Chapter IV: New friends

The redhead girl sat on the ground, her arms around another redheaded girl with another girl with black hair sitting behind them. They were surrounded by 5 people that looked like common thugs.

Thug 1: "You stole from the wrong person ladies. Now we will have to punish you."

The first thug raised his fist and readied himself to punch one of the girls when his arm suddenly fell to the ground with blood spewing out of the stump that was left on the thug's body. After a second of shock, the thug began to scream his lungs out until a large shadow pierced his throat and he got flung to the side by the shadow. The other thugs looked at Naruto and then to their dead comrade, fear in their eyes.

Naruto: "One down, four to go."

The thugs started to run at the child that apparently killed one of their own, when 2 spikes shot out of Naruto´s right hand and hit 2 thugs in their heads, falling over, dead. Before the last 2 could even react to the next deaths, they got skewered by shadow tentacles that sprouted out of Naruto´s body. Once all were down, Naruto retracted his shadows and went over to the 3 girls that looked at him in fear.

Fenrir: "Good job, Naruto! It seems you are picking up your lessons quite fast."

Naruto: "I was still only able to control 2 tendrils…"

Fenrir: "Don't worry, it will come with time."

Naruto raised his hands up in a disarming motion. He needed to calm the girls.

Naruto: "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

The black-haired girl stood up first, lifting her 2 companions up and looking at Naruto she spoke up.

Girl: "Th…Thank you…for helping us…but…who are you and why did you help?"

Naruto: "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I helped because I can't stand seeing children suffer. Who are you?"

The eyes of the 2 redheads widened when they heard his name. All the while, the black-haired girl looked at Naruto cautiously before she answered for her companions.

Girl: "These two are Karin and Tayuya and I am Kin Tsuchi."

Naruto took a quick glance at each of the girls before he continued. Kin was pale skinned, had long straight black hair that reach down to her waist and was bound together by a violet ribbon. Her eyes were black, and she wore a dirty shirt and short pants. Her feet were bare, and her clothes were in tatters, holes littering them. Her whole body was covered in bruises, and she had a split lip. From the way she acted, Naruto deduced that she tried to stand up to the thugs, maybe to protect her 2 companions.

The girl named Tayuya had fair skin, long red hair that was spiky at its ends and reached down to her back. She had brown eyes, and her hair covered parts of them. Her clothes were in better shape than her companion, but they were still dirty and torn. Her black sandals were in no better shape. From the looks she gave him, she tried to evaluate Naruto and his intentions, but a small smile crept up her face.

The last girl Naruto looked at was the redhead named Karin. Her red hair was as spiky as the hair of Tayuya, but only reached her shoulders. Her crimson eyes were covered by green glasses. The same as her companions, she was thin and looking like she would starve any minute now. Her clothes were in a similar state as her companions. When Naruto looked at her arms, he saw scars all over them, looking like bite marks they spoke of a terrible past. Once Karin realized that he saw her arms, she covered them behind her back.

Naruto: "You haven't told me the family names of those two, Kin. You can trust me."

Tayuya: "We are both Uzumaki´s…just as you are…although…you don't really look like one."

Naruto´s eyes widened. He had found others of his clan.

Naruto: "Well…I don't know why…"

Karin and Tayuya saw the clear deception in his words, but both decided to ignore it. He had helped them, and they didn't want to pry too much.

Naruto: "So…where are you heading…or do you live in this village."

Kin shook her head and Karin spoke up.

Karin: "We wanted to go to Konohagakure. We heard that the village offers refuge for all Uzumaki clan members and Kin could hopefully joins the village with us."

Naruto: "Konoha…and here I hoped…we could travel together…well…I wish you good luck…but…I wouldn't go close to the 4th Hokage…he isn't…a good person."

Naruto turned around and started to leave when he heard someone running towards him and holding one of his hands. When he turned around, he looked Karin straight in her eyes, although she couldn't see his.

Karin: "Wait…where do you go?"

Naruto: "I am heading south…to Nami no Kuni…they have no Shinobi nor a hidden village there…so I guess they could not abuse me for my power…and there should be no one that can harm me…"

Karin turned around to her 2 companions and nodded at them.

Karin: "We are family and should stick together Naruto. I trust your judgement of Konohagakure and their leader…so…I am coming with you."

Tayuya: "Yeah, I agree. Don't need to cower in front of an asshole."

