Author's Note(s): Hey everyone! I'm back, I'm very sorry to keep you all waiting. After suffering from writer's block, I mustered up enough willpower to write this chapter in just one day. I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you all so much for reading. I'll see you all in the next chapter.
Also, I just wanna let you all know, that this work is a bit of a crossover with a novel, and its comic adaptation, Night Owls & Summer Skies by Rebecca Sullivan. I hope that doesn't deter you all from reading.
Naruto slammed the hammer down on the remaining nail. Wiping some sweat off his brow, he took time to admire his work.
'That's the last one.'
The cabin's roof was all repaired. During another storm, a couple of cabins in Mapplewood got damaged and he offered to help Patrick out. The man tried paying him, but Naruto declined, seeing that he has more than enough money, from the stash he 'borrowed' from Sasuke, that he can live off of for a while.
It had been over a month since he came to this new world, yet he still hasn't given up on finding a way back home. The tiny portal that he created was a successful breakthrough, but it still wasn't big enough yet.
He made sure to keep pouring chakra into it every day, little by little he could tell that it was getting bigger at a depressingly slow pace.
'Am I doing something wrong? Not even me and Kurama's chakras combined could make it expand faster.'
He thought to himself, collecting the tools Patrick lent him as he climbed down from the roof.
"Want some snacks?"
He turned around to see Patrick's wife: Nandita, holding a bowl of what seemed to be bread.
"Are you hungry? Because I've got a leftover batch, and you can have some. Consider it as a reward for all your hard work today." She smiled at him.
He approached her and grabbed one of the breads from the bowl.
"You just tear off a small piece and–"
Following her instruction, he tore it half and popped one in his mouth. His tongue was instantly assaulted by a whole new world of flavor.
"WHOA," Naruto said in pure bliss, making Nandita chuckle. He quickly devoured the other piece, then reached for another one from the bowl.
"This is amazing! What is this?"
"Bengali Flatbread. It's called Luchi. Traditionally we serve it with Aloo'r Dom curry," She answered.
"Oh sweet! I wanna try some of that curry!" Naruto said, eager.
"Well if you're that hungry, feel free to come in," She invited him into the kitchen. Naruto followed as he took off his shoes on the front porch.
She led him inside and to the kitchen counter. Naruto's eyes widened at the sight of various ingredients laid out on the counter. She started preparing the Aloo'r Dom curry, while Naruto observed her with curiosity.
Naruto decided to offer his assistance. "Hey, Nandita-san, do you need any help? I'm not the best cook, but I can lend a hand if you'd like."
Nandita turned to him with a warm smile. "That's very kind of you, Naruto. If you're up for it, you can chop the vegetables for the curry."
Naruto eagerly washed his hands and joined Nandita at the counter. She showed him the proper way to handle the knife and guided him through the process. Naruto was surprisingly nimble, quickly picking up the technique and chopping the vegetables with precision.
"Say, where is Patrick-san? Wasn't he here earlier?" Naruto asked, seeing no sign of the middle-aged burly man, despite meeting him earlier.
"Oh, he had to go into town for a bit, but he'll be back," She assured him.
"Then, where are your kids?" He questioned, as he just noticed the lack of presence of the rest of the Black family, except Walter her eldest son, whose presence he was sensing nearby. Walter was the eldest of the Black children at the age of 25, whom Naruto already met, he interacted with him numerous times whenever he visited. He's taken a liking to the young man.
"Walter is still asleep in his room, and Vivian and Gwen are at school right now," She said.
"Still asleep at this time of the day?"
"Yes, he can be like that sometimes. We always worry about him," She frowned.
Deciding not to pry any further, Naruto left it alone for now.
As he helped her prepare most of the ingredients, his eyes would scan and observe the kitchen surroundings. It was a pretty huge kitchen, well it is a summer camp though. Gonna need a huge cooking area and lots of helping hands to feed the mouths of hundreds of campers.
The camp itself was way bigger than he expected. He couldn't help but marvel at its scale.
The camp was nestled amidst a lush and vibrant forest, surrounded by tall trees with their leaves creating a canopy overhead. The entrance of the camp was marked by a large wooden arch with the words "Camp Mapplewood" carved into it.
