Across the Ages: Everlasting Love
Author's Note: We (Lance Kumazuki and Chewie Cookies) do not own Pokémon, Naruto, or any of their characters. Suki belongs to Chewie Cookies, and Lance Kumazuki belongs to Lance Kumazuki.
2ndAuthor's Note: We (Lance Kumazuki and Chewie Cookies) got a lot of good reviews last chapter. We were surprised that this story became so popular so quickly. Thanks to all who read and reviewed!
3rdAuthor's Note: We didn't use it in the last chapter, but underlined and italicized text is Pokémon speech, meaning speech in the Pokémon language. Please take note of this
Chapter Two
The Battle for Izumi's Freedom
Naruto sat in front of a bowl of ramen in his human form, as he watched the Hyuuga's home from a distance. As he'd predicted, Hiashi was a horrible father, but he'd never imagined how horrible a Pokémon trainer he could be as well.
Hiashi actually believed that if a trainer punished their Pokémon enough for losing battles; it would eventually start winning, simply to avoid being punished! "Ridiculous human," Naruto spat upon remembering Hiashi trying to convince Hinata to punish Suki for losing against his Graveler. Sweet, gentle Hinata refused to punish Suki for this, arguing, "Suki did her best! I can't ask more than that from her... I won't punish her!"
Naruto smiled at that memory. He could tell Hinata loved Suki dearly, and viewed her as her daughter. He often found Hinata bottle-feeding her, brushing her fur, or just plain playing with her. Suki even called her Mama, and, even though it was in Pokémon speech, Hinata seemed to understand perfectly.
"She's already a wonderful mother..." he thought to himself happily. Then, one of the many orphaned Vulpix he looks after came by with a note in his mouth.
"Hey, little guy! What did you bring me?" Naruto asked affectionately, taking the note from the Vulpix's mouth and looking it over, as the tiny fox Pokémon nuzzled against his side.
Naruto grinned. "So, Oak finally noticed my hideaway on the outskirts of his ranch? Well, it's about time! Good thing I'm part Pokémon, otherwise we'd have to move out!" he chuckled to himself, making a mental note to talk to the old professor about this later. He then turned to the little Vulpix at his side, and picked him up. "It's about time I put you and all your brothers and sisters to bed for a while!" he said, then disappeared in a burst of Foxfire, headed to his home, where all the other Vulpix were getting tired out from playing all day...
Meanwhile, with Hinata and Suki...
Hinata was sitting down, brushing Suki's soft fur after having given her a bath. She was just about to take her into the living room to play, when her mother came in, looking scared. "Mama? What's wrong?" Hinata asked. Izumi held back her tears, and answered, "Mama and Papa are going to be doing some things that you shouldn't see, little Hinata... Take Suki, and go over to Professor Oak's for a while..."
Hinata got scared. She knew her father treated her mama badly a lot, and sometimes hurt her, but she told Hinata not to worry about it.
Hinata shook her head furiously. "NO! I'm not going to let him hurt you, Mama!" she cried out defiantly. Izumi looked at Hinata sadly. "I'm sorry, Hinata... I have no choice. And if you interfere, you'll just get punished," she said, lowering her head, then continued, "I'm more than your father's wife, little Hina... I'm also his slave..."
Hinata's eyes widened upon hearing this. "But Mama, I thought slavery was illegal? So how can you be his slave?" she asked. Izumi sighed, and explained, "My mother and father were very poor, and the three of us didn't live very well. Despite this, we were happy, but my parents were becoming sick, and I needed the money to get them treated. Hiashi was looking for someone to become his wife and give him an heir, so I decided I would, as long as he paid for my parents' hospital bills. He decided that, 'to even out the deal', I would have to give him something more. He asked that I sell myself to him and become his slave... I agreed, knowing that there was no other way. And so, I must stay with him, so that my parents will keep living, and so that I can make sure you have at least one loving parent, Hinata..."
Hinata was in tears upon hearing her mother's story. She rushed over, along with Suki, and hugged Izumi tightly. "I'll find a way to free you, Mama... I promise!" she exclaimed, letting her tears run freely. Suki whined, nuzzling against Izumi's leg. Izumi smiled at the two of them, and replied, "I believe you will someday, Hinata... Now go to Professor Oak's place with Suki, and be strong for Mama."
Hinata nodded, and attempted to dry her tears as she headed out with Suki, praying for her mother's safety...
Later, at Oak's Pokémon Ranch...
Gary Oak wasn't very fond of girls. At his age, he still thought of all of them as 'icky'. However, when he saw the look on Hinata's face after his grandfather invited her in, he knew he had to do something to help her feel better.
"Hey, Grandpa? Can I borrow one of your Pokémon? I know Hinata loves playing with them, and I was hoping that could help her feel better," he called out. Professor Samuel Oak sighed, and answered, "Instead of that, why don't the three of you help me with a small errand? Somebody put up a small house at the edge of the ranch, and I need to ask them what they're up to."
Gary nodded, and headed to where Hinata and Suki had gone. "Hinata? Suki? Wanna help me and Gramps with an errand?" he asked. Hinata was about to say no, but, suddenly, she felt an emotional pull, as if somebody was calling out to her. "Okay, we'll go," Hinata said. As she passed Gary with Suki in her arms, he noticed the tear stains on her face, and said, "Maybe you should wash your face a bit before we head out. We've got a little time."
Hinata shook her head. "I'll be fine, Gary," she said softly. Suki nuzzled into Hinata's chest, and asked, "Do you feel that pull, Mama?"
Hinata nodded. "You feel it too, Suki? It almost feels like somebody is calling out to us..." she whispered in response. Suki thought to herself, "Papa, we're coming..."
And so, the two of them, along with Gary and Professor Oak, headed outside to investigate the cabin at the edge of the ranch...
A Few Minutes Later, Outside of Naruto's Cabin...
Hinata, Suki, Gary, and Professor Oak had finally arrived at the cabin. When they got to the door, they saw a note.
