Waking
"Wake up young one." A voice Naruto couldn't forget if he tried roused him from his forced slumber, and he sat up right, finding himself on a cold golden floor. Rubbing his hair he looked up towards the demon shaking his head, as the woman looked down at him from her prison, her tails ever swishing.
"What happened?" He asked pulling himself to his feet, shaking slightly before his composure returned to him. Recalling the fight that had taken place between him and Sasuke; his sensei's betrayal; and then waking up in, if the Obake's words were true, a different world all together. And he sat down again, his legs giving from under him.
"Come now young one, don't fall to pieces on me." The sultry voice of the kitsune whispered in his ears and his eyes now wide looked over to the sitting form of the woman who was gently patting her lap. A strangled gasp and a quick back paddle and Naruto's back pressed against the walls of his inner soul. The creature laughed lightly pointing towards its cage. Naruto's glaze followed and he witnessed a ball littered with stars held down with silver chains in the gleaming in the darkness of the cage.
"I can do no harm to you still young one, that impressive seal sees to it." She said in an almost longing tone before she pulled her magic again and rested her back against the same wall as Naruto, placing her hand on the back of his head and forcing it into her lap. "Be at peace young one. We have much to discuss and I would rather do it in a light and even tone."
Unable to move his head under the remarkable strength of the woman's grip had no choice but to relax under it. Either that put a strain on his mental state, which was something to be avoid apparently. Sighing he settled for glaring at the wall straight ahead of him, adamantly rebuffing the idea that the lap was quite comfortable against his "flesh". "You'll awake in a few moments in a bed. Your joints will be stiff, but that is the worst of it. You were moved from your cage twenty four hours ago, making your total time unconscious seventy two hours. There will be a note by your right said bed desk. It was delivered shortly after you arrived."
"Do I want to know, how you know this information Kyuubi?" Naruto said in a defeated sigh, a laugh greeted him as a reply, and he decided he was better off not knowing. The thought of the creature having access to his waking surroundings was more then a bit disturbing, and certainly more then he wanted to handle right now. "Better question, what's going on with my chakra."
"Quite simply young one, it doesn't exist in this world. The human's of this realm have a more advanced form of your chakra." The creature said looking now down at the boy, who couldn't only turn his eyes upwards for a side glance of her grinning face. "And as in your world, this world you are something of gifted youth in that sense." Despite himself Naruto grinned, praise was praise for him having received so little, even if it came from a creature of horrible power and morals. "And for that, you will be both feared and praised for it." Always a catch.
"Because of your worlds ability to use each element with effective training, the same ability was transferred here. Coupled with your amazingly high amount for a mortal your ability in this world will be hard to match." If Naruto could have believed the creature capable of it he could have sworn he heard pride in its tones. "However, because of its nature it can't be controlled with your worlds chakra signs, which should have been a given."
"So I have amazing power, with no way to control it." Naruto muttered in disgust, thinking that someone like Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei would be able to do it with that accursed Sharingin of theirs. Fingers played with his unruly blonde locks in what Naruto guessed as a soothing manner from the creature. Though to be honest its intended goal had been achieved, his mood settled notably.
"I haven't said that young one, there is simply a different way to use it." It said in a quite tone and Naruto notwithstanding his irritation with the being sealed within his soul pressed his body against her own in search of warmth. "And might I say its an interesting way to use it indeed. I believe the one you call fuzzy-brows would feel right at home in this realm." And Naruto came to a startling realization that taijutsu must be the key to controlling his new ability. And without his clones for aid, his taijutsu was non-existent.
"Then my statement stands. I have no way of controlling it. If you haven't noticed my taijutsu isn't something you show off to the world." He said in a sulking tone, hating his own inability to be useful. An image of Lee's bandaged hands appeared on the wall across from him.
"My guess is that who trained that hard, began at such a deplorable level as well. But he worked for it, and developed it with his own blood, sweat and tears." How was it that the most hated creature of his world chastised him and he actually felt like he was being scolded by his mother? So in response he sulked more, vowing to show Lee that he wouldn't be outdone and how him he was just as powerful. The object of his rage being completely innocent and on a different world mattered very little to him. "Well young one, its time to awaken." If Naruto was given the chance to reply it wasn't just then, because no sooner then that he felt a tug on his soul and he reawaken in the physical reality of the world.
And just as the creature said he found himself laying on top of a red blanket, red and black robes donned on his body. Startled he jumped from the bed, and his muscles gave small protest which he ignored in search of his beloved jump suit. Across the room he dashed throwing everything inside of it out franticly, only more reds and blacks flew through the air, accompanied by the varied gold items within. Cursing he moved back towards the desk he snatched open the letter.
