A/N - Yep, another chapter for this story! Like I said before, I'm addicted to the new Pokemon games and can't get enough of 'em. So I spent some time working on this chapter in between game sessions. lol. In Brilliant Diamond, I've done pretty much everything so far. So I'm just grinding and leveling my Pokemon. Gotta complete that national pokedex after all! lol

Anywho, I decided to give Naruto two Pokemon before he reaches Sandgem Town. You'll meet both of them as you read the chapter. I wanted to give him some unique Pokemon to start off with that others might not have chosen for him. *shrugs* I think they're super cute Pokemon, but then again, I love all Pokemon. Soooo...whatever. XD

Alright, read on and hopefully enjoy!

Chapter 2 – First Partners

Shortly after exiting Snowpoint City and entering the Acuity Lakefront, a toad suddenly appeared in front of them, halting their advance. Bending over, Naruto lifted the toad gingerly in his hands. "Hey there Gamatan. It's been a while. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever come back." He teased.

Gamatan shivered from the cold before saying, "Y-Yeah, sorry about that. We've been pretty busy since we essentially just cast Jiraiya out on his ass. Anyways, here ya go." Reaching behind himself, Gamatan took hold of a few items and placed them in Naruto's hands before hopping up to nestle himself in Naruto's hair. "Tsunade said that the necklace is yours now. She wants you to keep it. And that letter is her reply. You should tell her where you are, so she knows where to go and how to find you. Didn't expect you to be in the freaking snow. It's cold here!"

Naruto chuckled softly and said, "Yeah, sorry about that, buddy. Thanks. I'll summon you again once we get somewhere warmer, okay? Say hi to the others for me!"

"Sure thing, Naruto. See ya later!" Gamatan said before disappearing back to Mt. Myoboku.

Pocketing the letter and placing the necklace around his neck where it belonged, Naruto turned to Richard and said, "Let's get going." When Richard nodded and began to lead the way once again, Naruto walked alongside him. "Sooo, I assume there's a bunch of Ice-type Pokémon around here?"

Chuckling softly, Richard said, "Yes. There are others, such as a few Fighting-type Pokémon. And I wouldn't look other trainers in the eyes. They might get the wrong impression." Holding up a hand to halt Naruto's question, the ship captain said, "When you look into another trainer's eyes while out on the road or exploring forests or something, they take it as a challenge. Generally, if you have Pokémon and money of your own, they'll want to battle. So, you should be extra careful."

"I see. Well that's interesting. Thanks for the warning. And I see what you mean about the blizzard. Holy crap that storm looks nasty." Naruto said as they neared the exit to Route 217. Shivering slightly at the mere sight of it, he looked to the captain and asked, "We really need to go through here?"

Richard chuckled and said, "Yep. Don't worry, we'll be just fine. Just…be careful not to sink into the snow. Some parts of Route 217, the snow is deep. I'll guide you along the path so you don't go sinking into the snow. First, though, did you notice the Pokémon as we walked past? What did you think of them?"

Naruto glanced back at the Acuity Lakefront and smiled. "They're really cute. Even that wicked looking one. Umm, what's its name?"

"Sneasel. They're like tricksters, of a sort. And they're definitely vicious if crossed. Sneasels are especially prone to stealing eggs from other Pokémon and devouring them. And be careful when approaching one, as they had large claws and they are NOT afraid to use them." Richard explained.

"I see. But they're still so cute! I'd love to catch one someday. And no, I'm not asking you to catch one for me." Naruto said, smirking at Richard. "I'll catch one myself someday soon. That's a promise."

Chuckling softly, Richard simply nodded and began to lead the way through the blizzard that encompassed the entirety of Route 217. As they walked along, Naruto realized that the snow was definitely impeding their progress. Some areas were certainly deeper than others, while the rest of the snow was fairly easy to walk on and keep your footing. Naruto just knew that if it wasn't for Richard showing him the way, he'd fall deep into the snow and would likely take forever to warm up again.

As they walked along, Naruto saw a number of other people training or skiing or whatever the heck else they were doing. He wasn't quite sure, but he did think that the Black Belt he saw was probably colder than he currently was, and that was saying something. At least everyone else appeared to have bundled up in warmer clothes!

Shaking these thoughts off, Naruto continued following along after Richard, who stopped at one point to glance back at him. "What's up, Richard?"

Richard motioned towards a cabin not too far from their current location. "Do you need to take a rest? They are kind people and won't mind a little company for a while."

Naruto shook his head and said, "I'm actually doing alright. Thanks for the offer, though. I'd rather we just get through this blizzard and reach that mountain. Even if it's cold in there, it's bound to be MUCH better inside than out here."

Richard smirked and said, "Very well, then. Don't complain about it being too cold later, though."

Naruto chuckled dryly at that, but didn't disregard what Richard had just said. "Roger that. Let's keep going. I want to see what Pokémon are around. I'm really looking forward to seeing them!"

The captain chuckled again and said, "You really are going to love everything Pokémon-related, aren't you?"

"But of course! I don't care if they're disliked by other people or if most people might call a Pokémon ugly. I'll still love them and think they're all cute and wonderful in their own ways. That's a promise!" Naruto said, grinning from ear to ear.

Richard smiled kindly at his friend. "Glad to hear it. I love Pokémon. They're such wonderful creatures and they're each special in their own, unique ways. I know that I'm looking forward to hearing about your many exploits. I believe you when you say you'll become the one, true Pokémon master."

