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Naruto awoke to the sound of birds chirping.
He groggily sat up, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light of his surroundings. His head ached, his butt hurt, and he wanted to go back to sleep.
This must be what Ero-Sennin felt like after that festival we went to…the one he asked me never to mention again. Naruto thought, dimly. He rubbed his eyes, and then began to take a look around him.
He suddenly realized that he wasn't in the forest near the pond that he had been before he had passed out.
His mind abruptly cleared and he jumped to his feet, looking around in every direction. He had never seen a forest like the one that he now resided in. His eyes widened as they took in his surroundings.
Beautiful… was the first thing that came to his mind. And for good reason. The forest seemed to hum with a mysterious, almost arcane presence. The ground was covered in a soft moss, and littered with leaves of all colors. He saw red, purple and green leaves, both on the ground and in the surrounding trees. These trees were large and wide, but also rather short and stumpy. The blue sky was visible between the wide, leaf-covered treetops. He saw many plants that he had never seen before in his life, and had a rather tempting urge to go up and pick one, but thought better.
Naruto also heard many sounds, ones that he wasn't accustomed to. In addition to the chirping of the birds, and a hoot from an owl, there were short bursts of a throaty, raspy call, which Naruto couldn't decipher. The trees also emitted groans and cracks as animals leapt from their branches, as if they were communicating in a language he could not understand.
And the smells…Naruto had gotten very sensitive to smell in the time he had spent with Ero-sennin, and he guessed that was because of the presence of the demon fox Kyuubi within him. He had already inherited a fraction of the demon's healing abilities, so Jiraiya had theorized that he would slowly attain other abilities from the demon as well. The smells of the forest were far different from the ones he had smelt back in Konoha and the surrounding territories. It was unnerving for him, as he had grown accustomed to these smells, and to have such an abrupt change was strange.
Where the hell am I? He thought, still gazing at the surrounding forest. He then remembered the small pendant, and immediately opened his closed left hand to look at it. It still possessed the same glowing quality that it had when he had first seen it. He held it up closer to his face, and discovered that it had small, runic designs etched into not only the silvery pendant, but also the green jewel in the middle.
What the hell is this thing? And why did it bring me here when I picked it up? He thought, turning the necklace around in his hands. He sighed and then shoved it into his pocket, before once more turning his attention to the surrounding area.
I better try and find someone… He thought, and began to check his equipment. He silently thanked Ero-sennin for beating it into his head to bring his weapons pouch wherever he went, even if it was to the bathroom. He counted his kunai, finding that there were four left, along with fifteen shuriken, two smoke bombs and three explosive tags. He also had several blank scrolls, but that wouldn't do much in this case.
Finding that nothing was missing, he began to walk. He didn't have any idea where he was going, but he reasoned that going somewhere was better than just staying in one place. He periodically stopped to sniff the air, trying his best to identify any smells he recognized. He didn't have much training in the deciphering of smells, and wished that Kiba were around in order to locate civilization.
THAT FOOL COULDN'T FIND HIS WAY OUT OF A BATHROOM STALL, BRAT, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE COULD FIND CIVILIZATION HERE?
That's true, snorted Naruto, before he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes nearly popping out his head when he heard the voice.
Kyuubi?
AT YOUR SERVICE, BRAT. The demon retorted, sounding amused, whether it was at his own response or Naruto's brainless one, Naruto couldn't tell.
How the hell are you speaking to me? Wait; scratch that, WHY the hell are you speaking to me?
I DON'T KNOW, FOR BOTH QUESTIONS. I HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, AND WHEN I AWOKE FROM THE SLEEP THAT PENDANT INDUCED, I FOUND THE BARS OF THE CAGE FARTHER APART, AND MY VOICE CARRIER FARTHER, IT SEEMS THAT I CAN NOW SPEAK TO YOU WHENEVER I WISH.
Shit…now I'm in a big, completely foreign forest, with a large, fuzzy bastard haranguing me in my thoughts, Kami must love me.
THAT'S TWICE YOU'VE USED THE WORD "HARANGUE" IN A DAY, BRAT, DON'T USE IT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
Shut up, fur ball. Do you have any idea where we are?
NO, I HAVE NEVER SET FOOT HERE IN MY LIFE, AND THAT I FIND IS SURPRISING IN ITSELF, CONSIDERING MY AGE. YOU ARE ALSO CORRECT IN THINKING THAT THIS PLACE IS FOREIGN, AS I DO NOT RECOGNIZE ANY SMELLS EITHER.
Crap…so where do we go from here, fox?
CONTINUE WITH WHAT YOU WERE DOING BEFORE, TALKING TO YOU IS RATHER BORING, AND SO I WILL SLEEP INSTEAD.
The demon said nothing more, so Naruto continued to trudge on, even more confused, and truth be told, a little scared that the fox could now speak with him.
