Hm… while I am fond of the Lee and Rockruff parallels (and the pun), I actually would rather lean into more of a taijutsu-only equivalent team for him. Meaning only Normal and Fighting types for Lee.
Neji and TenTen would also have Fighting types, but Neji would have a few Psychic types (which parallels the Byakugan sort of an the idea that even though Lee is faster than god, Neji consistently beats him) and TenTen a few steel types.
Now that I think of it some more, I do kind of like Lee having an unevolved Eevee on his team as per @to-someplace-else’s suggestion. Because there’s something very sweet about Lee accepting his Eevee the way it is and not pressuring it into changing itself one way or another. But, of course, if it wants to evolve, he won’t stop it! But what he wants is for it to be happy. (And, also, Green’s Eevee is so powerful. So majestic and fluffy)
Which I guess brings us to the next point with Shikako’s Deerling. And I suppose the problem there is that I’m not sure why the Deerling wouldn’t want to evolve? In comparison to Eevee evolving into a different Type entirely (generally dictated by the trainer and what kind of team they’re trying to form) or a Pikachu evolving into a Raichu which needs a Thunder stone, as far as I can tell Deerling’s evolution into Sawsbuck is just a level cap.
And it’s a natural (or, at least, simple) process for the Deerling line to evolve into Sawsbuck. It’s basically puberty turning from a child into an adult. Whereas Eeveelutions and Pikachu turning into Raichu are more deliberate, like a medical undertaking…
Is there any benefit to preventing a Deerling’s evolution? More specifically, in this world of shinobi-trainers why would Shikako deliberately hamper her Pokemon’s growth with an everstone? She needs to be battle ready, and a Deerling doesn’t have anything over a Sawsbuck–unlike (and I don’t know if this is game canon or just cartoon canon) Pikachu being faster than Raichu.
That’s true… the only Pokemon whose evolution timing I’m set on is when Sasuke’s Pawniard turns into a Bisharp which I vaguely mentally planned out to be around the equivalent of the Sasuke Retrieval arc. Because ~loyalty~ to village and that’s thereabouts when Sasuke decided friendship was more important than vengeance. Like he is a person and not a weapon (and therefore his Pawniard is also not a weapon)
Pawniard evolves into Bisharp at level 52 which actually seems kind of high… Then again, Pawniard is his third Pokemon and the most strictly offense on his team (in comparison to Talonflame, Cubone, and Lunatone) so I suppose it’s not too out there to think maybe he focussed more on levelling up Pawniard in comparison to the others?
At that point in time he would only have had five Pokemon, and his Shinx/Luxio only for a short while so…
In comparison Shikako might be more the kind of trainer to level up her entire team equally instead of focusing on a few. So there could be some hand waving over the discrepancies there.
Luxio/Shinx was definitely meant to be Sasuke’s version of Chidori, but I kind of figured it was more Kakashi brought him to where the Shinx were and it was up to Sasuke to catch it.
Because Kakashi is very hands off like that.
And I kind of figured, since Shinx evolves into Luxio pretty early, then that level up would during the Paw Print Encyclopedia mission which isn’t too long after the Konoha Chuunin Exams and kind of has a thematic “Sasuke gets (some) closure on the matter of Itachi via cats”
The day the Nara clan head’s twins turn six years old, they are presented to the herd to be chosen.
The Sawsbuck of the herd observe with keen eyes, as if to assess the worthiness of the children, but, ultimately, it’s not up to them.
It’s up to the Deerling.
—
When Sasuke is six years old, his parents give him an egg as per the Uchiha tradition.
The first few years of the Academy do not require a Pokemon just yet, and the egg is as much a promise of one as the Pokeballs on some of his classmates’ belts.
When Sasuke is seven years old, his Fletchling hatches into a world with a severely diminished Uchiha clan and a greatly reduced flock.
—
Naruto thinks he found his Poliwag–trapped in some trash in a sewer drain, alone but still fighting strong–and, in a way, he’s right.
Long ago, Poliwhirls were the clan Pokemon of the Uzumaki.
