The Pain of Parting

A Hidden Connection Woodsea, May 22nd, Year-X778

When Naruto had said he wanted to travel slowly, he traveled slowly.

"Naruto nii-sensei, where are we going?" Wendy whined. Kurama and Naruto sighed.

"I've told you before, Sky Dragon...you'll see when we get there."

"You said that last year and besides...you never even told me anything today." Naruto and Kurama raised their eyebrows.

"Told you anything about what?" Naruto asked. Wendy huffed.

"Stupid, Naruto nii-sensei." She mumbled with an annoyed look in her eyes.

"And this is why we will never understand women." Kurama stated. Naruto nodded.

"Even Tou-san said females gave trouble to him and he was a dragon." The blonde sighed. It had now been almost one year since he had found the little dragonslayer of the Sky. He had trained her to the best of his ability. She was stronger, faster, more in tune with her element of the air, but everything grew with her abilities.

'Even her annoying-ness levels.' Kurama thought with a sweatdrop as he watched the little girl use her enhanced jumping skills to jump atop Naruto's shoulders and held onto him. Naruto kept her steady by holding her legs.

'Naruto's as ignorant as ever to the fact, as usual.' The red Exceed thought, but then he became thoughtful as he glanced up at the sky. 'Just what is happening in Edolas that they are using Anima...and why was he here in Earthland?'

The rest of the trip was in silence. Naruto had switched Wendy from his shoulder to carrying her piggy-back because she was feeling sleepy, after which she promptly fell asleep. Kurama kept thinking about the boy they had met before, but Kurama was knocked out of his thoughts when Naruto paused and looked back at Wendy and rolled his shoulders. Wendy snapped awake, jumped off of Naruto and quickly formed Tenryu no Kiru Tsume. All out of pure reflex much to Naruto's satisfaction in seeing.

"Naruto nii, what happened, are we under attack?" She asked. Naruto shook his head. He ruffled her hair as he walked up to her.

"No, but very good reflexes." Naruto praised her. Wendy grinned.

"I learned from the best." Naruto grinned toothily like his biological parents and then pointed in front of her.

"Come on, Wendy. We're here." Wendy looked around as she observed the ancient Nirvit village, of course she didn't know it was the Nirvit village.

"ROUBAUL!" Naruto called out, "ARE YOU HERE? IT'S NARUTO AND KURAMA!" Naruto watched as the entrance to the tent-like house in the center of the village opened to reveal the old man.

"Ah, Naruto-san...you have returned...and I'm guessing this is little Wendy?" Naruto nodded. Wendy looked up, grasping his pant leg like it was a lifeline.

"Naruto nii...who is this?" She asked. Naruto looked down at her and gave her sad smile.

(Insert Music: Naruto-Grief and Sorrow)

"This is where you'll be staying now." Naruto said. Wendy's eyes widened before she latched on Naruto.

"What do you mean?"

"Wendy, Kurama and I are leaving you here with Roubaul." Naruto informed her. Her eyes widened even further, clutching him tighter than she had ever done before.

"NO, I'M NOT LEAVING YOU! PLEASE NARUTO NII-SAN, LET ME STAY!" Naruto frowned when she referred to him as merely her brother, not nii-sensei. However he let it slide given her upset state.

"Wendy, don't make this harder than it already is." Kurama said. Wendy shook her head.

"I'm staying, you can't make me go." She said defiantly.

"Wendy, please...Naruto is doing this for your sake." Roubaul said. Wendy turned and glared at the old man.

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME! I'M NOT STAYING WITH THIS MAN, I...I...I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO!" Wendy jumped and latched onto Naruto's chest, crying her eyes out. Naruto's frown deepened, but he knew he was doing the right thing...right?

"Wendy, those people from Oracion Seis might still be looking for you. Kurama and I are not always going to be there to protect you, I'm doing this out of the want to protect my student."

"No, Naruto nii-san. Y-Y-Y-You can't...you just can't."

"Wendy, if something happened to you while I knew I had the chance to protect you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I'm doing this for YOUR safety, Wendy. The travels that Kurama and I are going to embark upon may contain such dangers and I will NOT let the only other person I see as family leave before my very eyes!" Naruto said, "I AM NOT GOING TO LET MY LITTLE SISTER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME!"

Wendy froze as she heard that. She sniffled and looked up at him and saw his determined eyes.

"Y-Y-You r-r-really mean that?" She sobbed, "Y-You see me as your...little sister?" Naruto nodded.

"Yes, imooto. Now get off of me." He said a bit coldly as he pried her off of his chest. She fell to the ground and got back up. Wendy wiped her eyes.

"B-B-But, Naruto niii I want to..."

"I SAID GO, SKY DRAGON! SO LEAVE ME ALONE AND DO WHAT I SAY!" Naruto roared. Wendy backed away, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked down and nodded.

"Y-Y-You'll come back though...r-r-right?" Tears returned from the depths of her tear ducts and continued to flow forth. Kurama looked at the blonde who kept up his stoic look, but his eyes spoke volumes of the emotion he had towards Wendy as he watched her cry. Truly he took no joy in making his little sister figure cry.

'He's going to be silent for a loooong time.' The fox costumed Exceed thought.

Wendy smiled brightly, despite the tears going down her face as she met with stone cold silence. Naruto's now hair shadowed his eyes as he bent his head low.

.....

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