Cherry looked up from his poking of the fire. "Why aren't you asleep with the others?"
"Well, because this is my turn at watch," said Naruto.
"Ah, I see," said the old monk.
"Uhm, since you're awake, can I ask you something?" asked Naruto.
"You just did," pointed out Cherry. "You have a most ominous chakra. The other boy has a most ominous face. And the girl has a most ominous temper."
"Boy you can say THAT again," agreed Naruto.
"No, too easy," said Cherry. "Not touching that one."
"Eh?" asked Naruto.
"What do you want, loudmouth?" asked Cherry.
"Eh? Why do you call me..."
"Respect, you have to give it to get it," said Cherry, poking at the fire again. "If I'm 'oldguy' you'll be 'loudmouth' right?"
"...but oldguy..."
"Hmph, if you're asking for favors or information, you're not doing a good job of it," said Cherry, shaking his head. "Not completely your fault. That ominous chakra is screwing with your brain. Making you dumber than you otherwise would have been."
"You mean... it's giving me brain damage?!" asked Naruto.
That would explain a few things, thought Kakashi as he listened to the conversation.
"Hmph, you should have a seal master put an extra filter on that," said Cherry.
"You said that your god here granted wishes?" asked Naruto, deciding that beating around the bush wasn't his style anyway. Besides, what kind of bush was it he was supposed to beat around and why would you do it in the first place?
"Yes, though there's always a payment for any wish," said Cherry. "If you make a wish, I will know what the payment for it will be."
"What if I wish... that I wasn't getting that brain damage stuff?" asked Naruto, his voice dropping from hushed to barely whispered.
"Stop wearing so much orange," said Cherry.
"Wha?" asked Naruto.
"-and would it kill you to learn to actually be stealthy?" asked Cherry, who then quietly clapped his hands together three times. "So says the god of pranks and mishaps."
"R-really?" asked Naruto. "But all I've got is orange jumpsuits!"
"I'd suggest a wardrobe change then," said Cherry. "Though that's just my advice."
"...ugh," said Naruto. "Well, what about if I wish I was really strong? A future Hokage's got to be really strong, you know!"
Cherry's head came up, and Naruto took three steps back. The monk's eyes were glowing but it couldn't seem to settle on a color.
"Let those asleep remain asleep. Let those awake hear and remember," said the oddly reverberant voice of the priest. "Know this, carrier of the Demon Fox. You are a child of prophesy and may become the savior of the ninja world. Against you will be arrayed formidable enemies - enemies whose power is such that you might as well be a newborn babe."
"So I'll just have that much more chance to be awesome, right?"
"Or dead. Which is actually pretty darn likely."
"You can't see any happier possibilities?" asked Naruto weakly.
"I can see all of your possibilities, child of the Uzumaki clan. The question is what possibilities you will embrace. You are only getting this conversation because you ARE so important to the future of this world. So other than suggesting to your sensei that he start teaching more earnestly, I'm going to suggest that YOU come up with a specific desire. What boon do you want?"
"What's it gonna cost me?" asked Naruto.
"You can only eat ramen for one meal a week..."
"Ack, no!" reacted Naruto.
"Stop letting the pinkette pound you. That and the fart jokes get old really fast."
"But..." Naruto's eyes immediately tracked to the sleeping Sakura.
"For crying out loud, use more imagination when you prank someone! You're not in grade school anymore."
"Hey," protested Naruto.
"And specify how you want to be improved, make the wish."
"Oh yeah," said Naruto, getting tired of this. "Well, I just wish..."
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(Posted Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:03)
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