Thalia Grace: The Will of a Ninja

by ShadowNinja77

Thalia thought she was going to die on that hill, protecting her friends. But fate has other plans as she is summoned to a new world by a grinning blonde kid with dreams of being Hokage. Now, stuck in this new world, she'll have to survive by becoming the greatest ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village. I do not own these characters. Closed to art commissions!

2. Lost in the Village

Thalia dreamed.

That wasn't strange to her. Demigods always has weird dreams. It seemed their godly DNA allowed their minds to perceive things that they otherwise normally wouldn't be able to see.

But she'd never had dreams like this before.

She was floating above a world, but it wasn't her world. The continents and seas looked very different from what she knew. She thought it might be the world from when the gods were young or something but she'd barely begun to contemplate that when the scene shifted.

She saw a village. Or a town or something. But that wasn't important. What was important was the gigantic monster attacking it. It looked like a fox, a gigantic fox that towered over the buildings, smashing them apart and roaring in rage, nine tails fluttering behind it. She saw swarms of men and women attack it, most of whom were swatted aside with ease.

The Nine-Tailed Fox, she thought, not knowing where it came from.

She saw the attack continue, more of the village get destroyed, more people die. Then, the fox opened its mouth and a giant ball of dark energy formed in front of it. Thalia could tell that kind of power could probably wipe out the whole village. But just as it was fired, it suddenly vanished. And then Thalia saw him. A man with bright yellow hair with a white cape running down his back, looking almost godlike as he stood above the village against the monster.

The scene shifted then. She was floating in darkness except for a small circle of light right in front of her. In that light, seated on the ground with his knees crossed over, was an ancient man. Except he wasn't on the ground but floating like her a few feet above it. And it was actually a pool of water.

Around his feet were ten dark balls that seemed similar to that gigantic ball of energy she'd just seen from the fox. The man himself was dressed completely in white. Even his skin was pale except for a red circle in his forehead.

At that moment, he opened his eyes, revealing purple ovals with lines running down them.

"So you're arrived?" he asked curiously. "I wonder…"

That was all Thalia knew before the scene shifted once more. This time, she was in a large chamber with stony pillars around and a stairway in front of her leading up to a gigantic throne. On that throne was a toad, the largest one she had ever seen. Of course, the toads she'd seen before now could all fit in her hand. It looked like she could easily fit in this one's hand and there'd still be room left for all her friends. It was old too, with wrinkly pinkish skin and it had a strange dark cap on.

"Hmmm," it said, almost to itself. "It seems the prophecy…has shifted…"

The scene changed again. Thalia found herself in the darkness once more, except it was endless black, like a void. She felt a fear build up inside of her. Was this the Underworld? Had she really died this time?

Before she could think on it, there was a flash of light behind her. She turned around and gasped, seeing a man glowing just a few feet away. It was the same man as before, the one who stopped the fox's attack. Except he was different now, his entire body glowing with a yellowish-orange ethereal light, even his clothes. Black lines ran down around his body too. It almost looked like he was on fire…no, that he was made of fire.

"Look after my son, if you can," he said, giving her a smile that seemed to reach into her soul.

Thalia's eyes flew open and she gasped, sitting upright. She breathed in and out for a few seconds, trying to calm herself. Those visions…they had been very different from what she was used to. She didn't know what to make of them.

She didn't ponder them long, taking a look at her surroundings. One glance told her she was in a hospital or something like it. She was in a clean white bed surrounded by clean white walls. Machines beeped nearby and there was a window to her left that had the sun coming in.

She glanced down and saw she was in a hospital gown. She also had a few bandages wrapped around her body. She touched a few but didn't feel anything. She supposed she had healed up then. But where was she exactly? Was she at the camp? Or someplace else?

She took another look around and practically sighed with relief when she saw her bracelet on a table nearby. Her mace can, unfortunately, was nowhere to be found. They must have taken it. That immediately put her on edge. She didn't like to be vulnerable like that. Especially considering she didn't know where she was or who these people were.

She stretched out, testing herself, but she didn't feel any pain. She actually felt…way better. Like she had filled with even more energy. It was a little strange but she wasn't complaining.

She got out of the bed and tip-toed towards the door, making sure not to make any noise. She peeked out of the door and saw a normal hallway like what she'd expect from a hospital. There was even a nurse at the end looking down at her chart. Thalia popped back inside before the woman could glance up.

She had to get out of here. Maybe these were good people, maybe not. But a lifetime on the run had taught her to always be on guard. She couldn't let herself be vulnerable. Maybe they had healed her but it could be for their own purposes.

The decision made, she went over towards the window and was glad to see it opened up easily. She just wished she had some actual clothes on hand but oh well. She'd been through this kind of thing before. She'd just have to steal some from somewhere.

In a flash, she hopped out the window and landed on the grass before. Then she was off, racing away from the building and down a side street until she was lost from sight.

---

Naruto and Iruka walked side by side down the street towards the hospital. It had been a long morning with the Third Hokage calling him in. First, he'd reprimanded him for taking the scroll and, more specifically, for performing the Void Summoning Jutsu though he said it had inadvertently saved the girl's life so any guilt Naruto had felt instantly vanished.

Then, the Hokage had told him to keep any mention of Void Summoning a secret. That he had been deadly serious about and Naruto nodded solemnly when he learned it would put the girl in grave danger if anyone found out. The story was, they just found her like that in the woods.

The third thing had been much less serious and Naruto treated it as such as he had to submit a photo for his graduation picture. Evidently, the Third Hokage had not liked his submissions leading to it taking a while. In that time, the Hokage's grandson Konohamaru had appeared, attempting to take down his grandfather and failing epically, immediately blaming Naruto which caused him to receive a knock on the head courtesy of the blonde.

After that, Konohamaru had suddenly taken a liking to him, calling him 'boss' and insisting Naruto was his new sensei. Naruto had liked the idea and taken him under his wing, leading him on a series of escapades throughout the village.

Eventually, they ran into Ebisu, Konohamaru's sensei, who demanded the boy return to him. After a short fight, which Naruto won thanks to his specialized Sexy Jutsu Harem Style, Naruto declared him and Konohamaru rivals to be Hokage someday.

After that, Iruka had come by while Naruto was on his way home and said they could go visit the girl now. Instantly, Naruto was focused, wanting desperately to see the girl whose life he'd saved and who had saved him in return. According to Iruka, she was still unconscious but the doctors were optimistic she'd make a full recovery.

They were just reaching the hospital when a shout caused them to stop. "Hey boss!"

Naruto turned and spotted Konohamaru heading right for them. "Oh hey Konohamaru," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you coming this way," the young boy replied. "I wanted to know what you were up to."

"We're about to see a super awesome girl who was injured the other night."

"A girl?" Konohamaru gasped before smirking slyly. "Is she your girlfriend, Naruto?"

"Uh…" Naruto scratched his chin, mulling it over.

"No she's not!" Iruka snapped. "You just met her Naruto. And don't say anything like that to her again or else this time I won't try to stop you if she punches you."

Naruto winced, remembering that punch. "But Iruka-sensei, she can't do that since she's unconscious, right? So I guess that means that I can say whatever-"

"Your words and actions aren't very ninja-like, Naruto," Iruka said menacingly. "Say one more word, and I'll make sure you stay at the ninja academy another year."

Naruto gulped and nodded rapidly. "Not a word, I promise!" he said solemnly.

Iruka gave him one last glare before they walked in, heading right for the front desk. "Hi there," Iruak greeted warmly. "We're here to visit a young girl brought in the other night. Spiky black hair."

"Hmmm? Oh yes, Thalia Grace."

Iruka blinked. "Is that her name?"

"Yes, the Hokage and Inoichi Yamanaka confirmed it when they stopped by the other night."

Iruka nodded. That made sense. Inoichi, with his specific jutsu, would be able to ascertain if the girl posed any kind of threat to the village. Given that there were no guards nearby, it would seem she didn't after all. That relieved any tension he'd had on the matter.

"She's right this way," the nurse said, leading them down the hallway.

"So who is this girl anyway?" Konohamaru asked.

"Iruka and I found her bleeding and injured in the woods," Naruto said, going through the tale the Hokage had made up. "All I know is that she's really cool and has an awesome lightning jutsu."

"Whoa!" Konohamaru said, his eyes widening at the thought. He already thought Naruto was cool but whoever he thought was cool must be way cooler. Now he really wanted to meet this girl.

"She's right in here," the nurse said, walking towards a specific door. "She's still unconscious though, so please don't make too muc-"

She stopped, the chart in her hands falling to the floor with a clatter as she entered the room.

