Chapter Two
Author's Note: Sup, I'd like to start by thanking everyone who's left a like, comment, or review on this story. I genuinely appreciate it.
Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this story.
Hayabusa Sacred Wilderness, Mount Fuji, Japan
Jô and Genjiro carried the three teens to their camp, arriving just as night fell and scaring off a fox that was gnawing on one of the fish Genjiro had caught.
"Damn fox," Genjiro grunted as he gently placed the blond down before starting a fire. With two strikes of flint, a warm orange glow bathed their campsite, providing him and his master ample light as they searched and secured the three teens—a standard procedure for treating possible threats.
"Would you like me to go out and get supper? Again?" the Hayabusa Jonin asked with a sigh as he walked over to the blond teenager and removed his thigh holster and hip pouch.
"There's no need," Jô said as he placed down the two girls and began doing the same process. "It won't be the first nor last time either of us went without a meal—have you found anything interesting?" the Hayabusa clan head asked as he set aside the two girls' thigh holsters and hip pouches, then began patting them down for any hidden weapons with a clinical detachment. He observed that the two girls appeared to have gone through a battle based on the various bruises and cuts they bore, as well as their dirty and tattered clothing.
"Other than he appears to be a ninja who doesn't use a sword?" Genjiro asked as he rifled through the boy's orange and black jumpsuit, finding a hidden kunai with a thicker blade and longer handle than anything he'd seen other ninjas use. "He has a unique-looking kunai, but the most interesting thing is that his clothes say he went through a battle, but his body says otherwise; his jacket and pants have a total of six puncture marks that are approximately 2.5cm wide, with each having gone through the mesh lining and piercing the lad's armor; all of the entry wounds are from the back."
"Are you saying the boy was skewered six times by something thicker than a broom shaft with no wounds?" Jô asked, sounding skeptical as he finished searching the girls and found nothing more than their pouches and holsters on them. He then began securing the two with wire, first by tying their fingers together, then using that same length of wire to bind their feet.
"Not even a scar," Genjiro said with a shake of his head as he bound the blonde in the same fashion.
Jô arched his brow in confusion as he focused his senses on the blond teenager for a few seconds before saying, "The boy doesn't feel like a fiend. So, he must have access to a skilled healer or possess quite the healing factor."
"That's as good a theory as any, Jô-sama," Genjiro shrugged as he finished securing the blond and gathered his belongings, carrying them over to the girls' belongings so that he and Jô could examine them. Genjiro's black eyes flicked to the two girls, "What about them; anything interesting?"
Jô frowned in thought as he joined Genjiro near the holsters and pouches and began sorting through their contents. "The girls also lack swords, and the navy-haired one appears to be blind."
"A recent wound?" Genjiro asked, sounding curious as he found more of the 'unique' kunai and set them aside in a pile. He counted seven so far.
"She doesn't appear to have any skin irritations or scars around her eyes; they are just pale. It's possible that whatever caused that crater might have something to do with it," Jô posited as he pulled out some shuriken and placed them in their own pile, making for a total of thirty-four.
"True," Genjiro agreed before adopting a serious expression. "Speaking of the crater, what shall we do with these three? You heard the sound and saw the damage; it was as if Raijin himself had bellowed and summoned a storm if they caused it-"
"-I understand your hesitance, old friend," Jô interrupted as he looked up from a paper tag that bore kanji for the word 'explode' on it and into Genjiro's eyes, "Anyone or anything that can cause that kind of destruction should be approached with the utmost caution. However, I do not believe the falcon led us to them because they are a threat. Though, I will reserve my judgment until I have had the chance to speak with them and look them in the eyes to gauge their characters."
Genjiro inclined his head. "As you wish; shall I take the first watch?" the man asked as he set aside a spool of razor wire next to another.
"If you'd be so kind," Jô said with a grateful smile, getting a nod in return. The two men silently finished sorting out the teens' belongings, finding nothing more interesting than a few smoke bombs from the blind girl's hip pouch and some unidentifiable medicines from the pink girl's pouch. After their inventory, the two Hayabusa ninja returned the supplies to their respective containers before the clan head quickly set up their tent and slept. Genjiro picked up the blonde, laid him between the two girls, and then took a guard position, leaning against a nearby tree.
