Shinobi of the High Seas

Chapter 17: Divine Intervention

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece... so those of you out there that can change that for me, get to it. Come on, chop chop. I'm waiting.

Chapter 17: Divine Intervention

As the day on the Natural Disaster dragged on, things were business as usual. Johnny and Yosaku were training with one another in their own ways, Soren was keeping watch in the crow's nest, and Vivi was trying her hand at helping out on the ship by keeping it on course. Nojiko came from inside the ship and ran up to Vivi frantically, grabbing the young woman's arms, "Have you seen Naruto-kun?" Nojiko shook her frantically, "I haven't seen him on deck all day!"

"Calm down Nojiko! You're making me dizzy!" Vivi said, prompting Nojiko to let go of her. The princess stumbled around on the deck momentarily before regaining her balance, "Someone had to have seen him today. Why is it such a big deal anyway?"

"Because." Nojiko insisted, "If he's not out here, or in the kitchen, or messing with one of us I don't know where he would be."

Miss Valentine stuck her head out of the door and addressed that, "Naruto is trying to sleep in his room."

Nojiko turned to her, "How do you know? And I looked in there earlier this morning, he isn't there. It didn't look like he had been there all night. I even threw his Hiraishin kunai he sticks in his headboard and he didn't show up."

Miss Valentine shrugged, "I don't know what to tell you about that, but he is now. He poked his head out of his room in the common area a few minutes ago and asked me to bring him something if I cook. He looked half past dead too... it's actually kind of creepy. I didn't think he could look like that."

Nojiko and Vivi looked at each other before heading inside and going into Naruto's room to see him for themselves. Upon opening his door they saw him in his bed under the sheets all covered up. His blue eyes panned towards them and he gave them a smile that seemed rather weak to them, "Hey girls. You guys need something?"

Nojiko walked over and sat on his bed, "Are you alright Naruto-kun?" She placed a hand on his forehead, maybe he was sick?

"I'm fine Noji-chan... just exhausted. I just got back not too long ago." Naruto said in reply, getting some surprise from the girls. Naruto was never tired, ever, not that they had seen.

Vivi walked over and mimicked Nojiko's action to see for herself if he was sick, "What do you mean 'just got back?' How did you just get back? You were here when we left the last island, where could you have gone after we left the island, we're at sea."

Naruto pulled his bedsheets up to his neck, "No, you saw a Kage Bunshin get on board and shut itself in my room. Did anyone check the room after that?" No one had. Everyone had gotten back on board in a bitter mood after the encounter with the Kid Pirates. All they did was tell the girls about the people they had fought, but no one told them what exactly had happened there, and judging from their mood none of the women pushed the matter at all, "I had something to do on that island before I left... and it put me in this condition. I'm lucky I had enough chakra to Hiraishin back here before you missed me."

Johnny walked into the room, "You stayed on that island Naruto-aniki? I thought you were going to have your Kage Bunshin handle... all of that."

"I did let them handle a lot of it." Naruto agreed for the most part, "But there was something that I needed to be there for that a Kage Bunshin can't do."

Johnny's sunglasses reflected in the light of the room, "Like what?" He asked.

(Flashback – The Previous Night – The Destroyed Island)