A/N: Brace yourselves. The worlds of Naruto and Dbz are about to collide. Painfully so. Be warned, this story is dark! It was born from an idea I had; the saiyans have rampaged across many worlds, making many enemies. What if they landed on a certain planet in a certain village? What if they pissed off the wrong blond?

"By the pricking of my thumbs...something wicked this way comes...

~William Shakespeare.

Dirge of Shinobi

They hit without warning.

We thought they were shooting stars at first. Comets, perhaps. A sign of victory. Of celebration.

They were not shooting stars.

Streaks of otherwordly radiance, come down from the heavens themselves, they were something we never could have expected. Never could have dreamed. Spaceships. Pods. Thousands upon thousands of single man craft, each containing a single, curiously clad individual, who, save for their tails and the fact that they came from another world, seemed of precious little import.

How wrong we were.

We were not ready for what came next. We were not prepared. And even had we been, what could we have done? How could we possibly have prepared against such a threat? Invaders from space! How the hell do you prepare for something like that? And what the hell do you do when those invaders suddenly turn into massive apes the size of skyscrapers? Giant friggin' gorrillas by the light of the full moon! You don't fight something like that, not if you've got any sense left in your head. You run. As hard and fast as you can.

Did we run? Hell no!

We fought of course. As did I. Weary though we were from the war with Tobi's forces, we turned together to face this new threat. We were fools. I know that now. We should've run. Damnit, we should've run! The apes weren't the mindless beasts we'd thought them to be. They were clever little monkeys, though little is a relative term considering how damn huge they were.

We felled a few of them together, Kyuubi and I , Bee and Gyuuki. It was not enough. Many died in the first wave. Too many. Good men and women. Fine shinobi. People who should've known peace were offered only a shallow grave, and the cold emptiness of death. I wasn't strong enough. Not fast enough. I could only look on in horror as they were killed, one by one. Sakura-chan, her body flying through the air, like a little girl, not the accomplished shinobi she'd become. Kakashi-sensei's body, trampled underfoot, crushed to death by the sheer number of the enemy. Kiba and Akamaru, obliterated, man and beast alike incinerated by volley upon volley of energy, hurled fromt he beasts' maw. Once they turned those terrible blasts upon us, the battle warped from a war of attrition to an outright rout into a desperate retreat.

The remaining Kage held the line for our escape, bought us time with their lives. Everything fell apart after that. All because of them. Those damned dirty monkeys.

I watched them die over the course of the next week. All of them. Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino, Sai, Neji, Lee, Tenten. All my fellow pupils, all my teachers...and Hinata. And it wasn't just in Konoha. Word reached us around the globe: every major village and civilaztion was under attack. From Demon Country to the Land of Spring, none were spared. In the coming months, we finally learned the names of our hunters, of the viscious bloodthirsty monsters that hunted our men by day and raped our women by night.

Saiyans.

They slaughtered us. All of us.

Hinata...oh god...Hinata...

She was one of the last to go, and by her own hand in the end. She couldn't take it, couldn't handle it, unable to bear so much loss in so short a time. I'm still amazed I haven't taken that route yet as well. Bee's gone now, too, dead on the field of battle. And then I lost them. My last bastion of sanity. Shion...the child I fathered with her...the daughter I never knew...will never now know...my little baby girl...Gone. They were all I'd had left, all I had to cling to and now they're gone, dead and buried as though they never were.

The memories are seared into my mind. Their deaths. I cannot forget them. Nor can I forgive them. Can't forgive myself, for failing to protect them. My friends, my family. I live. Just as the memories of my sensei live on in this eye of mine-his eye-dragging my dying body from hiding place to hiding place, so too does my rage. I'll kill them. I'll slaughter their entire race and dance in the ashes. Only, now, there's nowhere left for me to hide. My world is ashes. The Saiyans have departed, leaving for the stars. For a home unknown. I am alone.

"Forgetting about me already, are you?"

Not quite alone, then.

