Well hello hello there! Thanks for clicking on this, i must have done something right with the summary to get you here. Now here comes quite a lengthy warning.

I am TOTALLY new to writing Naruto/Pokemon fanfics. This would be my first, and i decided to try it because there are, tragically, so FEW of them! And this is, like, the only crossover i enjoy. Like it came down from the heavens gift-wrapped. I'm not quite sure where this story is going, or how it should be shaped. Should i use Pokemon's maps? Should i mix up the towns from both universes? Gah, i don't know, but it's fine i'll figure it out. I just knew i had to write this. This chapter will be a tester, a teaser. Depending on the feedback, whether readers like where it's starting off from and if they want to continue, i'll be taking on this story. A lovely new piece to my collection of stories, eh?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I don't own Pokemon, Nintendo and Satoshi Tijiri do.

"It's raining, it's pouring . . ." Naruto sings softly, little rain boots stomping emphatically through wet underbrush and puddles. He celebrated his ninth birthday a couple of weeks ago, and was given a new digital camera, something he'd been begging for. He kept it safe in his shorts pocket, both camera and body kept dry by the big orange raincoat covering him, hood up to protect his spiky yellow hair from the rain also.

Next to him, Umi his mother's Samurott, padded along keeping an eye on the boy while his mother was away for the day at Professor Sarutobi's research lab. "Sam . . ."

Naruto looked over at the large pokémon, smiling. "Don't worry Umi! I just wanted to try out the cool features on my camera . . . we won't go too far."

: But . . . we already have gone too far.: Umi thought to himself, though he merely sighed and continued to walk with the boy. Looking down at the smiling blonde child with the sunny grin, Umi couldn't help but snort in amusement. He indulged the boy far too much.

After five minutes, Naruto threw out his arms in the 'halt' sign. "OK! This looks good." Naruto said out loud, nodding in agreement with himself. Umi just rolled his eyes and settled down by a tree while Naruto carefully pulled out his camera, already in its waterproof case covering, and turned it on. Naruto grinned as he picked the particular settings he wanted, and without further ado snapped away.

Click— Flash! Click— Flash!

"Hmm . . . it might be better with no flash." Naruto murmured after a few pictures like this. Adjusting the setting, he took a test picture and smiled happily at the results. "Much better!" he shouted happily.

Umi watched Naruto take picture after picture, and had to marvel at the little boy.

: How many pictures can you take of wet trees? I wonder what difference exactly he's seeing in these same trees he's seen for years.: he wondered, looking around himself.

Rain fell softly, having a while ago lightened to a steady drizzle, upon green leaves dark in the absence of bright sunlight. Droplets dripped from leaf, from branch, to overfed green grass below or on the occasional flower that popped up. Beautiful, it was true, but nothing to take twenty pictures for.

Naruto giggled delightedly, spinning around to take a picture of Umi— majestic in his armored splendor, and those seriously cool thick whiskers, as he reclined against a big tree with rain falling all around him. "You look awesome Umi!" Naruto chirped.

"Samurott!" Umi barked.

Naruto laughed and raised the camera to take another picture of the Samurott who now wanted to mug for the camera, but paused. He tilted his head to the side— what was that sound?

There it was again! "Umi . . . do you hear that?" He asked, but Umi had already gotten up and placed himself in front of Naruto, looking around with a sharp gaze. Naruto paused, and listened hard. He perked up when he heard it again . . . what sounded like a whimper?

"Umi . . . I think a Pokémon is hurt. We should help!" Naruto stated, starting out surely and then gaining confidence. He looked up at the disapproving Samurott, before the pokémon relented with a sigh. Naruto crept carefully out to the front, Samurott right next to him as they moved closer to the distressed pokémon. The next whimper was heard coming from under a bush a few feet away. Naruto moved a little closer before crouching down.