"Thanks, Richard." Naruto said as they gradually made their way through the snow. After some time, the blizzard began to settle down and he realized that they were nearing the next area. When they finally reached the next route, Route 216, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew. It's not too bad here. Much better than wandering through that blizzard." He said with a chuckle.

Richard nodded and proceeded towards the tall grass nearby. As they walked along, Naruto noticed something that bothered him a great deal. "That poor Pokémon. It looks like it's freezing, and that Sneasel is picking on it." Naruto said before he hurried forth and lightly thwacked the Sneasel in the back of the head. When it turned to glare at him, Naruto said, "Bad Sneasel. Don't be so mean."

The Sneasel looked into Naruto's eyes for a time before saying something that Naruto couldn't understand. After a few moments, the Sneasel complied and left to go about its day.

Turning back to the shivering Pokémon, Naruto knelt down and pulled it into a hug. "You poor thing. You're so cold. Come on, let's get you somewhere warmer, okay?"

When Naruto walked up to him, holding a Pokémon in his arms, Richard chuckled a bit and said, "Seems you've befriended a Snorunt. A female one, at that. They're usually found shivering like that. It's perfectly normal for them, but I'm glad you're looking out for it. I know you said you don't want to catch any Pokémon along the way, but in this case, I'll give you a choice." Handing Naruto a Poke Ball, he said, "Try seeing if she'll enter it on her own."

Naruto frowned for a moment before looking at the Snorunt in his arms. Sighing softly, he held the Poke Ball close to her and said, "I won't make the choice for you. If you want to come with me, then I'll be glad to have you. Otherwise, I'll release you back into the wild and leave you alone. Okay? Just so long as you're happy with your decision and will be safe, that's what matters to me."

The Snorunt looked up into Naruto's eyes for a time, almost as if it was searching for something within them. After some time, she nudged the Poke Ball and allowed it to take her in. After hearing a click, Naruto smiled before releasing Snorunt from the confines of the Poke Ball. "Thank you. Hmm, what would be a good name for you, I wonder? What do you think of Frosty?"

The now-named Frosty offered its best smile before closing its eyes and relaxing in Naruto's embrace. When she finally dozed off in his arms, Naruto chuckled a bit before looking at Captain Richard. "Thank you, Richard. I really appreciate this."

"No problem. I'm just glad you didn't decide to be stubborn and accepted a Pokémon early." He teased good-naturedly. "Let's take a brief rest in the cabin over there. It's open for everyone, and you'll often see trainers resting inside. There's even a few beds to sleep in and recover if needed."

Naruto chuckled softly and said, "Thanks. That sounds wonderful. What do you think Frosty? Want to relax for a while?"

Frosty seemed to smile at her new master as she continued to shiver endlessly. The poor thing may be an Ice-type Pokémon, but she seemed to be forever freezing. However, as this was normal for Snorunts, Naruto didn't question it any further.

After entering the cabin, Naruto took a seat in a nearby chair and pulled out the letter from Tsunade. Opening it, he began to read.

'Dear Knucklehead,

First off, the necklace is yours, fair and square. You may not be willing to become Hokage anymore, but I'm making damn sure you keep the necklace.

Now, you should know that I beat the shit out of Jiraiya. If he doesn't die from his injuries, then he'll be practically braindead, lying there in a hospital bed for the rest of his miserable life. If he does somehow recover from all of his injuries, then I hope he's learned his damn lesson. I honestly don't care whether he lives or dies right now.

As for Kakashi and Sakura, they've been punished appropriately, I assure you. Kakashi has been demoted to Chunin and he's been instructed to teach your fellow rookies as much as possible, whether he likes it or not. As for Sakura, I've disowned her as my apprentice. I barely had to do anything, however. Shizune really tore into that worthless bitch for all that she put you through. If you ask me, I think Shizune's got a crush on you. Lucky you!

I can't say whether Teuchi and Ayame cared about you or not. I'm not about to ask them, either. As for your fellow rookies, I knew they didn't seem to think of you very highly. I had hoped they would change their tunes and accept you…but that's something of a pipe dream, I'm afraid.

Kurenai and Hinata are another matter entirely. You said Kurenai didn't care about you and didn't like you very much, but Hinata is obsessed with you to a point. On the pretense of not knowing where you are, I sent Team Kurenai on a wild goose chase. I hope you hid your tracks well, because if you didn't, they're likely to find the port you went to. I get the feeling that Hinata will come to the realization on her own that you're no longer in the Elemental Nations. I have no idea what to expect from her once she finds out. However, by that time, Shizune and I will be long gone.

You might be wondering what I mean by that. Well, kiddo, the two of us, well, Tonton too, will be following you to wherever you went. You just need to tell me where we need to go upon leaving the Elemental Nations. So you'd better tell me in your next letter!

I don't know what the hell the Third was thinking when he put you three together on a team. I agree with you that it was doomed from the start. I honestly think Sakura was the worst member of the team, but Kakashi and Sasuke really give her a run for her money in that regard.

As for that promise you made to the bitch who shall not be named, consider it null and void. There's no reason for you to EVER uphold that promise. I honestly can't understand why you made such a stupid promise to begin with. Trying to keep to that promise while trying to avoid killing Sasuke was just pure idiocy on your part. Sorry, but it's true.

