Author's Note: "Hello Everybody! My Name Is Markiplier, and Welcome To Let's Play-"
Oops, wrong show. LOL.
Anyone gonna get that reference? No? Ah whatever. Anyway, welcome everyone, it's been at least two years since I last did anything here on Fanfiction, and let me tell you, a lot has gone through my head since then.
The word count of this chapter is 11,332 WITHOUT my notes here at the beginning and at the end, if you wanted to know.
For the past few years, I've really been thinking hard on a Fanfiction that concerns Naruto, more-so who I really feel he would best lead a life with if he were to ever really pair with somebody.
Of course, if you've been following the canon, you'll know that a bunch of weird shit has been happening. Now I'm not like most other critics that might be pissed off about what's going on, but I have to admit that I'm starting to really hate Madara.
Anyway, let's get to why I'm making this story.
Ever since I first saw Naruto, I always liked the idea of him and Hinata getting together. However, as time has gone by, and I've learned more from my own experience's, the experiences of others, and doing my best to try and understand each and every character that I like in the Naruto world, I've come to one conclusion.
Naruto as a person in the canon would make many people eventually think that yeah, he deserves any girl that's been introduced thus far because of who he is. Me personally, I wouldn't even know how to handle that many women, which is why I admire people who are able to make a harem story that makes sense instead of making it pure smut.
But, as I've watched every single episode, every filler episode, and tried to get my hands on every single manga chapter, for some reason, I keep finding my preference going to Naruto and Tayuya being together.
Other then that, it would be Naruto and Ryūzetsu.
Now, in the case of Tayuya, it's because of the way she died, and because of the fact like with most stories of any kind, there's always some sort of bullshit reason or plot hole that allows stupid shit to happen.
If Tayuya was really Jonin-level, then how the fuck did she lose to a guy with only a brain? Yes, I know Shikamaru is a genius, but being Jonin-level should mean that Tayuya would have had far more skills and weapons to take down her opposition, especially if she's supposed to be one of Orochimaru's elites. She was apparently under his employ for most of her life, and in only two years or more, look what Sasuke was able to achieve from his training.
In her fight with him, she was really about to beat him it seems. Then, out of the blue, the cliché of someone coming in to the rescue at the last second is played.
Ugh, sometimes, I really hate what Kishimoto does with his work.
As for Ryūzetsu, the first and foremost reason is because she was 'just a movie character.' Any time a movie based on a series comes out, a lot of horse-shit is thrown on the plate just to make it suspenseful, and I would think given what little history she had, even if a bit cheesy like Kishimoto likes to make a lot of things, I feel if she were a real canon character, more could have happened.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I need you all to know that Naruto will NOT learn to use Kurama's chakra, and in fact, he may not even learn Senjutsu for one specific reason. A lot of things have been introduced in the canon, whether it be jutsu, methods, tactics, and all that other kind of stuff.
In this story, Naruto gains something. In the canon, it's not possible because of his heritage, but I will offer that 'science' has allowed Naruto to gain one certain ability. It's not something I made up. It's in the actual canon universe, and it's so strong in fact that Naruto probably won't need to learn Senjutsu or to control Kurama's chakra...that, and this particular thing is what Naruto needs to be able to summon multiple creatures without a contract.
If you've already figured out what it is by me saying that, I understand if you might think 'yeah, that is definitely gonna make Naruto overpowered.' BUT, I assure you, he won't use it unless his normal abilities aren't strong enough to get him through a tight spot.
Anyway, go on and read. I'll give you more of my thoughts at the end of this chapter.
Enjoy. :D
I hope. :3
Naruto
Another Road
Chapter One
And So It Begins
"Haaahhh...hhhh-hhhhaaaaa...Well, what the hell are you idiots standing around for?! Get out there and deal with those brats!"
With the facility breached, the short shipping tyrant was getting more and more nervous. Of all the damn things, first Zabuza takes his ridiculously sweet time, and now he finds that his estate is being attacked, by kids no less. His two prime body guards were nowhere to be found, so he had to make his way out of there on his own.
"Heehhh-hhaaaah-hhhaaa!" By now his breathing was getting a little strained. As one could guess, he didn't work out much, so he was more than a little overweight. "Gotta get out...argh, damnit." He moved to a corner, listening to the sounds of fighting, or more accurately, the sounds of his henchmen getting the snot beat out of them. "Wasting all that damn money just to get a bunch of losers to try and protect this place..."
Looking around, he made sure the coast was clear. Heading out through the back was probably his best bet, so he ran for it. {Almost there, almost there!} He had never really thought it would happen, but this was the first time in years he had run to the point where he felt like throwing up all over the place.
"Ahh, ah shit...hahhh..." By now he had made it down through most of the building, so a few moments of rest wouldn't kill him, or at least he hoped. With the sounds of fighting well behind him, he knew he was in the clear.
BOOM
"OH SHIT!"
It wasn't so safe after all, and the force of the wall exploding knocked him right off his feet and flat on his face.
Some would say that you can't outrun the consequences of your actions, and for the tyrant, you couldn't be farther from the truth. Having tiredly rolled over and trying to get away from the new renovation to the hallway, he stopped in apprehension when he saw a shadow coming out of the smoke. "You know Gato, I hear you're one of the worst leeches in the history of the world. When I saw how bad off the Land Of Waves is doing because of you, I started to believe it."
Gato remained quiet, knowing he was just caught.
Walking out of the smoke, wearing camo cargo pants, the colors white, gray and black, a black long-sleeved spandex shirt with an orange spiral in the center of the chest, his sharp blue eyes came into view. "Zabuza's not going to be able to save you right now. He's out of it at the moment." He didn't look angry, but he had a look of disapproval.
"Naruto, you still there?" The voice of a female came from behind. "Yeah, go get Sasuke. Gato's right here. He's not going anywhere." His eyes never left the older man, and Naruto walked towards him. "W-Wait! Don't kill me!" The young blond rolled his eyes. "Relax you old geezer, I'm not going to kill you. But, I am going to tie you up, or at least my teammate is."
Interestingly enough, once Naruto was close enough to Gato, he sat down Indian-style. "Why the hell did you turn out the way you did?" He suddenly asked.
Gato blinked, not having expected that at all. "Huh?"
Naruto crossed his arms. "I'm asking why you ended up being such a douche bag. You have a whole frickin industry, and I'm guessing it's successful more out of what it deals in instead of you draining wealth from the people. Is that how all people get when they get rich? Do they all suddenly decide they want to be in control of a lot of things just because they can?"
"..." Gato didn't know how he should answer the boy's question.
The sound of running came to their ears.
"Why do I get the feeling this isn't the end of it?" Sasuke came into view. He wore black pants, a black, sleeveless under-armor shirt, black armbands on his biceps, and another pair of bands on his wrists. Lastly, he had a Katana tied down by his belt. "Because Zabuza is still out there. Just get over here and tie him up." Naruto stood up, his look of disapproval still not leaving his face. "Tazuna needs to know that this guy right here is out of the game."
