Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Naruto of Serenity ❯ To meet One's Surperior ( Chapter 5 )

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If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.

~Shepherd Book~

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Naruto was sitting on his bed trying to burn the last half hour it would take to reach the planet this Jackobs was on. He didn't feel like reading his Bible, only to become confused by metaphor or some other such nonsense that book gave him that he failed to understand. He was feeling to lazy to play music, sing, or practice his katas. His eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers, an idea forming in his mind.

Naruto pulled out his old Hitai-ate(forehead protector) and examined the metal, deciding that it had to be either iron or some steel alloy regardless his idea came to a head as he pulled a familiar notepad out of his pocket and began to frantically sketch. After about twenty minutes of this he admired his artwork, only for Jayne to poke his head in the door and ruin the moment by saying “You draw like a two year old”

Naruto glared at the man” Like you could do any better” Naruto scoffed. Jayne's response was to snatch Naruto's pen and pad out of his hands, flip to a new page, and then draw a perfect rendition of his prized weapon Vera being held by him as he shot some poor bastard.

“I didn't know I could do that” Jayne said with confusion “just wanted to prove you wrong.” Naruto howled with laughter at the irony of the situation and asked what Jayne wanted. “Oh Captain just wanted me to tell you we was about to land and to get ready.” Naruto chuckled as he nodded his acknowledgement and gazed at his sketch. The image he had so frantically draw was a Hitai-ate only instead of a village symbol it had four characters, two on the left and two on the right with an image in between. On the left was the kanji for Serenity and on the right the traditional mandarin characters for Serenity. The image was two rectangles with a crude drawing of a sun rising behind them, ment to symbolize that the battle of Serenity Valley.

Naruto gave a sly grin at his ingenuity, after reading and watching various things on the cortex he learned that most people knew parts if not all of a style know as Cantonese, a language similar but just different enough to Mandarin for the characters to be either unrecognizable or misconstrued for something else. “Now all I gotta do is have the blacksmith forge a small plate and I can carve the symbols myself” Naruto thought absentmindedly “Use it as a symbol of both my allegiance with Mal and the others but also as a symbol for the spy network I'll set up”

Naruto felt the jolt of reentering atmo and finished his musings, collecting his things, donning his Assault garb and placing a genjutsu on Retribution to render it invisible he was ready to leave. Upon entering the cargo hold he was greeted by the crew as they prepared to leave as well. Naruto was surprised and became more paranoid than normal when the bay doors had opened to reveal a landscape eerily similar to the borders of Fire and Rice country.

“Somethin wrong Nar” Kaylee asked in her normal “I'll choke you with my kindness” voice

“Déjà vu” he replied shaking his head to center himself before stepping off the ship. “Naruto I want you, Jayne, and Zoe to come with me to me this `Jackobs' character then yall can do whatever the hell yall want. We'll stay for a couple `a days to refuel and chill” Mal called over his shoulder,walking off the ship in the process

Naruto gave a two fingered salute and followed Mal taking in the eerie similarities that just got creepier as they got closer to the village. Naruto finally just stopped with a dumbfounded look on his face when they reached the main street of the village, literally down to the faded paint on one of the buildings it was a carbon copy of a trading village he frequented on missions in Rice. Naruto placed a mask of nonchalantness on himself and continued on, trying to understand the oddities.

After Mal inquired upon the local barkeep about where they could find their benefactor, they eventually found the hole-in-the-wall shop the man owned. It was little more than a general store set off the main path that sold everything from small arms to corn whiskey. Mal greeted the man behind the counter and asked if he was Jackobs. The man had balding grey hair and nondescript glasses, everything about him was uneventful from his grandfatherly smile to his plain clothing.

“Might be” the Man replied, wiping out a glass with a corner of his shirt in the process “ `pends on who you are and if this `Jackobs' owes you any money.”

Mal chuckled at this “No Sir, a man by the name of Jesse McAlister told me there was a man by the name of Lawrence Jackobs in this here town had something needed ta be shipped”

“Been a far sight since the black of the last new moon, huh son” the Man asked Mal. Mal and Zoe gained a confused, and cautious look at these words. “No longer since the last bright of it full” Zoe told the man who chuckled at the response. “Glad to see they're still browncoats loyal to the cause, Vice Rear Admiral Lawrence Jackobs at your service” the Man told the group giving them a small sweeping bow in the process.

Mal and Zoe look abashed at the man's introduction. “Wait, wait, wait, WAIT you sayin you the same Jackobs from Crazy Joker battalion who lead the only successful raiding missions of Allaince ships.” Mal asked in surprise

“The secret was son, you had to wait till the commandin officer was either off ship, or off duty. Seconds in command rarely are as good as the others, takes em just a might longer to react. Say long enough to disable their engines and board em” Jackobs replied with a knowing chuckle.