Feel free to come in. Just make sure you're quiet. The little ones might still be sleeping when you get here.
Sincerely, Naruto, the first Ninetales
This piqued Professor Oak's curiosity. "The first Ninetales? This Naruto must be pretty old if he really is the first!" he exclaimed. Suddenly, Suki jumped out of Hinata's arms, shouting, "Papa! Mama, Papa needs you! He's hurting!"
Not entirely understanding what Suki meant, Hinata hesitated slightly before entering the cabin. Following Suki, Hinata found that the cabin actually had several trees growing in it, and, at the base of these trees, there were sleeping Vulpix. Hinata was careful to be quiet as she, Professor Oak, and Gary followed Suki to a room.
Inside of the room, there were very few furnishings. There was a desk, two dressers, and a bed, upon which there was a small boy. What was surprising, though, was that this boy had nine golden vulpine tails and a pair of vulpine ears on top of his head, instead of human ears on the sides!
Suki quickly jumped on the bed. "Mama! Please help Papa wake up! His nightmare is hurting him!" Suki cried out. Hinata felt the pull she felt earlier become stronger, and quickly leaped onto the bed, pulling the boy close to her, almost as if she'd done it hundreds of times before.
"Shhhh... It's okay... It's just a nightmare. Please wake up!" Hinata whispered softly, gently resting the boy's head in her lap. Slowly, a pair of beautiful blue eyes opened, and looked up at her.
"Hinata-chan? Was it all just a nightmare? I dreamed that Madara-teme killed you, and I lived for three thousand years... There were creatures called 'Pokémon', and I became the first Ninetales, after I turned into the new Kyuubi no Kitsune... And then, Kami-sama evolved into a Pokémon called Arceus, and she brought you back as a baby... I watched you growing up again, and saw how Hiashi-baka was a bad father all over again... And then..." the boy said, trailing off. Hinata was startled by what she had heard. "Is... is all that true?" she asked nervously. The boy yawned sleepily, and answered, "Yeah... It was one heck of a nightmare, but there was one really good part. When you were reborn, I took a little bit of your chakra, and a lot of mine, and made a baby fox pokémon, that I named Suki-chan. You always said, if our first baby turned out to be a girl, you'd want to name her Suki... She was adorable..."
Just then, Suki decided to chime in. "YAY! Papa thinks I'm adorable! That makes me really happy!" she exclaimed. The boy's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he whispered breathlessly, "It wasn't a dream..."
He sat up, looked around the room, and noticed Gary and Professor Oak standing there, staring at him as if he had two fox ears and nine fox tails. Then he remembered that he did have two fox ears and nine fox tails. "Sorry, Oak. I wasn't expecting you to get here while I was still asleep... My name's Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, and, yes," at this point he jumped off of the bed and, after being engulfed by blue flames and reappearing in his pokémon form, continued, "I am, in fact, the oldest Ninetales to roam the planet."
Professor Oak was astounded. But before he could ask any of the questions that were streaming through his mind, Hinata let out a gasp. Naruto turned around, and saw that she was staring at their wedding portrait on the wall across from the bed. "That's... from the day I got married to Naruto-kun... but how do I know that?" she asked. Naruto and Suki were at her side quickly. "You're starting to remember already, Hina-chan?" the powerful fire-type asked, concerned. Hinata nodded, and replied, "I'm remembering little things... I'm a bit scared... Will I lose the memories I have now?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. You will have the memories from your past life and your current life. The old Hinata will merge with you, and give you advice from time to time, but it will seem like she's just your conscience. You won't even notice her, because she is so much like you," he explained. Suki then jumped into her lap, and cried out, "Mama! We still have to save Grandma! That mean old man is still hurting her!"
Naruto growled. "Hiashi-teme is still causing trouble, huh? Well, I guess it's about time you took custody of me, Hinata-chan," he said, then stamped his paw on the ground, and an odd pokéball appeared, with strange runes and symbols on it (imaging the Shiki Fuin on a pokéball). "Hinata, this is the Fuinball, or, as you'd call it in your language, the Sealing Ball. Please hold it up for a moment," he said. Hinata did as he said, and Naruto tapped the button on it with his nose. The ball opened up, and he was sucked inside. A pinging sound was heard, and the ball clicked. Hinata held the ball in her tiny hands, and realized what Naruto had just done for her.
She had little time to think about it, though, as an explosion was heard outside. All the Vulpix in the house woke up, and began panicking, shouting, "They're here! Team Rocket has come to capture Papa again!"
One of the Vulpix came over to Hinata, and began jumping at the Fuinball. "You have to let Papa out, Mama! If you don't, they'll take him away!" it cried out. Hinata smiled a bit inside upon hearing the little fox pokémon call her mama, but quickly came back to reality, threw the Fuinball, and shouted, "Naruto-kun! Come out!"
A bright light flashed, and Naruto stood there, assessing the situation. "Why now of all times..." he muttered, then rushed out of the room, then out of the house. Hinata and the others followed, and were shocked to find several of Team Rocket's airships and a few tanks, of all things, waiting outside. Naruto wasted no time in working to defend his home. His tails began moving in a rapid pattern (his equivalent for hand-seals) "Doton: Fortress of Stone!" he called out, and the house was surrounded by a castle of stone.
Hinata watched from one of the windows in the castle, as Naruto leaped outside, and inhaled a huge amount of air. "Fuuton: Air Bullets!" he called out, as orbs of compressed air shot from his mouth and slammed into several of the tanks, smashing holes clear through them!
Suddenly, the airships began firing at him. The hail of bullets headed towards him, intent on slicing straight through him. He wrapped his tails around his body, and shouted, "Ninpou: Needle Jizo!" A lot of pinging sounds were heard, and when the smoke cleared, it was clear that the bullets had all bounced off. Naruto's tails retracted, and he was seen grinning. "The airships are too close together for their own good," he said in a carefree voice. Suddenly, blue, red, and black orbs of energy shot off of his body, and began forming a pure white orb in front of him. Once all the blue, red, and black orbs had been absorbed into the white orb, it became smaller, and Naruto, of all things, ate it!