"..." Gato just sat there, because he knew he wouldn't be able to get himself out of this one. Taking out the wire he liked to use in his jutsu, Sasuke approached. "Stand up so it won't hurt."
Naruto on the other hand made a shadow clone. "I'm gonna go get something to eat and give everybody the good news. I'll have my clone go to Kakashi-sensei and Tazuna. Any idea where we should turn him in?" The question made sense. There weren't any official authorities that weren't Gato's lackeys, so what would they do?
"Leave that to me and Sasuke-kun." Smile on her face, Sakura walked closer to her crush and watched him do his work. Said person had tied Gato's hands behind his back, deciding that letting him walk instead of being completely bound was more appropriate.
Naruto nodded, looking a little...off. It was really that he wasn't smiling like usual that seemed to be noticeable.
"Okay."
OOO
It was cloudy today, and just cool enough to make your skin get a little chilled. Naruto didn't mind it much. Having gotten closer to the town, he could already see the children running towards him. "Naruto!"
His spirits lifting, he grinned. "Guess what? I got some good news for you guys."
With ten different children surrounding him, he knew word would spread fast. All of them started grabbing onto his arms and hugging him, each one urging him to tell them what he had on his mind. "Gato, the big bad guy is no longer in power here. So, I want all of you to go tell your family and friends that they don't have to worry about the guy or his thugs. Go on, get out there and tell everyone!" Grin on his face, he urged them and they all started to cheer.
Within a few seconds, they had all run off. {Now...time to go get me some ramen.}
Over the past month he had been here, it had been a blast. By this point, everything looked much more clean and refined. Having been the one who had helped everyone here with his shadow clones, he couldn't help but feel proud of himself.
As he walked into town, he was greeted by just about everyone.
"Yo Naruto!"
"Morning Naruto-kun!"
"Hey there punk!"
Looking around at the stalls though, he found the one he was looking for...and felt a familiar chakra. Well actually, he had felt it long before he had even walked into the village, and homed in on it. He walked in, and saw two other customers. One was a male, and the other was a female. The girl wore a red shirt, black shorts, and a strange hat with a style he hadn't seen before.
She was the one with the familiar chakra signature.
"Hey Naruto, what can I get for you?" Nobuo, the young waiter, looked at him with a grin just as bright as Naruto's own. How could he not be excited to see the greatest shinobi to pass through the Land Of Waves, come into his father's restaurant? Seating himself one seat away from the female with the crimson hair, he sighed. "Pork ramen sounds real good right now. Maybe a few bowls."
"Sure thing. Dad! Did you hear that?"
"Yeah yeah hold onto your shirt!" They heard the man shout from the back.
Knowing Naruto was in a rather quiet mood, Nobuo decided to speak with him. "So what's the matter? You look like you broke up with your girlfriend or something." True enough, Naruto wasn't smiling, but he at least wasn't frowning. "Eh, I was just thinking on some things." From the way he said it, it seemed he didn't want to talk about it.
"Alright, alright, don't get moody on me now. I'll be in the back, gotta do some cleaning up."
"..."
Naruto reached into one of the pouches he had on his person. "You guys new in town? I haven't seen either of you before." He gave a smile he had been waiting to give all month to the right person, and it so happened to be the female sitting on his right. He took out an orange and started to peel it.
He wasn't surprised to notice the girl slightly stiffen, but he was rather intrigued when the male's emerald green eyes turned to him. "We are simply passing through. Naruto is it? You seem to be famous in this town." Naruto noticed how the girl kept her chin on her hand as if he wasn't even there. Or, maybe she was just waiting for her order to get here.
"Yeah, I'm a shinobi you see, and my team and I were assigned a mission to guard some old guy while he builds that bridge you see out at the front of the village. He's almost done with it. So, what are your names if you don't mind me asking?" When he gave them his friendly expression, neither of the other two could be so rude as to deny him his answer.
"I am Kimimaro."
The girl popped her fingers.
Then, she decided to make eye contact with him. "The name is Tayuya. Don't go hitting on me and I won't rip your balls off." Naruto blinked in surprise and looked at her for a few seconds.
"...hehheheh, okay, I wasn't planning on it but you got my solid promise that I won't." The girl continued to glare at him, unsure what to make of his expression of sunshine. She wasn't used to people being so friendly towards her. "Good." Thinking the conversation was done, she went back to waiting for her meal.
Naruto took a bite out of his orange to mask his sudden frown. He knew Tayuya had known who he was before he had even walked into the ramen stand, because she was the one who had been following him on that day...
The day he had sung to all the children and a lot of the people of the town.
"Tayuya and Kimimaro. Cool. Are you guys a couple?" He became curious when they both stared at him at the same time. "Fuck no." Tayuya gave him a furious expression for even suggesting it. "We are simply comrades." Kimimaro took his eyes off of him when the waiter came with his order along with Tayuya's.
"Here you are, one house special and one beef ramen." As he placed them down, he grinned and turned to Naruto. "So, you planning on eating all the ramen we got?" Though Nobuo was actually a little scared that that may in fact happen, it was still fun to poke fun at the boy. "Haha, nope. I still have a mission. I'll be needing to leave when I'm done. Tazuna isn't exactly safe right now."
Tayuya listened with little interest, while Kimimaro didn't seem to care. "Why's that?" The waiter suddenly looked concerned. Naruto scratched his forehead with a look of contemplation. "This dude called Zabuza Momochi was hired by Gato to kill Tazuna. We beat him the last time we met but...my sensei has the feeling that he isn't really dead. So yeah, if he's alive, I'll be needing to get back to my teammates to help guard the old drunk. Anyway where's my food damn it?" He finished with a grin.
Though he still seemed a little worried, the waiter nodded nonetheless with a half-smirk. "I'll go check."
It was at this time that Naruto realized something peculiar. When the orders of the other two had come, he had assumed that the house special was for Kimimaro, the male. Imagine his surprise when he found that it was Tayuya who was eating from the large bowl of many ingredients, like crab, a few vegetables, chopped sui, surprisingly, some corn, noodles of course, and a bunch of other things that made Naruto's mouth water.
"Wow."
Tayuya arched her eyebrow as Naruto looked at her, and turned to see his surprised expression. "The fuck are you staring at?" Naruto flinched at her sudden outburst, but he ended up smiling. "You're the first girl around my age I've seen that isn't afraid to eat a big meal. I like that." For the most part, Tayuya simply kept a glare on him but was curious nonetheless. "...Don't you hang out with other kunoichi?" Since Naruto seemed to already know that they were ninja, the girl wasn't hesitant about indirectly alluding to it.
"Well yeah, but most of the time my female teammate is always...'watching' her weight. She's a really good friend but, really, you know? A big girl needs a big meal, and while I don't expect her to eat as much as a stamina freak like me, she could use a little extra meat on her." As Tayuya gave him a simple 'yeah,' he ended up growing a coy grin at what he was about to say. "I like my girls thick." As he expected, the redhead suddenly swallowed her mouthful of noodles a bit harshly and started banging on her chest.
