Snow fell around both of them as they trekked through the forest of dead wood. Naruto was carrying two packs, his own, and Maria's. The blonde shinobi shuffled behind the woman in the tobacco dress. Winds broke through the tree lining, making them both shiver a little bit. They had left Higanbana five days ago and found themselves heading north.

"Are you doing okay back there, kid?" Maria inquired while walking over a snow patch, "I know that pack can be heavy sometimes."

Naruto stuck his right thumb up, indicating he was okay. He began to contort his fingers into a series of different positions, communicating with her. "I'm doing okay, just tired." He signed while dragging his feet a little in the snow.

His body still ached, some of the internal bruising still remained. His chakra kept him moderately warm, pushing any water particulates off his body to keep him dry. Maria hummed a lively tune while they walked, she looked behind again, noting that he was keeping pace like always. Over the last two days since leaving the town of Higanbana, that Shinobi learned a lot of things.

Technology for example played so many roles than his world could ever imagine. These things, that they call scrolls, were like miniature…everything's…really. He saw people use them to make calls, somehow, and then turn around to use them as guides. Then the greatest thing he had ever seen drove past them that day, a car, something his people only thought of as fiction.

For the past two nights, whenever they camped, Maria would let him look at her scroll. News articles, most importantly however, the blonde learned about where exactly he was. Mistral, on the continent of Anima. He had looked up general information about it, and everything readily available. It was topsy-turvy compared to his world. Where one couldn't get ahold of a village's information without prying, it was all here at the touch of a fingertip.

City Names!
Manufacturing Jobs!
Important People!
Locations of their own academies!
Even their best fighters!

All here, literally a touch away, and he could read about them. These Huntsmen, and Huntresses, the creatures fought, Grimm. He learned about them, having seen a pair of red eyes one night after taking a leak. They didn't come after him, staying away, observing. Maria, who has traveled the world almost, called this 'stalking behavior.'

It meant that sooner or later, one of these creatures was going to get brave.

Stopping when the old woman did, she saw that their path was blocked by a river ahead. Sighing, the woman turns to him, "It looks like our pathway is blocked." She bemoaned while looking and up the riverbank.

Naruto took a moment to step over toward it, cupping his hands in the water as he knelt down. He suckled on the cold nectar of life, feeling it wash down his still burnt throat. In that moment, since she had been so kind to him. The blonde shinobi faced toward her and walked. She was confused, even more so when he knelt down with his back turned to her.

"What are you trying to do, boy? You're going to reinjure yourself!" She chastised him but relented when he remained. She climbed up on his back, using the packs to maintain her grip, "Alright, fine I'm up here! Now, what do we do abou-ah?!"

He took off in a dash, she about to scream when something gripped her to him. The energy ripping through her core, which made her eyes widen at the warmness of it. It was if she stood close to the sun, but not close enough to burn, warm enough to not feel fear. When he reached the edge, the grip around her old legs tightened.

The blonde leapt, flying through the air before clearing the eleven-meter gap. Landing on the other side, and sliding on some, they both jerk to a stop. Naruto stood straight up before kneeling down to let her off his back. The woman gets off his back, breathing hard before looking at him.

"Um kid, did you just leap across the damn river?!" Maria shouted flabbergasted, looking at where they used to be, "That's…nearly thirty-five feet, better than any long jumper I've seen."

Naruto rubs the back of his head, smiling bashfully. He then began to sign, "I told you, I'm not like you."

"No shit," Maria commented before looking at him. "Can everyone where you come do that?"

He thought about it, shaking his head, and signing "Only people like me."

"Huh, you mean you're some type of Huntsmen?" She inquired while walking next to him, continuing their hike up from the riverbank and into the woods.

He shakes his head, forming a hand seal, "Shinobi."

"So, I've been meaning to ask you. How did you end up in this world, obviously it didn't look like it was by choice." Maria said while watching the tree line, "I saw the bodies."