It could also be said that his Poliwag found him.
—
In the ghost town that is the Uchiha clan compound, Sasuke hears cries at night.
For one heart stopping moment he thinks it is himself or some awful product of his internal grief, but his Fletchling leads him to the source of the sound.
It’s not pity when Sasuke adds Cubone to their team.
—
The Land of Fire is well named, fire type Pokemon nearly as abundant as trees in the forest.
Objectively, Growlithe puppies are common, nothing special at all.
Subjectively, Shikako’s Growlithe is extraordinary.
—
Naruto is an unrepentant troublemaker: loud and unruly and mischievous. A hassle and a headache and a half.
It makes sense that his Scrafty is one, too.
—
When she graduates from the Academy, Shikako chooses an Onix for her third.
It’s a bold choice, incongruous with the shy, soft-spoken image most know her by, but she’s very much her mother’s daughter.
Yoshino Nara has a Steelix on her belt and the spine to match.
—
When he graduates from the Academy, Sasuke chooses a Pawniard for his third.
He’s an avenger–he wants a weapon, not a friend–and he thinks this is the right choice.
It takes a long time for Pawniard to choose him in return.
—
Naruto doesn’t graduate from the Academy–not via the normal route anyway.
Instead, he is manipulated into breaking into the Hokage’s Tower to steal a Pokeball, told that he himself is the vessel of a demonic, impossible creature, and nearly killed by one of his Academy teachers.
Of course, he’s saved by Iruka-sensei and meets Mimikyu that night, so it’s not all bad.
—
Their first day as a team, the three of them are nonchalantly run into the ground by Kakashi-sensei’s Stoutland, Pakkun.
It’s as much a rude, embarrassing awakening as it is a bonding experience.
In the following weeks, in that same training ground, they all catch their fourths: star, sun, moon.
—
Land of Waves is a strange place to get a rock type Pokemon that looks like a tree, but Naruto’s never been one for conforming to people’s expectations either.
Voltorb literally comes to Shikako during the Konoha Chuunin Exams–beaten up, concussed, and outnumbered in the Forest of Death–as willing to go out with a bang as any of its species.
Jokes of cats and dogs aside, Sasuke will grudgingly admit that he only has his Luxio because of Kakashi-sensei and, if further pressed, will express gratitude.
—
No one wants to talk about the time Shikako got her Sableye.
It’s not Sableye’s fault–if anything, it’s because of Sableye that Shikako is still alive–but it’s not a fond memory for anyone.
The two of them keep the Sablenite a secret.
—
Naruto leaves Konoha with retired Elite Four Jiraiya, heart heavy in his throat but smile on his face anyway, determined.
The Emolga that joins his team reminds him that traveling doesn’t necessarily mean saying goodbye.
Sometimes it’s just about flying free.
—
Sasuke chose to stay, chose loyalty, chose Konoha–he just hates how trapped it makes him feel.
Shackled to the village, border patrol and gate guard duty, and no more freedom.
So he takes control of his own destiny: Sasuke joins ANBU, gets a Hawlucha, and breathes.
~
A/N: I was tempted to put in snippets about when/how certain Pokemon on the teams evolve, but that seemed a little too much. And I couldn’t decide certain things…
Like, did Shikako’s Deerling evolve into a Sawsbuck early on or should I wait until the timeline for when she signs the deer summon contract? But wouldn’t that be a really long time?
Did Growlithe turn into Arcanine while she was making a name for herself as a bomber in the Academy or when Jiraiya helped her through the epiphany for Touch Blast?
Voltorb probably turns into Electrode during the Grass Chuunin Exams–the equivalent of blowing up her kidnapper’s head–but when does Onix evolve. Does it ever? When she becomes a special jounin? The equivalent of when she and Sasuke get kenjutsu training from Kakashi-sensei?
To be honest, anon, I’m not entirely sure what to do with this prompt. Like you said, it’s basically canon that Team Seven overthrows corrupt dictators even though, usually, that’s just a byproduct of their main mission to protect their client.
