Road to Titan

-xxxxx-

Summary: After his fight with Sasuke, Naruto now finds himself stuck in a world where humans are no longer on the top of the food chain. Now stuck in a world where ninja aren't even a fairy tale, Konoha's number one knucklehead now finds himself fighting against giants called 'Titans' and facing one of his greatest challenges yet. Going home, or where the heart is. Naruto x Mikasa

-xxx-

-Chapter Two-

I can't believe I killed a person.

"Two people actually."

You're not helping, you stupid fox.

"You're a shinobi, you brat. Killing is the entire focal point of your job."

...

Naruto grimaced at his mental conversation.

The previous day had been a nightmare that started as any regular day. Once again he awoke in the district of Shiganshina and to his new family the Arlerts. But much to his excitement Grisha had offered him (and his son, Eren) a change of scenery and after Grandpa Ewald said 'yes', Naruto grabbed the orange scarf Rena had knitted for him. They were headed to the mountain area to visit the Ackermans but by the time they got there, Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman were dead and their daughter, Mikasa, was gone. He snuck off to save her, and after about twenty minutes of getting lost he actually managed to find the cabin she was stashed in... And killed the two captors he was able to see from the window.

And due to his failure to note a third, Mikasa had been forced to kill that one herself, saving the both of them.

Afterwards when the Military Police finally arrived, Grisha and Eren in toe, he had expectantly gotten a lecture on safety and Grisha took Mikasa in. By the time the four of them reached Shiganshina it was extremely late and Naruto had taken off saying he could sneak in the house easily. Now he laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling of the room he and Armin shared. And now that everything was said and done, he had enough time to think about the actions of the previous day... And the guilt had finally started to kick in.

I hope Mikasa-chan is okay. Naruto thought back to the small raven-haired girl he had met yesterday. She had cried herself to sleep during the carriage ride back to Shiganshina.

"Well I doubt she'll turn out like that Uchiha-brat." Kyuubi commented. "Those men are dead now, thanks to you both."

Well that was true, despite how uncomfortable it made the Uzumaki boy feel. Kyuubi wasn't all that good at making him feel better.

"She's actually not that bad to look at for a human." The biju added after a small pause, mischief sinking into his voice as he continued. "I can't wait to see what she looks like in the next eleven years. She'd definitely make me happy!"

"You know what I'm really starting to miss the times when you didn't talk much!" Naruto shouted as he shot up from his laying position, his face contorting comically in anger and embarrassment. He didn't realize he was now shouting his thoughts out loud. "Why don't you go back to the times you didn't say much?!"

Kyuubi only snorted humorously at the boy's pain. "It isn't like you're doing anything entertaining enough to keep me quiet."

Naruto was about to retort until he saw Armin, his younger brother, looking at him weirdly from the doorway. "Erm, I didn't say anything."

Armin was a shy boy and while he had inherited his father's blue eyes, he looked more like his mother. He was the bookworm of the family and was Naruto's polar opposite. The only complaint Naruto had on his new brother was the fact that the boy seemed to be a bully magnet and by the time Armin came back around again, he was dirtied and covered in bruises and Naruto would quickly become the older brother who dragged the younger sibling around yelling "Who were the punks that beat you up?!" all over town.

Shit. "O-oh I wasn't talking to you Armin! I was just talking to the wind fairies!" Naruto mentally slapped himself. Was wind fairies really the best thing he could come up with? Then again, wind fairies sounded a lot better than: 'Don't worry little bro I'm just talking to the demon fox the village leader of my old home sealed inside of me when I was a baby! It's all good!' "Yup, the wind fairies!"

"Wind fairies?" Armin repeated, raising an eyebrow incredulously.

"So what brings ya back to our lovely abode Armin?" Naruto hurriedly changed the subject. This was an embarrassing moment he would like to forget. "Grandpa need me to knock his beard over Maria?"

"I heard that!" Said man yelled offensively. "You did show up late last night! Don't make me decide to come up there and pop you!"

Both Naruto and Armin laughed. Jokes on Ewald's beard were now beginning to take place in the Arlert household ever since Naruto's arrival, but the older man found it amusing despite his protests.

