Chapter 17
It was as Fū said. About 30 minutes later, while standing on the outskirts, a group of Taki Nin, this time legit, greeted them. Shibuki was able to playcate them, yet that did not stop them from questioning the bruise on his cheek. Thankfully, the man was able to placate them by saying, 'It was something I deserved', but that did not stop the suspicious looks they garnered before and after they were blindfolded and taken to the village hidden in waterfalls.
Arriving at the village, the group found it a relatively peaceful place, and the people, while wary, were more than happy to have the Takikage back home safe and sound. As expected, the village was mostly surrounded by water. Several platforms and bridges connected to the surrounding trees, giving it more of a tropical feel. There were some people fishing, but the majority seemed to be either working or shopping. It was a very stark contrast to the bustling village that was Konoha.
"Well, here we are, everyone. Welcome to Takigakure."
"Hm, not bad." Tenten remarked, a smile on her face. "A little damp, and not as lively as Konoha, but not bad."
"Well, not every village is as big as Konoha." Fū grumbled. "Bigger isn't always better, y'know."
"Fū is right." Shibuki added in. "Unlike larger villages, most people here are acquainted. The close proximity makes it easier to build circles and relationships with each other, as well as keeping the crime rate low. People are also a lot happier and more friendly if treated right."
"That's kinda stale." Tenten argued.
"You say that, but not everyone likes large crowds. I find a little peace and quiet every now and then helps keep the mind fresh. "Hm," Naruto hummed, thinking about the Taki leader's words.
"Well, it's not my cup of tea, but I can see the thought process."
"Haha! It's an acquired taste, but I promise there are few who are dissatisfied with our arrangements."
"Riiiiiiiight."
The conversation seemed to slowly die down after that, with the rest of the walk filled with quiet observation of the village activity. When they arrived at Takikage's tower, it was no surprise that the building wasn't even half the size of Hokage Tower. Entering, they were greeted by a single staff member behind a desk, a woman, who smiled amicably upon seeing them. Shibuki greeted her back before turning to the escorted party.
"Well, I believe this is where your mission ends, no?"
"Indeed," Kagero immediately answered his query.
"Ah, w-well, if that's the case, why not stay the night? I can put you in one of my finest suites in the-"
"That won't be necessary." The Konoha Jonin shot down, her Genin all looking towards her with their own forms of disappointment.
"Aw, Sensei. Can't we stay the night?" Tenten whined, the other three following her example.
"We do not have time to waste, Higurashi. There is still much to be done."
"Come ooooooon Sensei. We have, like, two months before the Chunin Exams! One day isn't gonna make much of a difference." "She's right," Shibuki added, much to the Genin's joy. "We've traveled nearly three days. The least you can do is allow your team to rest, even for a couple of hours, no?"
"...It is as I said-"
"Oh get the stick out your ass already, lady!" Fū suddenly exclaimed in frustration, garnering the stoic stare of the Konoha Jonin. "You act as though closing your eyes once will kill you. Your village isn't going anywhere. Just take the damn offer and stop trying to act cool."
"Th-there's no need to be so rude, Fū." Shibuki said nervously, to which the Jinchuuriki huffed and looked away. The Jonin woman seemed ready to reprimand the green-haired girl, but instead of doing so, she surprisingly relented.
"Very well... But only for the night. We leave as early as dawn. No later." Her ultimatum given, she turned, heading to places only she knew. An excited grin grew on the face of the greenette immediately upon the Jonin's departure before she turned to her fellow Jinchuuriki.
"Hey Naruto, wanna see something cool?"
Naruto blinked at the greenette.
"Depends on where you're taking me."
"Nowhere suspicious. Promise!" Fū paused, her eyes turning to land on the other two Genin behind the blonde. Her eyes immediately rolled as she said, "Fiiiiine. I guess you two can come along as well."
"I think I'll pass." Neji said flatly. Attention then turned to Tenten, who sighed not long after.
"I'll pass too. I know when I'm not wanted."
Fū's smile returned in full throttle as she took her fellow Jinchuuriki's arm in hers.
"Come on, Blondie! Trust me, you're going to love it!"
trained on the giant tree that seemed to make up most of Taki's center.
"It's a Banyan Tree," Fū informed, the blonde nodding in understanding. "It's actually a lot older than it looks. Supposedly, Taki was actually founded because of this tree. We also call it 'The Beginning'. The tree itself is named after a God, so it's only natural to call it such."
"Huh." Naruto let out.
"Hm." Sothis was followed by a hum.
"..."
"..."
"...So-"
"Don't."
"Fine..."
Fū looked over to the blonde, a brow raised.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing," Naruto replied, his eyes never leaving the tree.
"Right... Anyway, though this is a tree, there's a secret inside that only I know about. Follow me!"
