto Naruto's orange jacket.
"You're lucky I didn't choke you out completely, kid," she growled, eyes narrowed. "One more second and—"
"And what?" Naruto interrupted with surprising calm. "You might want to look behind you."
*SHLINK!*
Eliza's eyes widened as she felt the cold metal of a kunai pressing against the back of her neck. She twisted her head just enough to glimpse a second Naruto standing over her, weapon in hand, face set in grim determination.
"Shadow clone," the Naruto beneath her explained with a smirk. "Now let me go."
Before Eliza could respond, the clearing erupted with movement. Figures emerged from the trees in all directions— appearing with weapons drawn were Dutch and Revy, as well were LB and Ryder, as well were John Silver and Jim with rifles, each armed and positioned strategically around the perimeter.
"I'd listen to him if I were you," Dutch said calmly, eyeing the woman as he kept his revolver aimed. "You're surrounded."
Revy was grinning as she looked eager,
"Your choice."
…
Once back at the camp, wounds were being treated, and food was being distributed. Gustave "Doc" Kateb was seen stitching up Eliza "Ash" Cohen's wound. She sat silently on a bench as the French doctor carefully completed the stitches, but she honestly preferred the stitches without painkillers to what she had just been told by these strangers around them.
Around the campfire, they were told about the black creatures called the Heartless, those who consumed their world and turned everything into darkness, and that's what caused them to be stranded now in the current situation. Joined at the campfire by Naruto Uzumaki and Tifa Lockhart, who were sitting at the fire next to each other, along with Goofy and Donald, and also Revy and Dutch, who were there to make sure the four strangers wouldn't panic or go into full denial of what they had just been told. With the large Tachanka sitting on the floor with his rifle laid next to his lap, Jordan Trace holding an ice pack against his throat, and now Gustave standing up and walking to the open spot next to the Russian and American.
Silence hung over the campfire, heavy as lead. Eliza winced as she flexed her newly stitched nose, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the hollow feeling of comprehending fully. Their world—gone. Just like that.
"So these... Heartless," Jordan finally spoke, his voice still raspy from the earlier confrontation. He pulled the ice pack away from his throat, staring at it as though it might hold answers. "They just consumed everything? Everyone? Just like that?"
Naruto leaned forward, turning to the American, who could only nod.
"Yes, that's what happened."
The Russian, Tachanka, had barely moved since they'd sat down, his massive frame unnaturally still; he now finally had the words to cope with the information he had just ingested.
"In war, I have seen many terrible things. Cities destroyed, lives ruined." His deep voice rumbled through the night air. "But this... this is different. An entire world."
He picked up a handful of dirt, letting it sift through his fingers, before he threw it to the ground in slight but understandable frustration.
"Like it never existed."
Gustave sat with his arms crossed, his medical bag at his feet. His face was set in grim lines, years of battlefield medicine having taught him to accept the unacceptable….
"This is... surprising..." He looked around at everyone, his gaze clearly revealing that he was grappling with this revelation but starting to come to terms with it. "If this is the reality we must accept, then so be it."
"Just like that?" Eliza's voice cracked. "Everything and everyone we know—just gone?" Her hands were shaking, and she clenched them into fists to hide it. "There has to be a way back."
Dutch, who was smoking his cigarette, quietly observing all of it, leaned forward and spoke.
"Look, I know this is hard to swallow. Been there myself." His deep voice carried a note of unexpected compassion. "When we get back to Traverse Town, we can help you get settled. Figure out next steps."
"Traverse Town?" Jordan asked, momentarily, "What's that?"
"It's where folks like us end up, basically one big fucking refugee camp, without it being one." Revy cut in, flicking ash from her cigarette. "When your world gets swallowed by the darkness. It's not much, but it's something."
Tachanka nodded slowly, his expression unreadable behind his mask. "It's not like we've got much of a choice, don't we?"
A brief silence fell over the campfire. Naruto looked at Dutch, who gave him a small nod. Taking a deep breath, Naruto turned to face the Rainbow operators.
