4

Disclaimer: All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto and its respective publishing house. The same goes for Hiro Mashima for his utterly delightful series, Fairy Tail.

Author's Note: NIL

Revised at 2nd October 2015 to the best of my ability.

Chapter Three – Welcome to Cait Shelter

0.0

Naruto grumbled as he unlocked the door to his room.

It was highway robbery what these innkeepers were charging for rooms around here; it barely covered his reward from the delivery mission. The only saving grace was that he would have a comfortable night's rest before he started the trek north, towards Cait Shelter.

He had been given the general direction to the other guild by Agatha, though she had voiced her concerns about his decision to join Cait Shelter, highlighting the guild's strict policy to outsiders like him. While it may have put a damper on his spirits then, Naruto couldn't help but shrug. It would have been disappointing not to join a guild that was close to Camoa and Diligeon, where he had forged some personal ties with the locals, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. From what he understood, there were tons of guilds out there—if he wasn't too picky—and one of them was bound to take him in.

That much he was sure of.

He proceeded to politely excuse himself, knowing he wasn't exactly wanted, much to the delight of the female mages in the hall. Although, Minori did look disappointed. His new companion offered him a small smile and a wave before joining up with some of her guildmates, chatting animatedly as she relayed the events of her latest request.

As Naruto entered the room, he shrugged off his jacket and black under-shirt, allowing it to air out against the window-sill. Inwardly, he reminded himself to give his clothes a proper wash; they were starting to smell. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to find an extra set of clothes or two.

He was going to be here for a while.

Naruto crashed down on the comfortable bed, groaning in relief as he eased his tired muscles by doing a few stationary stretches lying down. Propping his hands behind his head, he began recollecting the day's events, particularly about a certain purple-haired girl. Naruto didn't know what to think of Minori. They did get along well, though there was that whole awkward tension between them after that incident.

A noticeable blush coloured his cheeks. He blinked, clapping his hands against them.

Why in the world was he thinking about such things?

He turned to his side, pulling the bed covers over him as he stared out the window. The sun was just about to set, dousing the town in an array of contrasting colours. A peaceful calm settled into him. There was a certain vibe about this place; something he just couldn't shake off, but in a good way.

Faintly, Naruto was aware that he was once again hungry despite having a meal just a few hours ago, but he was just too tired to go and search for another place to eat. He wasn't keen on returning to the Oasis café, especially if Yue was still there.

Feeling his eyelids grow heavy, he allowed his body to succumb to the exhaustion of the day's activities, not knowing that his mind would think about another dark-haired girl back home.

0.0

Naruto rubbed at his eyes.

He knew he looked awful; there were dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. A few stray tears trickled down his cheeks as he yawned widely yet again. He had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep after jolting awake from a nightmare. Although his mind had trouble trying to remember the vague dream the moment he awoke.

He was a bit disturbed by it.

Yet here he was, sprinting along a barely visible dirt path towards the small, isolated community that housed Cait Shelter. No one was there to bid him farewell in Diligeon unlike what Martha had done for him. He had thought about saying something to Minori before he left, but he wasn't sure where the girl lived, and that would have meant returning to the hornet's nest known as Mermaid's Cove.

He couldn't bring himself to return there, so he decided to leave. It wasn't as if they wouldn't meet again. There always was the distinct possibility that he would get rejected by Cait Shelter. If so, then Naruto was sorely tempted to take up Yue's offer for the bodyguard position, even for a few weeks just for the pay.

He was already down to ten thousand Jewels; a sizeable portion of it spent on a few breakfast sets from a delicatessen in the town, which were now sealed up in his only sealing scroll. Food had always lasted longer in seals, and he was going to need it knowing that Cait Shelter was about a day's journey by foot. He could probably do it under a few hours.

Naruto sighed.

He was in for a lonely ride.

0.0

The small community, sequestered around a set of short cliffs, doubled as a headquarters and hamlet for the descendants of the Nirvit tribe. Towards the far end, nearer to the base of the cliffs, was a large tent shaped in the partial form of a cat's head. The iconic building served as the guild house and mess hall for the mages of Cait Shelter.

At the entrance to the tent, Wendy Marvell stretched her arms well above her head. A small smile graced her features as she enjoyed the cool evening breeze. If there was one thing she enjoyed most about her guild, other than her guild mates, it was how clear the air was around here.

Turning, she glanced back at the moderately-sized hall, watching her guild mates settle in after a hard day's work as they chatted spiritedly with one another in between a round of drinks and meals.

It made her smile even brighter.

Truth be told, Cait Shelter wasn't the most glamorous or powerful guild in Fiore. Mission requests were infrequent and hard to come by, not that Chief Roubaul ever allowed her to do one; something which Carla agreed with.

It acted more like a small communal tribe than a normal guild, with a majority of the mages focusing on fabric-working; the art of weaving and designing a variety of crafts ranging from traditional Nirvit clothes to tapestries depicting the rich history of the Nirvit tribe. It was a local specialty that remained popular with some of the other towns.

That said, it may not have been the most adventurous guild, but it suited her fine.

As Wendy walked through the hamlet and towards her favourite spot, a short cliff just overlooking the guild, she played with the hem of her new dress. It was something that the kind and elderly Magna had made for her today to celebrate her fourth year anniversary in Cait Shelter.

"Wendy."

That familiar bored tone of voice made her turn. The young girl saw the small figure of her best friend and companion, Carla, trailing after her out of the mess hall.

