Chapter 2

Road to Viridian City

It was getting late and Naruto knew they would have to stop soon. "Gena we'll stop here for the night. Blaze and I will get a fire started so you and Mienfoo just get settled." At the end of that Naruto and Blaze went to look for some nice firewood.

Gena was alone now with Mienfoo resting against a tree already fast asleep. Gena couldn't help but worry about Naruto. They both knew nothing about where they were and trouble could be around the next corner. She hated the fact that she worried about him so much, but the more she hated it the more she wanted to think about it. It was a lose-lose situation for her. She dropped to her knees feeling like her emotions would be the death of her.

Suddenly she heard a soft singing coming from behind. She turned around to see the Jigglypuff they had saved from Onix. "Hey there." Gena was very hesitant because she's not used to being friendly. "Are you looking for Naruto? He's currently looking for some firewood, he should be back shortly."

Jigglypuff shook her head at the question and jumped into her chest making Gena blush heavily. Gena pushed the Pokémon away and put her arms over her chest. She was completely embarrassed and was glad that Naruto wasn't there to see that. Mienfoo just laughed lightly as Gena stared at her frustrated. "Jigglypuff, what was that for?" Gena asked her face still red from embarrassment. Jigglypuff ran up to Gena again and this time hugged her leg and somewhat smothered herself on the leg.

Gena looked at the Pokémon in confusion until it finally rang in her head what Jigglypuff might want to join her team. Go for it Gaara…I mean Gena, Jigglypuff is a Pokémon that kicks some ass, especially when it evolves into Wigglytuff. Gena grabbed a Poke Ball from her bag and held it with both hands. Jigglypuff saw the Poke Ball and jumped back looking like she wanted to be away from the thing. Where, in fact, Jigglypuff was getting ready to be caught by Gena.

"Um Jigglypuff, do you want to come with me on my journey? I don't mind you coming but do you?" Jigglypuff's cheeks puffed up just like Ash's Jigglypuff did and walked over looking a little pissed off. Gena stood up and held the Poke Ball forward seeing if it would just open and catch the Jigglypuff but that's not exactly how that works. Jigglypuff jumped up and punched the button on the Poke Ball making it open and suck Jigglypuff in. The Poke Ball went I DONG and Jigglypuff had been caught.

Gena had this look of surprise about her because she did not expect the Pokémon to actually catch itself. She remembered that Naruto had to battle Onix before he caught him but then again not having to fight was good. She didn't want to be what her male version was, a ruthless killer. She wanted to be a completely different person, seeing as how she technically was a totally different person. She saw a pile of sand next to her and tried getting it to move. It did. Gena was a little shocked by this because Naruto couldn't use any of his powers so why could she use hers. Then she remembered that her sand manipulation wasn't exactly using chakra, she just did it. She didn't want Naruto to find out that she could use her powers because that would upset him. She didn't want to upset him because that could ruin her chances at getting him to like her that way.

She held the Poke Ball that held Jigglypuff out and it opened letting forth a red light that soon became Jigglypuff. "Jigglypuff!" The small balloon Pokémon said. Jigglypuff again jumped up and put her face in Gena's breasts. Yes this Jigglypuff is slightly perverted and it's a girl. Gena blushed heavily because if Naruto saw this he would probably laugh his ass off. Thinking about him made her heart pound as she soon held Jigglypuff in her arms.

She began to wonder why she acted so differently than the way she did before. She used to be so stern and smart that he was the leader of his village, but now she's afraid to go anywhere without Naruto. Right now she's wishing like crazy to be turned back into a boy because he didn't have to worry about such emotions then and she didn't want to have to worry about them now. She knew that Naruto already had a girlfriend but that didn't mean what she felt inside her new heart wasn't there. The fact that she now liked the boy that she once thought of as an arrogant kid was now the closest thing to her heart and it tore away at her more than any person or Pokémon could imagine. She didn't want this, not at all.