"There's something else you should know," he said, his blue eyes reflecting the dancing flames. "Sometimes, when the Heartless consume a world, not everyone is lost forever. We've found others who managed to escape, who ended up in different places across the remaining worlds."
Tifa nodded beside him. "What Naruto's trying to say is that there might be a chance some of your comrades survived. If they did, we could help you find them, but only if you want us to."
Jordan straightened up, the ice pack lowering slightly from his throat. A flicker of hope crossed his tired features. "You mean... There could be others from our team out there?"
"It's possible," Donald quacked, adjusting his blue hat. "We've seen it happen before."
Eliza suddenly stood up, her newly stitched wound pulling tight against her skin. "No." Her voice was sharp, cutting through the momentary hope like a knife. "No, this is bullshit. All of it."
"Eliza—" Gustave reached toward her, but she stepped back, shaking her head.
"You expect me to believe that magical shadow monsters ate our world? That we're just supposed to accept this and move on to some... refugee town?" Her voice rose with each word, hands gesticulating wildly. "And now you're dangling false hope that maybe, just maybe, some of our people survived? What kind of sick game is this?"
Jordan got to his feet, wincing as he moved. "Eliza, please, just sit down. We need to—"
"We need to what, Jordan? Play along with this fantasy? For all we know, this could be some elaborate psychological experiment. Or maybe we're all drugged." Her eyes were wild now, darting between the faces around the fire. "Miles and Julien and the others—they're not lost in some darkness. They can't be."
Doc stepped closer to her, his voice calm and measured. "Eliza, I understand this is difficult—"
"No, you don't understand!" She backed away from him, from all of them. "None of you do! I refuse to accept this. I refuse to believe that everything—everyone—is just... gone."
Before anyone could stop her, she turned and stalked off into the darkness beyond the campfire's light, her silhouette rigid with anger and denial.
Jordan moved to follow her, but Gustave placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Give her time," the doctor said quietly, though the concern in his eyes betrayed his own uncertainty. "She needs to process this in her own way."
Tachanka watched Eliza disappear into the shadows, his massive frame still motionless except for the slow rise and fall of his chest. "Denial," he spoke up, part of it speaking to himself. "First stage of the five stages of grieving… It's fair to say she's going to have a rough time."
Dutch sighed and shook his head, "Yeah, and she won't be the only one, nor will she be the last."
"If I may have your attention, why are you here?" Tachanka got to question as he leaned forward, "Surely this is not Traverse Town you're speaking of."
"No, we're on a mission, and that mission is this planet." Naruto spoke as he began explaining the short version of this crew's mission - being to find and secure the 'Heart' so it wouldn't be consumed by the Heartless, and that they just arrived here, not even a full day, with them just having set up camp, their mission starts tomorrow morning.
Upon hearing it, Tachanka responded, "Okay, I'm in - despite it sounding…odd to say the least." The large Russian offered his service, "Mind if I tag along on this?"
"Count me in," Jordan raised his arm, volunteering, "If we're fighting against these creatures, it's my pleasure." He raised his shotgun, his M1014, "But I'm running low on ammo."
"We've got a few cases of ammunition," Revy pointed out back, "Enough for you, fed."
Gustave watched in silence as he spotted the empty seat where Naruto Uzumaki sat next to the girl, and he gave a glance to Tifa Lockhart, who saw him staring, and gave him an assuring smile and nod to the woods.
…
Eliza hadn't gone far. The moonlight filtering through the canopy illuminated her shape as she paced between the trees, her movements sharp and erratic. Naruto kept his distance, watching as she suddenly stopped and slammed her fist against the trunk of a massive oak.
*SLAM!*
"Dammit!" Her voice cracked as she struck the tree again, harder this time. The impact echoed through the quiet forest.
Naruto winced as he saw her recoil, cradling her hand against her chest. Even in the dim light, he could tell she'd hurt herself.
"Stupid," she muttered, her voice thick with emotion. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."
He approached slowly, deliberately stepping on a twig to announce his presence. She whirled around, her expression hardening when she saw him.
