Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Naruto or Zelda franchises. Comments/Criticism is fine as long as it isn't straight up hate or flaming. If you do not like, no one is forcing you to read and you can just leave.
Thank you and please enjoy
The Legend of Zelda: Interloper of Time
-Chapter 16-
-Hyrule Field, night time-
Naruto sighed as he held his friend close to his chest as he gazed at the cloudy sky. After they'd left the Kokiri Forest, she had managed to walk by herself but had remained completely silent for the entire day. Navi even had to take up the job of navigator, with Naruto holding the map for her so she could lead them.
Ignoring the fresh wet patch forming on his shirt, Naruto slowly rubbed her back while whispering soothing words into her ears. The sad, cruel irony of the situation wasn't lost on him, the first day they'd met Saria had helped him recover from losing his home and now after so many years he was doing so for her.
Feeling her starting to shift, Naruto looked down to see her reddened eyes locked onto his. *Sniff* "Does it ever stop hurting?" She asked softy. "… … …no," Naruto answered unable to lie to her, even with how horrible his own childhood was, Naruto himself felt a small twinge of sadness for his old home occasionally. He knew it would be many times worse for his green haired companion, who'd had several centuries of happy memories and experiences within the forest. None of the Kokiri were as connected to the place as she used to be.
"But you'll stay with me, right? You won't leave me?" She asked while clinging tightly onto his shirt, fear and desperation clear in her eyes. Naruto's response was to hug her tightly as he rocked back and forth. He did this well into the night, even after she'd fallen asleep in his grasp.
"Nothing could ever take me away, I promise."
-Three Days Later-
For the last few days Saria was in a slightly better of a mood, but was still rather down. Only really talking to point out which way to go or to discuss the route with Navi. The weather hadn't helped much, the blistering heat was made worse by furious winds that pushed them around and forcing Elia and Navi to stay tucked into Saria's hood.
Night time was just as bad, if not worse now since skeletal monsters called Stalchildren burst from the ground to attack them unless they kept a fire constantly burning the entire night. They took shifts to do so, but even then, the lack of sleep and constant tension lead them to be tired and irritable.
Which is why as soon as an intact Kakariko village slowly came into sight, all four of them gave a cheer. The reason they had headed for here was that Death Mountain was the only place any of them could think of that fit the description 'Mountain of Fire'.
Walking up the stone steps to the village, Naruto and Saria froze as an arrow landed directly in front of them. "Halt! Identify yourselves!" A man yelled from atop the village wall with several others training arrows on them. "Easy there, we're friendly!" Naruto yelled back while he and Saria held their hands up in surrender. "We're just passing through to Death Mountain!"
The guard narrowed his gaze at them, before waving over one of his men and whispering something in his ear. The subordinate nodded his head quickly before rushing off. Awkward silence reigned over them for several minutes as the remaining guards kept the duo firmly in their sights.
"Sooo… cruddy weather recently, huh?" Naruto said nervously, trying to lighten the mood a little, and seemingly succeeded as the guards lowered their weapons. This was quickly proven false when he felt something cold yet sharp press against his throat, glancing to his side showed Saria in an identical situation. Following the arms holding said blades, Naruto mentally groaned as a familiar red eyed, white haired Sheikah stood behind them with a blank look, but if you looked REALLY close you could just make out a humored smirk on her lips.
"Your wit is as dull as your awareness is, be thankful that I wasn't your enemy or you'd have been dead within a heartbeat." Impa said as she removed the daggers at their throats and motioned to the guards to open the gate. "Yeesh, not even here a minute and you're already criticizing us. Well sorry for not having fancy smancy combat training." Naruto said sarcastically as he and Saria followed the intimidating woman, only to flinch immediately afterwards as several small blades were launched directly at him with a flick of Impa's wrist.
Seeing them fly past himself, Naruto started to say another mocking phrase to her only to pause as he felt something warm running down his cheeks. Reaching up to find the cause, Naruto winced as his finger brushed up against small open cuts, three on each cheek… exactly where each of his whisker marks were. "That can be easily amended." Impa said, still speaking in a casual tone as if she didn't just cut someone's face open.