Hours passed, and Genjiro was relieved by Jô, who took the same position as his companion, watching the three unconscious teens. Around half an hour into Jô's shift, one of the teenagers showed signs of consciousness; the blond stirred and groaned as he flexed his hands, then suddenly stilled.
Naruto kept his eyes closed as he quickly suppressed the panic coursing through his system at waking up bound. It was most shinobi worst nightmare because it meant that they were captured, and torture was likely in their near future. "Calm down, Naruto; this could all be a prank," he thought as he felt his heart rate slow down and began running an internal check of his body; "Can't move my fingers or feet—feels like wire; my back and legs are stiff, so I'm laying down; I feel two bodies close to mine—Sakura and Hinata? I don't feel unnaturally sluggish or ill—not poisoned; I can still feel my chakra, which means it's not sealed!" At that last conclusion, Naruto took advantage of his unsealed chakra and his stationary state to gather nature chakra to survey his surroundings.
Jô trained his senses on the blond, keeping his hand on his blade as he observed the unmoving teenager. Minutes ticked by with nothing happening. A man of lesser patience would have broken the silence and demanded that the blond speak, but Jô was no such man. He had all the time in the world, and it wasn't like the blond was going anywhere. The Hayabusa head soon regretted that thought when the blond suddenly appeared to disappear before him.
Jô blinked. It was a long, slow, audible blink before he quickly glanced down at his hand, counting the five fingers that should be there; he bit the inside of his cheek, feeling pain and tasting blood, followed by raising his hand to his ear and snapping his fingers, hearing the sound; finally, he sniffed the air and smelled the smoke from their fire. All five of Jô's senses were working–hell, he could still see the blond before him—yet something was telling the Hayabusa clan head that the teenager might as well have been one of the many indistinguishable trees in the sacred wilderness. Before Jô could voice his confusion or rouse Genjiro, the blond opened his mouth:
"Who are you, and why don't you have chakra?" Naruto demanded, trying to understand what his Sage Mode was telling him. The young sage sensed that Hinata and Sakura were flanking him and that their chakras were undisturbed, meaning neither was in a genjutsu. Usually, that last bit of information would evoke a sense of relief in the blond. However, the Uzumaki heir couldn't relish that small grace, given that the two unknowns who had taken them captive had no chakra but rather a different energy source, a fact that chilled Naruto to the bone.
Everyone had chakra—even civilians who had never trained a day in their lives. Without chakra, a person would die. So, to be taken captive by two entities that didn't have a wisp of the life-sustaining energy but something unknown was disturbing. Disturbing because, for a shinobi, the unknown was deadly.
"I'll ask again: who are you, and why don't you have chakra?" Naruto repeated himself, his voice hard as he was formulating a plan; "Break binds, summon Kage Bunshins (Shadow Clones) to pick up Hinata and Sakura, disable the man next to the tree, use him as hostage or distraction for the second man." The blond idly noted Sakura and Hinata's chakra stir, meaning they were up and preparing.
Jô felt the hairs on his arms stand on end as he felt his body instinctively tense for a fight. His brown eyes caught movement from his right. He slightly turned his head and saw Genjiro silently crawl out of their tent with a kunai held in a reverse grip. The two Hayabusa ninjas traded a glance before Jô sent a hand signal to Genjiro, telling him to secure the bound teens.
Genjiro nodded and took one step towards their captives before he felt an immense amount of pressure on his shoulders as if he were suddenly under the deep waters of the ocean.
"You take one step closer to us, and I'll end you," the blond hissed as he readied to tear through his binds like wet paper with his Sage Mode-enhanced strength. "Last time, who are you, and why don't you have chakra?"
Jô, feeling the pressure himself and deciding that he didn't want to risk fighting an unknown–possibly three, if his eyes caught the slight breath, hitches from the girls–finally broke his silence; "I am Hayabusa Jô. My companion Genjiro and I found you and your compatriots unconscious in our sacred forest. We mean you no harm. And to answer your other question, I haven't the faintest clue what this 'chakra' you are referring to is."
Jô and Genjiro waited for the blond's response, though both were confused when, a few seconds later, the bound boy asked aloud, "Hinata?"
Before the Hayabusa duo could trade a glance, the navy-haired girl spoke gently, "He is telling the truth." She added, "Though, what confuses me is that they claim not to know of chakra, but they have chakra networks. It's just the energy that's running through them is different."