"What do you want?" she demanded, but Naruto could hear the pain beneath her anger. "Come to feed me more fairy tales about darkness and hearts and whatever other bullshit you're selling?"
Naruto stopped a respectful distance away, keeping his posture relaxed, non-threatening.
"Just wanted to make sure you're okay," he said quietly. "That sounded like it hurt."
Eliza glared at him, still holding her wrist. A thin trickle of blood ran between her knuckles. "I'm fine," she snapped. "Go back to your campfire story time."
"You know," Naruto said, "when I first learned about what was happening to my world, I didn't believe it either." He kept his voice low, conversational. "Thought everyone was crazy or trying to trick me."
"Save the pep talk," Eliza growled. She flexed her fingers and winced. "You don't know anything about me or what I've lost."
"You're right," Naruto admitted. "I don't. But I do know what it's like to have your whole world turned upside down in an instant."
"My world wasn't turned upside down," she said bitterly, glaring daggers at him, "According to you, it doesn't even exist anymore." She turned away from him, her shoulders rigid. "Do you have any idea what that means? Everything I've ever fought for, protected—just gone? My team, my—" Her voice caught.
"They might still be out there."
Eliza whirled back around, eyes flashing. "Don't. Don't give me hope just to make me easier to handle. I've been manipulated by experts, kid. You're not even close!"
"I'm not trying to manipulate you," Naruto said. "I'm just—"
"You're just what?" She advanced on him, her injured hand forgotten in her fury as she closed the distance, "Just trying to help? Just doing your job? Just following orders? I've heard it all before." She jabbed a finger at his chest.
"I don't need your help. I don't need your pity. And I sure as hell don't need you following me around like I'm some kind of—"
…
…
The words died in her throat. Her finger dropped from his chest as her shoulders suddenly slumped. Eliza took a step back, then another, until her spine hit the tree she'd punched. She slid down against it, landing hard on the forest floor.
"Like I'm some kind of broken thing," she whispered, finishing her sentence.
Her voice broke, the rage crumbling as quickly as it had built. Naruto watched as something shifted in her expression—the anger giving way to something raw and vulnerable. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the forest floor, a choked sob escaping her throat.
"They can't all be gone," she whispered, the words barely audible. "They can't be."
Naruto said nothing. He just stood there, watching her with those impossibly blue eyes that seemed to see right through her.
"My home..."
The words came out stifled. Eliza stared at her bloodied knuckles, focusing on the physical pain instead of the tightness crushing her chest.
"My father… my Mother…"
The first tear fell before she could stop it, splashing onto her injured hand. She tried to blink the rest back, but it came anyway as her eyes turned red from all the emotional turmoil…
"My unit… Team Rainbow… Miles, Grace, Mira… Timur… Monika..." Her voice cracked on the last name. She'd always found Monika insufferable, with her rigid German efficiency and her lectures about proper procedure. Now she'd give anything to hear one of those lectures again.
Ash pressed her palms against her eyes, trying to stem the flow of tears, but they leaked through her fingers anyway, hot and relentless. Her shoulders shook with the effort of containing the sobs that threatened to tear her apart from the inside.
"All of them," she choked out. "Everyone I've ever..."
The rest of the sentence dissolved into a ragged gasp as the wall she'd built around herself finally crumbled completely. She hadn't cried since her mentor figure's funeral. Not when missions went south, not when teammates were wounded, not even when Director Six had given her the news about the attack. She'd channeled everything into action, into planning, into the cold, calculated fury that had carried her this far.
But here, in this strange forest, with this peculiar young kid watching her, something inside her had finally broken loose. Ash pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face against them. The sobs came from deep in her chest, raw and painful, like something was being torn out of her.
Naruto could only watch as the woman broke down in tears. He sat silently on the floor, with his legs crossed, allowing her to pour out her emotions. He felt sympathy for her, especially since he had broken her nose earlier. He knew that she needed this moment to process her new situation, now far away from her destroyed home.
'We've seen quite a lot of this…'
'Yeah….'
