Naruto groaned softly, not sure how long he had been asleep for, though it made him wonder where he was… Looking around tiredly, Naruto saw that he was in the boiler room. Frowning in confusion, he tried to think of the things that had happened before everything went dark… He was talking to Orochimaru about the golden scroll… getting shot with a Shadow Gun… after that… nothing. Did that make sense at all? Taking a deep breath, Naruto pushed himself to sit up and rubbed his chest. The hole that was there had disappeared, the only thing that had showed any sign of an injury was a red circle on his skin.

Turning around, he saw Sasuke sitting at his desk; sound asleep though it made Naruto wonder how long the black haired man had stayed there. Frowning in confusion, Naruto got up and walked over to Sasuke and gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, Teme wake up."

Sasuke just groaned and slowly opened his eyes only to stare at a pair of ocean blue eyes. Blinking a few times, the black haired man sat up and stared at Naruto in shock and confusion. Though, a sign of relief was shining in his black eyes. "Naruto, your awake… how you feeling?"

"I feel fine. I… I felt like I was floating in darkness… I was cold… freezing…" Shaking his head, Naruto tried to think of what more he could say to explain what he had felt while he had slept. He didn't remember it very much… "I was alone… so very alone… but I heard… I heard Hinata's voice… her voice brought so much light to that place… than… than I woke up feeling better than ever before…" Shaking his head, Naruto stared at Sasuke as if he would understand what he was saying.

Sasuke chuckled a bit as he said "you were alone and cold because of Orochimaru's spell and cause of your sealed memories. But Hinata's voice brought you warmth and a light that you haven't felt in such a long time that you had forgotten what it had felt like. It's the reason on why you're awake right now, and healed from Orochimaru's gun and the Toad Sage's curse over the scroll."

"The scroll, where is it?"

Sasuke frowned as he said "oh, Hinata went to go take it back. She wanted to save you…" The way he had said that, it made Naruto's blood boil a bit. As if Hinata was just going to someone else's place to hang out and have fun. But with the Toad Sage… it made Naruto worry… he knew that the sage was an old pervert and would try to take advantage of her! He knew it…

"Naruto, Hinata can take care of herself. She had taken care of Gaara by herself. She can handle the Toad Sage just fine… Maybe you could deal with Orochimaru… make a deal since it seems like you're no longer under his control… or else you would have tried to go back to him for some more orders…"

He was shocked hearing this. Hinata took on Gaara? And won? That just didn't make any sense, Hinata was a human and yet she took on one of the most powerful spirits of the spirit world… It was either just dumb luck on her part or she was a lot stronger than she let on. Though, Naruto was just thankful that Hinata was safe… for the time being… though right now he had to think of something… had to find a way to keep Hinata safe and to get her out of here now that he was no longer under Orochimaru's control.

This was his chance to free Hinata… But it wasn't going to be as easy as it seemed.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto left the boiler room and started to head for the top floor. He walked up the stairs, knowing very well that if he took the elevators Orochimaru would know that someone was coming up, and he wasn't expecting anyone to be coming up at this time. Taking a deep breath Naruto saw that everyone was staring at him with a strange look on their faces. They all looked like they were in shock to see him walking around.

Maybe Orochimaru had told them that he was no longer working for the bath house. Though, that was half the truth at this point… he wasn't going to work here forever… Though, the only problem was that he still didn't have any memories of his past… Sighing softly, the blonde fox kept walking up the stairs, his many tails swishing behind him as he walked. He was excited to show Orochimaru what he was going to do. For now, Naruto didn't have to hold back his urge to punch the white skinned freak in the face breaking his nose.

Chuckling, Naruto looked up at the stairs, he was almost there… just another two flights of stairs and Naruto would be at the top.

"My love, you must promise that we will meet in my next life… promise me this…" Said a woman's voice in Naruto's mind, which had caused him to stop and rub his forehead. Trying to figure out what the hell was that… why had he heard a voice that… that almost sounded like Hinata's? That didn't make any kind of sense at all… Shaking his head, the young man kept on walking up the stairs, he wasn't going to stop. He had to keep going in order to save Hinata from this place…

Though, while he was at it… he was going to look in Kiba's memories… hoping to figure out how Hinata really got those bruises… for if they were made how he thought they were made then he would make sure that he was human… "So I can rip him a new one." He growled out softly before starting to go up the last flight of stairs.

