Kindred Souls on a Cruel Horizon
The burning sun hung high above the endless stretch of sand, casting sharp shadows and waves of heat that shimmered like illusions. Naruto and Sparky had decided not to chase the strange desert ship, but to wait patiently for its approach. The two sat on a sand dune, squinting into the horizon as the great vessel rumbled closer—its hull gleaming, sails catching a wind that didn't quite exist.
Meanwhile, aboard the ship, the mood was tense but calm. The heat was harsh, but they had shade. These humans—children like Naruto once was, were different. Ordinary in many ways, yet tempered by extraordinary trials. Among them stood a girl wearing a blue cap, her eyes sharp and uncertain, mistrust etched deep from past betrayals.
"...What is that?"
She raised her Digivice, the familiar digital hum responding instantly. A stream of data raced across the screen.
"Narutomon – A humanoid Digimon with power that belies its delicate appearance. While typically friendly, this Digimon harbors hidden potential. Exercise caution. Avoid antagonizing."
The girl's brows knit. "A Digimon…? That looks too human." Her voice carried a mix of wariness and curiosity. There was something… off. Something powerful beneath that grin.
She turned and called to the others.
Tai, sitting alone at the edge of the deck, looked up. His usual brightness had dimmed since the SkullGreymon incident—a painful reminder of what could happen when fear clouded trust. But even now, he tried to wear a smile. For his friends.
"A new Digimon, huh?" he said, rising to his feet. "Let's see if they're friendly. No reason to let anyone suffer out there if we can help it."
The others nodded in agreement. The Digivice hadn't marked it as hostile, and it was only listed as a Rookie. Even if something went wrong, they could handle it.
The ship slowed, great metallic anchors plunging into the sand. A mechanical hiss released a gangplank to the ground below.
Naruto shaded his eyes with one hand and grinned wide. "Come on, Sparky. Looks like we're finally getting somewhere!"
With a casual hop, he landed on the ramp and made his way aboard, Sparky bouncing beside him.
"Yo!" Naruto beamed as he stepped onto the deck. "Uzumaki Naruto here! Thanks for stopping. That desert is brutal—I thought we'd turn into roast Digimon before long."
The humans blinked.
His confidence. His warmth. His... strangeness.
The girl in the blue cap—Sora—lowered her Digivice slowly. "You're… not from here, are you?"
Naruto laughed. "What gave it away? The good looks or the hair?"
That broke the tension, and a few of the others chuckled. Even Matt let out a small breath of amusement.
Tai stepped forward with a practiced, friendly smile. "We don't mind. This place isn't ours either. Just a bunch of travelers stuck in a weird world… and taking the free ride where we can."
Naruto gave him a fist bump like they were already comrades. "Then I guess we're all in the same boat."
But as introductions went on and laughter returned to the group, Tai excused himself quietly. He leaned against the rail at the bow, arms folded.
The wind brushed through his hair. His eyes, though kind, were distant.
I thought I understood Greymon… but I pushed him too hard.
I turned him into a monster.
Naruto, sensing something, glanced over. His smile faded just a bit. He recognized that look—the one people wore when they were carrying pain alone.
He didn't say anything. Not yet.
But somewhere inside, he knew.
I've been there too.
As the desert ship sailed gently over dunes of gold, the mood on deck began to lighten. Naruto, ever the ball of energy, had become the center of attention for a small group of the DigiDestined.
Sora, Izzy, TK, and Mimi had gathered around, each curious in their own way about this strange, cheerful Digimon who looked and acted exactly like a human boy.
"Hey hey, Naruto," Mimi leaned forward with her usual curiosity, "Do you actually feel like a human?"
Naruto blinked. "Why not? I am human."
His answer was so natural, so honest, that it left the group blinking in surprise. Even Izzy looked up from his laptop, pausing mid-keystroke.
There was a moment of silence. Then Sora, being the most composed, gently tried to clarify. "Naruto… you might think you're human, but… you're actually a Digimon. My Digivice scanned you when you boarded." She held it up, the screen still displaying:
Narutomon – Rookie Level. Type: Unknown. Classification: Humanoid. Warning: Potential Unstable Data Detected.
Naruto looked at the Digivice. Then back at the group. Then at his own hands.
"…Huh."
He rubbed the back of his head, clearly confused. "I mean… I still feel the same. I eat, sleep, heal fast, and punch things really well. That counts, right?"
The kids were quiet, their expressions softening.
Even TK, young as he was, could feel that Naruto was struggling to process it. It was strange—seeing someone learn they were a Digimon, not a human.
But then, Naruto's face lit up as if a brilliant idea struck him.
"…Narutomon digivolves to Hokagemon! HA!" he shouted, doing a little victory pose. "Now that sounds awesome!"
Mimi giggled. TK joined in. Sora covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Izzy just typed something like "Possible self-programmed evolution path?" and filed it away.
