A/N: A part I've been looking forward to write is in this chapter. I'm sure you've hoped for it too, you should have, because I wouldn't have any self-respect if I didn't write it. Not that I don't already, as I write fanfiction.

"You were glowing, and flying without wings." She whispered. He peered back to where Rias leaned against the doorway, before he placed his attention onto the screen. He wasn't sure how to continue that conversation. Rias was silent, and it was several minutes as she continued to stare at him. He glanced a few times but her gaze refused to break.

He continued to play through the video game to ignore her. Naruto would have liked to say he was good, but video games were a new area for him to explore, to annunciate that fact, he died, his gaming skills suffered from his onlooker.

"Why do you keeping staring at me? It's creeping me out, and don't say I was glowing for the seventh time since yesterday."

"I don't understand, were you always this powerful?" She asked. Rias moved closer as the bed pressed against her added weight. Her dainty arms stiff, and hands clutched around the edges of the mattress.

"I haven't changed much since I've met you." He died again and restrained a sigh.

"You hadn't trained of any sort?" She asked.

"Nothing meaningful, no." he tresses of her hair hid her features, and fingers dug deeper into the cushion. He noticed these details, and then he died with his mind being elsewhere, he frowned and continued.

"I…Resurrecting you shouldn't have worked, and even if it did, it should have taken more pieces to do so. I don't understand it." Rias said, she looked at the screen, she paid no attention to the chaotic nature of the action. It was slow for him, but he still had to look down at the controller at times.

"Ajuka told me it was more like the early prototypes where it didn't work or failed," As in, they turned into creatures that were only a figment of their former selves. Perhaps it had something to do with his chakra, Sirzechs had hinted to that.

"My brother explained it to me." Rias said. Of course, it was only natural that Sirzechs would explain to her what they had found out. "The restrictions didn't apply to-"

"Yes, I was there Rias." He replied. What he did know was that there was little solution to his problem, theories, but nothing solid. Some of which may or may not kill him or transform him into some horrific monster.

He died again, but he continued to play without complaint.

"You noticed it, haven't you?" Kurama said.

"Depends on what we're talking about."

"The relationship between your chakra and the need for you to be near Rias."

"Oh, that, I've only figured it out yesterday." Naruto said.

It was hard not too. Some other kid no one knew had come to him and asked for the captive, and Naruto had given to him without a question. Rias had asked about that action, but it didn't matter to him. Naruto tried to leave after that, but when he got back to the apartment he was forced to return to Rias' side. The distance hadn't affected him until after he had fought. He had to wait at the clubs' room while Rias dealt with the aftermath of it all.

"I had some thoughts, but I wanted to make sure." Kurama replied.

"Wish you shared it with me," He muttered. Rias said some words he didn't catch. "What?"

"I said, I don't know how to fix this."

"It's fine alright? You tried, it didn't work out." The attempt was what mattered. He found out a couple things, but he still had another shot or two.

"I'll continue trying then, until you're back to normal." Rias replied. Her chin rested on her hands and watched as he played.

Until his condition no longer affected him, except, there was no going back to normal was there? Naruto didn't notice he had died until he had respawned.

"So other than that, anything else?"

Soft eyes gazed at him, and her voice rose with emotion. "As for yesterday, I want to thank you! Thank you so much for protecting us all! There's only so much gratitude that I can show you."

Naruto wandered through the world of the game, but it was aimless. "…It was nothing."

"You say that, but it means very much to me."

He was silent as he tried to focus on playing the game, he wasn't even sure what he was doing anymore. He gripped his controller, almost cracking it and words spilled from his mouth.

"Rias, you're intense sometimes. How else am I supposed to take those pretty smiles and gratitude? It wasn't long ago when I called you names and you would defend yourself or say how this is how you saw things, it was so much easier before then." Naruto shook his head.

"You think, my smiles are pretty?"

"I didn't say that! That's what you take from this?" Honestly, he didn't really know what specific words he said. "And I did not say that."

