What could Naruto say, even back in his world, showers were amazing. This shower he was taking, after weeks of being filthy, felt heavenly. The water cascaded down around him, hot rain, on his skin. Dirt, grime, and dried sweat washes off him. He leans his head up into the water, letting trail over him. After finishing using the bar soap provided by the hotel, he washes it off.
Placing it back in the soap holder, Naruto exited the shower. Getting his freshly cleaned clothes out of the sink since he didn't want to place them on the floor. He puts them on, black shirt over red pants, orange socks. He exited the bathroom into a shared room.
Maria was already asleep on the bed, with Lapis and Sapphire curled up together on other. Naruto took a deep breath, sighing before making his way over to the loveseat toward the door. He grabbed Maria's scroll, typing in the code. Grabbing earbuds from her pack. He pops them in, waiting for them to say that they're synced.
The biggest thing he became interested in while being in this world was…culture. In the Shinobi World, there was one culture, and revolved around life and death. In this world, they embraced so many different things. Music, for one, was the gateway drug. These things called video games, so many games.
There was something called First-Person Shooters, Real-Time Strategy, and even Role Playing. Some many things, and everyone of them unique, his world didn't have this. Playing music in his ears now, the blonde wanted to try everything! Now that they had the down time, not worrying about Grimm on the road, the blonde cuts loose!
Every genre he could look up, putting the music on random. The blonde laid back in the miniature couch, hearing as something called Metal played in his ears. A music video played of five people on a stage, playing various instruments. Two of them playing some type of string instrument, with one of them really going into it.
He loved that sound, finding himself plucking at the air with his fingers. Bopping his head up, and down. This band name, he looked at it, "Forespoken: Through It All." He readit, listening to the lyrics. For some reason, it made him feel emotional. These lyrics, the combination of music, and the emotional voice of the singer's voice cut deeper into him.
Somewhere while bopping his head up and down, he found himself biting his lip. Keeping him from crying out loud as he thought about the people he would never see again. He stops, thinking of them, and looked toward Maria and the others. The blonde leaned up, just staring at the brother and sister. In a way, even if he crushed on Sakura a lot as a kid, there came a point that he loved her more like a sister.
She was the closest thing to him when it came to that level of love. Kakashi, not exactly the father, but an uncle. He lost them both because he was too late. While the music was paying, he secretly opened up another tab on the screen. Something he figured out one night, he presses incognito, whatever that word means.
It meant that anything he searched wouldn't get saved, from what he read. He sighs, looking at Maria and them, shame filling him. He begins to type in the search bar, finding various webpages on grief counselling. Everything he read revolved around Grimm, bandits, or someone committing suicide. The blonde reads that word, suicide, the act of ending one's own life.
"I'm not from here, so what's the point of me continuing to be here?" That dark thought crossed his mind, and it wasn't the first time. "How can I feel happy, knowing that they're never coming back and its all my fault?"
Thunder rolled outside as heavy snow fell. Getting up from the couch, he walks to the bathroom. Looking himself in the bathroom mirror. He looked clean, but felt dirty. Bringing his two index fingers up, stretching his lips into a smile. It immediately fell when he let go, Pain had hurt him more than anyone else could ever have.
Naruto Uzumaki never feared death, he feared losing everyone closest to him. In one fell swoop, not only did Pain kill the two-closet people to him, but still manage take everything away. He backed away from the mirror, hearing the music switching to a slow and sad song. He felt like pressing the little fast forward icon to skip, but he kept listening to it.
Finding himself staring at the teen in the mirror, he balls his fist up. He hated himself, because in the end, he could blame everyone else, but he was the root cause. It would be easy, so it he locked the bathroom door. Taking the first few shuddering deep breaths, he prepared to punch out the mirror. He draws his fist back, all he needed was a nice little sharp piece…and it was just a quick jam into the back of his neck.
The Nine Tails couldn't heal something severed he supposed. So, with that thought out, he went for the punch. In that brief moment, just before impact, he saw them and stopped. Sakura, and Kakashi, standing behind him before disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared!
"C'mon, just do it! That old woman is safe here, you don't owe anyone anything now! Do it, do it, DO IT YOU FUCKING COWARD!" That inner demon inside of screamed, but instead of listening to it this time around Naruto stood stalwart.
