I accedently deleted the first note I wrote so I'll just get to the gist of it. I'm not great at writing and this is some gourmet shit I'm trying to make a fanfiction of so it will be less than the sum of it's parts. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.
Kuchiyose no Jutsu!
Naruto's eyes snapped open, waking from what must've been the most uncomfortable sleep he'd ever had in his entire life. He groaned at the sudden pain that radiated through his muscles and joints. Rubbing his hands over the sides of his face, he looked around him. It was night, fire lit the piles of rubble that greeted his eyes. Few walls remained where this building stood, now it's mostly debris. Twisted metal and shattered brick lay strewn across his vision. Smoke swirled in the air and filled his nostrils; his ears rang with the constant crackle of flames and low voices crying out to one another.
It took him a second before reality registered in his mind and he jumped to his feet, chakra exhaustion making itself apparent. Looking around the rubble, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. This didn't look like any place he'd ever seen before, certainly not Konoha. In the unknown Naruto decided to look for any survivors.
"Hello! Anybody here?" he called into the smoky night.
"-ome back! Please, Vi, I need you!" The voice young girl shouted in the distance. Her plea broke Naruto from his thoughts. The girl was clearly in trouble and needed help. He ran in the direction of her voice, hoping he might still be able to help. As he neared the source of the girl's cry, the acrid smell of burning chemicals grew stronger and he winced slightly. He peered around the corner of the building and stopped dead in his tracks.
A girl only a winter or two younger than him knelt, her back to a hulking corpse, crying for someone who had long since fled. Her blue ponytail fell limp between her shoulders and her clothes were messy blue and purple rags.
Rain began to drizzle and pour, drenching the girl, the corpse, and Naruto alike. He stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do, as the rain continued to fall heavily. The poor girl hadn't yet noticed him and seemed too caught up in her grief to see much else.
Naruto's throat tightened as he watched her. "Do you need any help?" he finally asked, his heart racing in his chest.
The girl slowly turned to face him, her eyes red and puffy, her cheeks flushed from crying, rain and tears pouring down her face and soaking her clothes. "Y...yes please," she replied softly, her voice thick with emotion.
His heart clenched when he saw the fear in her eyes. He'd seen the look on her face on Sasuke, Inari, and in the mirror. She was lost, alone, and scared. He couldn't not help.
He stepped towards the girl, making sure to avoid stepping on the body in front of her, and knelt next to her. "What happened?" he asked gently.
She stilled as emotion overtook her once more. She started to sob, "I-I was saving -mhem," she choked up mid-sentence. She buried her face in her hands, muffled her cries, and then tackled Naruto in a hug.
"Oh...I'm sorry." Naruto mumbled patting the girl's back awkwardly. The girl clung to him as if her life depended on it. Wanting to be away from death and destruction Naruto asked, "We should probably get out of the rain, do you live anywhere nearby?"
When the girl nodded, Naruto helped her to her feet. They made their way to a small alleyway and heard shouting coming from where they came, Powder quickened her gait, leading Naruto through a maze of alleys and empty streets then into a dingy building with a large elevator. Stepping onto the platform and beginning their slow descent. "So, I uh, never got your name, I'm Naruto." He said having grown uncomfortable in the somber silence.
"... Powder," her voice quiet, still hugging herself tightly.
Naruto smiled, "Nice to meet ya." As the elevator continued his eyes were met with a large city, lit with greens and yellows. Houses, stalls, and various other buildings are nestled between massive stone pillars connected by steel walkways. A hustle and bustle of people still out despite how late it might be on the surface. "Whoa." he gasped in awe.
They reached the bottom of the elevator. Naruto opened the door leading outside. A warm wind blew against their faces as they stepped outside, and Naruto cringed. The air was dense with stench and thick enough to choke you, glancing to his side he saw Powder unaffected. Ordinarily, Naruto would voice his distaste, but he held back, tired and with somber company.
Naruto watched everything around him as they walked. The streets were crowded with people, mostly humans but a few... monsters? Creatures Naruto had never seen before, some humanoids walking and wearing clothes, while others are kept as pets or locked in cages.
Powder led Naruto to a rusted building with a large glowing sign that proclaimed it a bar called The Last Drop. "This is my home," Powder said quietly, her gaze fixed upon the ground.
It was dark and there was no one inside. The bar looked well-lived and well-worn. Despite this, the bar was clean and smelled of alcohol and tobacco reminding Naruto of Tsunade and Gramps. Naruto followed Powder as she entered and sat belly up at the bar. Taking a deep breath Naruto joined her.
"This was Vander's bar..." Powder started slowly.
Naruto raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly his heart sinking, "Was he your dad?" a nod was his only answer "Do you have anyone else? Any other family I could look for?" She stilled in silent contemplation and then shook her head. Squinting Naruto gripped his chin in thought before bouncing to his feet and proclaiming "Well, now ya do! If you want, I can help!" with a smile plastered brightly on his whiskered cheeks, hoping to help.
"Really!?" Powder asked surprised. Naruto smiled.
"Of course! I'd love to help a friend, ya' know! But in return could you tell me where we are? I've got no clue."
The corner of Powder's mouth curled upwards, "Thank you so much!" Her face broke into a wide smile as tears sprung to her eyes. "Thank you!" she cried again.
After the day she'd had, Powder decided she'd had enough of being awake. She led Naruto to a bed he could use while she tried to sleep the waking nightmare away. They both slept hoping for that day to have been a fever dream.
The next day Powder and Naruto woke to the banging of a door.
There we go! If you enjoyed thanks, if not no biggie. See ya chooms!