And without waiting for a reply, the green-haired girl dragged the blonde towards the tree—specifically, towards a hole in the bark. Fū dipped inside first, the blonde following soon after without much hesitance. Dropping into darkness, Naruto found himself grabbed once more by the girl as she walked them forward. Somehow, she easily navigated her way through the darkness, guiding him until there was a light on the ground. Looking directly into the light, he saw blue, followed by a ladder that led to the blue.
Like before, the greenette led down the ladder, with the blonde following not too far behind. Once the ladder was climbed, the two emerged inside what looked to be an underground littoral cave. Beneath them was a lake—a lake that somehow emitted a light that illuminated the entire cave. Inside the lake, hundreds of fish of different colors swam, along with coral, seaweed, and other plants majestically waving in the water. The lake spanned at least 2000 feet in circumference, making it all the more fascinating.
"It's beautiful." Sothis spoke in awe from above, having appeared to get a better look at the water below. The blonde agreed silently, not taking his eyes away from the fish family currently swimming in circles below.
"Cool, isn't it?" Looking up, Naruto caught the smirk of his fellow Jinchuuriki. "First found this place when I was five. Been living here my whole life."
"Cool." The blonde said simply before his hand was captured once more.
"Come on! I wanna show you my house!" Naruto allowed himself to be pulled further into the cave, he and his friend just now noticing the wooden structure that had gone unseen at the end of the lake.
It wasn't a house, but a cabin—the lack of a door making it more of a shack than anything else. Different colored wooden pillars and boards—looking as if it were one huff and puff away from being blown down.
"This is... a shack."
"It's my home! Made it myself!" Fū said proudly, hands on her hips and all.
"I can see that..." The blonde said it flatly. Without waiting for the blonde to fully decide whether or not it was safe to go inside, Fū decided for him and dragged him inside.
What greeted the two was a messy and cramped space. The room was divided into three parts. One part was a living area with a small couch that seemed to have been dragged in, along with a coffee table that was littered with different objects. The next part was the kitchen, or at least, what Naruto thought was the kitchen.
There was a stove and oven, a sink, a fridge, and a few cupboards, but none of them were connected to each other. In fact, the sink was connected to the wall and not the cupboards, the fridge was on the floor, and the oven was sitting on a separate counter across from the stove. The only thing that seemed remotely connected was the fridge, which had a door leading to it, and the sink, which had a drain that led somewhere in the ground.
The final part of the house was the bedroom, or at least what Naruto assumed was a bedroom. There was a small cot, a single pillow, and a thin wool blanket.
"Welcome to my humble abode!"
Naruto didn't reply as he examined the house. Fū eagerly waiting for his praise.
"Well? What do you think?"
"It's..."
"Amazing? Yeah, I know."
"It's... something."
"This place is a mess! How does anyone live in this filth?!" Sothis voice sounded out more harshly, not that the girl could hear it.
Fū frowned, Naruto believing the girl heard the harsh criticism for a moment.
"You don't like it?"
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to. I can tell." Fū pouted. "I know it's a little cramped, but I have nowhere else to go. This place is mine, and I have no plans on changing it."
"That's admirable." Naruto complemented, his words getting the attention of the Jinchuuriki once more.
"Really? You're not gonna make fun of me or anything?"
"Why would I? I can understand what it's like being alone, so there's no reason for me to judge you. As long as this makes you happy, then that's all that matters, no?"
Fū blinked.
"Oh, uh, yeah." Fū replied dumbly, looking away while rubbing her neck. "Well, uh, since you're here, want to help me with something?"
He raised a brow.
"Name it."
"Can you help me clean up?" The girl's smile returned as she pulled a broom out of nowhere.
Naruto, on the other hand, wasn't as enthused.
"Seriously?"
"Yup! You're a guest, and guests should always help their host, right?"
"I can argue that I was brought here against my will."
"Yeah, and I can throw your ass out."
"Sounds more like a reward than a threat."
"I'll break your legs."
"That's a threat."
"Stop being a smart ass and help me. Come on. Please? Do it for your girl friend?"
The blonde actually became silent at the choice of words.
"My, what?"
"Uh, your girl friend?" She said again, the blonde looking to Sothis to see if he'd misheard. He hadn't, and neither had the Goddess. Confirming that, he looked back at the girl.
"I heard what you said. What I want to know is how we suddenly became such."
Fū looked at him as if he were the one who'd suddenly forgotten a few steps in their relationship—if they even had that.
"Yes, but why are you my 'girlfriend'?"
"Are you stupid or something?" The blonde's brow twitched. "I'm a girl, and I'm your friend. Therefore, I'm your girl friend. Did they not teach you that in school?"
"More like no one ever taught her the importance of homophones and punctuation." Sothis remarked, the blonde not disagreeing with the Goddess's assessment.