Kin: "Well…I didn't even want to go there, so I guess I'll be joining you."

Naruto´s face lit up. He had found family and, hopefully, friends.

Naruto: "First, we need to get you some proper clothes and I know just the perfect store."

Kin: "We have no money…"

Naruto: "Doesn't matter. We won't need to pay for anything."

The 3 girls looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, quickly following Naruto. When they were halfway there Tayuya asked a question that bothered her since she met Naruto.

Tayuya: "How the hell can you see where you are going with that blindfold over your eyes? Are you blind?"

Naruto laughed, while Tayuya´s face flushed red.

Tayuya: "Answer me you little Shithead!"

Naruto turned his head to her, and she felt like his eyes stared right into her soul.

Naruto: "I am not blind; my eyes are sensitive to light, and I get headaches when they aren't covered. Call me Shithead again and I will gag you, bind you and leave you atop a mountain."

The now scared Tayuya quickly nodded only for Naruto to begin laughing again, pointing his finger at Tayuya and his laughter didn't seem to stop. Tayuya got a tick mark on her face and readied herself to hit the little shit, but they reached the store before she could.

2 hours later.

Finally, Naruto left the store, exhausted and at the end of his nerves. The 3 girls had taken their time with their little "Shopping tour" and Naruto needed to endure everything. He felt himself wishing that instead of rescuing girls, he should've searched for some boys to rescue. He just wanted to sleep, but he knew that they first needed to leave the village and search for a secure location.

When Tayuya, Kin and Karin left the store, Naruto got another good look of his 3 companions.

Tayuya now wore a grey sleeveless shirt and grey pants with leg warmers at the end. Her pants had 2 pouches and were filled with knives and a flute. She had tied her hair up in a ponytail, and a grey headband stopped the excess hair from falling into her face. She wore the same boots as Naruto.

Karin now wore a purple shirt with long sleeves, covering her arms, with black pants and 4 pouches, they were filled with medical equipment and a knife. Because she had basic knowledge of first aid the group appointed her their medic.

Kin had opted for a sand-coloured vest, grey pants with 2 pouches and arm- and legwarmers. Her pouches were filled with knives, but she complained that there was no Ninja store in this village, she wanted Senbon to throw and not some kitchen knives.

They all carried a backpack with the same supplies as Naruto in them and sleeping bags atop.

Tayuya: "How the hell did you do it? Was it a Genjutsu?"

Naruto: "You could call it that…I haven't gotten a full grasp of it yet, but I can influence people that don't know about this ability…don't worry I haven't used it on you and now that you know, I should be unable do to so."

Tayuya: "I hope so, it would be better for your health, Shithead."

Naruto just laughed at her remark and the group soon left the small village behind them.

A few hours later.

The group had finally found a spot for their small camp. They entered a field with plants twice their height and cut out a clearing for them. Karin had argued that they would be far safer in this way, and it would be harder to spot them.

Naruto took the first watch once the girls had set up their sleeping bags. He had trouble keeping himself awake, but managed to do so and, after 3 hours, he shook Kin lightly and after a short time, she was ready to take the next watch. Naruto got into his sleeping bag and sleep overtook him.

Naruto found himself in his cell again. His legs were shackled again and, suddenly, the heavy iron door to the cell opened. First, his father entered the room, three-pronged Kunai in hand, after him followed a group of villagers. The sheer stream of people was never-ending. Soon, they started to punch and kick him. He screamed. He begged them to stop. They did not listen. Soon, his father stepped forward. Naruto was already bleeding, bruised and beaten. His father took the Kunai and just plunged it into his eyes. Then, the villagers drew their own weapons. Naruto cried for hours.

In the real world.

The three girls tried everything to wake Naruto. Kin had heard his whimpering, which soon turned to cries and then to anguished screams. Tayuya and Karin woke up from the screams and all 3 of them rushed to Naruto. After failing to wake him up Tayuya had another idea.

*Slap*

After she slapped him, Naruto finally awoke. His scream shook the girls to their cores.

Naruto then just looked around him and began to cry. Tayuya was the first to recover. She rushed to his side and just took him into her arms, speaking soothing words to him and stroking his hair and back.

When Naruto slowly recovered, Tayuya took up her sleeping back and laid it next to Naruto´s, she then laid him back down, laid besides him and continued just kept him in a hug until he fell asleep again.