"What's the matter?" Iruka asked, coming in after her. However, as soon as he saw the empty bed and open window, he understood. "Damn it," he muttered, already turning around back towards the entrance. "She's escaped."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, not fully understanding. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know," Iruka replied, rushing back down the hallway with Naruto and Konohamaru hot on his heels. "But we need to find her immediately. Naruto, go out there and do what you can. I need to inform the Hokage."

"Right!" Naruto nodded.

"I'll come with you, boss!" Konohamaru declared as they exited the hospital.

"Naruto, if you find her, take her to the central tower immediately," Iruka told him.

"You got it!"

---

She's escaped.

Those words echoed through Hiruzen's mind after Iruka came bursting into his office. Thalia Grace had escaped from the hospital. Evidently, she'd recovered much faster than anticipated.

Hiruzen went back through what Inoichi told him and cursed. He should have placed someone on guard given that history. Obviously she was slow to trust and would have instantly been suspicious when she woke up in an unfamiliar place. But she had gone through so much that Hiruzen had thought it would take a while for her to wake up and even longer to be able to move. Evidently, her recovery abilities were exceptional. It made sense, now that he thought about it, given how she had a mixture of Nine-Tails' chakra and her own godly DNA.

But with her out in the village with no idea where she was and a newfound channel of power, there was no telling what might happen. She needed to be found and fast.

Which was why he had gathered every ninja available in the village in front of him.

"Your target is a young girl of about 12 years called Thalia Grace," he said. "She has spiky black hair and pale skin. We also know she carries a silver bracelet on her wrist. She was last seen wearing a hospital gown and still had bandages wrapped around her, though she most likely has changed clothes. At this moment, she is not considered a threat so do not treat her as such. Any aggressive movements towards will likely lead her to lash out. From what we can gather, she is lost, scared, and very disoriented. Our best bet will be that she try to escape from the village. I'm afraid that is not something we can allow due to some very sensitive information. Know this. Upon her arrival despite extensive injuries, she was able to take down Mizuki, a chūnin of some years, with one attack and, if the analysis is to be believed, she has gotten even stronger since then."

That caused some mutterings among the shinobi present, all surprised that someone so young could do something like that.

"Again, our goal here is not to aggravate or scare her further. Inoichi himself verified that she is not a threat to this village at this time so we don't want to make her one. In addition to that, we know she has an ability to manipulate the weather, specifically lightning. If any strange weather phenomenon occur around the village, converge there as that will most likely be her current position. That is all. Now go!"

The shinobi present all took off, dashing through the village. As they did, Hiruzen sighed deeply. He just prayed it was his people that found her. Because if Danzō did…then the worst possible outcome might just occur.

---

"This presents an opportunity," Danzō said to himself, his own shinobi having just informed him of the development. He turned towards his people. "Find that girl and bring her here. But do not interfere with Hiruzen's shinobi. We don't want to get into a crossfire."

The shinobi all nodded behind their masks and took off.

Danzō stroked his chin. Hiruzen had been hiding something last night but Danzō wasn't sure what it could be. The girl was exceptionally strong from what had been learned. A kekkei genkai perhaps or something similar to produce that level of lightning. But that wouldn't have caused Hiruzen to be so careful about it despite his attempts. No, there was something else about her. And Danzō would bet it had something to do with how she came here in the first place.

He just had to find her to verify.

---

Thalia ducked into another alley, completely lost. She was clearly in some sort of town but it wasn't one she recognized. The buildings all seemed to be hodgepodge of architecture with no real rhyme or reason to them. Some were made of wood, others stone, and others metal, and all designed in different ways, like the architects had just decided to go all willy-nilly on them.

This couldn't be camp. She knew that now. From what Grover had described, this was something much different. So where was she? And how did she get here? And where were Luke and Annabeth?

She had managed to grab some clothes that had been left hanging outside someone's home to dry and she'd managed to snag some sandals that a few people had left outside a building. She didn't really like that her feet were showing, but whatever. She looked more natural now and didn't really feel like she had to hide from every passerby due to her hospital gown. Though she would have preferred a black shirt instead of a bright blue one. Ah well, like she told Annabeth, beggars can't be choosers.

Now she just had to figure out where the hell she was so she could find a way back to…well, camp she supposed. That had to be where her friends were. They had to believe she was dead. Unless they had sent her here to get cured. But…she'd wound up in the woods. So…

Gah, this is so confusing! Thalia screamed mentally. She had no clue what had happened and that was the problem. So for now, she just had to keep moving. She would have liked to ask someone where she was but years on the street had told her that was a bad idea. As soon as she did that, people looked at her funny and she immediately stood out. And if she told adults, they'd see how old she was, 'feel bad,' and try to get involved to 'help her' which usually entailed calling the authorities who'd put her in a foster system or worse, call her mother.

No. That would never happen. Not after Jason.

Thalia also knew she had to stay mobile or any nearby monsters would get a fix on her. If she got caught by people, they'd want to keep her in one place and make her easy prey. And since normal people couldn't see monsters, they'd think she was crazy.

The best option would be to get out of the town, walk up to someone on the outskirts, and pretend she was just arriving. That way, she'd find out where she was with no suspicion. Yes, that was best.

A plan in mind, she took off down the street, heading for what she hoped were the outskirts of the town. But the place was so disorienting, she ran into several dead-ends in a row.

"Wish I had a map," she muttered to herself, now back on a busy street with a lot of people around. It seemed to be a market area as there were plenty of people up and about with their stalls, hawking their stuff.

Her stomach grumbled up a storm and she realized she couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten something. She eyed a nearby fruit stall and shifted over to it without changing her pace or gaze. She'd done this so many times now it was like clockwork. As soon as she got close, her hand snatched out like lightning, grabbing an apple and shoving it in her pocket, the stall owner none the wiser. She waited until she was down the street and out of the man's sight before biting into it, letting the rich, sweet flavor fill her up.

That would keep her going for now. But she still had no idea where she could go. It would be better from higher ground where she'd have a better vantage point.

Just as she thought that, just ahead she spotted two people who were clearly law enforcement officers from the way they walked and their uniforms. They may not look like traditional police officers but Thalia had seen enough to recognize them.

"Time to go," she muttered to herself, turning towards an alleyway where she saw a way to climb up to the roof. But as she did, she glanced upwards and just managed to see a figure up above her, already on the roof. It was a blink-and-miss-it sight but that was the good thing about her ADHD. It primed her for combat and allowed her to see things she'd otherwise miss. Plus, she trusted her instincts. Someone was already up there and she had no doubt they were looking for her.

"On the ground it is," she mumbled, looking around carefully and then walking over towards a nearby stall that sold clothes, a rack of hats on display. Faster than anyone could even blink, a hat from the lower rack was in her hand and then up her shirt with no one the wiser. She walked out of the stall owner's line of sight and swiftly pulled it on tight. She then walked past the law enforcement guys without sparing them a glance and they did the same to her. After all these years, she knew how to avoid people like them without a problem.

"Now I just need to get the hell out of here," she muttered. She had to bet if these people were already looking for her, they would be specifically targeting anyone who looked lost. So, she just couldn't look lost. "Just go with the flow then," she muttered, following the crowd of people. As long as she blended in, she'd be fine.

She easily walked down several streets like that, just following certain people and then switching it up so that it didn't look like she was following anyone specifically. But this wouldn't work forever. These streets wouldn't keep going on and on. She had to find…

"There we go," Thalia murmured, making out a pathway out of the buildings and into a park. Or what looked like a park anyway. There were trees and wildlife around and, no buildings. Her perfect environment. The town was starting to make her feel caged in.

Without hesitation, she started down that path into the woods, hoping there would be an exit around here somewhere.

---

Hinata Hyūga wandered through the Konoha training grounds, trying to kill some time before she inevitably had to head back to the Hyūga compound. She would be spending even less time there after tomorrow, she knew, since she would be assigned a team and officially begin her training as a genin under a sensei. Perhaps then she would stop receiving those looks from her father and sister and all the other Hyūga elders. And especially from Neji. The way he looked at her sometimes frightened her, even if she understood the reasoning.

She wondered who would be on her team. Based on her own reasoning, she didn't think she would be placed with Shikamaru, Ino, or Choji given the history of that three-man squad. That left Shino, Kiba, Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto.

She didn't mind Shino or Kiba to be honest and Sakura was alright. She didn't particularly want to be teamed with Sasuke though. He had this dark vibe about him that none of the other girls seemed to notice and he always looked so angry. Not like Naruto at all.