Sakura, her scientific curiosity piqued, finally chimed in by asking, "Different energy? Can you describe it?"
Hinata frowned as she focused her Byakugan (All Seeing White Eye) on the man who introduced himself as Jô. She peered past his clothes, skin, and muscles into the second circulatory system known as the chakra network and observed the unknown energy passing through its veins. "The energy is yellow rather than the typical blue of chakra. It also appears to be 'lighter' for lack of a better word, like it's more akin to a gas while chakra is more like a liquid."
"Interesting," Sakura said as her brow furrowed in thought. "Do you-"
Naruto coughed, cutting Sakura off. "Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan, I think we have more important things to deal with right now."
Sakura and Hinata blushed, both feeling embarrassed, though the Hyuuga heiress also couldn't help but feel a thrill of happiness when she heard her crush call her 'Hinata-chan.'
"You're right. Sorry," Sakura apologized.
"It's alright. You find medical stuff fun, but I don't think our hosts like to be kept waiting," Naruto replied before he addressed their hosts, who were standing there confused, "Since you mean us no harm, could you untie us, please? On my honor as a Konoha shinobi, I promise that neither I, Hinata, nor Sakura will harm you."
Jô and Genjiro traded a look, wondering if it was such a good idea to untie these apparent 'Konoha shinobi' who spoke of strange things like 'chakra' and 'chakra networks' when a flapping of wings and a familiar cry of a peregrine falcon drew their attention. The Hayabusa shinobi watched as their clan's sacred animal circled above their campsite before alighting on a branch above the three teens. Neither noticed Naruto or Hinata stiffening at the arrival of the falcon.
The falcon locked eyes with Jô before spreading its wings wide, then curled them inwards as if covering some invisible chick. It didn't take long for Jô to get the message. He gave the falcon a deferential nod before saying, "We will take you at your word, Naruto-san. Please don't make us regret this decision." Jô then looked towards Genjiro and motioned towards the three teens.
Genjiro warily nodded, not feeling like this was the best course of action, but felt duty-bound to follow his master's commands. Quickly, the Hayabusa Jonin rose to his feet, walked over to the three teens, and freed them of their binds with fast strokes of his kunai. His duty done, Genjiro leaped to his master's side and took up a defensive position—an action Jô chose not to comment on.
"Thanks," Naruto said as soon as the binds were loose. The blond then stood up, offering hands to Hinata and Sakura, which the girls took gratefully with soft-spoken thanks. As Naruto was standing up, Jô and Genjiro got their first glimpse of Naruto's toad-like eyes, causing both veteran shinobi to let out silent gasps of shock. Confused, Naruto asked them, "What's the matter? Is there something on my face?"
Sakura traced the Hayabusa ninjas' lines of sight and repressed a groan at Naruto's forgetfulness. "Naruto-kun, they're surprised by your eyes. Return them to normal, please," Sakura kindly requested.
Naruto blinked before he chuckled sheepishly, "Right. Forgot about that." He then released the nature chakra he gathered, letting it return to the environment and allowing his toad-like yellow eyes to revert to his human blue ones. "Is this better?" Naruto asked the two Hayabusa shinobi.
"Much," Jô responded as he and Genjiro felt the pressure on their shoulders suddenly disappear, slightly relaxing them. "Now, would you care to tell us how you found yourselves in our sacred forest?"
"That's a long story," Naruto sighed, unsure about what he should share before he felt Hinata and Sakura gently squeezing his hands, silent reminders that they were there and supported him.
"I've got plenty of time," Jô drily assured, noting that the three teens were, understandably, still tense and probably close to bolting. He thought about how to calm them before proposing, "How about this: we answer one question of yours, then you answer one of ours, fair?" The Hayabusa head thought this was a peaceful solution to learning about his new guests and a good way of gauging their priorities. However, he would keep his eye on the 'blind' girl, Hinata, because Jô recalled that she could somehow tell when he was telling the truth and see whatever that 'chakra network' thing was. Right off the bat, Jô noticed that the veins around the girl's eyes were pronounced and that her pale orbs had a lavender tint.
