Training Center

"Squadron J-13 please report the the training area immediately for evaluation!"

"Slurp" Naruto finished gulping down the last of his breakfast.

He didn't remember there being a training exercise on todays schedule but, it wouldn't be the first time that jerk Shadow Weaver did something like this. Throwing his trash away Naruto made his way to the training center and took his place on one of the six blue hexagons that sat before the entrance to the training hall which lit up at his arrival.

"Hey Rog" Naruti greeted the six foot tall lizard man who was standing a few hexagons down from him.

Rogelio grunted in recognition and continued to stand in place waiting for the rest of the squad to arrive.

Naruto laughed he'd known Rogelio for over a year now and had never once heard him say a word, he wasn't sure if he physically couldn't talk or was just the strong silent type.

Not long later the rest of the group ran up and took their places in line.

First up was Kyle he was well, Kyle he was a skinny blonde stick of a boy who shied away from any conflict, and his fear of failure was often the thing that caused him to fail in the first place. Naruto actually kind of liked him since he was basically a what a male Hinata looked like. Though thankfully he didn't feint constantly and wasn't in love with him.

Next was Lonnie she was a proud and honest girl who excelled in combat. Naruto liked he too though she could be a bit confrontational and was more of a Sakura type. She had tanned skin like Killer Bee or the Fourth Raikage and wore her hair in dreadlocks.

Last but, certainly not least was Adora she was a beautiful blonde athletic woman who was popular with everyone and was the best at everything she did. She was basically what Sasuke would have been if he wasn't such an whiney Emo, heck she even had a fan club though they were a lot more low key that Sasuke's fans ever where.

"Psst, anyone see Catra" Adora whispered?

Lonnie shrugged and everyone else just shook their heads.

"I saw her on the roof earlier" Naruto said while looking down at the empty spot next to him and smiled wryly.

"Ugh, not again" Adora groaned.

"At attention Cadets" a spikey blue man walked in with his face buried in a tablet, he was their Lead Instructor "Todays simulation is about to begin Cadets, here's your scenario. You'll be passing through the treacherous Whispering Woods to reach the heart of the rebel insurgency Brightmoon."

Naruto chuckled a little after seeing Kyle shuffle around awkwardly at the mention of the insurgency. Honestly even though Naruto liked the kid he always wondered why exactly why he was here, joining the Hoard was voluntary . . . at least for the most part and he was curious exactly what drove someone so afraid to join an army.

"Your mission" the Instructor continued is to defeat the Queen of the Princesses and liberate Brightmoon in lord Hordak's name" the Instructor looked up from his tablet and at the squad for the first time and saw that they were missing someone. "Where's Catra he growled?

"She'll be here I promise" Adora stepped up.

"Mmmhhmmm" the trainer humphed and tapped his tablet and brought up a holographic screen showing photo's of the woods in question "The Whispering Woods is filled with Princesses dangerous, violent, instigators. They will take you out if given the chance! So don't give it to them" the screen changed to show an evil looking shadowy silhouette that looked to be wearing a dress.

Naruto always found it hilarious how everyone here was absolutely terrified of Princesses and had to force himself to keep calm every time they talked about them like they were scary monster who would eat you whole.

"Good luck recruits" the Instructor said before disappearing back down the hall he came from because he had other shit to do.

Naruto and his squad rushed inside and activated their Visors which opened up a map of the area showing his allies location and scanned for enemies. His visor flashed red and zoomed in on a femanine pink hologram with a vicious smirk on its face. The Visors actually had another function they would make the robot drones they used for training appear as whatever enemy they were supposed to fight to make everything more realistic.

The hologram fired a red beam of light at them as Lonnie yelled to "watch out" and everyone scattered as several more 'Princesses' showed up from behind the trees.

Naruto rushed through the forest following closely by his squad. They dodged laser blasts that came from all directions and did their best to stay alive. Naruto got close and smashed one of them away with the collapsible staff each recruit was given. While everyone else chucked grenades and did their best to avoid close combat.

"Come on this way" Adora called pointing towards a path free of enemies.

As they ran Naruto spied a shadow stealthily following them from the treetops and grinned.

Continuing through the gauntlet of pink lasers and death everyone had to stop and jump over a fallen tree that was blocking their path. Kyle was the last to make the jump and caught his foot on the log tumbling forward. Luckily Naruto was paying attention since he normally managed to get himself into some kind of trouble and threw him forward out of the path of several laser blast fired by the robots who sensed his weakness.

"Naruto" he screamed seeing his friend about to take the shots for him!

But, Naruto was prepaired and activated his wrist mounted shield that sprang out and easily blocked every shot.

"Wow" everyone gaped at his extreme display of skill.

"You need to pay more attention Kyle" Naruto patted Kyle on the shoulder while moving by causing the boy to blush in shame.

"Run" Lonnie screamed pointing up at the huge number in the trees!

As they exited the forest they found themselves in a wide open empty space that was perfect for being ambushed. Acting on instinct Naruto jumped out of the way just as the floor panel he was standing on flashed red and fell into a seemingly bottomless abyss.

Just as Naruto landed a giant Princess clawed its way out of the ground, taking his Visor off Naruto saw that it was a massive crab like robot.

"Spear out and watch for other enemies! I'll take care of the big one" Adora screamed.

Everyone nodded and took their positions.

Adora screamed and took out her staff and leapt at the Princess. She landed on its head with a thud ripping off her Visor she saw its Laser Cannons and the single Camera it used to see, and with a several powerful strikes smashed them all to bits. As the robot started to shake she took a flying leap away from it just as the robot exploded in a cloud of flames.