"Sure old man." Naruto replied after his fit of laughter died down then once again directed his attention to his adopted look-a-like. "So what's goin' on little bro?"

Armin held out a book that he had been carrying the entire time. "I found another one of grandpa's books on the outside world!" He whispered -well tried to whisper-, his blue eyes wide in excitement. "Do you wanna read it?! There might be more things about the sea in it!" Naruto browsed over the cover, once again pretending he could actually understand the symbols on it. Why couldn't these people write in kana like the people back in the Elemental Nations? Just thank Kami Armin already told him what the book was about.

"Another one, huh?" Naruto mumbled, hesitant to just hop on board. He still wanted to check on Mikasa and make sure she was okay after yesterday's traumas.

Armin nodded his smile widening, "Yeah! We can show Eren, too!" The blonde was practically bouncing in his place. "I was gonna head over and ask his parents if he could play."

Hmmm... Naruto contemplated mentally, still trying to decide whether he should go with his brother or not.

"Moron. This is your golden opportunity to check on that little brat you just barely saved!" Kyuubi spoke up once more, sounding cross.

Huh? Naruto replied. He was still offended about being called a moron, but still had no idea what the demon fox meant.

Kyuubi rolled his eyes. If he the Fourth Hokage was alive he would kill him for sealing him within this brat. Oh well, no use growling over spilt milk. "The little girl is at that doctor's home now, correct? And that's where the bookworm is about to go to." He waited ever so "patiently" for Naruto to do the math, Kami knows that's a struggle for the blonde-haired Uzumaki.

... Oh! Naruto realized. Mikasa was at Eren's! This was perfect, he could avoid disappointing his younger brother and still check on Mikasa! He could eat two bowls of miso ramen in one gulp! (He was pretty sure the saying went a little something like that.) "Sure thing little bro!"

-XXXXX-

"Do you like this dress Mikasa?" Carla Jaeger asked the Oriental girl for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. She was clearly excited as she continued showing Mikasa the different dresses she wore at her age in the hopes her new daughter would pick some she really liked. Across the room at the dining room table sat the men of the Jaeger household, Eren staring boredly and Grisha in amusement.

"It's nice." Mikasa said after looking the dress over and Carla added it to the growing pile of dresses Mikasa had chosen.

When she woke up the morning after her parents' deaths, Mikasa worriedly searched her surroundings until she remembered that she was in the safety of the Jaeger home. And even though she was starting to relax in her new home, there was one thing she wanted more than anything. "When," Mikasa began, causing Grisha to perk up and Carla to turn from her trunk of clothes. "When can I see Naruto-san?" Instinctively one of her hands went up to grab onto the orange scarf wrapped around her neck. It was wrapped neater than the way Naruto had wrapped it, but at the same time it still smelt like the spikey-haired blonde who rescued her.

Grisha's deep voice sounded from behind her and Mikasa turned her head to meet his gaze, "I'm sure you will see him soon." He smiled reassuringly. "If he doesn't show up soon, I'll take you to the Arlerts myself."

Mikasa nodded, feeling a lot better. Despite so far liking the Jaeger family, she still felt uneasy without Naruto being near her. It was strange to her, she barely knew the boy and she was already attached to him. Would it be strange to Naruto as well the next time they meet each other and scare him off? She hoped not, he saved her life after all and that was a debt she felt she could never repay no matter how long it took. I'll protect him next time he's in trouble. She vowed, determined.

"Eren why don't you show Mikasa around?" Carla suggested. "You both might see Naruto quicker that way."

Eren nodded. "Sure." That would be a lot better than watching Mikasa get new dresses all day. Eventually during the few months Naruto had been in Shiganshina, the two boys had actually became friends despite their rocky start.

"And no getting into fights." Carla added firmly, giving her son a knowing look.

The green-eyed boy looked away sheepishly, "There the ones who started it." He grumbled. It wasn't his fault that the bullies that tormented Armin were relentless, and then there was the fact Naruto usually showed up to save the day. Not that I needed to be saved, in the first place. Eren thought stubbornly. I was just letting them get the first punches.