She even talked differently and that made her a little angry. Even when she tried to talk the way she used to as a boy, she ended up talking like Hinata did before she came out with her feelings. She then thought what if she told Naruto how she felt maybe that would make her less nervous around him, but then that made her more nervous just not being around him. If it was this nerve racking she didn't want to feel the nerves that she'd get if he was around. That would just make her hit herself.

The only thing now that she understood was that she was now a girl travelling this unknown world with now two Pokémon creatures and Naruto. She wanted to really have a good handle on why she was feeling all these things and how she came to the conclusion that she was in love with Naruto so quickly. Yeah that was definitely weird and I'm the writer here folks. I don't even know why I did that, guess I wanted to make a little drama early on so that some may get that laugh in before it really starts to heat up. That's later so don't worry everyone I ain't gonna spoil anything.

….

Meanwhile, off in the woods somewhere Naruto was fetching the wood needed for the fire while something still plagued his mind. Why the hell had Gaara turned into who was now Gena? He just couldn't understand why that would happen to him or her, whatever, now and not back on their world. Why did it happen here, why was it that she had become so much nicer? At least what she acted like was definitely nicer than she used to be that is a fact. He liked the new Gaara/Gena because he felt that she wouldn't try to kill him if he said something wrong by accident.

He then began to wonder if Hinata was here waiting for him to come to her. What if she thought that Naruto was dead, what if she…, Naruto didn't want to think about that because he would never do such a thing to her. He would never betray Hinata like that. But that didn't mean he didn't think that Gena wasn't amazing to look at. She was like Hinata only bigger and those thoughts made Naruto blush heavily. He didn't know why he was thinking about those sorts of things but they were coming to his brain and there was nothing he could do to stop them from coming now.

Blaze, standing next to him, tilted his head as he watched Naruto hold his head in frustration. Blaze then had an idea as he came around to Naruto's backside. His beak glowed getting stronger. He then darted up and impaled Naruto's rear end. Naruto's face looked like he had just had something incredibly sour as he was then launched into the air and into a tree, face first.

"Blaze, what the hell was that for?" Naruto screamed at the top- of his lungs as he rubbed his rear. "That was completely uncalled for!"

"Torchic, Tor Torchic!" It said jumping up looking a little angry with how Naruto seemed to be in distress and wasn't telling Blaze anything about it. Blaze just wanted to be filled in on what was going on. That and if it was about Mienfoo he wanted to know everything.

"Oh were you just worried about me?" Naruto asked getting several nods in response to his question. "Thanks buddy, but I was just thinking about Hinata, my girlfriend. She's amazing but I'm worried that she might cheat on me if she thinks that I'm dead or with another girl but I'm trying to think positive here." Naruto then looked at his partner and watched as he came over smiling. "Hey can I ask something? What do you think about Mienfoo?"

Torchic's face froze with its beak open. It had this stunned looked that would have made anyone laugh just by looking at it. Then Torchic looked away making these mumbling groans that sounded slightly human but was still Pokémon talk. Naruto just started to laugh as Torchic turned around sending a Fire Spin at his face. Naruto coughed up a black cloud from the attack. "I'll take that as a, 'yes I like Mienfoo' response." Naruto said smiling to his partner.

Torchic blushed slightly as he didn't really want Naruto to know about his feelings. But since he pretty much figured them out there was nothing left to lose. I like the matching especially when they both fully evolve. That'll be a hot pairing, if there's a pun in there I'm not getting it folks. "So Blaze we should be getting back now or we might make them worry. I know how we can get there faster." He held Onix's Poke ball in his hand and threw it up releasing the giant rock snake that I happen to like a lot.

The rock snake came forth and wrapped its tail around Naruto and rubbed its head against him. Naruto smiled even though this was incredibly painful. "Okay Onix love you too but I need a favor. Mind giving us a lift to the campsite?" Naruto asked pointing with his thumb over to the campsite.