"First of all, that's none of your business. Second, I don't remember giving you permission to become my girlfriend. And third-"
"I don't remember needing your permission, either." Fū interrupted him before he could clear up the misunderstanding. "You're my boy friend, and I'm your girl friend, whether you like it or not."
"You really are an idiot, aren't you?"
"Want me to really break your legs?"
"I like my legs how they are. But thank you for asking."
Fū huffed and turned, crossing her arms.
"Hmph. I don't care what you say. I'm gonna treat you how I want. Now, if you want to stay here, you have to help me clean. Got it?" Naruto thought on it, deciding if this was worth arguing over or not.
"...Fine." He relented in the end, Fū cheering in joy at his decision.
"That's the spirit!"
The blonde grumbled as he was given the broom, Fū taking her own broom and began helping clean the mess that was her home.
By the time they were done, the light in the cave had dimmed considerably, a sign that wherever it originated was dew to sunlight.
"Well, that should be it." Fū said as she placed the broom against the wall and sat comfortably on her couch. "How'd you get so good at cleaning, anyway?"
"I have four friends, and they're all girls. Cleaning is a necessity if I don't want an earful whenever they're over." Naruto explained, taking a seat on the grass that was her floor instead of a seat.
"Hm, I suppose that's fair. Shibuki and Chōmei are my only friends, and they don't particularly care how my place looks, so can't say I understand."
"Only two? No other friends?"
"Mhm. People in this village tend to ignore me, so I see no other reason to talk to others aside from Shibuki and Chōmei."
"I see... Sorry about that."
Fū raised a brow at that.
"Why are you apologizing? You're not the one at fault. If anything, I'd think you understand me more than anyone as a fellow Jinchuuriki. We're different, and most people don't understand us. We're monsters, after all... Well, me more than you. Tell your friend I meant no offense."
"She says none taken." The blonde gave the Goddess's reply. "Your reasons are sound, but that's no reason for us to be alone. Friends aren't something we should be scared to make. In the end, they're what kept me sane and motivated to achieve my dreams."
"Really?" Fū said, sounding unconvinced.
"Chōmei and Shibuki-san are your friends, are they not? Do they not motivate you to be better? Give you a reason to live on?"
"Well, yes, but..." The girl trailed off, starting to understand the blonde's point of view. "Sometimes, I think about what would happen if I hurt them, y'know? I can't always control Chōmei's chakra, and I know I have a bad temper. I just feel like I'll eventually hurt them or let them down one day..." She finished, her head dipping slightly at the thought.
"Nobody can be perfect, Fū. It's true, we might mess up, that we might say something they don't like, or lose them all together. But I'd rather live knowing that I had something good than not taking the chance at all and missing something great."
Fū looked up at the blonde, meeting his sincere, green eyes.
"You're, more mature than any kid I've met my age." She admitted, to which the blonde heard a snort in his head.
"I think a lot of people would disagree with you there... But they're just haters."
"They are," Fū laughed, moving to lay on her stomach as another topic of conversation arose. "So, I've been thinking. I've never really seen you smile. Why is that?"
"Huh?" The blonde blinked, caught off guard by the question.
"I asked why you never smile. Are you not happy?"
The blonde went to answer and realized he had no answer to give. True, he had felt happy and had smiled on numerous occasions. He had had moments where he felt anger and even sorrow, but none of them ever lasted. He knew he was different, that he didn't share emotions like others, yet why was that? Had he never asked this question before? Had anyone even asked before this? Was it because of the Crest Stone within him, or was it because of Sothis? He honestly didn't have an answer, and he doubted Sothis did either.
"...I don't know." The blonde answered honestly, and the greenette raised a brow at the lack of confidence.
"So, you just, don't?"
"Un. I never really questioned why, to be honest. As long as I had my friends, that was enough for me."
"Huh. I guess that's not a bad way to think... Even if you're weird for thinking that."
"This coming from the girl who doesn't understand how incorrect punctuation can shift the entire dynamic of a conversation." Sothis commented, with the blonde agreeing but not voicing his own thoughts on the matter.
"Un." was what he ended up saying, unintentionally killing the conversation. The two sat in awkward silence before the Taki resident suddenly sat up.
"Wanna see what the lake looks like at night?"
"Sure."
The blonde was quickly pulled along, the two finding themselves on the lake, watching as the fish below illuminated the water around them. There were not as many as before, but the new lighting that came with nightfall surprisingly gave a new perspective to the lake.
"Wow." Sothis let out, the blonde silently agreeing.
"Cool, huh? When it's night and the water is still, it looks as though the fish are swimming in the air." Fū explained, beaming all the way.
"That is a good description of the sight." Sothis complemented.
"Mm." Naruto hummed, not taking his eyes away from the lake.
The two Jinchuuriki remained on the lake until they felt their feet slowly grow numb from the cold. Fū suddenly stretched, a few pops echoing from her joints as she said, "It's getting late. We should hit the hay."
