Naruto had been hanging with Katherine in the gardens when he saw something curious thanks to her backless dress. It was a magical circle with twin lines inside and diamond shapes with the rainbow's colors. The way the lines looked reminded him of his own seal, his whiskers, and the crest on his hand. Have you heard of how curiosity killed the cat? Well, the Namikaze couldn't resist and touched her back, for he wanted to see if it felt like his marks. It ended up with something appearing too fast for him to see, striking his face and torso hard enough to send him flying headfirst into a pile of leaves that Kōya was setting up to be burned. {What the heck‽} The little wyrm saw him fly here from the other side of the garden.

Spitting out some leaves, the blond came out with a pained bump and reddened welts. "What hit me?" His ears perked up at the soft ringing, Kate landed close to them, enabling him to see her wings. The crystals clashed lightly with some of her movements, letting out those chiming sounds. "It was you‽" Kōya turned to the vampire, getting the unspoken story. "So that's why the Lady was chasing you that night. You never learn, uh?" Naruto heard nothing, fixated on the wings that twinkled in the light. "They look so cool, I'd love to have wings too..." She playfully twirled for the Namikaze, making the crystals play a tune. "Wanna come with me for a night stroll?" He couldn't have accepted faster, too eager to find out how it felt to fly, not even minding the pain of the smack.

Kōya offered some balm for the pain, grumbling at the need to regather the debris and making the pair stay away. "Don't send him flying again, Kate." Naruto followed the vampire for their reading sessions, building expectations for the promised night wandering. "Hey, can you tell me how it feels like?" The girl turned slightly, smiling with mischief. "It's something you need to experience in person, explaining takes away the fun." He pouted at that, but relented, for she could be as bullheaded as him when she didn't want to talk. Oh well, at least the reading material this time was about the other continent's monsters, one of his favorite subjects. "I want to hunt one of those." He had even seen some recordings of the mansion members' excursions to hunt one of those magnificent creatures.

Team 8 was on an escort mission, setting up camp for the day. Hinata had gone hunting when her byakugan caught something. "Tengus?" She barged in and grabbed the two birds who were around a little wolf. {Eek-! Ōryū-sama!} Hinata was identical to her previous incarnation, being swiftly recognized by the adults, who had even met her in the flesh decades ago. Mamizou had sent word of a pair of crows who ended taking a puppy with them, her clan just wanted news as to whether she was safe and alive. {Mind answering some questions?} Sitting in seiza, the tengus and wolf waited for her to speak, Aya and Hatate were shuddering in their skirts, dragons were the one group one avoided setting off the most. Pale eyes caught the fan on the Shameimaru's hip. {So you found the lost treasures of the Rikudō...}

Momiji offered the scroll to Hinata, having felt the scent of a domineering race wafting from her, tail firmly tucked between her legs. Hinata took the item and confirmed the authenticity, putting it away. {Very well, why did you go clandestine?} It was strange to see a pair of adult females do their goddamned best to explain their motives while bidding to every deity that this dragon wouldn't punish them. Aya knew that the Bashōsen was highly coveted, and she didn't want to share, having taken dibs on it. {Please, forgive us...} They all bowed deeply in apology, not minding dirtying their foreheads. Hinata sighed, and patted their heads, making them get up. {I'll put in a word in your favor, just don't cause problems for others. Okay?} Although this was said with a smile, the tengus felt the intent behind along with the clawed pinch on their cheeks.

Kurenai almost broke her facade of excellent jōnin at the sight of her pupil returning with two winged females and a wolf dragging a deer along. The new trio looked like whipped puppies towards Hinata. "They can stay, but..." The Yūhi wondered what happened in the woods, for the tengus looked like they had a noose around their necks and acted like they feared the girl she knew as sweet and caring. - Kiba cared not for any of that, focused on Momiji who was cleaning the deer. His canine instincts made him turn smitten with the girl that was clearly a capable hunter. Shino hid a scoff, recalling how his teammate provoked him when he was around Fū. Once their positions were right, the Aburame landed a swift kick to the Inuzuka's rear, sending him into her arms. Then Shino took distance to enjoy the show.

The merchant they were supposed to guide to the Iwa borders, Kaworu, was staring at the yōkai, having heard of them. "Excuse me." He tapped the one with long twin tails, getting a look of annoyance. "Er... May I trouble you with my questions?" The pair sweated, glancing at Hinata. {We should stay mum about some things, so don't mess up.} Aya earned a stomp to the shin, which was made worse thanks to the single tooth geta. {We're here because of you, bastard!} Kaworu watched them bicker in another language, but he could tell that they were hurling insults at each other. The sound of a cleaver through bone made everybody look at the culprit, a Hinata with an innocent smile. The merchant saw the tengus sweat buckets and cease the fight. "Ask away, just don't ask about private things."