"Ah, Carla? What are you doing here?"

The small white cat kept her eyes half-lidded, feigning boredom. "I should be asking you the same question. Didn't Chief Roubaul already warn you about your late-night walks?"

"H-He did, but I... It's just that—"

"You know how dangerous the forest gets at night," Carla said. "You should have asked someone to accompany you."

Wendy winced, remembering the small incident with the stray pack of wolves hunting just a little too close to the area. Thankfully, some of the other members were nearby to deal with the situation. It had shaken her, knowing that she could have been seriously hurt or worse. On the bright side, the incident had spurned her to take her training seriously, pouring more time and effort into her Dragon Slayer magic, just like Grandine had shown her. The memory of her foster mother brought a small, melancholy look in her eyes.

"It's just that everyone was enjoying themselves at the guild and I didn't want to be a bother."

Carla dropped her façade upon noticing the forlorn expression that marred her face. "Come on then, the sooner you're done—" she fell in line next to the young girl, "—the sooner we'll be able to return to the guild tent."

Wendy smiled, bolstered by Carla's small gesture. Her guildmates may have voiced their concerns about the aloof cat, but nobody understood Carla like she did. The feline rarely smiled, but it didn't mean that she didn't care; she just had trouble expressing it.

"Thank you, Carla."

The two settled into a comfortable silence as they walked, with only the soothing sounds of the forest inhabitants heard in the backdrop. Wendy glanced upwards—towards the stars, bright and large.

Inwardly, she sighed.

Wendy hadn't once ventured out of the small community ever since she first arrived at the Cait Shelter. She was forever grateful to Chief Roubaul for taking her into the guild, but she couldn't help but feel confined here.

Her guild members weren't unfriendly either. It was just that there was no one here around her age (aside from Carla), with the youngest being in their late twenties. It was hard to relate. On the odd occasion that the guild undertook a request, no one was willing to bring her along, stating their fears of her not being able to withstand the rigorous deeds of the request.

While Wendy was disappointed, it was a reality she accepted. Still, she yearned to see the world beyond the borders of their small community. Who knows she might even be able to see Jell—

"Wendy, get back!"

The Exceed's alarmed voice broke through her musings.

Jarred from the sudden command, her eyes darted around, looking for any sign of hostiles in the area—only to find none. What had Carla seen? As if on cue, a figure popped out of a bush. Although, instead of attacking, he crashed to the ground in front of them, the long wooden stick he was holding onto for support clattering uselessly to the ground.

"Owww..."

Wendy took a hesitant step forward. "A-Ah, are you all right?"

The teen with the dishevelled blond hair looked up. His orange clothes were tattered and torn, even a tinge burnt. Despite it, a genuine smile graced his lips. "I thought I heard voices, so it wasn't my imagination."

Wendy looked towards the looming, dark abyss of what her guildmates had called the Evil Forest. No one was reckless enough to journey deep inside the woods. In fact, Chief Roubaul forbade them to do so. Although the inhabitants mainly kept to themselves within the heart of the forest, there was the odd incident or two of creatures reported to have ventured out onto the fringe, closer to their community. Still, there was a perfectly safe route that bypassed the forest, even if it added a couple of hours into the journey.

Did he cut through the forest to reach here?

"They never told me about this place. No, no, they didn't. Why would they? There was a perfectly good path, but no... I had to take a short-cut."

Wendy shirked back.

She had heard rumours of the inhabitants of the forest. It was one of those stories that her guildmates loved to tell her before bed-time and swore it as the truth. Thorny vines that had a mind of their own, snapping at anything that moved. A vicious pack of werewolves, which looked over the other wolves in the forest as they fiercely guarded a dungeon that led to their sacred grounds. Worse, a large plant monster which would eat naughty children who didn't finish their vegetables...

Had such a terrifying ordeal in the Evil Forest addled the poor boy's mind? Wendy couldn't help herself as she rushed over, grabbing him by his shoulders.

"Is it true?" she asked. "Did you see a plant monster in there?"

"Plant monster! Where?!"

"No, not here! In the forest!" She pointed at the mass of trees behind him. "Did it try to eat you?!"

The teen shook his head, taking another look behind him. "Uh, I didn't see any plant monsters." There was a hesitant pause. "But there was this weird flower thing that tried to bite me. It was drooling too..."

"Ah, that must be what the others were talking about! That's because you didn't finish your veg—"

"Wendy!" Carla shouted, interrupting Wendy as she pulled her well away from the delirious stranger. "You shouldn't be so careless!" the feline hissed into her ear. "This boy could be an enemy. We need to return to the guild immediately and report this to Chief Roubaul." The two turned, only to realise that the older boy was already in front of them, peering at Carla strangely.

How had he sneaked up on them?

"Guild? Eh, are you guys talking about Cait Shelter? I was told that it was around here somewhere."

"What do you want with our guild?" Carla asked, narrowing her eyes at the stranger. The feline took a small step in front of Wendy, shielding her from him.

"Well, I was thinking about joining," he said.

Wendy skipped forward. "Really?!" she asked. "You want to join Cait Shelter?"

It was uncommon to get visitors or even messengers here, but someone who wanted to join the guild? Being excited was an understatement.

Sadly, Carla did not share her eagerness.

"This could just be a ploy to show him where our guild is," Carla said. "For all we know, he could be trying to harm our guild mates."

