Naruto stared at his reflection in the water of that small lake, running the full length of the scar in his eye.
He looked almost nothing like a little seven-year-old boy.
Despite his still short stature, his still slightly frail body, his appearance was somewhat menacing. A deep red eye, along with those marks on his cheeks and his spiky hair. Long canines, becoming fangs, and nails that became claws.
It didn't even seem like less than a year ago that he was playing pranks with Obito.
A sigh escaped his lips. He had nothing against that new look, but what would he say to his parents if they saw him like that?
Shaking his head and dismissing those thoughts, he splashed a certain amount of water on his face and stood up, walking to a campfire ahead, with a deer impaled over the fire.
Beside it, that girl was still unconscious. Which didn't surprise him; he himself still didn't believe in the destructive power of that technique.
He recognized her the moment he saw her. The same girl who was in that city of Nukenins. She must have come out of there through one of those portals, maybe?
If she went there accompanied by that guy, Juugo and the others, then it made sense why she was still alive.
Bijuu Dama, the sphere that inspired rasengan. It consumed an extraordinary amount of chakra, where he could only do two of them before falling to the ground, exhausted.
The fact that that technique could be strengthened even more was incredible... incredible and frightening.
Sitting down next to the fire, he takes a piece of the deer and starts to eat it, enjoying the taste of meat that he hasn't tasted in so long.
Finally a taste other than his own blood.
"Calmer? I notice you no longer harbor anger at the girl."
Kurama's voice caught his attention, and his gaze focused on the girl.
"... She wasn't the one who tortured me, and... well, thinking about it now, I guess she was just another victim... no sense in holding a grudge."
He took another bite of the deer.
"Exactly, to keep that in mind at all times from now on. I hate humans, believe me, but some among them are nothing but victims of their own kind."
"... So... what was all that about hate? Saying he didn't deserve me and all that."
"Hate is a place where people who can't handle sadness go. It makes you blind, it consumes you and everything around you, until in the end, when you think you got everything you wanted, you realize that the hate left you with nothing. I've seen it happen, countless times, and that's why I say with all my heart that he doesn't deserve you."
They were both silent for a while, where Naruto repeated the fox's words in his mind, while she in turn watched the changes in his body and in his chakra.
"Nibi said... that there is a way to return to my normal appearance, kind of like an illusion in which I can switch whenever I want."
He began, tossing a bone aside and watching the slight dance of flames.
"Yes, used so as not to attract attention. It's pretty simple, you just need to concentrate and cover up our merged chakra with just your original chakra."
"Ah, so to get back to that appearance is to uncover our chakra?"
"Exactly... simple, and not affect your physical abilities. Although your eye will remain the same way."
"Hm... and what happened if I cover up our chakra merged with some of the chakra originally yours?"
"Then you will have changes facing my side, maybe grow one of my tails, or have my ears."
"I get it...why didn't Nibi say that before? Not that I'm complaining or anything."
"I don't know, ask her... I think it was because I was sleeping, maybe."
The blond closed his eye and began to concentrate, however, before he could change his appearance, he opens his eye when he hears a low moan coming from his side.
Turning around, he watches the girl slowly get up, with an expression in a mixture of pain and confusion.
- I thought you wouldn't wake up anymore... it's been dark for a while.
She stared at him for a while, until reality finally hit her, and the girl widened her eyes in fright.
- What... where...?
- I don't know where we are, but we managed to escape, good enough, in my opinion.
He said, taking the deer out of the fire. He had left it longer than he should have, he had almost lost some quality meat.
-... We escaped? Wait, so, that explosion...
- That was me. Why the surprise?
She stared at him with static eyes.
- What are you?
Naruto arched an eyebrow.
- Uh, you already know, a demi-human.
- Yes, I get it, but what kind?
- I don't know, the people who took care of me didn't tell me. Eat.
He sat down again, crossing his arms and looking at the moonlit lake. It was peaceful there...definitely many times better than being chased by Nukenins or a creature created by the gods.
Definitely.
-... You managed to escape from that place... why didn't you do it before? You know, before you were tortured?
The boy remained silent for a while, thinking about what to say.
- Because my powers had not yet returned. I waited until my strength returned.
- And why didn't you blow the whole place up right away?
The boy closed his eye. So many questions.