Naruto frowns at this, sighing, and then looking away. She took the hint, continuing to walk with him. Whatever messed up things that had happened to him, she was sure he'd tell her when the time came. That's when she reaches into her pocket, pulling out her scroll.

"Want some music, kid?" She asked while scrolling through her scroll's playlist, "What's your poison?"

The blonde thought about it, turning to walk backwards, scratching his chin. The thirteen-year-old continued thinking before shrugging. Maria sighed, turning to a band called 'Gypsy Kings' in her playlist. Slowly, the strumming of guitar strings filled the air. Drums followed the guitar, creating a symphonic string of music.

The old woman couldn't help herself as she swung her hips while walking. Naruto turned back around but then looked over his shoulders watching her snap her fingers to the music. It brought a small smile to his face, but then he immediately felt guilty, he thought of the people back home. Sighing, he just focuses on the road ahead.

He closes his eyes, thinking to himself.

"Naruto!"

The blonde shinobi was sitting up in a tree, looking down, "What's up Sakura?"

"Lady Tsunade has a mission for us!" She yelled out while standing there with her arms crossed, "What are you doing up there?"

"Listening to the birds make music."

"Again, do you even know what type of birds they are?" She inquired before hopping up to the same branch he was on.

"They're swallows, since it's near Winter they'll be gone." Naruto answered her before watching her sit down, "How important is the mission?"

"C-rank, just some basic escorting."

"Aah, back to the basics," He mused while looking up into the tree. "Sakura, I have question for you?"

"Yeah, go on, shoot!"

"Do you think Sasuke is going to come back to us?" He inquired while watching the smallest chick in the nest getting left behind by its siblings. "I just hope he's okay, you know?"

"I'm sure he is, he is Sasuke after all. You're still not feeling guilty, because we've talked about this. It's not your fault, and I don't blame you." She reassured him before walking over to sit next to him on the tree. "I trust that together we'll get Sasuke back home!"

Taking a deep breath, Naruto watches as the lone chick takes flight, "I hope you're right."

"Of course, I'm right, when haven't I been right?"

"Pfft, don't even get me started, for starters you think dango is better than ramen. That very answer is all kinds of wrong," Naruto replied before feeling something on his hand. He looked down to see it was Sakura's, "Um…Sakura what are you doing?"

"How about you just shut up and enjoy the stupid birds."

"Sure Sakura, let's watch them together."

The blonde looked up to see familiar looking birds flying over him. They dodged in, and out od trees, three of them. They're calling to each other, their birdsong was beautiful. He closes his eyes, taking it in only to feel a pang ring out through his heart. He wished that she was here with him, the last straw was remembering her smile.

That smile, beautiful and innocent, with the warmth of spring that bloomed her namesake!

His lip quivered, chest tightened, and finally the dam broke. A quite sob at first escaped him, making him stumble. Maria took notice of this, walking up to him. She heard the telltales of someone crying under their breath. The young teenager slowly let got, feeling the water gather in his eyes.

Breathing harder and harder, he stumbled more. Until finally he stops walking, standing there biting his lip to keep from openly sobbing. He had not a damn thing to remember them by, not even a picture! Slowly, it dawned on him that this was it, this was going to be his life now.

No more Jiraiya.
No more Shinobi.
No chance at becoming Hokage.
No going to Kakashi's and Sakura's gravestone.

He was in this world!

Naruto felt hot tears fall from his eyes before feeling something warm on his shoulder. He turned to Maria, who was looking at him, music still playing. "Hey, kid, are you okay?" She asked while seeing him cry. The blonde scrunched his face up before it all hit him.

He walked toward a nearby tree, dropping the gear before openly sobbing. The old woman walks over to him, sitting next to him. Not knowing what else to do, since he hadn't told her, she just sits by him under the dead tree. Perhaps all the events that had happened to him were finally rushing in now that he had a moment to think about them.

"Sa…ra…" Naruto sobbed brokenly before clutching his chest, "Shi…"

She pieces it together, "You've lost people to them, haven't you?"