“It's an honor Sir” Mal said shaking his hand vigorously “Sargeant Malcom Reynolds and my Second-in-command Zoe.” “Good to meet'cha” Jackobs coughed out “As you can see I'm a might older than I used to be, but I always have work for any rebels still left out there”

Jackobs, Zoe, and Mal continued talking about old times while Jayne zoned out and Naruto browsed the shop. Most of the stock consisted of mundane items every day laborers would need but Naruto found something truly priceless in his eyes. It was a small knife no longer than a foot in length and no more than a few inches across with a serrated edge on the lower portion of the back edge of the blade. What made it priceless in his eye's were three things, first the tanto point on the end, the fact that it seemed to be made out the metal Retribution was made from, and the strangely inconspicuous seal on the bottom of the wooden grip.

“How much for this” Naruto asked as he held up the blade. The instant Naruto asked the laughter and smile from Jackobs face vanished and was replaced with a hard glint in his eye and cold set of his mouth.

“Who is he” Jackobs asked mal forcefully. “One of my crew” Mal answer curtly not liking Jackobs tone. Jackobs gazed at Naruto for a few minutes, evaluating the boy then shifting his gaze to Mal for the same treatment. “It ain't mine to sell boy, you want it you go talk to Yaiba down the street” Jackobs told Naruto coldly

Naruto was a bit put off by this statement but brushed it off as nothing, He returned the blade to it place among the wares of the shop and went to go see this “Yaiba” person. Naruto was instantly placed on guard when he heard a Japanese name such as the one Jackobs gave him. Naruto followed the scent on the blade to a store a little ways down the street and entered the open door into seemingly another general store. Naruto noticed that no one was at the counter so he began to look around, his eyes immediately rested on a small grouping of objects hanging above the counter. They consisted of a hunter nin mask, whose origins he couldn't trace, an Owl Anbu mask, and a pair of modified gauntlets.

The gauntlets looked as if they would slip on someone's arm to the elbow, with four rear facing bladed on the outside and inside and the arm band part with the kanji for lava carved into both gauntlets. The second part was a segmented hand like structure that looked custom made to fit someone's hand precisely, at the end of the metallic “fingers” it tapered into two inch long knives, wickedly sharp and pointed.

“Lotta thought went into those weapons, lotta time to, and alotta lovin care to keep em in that condition” Naruto mulled. So enthralled by the three items was Naruto that he didn't even notice the wrinkled old man appear from a back room, the man was bald but had a long black Chinese style moustache and beard. He had angular features, giving him a hawk like appearance and was dressed in simple black robes. The man cleared his throat drawing Naruto's attention to him. In the few seconds it took for Naruto to glance at the man he knew the man was shinobi trained just from the way he held himself.

“Nice sword” the man commented “care to tell me why you're here.” “which village do you hail from” Naruto asked warily. “I have been through many villages, cities, and towns in my lifetime. Could you be more specific” the man asked Naruto calmly. Naruto was unsure as to how to proceed, he didn't want to piss of a potentially dangerous ninja, but he also believed the man could make a powerful ally. Unsure as to what he should do Naruto began looking more carefully at the man's wares, only to realize he had things that bore the designs and trademarks of every village he knew of including Demon country and Snow country.

 

“I was told that I needed to speak to a man named Yaiba to acquire a certain blade” Naruto finally told the man with a sigh

“the blade revealed itself to the boy…how…interesting” the man thought as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. The man made a few one handed seals under the counter that placed a high level Genjutsu around the store, preventing anyone to see, hear, or enter it's premesises. The man then preceded to throw two kunai, a shuriken, and a few Senbon at Naruto's face, chest, and groin wondering how he would react.

In one fluid motion Naruto drew Retribution, effectively blocking the projectiles with it's shield like mass. “Interesting” the man said out loud as he continued to stroke his beard “I can sense the remnants of a Bjuu's influence in you, but it is long dead. You were touched by a sage for a period in your life. And refused a Toad summons contract for some asinine reason.” The man mused out loud

Naruto peaked his head out from behind his protective wall of steel “How do you know this” He demanded. “Weren't you taught, young one, that it is unwise to give your opponent more information about yourself that you know of him.” The man curtly replied before hurling a meat cleaver at Naruto's head, trying to gauge his reaction. Naruto caught the blade by it's handle mid flight, using it's spinning inertia to hurl it back at the old man before taking a basic Tai Chi stance.