I suppose the issue is that they can’t go around doing it deliberately without it being a political overreach on both Konoha and Land of Fire’s behalves: as if they were either meddling in foreign affairs or turning Land of Fire into and empire. Already the friendship alliance going on with Mist and Sand is highly suspicious in the eyes of Rock and Lightning so…
And… well… how many countries are there even? How many dictators could there possibly be before news of Team Seven spreads? How long would it take before Team Seven has to take a look at their own government for corruption? And, well, it is also canon because… Danzo… but surely there are evil schemers in the Fire Court. Or perhaps even the idea of nobility/royalty will start to seem like dictatorship…
I guess what I’m saying is who watches the watchmen?
Although in a more abstract interpretation of your prompt I did think of an idea sort of like… a post-post-post-canon Rise of the Guardians-esque story. In which many generations have passed and ninjutsu is as much a matter of legend as ninshuu is for current canon shinobi. There are still injustices in the world–old injustices given new faces–but children have less access to the abilities to save themselves. And it’s kind of…
Well, in line with the Rise of the Guardians vibe I suppose my idea is a little based on Esama’s All Hallows and joisbishmyoga’s Lullaby, in that after Team Seven dies they become guardian spirits to protect children from all the awful things in the world. And they’re held together more by belief of a thing, by ideals and hope and the need for help, than actually ghosts.
So when a child is being hurt by an adult, or when they have no one else to turn to, or when a child is on the verge of death… one of Team Seven appears and helps them however they might. And sometimes that’s getting rid of their abuser, sometimes it’s bringing them to a place that can help them. Sometimes it’s just being there and holding their hand as they pass on.
Children pass the story on–in the way there exists a children’s culture separate from adults, certain rhymes and games that spread from playground to playground without ever being heard by adults–about how if you’re afraid, or if you’re hurt all you have to do is call for them and one of Team Seven will come to help.
A little bleak, sorry, but that’s what came to mind.
I suppose a different twist on that might be something where Team Seven is like King Arthur? In that they will return during the hour of the Elemental Nations’ greatest need? And whether that means in a literal sense–they’ve died and are the last hope for a group of rebels who summon them/their spirits to save them–or a more happenstance sort of way–the rebels only know that this mysterious chakra device will help somehow but they don’t know it will specifically be Team Seven and so both the rebels and the team are surprised when the three are summoned–or… I dunno. There’s a lot of takes on that.
I am now getting very strong Final Fantasy vibes. I mean, Shikako already has her Gelel stone which is very much like the summon materia in FFVII. And I’ve already posited that FFVII and the Naruto world could easily be one in the same if millennia apart. So maybe instead of FFVII being before the Naruto world, this would be the other way around with DoS being before FFVII? And AVALANCHE happens upon Shikako’s Gelel stone and she gets summoned to help fight ShinRa and Sephiroth?
I don’t know how Naruto and Sasuke get summoned, too. Though given both of their respective heritages/superpowers no doubt there’s some way for them to get preserved/summoned as well. I mean, I did also posit that the bijuu are very much like WEAPONs so that could be what happened to all of the jinchuuriki. And as for Sasuke. Well… Sharingan. Who even knows what that can do at this point? Not Kishimoto, that’s for sure, and definitely not me.
… OH! You know, I just realized, upon trying to look through the confusing mess that is Kaguya Otsutsuki’s naturowiki page, that her “go from dead planet to young live planet and eat their vitality” is not only reminiscent of Jenova but also is like Jadis from the Chronicles of Narnia.
So if you include Sakura along with Team Seven then that would make the four of them “two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve” (never mind that Adam and Eve are not in the Naruto world) so in the same way that my still as of yet unwritten Once Then Always has the Lost Kids take the place of the Pevensies, then you could have Team Seven take their place instead.
And, well, if anyone’s a corrupt dictator in need of overthrowing then it would be the White Witch.
Hahaha, yeah they would be super terribad at being royalty wouldn’t they?
I think the problem is that, unlike the Pevensies who are still children and grow into themselves in Narnia, Team Seven are already adults in the eyes of Konoha and fully capable warriors. Not only that, because of how capable they are, they would be able to overthrow the White Witch quickly.