"I think I said Uzumaki-kun had a soft heart before."

"You're so damn weird."

"Perhaps," She gazed at the screen, that smile on her face. "Are you hungry at all?

"I guess," Then he died again, by then he no longer felt like playing. He hadn't felt like playing since he started, but he didn't know what else to do. A coy smile formed and she swept a stray hair out of her face. "I'm cooking something, I'll hope you enjoy it."

He didn't respond as she rushed through the door and closed it. Yeah, a weirdo, like he said.

She returned once again, but instead of watching him play, she wandered around the room. There wasn't much, but he had collected a few things.

Rias hummed, "You once said I don't know much."

"Yeah? What about it?"

"You're right, but I want to know more about you."

He almost dropped his controller, "You're really stubborn."

Her lips parted, like she wanted to say something before she stopped, smiled and resumed to talk. "This is the first time I've been in your room."

"Well, you just barged in here."

"I don't think so." He was certain about it, and he shot a suspicious glance. "It is my home too."

She was full of smiles today. She disappeared down the hall again, the door shutting close. True, she had fed him, clothed him, and pretty much done everything of the sort.

"Whatever, it's not my room anyways." He spoke to himself.

It was a long while before she returned, a look of excitement plastered on her face as she strode in with a steaming bowl. The door was wide open, and he knew the scent as it rolled in. He knew it anywhere.

"Tadah! I made your favorite Uzu~maki~kun, it's –"

"Ramen." He finished. He resisted the urge to swipe it from her fingers, his stomach growled and she giggled.

"Take it, I made it just for you."

He grasped it in his hands as she left once again. It smelled amazing, he didn't remember the last time he had the dish. He couldn't find any sort of ramen shop around town, not the instant ramen, but actual cooked ramen, as those were his favorite type. He could almost taste it, and his mouth watered. Rias returned with her own bowl and sat beside him.

Her eyes reflected her glee but she neglected to say what made her happy. Naruto gave brief thanks of food before he hesitantly tried the ramen. Then he started to devour it, he slurped, and broth spilled, in no time at all, nothing was left in the bowl.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it." Rias said, her bowl was still full.

Naruto cleared his throat. "First bento's and now ramen? You trying to get through to me with food?"

"And what if I am? What did that person say? 'trying to melt that cold emotionless heart?"

"Ugh, you're so lame."

"But I already know Uzumaki-kun is a good person. I don't have too."

"Hello? We still don't know if you die, I'm a goner too. I'm a selfish person."

"You don't believe that, do you?"

He didn't have a response. "Thanks for the ramen."

She laughed again, she was giggly and smile-y today. Happy. It was… annoying coming from her. "I think that's the first time you said thank you without it being sarcasm."

His eye twitched. "Get out of my room."

She failed to restrain her smile and amused eyes. "You don't believe in that, do you.?"

"Shut up."

"Wait, wait wait, hold on." Naruto interrupted, seated across from him was Issei They were in the Club's room. "Did I hear that right? Tell me, Koneko, did I hear that right?"

"Yes, asshole, The Degenerate Pervert really is more of a depraved and filthy pervert."

"T-that's no such thing for a person as cute as you should say." Issei said.

"I mean, being harem king, uh, er, what? " Naruto had this cute, confused expression on his face.

Rias decided to interrupt. "High-class devils usually have a harem, if they so wish, it's common."

"Wait so you're saying that's normal?" Naruto said. His face widened and he turned to the self-proclaimed pervert. "So Issei? You wish to be just a normal devil? I mean a dream's a dream, but what after? If Rias' says it's normal, it would be plenty easy I guess."

"I…I don't know, but I don't think it will be easy."

Rias wondered about his thoughts toward a harem, there was little to suggest he approved and wanted such a thing. Rias…hoped he wasn't interested in pursuing a harem.

