Alright Blade of Sparda here with a new idea of mine. So while most of my previous work is no longer available due to the shudder I get every time I read them, I have to say I'm happy with how this first chapter turned out and hope you all will agree.
It's my first time writing Naruto in a while, and my first writing Fairy Tail anything so I hope you enjoy.
To be clear, this is an AU Naruto universe where through a series of events, the world turned out to become Fairy Tail-esque with said characters making appearances. There will be key differences so be prepared.
Big shout out to my magnificent, glorious, other adjectives that basically mean great beta Frznlights for helping me get this story out of my head and onto the internet.
P.S. Her story Troublesome Timing is a great one, check it out!
Without a further ado, here's chapter one of A Fairy Tail Adventure!
XxXxXxXxX
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap. Ta-
"Will you cease that infernal racket?! This is a meeting of the utmost importance!"
Long, pale fingers halted mid-descent. Without even bothering to open his eyes, the person addressed gestured grandiosely for the man to continue with a languid flick of his wrist.
A few snickers broke the silence.
A vein bulged on the speaker's forehead. He, a nobleman of the Land of Grass, had waited months to bring his complai-, ahem, concerns to the Council's attention and now he was being mocked?
He would not stand for it.
"There is a growing threat to the peace we have painstakingly kept and you sit there as if it were of no consequence? How dare you!" the nobleman roared.
This was the wrong response.
The air in the room thrummed with power, as the targeted man opened one eye to meet the enraged noble's eyes.
Anger quickly gave way to fear.
If there really was such a thing as a gaze that could 'pierce the soul,' this would be it.
"How dare I?" His voice was soft, yet there was a bite to his words no blade could match. "Peace we have kept? Tell me, oh great lord, how much blood have you shed for your government? How many of your loved ones have you watched die in the field of battle? Hm? Come now, clearly you must have experienced great hardship to reach your… esteemed status. So tell me, how many?"
The unfortunate fool looked like he was torn among the unenviable choices of vomiting, shitting, and fainting - not the most pleasant of expressions.
He settled for just fainting.
In the silence that followed, a slim vanilla folder made its way to the man of its own accord. Nine pairs of eyes watched as the man finally opened his other eye and examined the folder's contents.
"There are many threats to the peace," he began, dropping the folder onto the table, "However I find myself unperturbed by the one this man presented. I vote for the Council to dismiss it."
There were grumblings; a couple appeared ready to argue, but it made no difference.
The matter was closed.
Another nobleman walked in, blatantly ignoring the unconscious man near his feet, and voiced his concerns and discussions around the table began anew, but he tuned them all out. His gaze found its way back to the folder, where the image of a fictional creature was imprinted.
'Fairy Tail… what does your future hold?'
XxXxXxXxX
A sweltering summer day in the Land of Fire was nothing to scoff about; only the inhabitants of Wind Country's vast deserts could claim to experience hotter temperatures. Hinata, having never even seen a beach let alone a desert, found it hard to believe the heat could be any worse. She tugged on the hood of her cloak, hoping it would give her some reprieve from the glare of the summer sun.
The sound of rushing water brought a relieved smile to her face. Barely resisting the urge to plunge headfirst into the river as it came into sight, she hurried to sit on the bank. She filled her canteen, taking a large gulp that soothed her aching throat.
Unclasping her cloak, she let the once silky fabric fall into an undignified heap. It was a shame that her cloak had followed the way of the rest of her clothing, namely picking up numerous stains and tears along her travels. Made with the finest silk in the Land of Fire, the kimono she wore could have bought a small house and the land underneath it.
Now it was faded and torn - a pale, washed out mockery of the elegance it once possessed.
She smiled forlornly as she removed her kimono and began washing it in the river. Dressed in only her undergarments, she felt surprisingly little shame in that fact.
...Okay so there was a little shame, but she really needed to clean her kimono and with her Byakugan active no one would be able to peep without her knowledge.
Pulling out a scroll from the lining of her cloak, she unsealed a change of clothes and a roll of ninja wire to use as a clothesline.
Her eyes drifted onto the river.
She placed her belongings to the side and took a ginger step onto the river's surface. Bracing herself, she transferred the rest of her weight over, and took another step until she found herself standing on the river as if it were solid ground underneath her feat.
A B-rank chakra controlling exercise, water walking consisted of focusing chakra into the soles of one's feet and having it latch onto the water, condensing the water until it could support her weight. Too little and you fell in, too much and the surface tension was destroyed, sending one tumbling into the water. Her chakra had to be continuously adjusted to prevent her from taking an untimely bath, quite difficult for the large chakras of the Senju, but for a Hyuga it should be as easy as breathing.
Perfect chakra control was essential for the Gentle Fist to be truly dangerous, and the Hyuga had spent generations training their young to be perfect. Hyuga children half her age could walk on water with little difficulty; by the time they reached double digits, the average Hyuga child had mastered the exercise to such perfection that the water's surface would not even ripple as they seamlessly moved about.
They weren't the powerhouses of the Senju and their Kekkei Genkai didn't hold a candle to the sheer destructive power other clans possessed, but they had their areas of expertise and were the undisputed best in these areas. No clan came close to matching the Hyuga in chakra control or close combat, nor were there any clan as highly recruited to guard the nobility of the lands as they.
Perfect chakra control was expected, demanded, from a Hyuga; anything less was an utter failure.
And yet…
It took all her focus to remain standing. Every step sent ripples in the water as her toes sunk in beneath the surface before she could readjust to the water. She was close – so, so close, but every step just further proved how damningly far from perfection she still remained.
She felt her eyes prickle, and blinked furiously. She would not cry.
Hyuga do not show weakness! Cease your infernal crying!
She promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore.
Finished already Hinata? How pathetic.
You are an heiress act like it.
The disapproving voices of her clan echoed in her mind.
Thankfully we have Hanabi; she won't bring shame upon our clan.
She's shown little improvement, I fear Hinata is simply too weak to be heiress.
Too weak.
Weak.
WEAK!
She canceled the chakra to her feet, plunging herself into the river.