…
Next Morning
Back at the camp, the early morning was met with some calm as the early birds near the river were flying over, the sound of the wind blowing, and also some tents being opened, one of those who came out of his tent, stretching his arms and legs while only wearing his pants and t-shirt, he yawned as he wrinkled his eyes also, noticing he was one of the very few being up as most people who weren't on guard duty were still sleeping.
"Hey! Ninja boy!"
Naruto turned his head to the campfire and saw that there were quite a few people awake, with Tachanka being the one calling him out, sitting on a log alongside the three other newcomers of Team Rainbow, Doc, Themite, and Ash. They were joined by Dutch and Revy.
The camo balaclava-wearing Russian gestured to him. "Come, my friend, eat something."
Naruto's feet sank slightly into the dewy grass as he approached the campfire. The smell of coffee and something savory made his stomach rumble embarrassingly loud.
"Good morning," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Gustave nodded at him while pouring dark liquid into a metal mug. "Coffee?" he offered, extending the steaming cup toward Naruto.
"Thanks," Naruto said, taking the mug, wrapping both hands around its warmth. Smelling like some good brew, despite him not being much of a coffee drinker, but the morning chill made the hot beverage welcome. He noticed Eliza "Ash" Cohen sitting across from him, a small bruise visible on the bridge of her nose, with the wound now simply less swollen.
"Is your nose alright?" he asked.
Ash looked up, her lips curving into a neutral gaze that seemed to soften her usually stern features. Seeing what happened last night, it, however, turned into a neutral smile as she reassured.
"It's fine. Nothing I haven't dealt with before." She took a sip from her own mug before adding, "Got a good hand there, kid. Not many people land a hit on me."
Tachanka let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "She is too proud to admit you surprised her, yes? Next time, she will be ready."
"Yeah, next time I'll duck,"
"You'll need to do more than duck," Jordan said, trying to drink his mug, but smirked as he got a slap to his back from the woman.
"Jordan, you nearly got choked out," Doc said as he poured himself his mug, "That throat of yours-"
"Hey, to my defense, that Tifa girl had a good lock on my head," Jordan said, smilingly and also sounding impressed, "Not many people like that could do that."
Tachanka snorted, "I beg to differ."
"Alright, back to business," Dutch spoke, setting down his mug on the ground beside the log. "Kid, we've got a lead." He adjusted his sunglasses despite the early hour. "Donald and Goofy are already prepped. Ryder, too."
Naruto took a cautious sip of the coffee, the bitter liquid warming his throat. He wasn't used to the taste yet, but the caffeine was already clearing the morning fog from his mind.
"What is it?" he asked.
"We finally got a location," Revy leaned forward, her twin holsters catching the orange glow of the campfire. "The kind where we might actually find something fucking interesting in this shithole," she said, lips curling into that familiar sardonic smile. "About ten miles deep in the forest, there's supposedly some settlement. Tifa's already leading the advance team."
"Princess Pochahontas's people," Dutch elaborated, his deep voice carrying easily over the crackling fire. "At least that's what our team suggests. A whole bunch of structures and fields have to be something."
"When do we leave?" he asked, already mentally ready.
"As soon as you finish that coffee," Dutch replied, standing up with a stretch that emphasized his imposing frame.
"Pack light, but pack smart and dress to the times - We don't know what kind of welcome we'll get."
…
Later
Walking down the tracks of the forest, six boots were making their way through, all dressed the same to try to conceal their identity and not look suspicious; however, one of them was less-
*SLAP!*
"Son-of-a-bitch!" Revy slapped her neck as she got herself the unfortunate case of having mugs try and sting her, and also being the loudest of the group going through the forest, she was following second-to-last with Tachanka following behind, who wore not only a large brown cloak that also covered his head, barely concealing his boots as the man stood six feet tall and had his weapons hidden underneath as well, with the others following Naruto who took lead, Doc and Ash following up with Thermite happening to be in the middle, looking back at Revy who barely closed her cloak, revealing her usual style of clothing.
"You gonna wear that cloak properly or what?" Jordan asked, giving Revy a pointed look. "Kinda defeats the purpose of a disguise when you're flashing everyone what's underneath."
