Naruto : Fate

I throw up.

Disgusting. That was in my back. That was in my back! There are two more just like that!

"Alvarcus!" Yamato starts running over to my side.

"NO! Stay away!"

...

I don't want him close. The closer he is the more danger he is in. The thread monster positions itself between Yamato and me, almost like it reacted to my thoughts. Like it doesn't want him near me either, like it is protecting me.

"I'm okay. Just... surprised. Give me a moment." I will the monster back into myself. The heart goes back in with a sickening squelch.

I take a minute to collect myself. "I need to cover that up. Kakuzu used masks, maybe I could imitate him?" I say to myself.

"Who is Kakuzu?"Yamato asks. I ignore him. I have more important things to worry about.

"So. The earth heart. Can it use earth jutsu then?"

~Yes. Any that you know.~

"Oi Yamato, you get to be useful. Teach me an earth jutsu." I demand.

Yamato falters. "Right now?"

"Yeah right now. I don't care which. Just make it an easy one, one very low level. I need to learn it quickly."

"I uh... didn't come prepared. Can we wait until tomorrow?" He flounders about.

"Dude. Just show me a damn earth jutsu." This is ridiculous.

"Well here goes nothing." He flies through some hand signs and shouts "Earth Release: Mud Wall!" A wall of earth raises up to two meters. "How was that?"

"Go through the hand signs slower this time." I have to teach him how to teach. Ironic. He goes through the entire process slower this time. "I think I got it."

I slowly go through the hand signs for the jutsu and push chakra out. "Earth Release: Mud Wall!" A wall three meters in height springs from the ground. "Would you look at that. Mines bigger."

Yamato blushes at the innuendo. He is just too easy to tease.

"Alright, back up. I'm going to pull the thread monster out again." He backs away, and I release the earth heart again.

Pain! Plop! The monster is before me, beating heart and all.

"Well go on, give it a try."

The humanoid monster stomps the ground. A wall of mud three meters high forms between us and Yamato.

"Doesn't need to use hand signs? Interesting. Maybe it instinctively knows what the chakra needs to do? Whatever, I'll consider that as a success." I look the monster up and down. "I really need to get a mask for you and the others." I pull the earth heart back into me.

Pain! Squelch.

"Hey Yamato, do you know where I can buy ANBU quality masks? I need five." One for each heart. I'm not naive enough to think that I won't ever send out my own heart. I need to be prepared for everything.

"I know a store. It's a weapons store, but they have quality masks as well. Come on, I'll take you there." I follow Yamato out of the training field.

...

"Hello! Welcome to Higarashi Weapons! Feel free to ask me if you have any questions!"

"Tenten? You work here?" I ask.

"Hey! You're that creepy guy from the forest! The heart thief!"

Silence. Yamato, Tenten and I don't say anything.

"Oh my Kami I am so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it! Please don't hate me!" Tenten exclaims. "You're Alvarcus! See I know your name! Don't hurt me?" The last bit comes out as squeak.

It hurts to know she thinks I would hurt her. I'm not a monster. The Jiongu is.

"How about we just start over." I offer. "Hi, I'm Alvarcus."

Tenten smiles at me, "Hi, I'm Tenten."

"And I'm utterly bored. You two can flirt later when I'm not here. The masks are back this way." Yamato drags me to the back of the store.

"Oi! We were not flirting!"

"Kid, you were totally flirting with her."

"Well she is cute. That's not the point! I was just being polite!"

"Whatever you say hotshot." We stop in front of a shelf with masks of all kinds on it. "Here. Pick out your masks."

I browse the selection. There are masks shaped like animals, masks modeled after demons and monsters from children's stories. I pick out five white masks, one with each element illustrated on it.

Fire is covered in flames, water depicts the ocean, earth has mountains, lightning has a lightning storm and wind has tornadoes. Perfect.

Yamato and I go back to Tenten. "I'll take these masks please."

"What do you need five masks for?" Tenten asks while ringing up my total.

"Not telling!" I say with a grin. "I don't want to give away my skills before the tournament."