Naruto groaned, which brought her out of her musings, he dug his face into his hands. Rias didn't know why he did this. "Knock yourself out, I'm not gonna stop you, but I'm sure as hell ain't gonna help you. I said that before haven't I?"

"Thank you senpai! I knew a guy like you would understand."

"No, I don't understand. But…you do you buddy."

"That's all the approval I need!"

Akeno entered the room with a tray of treats, first, she went to Koneko before moving along. "Ah~ Uzumaki-kun, I made these especially for you."

"Cool!" Naruto smiled. His eyes shone, and he reached for one.

Rias felt a pang of jealously in her chest. Naruto had never shown that much appreciation toward her, and Rias had made Bentos, and even Ramen for him. She bit her lip to stop words from spilling out, after all, Naruto didn't belong to her.

Akeno held the tray away from his grasp, and she waved a finger in a playful manner. "No, Ah, ah ah, let me."

Rias saw bite sized cookies shaped into a heart in her hand. Akeno bent forward, a wink, amd fed him a cookie. Naruto blushed. He blushed. A raw, pure, scolding fire erupted that she could not say anything anymore.

"Senpai you're a liar! You're back stabber!" Issei yelled.

"Say what now? I didn't do anything."

Rias flinched from his outburst, and she could thank Issei for disrupting the words she was about to say. Everyone –except Koneko who had no interest– looked at the retreating form Issei as he shot outside the club door.

"Jeez." Naruto muttered. "Issei needs to relax and take my word for it."

A girlish figure walked through the open door, an expression alike to Naruto's daily expression; a frown. Her new rook, Xenovia, not dressed in a suit but instead in the a girl's school uniform. "Who'd done this to my former partner's child hood friend."

"Mouthful…" Naruto murmured.

"It was Uzumaki-kun." Akeno replied, a smile on her face. Xenovia eye's shot wide as she looked on Naruto's visage, he crammed his mouth with cookies. Which destroyed any sort of imposing character that might have sparked from his earlier feats.

Naruto tried to speak, but crumbs flew from mouth. It was even strange to Rias to see this. She had…expected more of the personality that he had shown since he arrived.

"Oh." Xenovia stated

Rias spoke, her face was flushed with left over jealously and anger. There were also the thoughts of Naruto was as a person. "What Uzumaki-kun might be trying to say, is that my little Pawn is like that. Don't take it personally."

Naruto gave an approving hum. "This is really good." He muttered before he dug into the cookies again.

"I see." Xenovia muttered.

"Welcome, I was beginning to wonder when you might arrive. I hope your first day here is going well?" Rias asked. She had done a little distance experiment with Xenovia in the morning, it hadn't bothered her, so Naruto was the unique case.

"It is, thank you." Xenovia said as she sat down on an empty loveseat. She wasn't the textbook example of comfort, but being an former exorcist not more than three days ago, she was doing fine. "So…You had someone like this under your command this entire time?"

"He's a part of my peerage, yes." Rias replied. She looked to Naruto for a reaction, but he was nonchalant. "And it seems he's powerful."

"You didn't know?"

"I did not."

Naruto spoke, "Seeing as I didn't get the chance to ask, why become a devil?"

Rias frowned when Akeno had taken a seat beside him, their knees touching.

"I was ex-communicated from the church I was following for my whole life, and I found that the biblical god -ow- is dead. I have no where else to go."

Naruto was silent and he blinked. "Oh, that's rough." He sat back with a contemplative look, and barely responded to any of Akeno's advances. It brought relief to Rias.

"You're…even more powerful than what you showed, aren't you?" Xenovia asked. A spark of curiosity behind her eyes.

"I guess." He didn't pay much attention. "I didn't want to be a devil, I very much wanted to stay human."

There was no ill intent behind his words, stated in a matter of fact way. He drank a cup of tea he had been given.

"Interesting."

It devolved in the small conversation from there, until that is, Naruto shot up, with the largest grin since…ever. He said nothing as he shot up from the sofa and out the door.

"Where is he going?" Akeno asked.

