Twilight brings Naruto Uzumaki as a Human to Equestria. Kurama finds interest in Luna.
After her first adventure in the Human World, Twilight Sparkle continues her studies in advanced magic by order of Princess Celestia. But a small mistake will bring a new visitor to Equestria that will influence the new adventure that awaits her and her friends with her techniques, her charisma and above all, with his Will of Fire.
Celestia, ruler of Equestria, was in her room while thinking of a letter with the report her faithful student had written about her trip to the other world through the mirror. It seemed incredible that she had been in a parallel world and used the Elements of Harmony even with the parallel versions of her friends. Her little student had surpassed her.
After a few minutes of musing, he decided that the new princess was ready to resume his studies at Starswirl the Bearded. She walked to the library with a firm step and hoping he was doing the right thing.
Twilight Sparkle was in the Ponyville library while rereading “The Dark History of Unicorns” for the fifth time, Spike was lying in his basket when suddenly from a burp he spat a scroll with the royal seal.
“A letter from the Princess?” She wondered as she levitated toward her with magic, "go back to sleep, Spike"
“After what happened the last time the princess sent you a letter? If I remember, you caused all the ponies to end with their Cutie Marks exchanged”
“That was a mistake, and you know I don’t like sarcasm, Spike” She replied annoyed as she opened the letter.
My faithful student:
You have come a long way in your studies on the Magic of Friendship, and your skills in living your adventure with mirrors impressed me.
Now I think it is the right time to continue your more advanced studies, this is a level that only Star Swirl The Bearded reached, so I am confident that you can overcome it.
The following is an advanced teleportation spell. It is derived from the magic of dragons, so it will take a lot of practice. This spell will allow you to instantly transport any object to any area regardless of distance, space or shipping time, making it very useful for transmitting messages and equipment.
The following scrolls contain all the necessary details.
Love
Princess celestia
The alicorn and the little dragon looked at each other and a happy smile appeared on Twilight’s face.
“Spike ... Do you know what this means?”
“Hum...”
“The Princess trusts me enough to start me in a study at the level of Star Swirl The Bearded!" She shouted euphorically as she took it with her magic and spun it while she jumped, "Now I am going to start investigating magic from its origins and to propose my own theories!”
“Good for you Twilight. But I would take care, if I were you. Do you remember what happened the last time you tried new spells?”
“You already told me that, Spike. But don’t worry, tomorrow morning I will study every aspect of these scrolls and take care of doing it in a controlled environment. Now, to sleep, tomorrow is a great day!”
Twilight’s happiness filled her. She lay back on the bed and fell asleep thinking of herself in a Starswirld-like outfit and teaching a group of Unicorns who curiously resembled Trixie.
It seemed that things were going to go well from then on and nothing could go wrong.
Konoha: two months after Fourth Shinobi World War.
At the village, inside a modest shop called Ichiraku Ramen, a 16 years old, yellow haired and supernaturally gifted ninja was eating a enormous noodle with pork bowl. He was resting after a long afternoon of training, he was practicing his Kyuubi mode, so he could keep transformed in his fox form more than fifteen minutes without disappear. His relation with Kurama was great. They were like brothers: they quarreled, they laughed and they talked naturally. Now, finally could relax and enjoy a good cup of Ramen or two, when…
"Naruto…" said a tired voice behind him. When the young turned to see, he found a middle-aged, silver-haired man with a mask that hid all his face except his left eye.
"Ah… Kakashi-sensei. What’s up?"
"The Hokage, Tsunade-sama, has requested your presence tomorrow morning in her office"
"Mmmhhh…- protested the boy. Lately granny Tsunade is bothering me a lot with those diplomatic missions. I cannot train properly!"
"(Sigh) Naruto. You are the hero of the war and of Konoha. You are an example for all the ninjas in the world; it’s obvious you have to accomplish some duties on behalf of village’s future. Don’t you want to be Hokage? Sasuke is taking his duties seriously"
"He cares to do these missions even less than I do!"
"Maybe. But it’s possible that the one of you both that take more seriously those missions would be the more fit to be the next Hokage"
"OK. I’ll go tomorrow" Said Naruto before such words.
"Glad to hear it!" Answered Kakashi with a happy but hid smile while going out Ichiraku, “Oh my God! I sincerely hope that this knucklehead changes his attitude when he becomes Hokage”
"Old Ichiraku!" He heard from inside the shop, “Another bowl of ramen with double pork! I’ll have a very long day with granny Tsunade!”
“In progress!”
“Although it’s possible he doesn’t change at all; I hope Shikamaru will still be here.”
"All right! It’s time! Let’s see what these parchments say!"
Warning!
Perform this spell in open places and, if possible, in high places for not committing transfer or teleport errors.
"Well… in this case, we should try this spell on top of Rarity’s boutique. Let’s go, Spike!"
Both friends went to Carousel Boutique where Rarity was making her last collection, Country Fashion, which she was thinking to give to Applejack and her family to their displeasing. It was not because the creations were ugly, but the brilliant colours and brown boots made them look like Manehattan stereotype of cowboys.
Anyway, Rarity let Twilight and Spike to go up in the roof where they spread the parchments and began to read the correct formula of cast the spell. The view was perfect because the environs of Ponyville and Everfree Forest were visible.
"Mmmhhh…” said Twilight with a worried tone “The spell itself don’t seem to be difficult to cast. The only problem is that the object you want to transport go to destination and go back”.
"With what thing do you want to try it?”
"Oh, Spike! There is no way I try to transport something at first try. What would happen if something gets wrong?”
"I would say you try to fly instead of walk in the ground” Said a voice at her side.
"Spike! I told you…” When she turned, she found herself face to face with a very smiley, light blue coated mare with rainbow-colored mane. "RAINBOW! What the Tartarus are you doing here?!"
"I’m just passing by, looking at what you’re doing. And as far as I heard about that spell, it will be awesome. You have to try it!"
"Rainbow Dash. There is no way I cast a spell without previous practice of every single step. Simply that is…"
"Come on! I wanna see you transporting one of those Ponyville Apple Cider barrels to my home in Cloudsdale. Or teleport each tome of Daring Do from Manehattan Post Office directly to your library so I could read them before their release"
"I don’t think the Princess sent me this spell to...”
"Just cast it!"
"Ok, fine” surrendered the alicorn while taking position, “But… what things would be it able to transport and where?"
"I’m one step ahead of you…" Commented Spike while showing out an enormous book called “Encyclopedic Atlas of Equestria”
"Spike! This is a very important book for the Library! What would happen if somepony foreign comes to Ponyville and…?"
"You have three other copies of the same book; I have given them to you as presents for three years straight and you always kept them! What would we lose if only one of them gets lost?"
"Agh! OK… let’s see…"
First step: Place the object to transport with prudent distance away from transporter and/or companions… "Checked!"
Second step: Visualize object’s destination place. I suppose this place near the Boutique is as good as any other to practice. "Checked!"
Third step: Create a stream of magic around the object to transport or the effect would not be instantaneous, or there will not be teleportation to indicated place.
"Well, here we go! Called out Twilight while her horn began to shine and a whirlwind of magic formed around the book"
"It’s gonna be SO AWESOME!" Cried Rainbow Dash while observing the events, "I’m already looking myself reading the new volume of Daring Do in which she will fight against the alliance between Ahuizotl and the Poninjas of the Manehattan Marefia!"
"Do A.K. Yearling send you teasers of her books?" Asked Spike.
"Every now and then we write each other. But once I thought I saw her in the Everfree Forest with a pack of timberwolves behind her. I went there flying and…!"
"RAINBOW!" Shouted an already tired Twilight while trying to keep the flow of magic constant. Though, by a strange coincidence the whirlwind didn’t appear in the little plot of grass near the Boutique as it should be but…
Naruto was before Tsunade, the Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. He was looking at the sky from the Hokage Office building while she was commenting him the details of the mission.
"…and Killer B, Jinchuuriki of the Hachibi…” continued the young-looking lady, “…is trying to run for Raikage inciting an Enka-rap based revolution among the youngsters of Kumogakure. This has caused A, the current Raikage, to ask you, given you were his disciple and friend of his brother, to convince B to change his mind and avoid future complications. Between him and the Kazekage, rumours have begun about Jinchuurikis doing coups-d’état in their respective villages"
"What!? You called me for this?! Do you know how much time takes to travel to the Land of Lightning? At this rate all my training will go through the toilet and I will not be able to perfect my…"
"LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU, BRAT!” Yelled Tsunade while taking him from the shirt, “You shall do what I command or I shall send you back to the Academy where you will practice genjutsu till your formation as ninja be complete!"
Grumbling, Naruto pulled away from Tsunade’s clutches and went to the stairs.
"OK; I’ll send ya a message with a falcon when I finish the mission and I be on my way back to the village, you crazy old lady"
While walking, Naruto felt a little tugging in the neck.
"It’s OK, granny! I will do your stupid mission! You don’t have to…! What?! WOWWOW!"
Naruto was shocked when suddenly saw himself absorbed by a kind of whirlwind that threw him into a space in which he only was spinning. He heard far away the voice of Tsunade yelling his name. The kaleidoscopic/surreal/psychedelic tunnel made him stumble around till he finally stopped and felt he was flying.
He looked downwards and realized that he really was in the air, with the village nowhere to be seen and a great forest that every second grew larger and closer…
Twilight stopped the flow of magic when she realized that the whirlwind had taken the book but had not reappeared where it should. Instead she just watched as her own whirlwind disappeared and she seemed to have lost one of her precious books.
He was about to yell at Rainbow Dash about her lousy idea when she interrupted her by pointing her hoof at the forest.
“Look at that!” Twilight turned around and saw the same whirlwind that she had created over a part of the Everfree forest and that something was falling at full speed from it.
“Well ... it seems that the experiment was not a complete disaster. I only had certain DISTRACTIONS” Looking at Rainbow and Spike who smiled nervously- and it seems that the book appeared in another location. Now we are going to have to go get it.
“Do you want to go to the Everfree Forest, where lots of strange creatures live, to find a book you already have?”
“Yes” Alicorn answered frankly “Come on, Spike?”
“Uuhmm… I would honestly prefer to take Applejack if we are going to Everfree Forest. Since she saved me from those Timberwolves, I prefer that she accompany me on dangerous expeditions”
“And we could take Fluttershy”- added Rainbow “She knows about wild animals, and it would be very useful if we meet other of those adult dragons.”
“If so” Twilight concluded “We should take Rarity...”
The baby dragon and the pegasus exchanged glances.
“What do you want to take Rarity for?”
“I do not know. Maybe it can be of help, right?”
“If you're going to take Rarity, I suppose there is no other option than to take...”
“Hello girls!” A pink pony shouted, a brand of balloons on her flank and hair as wild as her character that appeared out of nowhere next to them “Are you planning an adventure? Because if they plan an adventure, they should let me know. Because if they don't warn me, how could I accompany them during their adventure? And if I don't accompany you during your adventure ...”
“Yes. I think we will all go- Rainbow concluded as she flew from the ceiling to the ground in an attempt not to go crazy”
The four began to go to each other's houses (Obviously Rarity was the first since they were still above the Boutique) to invite them to share the adventure.
"What I do not understand ..." Thought the princess as they walked "It is because my book looked bigger. It seems that a couple of pages came off, for a moment I thought arms came out of it"
At the top of the Hokage's tower, Tsunade watched as the purple whirlwind faded as she placed a huge, heavy book on the spot where Naruto had been.
"A space-time jutsu?" She thought as he approached the book and took it from the ground. “Equestria: Glossary and Atlas”
As soon as she finished reading the title, she hurried to her office.
"Shizune!" She called as she strode into the studio
“Tsunade-Sama?”
“Call Kakashi and the rest of Team Seven, as well as Shikamaru and the village mapping experts. We have an emergency”
Naruto Uzumaki opened his eyes and clutched his head as he complained about the blow.
“Ugh ... what the hell?”
When he got up he found that he was in the middle of a strange forest, but it was nothing like the forests around Konoha. The trees were smaller, and the vegetation was thicker, it really looked more like a jungle than a forest.
“Damn old Tsunade!” He thought aloud “You made me fly away from the village without even letting me prepare anything for the trip. Now I will have to go back to Konoha and...”
“Brat...” A voice whispered from inside him. As soon as he felt it, the boy closed his eyes, “Naruto!”
The boy opened his eyes again but was no longer in a forest but in his inner sanctuary where he was with Kurama.
“What happens?”
“Didn't you notice? You were caught in a kind of space-time technique”
“Huh?”
Naruto vaguely remembered that kind of purple whirlwind and then the next thing he remembered was that he was flying in midair.
“So that was a space-time jutsu like Obito's or Kakashi-sensei's?”
“Yes…” he replied with a serious tone “But it seems that he did more than transport us from one place to another. I can no longer feel the Chakra of any shinobi nearby. And in fact, I don't feel any chakra at all. Instead I can feel abundant natural energy around us. It is as if we are again on Mount Myoboku”
“So, we are on the toad’s mountain?”
“I told you I can't feel any Chakra, you idiot! And this forest... I'm not sure if we are in fact in the Land of Fire or if we are not even in any country.”
“Well... We will have to get out of this forest and find out.”