The voices in her head were silenced. The current gently pulled her up and she allowed herself to drift away.
Away from the disdainful voices of her family, away from the expectations and inevitable disappointment, she needed to get away, find a path that would free her of this heavy burden.
But no matter how far she ran, she couldn't escape her fate. This burgeoning sense of failure hung around her neck like a chain, and no amount of tugging or pulling could break it.
She'd just fail, that's what failures would do, what weaklings always did.
Fail and fail again, until the day they drifted off into the abyss. There was no place for them in the world of shinobi.
Surrounded by the comforting waters of one of the many rivers in Fire Country, where no one could see or hear her, and with the river washing away all proof, Hinata cried.
XxXxXxXxX
Head down and hood up, Hinata walked through the streets; eyes glided over her as if she didn't exist.
It was the ultimate irony. A few short months ago, she would have given an eye to be noticed, but now the anonymity served her well.
It was a good thing; it kept her safe from vagabond characters. Plus, making friendships only to abandon them shortly afterward was too cruel – easier to just avoid them entirely.
Sometimes she almost believed it.
She walked toward the center of town, where a large billboard, tacked with multiple flyers, was stationed. In almost every town she came across, the job request board was a fixture. If a citizen of the town had some sort need for help, they posted a flyer on the board.
They typically weren't dangerous requests, geared more toward knitting communities closer, and now and then a passerby could make a few bucks on their way out of town.
There were plenty of choices: caring for a sick lamb, babysitting a woman's three infants, helping to renovate the main hall, lending a hand for reparations for a few homes, and cleaning the local outhouse.
She shuddered. Why would that even be posted?
There were posters unlike the rest, faded and torn, with big, bold titles and crudely drawn renderings; these posters warned citizens of the known criminals wanted by the government.
She recognized a few: Kakuzu of the Jiongu, The Gold and Silver Brothers, Hatake Kakashi.
But one poster in particular caught her eye. Unlike the rest, this one wasn't of a criminal of note. In fact, instead of 'terrorist' or 'mass murderer' or even 'fugitive' by his name, it was 'notorious troublemaker,' which sounded almost cute in comparison.
The picture underneath was an actual photograph, with a young blond boy no older than eight sticking his tongue at the camera, chubby cheeks each marred with three lines.
Hinata giggled at the picture, and began reading the description.
Convicted for over eighty counts of larceny, destruction of private and public property, and disturbing the peace, Uzumaki Naruto is a D-rank criminal and well-known troublemaker and is not to be trusted. If seen, contact your nearest policemen.
What brought someone to sink to the level of petty crime?
Hinata shook her head free of such thoughts and grabbed the babysitting flyer. Not her favorite line of work but it would have to do.
It took just under an hour for her to find the house at the listed address. Knocking on the door, she didn't wait long as a frazzled looking woman practically threw the door open. Noticing the flyer in Hinata's hand, the woman gave her a once over. Apparently she met some unseen criteria, as the woman dragged her inside. She began babbling about bedtimes and the children's preferences as she finished getting ready. Before Hinata could get in a word, the woman had sprinted off to work, leaving Hinata behind, head spinning.
Hinata walked inside the first bedroom, where two of the three infants were sleeping in a crib while the third played with blocks. She smiled at him, and he waved, giggling happily.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
Then the smell hit her nose.
Four hours of screaming, crying, food projectiles, a trashcan of dirty diapers, and incessant hair pulling later, Hinata rubbed her abused scalp while Mai, the mother of the 'little angels,' prepared her a cup of tea.
"Thank you so much, you're a real lifesaver," Mai said, pouring tea for the two of them.
Hinata blushed slightly, "It was nothing."
Hinata took a sip of tea. Jasmine, nowhere near the quality served in the Hyuga household, but she enjoyed it all the same.
"Excuse me, Hinata was it?"
"Yes?"
"Are you heading to near Tanzaku Gai, by any chance?" Mai asked, tone just shy of desperate.
"Um." Probably not, bigger towns meant more jobs, which meant more shinobi. The risk of finding a shinobi with a grudge against the Hyuga was too high to risk. Sticking to smaller towns and simple jobs was her safest bet.
"Most likely not," Hinata said.
"Ah, I see." Mai's eyes lowered and silence reigned.
"Is everything alright?" Hinata prodded. Prying into someone else's personal life was not a pastime she preferred, but Mai seemed upset and she felt compelled to see if she could help.
Mai smiled sadly, "My son Kaito works in Tanzaku Gai. We lost his father in the last bandit raid, and since then he's been dead set on becoming a member of the local police force. As soon as recruitment began, there was no stopping him. It's been quite some time since I last saw him. I hope he's doing okay."
"Oh." Hinata watched Mai, noticing for the first time the stress lines on her face.
Bandits and outlaws were more common than the government would like to admit. There simply wasn't enough manpower to go around, and not every town could financially support a shinobi clan. Small towns like Camelia were stuck relying on local police, which didn't always make it in time.
Hinata wondered if it would be so bad for her to make a small detour. Tanzaku Gai was only, what, thirty five miles west of Camelia? Not that far.
Mai stood up. "I think I'll head to bed now, thank you again Hinata for your hel-."
"I'll do it," Hinata blurted out.
"What?" Mai asked, confused.
"I'll deliver your message," Hinata clarified.
A small part of Hinata didn't look forward to the long trek to Tanzaku Gai, but that part silenced itself when Mai smiled thankfully with tears in her eyes.
XxXxXxXxX
She expected it would take a few days of searching to find the young man and deliver the message. Fate had another plan as the first person she asked about Kaito turned out to be the young man himself.
Kaito possessed the brown hair and eyes typical of a Land of Fire native. He had a scowl on his face and a sour disposition, but the moment Hinata mentioned Mai and his three little siblings, his features softened.
"Is she doing well?" he asked, worry leaking into his voice.
Hinata nodded, "Yes, she said she's doing well and she wishes the best for you. She also requested I ask if you'd consider coming home for Tenji's birthday."
Kaito's scowl returned full force. "I wish I could, but there's things here I need to take care of first."
"What do you mean?"