Professor Oak watched with Gary and Hinata in anticipation. Already, half of the tanks had been immobilized, and now, Naruto had eaten a ball of energy. Then, suddenly, the ground beneath their feet trembled, and a crater formed beneath Naruto! He opened his mouth, and a HUGE blast of energy shot out of his mouth, completely incinerating the airships. Naruto was about to get on with destroying the rest of the tanks, but, suddenly, Rayquaza appeared, along with a powerful looking Salamence, and they both used Hyper Beam on the rest of the tanks. Naruto frowned, and shouted, "Hey! That was my cannon fodder! Get your own!"
Rayquaza growled, and roared, "Don't get angry at me! This trainer wanted me to help him check out where all those airships were going! You're lucky I don't fry you for almost hitting me!"
Naruto grinned. "This trainer must be pretty impressive for you to listen to him! But he's not as great as mine! She's gonna bring true peace to the Pokémon world!" he boasted, leaping over to Hinata and Suki, who had come out of the fortress with Professor Oak and Gary when the fighting was over. The Salamence flew overhead and landed near the group. A cloaked figure got off of the giant Dragon Pokémon. He walked over to the group.
"Is everyone alright? I hope no one got hurt," said the figure.
"Yes, we are all fine. Who are you and what are you doing here? Also, why is Rayquaza with you?" asked Prof Oak.
"I was checking up on the recent rise in activity in Team Rocket, and I saw them converge on this area. Rayquaza told me who they were after, and I went to help. You see, they were after your Ninetales, miss," he answered, looking to Hinata.
Hinata looked at Naruto and then looked back at the figure. She wondered why Team Rocket would want Naruto.
"Excuse me, but why would Team Rocket want Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Their leader wants rare Pokémon. Your Ninetales, little one is a rare Pokémon," he answered.
"That makes things different. Now then, would you care to introduce yourself?" Prof Oak asked.
"I do apologize," The figure said, then reached up and took off his hood. Midnight black hair fell down towards the small of his back. He had chocolate brown eyes, and a smile that Naruto swore was so familiar.
"My name is Lance Kumazuki, current Pokémon master, member of the Pokémon league and honorable friend to legendary Pokémon."
Naruto snorted at him and burned his cloak with an Ember attack. Lance looked at his cloak where the ember hit. He looked at Naruto and frowned. "You're too much of a showoff. That's my job," Naruto commented.
Lance decided to ignore the comment, and turned to Hinata. "That Ninetales you have is pretty impressive, and that Vulpix is adorable. I take it they are both yours, little one?" He asked Hinata.
"Yes, this is Naruto, my Ninetales, and the little one is named Suki," Hinata answered, then bowed politely, and said, "My name is Hinata Hyuuga, though I really wish I could just take my mama's surname..."
"What was her surname, Hinata?" asked Gary.
"It was Hikari. Hinata Hikari sounds so much nicer, don't you think?" she asked.
Naruto looked at her, and made a choice. He made a few swishes with his tails, and a scroll appeared on the ground near Hinata. "Hinata-chan, we are going to go back to your house and have Hiashi-baka sign this," he said, determination apparent in his voice.
"What is that scroll?" Prof Oak asked.
"It's a demonic contract. If Hiashi signs this, and we defeat him in any contest of our choosing, like a Pokémon Battle, he has to follow a set of rules under the contract or be pulled into the pits of Hell," he answered, then turned to Hinata, and explained, "I took the liberty of writing it out for you according to the problems he's caused in your life, as well as your mom's, as a failsafe in case I ever had to free you three from him."
Hinata nodded in understanding, and hugged Naruto's foreleg. "Thank you, Naruto-kun..." she whispered softly, rubbing her cheek against his soft warm fur. Not wanting to be left out, Suki jumped on Naruto's back, and, while snuggling against him, exclaimed, Thank you Papa!"
Naruto grinned. "I'm one lucky guy, to get so much attention from two of the prettiest girls in my life!" he chuckled. He gently lifted Suki off of his back, placing her on the ground, and stepped back from Hinata, presenting the contract to her. He quickly pricked her finger, before she could realize it, and said, "Just sign your name with the blood on your finger, and your part of the contract will be set."
Hinata was about to sign it immediately, but remembered that her mother told her to always read a contract or deal before signing it.
"Should Hiashi Hyuuga lose this Pokémon Battle against Hinata Hikari-Hyuuga, Hiashi Hyuuga must give full custody of Hinata Hikari-Hyuuga, along with any other children born of Izumi Hikari-Hyuuga, to Izumi Hikari Hyuuga. Izumi Hikari-Hyuuga must also be freed from Hiashi Hyuuga, should Hinata Hikari-Hyuuga win the Pokémon Battle against Hiashi Hyuuga. Also, if Hinata Hikari-Hyuuga wins the Pokémon Battle against Hiashi Hyuuga, Hiashi Hyuuga must continue paying the hospital bills for Izumi Hikari-Hyuuga's parents. Should Hiashi Hyuuga win the Pokémon Battle against Hinata Hikari-Hyuuga, he may take Hinata's strongest Pokémon for himself."
Hinata trembled for a moment. She and her mother could be free if she wins the battle, however...
Naruto looked Hinata in the eye. "I promise you, I will NOT lose, and, therefore, neither will you," he said determinedly to her. A part of Hinata was scared for Naruto, but another, greater part was telling her to trust in him. She quickly signed the contract, and Naruto nodded to her, rolling it up once more. He then turned to Lance, and said, "If you're a Pokémon League Champion, you have the ability to issue trainer licenses. Please issue one for Hinata-chan, claiming her to be Hinata Hikari-Hyuuga."
Lance grinned. "Sure thing! I just need a bit of information from her, like her birth date, hometown, and the Pokémon she owns so far!" he replied. Hinata gave him the needed information, and he pulled out a small device. Hinata's Trainer Card came out within seconds. Naruto looked at it, and smiled. "Your picture looks nice, Hinata," he said proudly. Hinata giggled, and replied, "Thank you, Naruto-kun."
