The boy looked back once more, making sure that nothing, and no one, was following them.
Soon, a relieved sigh escaped between his lips, and he could finally stop running. Putting the girl down, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and thanked the gods for the existence of a fruit like honeyfruit.
No way he could do that if he went to that town right after his fight with that mercenary.
Arching an eyebrow, he turns to the girl, who is looking at him a bit fearfully. Her heartbeat was a bit fast, and although she was relieved, she was also scared.
- Oh, don't worry, I... I know this sounds strange, but, I just want to help. You see, a mutual friend told me about you.
He straightened his posture, smiling as reassuringly as he could in an attempt to comfort the girl.
She didn't say anything, but he knew she was curious. Her eyes showed it.
Soon, a bluish smoke began to emanate from the blond's body, startling the girl.
Nibi appeared beside Naruto, and the girl took a few steps back, falling backwards onto the ground and crawling backwards a bit in a semblance of pure terror.
- Whoa, it's okay! Calm down, she's not going to do anything.
The boy said, extending his arm toward the girl and getting between her and the Bijuu.
The girl looked deep into his eyes for a while, a strange glow passed through her pearly eyes, and gradually, she calmed down. Although there was still fear in her gaze.
- She's the one who told me about you. It's okay, she's not a threat.
Naruto said, and the girl was slightly incredulous at that phrase, almost offended.
- N-not a threat? This... thing, it has killed countless people in my clan.
The girl said, a low tone, sweet and shy, but containing anger in her words.
- Well, she must have had a good reason for it. I assure you that you are not the only person who suffered. Nibi is not as you think.
He said, approaching the Bijuu and touching her gently on her back, almost like a caress, showing the girl that she had nothing to fear.
The girl, however, still seemed unsure of this, and couldn't help but be surprised when she saw Naruto touching the Bijuu calmly, as if it were something trivial.
-Nibi? Y-you... you called her a she...
The boy gave a small smile.
- Yes, although "Nibi" is not her real name. She has a more feminine personality, so I refer to her as "she".
The Bijuu stared at him, sitting on her hind legs and waving her tails in an almost mesmerizing way.
- Whatever it was that happened, I guarantee she had a good reason.
Naruto stared at the Bijuu, who remained silent for some time, until she let out a tired sigh.
-... How would you feel if you had your home destroyed, torn away from your family, your brothers and sisters, and then forced to be a prisoner for the rest of your life and used as a weapon?
The Bijuu's question made the girl forget the fear she was feeling and be taken by surprise. Exactly the way Nibi had thought.
The Bijuu snorted and stood up, picking up a honeyfruit from one of its tails and extending it towards the girl.
- You humans never thought of that, did you? I'm not surprised. Eat this fruit. The way you are you won't be able to stand the joining of my body and my chakra.
She said, and the girl took the fruit from her tail, without taking her eyes off the Bijuu. Thoughtful.
- Damn, I should have taken some of that guy's clothes from before... I messed up.
The boy grumbled, more to himself than to the two presences behind him. His shirt had been destroyed long ago, and his pants were almost there.
He should be careful, he was in the presence of two ladies, getting naked was not really an option.
However, this gave him some time to observe his body. He felt as if he had grown taller, and his body was more athletic than before.
He had a good shape, for a child. He never really paid much attention since he had started training with Kurama, because the training lasted practically the whole day.
And he didn't get out of that cave much.
- It's a time for rest, but we have to get out of here as soon as possible. We are not completely safe yet.
Bijuu said, walking calmly towards Naruto, who turned towards her.
- I agree. That jutsu wasn't enough to kill those guys, and I can hear some animals not far from here... aaargh, I hope I don't run into another snake.
He grimaced and shook his body dramatically.
Sighing, the boy turned to the girl, curious about the way she was staring at him. As soon as she realized that he was looking at her, her face turned red and she looked away.
Naruto smiled slightly.
- What is your name? I am Naruto.
The girl stared at the ground for a while, hugging her arms shyly.
-... H-Hinata.
- Well, it's nice to meet you. Despite the circumstances.
She stared at him, now a little more serious than before.
- How old are you?
- Six... no, seven, maybe, who knows...
He said with a small, confused frown.
- Seven... younger than me...
Hinata stared at him for a while longer, and then lowered her gaze again, a little crestfallen, causing the blond to arch an eyebrow.
-... Your eyes...
she said, before he could ask anything.
The boy was surprised by this, and looked at Nibi with a certain desperation.
-... I've been with this girl since she was born. And although I don't like her, and definitely don't like her clan, I know she won't say anything. Still, it's something very serious, the less people know, the better. But, it's your choice.
She said, walking towards Hinata, who followed the Bijuu with her eyes. Still afraid, though much more comfortable than she was before.
-... Let's say our situation is similar. Different, but similar.
He said with a hand on the back of his neck.
- Let's concentrate on getting out of here now. I will go back to my seal, but I will guide my carrier as best I can along the way.
The Bijuu said, turning once more into smoke, and returning to her seal.
- I... didn't say thank you... err... well, thank you very much.
She thanked him, bowing in front of Naruto, whose cheeks were slightly flushed. He was slightly annoyed when people bowed in front of him.
- Relax, no need to thank me. I intended to help one, helped two, so I'm in the clear.
He said, scratching the back of his neck a little nervously. He was definitely not good at that.