"I don't know." Rias said, she followed him, but with a slow pace that belonged to a respectable devil like herself. What peerage that had gathered in the room stepped behind her. He had already turned around a corner by the time she got out of the building.

Rias' became aware as to why it might be, as she felt some type of energy nearby that he sped toward. It was familiar, because it felt was like Naruto's own. Rias hastened her step, because it must be important.

She turned more corners until she caught up to see a large sphere structure that had materialized in the courtyard of the school. A spectacle to behold, especially to those not of supernatural origin. A small group of students and teachers looked on in bewilderment.

This was something they had to fix.

A raven-haired man –the source of the power and portal– stood impassively in front. His gaze locked onto Naruto. The stranger was clad in a worn poncho with a layer of snow littered on his features and clothing.

Naruto knew this person, he put his arms in the air and exclaimed, "Yo! Sasuke, what the fuck are you doing here?"

Rias approached the duo, Sasuke, gave her a passing glance before he focused on the blond. With the brief time, she saw his eyes, one of them was rippled and grey.

"Kakashi asked me to retrieve whatever situation you got yourself in."

"Did he now? And you were so worried about ole' me weren't you?"

"Tch, I can leave you right where you are. Let's go, I have things to do." Sasuke said.

"Ah, you see, I'm in a …troublesome situation here." Naruto scratched the back of his blond locks.

Sasuke sighed, "Then let me simplify it for you. You stay and I leave, or We both go now. I'm not going to wait."

"Hmm, when you put it that way, that's an easy one…"

Wait, what was Naruto planning to do? He took off his jacket, and threw it in the portal, and a look of satisfaction appeared.

"I know morons when I see them."

Despite the insult, Naruto sported a large grin, and stepped forward, his back to the portal and faced them all. Like…It was them, against everyone else. Rias took a step when she heard the next words.

"Follow my lead, would you?" Naruto froze her to the spot with a simple look, and a knowing smile.

A golden flash, and before she realized, a large golden hand encased her in a grip, and pulled her closer. "U-Uzumaki-kun! What are you doing?"

"Making my own decision, we're checking out my home for once."

His home?

Except for Xenovia, everyone apart of her peerage sped forward to intervene, and she realized Sona Sitri's –her rival– own peerage had also appeared. However, she already knew the outcome. "No, stop!" Rias commanded, but was ignored. The knights were the first to reach her, Kiba, with his sacred gear activated, a sword appeared in his grasp.

Another sigh escaped from Sasuke, "You'll deal with the consequences afterward."

"Whatever!" Naruto replied. Kiba, as well as Sona's own knight, froze in the air, a look of surprise marred their faces. The knights were shot backward by an invisible force, that crashed against the others in pursuit.

What was that? None of them were hurt, thankfully.

"Hey! Why the worry? Rias will be with me after all." Naruto stated, she was pulled closer and they both dove into the portal. Rias closed her eyes in nervousness.

The air steeped into her lungs, stinging and cold. Her eyes opened, and the intensity of the brightness blinded her. The warm grip around her frame released, she didn't expect it, so she stumbled into the snow. The ice burned her bare skin, and she shot away from the contact of the snow, but it was deep, and her feet still entrenched in the snow.

"Ah~ That sweet air of wherever we are. Hey Sasuke- where you going? Haven't seen each other in more than a year and you're off just like that?"

Rias heard Naruto's loud voice that echoed around her. She squinted her eyes, strained to see the form of him until her eyes adjusted. She shivered from the cold. It didn't seem to bother either of them.

"Away, I'm sure you can find yourself back to the village, as for me, I'm continuing where I left off."

"Alright…See ya I guess." Naruto said, he crossed his arms and looked at this person he knew. The only response Sasuke gave was a little gesture with his hand without looking back. "Pfft, trying to be cool all the time."

Sasuke disappeared from the heavy thicket of the snow, the trail of his prints was left behind.