- Because I planned to kill that guy, but... I realized that I couldn't... he survived that explosion, even though he wasn't intact, but he survived.
He said, turning his face and looking deep into the brown eyes of the girl, who felt her body tremble as she watched the intense red of his gaze.
-You... look very young... very young and scary.
A smile was born on her lips, and Naruto laughed humorlessly.
- I'm seven years old... as far as I know.
- Wow... much younger than me... I'm fourteen.
He arched an eyebrow.
- You know I didn't kill you because I didn't want to, right? Your turn to answer some questions, why were you with those guys?
The girl took a bite of the deer meat while her eyes stared into the flames of the fire, and they were silent for a while.
- They found me when I was very young. I was part of a small village near the village of sound. Bandits came, attacked us and took some of us away, and I was included in that group.
She paused briefly, thoughts racing furiously through her mind.
- These bandits took us to Orochimaru.
The boy's eye widened slightly. He knew, or rather, had heard of the senin. The only one of the three senins who followed the path of evil in search of eternal life.
- He wanted test subjects for some kind of experiment. I saw and heard the agonizing cries of the people in my village, until it was my turn... he injected me with something, but unlike the other people, I didn't die.
she sighed.
- Well, in short, I was forced to work for him. I met Juugo and the others. We were included in an organization called Akatsuki, although we never saw the main base or the higher class members of it.
Naruto propped his head on the tree trunk, a thoughtful expression.
"Akatsuki..."
-... And what did you guys do, exactly?
- Missions for Orochimaru, searching for test subjects for the most part. He was once part of the Akatsuki and still maintains a good relationship with them, so to speak. Having us there gave him a range of openings for his next steps... at least, that's what he said.
-... That guy, Juugo, is he the leader... no, is he the only one below Orochimaru or something like that?
- No, there are several groups similar to ours, he is just the leader of this specific group. Although he is one of Orochimaru's strongest test subjects. We had to obey him almost the same way we obeyed that senin.
- Hm... did you have any important role in the group?
-Sort of... I have confidence in my abilities, but I think I was only there because I was Juugo's fiancée.
Huh?
What?
- Fiancée? Didn't you say you were only fourteen? That guy is at least twenty.
She laughed humorlessly, raising her head and looking up at the moon.
- Well, being one of the strongest in a group like that gives you certain advantages. Juugo has asked several women, but got tired of them all. I am one of them. They don't care about age.
Naruto was silent for a while, running his fingers gently along his chin.
-... Oh boy... what are you planning to do now? Those guys will certainly be looking for us, but, you're free.
he asked, and the girl went back to staring into the flames with a lost look, remaining silent for a while.
- Honestly... I have no idea... I don't have orders to follow and... I don't know what to do, or where to go.
She hugged her own legs and rested her chin on her knee, closing her eyes as she sighed in melancholy.
- Hm... it means you can do whatever you want. Go to a peaceful village, change your name, live another life.
She stared at him. He was strange... she wasn't sure what to think about him, she only knew that he was an unknown from the short time she had talked to him.
A smile broke out on her lips without her realizing it. A new life didn't sound so bad.
- And what about you? Where are you going to go? What are you going to do?
- Well, I'm going to find my way to Konoha.
The girl arched an eyebrow.
- Konoha? Well, I hope you're not in a hurry.
He looked at her slightly confused.
- Why?
- Konoha is literally on the other side of the continent.
He stared at her for a few seconds, until he finally digested what she had said, and made a face of disgust and despair.
- What?! Across the continent?! How...?
- The portal you used... it was made by Orochimaru, and teleports you to one of the already marked hiding places. All the hideouts are far away from each other, and especially far away from shinobi villages.
Naruto began to bite his fingernail, and a sigh of defeat again escaped his lips.
- What the hell... well, the sooner I go, the sooner I get there... I guess... you can come with me.
he said, and she arched her eyebrows in surprise.
- What?
He smiled gently.
- You said yourself you don't know what to do, you can come with me until you decide. And well, it's a lot easier for me to go with someone who knows the places.
The girl stared at him for a while, until she looked thoughtfully at the ground.
-You... really... after everything?
- It's not like you're the one who tortured me, and well, after everything you've said, I think you're more of a victim than anything else.
She smiled slightly, looking back up at him.
