Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor its characters, locations, or whatever, I don't care at all.
This is a long one, so enjoy.
Chapter 7: Kindred Spirits.
After travelling for five days in a row, and since meeting no villages or towns to stay, Naruto and Hinata took advantage of the endless forests' seclusion for doing their personal training. Today it was their sixth training session together, and Naruto could feel quite surprised of Hinata's great progress. The Hyuuga training gave her an amazing control of her chakra and her own body. All she needed was some personal attention… just like me… Naruto drew a small square of paper and handed it to her:
- Keep this paper safe. We shall use it in a while.
Hinata took the paper and drew it inside her pouch. Naruto closed his eyes and talked to Kyuubi:
- I know I've been screwing with you a lot lately, but, could I ask you a question?
- Don't worry, kid. Fire away.
- Hinata and I need to raise our personal chakra reserves, Kyuubi. We don't actually want to run out of you, and also we want to protect you from Madara Uchiha, as he's still after you.
The fox looked at Naruto and smiled, perhaps blushed, even when the fur wouldn't allow the blush to be seen:
- Great, I really appreciate that. What do you want me to do?
- Could you materialize yourself? And teach us those things? I know you know about that.
- Sure; at once.
- Thanks again, Kyuubi.
Hinata noticed how that familiar chakra left Naruto's body again: a red and bluish-silver couple of chakras, entangled like two colored strings. Beside him, someone materialized itself. It was a beautiful woman, whose hair were silver-colored, who had fox ears over her head and nine red and bluish-silver fox tails. She wore a blue kimono with a red strap around her waist. Hinata checked on her and stared at her. The woman said:
- Hello, Hinata Hyuuga. It's finally a pleasure to meet you.
- U-um, hi.
- Hinata Hyuuga, she is the complete form of the Nine-Tailed Fox. You could call her Kyuubi, as I usually do, and if she doesn't mind at all.
- Y-you… you d-drew me out of t-that nightmare… t-thank you…
- Thank you, for keeping Naruto happy. - Both Naruto and Hinata blushed furiously, smiling while rolling their eyes. Kyuubi continued: - Naruto asked me for help with your training. I shall monitor you as you work to raise your personal chakra reserves.
- And, h-how do we do that, L-lady Kyuubi?
- First of all, must check on your physical condition. As far as I've seen lately, your physical condition has improved quite a lot, so I might trust in your physical training. The second step is to get rid of all those formalities that disturb you so much, Hinata. – Watching Hinata's surprise, Kyuubi smiled: - You can be easy on me as you are with Naruto. Call me just Kyuubi from now on.
Hinata smile and nodded. Her smile was burden-free, was merrier than ever, and that made Naruto fall deeper in love with her. Kyuubi said:
- The third step is this one: you need to sit down and meditate.
Naruto reminded of his training with Fukasaku and the toads in the mount Myoboku:
- Will you teach us how to handle the natural chakra?
Hinata didn't know what Naruto was talking about. Did he just say… natural chakra? Kyuubi answered:
- For Hinata, that's the last step. You can be released from that last training, as you already learned how to use the energy of the Sage Mode. By now, we shall raise your physical and spiritual chakra reserves. I want you to breathe and relax. No one else looks at you now.
Hinata and Naruto sat down on the ground, legs crossed. Both made the hand seal of the Ram during their meditation, and Kyuubi replied, with smooth voice:
- Take deep breaths and close your eyes…
Both did as they were told. Then she said:
- Mind blank, focus on your breathing.
After twenty minutes of deep breathing, Kyuubi scanned their minds, and as she got satisfied, she continued, smoothly:
- There's a lot of chakra in the air. Visualize all of that chakra enter your bodies with each breath, wait for it to flow through your bodies while retaining your breath, and when you release the air, you'll be able to feel how your hearts retain more and more chakra with each breath.
