"HAHAHAHA! YOU GUYS COULDN'T CATCH A COLD!"
Iruka Umino stepped out of the late evening shadows from behind a billboard that proclaimed "Ninja Savings And Loans - Our Rates Will Surprise You!"
"WAGHHHH! IRUKA-SENSEI?!" asked Naruto as he was caught by the collar.
"Naruto. Stop this." Iruka glared at his problem student. "If you're going to prank someone be creative at least."
"Huh?" asked Naruto, this being a completely different tack from what he usually got.
"Be creative, tasteful, let the punishment fit the crime," said Iruka. He was aware that his usual lecture hadn't had results and so had thought up this other angle to try. "If you want to be Hokage and get people to respect you some day - then you have to do something WORTHY of respect."
"But I-" Naruto stopped, pointing skyward. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"
"Shooting stars," said Iruka, a little surprised to see so many of them, especially this early in the evening. Sun was just barely down. There were three of the streaks at the same time. "Make a wish before it burns out."
"I wish I was Hokage!"
"You've got to work really hard if you're ever going to even have a CHANCE at being Hokage," said Iruka, lowering Naruto to the roof.
"There's still more stars, should I keep wishing?" asked Naruto.
"More..." Iruka glanced up again, then went to staring. Now there were hundreds of them. Little streaks of light arcing along in their fiery trails. "Huh. Maybe one will land nearby."
"Is that good?" asked Naruto.
"Some of the best chakra metal originates from meteorites," said Iruka, seizing on this as an opportunity to teach. "So they're fairly valuable. As long as it isn't too big a chunk hitting the ground. Those could be nasty."
"How valuable?" asked Naruto, watching the streaks of light.
Iruka didn't know as much about the ten year old's habits as he would later, so made a guess based on what he DID know. "With a decent sized chunk, suitable for making a single sword, you could pay for ramen for a year."
Naruto's eyes expanded as he thought about that, and then narrowed as he tried to track as many of those trails as he could.
Though both he and Iruka couldn't help but notice at least one hitting IN the village.
Naruto figured that one would be gone by the time he got to it. There was one a bit further out he thought he had a chance to get before anyone else did.
Naruto poked the chunk of metal with a stick.
[Rebooting.]
Naruto blinked, pausing, then poked again.
[Species:Human]
[Analyzing]
[Compatible Biosystems]
[Emergency Procedures Enabled]
[Host Acquisition In Process]
Naruto managed a startled yelp as metal plates parted, then something flew out and smacked into him!
"So, Naruto, how can I help you?" asked the Hokage as the ten year old student walked into his office. "I'm very busy here."
"Yeah, uhm, old man - I REALLY got to talk to you. In private."
"We're alone in the room, Naruto," said the Hokage. "Unless my paperwork counts?"
"There are three people in the room right now, ojiisan," said Naruto. "Not counting you and me."
The Hokage blinked. "What makes you think that?"
Naruto held up an arm. An odd device of crystal and metal went from wrist to elbow. "I learned how to make this. It puts out really high pitched sound to look at how things are. You want me to zap 'em?"
The Hokage was still, his eyes flicking at two corners of his office. "I only have TWO ANBU in the office."
Naruto blinked, then pointed at a plant in the corner. "Then who's that guy?"
THWICK! went a kunai as one of the hidden ANBU moved.
Poof! went the potted plant, revealing a third ANBU who was dodging that kunai.
WHAM! went the door (and part of the wall) as the fight went outside.
Naruto blinked and turned to the Hokage. "You want I should sweep for bugs?"
"So this is called 'Fab-1'?" asked the Hokage after going over his office for additional 'spatial distortions' and 'anomalous energy readings' (though Naruto just explained them as 'something funny here') and a set of further explanations had been made. "It is a device which is linked to a bigger device elsewhere. It allows you to produce small items that you can put together and is teaching you how to do it."
"Right," said Naruto. "So can you do something about this weird thingie? Oh, right. You called it a 'seal' but this is kinda different."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spent a moment completely lost as he noted Naruto pointing to the right side of his head. When it clicked together, he was very careful not to put out any sign of emotional distress in front of Naruto. "Oh. Your device finds a seal there?"
"Yeah, apparently Fabber-san keeps trying to teach me stuff and then this thing keeps... what was I talking about? Oh. Dang that keeps happening."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, made a gesture for Naruto to remain where he was, and walked outside his office for a moment.
A few moments later, the Hokage walked back in, adjusting his robes. "Now. Let's see what we can find."
"So, this Academy student was killed in the meteor shower? Bring the cart over."
"I'm not ready to go on the cart."
"Yes you are. Injuries can't be treated, be stone cold in another day at most."
"It's a flesh wound."
"Look you, you're missing body parts here and delirious. Hey, I thought I told you to go get the cart."
"I can't take her off. There's specific regulations."
"I've stopped bleeding. Mostly."
"Look, I've got... Hokage-sama?!"
"You two. You're no longer working for Emergency Services. I think Sanitation Engineer Third Class sounds better."
"Oi. We gets to be engineers. Moving up in the world now."
"Right," said the Hokage. "Naruto? You were right. Can you do anything for her with one of those gadgets you were talking about?"
Naruto nodded. "Can I do the mad scientist laugh?"
"I'd really rather you didn't," said the girl before passing out.
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(Posted Sat, 16 Aug 2014 17:37)
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