I find one of their pods, its owner longer since dead. I drag myself inside; because there's nowhere else to go. My world is burning. As am I, as the hatch hisses shut. If the saiyans are strong, then there must be some one who is stronger still. I know not where I go, only that I leave my world behind. The strange alien technology forces my mind into slumber, my body into stasis as g-forces and gravity tear at me. My wounds scream in protest. I ignore them, just as I ignored Sasuke's end, when it finally came. In a sick sort of way, I think I know how he felt, what drove him, to commit so many heinous acts, in the name of vengeance. When you've got everything, you'll do anything to keep it. When you lose that everything, you'll do anything to make them pay, to wreak your vengeance, on the ones that took it from you in the first place. My body wants merely to rest, to succumb to sleep, and I reluctantly allow it to slip into a light slumber. It will be many years yet before I allow myself to truly sleep.

But I will rise above this rage, as I have risen above everything else. Still, that small part of me stirs. Seething. Lying in wait.

It will not rest until I have my revenge.

(Years later, in the dakened depths of space)

"His lordship will see you now."

Uzumaki Naruto looked up from the shadows of a harshly lit hall as the sound of footsteps clattered across his ears, punctuated by an overly feminine voice. An eerie, blazing red eye, regarded the one who had spoken with an almost practiced distaste, one its own did not so easily share.

He opened his mouth to reply, to offer some sort of thank you...and found himself face to face with quite possibly the most handsome-and blue-man in existence, or the most lovely woman he'd every laid eyes upon in his limited experience. Jade eyes stared back at him flaty, prompting the blond to rise from his place against the bulkehead and follow after him.

"Finally." He muttered. "I don't like to be kept waiting." He shot a venemous glare toward the doors, where the overlord's henchman, Dodoria lay slumped against the floor. Harsh, purplish bruises lined the length of his face; one eye was swollen shut and he looked like he was already well on his way to a fat lip, a thin trickle of blood lining the opposite cheek. His barrel chest rose and fell laboriously, his body struggling to recover from this, the blonde's most recent attempt to impress some measure of restraint into his thick, spiky skull. If the alien cared for his comrade's questionable health, he did precious little to indicate it. With a silent flourish, he turned, ushering the blond down the corridor.

"I've said it before," he chastised, "You will wait as long as necessary."

"Oooh, I'm sooo terribly sorry to have offended you, your ladyship." Naruto sniped back. "Please, forgive my unworthy impertinence." He enjoyed the light green flush that crept through the alien's skin, but not quite so much as the scathing stare the shorter alien leveled in his direction.

"You dare-!"

Gloved fingers wedged themselves into the wall a mere millimeter from the man's-woman's?-head, evoking a startled shriek from the pale-skinned aide. Naruto leaned forward with intent, his eyes blazing like eerie red coals despite the harsh luminance lighting the corridor. When he spoke, it was with the deadly, dual-timbred voice of his tenant.

"I'd dare to give you a black eye if you don't hurry up and take me where I want go!"

"You filthy cur! How dare you threaten me with such crass words-

A pulse of ki from the blonde's fingers ended their arguement.

"A-At once, sire!"

Naruto grinned.

"Good boy, Zarbon."

Huffing, the alien closed his mouth and stormed around the bend, leaving the snickering blond to follow after.

In the years, since he'd left his planet, he'd discarded his hideous orange-black jumpsuit. The black remained in his current attire, however: the saiyan jumpsuit he wore-though it galled him to call it such-consisting of an armored vest replete with padding and a pair of clasps to hold his cape in place upon those strong shoudler. He still had a touch for the flamobyant orange at times, but today, he'd chosen a tasteful scarlet as a nod toward his tenant, rather than the usual garrish colors of orange and blue. There were times when he wished for a return to the old colors, though.