For him, the more he thought about hurting Kiba the more he forgot about time… he lost track of time on how far he had to keep going… For, before he knew it Naruto had already reached the top… He could faintly hear Orochimaru speaking through the door.

"Hana didn't get enough money from Gaara. She'll have to be punished…"

"But, Hana got rid of Gaara… Besides she is protected by a Spirit's Kiss."

"Bah! A Spirit Kiss is nothing more than a fairy tale. It isn't true and will never be true understood." Growled out Orochimaru, which told Naruto that even though the pale skinned man was a great mage that he didn't believe in the power of the Spirit Kiss, though Orochimaru seemed like he just didn't believe at all, though Naruto knew that he had to catch Orochimaru off guard so his plan will word, taking a deep breath, Naruto kept listening to what Orochimaru was saying… hoping that it would give him an idea to when he wasn't looking at his desk…

"Sir, what are we to do… Naruto is gone and Hana disappeared…"

"Well… since she's not here than I guess we could cook up some bacon." Laughed out Orochimaru which only made Naruto sick to his stomach, oh how he wished that he could just shoot… oh yeah…

Taking a deep breath, Naruto pushed open the door saying "hold on Orochimaru."

"Master Naruto, you're alive!" Shouted one of the servants, though Naruto didn't look at him to figure out who it was… he was more focused on the pale skinned man though while Orochimaru was focused on Naruto, one of the fox spirit's many tails was slowly reaching over to Orochimaru's desk to take the one thing that he knew that would make Orochimaru listen to him.

"So, you're still alive… who knew that you were strong enough to survive the Shadow Gun… No one has ever survived its power." Said Orochimaru with a frown, trying to figure out why Naruto was here. Though, Naruto just smirked as he saw the confused look on Orochimaru's face, it made him smile.

"I want you to rip up Hana's contract and free both herself, and Kiba so they may return to the human world."

"And why should I do that…?"

"Cause of this!" Naruto charged toward Orochimaru, picking him up by his throat and slamming him against the wall, his one tail coming close to him and handing him a familiar black gun as Naruto pointed it at the snake man's head. Orochimaru's eyes were wide when Naruto had drawn his own gun against him. This was something that he hadn't been expecting at all. "Now, do as I say Orochimaru. Rip up Hana's contract and I'll let you live."

Shaking, Orochimaru stared at the angered fox spirit, the blonde's once blue eyes were red with rage. Looking more and more feral than before, showing that Naruto wasn't kidding around. He was much too serious to be kidding right about now. Gulping, Orochimaru calmly said "I… I don't know Naruto you know as much as I do that… that once someone signs that it's almost impossible for them to get out."

"That's bull shit Orochimaru. I'll give you to the count of five for you to rip up her contract before I shoot your brains out and let them splatter on the wall." Growled out the fox, he started to count down. "Five…" He dug the gun a little deeper into Orochimaru's forehead. "Four…" He turned the safety off as his eyes narrowed into slits. "Three…" He tightly held onto the trigger getting ready to fire. "Two…" Naruto dub the gun just a tiny bit deeper into the white man's skull. "One…"

"Wait! I'll do it! If she can past my test then… then I'll let her go!"

Naruto just raised his eyebrow at Orochimaru but agreed… Hinata was a smart woman… and knew very well that she could easily pass anything. Dropping the man, he calmly said "I'm keeping this gun… for if you go back on your word… I'll shoot you and rip up her contract myself…"

With that, Naruto walked out of Orochimaru's office with the gun. Not wanting to take the risk of the snake man taking the gun and trying to shoot Naruto in the back so he couldn't get her… Looks like things were starting to lighten up after all.

Groaning, Hinata stretched as she was let off at Swamp Bottom. She was thankful that she was able to get off and stretch. Looking around, the young woman wondered which way she had to go now… Frowning, she thought that she would just go toward the forest… Maybe if she was lucky that she would find a sign or something that would tell her where she had to go in order to find the toad sage, though at the same time… hoping that she could get something to eat at least… she was hungry…

As she walked, Hinata tried to think about the dream that she had… of Kiba pushing her into the street… being saved by that strange man… it confused her on who the man was but deep in her heart… she felt like she knew who it was. But at the same time, she couldn't think on who it was… Sighing softly, Hinata kept walking, thinking that maybe if she just kept thinking of something that it would keep her mind busy of how long she was traveling.

