The Sword: Part 1

After their meal/competition Catra and him decided to go look for Adora since she was probably done with whatever Shadow Weaver wanted her for. They checked all of their favorite hangouts and eventuall found her leaning against the railing of the Horde Academy and staring whistfully at the Fright Zone.

Catra put her finger to her lips signaling for me to be quiet and crept up to Adora tackling her to the ground.

"So what did she say" Catra giggled "Ooh, what's this" she saw something shiny in Adora's hands and grabbed it before jumping up out of her reach to a pipe above.

"Hey! Give it back" Adora screamed!

"No way you've been promoted" Catra squealed after looking at the golden Force Commander Badge in her hand!

Adora blushed "Well kind of, I mean, yeah I guess, it's not a big deal."

"Good for you" Naruto gave her a thumbs up.

"Are you kidding that's awesome" Catra jumped down and grabbed Adora! "We're gonna see the world, . . and conquer it! Ah, Adora I need to blow something up" she screamed with stars in her eyes and purring slightly!

Naruto couldn't believe how cute her face got just then. Most of the time Catra was arrogant and mischievous but, sometime her cute side would show up and completely floor everyone who saw it. Though she normally only ever is comfortable enough to do that kind of thing with him or Adora.

Catra's adorable face fell as Adora remained silent "what?"

"Um" Adora rubbed her arm "Shadow Weaver says the Squads not ready especially you."

"What" Catra snapped "I'm just as good as anyone else in the Squad! Better even! What is her problem with me!

"I mean you are kind of disrespectful" Adora said.

"Why should I respect her? She doesn't have any real power that doesn't come from Hordak and everyone knows it. Besides Naruto is ten times more disrespectful than me didn't you see him facing off against her earlier?"

"Yeah but, Naruto is-"

"Better than me! Is that what you were going to say" Catra screamed and leapt up and climbed to the top of the Academy in several leaps!

"You definitely could have handled that better" Naruto shook his head and jumped after Catra.

"I was going to say weird" Adora whispered before wondering how the heck she was going to follow after them "Ugh, why are my friends so acrobatic, where's a grappling hook when you need one!"

Naruto sat with Catra as they silently overlooked the Fright Zone he had the feeling that anything he said right now would only make the situation worse. Looking into the distant horizon dominated by towering metal buildings and jagged spikes he could help but, think about his life here in Eternia.

He'd been in this world for a little over two years now and was still no closer to finding his way home, him memories wandered to the final battle of the Fourth Great Shinobi War and to his own best friend Sasuke but, stopped himself as it was too painful.

Naruto looked over at Catra and sighed during his time in this world he had become quite attached to her, it was probably because she reminded him so much of himself. She was an outcast with barely any friends studying in an Academy where all the teachers hate her and has a best friend who is loved by everyone and excells in everything. It was almost scary how much her and Adora where similar to him and Sasuke. Except that Catra wasn't nearly as clumsy as he was and Adora wasn't an arrogant asshole.

Looking back over the horizon Naruto wondered if he was making the right decision during his first months in this world Naruto travelled all around and explored in secret using all of the spymaster training the Jiraiya gave him.

He saw all the amazing landscapes and diverse creatures that called this world home, he saw the Princesses with their elemental powers and strange crystals, and most of all he saw the horrors that the Horde caused with its constant war of conquest.

Sure with his power he could snuff out the Horde with a single Bijudama but, that wouldn't solve anything. It would just make the survivers the people who actually lived in the Fright Zone and called it their home hate him and would continue the circle of hatred. He learned that during the war that very few people in this world were truly evil and that in war no matter which side your on everyone are still just people.

Since straight up violence was out of the picture Naruto decided on a different approach. He would defeate the Horde from the inside. He would do what he could to make as many people as possible see that what the Horde is doing is wrong and that this war is pointless. It might be impossible for him to bring about peace and lasting change all by himself but, when has something being impossible ever stopped him before?

Just then a grappling hook launched itself up and caught on the ledge and Adora hauled herself up. She silently walked up behind Catra and looked like she wanted to grab her shoulder but, stopped. "Look I'm sorry I didn't even think you wanted to be a Force Captain."

"I don't" Catra sighed "here take you stupid badge" she tossed it back before holding he knees and wrapping her tail around her legs.

"Come on Catra, this is what I've been working towards all my life. And I was hoping that you my best friend could I don't know be happy for me."