"A shinobi has been going around these parts robbing civilians blind and the police are too busy lining their pockets with backroom dealings to do their damn job! And that damn police captain is completely incompetent; he couldn't tell his ass from his elbow if he had a map! I've being trying to get the civilians to petition to impeach him, but they're too scared of upsetting the mobs heading the casinos to try anything."
He sighed, "Half the time it feels like I'm the only one doing anything around here, and I'm not even a policeman yet!"
"I-I'm uh, sorry to hear that. Is there a way I can help?" Hinata asked.
Kaito snorted. "Unless you can help me track down Uzumaki Naruto then I think you might as well continue on your way."
"Uzumaki Naruto? I've heard of him," Hinata muttered.
"Yeah, he's a real piece of work," Kaito growled. "The punk's been stealing from civilians around these parts, even got me about three weeks ago, and the police can't catch hide or hair of the bastard. On top of all that, the damn police chief doesn't want to alert the capital that we can't catch a D-rank criminal. I have no clue how a worthless bastard like Iggy became chief, but hopefully Uzumaki will cross the wrong group and get a bounty placed on him; it would save us the headache."
"Well, um, how can I help?"
"Wait, you're serious? You want to help capture Uzumaki?" She nodded and felt Kaito examine her.
She fidgeted.
Kaito sighed, looking uncomfortable, "Well how about you searched the northern part of town? I got people looking everywhere else, so it would help."
Hinata felt mildly insulted.
The police station was located in the northern part of town. The chance of Uzumaki Naruto wandering about with that many policemen nearby was as likely as an Uchiha admitting he needed glasses.
Not very high.
Still, wanting to provide some assistance, she headed north.
And now, here she was looking for a bandit, who had managed to avoid detection for weeks from professionals without any help from said professionals, for no reason other than she wanted the son of a woman she just met to return home, who thought so little of her that he essentially said her help was useless.
…that sounded terribly stupid now that she thought about it.
She sighed in defeat, so much for trying to do some good. At least she delivered Mai's message; she could leave Tanzaku Gai with no regrets.
Looking up, she noticed a young teenager with the Uzumaki spiral on the back of his bright orange jumpsuit.
She blinked. It couldn't be that easy, could it?
He was arguing animatedly with a stall patron, in clear view.
Ducking behind a fruit cart, she peered over a stack of oranges at her target.
He had wild, spiky locks the color of the sun. There were three lines on each of his cheeks, giving the impression of whiskers.
Hinata couldn't believe it.
It was Uzumaki Naruto! Wandering about without a care in the world!
Her course of action was either finding a policeman or to confront him herself. By the garish colors he wore, he obviously didn't care much for remaining undetected and, more than likely, he was a confrontational type with some capability of holding his own if he got away this long wearing neon orange.
Hinata prayed for a policeman to show up.
As if some deity heard her, the shrill bleat of a whistle split the air, causing Hinata to jump. Twisting around, she saw a battalion of shinobi in green flak vests, policemen, running towards her.
She pinched herself.
It hurt.
Everything was going well for her.
Too well.
The police surrounded the blond, and a skinny man with turquoise hair and the badge of a police chief on his vest yelled, "Uzumaki Naruto! For crimes against the citizens of Tanzaku Gai, I hereby place you under arrest!"
Naruto looked confused, "Wait… what?!"
The police chief roared, "Don't play dumb. Men, capture him!"
But the boy wasn't going down without a fight. Leaping over the first shinobi that charged, Naruto proceeded to land on the police chief's face, which he used to springboard himself down the road, straight toward where Hinata was hiding.
She froze.
What should she do? Try to detain him? Let him go?
Paralyzed by uncertainty, she watched transfixed as Naruto drew closer and closer. A policeman went to grab him, but the orange-garbed boy planted his foot hard into the ground, avoiding the man and crashing into the fruit stand instead, sending it teetering over.
Right on top of Hinata.
"Eep!"
Hinata tried to jump out of the way, but she slipped and fell to the ground. She closed her eyes, ready to be crushed by a pile of fruit.
…which was a much deadlier fate than it sounded.
Rough hands grabbed her and there was a sudden sense of weightlessness.
Hinata kept her eyes shut tight; afraid of what she'd find when she opened them.
"You alright?"
Hinata peeked out of one eyelid, staring into cerulean blue.
Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the girl he just saved from death-by-fruit.
"You okay?"
Hinata became suddenly aware of the lack of space between her face and the blond's. She was in his arms, bridal style, and if he just craned his neck to the right, their lips would be mere centimeters apart.
Hinata never had much experience with boys, but her elders at the Hyuga compound made sure she was aware of how hormonal teenage boys preyed on innocent young maidens such as herself.
So excuse her for her response.
"P-Pervert!"
Naruto barely got a 'wah?' out before Hinata slammed a chakra coated palm into his chest.
Naruto's body seized up and he collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut, taking Hinata with him.
The police were treated to the interesting sight of a young girl in a cloak scrambling to escape from underneath their target, blushing up a storm.
XxXxXxXxX
Immediately after her, ahem, 'capture' of Uzumaki Naruto, the police had thanked her for her help, most through gritted teeth, and she'd even gotten a small reward for her part.
Kaito was in complete disbelief when she told him what had happened and had all but demanded to see proof. When she took him to see the captured Uzumaki, he made one thing clear.
That wasn't Uzumaki Naruto.
Or at least, wasn't the same Uzumaki Naruto that had gone around ambushing civilians.
'The Uzumaki Naruto who attacked me was huge, red-headed, and wielded a club bigger than your Uzumaki Naruto,' were his exact words.
Now Hinata was faced with a conundrum. The Uzumaki she had captured, while he was a petty criminal, had done nothing wrong and even went out of his way to help her.
He wasn't a knight in shining armor saving her from a dragon, but he had gone out of his way for her, and she wanted to repay his kindness – not have him punished for crimes he hadn't committed.
She walked into the police station and made a beeline for the police chief's desk.
His eyes lit up with recognition, "Oh, you're the Hyuga girl from earlier."
Hinata flinched, but he took no notice.