The older boy held his hands up. "I'm not here to harm anyone, though I am curious..." Scratching his chin, he leaned in closer to Carla. "Are you a summon?"

Carla looked insulted by his question. Just as the bipedal cat was about to tell him off, Wendy pulled Carla into her arms, silencing her. She held onto the Exceed much like she was holding onto a doll.

"Carla isn't a summon. She's my best friend," Wendy explained, turning away so that no one would see her blush. "I found her egg and well..."

He sighed. "Well, I guess it was too much to hope that it would that easy."

The three soon lapsed into an awkward silence—Carla, eyeing the stranger in distrust; herself, smiling at the possibility of a new guild member and absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of her dress; and the boy, still put out, but he was looking at the two expectantly.

Wendy broke the silence. "Uhm, what's your name, sir?"

"Sir?" he said. "I don't look that old, do I?"

"Well, n-no, but I was just—"

"Naruto." The older boy grinned, showing off his pronounced canines. He reached out and tousled her shoulder-length dark hair, the act forcing her to duck her head down. "Naruto Uzumaki."

Wendy smiled, nudging the small cat in her arms to mimic her. After all, she didn't want him to think that Cait Shelter was an unfriendly guild and scare him off. However, her companion didn't comply, murmuring something inaudible as she looked away from the scene of friendly affection.

"A-Ah, I'm Wendy Marvell and this is Carla. Pleased to meet you," she said, offering a large bow. "And welcome to Cait Shelter!"

0.0

"That so?"

"Yeah, and over there is where we keep the loom to make our clothes. I don't really know how to use it, but Magna can weave anything with that loom. See," Wendy said, twirling around as she showed off her dress. "She just made this for me."

"That's nice," Naruto said, glancing down at his own tattered jacket. "Maybe she could help me with this."

"I doubt it," Carla quipped, her expression reeking of untold disdain. The cat reminded him of Minori in a way, except much, much surlier. "You should just dump it in the trash. Orange is such an unsightly colour."

"Ah, Carla, don't be rude." Wendy ducked her head down to warn off the grumpy companion nestled in her arms. "I'm sure Magna can help fix up Naruto-san's outfit, although if she can't..."

"What kind of person dresses up in such a ludicrous get-up? It's unbecoming of a proper mage."

"Carla~"

"Hmph, whatever." The Exceed turned her head away. "I doubt Chief Roubaul will even let him join in the first place."

Next to them, his shoulders sagged. Why was everyone in this world ragging on him so much?

Naruto allowed the two to squabble, preferring to fade into the background of the conversation. Taking a short glimpse around, he examined the small hamlet, noting nothing out of the ordinary. He didn't really know much about the guild or even the small community it housed; something that Wendy tried to rectify to the best of her knowledge.

He glanced back to the bickering duo before turning his attention to the headquarters of Cait Shelter, the large tent shaped in the head of a cat. He tried hard not to draw his own conclusions.

These people must have a thing for cats, huh?

"That's our guild hall. It might not be much, but it's the best guild in Fiore," Wendy said, her smile beaming with pride. "Come on."

Wendy dragged him to the entrance by his wrist, clinging onto him as if she was scared that he would run away. Entering the dome-like structure, the first thing that struck him was the enticing smell of meat burning on a grill somewhere. He couldn't resist taking a deep breath, savouring the mouth-watering smell as his stomach rumbled unintentionally.

He hoped Wendy hadn't noticed that.

The moderately-sized mess hall, illuminated by lanterns hung to the support beams of the tent, was bustling with activity. However, no one noticed the trio's entrance; their attention was drawn to something else entirely.

"Muahahaha! Looks like you owe me another ten thousand Jewels after all!"

"Shut it, Ba'al! There's still another race later. D-Double or nothing! I'll even put down my share for the next shipment!"

All of the occupants in the tent were crowded around the centre of the mess hall, far too engrossed in their current activity for them to notice them milling around the entrance. From where Naruto was, it was hard to see what they were doing.

The girl next to him tightened her grip on his wrist, causing him to wince a little. "Oh... I forgot that day was today."

"What day is it exactly?" Naruto asked.

"N-Nothing." Wendy shook her head fervently. "It's not important. Come on, I'll bring you to Chief Roubaul. He's in the back off—"

Just as she said it, an elderly man stepped out of the crowd, loosely clothed in black pants that reached just above his knees. His strange head-wear and accessories, not to mention the poofy-like feathers on his butt, accentuated his oddity. He smiled giddily as he broke off into a small jig around the hall, waving what Naruto assumed was a large stack of Jewels in his hand.

"I won! I won! I can't believe I won!"

"That's Chief Roubaul," Carla said, eyeing him out of the corner of her eyes. "Are you sure you still want to join?"

Well, it wasn't so bad. Individuals of great power had their eccentricities, like the old man Hokage, Tsunade-baachan and as much as he loathed admitting it, Jiraiya-shishou with his perverted writing.

"Chief Roubaul doesn't do that every day," Wendy said, worried. "He's just really happy because he won."

Naruto waved it off, his free hand finding its way to the back of his head. "Relax, he looks like a... fun person?" Glancing back at the crowd, he asked, "What are they doing?"

Carla chuckled, just a bit condescendingly too. "It's the bi-weekly turtle race," she offered as an explanation before walking towards the dancing Guild Master, tilting her head in the air as she did. How the cat managed to walk around with her eyes closed, he wasn't sure. But one of these days, that ego of hers would make her walk straight into a brick wall.