“Be careful, this forest is strange, you will not be able to move easily”
Naruto started jumping from one tree to another holding chakra on the soles of his feet. It wasn't long before he ended up tangled upside down in a bunch of vines. The way he was hanging made his first test with Kakashi-sensei come to mind.
“I told you that you were not going to be able to move so easily!” Said the fox chuckling.
“Oh, shut up, ball of fur!” He replied while taking out a kunai.
“I would think twice about letting you go, look below”
Naruto gasped as he realized that there were three creatures on the ground made of wood, but shaped like huge wolves that looked at him, growled and looked at him with yellow eyes that did not show good intentions.
“The hell…! What are those things?” He exclaimed as he waved his arms and became nervous at the bites that closed near him.
“Don’t know! But I wouldn't let them get close”
“How useful” He said sarcastically while clasping his hands.
“Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!”
Instantly two shadow clones appeared next to him and helped him free himself while holding him away from those animals' fangs.
“It does not seem that they will let us go” Said one of the clones
“No. Shall we separate?”
“It's been a long time since we've exercised our muscles” objected the original with a smile and making fingers snap, “Let's show them what we are made of”
The three began to run down the tree and the wolves awaited their arrival.
The first of the clones crawled between them and distracted them by throwing shurikens at the area near their necks. But for wolves that size, piercing weapons only caught their attention.
Two of the animals turned around and began chasing the attacking clone while a third instinctively continued to stalk the original along with the last clone. Too late, the original Naruto had already kneaded the chakra in his double's hand in the shape of a small miniature cyclone.
“Rasengan!” The clone screamed while hitting the animal with the technique, which ended up being sawdust on the ground. One down.
The decoy clone held its position dodging as much as it could, but a claw finally caught up with it making it disappear in a cloud of smoke. After all, they were two huge animals used to fighting in the woods.
Anyway, the distraction took effect, because the original Naruto, as soon as he knew that the resengan hit the target, took the Kunai with which he thought to cut the lianas and with a jump he nailed it directly to the neck of the second wolf. The impact was accurate and critical, the animal collapsed turned into a pile of wood and branches. Two down.
There was only one opponent left, and this one confirming that there was nothing left of his prey worth devouring turned around to confront the other two. Naruto exchanged glances with his double and joined his arms repeating his Shadow Clone Jutsu. From facing two, the Timber Wolf happened to find himself facing eight clones along with the original, who were staring at him defiantly.
He tried to back away from numerical superiority, but the clones immediately surrounded him.
“Eat this!” They all shouted together as they coordinated their attack in groups of two.
“U ...!” Two clones kicked him aside, some branches fell off
“Zu ...!” Two others returned him to the center and raised him a little in the air, a leg came off
“Ma ...!” The third group raised it two more meters vertically, the whole animal creaked from the damage
“Ki ...!” The last group raised it three meters more, the The animal's torso cracked, the original Naruto was waiting for him in the air for the coup de grace
“Naruto Rendan!” The final kick completely destroyed the animal, leaving only pieces with a certain shape that fell inanimate and without being a danger to nobody.
“Yes!” The original shouted while the other clones disappeared, “No animal can against Naruto Uzumaki!”
“Are you done, brat?” Kurama asked with a bored tone
“Yeah, and not because of you.”
“Did you need my help at any time? Then don't bother me! Anyway, I was trying to detect someone or something other than the fauna and flora of this place. It seems that this forest is full of creatures that would like to kill you or just want you to leave them in peace”
“I realized that” he replied sarcastically as he looked at the previously animated remains of the wolves, “Did you notice anything that is more intelligent than these animals?”
“Actually yes. Two kilometers to the north I found a being with thoughts that do not seem evil, or at least not from a simple animal.
“Well done, Kurama. Two kilometers to the north?” He started walking forward with a firm step, “Here I go!”
“That's the south, idiot”
“Ah!” He corrected his course and smiled, “I guess I'm distracted”
“Why doesn't that surprise me?”
Twilight and the rest of the girls, along with Spike, were already inside the Everfree Forest, trying to figure out what all that commotion was that sounded a moment ago.
“Did you hear that?” Fluttershy asked with a tone of evident fear
“I think half of Ponyville heard it” Applejack assured “Do you have any idea what it could be, Twilight?”
“It's the Everfree Forest. It could be anything. Hurry up and find the book!” She pulled out a small map from his backpack with the Everfree forest drawn on it, “If my calculations are correct, the book should have fallen a few Kilometers southeast of Zecora’s hut”
“Are we going to visit Zecora?” Pinkie asked, “Because I brought my Party Cannon, and maybe we could have a…”
“No, Pinkie!” Rainbow replied annoyed “We are not going to visit Zecora. I'm not going to listen to those rhymes over and over, and it's enough that we have to do all this to find a book”
“I agree with Dashie on that matter” Rarity added as they walked, she was wearing a hat with camouflage tones and in her bag she had other clothes, “entering the forest is an exercise that I would rather avoid unless it was important. what is the deal with that book, anyway?”
“Why is the deal ?!” Twilight exclaimed with a horror face, “That book shows the results of my first attempt at the first advanced spell that Princess Celestia sent me! If I don't have every result, every experiment, every spell, I could mean that I don't take it seriously! And if the princess thinks I don't take it seriously she could send me back to Magic Kindergarten! AND I DON'T THINK OF ALLOWING IT!”
At this point, Twilight had her eyes almost glued to Rainbow's after an invasive approach to the faces of each pony. “OK, Twilight! You made your point!” The pegasus replied with some fear.
“Good! Then let’s go! To find my future approval!” She shouted as she began to gallop with the other ponies behind trying to keep up with her.
At this rate, the six mares along with their accompanying dragon followed the path without suspecting that they were actually moving away from the target. When they got to where the remains of the Timberwolfes were, they started to get nervous.
“What do you think happened?” Rainbow asked Twilight.
“One of two: either these Timberwolfes destroyed each other to try to catch something or, and I think this idea is a bit disturbing, that something destroyed them”
“Too much destruction to be a single book, don't you think?” Rarity said.
“Who said the book did this? But still, we're close to the area where it should have fallen, so stay alert. Separate yourselves and look for it, if it starts to get dark and we can't find it, we will meet here and return to Ponyville”
“What if we find what he did ... this?” Fluttershy asked.
“Well ... I guess we should do what we always do, right?”
“Run as fast as we can?”
“I was going to say, meet the other ponies and face the problem together, but yes, that works too. Now go!”
They started looking for each one on their own, except Twilight, who had Spike on his back. As they checked, Spike was silent and thoughtful for a long time.
“Is something wrong, Spike?”
“No, I was just remembering that...”
“Yes?”
“Remember that swamp with that huge hydra that we faced so long ago? What if that hydra is still around here?” “Oh, don't worry, Spike” Twilight answered as she looked through some bushes again, “That hydra is too far to get here, it's about two kilometers northeast. Zecora lives near there and it never bothered her, I don't think it's dangerous for anyone”
“¡WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHGGGG!”
Naruto ran over the water of the swamp with everything his legs gave him while a huge four-headed snake chased him, throwing bites every now and then. It was really funny for Kurama, since he saw everything from inside Naruto, but he was not amused.
“You said that an intelligent being lived two kilometers to the north!”
“I told you that it was a being that had no bad intentions and that, therefore, it was not an ordinary animal. And besides, you strayed from the road about forty-five degrees fifteen meters from where I told you the exact address”
“How was I to know that that small stream that seemed clean was going to come from here?” He answered while dodging another blow from one of the heads, “I was supposed to be heading north. How was I to know that I would stray so far?”
“Only you can think of following a random stream to a swamp. Now, get done with that thing and head over to where I told you!”
“I will not be able to defeat her with a couple of clones and a rasengan. I need you to lend me chakra”
“Hmph ... humans...!” Naruto suddenly started to glow and soon a flaming chakra mantle enveloped him. Once his Kyubi mode was complete, Naruto turned around and faced the hydra as it continued its pursuit sending head after head.
Naruto jumped on the neck of one, then another, and another, in this last one the boy raised his fist and with a great speed plunged it into the nape of the snake so that he would not use it again.
The bad thing is that the animal was clever, and while Naruto attacked the third head, the fourth took the opportunity to launch an attack with his mouth open. The hit hit the target, although not completely. Naruto's reflexes allowed him to dodge most of the attack but still the hydra's fangs reached his right arm squeezing it and sinking into the flesh.
"That hurts, you bastard!" He screamed as a rasengan formed on her left arm using chakra arms to form it.
The boy returned the attack with the same brutality causing two of the four heads to be knocked out. Naruto jumped out of the head unconscious and fell to his feet in the water using his chakra to keep from sinking.
"Let's get this over with!" He said as two more pairs of Chakra hands formed on his arm that began to form a colossal sized rasengan but mixing it with his wind nature to form a more powerful technique.
“Fuuton: Rasen Shuriken!” He shouted as he threw the huge wind shuriken against the huge body of the hydra and it was thrown backwards before the explosion of cuts and energy.
The battle was quick, though violent. Once he saw the rest of the monster sink into the swamp waters, Naruto returned to his natural state and noticed the two large marks on his arm produced by the snake's fangs.
“You became careless, Naruto” His partner scold him, “during a real battle you would never have let them hit you like that”
“Oh, shut up! Anyway, where is that person that did you talk to me before”
“Less than a kilometer to the east. Go straight and no more detours!”
Naruto started jumping from tree to tree, this time being careful not to trip over anything, although he felt something strange: From time to time the vision blurred and his arm hurt more than he wanted to accept. Believing it was a passing problem, he quickened his pace until he reached a certain clearing in the forest where the vegetation was denser.
Once he went down to the ground, he walked a little more until he reached what looked like a huge tree with a door in the middle and decorated with several strange masks that gave him a bad feeling.
“Finally, someone who can answer some questions about this crazy forest! Now I will know how to get to the village... now... I will ...”
And the boy suddenly collapsed, his vision blurred and his forces leaving him. The last thing he could make out was a blur of white and gray, and the world moving without him even trying to make a move.
Twilight along with Spike had returned to the rendezvous point, obviously they had found no trace of the book and were frustrated. When she noticed that the afternoon was turning red and Celestia was starting to drop the sun, Twilight decided to end the search earlier.
With none of the other ponies nearby, she began to inspect the remains of the Timberwolves. He hadn't done it before out of fear that somehow, they would revive again, but this time she didn't think it was dangerous since most of the day those branches were lying there, and they didn't move from their place.
She tried to find some clue as to what thing could have done that to a group of predators that might be a problem for them, although she really didn't expect to find anything. That's why she was surprised when she discovered a small object that as soon as she saw it, she knew it was not part of the animal: a four-pointed piece of metal in the shape of a star. The alicorn didn't really know what they were, but she had the impression she had seen them before. She continued the search and found several more nailed to different parts of the previously animated bodies.
When she finished picking up the sixth when Rarity appeared, her steps were elegant and really clean, so it seemed that she carried out the search "clean and orderly". Then Applejack appeared, covered in mud and leaves contrary to Rarity. In a few minutes Fluttershy arrived at a slow pace and trembling from head to toe as she looked nervously everywhere, Pinkie Pie, with her leaping step and her happy gaze, and Rainbow came flying and landed on the ground, none showed any signs of success.
"Did anypony had luck?"
"Nah-ah," Rainbow replied with boredom, "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Can't we just give up on that book?"
"I'm not going to give up on a book! But still ... I found something more mysterious" she said as she showed them with her magic the six clues she found.
Each pony looked at them closely and even Rainbow was interested.
"What are those things?" - Applejack asked
'I have no idea. I found them stuck in the Timberwolfes, and they can't be part of them because these things are metal "
"They are shurikens!" Dash jumped in enthusiastically and grabbing a "I read about them in some comics. They are great!"
"And ... what are they for?" Rarity asked without understanding.
"For this...!" - screamed the pegasus as he threw it with his hoof against a tree. She was not used to throwing them so the shot went backwards and cut some of Pinkie's hair before digging into a tree opposite the one she was trying to launch.
"Mmh... well at least get the idea."
"This is not a toy, Rainbow," Twilight reproached, tearing the star off the tree. "This is a weapon! And whoever has faced the Timberwolfes used them to defeat them."
"So is there some sort of shurikens-throwing pony around here?" Spike asked as he looked everywhere.
"Whatever it is. Something strange is happening. First my book disappears even though we saw it appear through the portal that I opened here somewhere. And now we find someone or something that uses strange weapons to defeat Timberwolfes in the forest?”
"I thought it was good that those Timberwolfes were dead," Fluttershy said in her soft voice.
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I just find it strange that of all the places where there are Timberwolfes, we find these three here, with these weapons that I don't think any normal pony would use."
Pinkie picked up one of the Shurikens and threw it, with such a prodigy that she pierced a falling leaf, cutting it in the middle and nailing it to a tree behind just in the middle of the trunk.
"I would use them!" she said cheerfully as everyone looked at her stunned
"Anyway, we couldn't find the book" - Applejack intervened somewhat tired- "It's getting dark and I really don't want to stay looking for some prodigious guy with these weird things beyond Pinkie."