“And you know the old forms as well…surprising…It begs to ask as to whom taught you” The man muttered. “Weren't you taught not to reveal more information about yourself than you know of your opponent” Naruto mocked in an angry tone. “Charming” the man stated dryly before he disappeared an instant before the gauntlets did. Naruto took up a defensive stance eyeing his surroundings warily “Fuck” Naruto breathed as he felt the claws wrap around his neck, he knew that if he so much as moved they would pierce his windpipe and jugular.

“Do not make the mistake of thinking you cannot be bested merely because you hold a select set of skills or a unique weapon” The man whispered into Naruto's ear “There will always be someone who is stronger than you or more determined, you always have a chance to lose. Who are you, and what are you doing in my shop” The man accented his demand by lightly pressing the claws into Naruto's neck, revealing their sharpness when the small pressure caused Naruto's neck to bleed.

“Fakku Hanzatsu” (fucking troublesome) Naruto angrily growled “I am called Naruto, all I want is to know if you're Yaiba and if I can have the blade. If you be a shinobi I would request additional assistance.”

“If I were to be this Yaiba what assistance do you request.” The man asked. “Access to any trade or spy network you have created or are a part of and/or assistance in creating one” Naruto replied in a resigned tone. “Why” the man demanded. “I need a way to make some cash for myself and the crew I serve with.” Naruto said quietly. “What else” the man demanded knowing Naruto had another reason, squeezing his hand a fraction of an inch to remind Naruto of his position.

“I met a girl” Naruto admitted softly “Things were done to her…things I haven't even seen a comparison to since Orochimaru was killed. I seek their downfall, for her sake, and the one's who endured the pain that she did.”

“Who did it to her” the man asked softly. “A group known as The Academy” Naruto replied in a sad tone. He was instantly released as the man and gauntlets returned to their original places, save that the man was now bore a small, sad smile. “Then I am Yaiba, and you have my assistance.”

“Why help me” Naruto asked warily. “They took my son” Yaiba stated softly.( Oh sorry btw yaiba means blade) “you are very skilled Yaiba-sama, why not do it without any help” Naruto asked with a confused tone. Yaiba gave a deep sigh looking older than he already did “The Alliance has something they call an Agent. These agents are anywhere from high ANBU to high Kage in strength, and at the last count by my spies they have over a hundred of them, add to it the already massive Alliance fleet and influence and well…it becomes a difficult job for even trained Shinobi such as ourselves.”

“Why does this town look like one on the border of Fire and Rice countries” Naruto asked as he remembered the oddity

Yaiba rubbed his beard thoughtfully as he contemplate revealing knowledge to Naruto. “Long ago at the formation of the elemental countries there was the Sage of the Six Paths and his apprentices, they were the first Shinobi. My great grandfather was trained by the apprentices of the Sage's apprentices; he built that city well before the formation of Fire country. I built a replica here to honor my family.”

“How old are you” Naruto asked with confusion. “I have been alive longer than the Alliance has been. Our world was one of the first to join into a trade agreement with others, we agreed to fight together, live together, and die together. We were betrayed from the inside by the precursor to the modern Alliance, our world was cut off from the `verse all knowledge of it destroyed out of fear of the Shinobi's power. The Alliance set up monitoring stations in orbit and taught our skills to their Agents, such has it been since the Alliance's formation. Though if you made it off planet I wonder what happened to the monitoring stations.”

“There was nothing in orbit that we could see when we left” Naruto told Yaiba. “Interesting” Yaiba muttered darkly as he continued to stroke his beard. “How have you survived this long without anyone noticing your longevity” Naruto asked. “A transformation jutsu every eighty years or so, I keep pictures and descriptions of all my forms so that I may use them again if I need to. How are the Elemental Nations? It has been almost fifty years since I last visited them.” Yaiba asked.

“Wait, wait, WAIT, you go BACK” Naruto exclaimed. “a simple transportation seal is all that is needed” Yaiba told Naruto incredulously, Naruto slapped his face for not thinking of that. “There is a time of unstable peace, yet peace it still is. We were brought together out of fear of Orochimaru and the Akatsuki, last I heard the Nations had settled into a siege of sorts, awaiting Akatsuki's next attack.” Naruto told the man.