Grisha ruffled his son's hair. "Well you don't always have to finish it." He said wisely. "Try to get an adult next time."

"Yeah, yeah."

They really are a close family... Mikasa noted feeling worried. Would she be able to ease in to the daily dynamics of the Jaeger family? She hoped so, not wanting to disrupt the people who took her in. "Eren always gets into fights?" She asked Carla.

The middle-aged woman nodded, "Yes, sadly." She gave Mikasa small smile. "I hope you'll look after him when I can't. Eren is very quick to rush into things without thinking them through, he'll need a level-headed older sister to keep him in line."

"I will." Mikasa promised.

That was when Eren cut through their conversation, sounding impatient. "Come on, hurry up Mikasa."

Carla scolded her son son once more as she began to pat down the white dress Mikasa was wearing, making sure there were no creases or lint. "Give her some time to get ready... There you look lovely." Carla said, looking over Mikasa proudly. The pale-skinned girl was now adorned in a white dress and a pair of reddish-brown flats that fit Mikasa's feet perfectly. A flash of realization passed over the older woman's face and she pulled out a small pink jacket. "And take this with you also, it could get cold while you're out."

In response, Mikasa put the jacket on. It was a little bigger than she expected, but she would probably grow into it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, dear." Carla's eyes swept over Mikasa's scarf. "Oh. Would you like me to wash your scarf for you."

Mikasa quickly shook her head, "It's fine." She didn't want to part with it so fast.

"Well I guess you two are ready to go." Carla said.

Eren sighed in relief. "Finally!" He grabbed Mikasa's wrist, hyped to get going after so many hours of boredom. "Let's go, Mi-"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Grisha stood up to answer the door. Well speak of the devil. He thought, having a good guess as to who it was who behind the door. And when he finally opened the door he wasn't all that surprised, well somewhat considering there was an extra face, when he saw the two blonde blue-eyed boys staring up at him. "Naruto, Armin." He announced to his family and he wondered how Mikasa would react. "It's nice to see you both. Can I help you boys?"

Armin was the one to talk first, "Can Eren come out to play?" He had a big book in his small hands.

Eren was already bounding to the door, Mikasa's tour forgotten but the raven-haired girl was already following her brother in pursuit for her own reason. "Hey Armin!"

"Hi, Eren!" Armin began.

Naruto pouted, "Yeah just forget all about Naruto." He said dramatically. "It's alright, I'm not hurt."

Eren rolled his eyes and then looked up at his father, "So can I, Dad?"

"Well aren't you supposed to be showing Mikasa around?" Grisha reminded him and Eren's face fell in disappointment.

"Oh, right." Eren looked to his best friend.

"Who?" Armin asked, about to look up to Grisha for answers when a girl with black hair and dark eyes appeared behind the older man. He could assume that this was the Mikasa they were talking about.

Naruto grinned, he was happy to see that Mikasa looked fine so far from when he saw her last. Sure her face still lacked emtion, but maybe she was always a quiet girl, like Hinata. "Hey, Mikasa-chan! You doing okay?"

The aforementioned girl nodded, she herself excited as she saw her protector once more. Grisha was right, Naruto did show up and it was sooner instead of later. "Yes thanks to you, Naruto-san."

Naruto rubbed the nape of his neck, looking embarrassed yet flattered. "There's no need to talk to me like I'm an adult or anything. Just call me Naruto!" And Mikasa nodded. Then Naruto conversationed jump. "Oh yeah, this is my younger brother, Armin!" He wrapped an arm around Armin's shoulders. "He's really smart so if you have any questions he can probably answer them! And Armin, this is Mikasa-chan! She's new so be nice got it!"

The younger blonde nodded, "I-it's nice to meet you!" He said, flustered. Armin didn't really have any female friends, or a lot of friends in general. In fact his only friend was Eren until Naruto showed up.