Rias found Naruto's jacket that he threw and wrapped it around her to stave off the bite of the blizzard. The jacket smelled like him, it was large for her, and oddly comforting despite that she bad been practically kidnapped. Still, Naruto wouldn't hurt her. She knew that much.

Naruto returned to her, but before a word could be said between them, someone fell to the ground beside her and gasped at the sudden cold.

"Who would even follow us? Issei?" Naruto muttered.

"Senpai? What are you doing?" Issei kneeled on the snow and held himself for warmth.

Naruto picked him up by the collars of his jacket. "What am I doing? What are you doing? Go back."

"Not before you tell me." Issei replied, Rias was touched by his concern, but, she wasn't sure what he was trying to accomplish.

"You're acting like I'm the bad guy, Rias is under my care now. Besides, she can teleport back there, remember?"

If she teleported back, then, something that made her sick to her stomach would happen to Naruto.

Rias decided to speak, besides, Issei seemed especially attentive to what she had say at all times, this wasn't an exception. "Uzumaki-kun is right, go back…I'll be fine, tell the others the same."

"I-If you're sure Buchou."

"Absolutely certain." She replied, Naruto glanced at her before he focused on Issei.

Where ever they were, it seemed to make Naruto happy, his grin hadn't even been replaced at all. It suited him, better than any other expression. If this would fix and grow their relationship, then so be it.

"There see?" Naruto said, and he pushed Issei back into the portal before he could say another word. He stared at the portal, until a disappeared a few moments later.

"I-is this your home?" Rias stuttered from the cold, and she pulled Naruto's coat closer. Her legs were still bare, a skirt was not the best at shielding from the gust of wind and the air gnawing at her legs.

"Not exactly, but I get what you're asking, we're in another dimension, like yours."

Another dimension? While Rias had thought Naruto was a unique character with a special power, him being from another dimension that wasn't the underworld hadn't occurred to her.

He approached, a warm hand placed on her shoulder. "You'll see in just a moment." He disappeared.

She blinked, and looked everywhere and found nothing. "Uzumaki-kun?" Another shiver. He had tried this before, and it was still the same outcome, why was that?

He appeared again and stumbled onto her. She caught him before he could tumble into the snow. She held him in her arms, most of his weight pressed against her. Rias could feel his chest rise and fall, his hot breathing that blew down her neck. She shivered again, and this time it wasn't from the icy wind. Naruto was like a furnace, and Rias wanted more because it was very cold.

How terrible it must feel to be this way, to have his body work against him. Rias had made a promise, one she would fulfill, to fix this affliction of his.

She panicked when he finally stood up on his own, but a grin was still affixed on his lips.

"Crap! I can't believe I forgot about this." His eye twitched, and annoyed looked before it disappeared again. "Anyway…" She wasn't sure what that was about.

"Uhm, what will we do now?" Rias asked. Her legs were shaking now, and she couldn't stop it. Her body trying hard to find any sort of warmth. He was silent, his eyes closed. "Uzumaki-kun?"

His eyes opened that revealed an alien orange that replaced his familiar blues. "We take the flying route of course."

Rias gave a yelp as Naruto scooped her up bridal style and charged into the white sky through falling snow. His hands were warm, so warm. As they flew higher, the winds became harsher and the temperature dropped further. She could no longer feel her legs, and it was had to breath with the wind.

"H-hey! Stop moving, I'm going to drop you!" Naruto yelled through the howling winds that rushed passed them.

"N-No you won't, and it's cold." Rias circled her arms around his neck, and her legs to touch as much as him as possible.

"Oh." Was all he had to say. He adjusted himself, his hand outstretched. A yellow sphere formed in his hand, before it glowed red and grew hot. "This help?"

She stared at the sphere, he held lava in his hand. The heat it let off made her sigh in relief. Rias peeked at him, his orange eyes focused in front.

"Yes, thank you." Naruto could be…sweet, when he wanted to be. She didn't say nothing more, and he didn't say a word either.