As for the Akatsuki, I highly doubt they'll pursue you now that you're no longer here. They'll likely try to find some kind of alternative to extracting it from you for whatever stupid reason they have in mind.

Why didn't you ever tell me you were interested in learning under me, huh? I would've gladly done whatever I could to help you! Of course, we'd REALLY need to fine tune your chakra control. Medical ninjutsu is hard enough to learn already. A rare few really take to it, but in your case? It might be insanely difficult. Still, it's worth a shot, right?

Brat, the three of us love you too. You're a very important member of our family. Which is why the three of us will be leaving Konoha. You just need to tell us where you are and we can join you. So don't you dare forget!

Naruto, we love you and all we want is for you to be safe and happy. We'll join you as soon as we can. Don't you go forgetting about us!

~Love, Tsunade'

Naruto blinked a couple of times after he finished reading the letter. "Dang, she must've been PISSED to do that to Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Sakura. And Shizune having a crush on me sounds kind of farfetched, but I won't complain if it's true. And she's willing to teach me?" Looking at the captain, he asked, "Would it be alright to bring Tsunade, Shizune, and Tonton here to Sinnoh? I trust you and your judgment, Richard. In fact, you're the only one I'd trust to ferry them across the ocean and here to the Sinnoh region."

Richard made a show of thinking it over before he noticed the pleading look in Naruto's eyes. Chuckling to himself, he said, "Of course I'll bring them here. And it might be better to dock in Canalave City next time. It's far closer to the location you'll be staying at for the foreseeable future. You ninja can walk on water, right? If so, it'll be a short trip from there to Sandgem Town."

Naruto's brow quirked upward and he asked, "And we couldn't take the easy way, why exactly?"

Richard shrugged and said, "Well, we had supplies to bring to Snowpoint City as well as the Battle Zone. Besides that, I wanted you to understand the world of Pokémon for yourself, rather than just take you directly to your destination. Besides, you've already made a friend. And she seems rather attached to you, too."

Naruto shrugged and said, "Wasn't complaining. I was just curious. When do you want to set out?"

"It's getting a bit dark out, but we can easily make it through Mt. Coronet and to Route 211's west side. If you want, we could rest at the Pokémon Center once there. They have rooms available for traveling trainers." Richard explained.

"I'm cool with that. Alrighty, I think we've dallied here enough. Let's move!" Naruto cheered, pumping his fist into the air with a large grin on his face. What amused Richard is the fact that Frosty appeared to be mimicking her new master's exuberance.

I swear, this kid's something special. I honestly believe he'll make a fine Pokémon trainer. And I really think he can become the ultimate Pokémon master if he's set on that goal.

Team Kurenai

Honestly, I kind of hope we don't find him. He is such a bad influence on Hinata. Besides that, if he's gone, Hinata will finally have room to grow, rather than always standing in his shadow. Still, we were given a mission, so we'll just have to hope for the best. Kurenai thought to herself as she watched her young Chunin get to work.

Hinata, on the other hand, was scowling fiercely. She knew quite well just how her sensei felt about Naruto. It wasn't exactly her best kept secret. Just like her relationship with another woman, one Yugao Uzuki, wasn't hidden well either. So many times she had wanted to confront Kurenai about her hatred of Naruto Uzumaki, but each time she tried to psyche herself up to do it, she suddenly felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and couldn't even speak. It was so very, VERY frustrating! Still, now that her Naruto-kun was gone, she was PISSED. No longer would she be a shy little wallflower. No, she would wreck people's shit and step on toes to get what she wanted. However…

Kiba frowned deeply and said, "We can't make heads or tails of this. We've picked up a faint scent similar to Naruto's, but it splits off in over a dozen different directions. There's no way for us to track him."

Hinata frowned deeply and shook her head sadly. "Same. I have no idea where he went from here. He sure covered his tracks well. However…"

Shino frowned and said, "I've got a faint trail, but it's unclear which direction he left in." Looking at Hinata, he frowned slightly and asked, "What are you trying to say, Hinata?"

The Hyuga heiress scowled and said, "I get the feeling Hokage-sama is hiding something from us. Something she doesn't want us to know. And I think it has to do with Naruto-kun."

Kurenai frowned at her pupil and said, "It's not a good idea to slander the Hokage in such a way, Hinata. Besides, she's allowed to keep her secrets. It's better this way, anyways."

Before her sensei could say anything more, Hinata clenched her fists tight and began to slowly approach her sensei. Without a word, she reared back her fist and slammed it squarely into Kurenai's face. "Don't think I'm blind to your hatred for Naruto-kun! I love him! If you can't accept that, then you can kiss my fine ass! I don't know what the hell your problem with him is, but he hasn't done anything to you and you know it! You just view him as a problem because I care about him. Nobody is good enough for me, right, sensei? You'd prefer to coddle me and keep to this image you've come up with than face the facts. Here's a fact for you, sensei: you will NEVER keep me from Naruto-kun. If I have to, I'll ask Hokage-sama about Naruto-kun and hope she answers me truthfully. Otherwise, I'll head out to find him myself. I don't give a damn if I get labeled a missing nin; I WILL find him. If that means I have to walk to the front door of the Akatsuki and butcher every last one of them to get my Naruto-kun back, then you can bet I'll do it without hesitation! But I don't think he was captured. I have a feeling he's just left, but I don't know why. My best guess is it has something to do with why Tsunade-sama nearly killed Jiraiya. He'll be lucky if he survives. And you know what? I don't care. If he hadn't been such a neglectful son of a bitch, Naruto-kun would still be here. So fuck Jiraiya, fuck you, and fuck everyone that thinks badly of him! I have fucking had it already! I'm going back home and I'm confronting Hokage-sama. I want the truth, and I'll get it one way or another."