He hoped to be around to see it.

"A turtle race, huh?"

Clearly, the name was self-explanatory.

Wendy ducked her head down. She was obviously embarrassed by it, though he couldn't understand why.

"Can I join?" Naruto asked.

"You w-want to?"

"Yeah, sounds fun. Besides, I'm running low on Jewels. I might earn myself a couple of meals worth or two."

His hopes at suckering a couple of his future guildmates were temporarily dashed when the Exceed returned with their Guild Master. Chief Roubaul was no longer his cheery self, having stashed his winnings somewhere in his beard. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the newcomer.

"Carla mentioned that you wish to join our guild?" His gruff voice was loud, easily gathering the attention of all the occupants in the hall.

The race was apparently on hold.

"Yeah, I do," Naruto said, taking a nervous look around the small crowd which had gathered around them.

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why us?" The old man's eyes travelled up and down his body, no doubt noting his dishevelled and tattered appearance. "You seem like a perfectly capable mage. Why not try out at one of the other popular guilds? Ours is small, plain... We rarely get requested for missions. So why come to us?"

"W-Well," he said. "I tried at another guild before, but it turned out to be only for girls. So, I got rejected. This was the next closest guild around the area."

Roubaul frowned. "Though I appreciate your honesty, young man, you mean to tell me that you wish to join Cait Shelter because of such a flimsy reason?"

"I didn't mean it to make it sound like that! It's just that I don't know much about the other guilds, even yours to be honest. I just thought about wandering around until I got accepted somewhere, and this is my first and hopefully last stop?"

Next to him, Wendy fretted, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Chief Roubaul..."

"What... you're telling me is that you're just a lonely, kindred soul wandering the kingdom, just looking for a place to b-belong?" Transient tears began to pool at the corner of his eyes. It was clear the old man was holding back from out right bawling. "That is so beautiful..."

Whispers began to break out in the guild hall. Naruto could only catch snippets of the conversation; most of them were commenting about their Chief's reaction to their new guest—him. He glanced around the mess hall, trying to gauge the reaction of the other members.

Was this a normal occurrence?

"Does this mean I can join?" he asked.

Slowly, Roubaul nodded, wiping away the tears with the back of his hand. "Aye, young one, I... no, we accept you into the guild. Give me a moment to find our guild stamp. It's been a while after all." That said, he walked off towards the back room, pushing through the crowd that was beginning to gather around Wendy and Naruto.

"You did it!" the young girl shouted. "You did it!"

In a flurry of motion, his new guild mates surrounded him, each wanting a piece of him. They exchanged pleasantries, congratulating and welcoming him as one of their own in a show of camaraderie.

Naruto smiled.

"Of course. What a fine addition to the guild. The constellations are in our favour with him by our side."

"Enough with the new guy! Come on! Let's get back to the race, people!"

"Oi, blondie, welcome to Cait Shelter!"

Who knows, maybe he could grow to like it here.

0.0

Roubaul leaned against the door to his office, locking the door behind him so that no one would barge in. Not that it mattered. One of his illusions would have distracted anyone who tried to do so. He sighed, ambling over to his desk as he searched for the guild stamp. He wasn't lying when he said that it had been a while.

Never in his long, dreary existence had he thought that his guild would accept yet another member; a boy whose name he didn't even know. His vow to live a life of solitude to atone for his sins was beginning to lose its sight. Of course, he had been able to fend off the occasional mage or two curious about their guild, instead directing them towards one of the other guilds in Fiore, though that had been without Wendy being in the immediate vicinity.

At times, he would curse the blue-haired young boy who had brought Wendy to him; another whose name he didn't know.

To hell with his clear and earnest gaze!

The boy's untimely appearance had thrown a wrench in his vows, and due to his impulsiveness, promised to care for a child; a child who had wants, desires and above all else, a need for a place to belong. A family. So, he pulled into himself; the pressure of such a feat almost threatened to destroy his spiritual body, but he survived.

In return, a guild was formed. A guild which he created from nothing but a distant memory.

Her bright smile when she got the first glimpse of her new guildmates brought a small tear to his eyes. She skipped from one person to the other, giving a large bow to everyone as she introduced herself, a young Dragon Slayer by the name of Wendy Marvell.

She had always been such a polite child.

Those of Cait Shelter rejoiced, welcoming the girl with open arms and she to them. For the first time in a long, long while, Roubaul had smiled, and in the next four years since Wendy came into his life, he never stopped. He would be lying if Wendy didn't remind him of his own grandchildren, though his heart could not bear to bring them back. His bastard of a conscience would often whisper that she was merely acting as a replacement.

Nabura bless their souls.

So he drank to keep that niggling voice in the back of his mind quiet, but the whispers didn't stop, it just got worse. Truly the day would come when this charade would end, when his body was no longer chained to the world of the living after his mission to oversee the destruction of Nirvana would come to fruition.

What would happen then?

He closed his eyes, reaching for the usual cup of sake which he secreted inside a hidden compartment in his desk.

Truly, he had been a fool.

His only hope was that Wendye would find happiness once again, only with her true companions. In time, perhaps she could forgive an old man for his misgivings. Who knows, maybe their new recruit could help guide her in the right direction.

"Ah, found it!" he exclaimed, holding the guild stamp triumphantly.