Prof Oak and Gary came over, and looked at Hinata's Trainer Card. "I know your father isn't going to be saying this, so I'll say it instead. I'm very proud of you, Hinata," the aged professor said happily, then turned to Gary, and said, "Soon enough, it will be your turn to start on your journey. Remember not to feel jealous of Hinata, as she has no choice but to begin early."
Gary nodded. "I understand, Gramps! Besides, I still haven't figured out which of the starters I want to begin with!" he replied. Hinata giggled at him, and Naruto nuzzled her gently. The small girl let out a sigh of contentment, obviously enjoying how Naruto was treating her. Suddenly, Naruto stopped, and shouted, "Darn it! I forgot about the contract attached to the Fuinball!"
Hinata became worried. "What contract are you talking about, Naruto-kun?" she asked. Naruto sighed, and replied, "As soon as you caught me in the Fuinball, a contract was made between us. In return for my allowing you to catch me, you must consider becoming my mate... You only need to consider it, but I still feel bad for forgetting to tell you..."
Hinata smiled softly, and rubbed Naruto's muzzle with her hands. "If the old version of me was able to fall in love with you and be happy about it, I'm pretty sure I can do the same, Naruto-kun!" she said happily, then stood on her tippy toes and kissed his cold wet nose. Naruto grinned, went back to his human form, (Whenever he does this from now on, he's going to turn into a version of himself that's the same age as Hinata) and gave her a hug, grinning all the while. "Thanks, Hinata-chan..." he whispered softly.
Hinata let out a cute yawn, as did Suki, and the two of them began feeling tired. Morphing back to his Pokémon form, Naruto gently cradled the two of them with his tails. "Relax... It's been a long morning for both of you. Just take a bit of a nap, and I will watch over you," he said, laying the two four year olds against his side as he lied on his belly in the grass.
Professor Oak looked on in wonder. Here was a perfect opportunity to research how Pokémon care for their young, yet, for the first time, he felt nervous about watching them in such a way. After all, he didn't want to spoil their nap by making them feel like they were on display or something, right?
Naruto wrapped his tails around Hinata and Suki's small bodies, giving them a blanket, of sorts. He nuzzled against them affectionately, gently licking Suki's fur and Hinata's cheek. Hinata smiled, as she wrapped one arm around Suki, and used her free hand to rub Naruto's side. Mother and daughter soon fell asleep, and Naruto sat there with them, his tails shielding them from any danger.
Naruto turned to Lance. "Would you mind judging the match? I have a feeling Hiashi will use illegal tactics, and we need somebody from the Pokémon League who can reprimand him, if need be," Naruto asked/explained. Lance nodded, and replied, "I'll be there. Just get some rest for now, okay?
Naruto nodded, and relaxed, both his potential mate and his daughter sleeping against his side...
In Hinata's mind scape...
Hinata was confused. She had fallen asleep next to Naruto and Suki in the middle of Prof Oak's Pokémon Ranch. However, now she was in a place with floating portraits with her and Naruto, along with several others she didn't recognize. When she stood up, she realized she was a lot taller than she was when she fell asleep. Her body also felt older, as well as a lot stronger, than before. She looked down at her feet, and saw a girl with indigo hair, similar to hers, but with whisker-like marks on her cheeks, six vulpine tails, and two fox-like ears coming out from the top of her head. Somehow, she knew this girl was Suki.
Suki opened her eyes, and looked up at Hinata. "Mama? You look all grown up!" she said excitedly, then stood up, surprising herself with her new look, and exclaimed, "And I'm a hanyou now!"
Hinata quickly wrapped her arms around Suki, and asked, "Do you know where we are, Suki-chan?" A familiar voice behind them answered, "We're in our mind, Hinata-chan." Hinata and Suki turned around to find Naruto in his adult form, and a woman who looked like a slightly younger Izumi, wearing a lovely blue kimono, with her long flowing hair in a braid.
"Mama?" Hinata asked happily. The woman shook her head, and answered, "I'm not our mama, Hinata-chan. I'm the 'you' from your past life. And I'm rather happy for you, since you've managed to make one of our greatest dreams come true." The older Hinata gestured at Suki, and said, "I've always wanted to have a baby with Naruto-kun, and you've happily taken Suki as your daughter. Therefore, we're both mothers now. However, I have sadly been unable to lend a helping hand in raising her."
Naruto smiled, and said, "Things will be different soon, though, as you two will fully merge. That is, if you want to, Hinata-chan? You'll still be the dominant mind, but the Hinata from way back when will be able to experience everything you do, and she'll be able to help you from time to time. All she asks is that she will be able to be with me, through you, from time to time."
Younger Hinata looked at Suki. "What do you think, Suki-chan?" she asked. Suki smiled, and said, "I have one wonderful mama. Having two wonderful mamas can only be better, right? And besides, she's you!"
Hinata smiled at Suki, then turned to Naruto. "Is there anything else I need to know?" she asked. Naruto made a thoughtful gesture, and answered, "Yeah, one other thing. You'll be able to access the old Hinata's chakra as well as her memories, any time you want. Unfortunately, that includes the bad memories. You might want to stay away from those ones." Hinata nodded, understanding that her older self more than likely had a life that was much more frightening than her own.
Naruto turned to face both the Hinata of the past and the Hinata of the present. "Are the two of you ready?" he asked. The Hinata of the past went over to Naruto, pulled him into her warm embrace, which Naruto returned, and kissed passionately. That Hinata said softly, "I am now..."
The elder Hinata went back to her younger self, and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "For luck," she said with a giggle. The younger Hinata smiled at her older counterpart, bent down to hug Suki, and said to the little Vulpix, "I'll see you when we wake up, okay?"