"Yes ... I guess you're right," Twilight gave up. "I will have to write to the princess about this new spell having certain side effects. Spike ... do you think you can write her a ...? "- She saw how he yawned and settled on her back with a sleepy face-" Oh Spike ... I think we will have to leave that report for tomorrow "
The ponies all laughed as they headed out of the woods back home.
Meanwhile, in a hut in the middle of the forest
Naruto slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he felt was that his head hurt a little, as well as his right arm. He saw the wound and discovered that it was bandaged and that his vest had been removed to leave it on a coat rack near the bed where he was.
Then he realized that he was inside what looked like a small house carved out of a huge tree. He was lying on a soft bed and surrounded by what appeared to be potions and ointments. In the center of the house was a bubbling cauldron, and the walls were decorated with the same masks that he remembered seeing outside.
"Ah, I see that my strange visitor has woken up, I am glad to see that you are now healed up! - said a deep voice in a corner of the house"
When Naruto paid attention he distinguished a creature similar to a mare but with black stripes, rings on the neck and ear along with a firm mane.
"AAhhh ... A talking striped horse?" Naruto asked a little confused but not surprised since it was not unusual for him to see animals that speak
"I see that you can speak ..." - The wise one replied with a serious look at the comment- "but good manners for you are difficult to reach. I am a zebra, in case you don't know, my name is Zecora and thanks to me you can stand up now on your own "
"That is better. Now, who are you and where do you come from, could I ask?" She said with a smile
"I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I come from the Village of Konoha" - He answered pointing to the symbol in his bandana.
"Konoha, you say? I've never heard that name. And I've never seen any of your kind before, do you come from a land I don't know?"
"Have you never seen a human before?"
"Brat, I told you that we are not in the Country of Fire. Better ask him where we are before asking where we are going"
"Ah, right! - He said to himself in front of the zebra's confused look-" Could you tell me where I am? "
"Don't you know where you are? I feel more and more curious about your story behind. But since you ask me, I will tell, that you are in the Everfree Forest, in the land of Equestria, does that ring any bells?"
“No...”- And he felt the denial of his partner inside him- We don't know where we are or where we should go.
"We" you say. Are you coming with someone else?
"It is ... difficult to explain." He hastened to say, trying to change the subject. He did not consider it prudent to talk about Kurama with everyone- “Anyway. Thank you for helping me to heal my wounds.”
The zebra was smart, and was curious to learn more about its strange visitor. But she understood that it would be unwise to ask too much, so she changed the subject by approaching the bed.
"You were lucky, deadly is the hydra poison, but you are also a strong creature, and I was able to suppress it with my own ointment"
"Do you always have to speak in rhyme, stripes?" The boy asked with obvious irritation.
“It is in my nature; it is something that I am. But speaking normally like you. If I want to, I can. But what is this?” -She exclaimed when he removed the bandages- “The wound is gone. Just a few hours of rest and you healed on your own?”
"Yes... well...” - He said with a humble smile and scratching the back of his head - I usually heal myself pretty quickly. Do you think there is someone who can help me go home?"
"I know someone who can help you. Although she is quite far away. Princess Celestia is the governor of Equestria, she could help you get on your way."
"And where do I find her?"
“Far away, in the city of Canterlot she is. Her student, Twilight Sparkle, nearby she lives. And I could help you meet her, if you want”
“Hey, that doesn't rhyme!”
“As I said, normally, I can speak. The town of Ponyville outside the forest is where you and Celestia's student meet”
“Ok!” - He exclaimed jumping out of bed and taking his vest- “Come on!”
The zebra looked him up and down and then looked out, it was already night. He looked back at her and shook his head.
“Cautious I don't think it is. The forest is dangerous at night, and you will make a bad impression if you suddenly appear. Wait until morning, get a rest, and you will tell Twilight everything, to solve this mess”
“But I'm not tired!” The boy protested
"Naruto ..." - His inner companion told him- "You are not tired but I am. The venom of that snake quickly weakened you and I had to give you my chakra to stay alive. Maybe you recovered your strength, but I spent a lot of energy keeping your heart beating. Also, would you prefer to arrive at night to a town full of horses as if you were a ghost and knock door to door asking for a particular mare? More discreet would be to arrive in Kiuby mode to greet them myself "
"I see ..." Naruto wailed while opening his eyes, he had closed them momentarily to speak to his Bijuu- I guess there is no other choice but to stay for tonight.
"Were you talking to yourself again? It's disturbing. Is there something strange that your mind makes messy?"
"No. This is how he is." - Kurama said to the zebra with his telepathy, her eyes turned wide.
“For Equestria! Who spoke to me right now? Is it you who confides my mind?”
“It's not a joke, Zebra. And it is not your imagination. My name is Kurama, and maybe we can talk since you saved both my life and my human pet”
“Hey!”
The following hours were spent chatting between the three of them, they told their story to the zebra, and the zebra in turn heard more than she spoke. At one point Naruto began to feel hungry, so Zecora gave him a couple of apples and roots that he had stored, Naruto gladly ate the first ones, but with the second he had to try a little to swallow them. When it was late at night, Naruto decided to sleep on the floor by the fire while Zecora recovered her bed, which she thanked them both very much.
At Canterlot Castle
Luna, princess of the night, watched her work with pride as she watched her subjects go to sleep and was saddened to see so few who admired her night.
As was her custom, she spread her wings and drifted into the night breeze as her horn shone with her active magic and her eyes sparkled as she watched the dreams of her different friends. She did not enter directly into her dreams, but she ensured that it was not nightmares that clouded her rest.
However, tonight there was something that disturbed her. As she got closer to Ponyville, a strange presence became more apparent to her. But instead of sleeping, during the night his strength increased and his spirits rose.
She couldn't know what it was, but it was there. An unknown force that did not speak to her with a dream of his own, but felt it as an echo among the voices of his subjects. She approached to investigate, but every time she tried to find it the echo disappeared, as if it somehow sensed her presence and hid it from her view.
Frustrated by such a failure, she returned to Canterlot where her bedroom awaited her, where she could relax a bit before returning to her daily duty. Great was her surprise when she found her sister waiting for her with a serious and worried look instead of that benevolent smile with which she generally associated her.
"Sister, what are you doing awake at this time?"
"The same as you, Luna. I think about strange events"
"What? So ... did you feel it too?"
"I only got to sleep for a moment when I was awakened by a strange vision. In it, I saw a creature of unmatched strength demonstrating its enormous power. I could not see its shape, but its energy was very powerful, it did not seem like magic. Although I did not see evil in him, I felt great fury and anger that emanated when I tried to get closer "
"I don't know what to think" - Luna answered while looking at the night sky- "I felt a strange sensation of euphoria, of joy, of freedom as I approached Ponyville. Although I thought it was a dream of one of my subjects, later I I realized that whatever it was, he was happy about my nights, he was not asleep at all, but he kept awake and grew as the night progressed "
"Good heavens! This is something that we must solve" -concluded the princess of the sun as she returned inside and headed towards the doors- "I don't know what it is that arrived in Equestria or because. But if we don't find this creature soon, and we find out what that wants, it could pose a great threat. Tomorrow I will go to visit Twilight Sparkle and see if she noticed anything too. If this force is as great as in my vision. The Elements of Harmony may need to be used again"
"I'll go with you"
"No!" -She said firmly- "I need you watching from here, if you see something that escapes our view. You will be the only one who can warn me while I'm away"
"As you wish, sister" - Luna answered with evident annoyance. Seeing this, Celestia reached out and put a hoof on her shoulder
"Do not feel bad, sister. If something, whatever it is, appears. I will notify you and will make you come immediately if we need you"
"Very ... well ..." - Luna said as she returned to her night sky and took flight again. This time Luna didn't hear anything like the echo, but there was something about him that seemed to please her. In many years he had not felt something similar, it made her feel as if her night was special. There really was something that enjoyed its darkness.
Deep in the Everfree Forest, Naruto and Zecora fell asleep while inside Naruto, Kurama smiled at their finding.
"I see ..." - He thought with a certain emotion and a slightly mischievous smile- "There are beings in this world capable of feeling me despite being inside a Jinchuriki. It seems that they were alerted when they noticed that I recover at night, and be whoever they are are powerful, and ... nice ... This strange land may be quite interesting"
At the same time that all these events were taking place in Equestria, dark forces were also moving along the borders. Far to the south, in a kingdom already destroyed and forgotten, a creature of great wickedness and voracious appetite met the formerly a great dictator.
"So ..." - The queen said as her subjects looked at her guest with some respect, even fear- "Knowing that the princesses do not know about you or your ... return. Are you proposing to me, an alliance?"
"Before it could be said that we were kings among mortals. Now look at us: Miserable and barely remembered as a bad dream. We must show these ponies who we are, and make them fear fear of darkness once again"
"And what would you give me in exchange for our help?"
"What price would be fair?"
"Twilight Sparkle, along with her friends, between our fangs. Along with Canterlot and most of Equestria. My subjects need to feed."
"Done. In return ... you will help me once again conquer what my Empire was, and you will leave that little pet princess rat for me"
"You have my word"
"So, that's how a pact is formed. A King with a Queen"
From inside the infested castle the laughter of the two new allies began to sound. Eager to carry out their plan, knowing that this time they will succeed.
The next morning. Two hours after sunrise
"Good Morning!" Naruto shouted, startling the Zebra and making her fall from the bed. "Time to go for that princess, Dattebayo!"
“I admire your decision” - Zecora answered as she got up annoyed and headed towards a lot of layers, “But I'm afraid that if you enter the town like this you will cause a commotion. You will wear an outfit similar to mine, so even if you attract attention you can keep a low profile "
He threw at him a brown cape that was in good condition and incredibly fit despite the boy's size.
“Uhmm ... Ok” -he said while putting on his clothes. The cloak included a hood, but the boy did not put it on
They left the hut and walked through the forest without saying a word to each other until they spotted the town. Naruto felt like he was in some kind of dream country. He was used to seeing strange towns dedicated to the perfection of his military might, or gambling cities where there was hustle and bustle. However, he found a small village of humble houses, where different ponies of different colors were in charge of living their lives peacefully. He swallowed when he saw such a large number of equines come and go, and was more surprised to see as many strange beings as unicorns and pegasi in the same place. Everyone talking and living their life quietly, this was not something he could see every day.
"Not as you imagined, I see, but once you meet them, they are a great company. I will take you to Princess Twilight Sparkle's house, you will be able to tell your situation, and she will be able to ask Celestia about a solution"
"Okay," he said, putting on his hood, which would hide most of his face, and would only be possible if he looked closely, "Let's find that princess then"
Several kilometers away, Princess Celestia flew at high speed as she continued to think about her strange vision and what her sister had told the night before.
A small group of Changelings led by Chrysalis and Shadow ran towards the Everfree Forest while making sure that they were not seen by the attentive eyes of the princesses of Equestria, apparently something was keeping them busy.
"Are you ever going to tell me about your brilliant plan?" "Asked the Queen as they entered the thicket," And can you tell why the hell should we run when my subjects and I have wings? We could be miles away if it wasn't for your annoying lack of wings. Couldn't you use your "dark powers" to get a way to fly? "
"Do you usually blabber so much? I start to suspect that was the reason they beat you; you spent so much time talking, that they could just beat you for not paying attention" - Chrysalis just grunted at the memory- "Although it's true. I don't have wings , but my "dark powers" are enough for me not to need them "
At that moment it began to melt into darkness and travel through the shadows of the trees at a speed faster than its companion or any of its subjects. While in that form, his voice echoed in the heads of his companions.
"My dark powers allow me to melt only the shadows, that is why I required dark clouds, fear and nightmares to keep myself omnipotent in my Empire. Now, in this kingdom, Celestia with her sunlight makes my powers useless without shadows in where to hide. But this forest ... allows me to use my element perfectly "
"Impressive ..." - Chrysalis replied as she flew back along with her subjects to keep up with Sombra. Being beings used to flying and living in different positions like insects, flying between trees was really easy for them.
"And regarding the plan" - Shadow continued - "I don't consider myself brilliant but rather the opposite..."
"You consider yourself stupid?"
"What? No! I mean... I don't consider myself someone of bright.
"So you consider youself dumb..."
"ANYWAY... since you want to know, taking Equestria is an operation that must be completed in phases. The first phase, which is the one that We will try to complete in these next days, it is crucial to complete the other two: We must get rid of the Elements of Harmony.
"Perfect"
"I said" the Elements "- He hastened to correct when noticing the confusion-" It is not the same to get rid of the Elements than to destroy Twilight Sparkle. No, we will make sure that there is nothing that can stop us, once the threat is assured, we can start having fun with some accounts to settle "
"I understand. But how will we know where they are?"
"With patience, talent, a good performance, and above all, style"
Naruto and Zecora entered the town, each with their hoods covering their faces, although that didn't stop them from attracting attention. Naruto, despite being a young man of sixteen, was twice as tall as a normal pony, so seeing a Zebra with a companion twice her size who also walked on two legs attracted quite a few glances.
The worst thing was that Naruto did not want to avoid attracting attention since that was already inevitable, what he wanted was to avoid interacting with anyone beyond whom he had come to look for. But Zecora knew that in Ponyville, there was a certain pony that would make that an impossible task.