"If you'd gone with orange again, I'dve flayed you alive." Kurama reminded him as he followed the aide through a heavily guarded door. Naruto stifled a bitter laugh. Even after all these years, and in spite of the pact they'd formed, his friend, his ally, his nakama, the kitsune still loathed all things orange. With a passion. Why, just the other day he'd nearly flayed some poor alien girl alive just for having orange hair! Honestly, if the kitsune's death didn't mean his own, he'd actually contemplate ripping him out of his stomach. Even if the bastard did grant him the ability breathe in a vaccum.

"We really shoulda killed that Zangya girl." Kurama argued. "Or at least banged her," It added, almost as an afterthought. "Kami knows we haven't gotten any since we left home. And we're not getting any younger, kit.

'Says you!' Naruto guffawed inwardly. 'I can't age past thirty thanks to your antics!'

"You were the one who wanted to learn the arts of ki and such!" The fox snorted and he could sense its restlessness; because its feelings were his own. "Honestly, we should just bang every chick we come across. That'd be a fine way to get the shinobi era restarted and repopulate your planet, wouldn't you agree?"

'You do that, and I'll have you sealed right back up again.' he reminded his old friend, though there was no bite in his words. 'Besides...

"Hmm?"

He trailed off, uncertain. It wasn't that he didn't desire anyone. He did. Many women, strewn across the galaxy had caught his eye. He just couldn't bring himself to bed any of them. Couldn't bring himself to betray Shion's memory. In hindsight, it didn't make much sense. He'd only slept with her one time to help her produce an heir for her bloodline. Every time he thought of it, he could feel those pale eyes burning on him. A silent challenge to move on. Haunting him. Aargh! Even in death she tormented him with dreams of what could've been, the life they could've had. If only there was a way to bring her back. If only...

"You're edgy today." Kurama frowned within the well of his soul. "Moreso than usual. What's bothering you?"

'You mean other than the fact I'm about to meet with the most powerful man in the universe?"

"Don't bullshit me kit." There was a long, insufferable pause as it sensed his thoughts. "Aw crap...don't tell me you're still hung up on her! She's dead, kit! You know that! There's no way to bring back those who have died, and you know it!"

'Surely there must be some way-

"Don't pull an Uchiha on me and start brooding again!"

'Alright, alright!'

He sighed, his gaze drifting outward.

'I am curious though...

The fox snickered, glad for a change in topic.

"Well I'll be damned, kit. Didn't know you swung that way."

The blond stole a glance at the alien's backside and blanched.

'N-Not if she's a he...

"You could always ask."

Naruto swallowed for what felt like the upteenth time as he shook his head and bit his tongue with enough force to draw blood. The subject matter of Zarbon's questionable gender was not to be discussed. He'd learned that from the very beginning during his tenuous career as a mercenary. He'd never once met the man himself. Until today. Today he'd finished his four years of hellish solitude and training. Today, was the day he would "strongly suggest" that his employer tend to the growing number of saiyans throughout the galaxy. He himself wanted nothing more than to exterminate the filthy little apes for obliterating his home planet and trapping his body in an eternal limbo between the years of twenty and thirty. Their were drawbacks to drawing upon that much power, after all.

"Overlord Uzumaki has arrived, my lord." Zarbon bowed beyond the door. Naruto sighed inwardly at the title. So he'd razed a few planets, to test his newfound powers. Big deal! It wasn't like he'd killed anyone to claim his considerable prowess. Unlike Frieza. The madman had massacred the saiyans years before, years before he gained these new powers, before he could have taken his revenge. His skin crawled at the thought of what was meant to be his, his revenge, being taken away from him. It was only with a supreme effort that he forced himself to listen for prescence within the darkened room beyond.

"Send him in, Zarbon." a smooth voice commanded from just out of sight.

"At once, my lord."

Naruto restrained a grunt as the lithe blue alien ushered him into the room and promptly slammed the door at his back. Cocky little shit. Repressing the urge, he turned his attention to the viewport. The figure standing before him was not what he'd expected. For starters, Lord Frieza was facing away from him, swirling what looked a great deal like a glass of wine in one hand while the other, drummed across the elaborate device upon which he always sat. He was a great deal shorter than Naruto imagined.