- Well... I accept the offer... I'll help you find your way without any problems, but I think you're going to draw a lot of attention with your looks.
Naruto smiled again, and this time, he closed his eyes, making the girl look at him in confusion.
A while passed, and she widened her eyes as she saw the marks on his cheeks slowly recede, just as his fingernails returned to normal, and his hair was no longer so frizzy.
And her surprise only increased when she saw what had once been an intimidating crimson-red eye become a gentle, calm, deep blue.
- You... what?
- Let's just say it's one of my tricks.
-... You are extremely familiar...
Naruto's eye widened slightly. He didn't know if it was good for people to recognize that he was Minato's son, for all he knew, his father had many enemies.
- I... can change my appearance based on the appearance of people I've seen at some point in my life... it's... sort of.
She stared at him with slightly narrowed eyes for a while, until she shrugged.
- If that's what you say...
- Well, go to sleep. I want to be out of here by dawn.
He said, draping his body over his side and using his arms as pillows.
Tayuya looked up at the moon again, sighing softly. She didn't feel sleepy, and it wouldn't be long before the sun came up.
Muffled explosions echoed through her ears, coming from all sides. Small but strong arms held her as he ran in some direction, away from the explosions, and from a loud roar behind them both.
Flashes of memory raced through her mind, the fight she had waged against those people being relived in her head.
The jutsus, the voices, the noise... and the scene of his best friend being pierced by one of the creature's horns.
When that scene appeared, all the explosions disappeared, and only the noise she heard at that moment was repeated, over and over again.
Hinata stood up panting, sweaty, and with trembling body. The sensations of that day still vivid in her body.
She lifted her head slowly, almost without strength and with a strange sensation all over her body.
The girl was in a place she had never seen before, something like a sewer, with water halfway up her ankle.
Standing up with some difficulty, she looks around, looking for something, or someone. But nothing.
- It took longer than I thought for you to wake up.
The Bijuu's voice startled the girl, who turned suddenly. But, upon seeing the beast with most of its body chained up, even its tails, being forced to lie flat against the ground, Hinata calmed down, but worry and confusion did not leave her face.
- I think it must have been the fact that you used my power for the first time, mixed with your lack of chakra.
-... Nibi... you...
- First time you see me like this, isn't it? Meh, although uncomfortable and annoying, I can handle it. There are worse hosts out there.
The girl reached over and gently touched the Bijuu's head. Her relationship with her had improved greatly, since she had met Naruto.
But, it was not yet to the point of freeing her from those chains.
Like a snap, the girl's eyes widened again.
- Naruto... what happened?
-... His clone managed to get you out of that forest and deliver you to your father and his ninjas. After that, he disappeared.
- Wha... what... h-how...
She staggered back a few steps, hands even shakier and an incredulous expression on her face.
- Argh, I don't know what happened to him. But if it's any consolation, I don't think he's dead.
The girl knelt on the floor, remembering everything that happened that day.
- He is an amazing boy, I have to say. I... I might be wrong, but... I like to think that he managed to escape. Especially since my sister is with him.
Hinata lifted her head, looking at her with tears already streaming down her cheeks.
- How can we know? Damn... that was a behemoth, you know what-
- Yes, I know... but you of all people know how smart he is, you've spent a lot of time with him. His mind makes him unpredictable. I know it's not much, but all we can do is hope that he's okay. I don't want anything bad to happen to him either.
The girl sniffled a few times, running the back of her hands across her eyes as she sat on her legs.
-... How long has it been?
- A few days, I think, hard to know exactly.
The girl stood up, sniffling once more before approaching the Bijuu.
- Many people came to visit you... I have to say that few of them were in the least bit pleasant.
Hinata rolled her eyes.
- That was to be expected. They probably doubt that I managed to survive in that forest, even after everything.
-... Your father was one of those who said nice things while you were sleeping.
The girl stared at her for a while, surprised.
- My father? Are you sure? The same one who called me "failure" every time I couldn't learn a jutsu?
- That's right. Look, I hate you humans, and I think you overcomplicate the simplest things in the world. It's obvious that your father loves you, but he puts the clan above the family... or some shit like that. I swear, you humans are so weird.
The Bijuu sighed and closed her eyes, moving her paws minimally and laying her head on them.