"RAAAGHHR!" Onix cried as he placed Naruto and Blaze on its back and roared off into the night. By the way it's almost completely night out and there is still no fire and Onix is going in like he would if he was using Dig.

Back at the campsite, "Um…Mienfoo what was that?" Gena asked after hearing the monstrous roar come from behind her. They were all hoping it wasn't some monster, Jigglypuff, Mienfoo and Gena, because they have had enough close encounters today with a giant Onix and didn't need something else scaring them. Just as those thoughts left there head Onix came rampaging in scaring them half to death as all three of them shrieked in terror. Try imagining that and you'll be laughing just like me right now.

Naruto stopped Onix as he heard the screams coming from his friends and one other that he didn't recognize. He got off Onix to see Gena and Mienfoo huffing and puffing from being scared half to death by Onix's entrance. Naruto then saw the Jigglypuff he rescued from Onix standing next to Gena also huffing and puffing. Then when Naruto began to laugh which was a pretty bad idea Gena had a cross on her forehead symbolizing that she was really pissed off. Her right hand clenched into a fist as she began to walk or really stomp over. Mienfoo was doing the same as she approached Blaze who wasn't even laughing.

Naruto opened his eyes to see the look of death in Gena's eyes as she brought her fist back, "Uh…Gena?" Naruto said as he was then slugged in the face sending him through a tree or two and landed on his face. Lot of face planting today isn't there. Naruto used his hands to help him get to his feet as he heard Blaze scream. Mienfoo had the look of death as well as her trainer still had as she slammed her fist into her palm. Blaze jumped up in fear and shot in Naruto's direction before slamming face first into the same tree as Naruto did.

Blaze fell over onto its back with a flattened face. Naruto saw this and cringed when he heard a twig snap behind him. He turned his head slowly, hoping that Gena wasn't getting another fist ready to slam down into his face. He's had too many things hit him in the face today and doesn't need anything else hitting him. I know that I wouldn't want anything else hitting me in the face. When he got all the way around he saw her face look like a puffer fish minus the spikes or quills, whatever you want to call them.

"What's the big idea scaring us to death like that huh? If it was supposed to be a joke we're not laughing." She was her stern self for a minute there at least. Even I can barely stand the new Gaara but at least she's not a stick in the mud like before.

"We weren't trying to scare you. If we wanted to scare you we would have done a much better job." Naruto wasn't lying to her anyway so that was good news. Just you shouldn't make a girl who's already angry angrier. That is the worst thing a man can do. Life lesson for everyone there.

"What do you mean by that? You mean you think you could scare us so easily?" Gena was getting a little testy there but I can't blame her. Naruto did say something rather stupid. "You couldn't scare us even if you tried."

"Apparently we didn't need to do much to scare you there. I'm just saying that you were spooked for nothing." Naruto really needs to shut up before Gena's real feminine side takes over.

"Nothing…NOTHING!" (Too late), Gena cried now holding Naruto up by his shirt collar. "Who thinks of using a giant rock snake in the middle of nowhere where someone could get hurt if said snake wasn't paying attention. And who lets there giant rock snake roar off into the night, where someone might not even know what could be out there. What do you think?"

"I think you're choking me to death!" Naruto squealed as he could only produce very few words from the lack of oxygen he was being given.

Gena's eyes widened and then she realized that she was now holding his neck with her hands. She let go letting out a yelp that to anyone who knows Gaara would think this is taboo or something else similar to taboo. I don't know what they would think, but he is a girl now so yeah that could be why. "Sorry I guess I lost myself there for a few seconds." Gena said blushing as she scratched the back of her head. She couldn't believe that she let Naruto get her so worked up and over something so small as an accident.

"It's alright Gena, just didn't think that you were that strong is all." Naruto said somewhat insulting her if you really think about it. He just said that she was weak and what is the most common reason why girls think that men think of themselves as superior?

"Why because I'm a girl and girls are supposed to be weak?" Gena asked as sand began to rise above her. "Maybe I should show how strong a girl can really be."