Despite his initial frosty attitude towards the boy, Roubaul felt a certain bond of kinship with him. He seemed sincere, and it was clear that Wendy wanted her new friend to stay. Although, he'd be a fool not to sense the sheer power the boy possessed. Well, whatever it turned out to be, he was sure there would be quite an interesting story behind it. He would just have to wait and see how it unravelled.

"Chief, hurry up, the next race is about to start!" one of his illusions called out from the other side of the door.

Roubaul smiled.

Things were certainly bound to be livelier in Cait Shelter from now on.

0.0

"See, I told you to put it on number nine~" Wendy said, swaying her body from side to side as she smiled at him.

Naruto hated to admit it, but her smile was infectious. "Hmm, I don't know if it was you, maybe it was just my inherent luck helping me," he said, juggling the winnings in his hands. The three plump sacks of Jewels clinked with that sweet, sweet sound of financial stability.

Gama-chan would feast tonight.

"No, it was definitely me. I even told you where to put your guild stamp."

Naruto glanced at his left shoulder, right where the guild insignia had been stamped. It didn't hurt, but it was more of a tingly sensation—pleasant but not something he would want to do again. It wasn't like he could just wash it off.

"Well, I don't see how that one thing has to do with the other, but I suppose it would be rude to not treat you something. Come on, I'll buy you dinner."

"Really? Carla too?" Wendy asked.

Naruto eyed the small cat that seated on the table next to Wendy. Carla may have had her eyes closed, but she was definitely listening to their conversation.

"I prefer Darjeeling tea."

His eyes twitched. The small frown which he tried to hide by biting his bottom lip only made it more obvious. He hadn't even agreed to anything yet, but since he was new to the guild, he reasoned with himself to compromise and remain civil with the cat that seemed to hate his guts.

"Sure," he said. "Why not?"

Naruto stood up from the table they were currently lazing around. Most of the other members were still fixated on the races, though a few had excused themselves to return home, but not before saying a final word to Naruto. He had talked with a few of the other members, but that was only to exchange pleasantries.

In fact, the only people he had strung more than a few sentences together were Wendy and her talking pet cat. Maybe they were still jittery around him. Well, there was always tomorrow to make new friends.

He stopped by the counter, standing there awkwardly as he had a look around.

Was nobody working tonight?

As if answering his question, an elderly man popped up from behind the counter. A chef's hat hung crookedly on his head, showing what little hair remained in between his liver spots. His arms were held behind his back, showing off the messy oil stains on his small apron.

"Why hello there, youngster," the chef said. "Never seen you round these parts before."

Naruto offered a short bow. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. A new member of the guild."

"That so?" The chef squinted his eyes as he examined Naruto. "You have to forgive me. When you're as old as me, the mind tends to run away from you. Pepel, Pepel the chef." The elderly man stuck his arm forward as if wanting to shake his hand, only for a butcher knife to stop an inch from the tip of Naruto's nose.

"Oh, sorry about that, young'in!" Pepel laughed. "When you're as old as me, the mind tends to forget where it puts the little things." With skills that belayed his age, Pepel twirled the knife in his hand before slotting in into a sheath on his waist in a single motion.

"T-That so? Got me there for a minute..."

Adrenaline was coursing through his system at the unprovoked attack before he took a moment to breathe. Surreptitiously, he placed his kunai back into his leg holster.

"Hmm, I'm guessing you must be wanting something to eat?" Pepel asked. "To be honest, we don't have much in stock at the moment."

"That's all right. I'm not picky. Just give me two of whatever you have and tea, I guess."

"What was that again, young man?" Pepel called out, cupping a hand behind his ear. "You have to forgive me. When you're as old as me, these ol' ears don't really hear all that well."

Just as Naruto was about to turn back to Wendy and ask for her help, an elderly woman stepped up beside him, narrowing her eyes at the small chef.

"Pel, what did I say about messing around with these young'ins?"

"Sorry dear, you have to forgive me, when you're as old as me—" Pepel broke off into a coughing fit which Naruto guessed was to try and hide a laugh. "Aw, I'll be nice to the new youngster, Mag. No need to be so harsh. I was just playing, is all," he muttered petulantly, dawdling back to the kitchen with his head bowed.

The woman turned to Naruto.

"I'm sorry about that. It's just that my husband is just... an idiot, is all. You'll have to forgive him. When you're as old as him, the mind tends to regress." She patted him on the arm, her own head just reaching above his elbows. "My name is Magna. Why don't you come visit me tomorrow and we'll see if we can do something about your clothes." She smiled warmly, a smile that reached up to her green eyes.

Naruto cracked one of his own. "Thanks, Magna-san."

"Why, aren't you a polite young man? Now, go on back to your table. I'll go and check on my husband. I'll see to it that he cooks up those dishes of yours in a jiff."

Magna shooed him off with her hands, adding a wink before walking into the kitchen. As she entered, the sound of shattering glass and the raucous mayhem of clattering pots and pans was left in her wake.

"What did I say about messing with those youngsters, Pel!" he heard her shout.

Not wanting to be caught in the middle of another argument, he slipped back to their table. The forms of his two companions hunched together as they whispered in hushed tones to one another did not bode well.

He knew what that meant. The girls back home did it all the time when they were young, especially Ino and Sakura-chan. Knowing better than to ask what they were doing, he cleared his throat to signal his presence, lest they thought he was eavesdropping.

"A-Ah, how much did you hear?" Wendy asked.