Gradually they passed through the front row of houses without paying attention to the whispers and suspicious or scared looks, Zecora was used to this, and in a bad way, Naruto too.
"So ..." -Naruto asked to try to distract himself wile he saw the ponies talking wile watching him- "What do you know about Princess Celestia?"
"Ah, Princess Celestia, Princess of the Sun, Governor of Equestria! Together with her sister Luna they are in charge of transforming the night into day, and vice versa. It was hard for the princess, when she had to banish her younger sister, for having transformed into Nightmare Moon and try to bring everlasting night with a malicious thinking.
"Do the rulers of this place control Day and Night? How old are they?
"And what exactly does he mean by 'banishing'?" - Kurama asked with interest in the Night Princess
"A thousand years ago, dark forces corrupted Luna, and thus she became Nightmare Moon, for letting jealousy consume her. Celestia, having no other choice, sent her to the moon, without any joy"
"Interesting. Like the story of the Juubi together with the Bijuu" -the fox thought to himself.
'However, a miracle happened recently "- Zecora continued- And it was Twilight Sparkle who managed to achieve it. With the Elements of Harmony he transformed the Princess, and Luna returned to control the Night, as it should have been.
"So the Princesses are like a thousand years old?"
"A thousand years, and many more, because she was already older when she banished her sister long ago"
They continued walking without saying anything else, each one with his thoughts.
Naruto was about to ask his guide about where they were going when she pointed out a tree house that stood in the middle of a meadow far from the other houses.
They did not advance much when they were crossed a certain pony that they did not expect.
"Hello Zecora! What brings you here? - Said the pony, jumping up and down as she normally did.
"Ah, uh ... Pinkie! Good to see you! I was just taking my friend here to the house of ... uhm."
Naruto was alarmed at how nervous that little pony had made the zebra, and in fact, he was also a little uneasy: At first glance it was a simple pink pony, but her hair, her way of moving, was so active. .. so ... crazy
Pinkie fixed her gaze only for a moment on Naruto and let out a scream that made the boy almost run away. Without knowing how, he was suddenly surrounded by streamers and with the pony jumping around him singing an impromptu song.
"Very well, Mysterious Friend of Zecora!" - She said as she sat him on a bench and tried to see his face, while Naruto tried to hide under the hood - "You don't have to be shy. Now. What's your name? What's your birthday, favorite color, blood type and name of your pet? It is my duty to make sure I have all the necessary details for your welcome party. Oh! I will also need details such as favorite food, drink, shoe number. You wear shoes! You will love to talk to Rarity I need one to take measurements! "
"Hey, how are you?" Naruto said when he saw the pony throw himself against his feet, trying to remove one of his shoes.
"Pinkie, look!" - Zecora shouted pointing to the sky- "A pink balloon with a funny shape!"
"Where ?!" she exclaimed as she ran off with amazing speed.
"Let's go before she returns!"
"Thank heavens ..." -Naruto sighed as he ran next to the zebra to the opposite side from where Pinkie had gone- "Who the hell was she? Forget it. What is the place where we have to go?"
"The library, the library!"
Unaware that he had formed another rhyme, Naruto reached the treehouse and was about to knock on the door when Zecora hit him on the hand, shaking his head.
"You can't go in that way just like that, let me explain while you wait outside"
"I'm not going to let that crazy pony find me again!"
- "Okay. Let me introduce you here at the entrance, then I will retire when Twilight knows of your presence"
- Whatever ... just hurry up before she gets back!
Spike started to stretch and got out of bed. He started down the stairs and found Twilight in the middle of a mountain of books, with injected eyes and a certain tremor, it seemed that this was going to be a long day.
"Uhm ... Twilight, were you awake all night?"
"No, it's alright, Owlowiscious went hunting last night"
"What...?"
"Make it straw, Spike" -he answered as he turned the page and shook his head a little confused- "With daisies, and soft bread please. You are the best"
"TWILIGHT!" - Spike yelled as he threw a cold water bucket at her, making her scream- Snap out of it! Were you up all night reading?
"R ... r ... rude, spike! But ... Uuh ... I think so" -She answered as she put her hooves on the ground and cast a spell to dry herself- "I was left with some doubt about the shurikens we found in the woods and then I started looking through different culture books to see if I could find anything about those weapons. Unfortunately I didn't find much, although ... Did you know that sometimes dragons melt metal on their bodies to make themselves more resistant?"
"This is all very interesting, but ... How did you end up reading about dragons when you were searching about strange weapons?"
"I suppose one thing led to another, and I ended up rereading the ..." - Suddenly he remembered something- Dragon ... fire ... magic ...! Spike, write a letter for the princess! We must send our report of yesterday's events.
"Uh ... don't you think it would be convenient to have breakfast first ...?"
"Now!"
"Ok ... ok- The dragon gave up, while collecting ink and pen"
"My dear mentor ... Yesterday morning ..."
At that moment the door sounded with a loud knock causing them both to look at each other.
"Could you pick up the books while I go see who it is?" - Twilight said while fixing her hair in the mirror and taking a sip of coffee. Spike just grumbled and got on with his homework.
Twilight walked to the door where she met her old friend.
"Zecora! What a pleasant surprise. Is something wrong?"
"You see, Princess. Yesterday I met a certain someone who might well need your assistance"
"Someone? Who?"
- Well ...- She made a sign and he went through the door
Before Twilight appeared a hooded creature whose figure reminded her of a certain person she had met not long ago. Her suspicions were dispelled when the stranger took off his hood and revealed a middle-aged boy, blonde hair, blue eyes, and combined orange-black clothing.
The princess simply stood with her mouth open and eyes wide, Zecora pulled her out of her reverie.
"I just brought him here to tell you how he got here and ..."
"Yes, yes, yes, yes ... He'll tell me everything himself. Thank you very much. I'll take care of it, and you did the right thing by bringing it to me. I'll let you know how everything turned out. Goodbye!" She whispered quickly as she pushed him inside and then closed the door on the zebra's face.
"Thanks for everything, Zecora!" - Naruto shouted before the door closed- "So ... Are you Princess Twilight ...?"
"Yes .. "- she replied quickly surrounding Naruto and looking the boy up and down-" Who are you, exactly?"
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki and ..."
"Are these things by any chance yours? - Twilight continued while showing her the six stars she had found"
"My shurikens!" - He exclaimed picking them up and then watching Twilight use her magic- "Amazing! Do you have any kind of special power or ...?"
"We'll talk about that later ... And how did you get here, precisely?"
"Well. It was on a normal day when a kind of multicolored whirlpool appeared and ... Wait ... I'm answering all your questions and you didn't answer any. Can you contact Princess Celestia or not?"
"Princess ... do you know ... the princess?" Twilight hesitated as she sat down.
"Well ... not personally but ..."
Suddenly the door opened and three more ponies poured in: Rainbow, Rarity and Pinkie who closed the door once they entered.
"Twilight! Did you hear the news? It is said that there is a strange creature that was in the company of Zeco ..." - They were stunned to see the boy and he was horrified to see Pinkie.
"Eehhm ... Good morning? My name is Naruto ..."
"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" - A deep and amplified voice shouted as Princess Celestia entered slamming the door- "Sorry for appearing suddenly but I need you to tell me you have seen something ..." - She was silent when she saw Naruto and everyone was stunned to see her- suspicious ...
"Princess Celestia!" - They all shouted leaving Naruto more confused.
"Is she Celestia?" - Naruto thought making her remember her Hokage- "Is this the governor who is thousands of years old? What a swindler. She must have a rejuvenation Jutsu like old-Tsunade"
It is difficult to explain the pandemonium that started in the tree house. Naruto trying to talk to Celestia, Celestia trying to listen to Twilight, she trying to apologize for the delay in her report that Celestia had no idea about, Pinkie trying to get Naruto to fill out her questionnaire, Spike trying to get Rarity's attention, the unicorn watching the Naruto's clothes and voicing his idea about his new fashion line and finally Rainbow Dash looking Naruto up and down and wondering what the hell was going on. Deep down, Kurama thought exactly the same thing.
"Very well, enough is enough! SILENCE!" - Celestia ordered casting a paralysis spell. Then he took a deep breath and released the magic- "Now ... Let's go in stages. Who are you, where do you come from and how did you get here?"
"I just said it..." - The boy protested while trying to be as fast as possible- "My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I come from the Village of Konoha. I arrived here by means of a space-time technique that seemed like a kind of whirlpool I have no idea how it happened, or who did it, but from the moment I arrived I was attacked by wooden wolves, a multi-headed snake and this crazy pony wanted to steal my shoe "
"Hey!"
"They told me that I should speak to you if I wanted to return to my Village. Now, Zecora, the striped-rhyming one, told me that I should speak to this princess" - Pointing to Twilight- "so that I can contact you and that you could return me "
At that statement, Twilight swallowed, finally closing all the mysteries about her book, the Shurikens and the Timberwolfes.
"I see ..." - Celestia replied with a serious look- "Twilight, do you have anything to add to this?"
"Well ... yesterday we tried that teleportation spell that he sent me, although due to certain problems the spell did not work. This boy seems to come from a world just like the one Spike and I arrived when we used the Crystal Mirrors. It is possible that I accidentally touched another dimension with my magic while sending my book through the portal and when I returned to focus on this world it would have brought ...
"Were you the one who threw me from the Hokage Tower into that forest full of swamps, wolves and snakes, and you traded me for a book ?!"
"I am so sorry!" - The princess tried to apologize with a regretful face- "I just wanted to try a new spell. And it was a good encyclopedia ..."
"Leaving that aside" - Celestia intervened- "This explains why he continues in his human form. By going through the mirrors you told me that you became a human. That was because the Mirror, being a bridge between dimensions, took charge of transforming yourself into a human being in the image and likeness of how you would be if you were from that world. But in this case, being a transportation spell, no change occurred, but you transported an unchanged human being to this world "
"AGH! Let's stop explaining!" Naruto shouted to everyone's surprise and annoyed at not understanding almost anything- "It doesn't matter how I got here, what I want to know is just this. Granny-Celestia ..."
"GRANNY ?!" - Twilight shouted while Celestia showed no signs of annoyance, at least on the outside, and Rainbow Dash along with Pinkie laughed out loud.
"... Can you return me to my world?"
"It is not as simple as casting a spell" - the Sun Princess calmly replied- "We do not fully know your world. If we use the same spell and transport you to a random world, you could end up stuck in a world that you cannot escape, or worse, get caught between dimensions "
"So ... am I stuck here?" - Naruto hesitated
"Don't worry" - the princess reassured her as she put a hoof on his shoulder- "I will not let you stay against your will in this world, I will speak with certain contacts and I will begin to investigate about the old theories of Starswirld The Bearded about travel between dimensions. We will start looking for your exact dimension and then we will use the same spell to return you to your world. But all this will take a few days at least "
"Princess?" - Twilight asked while Naruto was stunned trying to assimilate his situation- "Why not use the Crystal Mirrors?"
"For the same reason. We don't know if the mirrors are going to transport him to his world and we must investigate exactly where to take him. Other than that, we don't know if he will undergo any kind of change if he uses the mirrors. If we consider that he is not a pony, and the magic of the Mirrors is not fully known ...
"I'll handle this matter myself!" Twilight offered.
"Thank you, my faithful student, but I have another task for you, and for your friends too!" - She put herself in a firmer pose and said seriously- "Twilight Sparkle, I entrust to you and your friends the custody of Naruto Uzumaki during his stay in Ponyville! Make him feel at home as he is a guest in our kingdom, and learn to the best of each other "
"Hear me, granny! I didn't sign for any of this! Does that mean I have to stay here ?:
"You don't want to stay here?" - Celestia replied with a smile- "Where else could you go?"
"Well ... I ..."
"Let it be, Naruto" - Kurama spoke to him from inside, Naruto closed his eyes to meet him- "We can't do anything else. Besides ... Didn't you want to take a vacation from the Village?"
"I'm not looking for a vacation. I want to continue my training!"
"Better yet. You no longer have anyone barking orders at your back. And this place is full of natural energy, it would be very beneficial to train here." And I could entertain myself in this world and its princesses "- he thought to himself with a smile of emotion
With no objection left, Naruto opened his eyes and found all the ponies and the dragon staring at him strangely.
"Agree!" - He finally exclaimed with a satisfied smile- "I will stay here until you find a way to return me to my world"
"Very good" - Celestia said as she went out the door.
"Princess!" Twilight called out to her as he stepped out behind her and closed the door, leaving the others inside. "Why can't I accompany you in this investigation? I know I could be of help in ..."
"I ask this of you because I need several trustworthy eyes watching over Naruto" - Celestia interrupted her in a low voice- "There is more to that boy than the view shows. Let him live with you and alert me to any strange event. Trust me, if I'm right, it will be much more interesting than studying old manuscripts "
"And who is going to help her in this task? I don't think Princess Luna ..."
"Oh, I know who can help me with this. It will do him and me good to do this research, after all, he loves the chaotic, right?" - She added while winking at her- "I am entrusting it to you, my faithful student" -She said goodbye while flying.
"NOW!" -he heard Pinkie scream inside the house- "Are you going to tell me the number of times you were in the hospital or not ?!