… possibly too quickly, actually, because if you consider the White Witch as… even if she were S-rank, she’s the only one who is S-rank. The rest of her soldiers are, at most, chuunin level and easily taken out. So given one S-rank enemy against Team Seven? I mean, they haven’t yet gotten to fighting Akatsuki yet, but I believe at this time all four of them would be able to take on one S-rank easily. And that is, again, if we give Jadis the benefit of the doubt and consider her S-rank.
So Team Seven overthrowing Jadis too quickly is a problem because they’d then view the situation as the many other times they’ve overthrown a corrupt dictator. They got rid of the problem, and now it’s time for them to go home while the natives sort out their government. Except in Narnia they’re the new government.
I do think their priority will be trying to get home and finding that they’re unable to? (At which point I’m concerned they may try to go after Aslan for “keeping them captive” which, obviously, would not be a good thing and not just considering that Aslan is much stronger than Jadis. There’s the whole, you know, Jesus thing O_O)
So if, for some reason, that issue is resolved, then I think there would be even more culture clash. Noble Clan of Uchiha aside, none of Team Seven are actually nobility in the sense of knowing how to build infrastructure. Shikako might know something similar only because she is the Nara Clan Head’s daughter, but even then that doesn’t help because Konoha is a military society and it’s just like…
What.
There would be so much political intrigue that Team Seven are wholly unprepared for because they can’t just use ninjutsu on the problems to make them go away.
That being said, I do like the idea of Team Seven accidentally making Narnia too militaristic and the surrounding countries being like… we thought the eternal winter thing was bad, but now they’re turning beavers into warriors?! (I mean, ninken exist, so it doesn’t seem too out there for Team Seven. And Reepicheep is a swordsmouse so…)
Narnia is probably mostly ruled by regents while the actually kings and queens travel around the kingdom and use their abilities for the good of the people.
Basically, overthrowing the dictator isn’t the problem. Cleaning up her mess is.
To be honest, anon, I’m not entirely sure what to do with this prompt. Like you said, it’s basically canon that Team Seven overthrows corrupt dictators even though, usually, that’s just a byproduct of their main mission to protect their client.
I suppose the issue is that they can’t go around doing it deliberately without it being a political overreach on both Konoha and Land of Fire’s behalves: as if they were either meddling in foreign affairs or turning Land of Fire into and empire. Already the friendship alliance going on with Mist and Sand is highly suspicious in the eyes of Rock and Lightning so…
And… well… how many countries are there even? How many dictators could there possibly be before news of Team Seven spreads? How long would it take before Team Seven has to take a look at their own government for corruption? And, well, it is also canon because… Danzo… but surely there are evil schemers in the Fire Court. Or perhaps even the idea of nobility/royalty will start to seem like dictatorship…
I guess what I’m saying is who watches the watchmen?
Although in a more abstract interpretation of your prompt I did think of an idea sort of like… a post-post-post-canon Rise of the Guardians-esque story. In which many generations have passed and ninjutsu is as much a matter of legend as ninshuu is for current canon shinobi. There are still injustices in the world–old injustices given new faces–but children have less access to the abilities to save themselves. And it’s kind of…
Well, in line with the Rise of the Guardians vibe I suppose my idea is a little based on Esama’s All Hallows and joisbishmyoga’s Lullaby, in that after Team Seven dies they become guardian spirits to protect children from all the awful things in the world. And they’re held together more by belief of a thing, by ideals and hope and the need for help, than actually ghosts.
So when a child is being hurt by an adult, or when they have no one else to turn to, or when a child is on the verge of death… one of Team Seven appears and helps them however they might. And sometimes that’s getting rid of their abuser, sometimes it’s bringing them to a place that can help them. Sometimes it’s just being there and holding their hand as they pass on.
Children pass the story on–in the way there exists a children’s culture separate from adults, certain rhymes and games that spread from playground to playground without ever being heard by adults–about how if you’re afraid, or if you’re hurt all you have to do is call for them and one of Team Seven will come to help.