Naruto feigned ignorance, scratching his temple. "Hear? Were you guys talking about something?"

She waved her hands frantically. "N-No," Wendy said, only for Carla to not too subtly nudge her arm, causing the dark-haired girl to jolt in her seat. "Actually, Carla has something to ask you."

The small cat frowned, displeased with this turn of event. Carla took a moment to think before asking, "We were wondering what type of magic you use. It would be beneficial to know if we were to work together in the future."

"Magic?" The word still sounded foreign. "I'm not too sure, but I can do a lot of stuff."

Carla raised a delicate brow at his vague answer. "Stuff?"

"It's hard to explain really, but I suppose I'm more suited towards combat. Here, why don't I show you?" Locking his hands into seals, Naruto intoned softly, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

A clone popped up beside him, much to the bewilderment of his companions.

"What do you need, boss?"

Naruto waved him off. "Nothing, just showing you off to my new friends," he said, turning back to look at the girls. "I use them a lot, especially in fights."

Wendy looked awe-struck.

A small crowd began to form around their table, as eager on-lookers gathered to watch him work his magic—no pun unintended. Apparently, the race was once again stalled indefinitely. His new Guild Master in particular was eyeing him with interest, posing his question louder than the murmurs breaking out among the crowd:

"This isn't an illusion?"

"Of course not, I'm a lot worse with illusions." The clone demonstrated this by knocking his head against the table, dispelling himself. It left a noticeable crack on the wooden table, though Naruto didn't know why his clone chose such a violent method. "Although, they can be quite fragile."

Roubaul nodded, stroking his beard. "Do they have their own individual personalities? Eat? Have their own free will? Or are you in constant control of their actions?"

Naruto blinked. His new Guild Master was sharp.

"No, they're just copies," Naruto said. "They have their own will, but they can't usually last more than five hours if I make more than a few."

"Just a few?"

"Well, I can make thousands if I pushed myself."

Naruto was particularly proud of that feat. Apparently, so were the other two at his table, but the old man wasn't so impressed.

Roubaul was smiling genially. "An impressive magic, young one, but you seem to have quite a ways to go before you reach my level." His remark sent the others in the hall—barring Wendy and Carla—into a tittering frenzy. It was like the whole lot of them were in on the hidden joke, much to the annoyance of Carla.

"I can do other stuff!" Naruto spluttered.

"Yes, yes I've heard something to that effect, though I must applaud your determination. It is uncommon for mages to branch out in other fields and even rarer for them to master it. What else can you do? Transformation? Elemental magic? Enlighten us."

"W-Well, I have a wind affinity too!"

This news was apparently a revelation for Wendy. She slammed her hands onto the table hard enough for their mugs to teeter, causing the frosty liquid inside to splash onto the table.

"Wind magic? That's exactly like mine!"

"Ah, yes," Roubaul said. "Your elemental ability does bear a resemblance to Wendy's Dragon Slayer magic."

"Dragon Slayer?" Naruto asked.

Wendy nodded, leaning over the table as she beamed at the blond. "It was taught to me by my mother, Grandine!"

"Why do they call it that?"

The old man eyed Naruto with amusement. "Grandine is a dragon, young one."

Naruto closed his eyes as his mind began to process the information, his body wavering as if reacting to some unknown breeze. The guild hall was silent, only to be shattered by his raucous laughter.

"Are you kidding me? A... dragon? C'mon, do I look like a little kid?"

Honestly, they could have tried a little harder if they wanted to prank him. A dragon? For real? A creature from fairy tales told to little privileged children? He wasn't that gullible to fall for something so cheap.

His laughter died in his mouth as he stared out at the sea of grim faces. No one else found this as amusing as he had. They were much more concerned about something else.

"S-She's real," Wendy said.

Wendy was gripping the hem of her dress tightly, small tears beginning to rip at the delicate hand-crafted seams. She drew into herself, ducking her head to hide her tear-stricken face. Her small body was quivering as she tried to stall the tears from flowing.

"She's real..."

Carla patted the inconsolable girl on her arm, all the while, shooting a venomous look at Naruto.

He winced. "I-I'm sorry. I thought you guys were joking."

Roubaul nodded, averting his gaze away from him as he reached out to knead her shoulder in a show of parental affection. He made a motion to the crowd, shooing them away to leave the small girl in peace. They did so, grumbling under their breath.

"Come now, Wendy. A big girl such as yourself shouldn't be crying. It is just a misunderstanding. While it is regrettable, I'm sure Naruto clearly did not mean anything by his remarks. " He shot Naruto a sharp glance. "Did you?"

"Of course not!"

Roubaul smiled at him; something that eased his conscience considerably. "See, it is just a simple misunderstanding. This is all a part and parcel of what we share with our friends. In their haste, their callous actions may unintentionally hurt us, but this is naught but a temporary wound. Deep down, know that they will always care for you." He paused, sharing a meaningful glance with Naruto. "Do you understand?" he asked, patting her on the head placatingly.

Wendy nodded into his hand, rubbing at her eyes with her forearms. "Yes," she murmured, revealing her red-rimmed eyes as she stared up at the elderly man.

"Good, now that looks like Magna is coming with your meals. I want the three of you to eat up, and then it's straight to bed for all of you. No buts!"

Neither Naruto nor his new friends questioned him as they nodded dumbly.

"Yes, well... that's good." Roubaul coughed, having expected resistance. He stepped out of the way as Magna bustled past him. "Enjoy your food then."

