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Naruto: Captured

Naruto has failed the third attempt at his genin exam. Mizuki offers to pass him if he steals the Forbidden Scroll from the Hokage Tower. Things go wrong and Naruto is captured in the act.

The Will Born In Fire

A fleeing spy attacks the Academy after Naruto has failed his second attempt at passing the Genin Exam. Naruto is the hero of the moment but for every heroic act there is a price to be paid.

Naruto The Lost Ninja

Future AU Roughly 10 years after current manga. A scarred blue eyed blacksmith is found after many years of searching. He knows nothing of his past and his future looks bleak until some ninja come for him.

The Runaway Hokage

Perfect Lionheart's Missing Hokage Challenge - Konoha wants to get rid of Naruto after the Sasuke Retrieval so Tsunade packs up all her things and whatever else she can carry and goes with him

I'm only reading the first two. I really like Captured, will born in fire sometimes seems a bit, ahh how to put it, too perfect? Making the dream team and giving them Tsunade, Jiraiya and Anko as senseis. Making Anko!Hinata etc. But I enojy it enough to read it so...
I hope captured stays good now that the Root arc is over.

I'm reading the first three atm

Naruto: Captured:: has a plot I've never seen before and it was executed quite well; as serbii said though, I hope it stays good since the ROOT arc is over with.

The Will Born In Fire:: Wasn't to sure what to think of this one at first, thought all three were going to be SUPER POWERED but
it didn't end up that way and the story is quite intriguing.

Naruto The Lost Ninja:: Now this story is unexpected, Sasuke is very MAD "he's lost it ya know" Naruto basically has lived two lives after Sasuke got to him, (he also lost the ability to use the kyuubi up to 1+ tail and is scarred) and Konoha is a mess.... many of the rookie nine aren't the same and some are well axed.

I quite like the Will Born In Fire... its so refreshing to see the adults making rational decisions in a Naruto fic.

Will Born in Fire got my attention due to the fact that in that early Academy fire scene, the true natures of several characters could be seen in that "omg we could likely die here!" time. Naruto runs to help. Sasuke abandons his classmates and forces his way out to save himself. Hinata facing a hopeless situation and trying without giving up until she gets the support she needs to succeed. Then Naruto spends a while recovering from the burns he sustained and, amazingly, develops a fear of fire. Sadly, this kind of thing (developing a fear of something that badly hurt Naruto) feels like a nice change of pace in Naruto stories for some reason. When they're trained, we see what their training is like, so glossing over it afterwards doesn't feel like a cop out and still makes it believable that they're much stronger than in canon.

Honestly, it works for me because it's believable and characters stay true to what was shown of their true selves from the fire incident. Though it could just be because I'm a sucker for Anko-sensei stories, or I found it when in my "I want to read some stories where Naruto is badly injured early on and has to deal with the aftermath of that" phase. Pretty sure I found Juniper around the same time, so I'm thinking it's the last reason there.

--

I actually read the first chapter or two of Captured, and dropped the story. But once I heard the Root arc was over, I decided to go back and give it another shot after hearing the good praises about it here. And like with the other story, everything that they go through in the school makes their comparative strength versus the "Elites" of their age group entirely believable. The progression of their... I hesitate to call it a friendship, because it feels to me like they're as close to each other as two unrelated people can without being lovers. Maybe closer than lovers without having romantic interest. And I can't see the two of them dating each other.

Anyone have any thoughts on the possible third member of the team? I doubt it would be Sasuke, because he'd end up "killed by a lucky strike from a bandit" or something after his whining cracks the two's temper. I'm thinking it might be Hinata (on the chance that Kiba and Shino both are considered by Sarutobi to likely be promoted during the Exam), but the crazy thought of it being Kabuto just popped into my head.

--

I haven't given the other two a try yet.

The progression of their... I hesitate to call it a friendship, because it feels to me like they're as close to each other as two unrelated people can without being lovers. Maybe closer than lovers without having romantic interest. And I can't see the two of them dating each other.

I'd call it camaraderie. (That is a freaking hard word to spell!)

Frankly I'm the opposite with Anko-sensei stories. Pretty sick of them >_>

"Naruto is badly injured early on and has to deal with the aftermath of that" stories

Find any good ones? (aside from this and Juniper)

I sent a PM to Ed with my ideas, and found out that they weren't the ones. He did tell me who the third teammate will be, after a few thing progress. It's not who you'd expect.

What I liked about Captured comes from the fact that the entire Root Arc has that conspiracy aspect to it. You know who the players are, and the twists and turns taken to bring the conspiracy to light and counter it are well done. I wonder what kind of mission credit they will get acknowledged with. This was at least A rank material, and certainly close to S rank.