Numerous cabins lined up along well-trodden marble-tiled paths, each cabin with its unique charm. Some were painted in cheerful colors, while others had flower pots adorning their porches. And some cabins were for different activities for the campers. At the center of the camp was a bonfire, probably used for campfire activities or telling stories and whatnot.
Nearby was a humungous lake, where they found him. From what he learned, the campers would go swimming or sailing, with the supervision of a counselor of course, and other fun-filled activities that involved the water.
Things here were completely different from how things ran in his world. Summer camps indeed existed, but they were nothing like Mapplewood. They mostly taught children how to kill, combat, espionage, and last but not least: Ninjutsu.
In his world, children were trained as ninjas from a young age, their lives dedicated to the art of combat, ninjutsu, and serving their villages. The training was rigorous, and there was little time for anything else but sharpening their skills, they were all pushed and forced to break their limits to live another day.
But here, at Mapplewood, it was a world of contrasts. The camp was a haven for fun, friendship, family, and learning new skills beyond the realm of combat. It was a place where children could be carefree, enjoying their childhood without having to worry about the horrors of war or bloody conflict.
It honestly made him a bit jealous. Everyone in his world, as well as himself, should've experienced a world like this.
Well, it was one of the reasons why he wanted to be Hokage after all.
"Naruto, could you pass me the cumin seeds, please?" Nandita's voice brought him back from his thoughts.
"Oh, sure thing," He said. He reached over to the spice rack, grabbed the small container, and handed it over to her.
"Thank you, dear."
As they continued cooking, Naruto watched as Nandita skilfully combined various spices and ingredients, creating a fragrant and delicious aroma that filled the kitchen as she cooked the curry. He could feel his mouth watering as he continued to watch her cook.
'I must be caught in a genjutsu or somethin' 'cause I can taste it already!'
"Dear God, even I'm feeling hungry too," Said Kurama.
When they were finally done, and the curry was ready, Nandita served it in a porcelain bowl before putting it on the table. Before they could proceed any further, Naruto sensed another person's chakra approaching the house and the front door. He recognized it as Gwen, the Black's youngest child.
However, he could also sense a huge storm of negative emotions accompanying her aura.
A resonating *Bang!* echoed throughout the house as the front door was slammed open.
"Gwen *Priy? Is that you?" Nandita called out as she rounded the corner and walked into the living room.
Priy – Dear (I don't know much about Bengali, so some help would be greatly appreciated.)
"Why are you home so early? And—Oh no. Gwen what happened!?" Nandita looked very concerned as she noticed the state that her daughter was in. Gwen's clothes and hair were in disarray, and she was covered head to toe in pieces of trash. Tears were streaming down her face as she started to sob.
Before Nandita could say anything else, Gwen ran past her mom and upstairs to her room. A loud bang could be heard as it echoed throughout the house.
"Gwen!" Nandita followed her daughter up to her room. Naruto, who was watching all of this unfold, felt equally concerned and followed Nandita upstairs.
"Huh? What happened?—Oh, hey Naruto! Didn't know you were here," Walter asked confused as he exited his room after hearing all the commotion. Walter was a tall man, standing at 5'11, with a small build. He had medium-length brown hair similar to his dad's, dark brown eyes, wore spectacles, and had noticeable stubble.
Naruto gave Walter a smile and nod of acknowledgment before his attention returned to the distressing situation in the next room. He could hear Nandita's voice trying to soothe Gwen, but the young girl's sobs persisted.
"Walter, do you know what happened to Gwen?" Naruto asked, hoping to get some insight into the situation.
"Oh, so now Ma' finally knows."
"Knows what?"
A frustrated sigh escaped Walter as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Well, me and Vivian knew that something was going on with Gwen at school. But for some reason, she never tells us about anything going on at school."
He covered his face with his hand, another frustrated sigh came from him.
"I'm such a shitty brother…"
A wave of bubbling anger began to rise within Naruto. A growl escaped his throat as his fists clenched. Memories, awful memories began to resurface as his anger flared even more.
"Bullies…"
It was quite obvious; he should know, he's been in her position before. Although he did fight back, it still didn't stop the hatred that some people in the Leaf held against him. The incident with the Nine-Tails on the night of his birth that took countless lives.
Naruto's voice was cold, and laced with venom as he quietly said the word, his eyes narrowing in anger. The word "bullies" brought back painful memories of his own experiences in Konoha, facing the hatred and mistreatment of others just because he was a Jinchuuriki.