He weakly nodded his head. Leaning it back till it was on the tree. Slowly, she took his hand into hers, clutching it tightly. "I won't let you suffer this alone, child." She softly said to comfort him, "Because I knew I wouldn't want to be alone during this."

Getting ahold of her hand, he clutches it before sobbing openly. Fresh hot tears poured down his face, she was there with him, throughout it all. Gods know what those bastards did to this kid, especially since he seemed strong, unnaturally strong for his age. Those stories he wrote, about other places no where on Remnant might just be true after all she supposed. Then, as if to add on to this plethora of pain, she heard howling.

The blonde heard it too, getting up from tree. They both watch as eight large, bipedal, wolf demons clambered out of the brush toward them. Naruto was about to go to form a hand seal, but instead found himself kicked away by Maria. He was about to try and scream for the woman when her can suddenly sported a blade.

One of the wolf demons closes the distance only for that blade to be slung upward. It glided right into the beast's jaw where Maria rips it out. Her body had teal energy covering as she picked up speed on a twist and slashes the beast in half. The other wolves stopped in their tracks, growling, and encircling her.

Naruto watches as the bisected beast disintegrates into ash. These were the Grimm he read, and heard from Maria about. She stood up, twirling her weapon about. Only now did he realize that the design of it was like that a mini scythe. She laughs while preparing herself, holding the blade out, the other beasts growling and snapping at her.

"Boy, get up and run, I can handle this!" She commanded him, attempting to protect them.

She knew better though, with her old age, she'd be lucky to hold her own against three of these things. They must've sensed the boy's negative emotions earlier, which is why they are scampering in for a quick meal. Instead of running, she watches the blonde stand up, slamming his right hand into his left open palm. Two new demonic creatures joined in, larger wolves, with bony armor around them.

Alphas.

Alphas were Grimm that had lived more than a few decades. Gaining bony armor that was bullet resistant, the only real way to take them down was close quarters combat or a large caliber gun. Was this it, was it her time, at long last? Did Maria the Grimm Reaper finally find her match! Her thoughts were interrupted when the young teen besides her charges forward.

"Kid wait, what the hell are yo—"

Her screaming was interrupted when several plumes of smoke erupted around the kid! Now not just one of them, two dozen of the kid charge forward. A mass of clone slammed into the first seven beasts, knocking them back via tackling and kicking. One of his clones gasped as one of the beasts tore its head off, before disappearing into smoke.

Mean while two of them managed to pin one down, and break its neck. The two alphas slowly approached them, Maria having no choice reaches into her boot. "Kid!" She screamed while throwing a knife toward him, "Catch!"

Naruto caught the knife midflight, taking it out of its sheath. He poured chakra into it as the first demonic alpha charges. He flips backwards to avoid it's first claw slash, the second one getting counter when he brought the knife up to block it. Maria saw more of the clones defeating two more of the beasts. She ran right toward the other alpha, dodging slashes, and slashing with her kama.

She used her semblance to sidestep it to the left, hooking her kama on its shoulder. She spun on the handle once to deliver a kick, but grunted when her leg became sore from it. Her advanced meant that even her aura charged kicks weren't much to write home about. She saw the blonde in peripheral vision using her knife to block, and slash at the demon fighting him.

He dodged by backstepping, then delivering a chakra enhanced stab into the beast's breastplate. It shatters the knife to pieces. His eyes widened as the beast's claws cut through his jacket, causing some slashes in his chest from the claws. He backflipped away as his wounds started to heal.

"Damn it, I can't do this fight right now, I'm still not at even halfway to have my chakra reserves back." He thought to himself while rolling as it launched itself at him, using his superior reflexes and speed to keep a step ahead. "These guys move fast, but the other ones, without that bone armor…are much slower."

"So…these are Grimm…"

The alpha fighting Naruto slashes at him, and then followed up with a bite. Each time, the blonde managed to use his forearm to deflect the blows by impacting the claw's wrist. The bite however caught him by surprise. He barely to lean his neck back, only feeling the beast tear the strings from his jacket.