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Naruto didn't know how long he walked, but do to the fact that his legs were almost burning in pain, and he usually could walk a great distance without getting tired, it must have been pretty long. He was also very hungry, though he thought better about trying any of the brown, fuzzy looking fruits he saw occasionally hanging from the branches of a smaller tree, not wanting to risk eating something that he might regret. He saw a few squirrels here and there, but hadn't felt like trying to catch any at the time.
It was when he was beginning to consider keeling over from exhaustion that got his whiff of humans.
He'd know the smell of humans anywhere, considering he had lived around them all of his life. These humans, thankfully, smelt no different from the ones back in Konoha.
And they were close.
Naruto nearly jumped into the air, pumping his fist, but dismissed that idea when he remembered how tired he was. Turning in the direction of the human smell, he quickened his pace as much as possible, making a beeline for the source of the smell.
Ten minutes later Naruto emerged from the forest into a clearing, where he saw a cluster of houses in the middle. The sky was dark, but he could see smoke rising from the chimneys of said houses, and though they were made in a completely different style than the ones in Konoha, in an almost archaic fashion, he didn't care.
People meant food.
And food was good.
Not wanting to startle any of the villagers by sprinting into the village, he walked into what he assumed was the front of the village, as there were two posts on either side, each bearing a small banner with the drawing of a tree on it. He walked along the path between the two posts, and to his relief he saw lights in many of the houses. He sniffed the air, quickly locating the nearest source of food, and made a beeline for it.
He came upon a relatively large house, with two chimneys puffing out smoke, and a sign in front that read: "Willow Inn." Naruto relaxed again.
At least they speak my language. He thought. He entered the building without another thought.
The inside had everything an inn should have. It was cozy and inviting, with a small fireplace, complete with crackling fire. Tables and chairs surrounded the fireplace, and a desk sat at the front, an old woman with graying hair and spectacles was sitting at it, writing something down with what appeared to be a quill of some sort. She looked up when Naruto stepped in.
"Hello, dearie, how are you this fine evening?" She said in a friendly tone. Her eyes were warm and brown, and though Naruto hadn't been to Konoha in almost six months, he couldn't believe how big of a difference there was between the eyes of this woman and the villagers back home. It was staggering.
Shaking it off, and walking up to the desk, Naruto answered her question,
"I'm alright, 'mam, a little tired, but alright. I'd like to stay for the night and some food…but I have a slight problem…I don't have any money…" he said, looking down a little in embarrassment. To his surprise, the old women laughed and said,
"'Tis alright, dearie, you can stay for the night, I won't deny you a warm bed to sleep in. As for food, I just baked a loaf of bread, and if you'll wait a tic, I'll bring it up to your room. Alrighty then, take this," she handed Naruto a key, and pointed up the stairs on her right, "and head up there, second door on the left." Naruto was shocked at the kindness this woman showed, he had never seen anyone act like this back in the Fire Country!
Of course, Naruto also guessed that this woman didn't have to worry about enemy nukenin busting into her house, so he figured that they must have been naturally more trustworthy than anyone back home.
Naruto, of course, had his morals, and said quickly,
"Thanks! Um…I'll pay you back! I promise!" he said. She laughed again, her warm brown eyes dancing with mirth.
"If you insist, dearie, now get to bed, you look like you need it." She shooed him off with a few waves of her hand, and Naruto walked up the creaky steps to the second floor. He quickly found his room, shoved the key in the lock and entered. He fell flat on the bed seconds after he entered, and the only thing that kept him awake was the prospect of food.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on his door and the old woman came in, a tray carrying a pitcher and a few slices of bread and cheese in her hands. She set the tray down on the bedside table, before turning to Naruto.
"Anything else, dearie?" she asked, smiling at him.
"Ah…no thanks, and thank you very much for the room and the food." He said, smiling at her. She smiled at him again before exiting the room, leaving Naruto alone.
The bread was fantastic, and the cheese was orgasmic. Naruto guessed that it tasted so good because he was so hungry, but he didn't care. The pitcher turned out to be filled with milk, which was refreshing beyond all measure. He ate everything on the tray, and without another thought, promptly fell asleep.
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It was morning when Naruto awoke, and it took him a few minutes to remember where he was. Waking up to a plethora of new scents and sounds was a bit disorienting for him, but he shook it off as he stood up.
ABOUT TIME BRAT, I WAS GETTING BORED. The demon fox Kyuubi growled inside his head.
Shut up, bastard fox. Naruto grumbled, his mood souring a little as he remembered the new situation with the fox.
THE OLD HUMAN HAS BEEN IN HERE THREE MORE TIMES SINCE YOU FELL ASLEEP, YOU ARE A NINJA, IF YOU ARE NOT MORE ALERT, AND YOU COULD GET ME KILLED.
The world would be a better place without you, fox. Naruto snapped back. A sudden scent interrupted his tirade, and he saw that the woman had placed another pitcher of milk and several slices of bread and cheese on the table. He smiled a bit, and ate his fill of the delicious food.
I WOULD RATHER EAT A RAW BOAR; THEY ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD AFTER AN APPETIZER OF HUMAN CHILDREN.