Because of an awful disaster that wasn't even his fault. But still…he felt guilty despite that.
Just then, the door opened and Nandita stepped out of the room, worry and concern all over her face.
"She's calmed down a bit. But she won't say anything about what happened."
"Can I talk to her?"
Nandita looked at Naruto with a mix of surprise and gratitude.
"It wouldn't hurt, go ahead."
Naruto approached the door to Gwen's room and knocked.
"Hey, Gwen? It's me Naruto, can I come in?"
There was no response, he could hear sniffling coming from inside. Naruto waited for a few moments until Gwen's soft voice came from the other side.
"Y-Yeah, sure…"
Gently opening the door, he was met with the sight of Gwen sitting on her bed, hugging a stuffed animal tightly, her face buried in it to hide her tear-streaked face.
He had to admit, Gwen's room was quite nice. Posters of various anime and a Korean boy band adorned the walls Mixed in with these were heartfelt pictures of her family and breathtaking nature scenes. Gwen's bed with its cheerful array of colors and a delicate floral pattern, exuding warmth and comfort. There was a PC on her desk as well as a collection of various decorative bracelets across it.
"Mind if I sit here?" He asked her as he approached the bed. Gwen nodded, her face buried into the stuffed animal. Naruto sat down beside her, he gave her a look of empathy.
"Are you okay?—wait no, stupid question of course you're not—"
"I'm fine," Gwen interjected.
Another sniffle came from her as she wiped away a few tears. At this point, Naruto's anger had skyrocketed, yet he kept calm to not scare Gwen.
"You don't sound fine."
He could see her face clearly now, her eyes were red from crying, and there were still some traces of muck and grime on her.
"Listen, I know it's none of my business, but if you ever need someone to lean on, to talk to. Me and your family are here for you, after all, you did save my ass back in that lake."
"Well, that was because you were in danger!"
"And you don't think your problems are just as important?"
Another sniffle, Gwen started to fidget with the hem of her skirt.
"I-I just don't want them to worry…"
Naruto placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "They already do worry because they love you. Letting them in on what's bothering you will help them understand and find ways to support you better."
Gwen hesitated for a moment, "I'll...I-I don't know, I'll think about it. I really don't feel like talking right now."
Naruto felt disappointed, but he understood. He'll try again next time, but right now a plan was forming in his mind, a plan that made him resist the urge to grin wickedly.
Naruto nodded, giving her a small smile. "That's okay, Gwen. Take your time. Just know that we're here for you whenever you're ready to talk. You're not alone in this, alright?"
Gwen returned the smile and nodded, "Thank you Naruto…"
Naruto exited the room and met the worried gazes of Walter and his Mom.
"How is she?"
"Well, at least she's considering opening up to you all in the future. But she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now."
Although still looking a bit worried, Nandita gave him a small smile.
Naruto grinned. He hopped down the stairs and back into the kitchen.
"Kit, don't tell me you're gonna—"
"Oh yeah, I am," Naruto grinned wickedly.
It was time to purge some bullies.
1 Month ago…
A few days after the mysterious pulse, as a result of Naruto's minor success of creating an inter-dimensional portal, plunged half the country into a blackout. An emergency meeting was held within a secure government facility.
In the dimly lit Situation Room, a hush fell over the assembled officials as they gathered around the large conference table. President Emily Fenton looked resolute, her brow furrowed with concern, as she addressed the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming. As you all know, a few days ago a mysterious pulse of energy manage to cripple our power grid which caused one of the biggest, if not, the biggest blackout our country has experienced since 2003. And we can't simply rule out the fact that this might be a terrorist attack."
Pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts, President Fenton continued, "So, what do we know so far?"
"Well, based on satellite imaging, we traced the pulse back to Maine, however, the origin is still a mystery," said Director Simon of the FBI, presenting the initial findings on a large screen.
"Meanwhile," He added, "The Department of Energy is still working on analyzing data from the source of the surge, however, it only gets more and more puzzling."
More findings and information appear on the large screen.
"These energy readings are unlike anything we've seen before. Even the folks in our Science Department are baffled," Said Harry Kim, the secretary of energy.
The meeting went on for a while, discussing theories, findings, and information they've gathered so far.
"Are you sure this could be a possible terrorist attack? What if it's just a natural phenomenon? That lightning storm that happened—what if they're related?" One of the attendants said.