Sora gave Naruto a sideways look and smiled wryly. Well, it's better than having an existential crisis.
Naruto shrugged with a grin. "Anyway, thanks for telling me. But hey—Digimon or human, I'm still Naruto. And I've still got all my powers. So no biggie."
"Spoken like someone who's truly confident in themselves," Izzy remarked, half-impressed. "Did you have any trouble in the desert before we found you?"
"Nah, just some trees. And a couple of oversized lizards. Nothing really strong," Naruto said with a casual wave of his hand, like he'd swatted away a few flies in the breeze.
Izzy lowered his Digivice slightly, his guarded posture easing. "I see. That's—"
"Don't listen to him!" Sparky cut in, ears perked, tail sparking slightly. "The 'trees' he's talking about were Champion-level Digimon! One of them nearly flattened me!"
That made everyone freeze.
The casual interest on their faces twisted into stunned disbelief.
"W-Wait, Champion level?" TK asked.
"And he's a Rookie?" Mimi added, eyes wide.
Naruto laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ehhh… guys, c'mon. Don't look at me like that. Just because I'm awesome doesn't mean I like people staring at me."
Realizing they'd all been staring with open mouths, they quickly looked away.
"Sorry!" they chorused, sheepish and slightly embarrassed.
"No problem," Naruto said with a wide grin. "Just don't make it a habit. Uzumaki shine is powerful—you might get addicted."
He laughed while pulling off his jacket, stretching like a cat under the sun.
Sora raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing now?"
"Goin' for a swim," he answered cheerfully, already peeling off his outer clothes down to a pair of black boxers. "C'mon, Sparky! Let's cool off!"
Before anyone could stop him, he dove into the ship's small water pool with a satisfying splash.
"Ahhh~ much better!" Naruto resurfaced with a grin. "Water's perfect!"
Sparky leapt in after him with a high-pitched, "Wheeee!"
Sora, still watching, found herself quietly observing Naruto's form in the water—lean, athletic, but scarred in a way that didn't belong to a rookie Digimon or a typical teenager. He moved like someone who had fought—not just trained. Someone who had survived.
Curiosity tugged at her.
"So… what did you do before ending up here?" she asked carefully.
Naruto glanced over, wiping water from his eyes. "Hmm? Oh. I'm a shinobi. I take missions. You know—anything from gathering herbs to taking down bandits. Real mixed bag."
But the word shinobi echoed differently in Sora's mind.
Assassins.
Her expression darkened. Her understanding of Naruto suddenly shifted.
Poison. Silent killing. Mercenary work.
Her interest cooled into wariness. She stepped back from the edge of the pool and quietly moved away, her concern growing. She needed to talk to Tai and the others—just in case. Someone that strong… with that kind of background…
Naruto noticed her silence as she walked off but shrugged. "Maybe she doesn't like water," he muttered, then returned to splashing Sparky like nothing had happened.
After the swim, Naruto devoured a full tray of food like a starving ninja—which he kinda was—and let out a satisfied sigh. With the sun still high and nothing to do, he found a quiet spot on deck and laid down under some shade, arms behind his head.
"Nap time," he mumbled.
As his eyes drifted shut, unaware of the misgivings beginning to take root among the group, a small breeze rustled through the sails.
But even the wind carried tension now.
As the ship gently rocked on the vast desert sands, the hum of engines a distant background noise, Sora found herself walking with purpose toward Tai, who was leaning on the railing, looking out over the desert. Her footsteps were slow, deliberate—her mind conflicted, trying to process the emotions Naruto had stirred.
Tai didn't turn around when she approached, but he spoke first. "What's on your mind?"
Sora hesitated, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her. "I… I don't know, Tai. It's just… something about that guy feels off. Naruto, I mean."
Tai's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean?" His tone was light, but there was an edge to it that suggested he was already considering the implications.
She swallowed before continuing. "He said he was a 'shinobi,' and when I asked him what he did, he talked about taking missions… but he said it so casually. I just have a bad feeling about him."
Tai turned fully to face her now, his arms folding across his chest. "Sora, we've all met a lot of people on our journey—Digimon and humans alike. We can't judge them just because of their words, or their past. Everyone has their own story."
Sora nodded, but the unease lingered. "I know, but… I can't shake the feeling that he's hiding something. He's too carefree, too… I don't know, too confident for someone we just met in a world that doesn't play by the rules."
Tai sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I get it. I'm not ignoring that gut feeling of yours either. But we're not in a position to make enemies right now. We should be cautious, sure, but that doesn't mean we have to treat him like an enemy."
Sora's shoulders slumped slightly. "Yeah, but…"
"I'm going to talk to the others. We'll figure this out. Thanks for bringing it to my attention."