Maria wasn't fairing any better. Each of her strikes deflected of the beast's armor plating. Only her semblance kept her from being caught a strike. Today was a horrible day, she was getting a stark reminder of her inability to fight on the same level she had been able to. Some whippersnappers out there were probably flowing around a battlefield with a large scythe, making a mockery of her performance.

The kama in her hand sparked as it glided over the beast's underside. Not even penetrating it, just ended up screeching against the bone armor. She rolled forward to another strike, bringing her kama up in time to block the next one. Spinning her kama in her hand to give it momentum, she gave a worn battle while matching the beast slash per slash. Sparks flew, bone amor chipped, teal aura blocking fatal cuts.

Naruto himself was not having such a great time of it, watching as his clones pinned down the remaining four. They were still fighting, and he didn't want to form another batch just in case he needed the chakra. His chakra system was still heavily damaged, despite his physical body almost being healed. Dodging to the right, he then followed with a chakra enhanced straight punch from his left hand. It sent the beast sliding backwards, making him breathe hard. Licking his lips, the blonde momentarily turned to see Maria's progress.

His eyes widened as he found her in retreat! He attempted to run toward her, only for the alpha to intercept him and get a lucky slash across his side. His eyes widened as fresh ichor sprayed the snow. His wounds bleeding, hissing as they attempted to close.

He watches Maria push her opponent away, feeling some of his clones kill another beast. She runs at him while his own alpha charged, "Kid!" She screamed, only to get knocked to the ground.

Naruto's eyes widened, as he kicked the beast attacking him back. Jumping into the tree, only for it use it claws to climb up and follow him. He jumps back onto the ground, attempting to get over to her. The alpha from before launches itself down at him, pinning him to the ground. Naruto watches as she falls to the ground, gaining momentum with her kama to slash the alpha's leg off!

It turns around, pinning her on the ground before sinking its teeth into her shoulder. Her teal aura barely hanging on. She saw where the blonde was struggling with the first one. She watches as Naruto kept its maw from closing around his neck. Kicking it off, and rolling backwards Naruto forms another clone next to him. Holding his right hand out, the clones began to mold visible chakra into his hand. The ball, yellow in color, spiraled with a screeching noise. To Maria, using ADA, she couldn't tell what color it was.

The energy ball screeches in his hand as ducked under a slash from the beast. Dodging to the right, he then jammed the beast in the side with energy ball. She watched beast screech in pain, slashing his arm open before he aimed it toward the crowd of remaining beowolves. The ball suddenly exploded, releasing the beast, and jetting it off into a spiral of flailing limbs. It impacted the other wolves, breaking one of them in half from the force.

Her own alpha was still digging into her shoulder, trying to break her aura. Naruto got up, running toward her full force! Her attacker was about break through her aura when he suddenly appeared above it. Kicking it hard in the face, and sending it flying into a tree. She watches as he picked up her kama, launching himself into the air while gripping it with both hands. He spun around, adding momentum before slicing diagonally downward!

The beast's upper body fell to the side, followed by tree behind it. Red ichor flowed from the teen's wound on his arm. Staining the shirt she bought for him, its fabric ripped open where it had caught him. The other two remaining beowolves got up, growling at him. He stood up straight as the hissing of his wounds doubled. Spinning the kama in his hands, giving it momentum, he then charges at them. Like a machine, he spun around, cutting them to pieces before appearing on the opposite side of their charge.

A broken, victorious, scream rends the air, more animal than human. He fell to one knee, breathing hard as his various wounds began closing fully. His body stained by old ichor. He got up before coughing onto the ground. Some blood escaping his mouth from his throat

"What are you, boy?" She asked, her voice shuddering while looking right at him, fear lacing her voice.

She had seen many children his age practice in combat classes. This kid however didn't need the practice, he just almost singlehandedly took down two alphas. His other clones from earlier, which bothered her, because that meant that he had more than one semblance. Super strength, speed, and reflexes. This kid had been trained for battle, and she witnessed it!