Stranger,
Your clothing and items have been removed as I'm sure you've noticed. They are within my keeping in the throne room. If you are able to get there alive, and then provide answers they shall be returned. Keep in mind the only reason you aren't in a cage or killed is because I find you interesting. Don't let that change. You'll find one of your weapons in the desk. Don't disappoint me.
Princess Azula of the Fire Nation.
Naruto cursed again throwing the letter down and snatching open the drawer to find one of his kunai polished to a high shine. Grabbing it he looked down at his attire and discarded the robes to pick up a pair of slacks and shirt, to have less resistance as he moved. But without his chakra he was handicapped in strange world.
"What the hell am I suppose to do?" He said looking around for a moment before he heard a growl in the deep reaches of his mind.
"What you were trained to do young one. Are you a ninja of the Hidden Leaf or not?" The angered tone of the Obake of his soul settled Naruto down from his panicking, and he smiled a small smile before heading towards the window, grabbing hold of the sill he launched him into a flip and onto the roof. Calming his breathing he looked around. It was night, which helped him greatly in keeping his presence concealed. Crouching low he took in survey of the land, it looked like the palace the fire daimyo held which meant that the towering section held his target. Dashing forward he raced silently along the roofing, eyeing the guard tower with annoyance.
"You don't have the luxury of going easy on these people. You have no idea of their skill or how if there is reinforcements waiting inside. Its time you earned your ninja ranking." The Kyuubi said in a stern voice and low whisper giving Naruto the image of her racing like a ghost along side himself. Regretting that the being was right he moved even faster steeling himself for what he had to do. He leapt through the open window of the tower silently catching the sentinel from the side, running his kunai into the man's throat as he used his other hand to stifle the man's dying gasps. Keeping the tool lodged in its make shift sheath he took the man along with him out the other end of the window and placed him along side the back of it, looking over for any more guards on the other side he removed his weapon and continued his path. Pushing down the regret of taking a life that swelled up in his soul. He was a ninja first, and this was a mission like anyone other. Or at least that's what he had to tell himself. A few more feet and he found himself at another tower, however the luck of having the guard facing the other way seemed to be beyond him now as his target was rapidly turning to face his direction, having no choice Naruto threw himself off the roofing, pulling himself into a flip and clinging to the side of the wall with chakra. Or at least that what he would have done had he still had use of his chakra system. However none the less his hands and feet clung to the wall as if he had placed chakra into it just the same.
"Save the amazement, you have an objective." The harsh tone of the creature barked off to him again and Naruto shoved away his surprise and continued moving. His feet pressing gently against the wall and sticking and removing as in his own world. Thankful that much hadn't changed he moved with all the speed of his shin obi training. "Two guards to your left, go!" The whisper of warning was all he needed as he threw himself off the wall again, pulling into a flip again landing like a shadow behind the two guards. A sharp jab forward, and a quick twisting motion of his hands snapped one man's neck, and embedded his kunai in the back of the head of another. Dragging both of them into the side under bush he was thankful the dark uniform and the night setting would conceal his victims. Again he pulled his weapon free, wiping the gray matter that clung to it on the victims clothing.
"Don't slow down." Nodding to the voice he continued moving , his breathing an even pacing as he raced and leapt up to one of the upper window's. Using his kunai as a lever he pulled it open mutely and followed after, closing it behind him to not alert the rooms occupant to the change of climate. "No need, continue moving." The voice was responding to Naruto about to kill the sleeper, figuring that for the best he continued on wards. Out the room, crouching low against the wall. It was a torch lit corridor, that stretched and bent in both directions. However his target dictated that he take the left route, and he was off again. No guards had appeared in the five minutes it took for him to reach the high tower, save the two guards that stood out front.
"No way to enter besides the main door." Naruto signaled to the creature who seemed to be thinking of a solution. Pressing himself against the wall he give it a few more minutes to think of something before he moved again throwing his kunai with precision of years of training and schooling so it found itself inside the right most guards ear, and with its thrower not far behind it, using the rapidly falling man's weapon as his own to thrust forward and since the pole arm into the next guard. With a release of breath he retrieved his kunai again.
"Keep it up and you might become useful young one." The Kyuubi said in approval, that quickly vanished as Naruto shoved open the doors with a thrust. "Foolish. Simply foolish." It remarked, however Naruto paid no heed to those words as he continued onwards, to see five people in the throne room. Two males and three females. One female on the left throne, the same woman from the cavern and his guess the "Princess" that left the note. A older male sat on the middle throne, the land's king. And a younger male, with the scar on his face sitting next to him on his right. The two girls standing must have been the princess's guards as they stood on either side of her.