Tears pour from his eyes, hot and fresh, and silent sobs escaped his lips while he huddled up against the bathroom floor. He took the earbuds out his ears, pausing the music while just sitting there. Somehow, somewhere in his heart and soul, that little bit light left told him that Sakura and Kakashi would never forgive him for just giving up.
What was that he used to say, "Give up on me giving up…" Yeah that was the line he thought. Every night when she slept, he struggled with the overbearing sense of guilt. How the fuck could he smile, knowing full well, that his true friends were gone because of him?!
Such a simple thing made him guilty because they don't get smile anymore! The blonde wasn't happy, truly happy, he was just surviving. Taking every day, every hour, one moment at a time. This delicate balance only maintained because he wondered how Maria would take it. Yeah, he saved her life nearly three days ago, but he still owed her.
He owed her for the kindness, the absolute dedication to being his…friend…
Naruto was tied up to a post. Hanging upside down from a cruel pranked played on him by some of the other children. He flopped around like a fish up on a butchering pole. "Hey, let me out of here, I'll gonna beat you to a bloody pulp dattebayo!" he screamed, thrashing about.
"You know, you could just use the escaping jutsu…oh wait, you weren't in class today, weren't you?" A girl called out to him. He turns himself to come face to face with a pinkette. She was short, missing a front baby tooth, "Hello!"
"Um, hi, my name's Naruto."
"Oh, I know, my parents tell me you're a menace. So, what happened to you, get caught by our sensei?" She questioned, watching him swing a little. "Seems kind of mean."
"Oh, no, I just stopped some kids from bullying this one girl. I think her name was Hinata," Naruto told the pinkette. "I guess they didn't like that too much, well screw 'em! Because when I get down from here, I'm gonna kick their butts!"
She giggles, which made him stop, "You're such a hard head."
"Pfft," Naruto blew his breath, "I'm just determined!"
"What are you doing trying to become a shinobi?" She inquired while looking for something, "I am looking to be the great kunoichi to ever exist!"
"I'm going to be greatest Hokage, ever!" He declared, while she found the knot, "And I'm going to-ah?!"
He fell down onto the ground, rubbing his head. She walked over to him, offering her hand. He looked up, smiling before taking it. She felt so warm to the touch, which made him blush. Several villagers stared at him, accusingly, but for this one moment he could just ignore them.
"So, what's your name?" Naruto asked while rubbing his arm bashfully.
She smiles, her green eyes full of life and mirth.
"My name's Sakura, Sakura Haruno! Do you want to go play some kickball? My friends are just in the park over there, we need a good kicker!" She excitedly offered, and then drags him by the shirt. "C'mon, maybe you get Shikamaru and Choji to win a game!"
"Shikamaru…Choji, wait aren't you from my class, Sakura?" He inquired before they made a full dash for the park.
She laughs, "Well duh, what, never noticed me?"
"Not really, I'm sorry."
"Don't sorry," Sakura stated before smiling brightly, "All you gotta do is be better!"
"Yeah…I can do that; I can be better!" He replied, smiling brightly before he came up to the game at hand.
"Good! I have feeling this going to be a start of an awesome friendship!"
A knock at the door filled his ears, "Kid, you in there?"
Naruto bit his lip, getting up before slowly opening the door. Maria was standing there. Her ADA system was on. "Oh dear, what happened, you look terrible?" she questioned him, looking at his face.
He signs to her, "Why do you even care about me?"
"Well, that's a silly question, because the right thing just makes common sense. Hang on, let me come in there," She said while pushing him back gently before shutting the door. "Naruto, listen to me, kid. You're hurting, don't tell me you're not…I know."
She smiles softly at him, "I'm not blessed with children of my own. However, I know when someone is still hurting." The old woman took a deep breath before watching him have fresh tears roll down his eyes.
"You poor child, they did more than just kidnap you, take something so precious from you as well, didn't they?" She realized while reaching out, taking his hands, "What kind of monster does this to such a kind young man like you."
Biting his lip, he slowly let out a small sob before grabbing her up into a hug. He stood a head taller than her, so she ended up buried into his chest. The old woman felt the young teen rock with another sob, that poor child. She brought her arms around him, perhaps it could help that just knowing that someone else was here with him.
"Shh, it's going to be okay, let it out…"
The blonde sunk down, she drops down with him, holding him while he continued crying into her shoulder. The old woman stroked his hair, humming a little bit. What kind of monsters indeed, to hurt this child in such a way! The world he came from must've been truly deplorable, even if it trained him to be a warrior. What civilized world sends mere children, not even in their teens, to fight wars between other children?