Though, now she knew why it was called Swamp Bottom… It was literally a swamp… and it looked like that it had hit rock bottom years ago. Though, it made her think on why anyone would want to live here… unless it was because of the toads… since well he is a toad sage, so of course he would want to be in his element. Frowning in confusion, Hinata leaned against a tree to get a rock that had fallen in her shoe as she walked. Unless it was from a small stone that had gotten stuck on her heel that had fallen into her shoe, or there was a hole in her shoe that had made a rock come in…

At this point, anything was possible.

When the blue haired woman looked up, she couldn't believe what she was seeing… it was a toad half her height hoping toward her, tilting her head to the side Hinata put her shoe back on and stared at the toad as it jumped over to her. "Are you here to see Jiraiya?"

"Who?"

"The Great Toad Sage."

"Oh, than yes… yes I am."

"Follow me please."

With that, the toad started to hop on ahead of Hinata. Guiding her to where the Toad Sage lived. Who would have thought that the sage would send someone out here… did he know that she was coming? Or did he always send a toad out to search for people when he senses that people land or come here? It was all so confusing to her. Staring at the frog- err… toad, Hinata saw that it was red with a strange blue pattern. Almost as if the pattern were leaves maybe? That was hard to say really…

"Um… was the Toad Sage expecting me?"

"He knew that someone was coming. He didn't know that it would be a woman. I must warn you, he is a huge pervert."

Hinata just sighed, so that's why Sasuke was telling her that he was weird. It did make sense now… Though, now she knew that she would have to keep her guard up and that he kept his distance from her. At least, till she could get him to lift the curse from Naruto and so she could go back to him.

The toad just kept on hopping along; Hinata wondered what it was like to jump like that. It made her wonder so many things, like was this guy almost like Orochimaru? Or was he different? That would be hard to say… Sighing softly, Hinata rubbed her arms as if she was cold and looked on ahead; she saw a small house with lights. Seeing that they were close now…

"Is that his home?" Asked the young woman as she stared at the hopping toad, after all why else would the toad lead her to this place?

"It is, he might be writing something or looking for his scroll. That is why you came all the way out here is it not?"

"It is…"

The toad went silent after that, and hopped up onto a large rock and pointed his lantern that Hinata had now just noticed… toward the door. Why didn't she notice that lantern sooner? Was she in such deep thought that she had failed to notice it? Shaking her head, Hinata walked toward the front door and gently knocked on the wooden door. It looked like such a nice little cottage. Something so homey… it made her home sick…

"Come on in."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata walked opened the door and walked on inside. The first thing she saw was a tall man with tanned skin, long white hair that almost touched the ground. He wore a green shirt and green pants… The shirt had a net like style down the center of the chest. And long green sleeves that had net-like gloves… over his shirt was a long red vest-like jacket. Tilting her head to the side, Hinata calmly said "are you… Jiraiya the Toad Sage?"

Seeing the man nod, Hinata walked over to him saying "um… Naruto stole something from you and… and I wanted to return it…" The man lifted his head from whatever it was he was writing and gave a small smile. Only for that smile to turn into a goofy grin.

"Well, aren't you a pretty woman. I don't get many women here; I'm amazed that someone as beautiful as you would show up." Jiraiya stood up and held Hinata by her shoulders giving Hinata a look over then stared at her chest with a perverted grin. Though, Hinata punched him in the face watching as he fell over. "Don't do that again please… I only came to return what Naruto had stolen from you."

Quickly, the white haired man stood up and gently took the scroll from Hinata though as soon as he had touched it, he blinked in confusion. "What happened to my protection spell?"

"What do you mean?"

"I had a spell on this that would tear anyone from the inside if it was stolen… but it's broken… That doesn't make sense…"

"Maybe it was weak against Naruto…" Hinata suggested, which only made Jiraiya laugh. Blinking in confusion, the blue haired woman asked "what? What's so funny?"

"The only thing powerful enough to break my spell… the only thing that could break my spell is true love."

"Love?"