"Well, you got here a lot quicker then I believed you could." The man spoke, his golden eyes looking down at him from his high throne, Naruto kept quite for a moment daring not to go much farther. Feeling people on either side of the room land from the ceiling. Their straw hats covering their faces but they all moved into a strange stance, and Naruto jumped just as the ground next to him sprang to life attempting to grab him. Two more slabs of earth followed and continued in that pattern in aims to crush him, however Naruto used them all as spring boards bouncing from one stone wall to the next, keeping his weapon in front of him aiming for the princess. The guards as Naruto expected they were sprang to action, one throwing projectiles at him which he batted away with practiced ease, before he saw the incoming attack from the second woman, which was an out thrust open palm. Wondering if the woman was intending to simply slap his arm.
"Remember that Hyuga you fought?" The creature remarked and Naruto curse side stepping a moment too soon as he felt the glancing blow send pain racing down his arm. She didn't even have a fancy blood limit to use on him, but her attacks were just as effective. More projectiles and Naruto threw himself down into the man made canyon to dodge them, feeling the ground well up and snatch him within itself. And before he could free himself he felt several jabs to his torso, and his arms went numb, leaving him only to glare at the wide smiling girl in front of him.
"Wow, your aura is bright." His attacker remarked taking a step back to admire him in his stone prison, and Naruto hung his head. He had come all this way and now he was again captive to these people. He didn't even flinch when he felt sharp metal pressed against his throat. Quite the opposite he looked up to glare at the longer faced woman who looked back at him with uncaring and a apparently bored expression.
"And your skills are quite interesting it would appear." The King continued as if he hadn't noticed the blondes attempts on his daughters life. And the way his tone and posture seemed cold and relaxed Naruto felt as a fool in front of him. "However I noticed you didn't bend. Why is that? Surely you would have achieved your aims a lot quicker with it."
"Because of the split I don't remember how." Naruto repeated the words that came from the Obake with mild confusion no reference to what the split was before several images hit his mind fast paced. The image of him falling out of the sphere along with the arrow marked boy, and Naruto caught on quickly, following up with his own words. "I don't know much, other then I want to kill that boy." Figuring the fake hatred was easy for him, he simply replaced the boys face with Orochimaru's face and he could muster all the hate he needed.
"Then I'm sorry to tell you, that boy is dead." The King said with a raised eyebrow looking down at Naruto. And he could hear the Kyuubi spinning another web for him, informing him that the water woman had taken the body and left so his next string of lies was easy to use until they captured them, and to hope that they hadn't.
"The lightning split his, soul not his body. He lives." Naruto once again spoke wondering just how many lies the kitsune told in total amount to be able to come up with so many lies so quickly, or was it just a demonic trait. His words must have had a dramatic effect because the King looked towards the woman and then the male and Naruto having been a visitor or rage and disgust didn't need to know the man was blaming the two of them for the other boy's survival. And despite himself he leapt to their defense unable to break bad habits.
"It was a self defense ability, had I not been created to hold the bulk of the damages the boy would have been killed." He said hoping the lie was enough for the King. "It was a newly developed technique, they couldn't have known about it." He said quickly looking towards the woman, keeping his eyes level for a moment before back to the king.
"I see, so then why should I not kill you now and cancel the technique?" The king said gesturing towards the guards, who followed his orders and moved into that strange stance again, and Naruto and the Kyuubi worked quickly again, and Naruto hated himself for the ease that he left the demon speak for him.
"Because I wasn't meant to fall into enemy hands, as my power matches his." He said simply opting to place a smug face on, seeing enough of Sasuke's face to get a good gist of what it was meant to look like. "And if I'm here to counter his power you have more people to use to fight his allies. And believe me with a little training I would be more then a match for him." Naruto wasn't good at politics but the need for more soldiers was a thing that both this world and his own shared if what he took for a battle in the cavern was the state of the rest of this world.
"So it was air bending you used against the tribeswoman then." The princess, Azula if the letter sender was indeed her voiced confirming something for herself. Naruto replied with a nod, not taking his eyes from the man on the chair.
"My daughter as requested you be left in her service." The King said in his same stern tone, glaring down at Naruto. And the pressure of the stone was removed from his body, though his arms were still far from being in his control. "And as she is the one who saved your life from my traitor brother, I shall grant her request. And you had better hope you are more then just empty lies, because if you don't show the abilities you just boasted about I'll kill you myself." He said, with power suddenly lancing around his body Naruto was far from thinking that an empty threat.
Thankful that he had at least survived that far, he turned his gaze towards the princess, who looked down at him with greedy golden eyes. And he briefly wondered, as she stood with a bow to her father and making her way down to him, a dark grin stretching across her face now that her back was facing her father, if dying there wasn't the better of choices.
Another chapter! Go me!