Suki nodded, and gave her mother a kiss. Naruto performed several hand-seals. A golden glow surrounded the nearly identical girls, and the older one began fading away, as the glow surrounding her went into her younger self. The younger Hinata gasped, as many experiences and feelings began mingling with her own, and then became less and less intense. For a moment, she remembered everything of her older self's life, and then it all went black...
Later, in Hinata's room…
Hinata stirred in the bed and felt an immense feeling of warmth wash over her. As she looked around, she was in a bed with Naruto, his tails wrapped around her like a furry blanket. Hinata felt so comfortable with his tails embracing her. Hinata looked at Naruto in his Ninetales form and smiled. As she looked at Suki, she giggled softly, as the little Vulpix was nuzzled into Naruto's tails and was snoring lightly.
"Naruto-kun, Suki-chan, it's time to wake up," Hinata called out softly.
Naruto stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes to see his lavender-eyed angel.
"Did you sleep well, Hina-hime?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, I did. Your tails are very soft," Hinata replied, nuzzling her face into them.
Naruto suddenly gained the memories of one of his shadow clones. It had successfully gotten Hiashi to sign the contract, and, since said clone was in the guise of Hinata, Hiashi had no way of knowing that Hinata has the Ninetales that defeated him all those years ago. It was going to be a three-on-three battle, so the shadow clone had also talked to Lance about getting Hinata a third Pokémon real quick-like. He smiled and turned to Hinata.
"As much as I would love to lay here with my girls, you have a battle to get ready for, Hinata-chan," Naruto said, stretching slightly.
Hinata got up with a groan and so did Suki. Naruto got up and stretched his back and then sat down. He was still in his Ninetales form, as to not arouse any suspicion. Hinata changed her clothes and was wearing a lavender tank top with blue jeans. Naruto stared at her as she went about fixing her hair.
"What is it? Do I have something in my teeth?" Hinata asked, confused as to why Naruto was staring at her.
"You're definitely gonna win!" he exclaimed suddenly with a grin.
"You think I will?" Hinata asked, feeling hope overcome her nervousness.
"I know you will," Naruto said, beaming at her.
Hinata jumped and hugged Naruto. Naruto returned the hug and wrapped his tails around her as well. Hinata gathered herself as they let go of each other."Are you ready, Hinata-chan?" asked Naruto.
"Yes, I am. I am ready to fight for not only my freedom, but Mama's as well," said Hinata.
As Naruto and Hinata left the house, outside were Gary, Prof. Oak, and Lance. Lance walked up to Hinata and bent down.
"Hinata, while you may be young, you show a lot of promise as a trainer. Since the battle is going to be a three-on three and you only have two, I want you to have this Pokémon. I caught it the other day," said Lance as he reached into his cloak sleeve and pulled out a pokéball with a lightning bolt etched onto it. Lance handed her the pokéball and smiled.
"What's in it?" asked Hinata.
"This Pokémon is special. I caught this one in hopes of training him, but I think he will suit you just fine," Lance said.
Hinata threw the pokéball and out came a Pikachu. Pikachu shook itself off and looked around.
"What the heck is going on? Who are you?" asked Pikachu.
Hinata knelt down and extended a hand. "I'm your new trainer. My name's Hinata Hikari," said Hinata.
Pikachu extended his paw and smiled.
"I can tell you're a nice human. I'll be your partner, as long as I don't have to go back into that dang pokéball its way too cramped," he said.
The two shook hands and Pikachu gave Hinata a slight shock, as a way of saying hello. To Hinata, it felt like strong static electricity. Parts of her hair stood on end. Lance clapped his hands.
"Alright, let's do this thing. Hinata has a battle to win!" said Lance.
Everyone threw their hands up in excitement. They all started the trek to Hinata's house for the battle. Both Naruto and Lance had noticed that Gary and Prof. Oak were tired. Naruto transformed back into his fox form and motioned for Hinata to get on his back. Lance reached into his cloak sleeve and pulled out a pokéball.
"Go Torterra!" said Lance.
The continent Pokémon came out and shook itself off, stomping one of its feet to make any loose leaves fall off.
"What did you need, Lance?" Torterra asked.
"My friend, we need a lift. Are you up for it?" asked Lance.
"Sure. Oak and Gary, hop on. The fruit has just ripened," said Torterra.
So they got on Torterra and walked to the outdoor battlefield, located on the outskirts of Pallet Town, where Hiashi was waiting with a rather annoyed look on his face.
"Took you long enough, you failure. Are you prepared to lose?" Hiashi asked.
Hinata was not impressed. She knew her father was posturing.
"Are you ready to battle, father?" asked Hinata.
"Very well, since you are in such a hurry to make a fool out of yourself, we will begin immediately. When I win, I will be certain to remind you of your place," Hiashi replied. He then noticed the Pokémon standing by Hinata's side, and began to sweat a bit.
"Since I am league master, I shall be the judge in this battle. Will the two trainers please take their places?" said Lance.
Hiashi went to one corner while Hinata took the other with Naruto, Suki, and Pikachu standing by her side.
"This will be a 3 on 3 battle, no substitutions. The side whose Pokémon can no longer battle is the loser. Now then, let the match begin!" Lance announced.
"Go Alakazam!" said Hiashi.
"Go Suki-chan!" Hinata exclaimed.
The two Pokémon stood on the battle field sizing each other up. Hiashi smirked and made the first move.
"Alakazam, use Shadow Ball!" Hiashi ordered, and Alakazam did as it was told.
"Suki, dodge it and use Dark Pulse!" Hinata said.
As Alakazam fired the ball, Suki dodged the blast and fired one of her own. Since Dark Pulse is a dark-type move and psychic Pokémon are weak against such moves, Suki's attack weakened it drastically. It also helped that Naruto had lent her a Dread Plate.
Hinata grinned, and shouted, "Quick, Suki-chan! Get in close while it's disoriented, and use Fire Blast at point blank range!"
Alakazam was expecting pain when it heard that, but the blast of flame that hit it wasn't just painful because of the heat. Alakazam was actually knocked high in the air from the blast. When it came down, it did not get back up.