A little bleak, sorry, but that’s what came to mind.
I suppose a different twist on that might be something where Team Seven is like King Arthur? In that they will return during the hour of the Elemental Nations’ greatest need? And whether that means in a literal sense–they’ve died and are the last hope for a group of rebels who summon them/their spirits to save them–or a more happenstance sort of way–the rebels only know that this mysterious chakra device will help somehow but they don’t know it will specifically be Team Seven and so both the rebels and the team are surprised when the three are summoned–or… I dunno. There’s a lot of takes on that.
I am now getting very strong Final Fantasy vibes. I mean, Shikako already has her Gelel stone which is very much like the summon materia in FFVII. And I’ve already posited that FFVII and the Naruto world could easily be one in the same if millennia apart. So maybe instead of FFVII being before the Naruto world, this would be the other way around with DoS being before FFVII? And AVALANCHE happens upon Shikako’s Gelel stone and she gets summoned to help fight ShinRa and Sephiroth?
I don’t know how Naruto and Sasuke get summoned, too. Though given both of their respective heritages/superpowers no doubt there’s some way for them to get preserved/summoned as well. I mean, I did also posit that the bijuu are very much like WEAPONs so that could be what happened to all of the jinchuuriki. And as for Sasuke. Well… Sharingan. Who even knows what that can do at this point? Not Kishimoto, that’s for sure, and definitely not me.
… OH! You know, I just realized, upon trying to look through the confusing mess that is Kaguya Otsutsuki’s naturowiki page, that her “go from dead planet to young live planet and eat their vitality” is not only reminiscent of Jenova but also is like Jadis from the Chronicles of Narnia.
So if you include Sakura along with Team Seven then that would make the four of them “two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve” (never mind that Adam and Eve are not in the Naruto world) so in the same way that my still as of yet unwritten Once Then Always has the Lost Kids take the place of the Pevensies, then you could have Team Seven take their place instead.
And, well, if anyone’s a corrupt dictator in need of overthrowing then it would be the White Witch.
A/N: I had originally thought of a crack version of this after a frankly bizarre dream, but the more I thought about it the more it worked pretty well for a… less cracky version, so the “summary” as much as it can be called such is for the less cracky but I’ll talk about both.
~
Sailor Shinobi
Fighting evil by moonlight Winning love by daylight Never running from a real fight She is the one named… … Hyuuga Hinata?
Luna has been waiting a long time for the reincarnation of the moon princess, watching the village of warriors grow around the destined location of her rebirth.
Finally she’s found her–as well as the reincarnated guardians, fortunately enough. Now, if only they’d stop sending her back to the Fire Daimyo’s wife.
So cracky version: I was on the topic of Sailor Moon and Dreaming of Sunshine because, well, canonically mentioned. And for some reason my brain was like… is Sasuke Sailor Moon?
Because, see, the Uchiha are the ones connected with the Neko-baa. And Tsukuyomi is related to the moon. And Sailor Moon’s colors are the same as the Uchiha colors.
And you can’t tell me Naruto wouldn’t make a fabulous Sailor Venus in that orange seifuku. (With Shikako as Tuxedo Mask, of course, because of that one art by AngelsFallBeforeUs).
While the idea of Sasuke and Naruto in seifuku with Shikako in a caped tuxedo is absolutely fantastic, I couldn’t really figure out which of the other boys were which scout. And the more I thought about it the more I thought… wouldn’t it work better with Hinata as Sailor Moon?
The Otsutsuki subplot bewilders me, but from what I understand it’s a clan of moon aliens? And they have the Byakugan as well? And the idea of Hinata being timid out of costume and confident in costume just gives me very strong Miraculous Ladybug vibes that I greatly appreciate.
To be honest, picturing Hanabi as Mini Moon really solidified it for me even though I know Chibiusa is Usagi’s daughter from the future. As for the actual scouts there’s Sakura as Mercury, Ino as Venus, Shikako as Mars, and TenTen as Jupiter. Maaaybe Yakumo as Saturn, Anko as Uranus, Isaribi as Neptune, and Kurenai as Pluto??