Roubaul left them to their meals in peace. If you could call it that.

The three companions sat in silence with only their metal utensils clinking softly as they ate. Naruto threw a few concerned looks at the upset girl, but she was listless, keeping her head bowed. The fringe of her hair shadowed the upper half of her face, leaving him with nothing to glean from except for her languid posture as her hands mechanically pushed her utensils together.

Naruto bit the inside of his cheek, trying but failing to once again utter an apology. In the end, they ended their first meal together in an uncomfortable silence; something that he would definitely correct in the future.

He just hoped he didn't utterly screw up their friendship in the process.

0.0

Carla stopped pacing, propping a hand under her chin. "So you didn't find anything else strange about him? Anything at all?"

"No," Wendy said. "Just what I told you before."

"I wonder why."

It wasn't enough that Naruto had upset her charge, but now they were sharing the same roof together? Carla didn't hesitate to speak out against Chief Roubaul's decision, but she was easily overruled. Their community was just too small and everyone had to make sacrifices, their Guild Master reasoned.

However, there were just so many things she could find wrong with this picture.

First, it was unbecoming for a boy and two girls to share the same household together. Second, Wendy was clearly uncomfortable with the boy now. His callous words then had hurt her. The young girl was still distraught over the disappearance of her foster mother, and his constant presence would only worsen the situation.

Before Carla could continue with her mental tirade, a knock on the door interrupted her. Unfortunately, there was only one other person in their house besides the two of them. She was about to shoo him off, but Wendy cut her to it.

"C-Come in."

Tentatively, the older boy entered.

Naruto had discarded his tattered jacket somewhere, wearing only his black under-shirt. He was subdued, shooting her charge a concerned look as he leaned against the door frame.

"Nice room," he said, glancing around Wendy's sparsely decorated bedroom. It didn't sound like an insult. "It's a lot bigger than mine used to be. Back home, I mean."

"Thank you?"

Naruto grimaced, turning away from the duo. "Wendy-san, listen... I didn't mean to be a jerk just now." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just that I'm new to all this, so I don't really know how things work around here."

Carla bit her tongue, stopping herself from speaking out of turn. This was something between Wendy and Naruto; she had no say in the matter.

Wendy had her knees tucked to her chest, hiding her face in her arms, but her eyes were still focused on Naruto as he spoke:

"You mind telling me about your foster mother?"

Carla stiffened.

That was a bold move that could seriously backfire. Even in their three years of being together, Wendy rarely talked about Grandine, and she was the closest person to the Dragon Slayer. It could even send her charge into another depression spiral. Carla narrowed her eyes at Naruto.

What kind of an idiot was he?

"You want me to tell you about Grandine?" Wendy asked quietly.

"Yeah, why not?" Naruto said. "I'm sure there's memories you have together with your foster mother. You wanna share some of them?"

The young girl looked uncertain, before pointing towards the desk chair opposite her bed. He complied, sitting on it backwards, his arms tucked around the narrow surface atop the backrest. He waited patiently for Wendy to start; something she didn't know the boy could do in the few hours since they met.

Wendy hesitated for a moment, saying, "Grandine loved to fly, and she knew how much I loved it too. There was nothing like it—to feel the wind rush by you from that high up." She closed her eyes at the memory, smiling. "She always made time for it just before bedtime." Wendy turned her head, glancing towards the window at the night sky. "It was always easier to sleep afterwards."

Carla didn't dare to interrupt her.

This was something that even Wendy had not divulged to her personally. Wendy had always been reserved; something that people mistook for shyness. Maybe that was why they were so close.

"What about you, Naruto-san?" Wendy asked.

"Huh? What about me?"

"No. I mean, do you have anything you remember? About your mother?"

Naruto shook his head, grinning ruefully. "Nah, been an orphan since I was born. I didn't even know who my parents were until recently. Well, only my dad actually. I did get to meet him for a while, which is a bit hard to explain. It's kinda funny; the man who I worshipped my whole life turned out to be my dad."

He smacked his fist into his open hand, rubbing his knuckles absentmindedly.

"Then I really gave him one," Naruto said, sheepish. "Heh, It's a lot more complicated than that. To be fair, I was really confused at the time. In the end, I understood the choices he had to make. It was a hard one, but it took a person like him to do it." He huffed, pulling his arms behind his head. "He was such a cool guy."

"W-Was?" Wendy asked.

His reply was soft, "Yeah, he gave his life for his village and his son."

The duo soon lapsed into silence, shooting each other looks when they thought the other wasn't looking. The charade ended when Wendy shot up from her bed, bowing deeply.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-san!"

"What are you apologising for? I should be the one—" Naruto stood up, knocking over the chair he was sitting on. "I'm sorry too!"

Carla couldn't help the small snort that escaped her; these two were acting like two peas in a pod.

"Argh, what are you snorting at, girl-cat?"

"Honestly? It's you."

"Carla~ I told you not to be so mean to Naruto-san."

"Hmm, mean?" Carla said, lifting a confused brow. "I think not. I was merely laughing at his stupidity."

Fiddling her fingers, Wendy looked at Naruto to gauge his reaction. It was obvious she was afraid that it might prompt another quarrel between her and their new roommate.

"That is being mean."

"Whatever!" Carla huffed, walking over to Wendy's bed and slipping under the warm covers of her comforter. "If the both of you are done, I will be going to sleep." She shot a sharp glare at Naruto, so that he would get the message. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Naruto-san."