"Un." The blonde agreed, moving towards the ladder.
"Uh, where are you going?" Turning back around, he met the incredulous brow of the Taki girl.
"Um, to find where I'll be staying for the night?" The blonde said confusedly, getting a raised brow from the mint-haired girl.
"What are you talking about? You're staying here for the night."
"Huh?" The blonde said dumbly.
Fū pointed back at her shack and said, "I got an extra futon back at my house. You can sleep in it. Better than sleeping in some stupid stranger's house, right?"
"But you're a stranger."
"...I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." Without further delay, Fū dragged him back to the shack; the blonde, thankfully, was not protesting.
Almost 20 minutes later, he lay in a, thankfully clean, futon next to his new 'friend' who slept comfortably on a mattress next to him. Despite feeling comfortable and tired from the day's activities, both were wide awake, their gazes burning through the roof.
"Hey, Fū?"
"Hm?"
"You asleep?"
"Nope."
"...Want to meet the rest of my friends?"
Fū turned on her mattress to peer over at the blonde on the floor.
"And how will you do that exactly?"
Not saying anything, Naruto removed himself from his futon and stood in the middle of the shack, leaning up to an elbow to observe. "Prepare to be amazed," was all he said before biting into the tip of his finger. Blood was drawn, and with a quick sequence of hand signs, he finished it by slamming his hand to the ground.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Uh, was, something supposed to happen?" Fū finally asked for the anticlimactic spectacle. On the blonde's part, he blinked at the grass where his hand landed, confused as to why his summoning had failed. Thinking he'd messaged something up with his hand signs, he went through the entire thing once again, this time a lot slower. His palm met the ground once again.
Nothing.
He repeated it once more, making sure he used the right amount of chakra this time.
Still nothing.
He tried combining the two solutions together.
And still, nothing.
Eventually, he was simply smacking his hand on the ground, changing the amount of force each time in hopes of getting a different outcome. It only took Fū about 20 times of watching it to get annoyed. "Performance issues?"
"...Kinda." The Genin answered honestly. "To be honest, this has never happened before."
"What were you going to do? Summon them here?" Fū asked, not entirely sure how he would accomplish such a feat.
"Yes, actually... Although, now that I think about it, I don't believe I've ever actually summoned them here. Usually it's me going to them." He said thoughtfully while rubbing his chin.
"Then why not just take us to them?" Fū suggested, to which the blonde immediately shot down.
"Can't. Tried before on my team one day during training. It didn't work."
"Well, maybe this time will be different."
"I doubt it."
"You'll never know unless you try."
"...Fine." He relented, telling the girl to grab onto his shoulder. Once she was in contact, he tried the summoning again. To the surprise of no one, it failed; again.
"What am I doing wrong..." Naruto voiced, not understanding the failure of his jutsu.
"You're forgetting a very key action, child." Sothis spoke from within, getting the boy's attention.
"What would that be?"
*CRASH*
He was answered with a familiar sound, the world distorting as time came to a halt. Sothis appeared before him, floating as was her usual. "I've thought this for a while, but I believe the reason you were able to connect to my world is because a part of you is already connected. Using my power acts as a conduit, which is why you are able to travel there but no one else is. Would explain much since Fodlan is not your typical 'summoming' realm."
"Ooooooh." Naruto awed in understanding. Now that he thought about it, there wasn't a time in Konoha where he did not use a pulse to travel to Fodlan since he was always being followed. They'd stopped since his graduation, yet he hadn't exactly had the chance to go since he'd moved in with his new team. Good to know...
With that thought in mind, he went through the hand signs one more time, hoping Sothis's hypothesis was correct this time. Sure enough, a hand on the ground later and a large puff of smoke filled the room. Time resumed, and Fū covered her eyes from the sudden cloud filling her vision. When it dissipated, Naruto and Fū bore witness to the fruits of his labor.
Standing in the middle of the shack, twin drills of green her running down both sides of her face and wearing a black dress, a girl only slightly taller than them blinked in open confusion at the pair—a pastry of some kind hanging from her lips. Her confusion vanished upon seeing Naruto, it quickly being replaced with surprise.
"Rarutoh?" She spoke, her voice muffled by the treat.
"Hi, Flayn." The blonde greeted, thought about it, then shot his arm wide and exclaimed, "Surprise."
Flayn swallowed and immediately ran over to engulf her surrogate in a hug. "It's been far too long, little guy! We were worried when you suddenly stopped visiting."
"Sorry," Naruto apologized, his friend pushing him back to take him in fully.
"Oh wow, it's only been a few months, and you've nearly outgrown me!"
"I've been training really hard."
"I'll say! Your shoulders are so tense, and I can see you're finally shaving off that baby fat. A few more years, and the ladies will be all over you."
"Ehem!" Fū cleared her throat, getting the attention of the recently summoned Nabatean.