"Breath, just breaaath!" Naruto chuckled as the girl tried to clear her windpipe out. Kimimaro kept quiet, but continued to listen. Meanwhile, Naruto's order arrived. Both the chef and his son came and sat his three bowls down. "Naruto, don't go screwing with my other customers ya hear?" The jovial old man said with a smile.
Naruto snickered. "I couldn't resist."
"So what are you up to today eh? I thought you and Sasuke were supposed to be training." True enough, the blond and the Uchiha had been training quite a bit since they got here in the Land of Waves. "I guess you haven't heard yet, and that's probably my fault because I didn't say anything. This morning I went to that fucker Gato's place and took him down."
You could say both of men were pretty shocked to hear that. "You did what?" Was the most intelligent question the old chef could ask. Naruto didn't think too much of it, so he just grinned. "You heard me." Whether he cared about answering any more answers or not wasn't very apparent, because in very Naruto-ish fashion, the blond started slurping down his meal.
"Hey asshole, what kind of perv are you?" Tayuya, having regained her ability to breath, glared at the blond, not caring about the presence of the other two. Naruto almost wheezed because of the fit of giggles that threatened to come out, but he managed to keep it under control. "What? I can't like girls like that? I don't have anything against skinny girls but they aren't exactly my type." Naruto gave her a look of curiosity, but somehow the girl just knew he was being a tease.
She looked down at herself self-consciously, which was something she had never done before, and looked straight back at him. "So does that make me shit-on-a-shingle or what?" The strangest feeling came over her as Naruto looked her up and down. "You're still growing obviously, but you're more of a woman than all except one of the girls I know. How's that?" He asked with a playful grin.
"Didn't I say not to hit on me?" She asked in irritation. Naruto held up his hands defensively, but it was clear that he was amused. "Hey, you asked a question and I answered it. Ain't that enough?" He asked innocently. Surprisingly, it was Kimimaro who spoke. "He has a point." The redhead looked at her comrade and then back at Naruto, who wiggled his fingers as he kept his hands up. Though she didn't know why, she couldn't stay mad at that friendly, childish smile. "Argh, whatever." She went straight back to eating.
The chef had long since gone back to the back, a spring in his step, and Nobuo cleaned up what there was to clean up as he waited for more customers to come by.
"You guys must get around a lot huh?" Naruto asked as though nothing happened. "You know this is the first mission I've had where I've been able to leave my village. I guess that's one step towards the things I wanna do." So it seemed that the blond was quite at ease with these two knew characters, but maybe it was just that polite and gentle curiousness he had about other things that urged him to speak up.
With the mention of the 'things he wants to do,' he knew he got their attention, more-so Kimimaro's. "What sorts of things?" Since the bone-bender himself had an ultimate goal, perhaps it would be helpful to hear someone else's, no? "I guess you could call them dreams and ambitions. I've had a lot to think about since I decided I wanted to be a shinobi." The fact that the blond was more quiet than before was enough to make the other two curious. He continued. "I know it sounds corny, but I have precious people that I would do anything for. One of them is a woman who used to be my babysitter." He grew a fond grin as he thought about it.
"And?" Kimimaro pressed. Tayuya had felt the sudden shift in the boy's aura, so she listened intently.
"This is where my one ambition comes from. Her name is Anko. I've known her for a long time because she's a family friend. At this point though she doesn't have anybody but her friends. I can understand why after what happened to her." Naruto surprisingly slowed his pace halfway through his second bowl. It was obvious that what he was thinking about was putting a bit of a damper on his spirit. Sensing that the other two were waiting, he continued. "Anko-chan had it kind of hard when she was a kid. When she became a ninja, she started as a student to one of the Legendary Sannin of The Hidden Leaf Village, a guy named Orochimaru."
Because Naruto had started to slurp down the rest of the broth from his bowl, he didn't see Tayuya's body tense or the hardening of Kimimaro's expression.
"Since she didn't have anyone back then, Orochimaru had kinda become everything to her. She told me how he was pretty fuckin smart as she puts it. No matter the time or what, she was almost always around him, hoping he would teach her more on how to be 'an awesome ninja.' Since Orochimaru was a well respected dude at the time and was trusted by the Third Hokage, he, like the other two Sannin had a lot of freedom, travelling being one of the things. Anko-chan always liked to go travelling with her favorite sensei because he was such a cool guy at the time. The Hokage, the old one..." Naruto snickered as he said this, "...told me that Orochimaru was one of those natural geniuses born once a generation, without any sort of kekkei genkai or something else of the sort."
So far, the description of the Snake Sannin was spot on with Kimimaro. That, however, was about to change.
"It's not like she should have expected it, but just from the way the guy looks, I think she should have been more cautious. If she did, she wouldn't have been screwed over." As Naruto said this, Tayuya swore she felt something flicker from him. The blond scratched the back of his head sheepishly, realizing how deep he was getting. "Uh, heheh, sorry. I don't even know you guys and I'm over here giving you somebody else's life-story, ha, sorry." And yes, it was strange. Why would anybody suddenly get that into telling other people about themselves?
Having become even more curious, Tayuya spoke up as she cracked open the leg of the crab. "Weirdo. Might as well tell us the rest of it. How exactly was this Anko chick 'screwed over?'" She could have been a bit more respectful, but when it came to the redhead, one shouldn't really expect any of it.
Naruto's grin became a little strained as he poked at the noodles in his last bowl. "You know, I've never been betrayed before. All the people I care about are good honest people. Anko-chan was my age when Orochimaru showed her the real bastard he is." Kimimaro had to restrain himself from doing anything rash, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little...strange as Naruto told the story.
For whatever the reason, Kimimaro felt that perhaps, he was about to hear something he needed, yet didn't want to hear.
Tayuya was kind of in the same boat, but she wasn't nearly as infatuated with the Sannin as the Kaguya was.
'tap'
'tap'
'tap'
Naruto repeatedly, yet quietly tapped his food. "...I've always thought that a thing like revenge was pretty dumb, but, after growing older, I kind of realized that taking care of business has to be done. Now I'm not plotting to kill Orochimaru, but I am going to make him answer for all the shit he's done. It's the only ambition I have. The reason I have it is because of what he did to Anko-chan and because of the man he is."
"Will you cut the suspense shit out and just tell us already?" Tayuya of course was getting irritated by the dragging-on of the story.
This time Naruto didn't chuckle. "Orochimaru had been there for her, always promising her a better place in the world, always helping her when she needed it, and training her to be stronger. But it wasn't for the right reason. He was waiting for her to make a choice after everything he taught her just to see if she would be 'useful' for whatever fucked up plans he had. When he showed her what he had been working on, like capturing innocent people and experimenting on them and not caring if and how they died, she realized he wasn't the hero she thought he was. When it was apparent to him that she didn't like what he was doing, he made his decision on the spot."