"NO! Why do you even want to know that ?!" - He exclaimed to the boy in reply. Twilight simply looked up and went back into the house with a smile on her face.
At the edge of the Everfree Forest, Sombra and Chrisalys watched the town as they watched Celestia fly away.
- Shall we attack now? - asked the Queen to the shadows of the trees
- Patience. I already told you. We cannot alert Celestia or Luna to our alliance or everything would go to Tartarus, including us. We will wait and watch. We need to find our potential targets and then we will start with the first phase.
It was late afternoon, and Ponyville was going on with his usual routine, although this time there was a new guest.
Naruto decided to let the ponies that were supposed to keep him under surveillance take him on a tour of the town that took them most of the day. It was a really curious experience, as he tried to get used to remembering places, names of ponies and the food of the place of which the apples were the closest thing he knew to the food of his world. At the same time, being the new inhabitant of that world strangely made him feel at home, the ponies looked at him with as much fear as the inhabitants of his village did a few years ago.
Being as stubborn as he always was, it was difficult for him to remember the names of his companions, so it didn't take long to create some nicknames to remember them. Pinkie pie, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle and Rarity became "crazy pink", "rainbow hair", "smarty", and "Curly", to the amusement and dislike of the above.
Introducing the remaining two ponies was somewhat ... complicated.
The four ponies (Spike stayed in the library, ordering the Twilight books) and Naruto went to Sweet Apple Acres so that the boy could meet Applejack, whose presentation was most normal. Incredibly, Applejack was not surprised to see him, give it that she was accostumed to see rare thinks happening in the town.
"Applejack. I present to you Naruto Uzumaki, a visitor from a distant land. Naruto, I present to you Applejack, one of my best friends and one of the most honest ponies I know" - Twilight introduced them trying to praise them both.
"Nice to meet you," Naruto said as he held out a hand. However, he was surprised by the fact that the pony was so strong that it completely shook him by waving his arm.
"The pleasure is mine" -answered Applejack while shaking him- "Any friend of Twilight is also my friend"
"Y .. yes ..." -Naruto tried to say as he finished receiving the greeting and ended up lying on the ground, he got up somewhat excited- "Whoo! Boy, do you have any strength" ("Reminds me of Centipede Brows")
"Thanks, product of my hard work at Sweet Apple Acres. Want to see the plantation?"
"Actually ..." - Naruto said thinking for a moment - "I would like to work here, it will be a good training if it makes me this strong"
"Well ... I suppose there is no problem. Here we always accept the help of those who offer it. We will pay you of course" -answered the pony, doubting when she saw it- "But it is something hard, are you sure you can do it?"
"I'm not going to lose anything trying ..."
"Well, I'll wait for you here tomorrow morning then" - Applejack concluded with a smile- "I hope you don't regret it. Now, what will we do now?" - She asked the rest of the group who was surprised at how willing the boy was to work.
"I was hoping that we can introduce Naruto to all the ponies and then ..."
- "Then throw him a welcome party!" Pinkie interrupted her with her inexhaustible energy.
"Yes ... that" - Twilight finished- "We should go see Fluttershy before we go through the treehouse. That's where Naruto is going to stay."
"Ok let's go"
The six of them drove all the way to an area far from Ponyville that was getting a little closer to the Everfree Forest. In the middle of a small hill was a solitary house surrounded by birdhouses and windows. In a small tree with several nests was the yellow Pegasus singing with that sweet voice that everyone liked.
Unfortunately, no pony told Naruto that with Fluttershy one had to be tactful.
"Hey, good afternoon!" - He shouted as they approached, greeting friendly but with force- "My name is Naruto Uzumaki!"
The pony turned around, saw that strange creature approaching her screaming and simply passed out from the scare, falling from the air.
'Hey? Did I say something wrong? "- Naruto wondered as the other ponies approached with concern and Rainbow slapped her face.
"Hey, Fluttershy, wake up!" - Twilight ordered as he patted her face a little and everyone surrounded her.
Little by little Fluttershy regained consciousness
"Eh ... what happened?" - She regained his sight- "Twilight? Girls? Why did I pass out?"
"Sorry I scared you, my name is ...!" - Naruto said sticking his head in the circle. Immediately after, Fluttershy passed out again and Rainbow, annoyed, pushed the confused Naruto away while saying.
"It is better that we introduce you to her ... we could be doing this all day"
To sum it up, they had to revive it one more time and then they were introduced not without some fear from the pony. Naruto liked her, she reminded him of Hinata, a shy one who for strange reasons passed out from time to time.
After that, they went to Twilight's house where they gave her the so-called "welcome party" that Pinkie offered to all the strangers that came to Ponyville. There, Naruto was able to eat some sweets and relax, which he did not do very often. They sat down and started chatting about each other's activities, Naruto listened attentively although he sometimes got lost in the chat.
"And what is your occupation?" - Applejack asked the boy after telling him about his work at Sweet Apple Acres.
"Occupation?"
"Yes. Everyone here has something we specialize in, and it is from that ability that we work in our different areas.
"Hence our Cutie Marks" - added Rainbow proudly showing the mark on her flank- "So, what do you do in your world?"
"Ah! Well ... we have no marks on the butt" - Pinkie laughed at this comparison- "But I am a ninja in my Village"
"REALLY?!" - Rainbow and Twilight shouted at the same time for their different reasons.
"Yeah, and I'm pretty strong too! I usually do missions for the village that range from protecting certain people to kicking bandits in the butt sometimes.
"Awesome!" -Said the pegasus.
"Although ... lately I haven't had many important missions since the last Ninja War"
"War?" - Twilight asked for interest in everything she could know about the world of Naruto- "War between whom?"
"Well ... among other ninjas, I suppose. Although the latter was very strange, we were fighting against revived dead and some species of white clones out of a tree."
'Living ... dead? "- Fluttershy repeated with some fear. The other ponies had a hard time believing what they heard even though Naruto was very serious.
"Yeah. But the war is over and now there is peace, although old Tsunade is sending me on diplomatic missions so often that I can't train properly. Ah! That reminds me ... Can I ask you a question? Why don't they have ninjas or at least soldiers? "
"Why should we have them?" Rarity asked.
"Uh ... because you could be under attack?" - Naruto replied again- "And don't you live near a forest where there are wolves and giant snakes with many heads?"
"We have no enemies requiring soldiers in this town, Naruto," -Twilight explained, understanding heis point- "The races in Equestria live in peace and we can deal with whatever comes from the forest.
"Uh ... because you could be under attack?" - Naruto replied again- "And don't you live near a forest where there are wolves and giant snakes with many heads?"
"We have no enemies requiring soldiers in this town, Naruto," Twilight explained, understanding his point. "The races in Equestria live in peace and we can deal with whatever comes from the forest.
"And don't they have a Ninja Village or a city that protects them in case someone from outside attacks them?
"More than once Equestria was in danger and many times Princess Luna and Princess Celestia saved the day. But beyond the Changelings we banished a while ago, lately there is nothing strong enough to be a threat to the country.
- I see...
"Is that the way it is in your world, darling?" Rarity asked her while she took some punch. "Do they fight other kingdoms and go to wars?
"Eh ... it is not something that happens very often. Although it is true that the ninjas trained in a village that is supposed to be the main military power in the country" - He replied vaguely remembering his lessons at the academy- "Every village has a leader we call "kage" who is the one who protects her and is generally the best ninja in the whole village! "- Explaining that, he stood up with his fists firmly." That's why when he returns to my village, I I will become Hokage! That is my dream!"
The ponies were stunned by this statement. Naruto's world seemed very different from his, it was a world of fight and violence although it seemed to be something very precious for the boy. There was a certain confidence in Naruto that lifted their spirits, Twilight thought it would be their imagination, but really that human had something strange that he had not felt when he went to the other world through the Mirror.
"Well ..." - Rainbow said trying not to be left behind- "We are not ninjas. But we have the Elements of Harmony."
"The what?"
They then explained to Naruto what the Elements of Harmony were and how each element helped them defend Equestria through the "Magic of Friendship". Each one explained to him what was his Element and they told him about how they defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord at the time.
Once the explanation was finished, Pinkie proposed the game "pin the pony's tail", which made them resume the party and they continued until late at night when each pony went home and Naruto slept on the floor of the library, although grateful to have at least a roof and a fire provided by a baby dragon. Deep inside, Naruto missed his world and the Village, wondering what was going on now that he was gone.
In Konoha, it had only been a couple of hours since Naruto had left and Kakashi Hatake along with Sakura Haruno and Sikamaru Nara were in the Hokage tower with this news and with a surprised look.
"Naruto ... disappeared? ' Sakura exclaimed in disbelief.
"That's right" -Tsunade replied- "We don't know who did it or why, but it seems that Naruto was kidnapped with a space-time technique. With Sasuke out of the Village and the relations between the countries finally coming to fruition we can't let this be known "
"What a bummer" -Shikamaru complained scratching the back of his neck- "That Naruto always getting into trouble from which we have to get him out"
"None. At first I thought that maybe the toads of Mount Myoboku had summoned him, but I immediately sent a message and they have no idea of his whereabouts"
"And what can we do?" - Sakura said impatiently- "If Naruto disappeared, the Village will find out sooner or later"
"And in the worst case," Shikamaru continued, showing his concern, "Some idiot could accuse some other village of causing this and they would respond angrily. That would lead to an answer and another war could break out for no reason."
"I know" -Tsunade agreed- "That's why I need you to investigate this, Shikamaru" - Handing him the book- "Have all the cartography experts review this book and consult with ancient maps if there is any place called Equestria"
"Agree"
"And what do you want me to do, Tsunade-sama?" - Kakashi asked- "I'm not sure what I could do if there are no clues to Naruto's whereabouts"
"I will need you to assemble a team. Kakashi. A team that includes large Chakra accumulators that I will include myself in"
"Chakra Accumulators? Wait ... you won't think of ..."
"There is no other alternative. I'm sure Naruto was sucked into a space-time technique and the only way to find it, if we don't find another way, is to use that technique ourselves. I need you to gather enough ninjas with resources to generate enough Chakra, and send us all with the Kamui "
"It is something risky" -Kakashi answered touching the Sharingan of his left eye while he thought about the possibilities- "Sending many people with that technique could mean a journey of no return. And we would not know if we will reach the dimension where Naruto went or if will be there once we get there "
"If we get to the dimension where it is, Naruto could use the Kiuby's energy to give you enough power to return. It's decided. You have a day to prepare everything, get going!"
Princess Luna raised the moon a while ago although she was still thinking about what Celestia had said to her when she arrived in the afternoon of her trip to Ponyville.
Flash Back:
"Sister! What did you find out?" -Exclaimed the Night Princess when she saw her relative enter the balcony from where she usually raised the Moon.
"It is fascinating, Luna. The creature we are looking for is not physically manifested, but I think it has something to do with a certain visitor in Ponyville."
"Visitor?"
"A young human named Naruto Uzumaki. It seems that by mistake he came into this world by accident and is now in the company of my student"
"Twilight Sparkle? But tell me ... that being we feel, is it really dangerous?"
"Dangerous, surely. But we do not know if it is a threat to Equestria, for the moment I know that that being appeared at the same time that the human appeared in this world. If the creature is the human or the human is the beast, I do not I know. But for now I think we're safe, the boy is something ... particular "
"Did it make such a bad impression on you?"
"It's not that, it's just that he's not someone ... ordinary. He is extravagant, and he really doesn't seem used to dealing with royalty or someone with higher authority"
"Really ...? - Luna said with enough interest.
"Now ... I must lower the sun, continue your daily routine, Luna. Tomorrow I will contact Discord and we will begin to investigate to see if we can return him to this world. But keep an eye on Ponyville, okay?"
End of Flash Back
"Of course I will," Luna said to herself with a look hungry for adventure and launched herself into the darkness of the Night as she projected her power observing Ponyville's dreams.
Naruto slept, and Kurama felt the night awaken his strength like all Bijuu. Carefully he extended his influence outside and felt the same force he had felt the night before soaring through the skies.
"It seems that is the so-called Princess Luna" - he said to himself as he sat down- "And he must be looking for my presence again. Very well, let's see if I can please her."
He clapped his ... claws together, and formulated a seal as he ejected Chakra outside. Since Naruto suppressed his cage to give him freedom, it was easier for him to manifest himself, and with the brat's mind in a subconscious state, his actions would be without interruptions.
What he was trying to do was not easy, since he did not have much practice and acted from inside a Jinchuriki, but it should be possible. He also did not like the idea since such a technique had taken his free will and made him attack Konoha against his will, but there was nothing to lose trying.
If his theory was correct, the Night Princess dominated the night and reacted to his emotions, even if they were manifested with the simple meeting of the Chakra, so a Genjutsu, an illusory technique, should work to attract the princess.
If she fell for his technique, he could come face to face with her without having to manifest outside the boy, which he couldn't do without awaking him. It was like creating an artificial dream, although the one who controlled it was Kurama himself
---------------------
Princess Luna was already flying near Ponyville while looking for signs of any suspicious activity, she suddenly felt a strange force. It seemed to be a dream like any other, but there was something ... strange about this particular one. She set her sights on the Twilight Sparkle treehouse and tried to enter that dream.