Hinata lowered her gaze to the ground, thoughtful.
- I'm tired of you lying in this bed, and even more tired of those idiots telling you to wake up as if you were sleeping of your own accord, bunch of assholes. Come on, get up, go, shoo.
The Bijuu yawned, while Hinata smiled slightly at her, and closing her eyes, she came out of her mind and woke up lying in each of that hospital.
Her body was not as sore as before, although she still felt pain here and there. Slurring her tongue, she removes the needles that were in her arm and gets up, running her hand through her hair, watching her bandaged arms.
Her torso still hurt, but it was bearable, Nibi's regeneration will take care of that soon enough.
Before she could get out of there, however, the door to the room was opened, and she was confronted by her father, accompanied by one of the clan elders.
- Hinata!
He almost shouts her name and practically runs towards the girl, ignoring the stern look the elder sent him, and hugging her.
The girl was surprised at first, but soon, Nibi's words echoed through her mind, and she returned the hug, even if slightly awkwardly.
- How nice to see your child awake, Hiashi-san, which allows me to turn a blind eye to the rude manner in which you acted in front of an elder.
The old son of- I mean, elder, said, and Hiashi turned around, correcting his posture and clearing his throat.
- I... apologize.
The elder sighed and stepped closer.
- Nah, no need, like I said, I understand. And so, I will turn a blind eye this time, I hope it won't happen again.
The elder stood in front of the bed, looking sternly at Hinata, who returned his gaze.
Something she had learned in that forest was to always face the creatures that faced her, no matter how strong or threatening they were.
- Amazing, someone like you survived for weeks in that place after allowing yourself to be kidnapped by nukenins. I wonder if the monster inside you made that possible.
The girl closed her face, and stretched out on the bed.
- First of all, I didn't let myself be kidnapped. A rather stupid thing to assume when most of the ninja protecting the elders and the main family were killed that night, don't you think?
Both the elder, Hiashi, and the nurse who had nothing to do with the story, and who tried to get out of there as quickly as possible, all widened their eyes.
- Petulant child! Do you think that-
- I haven't finished speaking yet, old man, it's not polite to interrupt someone. Secondly, the Bijuu inside me really helped me, but I survived by my own strength.
- Being carried by a boy even younger than you, covered in blood, injured and almost dead really reflects on the strength you have.
- Sir, please, I ask you to forgive-
- But I survived. I was thrown into a forest where everything wanted to kill me and I faced everything head-on, while you, O noble elder, ran away in fear the night the clan was attacked when you should have been in the front line. I don't think you have the right to judge me.
- Hinata! That's enough!
- Tsk, I had hoped that this event would have made your daughter mature into something, Hiashi, but it seems I am wrong. She has proven herself to be a failure, yet again.
He spat out those words, glaring disdainfully at Hinata, just before turning and walking with large, heavy steps towards the door.
- Asshole.
- Hinata! What are you thinking?!
Her father looked at her, and she stared at him. There was a mixture of feelings in his eyes, anger being among them, but not being the main one.
Why was it only now that she realized that there was more worry in his eyes than any other feeling? Had her father always looked at her like this?
- What am I thinking? I'm thinking that this clan is full of ignorant and self-centered people. I'm thinking that I'm tired of being called weak and a failure, when I'm not.
Hiashi was speechless for a while, staring at his daughter in surprise. There was conviction in his words, ferocity in his eyes. Her body was shrouded in a different energy than the last time he had seen her.
-... Still. You insulted one of the clan elders.
- And the elders insulted the daughter of the clan leader. We can argue about this all day, but I'm not up to it, and I'm sure you are not either, father.
She said, propping her back on the pillow as she stared deep into the eyes of Hiashi, who was not used to this change in his daughter.
Kami, how unaccustomed he was.
-... Yes. Some of the important clan members are dying to hear answers, and I wanted to question you myself.
He huffed, sitting down in a chair beside the bed, deep in thought, worried about what the elder would do, but he wasn't going to waste that moment alone that he had with Hinata, for they were rare.
- Ask.
-... What happened after you were taken away?
- They threw me in a cage and took me to that forest. There were some pretty powerful ninjas among them, so monsters weren't exactly a problem. It took us a few days, weeks, maybe even longer, I don't remember exactly.
