“I still don't like this. It feels like Sakura is behind it.â€
“Now now Naruto, blaming Sakura for everything bad that happens to you is just wrong. Why you are starting to sound like Ryoga.â€
Naruto sighed, he was wearing Ranma's usual clothes. “Unlike Ryoga blaming Ranma, which he does more as a tradition at this point, Sakura IS usually to blame.â€
“You are probably right.†Ignoring the looks as he walked down the street, granted he was covered in warts and generally gave off the vibes of a toad.
Jiraya learned that using sage mode he could override the animal aspect of any animal based Jusenkyo curse. Something no other looper could do. Why technically anyone who underwent sage training, he was the only looper to end up with both sage training and such a curse.
Naruto sulked as he stared up at the clouds, unsure if he hated the rain or not. He had bad feelings about this loop, he knew that Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi (which was odd but not unheard of) and oddly Nabiki were all awake, well Jiraya too but that was obvious. However as this loop only started a couple of hours ago and, thankfully, he had yet to encounter any of them, his Sakura warning senses were pinging. Granted usually this happens whenever Sakura is out of sight for more then an hour, which is probably why he got paranoid at night.
To worsen the entire situation he seemed to be only at what he would expect to be at power wise had he been trained by Jiraya for so long. Which turns out to be no stronger then his just post Academy self, granted he would likely have all that taijutsu, but he had that anyway.
'There is a disturbance in the force.' Kurama spoke to his mind.
'Wrong universe, but I agree.'
Naruto spoke to the 'ugly' man next to him wearing an unfitting martial artist gi. “Lets just get this over with, and if I end up engaged to Sakura its coming out of you in blackmail.â€
“Would I really do that?â€
Naruto stared long and hard at his sensei, “I still have pictures from when Sakura used genjutsu on you and Orochimaru to make you make out during the finals of the Chuunin exam.â€
“I'll be good.â€
-o-
Itachi frowned, Sasuke was pacing again cursing under his breath. The master of genjutsu had little experience in this loop. However Sasuke's reaction to being Soun's child was worrying. The fact that Nabiki was awake seemed to worry Sasuke more. He had finally cornered his younger sibling in the dojo to get answers. “Sasuke...â€
He was cut off when Sasuke turned to youngest master of the Tendo school sharply with a panicked look. “Itachi, how much do you know of this loop?â€
“I will admit not much.â€
“I wall also admit my detection ability is limited some, but I know that Naruto started this loop outside Nerima. This means that he is filling Ranma's role.â€
Itachi shrugged, “It may not be that bad, so he will spend a loop engaged to Nabiki.â€
“You are missing the point, or rather not thinking like a looper... I know you are not awake outside our loop often so I will spell it out. As a looper we get an information download most of the time, we didn't this time. Also Sakura is out there with neither us, nor Naruto knowing where she is or trying to limit her.â€
Both shruddered, “You may have a point about Sakura, but you will still have blackmail against Naruto later from whatever Nabiki does to him.â€
“Jiraya is with Naruto and we still have Soun here.â€
Itachi was still perplexed, the illusion expert was well aware that something was terrifying Sasuke. “I will admit that an uncontrolled Sakura is worrisome, yet I still fail to see how any of this matters.â€
Sasuke looked to the ceiling, “You will.â€
-o-
After Naruto and Jiraya arrived a slightly confused Soun escorted them in. “You are a day early.â€
Jiraya shrugged, which was odd given his current form and asked for some hot water as both Naruto and he were brought to the table, “So this must be Naruto.†after the entire 'Tendo' family was brought in and the water was being readied, Jiraya told them about how they visited Jusenkyo and thus his odd appearance.
“Truly the horrors of Jusenkyo are as great as the legends.†The entire table except Nabiki twitched at this.
The water readied Jiraya returned to his human forum. Which still looked odd without his forehead protector. “It is indeed old friend.†He had decided to play along, then he poured the water on Naruto who squawked as he was turned into a girl.
Soun smiled, the curse had been explained in the initial letter that was sent, “It was decided long ago that we would join the schools of anything goes together.†Soun looked to a surprised Naruto. Pick one and he will be your fiance.
Itachi realized as soon as Naruto changed exactly what had his brother was worried about and cast a genjutsu on his brother to effectively disable his ability to speak. Unlike Sasuke who relied entirely on his eyes for learning everything and using his eyes for any genjutsu, he was not so foolish. He had even got them to the point he didn't need hand signs before he looped. It was the best way to trick someone, after all they always found him spookier when he could trap them in a genjutsu without looking them in the eye for some reason.â€
Sasuke tried to speak, he also knew what was coming and could feel Itachi's genjutsu. Try as he might he was only as powerful as Akane was in this loop, the first time through, and he never had the control that Itachi did. End result was obvious, he couldn't break such a well designed technique no matter if it was cast by someone with Kasumi's power levels. What was worse was that Itachi was trained properly by Soun or longer rather, so he was stronger then Kasumi was. He cursed mentally about the situation.
Nabiki looked at the momentarily surprised Naruto and Sasuke and smiled like Sakura was prone to, “Ohh she wants Sasuke.â€
“Yes look at them look at each other, they are in love already.†Nodded Itachi.
Both Sasuke and Naruto's heads snapped to the other two. Then Soun spoke up, “Then it's settled.â€
-o-
Sasuke and Naruto were walking to school, clearly annoyed. They were unable to get out of the mess last night. And were both rather upset, oh sure the fact that Itachi and Nabiki threw them under the proverbial bus was to be expected. Nabiki was already a girl so she was out by default, and Itachi was filling in for Kasumi, plus the entire Uchiha massacre thing with the making Sasuke hate him through torture, kinda a history there.
Naruto spoke first, “Well Ranma and Akane managed the entire loop the first time fending off the fathers, and I can blackmail Jiraya enough to keep him off our backs. So that's something.â€
Sasuke glanced at the blonde girl. “This entire situation is something straight out of Sakura's mind.â€
Naruto paused in thought, “Umm Sasuke?â€
“I know Naruto, it scares me too.â€
They had arrived at the school only to see the most terrifying thing Sasuke had ever seen, and given the loops he had seen things that were way up that ladder. There was Sakura in a Kendo outfit, sword and all with what looked to be every girl in the school.
Sakura locked eyes with Sasuke and grinned. “I the Pink Rose of Furinkan will win the heart of the handsome Sasuke by defeating him in combat.†With that she charged with an entire horde of fangirls.