"Alakazam is unable to battle. Suki is the winner," Lance announced.
Hiashi was stunned. Hinata's Vulpix was at a lower level and could not have possibly won. No matter, his next Pokémon would win.
"Go Graveler!" ordered Hiashi.
"Suki-chan, return! You did a great job," Hinata said, happily picking the small six-tailed ball of cute up and snuggling with her for a moment. Hinata hesitated for a moment, feeling she shouldn't send out Naruto just yet, but smiled when she remembered the awesome Steel type move her new friend knew, which would help in the next fight. Believing in her small friend, she gently put the mouse-like creature on the ground, and shouted, "GO PIKACHU!"
The yellow mouse stood there as the rock golem looked down and smiled.
"Graveler, use Rollout!" ordered Hiashi.
Hinata wasn't entirely sure this would work, but Naruto nodded to her, and Hinata's confidence grew.
"Pikachu, dodge and use Iron Tail as many times as you can!" Hinata exclaimed.
Pikachu saw the rock coming at him and instead of getting out of the way, he jumped over it, and onto Graveler, and started running around on top of its head. Pikachu's tail glowed and started pounding Graveler. Graveler grew weaker with every hit and then finally, on the twentieth hit, Graveler fell.
"Graveler is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner," Lance announced.
Hiashi was now very pissed. He was down two Pokémon and his loser daughter was sitting with a full team.
"Fine, this pathetic farce will end now! GO RAICHU!" Hiashi yelled. Pikachu rushed back to Hinata, knowing his turn was up. Hinata hugged Pikachu warmly, making sure he knew how proud she was. Raichu stood there, wishing his master treated him with that kind of friendliness. Still, he stood proud, waiting for his opponent.
"Alright, Naruto-kun, it's your turn! Make me proud!" Hinata exclaimed.
Naruto, who was still in Ninetales form, walked from his spot next to Hinata, and went to their side of the field. Raichu looked up at Naruto and went from proud to terrified in three seconds flat. Raichu remembered this Pokémon, and didn't want to fight him, but didn't have a choice.
"Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" Hiashi ordered.
Raichu hesitated but listened to his master and let loose a Thunderbolt at the fox, who simple took the hit, as his tails were in the ground, acting like a lightning rod once again.
"Naruto, use Heat Wave!" Hinata exclaimed.
Naruto's tails glowed with power for a split second. They then began waving wildly, creating a bit of wind. Flames suddenly erupted from Naruto's mouth, and flew at Raichu, made more powerful than usual by both the bit of tailwind and the Flame Plate Arceus entrusted Naruto with. Before Raichu could catch fire, Naruto mercifully knocked him out with some Killing Intent, and stopped the fiery assault. Raichu fell before Hiashi, badly burnt, and unable to continue.
"You stupid creatures cannot do anything right..." Hiashi said, about to kick the prone mouse Pokémon.
"ENOUGH!" Lance yelled, stepping down from the podium he stood on and walking over to Hiashi.
"Hinata Hikari has won the match. Plus, after seeing what you were about to do to your Raichu, with my leverage as a league champion in two different regions, I, Lance Kumazuki, hereby strip you, Hiashi Hyuuga, of the right to be a Pokémon Trainer. You are ordered to relinquish all Pokémon that are in your possession until a time deemed fit by myself and the other members of the Elite Four," Lance said, quickly ripping the pokéballs from Hiashi's belt.
"You can't do this!" Hiashi shouted in outrage. Lance simply grinned, and replied, "I believe I just did. And now, if you'd so kindly let Hinata and Izumi get their things from your house, we'll be on our way. Speaking of which, where is Miss Izumi?"
Hiashi harrumphed. "I'm not telling you where I'm keeping her at! She belongs to me!" he said angrily. Naruto sighed, and said, "You don't have to tell us anyway. I can track her down by scent alone. Come on, guys. Let's leave this loser to rot." With that, the group began walking away.
Just then, Hiashi snapped. He pulled out a gun from his pocket, and aimed it at Hinata. "I may have lost the battle, but you, my daughter, are about to lose your LIFE!" he shouted, then pulled the trigger. Time seemed to slow down for Hinata, as she turned around to see the gun pointed at her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the gun to be shot, and thought to herself, "I'm scared! I don't want it to end like this!"
"Ninpou: Needle Jizo!" was heard right before the gun was shot, and Hinata felt no pain. Instead pain being felt, there was the sound of metal pinging. She opened a single eye, then both, and her eyes widened. Naruto's tails had wrapped themselves around her like a wall, and hardened, completely blocking the bullet's path!
Lance, having seen enough, threw a pokéball, and out came his Scizor. "Blade! Restrain that man at once! And feel free to leave a couple of cuts if he resists!" he shouted. The Steel and Bug type vanished from where he stood, and reappeared behind Hiashi, clamping his claws onto the vile man's wrists.
Hiashi struggled angrily. "You stupid little wench! You think you have the last laugh? Well, guess what? The grandparents I had promised to take care of are DEAD! It's only for your sake that Izumi suffered! How does THAT feel?" he shouted hysterically.
Hinata hid her face in Naruto's fur, saddened deeply that, not only would she never meet her grandparents, but she was the main reason her mother suffered at Hiashi's hands all these years. Naruto snuggled against her affectionately, as Suki and Pikachu joined him in comforting Hinata. Suki tugged gently at Hinata's pant leg, and the small girl picked the fox Pokémon up, holding her gently to her flat, but still warm and motherly bosom, crying softly.
Naruto continued nuzzling against Hinata for a moment longer, then lifted her and Suki up in a cradle made of his tails. Pikachu became angry, and in order to look bigger and more intimidating, leaped on top of Naruto's head, letting off violent sparks of electricity. Naruto quickly turned his attention back to Hiashi, and asked, "What exactly killed Izumi-sama's parents, and where are their graves?"
Hiashi sneered, and replied, "They died a few months after their treatment started, of the disease they shared, and they weren't given graves! Their bodies were donated to the hospital! How's that for a fitting fate?"