"Hey, are you hurt? Are you hungry? If you come out, I can help you." Naruto chatted in a soft voice, tone as soothing as he could make it. "Aren't you wet and cold? If you're hurt I bet the rain isn't helping . . . come out, I can help you, if you'd like."

: It is alright to trust him little one. He is the son of my master, and he is but a baby much like I presume you to be. He is kind, and will not hurt you.: Umi spoke in his own Pokémon tongue, Naruto supposed he was trying to convince the little critter under the bush that he was nice. Whatever Umi said must have yielded results because the bush rustled a few times, before a tiny brown paw inched out. The rest of the body followed in a similar slow and timid manner. Naruto immediately took notice of the wounded right hind leg.

"Oh! An Eevee . . ." Naruto exclaimed softly. The little fluffy Pokémon blinked rapidly at the sight of him and the Samurott guarding him. Naruto smiled encouragingly, being careful not to show teeth in case the Eevee might take it as a sign of aggression, and held out his hand.

"I have some things back at my home that can heal you . . . or I can take you to Professor Sarutobi's if I'm all out! You can get your leg fixed and get some food . . . sounds pretty good huh? Then after, if you want, you can leave whenever you're ready." As he spoke, Naruto shuffled closer with every other word, just a little bit at a time. By the time he'd stopped speaking he was within reach of the Eevee and could pick him up at any time.

The Eevee, trembling and timid, looked at his hand and then back to his face several times. Naruto waited patiently, though he couldn't stop from fidgeting every now and then. Then, finally, the Eevee raised a paw and put it gently in Naruto's small hand. Grinning happily, Naruto gently scooped up the Eevee and trotted back home, Samurott by his heels.

"Umi, do you think I should take this Eevee to the Professor's? I guess mom might not like it if I use her healing stuff without asking . . ."

Umi nodded, barking an affirmative. Naruto nodded as well, breaking out of the forest then going around his house. He trotted into the middle of the road, then turned left. "Don't you worry buddy," Naruto reassured the Eevee with a megawatt grin, cuddling the little creature closer to provide some warmth. "Professor Sarutobi can have your leg feeling all better in no time at all! And my mom, she's a really cool Ranger— they keep the wild Pokémon safe and other stuff, but she spends more time being a Researcher these days for me— and my dad he—"

"Whoa, whose ear are you talking off this time Naruto?" The familiar voice of his father filled with warmth and quiet strength makes Naruto perk up, turning his head to look over his shoulder.

"Hi dad!" Naruto chirps, and turns around to show him the injured, now fiercely trembling Eevee. "I found him in the woods; his back leg is hurt so I was taking him to the Professor's place. Did you have a good trip? How come you're back, I thought you'd be gone for another two weeks? Did you get me—?"

"Breathe boy!" Minato playfully chided his youngest, sunniest son. "Now, it was a good idea for you to bring him, from the looks of it this is a bad injury, and he looks to be pretty young—"

"How do you know it's a he?" Naruto interrupted.

Minato chuckled. "It's a safe bet with Eevee. Now, in order, your other questions . . . I had a nice trip, but it's even nicer to be back home. I finished up my business pretty early on so I could come home early. And, yes, I got you a Torchic beanie." He finished up smartly tugging on the bright blonde locks so similar to his own. Patting his knees, Minato rose up and put his hand on Naruto. "Now let's go visit Sarutobi-sama and your mom. Umi, thanks for watching after him."

"Okay!" Naruto cheered, starting down the road again, marching in front of his little group as he talked to his heart's content. "So did you see Kurama? Mom is kind of upset that he didn't come home for his birthday, but I guess it's so exciting being on the road he totally forgot! I bet he's got loads of Pokémon, but do you think he has lots of water Pokémon like mom? Or did he go for speed and electric like you? Then again you have a lot of dragon Pokémon, and can we visit your new Dragonite when we get there dad? Oh, what did you name . . ."

