Azure King: Its time for chapter update, sorry for the late update. I'm picking more hours at work, because I am going to visit my cousin who lives in Texas. So sorry if some updates might not be as frequent, but thankfully I got one of my old writing buddies who greatly helped in this fic. who this is updated for a a other good friend of mine who been a great help.

Thanks for the years of working together my friend. This update for this fic is for you and one more when its done.

this chapter is doesnt have action but I hope you all like it.

CHAPTER START!

"Naruto," A teacher said looking at the blonde teen as he stood up, " Figure out this equation."

The young man stood up before speaking in an annoyed tone, "XY square to the fifth." He announced as the teacher glared at him, no doubt angry that the school Superhuman was able to solve something hard. They all continued until the classroom bell came and the students all sighed in relief, "Ahhh, could do without the stares…"

Naruto never really liked this school due to how many of the teachers often looked at him as a mistake to be let in. He wasn't a top genius like Norn and Killer B, but he always maintained at least staying in the top thirty every year, while the top ten meant prodigy or genius level. Naruto and the 'normal' level children were at the national rank of high schoolers… while in primary school. "Dude… I really wish I could be like Norn! She can skip all day and not get threatened by the school!"

Naruto turned his head to see his dark skin friend fading out from the lack of fun in class, Norn was indeed the very definition of 'special treatment' in the whole school, her scholastic achievements, IQ level, and beauty made her the school's Goddess in more ways than one. They dare not risk her leaving their school and making money off her contributions to others fields.

Normally the students would obviously go against this blatant favoritism but no one ever goes against her for one reason...they can't deny it. Most of the males would fall for her cute looks while the girls who challenge her realize their mistake when being overly beaten by her immense intelligence. It was something that was the norm as of now, when new students come the ones who know how it works simply explains to them.

Those who want to beat her are more than welcome to, those who are okay with this just go along with the flow. Naruto however agreed with Killer B, "Agreed," He said as the last few days were hectic, ever since the whole attack at school Norn has asked the school to increase security as she felt 'scared' to enter the school.

The blonde looked out to see twice as many officers patrolling around the school than usual. One word and the school would do anything for her to feel completely safe and happy, it was just as well considering the alternative of losing their golden child. "Oh yeah, you and Norn should totally go to my bro's BBQ restaurant. We can totally eat our fill, I heard from the local gossip trio that you got a cute girl that you visited last Sunday."

Before he can say more, they turn their heads to see Norn walking into the room, "Sorry for that." The genius declared to Naruto rushing in, as she pulled on his arm, "Also sorry once more! But we need to go now!" She cried out pushing Naruto...although it wasn't working as she was turning bright red when using all her strength to push Naruto. So...they stood in place until Naruto waved at B goodbye and walked forward allowing to spare her any humiliation on her lack of strength.

As Naruto was pushed out of the room, then soon the building Norn continued down to lead him to a small clubhouse. "I… I…" The poor girl was having a moment to take a breath due to her hard work.

"…It was barely five mins of walking." Naruto said, astonished that she was that winded on just… putting her hands on him and walking out. "Did you not exercise this week?" He asked knowing that if she doesn't get at least a few minutes of physical activity she becomes easily tired.

"N-No, was too busy telling the teachers this…" She said face planting on the ground. "…The Dirt tastes different… I think this is from canada… it tastes nice…" Norn muttered out as Naruto chuckled softly, while grabbing the back of her dress and easily lifted her upwards. "Thanks, in the club room please."

"Yes Norn~" Naruto chuckled as they saw their partners in the clubhouse, DORUmon was sitting on the couch while Ryudamon was simply meditating in his corner. "So you made the school make this for us?"

The girl nodded when Naruto set her up right, dusting herself off the young girl. "I do need new work space and prefer to be away from others when working on projects. So it wasn't too much to ask for my usual requirements."

The young once again forgot how much influence she has on being a student...no, better make that the whole nation of Japan in terms of keeping her happy. Whenever she was happy, technology advice, new species are discovered or was told on possible evolutionary traits to be shown. They would give her a house with everything she can ask if it meant more accomplishments to be given by her.

It was a miracle she was… unique in her personality to only abuse the power for things like this. Naruto knew full well that if anyone else had this much freedom it might have been problematic. Norn only craved knowledge, it was a chore for her to do more to explain her findings after finding out. Thus the rewards were made for her, she was in many ways in league so above others that it scared Naruto at times.