She wasn't just dealing with someone, who was tortured and kidnapped, the poor boy had PTSD. The symptoms were all there. Seeing Lapis caring for his sister, did he have someone just as close? They were taken from him, probably by the same people that kidnapped him. After she felt him sob again, she herself remembered the loss of her own father, mother, and friends.
Truly, they both lived in horrid worlds in their own right.
Leaning back from her, Naruto laid against the wall. He stared ahead of himself, curled with knees to his chest. Maria still sat there next to him, rubbing his hand. The door wasn't locked, but it was closed, so hopefully none of the other two kids would just burst through. She didn't know what she going to do about them, but she knew the teen she rescued needed her.
"I'm not going to force you to tell, you tell me when you're ready. Just know, I'm right here for you. You don't need to go anywhere else, and certainly…because I've been there, that other option isn't the right choice either. Naruto, you saved my life the other day, somewhere in that heart of yours is the person with oceans of empathy." Maria comforted him while rubbing his hand, "I think your pain is horrible, but I also believe that you still can rise up above it."
"How?" He signed while looking toward the wall, "I'm not like you."
"I don't want you to be like me, I want you to be…you. Whoever you were, I trust that you were good person." She replied before holding a fist out to him, "I'll take this ride with you, until you say it's over."
He looks out to the fist, slowly reaching up before bumping it. She smiles watching as he wipes the tears away with his sleeve. He starts signing to her again, "I don't know if I can be Shinobi here." He told her, while looking at his reflection in the tile.
"You can't be that here, probably true, but what if there was another path? You can still use all that training you have, none of it going to waste. Perhaps, Naruto, together we can find our peace?" She offered to him, laying her hands out in front of her. "What do you think? This blind old woman training you, to be a Huntsman?"
Naruto craned his head before searching on the scroll the hand sign for huntsman. He found out how to spell it, and began to so before pointing it down as a question. "What is a Huntsman, and what exactly do they do?" He asked, looking at her.
"Well kid, Huntsmen and Huntresses are the guardians of this world. They stand up against the Grimm, I used to be one until I lost my eyes. Remember, I told you this back at Renard's. Maybe it's something you should consider, an option." Maria explained while looking up into the ceiling, "I think you would make an awesome Huntsman."
"You think so?" Naruto asked with sign language.
"Yeah, I bet my life on it." She stated before getting up, "C'mon, you need some rest. Put your demons away, just for tonight, because tomorrow I think we'll start fresh."
Naruto nodded, getting up before both of them left the bathroom. He turned off the light, making sure to leave the door cracked. He watched as Maria got into bed. Going back over to the loveseat, he got a blanket from a drawer. Laying down on a couch pillow, he put the blanket over him. Taking Maria's scroll out of her pocket.
He began to type, learning more about this world. Then thought about what Maria said, Huntsman, and that is what she was. So, he began to do research into it. No sense in letting everything he trained to do go to waste, somehow, it made him feel a little bit better thinking this way.
Naruto took a deep breath, "Okay…let's see what I can learn about them."
Lapis yawns as he wakes up, his yellow eyes falling toward Naruto. The blonde was asleep, walking over to him, the bluenette saw he was halfway off the loveseat. "Man, I'm sorry little guy, here let me get you somewhere more comfortable." Lapis thought before going to pick him up, only for Naruto to suddenly spring up and pin him to the floor.
"Holy crap, I'm sorry!" Lapis yelled out, waking everyone up, "I was just checking on you!"
Sapphire raises up, coughing a little bit, "Big brother what's going on?"
"Oh, nothing sis, I just really got our new friend on the wrong side of the couch." Lapis commented before Naruto let him go, holding his hand out. He took it, being pulled upwards by the strong younger teen, "Damn, that's some strength you got there!"
"Are you okay, blueberry?" Maria inquired while leaning back up, "He's jumpy since we got attacked on the road by Grimm."
"Oh," the bluenette rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry about that."
Naruto waved him off, signing to him, "I'm sorry."
"Oh, don't be sorry, that's my bad man, I was going to try to get on the bed while I took the couch. I kind of figured that I still owed you for kind of saving my butt!" Lapis stated before smiling brightly, "So, do you want to take the bed for the last two hours were here?"
