[24]

 

Nikko

 

"We've got company." Temujin said. He put his hand on the hilt at his side, "Go on ahead. I'll take care of them. You need to rest."

Nikko swallowed. "Is it more of those big guys?"

"No. These are unknown enemies. Down below I saw a caravan. Go to them. I'll follow as soon as I can." Temujin nodded.

"If you're sure..."

"I am."

Nikko put her hood back on and watched Temujin fade into the distance. She sighed, "Not even an hour has passed and already facing down a [bad end]."

Her guide, three beautiful blue monarchs, cheered her on: "Hime-sama can do this! You found your true love once, you can do it again!"

"..." Nikko's eyes fell to the forest floor. Life with Sasuke Uchiha had been difficult to say the least. At first it was wonderful; they spent so much time together, growing closer. But then Orochimaru swooped in and began taking his time more and more until at last Nikko was alone for weeks at a time. As such, her affections had wavered and she'd longed for freedom, resenting her captivity and captor. Sasuke had insisted on them moving locations every week, and Nikko had grown tired of changing places only to stare at new walls. Not to mention...

Her hand went to her belly where it was still sore. 

She shook off dark and morbid memories. That was the past now. 

Nikko began going down the mountain, unaware that the fox boy she sought was so near they could have yelled to one another...

 

***

 

Naruto and crew made it to the village. The people there stopped what they were doing and began whispering and pointing. "Jeez, these guys act like we're a bunch of freaks or something." He said with a pout.

"We're here for information. And to return the ferret," Sakura reminded him. She eyed the big pile of armored warriors. Their helmets had been split from their bodies. Whoever was responsible was both neat and brutal. 

"What happened here?" She asked the nearest lady.

The woman put her hand to her chest, glancing around like it was some kind of secret. "..These men showed from nowhere. They were going to attack our village, but---you probably won't believe me--the kindest young woman around your height stopped them. She didn't even move a muscle!"

All three glanced at one another. Naruto grabbed the knife in his hand tighter. "That was Nikko-chan. She saved these people."

"You know her?" The woman asked.

Naruto nodded. His heart ached as he admitted, "She's...my girlfriend. I've been searching for her everywhere. Do you know what way she went?"

"Oh my! Young love. How sweet. Let's see, she didn't say anything about where she was going...but she did ask how to find Konohagakure."

The fox boy jumped. Nikko was trying to return? He grabbed the old lady, "What did she say?!"

"Naruto-kun." Sakura glared. "Calm down."

"He's fine dearie," the lady said with a smile, "he's so very passionate. Ah, she must be one lucky lady to have a fellow like you. Well let's see...she didn't say very much. But she did buy a few rolls, and said they were delicious--"

"--Argh! That doesn't help!" Naruto sulked. 

"Oh! She went that way." The lady pointed down the hill, "Heading to the caravans."

"Thanks a bunch grandma!" 

The trio left after asking about the ferret's owner, who was also to be found at the caravans. Naruto's heart wouldn't calm down. Every inch of him was dying to see Nikko Utsuri. Four months had passed, and with every night Naruto had imagined this day over and over. 

He was so spirited it was annoying Sakura and Shikamaru who kept telling him to wait. 

They backtracked up the hill, needing to use the route by the bridge to go down safely. As they made way toward the caravans, the guy from before dropped down in front of him. His face was covered by a shiny helmet but by the drawn sword and fire in his red gaze Naruto knew he wasn't there to chat.

"Hey! It's you!" Naruto pointed rudely, "Where did you take Nikko-chan!"

"..."

"Not gonna say huh! Fine! We'll do this the hard way!" Naruto made shadow clones, "Last chance buddy!"

"..."

His clones shot out to attack, performing the Uzumaki Barrage. The guy easily evaded his movements. It surprised Naruto how fast he was; but this guy wasn't a shinobi. Naruto's next clone burst from the ground and almost punched him. The whole time he distracted his opponent, the real Naruto was busy charging his attack. Finally it was ready and he jumped up, "RaSENgan!"

"Raging Thunder!"

His enemy met his attack with his own thunder based swordplay, and it sent shockwaves that ripped away the environment. The cliff they stood on cracked and gave way---

Naruto crashed down through the debris and forest.

 

Nikko

 

The caravan people were pleasant. They were a mixture of different sorts of people and had a myriad of animals ranging from ostrich's to chickens. Nikko was welcomed and offered food. She accepted it, and glanced up the mountain. What had caught her attention were the sounds of rumbling. She quickly yelled, "Avalanche!"

Everyone scrambled from the cliff side. They took animals and what they could grab quick enough, Nikko among them. She huddled underneath a stone and fearfully looked up. "If it falls--then I could stop it, right?"

"I see people!" A woman with black hair shouted.