Sora gave him a brief smile before heading back toward the group, though doubt still clouded her mind. As she approached the others, they were scattered around the deck, and Izzy was typing something on his Digivice while Mimi chatted animatedly with Sparky, who was happily wagging his tail in the shade. TK was leaning back against the ship's railing, his eyes following the horizon.
Matt, ever the skeptic, was the first to speak up when Sora joined them.
"So, what's the verdict?" Matt asked, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow. He always had that look about him—one of suspicion, especially in unfamiliar situations.
Sora sighed, standing with the group. "I'm not sure about him. The more I think about it, the more I feel like something's off with Naruto."
Izzy looked up from his Digivice, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean? You think he's hiding something?"
Sora nodded. "I asked him what he did before ending up here. He said he was a shinobi and took 'missions'… but he didn't really explain what that meant. He just said it so casually, like it was no big deal."
Matt cut in before anyone else could respond. "Yeah, that's suspicious. Who just takes missions without saying exactly what kind? And he's acting all carefree when there's nothing carefree about this world."
Izzy adjusted his glasses, deep in thought. "He does seem too relaxed, but this world has taught me to trust caution more than anything. It's how we survived all this time."
TK, ever the optimist, shrugged, trying to bring a positive angle. "But he is a nice guy. He didn't attack us when he could have. And Sparky seems to like him."
Mimi nodded enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "He even played with Sparky! I think that proves he's got a good heart."
Matt glanced at Mimi and TK, his expression still cautious. "I'm not saying we need to distrust him, but we can't just blindly trust someone because they're nice to a Digimon. This world doesn't work that way. We need to be careful."
"Matt's right," Izzy agreed. "We can't afford to let our guard down, not after everything we've been through."
Tai had been silent during the conversation, letting his friends voice their opinions. Finally, he spoke, his voice steady but thoughtful.
"We'll keep an eye on him," Tai said, his gaze serious as he watched Naruto playfully interact with Sparky in the background. "We're all just trying to survive out here. But we shouldn't go confronting him. Not yet. If he's hiding something, it'll come out eventually. For now, let's just watch and wait. If he acts suspiciously, we'll deal with it then."
Sora nodded, but she didn't feel entirely at ease. There was something about Naruto that kept gnawing at her, but Tai's decision made sense. They couldn't afford to make enemies over assumptions.
"Agreed," Sora said softly. "We'll just be careful."
Izzy began typing away on his Digivice again, his mind already shifting to a new problem. "I'll keep running scans on him, just in case. We need all the information we can get."
The group fell into a tense but silent agreement, as the ship sailed onward through the vast, strange desert.
Naruto leaned against the railing of the ship, his eyes half-closed as he gazed out at the endless desert stretching beyond. The wind blew across his face, cool against the harsh heat, but the excitement of being around humans again still lingered within him.
But the warmth from the sun wasn't enough to chase away the gnawing feeling in his chest. He could feel it—the tension. It wasn't just the scorching heat of the desert or the strange world he found himself in. It was the quiet wariness from the others.
Sora's hesitation, the way Matt scrutinized him, the whispers when they thought he wasn't listening—it all reminded him of a time long ago, a time when his existence was met with distrust and suspicion. Back in his old world, in the village of Konoha, there had been whispers behind his back. The fear. The judgment. It wasn't so different now, and that stung more than he liked to admit.
He had been so caught up in his excitement at finding others like him, people who could talk to him, who weren't monsters, that he had let his guard down. Maybe it was because, after being alone for so long in this new world, he was desperate to connect with anyone. The thought of isolation, of being alone again… it was too much to bear. So, when he saw them—humans, even if they were different, even if they came from another world—he had just been so relieved to see something familiar, he hadn't stopped to think about the potential consequences of his actions.
"Dammit," he muttered under his breath, his knuckles tightening against the railing. He was used to people not trusting him, but it still stung. He hadn't expected to feel that familiar ache so quickly in this new place. He could feel their eyes on him, their scrutiny, their doubts. It wasn't easy to ignore, even if he tried to brush it off.
He had been so excited, so eager to prove himself, to show them that he wasn't a threat, that he hadn't been careful with his words. "I'm a shinobi," he had said, but in this world, that might not have meant anything. To them, it might have sounded like he was talking about something completely alien. They had no reason to understand what he meant.
Sparky's excited words about how strong he was had only made things worse. He could tell the others were listening, and while some of them seemed to trust him, he could tell that others were more cautious. That nagging feeling that something was off made his own heart tighten.
But even so, he couldn't bring himself to regret it. At least they didn't try to attack me, he reasoned. It could have been worse.
Still, the loneliness had been unbearable. The world around him was strange and foreign, and his interactions with the Digimon and these humans were the only link to sanity he had left. It had only been half a day since he had appeared in this world, but in those few hours, he had experienced more highs and lows than he could have ever imagined. The excitement of finding others, the relief of being seen, but also the fear of being misunderstood all over again.
Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. Maybe it's just my fault for being too eager...