"Huh… well I'll be. I guess this works out for all of us." Naruto nodded with approval. As he saw Norn heading to a fridge which had an assortment of drinks, passing the young male a ramune drink. "So is this-"

"Our new HQ~!" She said, lifting her hands up, "Ehehe," giggling sweetly almost like birds chirping in a melody of sweet tones. Her face slightly deflated as she took a seat next to the purple fur Digimon, "I don't… I don't want to see what happened the other day again. So I made this to prepare ourselves, I don't know if other evil Digimon are going to target you. That's why I wanted to help even a little…" She looked at the skates he used the other day against the Bug Digimon, "I even told the students that I broke them, not for a field test but… for my own selfish wish…" Patting the item softly, the white haired girl whispered, "But...they were okay with it, otherwise the school would be punishing them for making me sad. Even though they were heartbroken when I showed the remains of our- I mean their device."

"Norn…" Naruto frowned, his expression of concern never leaving his face. She truly was scarred by what happened the other day. "You don't really have to-"

"Naruto, please…" Norn stopped him from talking. "I need to do this… for myself. I don't want to just… do nothing."

Rika's words still sting harsh from that fight, calling her a wimp for being a pacifist… and she can't even argue back as it was true. Norn was never confrontational unless she can win a fight with words and logic, and yesterday she had to let the tomboy help more than she could.

"If I may." Ryudamon cut in as he opened his eyes before standing up from his meditation. "Naruto, as much as you are concerned for her well-being, and I'm sure she is appreciative of that, you must allow her to walk on her own two feet, so-to-speak."

"But I…" he looked down as DORUmon nodded.

"Yeah, I mean most of us Digimon need help but to be strong we all have to walk our own path." It said as Naruto sighed relating his words.

He moved and held Norn into his arms, "Even if you feel like you don't do anything… I will always appreciate you and your help."

She didn't say anything...but nuzzled into his embrace and enjoyed this warm yet unknowing feeling deep inside her chest. It was something foreign yet familiar to her mind, like a memory that was lost to her so many years ago.

"You can always depend on me, Norn. For anything. And I mean that." Naruto reassured the girl.

She nodded unsure of how or why, that suddenly she cannot speak… she'll research it later. "Ok…" Oh nevermind she got it back…

"Well then now that that's settled…" Ryudamon began.

"Can we eat? I'm hungry…" DORUmon whined.

The armored theme Digimon sighed, "And just when I thought you were actually starting to be mature." With a few laughs given Norn smiled normally again before looking at her friend… that's right as long as they were together they're wasn't anything to fear.

XXXXX

LATER THAT NIGHT

XXXXX

"Mamma, are you ok?" Norn asked alone in her home for one of the rare times without sleeping over. She was calling her parents who were once again still overseas, "You're starting to break up again."

"Damn- sorry, bad word!" Helga said before fixing her screen as she started to look better to Norn's screen. "Is that better barn?" She asked as her daughter nodded cutely, before looking slightly confused, "Where is Naruto?"

Norn took a moment to think of the reason, "Tsunade-baa wanted to check on his body, and he needed to take care of Ryu- I mean my toys!" She said slightly panicking on the slipup she let out.

"I see. Well, as long as he's okay, that's all that matters. Just be sure that you two stay out of trouble, you hear?" Helga said with a soft look of warning to her daughter.

"Mamma, I'm not a five year old." Norn pouted as if her mom had insulted her.

"Norn…" She started as the girl flinched at the tone, her parents have never once yelled at her in life. They were always careful around her knowing she was a genius but had the emotional level of a young child, which she was. But her mother always gave a warning whenever Norn believed she was above normalcy… which was rare, mind you. "You can be the genius who can time travel or stop the common cold. But you are still my daughter, I can't help but worry."

Norn hung her head lowly, of course that was true… that was one of the obvious things that she already knew. Childish impulses one of the things she can't control. "I understand, Mamma…" She eventually sighed in defeat. "Mamma...can I tell you something?"

"Oh?" The older woman said, it was rare for her own daughter to ask something like that. She would usually have to figure it out or notice things to get her to say something, "Is something the matter?"

Norn nodded and looked annoyed with her own self, "I… I don't like someone, and I don't want to feel that way. What can I do to stop it?" She asked with haste as Helga's eyes went wide before almost letting out a laugh from her lips.