Saria and Elia were sure they'd never seen Naruto so pale, even when he found out that there was no such thing as ramen in hyrule. Navi was more focused on quickly, but discreetly healing the open gashes.
Walking through the village, which was much larger than the last time they were there, Impa lead them to a small house with a cucco coup that Saria recognized immediately and knocked on the door. "Coming!" A feminine voice called as the door swung open, revealing the kind, red-headed woman… "Anju-chan!"
Naruto burst forward, hugging the baffled woman before she could react. "Huh?" Was her ever so elegant response. Shaking off her shock, Anju looked over the shoulder of the young man hugging her to see Saria and Impa still standing at her door, her gaze focusing on Saria or more specifically her vibrant green hair. "I remember you," Looking back to Naruto who'd finally stopped hugging her, she smiled brightly, "You were those two kids all those year ago, the ones who wanted to go to Death Mountain. I'm glad you both are okay."
"They'll be spending the next few nights with you," Impa told her, getting a slow nod from Anju and confused looks from Naruto and Saria. Before either could even say question her though, Impa pushed Saria into Anju and grabbed Naruto, dragging him with her as she walked off. "Well, how about some girl talk?" Anju suggested, getting an even more confused look from Saria.
-With Naruto-
By the time Naruto's brain finally caught up with what was going on, Impa had taken him to a clearing with several straw dummies and tossed him several feet in front of her. *Thud* "Owww… What is your pro-Eeeek!" Naruto started to complain as he got up only to shriek like a little girl as massive blade imbedded into the ground between his legs.
"You are going to spar with me with no complaints… or else." Impa stated as she pulled the six-foot-long, one-foot-wide blade free of the ground, WITH ONE FREAKING HAND! Naruto paled rapidly as he stood up and drew his sword and shield just in time to block a strike from above.
The force of the blow easily broke through his defense, knocking his shield to the side and leaving him wide open for the punch to the face that sent him flying into a training dummy. Spitting out hay, Naruto got back onto his feet and glared at the woman as she stood in the center of the field casually.
"That's it!" Naruto growled as he charged Impa, slicing at her with all his strength. "You lack discipline," Impa said unimpressed as she easily blocked the attack and the many others that followed as Naruto swung at her wildly. This continued for about thirty seconds before she finally acted.
Deflecting his sword to the side, Impa grabbed his exposed arm and easily swung him over herself and imbedded him several inches into the ground. "You will need more than brute strength and dumb luck if you wish to help the sages, let alone save Hyrule." Naruto didn't respond at first as he was busy trying to free his face from its earthly confinement.
"Blech, how did yo-" "Know that? Who do you think sent Sheik to inform you of the location of the temples?" Impa asked rhetorically while pointing at the eye-like symbol on her armors left side of her breastplate. "Now get up and try again."
-Several Hours later, Nightfall-
"Owwwwwwwwww…" Naruto groaned as he laid on the makeshift bed he and Saria would be using while with Anju. He was covered from head to toe in bruises, scrapes, and small cuts that Navi and Elia were doing their best to fix, much to Anju's awe.
Impa had spent the half the day introducing him to her personal form of hell called training. She'd beaten him into the ground, literally and repeatedly, forcing him to see the obvious flaws with his way of fighting. Despite wielding it like it weighed as much as a feather, the blows from that sword of hers felt heavier than that massive boulder he'd caught to save Saria. Then once she was finished, dragged the bloody pile of bruises that he was back to Anju's, this time taking Saria with her.
Speaking of which, said greenette came limping in through the door, soaking wet, with several minor burns, and small gashes scattered around that looked suspiciously like arrow wounds. "Put me out of my misery," She said tiredly while collapsing next to Naruto.
Impa, who was standing by the door, huffed as she turned away. "Your performances today were novice at best. For the sake of Hyrule, you best be fast learners, because you are not leaving till I find you at a more adequate level." Hearing the two moans of misery behind, she took her leave.
And thus started what Naruto and Saria would forever remember as… the week of hell.
-Chapter End-
AN: Sorry for the late update, for those who haven't read my other story, I injured my wrist and haven't been able to type as quickly. I will try to stay as consistent as I can but do expect a few delays for a week or two. Thank you for reading and please review.