Sapphire was getting up, walking over to the loveseat a blanket in hand. She watches as Naruto nods, getting his blanket. She bends down, getting the scroll he dropped, "Hey…" He turns to her, seeing that she was reaching out to him. "You dropped your scroll."
"Well, technically it's my scroll," Maria pointed before taking it from Sapphire. "You two get in my bed, this old horse is up anyhow."
"Wait, granny, are you sure, won't you just hurt your back?" Lapis inquired before getting smacked in the head by his sister, "ow?!"
Sapphire was pouting childishly, "that's rude, don't call her granny."
"I meant it with almost one hundred percent love, and some smartass." He admitted before walking over to the bed she had occupied, "Seriously though, thank you for this…"
"Don't thank me for just doing the right thing, sunny boy. Now shut up, get some sleep. Naruto," Maria watched as the young teen looked at her, "That goes for you too."
The blonde gave a small salute before crashing on the bed. it didn't take long, and he was out like a light. The brother and sister duo both got comfortable. She watches as the little girl yawns, cuddling against her brother before falling asleep. Maria looked at her older brother, smiling.
"You are doing the best you can, sunny. Not many kids would stick around each other so long," She told him before walking over. "Word of the wise, Naruto over there is just not really the person to touch to wake up, you understand?"
Lapis nods, adjusting his hurt shoulder a little, "Well if I didn't know I do now."
"Heh, that's the spirit kiddo," Maria complimented before tossing another pillow to him. "Get some sleep, I'm going to be up watching some news on my scroll."
"Goodnight, Maria." Lapis yawned before falling asleep, no sooner than his eyes closed a peaceful visage fell over him.
She looked past Lapis, and over to Naruto. Looking at the last tab open on her scroll, she noted that he was looking at Huntsmen Academies. She purses her lips, and then nods her head. She gets up, grabbing her keycard before walking outside. She places a call on her scroll, taking a deep breath.
"Mistral City services, how may I take your call?" The person answered the call.
"Hello, my name is Maria Calavera. I'm currently taking guardianship over a young teenager. He doesn't have documentation. How would I go about getting him some?" Maria inquired while leaning against the wall of the hotel room.
"Well, he'd have to come in, our office is open currently busy, but you can bring him in tomorrow morning. Are there any disabilities this person may have?" The woman asked over the phone, "What forms of ID are we looking to get it exactly?"
"I'd say whatever helps him gets established, also a traveling license as well for across the pond." Maria told the woman, looking toward the door.
She bit her lip, and sighs, "I actually need to bring a group with me."
"Oh okay, we'll discuss everything tomorrow, take care now."
"You too," The old woman said before hanging up the call.
Naruto walked through the sewage of his body's mindscape. Turning the corner to come face to face with The Nine Tails. He was sitting in his cage, having long detected him. The Tailed Beast sighs in annoyance, watching as the blonde took a seat in front of him.
"The prodigal jailer returns."
"I just have a few questions, furball. Because let's be honest, if I'm curious about this world, you are too. Since when I die, you'll just be released and reform." Naruto reasoned with him, sitting cross-legged, "You know I just almost…"
"Committed suicide, please, you're just being angsty. Leave it to one horrible thing to break you." The Nine Tails insulted him, interrupting what the blonde had to say.
Naruto took a deep breath, "Maria has been good to me, and by extension you. She didn't have to save us that day, heck, maybe an Akatsuki member survived."
"About that, did you ever ask how many bodies there was?"
"I actually did one night, she said there was seven." Naruto said while counting on his hand, "Itachi wasn't there…so…"
"Keep your guard just in case," The Nine Tails said while looking at him. "You didn't come here to discuss The Akatsuki."
Naruto bashfully rubs the back of his head, "No I didn't. I just wanted to ask you a question, and it'll be stupid I know."
"Like always."
"Hey, screw you, I'm working with what I got dattebayo! Anyway, you probably know what I've been reading up on. So, all these shinobi they have, these Huntsmen, they have something called aura." The blonde started to explain, gauging the fox's reaction before moving on, "I read that it comes from the soul."
"What is the point?" The Nine Tails beckoned while lowering its head, "You're thinking of trying to unlock it for yourself?"
"Kind of, maybe, if it is even possible. I mean, technically, our souls are just spiritual energy for charka, right?" Naruto inquired while remembering Sakura's words, "I'm just saying it could be an option."