So… she was really normal after all, the older woman couldn't help but feel very relieved from that.

"Oh barn, you don't need to worry. If you don't like them, then you don't like them. It's perfectly normal for someone your age." Helga smiled at her. "Come now, where did this even come from anyway?"

"I… there's this girl who makes me so… so mad!" She said her face turned into a frown of anger. "She calls me names, thinks I'm a coward for not going confrontational like her, and how she treats Naruto as well, just…" She gripped her hands tightly as her eyes glow bright for a moment. "...I don't like feeling like this! It feels icky! I don't… want to feel this way."

The mother of the genius merely smiled at her, "Norn, it's something that you have to get used to. Everyone feels like that, God knows your father has made me-"

"You hate papa?!" Norn said nearly heartbroken at the thought as Helga, realizing her words were being misheard, lifted her hands to wave it off comically fast.

"Nonononono~! I meant that we all have moments we don't like a particular person at times." She said, trying her best to explain, taking a moment and nodded to an idea forming. "D-Do you remember the time you hated cats?"

Norn lips tighten as she nodded… not fond of that particular memory. She adores most domesticated animals. Cats, rats, dogs and others before meeting Naruto tried to play with a stray cat. And against her usual logical mind set tried to take it home… only for it to scratch her hand.

As the old expression said… 'once burn, twice shy' was all true. She cried and whenever a cat, friendly or not, was near her she had all sorts of mix… Oh… "...I think I understand what you mean mamma…" Norn said softly, remembering that after meeting Naruto, he helped her regain her love for them. Getting a kitten to snuggle to her made her adore it, but obviously being smart enough to connect the dots… her mother was saying that she needs to understand that feelings are odd and she needs to adjust not remove.

Helga let out a breath of air from the relief that she was able to convince her daughter to agree with her. Raising a child who can easily run circles around you in intelligence was rather hard to convince when things are good for her… but easy to make her eat vegetables when she also knew that it would make her beauty and body grow correctly. "I'm glad to hear you listen to me, snow fairy."

Norn lips twitch at the affectionate nickname, once she hated her hair color due to children often calling her names or the fact it gave her too much attention when she cared for.

The young girl yawned before rubbing her eyes, "Mamma, I need to sleep, it seems the recent events are still taking a toll on attacking and all that." She said, telling her mother the truth of what happened. But oddly-

"Ahaha, and glad to see you playing like a kid is also going great. Okay baby, sorry daddy couldn't say hi, but his work needs him and so do I." Kissing her daughter from the screen, and logging off made Norn tilt her head cutely.

"Ah?" She was assuming she would rather be panicking or shocked beyond belief? Perhaps her parents don't mind her fighting off powerful Digimon. "Ryudamon." She said as the being yawned when it moved towards her from his spot from the kitchen. "I'm about to get sleep, need more food or something else before I get my REM sleep?"

Shaking its head, they went to her room where now was a large bedding for her Digimon partner, one of the most expensive bedding for pets she had gotten for. Bowing its head to his master he moved to it as Norn went to her walk-in closet to change into her pajamas. She looked at her body from the mirror she had, still nude from just disrobing and looked at her body. Her skin was pale as moonlight that shone in the night, her body was rather thin even for Asian standards, and her facial expressions were more western than Eastern. But even then...she doesn't understand how people can perceive her to be cute or beautiful.

All she sees is mistakes, small unique skin flaws, proper eye spacing, and thousands of other factors. But none stemming or concluding beauty unlike the Golden ratio she saw in nature or in manga. She looked at the cute clothing that she asked the school and the rarer times, her parents, to buy. She only got them from catalogues from magazines that Tsunade or her mother recommended. All she did like was her current gothic Lolita dress, she doesn't know why but white and black in such a frilly and unique way made them look amazing to her compared to all the others.

After changing into her new set of panties and pajamas, the young girl took her place in bed, pulling up her sheets to cover herself. Momentarily allowing her brain to recite the numbers of Pi. Slowly but surely her mind wandered into eventually that every human's brain required deep sleep. But she whispered one thing that made her sad that it wasn't near her like always. "Naruto… kun."

It was rare for her not to be near him and it made her… lonely. How can she be so… childish? Could it be that she values Naruto more than a friend-

Ahhh… there it was.