She wanted more of this, because she was appreciative of what he had done. It was times like this, Rias wasn't certain how to act around him. He had made his frustrations clear. It would be easy to act sultry, but it didn't seem as simple to act that way with him; It might have a opposite effect.

He was unpredictable, in a way. It was…complicated.

It was a long flight, she could have flown herself, but she'd rather not have done that. Besides, Naruto seemed to have forgotten that fact too. They were no longer in the freezing capped mountains, but it was still cold in the sky.

"There it is," Naruto said, that cute grin still affixed on his features.

Rias looked down to see the sight of a large village settled in the sea of forest green. The most noticeable landmark; busts of six people were carved from the side of the mountain that overlooked the village. A large wall extended around the entirety of the village.

"I'm guessing this is your home?"

"Sure is!" They said nothing more until they descended, and stopped in front of a large gate that led into the village. Naruto let her down, and her bones cracked from the lack of movement as she stretched.

Naruto walked a few paces in front before she caught up, "It's nice to see it after months away."

She peeked at him, his eyes were soft and a gentle smile. Rias noticed how he stood, his shoulders slack and his features free from creases of a frown. If this wasn't the textbook example of comfort, then…

He strode forward, a bounce to his step and Rias followed close behind him. Whatever might happen, it would be important. After all, Rias was certain no one else was aware of this other dimension, otherwise she would have heard of this place.

"Where are we?" She asked. They approached a gate, and she noticed two men inside a kiosk inside.

"The Village Hidden in the Leaves."

The two men inside the kiosk called out to them as they approached.

"Oh! Looks like the hero finally returned from his mission." One of them said.

Hero? Mission?

"Mission?" Naruto muttered.

"Yeah, Hokage-sama said you were off on a mission. Also said when you returned you were to report in immediately with no detours.

"Right…"

"Who's that?" The other man asked, his navel bridge covered with a layer of bandages.

"Don't worry about it." Naruto said.

"Ah, I see, mission related. What with the get up?"

"Hey!" The other man beside him interrupted. "Let them go, they need to see Hokage-sama."

"Right, sorry."

Naruto proceeded inside the village, a contemplative look. What were all these titles? Whoever this Hokage was, he was a leader.

"Right, let's go see Kakashi."

"Kakashi? Is he not the Hokage they spoke about?"

"Same person."

And Naruto was familiar with him. Who was her knight? Why did the man call him a hero? What was this whole other life that she had wandered into? Why were there people casually jumping from rooftop to rooftop?

She was picked up once more as Naruto flew in the air toward the mountain. Several children cried out from below. Their inaudible shouts and a few calls of Naruto's own name.

There was a building at the base of the mountain, a banner decorated in front and a wall encased around the property. This seemed to be their destination as they slowed their descent, but instead of stopping on the ground like they did before, they went through an open window on the top floor.

"Take the door next time, Okay?" An annoyed voice said. They landed inside, and she made sure she was proper. It was hard to accomplish with the method of transportation.

"No can do, besides, you and Pervy-sage did this all the time." Naruto replied.

She was greeted by a man with his face covered by a mask. He stood behind a large desk with stacks of papers, a large white hat placed on one of them.

"Hello there, it seemed Naruto had been busy, wherever he was."

"Oh, it's a complicated story." Naruto stated. "This is Rias, Rias, this is Kakashi, the Hokage of the village. He's the leader."

"Hello, Hokage-sama." Rias gave a bow, words spilled that she had said many times before were repeated. "I am Rias Gremory, A pure blood devil, and heiress to the Gremory clan, one of the remaining 72 pillars"

"Good afternoon, Gremory-sama. You may call me by your preference. Please, take a seat. I want to extend a welcome to you as a guest to my village. Naruto, take a seat, because it does seem complicated,"

Rias sat in one of the two chairs, the one beside being filled by her personal savior, if not a reluctant one. Naruto had a contemplative expression

"Nice to see you again." Naruto smiled. He was filled with smiles today.