Naruto. The very name made Hinata blush. He was always so joyful and full of life. No matter what happened to him, he never let anything keep him down. He may be the lowest in the class but that never stopped him from trying.

It had been ever since the day he'd done his best to protect her from bullies that she had noticed him. And it was the attitude of his to never give, his refusal to never quit that inspired her. She herself knew she was weak, that she didn't have the same resolve and commitment to battle and leadership her father wanted. But that was why she felt drawn to Naruto. Even though everyone considered him weak and a waste, he didn't let that stop him from trying. And watching that made her think that maybe she could someday earn her father's approval.

Of course, in the last few years, she had noticed her feelings towards the blonde begin to evolve. Her heart started beating faster near him and she began stuttering and twitching nervously. She even started fainting a bit which was incredibly embarrassing. At first she hadn't known what was going on with her but it soon became apparent that while she had always liked Naruto, she was now starting to like him in a different way, similar to how all the other girls fawned over Sasuke although Hinata was glad that she wasn't like them as they always seemed to annoy Sasuke more. Though Naruto never seemed to notice so she wasn't entirely sure if that was better.

If she had to be on a team with anyone, it would be Naruto. She always felt more inspired and had a firmer resolve around him. She felt like she could become her best self in his presence. And, she admitted, it would be nice to be close to the person she had a crush on.

But it seemed her hopes wouldn't come true as Naruto had failed the graduation exam. While she and all the other students moved on, he would be left behind at the academy. The thought made her sad. He had more determination and willpower than anyone else she knew and yet he had still failed. She just hoped there was some way he could still pass, though the odds were slim.

She was so lost in thought that as she turned sharply at a bend in the path, she didn't see the other person coming at her and walked right into her.

"Umph!"

"Oh," Hinata said, landing on her behind. "I'm so sorry," she instantly said, looking up at the person she'd run into. It was a girl her age with spiky black hair hidden under a hat and electric blue eyes. The girl was already up on her feet and gave Hinata an easy smile.

"Don't worry about it," she said, holding out her hand.

"Oh, thank you." Hinata took it, rising up onto her own feet. She took a closer look at the girl and was surprised that she didn't recognize her considering how close their ages were. She thought she knew of everyone at the academy but she knew she'd recognize this girl. "I'm Hinata Hyūga," she said, holding out her hand.

"Oh, uh, Thalia," the girl replied, taking the hand.

Hinata frowned, trying to place the name, but she couldn't think of anyone with it. "Do you go to the academy?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, no. I'm new in town," Thalia replied, rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah, me and my family are just visiting, passing through really, but it seems I might have gotten lost. You think you can help me to the main entrance?"

"Oh sure, no problem," Hinata said instantly. "It's right this way."

"Oh thanks."

They walked in silence for a few moments before Hinata turned slightly towards her. "So you travel a lot?" she asked, curious. She'd never really spoken to outsiders before. In fact, other that the Hyūga family, the students and teachers at the academy, and occasionally the Hokage when he visited the school, she didn't talk to anyone from the village. Forget about outside of it.

"Yeah, all over," Thalia replied. "Spent most of the last few years of my life traveling around. The wilderness is basically my home," she said chuckling dryly.

Hinata couldn't help but notice some resentment in her words, like she didn't appreciate that. Still, Hinata was always wondering what the outside world was like and didn't want to miss her chance. "You don't, um, enjoy it?" she asked, cautiously, hoping she wasn't pushing here.

Thalia just shrugged. "It's a dangerous world. Never know what you might run into. But I prefer it over towns and cities honestly. Always feel too boxed in and closed off, you know? I much prefer the outdoors then all that."

Hinata bobbed her head. That made sense. She always felt like that at the Hyūga compound, though that had more to do with her family than anything else. "So, have you visited any of the other villages?"

For some reason, Hinata noticed Thalia stiffen slightly when she said that and frowned, wondering what was wrong with it.

"Oh, you know, a few," Thalia replied. "Like I said, I've been around."

Hinata looked down. She could tell that her questions were making the other girl become closed off. But why? What was wrong with them? Did she just not like talking about herself?

Hinata didn't know what she would do next. Try and start a new conversation, apologize, or just walk in silence, but before she could land on a choice, a voice began to echo throughout the area.

"…234…235…236…237…238…"

Hinata felt a chill go down her spine as she recognized the voice right before they walked into the training ground. It wasn't hard to spot him in his green spandex. He was kicking a tree as hard as he could over and over, his shiny bowl-cut hair glistening in the light.

"…239…240…241…242…"

It wasn't that Hinata disliked Rock Lee. In fact, he was one of the nicest people she knew and definitely one of the most energetic after Naruto. Though she had felt a little awkward when he'd met her for the first time and instantly asked her to be his girlfriend. For a few minutes there, she had just stared at him, completely confused by the whole situation before she kindly thanked him but turned him down.

No, he wasn't the problem. It was the fact that if he was here, then…

"Who is that?" Thalia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's, um, Rock Lee, one of the genin."

"Genin?" Thalia asked. Or at least it seemed like she asked as she quickly said, "interesting," right after that. Hinata found herself frowning again. It had almost seemed like the girl hadn't heard the word before. But…that was impossible, right?

"Perhaps we should move on," Hinata said, desperately trying to get away from this area.

"That's some hardcore training right there," Thalia mused. "He keeps that up, those kicks of his will be monstrous."

Hinata nodded. She had no doubt of that. But right now, she wanted to leave before…

"Hinata?"

Hinata flinched but it wasn't his voice but another girl's. She turned and saw the other member of Team 9 approaching. Tenten, the fūinjutsu and weaponry master. She had met the girl at the same time as Rock Lee and found her to be the easier of the two to approach. In their brief encounter, Tenten had been nothing but pleasant and Hinata would have liked to get to know her better as she seemed more mature than any of the other girls at the academy.

"What are you doing here?" the other girl asked, a smile gracing her face.

"Oh, um, I'm just helping Thalia here," Hinata said. "She got a little lost."

"Hi there," Tenten greeted warmly. "I'm Tenten."

"Thalia. I'm new around here. Just passing through," Thalia said. "Looking for the exit really."

"Oh, it's just right that way," Tenten gestured behind her. "Just take that path down that way, first left, then take a right on the main road and you're home free."

"Oh thanks."

"Yes, we should probably go…"

Hinata paused, something different in the air. Thalia and Tenten obviously noticed it too, eyes narrowing, but it was Tenten who realized it first.

"Oh no…" she muttered, sighing.

"What is it?"

Thalia got her answer a second later as there was a green flash of movement and suddenly a spandex-clad boy with shiny black hair appeared in front of her, the same one who had been kicking the tree. That was what she had heard, or not heard. He'd stopped counting out loud.

"Hello there beautiful lady!" he said with a wide grin and a thumbs up. "I am Rock Lee, the Leaf Village's handsome devil, and I have fallen in love with you. Please be my girlfriend."

Thalia could swear she could hear a crow flapping overhead in the silence that followed. She stared down at the boy in front of her, completely confused as to what was going on. She turned to look at Hinata who was watching with wide eyes and then at Tenten who was covering hers with her hands, trying to get a sense of what was going on. Eventually, she landed on the response, "huh?"

"I promise to protect you with my very life!" Rock Lee declared.

"Sorry…what?" Thalia turned to Tenten. "Is he for real?"

"Unfortunately yes," Tenten sighed. "Lee, we've talked about this. You can't go saying stuff like this to every girl you meet. Especially when it's the first time you meet them. You don't even know her name!"

"Ah that's right! That is important. May I ask for your name, beautiful lady?"

"Um…" Thalia contemplated whether or not to answer, run away, or punch him. He seemed harmless for now but she had seen his kicks so she kept her guard up as she answered. "It's Thalia."

"Thalia. What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Will you-"

"No!" Thalia cried, annoyed.

Instantly, Rock Lee's expression became downcast. "But why?"

"Cause I just met you," Thalia replied as if was obvious, "you weirdo."

Rock Lee snapped to attention. "Then I will work hard from this day on to prove my love to you."

Thalia really wanted to leave this place now. "That's great but I'm actually leaving this…village now, so, uh, bye." She turned back to Tenten. "So just down this path right?"

Before Tenten could answer, someone else chimed in. "What's going on here?"

From the corner of her eye, Thalia saw Hinata flinch as they all turned to see someone else enter the grove. Thalia instantly noticed the similarities between this body and Hinata. They had the same hair color, though this boy's was longer somehow, and the same type of clothing, a pale gray color. And they had the same eyes, a kind faint purplish iris that almost made them both look blind.