"Oh come on! You can trust me!"

"Nope! You're teammates with Neji. I might end up fighting him and I don't want him to know what I can do."

"Awww. Please?"

"No. Sorry. You'll have to wait like everyone else."

"Except me." Yamato interrupts again. "I get to see it right now, because I am done standing here and watching you two. It's gross. Pay and let's leave already."

"Fine." I hand over the appropriate amount of money. "See ya around Tenten!"

"Bye Alvarcus!"

"Not flirting my ass."

"Oh shut up Yamato. Let's just go back to the training field."

...

Training Ground Seven

"Alright kid, you going to tell me what the masks are for now?" Yamato says.

"Sure. You saw my thread monster right?" He nods. "You saw the heart?" He nods again. "The masks are going to cover the heart up. Hide it, distract from its weakness. If the heart gets destroyed the thread monster gets destroyed too and I lose whatever affinity, chakra supply and chakra recovery that heart has." With that explained, I remove my shirt and will the threads to latch the masks on my back. I even attach the wind and fire mask. A little misdirection never hurts, and this way if I get a wind heart I have the mask on hand already.

"Those hearts do that much for you?"

"Yep. It's nice. But it also means the heart had to come from somewhere. I don't look forward to replacing them. I don't even plan on seeking out a wind nature heart. That's the only one I am missing."

"So you have a natural affinity with four of the five elements?" Yamato clarifies. "And could have all five eventually?"

"Yep. My plan for the next month is to learn a crap ton of new jutsu. The Jiongu works similarly enough to my chakra strings that I don't need to work on it. And the minions listen to what I say and they have a mind of their own. Once I learn some jutsu from each element I have I'm going to work on commanding them."

"I feel bad for the other gennin in the exam. You're going to destroy them all." Yamato bluntly informs me.

"Oh, I know. But here's the thing, I don't want to reveal all my skilsl during the exam. There are going to be hundreds of spectators. I still want to be an unknown. I'm going to try and limit myself. I don't plan on using the Jiongu." That and then when the invasion happens, I'll have moves no one has seen before.

"Alright kid. I'll teach you some earth and water jutsu. How's that sound?"

"Works for me."

...

Over the next week Yamato taught me every low level water and earth jutsu he knows. Most of them seem useless, like the hiding in the water jutsu, but given the right situation I know they could be exactly what I need. I soak up everything he teaches me like a sponge.

I need a new teacher. I've exhausted Yamato of jutsu, he really didn't know that many. But who can I ask? I guess I can ask around the other rookie's senseis to see if they are willing. I can give Shino back his glasses while I'm at it, I have my own pair now.

I go to the Aburame clan grounds. I approach their gate guards and ask, "Is Shino inside? I have something of his I am returning."

The gate guards look at me. "Follow me." The one on the left says.

We walk through the clan compound in silence. Talkative bunch these guys. "This is his house."

"Thank you, Aburame-san." The guard leaves. I knock on the door and thankfully Shino answers. "Hey Shino. I wanted to return your sunglasses. I finally got around to getting my own pair." I hold the sunglasses out to him.

"Thank you, Alvarcus. Did you need anything else?"

Here goes nothing. "Well... if its not asking too much could you tell me where your sensei is? I have some questions I'd like answered and Kakashi is out of the village with Sasuke."

Shino pauses. "Your sensei left you alone here?"

"Sorta?" I reply.

"Come. I know where she may be." Shino starts walking out of his compound.

I take off after him. That guy can walk fast! "Thanks Shino! If you need a favor let me know."

Without missing a step Shino demands, "If we fight during the exams I want you to surrender."

I consider. The chance that I actually will fight Shino is slim. Especially with Orochimaru's invasion looming on the horizon. I'll take that.

"Sure. I'll do one better, I'll let you beat me. Only this exam though. If we have to go through another one this deal doesn't count." I'm manipulating him. I don't feel bad about it since he's trying to manipulate me too. We are shinobi, it's what we do.

"Agreed."

...

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