Naruto roared angrily, causing Hiashi to drop his gun in fear. The reincarnated Kyuubi then closed his left eye, and reopened it, revealing an Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. "Tsukuyomi..." he growled, ensnaring Hiashi in the famous and nearly all-powerful genjutsu.
After about a moment, Hiashi let out a bloodcurdling scream, and fell limp in Blade's restraining arms. Naruto scoffed, and said, "That should leave him in a coma for about a decade or two. Serves him right."
Naruto closed his left eye again, opening it to reveal his normal eye once more. "Wh-what did you d-do to him, Naruto-kun?" Hinata stammered, wondering what this mysterious power he used was.
Naruto sighed, and answered, "I used the illusion power of my Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, which is called Tsukuyomi. I made certain that Madara could never use his eyes again by taking them as my own. They can't be passed down to my children, so I don't have to worry about them having problems with the Sharingan. Look through the old Hinata's memories, and you'll see what I'm talking about."
Hinata went through her memories, and her eyes shot open suddenly. "Naruto-kun! You shouldn't use that power! You'll go blind!" she exclaimed worriedly.
Naruto shook his head, and explained, "These were Madara's eyes, originally his brother's. They don't have the blindness problem that Itachi's eyes had. I should know. I used Amaterasu for five days straight, tunneling with it to create my den beneath Cinnabar Island, and my eyes are no worse off."
Hinata sighed, and snuggled back into the cradle made of tails with Suki. "Just make sure you don't overdo it. I don't want you getting hurt," she said softly, rubbing Suki gently.
Lance sighed. "I wish I didn't have to, but I'm going to have to get this old man signed into a hospital. I'll have to tell them that you were the cause of the coma, Naruto, but they can't really do anything to you, since you did it in the defense of your trainer. I'll be back later. In the meantime, search for Miss Izumi. I have a feeling she'll be very happy to hear of her freedom," he said, his frown turning into a grin with that last comment.
Naruto nodded, and after Pikachu settled down and began snuggling with Hinata amongst his tails, he headed off to Hiashi's home, determined to help Hinata and Izumi put their past behind them...
Meanwhile, in the forest just outside of Oak's Ranch...
A lone member of Team Rocket who had survived Naruto's counterattack was laying low, hoping for a chance to escape the forest. It was odd, because he had first thought the forest would help him hide himself from danger. However, whenever he'd try to leave, the forest itself turned against him. He could feel that he was being watched, but by who? The forest?
As crazy as that conclusion sounded, it was the only way to explain the fact that, whenever he came close to escaping, some invisible force would grab his leg, and take him for a ride, getting him lost all over again. It didn't help his pride, that all of the forest's pokémon, whether they were weak or powerful, small or large, seemed to be laughing at him. He'd reached for his pokéballs once, only to find that they were no longer on his belt.
Finally, after being dragged through the forest for what could very possibly be the hundredth time, he decided to take his anger out on an unfortunate Rattata.
"AAAAARRRGH!" he roared, rushing the small rat-like creature. He was stopped, though, when a Torterra, of all things, fell from the canopy above. It would have been more intimidating... if it weren't for the ten-year-old making an odd pose on top of the Torterra. (Think Jiraiya's pose, with clothing similar to his childhood self, then add a spear being held in the hand behind his head, pointed at the person he's introducing himself to,black hair instead of white, and green tattoos under his eyes instead of red.)
"EARTH TREMBLE, AND HEAVEN ROAR! I AM THE POKÉMON SAGE, THE CHAMPION OF NATURE! TAKESHI HIKARU!" the boy shouted. The Rattata added to the event by leaping onto Takeshi's shoulder and growling at the Team Rocket Grunt. This only made the man question the child's sanity even more.
"Ummmmm, I don't get it?" the grunt said. Takeshi sighed, and explained, "Don't feel bad. You're one of many who 'don't get it'."
Dropping down from the Torterra's back, the boy pulled out a Pecha Berry, and, to the grunt's confusion, took a bite. "You know, I got a call from my buddy Lance Kumazuki earlier today, about Team Rocket mobilizing, and heading to attack the famous Professor Oak's Ranch. I flew here on my Staraptor's back, hoping for a good fight. What does he leave me to deal with? One grunt, who's so much of a coward, he ran away as fast as he could! So, I decided I was going to have as much fun with this one as I could. And I did. Up until the moron tries to attack one of the forest's inhabitants. Now, I'm going to kill you. Sound good?" he explained.
The grunt started laughing, then let out a cry of pain as he was sent across the clearing and into a tree. Disoriented, the grunt struggled to get up, and looked around, only to see that the boy was no longer next to the Torterra, who seemed like it was expecting something funny to happen, if the stifled guffaws coming from its mouth were any indication.
"Psst! I'm behind you!" the boy's voice whispered from nearby. The man turned around, and gasped at what he saw. The boy's body, from the waist up, was coming out of the tree. There was no hole in the tree, in fact, it seemed like the boy had become part of the tree! The boy grabbed onto the poor grunt's face, and the man found himself being filled with a strange power. At first, he thought he'd be able to use this power to escape, but he soon found that his body was turning into something similar to a Croagunk. Those parts then turned to stone! The man screamed, whilst the nearby Torterra decided he had the munchies, and started eating the grass.
Later, the boy exited the forest, along with the Torterra from before, two Ninetales (one of which was carrying an egg with her tails), an Azumarill, a Glaceon, a Luxray, and a Staraptor, which was perched in the Torterra's tree. The Ninetales that wasn't holding an egg led the way, tracking down Lance...
Meanwhile, with Naruto, Hinata, Suki, and Pikachu...
Hinata was both happy and worried at once. She and her mother were finally going to be freed from Hiashi's grasp, but she couldn't help worrying about where they were going to go after they got their things out of that horrible place. With all that had happened there, Hinata refused to call it 'home'.