"Speaking of the ladies, who might this young maiden be?" Flayn asked, Fū immediately puffing her chest out in pride.
"I'm one of his girl friends."
"No, she's not." Naruto immediately denied it, not missing the way Flayn covered her mouth in shock.
"Hey, we talked about this already! If I say you're my boy friend, then you're my boy friend, and I'm your girl friend! She's your girl friend too, isn't she?" Fū pointed to Flayn, who immediately cupped her face and waved off the girl's words amusedly.
"Oh no no no! I'm more of a sister than anything! Besides, I wouldn't want to get in between what you two have."
"We have nothing." The blonde tried explaining but was twarted once again by the girl, whom he was beginning to find annoying.
"Don't mind him. I've learned that Konoha Nin are ashamed to admit their relationships."
"Oh my, is that so?" Flayn chuckled, Naruto turning his flat stare on her.
"Do not enable her. You only spread her stupidity."
"Now, now, Naruto, there's no need to be so rude to your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Don't you know that denial is the first stage of-"
"I'm going to send you back now."
"Wait wait! I only tense!" Flayn said frantically upon seeing her surrogate brother make that funny hand sign. A relieved sigh left her when his hands returned to her side. "So, why have you summoned me, Naruto? I do believe this is the first, is it not?"
"It is." Naruto confirmed, turning to gesture at the mint-haired girl behind him. "I wanted to introduce you to my new friend, Fū."
Flayn immediately bowed to the girl and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Fū. My name is Flayn, and I've known Naruto since he was but a child. If you want, just think of me as his elder sister."
"Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you, too." Fū said awkwardly, not used to someone being so formal to her.
"Aren't you two just adorable." Flayn tensed, finally stopping to observe her surroundings for a bit. "So, where are we, exactly?"
"We're in the Elemental Nations—specifically, the Land of Waterfalls. We're currently inside a tree, and this is Fū's home."
"I, see." Flayn said, trying to keep her tone cordial despite noticing the poorly built structure above her.
"Do you know where everyone else is?"
"My brother and Rhea are attending to matters outside the monastery at the moment. I believe they said they'd be gone for a week at the most."
"I see. Then it's good that I only summoned you. Wouldn't want them to be mad at me."
"There's no need for that. Of all people, I believe catching Lady Rhea's ire is the last thing you'd have to worry about. She's more worried about catching yours, if anything." Flayn finished the last part under her breath, getting a tilted head from the boy. "By the way, where is Lady Sothis? Is she sleeping?"
"No, she's been up there this entire time." Flayn blinked before looking up to where the blonde was pointing. The way she stared right at the area the blonde pointed at without recognition told both the Goddess and her host that she had gone completely unseen.
"It seems not even my own blood can see me in this world." Sothis observed from above, watching as Flayn continued searching for her to no avail.
"Are you guys talking about the midget?" Fū voiced, a snarl of frustration appearing on Sothis's face at the question while Flayn's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"M-m-midget?! Y-you cannot speak so rudely of Lady Sothis, Fū! It is not only improper, but rude!"
Fū raised a brow at that.
"But she is a midget. Why is it wrong to call her what she is?"
"By that logic, you're also a midget." Naruto stated, getting a huff and turn of the nose from the brown-skinned girl.
"I'm young. I still have years to grow. She's likely thousands of years old and chooses to be a midget. We are not the same."
"Child, your 'girl friend' is one wrong word away from me smiting her on the spot." Naruto opened his mouth but closed it, suddenly thinking it wasn't such a bad idea.
"H-how's about we do something fun? Get away from the negativity. How does that sound?" Flayn suggested, not sure why she felt the girl's life was in peril.
Fū's face morphed into one of thought before it suddenly lit up.
"You guys want to go diving? Show you what the lake is like underwater at night."
"Diving? This late? Is that safe?" Flayn questioned, not so sure about the activity.
"It's perfectly safe!" Fū reassured before retreating back to her bed to dig up something behind it. She returned with multiple strange devices and gear. Flayn did not recognize them, but Naruto did almost immediately.
"Are those rebreathers?"
"They sure are, my blonde comrade." She said, tossing one to each of them. Next were the suits, followed closely by the slippers, caps, goggles, and a long, pointed stick that Flayn, Naruto and Sothis all observed curiously. "Harpoons. For the fish we'll be catching." Fū explained at their confusion, to which the Nabatean's head shot up.
"Fish? Catching? As in, we'll be fishing? Underwater?!" She exclaimed, an excitement in her voice that Naruto rarely heard.
"We sure will! You guys ready?"
"Oh, most certainly! This is going to be so exciting! I have so many questions, yet I cannot contain my excitement!"
"Heheheh. Glad to know someone is. Well, what are we waiting for? Get those suits on already!"
Before Naruto could even process the girl's words, she was already removing her top. At this point, any normal hormonal teenager would have looked away, maybe even blushed at the sight of a girl undressing before them.