I don’t know who would have the honor of Tuxedo Mask, though. Do any of the boys have the panache for it? I mean, I know for parallelism sake, it ought to be Naruto. But would Naruto really engage in the secret identity thing? I don’t think so.
As for the plot, well, the fake fic summary does have it concurrently with being shinobi in the DoS ‘verse–though that wouldn’t be very practical, seeing as how shinobi don’t exactly have normal bed times–as opposed to a more “real world” scenario… hm. Maybe Luna/Tora has some kind of teleporting ability? Which, yes, explains why she keeps escaping so damn often, but also maybe the evil things the Sailor Shinobi are supposed to fight are on the ruins of the moon kingdom as opposed to invading the “Earth.”
I dunno.
I do REALLY love the idea of the Sailor Shinobi throwing around sparkling beautiful attacks and smacking down the Akatsuki.
I feel like this would work best if it just kind of happened accidentally. Like…
So with the impending birth of the third Nara child, Shikako moves out of her childhood bedroom. And, see, technically she only moves to the downstairs room, but maybe she doesn’t totally unpack the boxes. Maybe it’s just more like storage and a place to sleep since she’s going on missions and training trips more and more frequently.
And then, as resident mad scientist, she realizes she probably oughtn’t experiment with her more destructive seals in the house with an untrained baby. Also, she loves her new sibling, but baby Nara is not the sleepiest of babies and also a very loud crier.
Thus, she gets a lab/workshop.
Because the Clan Head’s house–while not ostentatious–is pretty much in the center of the Nara Clan compound and not exactly the best place to be experimenting with field seals. And it’s not as if the Nara are unfamiliar with having lab/workshops away from the main part of the compound. Maybe for feels, the lab/workshop is a gift from Shikaku (and it was once her uncle’s, because Ikoma also had a penchant for somewhat destructive experimentation).
And it’s a fairly out of the way lab/workshop–for somewhat obvious reasons–and it’s also kind of big. Not ludicrously so, but it’s medium warehouse size. She doesn’t need much in the way of equipment and such–unlike the other labs which are specialized medicine–so this workshop is mostly empty. She gets a desk, sets up a blast area. Maybe she puts a futon in for those times that she just kinda gets into a groove and doesn’t want to make the trip back home for sleep when she’s just going to come back.
And I don’t know if this is fanon or canon, but doesn’t Naruto live in a really shitty apartment? Probably one that had been subsidized by the Sandaime in his poor attempt to do right by him, except hey guess what? Sandaime is dead now and Tsunade doesn’t know about all the little projects he was doing and Naruto disappears for three years. That apartment? The landlord probably isn’t going to maintain that for Naruto.
So when Naruto comes back from the time skip–no apartment, probably. And it just kind of makes the most sense for him to crash at Shikako’s workshop for a bit? It’s habitable and she’s not always there, really, and there’s more than enough space. Plus, I think he’d prefer to live at the workshop than impose directly on her family.
Maybe Sasuke feels left out. Or maybe there’s some legit renovation going on in the Uchiha district and he needs a place to stay, too. Or maybe they just invite him after a team dinner and it’s an extended sleepover that basically never ends.
Sasuke brings in furniture and such, better appliances and cookware and stuff, but Naruto is the one to make everything homey what with house plants and wall art and such. Shikako looks up one day and realizes her workshop has become an actual home.
Kakashi does show up like the stray cat he is. It’s one of his favorite places to hide from Tsunade-sama (and Sakura, now that she’s basically become Team Seven’s personal physician what with the Sharingan miracle cure and all) and there’s a couple of dog bods in a corner for whichever of his summons want to hang out in the people world.
It’s not really squatting, since the Nara Clan own the workshop and they’re not likely to argue with what the clan head’s daughter is up to especially since she’s producing more and more seals (and no one has to worry about her dying of malnutrition with her team living with her and feeding her).