"You're weakened, so the very first thing you go for is more power? Remind me to tell you that again if you ever meet that Uchiha in the future." The Nine Tails replied with venom his voice, scowling at the blonde.
"That's not the same! I just don't want to get hit by something, and start bleeding again. I get it, you can regenerate my wounds, but what if I had something to block it before it happened? Don't you get tired of that, I know I do, it's going to get hard to explain it away in this world." Naruto reasoned, crossing his arms before standing up.
"Hmph, well look at you, making a reasonable point."
"I know there's an old saying, a lot of geezers in the village used it. Better the devil you know, than the one you don't. If I'm the devil you know, there could be one out there a lot worse than me." He pointed out matter-of-factly, "So, just this once, indulge me."
The Nine Tails thought for a moment, and then replies, "Aura is basically just spiritual energy."
"And…?"
"That's it, it's a projection of spiritual energy. Basically, if you want to unlock it, you'll have to meditate…a lot." The Nine Tail replied, "Then again, if someone had a strong aura, they could perhaps bring it out of you."
"Okay, so someone like Maria, she could just use her energy to reach into me, and pull it out?"
"You want to word that a little differently?"
Naruto looks confused, recoiling back, "Why would I?"
"Innuendos still go over your head, Gods help whoever you decide to pick as a mate."
"I'm not looking for that, you perverted fox!" The blonde exclaimed with a blush across his face, it immediately fell when he thought of Jiraiya.
To his credit, The Nine Tails didn't throw that in his face, instead a pregnant pause fell over them. The blonde took a deep breath first, "I just want to protect those who I call friends."
"You don't think you can do that with chakra, in this world we could be Gods."
"I can do that with chakra, but like I said before, how do we even explain it off? It's not like people go around wielding multiple abilities. From what I looked up, they have something called semblances, which is just one thing the soul manifests." Naruto explained before pursing his lips, "I wonder what mine would be?"
"Tch, like I would ever care." The giant fox sneered before seeing the blonde smile a little bit, "What?"
"Can you tell me about him, Ashura?" Naruto inquired, watching the fox's eyes widened. "I overheard as you kicked me out, was he someone close to you…your mate?"
"By the Gods he wasn't my mate, he was my brother!" The kitsune screamed out before his eyes widened as he realizes his blunder. "Sneaky little shit."
"I wasn't trying to be sneaky, I'm just curious. I want to know about The Nine Tails before he became…well kind of an asshole." Naruto admitted before shrugging nervously, "Don't get me wrong, I can understand it because I've been there before. I often think about, what if me and Sasuke's choices switched."
"Do you really want to know that answer?" The Nine Tails inquired before the room began to turn, "Because it's not good, even by my own standards."
Naruto turns around, seeing himself, except that he was wearing a cloak not too much unlike the Akatsuki. Instead, though, it held a red sun all over the back of it, and why did he reek of rot? No, it wasn't rot, it was pure death. His eyes widened when he saw the corpses of everyone, he ever loves standing behind him.
"W-what is that?!" Naruto screamed out, watching as 'he' opened his eyes.
The kitsune behind him grins, "Perhaps the greatest example of karma. Naruto, you would've truly been the monster they called you. I would've relished in it."
"Why the fuck would you ever relish this, this is just wrong!" Naruto screamed out, turning to face the kitsune as the image faded. "I would never, ever hurt the people I care about!"
"Let's just say, in that world, your choices meant no one ever cared about you. You see, your friend Sasuke's choices are only forgiven because everyone feels sorry for him. If you had made the same choices, they'd hunt you down and unseal me. It'd be a death sentence to you, so you wanted the answer, and you hate it? Welcome to humanity one-oh-one, be careful what you wish for." The Nine Tails lectured Naruto, standing up straight.
"Okay, so, who is Ashura to you then? Was he some humanoid tailed beast?" Naruto inquired while sitting down cross-legged again, still a little rattled by what he saw.
"Ashura was my brother because his father was The Sage OF Six Paths. His brother, Indra, created Ninjutsu." The Nine Tails told Naruto, but it wasn't lost upon the boy with the distain being uttered at Indra's name.
"Sounds like you hated Indra, why?"
"Because that little bastard couldn't except the fact, despite being older, Hagoromo chose Ashura to be his successor." The Nine Tails crosses it arms, "Because he believed that power, and power alone, was the only thing needed to unite people."
"Oh…" Naruto realized, and then looked at The Nine Tails, "So, wait a minute Indra created ninjutsu."