"It's nice to have one of my ninja return from…" There was a glance sent to her. "-Whatever situation he seemed to have gotten himself into."

Ninja? Before she could think about it, The Hokage had addressed her. "I hope you don't mind waiting for Naruto to explain."

"It's fine, I do not mind."

"Okay, Naruto? Start at the beginning, because you weren't assigned on a mission when you disappeared..."

"I'm been waiting for this." Kurama muttered. Naruto ignored the Fox and continued with his explanation, he was not interrupted and he told everything, the moment he met Rias, Evil pieces, and onwards. Everything that he could remember. It took a while, before he finally stopped.

"How exactly did you get injured?" Kakashi stated. His face emotionless, Naruto couldn't tell what he might be thinking.

"That, uh," He frowned. This was too embarrassing, too complicated, and he had to tell Rias of all people. Kakashi crossed his arms, and waited. "I was experimenting with my Dad's technique, when, I tried…to do something that didn't include the seal, which made me end up at where Rias' dimension was."

They stared at him, "What? It's hard to explain okay? I almost died, because all the chakra I had was spent, even Kurama's. Since I was practicing with Kunai, I, Well, I sorta, accidentally stabbed myself when I landed."

"There was a crater," Rias said, there was no sense of amusement in her eyes, nor any mocking that he could see.

"I fell very fast, and hard." The thought of it made him sick again. One moment, he realized he was falling, the next, in a crater.

"I suppose that explains everything, but…"

"Oh~ Here it comes." Kurama stated, and inside, he chuckled.

"What?" He asked, but there was no response.

"I'm not sure where to begin." Kakashi stated. A sigh of frustration escaped from him.

A sort of, life-ending sense of dread filled his stomach. A premonition, but was it one if it were to start the next moment? There was something that he skipped over, that he hadn't given a moment's thought about and it was about to kill him.

The Hokage, former teacher, pervert, looked at him. Kakashi had given him many looks throughout the years he had known him, whether with pride, sadness, happiness, but, there was nothing as clear, as palpable as the look of disappointment, never had he looked so letdown.

Kakashi spoke in a hard voice, "Regardless of your feelings toward your situation. You did not handle this in a way befitting of a de facto representative of the Leaf, as well as the alliance. This is not how you treat other foreign powers,"

It was silent then, almost, as Naruto heard was the loud, incessant, cackling that belonged to Kurama.

"Y-You knew about this?" Naruto accused.

"Knew? Of course, the first moment we figured out we were in another place."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"It wouldn't be as funny." Kurama said.

"As funny!?"

This was something that Naruto hadn't even given the briefest of thoughts. Shame poured into his being, intense, consuming, he wanted to crawl into a corner and stay there. It wasn't done.

"Since this is a diplomatic issue that you raised-"

"This isn't entire his fault!" Rias interrupted. Naruto was surprised at her outburst, and he had no clue what she was trying to do. "He's done some good too, he helped me with a personal matter, as well as stopped a potential war from occurring."

He was too shocked to say anything. This girl, who he had treated so poorly, had defended him. "Rias-"She shot him a pleading look.

"Despite him being from here, he's a part of my peerage too, so he's aligned with me. It's also my fault, as I'm the one who ignored his refusal, if I had listened, none of this would have happened!" Rias looked to the ground, and took a breath. She clutched at the hems of her skirt, his school jacket still wrapped around her.

A brief silence, before it broke. Kakashi sighed.

"I guess, Naruto, is still Naruto. You didn't mention this?" Kakashi asked.

"I didn't know." Naruto replied. He wasn't certain about the devil's structure of power, nor about the war he averted.

"I suppose it does help…" He pivoted his chair to gaze out the window, before he returned to speak. "This is a matter that I can only speak for myself. I'll convene a Five Kage summit."

"Really?" Naruto asked. It was that big?

