Chapter six

of ningen and the horde

When one thinks of a blacksmith, the image of a big burly, burn scar covered dude with a gruff disposition and a talent with a hammer that involves more than simply pounding away at someone's skull comes to mind. This guy is usually dressed in leather trousers and an apron of the same material, with gloves and protective eyewear finishing up the look.

On Azeroth, in Orgrimmar, nine times outta ten these assumptions are true with the addition to the fact that these blacksmiths are usually huge ass orcs.

The other one percent as of recently?

CLANG! "Shannaro!"

It's a little stick of a girl with gnome-like hair and green eyes.

"Good, Apprentice," muttered the Orc everyone was used to seeing working the smithy in Orgrimmar. He stood off to the side, huge arms crossed and looking all sorts of scary as fuck as he observed, partially covered in shadow. Honestly when she was assigned this guy as one of her...teachers she nearly crapped herself upon the first meeting.

"Increase your pace a bit. At the pace you're going it'll take all month to complete that piece."

The girl nodded obediently and lifted the hammer again, eyeing the glowing piece of hot metal before her with a critical eye.

She looked utterly ridiculous. Everything in this shop was too big for her. The tools, the weapons, the clothing...everything. There was just not anything in here designed for someone of her...build...or..er...lack thereof.

Clang!

However, Sakura seemed to be having a grand ol time. Her excited eyes gleamed as she continued to work, her analytical eyes sweeping over the curved, red hot piece of metal she was working on. Sweat poured down her face. Her hair was done up in a ponytail, covered in soot and sweat as she continued her task, not even caring about the show she was putting on. Her hammer by the way looked a monster in her hands and she had to use both in order to lift it. The fact that she was able to lift it at all was enough to shock anyone seeing it for the first time.

The Orc scowled outwardly at the gaping crowd of adventurers who had been staring idiotically since she arrived here a week ago and suppressed the urge to go cut someone in half. Seriously! this girl isn't news anymore! get over it!

CLANG!

Okay maybe she was. But still!

The Orc smirked at the girl as she stared at the metal before her. It was finally starting to take shape.

"Good," he said.

All things considered, this actually wasn't a bad gig. He certainly could end up with a far worse apprentice blacksmith.

However... "You're slowing down again. Pick it back up or I'm cutting off all of your precious hair."

Didn't mean he wasn't gonna give her shit when he felt like it. Especially considering her actions upon their meeting as he scrutinized her.

One of the first things the girl had done, was had the gall to tell him was that her long luxurious hair was off limits. Apparently that Sasuke boy liked girls with long hair. He didn't even try to understand...or care. All he knew was that it became one hell of a motivator.

"Eh?! no! Back off!"

His chuckle rumbled through the room, making Sakura speed up just in case he was serious.

Now...you may be wondering why and how the hell was it decided that Sakura of all people would be the member of Team seven assigned to a smithy to learn how to build armor and weapons and shit, and the simple answer to that would be because her potential strength was fucking monstrous. Garrosh...and most members of the makeshift Horde guild that had formed around them, up to and including people like, General Nazgrim, Masheon, Otokage, Liyna, Shaara and captain Mag'rush, the guy who's tusk was broken by sakura way back during team seven's introduction to Azeroth, had noticed almost friggin instantly what Sakura sometimes showed she was capable of, obliterating the dainty little pretty girl image she'd obviously worked hard to craft in an attempt to look more pleasing to Sasuke, and they pounced on that potential like rabid dogs utterly ignoring Sakura's protests to the training they were thrusting upon her. It didn't really occur to them…or matter in fact that these bouts of monstrous strengths she exhibited seemed to be purely reflexive and instinctual.

Well that's mostly because all warriors are like that. Her temper didn't exactly help plead her case either.

So yeah, here she was, learning to build her own armor and weapons and being trained at the moment as a warrior. Sakura had no idea what this, Bloodthirsty Gladiator armor was supposed to look like but her current...sensei had assured her the shoulder piece she was trying to construct was coming along rather well.