"Thanks for the help back there; the Capital's mighty happy about the capture." His eyes glittered with happiness, "I may even get a promotion out of this! All thanks to you!"
He laughed, but Hinata only fidgeted. "Thank you sir, b-but I wanted to ask you a question," she said, keeping her eyes fixed on her fidgeting hands.
"Well what is it?"
"Why are you sure Uzumaki-san is the thief?"
It was an innocent question in her mind. Shinobi were masters of deception, it wasn't inconceivable that Naruto could actually be innocent.
The man waved off her words. "Don't worry your pretty little head about that. Uzumaki Naruto is a well-known prankster in these parts and very adept at the Transformation Jutsu, very adept."
He stared off into the distance, a strange grin on his face. Hinata moved to speak, but he cut her off, "We've gathered suitable evidence that indicts Uzumaki Naruto for the thefts, so there's no need for you to worry. It's all being taken care of."
His words lacked any real substance to them, and before she could put in another word, the police chief clasped his hand over her shoulder.
"Why don't you start heading home? In fact, I think I can have one of my boy's escort you." Something dangerous flashed in his eyes.
Hinata felt a little shiver go down her spine. She didn't like the slant of his mouth nor the tone of his voice.
Swallowing, she bowed her head, "It's no problem sir. I'll be fine."
He nodded and to her relief, released her shoulder. "Good, I hoped not."
Hinata felt his gaze follow her as she left.
XxXxXxXxX
Uzumaki Naruto was having a pretty shitty day.
It started off great with news about a potential family member, and after his usual breakfast of enough ramen to give an Akimichi a stomach ache, he set out for Tanzaku Gai to find him.
After giving out a concussion or two to the bastards that had dared to badmouth his soon-to-be newest clan member, (did they really think they could get away with calling a relative of Uzumaki Naruto a 'no good bandit?'), he had taken to walking around Tanzaku Gai and calling out for the mystery Uzumaki.
As arguably the largest and greatest casino den in the Land of Fire, there were plenty of places in Tanzaku Gai to find a good time, some much more seemly than others. So understandably, the blond teenage shinobi got off track with the wide selection of games to play.
He managed to win eight straight games of poker before it was discovered that he didn't have the slightest idea on how to play. The men he'd won over a quarter million ryo from, cried manly tears when he innocently asked if they were still playing go fish.
So he hadn't found his long-lost relative, the day was treating him well and he felt good about his chances.
Then the fuckers, aka the police, decided to ruin all that, accusing him of robbing civilians.
Which was complete bullshit.
Pranks on unsuspecting citizens? He's pulled more than the kitsune of folklore; shinobi spent their entire careers without committing the amount of petty crimes he had by the time he reached his teens.
Robbing civilians? Please, he didn't need to, and even if he did, he sure as hell wouldn't have been caught. He was Uzumaki Naruto for crying out loud, if he wanted to steal, no one would be the wiser.
But they looked serious, so he ran.
He got in trouble enough for the things he did do, no need to tack someone else's crimes on his record.
He'd visited Tanzaku Gai enough to know the ins and outs that he knew he could outrun the police chasing him, but he ran into that stupid fruit stand. The civilian girl behind it was about to get crushed, and being the valiant hero that he is, he snatched her from a dastardly fate.
And she thanked him by calling him a perv and knocking him out with a cheap shot.
His pride stung, cuffs around his wrists draining his chakra, and a one way ticket to trial in the capital.
Yep. Today officially sucked.
A lot.
He spent his first couple hours in the cell screaming himself hoarse about his innocence, even banging his head against the bars to no avail. The police weren't going to just let him go. Still, if he was going to be stuck here, he was going to make life as difficult as humanly possible for these bastards.
They must have learned from the last time they locked him up though, as the guard watching him brought ear plugs and a book.
It was nighttime now; most of the police had left for night patrols. Bandits and rogue shinobi weren't the only nighttime threats; there were enough drunks and shinobi pissed off about getting cheated to keep the entire force out, keeping order. It was just Naruto and the lone guard on duty.
Well, it was the guard on duty, but some scraggly blonde came in with a top so low that Naruto could see how cold she was and the two left over an hour ago.
He hoped she gave the bastard a rash.
With nothing else to do and no one to bother, Naruto decided on a nap. When the bastard came back he'd be properly rested and could give him a full dose of Uzumaki style hell.
His dream was amazing.
He had been named supreme overlord of the Elemental Countries. Ramen was declared the national food and he was swimming in a lake of the heavenly substance as scantily clad pink-haired beauties fed him.
It was perfect.
Well there was the rattling noise, but other than that it was perfect.
The annoying rattle increased in volume and he growled. How was he supposed to be Supreme Overlord of Ramen™ with all the racket?
It stopped and Naruto sighed in relief, only to be roused from his greatest ramen-related ream to date by soft hands on his shoulder. "Huh? Wuzzat?" he asked, still groggy and unaware of his surroundings.
Not the greatest of habits to pick up in his line of work, but hey, he was twelve and had room to grow.
Naruto felt movement near his wrists and the chakra suppressing cuffs fell to the floor with a muffled clatter.
Wait… was someone breaking him out? Oh please be Sakura. Well he wouldn't mind Iruka, or even Natsu. Just not Sasuke, anybody but Sasuke.
If Sasuke actually came to save his bacon, he'd rather stay in jail.
Naruto caught sight of a familiar shade of white in the night, "Hey you're the-"
Hinata slapped her hand over his mouth and held a finger to her lips. Naruto made a silent 'oh' under her fingers in understanding.
It was a break out. Awesome.
Hinata motioned for him to follow, and Naruto climbed to his feet with no hesitation. She wasn't exactly his ideal or expected savior; she did hit him with a cheap shot earlier and called him a perv, but he wasn't going to complain. Better than Duck-Butt Galore breaking him out with that smug, superior grin on his face silently mocking him.
Damn bastard would have never let him hear the end of it.
Sticking to the shadows, the two made their way out of the village. Naruto's fingers twitched, ready to form his favorite cross seal and summon a horde of clones for a distraction, but it proved unnecessary. Hinata managed to maneuver the two out of the path of every single patrol without fail.