Feeling her mind fading into unconsciousness made her mentally file it away. The problem will be discussed or concluded another day, time for rest.

However as hours passed by Norn body began to turn and spasm around. "Nnn~!" The school's goddess groaned in her sleep as sweat started to drench her sheets and clothes. "No… stop!" She cried in pain as her mind was plagued with something she hadn't seen before. "Naruto…"

XXXXX

?

XXXXX

In her dreams Norn was inside of a glass tower as two men clad in armor approached her. One with black jet armor trimmed with gold, and the other had peerless white color armor. She can see their helms move as if trying to talk to her, "W-What?" She tried to speak only for one of the knights to shake his head. She then noticed the two looked at each other with nods, the black knight raising his hands up as green lightning danced around him, while the white clad knight while the other in his left hand produced a double edge blade.

Fear pang loudly in her head and beaten like erratic drum solo in her chest, they were coming towards her.

"N-No! Please don't," Soon they dashed towards her, making Norn feel like her brain was firing in all sorts of directions. But… it ceased… the fear and confusion vanished in an instant as her eyes went hollow from looking at the crystal wall's reflection of her face. "Executing protocol Nidhogg." Her feet lifted from the ground as a glowing keyboard and six screen monitor appeared before her, the floor of similar crystals underneath her shifted causing flying crystals dragons to attack her knights.

The black knight stopped his tracks as he thrusted his right hand to blast one of the statues with green lightning only for it to dodge out of the way. "Knight One is faster than normal… raising speed on Nidhogg's by three precent." Watching as many of them went on the attack to destroy the dark colored knight, only to be in shock as it easily turned them into dust with a single sweep of his hand.

The second knight then rushed in towards her and fired multiple energy beams.

"Knight two's firing power is still the same!" she shouted slightly, losing her cool when her first attempt was miscalculated, feeling the blue energy doing nothing to her tower. Therefore making regain some confidence on her calculations being right this time, but frown when it kept flying towards.

Lowering her head in shame, she sadly gave her last words to her knights, "I am sorry but I cannot let you two to break my world. Unleashing Guardian D," With her words said, a large shadow appeared instantly to capture the knight in her hands. "I must hurry, I can still save what little time I have left… Yes, just a few more seconds and we can be saved… I can be saved."

CRASH!

…

"..." The girl was sent back to her wall as cracks appeared on her front shaking at the sight of her guardian being destroyed along with the black knight. "*********! Is this truly what you wish for?!"

*ZRRT!*

"My… head…" Norn whimpered in pain feeling warm red… wait, red? Touching her head gingelly as pain came from the lightest touch was something she feared blood. She was really hurt that she was...bleeding. Breathing became erratic and rapid, her head became dizzy, "This… what's… I need… I need…" She tried to say something only for her panic to stop her mind from thinking straight.

"I still don't know…" The knight before her said looking at her with disgust in his eyes. Lifting his sword and jumping into the air with great height he reached down her with his sword ready to destroy her tower… and then her.

"I…" As each moment seemed to last longer and longer, to what seemed to be a cruel eternity she screamed out, just as when the sword struck her. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

XXXXXXXX

MORNING

XXXXXXXX

Norn suddenly shot up awake, yelling in fear. Her eyes were wide, her breath being heavy each time she took in and exhaled out air. Cold sweat trickled all over her face that mixed with the fresh hot tears that streamed down her eyes, and was eventually overcome with exhaustion. "...It was a dream…" She said, smiling softly… only for her hands to slowly reach her head as she spoke once more. "So… So why is that… why am I still crying?"

She tried to keep her face strong before it all broke down, curling up and in fetal position she cried harder. And to her disgrace she felt like a child at her lowest point, crying for someone to hold her and comfort her from a nightmare. Her very first one…

XXXXXXXXX

A FEW HOURS LATER

XXXXXXXXX

"Damn Ero-jiji using me to try to get laid." Naruto cursed under his breath, "I got to stop eating too much ramen to let him guilt trip me." He mumbled walking towards Norn's house, "I am so, going to have to buy her some snacks to make up not sleeping over." He said softly when reaching the door.

*KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK*

He waited for Norn to answer the door, but there was no response.

"Huh… weird. Norn usually answers the door right about now." Naruto muttered to himself, before he knocked on the door again. Again he waited for some kind of response, but still no answer.