"Yes."
"So, everything I can do right now, I should be thanking him?" The blonde inquired, it wasn't a question meant to irritate the fox, but a legitimate one.
The Nine Tails sneered, "If you want to thank someone who not only taught people to kill each other in troves, but also caused a generational civil war…go ahead."
"On second thought, never mind, he's sounds like a bastard."
"Yes, he was, because his reaction to not inheriting his father's position was to make war with his brother. They fought, over and over again, but what made me hate your kind the most was that you all ended up betraying Ashura. All Indra had to do was start having children, children who bore his power. Ashura, meanwhile, only ever had two sons." The Nine Tails explained before sighing, "Naturally, Ashura went off into a battle…and got overwhelmed."
"And people who were scared, turned over to Indra's side?"
"Yes, I whisked his children away, the very same children later formed a clan. The Senju Clan, care to guess who Indra's clan was?" The Nine Tails questioned while looking into Naruto's eyes.
Naruto thought about, and then shrugs, "I couldn't possibly tell you."
"Uchiha, his clan was The Uchiha clan."
"Wait a minute, so Sasuke is related to that bastard?!" Naruto shouted while jumping up, "But even on his worse day, Sasuke isn't some mass murdering spoiled brat!"
"It runs in the blood, I'm glad that the bastard clan is only down to three."
"Wait a minute, three, but aren't Sasuke and Itachi the only ones left?" Naruto questioned before thinking, counting with his fingers.
"Why are you counting with your fingers, brat?"
"Double checking the math," Naruto admitted before watching the fox slam his head on the bars, "What?!"
"It's basic math, you don't need to count using fingers, you dumbass!" The Fox shouted before sighed, "No…there was a third one."
"Who?"
"He called himself Madara Uchiha, and he is the reason that we're here in this together. More on that later I suppose," The Nine Tails took a deep breath, and sighed. "You know…it kind of felt good talking about it."
"Yeah, I guess it did, but I guess before I go that thing about my soul, how would I get to it?" Naruto inquired, looking around, "Not like there's any other door in this place."
"That's because you aren't searching hard enough, goodbye for now, Naruto…"
"Hey, you said my name, you growing fond of me, furball?" Naruto asked before feeling himself getting jettison out of the room at a breakneck pace, screaming in surprise all the way.
The large kitsune just looks at the doorway, a small smile forming over his lips before he lowered his head.
"Idiot."
Naruto shot upward as sweat covered him, he looked over toward Maria who was sitting on the loveseat. She folds a paper she was reading down, "Oh, you're the first to wake up." She said before looking over toward Lapis and Sapphire.
He looked over to them, getting up from the bed before stretching, revealing a tattoo across his stomach. The woman had seen it before, never asking him about it. For all she knew, those cultist freaks tatted the poor kid up. That's when she chuckles while he scratches his behind.
"So, kid, I saw where you were looking up things about Huntsman. I guess what I said to you earlier had you thinking," Maria stated before watching him turn to her. "I know a friend, he's a headmaster of a prep academy. It's just not here in Mistral City, or Anima for that matter."
"Where?" Naruto signed while looking at her curiously.
The old woman smiles softly, "I'm going to get you papers tomorrow for us to fly over to Sanus. It's across the ocean, I have a friend in Pharos Academy."
"What about you?" Naruto asked with sign language, "I'm not leaving you alone, my friend."
"I'm going with you, kid, because I might as well impart my knowledge onto you. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to train you to be the next Grimm Reaper." Maria stated before looking over the brother and sister sleeping, "As for them…I don't know."
"If all they have left in this world is each other, perhaps it's better that we help them too." Naruto signed while looking over toward them, "It's the right thing and that's just common sense."
Maria smiles softly at him, "Look at you, already absorbing what I spout. Perhaps you and I aren't so different, Naruto."
"Maybe not, friend, want me to wake them up?" He asks before smiling mischievously.
She shrugs, which gave him carte blanche to whistle! Lapis and Sapphire jet upward, looking around. They saw Naruto standing there, waving his hand with a small smile. The girl was pouting, and got up to punch him in the arm. She kind of hit him a little hard, which made him rub his arm. Lapis chuckles, watching his sister go to the bathroom.
Lapis yawns before looking at Naruto, "You got one heck of a whistle you know, jeez."
"You understand sign language?" Naruto asked in sign, watching as Lapis smiled.