Naruto chalked it up to good karma. 'Thou get locked up unjustly, thou get broken out easily' or something.
The buildings gave way to trees and Naruto enjoyed the familiar scents of the forest. He caught his savior's eyes, which had a serious case of crow's feet that reached up to her temples.
'Holy crap! That's some granny wrinklage!'
Hinata stopped and turned to face him, and Naruto blinked at the sudden absence of wrinkles of any kind.
Must have been a trick of the light.
"Thanks a bunch! I thought I'd get the slammer for sure!" Naruto yelled enthusiastically.
He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been worried. Considering his reputation, the Old Perv might have believed the reports and let him suffer the consequences of 'his' actions - which would have been total bullshit. But Iruka was always talking about 'taking responsibility' and 'growing up', so it was inevitable that the Old Perv would find a way to turn that into 'letting Naruto suffer in jail.'
He was a right bastard like that.
Hinata nodded, not meeting his eyes.
Naruto frowned, why'd she keep looking at the floor? Did she think he'd bite or something?
Weird.
Getting a good look at her, the indigo hime-cut hair, eyes and skin of porcelain, fidgeting fingers, and uncertain gazes, Naruto couldn't believe this was the girl that busted him out. When assembling a team for a prison break, a girl afraid of her own shadow wouldn't exactly be high on his list.
"So why'd you break me out?" Naruto finally asked. "Not that I'm ungrateful! Just… curious. You know?"
"I… I d-don't believe you did what they said you d-did. And…" she gulped. Hunching her shoulders, she looked like she was trying to disappear into the folds of her cloak, "I was the one who got you c-captured, so…"
"Oh yeah! That really hurt!" he yelled, rubbing where she had jabbed him earlier. She hit as hard as Sakura!
As the words left his lips, Hinata's cheeks turned a rather interesting shade of red, burgundy maybe? Her mouth opened and closed, struggling to form words.
Now it was Naruto's turn to fidget. The clear regret on Hinata's face made him uncomfortable. He felt an inexplicable urge to apologize, and he didn't even do anything!
"I-I'm sorry," Hinata whispered, bowing to the shorter blond, "I'm so, so s-sorry."
"It's fine," Naruto said, waving off her apology.
"No really!" he shouted when Hinata looked ready to cry. If she started letting loose with the tears, he'd have no idea what to do. "If one night in jail was all it took to upset me, I'd have become an actor or something. You don't need to feel bad, really you don't."
Hinata nodded, eyes glued on the floor.
Naruto's eyebrow twitched. The whole 'avoid meeting his eyes like her life depended on it' was starting to irritate him, made him feel like she was ignoring him, and he hated being ignored.
"Thanks again," he quipped, hoping to get a conversation going.
Hinata nodded, still not looking at him.
Silence.
Awkward, awkward silence.
He sighed internally, maybe Sasuke breaking him out wouldn't have been so bad? Then again, 'hn' wasn't much better than silence.
XxXxXxXxX
Hinata poked together her index fingers, unsure of her next step. Her impulsive act now complete, should she bid him farewell? What kind of etiquette was there for escapees?
This whole situation was one giant, regrettable, impulsive act after impulsive act.
After the police chief did little to dissuade her from the notion of Naruto's innocence, she decided to question the other policemen to see if they could shed light on the situation, but none of them knew much about it. All of them were content with the knowledge that they had captured the accused and that was that.
Some even blatantly lied to her face, claiming Naruto had been seen earlier that day robbing civilians. She would have believed it to, if they weren't such poor liars.
How did they ever get jobs in law enforcement if they couldn't lie to a twelve year old girl?
She went back to the police station hoping to find someone else to talk to, and when she couldn't find anyone, she used her Byakugan, only to realize there were no guards in the building Naruto was held in.
That led to the most rash, sudden, impulsive action in her entire life.
And now she was responsible for a jailbreak, aiding a fugitive for no discernible reason.
Hinata blinked, mildly aware Naruto was talking.
He stared at her expectantly.
Nodding and smiling politely, she hoped he hadn't just asked her a question. She really shouldn't space out like that.
Naruto grinned, "Great! So I'll find him and you can vouch for me with the police!"
Hinata blinked.
Wait, what?
Extending his index and middle fingers, he brought both hands in front of his face to form a cross and shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Hundreds of orange-clad blonds erupted from clouds of smoke and sprinted off into the woods in every direction.
Hinata's jaw nearly unhinged itself.
The Clone Jutsu, a jutsu for creating illusionary copies of the user, was all but common knowledge, but these were obviously a class above. The grass bent beneath their feet and tree branches rattled when they leapt off. These were solid clones. The fact that Naruto possessed the chakra to create and maintain so many solid constructs was nothing short of incredible.
Naruto slammed his fist into his palm, "Alright! So we kick this thief's ass, take him to the police, and clear my name!"
Hinata blinked. Did she agree to such a thing? Drat, how unbelievably careless of her to blindly commit to something most likely beyond her capabilities.
This had 'bad idea' written all over it.
Trying to gather up the courage to decline taking part in the capture, Hinata noticed Naruto frowning and staring off into space.
Worry over her new, was friend the right word?, pushed aside her desire to leave.
"Um, U-Uzumaki-san."
"Hm? What?" Naruto asked.
Hinata bit her lip, she hoped she wasn't off the mark, but… "Are y-you upset?"
Naruto hesitated. "Well, I didn't think I'd have a cousin that was a thief," he admitted. "I thought everyone had it wrong, that there was no way an Uzumaki steal from innocent civilians."
Naruto's glum look vanished into a wide, obviously forced, smile. "Guess I was wrong, hehe," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.
"Oh."
What was there for her to say?
She knew the tragedy of the Uzumaki Clan; how, in one night, the Uzumaki Clan was destroyed, their homeland erased from the maps, and the survivors scattered to the wind. Naruto must have been a survivor or descendant of one, searching for his remaining family. An honorable journey, one he could have been on for years.