Nikko spied Temujin's shining armor, and bright orange. She blinked. That's weird, she thought, it looked like Naruto's outfit. That couldn't be right. There's no way he'd be here of all places, she reasoned.

The cliff side fell. Everyone held on for dear life. Animals screeched, bellowed and honked in fear. Nikko gulped, bit her thumb and ran the blood across her eyes. "Jikan henko no jutsu!"

She extended the perimeter to include the mountain and successfully froze time. Nikko ran over, seeing Temujin suspended in the air. He was already banged up and bleeding. Then...

More importantly was Naruto Uzumaki. Nikko gasped. "N-N-Naruto--!"

He was injured and out cold. Nikko grabbed both boys from the air, dragging them away from the falling cliffside and propping them against a grassy slope, safe from fallout. There she released the jutsu.

Loud roaring echoed across the valley as the mountain finished it's deterioration. 

Nikko held in her arms the very boy she was hoping to find. Naruto. She cried over him, overcome with emotions both new and old. "Naruto--it's really you--"

Temujin groaned. Both boys were unconscious and injured but breathing. The caravan members ambled over and offered their assistance, and thanked the girl for her miraculous powers that saved them just in time. "Think nothing of it. But, if you don't mind, please watch over my friends."

They agreed. After tending the boys' injuries and moving away to an adjoining mountainside, Nikko helped them make camp and set up their teepees and canopies. Dinner was prepared over campfire and cauldron as a black headed woman tended both boys' injuries. Nikko assisted her by finding nearby herbs and pounding them with mortar and pestle, making a green poultice to apply. She wrapped Naruto's chest carefully and gently as the lady instructed. Nikko tied off the bandage and pulled cover over Naruto, staring.

He was the same.

The same kind boy from before, who had came so close to saving her. Nikko reached and stroked her hand down his cheek, "Oh Naruto." The girl had missed him more than she thought. He groaned and twitched in pain as if hearing her. Nikko grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. There were many things going through her mind, but at that moment she was overran with happiness to see him once more. Since that fateful day four months ago Nikko had been with Sasuke Uchiha. Of course she was worried what he would do and say when that was known. 

"Hime-sama...are you alright?" The butterflies asked.

"I just realized something, Aponi."

"What?"

"...I love Naruto."

"Aponi knew these things already, Hime-sama."

Nikko frowned. Her epic reveal had been ruined. "Fine. Know it alls..."

The evening came and then the night. As the stars were displayed, the children of the nomads ran around happily. They danced to a melody Nikko picked by biwa, a four stringed instrument she'd mastered as a girl back in Sunagakure, given to her by an elderly nomadic man. She sang from the heart and loudly before she entertained the children with a game of tag. At last she went to check on Naruto and Temujin. 

Naruto's eyes slowly opened. "Ungg...."

He turned his face, saw Nikko peering and immediately sprang up. "Ow! Ow ow ow!"

"Don't move so much, it will make it worse," she said gently.

He squinted in pain and looked over at her. Nikko had pulled down her hood after getting winded from tag and as such knew her hair had to be frizzy and untamed. Still, Naruto reached and grabbed her to him. 

"Nikko-chan...." Naruto whispered to her shoulder. "Is this really you, or a Genjutsu? I don't even care...as long as I can see you again."

The girl began sobbing, wailing. Naruto hadn't forgotten her as she'd feared. It would seem he was just as happy as Nikko. She ran her hand up his bare and bandaged backside, clinging as tightly as possible. "Naruto--uuu, I missed you--"

They cried like two children for a time. Naruto smiled all teary eyed at Nikko, running his fingers across her reddened cheek. She noticed that his hand felt rougher than before, stronger. "You're still as beautiful as I remember." He said softly.

Nikko knew she had to confess. It was now or never, and she chose now. "Naruto. Listen to me--After I saw you again, it made me realize...." Cutely the girl blushed and fiddled around with her poncho nervously.

"Nikko...?" 

"I love you, I love you, I love you!"

"N-N-N-Nikko-chan---"

"I love you Naruto Uzumaki!"

Naruto kissed her thoroughly. Time slowed down and Nikko had nothing to do with it. She cherished his aggressive lips, tugging and fondling at her mouth. She shut her eyes and caressed his hair. It was rough with dirt and grass in the roots. "Om," she uttered, pelvis tightening and throbbing.

He pulled her bottom lip and sucked it possessively. Nikko groaned and glanced over, seeing everyone around the campfire. She placed her hand on his erection and massaged it up and down, Naruto groaning into her mouth. His tongue was slick as they tasted one another.

"...I'd better stop," he said at last. Both were panting.

"Me too. I was getting...too excited," Nikko said. The girls face was crimson.