As for Lost Ninja, he does a superb job in many ways. The Sasuke he has there is just EVIL! This is the Sasuke who is as much Orochimaru, as he is himself. He is so bent on revenge, that he has completely lost sight of everything else. Talk about a Compte de Monte Christo complex. The fight the two had was just awesome to behold, as it shows that Naruto, without his previous power, is still deadly.

He also no longer feels the need to showboat anymore.

A non-showboating Naruto? Okay, now I have to read it immediately.

--

Oh wow.

Yeah, that was my take when I read it through again. The thing I like most about Ed's work, is that he shows a logical progression in events, as well as not making the characters completely overpowered.

If he does, he makes sure that they face something that balances things out.

I'd call it camaraderie. (That is a freaking hard word to spell!)

Frankly I'm the opposite with Anko-sensei stories. Pretty sick of them >_>

"Naruto is badly injured early on and has to deal with the aftermath of that" stories

Find any good ones? (aside from this and Juniper)

That is an awesome word. Anko-sensei stories are usually great when they do them right, but as with everything else, Sturgeon's Law does apply.

I couldn't remember any good ones other than those two, but then I discovered one I had forgotten about (while trying to find an omake or fic that had a Naruto plushie that Hinata was talking to as if it were alive and Hanabi thought was evil). Naruto Fuujinroku by Daneel Rush. Rated M, 16 chapters (>250,000 words), incomplete. Last updated just over a year ago. It's a "Naruto gets attacked and blinded on his birthday" story that takes a rather interesting turn.

Interesting is putting it mildly, Phht.

That story is something that no sane person would read in one sitting, and the interactions are definitely well done.

Considering what he plans for Hinata, who's already becoming a scary Yandere, he makes her worse. I remember corresponding with him on it for a bit last year, may need to send a pm saying hi again.

ED Just updated "The Lost Ninja"

As well as "Runaway Hokage".

I like the new chapter of Lost. He gives the Konoha shinobi a nice moral cause to fight for now,

New chapter of Captured out.

I like it.

Nice for Naruto and Sakura. I feel sorry for Ino, and even Gaara though.

As for the rest... well, Hinata's proven that she has claws, and has some powerful allies. After what she did, the Hyuga elders better watch themselves. Hiashi, regardless of his opinion on hiis daughter, will not risk a blood feud with two powerful clans, especially since they are almost guaranteed inside help.

Is it me, or does he give some good stuff for what's happening outside of the main characters.

I forsee much Sasuke pwnage in the near future.

BTW, any of you guys guess who the third teamate will be? (the one who will be a permanent addition, not the temp one to arrive soon)

yeah gah I hope Ino gets better (my 3rd fav female character)

It's hard to figure out whom atm....

Hinata?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Neji. Because I think it'd be cool and at least slightly plausible.
Hinata's not gonna leave her team when both of their clans love and want to adopt her. imo.
I liked the Ino/Gaara thing. Thought that was interesting. Gaara's not gonna be smushing things during the invasion, Naruto won't talk to him or find his a jinchuriki too (at least in the traditional way)

Has anyone told Ed about this topic? Kyle [kyLewin] appreciated being told about his.

I'll send him a pm, I think he will be tickled.

I won't reveal who the third member will be, but I think you'll be surprised. Then again, he may change it.

EDIT: Sent the pm.

I vote Anko. Because I certainly wouldn't expect her to be put on a genin team led by Kakashi.

Though depending on how the exams turn out, it could be Shizune or, dare I say it, Temari. OR! Tayuya.

Okay, done with wildly out there team member ideas.

EDIT: If we preserve the 2guys1girl team format and Shika gets promoted... third member could be Choji since Ino's currently comatose and Shika would be chunin.

....Kabuto

Just read captured and the Root arc was great, the conclusion with every one getting rounded up worked like a tv show. The recent chapter I can't comment on due to what was happening in the background. Well I can comment on the fact that I like Hinata sticking up for her team and feel sorry for Ino and Gaara.

Naruto: Captured UPDATED! woot!!

Sasuke got his A** handed to him.

EDIT: I hope Ino gets better *author note hints at Jiraiya helping with that*

We got a mention too

Hi Ed
Looking forward to the Team 8 and Ino/Gaara stuff. Think I'd prefer it to more Sasuke humiliation. Though it was necessary the less of him the better :P.

Yup, Hi ED!

The fact that he mentioned me referring him to here gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Good chapter sent there. The difference between Naru/Saku and Sasuke was just nice to behold. It's amazing what a bit of training as well as a clear incentive to improve can do for someone.

It's not that Sasuke lacks the drive to improve, but he has a lot of flaws that were built up over time in him that blinded him to the reality.

I too would like to see what will go on with Teams 8, 10, and Sand. I already figure Hiashi, :ahem, doing a little culling of the clan elders. He is not going to risk a clan war between the Main House and two small, but very dangerous clans.

Hmm, do I see some minor Ino/Gaara coming up?

Hmm, do I see some minor Ino/Gaara coming up?

Hey, it worked in "Three Months"