Thanks! (There’s been much holiday rom-com watching in the house, so my brain’s stuck in that mode, as it were. And the idea of Sasuke and Shikako bein highly competent at their jobs but disasters at romance is hilarious to me)
Okay, anon, so in my somewhat feverish state I’ve pondered your prompt and while I do like the idea I’ve come up with I also don’t quite know how to fill it. And part of me feels like this could very well mimic something in canon, as in, maybe it has yet to happen and I don’t want to presume, so I guess what I’m saying is, here’s a brainstorm:
The Fire Daimyo’s heir is getting married and, as heirs to Noble Clans themselves, Chiyako(+Shino), Chouji, Hinata(+Hanabi), and Sasuke are expected to attend. In part to “renew ties amongst all of the noble clans of the Land of Fire” but also, implied, to show off the eligible nobles and create some arranged marriages.
Unsurprisingly, the above listed heirs are not pleased with the second possibility. Luckily, as nobility, they are allowed to bring servants, “bodyguards” and, in the most desperate situation, “fiancees.” Guess who has the most desperate situation? 😀
Chouji obviously has Ino and Shikamaru as heirs to the Akimichi’s vassal clans and the Akimichi, I imagine, frequently intermarries with the non-shinobi nobility enough that he’s fairly safe for now. He might actually be in line for the throne (so to speak) if rather distantly.
Chiyako and Hanabi are both too young to be involved in the more aggressive match-making attempts, whereas Hinata and Shino have the benefit of being trained by older members of their clan to avoid marriage proposals (either getting or receiving).
Sasuke should have had the same except… well, you know. And while the Nara family is pseudo-adopting him now, they themselves aren’t Noble Clans and the Akimichi’s stance was to marry into the daimyo’s line so… not exactly applicable.
So how does anyone in fanfiction avoid arranged marriages? By “already having a fiancee” of course! Heck, yeah, I’d want to throw in some “fake engagement” into this prompt.
So of course, with that kind of set up, the Konoha Twelve/Thirteen go to the capitol with three main goals:
1) honor the summons that the wedding invitations implies and display the strength of Konoha to reassure the daimyo in these upcoming times of trouble 2) avoid arranged marriages 3) political espionage / cultivate more clients for the village
And, of course, things cannot be easy with all/most of the Konoha Thirteen along so it turns out there is something going down (maybe they sniff out some possible treasonous nobility who are making a deal with Cloud nin in order to take out the happy couple?) meanwhile Sasuke and Shikako have to play the part of happy couple themselves (and resist falling in love with each other only to find out that it’s too late to avoid doing so).
There very likely is, as per usual in an action romcom, a dancing scene where, in order to get closer to the suspected traitors, Sasuke and Shikako have to join in the dancing only to get ~mesmerized by each other~ and miss the traitorous exchange entirely. Luckily, some of the other members of the team catch it and it’s all okay.
While trying to hide the political espionage from the daimyo (but not the Twelve Guardians who know but are neither helping or harming their mission, in the same way separate agencies are meant to function) of course they make a giant scene but the nobility being very much like Prince Michiru are somewhat obliviously charmed by it and it becomes a new tradition/fashion trend/dance craze?
And, of course, at the end Sasuke and Shikako realize that, hey, why don’t we try going out for real?
Across the room stand three creatures, so colorful and defiant against the stark impossible room.
She doesn’t want to approach them.
They do not move and do not speak.
She doesn’t want to break them.
“What do I do now?” she asks, though she knows the not-Sai creature will not say anything.
He only smiles at her, sad and apologetic.
“Upwards and onwards,” she says, walking forward.
There is only one way to go.
If she has to spend an eternity in this strange place, she will not spend it waiting for nothing to happen.
—
She comes to a stop in front the three familiar creatures, not-Sai following behind her.
“I’m sorry,” she says to the creature that is not Ino, reaching out for its hands. The creature is neither warm nor cold, lifeless and empty like the room around them.
But as she pulls at its hands, its arms move. No longer is not-Ino covering its mouth.
Shikako blinks. Dark then light.
Something has changed.
In not-Ino’s eyes pale blue eyes are a matching set of thin slit pupils.