"No need for that Gena." Naruto said watching as the sand split into two and became two large fists. His right eye was twitching a little as the sand fists weren't leaving. "Gena how the hell are you doing that?" He asked feeling like he was about to go into the air again.

"What, control the sand, I guess I still have my powers. So what, does that make you realize that I don't always need you to help me now? I can take care of myself." Gena said turning around and crossing her arms.

"I never said that you needed my help, I want to help you. Sure you're a girl now, that doesn't mean that you're any different than you used to be. You're still the same Gaara to me only a little nicer than you used to be is all. And I kind of like that about you." Naruto said putting a hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly not expecting him to be so comforting.

"You really think I'm nice?" She turned her head in his direction and she looked a little sad, but really she was just seeing if he would do anything.

He smiled and backed away slightly. "You better believe it, of course I do. I don't mind the fact you've become a girl, it's just a little different that's all. Truthfully I was hoping that you were Hinata when I saw you, but that wasn't the case. Not that it wasn't good to land here with you, I just wished it was with Hinata is all." Naruto wasn't lying but he felt that he may have said a little too much. However what he wanted to do was get to Viridian City so that he could get to Pewter City and challenge the gym leader and begin his quest for the badges here in Kanto.

"I see you really love Hinata don't you?" Gena was a little heartbroken because to her it sounded like Naruto didn't want to be with her but with someone else. Mienfoo and Blaze both looked at Gena seeing her put a hand to her chest as it beat less and less. It was like the words that were coming from Naruto were making her heart stop. "But where does that leave me then?" She asked herself in a whisper hoping that Naruto wasn't paying any attention to her.

"What?" Naruto asked hearing her mumble under her breath. She was being rather strange right now to him, being so silent where she used to be so blunt and honest.

"Oh nothing, nothing!" Gena said waving her hands in front of her. "I was just talking to myself that's all. We should get some rest if we're going to get to Viridian City quickly tomorrow."

"I haven't even got the fire going and the sun isn't even down yet. Are you sure you're okay?" Naruto asked taking a step forward to her. He didn't understand why she wanted this day to end so fast. What was so important about tomorrow that had Gena wanting to get to sleep?

Gena walked forward seeing that Naruto was in deep thought and saw how much it seemed to be hurting him. She brought her hand up and flicked him in the head. "Don't think too hard or you'll melt that brain of yours. We don't need you to be anymore clueless do we?" Gena said smiling at him with a small giggle.

"What do you mean clueless?" Naruto said blushing lightly. He turned away from her as he heard more giggling coming from her, "I am not clueless! I am as smart as you are!"

"No you're not Naruto and even you know that. Why do you lie to yourself?" Gena said smiling somewhat mischievously. She thought if she couldn't tell him how she felt openly then she could at least tease him a little bit. It sounded fun anyways.

"Yeah of course I'm clueless that's why I took out both a Rhydon and an Onix!" Naruto shouted causing an echo in the distance. Gena was taken aback because Naruto sounded angry. "If you want to go to bed I won't stop you but I'm starting a fire and going out to look for some food."

Gena just turned around and went behind a tree so that she wouldn't have to look at Naruto. He was really becoming a pest now and she couldn't stand that but her feelings for him were still there and they conflicted with these other feelings. She didn't want that idiot seeing her so weak.

Naruto just huffed and walked in the other direction looking for anything be it a berry or a dead animal if there were anything other than Pokémon around here. "Hey Onix, Blaze remind me never to get on Gena's bad side will you." Naruto said getting two nods in response. Naruto wasn't paying attention and walked straight into a tree. At least it didn't hit his face.

Naruto rubbed his left arm and felt a small sting, nothing serious but he should be more careful here in this world or something really bad could happen. Then he began to worry about Gena because he had left her all alone when they knew nothing about where they were. But then again if anything happened to her it would be karmas way of getting back at her for him because she did insult his intellect but then again he knew he wasn't that smart. But he had some brains, some not a lot which a lot of people for some reason seem to give him.