On and on as they walked down the road, and occasionally Umi and Minato would look at each other with fond exasperation as Naruto didn't even take a breather to let his questions be answered. "I mean, it's just so cute because he's exactly like Kushina." Minato murmured to the Saruwott, who nodded and let out a raspy laughter in agreement.

"Hey, what are you just shuffling along for? Come on!" Naruto's voice breaks them out of their moment of comradeship, and they look to see Naruto pouting on the doorstep of the Sarutobi research lab.

"Ah, sorry baby." Minato apologized as he and Umi walked into the building after a huffing Naruto.

"Don't call me baby, I'm nine years-old." Naruto grumbled.

Minato agreed with a smile, but internally winced at the reminder that he missed his baby boy's birthday. This was the second time, and Kushina swore that if he missed a third he'd be sleeping on the couch for a long time to come. Shaking the thought out of his mind, he guided Naruto into the research area where he was sure Sarutobi would be.

"Sarutobi-sama, are you in here?" Minato asked, knocking on the doorframe a couple of times before poking his head in. Instead of seeing the wise old man, his eyes widened and then he smiled wide at the sight of his wife flipping through old records alongside a couple of aides.

"Nope, just me!" Kushina corrected with a grin. "And Senji and Rika."

"Hello." Minato nodded to the two aides who had become flustered at the very sight of him. He smiled awkwardly but didn't comment— they had started just recently and they hadn't had enough exposure to really get used to him.

"Hi mom!" Naruto piped up, leaning around Minato's leg.

"Naruto!" Kushina looked from Minato, to Naruto, and then her eyebrow raised in consideration when her loyal Samurott came around the doorway. "Okay . . . what's with the party?"

"I just met these two along the way." Minato excused himself, gently pushing Naruto forward.

Naruto scampered forward and raised his arms up a little to show the Eevee in his arms who had since stopped trembling and was now looking around in faint curiosity. "Mom, I found this Eevee in the woods behind our house. He hurt his back leg . . . can you heal it?"

Kushina crouched down and a pale hand slowly, so as not to frighten or startle the Eevee. Gently she ran her hand through its fur, checking for any other injuries. Taking the Eevee from Naruto's arms she straightened up and walked out the room, going to down the hallway to another room with an examination table on it. Placing the little Eevee on the table she moves to the cabinets and drawers, rummaging for salves and bandages to wrap up the leg.

"Mom, is he going to be okay?" Nartuo asked, taking a seat on the plastic chair to the side. Minato sits with him, Umi resting just outside the room by the doorway.

"Sure, the wound isn't too bad . . . probably an Ursaring trap," her voice is venomous as she says the word. "Since he can't have gotten too far after incurring such an injury, I bet I can find that trap before another Pokémon gets hurt."

Naruto nods, looking around the room before a small squeak has him turning back to the table. The tiny little Eevee shivers once, sneezes, and then looks at him with its big brown eyes blinking at him so cutely. "Vee." It squeaks softly, and Naruto smiles reassuringly at the cute Eevee.

"It's okay!" Naruto said confidently. "Mom is really good at doing this stuff, so you'll feel better soon."

"Well, it should take a few days, so we'll have to take care of him." Kushina corrected, though she smiled proudly at her son.

"I'll take care of him! I can do it, I can!" Naruto yelped excitedly, legs swinging.

"Are you sure?" Minato asked in mock seriousness. "Taking care of a Pokémon is a lot of responsibility, and an injured Pokémon is even more so . . . plus you're so young."

"I'm not young!" Naruto pouted. "I'm nine years old— I'll be able to go on my trainer journey in two years. Isn't this a great way to get some experience in caring for Pokémon before I go off?"

"Oh, don't remind me of that!" Kushina bemoaned, starting to clean the Eevee's wound. "It might sting, but I'll be quick ok?" she told the Pokémon gently. "You know . . . he's very young. It's strange to see an Eevee this far from a city . . . they're rare in the wild. And one so young would usually be with either a trainer, in a daycare center, or with their mother. And yet, this Eevee looks to have been born in the wild."

