Encounters and Intrigues

Unknown Location, Year-X784

The sky was seemingly set afire as it was now a mixture of reds, oranges, yellows, pinks and purples thus marking that sundown was coming upon the kingdom of Fiore. Naruto and Kurama traversed the land of Fiore for what seemed like weeks or months. With Naruto's ability to absorb the Eternano from the air to create condensed magic energy as a meal, he rarely had to venture towards a town to satisfy his hunger and thirst and with Kurama being, partially, a fire kitsune, the Exceed rarely required the need for drink and ate fire. This, he gained from Naruto as he ate the flames of the blades of Merlin. Although they hardly ever needed to eat that didn't stop them from eating at every town they went to just so they could enjoy the taste of real food. As the two continued to walk through the land, Kurama sniffed the air.

"Ah, I love the smell of fresh, forest air." Kurama exhaled a stream of fire and held out his paw to catch the, now burnt, bird and ate it. Naruto remained silent as he adjusted his cloak before removing the mask that covered the lower half of his face. Ever since the boy had left Zabuza and Haku four years ago, the blonde had decided to find something to cover the lower half of his face, in remembrance of his former sword wielding teacher.

"Do you really have to wear that?" Kurama asked. The blonde dragonslayer nodded.

"Yup. Besides, you shouldn't be one to talk. You have a hood on almost all the time." Naruto retorted as he finished pulling down the skin tight mask. "Also...everyone looks badass when you cover an area of your face."

"Then you should cover your whole face so no one will see the ugliness." He laughed before the cat was knocked off from his perch as Naruto picked him up and dropped him on the ground.

"Your hood covers your entire face, so I'm lucky that I don't have to see YOUR hideous face." Naruto countered. Kurama continued to laugh as he flew after Naruto and landed back on his head.

"Oh come on, you know I look awesome." Kurama smirked. Naruto rolled his eyes at the red and black furred cat. The Exceed then sniffed the air before gaining a perplexed look in his crimson orbs.

"Hmm?" Kurama performed Aera and sprouted his white feathered wings before taking to the skies. He took another deep breath through his nose, Naruto watching in confusion as Kurama looked down at him.

"There's a town up ahead!" The Exceed called out to the blonde. Naruto tilted his head.

"How far?" He asked. Kurama sniffed the air once more.

"About ten miles in the direction we were heading! It should take us an hour if we walk." Kurama flew back down and landed atop his perch, also known as, Naruto's head. "The town seems rather old too because it smells like eroded limestone and brick."

"Alright, we'll stop off there for a while and rest. Maybe take a day or two off from walking." Naruto said. A deafening silence filled the air as they continued to walk. Kurama watched the blonde before frowning.

"So...when do you think you will go back for Wendy?" Kurama asked. Naruto stopped and his lips formed a frown before he adopted a thinking position.

"How long has it been...since I left her?" He turned to ask. Kurama shrugged.

"How old are you now...physically I mean." Kurama clarified since they did spend many a year within the pocket dimension when they had begun their training with Acnologia, and the dragon did state that time moved faster in the other dimension.

"I'm twenty." Naruto replied. Kurama nodded.

"Then it's been seven years since you left Wendy." Naruto chuckled lightly at that.

"She's twelve right now. I wonder how she is doing?" The Apocalypse Dragonslayer wondered. Kurama patted the blonde's head.

"I'm sure she's fine, Naruto. She is your imouto and your student. If she were anything lesser than that, then she wouldn't be fine." Kurama grinned foxily at Naruto. The blonde dragonslayer nodded with a smirk.

"True, Wendy would be fine since she was under MY tutelage." The dragonslayer spoke with a prideful tone, a tone he gained from his adoptive father. "Besides, if she wasn't, I'd kill whoever harmed her before I'd go to pound the weakness out of her being." Naruto said. Kurama blinked.

"Did you just make a joke?" Naruto frowned.

"Of course not. Humour is beyond me." Kurama rolled his eyes at the blonde.

'Yep he made a joke' Kurama thought to himself. "You're really annoying, just like your father."

"Which one?"

"Which one? What kind of stupid question is that?" Naruto flicked the winged cat on the forehead.

"Acnologia it is, then." Naruto said. He then looked back to the crimson eyed cat. "So how much farther to the town?" Kurama sniffed the air as the blonde asked his question.

"About...five more miles." The fox costumed cat replied. Naruto grabbed Kurama and took to the skies before flying off, a sonic boom sounding as he broke the sound barrier.

"Do you really have to break the speed of sound?" Kurama deadpanned. Naruto nodded with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"It's fun." He deadpanned, causing Kurama to sweatdrop.

Tully Village

Naruto hovered over Tully Village. The village was a decent size, about half the size of Clover Town. It seemed to be composed of many old looking buildings and a large clock tower stood out amongst the throng of buildings.

'Probably a tourist village.' Naruto thought as he spied a few people taking pictures with image capturing lachrymal before moving on.

"This is a rather quiet place. We could settle down here for a while." Kurama said. Naruto shrugged in response to the Exceed's statement.

"We could." Was all he said before his eyes narrowed upon the presence of numerous Rune Knights.

"What are Rune Knights doing here?" He asked more to himself than Kurama. The fox costumed cat watched the soldiers of the Magic Council with a calculating look.

.....

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