“I assume they wish to bring together the nine Bjuu” Yaiba asked. “yeah a seal master sealed mine into a urn then gave it to the toad sages to guard. Most of the other bjuu were already captured when I left.” Naruto replied offhandedly. Yaiba openly laughed at this statement before continuing “Those fools” Yiaba managed to breathe out after he had finished “the Bjuu are the Guardian spirits of the Elemental Nations, this has been tried before, the fools will fail as they always have in the past.” Yaiba responded with a chuckled

“What do you mean `tried before'” Naruto asked with confusion. “To resurrect the ten tails and gain control over him one must sacrifice the other tailed beasts so the tale goes. Every few hundred years or so another group tries to do it. Problem being is that this tale was originally spread by the tailed beasts, every time it happens they wipe out ht evil doers who attempt it.” Yaiba informed nonchalantly

Naruto laughed as the realization hit him “But if they are the guardians of the elemental nations then why are they called demons.” Naruto asked “Demons they may be, but repentant demons they are also. They believe that protecting the elemental nations is their form of penance for their transgressions in the past. Whether or not Kami will forgive them is for a shepherd to debate to hell freezes over.” Yaiba said

“Will you allow my crew missions when we need them” Naruto asked “Even if it is something not…strictly legal shall we say.” Yaiba merely nodded in reply before tossing a datapad at Naruto's head which he caught with a scowl to the old man. “It will give you access to my information network when needed” Yaiba stated with a cheeky grin. “Ok great what about the blade.” Naruto asked “You may take it, free of charge IF it will allow you to wield it.” Yaiba replied

“Allow me to wield it” Naruot asked skeptically. “You shall see” Yiaba said as he shooed Naruto out of his shop “Contact me when you wish to assault the Academy, I will come.” Naruto gave a formal bow to Yaiba and thanked him profusely. “I would be lying if I said I didn't have personal interests in this fight” Yaiba said “now go, I grow weary of your presence.

Naruto thanked the old man again before heading for Jackobs shop, mulling over his encounter with the old Shinobi. “wonder if he has a summons contract” Naruto thought absentmindedly as he enetered Jackobs shop grinning slightly when he saw Zoe, Mal, and Jackobs still reminiscing about the war.

“what did Yaiba say” Jackobs asked, seeing Naruto enter the shop. “Said if it would `allow' me to wield it I could have it” Naruto said using air quotations as he spoke. “Have a go then” Jackobs told him before turning back to Mal “So you really found O'Brien's group” Jackobs asked. Naruto tuned out their conversation as he neared the beautiful blade staring at it, trying to probe it's very being. Naruto reached out to grasp the handle, only for the blade to be enveloped in a sheath of dark red, polished cherry. Naruto pulled his hand back, only for the sheath to disappear, this process repeated itself a few times before Naruto said “to heck with it” and grasped the handle in an iron grip. He hissed in pain as the blade seared an image into his palm.

Naruto dropped the blade on reflex and glared at the odd mark on his palm. It was a crude image of a cartoonish skull (the skull on Punisher's vest in the Punisher movie)with the blade under it and Retribution above it. “Well that confirms my suspicion of them being matched somehow” Naruto thought with intrigue.

“So it did choose him” Yaiba thought as he watched from the doorway “Interesting.” The man muttered before returning to his shop. Naruto glared at the blade and could have sworn it was laughing at him; he finished his staring contest with the inanimate object as he lashed the sheath to one of his belt loops and gave it another withering look just for good measure. Naruto glanced at the group at the counter to make sure they hadn't noticed his “incident” with the object and grinned slightly when he saw they hadn't.

“it was very nice to meet you sir” Mal told Jackobs as he shook his hand. “Allways good to see one who remembers our cause Sergeant, and if you get my goods to where they need to go I'll have more work for you in the future.” Jackobs replied before shaking Zoe's hand goodbye. “Can do” Mal replied with a grin.

“when you wanna leave Captain” Naruto asked Mal once he was done with his conversation. “we'll stay here for a day or two then head out” Mal informed Naruto. Naruto handed Mal a small piece of paper “You need anything or we gotta leave suddenly nick yourself and rub some blood on that picture there and I'll be there in less than a minute. Other than that I'll meet you back on Serenity tonight” Naruto informed Mal, pointing to the seal on the paper before walking off without a destination in mind.

“What a weird kid” Mal though absentmindedly as he glanced at the paper wondering if it would actually work. He promptly crumpled the paper up and put in his pocket, readily forgetting about it.

XxX

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How do, to you, and you, and you my dear readahs been meanin to post this a little faster but hey at least I got it done with. For any of yall that noticed I'm tryin to rotate my fics in regards to chapter writing o the next one will be Mercenary of the gods, then Shinobi of the West, then Naruto of Serenity unless I get writers block on one and switch the order around. I would love any comments, suggestions, ideas for this or any of my fics as I would like to give you what you want but I'm not telepathic so you'll need to tell me. Also if anyone can tell me the slightly vaugue references I'm making in these Author notes You'll get a cyber muffin…which is like a real muffin….you just can't eat it….and it taunts you with it's tantalizing yummyness. If I deem your idea/comment/ suggestion super special awesome I will incorporate it into my fic IN AMERICA.

Ookami no Getsuei

Son of the Celts, Vikings, and Cherokee

“TO THE MOKABA MOBILE”