Kiba and Shino blinked in shock before quickly hurrying up to Kurenai and helping her to her feet. "Are you okay, sensei?" Kiba asked worriedly.

Kurenai stared at the retreating figure of Hinata. A pained expression was on her face as she tried to come to terms with what had just happened. "I-I'll be fine. What the heck has gotten into her? I've never seen her like this before."

Shino frowned and said, "Her love for Naruto runs deep. Her loyalty to Naruto most likely trumps that of her loyalty to the village. With how her clan has treated her all this time, it's no wonder that she'd have some pent-up anger that was just waiting to be unleashed. I have a feeling that, if Hokage-sama hadn't done it herself, Hinata would likely cripple or even kill Jiraiya. A true maiden in love, only in a different sense of the term."

Kurenai scowled and said, "Naruto is no good for her, though. She deserves so much better than that troublemaker. Why can't she understand that?"

Kiba frowned at his sensei and said, "I believe the same, but you can't try to force her to be with someone else. There's something Hana said to me before, and I think it holds true here. 'The heart wants what the heart wants.' Hinata has always loved Naruto, and that's not about to change just because you don't like him. You may be our sensei, and you may be fond of her, but if you ask me? She needs to be with Naruto. If he's escaped and gone somewhere on his own, I honestly believe she'll go and search for him, even if it means she has to leave the Elemental Nations. If you can't support her, then I'd recommend leaving her alone for a while."

Kurenai frowned to herself before saying, "I can't support her choice. I'm sorry, I really am, but she deserves FAR better than the likes of Uzumaki."

Shino frowned and shook his head in disappointment. Without a word, he followed after his teammate. Such bigotry. You are better off wherever you've gone, Naruto. I hope you'll be happy wherever you are.

Naruto

Upon entering Mt. Coronet, Naruto had adorned one of his brightest smiles to date. "We're finally out of the cold!" he had declared excitedly.

Now, here they were, exiting the mountain through the western exit that led into the West side of Route 211. They had barely exited the mountain when the duo spotted a wounded Chingling off to the side in a small patch of tall grass. Hurrying over to it, Naruto lifted the bell Pokémon into his arms and looked it over carefully. The poor bell had scratches and bite marks littering its body, and it looked to be barely conscious. Frowning at this, Naruto turned to his friend and asked, "Any idea what did this?"

Richard frowned as he brought a hand up to stroke his chin. "Hmm, those don't look like the kind of wounds you'd receive from any of the Pokémon around here. My guess is a trainer passed by, didn't want it, and proceeded to 'deal with it', so to speak. The problem is, you'd have to go out of your way just to get over here. Hmph, probably trying to find a Ponyta or a Meditite or something around here and got fed up with never finding them. Or they could have lost to one of the trainers around here and decided to take out his frustrations on this poor Chingling. Come on, pick him up and we'll hurry to Eterna City's Pokémon Center."

Naruto nodded and proceeded to call out his Snorunt. "Just in case, I want you to watch over us, okay Frosty?" When Frosty nodded in response, or rather what he assumed was a nod and not her usual shivering, Naruto smiled down at her. "Thank you. I still don't know what moves you know, but I trust you to protect us all the same."

Richard smiled and said, "At the moment, she probably knows at least a few moves. From my recollection of Pokémon and their moves, I think she probably knows Powder Snow, Astonish, Leer, Double Team, Ice Shard, Protect, Icy Wind, and/or Frost Breath. It depends on how strong she is. If she was just born recently, it's entirely possible that she only knows Powder Snow and Astonish. Neither are weak moves, but they aren't the strongest, that's for sure. And, just to be safe, I don't recommend using her against some of the Pokémon around here. Meditite, Ponyta, and Geodude are dangerous opponents for an Ice-type like Snorunt. I'd be more wary of Ponyta than the other two."

Nodding in understanding, Naruto watched as Richard took a few of his poke balls into his hand and began to hurry ahead with Naruto and Frosty on his heels. They were so close to Eterna City when they came under attack by a Geodude. Frowning at this, Naruto looked at Frosty and said, "Even if you are a freshly born Pokémon, I believe in you Frosty. Try Powder Snow, okay?"

Frosty nodded and turned to face the Geodude. It was slightly faster and attempted to use a Rollout attack, only for Frosty to dodge and unleash its Powder Snow attack on the Rock/Ground-type Pokémon. It looked to be barely clinging to consciousness, but Naruto knew that, if given the chance, it would attack Frosty again. So, bowing his head to the Geodude apologetically, Naruto said, "Frosty, use Astonish. We don't have any time to waste."

Before the Geodude could retaliate in some way, it was hit by Frosty's attack. Kneeling down at the unconscious Geodude, Naruto pet its rocky body gently and said, "I'm truly sorry for this. Just get some rest, okay? You'll feel better in no time, I'm sure." And with that, Naruto, Frosty, and Richard hurried ahead into Eterna City.

As they passed the stone monument on the hill above them, Naruto couldn't help but stare at the carving for a time. The monument appeared to take up the majority of the hill and depicted two Pokémon, though he didn't know what they represented or what exactly their names were.