"You're Frieza?" he couldn't quite restrain the words.

The alien turned to regard him with a cool, black iris.

"I am lord Frieza, yes."

"Not what I expected, either." Kyuubi chortled.

Naruto grunted. He could feel power from this one. Immense power. Best not to anger him. That didn't mean he was about to step on eggshells, though. This was the man who ruled over the saiyans. He dictated nearly their every move, ordained which planet they would conquer, and which they would destroy. In essence he was to be held responsible for the destruction of Naruto's world. Something about the alien warned against an assault, however, and thus the blond bit down the rage that threatened to come boiling back up and forced himself to speak once more.

"I take it you're the one in charge, then?"

"My, aren't you a cheeky one."

The tyrant frowned and turned to face him, draining the wine from the glass in a single gulp. It shattered in his hands seconds later. Naruto met the alien's gaze evenly, refusing to back down. This tryant commanded a small army. To attack him here and now would be suicide. Utter suicide. He couldn't seem to suss him out, though. What the blazes was he after? Why had he summoned him here?

Naruto swallowed the blile in his mouth.

"Do you hate the saiyans as much as I do?"

That, seemed to surprise Frieza. He fiddled with his scouter for a long, terse moment, his frigid countenance betraying nothing.

"Hate is such a strong word." The tyrant supplied at last. "Suffice it to say that they have earned my ire." He gestured to the viewport below. "Which is why I have summoned you here." He beckoned for the blond to join him at the viewport. "Come," he turned away. "There's something I want you to see." Naruto glared bloody red daggers at the alien's exposed back. His fingers twitched, itching for action. The urge to attack was ever present, and the opening, was right there. It tugged at him again, like an eager dog straining at its leash, but he again pulled at it to heel. He had to find him out what Frieza wanted. He had to know. Everything else could wait.

Everything else would wait, until then.

Everything would wait until he was found.

He stepped toward the looking glass, albeit warily. He'd made the mistake of trusting someone once before. He wasn't about to make it again. He found himself staring down at massive green sphere. His eyes bulged in disbelief. A planet? When had they arrived? He'd come aboard only hours before, and they'd been in the void of space. Their certainly hadn't been a planet there before. Green skies, and large, swelling oceans sprawled beneath the atmosphere, suggesting a ecosytem ripe with life. Ripe for the taking.

"I...have a proposition to make." the tyrant announced. "From one ruler to another."

Naruto resisted the urge to balk at the dimunitive alien beside him. The few planets he had conquered now enjoyed peace. Not through fear of extinction, but merely of the promise of his imminent return should any of their inhabitants step out of line. Whereas Naruto preferred force as a last resort, Frieza's modus operandi was painfully simple. Obey or die. Naruto would rather die by his own hand than rule in such a manner. A hand stained with the blood of villains and wicked men, not the soul-searing cries of the innocent. The planets over which he "ruled" with ruled being the operative term, often looked forward to the return, of their benevolent monarch. Rule under Overlord Uzumaki meant safety from Frieza the Tyrant. The very same tyrant about to offer him an alliance.

"If you're smart kit, you'll walk away now."

Naruto carefully ignored him.

"I'm...listening."

"What do you know about the Drgaon Balls?" Frieza asked abruptly.

His interest momenarily piqued, the blond inclined his head toward the tyrant. Dragon Balls? What the hell were those? The balls of a dragon? He shuddered at the image and shook his head in revulsion. If they actually were the balls of an actual dragon then he wanted absolutely nothing to do with them.

"Nothing."

"Below us is the planet Namek." Frieza began coldly. "Home to the Namekian Dragon Balls. Rumor has it they can grant any number of wishes." Depravity, cruel, ruthless depravity shone within those beady little eyes a moment, then an eternity, before he continued. "Immortality. Eternal youth. Some say they can even restore the dead to health." Blue-red eyes fluttered open and shut with all the rapidity of a hummingbird's wingspan all but bulging in their disbelief. He couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Restore the dead to health. The words resonated within his mind, striking a chord in the depths of his soul.