After two hours, Hinata and Naruto looked a lot more freshened and young, and Kyuubi scanned their bodies. Naruto's chakra, only with this short meditation session, had grown at a steady rate, reaching a growth rate of the 50% in his blue chakra. Hinata's one surprised her: her growth rate, just in this couple of hours, was of 200%. Also, Kyuubi noticed how her chakra circulatory system grew stronger, without losing the subtleties that allowed her to attain the precise control of chakra that she required for her fighting style. She said:
- You can open your eyes now. – As they did, they found Kyuubi quite happy, and she asked: - Well, kids, how do you feel?
Hinata was quite relaxed, more than ever in her whole life, and felt strength inside her that she'd never felt before. Naruto felt also the same way, and Kyuubi said:
- Within two monthes you could reach strength like that First Hokage's one. Some hours a day, two days a week, shall be enough. Tomorrow I'll start teaching you the strongest chakra control there is: the one of a Tailed Beast. I really doubt you're going to reach a Tailed Beast's level, but I'm sure your improvements with this training will give you unprecedented chakra control skills. We'll train that the same way: some hours a day, two days a week. As you're done with that, I'll show you how to handle the natural chakra.
- But, in order to do that, it's necessary to have a contract with some sort of summoning, isn't it right? For example: Jiraiya with the toads, Tsunade with the slugs, Kakashi with the hound dogs, and so on, right?
- Well, I know that you can summon toads, Naruto, but Hinata actually summons nothing, and that's a problem.
Hinata got ashamed, turning her eyes away as she blushed, red wine color. Kyuubi whispered something to Naruto, and he grinned:
- Yes, I can do that! It'll be fun!
Naruto bit his finger, dropping some blood, and started to make some known hand seals: Rooster, Horse, Monkey, Boar, Tiger. As he did so, Kyuubi held Hinata's hand firmly, and as Naruto threw his hand to the floor, Kyuubi held Naruto's shoulder with her other hand. Suddenly, they all vanished in a cloud of smoke. Kiba, who watched the scene from a hidden tree, asked:
- What the hell?? Where did those two pricks go?
Sakura, right beside him, just spoke:
- I guess I know where they're headed, but that's okay. Kiss me now, Kiba.
Kiba turned to see her smiling face and her serious eyes:
- Okay, then, but don't dare to complain that I smell like dog, or something.
Sakura blushed on purpose, as she got closer to Kiba:
- I deal with slugs, so some dog-smell won't hurt for a while. Come here, my dear puppy.
Sakura kissed Kiba's lips in a passionate reaction, and after that, both teenagers looked at each other, giggling and returning to their own tents.
Meanwhile, Naruto, Hinata and Kyuubi appeared in the lands close to mount Myoboku. Kyuubi slowly vanished, returning to Naruto's body and, as she did so, Hinata turned to notice two small toads dressed in tunics. The one who looked like male had a gray beard and some gray hair like spike aiming to the sky, and the other one, more like a female toad, had purple hair. She actually thought they were sock puppets or something alike, but she got shocked when Naruto greeted them:
- Boss Fukasaku! Mom Shima! So long time no see!
"Boss"? "Mom"? They seem quite tender and funny, but I can sense quite an amount of power in them. Hinata smiled tenderly at them. Shima replied:
- Naruto-chan! How are you?
- Fine, mom! How about you?
- We're on our way to eat something at the lake!
Fukasaku, looking at Hinata, asked:
- Hmmm… Isn't this girl the one who sacrificed herself for you? Isn't it her, Mom?
Ma jumped to her left shoulder and watched Hinata closely. Hinata felt quite nervous due to the old toad's inspection, but, all of a sudden, she smiled at her:
- Yes, it's her, Dad. What is she doing here? I don't think she'd like to deal with toads, Naruto-chan!
As Shima jumped back to the floor, Hinata noticed that, even being a toad, she was more like a grumpy granny, and she giggled softly. Naruto grinned and said:
- No, I brought her to talk to the Elder Toad Sage. I think he's the one who can actually help us.
Fukasaku replied:
- Well, somehow the Elder Sage was expecting you. Weird old toad. Go and talk to him.
- Thanks, Dad, Mom! Have a nice meal!