Shaking it off, Naruto followed his friend into the Pokémon Center. Once there, Naruto hurried up to the counter with the wounded Chingling. "Umm, nurse? Please, help this poor Pokémon. And can you check on Frosty as well, please? This poor thing was dinged up pretty badly outside of Mt. Coronet."

The nurse, a woman with many, many siblings that all resembled one another, said, "Sure, we can do that easily. They'll be right as rain in no time. Just give me their Poke Balls and we can get started."

Naruto blinked and said, "I…I haven't actually caught this Chingling yet. I just saw a wounded Pokémon and wanted to help."

The nurse, a woman by the name of Joy, said, "It's okay. I'm sure he'll love to see you when he wakes up. As for your Snorunt, she'll be just fine, I promise."

Naruto nodded and handed her Frosty's Poke Ball as well as the Chingling. Turning down to Frosty, he said, "Return to your ball for now and rest up, okay Frosty? I think we'll stay the night, so I'll be seeing you soon, that's a promise. Okay?"

Frosty nodded and returned to her Poke Ball. Afterwards, Nurse Joy hurried to get both Pokémon cared for. Snorunt would be easy and only required her Poke Ball to rest on the machine for a brief period of time. The Chingling, however, required immediate medical attention, or else it was likely to sustain severe damage if left on its lonesome.

Richard walked up to his friend and placed a hand gently, yet firmly on his shoulder. "Everything will be fine. I'll go and prepare our room for the night. And, just in case, here's another Poke Ball. If Chingling wants to come with us, you'd better be ready to make him part of your team." He said before walking off.

Left on his own, Naruto frowned slightly and mumbled to himself, "If only I knew some form of medical ninjutsu…"

It was at this point that a rather tall woman, standing almost even with him, walked up to him, a charming smile on her face. "I wouldn't worry too much. Pokémon are brought in with all kinds of injuries and afflictions, and they always leave perfectly healthy, once again. Tell me something, are you new to the region? You look foreign to me."

Naruto turned and got a good look at the beauty beside him. She had long, flowing blonde hair, some kind of black hair ornaments in her hair, and clad in mostly black. Looking into her eyes, he muttered, "Such pretty eyes."

The woman giggled a bit and said, "Thank you. But you didn't answer my questions. Perhaps it would help if I introduced myself first. I am Cynthia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr.?"

"O-Oh! Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. It's nice to meet you, Cynthia. And yeah, I'm a foreigner. I actually came here from a very, very far land." Naruto explained.

Cynthia smirked at him and said, "I could tell. You're a shinobi, aren't you? What brings you out into the big, vast world?"

Naruto blinked and said, "Y-Yeah. I didn't realize people outside of the Elemental Nations knew about us."

The beautiful blonde shook her head and said, "Most people aren't even aware that the Elemental Nations exist. There's a few around the various regions that are familiar with them, however. I've personally never been to that part of the world, but I have met the occasional few that left to seek a new home in our part of the world. Usually, they have a good reason for leaving. So, what brings you here?"

Naruto frowned and motioned for Cynthia to follow him. Sitting on one of the couches nearby, he smiled sadly at her and said, "I didn't really have much of a choice. I couldn't really call a place like that 'home'. Nobody really cared besides a few people. Worse is the fact that I was being hunted and needed to either get strong enough to defend myself…or leave and hope nobody tried to follow me. But, like I said, nobody really cared enough about me to help me become stronger. So, in an act of self-preservation, I chose to leave the Elemental Nations. I didn't know where I was going or what might happen to me, but it's all worked out somehow, and I'm grateful for that. Captain Richard's been really kind to me as well. I just…I dunno. I wish somebody back there had cared enough to want to keep me safe and healthy. It feels like they were all hoping I'd just die on a mission someday. It's frustrating to think about, but it's highly possible. Nobody…nobody even told me who my parents were. I'm pretty sure some people knew exactly who they were, but nobody wanted me to know." Sighing softly, he looked into Cynthia's eyes and said, "I don't even know why I'm telling all of this to you. You're a complete stranger, for the most part. But I feel comfortable with you, like you can be trusted. And my instincts are usually correct, so…here I am, spilling my guts to you."

The two of them shared a brief laugh at that. After a moment, Cynthia frowned sadly at him and asked, "You're a jinchuriki…aren't you, Naruto Uzumaki?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he nearly shouted, "H-How could you know that?!" Okay, scrap that, he was shouting!

Cynthia giggled and motioned with her hands to quiet down. Afterwards, she rested her hands in her lap and smiled kindly at the spiky-haired blonde. "There are two others that came to this part of the world to escape their cruel realities. One was a dark-skinned girl named Fu. The other was from a village she called Kumogakure. Her name is Yugito Nii. Last I heard, Fu had gone to Kanto to challenge the gym leaders there. Yugito went to Galar. I think she actually wanted to help research Pokémon more than anything else. I'm sure that you will meet them both someday. I'm sure seeing another of their ilk will warm their hearts."

Naruto smiled and had to wipe some tears from his eyes. "Thank you for telling me all of that, Cynthia. It means a lot to me. I can't wait to meet them. I just hope we get along." He said with a chuckle. "Yes, I am a jinchuriki. I hold the Kyuubi no Yoko within me. We haven't really gotten along before, but now that we're safe from our pursuers, I think we'll be able to work together to figure things out. It's my hope that the Kyuubi and I can become friends. I…I honestly don't know what he wants, though. Well, that's not true. He'd love to be free again. If I knew of a safe way to let him out, I would. Nobody, not even a bijuu like him, deserves to be caged like a wild animal. So I'll try to extend the olive branch and see what he thinks."