There was one main difference. While Hinata seemed nervous, she was also friendly. Whoever this kid was, the air around him seemed to ooze with arrogance, like he knew he was great and he wanted everyone else to know it too. Thalia instantly knew she didn't like this guy, especially when he looked at Hinata with disdain.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his lips curling into a sneer.

"I…uh, I just…" Hinata stammered, looking at the ground.

"She was just guiding me," Thalia replied, taking a step forward and making the boy's focus turn towards her. "I was a little lost and she was just helping me out. That a problem?"

He sniffed. "And you are?"

"Thalia. I'm a traveler, just passing through, looking for the main entrance."

"Best be off then," the boy replied shortly. "Outsiders are not welcome on our private training grounds."

"Jeez Neji, calm down," Tenten replied, rolling her eyes. "Like the girl said, she's just passing through."

Neji gave her a disgruntled look before turning back to Thalia. "Just be on your way," he said before shifting his gaze over to Hinata. Thalia immediately sensed a change in his attitude, somehow becoming even worse. "And you, Hinata. I heard you graduated from the academy. So it is still your intention to be a ninja?"

"Y-yes…" Hinata mumbled.

"How foolish," Neji said, making Hinata flinch. Thalia even saw Tenten and Lee stiffen up. She herself clenched her fists as Neji continued. "You know you're not cut out for it. You have no sense of confidence in your skills or abilities and always do your best to avoid conflict. There's a reason you were cut out from the family. Just give up before you get yourself killed or worse, get someone else killed."

Hinata looked ready to cry from Neji's words. "I-I want to know if…"

"Hey!" Thalia suddenly barked, causing them all to look over at her. "What gives you the right to tell her what she can or can't do?"

"Stay out of this outsider," Neji snapped. "This has nothing to do wit-"

"I asked you a question, asshole! What, you deaf?"

Tenten and Lee looked between the two nervously, wondering whether or not they should step in, knowing Neji's combat prowess. Hinata was staring at Thalia in shock, no one ever really standing up for her like that before.

"I told you to stay out of this."

"And I'm choosing not to," Thalia replied. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, that she should be focusing on leaving this place before she was caught. But this guy was seriously pissing her off. "Cause that's what matters, our choices. Hinata here is choosing to be a ninja." She tried hard not to stumble on that word, wondering where the hell she might be where that was evidently a thing. "And you are choosing to be genuine piece of shit."

She heard Lee gasp behind her and Tenten do her best to hide a slight chuckle in a cough. Hinata gasped louder than all but Neji just clenched his teeth,

"What do you know of ninja?" he demanded. "You're just a traveler, a nomad with no home, no allegiance, no family. So what could you possibly-"

"Well if family and all that means putting up with someone like you, I think I lucked out, huh?"

Again there were slight gasps and another chuckle from Tenten. Neji's eyes narrowed, clearly becoming more and more enraged.

"You should know your place, outsider," Neji snapped. "I could easily destroy you with one move."

Thalia just rolled her eyes. "Wow, big man here, needs to prove himself by threatening someone who insulted him. Feel better now? You restore that ego of yours or is it still popped?"

Neji grimaced again as Tenten didn't even try to hide her laughter while Lee looked down, snorting as well now. Hinata still looked at the two of them in shock.

"Come on Hinata, let's go," Thalia said, taking the girl's hand. "The exit's this way, right?"

"Um…"

Before the girl could reply, Neji stepped forward, grabbing Thalia's other arm. "Now hold it right the-"

Thalia instantly let go of Hinata's hand and whirled around, slipping free from Neji's grasp thanks to years of practice evading police officers and the adults she'd stolen from. "Don't touch me," she growled, getting into a fighting stance.

Neji smirked. "Or what? Like an outsider like you could beat me."

Thalia really knew she shouldn't do this but the asshole was asking for it. "Bring it on, dickhead!"

"Wait, please don't!" Hinata cried.

"Stay out of this Hinata!" Neji demanded, forcing her to back off with a stare. "You two as well! I'll finish this quickly."

"Big words," Thalia drawled. "Let's see if you can back them up."

"Remember, you asked for this," Neji said and rushed forward. But Thalia had been watching his feet and saw the instant he started to move, activating her bracelet once he did. Her shield Aegis spiraled to life in her hands, surprising everyone there. Neji didn't think much of it at first, readjusting to move past her shield.

But then he saw it. The horrible visage on the face of the shield, the eyes that seemed to bore into his soul, making him flinch back on instinct. He missed a step and Thalia reacted, trained at this point to act instantly. She rushed forward herself and launched a kick, striking the boy in the chest and knocking him back. He landed with a grunt on the ground, completely shocked.

"She…she struck Neji," Lee muttered in astonishment.

"Wow," Tenten murmured, staring at the girl and especially her shield with wonder.

Hinata was equally shocked and impressed. She didn't think anyone could do that to Neji.

"How was that?" Thalia asked, smirking herself now as Neji got back to his feet.

The boy glared at her but again locked eyes with that horrible shield and had to look away. He tried to force himself to stare at it but he just couldn't. There was some sort of jutsu on it that made it impossible to look at without flinching or grimacing, disrupting his concentration and attack.

And she had acted instinctively when he'd let his guard down. She was well-trained it seemed. But that still didn't mean she could take him on.

"Byakugan!" he cried, activating his kekkei genkai, the veins around his eyes bulging out as his vision increased dramatically, allowing him to see all around him. To his frustration, the face on that shield became even more horrifying somehow but at least he didn't have to look at it to see her now.

But when he did look at her, he was startled. Her chakra system…he'd never seen anything like it. At first glance, it might appear to be normal but on closer inspection, there was something off about it. It was like…it was mixing with some other part of her that was spread throughout her body. Like she had chakra and something else that were now interlocked. He'd never seen or even heard of such a thing before.

No matter. He would still be able to beat her with ease. With his Byakugan activated, that shield of hers which was clearly her main asset was no longer an advantage for her. He moved, striking fast. She brought her shield up but he avoided it with ease now.

"Gentle Fist!" he said, striking her right in her chakra point. She stumbled back from the impact and was the one to fall this time, gasping from the attack.

Thalia fell to her knee, able to catch herself before falling the whole way. She hadn't known what Neji had done with his eyes but for some reason he'd been able to avoid Aegis with it, blowing right past her defenses and striking her hard. She also hadn't expected that much pain to come from the blow. However, it was already fading.

"You see," Neji said smugly. "You can't possibly…wait, how are you…" he muttered in surprise, watching her easily rise back up again. He looked at her with his Byakugan and was shocked to see the chakra point he'd just struck already back to normal. But that wasn't possible. It should be sealed. He'd certainly struck it hard enough. So then…how was it fine? He looked closer and saw that that other part of her fused with her chakra was somehow reinforcing those points. He would have to hit her with everything he had to seal it.

Who was this girl?

Lee, Tenten, and Hinata were also astonished to see the girl rise up from that attack. She clearly was a lot stronger than they had expected.

"Was that all you got?" Thalia asked, smiling. "You know, with all your talk, I thought you'd hit harder than that."

Neji glared at her and prepared himself to activate one of his more powerful techniques. He didn't think he'd have to use it on someone like her but life was full of surprises. "You haven't seen my full power," he warned.

Thalia just stared back at him. "Neither have you."

Neji almost flinched as a thunderclap echoed through the sky. He glanced up and to his surprise saw dark clouds forming over them. He knew the sky had been clear only moments ago and yet now there wasn't even a hint of blue, just ominous black.

He looked back at the girl and was shocked to see sparks of energy shooting off from her, like miniature lightning bolts. Her eyes crackled and he could see the power emanating from her. Through his Byakugan, it was even more prominent, like her whole body had just been hit with a surge of energy.

"How…how is this possible? Who are you?" he demanded.

Thalia grinned. "You're about to find out."

---

Naruto heard the thunderclap and looked up at the sky from the forest path he was on. The clouds…they were forming fast over the village. Too fast to be normal. Even he knew that was strange.

"What the heck's going up with the sky?" Konohamaru wondered.

"Thalia," Naruto murmured, recognizing it from the other night. He knew he wasn't the smartest but he could still tell that this could only be her. "She's doing this."

"The girl we're looking for?" Konohamaru gasped. "Wow, that is powerful."

"We have to find her," Naruto growled, looking around to see if he could spot her. But it was hopeless. He wasn't able to tell where she was just from this. He knew she had to be in some sort of trouble to be doing this. "Argh, damn it! How do we-"

"There," Konohamaru pointed up to where there was a particularly dense gathering of clouds. Actually, on closer look, it was where all the clouds were forming to.