"You're slowing down again."

Crap

CLANG!

(xxx)

In the two weeks since Garrosh had hired the genin team, Naruto hadn't really seen much of Sasuke or Sakura. It was understandable really. The Horde was friggin huge and full of people eager to teach them so it was natural that they'd been whisked away to separate parts of the city to be trained, first in what the horde perceived to be their strongest attribute then go on from there.

But...

Much like Sakura, the Horde took one look at Naruto after observing his fighting style and came to the LAST conclusion anyone back in Konoha would have ever made.

Intelligence.

He was dumbfounded when Garrosh had brought in a very beautiful blood elf Mage named Ellisaria and proclaimed that Konoha were a bunch of fucking idiots for not seeing the sharp mind behind the goofy exterior of Uzumaki Naruto and told the Genin and the mage quite firmly that Naruto was to train his brain.

When Naruto loudly complained (after he'd learned just what type of training they were going to start him out on) that he didn't want or need to be "reading like some nerd," or something like that. Sakura was supposed to be the smart one! what the hell!?, Ellisaria blasted him with a small Ice ball that made him double over in pain and Garrosh chuckle/growl as he spoke.

"Boy, what I just saw out there was the work of a mind so potentially dangerous that it would be a crime not to train it up. The path of a mage, while not something I understand myself, is still a very powerful path to take. Training in this class first will be of great benefit to you down the line. Your intellectual potential is there and it is massive. Deal with it and stop bitching. I expect to see results."

He had left after that, and now Naruto was dressed in bright orange apprentice mage robes, (wasn't no way he was getting anything else) locked away in the elf's home reading and studying. And any attempt to slack off was dealt with rather harshly.

"Focus Ningen! or do you want to be turned into a pig again, humm? apprentice?"

From the way the woman said it, Naruto could tell she was over the damn moon with her situation. Kami why the hell are the women of this world fucking crazy?

He just had that affect on blood elf women or something.

"Hai, Hai Sensei." Naruto accepted his fate. Boring and seemingly disappointing it may be and buried his head further in the large arcane, mathematical tome he was reading. Something about the intricacies of the flow of mana and why it is necessary to know math and shit to be able to wield the arcane arts.

There was a whole lot of big words and numbers involved and Naruto's brain was screaming in agony.

Honestly Shikamaru woulda been better for this crap!

"I said focus!"

bzzt!

"YEOW! CRAZY BITCH!"

(xxxx)

Otokage took Sasuke before anyone else could try and snatch him up. Unlike with Naruto and Sakura, she didn't focus on his strongest attribute and try and get him to train in the class that most represented this.

Actually no, that's not quite right. Otokage DID take a look at Sasuke's most noticeable attribute. She really didn't have any choice really but to notice this, considering that what just so happened to be Sasuke's most noticeable trait just so happened to be his dark resolve.

In him, she saw a boy willing to pursue any path to power, do whatever it took, both good and bad so long as it granted him his ultimate goal, of what, she didn't know, nor was she brave enough to ask him. But she saw the blossoming darkness growing within his tormented spirit and knew she had to help him find balance and peace.

Shamanism was just perfect for him! She knew it in her soul!

So while Naruto was off reading tomes and Sakura forging weapons and armor. She had Sasuke nestled within the valley of spirits meditating with the other shamans to try and get in contact with the spirits. She ignored the quips about her foolish hope that something so damn near human and young could never bond with nature and whatnot, totally forgetting what it is they'd already seen the three alien child soldiers do.

She knew the spirits would keep Sasuke on the right path while also indulging a bit in his desires, willing and able to lend him the aid he really needed but without allowing him to fall to corruption.

"Concentrate mon," she said soothingly as Sasuke grimaced. "You must clear ya mind of all thought. Da spirits won't be able ta talk to ya if ya be burdened by chaotic thought. Ya must let it all go."