By now, Naruto's muscles had flexed by mere reflex because of how angry he was getting. "He abandoned her, leaving her to die."
It was the last thing he said that made Tayuya and Kimimaro flinch. Under most circumstances a story like that wouldn't have bothered them at all, but to hear that their own master, the one who made those same kind of promises to them, was more than simply 'troubling.' Kimimaro, being absolutely loyal to the Sannin, really wanted to tell Naruto off and tell him it wasn't true.
But how could he? First off, he and Tayuya were undercover. Second, Naruto just explained to them a real personal experience. What the hell was he supposed to do?
"So yeah, that's about it for my ambition. I've never had a reason to hate anybody, but...yeah." Naruto finished his last bowl and set the chopsticks aside, looking at them with a half-smile. He was expecting looks of shock, and one could easily say that he didn't know the actual reason why they were, but hey, all in good time. "Am I weird?" He asked with an inquisitive expression, tilting his head.
Good question. Was he?
"More like a strange dumbfuck. Do you get your ideas from comic books?" Tayuya was the first to get over the shock. Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Nope. Do you get your bad mouth from...from...uh..." He looked up as he scratched his head. "You know I actually don't have a good comeback." He grinned that goofy grin of his as Tayuya allowed a smirk on her face. "That's what I thought."
Naruto noticed that Kimimaro was showing signs of...something. "Hey uh, you alright?" Kimimaro glanced at him. "I am fine."
The female however knew how bothered he was, and though she would have been able to get kick out of it, this new piece of information had just shaken her trust in her superior. "Don't mind him. He's even stranger than you." She told the blond.
"Right. Heh, so um, you guys gonna be headed somewhere any time soon?" Naruto's innocent question was accompanied with a nonchalant look.
He couldn't have possibly known how his question had piqued the girl's interest. "Not unless the albino here says otherwise." She didn't look at him, but the girl's unspoken question became evident to Kimimaro. He sighed and finished his ramen. "I have some things to do at the moment, though I believe Tayuya here would most likely not mind being babysat for the rest of the day."
Naruto and the old chef, who was preparing another customers order, had to fight to not snicker when the girl gawked at her superior. "Excuse me you bone-bending freak?!" Kimimaro's stern expression came into play when he stood up. "Here is the money for our meals. I'm off. When you are done spending time with Naruto, you are to report back to your duties."
Ignoring the girl's curses, he walked out of the stand and left.
"..." It was obvious that Tayuya was more than irritated. "I'm guessing he likes to get on your nerves. I was just asking you guys a question cuz I think you guys are unique."
Tayuya looked sternly at him. "Well, getting some time off away from that faggot would be nice for a change." She was caught off guard by the smile that Naruto gave her. "Same here. I'm just about done with my personal part of our mission, and my teammates can keep an eye on the geezer. If you'd like, we can just talk and walk around town."
Every circumstance in which a stranger, whether it was a male or female that seemed to have any sort of interest in her, she'd flat out deny them and be on her way. Naruto however, had caught her attention a month ago. From then to this point, he had done an astounding job of helping the people of the Land Of Waves, and there was just something about him that was enough to not make her suspicious of him.
Well, other then the fact that she could sense his chakra.
She shrugged. "Sure, whatever. Just don't go thinking this is a date." For whatever the reason, she wanted to smirk, mainly because she had managed a small joke, even though she sounded serious. She heard Naruto laugh lightly. "Like I said, you don't have to worry about that. I just like making friends with people instead of being an ass." With that, Naruto took out another orange and started to eat it, waiting for Tayuya to finish her meal.
'munch munch'
'munch munch'
As he waited, he thought about the strange circumstances that involved himself and the girl. At first glance, Naruto did not know what to make of Tayuya when he first saw her. Back during the time when he sensed her chakra following him, he had assumed that she was...a very relaxed person. He didn't know why, but she was the only person who's chakra he could sense, and it was starting to bug him.
The reason this was so prevalent in his mind was because of the fact that he wasn't a sensor type shinobi. Why could he sense the girl's chakra? Naruto knew for a long time that he was a rather strange person, given the...circumstances and things he has learned as he's grown older.
He snuck a glance or two, and he had to admit, she was very pretty when she wasn't glaring. However, the look of 'don't talk to me' on her face just didn't seem right, but he could understand why she was like that. Given how she had spoken to him, it seemed she usually got a lot of unwanted attention, enough to the point that she had apparently decided to start making herself out to be someone you didn't want to approach.
Regardless, it was just the fact that Naruto could sense her without any of his normal five senses that made him want to know more about her. However, since she was a female, he really didn't want to give her the impression that he was trying to get into her pants. He already knew how men could be, and that's most likely why many women preferred to keep their distance from males who looked a bit too interested.
Tayuya finished her meal.
"Ahhh, that was fucking great." The look of content on the girl's face was confirmation of her statement. "You're welcome kid, anything else you'd like?" Nobuo came up and took her dish with a smile as his father spoke to her. Tayuya looked at the menu and saw that the money Kimimaro had given her was barely enough to pay for the meal.
"Eh, I don't have enough money to order anything else."
"I'll pay." Strangely enough, Naruto hadn't eaten fifteen bowls like usual, but he didn't think much of it. Tayuya looked at him inquisitively. "We can order a basket of dumplings and go if you'd like." To see him grin that goofy grin like that made Tayuya's mouth twitch upwards, but she suppressed it. Turning to the old man, she nodded. "That sounds good. Maybe some dango and rice balls would be nice too."
"You heard the lady."
Naruto looked very pleased and took out the appropriate amount of cash out. "You know I don't see enough of that." He suddenly said as he paid. When she looked at him, he waited for the question. "See what?" When she didn't glare, Naruto knew he was doing something right.
"A lot of girls I know never eat a big meal like you just did or have an appetite big enough to want more. Like I said, a big girl needs a big meal, just like any guy. I like that." Since it was obvious that he wasn't making a fat joke, she just turned away and shrugged. "Most girls don't know how to enjoy a good meal."
"Right? Being a shinobi kinda demands it." That was when the smell of their next order immediately hit their noses, and at exactly the same time, their stomachs started to growl.
Tayuya grabbed her belly in slight surprise and lightly blushed. Naruto on the other hand chuckled. "Looks like we were right to order more food huh?" For him it was obvious because he didn't eat as much ramen as usual, but Tayuya had eaten a large bowl of food, which had actually been more food than the three bowls of ramen he had, so it was a bit surprising.
"I guess so."
Ten Minutes Later...
Since it was morning time right now, Naruto knew he likely had almost an entire day to figure Tayuya out. On the surface of how he thought of it, he kind of felt disrespectful for some reason, but knowing that trying to figure out this little conundrum wouldn't hurt anybody, he just went with it. And, being the gentlemen, he was the one to carry the basket of food. Walking through the streets, Tayuya observed how the people greeted Naruto. Unsurprisingly, when their eyes landed on her, she then heard them whispering to themselves about 'Naruto and that pretty girl.'