Without knowing how, she entered a kind of dark chamber where the moon shone above her head, but there were no walls or trees in an infinite nothingness barely illuminated by the light of the satellite
"Hello?" she called, and her voice echoed - "Is anyone here?"
"A thousand pardons, princess" -Kurama's voice echoed around her, "I'm not used to letting others in here."
"Who are you?" -She asked defiantly while looking everywhere looking for something
"They call me Kyubi," Nine Tails, although it is not my real name. I am a Bijuu, a Tail Beast"
"Show yourself!"
"As you like..."
Her surroundings suddenly altered and she was now in a stone room lit by torches but still with the moon and now a starry sky as a ceiling.
In front of her Kurama materialized, but he did it in a size just a little bigger than Luna, so as not to scare her. The alicorn stepped back slightly upon seeing the demonic figure of the fox. He simply smiled at her reaction.
"I usually give that impression. At least you don't see me at my full size, I'm actually much bigger."
Luna, as a reflection, began to speak with the traditional royal canterlot voice
"SO IT IS YOU, THE CREATURE THAT MY SISTER AND I HAVE BEEN FEELING, THE ONE THAT HAS A GREAT HATE INSIDE! WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE IN EQUESTRIA?"
"Don't provoke me, Princess Luna! - He answered with a voice that seemed to be a roar- "I, THE MOST POWERFUL OF THE BIJUU, WILL NOT BE DISRESPECTED, EVEN BY ONE OF THE RULERS OF THE SKY!"
At such a display of pride and power, Luna lowered her voice and looked at her opponent. He kept his gaze locked on her eyes, never giving up, never showing weakness. Finally the princess decided to lower her gaze, if she was really going to deal with that creature, better not to start on bad terms.
He decided to change the topic of conversation to try to reduce the damage. Showing interest about your surroundings. It really seemed like a dream, but somehow she couldn't control it.
"How can you do this? Only I have the power to control dreams"
"This is not a dream" -Kurama said with a smile as he sat down and also lowered his voice- "It is a Genjutsu, an illusion, I created it specifically to attract you and to meet us face to face"
"Did you ... want to meet me?
"Of course. The Bijuu recover and show more power during the night, the fact that here someone specifically can create the night caught my attention"
"Where exactly do you come from? What do you want? Where are you exactly?"
"I come from the same world as Naruto. What do I want? I didn't think much about it. Seeing this world with my own eyes maybe would be something better than seeing them through a Jinchuriki. As for where I am, you could say that I am inside Naruto, I was sealed inside the boy when he was a baby. I have lived with him ever since. "
"You don't seem to have bad intentions" - Luna said suspiciously- "Although it is not the first time that someone fools us"
"I do not wish this world any harm, and I could not anyway. Naruto controls the seal that holds me inside, unless he lets me out, I cannot physically manifest beyond expelling Chakra"
"Are you a prisoner then? And what is this Chakra you are talking about? Is it something like magic?
"It may be similar, but it is not the same" -He said, ignoring the first question- "The Chakra is the vital energy of our bodies, the Bijuus like me are huge masses of living Chakra. Perhaps what you call magic is not is exactly the same as the chakra, but there are certainly huge masses of natural chakra in this world "
"You really surprise me" -answered Luna as she sat on the floor- "You are wise, and powerful. You almost remind me of Star swirld."
"Starswirld?"
The bijuu and Luna started chatting for the rest of the night, they really came to understand each other. Kurama at one point feel comfortable enough to open himself and mentioned how he had his bad side and that hatred along with resentment ruled him for many years. Luna confessed at the same time that she also had her dark period, and decided to tell her about her time as Nightmare Moon and her exile for a thousand years on the moon.
They were amazed at how much alike they were: They both had a moment of darkness in their hearts, they had both been exiled and imprisoned differently, one still was, and they were both saved by someone special who would later become their friend.
Without realizing it, they began to forge a friendly relationship in the short time they spent together. When it was finally time to drop the moon, Kurama felt it and told the Princess.
"I have to go, Kyubi" - Luna asked
"Call me ... Kurama" - he replied while formulating the seals to release the technique- "Will we see each other again?"
"Of course, just ... let's not resort to getting caught up in illusions next time" -she replied with a smile as the illusion disappeared and Luna appeared in the sky, floating on a cloud.
"Until then ..." -said Kurama inside Naruto as he leaned back- "Mmhh ... it's ... attractive, for a pony. But... it's a bit of a screamer"
It really was amazing, that world really was special. It seemed surprising to him because no one, except perhaps Naruto, had been able to understand him as that alicorn had done in such a short time.
While flying, Moon thought the new friend she had done, and to some extent felt a strange happiness. It really was good to see someone who understood her and enjoyed her night.
As Luna returned to Canterlot, Sombra wandered around Ponyville observing in the gloom and trying to unravel that mystery. Luna was distracted by something, and at the same time he had felt a force that he did not know where it came from or how strong it was.
There was something else in that town that even the King himself knew he should watch out for.
When he returned to his post in the Everfree Forest, he smiled with satisfaction to discover that the Changelings had captured their targets and were ready for the next step.
They should wait with some time to be able to perfectly copy their ways, but the Forest would provide the necessary refuge to do so. As the two hostages squirmed and moaned trying to wriggle out, Shadow put them to sleep with their dark powers in a nightmare as he watched them in the moonlight.
One was a small gray pegasus, blonde hair, slimy eyes, and a bubble cutie mark. The other was a mint-colored unicorn, cyan hair with a bit of white, yellow eyes like her companion, and her Cutie Mark was a lyre.
"Two ponies, just as you asked for" -Chrysalis explained with satisfaction- "They don't attract much attention, and according to my drones, they go unnoticed among the rest of the town."
"Excellent" -Sombra replied- "Just a little more time and we can continue with the plan. We will need some time for your Changelings to copy them perfectly, and I need to confirm something before continuing"
"Something happened?"
"It's just a hunch, but I think these ponies aren't alone in this town. There's something else out there ..."
Luna returned to Canterlot with a smile on her face as she thought about what her next move should be. Should she visit him the next night? Or maybe it should be sooner? The meeting between her and Kurama had been in a kind of illusion. What would be wrong with visiting that Naruto Uzumaki to meet him personally?
After a couple of hours of flight, she reached her balcony, where she faced the moon and began to use her magic to lower it. Celestia suddenly appeared beside her with a serious look, which made her jump.
"Sister!" -She said cheerfully- "I didn't expect you to wake up so early. There is still some time left until you have to raise the sun"
"I know, Luna. That's not why I'm here."
"Huh?"
"I noticed your presence something... absent, tonight. Did something happen?"
"Well ..." She replied slowly trying to explain herself as clearly as possible, "It turns out that tonight I met someone"
"Really?" Celestia insisted with a tone that reminded Luna of a mother when she had caught her daughter making some mischief, "And by any chance does that someone live in Ponyville where that being I spoke of is supposed to be?"
"So what if he was?"
"Luna" Celestia answered speaking frankly, "I don't think Naruto Uzumaki is a bad person, but the beast inside him..."
"Don't call him that! He is called Kurama, and he is quite nice"
"Did you meet him?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well... yes, in a way. You see, he used a spell form or technique that led me to an illusion that served as a dream so I could see him..."
"That thing caught you in a mental illusion!?"
"Apparently he couldn't sleep. But once we met, we talked about many things, we have much in common"
"Luna, that being could have hurt you!"
"But I know he wouldn't because he's my friend! You shouldn't judge someone before you meet him! You don't know how much he suffered and he really understands me better than you ever could!" She answered raising her voice
Celestia was silent at that statement. She had never seen Luna so determined, and she was serious about that last comment.
"O... okay" She finally said as she headed outside. Luna suddenly looked down, she had gone too far, "I can only tell you to be careful Luna. Maybe I don't know this... Kurama, but his fury and anger, I felt them as clear as the fire of the sun in me face. I don't want you to get hurt "
"Thanks, Tia. But you have to trust me this time, he's my friend, and if you gave me a chance after my anger turned me into Nightmare Moon, why couldn't you give him a chance?"
Celestia did not answer. She flew out of the room and onto her balcony as she sat waiting for dawn to come. Luna had shown wisdom and maturity that she really didn't expect, she had grown so much without her realizing it. Was what her sister had said true? She really didn't know her sister that much?
She kept thinking about it for the next hour, and without realizing it, a lonely tear ran down her cheek.
It was dawn, and Naruto instinctively woke up. He had had a disturbing night's sleep. As he was asleep, he was not directly affected by the Genjutsu that the fox had thrown and he had no idea about it, but he still had strange images at times that included his friend and a strange dark blue mare. He closed his eyes to look inside.
Kurama was asleep, but still he thought it would be best to ask him, he jumped up to his head and tugged a little on one of his ears.
"Hey, furry ball! Wake up!" He barely opened an eye
"Brat ... what do you want?" He asked sleepily
"Last night I had a strange kind of dream"
"Do I look like your mom to tuck you up when you have nightmares?
"It wasn't a nightmare, flea bag!" He answered, annoyed, "I want to know if you felt something last night, because my dreams were about you and a kind of blue horse with horns and wings"
"They are called alicornios" Kurama clarified opening his eyes a little more, "And they only have one horn"
"Aha! So did something happen last night with that Mare that I didn't find out?"
"Yes..." he replied without giving it much importance, "Princess Luna of this kingdom wanted to know me when she noticed that I recover and strengthen at night. I caught her in a Genjutsu so that we can meet face to face and we were talking last night"
Naruto stood for a moment trying to assimilate what he had just heard. Kurama expected the next reaction.
"HOW DID YOU HAVE PRINCESS LUNA IN A GENJUTSU WITHOUT ME KNOWING?! AND YOU WERE TALKING TO HER WHILE I SLEEPED?! What did you say to her? Did she got mad?"
"Calm down, you idiot. Nothing happened, in fact, we became friends"
This comment almost made Naruto laugh.
"You? Make friends with someone just like that? What happened to the suspicious and grumpy Kurama who lives inside me?"
"Don't push me, I CAN BE NICE IF I WANT, EVEN IF I DON'T USUALLY CARE! And don't laugh, she understands me well. Furthermore, I think she would understand you well. She had certain problems, and her way of addressing others it's not that common, in fact it's very ... nice"
"Kurama ... what are you talking about?" He barely thought for a moment about the possibility, "Hey ... won't you be attracted to ...?"
"It's not like that, you brat! It's just..."
"Look, forget it. It is not my business and in any case I doubt that anything will happen because you are inside me, and I would also like to meet that Moon sometime"
And with that the conversation ended. In part, Kurama was thankful that the brat didn't interfere in his affairs anymore, and Naruto decided that it would be better if his partner had someone to socialize with so that he stopped being so grumpy from time to time.
He got up from the floor and went to the only cupboard in the house to see if he could eat something, obviously he found hay, flowers and oddly enough bread for breakfast. Not used to eating horse food, he settled for devouring four apples and a bit of oatmeal as he sat next to the books. It didn't really taste that bad to him, but it felt unpleasant to run it down his throat.
Once he finished eating, he decided to get up and head out to Sweet Apple Acres, where his first day of work should begin. Although rather Naruto took it as a training. He was already taking up the handle when a voice called out to him.
"Where do you think you are going?"
Naruto looked up and saw Twilight going down the stairs to the first floor of the tree, with a serious look.
"To work with Leather Hat, remember?"
"Yes. But you weren't leaving without me, were you?"
"Why do you want to come with me?"
"Because the Princess left me in charge of you. And because you will surely need my help, working at Sweet Apple Acres is not an easy job, you will surely be exhausted"
"Hey! You don't know me at all"
"Anyway, I will not separate from you"
"As you wish" - Naruto grumbled feeling that he had a babysitter- "Now I know how Konohamaru felt with the Super Pervert Ebisu"
They left the treehouse and began to walk the streets. As it was morning there were only a few mares that were outside and stared at the boy with a certain fear, but he did not pay attention to them. In fact, ever since he had become the Hero of Konoha, he longed for the days when people didn't want to ask for his autograph every fifteen seconds. That they were afraid of him rather brought nostalgia for simpler days.
"So ... Exactly what are you doing in this town? Yesterday I heard you dedicate yourself to studying and reading books"
"Oh! I am the main student of Princess Celestia" - Twilight answered with pride- "Before I used to live in Canterlot"
"Canterlot?"
"Ah, right, you don't know ... Canterlot is the capital of Equestria, it is a city located on the side of a mountain many kilometers east of here. The only quick ways to get there are by train or by flight. I used to study in the Canterlot library but then Princess Celestia relocated me here "
"And you study to be... what?"
"Well ..." Twilight hesitated since she sometimes asked herself the same question, "To ... To learn how to use magic correctly. The Princess said that I have a great gift with magic and that I should harvest it through the intensive study. Doesn't your people in your world study to be ninjas?"
"We have to enter an academy where they teach us some basic rules and some history. But the true power of a ninja comes from intensive training. Although I don't know if you understand that"
"That I don't ...? I must practice a spell a lot so that it can work out! In fact, it was because of a mistake in the practice of a spell that you came here.
"Oh... right" Naruto replied with a certain bitterness.
"Okay. Actually, I think something good will come of all this."
"Really?"