He looked at the trees with the light of the moon as his only light source and saw some berries dangling from branches on some trees and picked them giving one to Blaze and three others to Onix who ate them in one gulp. Naruto took one for himself and bit into it and found it to be rather sweet and juicy but it had this other flavor that made him look at the berry. It was completely blue and had a lighter blue head on it. He took out the Pokedex and it said that he was eating an Oran Berry. It also said that it gave Pokémon extra strength when in a pinch. He thought of heading back but he then thought of Gena and decided that he might as well grab some for her, she might be hungry and the last thing he needed was her to be angry and hungry at the same time. That's just a horrible combination.

Gena was waiting at the fire that Naruto had started and was feeling cold from the weather. She didn't understand how it could get so cold so fast, but it did. Then again you entered the Pokémon world during the end of fall. However they don't know that yet. Mienfoo was feeling the same way as she held her arms and began rubbing them trying to create some heat but it wasn't doing much. Jigglypuff was okay for the most part because she had warmth from her balloon like body getting heat from the fire. Hope she doesn't explode from the heat because I actually made a balloon explode by putting it above a flame but the flame was touching the balloon so as long as she doesn't touch the fire she should be fine. But she is also a Pokémon and has a completely different make up then an actual balloon so she would be fine either way, I hope.

"Mienfoo?" Gena asked her friend who looked at her a little startled. "Do you think I was too harsh on Naruto? I know he can be a pain and all, but he's nice and would do anything for his friends I think. I just hope I didn't make him feel insignificant like so many others did."

"Mien Mienfoo." Mienfoo said patting Gena's knee and then going back to the fire to get warm. Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes and that made Gena start crawling backwards with her Pokémon next to her. Mienfoo was ready to fight but was also afraid of what could come out of the bushes. But then she felt the ground beneath her shake and she walked forward and shouted out.

Blaze shot from the bushes looking left and right trying to find what would make Mienfoo cry out like that. Then he heard Mienfoo sigh and realized that he was called out to see what all the noise was about. Naruto came out of the trees with Onix right behind him. Gena looked up and heaved a sigh of relief because she thought it was something nasty coming their way. Naruto walked next to her and held out his hand offering her an Oran Berry.

Gena looked at it with hesitation because she didn't know what it could possibly be. "Don't worry Gena they're good." He said biting into one of the others he was holding. Gena thought that Naruto wouldn't prank her after what had just happened and she was hungry to.

Gena took the berry and bit into it with slight resistance because she didn't want to be overpowered by whatever Naruto might have done to the berry. However he had done nothing because it tasted delicious and it brought a smile to her face. "Thanks Naruto, I was hungry actually." After Gena finished her berry she began to shiver again from the cold winds. Naruto saw this and the only thing he could think of was his orange jacket. He took it off and threw it over Gena who looked up at him with wide and confused eyes.

"I thought you might want to be warm so there you go. I'm going to sleep then I guess. I am actually kind of tired from today. I don't know why but I feel like I was also battling with Blaze when we took on that Rhydon and our new buddy Onix here." Naruto said looking at his fiery partner who was jumping on and off of Onix's head. Onix was smiling at him because it was like watching small children playing on a playground only instead of a playground it was a twenty eight foot long rock snake.

"Thank you Naruto. Good night." Gena lay on the ground facing away from him as she smiled wide feeling like he really cared about her but there was something in the back of her mind that reminded her that he was only doing this because he was just being a good friend and didn't like her that way.

Naruto lay on the ground as his pal Blaze went over to him and nestled up next to him. Then he remembered when Hinata and he would sleep together and he wanted to be with her more than anything right now. However he had to focus on what was important because he didn't know where to look first for Hinata. He did know where the first gym was and maybe they had seen Hinata somewhere. He could only hope that maybe someone in Viridian City knew where to go. HE could only hope that tomorrow when they went that someone would have the answers he was looking for.