"You think he may have been abandoned? Or perhaps he has lost his family?" Minato asked.

"It's possible . . . but we'll never know for sure. Either way, he's practically a baby. You'll have to take good care of him Naruto." She told her youngest boy sternly.

"I will." Naruto nodded.

"Great . . ." Kushina smiled and turned back to the Eevee, whose eyes would always wander back to Naruto. 'Because I think you just found yourself a lifelong friend.'

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(Two Years Later . . .)

"It's raining, it's pouring . . ." Naruto mumbled under his breath. He sat on the floor, arms crossed and cushioning his head on the window seat as he looked out to the steady rain that fell. Of course, it wasn't too unusual for this time of year, and it would soon pass to let the sun shine through again on their quiet little town of Konoha. His mother Kushina was out on a Ranger mission, and his father was also tied up with an engagement. Naruto snorted, smiling to himself. It was that reason alone— the obligations and required events that the Pokémon Champion had to do— that Naruto wasn't too keen, or to hurried to follow in his poor father's footsteps.

'The number of times mom's yelled at him for missing a special event or holiday alone . . .' Naruto shivered. Besides, he thought to himself with a frown, he wasn't even very sure of what he wanted to be.

Sure, being a top trainer, even Champion, sounded quite nice. But then, his mother had also told him many wonderful and exciting tales of the days when she threw herself into being a Pokémon Ranger— the Tauros Stampede, or the case of the Finnicky Abra . . . but she had also done a few Coordinator Compititions, and he did admire the complicated and amazing combos the Coordinators would come up with when his cousin Karin from the island of Uzu would visit and take him to the competitions. It might not be very popular among boys his age, but being a coordinator was demanding in its own right, and he knew better than to belittle it.

Or, and here he smiles with a little more genuine enthusiasm, what about a Pokémon photographer? Ever since his ninth birthday, Naruto could be seen with the ever-present camera. Then, on his eleventh birthday, his mother and father surprised him with a professional Nicon camera, complete with retractable tripod and different lenses. They had been so impressed with his fervor and talent at taking photographs, they thought it would be the perfect gift.

"Vee?" Naruto turns his head to see his Eevee, Yasu, sitting down by his ankles, bushy tail wagging.

"Hey Yasu . . . just thinking about our journey we'll be taking soon." Naruto informs him, before turning back to the window. The Eevee he had rescued just two years ago had grown and come a long way from that timid and shy little creature who preferred to tremble in Naruto's arms. Though he wasn't scared by any means, Yasu was quite the pacifist. Naruto wasn't worried though, Yasu had shown his willingness and determination to be a good battle-type Pokémon.

"Vee . . ." Yasu cooed, stretching up as high as he could to place little paws on the window seat. : It's raining . . . just like that day.: he thought with a quick, happy look to Naruto. He looked out the window with big ears perked, tail slowing down to a swish.

"Yeah . . ." Naruto agreed, though he could only guess at the thoughts running through his Eevee's head. "It was raining just like this when we first met, right Yasu?"

"Vee!"

"Yeah . . ." Naruto agreed in a dreamy tone of voice. After a moment he blinked twice, as if blinking away the dreamy film that had come over him. "Yeah! The rain has been pretty significant . . . Yasu, what if this is our sign?"

: Come again?: Yasu looked at him, confused. Naruto elaborated with an excited grin. "You know how I've been waiting for the perfect time to start our journey? Just going with the rest of the class to the Pokémon Academy, and being strung along with some kids I barely know is too boring, too cliché, too ordinary! Right, weren't we waiting for the moment, the time of most meaning?" here he slumped and pouted. "Even if mom won't let us leave on a full moon just because it's night time . . . feh, what are flash lights for?"

: . . . You're getting off topic here.: Yasu muttered.

He placed his paw on Naruto's arm to remind him of what he was talking about. Naruto blinked, looking down at the paw, before lightly hitting his head.