"Yes. At least while I'm in this world I will be able to train calmly. And at least here they don't treat me as a hero or as a monster they should discard"
"Why would they treat you like a monster?"
"I... I don't want to talk about it"
"Okay"
They arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack was waiting for them with a pair of wheelbarrows and a cheery look.
"Welcome partner! Now is the time to work hard. My brother Big Macintosh is hurt and Applebloom has to go to school, so only you and I are left and... Twilight, I did not expect you"
"I came to help where I could. But... What about Granny Smith?" asked the alicorn
"Um ... she's still in bed. She doesn't want to accept it but she's getting old" She added winking at them, "So we should start working right now"
"That's what I'm here for!" Naruto said enthusiastically, "What should I start with?"
"I have work for you to spend here all morning. Nightmare night will be celebrated tomorrow, so we need to have as many apples harvested as possible"
"Night... mare night?"
"It is a celebration that is done every year" Twilight explained to him, "It is something like a great party where everyone dresses in a chilling way and have a good time eating sweets and playing games"
"Sounds cool"
"Not so cool if we don't have enough food for the night," Applejack observed. "Now. Generally, I wouldn't ask you to do such a hard job, but since we're in a hurry, I will need all the help you can give me."
"What do I start with then?" Naruto repeated impatiently.
"I need you to help me with the harvest. Then I will need you to make the furrows with the plow, which Big Macintosh cannot do. That should be enough for today"
"Harvest apples?" Naruto asked without understanding.
"Yep" he answered showing him the big apple grove of Sweet Apple Acres, "All of them apples. It will take you some time, there are about five hundred apple trees in the whole area"
"Only that?" Naruto wailed.
"That's the spirit!" The pony encouraged him without understanding that it really was disappointment, " Now, take care of those apple trees for at least three hours and then meet me in the barn. You will have to keep all the apples you can in my new warehouse down there " she said pointing to a pair of doors located on the ground near the barn, " Let me show you how it's done, see if you can copy what I do "
With that said, the ground pony galloped up to one of the apple trees, placed a couple of buckets around the trunk, and hit it hard with its rear hooves making all of the apples on the tree fall into the buckets perfectly.
"Impressive ..." Naruto said when he saw the strength of the pony and the resistance of the tree, "Well, I'll get to it right away!"
"Good luck! I hope you can do it even though you don't have hooves"
Applejack entered the barn and closed the doors. As Twilight began to locate the buckets around the logs just as Applejack had done and was surprised that Naruto had only gone to the warehouse and had taken out the carts one by one to transport the apples. Didn't they need just two?
"Naruto. Aren't you going to start?" The alicorn asked without understanding.
"In a moment, but I think we will need all the carts to transport so many apples"
"Oh Naruto. I'm not an expert, but I was human for a time on one occasion. And I know that humans don't have as much physical endurance as ponies, I very much doubt that you can fill as many wagons, especially considering you can't do it pony-style like Applejack"
"But I can do it ninja-style!" - He shouted as he clasped his hands forming one more seal- "Tajuu Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!"
Instantly, a hundred or so clones of the boy appeared with a cloud of smoke, making Twilight freeze with her eyes wide open.
"Eh ...? Is that?! ... How do you ...?" She hesitated looking around seeing so many clones of Naruto and increasing the speed in which she spoke while her nervousness increased, "Do you know how to use magic? You ... used ... a d..d..duplication spell ... which is one of the most advanced there is and to top it off you created like a hundred clones! Holy Celestia, it's not possible! "
And at that moment she passed out briefly, which caused one of the clones to come to her aid.
"This is not a spell" All the clones answered together when Twilight woke up, "It is a Jutsu. My Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu. And now... Let's begin!"
The copies of Naruto stormed the trees as if they were a legion of enemy bandits. While two or three were in charge of hitting a tree with force, the rest caught the apples in the air, propelling themselves from one trunk to the other, supporting themselves with Chakra. When one of them got all the apples he could hold, he would leave them in a cart and continue the work.
Once a cart was full, one of the copies was in charge of taking it to the warehouse and emptying the contents into boxes. With this system, a hundred trees only took a few minutes. In an hour, half was finished. Within an hour and a half, most of the trees were empty and the warehouse full.
Twilight's mouth was sore from having her open, and the constant movement of so many clones made her dizzy. Once Naruto finished filling the warehouse, all of his clones disappeared in a large cloud of smoke and the original was left smiling at the stunned gaze of the Alicorn.
Naruto only kept the smile for a moment when suddenly he fell to the ground and had to support himself with his knee to not end up fainting, he immediately deduced that it was due to using so many clones and that all of them made a certain physical effort that now returned everything together. Still, he didn't feel tired at all like when training with Kakashi to perfect the Rasen Shuriken. If he had used any chakra management, he would surely have lost consciousness. It was strange, he could generally do that, and much more. Why did he feel so tired, doing so little?
Ignoring what was happening to him, instead of helping, Twilight took out a notebook that she always carried in her backpack and began to write down everything she had seen and the final result.
"It's incredible" She thought as she wrote line after line, "Celestia was right, this boy is not an ordinary human. Now I explain how he could defeat those Timberwolfes. Somehow he can use magic or some form of energy that allows him perform a duplication technique. And although he is among the most advanced, almost unlikely spells at a unicorn level, he was able to make nearly a hundred copies with little effort and still stands. What is this guy, or is it even human? "
Once he finished writing she was about to ask the young ninja something when the barn door opened and Applejack appeared with three bottles of apple juice on a cart.
"Very good, my new employee! How did it go with those ...?" She was speechless when she saw that the vast majority of the apple trees she had in sight were empty. Then she glanced at Naruto, at the warehouse, and then at Twilight, "What ...? What... in Tarnation...? How did ... How could they end so quickly !? Twilight Did you lighten his work using your magic? "
"I did nothing!" Twilight apologized somewhat offended, "He did it all by himself, not even I know how it happened or how he did it"
"He?" The earth pony repeated without understanding and observing Naruto who was panting a little, "How is it possible that he could only do in less than two hours what I had planned to take him almost two days?"
"I don't know how to explain it, it was just something like... poof! And suddenly like a hundred Narutos were taking the apples to the warehouse" She addressed Naruto with a look that denoted amazement, exasperation, and maybe a bit of jealousy, "How could you not explain to me that you knew how to use magic !?"
"Actually..." - Naruto explained that he approached both of them when he saw that he had exaggerated his work, "What I did was not magic, it was a Ninjutsu, a ninja technique. My shadow clone Jutsu allowed me to create enough extra hands to get the job done quickly. I have to admit I like to feel tired for a change I haven't had a good physical effort in a long time What else is there to do?"
"Eehm ... You also have to plow the field" Applejack answered confused, "Although I think you should rest. It seems that you are going to pass out at any time"
"Nonsense! I won't rest until I run out of chakra. And I still have a lot."
"Well, well ..." Said the pony as she approached the flat field that had to be worked, "I suppose you have never done a field plow, have you?" Naruto's gaze told him everything, "So ... basically it is to use that machine to make grooves in the ground to make this small part of the field, be like this part of the field" She explained pointing to a completely prepared field to the plantation, "There is only one plow, so I don't think you can ..."
"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu! Naruto repeated making two dozen clones appear beside him. This time Applejack fell down sitting at the sight of that, and Twilight began to write once more, this time keeping an eye on what the boy was doing, "If you only have to make furrows in the ground, I think I can handle it without the plow"
This time the clones stood side by side in a long line with a determined gaze. Once everyone was in position, in pairs of two they began to prepare their Jutsu. One of the clones in each group released a large amount of chakra in one hand while the other used both hands to compress and spin it. Soon everyone had a Rasengan in hand, although this time they weren't planning to use it for an attack.
"Ninpo Rasen Tarengan!" All the clones screamed as they nailed the technique and pushed it forward creating perfectly aligned and deep grooves in the soil making it perfect for planting.
They finished in just a few minutes and Applejack was speechless this time, it was not only that Naruto could use a form of magic that she did not know, but that she had done in just over ten minutes what it would take Big Macintosh hours of effort.
"I should have hired him a few years ago. Awesome" she said to herself as she went to the original with the bottle of juice.
"Thank you" replied the boy as his clones disappeared, "Chakra management is always good to practice, I don't feel so alive and free since ... since ..."
And this time he fell on his back and was completely unconscious.
"Hey Naruto! Hey!" Applejack exclaimed while trying to revive him by giving him a drink from the bottle, "What's wrong? Twilight, I think we should ...!"
"The subject after using a small number of clones with respect to the previous time and having created a rotary energy technique every two copies, presented signs of fatigue that led to an unconscious state ..."
"TWILIGHT!"
"Ah, right!" She said while she put away the notebook and hurried to levitate the boy with his magic, "We should take him with Fluttershy. I think he did enough for today"
"Enough?" She repeated, "He did all my work and that of Big Mac in less than a morning! This boy is incredible. I think he deserves double pay"
"I suppose that is going to please him quite a bit when he wakes up. We should revive him ..." She replied cheerfully as she levitated Naruto over her back as they trotted briskly to Fluttershy's house, "I have so much to ask him about how it works to tell Princess Celestia about it in my next report!"
"Yes, he's going to be happy about that too ... I guess" She whispered sarcastically.
In the Everfree Forest, Sombra was curiously watching the houses of Ponyville while staying hidden in his shadow shelter. He could tell that a strange force was in the town, but he couldn't get close because he would have no shadows to hide in. I would have to wait for the night.
He was not afraid of whatever lived in that town, although it was also true that there were other forces in that world that could defeat him, The Elements of Harmony or the Crystal Heart, for example.
In part he should have thanked that new princess and her pet dragon. If his horn had not been left intact and hidden in the depths of the Northern Glaciers, his powers would never have been strengthened and perfected as before. And now that he knew the exact strength of his opponents and their weaknesses, he only had to use his new strength to destroy them. Soon...
"King Sombra, King Sombra!" One of the Changeling lieutenants yelled as he quickly approached.
"Hmm?"
"We have a problem in the forest! We need your intervention!"
"What kind of problem?" He growled as he joined the shadows of the trees.
In a clearing in whose center no trees grew, three Changelings stalked a black and white striped equine who was holding in her hoof a flask with a red liquid, had a belt with several equal flasks and a large bag on her flank. . Her gaze was serious and at the same time serene.
Get away, don't go back to the forest, you nefarious creatures! There is no place here for you or your leader.
The insect-like monsters just laughed and all three pounced at once on the zebra. She waited until the last second to jump at high speed and launch her flask at all three at once. The contents of the flask exploded, leaving the three Changelings charred. Too stupid to understand that her opponent was out of their league.
When she landed on her feet and looking satisfied, Zecora looked at her work when another Changeling surprised her from behind and tried to bite her. Zecora reacted quickly and threw herself on her back to the ground to immobilize her attacker, once the Changeling could not hold herself, she got up quickly and with a quick movement took out a knife she had in her bag and cut her in the neck that left him inert.
The creature had no blood, but rather a slimy substance, like a giant insect. Disgusted at having to act like this, Zecora checked her surroundings. She could feel something else watching her, and she imagined who it might be...
"Impressive... " said the king's voice as he appeared in front of her from the shadows of the trees. In that place, the sunlight hardly passed between the branches.
"Sombra..." Zecora replied, not getting scared but getting more serious "I should have imagined that this change in the forest would be due to your darkness. What brings you back to Equestria, apart from your madness?"
"A zebra..." The King answered without paying attention to his questions and walking in circles around Zecora, she stalked him with the same movement, "I thought there were very few left after my visit to The Wilds in the north all those years ago. Do you even have any relatives left, herbalist? "
"You know the answer to that better than I do!" She exclaimed with hatred, "I don't care what you came to, I swear this is the end for you"
"Oh? So much hatred!" He addressed the trees around him, "Don't come close, Changelings! I'll handle this matter personally. I doubt it's very exciting though. Since zebras don't possess any kind of magical talent ...
"You are a fool if you come to believe ..." Zecora interrupted as she took out a couple of flasks from her belt, "That because I don't have a horn or wings, I can't possess magic"
Zecora then hurled two flasks at Shadow at high speed, one behind the other. Shadow did nothing to dodge them, he just stood there with a smile as the darkness covered him like a cloak that formed a shield.
The first bomb hit and did nothing to the shield, the second had the same lack of effect: They only caused an explosion and a lot of smoke.
"Smart ..." Sombra said with arrogance as he lowered the shield "You launch a first attack to weaken my defense and immediately throw the second to finish me off. But as long as I have my dark powers, you can't..."
Sombra suddenly fell silent because Zecora was already in front of him, with a knife in his mouth and throwing a cut that seemed to hit Sombra's neck. But this one was already fused with the shadows so the weapon only pierced through its body without causing any damage. As soon as she observed that her attack had no effect, Zecora leaped back, recoiling as fast as she attacked. To try one more time, she threw a third and second to last bomb at Sombra's ethereal body that managed to completely vanish it but it soon took shape and reappeared as if nothing had happened.
"You use attacks and counterattacks as a distraction, apart from using all your resources in my different ways to analyze their effects. Very smart..." She flattered her "But while I have my darkness. You won't be able to touch me, but I can"
Quick as it takes for a light to go out, Shadow used its molten form to get closer to Zecora. She jumped back realizing the danger but was not fast enough and ended up on the ground with a bleeding cut on her left hind leg.