Naruto did none of this.
Once her top came off, he stared. Then her skirt came off, and he stared. It wasn't until she was halfway to pulling down her fishnet that both Sothis and Flayn's brains caught up to what was happening and quickly put a stop to it.
"Fū!" The Nabateans exclaimed, running to cover the girl while Sothis did her best to cover her ward's eyes—something that proved difficult seeing that even what little physical form she could muster meant nothing to the boy who constantly did everything in his power to take a peak. "You are a lady, Fū! You cannot change in front of boys! And you! It is ungentlemanly to stare! Wait outside until we're done!"
The blonde did not oblige but was forced to do so when Sothis decided escorting him out by the ear was easier than obstructing his view. Now outside, the Shinobi and Goddess sat in silence, one floating in clear disappointment, while the other now began understanding his actions more and more.
"Sorry, Sothis. I don't know what came over me. Felt like I had to see. It was a matter of life and death... You understand, right?... Sothis?"
The Divine did not deem him worthy of a reply. Giving up, he silently undressed into the skin-tight suit, oddly adjusting to his size despite it looking a few sizes too short a moment ago. Now dressed, he waited for the other two to finish, hearing their chatter from here and wondering how much longer they would take. Apparently, not long, because they were out and dressed before him only a few minutes later. Their suits were equally as tight, yet he couldn't help but be drawn to certain 'parts'—noticing that unlike Sothis, they were a lot less
"Yoo-hooooo, Earth to idiot! Are you ready or not?" The blonde blinked back into reality, noticing Fū was a lot closer than he remembered.
"Sorry, I'm ready when you guys are." His fellow Jinchuuriki narrowed her eyes but ignored whatever was on her mind to turn and address them all.
"Alright, you lot! This isn't like anything you've ever done before! It's dangerous and deadly, so I'll only say this once. If I tell you to surface, then you do it! No questions, no hesitation, no exceptions! Since I am the captain of this expedition, we're going to do what I want, and I say we have a friendly competition!"
"Who made you captain?" Naruto tried, but went ignored.
"The goal is simple: catch five fish within the time limit! The smaller the fish, the more points you get! Last place has to cook the fish! Are there any questions?"
"Loud and clear, oh, great leader." Flayn played along, while Naruto raised a hand.
"Why are smaller-"
"Good! Now, just remember: surface if I say so, and powers are not allowed! I don't wanna see anyone dead! Ok? Then, without further ado, GO!" With that said, Fū dove into the lake, a small splash being her only marker of entry. Flayn followed soon after, the two leaving the blonde behind briefly before he placed the breathers in his mouth and followed after.
Elsewhere
Taki
Kagero held out a hand to allow the fist-sized arachnid to land safely in her palm. Eight eyes looked up to her in interest, a sight that was lightly nightmare fuel for anyone with arachnophobia. Bringing up her free hand, she placed a scroll on its back, the spider having no problem carrying it despite its size.
"To its proper destination. No delays." She instructed. If anyone were looking, they'd likely have been shocked speechless to see the spider give a salute before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Reaching out, she allowed her senses to roam more freely, connecting with the chakra sources around her. She found her Genin easily enough—Tenten having turned in early while Neji was busy going through his clan's kata.
Naruto's signature was, erratic.
He wasn't alone, the Seven-Tails, along with another she'd never felt, kept him company. Their signatures showed patterns of exertion, something that was typical for exercise. Whatever they were doing, they were constantly in motion, going deeper and deeper underground only to reappear at the surface.
She knew not what he was doing, but she hoped it was at least productive.
Inside the Banyan Tree
"Get that one! Oh! That one is worth more! Forget about the big guy and focus on the smaller ones! That's too small! Hurry! Time is of the essence! Where are you aiming? Do you want to lose?"
Naruto tried his best; truly, he did.
The water was a lot clearer than he remembered, and his goggles gave him the ability to see the fish clearly. Yet, with Sothis screaming instructions in his ear and Fū stealing his catches, he couldn't help but feel as though he was at a major disadvantage. It didn't help that Flayn practically adapted like a fish to...well, you get it.
The blonde was struggling, his limbs burning from the effort and his head struggling to concentrate with a voice constantly nagging every minute of every second.
"We're in last! Hurry, Child! I refuse to lose like this!"
Maybe he'd lose on purpose... Just to spite her...
...
"It's sooooo good!" Flayn cheered, chewing slowly to savor the taste of the cooked seafood courtesy of her surrogate brother.
"Not bad, Naruto. I didn't think you knew how to roast fish." Fū added with a mouth full of said fish.
"I didn't." The blonde admitted, not admitting he had to use three Divine Pulses just to make sure he got it right—an action that made Sothis more grumpy than she already was after their loss.
"Come on, loser! The fish are running out, and you're dragging your ass!"