She was soon brought out of her thoughts when Naruto set her down, along with Suki and Pikachu. "What's wrong, Naruto-kun? Are we there already?" she asked, then looked up to see that they were standing right in front of the door leading to the master bedroom. Hinata had been so lost in thought that she didn't even realize they had already gotten into the house. Naruto grinned, and said, "You're cute when you get all lost in thought like that, Hinata-chan. And to answer your question, yes, we're here. Your mama's inside that door, but from what I can smell, she's hurt a bit, so we'll have to be careful with her."
Naruto reached up to the doorknob and tested it, finding that it was unlocked. He shifted into his human form, and grinned. "Stick back a little bit, Hinata. I'm gonna set off any traps that Hiashi-baka put in there, so you don't have to worry about getting hurt!" he said, then chuckled about how simple human traps were nowadays, and opened the door.
As soon as he opened the door and saw what was inside, though, his grin vanished. "Hinata, stay here. I'll be right back," he said, suddenly sounding serious. Hinata simply nodded, but couldn't help but worry for her mother.
Naruto slowly walked into the room, doing his best not to frighten Izumi, who had apparently been raped at some point. "Izumi-sama? Are you awake? It's me, Naruto. I'm going to help you get out of here," he said softly, hoping his friend was all right. Getting a better look at her, he realized she was shackled to the bed by chains on her wrists and ankles, and that there was a bit of blood coming out of her vagina, showing that Hiashi had not been gentle with her at all.
"Is this how Hanabi is going to come into the picture? How cruel can Hiashi-teme get?" Naruto wondered to himself as he worked on picking the locks on the chains that held the poor woman down. Izumi soon stirred, upon realizing somebody was releasing her. Upon realizing that she was waking up, Naruto gently placed a blanket on top of her, and said, "Relax, Izumi-sama. It's me, Naruto. Hinata-chan and I are going to get you to a hospital, okay?"
Izumi groaned, and rubbed her head with one of her hands, now that her limbs were free. "Naruto? Where's Hinata? Is she okay?" she asked, obviously worried about her baby. Naruto smiled softly, and replied, "Don't worry, Izumi-sama. Hinata-chan's right outside of the room. She beat Hiashi-baka, and now both of you are free of him."
Izumi smiled. "That's my baby girl. She got the job done," she said weakly, but happily.
Naruto got off of the bed and changed back to his Ninetales form. "Can you move?" he asked. Izumi nodded, then called out to Hinata, asking, "Sweetie? Can you help Mama get dressed? I'm really sore right now, and I need a bit of help moving around."
Hinata ran into the room with Suki and Pikachu, and quickly hugged Izumi. "I'm glad you're okay, Mama," she said softly, snuggling against her mother's leg.
Izumi smiled, knelt down, and hugged Hinata. "Naruto told me how well you did today, Sunshine! I'm very proud of you, and your team, too," Izumi said happily, then stood up, and added, "Now why don't you help me pick out some nice clothes, and we'll take your pokémon to the Pokémon Center! Does that sound nice?"
"But Izumi-sama, shouldn't we get you to a hospital?" Naruto asked, concerned for the woman's health.
Izumi looked over to Naruto, and gestured for him to come over. As soon as he did, she gave him a quick kiss on the nose, and said, "I know you're worried about me, and the fact that I might have gotten pregnant from what happened with Hiashi, but I'm all right, and if I am pregnant, I'll just have to make sure I raise the baby to be good like my little Hinata. Besides, even if you're fine, Pikachu and Suki could probably use a good rest, considering how young they are."
Naruto nodded, and after Izumi got dressed, Naruto sealed her things, as well as Hinata's, in a sealing scroll, and, in a flash of flames, took them all to the Pokémon Center...
An instant later, at the Pokémon Center...
"... and you left me what? Only one grunt, and he was a COWARD!" Takeshi shouted, then realized that Lance was no longer in front of him, and in his stead, there was an odd-looking Ninetales, a woman, and a girl with a Pikachu on her shoulder and a Vulpix in her arms.
Takeshi frowned. "You wouldn't have happened to have seen a really tall trainer with a cape, who was standing there earlier, have you?" he asked, wondering how these people got so close to him without him sensing them.
A voice from behind Takeshi said, "I'm right here, shortie. I went to get something to eat about a minute ago. And, yes, I got you your nachos, so don't ask."
Takeshi turned around, and glared at Lance. "I can't believe you took advantage of the fact that I shut my eyes halfway through my rant... I challenge you to a battle!" he exclaimed.
Lance shook his head. "Sorry, can't. My team is being healed up right now. And besides, it seems our work here isn't done yet," he said, then looked over at Hinata, and explained, "There's a kid here who's going to need our help in the near future. She and her Ninetales, Naruto, seem to be connected to something big, and I for one want to help them to achieve their goals."
Takeshi frowned for a moment, then got a good look at Naruto, and his eyes widened suddenly. "That's... that's the Ninetales Lord from legend! Dang, this is something big!" he exclaimed, then turned to his two Ninetales, and asked, "Is this why you insisted on carrying your egg out in the open? Why didn't you tell me we were so close to a living legend?"
Hogosha (the male Ninetales) sighed, and answered, "Because you would have made a big deal about it, like you usually do with things like this. Lord Naruto enjoys his privacy, so for him to come out of his den and attempt to befriend a human, only for some knucklehead like you to ruin it, would not be good. We simply thought he might bless our child, so we decided to keep our egg out in the open, just in case he decided to come see us,"
Hana (the female Ninetales) nodded, and added, "If things are as they appear, I'd say the girl next to him is his mate, reincarnated. It's possible that something big will be happening; something good for all Ninetales and Vulpix. I just hope things turn out well."
Takeshi nodded. "Well, that settles things. We're going to be sticking around for a while," he said.
Naruto sighed, and thought to himself, "This could either throw a serious wrench in my plans, or it could be a really good thing. I just hope Hinata-chan and Izumi-sama will be all right..."
And so, the group decided to stay the night at the Pokémon Center, hoping for a bright future, and one of them hoping his plans didn't wind up blowing up in his face...
End Chapter Two