Without wasting time, she looked in her bag for a green ointment that passed it through the wound, preventing it from bleeding. It was at that moment that Sombra charged her again, throwing her to the ground and making her scrape against the stones and leaves.
Zecora this time looked at her opponent and realized that under those conditions he would surely kill her. At least she had made sure he became overconfident enough for him to tell her how to defeat him, she opened her bag and searched for what she needed.
"Another cheap trick to try to impress me? Where's that energy you showed me?" Her lips streaked a cruel smile. "Did you really think these things could work?" I use dark magic, true magic. And you only use ointments and alchemy products. What magic is that you say can beat me?
"The magic of Friendship and love defeated you" Zecora answered panting, she found what she was looking for, "And maybe my strength does not compare. But the magic of the zebras you should not underestimate, because nature itself ... is the one we wield!"
Having said that, he took from his bag a stem on the tip of which lived a red and yellow flower. She quickly planted it on the ground with a thump and Zecora smiled as her "trick" began to take effect. The flower began to shine and a light emerged from its center that illuminated the clearing as brilliantly as the light of the sun itself.
Sombra was not only surprised that a single flower could generate so much energy, but he watched in horror as he could not maintain its ethereal shape and the shadows around him recede before the bright.
Zecora got up and took the last explosive vial that she held in her hoof.
"Wh ... What is this ...? What have you done to me?"
"This plant is called" Sunshine Bloom, "or as my people call it the Sun of the Ancients." She proudly explained, "A plant that only grows in the land of zebras, only before those who are patient. It stays closed, Most of its time, but with a procedure and enough care, it generates a light similar to the sun. Your power over shadows only works in total darkness, so the sun is your natural enemy. And now ... your time end is marked.
"You ... did you have everything planned beforehand?"
The zebra replied by dropping the bomb and Sombra was forced to jump sideways to avoid the explosion. Zecora pounced with the knife in her mouth on the king.
Sombra, seeing that he had no other choice, began to roll as Zecora tried to drive the knife into him. Three times Sombra rolled on the ground and three times his attacker missed the strike. Finally Zecora jumped again on the King immobilizing him on the ground and passed his knife to his hoof and from there placed it on the neck of his prey, ready to end his life.
A few seconds passed and Zecora remained still doing nothing, doubting. Shadow wasted no time and began to speak.
"What is the problem?" He asked in a mocking tone, "Perhaps it isn't so easy to kill?"
"You killed my family and hundreds of my species ..."
"And none of them would hesitate to kill me" He replied with a smile, "You have a good heart, but unfortunately ... I don't"
Zecora dropped the knife and cried out as she felt the pain in her abdomen. She watched in horror as Sombra used her own shadow, which she created by turning her back on the flower, to shape it into a blade and drive it into her stomach. The tip of the shadow passed completely through her and disappeared as she crossed the other side when she came into contact with the light from the petals.
Zecora fell sideways to the ground and fell into a fetal position, writhing in pain as Sombra rose, and used the zebra's knife to cut the stem of the plant, which was immediately extinguished.
"Damn warlock ..." She said with pain, "Did you plan this all along?"
"Indeed. I pretended to be in a desperate situation to bring you right where I wanted: With you between the flower and me, where your shadow could serve me. As I am a being who uses shadows, I do not have my own. Curiously, I could never mistrust my own shadow because I don't have one, but you ...
"Finish me then ..." she interrupted panting in pain, "Sorry, my family ... I failed ..."
With her horn glowing, Sombra casted a quick spell that caused Zecora to change her eye color to green and a trail of dark magic erupted from her eyes.
In the middle of a burning meadow, a small zebra watched his family and friends die by fire and dark magic. They screamed for help, but the shadows stabbed them mercilessly, and the little filly could do nothing to help them.
Suddenly two wounded zebras fell in front of her, whom she recognized as her parents. Behind them, a large dark unicorn approached with a macabre smile as the parents painfully stretched their hooves towards the little girl and asked her to run for her life.
"No ..." Zecora whispered upon seeing that horrible vision, "Please ... no ..."
"It won't end so easily. At least not for you today, Zebra ..."
"What exactly did you do to her?" Chrysalis asked as she watched the zebra writhe in both pain and illusion. He had appeared alongside Sombra after he had cast his spell.
"A simple mental spell. It causes the victim to experience their worst fear, or their most horrible memory, or a combination of both" He watched as the Zebra's bleeding wound weakened her little by little, "Tell your Changelings to pack it in a chrysalis like the others and take them to the castle tomorrow night. Maybe I can have fun with them later "
"Tomorrow will be the perfect moment. My spies warn me that there will be a kind of celebration. All Ponyville will be in the center of the city"
"Perfect. It will be the ideal moment" He glanced at Chrysalis, "Tell me ... How long have you not been to a party?"
"Do you have something planned?" She answered him with a smile.
"I think tomorrow we will need you to play a good role. To avoid complications"
"And you, what are you going to do?"
"No one should know that I am here or they might try to mount a stronger defense. If only you appear in an isolated attack, I doubt they take it so seriously."
"And what does that mean?" Chrysalis inquired in a threatening tone, "Aren't we threatening enough to try to use the Elements?"
"Don't worry ... if something comes up that you can't control, I will be forced to intervene" he said calmly walking out of the clearing.
Naruto slowly opened his eyes. He was found on a bed and a silhouette denoting the pink color of his hair.
" Sakura Chan?" He said getting up little by little and clarifying the view better, "Wait ... you are ..."
"You finally woke up"
Fluttershy looked at him with that kind gaze as she handed him a glass of water.
"Poor thing. You must have overstrained yourself, you passed out for several hours."
"Wait ... where am I?"
"You're at my house. Twilight and AJ brought you when you passed out. They seemed strangely happy though."
"So I passed out ... huh?" He commented sadly "It hasn't happened to me in a long time. It's the lack of training"
"Oh ... don't get me wrong. They said you did a very good job. I think the girls are going to get here soon."
Within minutes Applejack and Twilight arrived with a worried look.
"Are you okay Naruto?" Applejack asked
"Yes. Although I apologize. I did not complete my work."
"What are you talking about? You completed more than enough! I very much doubt that we would have had enough apples, and the field ready for the next planting, if we had done it. You are amazing!"
"And that's why I want to ask you, Naruto" Twilight said, "How exactly did you do it? I've studied magic for years and never saw anything like it. A massive duplication spell and a technique that allowed you to open a field like a piece of bread"
I already told you. It is not magic. It's ninjutsu "
"And how exactly does it work?"
"That..". He replied scratching the back of his neck, trying to remember his first lessons at the academy. Sakura knew much better to explain those things "Well ... First I feel the energy within me, that would be the chakra. Then I mold it through the different hand seals" he explained making some of those, "And in this way I perform the technique that needed"
"I ... see ..." Twilight answered unconvinced "And that ... ninjutsu, also gives you enough strength to hit the Applejack trees?"
"That would be Taijutsu, martial art techniques. That was just training. I didn't need to use Chakra for that."
"Well ... I don't really understand how you did it" - Applejack intervened- "But I'm glad I hired you. And for the magnificent work today ..."
Applejack took a leather bag tied around her neck and put it in Naruto's hand. The bag was heavy and clinking.
"One Hundred Bits. Double the pay for a very profitable day"
"Brilliant!" Naruto exclaimed upon seeing the vision of the glittering gold, "Thank you very much, Leather Hat"
"You're welcome. Now if you'll excuse me. I must go back to the farm. Take the rest of the day, Naruto! You did more than enough. I really don't know what you could do if you come tomorrow. But if you want you can stop by"
"I will do it!"
"Several hours less work, Applejack, you're a genius!" She said to herself as she left.
"And I will go home. I must write my report to the Princess. What are you going to do, Naruto?"
"Eehhmm ..."
"It doesn't matter. I'll see you tonight" And she slammed the door.
Naruto was stunned, as was Fluttershy. And they stayed like that for a while without daring to say anything to the other. One of them because she was too shy with new guests, and the other because he was uncomfortable having someone in front of him who passed out twice before he could introduce himself. Finally, someone had to break the ice.
"Uhm ... do you want to eat something?"
"I would love to" Naruto replied as he jumped out of bed and headed to the kitchen along with Fluttershy.
"I hope you don't mind, but I don't know what humans eat"
"Do you have any meat?"
"M ... Meet?" Fluttershy asked with some fear.
"Yes, some pork. Or maybe some fish?"
"Oh yeah!" She said calming down when she saw that Naruto could be like one of the animals that she took care of, that is, not willing to eat her, "I think I can prepare something ..."
Naruto and Fluttershy ate and were able to break the ice a bit. Fluttershy told him about how she cared for animals, and although Naruto was not interested in hearing birds sing, he was a very good listener. In return, Naruto told her about some animals of his world, which reached incredible sizes, toads, snakes, he even told her about the Bijuu although he did not mention that he had one inside him.
"Now that we can finally have a conversation" Naruto commented once he finished telling him about his old friends, "Could I ask you for a favor?"
"Umh ... sure"
"You see, Applejack gave me the day off, but I want to continue training. Is there a quiet place around here where I can just sit there without moving? If preferred, with some plants and animals"
"Are you going to train with animals and plants?" She asked unsurely.
"I'm not going to hurt them. I just need a place where nature is abundant"
"If that's the case, you can go a bit upstream. Leaving my house. I feed the free-living animals there."
"Thanks," he said getting up, "Are you going to that Nightmare party tomorrow, or something like that?"
"Oh no! I'm not a pony who likes to be scared. I just find it ... scary."
"I understand. Well ... Bye!"
Once he left the house, he followed the small stream that Fluttershy pointed out to a field full of flowers and butterflies. There were trees nearby, birds flying, and the sun from past noon illuminated him, giving him the illusion of being in front of a swirl of color.
"Wow! I don't remember that there is anything so beautiful in Konoha. Except, maybe ... women," he said, remembering his training times together with the Pervert Sage. Suddenly came out of his reverie
"What the hell is happening to me ?!"
"Naruto ..." Kurama replied, "I think this world is affecting you"
"Huh?"
"The lack of battles, of responsibilities, the idea of freedom, the feeling that you should not worry about something beyond those around you. This world is giving you a freedom that you did not know. If you are not careful, you could end losing yourself "
"Look who's talking" Naruto replied as he sat on the grass, "I'm not the only one who behaves strangely in this world. Or are you going to tell me that you are not trying to approach a certain Princess who comes to visit you at night?"
"That is my business. What I mean is that you must be careful not to forget who you are. This world is, in many ways, wonderful. But for someone who is used to the reality of a world like ours ... this world, it may be more terrible than you imagine"
"I will never forget who I am" Naruto concluded closing his eyes and beginning to feel the energy around him, "And neither should you. We will not stay here forever. Sooner or later, we will return to our world. And I will return to fulfill my dream . We can't be distracted by impossible things. After all. What good would a Ninja be in this world? "
"Hmp ... brat. At least you've matured more since we left the Village. But I don't think you're the one to talk about not doing impossible things..."
Naruto laughed as natural energy began to fill him and he felt his strength increase and his perception sharpen. That world was strange, energy surrounded him in great quantity. He began to feel that there was something, some small presences, were approaching fast, too fast ...
"Wooow!" He screamed when a kind of two-wheeled skate hit him followed by a small car that was tied behind.
Naruto got up with a headache and looked around. Indeed what hit him was a Scooter followed by a cart, in which were three small foals who looked at him curiously as they approached.
"Excuse me ..." asked one of them whose hair was red and her skin yellow, "Are you Naruto Uzumaki?"
"Who's asking?"
"My name is Applebloom" She introduced herself, "And they are Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo. We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders"
"The Cuties ... what?"
"We shorten it CMC to make it simpler" The little pegasus clarified.
"We are a club organized by the three of us looking to get their Cutie Marks" Applebloom continued showing him his unbranded flank, "And we were looking for you to ask if you would help us get our Cutie Marks to be Ninjas"
"What?" Naruto replied trying to understand, "Wait a second ... you ... do you want to be Ninjas?" "
"Yes!" Scootaloo replied cheerfully, "It would be great to be able to throw those ninja stars and learn to kick butts like you did with those Timberwolfes!"
"And how did you know that?"
"Everyone in town knows" Sweetie Bell said without giving it much thought, "Pinkie Pie even told us that you could handle a herd of Timberwolfes and Applejack confirmed it saying that you have the energy to fight a dragon"
"Well ... I ..."
"And so we would like you to teach us some of your techniques or to help us find our Cutie Marks"
"It's just that ... you are ponies, and I don't think a pony can ..."
"Won't you help us?" The three asked asking the same face that Applebloom put the first time she met Twilight.
Before a tremendous attack of cute looks, and considering that Naruto was somewhat sensitive to looks ...
"I just ... I ..." she gave up with a sigh, "Fine ..."
"All right!" They all shouted as they got on the Scooter and the cart respectively "Please follow us"
Naruto started running behind the CMC leaving behind his idea of training and the little natural energy he had gathered
"Well done. Mister <don't get distracted by Impossible Things>"