- T-thank you, D-dad, M-mom…
Fukasaku and Shima smiled at them and left, again on their own business. Hinata couldn't resist any longer and ran to Naruto's side, whispering to him:
- T-they look like… s-sock puppets, Naruto!
Naruto burst out in laughter, and Hinata couldn't resist it either, laughing soundly for the first time in her life. I made Naruto-kun laugh soundly! He's laughing, with me! Naruto gently took her hand and took her to the Elder Sage's house, in the middle of the mount Myoboku. Hinata was pinky-blushed, but she smiled genuinely too, and Naruto, as he stared at her face, noticed she squeezed her hand playfully. He couldn't help it when she gave him a sweet smile, closing her eyes in a gesture of joy. When they reached the Elder Sage's house entry, still handheld, Hinata got close to him and hugged him tenderly. Naruto immediately returned the gesture, without even needing to think about it, playing with her hair between his fingers. Hinata said:
- N-Naruto…
- Tell me, Hinata…
- I-I don't know if w-we're dating or something like that… b-but, I-I just love being with you, Naruto…
Naruto noticed her great will effort when she released the hug to stare at his eyes. He blushed while seeing her face as happy as ever before, and replied:
- Heh, heh, Hinata… you really think so?
- Yes!
Hinata was quite excited, and returned to hug Naruto, blushed up to a scarlet color, and whispered to him, her face in his shoulder:
- T-thank you so much… f-for coming w-with me…
Naruto returned the gesture, whispering also:
- Thanks to you, Hinata, for always being there for me…
- Hey… Naruto… shouldn't we get inside?
- Sure, come on. You'll like the Elder Sage.
Naruto's smile turned more and more genuine when he smiled at her, and Hinata's turned more and more confident when she smiled at him. Both noticed the change, and felt quite good with it. As they entered the house placed inside the rock of the mountain, the Elder Toad Sage received them, smiling:
- The kids in love have arrived. It's good that you seek for an old hag like me for advice.
Naruto and Hinata got completely surprised with the Elder's statement, but both felt that, and they turned to each other, blushed, recognizing the truth in his words. Naruto spoke:
- Elder Sage-
Hinata held his hand firmly, forcing Naruto to draw his attention towards her:
- I want to do this, N-Naruto.
Naruto, noticing her determination, allowed her to talk, smiling:
- Elder Sage, I know that I'm not normally welcome into these lands, but… I need your assistance…
The Elder Sage was charmed by her voice, and Naruto was happy to realize her stuttering had completely vanished for a second. The Sage made a gesture so she could keep on talking:
- Naruto wants to teach me the Summoning Technique, but I don't know… I don't know if I can…
The Elder Toad saw her with merciful eyes and replied:
- Young Hyuuga, your Clan should be retaining the Hawk Summoning… but you broke free from your Clan, so, it's time for me to search for your true kindred spirit… come closer, please…
Hianta got closer to the giant toad, and he put one of his huge fingers over her head. Hinata felt the elder's chakra scan her soul and her heart. All of a sudden, an image jumped to the Sage's mind, and he smiled:
- Ha, ha! Ah, young girl! Your kindred spirit is quite interesting!
Naruto waited, while the elder pierced his finger with a senbon. As the blood poured out, the Sage armed seals and said:
- I shall bring your kindred spirit specie's leader, and she will teach you.
After placing the hand on the floor, a great smoke of cloud appeared, and a siluet could be distinguished beneath it. The elder said:
- This is your kindred animal spirit, young Hyuuga. I know you were different to the rest of your Clan, so, meet your new boss.
- Wow… it's… it's…
The figure, still within the smoke, said, with an elderly female voice:
- Well, well, Toad Sage, I must say that you were right once more. A Hyuuga girl would find us.
- Hello. How are you, old friend?
As the smoke dissipated, Hinata watched that the Elder Sage had summoned a large dragoness with silver scales. She curled up on herself beside the elder toad, resting, and saw Hinata with her red eyes:
- Well, this young girl, unlike her whole Clan, she has the purity and strength in her heart to deal with us. How did you ever find her, old friend?