"It's nice to meet you too." Mikasa replied, looking Armin over. He looked a lot like Naruto with their matching hair and eyes, but from what she could already tell the smaller boy was a lot more shy than the boy who had saved her. And he also didn't have the strange whisker marks that adorned Naruto's cheeks. Now that it was lighter she could see his features more clearly, and while the whiskers were strange she didn't mind. It added on to his character.

"Well since you guys are busy looking around town, I guess we'll see you later." Naruto waved and began turning around, oblivious to the dismay that was in Mikasa's eyes.

But Grisha wasn't. "Well how about all three of you boys give her a tour," The doctor suggested, wanting to laugh at how Mikasa instantly seemed to brighten up. "That way she can learn her around Shiganshina and maybe make some more friends."

Eren agreed quickly, "Yeah!" He grinned and looked at his adopted sister. "It'll be fun, right Mikasa?!" He really hoped she would agree.

Mikasa nodded once more that day, grateful for her new father's suggestion. She couldn't wait to spend more time with Naruto and learn more about him. "Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger." She walked down the stairs as quickly as she could without seeming too obvious.

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!" Eren followed after Mikasa. "Come on guys, let's go!"

Grisha laughed as he watched the newly formed quartet walk down the streets of Shiganshina. Eren was walking at a fast pace, talking excitedly to Armin more than likely about the book he was carrying. And as he expected, Mikasa walked right next to Naruto who chatted happily away with her, probably actually the only one giving her the tour of the district. Mikasa was definitely quite taken away with the strange boy, the ninja, but the boy was oblivious. A trait that would probably fade in due time. Grisha finally retired back into his house. May the four of them stay friends for a long time. Grisha wished. After all, things may not always be as peaceful as they were now. And if that happened he hoped that those kids would stick together thick and thin.

-Shinganshina, Year 845-

"Eren, wake up."

"Eren..."

"Eren!"

Eren woke up with a start. What the hell kind of dream was that? His heart was beating fast and he was sweating. Blinking once more he noticed Mikasa crouching over him. "Huh? Mikasa?" He blinked again. "What do you want?"

"We should head back home now." Mikasa said, standing up to pick up her wood pack.

With a yawn the brown-haired boy began to run his eyes, still feeling the effects of sleep. "Whatever you just want us to hurry up so you can see Naruto faster."

Mikasa's cheeks flushed lightly. Eren was right on the door nail with that one, but the only reason she wanted to check on Naruto was just to make sure that he wasn't getting in to trouble or being reckless. Yesterday she had caught him sleeping outside! "No I don't." She retorted quietly as she adjusted the pack on her back. "It's just that it'll get dark soon." Not really, but it was a good subject changer. "What were you dreaming about?"

"It was a really long dream, I think." Eren mumbled vaguely. To be honest, he wasn't sure what the dream was actually about nonetheless what he saw. He was pretty sure that there was a lot of blood. What was I dreaming about? He didn't have enough time to mentally contemplate his dreams as Mikasa had started speaking again.

"Eren?" Her voice sounded surprised. "Were you crying?"

Eren looked up quickly, bringing a hand to one of his eyes. Huh? They were full of tears. He quickly wiped them dry and stood up to grabbed the wood pack that he had taken off. "Let's hurry up and get home!" It was his turn to embarrassedly change the subject.

Mikasa gave a very small smile as she watched Eren sling over his pack. "Yeah, let's go home."

But first let me take a cliffy! Cliffy!

Woo, here's chapter two! (The authoress apologizes for any OOC-ness!)

We got to see Naruto angst (because let's face it, while Naruto was strong in Part 1, killing was something he thought he'd never have to do). And we got to see some pervy Kyuubi, damn him and his hormones. And we also got some NaruMika interaction wooooooo (Sorry there wasn't a lot, but more is soon to come in the next chapters coming up.)~~~! I will go down with this ship. I just adore this Xover shipping and call me cliche, but the reason I like them so much is the fact that their personalities compliment one another. Naruto's a sunny, optimistic person and Mikasa is quiet and mature. They're like Yin and Yang.

What do you guys think?

Anyway, the next chapter is comin' out soon!

Enjoy!

Read, Review, and Spread the Love too!
~SunshineSketch