...Maybe he'd leave Fū's a bit colder this time, just so she could choke once or twice...
...
"You're definitely cheating!" Fū exclaimed, pointing at the blonde across from her accusingly.
"Am not." Naruto denied, his arms crossed behind his head as he sat on his futon.
"Are too! There's no way a loser like you could be so lucky!"
"Sucks to suck."
"Now now, you two. No need to fight."
"But Flayn, he's cheating!" Fū exclaimed, with actual tears in her eyes.
"It's chess, Fū. There's not really a way to cheat."
"Then how else do you explain him losing to you when I beat you?!"
"It was by pure luck."
"No, it wasn't! You, you guys are just toying with me! You have to be!"
"No, you just suck."
"Say that again and I'll kick yer ass. For real this time."
"...You don't have the balls."
Fū did, in fact, have 'the balls'. Jumping from her bed onto the blonde, they rolled about, eventually leading them outside the shack to continue the wrestling match that had ensued. Flayn and Sothis followed, the Nabatean acting more as a referee while the Goddess was on standby unless the childishness before her suddenly turned into an accident.
...
The three greenettes lay peacefully near the lake, their heads all together and forming a triangle with their bodies. Each had their eyes closed; the light from the lake illuminated their skin.
"This is the life..." Flayn sighed, simply enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the cave.
"You got that right, sister. I could lay here forever." Fū agreed, her smile wide and content. The silence passed between the three, their tired bodies no longer capable of continuing any other ideas they might have had for the night. "...Hey, Naruto?" The moco-skinned girl eventually spoke again, getting the attention of the other two occupants. "I, don't think I've ever had this much fun before—like, ever." She said, her smile becoming even brighter than before. "Thanks...for treating me like I'm human."
"...Don't mention it." Naruto responded, the girls hearing the generosity in his tone. "You deserve happiness like anyone else. I hope, someday, you'll be able to believe that, Fū."
Fū craned her head upward, her gaze fixated on her fellow Jinchuuriki's head for a moment. She eventually returned to looking at the cave ceiling, her heart beating faster as she felt her cheeks suddenly heat up as the words repeated themselves in her head over and over.
Flayn said nothing, opting to let things play out.
'I don't ever want this day to end.' was Fū's last thought before she drifted off to sleep, her two new friends following shortly after.
Next Morning
Taki Outskirts
"I once again thank you all for your support." Shibuki bowed before Team 4, Fū and his surrounding Shinobi doing the same as the Konoha Nin took the thanks in their own way. "Know that you are all welcome to visit anytime as long as we are given prior notice. You have gained a friend this day, and I look forward to our next transaction."
"We appreciate the gesture and accept your generosity." Kagero answered for the group. "If there is nothing else, then we shall be off."
"WAIT!" The group turned to the voice, immediately being greeted with a Jinchuuriki. Ignoring the rest of the party, Fū marched up to the blonde. Naruto waited patiently for her to speak, noticing that, for some reason, she looked everywhere but his eyes. Eventually, she held out her hand, saying nothing else while looking at something in the trees. Despite being confused, he held out his hand to receive the item, it dropping in his hand despite the girl still looking away.
Naruto stared owlishly at the small pouch he had been given before looking back to the girl who still refused to meet his eye.
"What is it?"
"I-It's dust. Made by Chōmei. Just, think of it as a souvenir from the time you visited, OK?" She said, her voice trailing off at the end for some reason.
"Oh... Thanks. I will." He didn't know why, but the atmosphere suddenly grew uncomfortable. "We have to go now. Till we meet again?" He said, holding out a fist much like she had to him when they'd first connected. Fū blinked at the outstretched hand before her confident smirk returned and she connected her fist with his.
"Damn right we'll meet again. And make sure the rest of your girl friends know that I'm your best."
Fū probably didn't see it, but Naruto could literally feel how everyone around them drew their own conclusions from the girl's words.
"...Please fix your vocabulary next time we meet. Would be embarrassing to call you my friend when you're still an idiot."
"Don't think I won't kick your ass just because I like you now." Fū warned, yet it did not hold the same bark as it did before. "Take care, OK?"
The blonde's mouth twitched upwards, something the girl would remember for weeks.
"You too, Fū."
"...Sssssooooooooo, you and-"
"Nothing happened." Naruto cut off Tenten before she could insinuate anything. That did not stop the knowing smirk from appearing on the girl's face.
"Whatever you say, I'm just glad we can finally go home, and I can sleep in my own bed for once."
"We're not heading home just yet."
Tenten stopped on a dime, her jaw lack as she looked to the back of their sensei.
"Wh-what do you mean, Sensei? Isn't our mission over? Don't we have to report back?"
"I reported back last night. Our mission has already been closed, but an urgent mission has been assigned to our team since we are already within proximity. An A Rank, to be exact."