"You know, you don't have to keep calling me that. I'd prefer it if you guys just call me by my name."

"Ah, I'd like that too," Wendy said. She shot Carla a desperate, pleading look, as if willing Carla to comply with just her eyes.

Honestly...

"I still prefer the arrangement we have now. Some formality between us is good," Carla said, totally ignoring the betrayed look Wendy sent her way.

Naruto shrugged. "Okay. Good night then, Wendy, Carla-chan."

He walked out of the room before she could even begin her angry tirade, slamming the door to his own room shut.

Carla wasn't really angry, but she acted out for Wendy's sake, knowing that her charge would expect her to.

As Wendy settled in under the covers next to her, she pulled Carla into her arms. The physical contact irked her, but she bore it for Wendy's sake. Carla could feel her warm breath tickling her ears.

"Maybe we were wrong about him," Wendy whispered.

"Yes, maybe..."

"Ah, sorry, I didn't know you were sleepy." Wendy tightened the hug. "Night, Carla."

"It's all right. Goodnight, Wendy."

Carla waited as her charge fell asleep; her deep, steady breathing being the only thing she could hear and feel against her body. The small cat's thoughts turned back to their new companion, no... friend, she supposed. Perhaps she was being too harsh on him, but she had a right to be wary around their new guild member.

There were just some many unanswered questions.

Where had he learned such obscure magic? As for his story about his father, where was this village that he was speaking of? Such an act of bravery should have been widespread knowledge. After all, Fiore was relatively small compared to the other kingdoms. Could he have come from another kingdom to escape his past?

It was possible after all.

But what kind of past was he trying to escape from to merit coming to their kingdom? Although, that was not the most mystifying thing. Then, back at the guild tent, Wendy had caught a subtle whiff coming off the older blond, thanks in due part to her naturally heightened senses.

Why did their new friend smell suspiciously like foxes?

Or Miso for that matter?

Omake: Big Brother Complex

"Munya..."

An audible gooey sigh resounded in the small outpatient's clinic in Diligeon. The patient, a dark-haired young girl, was seated across from the doctor with the rest of her entourage milling restlessly around her bed.

"Mou, onii-chan~"

Wendy reached her hands out to grab onto Naruto's distracting orange pants, only for Carla, who was standing beside her, to swat her grabby hands away. The feline turned towards Naruto, glaring.

"What did I tell you about getting close? Go back to your corner!"

The older boy did so reluctantly, but kept a wary gaze on the patient that was trying to smother him with hugs. Her thin but strangely powerful arms proved to be quite persistent in trying to seek him out whenever he got within a few metres of her.

"What's wrong with her, doc?" Naruto asked. "Is it... Is it serious?"

The male doctor, a man roughly in his late forties, dressed in a comfortable pair of light green scrubs and lab coat, nodded in reply. "I'm afraid it's a lot more serious than our initial diagnosis. We don't really have a conclusive medical term for her condition, but she's been afflicted with a disorder called 'Big Brother Syndrome'. Now, I don't want either of you to worry because it's nothing life-threatening, but her personality will revert to—" he pointed at Wendy, "—this mushy-like state every few hours without her knowledge."

Naruto did his best not to sigh. He palmed his face in his hands, slowly burying it upwards to ruffle his messy hair. "Is there anything you can do to help her get better?"

"Well, 'Big Brother Syndrome' hasn't gotten to the point where we've developed a cure, but a combination of mood-altering potions is the best treatment we can give her. Granted, the side effects of the medication could be a lot more harmful than the disorder itself."

Carla paced up a storm on the bed, leaving a noticeable impression imprinted on the sterile white sheets. "What could have caused this disorder, doctor?"

The man flipped through the report in his hands; a finger quickly trailed up and down the length of the thin brown folder. "There are a number of things that could have triggered this. Has there been a sudden appearance of a strong older male presence?" Carla's eyes immediately latched on to Naruto, prompting him to nod. "It's just as I thought." He swivelled in his chair as he regarded Naruto. "I'm afraid you're the root of the problem."

"What the heck did I do?"

"For one thing, a sudden appearance of a strong male presence for a young girl in her condition has caused her to be infatuated with—" he made quotation marks in the air, "—her older brother. That's you, Uzumaki-san. It's commonly triggered during dashing acts of bravery or as you young people would say: sheer 'bad-assery'." The doctor coughed into a closed hand. "Did I get that right?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Barring that, these symptoms have to be set off concurrently. In this case, your terminator-like disposition, and ruggedly good looks, coupled with the fact that she hasn't had a strong male presence in her life has ultimately compounded to her contracting an acute case of BBS."

"BBS?" Carla parroted.

The older man nodded patiently. "BBS," he clarified.

"Yeah, biggest bullshit ever! What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

"Grit and endure, Uzumaki-san." The doctor shook his head. "Grit and endure."

Another gooey sigh resounded in the room.

"Munya, onii-chan~"

Side Note: Thanks for the support!

Why Naruto lied: He's in a new world, he's scared, nothing is going right by him and he can't summon the toads. If you're willing to tell someone you just met in a strange dimension that you just blew up their forest because you were just letting off steam, which to them might not be so trivial, then you must have some balls.

It isn't really a matter of acceptance now, is it?

Next Chapter: The Girl with the Cait Shelter Tattoo…