"Yes, I may be a pervert but I believe in true love… so my spells, can only be broken by true love…"

Hinata was confused… if the spell was destroyed, than who could have broken it? Yes, she loves Naruto more than anything but… he wasn't bleeding from the inside when she found Naruto… He only had a wound to his chest from a gunshot… that doesn't make any kind of sense… Rubbing her arms, Hinata tried to think if Naruto was okay. But, nothing would calm her down till she knew that Naruto was safe…

"Come, I'll make some tea… make yourself at home okay? If the spell is broken than I'm sure that the worst is over for Naruto."

Nodding, Hinata sat down and waited for the tea. Wondering what could have happened… wondering if Naruto was really okay… "Ah yes, Hinata… you worked for Orochimaru correct? How was it that your memories weren't affected?"

"How… how did you know my name?"

"I know the names of anyone that enters the spirit world, even humans."

"Oh… um, yes… I was trying to save… my boyfriend… he was turned into a pig… and… and Naruto tried to help me…" Hinata wasn't sure why she was telling him all of this. But, had a feeling that he could be trusted… he almost reminded her of her grandfather… if her grandfather was a pervert that is… Sighing softly, she calmly said "well… when Naruto found me, I felt like I knew him from somewhere… but I couldn't remember… I might have been a child when I met him…"

"Hm… that is a good start Hinata, after all when you first meet someone you never forget… memories may fade deep within your mind but you'll never truly forget them." The Toad Sage calmly said before handing Hinata a cup of tea. Staring at her with gentle eyes, he calmly said "look Hinata, I'm not going to tell you that your memory will return right away, it normally does when you've relived that memory… Just relax okay?" With that, Jiraiya went to the back room for a moment to get something.

Leaving Hinata to herself… to her thoughts and the memories that she cannot reach, this of course made her sigh softly in confusion.

Looking at the flames in the fire place, Hinata tried to think on what she could do, thinking on what she should do… but hoping to remember… She knew that Naruto looked so very familiar to her… but she couldn't place the time or place… It was as if, that memory had been blocked… But, maybe… she should open her mind back to the idea of magic and spirits… like when she was a child.

After all, that was when she really did believe in all of this. She knew, that maybe if she had opened her memory back up to magic… that she would remember.

Closing her eyes, Hinata could picture it all… a shrine… her as a small child… Looking around with curious eyes, than looking up at a man with blonde hair… and sad blue eyes… She couldn't see his face… it was blank just like the statue in the shrine… Had that been Naruto?

"Hinata, here…" Said Jiraiya when he had returned, which had made Hinata look up only to see Jiraiya holding a beautiful orange ribbon with black flames at the end. It reminded her of Naruto's clothes… but… just a reverse of colours. Smiling a bit, Hinata gently took the ribbon from the white haired man's hand and removed the ribbon from her hair, replacing it with the long orange black one.

Though, just as she had tied her hair back with it, someone else had knocked at the door. Though, it sounded… soft… as if there was something that had padded the force of the hit on the door. "Hinata can you get that for me," asked the toad Sage as he went to get his other coat.

Hinata nodded and opened the door, about to greet the person who had knocked only for her eyes to widen in shock. For, standing just outside the door was a huge fox the size of a horse, (maybe bigger) standing outside. Nine tails gently moving about in the wind long ears folded back in a calm and gentle manner. Though, the eyes… red as crimson… pupils slit-like a snake's… were calm, sweet… and gentle…

"Naruto!" She cried as she ran to the fox. Holding onto him and nuzzling his head with hers, small tears rolling down her cheeks. Letting out happy sobs as she said "you're okay… I… I'm so happy Naruto… I… I never knew that you would be okay…"

The fox just let out a soft growl of content.

Jiraiya smiled as he walked out of the door. Knowing fully well how his spell had broken… it was because of both of them. When he had held the scroll, he saw the memories of Naruto… the reason how the spell broke was because he wanted to protect Hinata's world from Orochimaru. "Naruto, you have done a great thing by risking your life, to save Hinata's… in order to repay me for stealing my scroll just protect her from now on." Naruto nodded and knelt down for Hinata to get on.

Smiling, the lavender eyed woman got on Naruto's back and grinned at him and waved to Jiraiya. Now, it was time for them to get back to the bath house… though as long as Naruto was with her… she could go through anything…