The Hyuga and Uzumaki both perked up at the news, their sensei turning around to meet their eyes.
"We're heading to the Land of Snow."
A/N: Basically, a fluff chapter for Fū lol
Originally, this chapter had Fū and Naruto transport to Fodlan and hang out with Flayn, but ultimately they scrapped it to have Flayn arrive in the Elemental Nations instead. It just didn't make sense for Naruto to suddenly disappear with Taki's Jinchuuriki, especially if Kagero knew where they were the entire time. Something tells me that would make a diplomatic incident that I really did not want to leave holes in:
This is officially the last chapter of 2023... hopefully. My goal is to have the next 8 chapters finished before January 1st, so I will have enough chapters backed up and not feel rushed to get another chapter out. Those eight chapters will include the Land of Snow movie, along with one final mission that is important to Naruto's character development. Within those eight chapters, we will see Byleth again, but this time older and a lot less forgiving. You will see what I mean in the future.
Below is a preview of the next chapter. It's not much, but I hope you enjoy the little that I've already written! As always, thank you all for your support, and I hope to see you all in 2023!
P.S. I also posted another story called 'Even a Loser Can Rule the Underworld'. It is a Highschool DXD X Medaka Box crossover with Kumagawa Misogi reincarnated as Rias Queen. I only posted it as a one-shot right now, but if enough people like it, I will continue.
Chapter 18 Preview
Yukie Fujikaze sprinted through the town, looking back occasionally to make sure her tail wasn't on her. She could not see her pursuer, but she did not stop in her sprint to safety. Turning into an alley, she moved swiftly, turning any and every corner she came across. When she was finally satisfied that the pursuer was not behind her, she slowed her sprint to a trot and took a deep breath, taking stock of her surroundings.
Construction blocked her in, but there was no one in sight. The relief it brought had her letting out a sigh.
"Oi, Princess." Yukia nearly jumped out of her skin at the familiar voice. Turning, she found what she was dreading. Her pursuer, a blonde kid with green bangs and wearing a combination of green and orange, stood before her. His face held a look of indifference, yet she could oddly feel a sense of irritation coming from him. "Please don't run again, Princess. I can't protect you if you run."
Yukie scoffed at that.
"You? Protect me? Don't make me laugh, Kid." Despite the jab, the boy did not react. "How old are you anyway? Eight?"
"Old enough."
"That's not an answer."
"Age doesn't matter when wisdom can be gained through harsh experiences."
"Ooooh, fancy words. You get that from a book, Kid?"
"One of my closest friends once told me that... and my name is not 'Kid'. It's Naruto."
"Riiiiiiiight..." Yukie stared into the blonde's eyes, admitting the unique sea-foam color to match well with his hair and outfit. Moments later, she sighed in defeat. "Alright, Kid. You win. Let's go..." She dragged herself forward, defeat in her posture. The blonde's eyes never left her for a moment, but that would prove to be his undoing.
The moment she believed she was close enough, she casually raised a lock of her hair and exposing her ear. With a click of her earring, a red stream shot from it and at the Shinobi's face. His hand immediately shot up to block the stream and Yukie was already moving before the effects of the pepper spray could set in. Turned out of the alley, she was greeted with another, but with a street clear to see at the end. She pushed her tired legs, looking to lose the Shinobi in the-
Something suddenly wrapped around her. Yukie barely had time to scream before her arms were bound tight together and she fell to the dirt. Unable to brace herself for the impact, her face impacted the dirt roughly, making her see stars for a moment. Forcing her vision to focus once more, she found a pair of sandals obstructing her view.
Looking up, she found the blonde looking down on her—holding the hilt of what she thought was a double edged sword. Unlike before, the look of indifference on his face pissed her off something fierce.
"This is for your own good, Princess." Was all the boy said before he began walking out of her vision. It didn't take long before she realized she was moving along with the blonde. However, where she was clearly running before into the alley, now she was being dragged out—she letting her displeasure be know to any and all who could hear.
"H-hey, you stupid kid! Let me go! Help! HELP! Don't just stand there watching! I'm being kidnapped! Help!" Despite her pleas, no one moved to lend a hand. Despite the boy being, well, a child, the headband strapped around his head was more than enough to deter even the most chivalrous soul. He was a child, but they knew even a child with Shinobi training was worth at least 10 civilian bodies. Risking their lives for a woman, even the famous Princess Gale, wasn't enough to risk their necks for.
Yukie's screams and pleas continued all the way till they were clear of the town. The moment they touched the road, they were stopped by three blurs landing in front of them. For a moment, Yukie thought she was saved.
The metal plates around the arm, forehead, and neck of the individuals killed that hope instantly. Naruto looked to the three Shinobi that stopped silently before lifting his sword towards them—unintentionally dragging Princess Gale forward in the process and garnering her ire once more.
"I found the Princess."