"Fair," Naruto responded before giving Hinata's hand a gentle squeeze and sending chakra pulses through her arm to send a one-word message in morse code 'Eye.' He soon received a one-letter response, 'Y.' Repressing a grin, Naruto took a breath as he recalled Jiraiya's teachings about information gathering, then asked his first question, "Which nation are we in?"
"We are in Japan," Jô answered, noting that his response had made the blond stiffen. "What is this 'chakra' you speak of?"
"Sakura, would you like to field this one?" Naruto requested, grinning like a fox. "You were always better at explaining it than I was."
"Sure," Sakura said with a smile of her own, though internally, she was frowning because she knew from her time spent with her blond teammate that he only broke out his 'foxy grin' when he was sad or stressed. The pink-haired kunoichi gave her crush's hand a reassuring squeeze before going into a technical and highly detailed explanation of what chakra was.
While Sakura was explaining, Naruto was experiencing an existential crisis, all because Hinata said that Jô's response was a 'T' or, in other words, 'True.' This information rattled Naruto because he knew from his extensive studies with Jiraiya that there was no country in the entirety of the Elemental Nations named 'Japan.' Then the blond realized that they and the Hayabusa shinobi spoke the same language but different dialects, which added to the confusion.
"They don't have chakra, they speak a different dialect, and they say we're in a country called 'Japan?!' Just where in the hell are we?!" Naruto mentally screamed before he felt Hinata deftly thread her fingers through his own and gently rub his knuckles with her thumb. "Thank you, Hinata," Naruto gratefully thought as he began to relax.
Hinata's actions didn't go unnoticed by the Hayabusa clan head as he kept one ear on Sakura's explanation. "What makes him so tense? Is being in Japan so worrisome? Though, given Sakura's explanation of chakra–combining physical and spiritual energies?—they might be far from home," Jô mentally concluded as Sakura finished her explanation. "Fascinating. If what you say about chakra holds true, I look forward to learning more from you," Jô said to Sakura before awaiting Naruto's next question.
Naruto carefully thought about what to ask. If his suspicions were true, and he and his friends were no longer in the Elemental Nations, they would need someone to teach them about this new land they had found themselves in. Jô could be that someone. Plus, Naruto was curious about how the Hayabusa duo were unaware of chakra and yet was watched by a hawk with chakra. Naruto could have assumed that the Hayabusa shinobi were lying, but he trusted Hinata and her eyes and believed her when she said they were telling the truth about the country and their intentions. So, with all these things in mind, Naruto decided to take a chance by asking the duo for help. However, he first needed to ensure that the duo was capable by asking, "My next question: what are your positions in the Hayabusa clan?"
Jô's eyebrow arched at the seemingly random question, but he truthfully answered, "Genjiro is one of the Hayabusa clan's jonin, while I am the head of the clan." Jô then confirmed his suspicions, "Where is 'Konoha' in relation to Japan?" Jô looked deep into the blond's eyes as he waited for his answer. Would the blond evade in some manner? Give a cagey response?
Naruto mirthlessly chuckled. "Without having a map, I wouldn't have the faintest clue–though I suspect that even if you had one, I still wouldn't be able to find it. I think we're far from home," Naruto admitted as he felt Sakura grip his hand tighter. He didn't have to look at her to know that his pink-haired crush was worryingly biting her lower lip. Naruto squeezed both girls' hands, though whether the act was to reassure them or himself was a matter for debate as the blond shinobi decided to go for broke, "Would the Hayabusa clan aid us?"
Sakura and Hinata's eyes widened at his question, but they remained silent, trusting their blond crush knew what he was doing.
"It depends," Jô answered, his voice firm as he held the blond's eyes; the teenager's blue eyes bore a growing sadness, but they remained resolute as they gazed into his own. Jô didn't believe the boy was lying, and with his clan's patron animal watching, the Hayabusa clan head risked asking an open-ended question, "How did you three get here?"
Naruto took a deep breath before recounting their tale: Pein's assault on Konoha, Naruto's fight with Pein's paths, Naruto's conversation with Nagato, Nagato's decision, and finally, the Konoha trio's confrontation with Tobi. Naruto spoke for hours, with Hinata and Sakura chipping in where they could. The campfire had long since died, and the sun had begun to slowly rise when the blond shinobi finished, leaving two silent Hayabusa ninjas.