"Yeah, that has to be it!" Naruto cheered, already taking off. "Great job Konohamaru!"

"Thanks boss!"

---

In the village, all the citizens looked up at the sky in confusion as the clear sky vanished in seconds to be replaced by a large thunderstorm. The shinobi throughout the village all knew what it meant and dashed off.

Hiruzen looked up at the sky and felt a pit of dread form in him. He turned back to his office and the crystal ball within, knowing the only reason Thalia would be doing this was if she was feeling threatened.

And on the outskirts of the village, two shadowed shinobi took off to the darkest gathering, determined to complete their mission.

---

Thalia could feel her power rising inside her and was honestly surprised by how much of it she felt. It was way more than before. In the past, after summoning 1 bolt of lightning she felt drained. But now she felt like she could summon 3 or 5 or even more. She didn't know what had happened to her but she liked it.

"You ready, jackass?" she called out.

Neji had been staring at her in shock for the last minute but now shook his head and resumed his angry glare. "I don't know how you're doing this but it won't be enough to defeat me."

"Let's see about that!" Thalia challenged.

The two charged forwards at the same time, rushing right at each other with their fists raised.

"Dynamic Entry!"

Just as the two were about to strike one another, a third figure materialized between them, stopping Neji's fist cold in a firm grip and knocking Thalia's aside with ease. Thalia blinked, seeing a tall man in another green spandex uniform as well as some kind of army jacket in front of her. He also had even bushier eyebrows than Rock Lee and his hair was somehow even shinier.

Is this…his father? Thalia questioned.

"Sensei!" Lee and Tenten cried.

"Hey, how you doing everybody?" the man grinned a grin so wide that it actually dazzled Thalia. "It seems I arrived just in time, huh?"

"Sensei," Neji growled, withdrawing his fist. At the same time, Thalia powered down. She cursed herself for getting drawn into this stupid fight. Now an adult was here and her situation was no doubt going to become so much more complicated.

"Neji," the man said, a slightly serious expression appearing on his face though he never dropped his smile. "I must say, I'm disappointed to see you treated our guest with such manners."

"Guest?" Neji asked, confused. "But she claimed-"

"And you, young Thalia," the man continued, turning to her now and taking her aback. "You really shouldn't be getting into fights so soon after leaving the hospital. Though I do admire your dedication."

Hospital? all the others thought simultaneously.

"Well, if this guy wasn't such a dickhead then…" Thalia began, glaring at Neji, before she suddenly glanced back at the man. "Hey, how'd you know my name?"

"The entire village has been looking for you, young lady," the man declared. "Your sudden disappearance from the hospital given your grievous injuries and recent critical condition caused quite a stir. I am to take you back to the Lord Hokage immediately."

"Uh…no, I'm good on my own, thanks," Thalia replied. "I was just looking for the main exit and-"

"I'm afraid I must insist!" the man said. "Not to worry though. The Hokage himself stated that you are in no trouble whatsoever. He just wishes to verify your own safety."

"Well, you can verify for him," Thalia replied, getting more and more nervous now. "As you can see, I am perfectly fine. Now-"

"Not to fear!" the man cried, startling her. "I will personally guarantee your safety. I swear no harm will come to you from myself or the Hokage or any member of the shinobi of this village."

"That's great and all but it's really not-"

"I can understand your trepidation. To visit the Hokage can be a nerve-racking prospect. But I can assure you he only wishes the best of intentions towards you!"

Thalia was getting more and more frustrated. She personally knew how adults like him operated. She didn't know who this Hokage was or what that word even meant but from context could gather that he was the leader of this town or village. Which meant he probably would want to return her to her mom as a way of helping her, something Thalia refused to let happen. Or even put her in the foster system, something Thalia wanted no part of. She had no doubt that whole system was packed with monsters just waiting for the chance to strike at demigods. Given how frequently demigods ran away, it was the perfect cover to strike at them.

"Look, Mr…"

"Ah, my sincerest apologies. I have neglected to introduce myself. I am known as Might Guy. People call me the Leaf's Noble Gentleman," he said with a grin, making a pose that framed his perfect white teeth that even seemed to glisten. Thalia really didn't know what to make of him. She turned to look at the others. Hinata seemed just as lost and confused as her while both Tenten and Neji were looking down in embarrassment. And Lee…well, he was looking up at this Might Guy with awe and admiration. Made sense considering he was his father or something.

"Uh, hi, I guess…"

"And you are Thalia Grace, the one who took down the traitorous Mizuki with one blast. Very youthful of you, very youthful indeed!"

Thalia really didn't know what to make of that. What the hell did youthfulness have to do with anything? She was starting to wonder what kind of lunatic asylum she'd wandered into.

"I must insist though that we head to the Lord Hokage's office immediately. I promise you again that absolutely no harm will befall you under my watch."

"That's not my concern," Thalia said. "I can take care of myself. But I don't like other people butting into my life, especially when they think they're trying to help me and wind up making things worse. So tell your Lord Ho-Kah-Gay," she said, pronouncing the word slowly to get it right, "thanks for patching me up but it's probably best for everyone that I just head out."

She heard Neji sniff, obviously in agreement with her decision. The others though clearly weren't.

"Come on Thalia," Tenten said. "Look I know we just met and you're obviously crazy strong but don't you think you should just hear the Lord Hokage out? He is the leader of our village for a reason."

"Yes!" Lee nodded vigorously, pumping his fist up. "You must trust Guy-sensei. He always keeps his word and if he says no harm will come to you, then you will not be harmed."

Thalia sighed. "That's not really my concern."

"Thalia," Hinata said softly, looking up at her now. "Don't you think that-"

"Look, I appreciate the concerns here," Thalia interrupted but she was getting annoyed now. "But it's probably best that someone like me doesn't stay in one place." Who knew how many monsters were already zoning in on her.

Tenten frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Miss Grace," Might Guy interjected. "It is not wise for a young lady such as yourself to go wandering out into the world all by your lonesome. The Hokage only wishes the best for you an-"

"Look!" Thalia interrupted again, seriously annoyed now. "I have survived just fine on my own for years and I don't need…wait, hold up," she said, looking at Might Guy with new eyes. "What did you just call me?"

Might Guy seemed taken aback for a second before his smile returned in force. "Why, Miss Grace of course. That is your name. Thalia Grace."

Thalia had put Aegis away after Might Guy appeared, deeming it unnecessary to have her shield out for the conversation as he clearly wasn't there to fight. That had been a mistake and she was already cursing herself as she activated her magical item once more, holding it up defensively in front of her.

Instantly, all of the others there winced at the sight, backing off from Medusa's visage's gaze.

"The only people in the world who use my full name like that want me dead," Thalia spat. "The last one nearly cooked me and my friends alive. I should have known better than to drop my guard."

"Miss Grace…" Might Guy tried.

"Don't call me that!" Thalia cried. "My name is Thalia! And you're lucky I don't have my spear on me or I'd skewer you, you…whatever the hell kind of monster you are."

"Hey!" Lee complained. "Guy-sensei is no monster. He is the most honorable ninja in the entire Leaf Village and I demand that you apologize to him right now!"

"Not now Lee," Guy stopped him. He regarded the girl in front of him carefully. He hadn't really known what to expect when the Hokage ordered the mission to find her. A lost and confused girl with tremendous power. He'd seen that power when the girl challenged Neji and actually gave him the beginnings of a fight, the boy genius.

She clearly did not respond well to authority. From what Guy had gathered in her words, she must have had negative experiences with village leaders and the like which was probably why she preferred to be on her own.

But it was her reaction now that was the most interesting. Something about her name, or her last name specifically, had triggered her and pushed her on the defensive. And the way she had said 'monster' like that also felt a little off. Like it wasn't an insult but an actual term.

Guy wished he had more information to act on but the Hokage hadn't given too much. He would just have to make do and try his best to calm her down. "Listen young Thalia," he said, taking a step forward. As soon as he did, Thalia raised her shield and Guy winced again at the sight. What even was that thing and why was it causing such a reaction from him? Things like that didn't normally scare him but there was something in that horrible picture's eyes that shot right through his soul. There had to be some ninjutsu on it that created the terrible aura. Truly a formidable weapon.

And then the girl took off, dashing towards the woods as fast as she could.

"I've got her," Neji said coldly, moving to intercept.

"No, I will grab her," Lee instantly replied, moving as well.