"Whatever" Catra groaned "it's not like I even care, I just want to get out of this dump at some point before I die of boredom! I want to know what is even outside the Fright Zone anyway it can't all be Monsters and Princesses."

Adora thought fore a moment before getting a malicious grin and holding up a pair of keys "why don't we find out?"

"Are those they keys to a Skiff" Catra jumped!

"Yup" Adora gloated "All new Force Captains get a universal key that activates all Skiffs in case they need to use them to get somewhere in an emergency.

"Allright" Catra screamed "road trip!"

"Sounds like fun" Naruto joined in.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Naruto" Adora apologized "but, you should already know that Skiffs are only have two seats."

"I know" Naruto smiled "I'm just glad for you two. You should go and have some fun I know how important a persons best friend can be."

Adora pulled him into a hug "Thank you and I promise to take you out flying sometime alright?"

"Deal" Naruto said breaking the hug.

"We should get going" Adora said "It's going to be dark soon and you can't check out a Skiff after sundown."

Catra nodded "What are you going to do in the mean time Naruto?"

He shrugged "Maybe I'll go spent some time with the other guys in the Squadron it feels like I haven't had a proper conversation with another boy in months.

"That's because you spend all your time with a couple of girls" Adora laughed.

"You say that like it's a bad thing" Naruto grinned.

(Line Break)

"Ahhh ha ha, I take it back your officially awesome, I can't belive that you actually took a Skiff" Catra grinned as they rode on the small flying boat!

"Just don't make me regret this" Adora smiled.

The sun was just beggining to set as they zoomed through the desert at blazing speeds casting everything in a beautiful red light.

"I've always wanted to drive one of these things" Catra said while pushing Adora out of the way "Here gimme" she grabbed the rudder that controled the sail and throttled the Skiff up to full speed.

"Whoa there" Adora grabbed on to the railing to avoid falling off after the sudden burst in speed "save us enough fuel to get back!"

"That's a problem for futute Catra and Adora" she completely ignored the warning.

"Give me that" Adora grabbed for the rudder fighting Catra for control!

The girls giggle as they play fought not worrying about crashing since they were surronded by miles of empty land. They continued on completely oblivious to the strange forsest that had appeared out of nowhere and was quickly closing in.

Noticing their impending doom the two girls screamed and struggled to change directions. Just barely managing to stop before crashing head first into a tree.

"How did that get there" Catra asked staring into the depths of the ominous woods "because there is no way there was anything like this for miles around."

"I think this is the Whispering Woods" Adora said equally entranced by the forest "don't you remember what we learned in class . . . never mind."

"Hey" Catra huffed!

"Anyway" Adora moved on "They say that there are ancient monsters in there, and and the trees move when you're not looking which must be how they got in front of us." Adoral looked at Catra seriously ever Horde Squadron they've sent in there has never come back."

There was a moment of silence before their eyes met.

"No" Adora was about to say.

But, was cut off by Catra "Let's go in!"

"Absolutely not" Adora huffed!

"Too late" Catra laughed hitting the throttle on the Skiff's rockets.

The disappeared into the endless forest and a blur landed at the entrance to the woods.

"I can't believe they actually went in there" Naruto facepalmed "Oh, wait I can totally believe it!"

"Hahaha" Kurama laughed "They wouldn't be your friends Kit if they didn't have penchant for reckless and suicidal behavior."

"I'm going to pretend that, that isn't the truth" Naruto groaned before leaping off after them.

"You're worrying too much" Kurama tried to calm him down "It's not like there's actually anything in those woods besides a few old buildings and the occasional giant bug."

"I know that" Naruto grumbled "but, THEY don't! For all they know the Juubi itself could be living in those woods! It's complete idiocy to go into a place that you know nothing about and that has a reputation for being extremely dangerous!"

"Look whose being a responsible Jonin sensei" the fox chuckled.

Naruto just rolled his eyes and darted into the forest.

Back with Catra and Adora they were still screaming and weaving through the trees, they burst through a wall of leaves and Adora wiped the twigs from her face and shouted.

"Catra slow down" she yeleld before noticing the massive tree right before them "Tree!" She lifted the rudder up as high as it would go and the Skiff made a 90 degree turn and started going straight up and scraping the bark of the tree. But, before she could relax she was clotheslined by a branch and pulled from the Skiff.

"Adora" Catra reached down to grab her but, was too slow and had to turn her attention back to stearing the Skiff since if it got destroyed they would have no way home.