It was nothing negative, but it was a little annoying. "Kimimaro was right, the people fucking worship you." Naruto took note of the fact that she didn't walk like a girl. He found it cool to see that she was the first tomboy he had ever met. "Well, I did help just about every single person here get back on their feet. So what about you, hmm? Where are you from?"
Her expression hardened a little. "A place called The Land Of Rice Fields. Been living there since I was a kid." Since most of her life wasn't great, and that she wasn't a good guy, she knew she had to stop talking about it. "I was an orphan. I don't like to talk about it much." She offered that just to make sure he wouldn't ask any questions that would blow her cover.
The sudden look of understanding on Naruto's face surprised her, but she didn't show it. "Sorry. I didn't know." Reaching into the bag, he offered her a dumpling. When he just smiled at her, she took it with a simple nod. "Thanks. So where are we headed? I'm getting sick of all these people looking at me."
"Well, I was thinking the park, so we could sit down and eat. How's that sound?" To see him get back into high spirits was a little amazing if you asked her. "Sounds good." She didn't address it, but since she started talking to him, she couldn't help but notice how much more...bright, he seemed to be. When he had walked into the ramen stand, he looked a bit troubled. She could clearly see that he seemed to be in a much better mood now that she was around him. It puzzled her, because usually she could see that any guy interested in her was mostly trying to sweet-talk her.
Naruto wasn't trying to do that.
Eyes in his direction and with him a few steps ahead of her, she tried to figure him out. What had initially caught her attention about him was his ability to sing, at least, the song he apparently made up a month ago. It was something she would never forget. As little as she cared for the lives of others, there was just something that called to her when it came to him. The first thing was that she could sense his chakra, something she could never do before. But why only him? Why could she only sense his chakra?
She had to admit, it was very warm and welcoming. Being herself however, anyone looking would just see a girl who seemed to be irritated to be spending time with him. She was that good at keeping her true intents hidden. However...as she was spending more and more time with him, and even though it hadn't been that long at this point, she felt something strange. Not like a presence or anything, but just...something in how she was perceiving everything.
She couldn't understand it just yet.
"You don't talk much do you?" She was glad she hadn't been looking at him when he turned to look at her with a grin. "I don't have any friends, and I've never really cared about making any. No offense." She had expecting that look of discontent or a little annoyance, maybe even anger.
She wasn't expecting a smile. "You had a rough childhood huh?" He asked softly. She looked at him, a little surprise showing. Not that he figured that out, but more because he seemed to actually care. "I've seen it happen a lot. The same was for me. A lot of the people in my village never liked me my whole life."
"..." As one can imagine, she was confused by this new bit of information. "Why the fuck would people hate someone who's as friendly as you? Unless there's something about you I don't like that you haven't shown me yet." Naruto couldn't help but feeling a little discomfort when she looked at him suspiciously.
In a way she hadn't expected, Tayuya felt a tad bit guilty when she saw Naruto turn away and gain a slightly downtrodden expression. "Um, it's not like I had any control of it when I was born, but, well, let's sit down and I'll tell you." Since they had already made it to the park that was overlooking the ocean, Naruto sat down on a bench and patted the spot next to him, before putting the basket there.
Remaining quiet and a little on guard for whatever the reason, Tayuya sat down, taking out a wrapped plate with dango inside of it. "So what's the big mystery?" With the clouds covering the sky and the slightly chilly breeze, she couldn't help but shiver a bit.
The bench was especially cold.
Naruto looked at her for a second, and then took out a scroll. "Here, I'll let you borrow this." Swiping his hand over one of the seals, a tuft of smoke came out and a black, warm looking cover appeared. Tayuya was taken aback by his generosity. "Go on, get up, I know your butt is probably freezing because of the bench." His friendly smile once again came into view.
"Why the fuck are you being so nice to me?" Having stood up, she still had to crane her neck up to look at his bewildered expression. He then smiled again in that charming way of his. "Because it's not right to be an ass to a girl who's actually wasting her time letting me get to know her. Besides, do you really need an excuse to be polite?" When she just tilted her head with that cute, 'trying-to-figure-you-out' expression, he chuckled.
"Here you go." He placed it on the bench and waited for her to sit down on it. Still eyeing him, she turned and sat down, allowing him to cover her up. "There, isn't that better?" When he crossed his arms with a smile, it was easy to see the defined muscles he had.
"Hn."
Even when she just decided to eat instead of answer, he couldn't help but keep his grin in place.
He could tell from sensing her chakra that she was pleased, even if she didn't show it.
"You're welcome." He sat back down and took out a rice ball. "I guess people aren't very nice to you huh?" With her cheeks full and looking at him, he wanted to laugh, but didn't. "What was your first clue?" Though she didn't say it or admit it, even to herself, she couldn't help but feel good because of the fact that Naruto was actually giving her much needed attention and consideration.
He was the first person to ever do that.
"People who never had anyone and end up growing in a 'dog-eat-dog' environment usually stay away from everyone else, or you know, always keep their guard up around strangers. I don't blame you, and I'd rather you do that instead of being quick to like a complete stranger. At least, that's how just about all girls should be. Most guys are usually rowdy and assholes."
Once again he surprised her with the amount of truth and respect he was giving her. "I'm glad some people other than me actually understand that. Back where I live I've had to work my ass off and get a reputation for being violent and the kind of girl no one wants to be around. Otherwise, guys come from anywhere just to try and 'get to know' me."
Naruto's expression of...something, caught her attention. "That kind of shit pisses me off." It had occurred to Naruto that he still hadn't told Tayuya about the thing she was suspicious about earlier, but the current subject was more important. Tayuya listened as he continued. "It's one of the reasons why I'm always trying to be respectful to strangers. I want people to know I'm not that kind of guy. I know you probably think I'm weird, but that's a given. I really am a strange person."
"Well, I'm glad you apparently aren't a douchebag. You're the first guy I've ever met that actually knows the meaning of respect." She sounded like she didn't care, but Naruto knew she was being honest. "Heheh, thanks."
For a moment it grew quiet as both of them looked out at the ocean. At this point, both of them were getting very accustomed to each others presence. Naruto of course was just being friendly about it, and Tayuya was putting on the act of not caring.
{Life's been hard on her. I think...I think I want to help her.}
{He's not so bad...pretty weird but I think I like that he's actually trying to be my friend. That's a first.}
Slowly, but surely...they were getting to know each other. For Tayuya, it was monumental, mainly because, as she herself stated, she didn't have any friends. Naruto was a very interesting person from the way he acted, and the girl felt that yes, getting to know him wouldn't hurt. "Do you know a lot of people?" She suddenly asked, not sure why she did. "Yeah. Some of my classmates who made it to genin like me, my two teammates, my teacher, my new Jonin sensei, old man Hokage, my dad the new Hokage, my mom, my once babysitter, the list goes on."