Naruto gave Nikko a cheeky grin and grabbed her right breast, whistling. "Wow! They've gotten huge Nikko-chan."

"N-N-Naruto!"

"Heh heh!" His wide and satisfied grin caused Nikko's heart to race. She grabbed his wrist and pushed his hand harder onto her breast, "These are all for Naruto." 

"I-Is that right? Ah...Nikko-chan, you're teasing me too much." As he said that something 'pinged' outward from the cover.

She noticed he didn't say 'I love you to' and frowned. "W-Were my feelings too much?"

"No way! I totally love Nikko-chan too!" He scratched his cheek and added, "It's just you were too cute and I couldn't help but kiss you, ya know?"

"Oh Naruto, I've missed you so much...!" Nikko couldn't help but cry once more, thinking of all she'd been through since leaving his side, "It's been awful."

"...so uh...where were you this whole time?"

She froze. It was the question Nikko dreaded answering. She debated on lying but discarded that idea; Naruto deserved the truth. "I was with Sasuke, Naruto."

The fox Jinchuriki's blue eyes narrowed. "With him! Where is he?!"

"He's gone. I'm sorry, Naruto--"

"Where is he! Tell me!" He pushed her to the dirt floor. 

"She said she didn't know."

The voice was new and came from the futon beside her. It was Temujin and he sat up grimacing. "Let the girl go."

"It's you...! Just who the hell do you think you are, huh?!" Naruto looked from Nikko's face to Temujin's, "Is he in on this too?!"

Nikko struggled to free herself. "No..! He's not, Naruto--Temujin-san is innocent. He's just a friend."

"A friend huh. I saw how he looked at you Nikko-chan." He snarled angrily.

It was clear that Naruto had snapped. Nikko didn't know what to say to him so she turned her face and silently cried, wondering why nothing ever turned out right for her. From nowhere Temujin sprang and grabbed the fox boy off of Nikko, causing Naruto to skid backward into the canopies rod where he smacked it harshly and jarred the canopy fabric. "Don't speak to her in such a way," Temujin warned. "She's been through enough."

Naruto glared at both of them. "I see how it is. Sasuke-kun dumped you didn't he? And you came to find me to replace him!"

Nikko's heart ripped open with fresh new wounds. It wasn't that Naruto was wrong, really, but that he had accused her as if she'd planned it from the very beginning. Did he truly think her so low? 

Temujin took Nikko's arm and led her away. "I'm fine enough to leave now. Give me the order and I will kill him."

She shook free. "Don't hurt Naruto. He's right, Temujin-san."

"I saw how you were treated by this Sasuke, m'lady." The boy's red eyes narrowed, "It is not fine. I cannot abide such injustice."

"Temujin-san..." Nikko was touched by his kindness, "...thank you. But this is my battle and I can't have you be involved. I told you that death follows me, remember?"

His thin blonde brows lowered as Naruto came near, placing himself between Nikko and Naruto. "Don't come closer to her. She's done nothing wrong. This Sasuke harmed m'lady greatly. Can you not see how she trembles so?"

Naruto froze. He took a good look at Nikko, realizing what Temujin said was true. Nikko had never been so timid before, never had that downward look in her eyes--just what happened between her and Sasuke? Naruto didn't know and it only made his anger worsen. "What did he do to you Nikko-chan?!"

"..."

She didn't answer him. Naruto bared his teeth. "Answer me dammit! Do you know how much I've worried about you this whole time?"

Nikko shook her head and replied, "Even if I said anything, Naruto has made his mind up. It's true that Sasuke left me. It's also true that I wanted to find Naruto."

Temujin noticed that Nikko wavered a little on her feet. He realized that the girl probably hadn't rested since early in the morning. "...You...saved us, didn't you? Like you did those villagers."

"Mhm."

"I owe you my life m'lady. Anything you desire will be done." Temujin bowed formerly as a knight. Nikko waved him away. "It was nothing! I would have helped anyone."

The fox boy had fallen silent. The dark thoughts he was having weren't healthy and he tried to shove them down but it wasn't working. He heard Temujin and thought that Nikko should be exhausted as well. Naruto knew the Time Altering Jutsu used a lot of chakra and was Nikko's strongest attack. 

"Your neck and stomach, do they still pain you?" Temujin asked her. Nikko smiled. "I'm fine."

But the fighter could see the tightness in that smile and knew she was lying. He glared over at Naruto. "If you hadn't attacked me, this could have been avoided."

"Shut up! You could have said something other than just stand there like some kinda punk!" Naruto shouted back. 

To Naruto and Temujin's surprise, Nikko giggled. Then she laughed. Tears flowed down her pale face as she smiled at Naruto and said, "The knucklehead ninja...I've...missed that," before collapsing.