Naruto looks at her before biting his lip, and stares away. She thought about running, the malice rolling off him earlier was potent. Vicious as he was in the fight, and those hard blue eyes having lost the warmth in them, he had saved her!

Breathing hard, the blonde closes his eyes before signing to her, "I'm sorry."

Maria felt sorry for him, but most of all she felt disappointed in herself. The boy was getting ready to leave, he walked her kama over to her, placing it in her hands. However, before he could get away, she reaches out and grabs him. The blonde looked at her in surprise, shocked even.

"Now wait a damn minute, boy, I asked what you were. I'm not telling you to go off and leave, besides I'm poor old woman…in the woods." She told him before getting a small smile on her lips, "You pretty much saved my bacon out here today."

Biting his lip, Naruto held up the arm that had its sleeve ripped open, along with the open cuts on his chest. His wounds had fully healed again, "So…ry…" he said brokenly.

"Don't apologize, clothing is replaceable. Now, who the hell trained you kid? This place, Konoha, do they train all kids like you?" She inquired, watching as he rubbed his head nervously. "Don't be scared kid, I'm not going to hurt you after this…hell I think I couldn't even if I tried."

Naruto thought about, remembering the book, and began to spell out the term using sign language. She has ADA translate for her, watching him contort his fingers. "S.H.I.N.O.B.I, Shinobi." Her aid device stated while taking pictures of each use, forming the word, and saving it for later. Much like it had done earlier with other times he used sign language.

She repeated the word, "Shinobi…Shinobi…wait. Are you saying Shinobi, like as in Ninjas?"

Naruto's face lit up! Did they actually have ninjas in this world?! If so that meant they could bring him into the fold, at least he'd be amongst familiar fellows if anything. However, judging by Maria's surprise, she only had bad news for him.

"Kid, ninjas aren't real, at least in this world. We only have people who use the term, and they're mostly criminals." Maria explained to him, but he repeated the argument. "Okay, if you're a ninja, transform into me." She then challenged him.

Naruto stood there, then weaved one hand seal, and got surrounded by a puff of smoke. Maria watches as he, now she, walks out of the smoke. Same kind of dress, same kind of hair, but no ADA prothesis. Her eyes remained blank, which scared her slightly, until he transforms back into the blonde. The old woman thought she had seen everything, and the only thing she could do was chuckle.

Either this kid was real, or she forgot her meds a long time ago. He hobbled back over to the bags, picking them, smiling a little bit before taking a deep breath. He drops the bags, running over to her before hugging her. This surprised her, when he pulled away, he was slightly blushing. She admitted though, the hug was very warm, and once again that brightness filled his eyes.

It was like she saw the warrior the kid was, this Shinobi, and then when all sense of battle left him he went back to this kid. She sighs, and walked over to him, "So…did Konoha train you like this?"

"I learned from many," He signed before looking toward the road ahead. "Mistral City?"

"Bo-Naruto," she called him by his name, "Did those people I found come for your world as well?"

He turns to her, nodding before grabbing both of their packs, strapping them on. She sighs, and then smiled.

"Truly, how weird can this world get? Perhaps he needs a mission, a purpose, but until then he's just a kid whose suffering. One of these days, he'll open up." She thought to herself, "Shinobi…if he's from another world, maybe that's their version of Huntsmen."

"Still…that doesn't explain why they specifically targeted him. Also, when he was fighting those beowolves, he didn't have any aura blocking the damage. Perhaps he hasn't unlocked it yet, maybe…" She lingered there in her thoughts, walking next to him.

"Kid," he turned to her, "Do your people have what I have?"

He leaned his head to the side in confusion, she then showed him the glowing energy around her skin. The blonde thought for a moment, then shook his head. This surprises her, since all living things had aura, no matter how big or small. It was just a matter of unlocking it for use. She'd have to teach him, and maybe he could do it? Only time could tell, despite him obviously being stronger than her, he lacked experience in this world.

She was curious about his though, "Naruto, I have a proposal for you."

He eyed her curiously, signing, "Yes?"