Revy clicked her tongue, making no move to close her cloak. "What's the matter, fed? Getting distracted by what you see?" She flashed him a predatory grin that was clearly sarcastic. "Don't worry, I've got more than enough bullets for anyone who gets too curious."
Jordan turned his head forward again, muttering something under his breath about professionalism.
"I heard that,"
Tachanka's deep voice rumbled from behind her. "Please, Miss Rebecca, we are trying to maintain a low profile. Perhaps adjusting your clothing would be wise, da?"
Revy glanced back at the hulking Russian. "You Russians are all the same, aren't you? Always so fucking polite before you put a bullet in someone's head." She snorted. "Reminds me of Balalaika and her Hotel Moscow crew-"
"That is quite enough," Eliza cut in, her voice stern as she looked back at them. "We have a mission to complete, and your bickering isn't helping. Close your cloak and keep your voice down."
"Oh, look who's talking," Revy shot back with a sneer. "The uptight bitch has something to say. News flash, Cohen—I'm not one of your little soldiers you can order around. I'm here for the money, not to follow your stick-up-the-ass protocols."
Up front, Doc decided to whisper to Naruto, "Why was it decided she joined along with us on this mission?"
"Dutch asked me to have her tag along, to prevent her from acting out of boredom." Naruto told the French doctor, as this bickering had been going on for a bit, the blond could sense the tension between Eliza and Revy building up, seeing they weren't the best of chemistry, "Plu,s we can use the extra gun."
Revy rolled her eyes and jerked a thumb toward Doc.
"Yeah, and speaking of extra guns—why the hell is Dr. Frenchie here? What's he gonna do?"
Doc stiffened. "I'll have you know I'm more than capable of—"
"Oh, please," Revy cut him off, waving her hand dismissively. "If someone sneezes too hard, you'll be the first one screaming about 'contamination' or whatever medical crap you obsess over."
Eliza shot Revy a deadly glare. "He's here because he's useful, unlike some people who only contribute noise pollution."
Revy barked a laugh. "Noise pollution? Honey, the only thing polluting this forest is your attitude. I swear, you've got the personality of a damn filing cabinet."
"At least I don't need to compensate with twin pistols and a mouth that would make a sailor blush," Eliza fired back, her hand instinctively moving toward her holster. "Some of us actually have training beyond shooting anything that moves."
Naruto sighed, watching the two women square off like territorial cats. This mission was complicated enough without the constant bickering.
'Kid, if those two don't stop, you'll get some unwanted attention.'
'As if I don't know that.'
"Training?" Revy snorted, leaning forward with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "I've survived Roanapur, sweetheart. No fancy tactical courses needed when you learn by not getting killed. But please, tell me more about your special ops bullshit while I save your ass when things get real."
"That's enough," Naruto interjected, but neither woman seemed to hear him.
Eliza's expression hardened into something cold and professional. "There's a difference between surviving and excelling. One keeps you breathing; the other completes the mission. But I wouldn't expect someone with your... limited perspective to understand operational discipline."
"Ladies-"
"Operational discipline?" Revy mimicked in a mocking tone. "Is that what you call it when you're too scared to pull the trigger without checking your rulebook first? In my world, hesitation gets you dead."
Naruto tried to step in, raising his hands. "Alright, alright, both of you—let's just stay focused. We don't wanna—"
Revy and Eliza snapped in perfect synchronization, voices overlapping:
"WHAT?!"
Their echoing shout shook the branches above them.
Naruto froze. "Uh… exactly that."
Because now all six of them noticed the rustling. The shifting shadows. The almost soundless tightening of bowstrings. In a heartbeat, they realized they were surrounded—a ring of painted faces emerging from the treeline, dozens of arrows aimed directly at their heads, drawn taut and ready.
Naruto exhaled sharply and sounded really irritated, "Guess we found the Indians."
Tachanka rumbled behind them.
"Nyet… the Indians found us."
anna tallman (Guest) on Chapter 1 Mon 08 Dec 2025 02:17PM UTC
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