The boy then turns around and tries to remember which direction he came from, they just had to go in the opposite direction and maybe they would make it to the cave where Naruto woke up.
That being very optimistic, and Naruto knew it. But what else could they do?
- Can you run?
he asked, and Hinata nodded.
Soon he started running in the direction he thought was right, and the girl followed.
They ran for some time, a rather awkward silence in the air on Hinata's part, and extremely strange and uncomfortable noises that the boy heard around him. There was so much hidden in that forest that it gave him chills.
After a while, Naruto stops running and focuses his eyes on something.
Further ahead was a partially destroyed wagon, with blood still smeared on the trees and ground, the strong smell of rotting meat in the air, irritating Narut's nose, who grimaced.
It seemed a while ago, although he couldn't say exactly. It could just be his more sensitive sense of smell.
They had nowhere to go, and honestly, he would take anything useful he could find. With luck, maybe even some clothes.
- Well, you... you don't have a weak stomach, do you?
He turned to Hinata, who shook her head.
Waving, he started walking to the wagon, with the girl right behind him.
The smell grew even stronger, and he was forced to put his arm in front of his nose and close his face slightly as his eyes watered.
There were bodies lying on the ground all around, with flies and maggots already present. He wondered if the girl had a weak stomach, but he was the one closest to vomiting.
Trying to ignore that smell, he walks to the wagon and checks its interior. There were a few things, some chests and barrels for example.
Food already spoiled in some of them, alcohol in others. Wine, by the smell. There were some swords, daggers, kunais, but not many.
He also found some explosive seals, that would be useful.
- Here, have you used a sword before?
- N-no. Just kunai.
He then held out a kunai to her while picking up a sword and a never know, that could be useful, even though it was already old.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a chest with a destroyed top, and as he focused his gaze, he realized what he wanted most.
Clothes.
A relieved sigh escaped his lips, and he made his way inside the wrecked wagon and picked up the clothes.
It was too good to be true, the clothes were twice his size... Ah, screw it, better than being naked.
- Here, at least put on this shirt over the dress. Oh, and here's a pair of shorts, perfect, take them.
He tossed the clothes to Hinata, who caught them in the air and stared at him strangely for a while.
- I'm not going to peek, if that's what you're wondering. I'm going to keep looking in here, maybe I'll find another pair of shorts.
He said, going back to the chest in search of some smaller clothes, or at least something that could replace those worn-out pants.
Making a grimace, he holds out a pair of shorts in front of him. A frustrated groan escaped his lips. Besides being a women's shorts, it was totally pink.
The one he gave Hinata was gray... Damn, she had already changed.
"Ah, if Obito-nii saw this... he would laugh so hard at my face."
He said with dramatic tears streaming down his face as he changed. Well, it was better than being naked.
Sighing again, he squats down and finishes removing the clothes from the chest. With no choice, he grabbed a black blouse and tore off the hem and sleeves, it was still too big, but no longer looked like a dress.
As he finished putting the blouse on, something fell to the floor, attracting his attention.
Crouching down, the boy picks up two rings that fell to the ground.
Silver rings, with a red jewel on top. Ruby?
Strange, there was chakra in them.
Putting one of the rings on his finger, he stares at his hand for a while. Hopeful that something would happen, but in the end, nothing did.
Frustrated, the boy began to make some strange hand signals, he was curious to know the reason for the chakra in that ring.
- Do something.
He extended his hand to the wall, but nothing.
- Go web!
He pointed out. Nothing.
- Shazam!
He pointed at the kunais. Nothing.
Naruto snorted, closing his fist with some force. Then a strange noise came from the ring, and a red mist emanated from the ruby.
The mist surrounded the kunais, and soon, the blades were sucked into the ring.
Naruto stood in disbelief for a while, until his eyes sparkled in animation.
He had heard of rings like that before. They were used to store both weapons and ordinary things.
Soldiers in the army used to wear them, in case they lost their weapons on the battlefield.
Wealthy nobles wore gold rings, which had the ability to store more things, and were also more beautiful.
But silver rings were not so bad. Not even a little.
Immediately, the boy with the blond hair pouted.
How does he get the kunais out of there?
-... Onward and upward web!
He extended his closed fist to the ground. But nothing.
-... Oh, boy. I think this thing is broken.
He extended his fist towards his face to examine the ring, and put some of his chakra on his finger. Then the ruby on the ring glowed, and the kunai were thrown in his direction.
The boy let out a surprised yelp as he dodged the kunais, and fell to the ground.
"My lord, I almost killed myself..."
He stared at the kunais stuck in an as yet undestroyed part of the wagon.
"So, depending on how much chakra you put into the ring, the weapons come out stronger... good to know"
He stood up, closed his fist and sucked the sword that was on the ground into the ring, as well as the kunais and daggers. That was pretty cool.
Leaving the wagon, he walks towards Hinata, now wearing other clothes. She was smaller than him, and that blouse really looked like a dress on her. At least she had a gray shorts and that was hidden, while he had that pink atrocity visible to the whole world.
"Oh miserable life."
- She... I mean, the... Nibi said we'd better hurry.
- Ok. Here, take it.
He handed her the other ring I found in the wagon. The girl stared at it for a while, until her cheeks gradually turned pink.
- I found it in the wagon. It's a storage ring.
He said, and the girl put the ring on her finger.
The boy smiled, and Hinata gave him a small, shy smile before they continued on their way.