The bluenette turns around, and signs to the blonde, "Yes."
The blonde smiles, signing to him, "We're going to get to get something to eat here soon, what are you all doing after this?"
Lapis sighs and then gave him a sad smile, "Probably going back on the streets."
The old woman seating on the loveseat shook her head, "Not on my watch, sunny boy. How would you feel about coming with us?"
"I don't think we could, we'd be a burden." Lapis replied only to get smacked in the head by Naruto, "Ow, not you too man, c'mon!"
"You're not a burden," The blonde signed to him, "You just need help."
"Jeez, didn't have to smack me upside my head though. Who'd you learn that from, my sister?" The bluenette complained, only to see Naruto have a warm smile come across his face. "What?"
"I had a friend, who used to do it to me when I was being stupid." Naruto signed before holding his fist up, signing with his free hand, "Friend?"
"Yeah, I guess we can be friends…blondie."
Broken Moon!
"It takes strength to make your way through grief, to grab hold of life and let it pull you forward."
-Patti Davis
"And we're all set!" A man behind camera stated as Naruto stood in front it.
The blonde walks around, watching as a card printer printed out his ID card. He looked at his name, noting that at the very least he could see his date of birth was correct. Naruto Uzumaki, standing here in a foreign land pretending to be a natural born citizen of it. He saw that one of his eyes were half-lidded, obviously from the flash before the photo was taken.
A little bluebook was handed to him, his traveling pass. Maria swore up and down that she was his grandmother, that his parents were killed in a Grimm attack. All of his documentation having been lost. Naruto thought it wouldn't work, but surprisingly it did. Apparently, towns around the area fell like dominos every so often, only to get rebuilt. The fact that they didn't ask Maria about her supposed children meant they took her at her word, especially when she presented her old Huntress license.
Apparently, she had been very famous, since the man at the desk gawked over her. He continued to do so, even as Lapis and Sapphire got their travel books. The trio of kids looked at one another, with Sapphire smiling at Naruto. She had the same type of eyes as her brother, golden yellow, that seemed to light up the room. She was significantly younger though, only being seven. Poor girl must've had it hard over her life as well, Naruto knew what it was like to be on the streets, looking for food.
He swore to himself, that if he needed to take odd jobs, his new friends weren't going to go hungry. Somewhere, inside of his mind, that guilt remained. It wasn't boiling to surface again, not yet at least, but for now it was in the middle ground. He wondered if Iruka, Jiraiya, and all of his other friends living would be proud of him?
Some part of him, the hopeful part, wishes that one day he could see them again.
Walking out of the courthouse, Naruto saw that Maria was getting a call on her scroll. Lapis looks toward the crowds on the street, holding his sisters' hand. A pang fell on Naruto's heart as he remembered the day Sakura untied him from that butchering post.
It had been one of the happiest days of his life, before she met Sasuke. It was where he developed a crush for her, and that bond they'd share until her untimely end. She hadn't run toward the village he realized, replaying where her body was found, she had run away from it. She knew it, right then and there, and chose to not only lead them away from the village…but away from him as well.
Biting his lip, the blonde watches as Lapis and Sapphire were talking amongst each other. He squeezes his hands, so long as he drew a breath into his lungs, and his heartbeat. There would never be another Sakura, he'd stand in front of thousands of Grimm, but his light would fade out long before they ever reached Maria, and these two.
Sure, as his name was Naruto Uzumaki, he would never go back on his word, because that was his code!
"Naruto!" Lapis called out, his eyes opened up to see all three of them standing there, "C'mon! We got to get going, Maria is wanting some food she kind of gets crab-ow?!"
"Don't you dare say crabby, you but nugget!" Sapphire chastised her older brother, and then smiles brightly, "C'mon Naruto!"
The blonde smiles softly, feeling two hands on his shoulders. He knew they stood behind him, and all he needed was their extra push to help move forward. His eyes briefly saw them, Sakura and Kakashi, standing there.
Both of them smiling, and beckoning him to move forward!
Author Announcement.
Love it when you all become engaging. I hope you find this chapter emotional because it was what I was aiming for. Anyway, the next stories to be updated are going to Those Who Endure and Roaring Sun. So, this is the final chapter before closing out the year. This story has been up less than two weeks, and you've all done flooded it. Thank you all, seriously, it means a lot to me that you love this so much.
Looking forward to a booming 2023!
-Blazeraptr54