She knew that he knew what she was talking about, if his hostile growl was any indication. "That's not so easy dammit." Yeah, one couldn't just cast aside a five/six year old festering hatred/revenge kick even temporarily, so easily.

Otokage resisted the urge to giggle. She had full confidence in him. He'd do it. If only to prove to the hating ass Tauren, troll and Orc shamans that were talking shit.

Oh, I didn't mention that earlier? Yeah, turns out Shamans are bigger assholes than their class would suggest, almost arrogant in their abilities. They made it a point right from the get go that Sasuke was going be a lost cause and whatnot, belittling him the second he stepped into the valley. It was grating on the pairs nerves to be sure, but things really came to a head when someone decided to get a bit more...physical in his disdain for the boy.

"Itai! Teme!"

Otokage had been distracted at the time by her own meditations attention when Sasuke's sudden yell in his native language echoed through the valley, followed by amused laughs.

She had turned and was met with the sight of a young orc chuckling at the burn on the Ningen's ass cheek, a small spark of flame fading from his fingertips. Everything about him just screamed asshole and she instantly disliked him. The fact that he's decided to bully a kid didn't help either. She was just about to intervene on the boy's behalf when she was stopped cold by the feeling of absolute rage.

Oh...fuck!

"So you like to play with fire do you?"

Warning bells suddenly started ringing. Actually no. They downright blared.

"Oh, Sasuke wai-"

"KATON! GOKYAKUU NO JUTSU!"

The tormented screams of several shamans echoed through Orgrimmar as Sasuke lost it and went all berserk on their asses until a more powerful shaman had to come in and forcibly calm him down. People still gave him a wide berth after that. And the other Shamans learned real quick to shut the hell up after that.

Interestingly enough, Sasuke's sudden explosive rage was what triggered a connection with an elemental spirit as opposed to absolute clarity required by regular members of the horde. Apparently these...ningen really were different. They thrived on conflict. They got stronger with every little fight they had and the elements seemed to really like this change up from the norm. Sasuke's already existing affinity for fire helped a lot.

Otokage was over the moon.

So yeah two weeks came and went and in those two weeks saw the changes already being wrought on the greenhorn Shinobi graduates. Hell when they finally met back up, they almost didn't recognize each other.

The reunion went a little something like this...

"Holy fukin shit Sakura-Chan, what the hell happened to you!?"

"Shut up Baka! You're one to talk! Are those glasses? you trying to look smart or something? LAME!"

"Heh, both of you look ridiculous."

"I DONT WANNA HEAR THAT FROM THE GUY WEARING A DRESS!"

"DONT TALK TO SASUKE-KUN LIKE THAT WHEN YOU'RE WE'RE SOMETHING WORSE!"

Liyna arrived just in time to witness the pink girl blast the blonde brat in the face with far more than what was probably necessary force...only for him to disappear in a puff of smoke revealing a log.

"Yeah...there's no way I'm lettin you hit me with that shit on your arm, Sakura-Chan! Dattebayo!"

The real Naruto seemed to materialize out of thin air, morphing out of the shadows like an apparition, with a big ass goofy grin on his face and rubbing the back of his head in what she saw was a rather haughty fashion.

The girl growled, but before she could make another move, a large metal covered hand landed on her shoulder.

"Yeeeeeeaaaah, definitely been spending too much time around Orcs. Just look at you, girl!" Sakura spun, about to glare at whoever had the gall to sneak up on her and damn near give her a heart attack when she froze, looking into the glowing white orbs of a purple and white metal plated ninja mask looking affair, complete with a samurai-like white armor...well right up until it reached his waist.

After that it just got confusing. But considering that the person wearing the ensemble is a blood elf, well yeah you get the idea.

Still though.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" blurted out Naruto bluntly, no tact at all.

Masheon turned his hooded gaze to Naruto and would have raised an eyebrow...if anyone could see him doing so. Instead, he just gestured to the massive purple and grey jagged bladed Scythe on his back.

"Shutting up," was all the blonde shinobi had to say to that.