"Lord Naruto, there is a unlocking device underneath the mat for the door." Ryudamon's voice came out as Naruto lifted his eyebrow in confusion from his words… until he took a moment to hear them in his own head.

"Oh her key," Naruto realized.

Opening the door he saw the Samurai looking Digimon bowing his head, "Something has happened to Norn," Despite his words the Digimon words were careful and calm. "She has been crying ever since she woke up from a nightmare."

"Wait, what?" Naruto looked at his partner. "How do you even know that?"

The armored Digimon shook his head, "Do we not cry? Do we not feel pain? ...Do we not have a soul?" The Digimon asked as Naruto lowered his head and nodded. "We can discuss on that later furthermore-" he noticed there were one Digimon short . "Where is DORUmon?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, "He… went onto school, mind getting him while I talk to Norn? Actually I think it's better if I go alone." He advised as the more mature of the unknown Digimon agreed.

"Very well. But please mind your words carefully." Ryudamon cautioned the boy, before leaving him to fetch DORUmon. Naruto sighed lightly, before he went up the stairs of Norn's residence and walked down the end of the hallway, before he found himself in front of Norn's room. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

"Norn? Are you in there? It's me, Naruto." The blonde boy said.

"...come in." She weakly asked, the male entered the room and was sadly surprised to see her usual upbeat or boundless curious nature...was not there. She was drained as if someone sapped her strength from her body. Moving towards her slowly as if not to scare an easily frightened animal, he reached to her bed and sat beside her.

It didn't take long for her to wrap her arms around his waist, "..." she...she felt safe again, just holding him like this.

"You okay…?"

Norn shook her head silently. "I… cannot understand, my brain won't stop replaying the memory, I… I don't want to go to school." She begged softly, clutching her grip that she had on his shirt tightly.

It hurt his heart to see his friend like this, "Norn what happened?"

"My eyes saw two knights attacking me, they hurt me, they wanted to kill me." She said with fear dripping off her words like water.

She really did have one, Ryudamon was right. That thought process made Naruto really worried about her, the stress of the attack must have finally made her have a bad dream.

"Norn...let's go out." Naruto smiled as the girl looked up to his gaze, a kind smile on his face.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Let's go out. If you're gonna skip class, we'll be working too hard." He said as Norn felt happy at the offer. "I'll call, get ready to go to the city." He offered as the girl nodded, moving to her closet and got some clothes to change into after a quick shower.

Getting his school PDA he contacted the one person he could get to allow this to happen. The Headmaster, while Naruto and the other students were not allowed to contact unless for special reasons like access to certain scientific research or equipment or getting certain members in fields of specialized areas to teach students. He remembered one thing though… he was the only student to gain his private number, due to him being Norn's best friend. "Norn is staying home, had a nightmare. l need passes so the cops can leave us alone." He said aloud his response as he send the massage to the m

…

["Understood, keep her happy and don't lose sight of her. Need any money or transport? Any reservations for anywhere."]

Naruto sighed, replying that they would be fine as he knew Norn hated it. The young girl never liked when the school would try to use Naruto or in this case Naruto asking the school to make their adventure allowed by them. "No, none of that is necessary. Norn has enough school credits to buy a house if she wanted to. I also got some from my last win at the fight the other day. So we are fine." He said out loud as he saw no reply meaning that the headmaster knew he was going to be okay.

Minutes went by as Norn came out in a similar gothic lolita dress that she is fond of wearing. "Naruto?" She asked coming down stairs to see him in the kitchen, taking the moment to watch him from afar. She saw from the side that he was cooking something.

"I know you're there Norn," Naruto chuckled as the girl blushed at being caught and allowed herself to be seen. "I'm making a traditional Japanese meal." He said taking out the pot from the stove and showing it was a basic miso soup, grilled salmon, rice with some seasoning on top. "Something light, we're going to eat something in the city. Snacks, sweets, and BBQ, as much as we can stuff~" He said waving his arms in the air to make her feel excited for the trip.

It seems to have worked on how her face brightens at the mention of food. While a genius Norn had once weakness. The finer things of cuisine, normally to meals she would be fine as long as it had the proper nutrients but for rare times she can wonder about she heads to new places and enjoy the drastic changes to foods she ate dozens of times from merely a few spices or even how they cook it.