She crossed her arms, lowering her head.
- Okay... and where did they take you?
- To that Nukenin city... I forget the name, but I know you have heard of it. The city located inside the cursed forest, surrounded by portals that lead to the edge of the forest.
-... If what you say is true, I assume that the city was crowded with nukenins... how did you manage to get out?
The girl was silent for a few moments, until she closed her eyes and sighed.
- That boy... the one who delivered me to you... he appeared and freed me.
Hiashi arched an eyebrow.
- A boy infiltrated a city of nukenins and got you out of there... all by himself?
The tone of disbelief was inevitable, and though she didn't like it at all, Hinata couldn't really judge him.
She wouldn't believe it either.
- I guess you could tell he wasn't a normal boy, right?
-... Red slit eye... Whiskers-like marks and abnormal chakra... a demi-human.
- It doesn't get that unbelievable, does it? He might have been just a boy, but he was extremely strong.
-... And where did you go? What did you do then?
- Well, we started traveling together through the forest trying to get out of there. We spent weeks together, and he even taught me a few things.
- Taught you some things? Like what, jutsus?
Hinata nodded.
- Argh, Hinata, you know how the elders feel about that.
- I do, and now I say with more conviction than ever that I don't care. They are so obsessed with the past and traditions that they don't realize that instead of teaching the same thing every year, they might as well improve and expand on what is past.
Hiashi stared at her for a while, trying to decipher her. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. His girl had changed completely.
And deep down, hearing this, even though his face was as rigid as ever, he felt happy with this attitude. He had always been worried about the way his daughter was treated, both by others and by himself.
- Hm... I think he taught you something more than just jutsus.
Hinata looked at him for a while, until she smiled slightly.
- You could say that.
-... What's his name again?
-... Naruto... Uzumaki Naruto.
Hiashi widened his eyes and stood up suddenly. Hinata didn't look at him, she knew he would have that reaction.
Her suspicions were right, if he, her father, acted that way, it meant that everyone thought Minato's son was dead.
- So, that idiot's son is alive.
An already somewhat tired and robust voice caught the attention of both of them, who turned around. Hiashi soon bowed to one of the elders, who was called by the previous elder, who was right next to him.
Elder 2 (just to make it easier to identify, fuck it) - You heard the girl... red eye with abnormal chakra... he's no longer the Hokage's son, he's turned into a monster.
The other elder said, and Hinata looked at him with narrowed eyes.
- Naruto is not a monster!
Elder 1- Hm... you are right, she came back different... she would never look at us like that, or direct her voice at us with such insolence... maybe it's better this way.
Elder 2- If that boy transformed into a demi-human, that explains how he managed to survive that place.
They approached each other.
Elder 1- The question is... how did he do that? Demi-humans have been extinct for eons, and if I'm not mistaken, you need to drink the chakra-imbued blood of one of them to become a demi-human.
Elder 2- Maybe there is one in that forest... which doesn't sound so unbelievable. That place is perfect for hiding the scum of the world.
- Did you even hear me?
Both elders stared at the girl.
Elder 1- This is an important matter, don't interfere. Demi-humans are dirty, but their vitality is of utmost importance... anyway, we can't let the Hokage know about it.
Hinata's eyes widened and she stood up suddenly, getting out of bed and advancing against them, being stopped by her father.
- Are you out of your minds?
Elder 2- What an outrage, she dares to attack two elders.
Elder 1- I understand that things are confused and different from that forest, but this is unacceptable. Hiashi, come with us, we will discuss the punishment of your daughter. Let's not threaten your position, because as I said, I understand that things are different for her.
Hiashi sighed and nodded, facing the two elders who left the room.
He turned to Hinata and thought about saying something, alternating his gaze between the door of the room and his daughter, until he sighed.
- The Konoha ninja are returning to the village later tonight. You are forbidden to leave by the elders... but not by me.
The girl's eyes widened in surprise when her father laid his hand gently on her head.
- I think that if it were me in his situation, I would want to know any news... and Minato has helped our village a lot, and from the looks of it, his son has helped you a lot as well... the elders will be meeting probably this afternoon... whatever you do is entirely up to you... don't get caught.
He said, turning and leaving the room.
Hinata stood still for a while, until a small smile broke out on her lips.