Jô and Genjiro contemplated the blond's story, trying to determine its veracity. To most of the planet, Naruto's tale would have sounded like the ravings of a madman: a man capable of leveling a small city with a single technique and another man with an eye capable of teleporting people? It was preposterous to most people. But Jô and Genjiro were not most people; they were shinobi. Shinobi specialized in hunting fiends-demonic creatures capable of magic-so they knew that the world was chock full of strange things, regardless of how improbable they sounded–though they would like a demonstration of this 'chakra' the trio had mentioned, just for some evidence to support their claims. Jô asked for such.
"A demonstration?" Naruto asked, tilting his head as he tried to think of something to display.
"How about tree-climbing?" Sakura suggested. "That impressed us when Kakashi-sensei showed it to us for the first time."
Naruto thought about it momentarily before nodding and smiling at Sakura in thanks. "I think that'll work," he said, releasing her and Hinata's hands. He then began walking towards a tree when a skeptical-sounding Genjiro halted him.
"Excuse me, but did you say 'tree-climbing?' How does climbing trees show this 'chakra' you speak of? My master and I can climb trees with our tools and hands," Genjiro said as he examined the smiling blond with a shrewd look, one that Jô mirrored.
"Who said anything about hands?" Naruto asked before continuing towards his chosen tree and casually walking vertically up its trunk like another piece of flat ground. The blond walked until he approached a branch and walked on its underside, stopping when he got to its center. Naruto crossed his arms and looked down at the two wide-eyed and gaping Hayabusa ninja. "Well?"
"That's certainly impressive," the Hayabusa clan head commented, being the first to recover from his shock. "But is this all you can use chakra for? Sticking to things with your feet?"
"No," Naruto shook his head before he stopped channeling chakra to his feet, causing him to plummet toward the ground; the blond, showing tremendous control of his body, flipped in the air and landed on his feet with no sound. "Chakra is used for a lot of techniques." The blond held out his right hand and formed a glowing, whirling, blue sphere in his palm.
"What is that?" Genjiro asked, his eyes bright with wonder.
"This," Naruto gestured to the orb, "Is the rasengan. It's a technique that my…sensei taught me; it can drill through enemies."
Jô, Sakura, and Hinata all caught the minor pause Naruto took before he said 'sensei' as if the blond wanted to say something else. Jô decided not to comment on it, though he would remember it, while Sakura and Hinata would discuss it with him when they had a moment of privacy.
"So, you believe us now?" Naruto asked, letting his rasengan fade.
Jô and Genjiro traded looks, conversing silently with minute twitches of their faces and muscles. The exchange lasted a few seconds, ending when Genjiro gave his clan head a respectful nod. "We do," Jô said.
"And about aiding us?" Naruto asked, the question hanging in the air.
Jô looked up into the branches, spotting his family's silent sacred animal staring at him. It made no gestures as if to say the decision was up to him. "Though is it really much of a choice?" the clan head wryly thought, "I've already put my trust in you so far. What's another one in the grand scheme of things?" Jô took a breath, squaring his shoulders before looking at Naruto, "Yes, the Hayabusa clan will aid you."
"Great," Naruto breathed, exhaling the breath he didn't know he was holding. Naruto looked over at his…companions? He honestly wasn't sure what they were at the moment. The blond Uzumaki wasn't dense. Even he could see the blatant signs, what with Sakura plastering herself to his back and Hinata letting him rest on her bosoms. Obviously, they wanted a relationship with him, but what held him back was that he couldn't fathom that both of them felt okay with sharing him.
"I suppose that's something we'll have to speak about," the blond teen thought, not knowing whether to feel hopeful or dreadful. Naruto placed those thoughts in the back of his mind as he offered Jô a bow, an action quickly mirrored by Hinata and Sakura. "Thank you for your aid. We promise we will return this favor."
Jô acknowledged the bow with a nod. "I will hold you to it." Jô then looked over the three as they rose, focusing on their clothing, "Would you like me to send for some fresh clothing?"
The three Konoha shinobi looked over their clothing, grimaces gracing their faces as they spotted the various scuff marks and tears and the outright holes in Naruto's case. "That would be most appreciated, Jô-sama," Hinata said.
"It's no problem, Hinata-san," the Hayabusa head replied before giving out a short series of sharp whistles that echoed throughout the clearing. A few seconds later, a sharp cry echoed above the forest.