Unfortunately Adora didn't stick the landing and sprawled out on the ground. She groaned as the floor underneath the robot flashed red and disappeared. The robot fell into the hole but, was kept above ground by its legs that kept it hooked onto the surface.

Adora was just recovering as someone walked out of the forest and knocked the robot into the hole with a single large kick.

It was a girl with a wild mane of brown hair, a pair of large cat ears and a tail, and striking slitted eyes one hazel and the other a golden yellow.

Everyone bar Naruto and Adora were watching her with exasperated expressions when suddenly the floor beneath Adora flashed red and she fell into a pit. Thinking fast she used her extendable staff to wedge herself in place and the cat girl gleefully poked her head over the edge.

"Hey Adora how's it hanging" she rested her hand on her chin?

Naruto had to stifle a laugh as everyone glared at him.

"What" he shrugged she makes me laugh.

"Catra" Adora sighed "did you really wait until we finished all the hard parts just to come out and mock me? That's low even for you."

"Awe, you should know by now that nothing is too low for me" Catra snarled before giggling cutely. "Now come on you look stupid down there" she reached down to pull Adora up.

"Training excercise successfully completed" an automated response rang out.

(Line Break)

"Pffffthahahahaha" Catra cackled pulling at Adora as she fell to the ground "you should have seen your face, you were all like"Ahhh, Nooo! Betrayal!"

"Ugh" Adora grunted "come on Catra we're Senior Cadets now I can't believe that your still pulling such childish immature, Is That A Mouse!"

"What" Catra jumped to her feet with her hair and tail standing on end "Where!"

Naruto and Adora broke out laughing.

"Are you ever not going to fall for that" Adora giggled.

Catra looked bashful before turning to Adora and glaring "I don't know are you ever going to let that go? It was literally only one time ten years ago!"

"I know but, for some reason it's always funny" Adora wiped a tear from her eye.

"I just wish I knew what you were talking about" Naruto whispered.

Of course Catra picked it with her powerful ears "Naruto you may be our friend but, you will never hear that story, right Adora?"

"Yeah, I may tease her about it but, what happened was between me and Catra."

Naruto humfphed crossed his arms and looked away.

"Adora" a sinister voice rang out from the darkness causing Naruto and Catra to groan while Adora sprang to attention.

"Shadow Weaver" Adora saluted!

"You have done well you have completed the training course in record time."

"Well it wasn't all me" Adora put her arm around Catra "everyone helped and Catra-"

"Ohh, yes" Shadow Weaver droned "I'm fully aware of how Ms. Catra followed her Squadron the entire time without helping and swooped in at the end to try and take your credit, disgraceful."

"Always serving up those pep talks huh, Shadow Weaver" Catra smiled wryly.

"Hey" Naruto butted in "I was the one who asked her to hang back."

"Really" Shadow Weaver glared at him while Adora and Catra gave him wierd looks.

"That's right" he continued "I had her stay back in case of any unexpected situations. Having an alley the enemy doesn't know about could mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield."

"Shadow Weaver remained silent a moment as if she was trying to gauge if he was telling the truth or not before speaking "Even if that's true it doesn't change the fact she is the most unmotivated and disrespectful Cadet I've ever had the displeasure to train."

"Hey! Don't talk about my friends like that" Naruto erupted!

"Oh, and what are you going to do about it Mr.Uzamaki" tendrels of darkness began to wriggle out of the shadows blotting out the light at Shadow Weaver's anger? You know you're nearly as bad as her you're late nearly as often and backtalk me whenever possible. The only reason I haven't expelled you is because of your exeptional skills. But, do you really think I can't do anything to you the tendrels began to swirld around Naruto.

"I don't think you can't do anything to me" Naruto snarled "I know it!" He asked Kurama to release a tiny fraction of his killing intent and directed it at Shadow Weaver.

Shadow Weaver was about to show this upstart recruit what it means to disrespect her when she froze in her tracks. She couldn't explain it but, she suddenly felt an inexplicable feeling in her heart that if she made a move on Naruto it would be her last. It enraged her that a whelp like him could make her feel this way but, she just couldn't bring herself to attack him.

"I'll let you off this time" she humphfed "Adora come with me I have something to discuss with you."

Adora looked at them with concern before running of to follow Shadow Weaver.

After she was sure they were gone Catra walked up to Naruto and punched him in the arm "thanks for sticking up for me" she smiled.

Naruto grinned back "Hey us losers need to stick together."

"Right" she scoffed "As is your a loser. A slacker maybe? Annoying, definitely! But, not a loser your like the strongest person I've ever met. I don't think I've ever even seen you get serious in a fight.

Naruto awkwardly scratched his head "You'd be suprised when I was a kid I was the biggest loser imaginable. I don't think I ever succeded in anything before a became twelve after that though everything changed."

"What changed" Catra looked at him expectantly "how did you go from being a loser to the most amazing Cadet in Horde history?"

"It was because believed in myself and never gave up."

Catra rolled her eyes.

"I know it sounds cheesy but, it's true" Naruto grinned "growing up no one believed in me and it would have been so easy to just give up and quit but, I stuck it through."

"But, what if I can't believe in myself" Catra whispered?

"Then whenever you start doubting yourself just scream your goal at the top of your lungs and tell the world that you can do it. Eventually you'll start to believe it too, at least that's how it worked for me."

Catra stared at him for a moment before breaking into laughter "I can totally imagine you going around and screaming random shit at people!"

"Whatever" Naruto blushed "I'm going to eat."

"Didn't you just eat breakfast?"

"Yep but, I didn't get to finish I'm still hungry, you coming?"

Catra smirked and ran after him "I bet I can eat more that you can!"

"Oh, it's on" Naruto smiled.