Merely taking a small scent of the soup she partook of it, smiling softly as she spoke. "It's...bad as ever." She said honestly as Naruto felt a pang of guilt on that, but watched her still sip the liquid with gentle earnestness. "But...it warms my heart that was so cold in fear just a while ago." She said as Naruto's surprised look melted into a kind smile.

The two ate in silence as he went to change out of his school uniform for normal clothing he sometimes had when sleeping over. He had a simple black jacket with a white shirt underneath it, and had grey pants with an orange vertical stripe on the sides. On his left wrist was an expensive analog watch and to add to the outfit was an odd necklace of a wolf attacking the sun. It was from Norn's homeland that she brought for him when visiting her grandparents last year. He always wears it but never shows it unless he is going out. "Ready?" Naruto asked as Norn slipped into some comfortable shoes, nodding to his words as he took her hand.

The two run towards the city that was nearby, as Norn follows Naruto. Eyes glued to his back, a blush forming on her cheeks, How is it...that she never noticed that despite their young age, that it seems so broad and sturdy. The nearly never ending curious nature of the girl felt like time stopped still for them, even though her legs were on fire from the massive strain on running...she felt she could do this forever if she could.

Her overly complex mind conducted reason after reason on possibilities she was reacting to this. Hormones, stress, or just things she just doesn't understand can- No, no this isn't the time. She was with Naruto, her best friend who always saw her as a normal person.

Running after his side, closing her eyes she smiled widely, she soon started to run even faster. That soon made her break the grip on his hand when he looked on with shock to see her do something that wasn't usual. Something that meant the same result in the end unless an emergency or other reasons, and it was her complaining about running in the first place.

Norn knew that quite well herself being humble enough to admit her flaws, however…

"Fufu, hahahaha~" Her laugh seems to have caused the clouds that were above them, that covered the sun, to finally part. "It's so wonderful~!" She shouted, ignoring the adults around them looking at the two kids with odd expressions.

Giggling sweetly as her footsteps loudly hit the payment, before she realized her lungs were on fire. Even then it just made her laugh more, harder as well when she turned to see Naruto looking at her with a smile on his face. If she were to ask him what she looked like right now…

He would respond with 'beautiful' as the sight of Norn, sunning shining from behind her body giving her an aura of radiant happiness. Her long white hair seemed to be made of silver, from how the sun shone on each strain like it was made of diamonds. Even the dress seemed to glow like it was enchanted from a children's tale as it made the young girl like a child goddess descended down to earth, "Ahh…*Huff, huff* I...don't know why but that was so fun!" She beamed to him, continuing with obvious happiness in her tone. "I never run like that ever, it was like I had an energy that never before was tapped."

The young man felt his heart was lifted from any pain and guilt he felt that he saw from earlier. Norn smiling even when she was having a hard time breathing made him regain some happiness himself. "Alright let's take it slow, no need to rush. Otherwise we have to go home already." He said as Norn nodded to his reasoning but moved up as she lifted her hand.

"Umm...m-may I hold my hand with yours? I mean, hold hands with you." The genius question as Naruto merely put forward his hand which she gingerly reached for it. A moment her hand seems to flinch away as if she was worried about something, until her soft fingers slowly and with the gentleness of flower petals wrap around Naruto's own. 'His hands...they're so rough yet...so warm as well.' It was strange indeed she realized this from his own training and way of life being active. But it's another thing to actually feel and touch it, it was like his aura, unscientific as that is, was telling her that it's okay.

Once more the two walked down the streets, in a more relaxed pacing this time around. As Norn laid her head on his shoulder, one would say they were sweethearts despite their young age, despite how vastly different and unlikely to be friends at all...it was the most adorable sight that adults saw as they walked by in silence. Even the police that were watching couldn't have the nerve to break their moment and merely look the other way.

Save for one person who was walking behind them several yards away, despite the distance. The person glared at the two as it made a sound of disgust at the sight.

XXXXXXXXXX

IN THE CITY

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oh my~" A female store employee said with a blush when seeing Norn come out of the dressing room in a simple white sundress on her body. With a straw hat also on top of her head, a classic summer look that made any girl look beautiful. But this young girl could easily be a better model than even the top fashion models in their fair city.