Cynthia nodded and said, "Of course. How about I wait with you, for the time being? I'm curious to see what becomes of the Chingling you rescued. I can tell that Snorunt of yours is already quite fond of you. In fact, when you become an official trainer and we meet again, I think I'll give you something nice. I'm sure you and your Snorunt will like the present I intend to give you."

Naruto tilted his head to the side somewhat cutely and asked, "What exactly is it that you want to give us?"

Cynthia smirked and said, "That's a secret. Besides, it gives you a reason to look forward to our next meeting, Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto simply chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. "True. And thanks, for staying by my side like this. It's nice to have someone to talk to about everything."

"Of course. You're going to be just fine here, Naruto. I truly believe that." Cynthia replied. Afterwards, they continued to chat, waiting patiently for what they hoped was good news.

Two Hours Later

Naruto and his newfound friend, Cynthia, were happily chatting away with one another. At one point, she had called out her Spiritomb and showed it to him. Naruto had immediately given the Ghost/Dark-type Pokémon a hug and told it how cute it was. This caused Cynthia to giggle a bit and smiled when her Pokémon took such a liking to Naruto.

Their conversation was interrupted when Nurse Joy approached them. Looking into her eyes, Naruto asked, "How are they? Are they both well?"

Joy smiled at him and said, "Your Snorunt is in wonderful condition and will be just fine. As for Chingling, there will be scars on its face, but he's in no danger. I have your Snorunt right here." Handing him the poke ball that held Frosty, she said, "If you'd like, I can take you to see him? He's just fine now, and I'm sure he'd like to meet his savior."

Naruto nodded and said, "Of course I'd like to see him. Cynthia, do you want to come, too?"

Cynthia smiled kindly at him for a moment before shaking her head. "While I'd love to see him, I have to be on my way. It was really nice meeting you, Naruto. I hope we see each other again sometime soon."

"Same. Take care, okay? I'd like to think we're friends now, and I'd like you to be safe, you know?"

"Of course. Take care, Naruto." Cynthia said before she left the Pokémon Center.

After his new friend was gone, Naruto followed Joy to visit the Chingling. Upon entering the room with said Pokémon, Naruto saw that it was floating around, jingling and generally just enjoying itself. Chuckling softly, Naruto said, "I'm glad to see you're doing better now. That's great."

Chingling turned to face Naruto and floated up to him, his bell jingling all the while. When it began to nuzzle itself against Naruto's chest, the blonde smiled and wrapped his arms around the Pokémon. "Awww. You're so sweet."

Chingling bobbed up and down, seemingly agreeing with Naruto's statement. Afterwards, it eyed the poke ball in his hand. Seeing this, Naruto smiled and called out Frosty, allowing the bell Pokémon to see the Snorunt. Upon seeing it, Chingling bobbed happily again before seemingly tackling Snorunt in its own version of a hug/glomp. Chuckling softly at the interaction between the two Pokémon, Naruto withdrew the empty poke ball Richard had given to him earlier. Staring between it and Chingling, he decided to pose a question to the friendly Chingling. "Would you like to come with us? We're going to Sandgem Town to meet Professor Rowan. It's kind of a long walk, but we shouldn't have any problems. You're more than welcome to come along."

Pausing for a moment, the Chingling looked at Naruto and bobbed in place for a moment. Afterwards, once it had seemingly finished observing him, the bell Pokémon approached and tapped the poke ball, allowing itself to be sucked inside. Afterwards, once it had been 'captured', it popped right back out of the poke ball and seemingly grinned up at Naruto.

Chuckling softly, Naruto hugged the Chingling and said, "You're such a cute little guy, aren't you? Hmmm, what would be a good name to give you, I wonder? Ummm…Jingle? No, that doesn't sound right. Oooh! What about Chimey? That's a cute name, right?"

Chingling seemed to be thinking it over, leaving Naruto wondering if he had just insulted his new friend somehow. When it began to smile at him and appeared to be nodding, Naruto grinned and hugged his newest friend again. "Awww. I'm glad you like it! Now, did you thank the kind nurse for helping you?"

The now-named Chimey turned to Nurse Joy and seemed to beam at her happily. Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "You're such a cute wittle guy. The three of us are going to be the very best of friends. Right?" When his Pokémon began to nuzzle against him, Frosty nuzzling his leg while Chimey nuzzled itself into his chest, Naruto chuckled and held them both close. "We just met, and I already love you both. What do you say we join Richard and get some sleep, huh?"

Both of his Pokémon seemed to beam at that. So, with them seemingly agreeing with him, Naruto turned to Nurse Joy and smiled at her. "Thank you so much for helping them, Joy. I really appreciate it."

"Of course. Take good care of each other, okay?" Joy said, smiling when they nodded in understanding. Afterwards, she waved goodbye to them before she returned to work.

Now that they were left to their own devices, Naruto smiled as he led his friends back out into the waiting area. When he spotted Richard there waiting for him, the blonde smiled and said, "Heya Richard. I thought you had forgotten about me for a bit there."