Once it was night, Naruto had gone to where the vampires were. "Nii-san, you're going too?" Menma was standing by the females with a bored face. "But how, nii-san?" The redhead stepped on thin air, clouds appearing on his soles. "Once a fox becomes a yōkai, they can walk on air." Well, those who were under 5 tails would find this way of travel too tiring to be used casually, but the guy had 9 and the stamina of a gargantuan creature. The blond twin got grabbed by Remilia. "Ah?" Kate was still too small to carry someone along, so he would have to hitch a ride with her aunt. - Jiraiya got ramrod straight, surprising Minato. "What?" The sage began crying all of a sudden. "The gaki must be fulfilling one of the dreams of a pervert!" - Naruto was blushing a storm while his brother smirked. "Enjoying the cushions?" Even Kurama began taunting his vessel.

Shadowy wings unfurled to its full span, awing the boy with their draconic look. "Shall we depart?" Naruto had only a moment to steel his mind, for they took off fast, reaching a phenomenal height in minutes. - Blue eyes widened at the sight, being free of Gaia's confines felt exhilarating and the new perspective was impressive. The moonlight made the water bodies glow softly and the landscape stretched far and wide. "This is awesome!" Menma smiled at his brother's glee. "Now I really want to know how to fly." They could understand Naruto's emotions, the first flight was a life-changing act, and they could never get enough from this feeling of freedom. The redhead looked towards Konoha, wishing he could share this moment with his mate, golden eyes becoming slightly duller. {I should invite her, next time.}

Katherine hovered by her aunt, facing Naruto. "Once you find your wings, let's go for a stroll, okay?" The boy took the promise, wondering if a certain phoenix could aid him in this endeavor. Remilia and Menma just watched the blondes interact, they seemed lost in each other, chatting as if their relatives weren't around. {I'm happy for you. May this last forever...} - "Hm, I got to call him soon, it's almost ready." A parliament hooted into the darkness, overseeing a figure who held something that glimmered under the moonlight. "I hope my instincts aren't wrong. Will you be the next Fenghuang Sennin, Naruto?"

It was time for the Uzumakis to return, without Karin. "Lil' cousin, don't go and get yourself killed, okay?" She tussled his wild hair as Kate leaned on her shoulder. "You did promise to visit us, so don't you dare die." Naruto smiled at the pair, he wouldn't go back on his word. {Oi, ya'll be dropping death flags like confetti...} Some of the adults and the other twin were left with an ill omen, wondering what the Namikaze just spurred for his future. Remilia kept her mouth shut about what she just glimpsed, she didn't want to crush the heartwarming scene, but she would tell at least Menma about it. This time their ride would be Meiling, as the last service for their guests.

-Some hours later-

Kotetsu was about to drink his tea when he saw the rippling. "Uh-oh... this doesn't look good..." Izumo was looking to the road and his face was turning paler with each second. "Fuck..." The head of a crocodilian creature could be spotted, making the duo fear for Konoha and themselves. - {You can stop here, any closer and I think the gate guys will stain their underwear.} Menma had tapped Meiling, making her cease. {Okay then. Take care, all of you.} The Uzumakis dropped down and the wyrm went back. - The pair of men had been sweating buckets until they saw the thing double down and return, heaving sighs of relief. "Yo, we're back." They screamed in surprise at the sudden voice, making Kushina feel bad for scaring them.

Menma had separated from the group, going to the Hyūgas to see if his companion was there, not knowing she was out. Kushina went with Naruto to report in person to Minato, giving some extra details that weren't on the scrolls sent until now. "So Karin is with them... I'm just glad that you're all safe." The Yondaime let himself forgo his status this time, taking his wife and son in a tight embrace. "Naruto, we'll have to talk later, okay?" The blondes shared a hard look, but the boy nodded. - Menma was drinking some canned tea when he heard someone approach him, it was the Uchiha. "Naruto is at the tower, go there if you want to talk." Sasuke just grunted, staring at the redhead. "What, I'm not homosexual, so stop with that look." The genin grabbed the chūnin by the shirt, openly glaring.

"Train me, I'll show you that I'm better than the dobe." The Uzumaki had an unreadable look, intimidating the Uchiha. "Just so you know, this training is chakra intensive, to the point that only my clan can survive going through it." No way in hell that he would train someone who reeked of the same stench as Madara. "Besides, you got the best jōnin of the village to train you." He undid the grip and went away, patting his clothes clean. Sasuke scowled, all those he recognized as powerful refused to train him, how was he supposed to kill his brother if he was to stay powerless? The whispers from the seal were tempting, Naruto grew under the loyal sage, so he could take the guidance of the traitorous one. "He knew that this place is only a hindrance... that's why he turned away... I should do the same..."

Time to go back to the boring missions... Which one should I do this time? And I get so damn irked when people use 'Fennikusu' instead of searching an appropriately similar creature in Asian legends, like the Garuda or the Fenghuang. Fuck Google Translation, use other mediums to find fitting names.

Here vampires follow the MGEverse rule: Sun=human level of body condition; Rain=horniness to give and sell; Garlic=lewd trigger; only blood received a tweak, they get excited only with the blood of the one their consider their partner. Will this be relevant later? ... Maybe~

On unrelated news, at my job, I found a person whose surname was -Loser-, like, for real.