Tayuya's chewing slowed down considerably as she looked at the ground.
She sort of envied him.
"I can see why you're a bright ball of sunshine. Your blond hair kinda magnifies it." Naruto knew something was off, so he tried to lighten her up. "Your hair suits you just like mine suits me. It's really pretty." Tayuya's eyes widened and she stared at him.
Naruto blinked. "What?"
The boy didn't know if he was in trouble or not when she settled into a blank expression. "You're not the first guy to tell me my hair looks nice." From the way she said it, it seemed one too-many guys had told her that just to get some leeway. Naruto frowned and looked to the ocean. "Sorry. It's just that my mom has long red hair, and it's actually the thing that brought her and my dad together. It's really beautiful and she knows how to take care of it. I just thought how both of you were similar because of that."
On her end, the girl couldn't help but feel angry at herself for suddenly getting defensive. True, many boys had 'complimented' her on her hair, but every single time it was over-embellished and sugar-coated to the point that she usually strangled them.
Naruto however had just stated what he honestly thought about it, simple as that. And after hearing why he said it, it made her feel more like an ass. "Don't worry about it. It's my fault really that I didn't consider how honest you were being." She turned away and sat back, wrapping herself more in the blanket, which strangely smelled like ramen. "It's a natural reaction when I've had to deal with a lot of bullshit thrown my way."
Once he understood where she was coming from, he smiled sheepishly. "So basically I need to make sure not to compliment you because you've already gotten too much of that from the wrong people, huh? Haha, my bad." Well, that was going to be a little hard to do.
Or maybe not, because Tayuya managed a smirk. "Well, since I can tell you aren't a guy who's thinking with his dick, I guess I won't mind you specifically telling me what you really think from time to time. And thanks. No one's really told me my hair looks nice and actually meant it. You're the only sincere guy I now know when it comes to telling me what you think of me."
With those words, Naruto grinned that foxy trademark grin of his. "You're welcome." He felt proud at his sudden sense of accomplishment. This girl really needed someone to talk to, and he was glad he was the one she was opening up to. He hated to imagine what kind of life this girl had to live...and if she was still living it.
He felt the urge to ask.
"So...If I can ask...are you happy living the life you're living?" With such a personal and odd question suddenly thrown her way, her left eyebrow raised and she looked at him. "What do you mean?" The more and more he seemed concerned about her wellbeing, the more and more she felt herself trusting him.
Naruto sat back and rested his arms along the bench. "I mean...you say you don't have any friends...aren't you sick of the way you're living? Don't you want to go somewhere where people actually appreciate you?" When he looked at her, she couldn't help but feel something strange.
"..." At first, she turned away from him and gained a look of thought, obviously to let him know she was thinking about it.
Well, she did gain power from her illustrious master and is apparently trusted with very important information, and is one of his elites...but was she happy? That was a question she had never asked herself. For Naruto to bring it up, she couldn't help but start reconsidering everything up to this point.
When she was young, she had felt grateful to the man that had saved her from the miserable existence she had had, but as time went by, he had become more of a boss instead of a father-figure. With more and more people he brought in to the point he had a small nation of his own...she really just got pushed to the generic plate from which they all served him.
She wasn't anything special to him.
"No...I guess I'm not. I never really thought about it..." Naruto's instincts screamed at him to try and get her out of her suddenly vulnerable mood. "Hey, you alright? I was just asking because...as a guy who wants to be Hokage, I kind of have the urge to help people when I know they aren't living a life they want, you know?" Amazing her again with his honesty, it caused her to look at him.
"I guess that's a noble cause, but I'm not from your village. Why would you care about a stranger like me?" Naruto first looked offended by her question, but to her relief, it wasn't the case.
"Because a lot of people die too young or end up living the wrong way because of the mistakes of the older generations. Whether it's in the shinobi world or not, the roots from where every person came from can always tangle into a mess with someone or everybody else who's different from them, and that's where the trouble comes from. Words of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, more or less. You know what? He was right on the mark. I asked because...well, Konoha, my home might be a place you'd like if you ever decided you wanted to move there. I'd be glad to help you out."
To hear someone so young with that kind of conviction or even that kind of awareness was something Tayuya had never seen, and she couldn't help but grow a large amount of respect for him. She just stared at him for a few seconds in curiosity, but she eventually spoke. "I'm going to guess you're not bullshitting me...but at the same time, I kind of have obligations of my own. I don't think I can take your offer at the moment."
When he suddenly masked a look of disappointment, it made her feel a little guilty. "Oh, haha, well, I can't argue with that. Everyone has a road they have to take. I was just thinking I would like to walk the same road as all the people I'll end up eventually helping in life."
"I appreciate your concern either way."
What else could she say? In just the span of a few minutes...this stranger had made her start questioning a lot of things she had originally been sure of. Due to her not ever having this kind of conversation before...she just went back to eating the delicious meal he was so generous to buy for her.
"Well...even if you did go, I think there's something about me you should know first. It's the 'big mystery' you wanted to know about." When she looked to see the blond looking up at the clouds, he continued. "I don't know why...but I feel like I can trust you with this info. There's something just telling me to do it. Anyway..."
Even the beast inside of his belly was thinking he was stupid for what he was about to do. Regardless, Naruto took out his first plate of dango and began. "...You wanted to know why the villagers in my village don't like me much. Well, it's hard to forget how people you love are killed by the Nine-Tailed Fox when he's on a rampage."
Tayuya stopped eating. "Huh?"
What in the lower plains of hell was he talking about? She had heard of the Biju and most notably the strongest one of them all, from her master no less. What did Naruto have to do with any of it? "...I think just about all the nations know that twelve years ago, Konoha was attacked by the fox. What they don't know except for the people of the village is that he was sealed inside of me on that day, because I was born at the time."
"..." Tayuya wondered if she heard him correctly. That kind of secret wasn't supposed to be told to just anyone...right? When Naruto grinned at her, she realized the extent to which he seemed to trust her. "Basically, I'm telling you that because if we end up being friends, and we go there, and you see people bad-mouthing me or being disrespectful to me, I'd just ask that you leave them to do what they want. Once I become Hokage, they'll definitely see I'm not the Nine-Tailed Fox in human form."
When it was obvious she didn't know what the heck to say to him, he just started chuckling, because he knew she wasn't scared or suddenly wary of him. "You know, I like you. You're tough as nails, and you know how to handle the truth like you own the place. Most other people would be a little weirded out at least."
{This guy...why does he act like I'm a good person or something?} And why would he trust her in any way? As he had kept speaking and even now, his chakra continued to give off a warmer and more welcoming feel to her, and she felt so...calmed by it. "...Do you ever use it's chakra?" Of course, being a girl who liked power like her curse mark, she suddenly wondered what it would be like to channel the chakra of the most malevolent of the Tailed-Beasts.