Richard chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. I saw you chatting it up with Cynthia and didn't want to disturb the two of you. After she left, I decided to wait here for you. Let me show you to our room. I'm sure you're all looking forward to getting some much-needed sleep."

"Of course. Thank you, Richard. We appreciate it." Naruto said. And with that being said, Richard led his friend and his Pokémon to go and get some sleep in their shared room.

Heh, I can't help but wonder what his reaction will be when he finds out that Cynthia's the champion of the Sinnoh region. I'd love to see how he reacts. I bet it'll be priceless. Richard thought with a bemused chuckle escaping him.

The Next Day – Konohagakure

"Excuse me?" Tsunade asked, clearly affronted by what the girl in front of her had just said. "Where do you get off questioning me about my decisions? I ordered your team to search for clues as to Naruto's whereabouts, and you not only return emptyhanded with no leads, you dare to accuse me of hiding important information about him? You're lucky I don't do to you what I did to Jiraiya."

Hinata stared deep into the Hokage's eyes and said, "Naruto-kun is my business, Hokage-sama. If you know something about his disappearance, you NEED to share it with me. I want him to be okay. I want him to be safe. Without Naruto-kun, I don't…I don't have a purpose. There would be no meaning to my existence. I know he might not see me the same way as I see him, but he needs to know I CARE about him! Please, Hokage-sama, if you know anything at all, tell me. I'll find him no matter what it takes, with or without your help. But I'd rather we come to a mutual understanding and trust in one another."

Tsunade frowned at Hinata and was about to say something in response, only for the rest of Team Kurenai to suddenly enter her office. Looking hard at them, Tsunade soon returned her attention to Hinata. "We'll discuss this later in private, Hinata." Looking back at the other members of Team Kurenai, she said, "You failed."

Kurenai nodded and said, "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. But…"

Shino interrupted at this point, deciding he had to say something, at the very least. "That's not entirely true, Hokage-sama. My kikaichu found a residual trail of Naruto's unique chakra leading away from his last known location. Unfortunately, Naruto had the foresight to cover his tracks well enough to the point I can't follow the trail. It branches off in multiple directions and he doubled back occasionally to create another path. There was no way to find him or follow him wherever he went. But, I can say this for certain: the Akatsuki don't have Naruto Uzumaki."

Tsunade smiled at that news and said, "Well, that's some good news, at least. Hinata, do you think you could have followed the trail yourself? Or were you more inclined to ignore my orders and harass me for answers I may or may not have?"

Hinata scowled at being put on the spot like this. "Naruto-kun is all that matters to me, Hokage-sama. I just want to find where he is and show him that he is loved, and people do care about him. If you do have answers, I hope you'll tell me later. For now, I'm going to go take a walk. I obviously need to clear my head."

Tsunade frowned at her before waving her hand towards the door. "There's the door. You're free to leave my office anytime, girl." As soon as Hinata had left, the blonde looked at Kurenai and frowned deeply. "You don't care much for Naruto, do you Kurenai?"

Kurenai scowled and said, "I know you care about him, Hokage-sama. But I can't bring myself to like him or even treat him neutrally. He's not the kind of person Hinata thinks he is. Hinata doesn't even realize the truth about him! She deserves FAR better than someone like that!"

The blonde quirked a brow and said, "You won't even try to get to know him. You've just judged him unfairly, I might add, because Hinata took an interest in him. You view her as the daughter you've yet to have, after all. And nobody is good enough for her. Isn't that right?"

When Kurenai went to say something else, Tsunade raised her hand to silence her. "Tell me something, Kurenai. If Hinata were to gain a crush on Kiba, for instance, how would you feel? Would you be happy for her? Or would you still prefer that she find someone better suited to her. Because, from how it sounds to me, you wouldn't approve of any man for her. After all, the thought of her being sullied by a man's hands is disgusting to you, isn't it? Tell me something, Kurenai. What happened in the past to make you hate men as much as you do?"

Kurenai flinched and found herself doing everything she could to avoid looking at her male teammates. "I…I don't…"

"Yes. You do. What the hell happened to you, Kurenai? Why won't you admit it?" Tsunade questioned.

Kurenai sighed and sat down on the couch nearby. Not looking at anyone, she said, "It was Jiraiya. That lecherous bastard peeped on my girlfriend and me in the hot springs. He…he caught us being 'intimate' when we thought we were alone. He tried to blackmail us into having sex with him. Naturally, we turned the sick bastard down and told him in no uncertain terms that we'd cut off what made him a man if he ever came near us again. It turns out that he used our likeness for characters in his smut novels WITHOUT permission. So, because there was nothing we could do about his bullshit, we told him that the least he could do was give us 50% of the earnings made from that particular book. He refused and said we were lucky he even thought we were good enough models for his 'art'."

Tsunade frowned and said, "There's more, isn't there?"

Kurenai sighed heavily and nodded her head. "Yes. You see, when we confronted him, we had essentially invited ourselves into his home. Jiraiya…spiked our drinks. We didn't think he'd do anything, so we let our guard down. Hokage-sama, he raped us. He thought we'd be out of it until the next morning, but apparently that wasn't the case. We were both awake…but we couldn't move. We were paralyzed. We felt everything. It…it was horrible. Sadly, we knew the Third wouldn't listen to our word over Jiraiya's. Besides that, we were expendable whereas Jiraiya was not. So his crime never got publicized and we were left to suffer the scars of that night. That is why I hate men, Hokage-sama. I know I have to work with them, but I can't help but see his…his greedy, smug, cocky smile every time I close my eyes or look at another man! I can't handle it anymore!"