"Last time I checked, lightning wasn't purple. None of this is natural, it reeks of human intervention," said the Secretary of Homeland Security.
"I mean, it's highly plausible, with our current technology, creating an artificial storm isn't too far-fetched."
"Yeah, but how did they turn the lightning purple…?" chimed in another attendee.
As the discussion continued, the room seemed to fill with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. The assembled officials exchanged glances, each grappling with the enigma before them. President Fenton leaned forward, her hands clasped together on the table, her mind racing with the possibilities.
"We must consider all angles," she urged, her voice measured but resolute. "While it's essential to explore the potential of a human-made catastrophe, we can't rule out the involvement of other factors. Let's not overlook any possibility until we have more information. We cannot let our guard down."
She turned to Jackson Wears, the head of cyber security, seeking his input.
"Based on our preliminary investigations," Jackson began, "we haven't found any evidence of cyber-attacks or malware after the surge occurred. No attacks on the network so far. Our systems are designed to detect and prevent such threats, and so far, they haven't shown any signs of unauthorized intrusion."
"Good." Fenton acknowledged, a glimmer of relief crossing her face.
She turned to the rest of the occupants in the room.
"Continue the investigation, and utilize every resource at our disposal. We cannot afford to remain idle if this poses a potential threat to our country."
The officials nodded in unison. With renewed resolve, their determination matched by the gravity of the situation. As they dispersed to carry out their assigned tasks, the enigma of the mysterious pulse remained at the forefront of their minds, propelling them to uncover the truth behind the unprecedented blackout.
Present Day…
The early morning sun cast a warm glow over the town as Naruto stood hidden among the treetops, his eyes fixed on Gwen's house. It was 6:20 AM, and the day was just beginning.
Gwen emerged from her home, a vibrant vision against the morning backdrop. Naruto couldn't help but smile as he watched her bid farewell to her parents before setting off down the road towards the bus stop, where she would wait for her ride to school.
She looked stylish and carefree, as if the incident yesterday never happened, dressed in a long-sleeved grey crop top paired with a flowing yellow wrap skirt. Black sneakers adorned her feet, boasting an elegant floral pattern. A butterfly hairclip adorned her hair, while butterfly earrings added a touch of charm to her look.
Determined not to be seen, Naruto moved swiftly from one tree to the next, like a silent guardian following her every step.
"Um…Isn't this stalking Kit? How would explain yourself if she caught you?" Kurama's voice echoed in Naruto's mind.
Naruto's cheeks flushed, and he quickly dismissed the idea. "Wha!?- No! This ain't stalking, I just wanna make sure she's safe, that's all."
Kurama chuckled mischievously, taunting Naruto, "Oh, of course, you're just concerned for her Well-being. Keep telling yourself that, you little creep."
Growing irritated by Kurama's teasing, Naruto ignored the remark and continued trailing Gwen from a distance, making sure she was unaware of his presence.
Gwen arrived at the bus stop, joining a group of kids who were awaiting the bus as well. As time passed, the school bus finally arrived and Gwen hopped on board.
Naruto dropped down from the tree and proceeded to follow the bus at a slow pace. Not wanting to alert Gwen, or the other students to his presence.
As the bus journeyed on, Naruto observed Bellcrest High School come into view. It was an imposing institution with a massive four-story building and a sprawling football field at the back.
To avoid standing out, Naruto leaped down from the roof of a nearby building and gracefully landed in an alleyway. He quickly made a wardrobe change, donning a red varsity jacket over a plain white shirt, and swapping his usual attire for jeans, aiming to blend in with the other students seamlessly.
Grinning to himself, he moved like a shadow across the street and made it to the school gate, and blended in with the masses of students flooding through the school gates.
To Be Continued…
Author's Note(s): Thank you all for reading guys! Below, I wanted to share some links which will show each character's appearance, because I am awful at describing appearances. Enjoy!
Naruto Uzumaki: You already know, lol.
Gwen Black: .ph/pin/885872189186122999/
Vivian Black: .ph/pin/night-owls-summer-skies-9148005513161518/
Walter Black: .ph/pin/walter-night-owls-summer-skies-in-2023-9148005513161408/
Nandita Black: .es/pin/nandita-night-owls-summer-skies-in-2023-883409283140084197/
Patrick Black: /profile_
Sasuke Uchiha: BRUH