"Seriously though, I thought we agreed that you'd never wear that ensemble again. Masheon what the hell man?" exclaimed Liyna with a raised eyebrow.

Masheon's Attire consisted of his alabaster chest plate and shoulders, giving him that rather Samurai looking appearance, as Naruto had said once. But that was where the similarities ended. Masheon had seemingly replaced his Thorium leggings, gauntlets and his blood red under shirt with what was essentially, a purple dress and gauntlets of the same color. His helm and weapon added the final touches to the whole getup, making him look like some kind of white and purple grim reaper.

"No, YOU tried to force me to agree to not wear this again. But fuck you. I look like a complete badass and everyone else knows it," was Masheon's response to Liyna's question. Liyna would have retorted if it wasn't for a duo of two more arrivals.

"Okay so…what the fuck are you wearing? Why are male blood elves so…gay?"

Shaara pointed a shaking finger at Masheon, causing her partner, Mag'rush, to burst into laughter. "Eh. Whatever you're not important anyway. We didn't come here to see you."

They ignored Masehon's growl, instead turning their attention to the three genin and taking in their appearances.

"Heh well would you look at that." Muttered Mag'rush. "THAT is what the face of an enemy who kicked our asses is supposed to look like. Not the tiny little shrimps we first met."

"Hey!" exclaimed Naruto with a good natured but indignant scowl.

"The hell you talking about Orc?" began Liyna while shouldering the warrior away in her bid to crouch down and stare into Sakura's eyes. "Tis only been two weeks. These little freaks are STILL shrimpy."

"Hey!" Said Naruto again but was ignored.

"Shit don't change the fact that they kicked our asses," said Shaara.

"Yeeeah speak for yourself. Liyna and I handled ours like a coupla Bawses!"

"Did you seriously just say that?"

"Fuck you orc!"

"My, so loud. Honestly it's like watching a bunch of children."

Ellisaria arrived next. Her green eyes shown with amusement as she approached, holding the back of her hand over hour mouth with a haughty air about her. There was no questioning the age of this woman. The very atmosphere around her spoke of a high class maturity nurtured over hundreds of years. Well she certainly showed more poise than Masheon or Liyna anyway.

Right up until a snowball smacked her right in the nose.

"Get of your high horse sensei!" exclaimed Naruto. "And pull that ten foot pole outta your ass while you're at it!"

"I WILL END YOU!"

"Hahahahah-Ow! god damn crazy bitch!" Sakura glared, a reprimand on her lips about needing to respect your sensei and whatnot until Otokage's slightly nervous voice flowed in like water. "Ah, I'm not late am I?"

Ignoring the childish wrestling match going on between Naruto and his mage trainer, Liyna grinned and slung an arm around the young shaman's shoulders. "Just in time girl! The rest of these saps just got here as well."

"Oh…we-well ok den."

"YEOW!"

"HAH! HOW DOES THAT FEEL, NINGEN!"

"So somebody wanna get that?" asked Masheon, gesturing to Naruto and Ellisaria. Shaara shrugged.

"They'll finish up soon enough."

"Yeeeeah, no way am I getting mixed up in that…whatever the hell it is. Lover's spat?" asked Liyna, a sly grin on her face.

Naruto and Ellisaria abruptly paused, their faces blank. Interestingly enough, they also happened to freeze up in a rather compromising position, what, with Naruto's face smashed into her half exposed breasts, his arms locked around her as he tried to crush her via bear hug while Ellisaria herself had one hand pulling at his hair, one leg wrapped around his waist as she had been in the process of rolling the two of them over so she could get a better footing to strangle him and her teeth locked around the meat of his shoulder where she had been attempting to bite him to death.

"Wow, how scandalous!" laughed the hunter some more, eyeing the two. Needless to say Naruto and his mage trainer tore themselves away from each other, with more kicks, jabs and insults than was probably necessary, but then again this is Naruto we're talking about. Ellisaria probably was justified more retribution. After the obligatory blushing/glaring at each other/everyone who had the gall to stare for more than half a second, things calmed back down enough for everyone to really get a good look at team seven.