Tsunade frowned and asked, "Kurenai…did you ever seek therapy for what happened to you?"

The red-eyed beauty shook her head and said, "No. Yugao and I should have gone to Inoichi at the very least, but…"

"Kurenai, I'm a medical professional, but I can't heal wounds of the mind and soul. For now, you are removed from your position as sensei to your team." When she looked ready to protest such a decision, Tsunade threw her hand up and said, "It is only temporary, Kurenai. I want you and Yugao to visit Inoichi at least twice a week. Three times a week would be more preferable, but I want you two to be comfortable. Once he deems you two fit for duty again, I'll start you both off with something slow and gradually work you up until I feel you're ready to lead your team again. The three of you are dismissed. Kurenai, take Yugao and go see Inoichi NOW. You need to get started on this. You can't let Jiraiya's past actions haunt you for the rest of your lives."

As soon as the three of them had left with Akamaru bounding after his master, Tsunade called Shizune into her office. "Shizune, we need to talk about what to do regarding Hinata." Shizune simply nodded and sat down across from her master. After activating the silencing seals and dismissing her Anbu, the Fifth looked into Shizune's eyes and said, "Hinata wants to find Naruto as much as we do. She seems rather persistent. She has managed to guess that I know at least something regarding Naruto and his current whereabouts, but she doesn't know to what extent."

Shizune sighed and said, "I figured as much, with how she stormed into your office without preamble. Do you think she'll try to follow us?"

Tsunade frowned and shook her head. "I'm honestly not sure. I'm sure she already suspects that he's left the Elemental Nations. She could very easily set sail and hope she ends up wherever Naruto has gone. She'll be lost in a new world, essentially. I don't want to have that on my conscience, but would it really be okay to take her with us to see Naruto again? I…"

Shizune tapped her fingers lightly against the Hokage's desk. "Why not just write Naruto-kun and ask what he wants to do? It's as much his decision as it is ours. If he says she can come, then okay, we'll bring her along for the ride. Otherwise, we'll ditch her and make our way to wherever he's gone. If she tries to follow us and ends up getting lost out there, then so be it. At least we won't have to deal with her if she ends up getting lost out there." She said, shrugging her shoulders uncaringly.

Tsunade chuckled to herself and said, "Cold. But I wouldn't expect anything less from my darling apprentice."

Shizune giggled to herself and said, "All that matters right now is finding Naruto-kun and never letting him out of our sight again. I say good riddance to this place and monsters like Jiraiya and the Akatsuki."

"Indeed. I'll take your advice and have the slugs deliver a message for me. Hopefully Naruto gets it soon and sends a reply. Not sure how long I can hold that bloodhound Hyuga back." Tsunade joked.

Shizune shrugged and said, "I can think of a few ways to keep her out of your hair. Just leave her to me. You focus on getting in touch with Naruto-kun."

Tsunade simply nodded at that and made a shooing motion with her hand. "Alright. I'll take care of that. You get back to work."

"Yes, Ma'am." Shizune said before leaving the room.

Once she was on her own again, Tsunade took out a pen and paper and began to write. No matter what, we'll ensure you stay safe from everyone, Naruto-kun.

Naruto – Later that day

Naruto blinked as he stared at the old man in front of him. "So…you're this Underground Man I've heard about?" Seeing the man nod, Naruto asked, "Umm, can you help me? Richard told me you could teach me about the Grand Underground and figure stuff out down there. I'm kind of broke and could use some quick cash. I was told I could sell some of the stuff I find down there…"

The elderly gentleman nodded and led Naruto outside. Afterwards, he produced an Explorer Kit and gave it to the youngling before him. "You'll need this Explorer Kit before even attempting to enter the Grand Underground. It'll be a bit awkward to use at first, as you're essentially opening a hole beneath you that will take you directly to the underground below our feet. Once down there, a friend of mine by the name of Roark should be able to fill you in on a few things. First, I want you to head down there and listen to Roark's advice. Afterwards, come back up and see me. I'll give you another task to work on. Repeat the process and I'll give you everything I can offer and then some for following my sagely advice. I'll wait right here for you."

Naruto nodded and said, "Thank you. Here goes nothing…" And with that, Naruto used his Explorer Kit and delved deep into the underground.

Heh, someone from the Elemental Nations, eh? Been a while since one's been out this way. This one will definitely make for a fine trainer. He's going to become famous, I'm sure of it.

A/N - And that's the chapter! As you can see, a lot has happened. Also, freaking hell were people pissed for even MENTIONING Hinata in this story. All I have to say is: It's my story. I can do whatever the hell I want with it. If you don't like it, then tough molasses. Nobody's going to force you to continue reading it. It's honestly as simple as that.

Anywho, been pretty sick lately. Then again, a weakened immune system kinda does that to a guy. x.x; I'm usually sick with one thing or another. Kinda gotta live with that fact. It suuuuuucks. But meh, what can ya do?

Alright, I am kind of out of it right now, and I'm sure there's stuff I'm forgetting to talk about, but I'm just gonna end this here. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to what comes next! This chapter was going to be longer, but I decided to end it where I did and continue things in the next chapter. Hopefully then he'll reach Sandgem Town and meet Professor Rowan! lol