"You tell me about your world, and I'll train you in my ways." She told him while both continued down the path, coming to an actual road finally, "You don't have to tell me anything personal…just know that if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here for you."

The blonde sniffs a little bit, wiping an errant tear out his eye. He contorts his fingers, gesturing for two words.

"Thank you."

Broken Moon!

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer."
Ed Cunningham

Naruto stares at the glistening lights, the tall skyscrapers on the mountain's walls. This was Mistral City, the city of lights, his mouth hung agape as they walked the markets. Vehicles drove by them, and aircraft flew in the air. The blonde saw several other teens playing with a ball, kicking it into a net. Maria was walking closer to him, two days since the beowolves attack, found himself still regaining his strength. She watches him stare around in amazement, even turning to walk backwards to look at the tall wall with spotlights.

This place was the definition of humongous, three times as big as Konoha, and the walls were nearly as tall as some of those giant buildings. Music blasted on the street, some time vibrant music, not like the one they listened to on Maria's scroll. This one was much more synthetic, his teenage spirit gravitated toward it. These new experiences, but inside the guilt kept creeping up. If he had been to Kakashi's house on time that night…he'd never be here.

Sakura and he would probably still be alive…

Maria took a glance at him, seeing the light fade from his eyes again. Guilt eating him alive it seemed, she sighs. Nudging him with her shoulder, it made him stare at him. The old woman began to do some weird dance move to the music coming from the markets. He slightly chuckles, then followed her movement just a little bit.

"Here's a lesson for you, kid. Cities are havens of music, and most people your age dance to it. You might be a trained warrior, but you're still a teenager. I can sense it from you, you want to engage." Maria stated while stepping to the beat, before spinning around once on her feet, "Don't be like my uncle Bruno."

"Who?" Naruto signed in confusion, and then watched as the old woman chuckles.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot I'm not supposed to talk about him." She joked, watching as a small smile formed on his lips.

Slowly he stepped to the music with her, finding himself swaying his shoulders to it just a little bit. The two stopped when they came across someone getting chased. A young boy with light blue hair, getting ran after by three other teens. He slid to a near stop, nearly running into Naruto. Instead of stopping fully, he hops over him by somersaulting!

"Move it, you shithead!" An older teen shouted before reaching for a weapon in his waistband. Naruto intercepted him, grabbing his wrist to hold the weapon down before clotheslining him to the ground.

The girl chasing the bluenette with the older teen curses, "What the fuck you stupid idiot?!"

She tries to punch him, only for him easily dodge by leaning his head to side, catching her arm under his joint. Jerking upward, a loud pop emanated from her arm, making her squeal in pain. The older teen gave up on the weapon, opting to try and punch Naruto. Instead, that bluenette ran up and decked the teen hard in the nose.

"Yo, no time to explain, just come with me!" The teen told Naruto and Maria, dashing away, "C'mon!"

Naruto looked at Maria, allowing her to climb on his back before dashing the street. Keeping pace with the other teen boy. His yellow eyes glistened in the darkness, and much like Renard back in Higanbana, he had animal trait. His was being the wolflike ears on his head. Maria saw the two teens from before, no sooner they got up, they were tackled to the ground by police.

"Yo!"

Naruto's eyes snapped to his front his front. Had been looking where she had been, launching himself up to avoid a truck that he almost ran out in front of. Her eyes widened when she felt the energy anchor her down again. The teen running under them was looking up, sliding over a car, seeing the blonde practically fly!

Landing on the building's wall, sliding down a little before getting s grip with his charka, Naruto took off dashing. He followed the teen, Maria holding on for dear life as they fell back to the ground. He landed on both feet, dashing into an alleyway with the bluenette. The teen ran over to a young girl, getting out a few pieces of fruit, and handing her some. The younger girl, with darker blue hair and the same wolf ears, bit into the apple.

"There you go, Sapphire, big bro always got you." The bluenette comforted her before looking toward the blonde, "Yo, blondie, you really saved my ass back there."

Maria spoke while getting off Naruto, "So, what kid, you stole from them or something?"