Do you have a volume control or something? Naruto grumbled, trying to tune out the demon's commentary. Any further conservation was cut off by a knock on the door. Seconds later the old woman walked in, her warm brown eyes affixed on Naruto.
"Have a nice rest, dearie?" she asked, smiling warmly.
"Yes, mam'." He responded. He then said, "about me paying you back…do you know where I can find a job?" the woman looked slightly surprised that Naruto had offered to pay her back, but responded in a nonetheless cheerful tone,
"You're an odd one, I don't think I've had anyone who'd willingly want to pay me back after I offered all that for free." The boy responded in a slightly embarrassed tone,
"Hehe…I promised, right? I don't go back on my word." He boasted, grinning and throwing his chest out. She chuckled at the sight, before turning away and motioning him to follow. They went downstairs and out into the street. The sun was shining brilliantly in the sky, and this only enhanced the mysterious quality of the forest. The woman pointed down the street to a small house near the end.
"See that house, right there? That house belongs to an herbalist, young Jon Raikmore. He's been looking for someone to help him gather herbs, and pays well, or so I've heard. You could probably get a job or two out of him. He's a bit lonely, of course, ever since his wife died, but he's the man to see about a job right now." Naruto grinned and thanked the old woman, promising to return and give her the payment. He then set off towards the herbalist's house.
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When Naruto entered the house, he was met with a particularly strong, and rather unpleasant, smell. It was like a mixture of rotten eggs and lemon juice. He nearly gagged at the smell, and pinched his nose shut to ward it off.
"Oh, I didn't realize I had a customer!" came a soft voice to Naruto's left. He jumped in surprise, and whipped around to see a rather tired looking young man standing in a doorway. He had short brown hair, and dull blue eyes with dark bags underneath.
WHAT KIND OF NINJA ARE YOU? Mocked Kyuubi.
Shut up, fox. The boy groused. He then addressed the young man, who he assumed was Jon Raikmore.
"Uh…yes, I need a job for a little, so I can pay back this nice lady who let me stay for free at her in, and to buy some supplies. She told me that you could give me one…can you?" The man looked a little surprised, but that died quickly and he nodded.
"Of course. I do give out jobs, and you're in luck, I have need of someone's help right now." Jon then turned and walked into the room behind him, motioning for Naruto to follow.
When Naruto entered the room, his jaw dropped at the amount of books that where piled from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Naruto wondered how Jon moved around in the room without getting squashed by the towers of heavy looking books. Said man was currently hunched over a book on a desk near the middle of the room. He waved Naruto over.
"I'm looking for a special type of flower, known as silverleaf. Its quite common in these parts, and this is what it looks like." He pointed a picture in the book, and said, "get me several bunches of this, and I'll pay you a silver or two. If you can get it done before nightfall, I may have some other work for you." Naruto nodded, and turned to go, but was stopped by Jon's voice.
"Boy, what is your name?" Naruto looked a little surprised, and realized he hadn't told anyone his name since he arrived.
"Uzumaki Naruto," he said. Jon looked at him carefully, before turning back to the book.
"An odd name. It sounds Pandaren."
Naruto walked out, feeling slightly confused.
What's a Pandaren?
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Gathering the silverleaf was more difficult than Naruto had expected, as a lot of the plants looked the same. After he found his first plant, however, it became gradually easier. It seemed to grow next to the larger trees, usually ones with reddish leaves growing on them.
It took him roughly two or three hours to gather a suitable amount of silverleaf, and thankfully he didn't have to go to far from the village. He figured it would have taken him longer if he hadn't possessed ninja speed, or a strong sense of smell, and when he returned to Jon's shop, slightly dirty, but grinning broadly and clutching a bunch of silverleaf flowers in his arms. Jon inspected the flowers before he smiled slightly as well.
"Thank you, Uzumaki, you work fast, and this has been a great help. How would you like to work here part time? Unless you have somewhere else to go, I could use the help around the shop." Naruto paused at this, he had been planning on getting some supplies and then setting off to find out how he could get back, but he thought that maybe he could get some information in the village, and he could definitely use the money.
"Sure, I don't have anything else to do," he said, grinning. Jon smiled back.
"And by the way…Naruto's my given name, Uzumaki is my family name…"
"Eh? Then why didn't you say your name was Naruto Uzumaki? You're a weird kid."
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This continued for a week. Naruto would get up at dawn in the morning, train a little near the forest, and then head to Jon's to get a list of herbs he needed to gather or medicines he needed to deliver. At the end of the day, Jon would pay him and he would return to the inn, eat dinner, and go back to sleep.
That of course, couldn't last forever.
And almost a week after he had arrived, trouble struck.
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So? What do you think?
I realize the chapters aren't that long, but they should come out at a pretty reasonable rate.
I won't be able to update for about a week, as I am going on vacation.
The action will begin next chapter: The curse of the Furbolgs! Naruto's journey truly begins!