"Ah, right! Well anyway, this could be our perfect moment Yasu! Like the rain that linked us together in the bonds of friendship, so shall this rain link us forever as trainer and Pokémon— the new sun that shines upon the ground refreshed from the rain, droplets shining like diamonds, lighting our trail! Yasu, its freaking perfect!" he yells excitedly, jumping up and thrusting his fists high into the air.

Yasu just shakes his head and wanders off into the kitchen for a berry.

Naruto, now taken with his idea, scrambles into his room. He had packed his traveling backpack over two weeks ago, checking it over and over again almost obsessively, either adding things or very rarely taking things out. A sweet orange, black and blue backpack he had searched all over for. Clothes, a tin of berries and pokéblocks, his camera equipment and a few other things. Snatching up his bag, he ran out and placed it by the door.

Scampering back into his room, he took his last shower in civilization for what could be a while, and changed into his traveling clothes. He had fought his mom for ages on this outfit, and though he'd had to make some concessions, overall he was fine with the outfit. An orange and black hoodie, white t-shirt with an orange swirl on the front, and black shorts.

Tugging at his shirt, Naruto looks around his room for several moments. "Okay." He affirms to himself quietly, a small smile on his face. Closing the door behind him, he walks into the kitchen and calls for his Pokémon.

"Yasu!" the little Eevee pops up from behind the fruit bowl. "How did you get up . . . never mind. Come on, let's start our journey today."

"Vee!" Yasu cheers, running across the island countertop and jumping into Naruto's arms. Naruto zips up his jacket and places the Eevee inside of it, the little brown head poking out and nudging his chin. "Okay, now on to Professor Sarutobi's right?"

Naruto walks out the house, locking it up and placing the keys back in his backpack. The rain is steady yet light, a refreshing spray against Naruto's visible skin. Not bothering to put the hoodie up, Naruto trots down the lane and into town, passing stores and the old park he used to play at. The Sarutobi Research Lab is a large brick building with circular windows and a big paddock in the back where the reserve Pokémon are kept. Stepping into the building, he shakes his head like a wet dog and calls out.

"Professor? Professor Sarutobi, are you in here?"

"In the back lab Naruto, come in!" A voice thick with age and hidden knowledge beckons him to the back areas of the lab, and Naruto walks through. He nods or chirps a cheerful hello to any of the lab assistants that are in. Walking into one of the last lab rooms, Naruto sees the Old Professor, famous for his research and advanced knowledge of Pokémon, sitting in a large rolling chair as he analyzes slides. The old man turns and smiles, the wrinkles around his mouth stretching the skin.

"Naruto, what can I help you with?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asks genially, turning the chair around to face the young blonde boy.

"Professor . . . I want to start my Pokémon journey today!" Naruto declares proudly.

Hiruzen raises a white eyebrow, crossing his ankles as he holds his chin in his hand. "Naruto, you know generally we assign children who are just starting out to groups of three in order to assure better safety, as well as assure parents their children won't be alone in case of emergencies."

Naruto nods. "Sure. But it's not required, right? Besides, the number of the class this year is odd, there'd be one team with four people. And I don't want to wait, today is the perfect day! It's the perfect moment!"

Hiruzen chuckled, the boy before him had often taken to spouting off a rant on the necessity of starting one's Pokémon journey in the right way, at just the perfect moment for years. "I thought you were originally supposed to start off under a full moon?"

"That was scrapped by the judge and jury." Naruto mumbled petulantly, pouting for a few moments before quickly bouncing back into a happier mood. "But now, when the rain is refreshing the earth and the sun is about to come out on this new world— come on, that's cinematic perfection!"

"Right, right . . ." Hiruzen sighed, before getting up and gesturing for Naruto to follow him as he walks out the room. "I'm not going to be the one to take any fall out from your mother. And wasn't Iruka watching you while she was gone? He won't like this."