"Stop it, both of you!" Guy ordered. He didn't raise his voice much in such a way but whenever he did, he commanded attention. Both boys instantly stopped and looked at him in surprise. "This is a very delicate situation we have on our hands and we must proceed carefully. The Hokage's orders were not to antagonize this girl or make her out to be our enemy…which we may have already done. Inadvertently," he added, trying to suppress the wince. "But we must make up for that blunder now. Do not approach with the intention to attack."

"But what if she attacks us?" Tenten asked.

"Then only defend. Show her we mean her no harm. Now fan out and find her."

"Already done," Neji said, his Byakugan activated. He suddenly hissed. "And she's got company."

He barely finished saying that before the woods lit up and lightning crackled through the air.

---

Thalia ran as fast as she could. She didn't know how far she would be able to make it given how fast Guy had been when he'd stepped between her and Neji. There was no telling what kind of monster he was. But that's why she had to gain some distance. She didn't know about the others but she didn't think they could be monsters. They didn't recognize her after all. But Guy had used her full name. She'd never told anyone her name before, not even Luke, and she doubted her mother ever sent out a missing kid's report. So he had to be a part of the godly side of things which meant he no doubt had been trying to lead her into a trap. Well, that wasn't happening.

Her odds still weren't good though. She was still alone, in the woods, without her spear. She had her sword and she had a thunderstorm at her disposal which did help. But she also had no clue what kind of threat she was dealing with here. Knowing your enemy was always the first step towards defeating them.

However, as she ran through the woods, waiting for Guy to appear, she sensed something else. She reacted on instinct, raising her shield and ducking to the right. There was a soft clang as something bounced off Aegis and she saw it was some kind of knife. She picked up quickly and held it firmly in her hands. At least she was no longer weaponless, though she wished she was better at knife-fighting. She'd become too reliant on her spear.

She looked up to where the knives had come from and could just make out two shadowy figures among the branches. She cursed, raising her shield high to prepare for an attack. From what she could see, the people up there were wearing some sort dark armor as well as freaky ass animals masks over their faces, one in the shape of a bird while the other was more wolf-like. Were they monsters too? Seemed likely.

"Come with us," one of them said. "Conscious or unconscious."

They wanted her alive? If they were monsters, they'd usually want to eat her on the spot. Maybe they wanted to drag her back to their lair.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, trying to buy herself time.

The figures didn't reply, instead drawing out their weapons. In a flash of movement, they vanished from the trees and Thalia gasped as they appeared right in front of her. She tried to block but the bird-mask dashed right through her defense, slamming his weapon into her gut. She choked, feeling her body fold from the blow. It was only the blunt end but it still hurt like hell. The attack sent her into the ground with a heavy thud, the wind knocked right out of her lungs.

"Submit," the wolf mask said.

Thalia managed a slight intake of breath before glaring up at them. "Go to Hades, you creeps!"

She summoned her power and the storm above responded, a bolt of lightning shooting down and striking her fist. She grunted but was surprised that it actually didn't feel as bad as it used to. Beforehand, it had felt like a live, burning bomb touching her that would explode at a second's notice. Now…well, she couldn't quite put her finger on it but it didn't feel as dangerous. For her anyway.

"Eat this!" she cried, shooting the lightning out. The wolf mask managed to leap away in time but the bird mask wasn't quite fast enough, getting struck in the side by the bolt. The forest lit up and the figure screamed out in pain before collapsing to the ground, the stench of burning flesh filling the air.

Thalia managed to get back on her feet and glared at the other figure. "You want some?"

The figure regarded her warily. It seemed Lord Danzō's report hadn't truly done this girl justice. She was a real powerhouse. Taking her down would not be as easy as first thought. Still, there were ways to handle this.

He had been born into the Aburame clan before being taken into Danzō's order which meant he was an insect specialist. At his command, a swarm of insects left his body, surrounding Thalia instantly. She blinked at the sight, not expecting it, and tried to escape but they were coming at her from all sides.

"Oh this is all kinds of natsy," she muttered, eyes darting around. She swung her shield out, dispersing a lot of the bugs, but many still flew around her. She tried swiping them off her whenever they landed on her but more just appeared. And then, one particularly hefty beetle bit down.

"Ow!"

Zap!

Thalia blinked as her whole body lit up and she saw many of the insects shudder across her body before falling to the ground, their own bodies smoking a little. Did I just do that? she wondered. But before she could think on it further, more bugs came at her. She thought desperately about what she had just done and, more importantly, how she did not want all these bugs crawling on her. And she felt her power surge.

ZAP!

She saw the bolts of electricity shoot off from her body. They were small, each one no bigger than a spark in a lightning bulb. But there were hundreds that dotted across her whole body, striking a bug down before fading and getting replaced by a fresh bolt. A static noise filled the forest as her electricity went off, zapping any bugs that came near her.

"I didn't know I could do this," Thalia murmured to herself. Calling on her demigod powers had always been a hassle for her before, especially lightning stuff. She could shock someone easily, sure, but not in a continuous stream like this. It all felt so much easier now somehow.

The Aburame Root grunted in annoyance but fortunately he had one last trick. He sent almost all of his other bugs away and called out one of the specialized types. The swarm of ants charged for the girl across the earth, making the ground look like it was moving itself.

Thalia saw them coming and decided to send a lightning bolt their way. This time, she didn't even need to call one from the sky, a small bolt already surging from her hands, striking the incoming ants. She grinned, flexing her fingers around. Yeah, she could definitely get used to this.

Her smile faded however when she saw the ants still coming, her attack having no effect. She sent another bolt their way but still nothing. It didn't look like a single one of them had fallen.

"What the hell?" she muttered.

"These ants are special," the wolf-mask said to her. "They're a particular breed that can conduct electricity. They're usually used for shutting down radio signals but they are very effective against lightning-users."

"Oh Styx," Thalia mumbled, looking for a way to escape. But the ants were surrounding her, leaving her no room to run. She held up her shield and was both surprised and glad that even the ants were afraid of Medusa's face. But even it didn't hold them off for long.

She glanced up and saw just a little ways off was a branch that was just in reach if she jumped over the ants. Not even thinking about it given how little room she had left, she took a step and lunged for the branch, just managing to grasp it before she fell into the ant swarm. She pulled herself up to her armpits so that her head and shoulders were over the branch and panted from the effort when she saw the ants below doing something else. A look down made her gulp as she saw them climbing onto each other to form a tower reaching up to her. They'd be on her in seconds.

She desperately pulled herself up more, reaching her chest now, when she heard an ominous creaking noise. It didn't take long for her to see her branch bending dangerously and a crack forming near the base.

"No, no, no," she muttered, rushing herself as she pulled herself up. But just as she managed to get her legs up, the branch gave off a loud CRACK and plummeted, dropping her right into the ants.

Or, it would have.

"I've got you!"

Just before she hit the ant-covered ground, something grabbed her midair and yanked her to the side. She blinked as she suddenly found herself dangling on a new branch, hoisted up into the air by the back of her shirt by someone. She was hoisted up even more until she was eye level with a familiar wide-grinned, shiny-haired, bushy-browed man who gave her a big thumbs up.

"Not to worry, young lady. I have rescued you."

Thalia opened her mouth and then closed it again, not sure what else to do in such a situation. She thought this guy had been a monster. He had said her full name which was an instant red flag for her given only the monstrous types knew her full name. Maybe he had only saved her to kill her himself.

But she'd barely had that thought when he gently set her down on the branch and patted her head. "I'm sorry for all the distress," he said. "It appears some shinobi haven't gotten the message that you are not to be harmed."

He disappeared in a flash, making Thalia gasp as he suddenly reappeared next to the wolf-mask guy who flinched and tried to move but was way too slow, Guy's hands clamping on his shoulders.

"Don't worry Thalia."

Thalia flinched as Tenten and Rock Lee hopped onto the branch next to her, backing herself up against the trunk. They instantly held up their hands, trying to show they meant no harm.

"We will protect you!" Rock Lee told her with a big grin.

"We promise, we won't hurt you," Tenten said.

"Who are you people?" Thalia muttered.

"We are the shinobi of the Leaf Village!" Lee proclaimed proudly.

Thalia eyed them warily. "I don't know what that means and…I don't care. I'm done with all this." She turned and leapt off the branch back to the ground.

"Wait, Thalia!" Tenten called as she and Lee chased after her.

Off to the side, Guy still held onto to the shinobi. "The Hokage ordered for the girl to not be harmed or antagonized in any way. So why are you doing the opposite, hmmm? Very unyouthful indeed!"

But the shinobi didn't say a word. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't betray Lord Danzō thanks to the seal on his tongue.