"Kind of, but my sis has been hungry, and since I'm not old enough to hold down a real job…unless it's a gang." The boy admitted before sighing, "You aren't going to report me, I mean it's just fruit."

The old woman sighs while looking toward Naruto, who was reaching into his bag. He got out a bag of peanuts, tossing them over to the brother and sister. The brother caught it, looking surprised, seeing the blonde smile brightly. Maria took notice of this, for some reason, she knew that the blonde was showing more than just mere sympathy.

The bluenette smiles, handing the peanuts to his sister, "Thanks…my name is Lapis."

"My name is Sapphire," The girl chimed in before biting into the apple again. "Thank you for helping my big dum-dum of a brother."

"Hey, I'm not a dum-dum, you've just been complaining about being hungry."

"You too are a big dum-dum, if wasn't for them you'd been hurt! I can't let lose you…you know…"

Naruto watches them argue, biting his lip a little bit. His warm smile fell upon the two, Maria watches as he walked up to them. Lapis, who stopped talking to his sister watches Naruto held out his fist. The bluenette turned to him, tentatively reaching up and bumping his fist against the blonde's. He took note of that warm smile, those cerulean blue eyes full of fire.

"So, where are you two staying tonight?" Maria inquired, sighing as she began to check her account, "Since I know it'll be raining."

"Oh we're good, we stay underground, near the cisterns." Lapis waved her off, and then looked toward his fellow teen, "What's the matter with you, cat got your tongue?"

Naruto shook his head, crossing an X on his throat.

"Oh…well shi-ouch?!" Lapis yelped when looking down at his sister, her arms cross and her lip pouting, "C'mon Sapphire, that wasn't called for."

"No cussing at our friends!"

Naruto blinked once, then watches as she turned to him, smiling before signing much to his surprise. "Sorry about my dummy brother, friend." He stood there, stunned as she continued signing, "I learned sign language before my mother died of throat cancer…"

The blonde frowns at that, signing in reply, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you couldn't have known. You seem new at this. Your movements aren't sure." She said to him in sign language, and then looked at Maria, "Grandmother?"

Maria notes the sign language, laughing internally before Naruto smiles and nods his head. The old woman's internal laughter stopped before he turned to her, giving her a bright smile. There it was, inside of those eyes of his, when they were warm. That one little speck of deep sadness, the yearning of wanting to belong.

The woman smiles before placing a hand on his shoulder, "He isn't mine by blood. Kind of fell into my lap about two weeks ago. Kind of like you guys, c'mon with me…let's go beat the rain."

"Oh, thank you, my name is Lapis Lazuli," He greeted the old woman. "What's your name?"

"My name is Maria Calavera."

Author's Note.

Did anyone get emotional this chapter, don't be shy, I kind of teared up writing the Sakura scene. These flashbacks will happen frequently. So, we welcome Lapis Lazuli back into the fold, and this time with company. I'll be creating a character sheet for him on my profile here soon. I don't know if this'll be the last chapter of Broken Moon for 2022. I could turn around, and swing another in a couple of days. So, I noticed you've all taken to this story like crazy wildfire.

Thank you, because I was scared to redo this once again, but I think this direction I'm taking is the PURELY what Silent Moon was supposed to be. This story will end being an epic length story, so expect things to cook slowly, like a venison stew in a crockpot. It takes 16 hours, but mmm...the finished product is always satisfying.

Much Love to you all.

Oh, and shout out to Master Attlon, Bratja Rasa, and Rio Skyron. You all have been a very big help not just with this story, but other tales such as Roaring Sun, Those Who Endure, and perhaps my other future story to come! Go read their content, especially like longer crossovers. Hunting Or Bust is probably Master Attlon's greatest work. Bratja as a host of Highschool DxD, and Rio Skyron pretty much is a jack of all trades.

If I don't see you all before the year is up, Happy New Year!

-Blazeraptor54

PS. If you listen to music while reading, just know that this story's theme is Golden Hour...I know it's cheesy.