"Iruka is busy doing research stuff for you out in the forest. And I have left a long, detailed letter of 'see you later' to both mom and dad. Everything is cleared." Naruto assures the old man.

Hiruzen snorts. Right, because Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato will be reassured by a letter. He doesn't say that though, and instead leads the boy into the room where the other children would receive their starter Pokémon and equipment in the next week following the break.

"Well, seeing as you have your Eevee you won't need a starter . . . then here," he hands Naruto a black and orange metallic rectangular object. "Your Pokédex that you needled and worked for hours in my lab to get customized, and . . . five Pokéballs. Your Pokédex is both your ID and your key to get into certain places, such as the sleeping quarters in the Poké Centers. It also tells you your Pokémon's stats and the information of any wild Pokémon you meet out there." Hiruzen details, smiling as Naruto excitedly starts his Pokédex and scans his Eevee.

Eevee

Eevee, the Evolution Type Pokémon. Depending on circumstances, Eevee can evolve into many forms. This Eevee is level 10.

Naruto didn't bother checking the moves; he just wanted to see if it was working properly.

Closing it up and putting it away, he turned back to the Professor with a grin. "Thanks a lot, Professor!"

Hiruzen nodded. "It's fine, now . . . are you sure you wouldn't want to wait?"

Naruto shook his head. "No— now or never."

"Very well then, it's your journey in the end." Hiruzen clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulders and grinned encouragingly. "I hope you succeed in your goals Naruto, and good luck out there."

"Thanks Professor." Naruto replied sincerely, bright smile lighting up his face. "Well . . . the time is now! Maybe after I win my first three badges I'll come back for a visit!" Waving, Naruto leaves the building, the rain now to a drizzle. The sun would be out soon . . .

"Well!" Naruto claps his hand, sauntering out into the drizzle and smiling at the cool mist upon his skin. "Let's make a promise, Yasu . . . to really live life to the fullest from here on out! We're trainer and Pokémon now! Travelling the lands, battling and winning! Man, I'm pumped just thinking about it!" Naruto yells out, the enthusiasm so much that he breaks out from his slow walk into a full blown sprint.

The town flies by in a blur, trees blending into green borders along the colorful buildings of his home. The rain is dying down, the clouds breaking apart into small chunks of fluff as the sun finally breaks through. It's exactly the perfect moment that Naruto was talking about.

He's out of town limits now, and officially en route to being . . . whatever it is he wants to be. The possibilities are endless.

The rain now cleared away, Yasu jumps out of Naruto's jacket to pace alongside his friend. Naruto looks down and grins at Yasu, who yips back at him. "Man, the only thing that could make this better is to see . . . I don't know . . . Ho-oh!"

Naruto throws his head back in a teasing fashion, making a show of searching for the legendary bird. He stops, and Yasu trots along a few more steps before turning back when he realizes Naruto wasn't beside him. : Just what is he seeing now?: Yasu wonders.

"Yasu . . . what is that up there?" Naruto asks, pointing to the sky. Yasu looks up and squints his eyes. He didn't see any— what was that large flying object in the sky.

"Oh my god, if it is Ho-oh . . ." Naruto murmurs. They watch the shape fly with intense gazes, waiting for it to get away from the sun so they could see it and not a silhouette.

It turns and dips . . . it . . . It . . . !

"Oh. Nope . . . no . . . that's a Fearow." Naruto corrected himself, slowly looking down to Yasu. Naruto and Yasu stared at each other for a few seconds before Naruto burst into laughter.

"Well whatever, we don't need Ho-oh to find happiness. Let's go!" Naruto declared, pointing off into the distance. At a more controlled pace, but no less enthusiastic than before, Naruto and Yasu continued on.

And . . . scene! Reviews are nice, let's me know how this could be recieved. Until next time, have a wonderful [day/night/holiday of your choice]!

Love,

Bloody Mad~3