Bring the Hammer Down

8

Naruto sighed and flopped onto the couch. He'd been able to get away with having the chains on his arm as long as he wore his jacket, but hadn't had that luxury when TenTen decided that she was cold. He looked at Sanosuke and waved his hand in a circular motion, wishing for the angel to continue. The brown haired man cocked an eyebrow and shifted on his feet. Naruto groaned and stood again.

"Ok, ok, why are you here?"

"Why Naruto, I'm hurt. No hello? No how you doing? Tsk, tsk, you should be ashamed of yourself."

"Well, I'm not. Now come on, let's get this over with, I have to meet TenTen in the morning."

"Ah, training again? That girl is a slave driver."

"Yeah, she is. But she helps me at least. It's more than I can say for others."

"Be that as it may, we have something else to discuss. Namely those chains on your arms. Do you know how you got them?"

"Well, I had another weird dream. I was talking to Kyuubi and I broke the chains around our ankles, tying him back up with strands of my hair. I said that no matter what we were tied with, my will power was the thing that held him back. Then I woke up as I was staring at the glowing chains in that murky sewer water. In the real world, I had these on. I can't seem to get them off though."

"Tell me, do you know what the purpose of those chains are?"

"Well, TenTen showed me how to use them as a defensive thing. That was pretty cool. Other than that, no. I've had some ideas for offensive capabilities, but I can't get the damn things off."

"Get your hammer and come with me."

"What, why?"

Sanosuke turned his head and glared at the blonde.

"Haven't you learned yet that I don't do anything without a reason? Now get your hammer and follow me. We're going to the training grounds."

"Man I gotta train with TenTen tomorrow. If I'm not rested she'll kill me. Literally."

"I'll take care of that, now come on."

Naruto looked at him, not really trusting the angel fully. He was a likeable enough guy, but he had a prankster streak like Naruto. Shouldering his hammer, Naruto stalked off after the angel, who walked with his hands behind his back, in a manner similar to how someone Naruto used to know walked.

Once at the training grounds that he and TenTen now destroyed on a regular basis, Naruto let his hammer fall to the ground with a loud thud and a quake. Sanosuke sighed and turned to face his underling.

"Now then, I'll ask you again. What do you know about these chains?"

"I already told you what I know. I don't know anything else."

"You're not thinking again. This is a gift Naruto and all your gifts are connected to that hammer some way so far. Think, what can you do with that chain?"

Naruto sat down and leaned against the hammer. For some reason he always thought more clearly when it was nearby or in his hand. It calmed him and that was a welcome thing. Closing his eyes, he crossed his legs and clasped his hands together. He imagined himself on the battlefield, the chains around his arms, his hammer in his hand. He watched himself deflect kunai with the chains and knock people around with the hammer. But soon the enemy was standing out of range and he couldn't get close enough without leaving himself open. What could he do to get them?

Naruto opened his eyes and stared at the angel in front of him, who stood watching with bright eyes. It was always fun watching someone come to a realization themselves. That face they made when it finally came to them was always so funny.