"I'm sorry." -that you finally found a member of your family, only for that person to be a despicable thief. How painful that must be for you.
Naruto laughed, his smile turning genuine. "You know, you say sorry a lot."
Hinata blushed.
Naruto rolled his shoulders, "It's whatever, I'm sure Erza will be pissed – Natsu too. He was really looking forward to having another Uzumaki join."
"J-Join?"
Naruto eyes lit up and he pulled up his jacket, baring his abdomen.
Hinata covered her eyes.
A few seconds later, she peeked through her fingers. Over his navel, there was an orange outline of a creature she had seen in children's books.
'Is that a… fairy?'
Naruto pointed at the tattoo. "This is the symbol of my clan, Fairy Tail. We're not like any of the other clans; we're way more awesome," he said with pride.
Fairy tale? Was it an attempt to gather up the surviving Uzumaki? If it was, why the strange name?
"You can join if you want!"
"H-Huh?" Hinata sputtered, taken aback.
He smiled widely at her. Pulling down his shirt to protect his modesty, he said, "Yeah! It'd be great, you can show everybody that cool jutsu you used on me earlier!"
Hinata stared at him blankly. This boy, this strange, loud boy with terrible fashion sense was asking her to join his clan.
This was so bizarre. Didn't he understand what a clan even was?
A clan was men and women bound together by bonds of blood and duty. It was upholding your family's honor, even at the cost of your life. It was training until your hands bled and muscles trembled with exhaustion, for the right to your last name – to bear the clan's crest that your ancestors fought and died to protect.
These were bonds breakable only by death; they could not be handed out to strangers like candies.
Should she feel honored for the offer? Angry at his blatant disrespect for his familial bonds by the way he offered them to her without any preamble? Happy he thought so highly of her?
Uzumaki Naruto was fast approaching the title of strangest person she'd ever met.
His eyes turned slightly glassy. "Gotcha you bastard!" he shouted suddenly, sprinting off into the forest.
Hinata watched him run off.
This was the perfect chance to leave and avoid an awkward goodbye. She had accomplished what she wanted to do and had cleared her conscience by breaking Naruto out. Now there was nothing stopping her from leaving and never ever seeing the blond again.
"You can join if you want!"
… But she had promised to help, hadn't she? Even if she didn't mean to, she made a promise. She should live up to it, right?
Before his orange jacked completely disappeared into the foliage, she darted forwards.
Hinata could barely match Naruto's speed, and as she pressed herself to catch up, a sudden explosion caught her off guard; the force threw her to the ground.
A large figure emerged from the darkness. When Hinata imagined a mountain man, she pictured men with burly arms and barrel chests, who looked like they were allergic to razors. The redheaded bandit fit the description to a tee.
His deep voice echoed through the trees, "Hold it right there! I have nothing against you. Call this a twist of fate if you'd like, but I'm taking everything you own!"
During his speech, he spun a spiked club larger than Hinata in his hand, winning him major points in the intimidation department. Clearly Kaito hadn't been kidding about his description of the man.
Naruto's indignant cry followed, "The hell you talking about? I ain't letting you take jack shit, even if we are related!"
The man laughed, "Then get ready to taste the wrath of Uzumak-EEEE!"
His voice raised a few decibels, from 'slightly menacing' to 'squeaky toy,' as Naruto buried his foot in the man's crotch. Clones popped out of the woodwork, surrounding the redhead and began, literally and figuratively, kicking him while he was down.
The vicious grin on Naruto's face was unsettling, but the happy smile he shot her made her cheeks flush. What was wrong with her today?
"I can't believe this guy is an Uzumaki. He's way too pathetic." Naruto gave him one last kick for good measure.
"Wait!"
Hinata jumped at the sudden appearance of the police chief. His turquoise hair was matted with sweat; he must have sprinted all the way here.
Taking a moment to catch his breath, he gasped out, "Wha… What are you doing here?"
"I'm beating up the real thief, what does it look like?" Naruto spat, still peeved he had been wrongly accused in the first place.
The older man glared at the blond, then his features morphed into a pleased grin, "Really? Well good job, now help me apprehend this criminal."
The man's sudden appearance and attitude felt off to her, but Naruto thought nothing of it. Reaching over to grab the unconscious Uzumaki, Naruto seemed honestly surprised when a pair of chakra suppressing handcuffs was slapped over his wrists.
Naruto barely had time to get out a 'wah?' before the man's kick sent him to his knees.
"Banna! Get the girl!"
Invigorated by his apparent ally's words, the formerly defeated redhead leapt to his feet and reached one meaty palm out for Hinata. He grabbed her cloak and not much else.
"Iggy, she's gone!" The big oaf whined piteously, holding up the empty cloak.
Iggy snarled, "Well find her then! We can't afford to have our plans go up in smoke because of one little girl."
Banna began crashing through the underbrush, swiping ineffectually at the branches and craning his head this way and that. Hinata stayed crouched behind a tree, observing the action through her Byakugan.
Her Substitution Jutsu had gotten her out of harm's way, but Naruto was still in trouble. As long as those cuffs disrupted his chakra, he was a sitting duck.
She faced two enemies with a hostage.
Her hands started to shake.
Actual combat was beyond her meager skills; she took Naruto by surprise, and she wouldn't have that advantage here. Her best option would be to run and get help, but then Naruto's fate would be sealed.
What should she do?
What could she do?
She had to fight, she needed to fight if Naruto was to survive, but her stupid body wouldn't stop shaking long enough for her to get up. Forcing herself to her feet, her legs possessed the stability of gelatin.
How foolish of you to test fate Hinata. Be thankful you do not bare the same curse at me, and accept the path fate has written for you. If you try to fight fate, you will fail, it is what failures do.
Her cousin's voice was right. She was scared; she was weak; she had no chance of victory. It was foolish to think otherwise.
Hinata dropped back to her knees, and prayed Naruto could forgive her.
Iggy smirked down at Naruto, "For a moment there, I was worried that you weren't stupid enough to fall for that."
"You bastard," the blond growled.
"Shut up brat!" He slammed his foot on the back of Naruto's head, grinding his face into the dirt.