"A silent type, eh? Well no matter. I'm sure that-"

A sudden yell rent the air, making Guy's head swivel. "What was that?"

---

Thalia had been running as fast as she could, trying to lose her pursuers, but they were so fast that it seemed impossible she'd be able to escape them. But what else could she do? If she went back to this Hokage person, then who knew what might happen.

"Thalia, please stop!" Tenten called out to her.

"I swear we mean you no harm!" Lee added.

"Just go away!" Thalia called back.

"Enough of this!"

Thalia turned back and yelped as Neji suddenly appeared in her path. But she was nothing if not instinctive as she reacted fast, channeling her powers again and shooting off a lightning bolt his way. She saw his eyes widen as it came for him and watched him leap aside at the last instant. She took the chance to dash off to the side through some bushes, hoping that would provide some sort of cover for her.

She'd barely made it a foot when something struck her in the stomach, folding her over. She managed a gasp before something else struck her in the back, knocking her to the ground. She grunted as she hit dirt, but still managed to roll to the side, doing her best to get back on her feet. As she did, she saw her attacker was the bird-mask from before, his body still smoking slightly from her attack.

She flinched as strange knife appeared at her throat and though it was hard to tell from the mask, she knew the man behind it was seething.

"Make a move, and you'll regret it!"

Thalia couldn't even nod her head for fear of getting sliced. She could only stare fearfully at the mask and try to think of a way out of this.

"Hey!"

The man turned to the direction of the noise while Thalia was only able to move her eyes, both seeing Neji and the rest of his team walk up.

"What are you doing?" Neji demanded. "Orders are for her to be unharmed."

"She is an escaped fugitive," the figure replied. "I am taking her back as directed."

"That's not what Guy-sensei told us," Tenten said hesitantly.

"Right!" Lee agreed. "And Guy-sensei is never wrong! Now hand over Thalia at once!"

"You are genin, and barely that," the figure said with practically a sneer across his mask. "This is beyond you. Leave now or face punishment."

Both Tenten and Lee seemed uncertain now but Neji took a step forward. "Guy-sensei may be an idiot at times, but he would never go against the Hokage's wishes. If he says that girl is not to be harmed or antagonized in any way, then that is what the Hokage said. So, if you're choosing not to follow those rules I will take is as a certainty that you are not a shinobi of the Leaf but instead an enemy spy."

"Have it your way," the figure said, getting into a stance. Neji, Tenten, and Lee did the same, leaving Thalia very confused about everything going on around her. How had things gotten so crazy so quickly.

Little did she know, things were about to get even crazier.

"LET HER GO!"

Everyone turned as an orange flash blasted its way through the foliage, striking at the masked figure who only just managed to get his arm up in time to block the attack. Thalia stared at the newcomer in surprise, a name surfacing from her memories of the previous night.

"Naruto?"

---

Naruto and Konohamaru had arrived at the woods as fast as they could where the dark clouds were quickly coalescing. Naruto kept an eye on the thickest section as he dashed through the woods though it became harder and harder as the branches and leaves began to block the sky.

"Ah, damn it!" Naruto growled. "How are we supposed to find her now?"

"Hey, is that her boss?"

Naruto's head snapped over to where Konohamaru was pointing, spotting the girl with the short black hair and white outfit just ahead. "Yeah, that's gotta be her. Hey!" he cried out, rushing over. "Hey, Thal…wait…" he stopped, seeing the girl turn suddenly at his voice and realizing she wasn't who he was looking for. Instead, she was a girl from his class. "Uh…Hinata. What are you doing out here?"

"N-n-naruto," Hinata stammered, not expecting him to suddenly show up. She felt her face turning red and had to do her best not to pass out.

"Hey, I'm looking for a friend of mine. Have you seen her?" Naruto suddenly asked eagerly, pressing closer to her and making her face blush even more. "She has spiky black hair and really bright blue eyes. Her name's Thalia."

That got Hinata's attention, snapping her out of her 'Naruto' daze. "Th-thalia?" Hinata stammered, getting ahold of herself. "Yes, I saw her. She was just here."

"She was!" Naruto cried out, grinning. "Great! Where is she now?"

"She ran off to the woods," Hinata pointed. "I can show you. Guy-sensei and his team went after her. They said they weren't going to hurt her though."

"They better not!" Naruto growled angrily. He didn't know who this Guy-sensei was or his team but if they laid a hand on his friend they were going to be sorry. "Alright, Hinata, lead the way!"

Hinata ignored the beat of happiness she felt when he said her name and ran into the woods, leading them to where she'd seen Thalia and the others go.

"Hey, boss, who is this? Another one of your girlfriends?" Konohamaru asked slyly.

Hinata nearly stumbled over and fell flat on her face from the boy's words. Girlfriend? her mind shrieked internally. But I'm not…wait, she thought, realizing the boy's other word. Another? Does that mean…

"Shut up, she's not my girlfriend and neither is Thalia. Hinata's my classmate and Thalia…well, we only met once but she's already a good friend!" Naruto shot back. "Now come on, we have to save her!"

Hinata felt relief at Naruto's claim that Thalia wasn't his girlfriend, though she was a little curious as to how they knew each other. That was overshadowed by the disappointment at just being Naruto's 'classmate,' and when he'd made it clear she wasn't his girlfriend. That had felt almost as bad as Neji's words earlier, even though it wasn't Naruto's fault.

But she couldn't focus on that now. Thalia was in trouble. It wasn't clear why or how but something was happening with her based on how she'd run away. Hinata didn't know what but she knew that Thalia had been the first person to stick up for her in a long time. And she'd also clearly made a good impression on Naruto which was more than enough for Hinata. So, she would help however she could.

"Byakugan," she murmured, activating her power. Instantly, Hinata's vision for about 20 meters or more became impeccable as she could see through the trees, make out all the leaves and insects and rocks in front of her as well as to the side. She couldn't quite see the others just yet but she was beginning to make out where they were.

It only took about a minute to spot them but when she did, Hinata gasped at the sight.

"What is it?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"It's Thalia," Hinata replied. "She's…there's someone holding a knife to her throat. The others can't-"

"Where!" Naruto demanded.

Hinata pointed. "Just up ahead, past those trees and through the bushes."

"Right! Thanks Hinata!" With that, Naruto rushed ahead, charging straight through the underbrush towards where Hinata was pointing. He heard voices before he made out the figures ahead, instantly focusing on the masked one holding the knife against the familiar girl's throat.

"LET HER GO!" he cried, leaping the last way and taking the figure by surprise as he punched him as hard as he could. It was slightly in vain as the figure got an arm up in time to block it but it still pushed him back a few steps.

"Naruto?" Thalia muttered, eyes wide.

"Hey Thalia!" Naruto said, turning to her with a grin. "Sorry it took so long to find you. I'm glad you're alright!"

"Uh…thanks. Same to you."

"Naruto?" Neji questioned, looking at the boy in confusion. That name sounded familiar for some reason, like he'd heard it multiple times before. But from whom? He could swear he'd heard it at the Hyūga compound but couldn't recall who'd done it.

"Stop interfering!" the figure growled.

"Naruto!"

"Boss!"

Hinata and Konohamaru arrived, making everyone's heads swivel to them.

"More brats!" the figure nearly cried out.

"Hinata!" Neji gasped, getting angry. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh! Neji, I…I wanted to help," Hinata replied nervously.

"Let it go Neji," Tenten told him, rolling her eyes.

"Is this the girl boss?" Konohamaru asked, looking at Thalia dubiously. "She doesn't look like much."

"Huh?" Thalia stared back at him, giving him the stink-eye. "What'd you just say to me, kid? You want to get electrocuted too?" As she spoke, her body gave off a fresh wave of electrical bolts.

"Oh never mind," Konohamaru muttered, backing off.

The Root stared at all the kids, feeling more uneasy by the second. This was getting too complicated. The wisest thing would be to back out now. But he was annoyed and pissed off and still in some pain from that girl's lightning attack.

"You will all stand down or face serious consequences!" he cried in his most serious tone.

Konohamaru and Hinata shuddered and even Lee and Tenten looked a little shaken. Only Neji, Naruto, and Thalia remained unfazed.

"I already told you, you don't have that authority. You should have just abandoned whatever mission you had long ago," Neji informed him. "All of you, stand down. I'll deal wit-"

"Screw that!" Naruto cried, rushing in. "He hurt Thalia! He's going to pay for that!"

Thalia blinked, not expecting anyone other than Luke or Annabeth to ever say that to her, especially not someone she'd just met.

"Stand down now!" Neji ordered.

"Naruto!" Hinata cried.