Naruto felt his throat dry up.

"What?"

Kyuubi spat.

"Fuck."

Impossibly, Frieza's smile grew.

"What would you say if I offered you the gift of immortality?"

'Don't want it.' Was Naruto's immediate thought. 'I just want Shion back.'

"Why offer me this?" he said insead.

Frieza scowled.

"My brother, Cooler, has also heard of the balls. Even now he comes to claim them for himself. I cannot allow that to happen.'

Naruto frowned.

"Aaaaand how do I fit into this?"

"As loathe as I am to admit such a thing at this very moment, you're the only individual other than myself who could actually slow my brother down." His grin grew colder still. "For for a few hoursat the least." Naruto's left eye eye twtiched noticeably, sharigan briefly flaring. In all his travels, from the planet Yardrat to Kanass and beyond, he'd never met an individual as cold and callous as this creature. He had absolutley no intention of sharing anything with him at all. He merely needed a stopgap to stall his brother.

"He actually intends to use us." Kyuubi deadpanned. "He's more of a fool than we thought."

'Well, we can't have that now, can we?'

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

'If it involves punching this asshole in the head, then yes.'

Making no effort to hide the smiling stealing across his face, the blond began to focus. His words were soft and simple, even as his mind strayed toward the planet below. His left hand began to shimmer an eerie red just out of sight, just behind his back. He locked gazes with the alien, pinnioning him with an imposing stare.

"Is that an insult or a compliment?"

Frieza's tail lashed angrily against the ground.

"I strongly suggest you take it as the latter."

Naruto's left eye twitched, but he reigned himself in.

"Just out of curiousity, how many dragon balls are there, exactly?"

"Seven to be precise." Frieza answered slowly. Strange, his scouter was picking up something. "When gathered together, you summon the dragon to grant your wish."

Naruto nodded.

"That's all well and good...

"I take it you've accepted my offer then?"

Blue eyes blazed hotly.

"Why the hell would I want to work with an asshole like you?"

"What?!"

"Ah, and you're also forgetting something, Lord Frieza."

"And what might that be?"

Naruto gave the ruler of the universe a ferocious grin.

"I've been to Yardrat."

Before his fellow overlord could think to ask what that meant, the blond pressed two fingers to his head, his power level spiking with such force that Frieza's scouter shattered into a thousand shards of shrapnel, merely by being in the blonde's prescence. His form flickered rapidly, fading like a bad image awash with static as his mind honed in on the energies of the namekian people below. It was faint, but he only needed a trace, just the sligthest trace-there!

"Which means I don't need you or your ship!" In a flash of light he jolted forward, clenched knuckles slamming into the tyrant's chest with enough force to send him jarring out the viewport, and into the cold vaccum of space, leaving a dumbfounded Frieza to wonder what had just happened his lungs working rapidly, his heart before he finally remembered that he could breathe in space. It was enough. Even as he streaked toward the ship, the blond flipped him the bird and dissapeared.

"I'll see you on Namek, asshole!" with a final flicker of motion, Naruto was gone, vanishing toward the planet's surface. "Those balls are mine!"

And thus, a new war for the Dragonballs began.

A/N: Aaaaaaand cut. Hope you liked it! Pairing is NarutoxHarem with a saddistic little twist. A certain saiyan is going to be female. I'll not say who! Is Naruto a villain? Certainly not! He had his own motives for working with Frieza, until he found he was going to be used and thrown aside. Naturally, he didn't take very kindly to that. This takes place at the very beginning of the Namek saga. A startled Naruto is offered the chance to be reunited with his wife and child. He merely has to collect the dragonballs now-and a namekian-in order to grant his wish. Who on earth would refuse such an offer?! And with that, we have another player in the war for the Dragon Balls on Namek. Anywho, I'm off to work now and I look forward to your reviews, and hope you liked so...

...REVIEW, WOULD YOU KINDLY?

R&R! =D