Hinata activated her byakugan and looked toward the sound, spotting a peregrine falcon flying in their direction; it had a messenger tube attached to its leg. Hinata frowned as she looked closer and saw that this hawk lacked chakra like the one perched above them. "I wonder why that is?" the Hyuuga heiress wondered as she watched the chakra-less bird descend and land on Jô's outstretched arm.
Jô scratched the bird's feathers before handing him off to Genjiro so he could compose a message. It was short and quick, requesting three sets of Hayabusa training clothes: two female and one male. Once done, the Hayabusa head rolled up his request and placed it in the messenger tube. Genjiro then bade the bird return to the village. The Hayabusa messenger bird clacked its beak before taking to the sky and traveling in an easterly direction.
As if that was its cue, the mysterious peregrine falcon perched above the shinobi also took flight, but it did not follow its chakra-less brother. No, it flew westerly, traveling toward a large mountain and away from the rising sun. Hinata tracked the mysterious bird until it disappeared from her sight.
"Well, with that all squared away, I suggest we all get some rest," Jô announced, followed by a loud gurgling sound. Everyone blinked before turning towards the source of the sound, finding an embarrassed Naruto sheepishly scratching the back of his head with one hand as he held his rumbling stomach with the other.
"Sorry," Naruto apologized, "It's just been a while since I've eaten a good meal."
Hinata and Sakura frowned while the pink-haired kunoichi asked, "The toads didn't feed you during your training?"
"Yeah, bugs," Naruto shuddered as he turned green to the gills.
Sakura and Hinata shivered at that mental image, while Jô and Genjiro were confused, which Genjiro gave voice to.
"Excuse me, Naruto-san, am I to understand that toads trained you?" Genjiro asked.
"They did," Naruto nodded.
"Toads? As in the tiny, hopping creatures that live near water and croak?" Genjiro pressed, his mind imagining the blond crouched next to a toad and croaking.
"I wouldn't let Gamabunta hear you call him 'tiny," Naruto smiled as he pictured the mountainous chief toad.
Seeing Genjiro's and Jô's strange looks, Sakura interjected, "Do you not have summon creatures here?"
"Summon creatures?" Jô parroted, mulling over the words in his mind. "Am I to assume that these are animals you can call for aid from?"
"Got it in one," Sakura said as she gestured to herself and Naruto, "I'm a summoner for the slugs of Shikkotsu Forest, while Naruto-kun is a summoner for the toads of Mount Myoboku."
Genjrio choked on his spit, his eyes wide. "Shikkotsu?! Myoboku?! Those places are myths!"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes bulging and his mind racing, "Those places aren't myths! I've been there!" The blond looked inwards, searching for the connection he shared with the toads, a pleasant warmth that hummed in the back of his mind. It had existed ever since he had passed Gamabunta's test and had become as familiar as his heartbeat, but when he looked there, he found nothing. Naruto felt the air sucked out of his lungs at this hollowing realization. The blond faintly registered Sakura sucking in a breath, so he assumed that she had come to the same conclusion.
"What's wrong?" Hinata asked, laying a hand on Sakura's shoulder.
"I-I can't feel my connection to the Slugs," Sakura stammered, feeling like a part of her was ripped away.
Hinata's eyes grew to the size of full moons. She whipped her head towards Naruto, her navy tresses flapping wildly, the question clear in her pale orbs.
The blond gave her a silent nod as he slowly processed what this meant for them; either their summon clans were dead, or their contracts had been severed. Both options were depressing pills to swallow.
"What's wrong?" Jô asked, seeing the forlorn expressions on the three teens.
Naruto gulped before shakily saying, "We just learned just how alone in this land we are."
Meanwhile, the mysterious falcon flew many miles, chewing up the distance with the aid of its chakra as it soared above the sacred forest and towards one of the snow-crusted peaks of Mount Fuji. It heard a sharp whistle, causing it to snap its eyes toward the source: a black, cloaked figure standing in shin-deep snow, its head covered by a hood.
The cloaked figure held out its arm, parting its folds to reveal a white bandaged arm, bandages covered in thousands of minuscule kanji.
The falcon alighted upon the arm, clicking its beak as it stared deep into the figure's hood; its black eyes locked onto the figure's hypnotic red orbs that had three black tomoes spinning in them.