"Yes, for now. Considering your situation. I'm appointing you a temporary liaison, until the alliance selects an official candidate. So, take this as a mission to repair any broken bridges. We do not want to make any enemies here."

"You're giving me a mission?"

"Did you expect a punishment? That will come after. Now, the two of you should get some rest. Gremory-sama, I hope you won't mind staying here several days before you return."

"Not at all." Rias replied. He couldn't spare a glance at her, he still felt the shame.

"I can arrange a hotel for your stay if you wish."

"No, that's fine. I can stay with Naruto, we've shared a apartment together. There's also the chance of his affliction that might bother him." Rias replied.

Kakashi nodded. "Good, you may leave. I'll send someone for you tomorrow."

Naruto didn't speak as they walked through the village. Gone was the grin, replaced by frown. Not the angry one she was accustomed to seeing, but a sad one. His energy had waned, the bounce no longer present.

She would wait, it seemed to work well last time. She was the one who had initiated it, but he had spoken like nothing had happened between them. So, perhaps she should do the same.

Rias followed him, and she gazed at the unique streets. There were many little things to look at. Sculptures, signs, artwork and other things as well. It was like she stepped back in time in Japan. There were no towering skyscrapers, no loud cars passing by in the streets. Yet, there was the odd mixture of technology sprinkled through out.

The people greeted each other with a jovialness she wasn't accustomed too, and people flocked to Naruto as they saw him. They'd asked for an autograph, or for a quick picture.

Naruto, despite the earlier event, would smile and agree. Except, that smile didn't fully reach his eyes. However, the longer they walked, the more relaxed he became. There was something else she thought of, she hoped this hadn't changed anything between them.

It didn't take long as they reached an apartment, it looked to be expensive judging on the exterior of the building. They entered inside to a stairwell, and walked to the highest point of the complex before he dug out a key inside his pocket.

He left the door open as he walked in and she closed it behind. He took off his sandals and she did the same to her shoes.

"Here we are." He said. He stood by a large window and looked outside into the village. There was the sight of the busts of the Hokage in view, Rias recognized the sixth that belonged to Kakashi. "From your place to mine."

"That's true, now I'm the guest." She giggled. She laid his jacket over a sofa.

He didn't react. She saw him lean against the window frame and continued to stare out. She wanted to talk, since they were alone again. A frequent occurrence, but she wanted to be alone with him more often. Where should she start?

She wandered around the living room, picture frames were on a nearby desk. A thin layer of dust on them, and she saw a picture of him when he was younger with three other people. Some she had met today. Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto, and a girl. Both boys glared at one another, while the other two were smiling.

"You're popular." Rias said. She figured small would be a nice start.

"Yeah." He replied, he didn't want to explain on why that was. She asked another question.

"So, you're a ninja?"

He smiled then, "I sure am."

"That's…so cool!"

"Huh?"

"That's explain why you're so cool!"

"Cool? I've been-" He sighed. He was till bothered by what happened earlier.

"It's fine, we all make mistakes." Rias said, she thought of his resurrection, and his healing. "No matter how well we think of ourselves."

"Gremory-"

"No." She said, and he gazed at her. Rias approached him to tap his chest with a finger several times. "Just because of what happened, doesn't mean you must stop being mean, or call me by my name. I…Want the real Uzumaki-kun. We've known each other for a while now, haven't we?"

He laughed, and then shook his head "That's…a relief."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know."

He didn't know? She looked out the window to see what he might be staring at, it was everything. "What do you think of me Uzumaki-kun?" She had feared this question before, because there was something about his words when he said them. Whatever they might be.

He looked at her with those blues, gone was the disdain. "Honestly, I don't know what to think of you anymore."

This was progress, it made her happy. "In the future, I hope, that you call me a friend." Maybe even more.

"If I were to apologize to you now, it would be a lie."

It was something that she had figured out. Naruto's meant every word that he said, he didn't lie. Rias felt a smile pull at her lips and looked out to the village. She had never said anything about apologizing.

"I'm looking forward to the day."