"Go get him boss!" Konohamaru cheered.

"Like you can beat me!" the bird-mask yelled.

Naruto made the cross with his hands. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

With a loud POOF over a dozen Narutos appeared around them, completely filling the grove they were in. Team Nine stared in shock at the sight while Konohamaru just grinned at the sight of his boss kicking butt. And Hinata just stared in awe. She knew Naruto had failed to get into the academy earlier because of this very jutsu. But now…

Wow Naruto, she thought, a blush creeping up her cheeks. You really are strong. I knew you could do it.

The bird-mask wasn't all too impressed however. As the Naruto's swarmed him, he struck quickly, felling half-a dozen of them in short order. Naruto grimaced in response, backing up for a second and thinking of a new strategy.

"Seems you're no weakling like Mizuki. Fine then, let's see you handle my awesome personal ninjutsu. Transform!"

There was a second POOF and an instant later all the Narutos had indeed transformed…into female versions of themselves. All without clothes.

"Sexy Harem Jutsu!"

"Gah!" Neji cried, looking away.

"Whoa!" Lee cried, blinking rapidly at the sight.

"Lee, don't look!" Tenten cried, grabbing his face and turning it aside while blushing furiously.

N-naruto, Hinata stammered internally, also looking away frantically.

"Way to go boss!" Konohamaru cheered. "Now you got him."

The bird-mask looked around frantically. He'd never been close to women before and never in any way like this. Seeing all of this blasted right through his training and overwhelmed his senses, especially when they started grabbing onto him.

That's when the storm above crackled again.

"Kind of a ridiculous move," Thalia said with a wild grin. "But it distracted him, so…nice work. Now let me finish him off."

"You got it!"

A second later, all the female Narutos disappeared, leaving the bird-mask stumbling as the real Naruto stepped aside. The bird-mask only had time to look up right as Thalia pointed her finger right at him.

"No…"

BAM!

The bolt of lightning shot from her fingers and struck him directly. He screeched in pain, feeling his whole body get shot with millions of volts of electricity. It was more than he could take and he slumped over, losing consciousness.

Thalia heaved out a breath as she leaned against the tree behind her, feeling a little drained now. It seemed she'd reached her limit.

"Awesome work Thalia!" Naruto cheered, still grinning, and she couldn't help but grin back at him.

"Thanks Naruto."

"Wow, she really is cool boss!" Konohamaru chimed in.

"What is the meaning of this?" Neji demanded, stepping in. "What was that ridiculous jutsu of yours? And why are you here anyway? This is a specially assigned mission by the Hokage to-"

"Hey, who are you and why are you butting into my face like that?" Naruto demanded, glaring back at Neji.

"Well now, what do we have here?"

They all turned to see Guy-sensei had arrived, looking down at them all with an amused expression on his face. He had been watching the scene for a while. He'd been about to step in when Naruto had rushed in. After that, he'd decided to just watch. If it came to it, he preferred watching the youth go at it. It gave him hope for the next generation of shinobi. And while Naruto's tactics had been surprising, the effectiveness could not be overlooked.

He leaped down and with minimal effort tied up the second rogue shinobi just like the first. He didn't know why these two had disobeyed direct orders to this degree but that wasn't his job. The Hokage could figure all that out. Guy only had one real mission.

"Now, young lady," he said, giving Thalia his trademark grin. "Will you please allow me to escort you to the Hokage? I will once again promise upon my life that no harm shall come to you."

"Take a look at those eyebrows. They're almost alive," Naruto commented off to the side.

"I know right," Konohamaru replied. "And look, that guy over there is just like him. Weird."

Even though he'd set off a red flag earlier, Thalia was beginning to doubt Guy was a monster. Literally no part of him screamed 'monster.' That wasn't much considering how they could disguise themselves. But still, there weren't any vibes around him or anything off. He seemed a little weird and definitely eccentric but not monstrous.

Still, she couldn't afford to take any chances.

"I'm sorry," she said, rising up. "But I need to-"

At that moment, she finally dispelled the electricity charging through her body, letting it fade away. As soon as she did, a wave of fatigue struck her and she practically collapsed back on the ground.

"Thalia!" Naruto cried, rushing to her side. "Are you alright?"

"Chakra exhaustion," Neji chimed in with a sniff. "Seems you overextended yourself."

Thalia wanted to argue but she was having a little trouble keeping her eyes open. She kept blinking and she jammed her nails into her palms all to stay awake. If she lost consciousness again, who knew where she might wake up next.

"I'm…ok," she said after a minute. But it was also clear to her that she couldn't run away anymore. She sighed and looked over at Naruto. They'd only had the one encounter last night but he still had coming running to help her. If there was anyone here she trusted, she supposed it was him. "Do you know the Hokage?" she asked him.

"The old man? Yeah, I know him. He's a good guy. When I asked about you earlier, he said he would do whatever it took to help you."

Thalia blinked, not expecting that. But she supposed that did answer things for her. She sighed again before turning to Guy. "Alright," she said, bowing her head a little. "Take me to the Hokage."

"Wonderful!" Guy beamed, prompting another comment from Naruto about 'those ginormous eyebrows.' "Neji, Lee, Tenten! I've already set off a signal for the other jōnin around. When they arrive, inform them of what's happened here and have them take custody of these two. I'll escort young Thalia to the Hokage."

"And me!" Naruto declared. "Don't worry Thalia, I won't leave your side."

"Oh, uh, thanks."

"I'm coming to!" Konohamaru said as well. "Wherever big brother Naruto goes, I go too!"

"Such youthful energy! Very well! Let's be off!" Guy cried. He led the way through the undergrowth, Naruto helping Thalia walk with Konohamaru by their side. Hinata, after a moment's hesitation, began to follow them. She wasn't sure where she should go but right now she didn't really want to stay near Neji.

"Hinata!" Neji's voice cracked like a whip, stopping Hinata in her tracks. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Oh, I, um…I just…" Hinata stumbled. Honestly, she did want to go along and make sure Thalia was alright. But mostly she wanted to keep hanging out with Naruto. This was the most she'd been with him outside of the academy and she didn't want it to end.

"You'll only get in the way," Neji told her. "Just go back to the compound and-"

"She can come."

They all turned at Thalia's words, the girl glaring at Neji. "What?" the boy asked incredulously.

"She can come, if she wants," Thalia repeated before turning to Hinata and giving her a look.

"I…I want," Hinata affirmed and quickly shuffled over to Thalia's other side. Before she could react, Thalia draped her arm around the girl's shoulder, taking her by surprise.

"That's no-" Neji began.

"What's the holdup, slowpokes?" Guy asked, still grinning. He spotted Hinata and his grin somehow got bigger. "Ah, I see we've added another. Wonderful! Now let's get going! Don't want to waste anymore daylight, do we?"

As they walked off, Thalia turned and stuck her tongue out at Neji, making the boy grit his teeth while Lee and Tenten chuckled behind him.

"Who was that guy? And what's his problem?" Naruto asked, looking back at the boy.

"H-he's my, um…he's my cousin," Hinata replied, stammering a little as she tried to hold a conversation with Naruto. She was glad she was helping Thalia walk right now as it gave her more incentive not to faint.

"Your cousin?" Naruto and Thalia said at the same time.

"Jeez. Why's he such an asshole to you?" Thalia asked, Hinata blushing from her language.

"He…it's a long story," Hinata replied, not wanting to get into it. She felt like she couldn't really blame Neji for all his hatred and anger given all the pain he was suffering.

"Huh," Thalia said, regarding the girl before shrugging. Wasn't her business to pry. Instead, she focused on where they were going. It didn't take them long to clear the woods, walking back onto the main path. After a little while, Thalia was good enough to walk on her own though she was still pretty weak. They made better time after that.

The kid, Konohamaru began asking some questions like what kind of ninja she was, if she could show him the lightning jutsu she did (jutsu, she thought), and if she was Naruto's girlfriend. She almost socked him for that last comment.

They soon entered the village proper and Thalia couldn't help but notice a few things she hadn't seen before. First of all, there were no cars at all. Or even motorbikes or any kind of vehicle really. She couldn't even spot a normal bike. Not just that, but all the people seemed to share the same fashion sense. There were some changes, Naruto and Guy's outfits for example, but everyone else followed the same style. She couldn't see any suits, no real jackets or jeans. And there were definitely no pictures or things like that.

It was like she'd arrived in some sort of frontier town. If so, where was she? And where was Camp Half-Blood? And how had she gotten here from there when she'd been on the verge of death?

Well, she'd find out soon enough.

---

Please review if you can and thanks for reading.