Now, two weeks admittedly wasn't a lot of time for jack shit happen…in normal circumstances, but when you have three highly adaptable alien child soldiers training with some of the best the horde had to offer and who were also surrounded by a group of adventurers and soldiers who had varying levels of experiences against all sort of powerful enemies/monstrosities than you can bet your ass that some progress was made as Garrosh had demanded.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were already barely recognizable from the three greenhorns freshly graduated from their academy. They were already stronger and they could feel it, and their budding fighting styles were beginning to show themselves too, in the forms of their clothing.

only Sakura still wore a majority of her original outfit, she still had her red dress thing after all and her spandex shorts, but her right arm, the one she uses to bash Naruto in the head, was now covered from fingertip to shoulder in gleaming metal that she promised was going to get a cherry blossom painted on sometime soon. Her feet and shins was also similarly covered as well and there was a hammer strapped to her back that they were all pretty dang sure she'd jacked from the smithy after using it to forge her armor. Her hair was up in a hanging pony tail now tied there by a red handkerchief or hand cloth and her headband was on her forehead instead of on top of her head.

Naruto was dressed in a pair of simple apprentice mage robes colored orange of course so not much could be seen of the rest of him but everyone could see that he still at least had his pants. And over his eyes were a pair of round glasses that if you looked closely seemed to shimmer with arcane numbers and symbols. "To help this idiot learn," was all Ellisaria had to say to that, much to Naruto's annoyance and everyone else's amusement.

And Sasuke was dressed similar To Otokage, with a blue and tan battle kilt but opted for no shirt. "It's hot as shit here and more than half the people running around here are shirtless so why the hell not?" was his answer when asked why he declined the top half of the outfit. Sakura had yet to take her eyes off of him. He also wore his brand new fire elemental totem on a thick cord around his neck and his hair down. Now, what I mean by it was down, is that he wasn't wearing his headband on his head. He still had the duck-ass style and seemed doomed to keep it that way but his bangs now hung over his eyes. His head band was nowhere to be seen.

And on top of all these changes, all three still kept their ninja tools, their pouches and leg holsters full of kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs ninja wire and bandages. All in all things were looking pretty dang good for team seven.

"Sooo, anyone know what this gathering was about?" asked Masheon, breaking the oddly thick silence that had befallen the group. They could guess that the reason had to do with the three brats.

They were partially right.

"Garrosh has need for you all."

Nazgrim showed up out of friggin nowhere, causing Liyna to damn near jump out of her skin, "Holy balls of the sunstrider! What the fuck man!? Warn a girl next time!"

Nazgrim completely ignored Liyna as he examined team seven, raising an eyebrow at their new appearances.

"Hmm. A test is to be had," he began. "To determine how well you all have trained these three. Then he grinned. "And if they prove suitable they, along with all of you will be on the front lines."

Naruto grinned, Sakura smiled shyly and Sasuke nodded with a quiet, "Hn."

"Eh?" asked Shaara. "Front lines to what?"

Nazgrim pierced her with a look.

"A new land has appeared, shrouded in mist. The Horde will claim it before the alliance does."

"A new land? What the hell? When did this happen?!"

Otokage spoke, pointing up. "U-um, I'm guessing around the time dey showed up?"

The whole group looked up in time to see a large orange hot air balloon drift into Orgrimmar and head to the valley of Honor, holding…

"Holy crap!" yelled Naruto. "They're pandas! Cooool!"

Ellisaria smacked him upside the head.

AN: And here's the next chapter at last. Man I've had most of this done for friggin ages. It's always getting to the end that seems to kill me haha. Anyway here ya go. Hope ya enjoyed it. And yeah as you can see. The timeline is the beginning of Mop. It's the perfect time I think, especially for what I have planned for team seven. Till next time yall.

Tata.