- Well, she came with the kid who surprised every single Toad with is great heart and energy.
The dragoness saw Naruto, who stared at her, amazed:
- The last of the Tailed Beasts' hosts… and also he's the only one who ever dared to complete the chakra of a Tailed Beast in his own body, balancing it... It's finally a pleasure to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto was shocked to realize the dragoness knew of him. He replied:
- I might say that I'm quite shocked. I never even thought of the existence of the dragons, but they seem to know all about me.
The dragoness smiled:
- That's how things are. – She turned to Hinata and said: - Hinata Hyuuga, finally you've reached this far. My name is Ginryuu.
- Um, it's a pleasure, lady Ginryuu.
- Well, let's get started. You know how to do the Summoning Technique?
- Well, I-I've seen N-Naruto do it, but I've n-never tried it m-myself…
Ginryuu stood and said:
- You need a drop of blood and these hand seals: Ram, Rat, Dog, Ox, Dragon.
- Ram, Rat, Dog, Ox, Dragon.
- Try it, Hinata-chan. Put your strength on that summoning and summon a dragon.
Naruto glanced to the Elder Toad, after seeing the hand seals. The Toad explained:
- The hand seal combination is different for every species' summoning. For toads, the combination is Rooster, Horse, Monkey, Boar, Tiger. For dragons, it is Ram, Rat, Dog, Ox, Dragon. And so on, kid.
- Ah, now I get it.
Hinata bit her thumb, drawing some blood, and armed the seals. She focused and hit the ground, as Naruto usually did, with the palm of her hand. As she saw a seal appear in the space where she landed her hand, a circle and an eight-pointed star drawing out of it from its center, she noticed the great smoke cloud that appeared, and then a blue-scaled dragon showed up. Naruto realized he was as big as Gamakichi, so he must be a young one. Hinata got excited as she did the summoning, and Naruto felt the joy inside his heart, also getting evidently happy for her. The recently arrived dragon said:
- Someone called for me? Oh! Greetings, Lady Ginryuu!
- Hi, Aoryuu. The young girl has summoned you.
The dragon wore a purple jacket, with the word "ryuu" (竜) painted in emerald green color in its back. His scales were blue like the sea, and his glare was young and fresh. He saw a still surprised Hinata, and said:
- A Hyuuga… well, we were actually expecting her. Hey there, young girl.
The dragon greeted her friendly, and both she and Naruto returned the gesture, happily. Ginryuu took a scroll hidden inside her mouth, and opened it with her hands:
- Hinata Hyuuga, you're even more amazing than what we expected. You could summon a young dragon at your first try, still being a bit nervous. If you focus, you'll summon dragons as big and strong as the boss toad Gamabunta. Welcome to the family. Write your name here, with your blood.
Hinata bit her index finger and wrote her name in the list she was given. Casually, she noticed that the last name before hers was very familiar: Kushina… Uzumaki?! That's-!
- Yes, Naruto's mother… - Both hinata and Naruto froze while hearing those words: - Kushina Uzumaki was a great dragon summoner, and she actually got married to a great toad summoner.
The elder toad replied:
- Well, kids, now we can take you back to the place where you were before. Hinata, congratulations for your freedom, and for proving yourself how strong you can be if you're loyal to your heart. See you soon.
The Elder Toad and Ginryuu armed hand seals, and after that Naruto and Hinata vanished in a smoke cloud.
As they returned to the place where they were training, Hinata and Naruto looked at each other, thrilled, and melt in a lovely and tender hug. Hinata finally showed she was worthy, and now, not only Naruto, but also the Toads and the Dragons believed in her. She said:
- I could do it, Naruto! I-I made it!
- Hinata! You surprise me more every single moment!
Both laughed, blushed, and their friendly stalkers, hiding in the trees, were totally clueless in front of the scene: Kiba, Akamaru and Sakura glanced to each other, not even understanding what could have made them so happy.
End of Chapter 7.