"His chakra actually. And not a lot. I've learned a few things on my own and have some...abilities that kinda rule out my need to learn how to use his chakra, but he still trains me because it gives him 'A GREATER CHANCE OF SURVIAL.'" Naruto tried to imitate the remarkably badass voice of the fox, but didn't do so well.
Tayuya lightly nibbled on her remaining dango. "You talk to him?" An enthusiastic nod was Naruto's response. "Sure do. You want to meet him? He's not that bad."
Whoa, now that was quite an offer. "How the heck would I even do that?" She also registered the fact that meeting such a powerful entity would be...a bit scary, even to her. Naruto raised his first out to her. "Fist bump." He said with a grin.
"Huh?" She didn't immediately get what he meant.
"You know, bump your fist into mine and keep it there. I found it's a cool way to let me to connect with people that are 'compatible' with me, as the fox put's it. Wanna test it out?" It seemed he didn't realize the implications of what he just said.
"..."
She hesitated for a moment, and it surprised her. Well, it shouldn't have, seeing as how her master was the scariest person she knew. It would make sense that a demon would be more terrifying than him, no? She put her plate down, having finished. "Okay...I guess."
She could see the giddiness in his eyes, and she had to resist the urge to...'smirk.' Tentatively raising her feminine hand, she closed it into a fist and touched it to Naruto's.
Then something strange happened.
Mindscape
Everything around them warped into a mass of white lights and dark clouds, the sound of thunder booming all around them. She looked around in shock and apprehension, but to her surprise, Naruto just looked at her with his foxy grin. "Don't worry, it'll just take a second or fifty." He joked.
Then it all stopped.
Now, they were standing on the surface of the ocean, and an island was right in front of them. "Come one, come all, to the faraway 'Island Of The Monsters!' Anyway, he's over there, so let's get moving." Walking with marching steps, Naruto was quick to get onto the beach of the island.
Wordlessly, Tayuya followed closely, almost grabbing onto him for safety. To be thrust into this kind of environment in this kind of situation so quickly like that almost made her question how reality works. "I'm guessing we're in your head?" Naruto nodded the affirmative. "Yyyy-yup. Whenever I have nothing better to do I'll come talk to him. Usually it get's on his nerves because he doesn't like me, but eh, I think he could use the attention now and then."
Yeah, Tayuya honestly felt he was a really strange guy. But he was nice and polite, so she didn't mind it. Considering he also wore a shirt that showed how well defined he was, it made his 'coolness' that much more apparent. His pants were in the right mindset also.
"HHHHNNNNNNNN..."
Tayuya froze. {What the fuck was that?} Something that seemed to come from everywhere at once was very troubling to her. Naruto noticed that she had stopped walking and turned to see her with a slightly fearful expression. "Ah it's nothing to get worried about, he's just asleep or trying to scare you just to get a kick out of it. Come on." Once again, he gave her a very warm smile, and she suddenly felt all her strength come back when she felt his soothing chakra, as if it had completely blocked out the bad elements in this strange place.
She quickly came up to his side, looking up at him in curiosity. "You're...a really easygoing guy." Something told her that she had wanted to say something else, but she didn't know what. "I'd rather be that then, well you know, a bit of a hard ass. Come on, we're almost there."
"HHHHUUUUUUHHHHHH..."
Naruto felt a little strange when Tayuya suddenly stood real close to him. "I think he is asleep...strange, he was awake not too long ago when we were talking. Heh, I hope he doesn't get too mad when I wake him up. When he starts yelling, it's enough to throw you right off your feet. Haha."
"That's comforting to know..." As they travelled through the lush greenery, the sound of running water hit Tayuya's ears. "Heheh." Looking up at him and his amused expression, she smirked.
Within another minute, they made it to their destination.
Tayuya saw a large waterfall to the left of perhaps the largest cage-cell she had ever seen in her life, built into the mountain. The 'bars' of the cage were actually large black pillars, obviously made of a material Tayuya had most likely not seen before. On all the pillars were strange, white-red seals, all of them glowing.
"Yup. Whenever I need to learn something fundamental, I learn here first and then try it out in the real world. The waterfall cools ya down after you get burned too much by his chakra. HEY! YOU AWAKE IN THERE?"
Tayuya's apprehension from before came right back. Perhaps it was the fact that it suddenly grew quiet, or perhaps that she couldn't see anything inside the cage, but whatever the case, the girl felt very...small.
She heard shuffling and what sounded like ringing metal. "YOUR PERSISTANCE IN IRRITATING ME IS GOING TO GET YOU KILLED EVENTUALLY YOU LITTLE SHIT. NOW..." Tayuya visibly flinched at the overwhelming presence and voice of the beast, and simply stared when she saw red chakra come into view, before the most malevolent...'face' she had ever seen came from the top of the cage and down to look at the two of them.
So much power was being exerted without effort, and the chakra completely masked his face, but allowed his glowing eyes to be seen. "...WHY ARE YOU HERE?" He looked at her once and then narrowed his eyes at Naruto. Said blond grinned. "I just wanted to show you my new acquaintance here. Tayuya, meet Fox, Fox, meet Tayuya." He then turned to the girl, who continued to stare at the beast. "I'd have said his name, but he won't tell me what it is."
For a few seconds, only the Biju's chakra and the waterfall were heard. "WELL, YOU'VE NOW INTRODUCED ME TO HER. NOW GET OUT."
"Ah come on. Don't you want to at least talk for a little while?" When Naruto sat down, seemingly relaxed and with a grin in play, he started to swing his head lightly from side to side. "I think Tayuya here is pretty cool. Maybe we can even train a little in here."
The Fox looked down at him. Then, he gave a bone-chilling grin. "AH, I SEE NOW." When it was obvious he was amused because of some unseen thing that apparently had to do with Naruto, Tayuya looked between the two.
Naruto looked confused. "What are you talking about?" In an environment she didn't know at all, and the look of knowing on the beast's face, Tayuya wasn't so sure she liked it here...even if the rest of the island looked outstandingly beautiful. She kept quiet and continued to look at them.
She was unnerved when she gained his attention. "I SEE THIS BLOND IDIOT MIGHT JUST BE THE HELP YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, TAYUYA." When he addressed her so suddenly and with such a weird statement, she just looked at him.
"I don't know what he means by that but I think he likes you, if the fact that HE ACTUALLY SAID YOUR NAME IS ANYTHING TO GO BY! HOW COME YOU NEVER SAY MY NAME WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO ME?!" Like a child, Naruto pouted and crossed his arms.
"BECAUSE I KNEW ADDRESSING HER BY NAME WOULD GET UNDER YOUR SKIN. HEH."
So far, this whole experience was going in a way she had never thought it would go. She had originally thought the Biju before her would be roaring out at them to get out and or that he wanted to kill them in rather gruesome ways.
Then of course, there was the thing he just told her.