—
She steps sideways, in front of the creature that is not her brother. Here, she hesitates.
Under her fingers, not-Shikamaru is lifeless and empty, neither warm nor cold. But at least he’s whole.
She doesn’t want to break him again.
Sensing her hesitation, not-Sai moves, walks around these fake Ino-Shika-Cho and stands opposite from her.
Sad and apologetic, he no longer smiles.
She pulls at not-Shikamaru’s hands, its arms moves. Not-Sai nods, silent.
No longer is the creature covering its eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she says, turning away, tears forming in her eyes.
Shikako blinks. Dark then light.
Her cheeks are wet.
There is only one hand in her own.
—
Another step to the side, and not-Sai follows, an inky reflection defiant against the stark white room.
Between them stands not-Chouji, hands over its ears, face blank and empty and lifeless.
Nothing like the real Chouji.
She hasn’t broken him.
Not yet, anyway.
There is only one way to go. Upwards and onwards.
She takes its hands in hers and pulls until it is no longer covering its ears.
Shikako blinks. Dark then light.
Nothing changes.
—
The silence spreads.
“I don’t understand,” she says, looking around.
There is nothing here. Not-Sai watches her, waiting.
“What do I do now?”
—
“Upwards and onwards,” a voice says.
Startled, Shikako springs away.
In this strange eternal place, there are only two sounds: the noise, like gears in a machine, and her own voice.
Something is happening.
“What?” she asks, glancing around. The fake Ino-Shika-Cho have not moved.
Neither has not-Sai, who stands and waits, watching.
This is different.
“Fight,” says not Chouji. But not the not-Chouji that is silent and lifeless and empty.
“Who–?” –are you–do I fight–have I forgotten–is doing this to me–
“That old fool,” the not-not-Chouji voice says, sad and apologetic.
“Fight,” it continues, as a noise, like gears in a machine, sounds off.
The doorway appears, and not-Sai walks toward it, waving her forward.
She follows. She remembers what happened in the room with not-Sakura.
But on that first starlight step, she looks back.
Ino-Shika-Cho, unmoving, broken.
“Upwards and onwards,” the voice finishes, as the doorway seals itself shut, impossible room lost to the eternal void.
—
Shikako blinks. Dark then light.
Not-Sai walks ahead of her on stairs neither stone nor metal.
Something is happening. Something is wrong.
But it’s not her.
Above her the helix spirals forever, but in front they appear only a few steps ahead.
Starlight and the endless void of space.
Colorless, lifeless, silent.
It’s different, and yet…
“I’ve already been here,” she says out loud.
“This has happened to me before.”
Or near enough.
At the top step, not-Sai waits for her, sad and apologetic smile on his face.
“I understand,” she says out loud.
Not-Sai looks at her, startled.
“You’re not Sai,” she continues, catching up.
“You’re his brother.”
—
In front of her is an invisible wall where a doorway will appear. Beside her is a ghost.
Not-Sai… Sai’s brother fades, image changing as he does. Instead of the familiar ink dark features, she sees dimming starlight and a smile that is no longer sad or apologetic.
“Thank you,” she says as he dissipates, “Thank you for helping me this far.”
Sai’s brother nods, as kind in death as he must have been in life.
A noise, like gears in a machine.
Shikako blinks. Dark then light.
The doorway appears as well as the last impossible room.
—
She is not surprised by what she sees, the worst of it yet.
A tableau of her nightmares meant to break her and stop her and keep her trapped.
Across the room are two figures, frozen in time: mid battle, mid death blow.
Sasuke as he might have been, Curse Seal fully bloomed across his skin.
Naruto partially transformed, caustic red chakra cloaked around him.
Chidori against Rasengan.
These are not her teammates.
She walks toward them, neither move, as empty and lifeless as the room.
The corruption of natural chakra should claw at her skin, should burn in her lungs, but it does not.
Because none of this is real.
These empty creatures, this strange place. Impossible starlight and eternal voids. Ink and color like defiance.
Something is wrong.
Just not here. There is nothing for her here and so there is nothing here to be wrong.
JackSGreyson Says 