"Shit" Naruto was about to jump and save her when he noticed that she was going to land in a nice pile of leaves. Even though he knew she would be fine he still kind of wanted to save her but, if he did then he would have to answer a bunch of question he really didn't want to. Like how did you get out here all by your self? And where you following us? So he just watched Adora land with a thud, he could tell that she was okay and that it just hurt a little no worse than a belly flopp.

Crouching on a tree he kept watch on her to make sure nothing else happened until Catra showed back up. He knew how quick her reaction times were and had confidence that she would be able to pilot the Skiff back here in one piece.

Adora groaned as she picked herself back up looking around she noticed that she was alone. Not just alone but, alone in the Whispering Woods. She knew she couldn't panic or she would be dead so she took a deep breath to calm herself down, when a shining white light caught her attention.

It was a sword shining in the darkness.

"What the" her and Naruto unknowingly mouthed at the same time.

The swords had a golded pommel with a strange jewel set inside it that seemed to be radiating light and a pure white blade. It was wrapped up in a pair of roots that were jutting up from the ground like they were presenting it to her.

"Well this isn't weird at all" Naruto said to the fox.

"Yeah, I'm getting some weird vibes from that sword it's definitely not a normal weapon" Kurama narrowed his eyes.

"Whoa" Adora stood up and slowly walked over to the blade.

"Do you think we should stop her" Naruto asked?

"No" Kurama shook his head "this is feeling like one of those destiny/fated meeting type of things."

"Come on Kurama don't tell me you believe that kind of stuff?"

"Your one to talk Mr. Child of Prophecy" he quipped back.

"Fair enough" Naruto shut up.

"Incredible" Adora whispered as she reached out and touched the blade. She gasped as a blinding light filled the area forcing even Naruto to shut his eyes.

"Balance must be restored" a series of strange vision appeared in Adora's mind "Etheria must seek a hero."

"Adora" Naruto called out and rushed to her after seeing the light fade and her lying on the ground "She's okay he sighed after checking her condition but, soon frowned. "Where is the sword?"

"I don't know Kurama" frowned too "it just vanished. Naruto I don't know what weapon was but, before it disappeared it felt as if the Nature Chakra in the area was swirling around it."

"What does mean" Naruto questioned?

"It means that whatever that sword was just might be the most powerful weapon I have ever laid my eyes on."

"Great" Naruto slumped "and here I though that there wouldn't be any problems I couldn't solve in this world."

Kurama laughed "If just being powerful made it possible to solve every problem my old man would have created peace a long time ago, and besides isn't it more interesting this way? It would be boring if this world was too weak."

Naruto just shook his head he was already used to his friends battle lust and went to hid again because he could sense Catra approaching.

Catra crashed into the clearing on the Skiff before slamming to a halt "weird" she said she could have sworn she heard "Adora!" She spied her friend lying helpless on the ground. "Adora, hey Adora" she crouched over her friend and shook her lightly trying to wake her up.

"Ugh, what happened" Adora groan before sitting up.

Catra secretly sighed in relief before talking "You fell off the Skiff after chrashing it into a tree" she pointed back at their ride.

"No you drove it into the tree" Adora pushed her friend off her causing Catra to eep.

"Up for debate" Catra rubbed her head. "Any-ways lets get out of here I think I've had enough adventure for one day."

"Wait where'd it go" Adora panicked! "Th-there was a sword! I was right here I tried to touch it but, I-it got really bright and I heard this voice."

"Are you brain damaged" Catra grabbed her head and inspected her? "Please don't be brain damaged, oh Shadow Weaver's going to kill me!"

"I'm not brain damaged" Adora pushed Catra's hands off "It was here! I saw it!"

"Well . . ." Catra spread here arms out "there's nothing here now so come on lets go" she grabbed Adora by her ponytail and dragged her back to the Skiff.

As they left Adora looked whistfuly back at the clearing wondering exactly what that sword was while Catra twitched her nose lightly catching a whiff of a strangely familiar scent.

"Crap" Naruto jumped out into the clearing after they were gone "I forgot how strong her sense of smell is she's almost as good as Kiba."

"It doesn't really matter" Kurama spoke "you left a clone back in the Fright Zone so you have a perfect alibi, she'll just think she made a mistake."

"Still I should be more careful in the future" Naruto scratched his head "Especially if there are other things like that sword in this world."