"My plans are ruined caused of you! Banna was supposed to get a reputation using the Uzumaki name and then become big enough that when I'd bring him in I'd become a hero! Get a cushy job at the Capital and live the rest of my days in splendor! I'd break him out afterward and we'd live the rest of our days happily!"
Iggy's eyes narrowed to slits. "But then the actual Uzumaki Naruto just had to show up! I didn't think there was actually someone out there dumb enough to name there kid after ramen, but here you are! I thought sending you to the capital as the alleged criminal would get me that job and you off my case, but then you went and found Banna. Now I'll have to kill you to keep this quiet. Why couldn't you just stay in jail!" He screamed, slamming his foot repeatedly on Naruto's head.
Naruto's scream was muffled by the dirt, but the word 'screw' was audible.
Iggy pulled out a kunai, fingers gripping it hard enough to turn them white. Face so twisted up in rage that it was almost comical, he continued, "Oh the bloody paperwork I'll have to fill detailing how you escaped! This is going to look so bad on my record. Ugh, you could just have stayed in your cell, and this would have been a bad memory in a week tops, but now I'm going to have to kill you and your little girlfriend."
Naruto growled as rolled away from Iggy's next kick and got to his feet, "Don't you dare lay a hand on her!"
Hinata felt her heart skip a few beats at those words. Was he really… defending her?
Iggy was in equal disbelief, "What, you think she really cares about you? Look around! She's already gone - left you high and dry."
"Shut up!" Naruto screamed. "First, you make my cousin steal just to look like the hero. Then, you talked bad about- wait, what was her name again?"
Hinata deflated. He didn't remember her name? Did she ever give him her name?
Wait, he was going to let her join his clan and he didn't even know her name?
What kind of clan was Fairy Tail?
"Well… I still won't let you talk about her like that!" Naruto screamed defiantly.
Iggy's kick knocked the wind out of his sails, sending him back onto his knees.
"You're such an idiot kid. Banna isn't even an Uzumaki."
"What? Really? Are you sure? I know he's kind of weak, but he could be like an adopted cousin or something and you just made him go by Naruto to use my badass reputation, right?"
"Geez kid, I'm starting to think killing you would do the gene pool a favor."
"Bite me."
"Heee! I found her, Iggy."
Like someone dunked her in ice water, dread filled Hinata's veins as the bruised face of Banna leered down at her. She rolled, dodging an overhead punch, and recovered quickly to her feet. Hands forward in a basic Gentle Fist stance, she focused her chakra to her fingertips.
Hinata heard Iggy yell, "Kill her Banna!"
"But… I don't wanna kill her, she's pretty," Banna spoke, reluctance clear on his face, even with his cheeks puffed up and one eye swollen shut.
Iggy rolled his eyes. Stupid oaf. "Then knock her out!"
He could just kill her later himself if the big oaf was going to be difficult about it. That capital job was still in reach!
Banna liked that plan better, so he sent a meaty fist at the petite girl's head.
Hinata bent backwards at almost a ninety degree angle, fist flying wildly over her head. Impressive bouts of flexibility aside, Hinata didn't have much else going for her defensively; she'd have to go offensive if she wanted to get out of here alive.
Could she though? Could she really attack another person?
"Kick his ass!" Naruto screamed, and suddenly the task didn't seem so daunting.
Hinata focused her vision on the large man; his tenketsu network lighting up to her eyes. She could see all 361 tenketsu, but she only needed thirty two.
She spoke calmly, "You're in my field of divination."
"Eh?" Banna asked stupidly.
"Two Palms." Banna wondered why the girl was poking him. Then the pain hit.
"Four Palms." Her hands were like mosquitoes, leaving dark red welts that burned like fire underneath his skin. He stumbled back, bringing his arms up for protection.
It made no difference.
"Eight Palms. Sixteen Palms. Thirty-Two Palms!"
Banna dropped like a stone, paralyzed and incapable of molding chakra. Hinata, panting in exertion, smiled weakly. She couldn't remember the last time she expended so much chakra; her arms and legs felt like jelly.
Iggy palmed his face. Beaten by a girl, good help was so hard to find these days.
Everything had gone to hell in a hand basket, but if he just killed the witnesses, he could still cover everything up. His dream of doing nothing of note and getting paid for it was still on the table!
He rushed forward at the girl, kunai poised to kill.
But the Byakugan wasn't known as 'All-Seeing' for nothing. As Naruto shouted out a warning, she ducked under the slash and kicked out at his backside, sending him stumbling.
Iggy spun around with a scowl and rubbed his butt, "That didn't even hurt. Are you already out of chakra?"
Hinata just smiled, throwing a small object Naruto's way.
Iggy froze. Reaching for his waist, he noticed his distinct lack of keys.
Hinata spoke, still out of breath, "That… may not have hurt…"
"But this will!" Naruto finished, throwing the handcuffs over his shoulder, "Let's try this again, shall we? Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Six clones appeared, flanking him at both sides; their smiles promising pain for the turquoise haired chief of police.
"Mommy." Iggy was a lot of things, but a strong fighter was not one of them. And both of them knew it.
Three of the clones rushed forward, sending him flying into the air with a trio of kicks to the sternum. Grabbing each other's wrists, they swung the remaining Naruto's into the air like a gymnastic routine.
"Uz. U. Ma. Ki." Each syllable was compounded with another kick to Iggy's chest, knocking him further down. Iggy, over a mere yard from the ground, only had one thought as he stared with blurred eyes at a Naruto smiling overhead with his leg raised high.
'Should have stuck with farming.'
"Naruto Barrage!" Naruto's foot hurled Iggy into the ground, creating a small crater and undoubtedly breaking a few of the man's ribs. Naruto grinned at the panting Hinata.
"We sure showed them, didn't we?"
Hinata felt herself returning his grin full force. This was the single most exhilarating night of her life by a wide margin.
"Halt!"
Through the trees, Hinata made out the uniforms of the police force.