What did he mean? "...So what exactly are you talking about?" Yeah, what the hell could he possibly mean by that? She hadn't said one word to him and now it seems she has some problem that he apparently saw.
"YOU HAVE A LOT OF HATE BOTTLED UP INSIDE YOU, UNLIKE THAT PATHETIC TOOTHPICK SITTING NEXT TO YOU. FOR THE MOST PART, HE HAS VERY LITTLE OF IT."
Naruto would have been surprised at this info, but he already knew that just by the few words Tayuya had said to him before. It was also pretty easy to see it in her attitude. "It's a special ability he has. He can sense negative emotions in any kind of creature he meets." Standing up, he put his hands in his pockets and approached her with a warm, yet understanding smile. "You really did have it rough, huh?"
"SPARE ME THE EMOTION-DRIVEN DRAMAS YOU HUMANS ARE SO QUICK TO PLAY OUT. THE POINT HERE IS THAT YOUR NEW GIRLFRIEND COULD ACTUALLY USE A REAL FRIEND, AND WHAT BETTER PERSON THAN THE MOST POSITIVE, BRAIN-DEAD IDIOT IN THE HISTORY OF THE HIDDEN LEAF VILLAGE? NOW THEN, GET OUT OF HERE."
Tayuya...didn't know how to respond to Naruto's sudden change in demeanor. "Alright whatever fox, you've been a great host. Next time we need donuts though."
"SHUT UP AND LEAVE ALREADY."
Real World
The cold air of the day was the first thing Tayuya registered, and then Naruto's warm fist. She then opened her eyes to see Naruto. "He's a lot of help when you need it."
There were a lot of people Tayuya had met in her life, but just about all of them she didn't like. All her life, she'd been living in the dark, metaphorically speaking of course, and she always just did whatever her master told her to do.
And for what? What good were his supposed ideals going to be when he took such drastic measures to realize them? She had always trusted in his ability to grant her power, to make her a powerful kunoichi.
But...she never considered living like a 'good' person. That was only a product of having vowed to always follow in her masters footsteps but...he wasn't a warm person...and he wasn't very welcoming. Being a young girl who would eventually become a woman...and she was actually pretty close to that point...her needs would eventually outweigh her loyalty to a deranged lunatic who took far too terrible steps to get what he wanted.
She would need someone who would actually care how she felt, she would need someone who would want to help her. Of all the people she had met, this one dude, Naruto, seemed to be just one of a possible many.
But, changing from being a bad girl to a good girl wouldn't be so easy, and she knew it. Yet after hearing what the fox said...well...
"Look..." Naruto reached into the basket and got another dumpling. "...I know I'm just some stranger, but from what I know about you, I think I want to help you. Of course, that's if you feel you need something or a change in your life. The fact that the Fox said what he said is proof. He never tells me anything to reassure me, or get my spirits up. Him giving any kind of advice tells me that he knows something he's expecting one or both of us to figure out."
He lightly bit into it, but the amount of flavor that came out of it made him smile and his worries lessen. "Anyway Tayuya...I know you're a kunoichi, and I know we live in two different countries, but, something just tells me that if I let you go back home and never think about you again...you might end up having something terrible happen to you. I know I'm weird like that, but my healing abilities would make the chances of me experiencing something terrible a lot smaller than you...I think. Every time I've made an effort to know somebody, it always turned out great. I'm still having trouble with the fox, but I'm working on it. Haha."
Yeah...Tayuya felt very at ease with this strange person. She wasn't about to admit it though. She tossed her plate in the trash and reached in the basket for a rice ball. "I'm not someone you want to get involved with. When shit hits the fan, I usually pull through, but that doesn't mean bad shit doesn't happen." By now her hardened expressions were long gone...now she was just...contemplative about the whole situation.
In the span of about two hours...a lot of her ideals seemed to just change. But something in her was forcing her to keep away from Naruto. She didn't know what it was.
Naruto however was starting to feel something was amiss, and he couldn't understand what it was. Either way, he just had the need to somehow get through to her. But what the hell was he trying to say and what the hell would it accomplish? He could tell that him being able to sense her chakra was something very important, and he knew that when strange things like that occurred, one had to tread carefully.
Perhaps it was his male instincts, but he just...he just somehow wanted to be standing next to her, shielding her from any threats. Cheesy, he knew, but like he said, there was something about this girl he felt he shouldn't ignore.
Still...he wasn't about to force her to do anything.
"Anyway, that's pretty much all I needed to say on that particular subject. What should we talk about now?" He gave a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head. He knew the entire conversation they just had was something that may have been a bit much to the girl, so he knew he should change the topic instead of making her feel like her life was threatened.
Surprisingly enough, Tayuya just shrugged. "Tell me about your teammates. They actually good at being shinobi?"
Ah, now this was something worth talking about.
Naruto grinned. "You have no idea."
OOO
Author's Note: Well, there you have it.
Now, before someone specific goes complaining that I copied the idea of Tayuya and Kimimaro being in the Land Of Waves during this mission of team seven, I can only give you my word that I was thinking of this long before I got back to checking out NarutoxTayuya stories here on Fanfiction.
Hell, some few years ago when I first published another story, an OC and Naruto had the ability to summon chains from their bodies. Guess what, literally a month later, Kushina Uzumaki is introduced in the canon, and then for some reason she ends up with the power to use chakra chains. WHAT THE SERIOUS FUCK?
Anyway, let me tell you the two author's that have helped me get a better understanding of story writing:
Jetslinger, responsible for 'The Melody Of The Fox.'
AlphaDelta1001, responsible for 'Drifting,' and 'Melody Of The Wanderers.'
When it comes to fight scenes, Alpha wins, though I think he spends too long on them. When it comes to character building and interactions, the Silver-plated, Diamond encrusted trophy goes to Jetslinger, for now at least, until I put their stories side by side and compare.
My main goal in this story is to of course have the right amount of action and new elements introduced in the story. But more-so, my main intention is to focus on Naruto and Tayuya as individuals, and eventually, together as a couple.
In this story, I might have wanted it to be Naruto paired with Tayuya and Ryūzetsu, but Ryūzetsu is so far along in the story that I couldn't come up with the right elements, and even then, how am I going to write a believable story with Naruto getting engaged with two girls that are okay with it? There is still room for me to do it...but it would be tough.
You guys can decide and tell me how you might want it to happen.
So yeah. Anyhow, as you've seen, this story is happening very differently to the manga, and as I've said before, only one thing in canon is something that Naruto will use as a last resort. Even if Kurama has taught him a little how to use his chakra, he probably won't use it unless for intimidation purposes.
Anyway, I hope you liked it, and I'll come with the next chapter when I feel it's appropriate. As far as what I have, this first chapter is set in stone. Even if not a lot of people really tell me what they think on it, I know that people will be reading it, and I just hope it inspires more people to write their own iterations on possible NarutoxTayuya relationships.
Later.
I have some PS3 games to play, and to work on getting the money for a PS4...heheh.