Naruto nodded to what the stun store clerk was unable to do, complimenting her customer. "Norn, you look like a commoner who got adopted. Natural beauty with a regal air." He said as the girl looked down turning red slowly at the unknown feeling resurfacing and...growing larger than before.

Retreating back into the dressing room, Naruto felt worried if he said something wrong. Until Norn's head pops out from the curtains, blushing as she stutters, "T-Thank you."

"...Take care of that girl." The employee said as Naruto nodded and took a step back when noticing her nose had a small trail of blood from it. "Oh pay no mind, my heart is okay just...full of wholesomeness."

"Okaaaay?" The blonde fighter said as the woman saw Norn leaving and presenting her the clothing she tried on.

"Thank you, but I will not-" She tried to start only for the woman to pass it back to her with the hat on top of the younger girl's head.

"Take it." She said as the woman pointed to the manager...was she also having a nosebleed? While Naruto checked to see if he was having one himself, the employee leaned into the girl to whisper. "I'm happy that your boyfriend cares so much for you."

"B-B-B-B-Bwa?" She exclaimed in a fluster state as she pulled Naruto away. 'Boyfriend…?' She thought to herself shaking her head at the idea, they were friends and always will be...despite that thought was in her head. Her hand grip tightly from an unknown pain slowly borrowing into her chest.

XXXXX

The two quickly went into a lovely teahouse as the two sat on an outside porch where their waitress placed their orders and took the money Naruto left for them. The young girl watched as the sight of nature took hold of her wonderment. Watching a single leaf fall from a branch seems almost graceful, if not for her mind instantly knowing and calculating everything about her surroundings.

It was hard to turn it off, if she can even try in the first place that is. Watching the leaf flutter to where she knew where it landed didn't make it any less beautiful, looking for a moment she looked down and saw her cookies that she ordered...taking one into her hand she already knew its basic ingredients. The obvious ingredients of a cookie: sugar, flour, eggs, butter…

*Crack~*

And now she can taste the deeper flavors as almond imitation, nuts, even a light dusting of cocoa powder if one took the time to notice. All mixed lousy, but it was all the same a sweet, no pun intended, delight to have. "Naruto?"

"Hmm?" The young man looked towards her as Norn turned her head to him, pulling her knees up to hold them. A habit when she is in fear or just comfortable, "I'm so weird…" Suddenly as she said that a gentle piano from outside started to play, it was soft and lovely like you hear when one would confess their love to a friend. "Today was...so horrible with my nightmare."

Naruto didn't say as the gentle music played over their silence as she went on, "But my heart felt...lifted by you." locking her eyes onto his she spoke softly, "Naruto, you spare me of my fear and anxiety that I finally felt. Scary, yes, but I now feel more normal thanks to you."

"Norn, you are normal." He insisted as the girl shook her ivory hair to give her answer. The lovely looks shiny still as the sun bounced off them majestical.

"No, I wasn't...I can even begin where normal is. No girl can easily calculate and see the world like it's a supercomputer analyzing everything it could be told for." Looking down she saw her hands, but it might as well have been a bunch of 1's and 0's to her brain. "But you always treated me like a normal girl when I visited your godfather's candy shop."

Naruto nodded at that, a young girl who looked like she had never seen any candy. Only for her parents to come running that she walked away from their sight for barely a few moments and him just looking at the girl like any other. Which led to her asking him what candy he had.

"Cola gum." He whispered as Norn smiled fondly at that, he still remembered it.

"Naruto...I think I…" She looked at his face, before her brain was signaling warnings and retreats protocols. "I…" Norn trailed off as the albino girl said with a pleased smile, "I want you to stay with me, as both my friend and fellow partner." She asked as Naruto scooted close to her.

"I will." He said looking at the sky, "We got more time to spend where do you want to go?"

Norn, after taking another cookie, lay her head on his shoulder, "For now just a bit longer and maybe somewhere we both can enjoy some fun."

It was a nice feeling to be normal...to feel normal…

Although from the other side of the tea house was a red clad girl glaring at them darkly, "She needs to go…" fingers playing around the broom that was nearby made her gain some ideas on how to do it. "He will be mine little girl.'

CHAPTER END.

AK: Not going to lie, despite this not having action or drama. This was so fun to write on cute snd wholesome scenes. It feels like going back to simpler times for me, so anyway happy late birthday my friend. And to all of you I sincerely hope you all liked the chapter, please leave a review if you did like it.