"Oh crap, it's the coppers. Run!" Grabbing Hinata's hand, Naruto began sprinting through the forest. Breaking out of jail, finding a thief, defeating him and the corrupt police chief, and now being chased by police? Quite a thrilling night.
Hinata blinked, why were they running?
"W-wait, we can just explain what h-happened." Hinata mused.
Naruto shook his head, "They aren't the type to listen, trust me. To them, I'm an escaped convict and I just beat up their leader. The last place I want to be is in their company, accidents happen. Better to run now and explain later. Besides I already sent a clone, he'll tell them what really happened later. For now, keep running!"
Hinata faintly noticed that Naruto still had her hand in his grasp.
"Hinata."
Naruto turned to her, "Hm?"
She stared at his collar, a blush creeping along her cheeks, "M-My name... It's Hinata."
Naruto blinked, as if it just occurred to him that he didn't know her name. Laughing, he replied with a wide, foxy grin, "Uzumaki Naruto, the Kitsune of Fairy Tail."
XxXxXxXxX
They arrived in the next town, sweaty, dirty, and triumphant. Naruto dragged her to a ramen bar, where she discovered Naruto could eat his body weight in ramen, and he amazed her with stories of his past pranks.
It wasn't until that night, after they set up camp and the blond was fast asleep in his tent, that she truly considered Naruto's offer to join his clan.
It was flattering - beyond flattering actually, she was honored by his request. But when it came down to it, she couldn't bring herself to accept.
The Hyuga were not the nicest of people (read: bastards) but they had raised her for twelve years, taught her the ways of the world, and devoted themselves to guiding her, albeit begrudgingly.
No matter what kind of offer Naruto made, she couldn't bring herself to disrespect those years she spent in the Hyuga household by joining another.
Thus, the next morning, she silently gathered her belongings and left the small campground, with the sound of Naruto's soft breathing fading behind her as he slept.
It was the smart decision. Naruto didn't need someone weak like her in his clan. The fight with Banna was a fluke, and even then she'd nearly let Naruto down.
When faced with someone strong, Hinata knew what the end result would be. She'd falter and break, shatter like glass in the face of adversity and cut all the loved ones she wished to protect.
She wanted him to think well of her, wanted him to keep the image of a strong kunoichi in his mind, not the meek little girl she truly was. Above all else, she didn't want him to think badly of her, not after he believed in her.
Her eyes never left the dirt path. Step by step, the gap between her and Naruto grew wider. She was just tired – hungry as well. Missing a boy she knew for less than a day was foolish and she most definitely didn't hope to see him again. Fate had a plan, and happiness wasn't in hers. She knew that, accepted it so many summers ago.
Then why did it have to hurt so much?
"Hey!"
Hinata faltered, nearly falling to the ground. No, she was just hearing things, it couldn't be.
"Wait up!"
Hinata's heart sped up. Turning, she saw Naruto running towards her, waving his arms frantically.
He skidded to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust. Panting with hands on his knees, he let out, "Why'd… why'd you leave? Don't you… want to join Fairy Tail?"
Why'd he have to do this to her? Couldn't he see she was protecting him? She'd only disappoint him like all the others, she couldn't, wouldn't do that. Not to him, not to the first person to believe in her since…
She clenched her eyes shut, the memories of happier days still ached. The reminders of what she'd lost.
He frowned, unnerved by Hinata's actions. "Something wrong?"
Nothing was wrong, just that she had to leave, run away and never stop. She was trouble waiting to happen, a firecracker ready to blow in his hands. She needed to keep him away, leave him with pleasant memories and have him live his life happy, without her burdening him.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. Glancing down the road, he didn't notice any familiar sights.
"Where you heading?"
"I-I… don't know." Hinata said honestly. Her journey was never about a destination, the journey itself was the only aspect of importance. At the moment, distance between her and this boy that dared make her hope was her priority.
Naruto frowned, "So why don't you come to Magnolia?"
Because I'd disappoint you. I'm only going to let you down, can't you see that? I'm weak, but you don't have to be. I don't want to be a burden to you.
Her inner turmoil must have displayed itself, because Naruto's eyes turned sympathetic. He held out a hand for her.
"If you don't want to join Fairy Tail, that's fine, but just come to Magnolia and meet everyone first before you decide."
She stared at his outstretched hand, weighing the vast possibilities taking that hand would entail. Was Fairy Tail where she was meant to go?
When he looked at her, she didn't see the scorn or disappointment her blood relatives had always looked at her with.
How long had it been since someone had been so kind to her? Since someone believed in her unconditionally?
Did she even deserve such kindness?
She shouldn't accept his offer, she shouldn't.
"And if you don't want to stay, I won't stop you, but I promise you you'll love it, and Uzumaki Naruto never goes back on his word Dattebayo!"
Hinata couldn't tell if his sudden declaration made her want to laugh or cry.
"Why?" Why her? Why was he being so kind to her?
Naruto shrugged. "Why not? Everyone deserves to have a family."
At those words the damn broke and tears fell, but Hinata didn't care.
"O-Okay," she whispered, reaching a tentative hand out for his.
Naruto's smile was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
For the entire journey, Naruto yammered on and on about Magnolia and Fairy Tail and the people who lived there. He spoke about the delicious ramen he ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the destruction they would cause when the bar fights got a little more rowdy than usual. How the Clan Head was an old pervert and more than a few members rubbed him the wrong way. The group of local orphans that followed him around and called him 'Boss' and the weirdos that called Fairy Tail home.
A whole world was out there for her to discover, more magnificent than her storybooks could ever capture in words. There were monsters to be fought, treasures to be discovered, and princesses to be rescued.
It was real life, and it was glorious.
Through all the stories Naruto told on that trip, some true, some obvious exaggerations, the blissful smile never left Hinata's face.
XxXxXxXxX
And that's a wrap! Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter!
Next chapter will introduce the clan and for the characters? Wait and see! But to clarify, there won't be every canon Fairy Tail member and there won't be every Konoha member for obvious reasons.
But which ones? Wait and see!
Reviews will be appreciated and flamers will be shown the door. Any questions there's a PM link on my profile that I do in fact use.
Blade of Sparda out.