People had rightfully pointed inquisitively at Naruto's supposed moment of forgiveness towards Konoha in the previous Chapter so let me say this now, you have nothing to worry about as I know what I said in the Prologue; it was just a normal display of a young man's doubts, there WILL be an occasion that will cement Naruto's decision about never returning to the Elemental Countries, don't worry.
A request to me by Phoenix Warehouse Productions, he proposed me to create a Naruto/Zelda Twilight Princess Crossover following his story "Letter to a Hero" using it as a base to create a fanfic using the directions he gave with it, I hope he and you all will like the result ^ ^.
Please remember: I have Three challenges in my profile myself, please tell me if you take one or more of them, thank you.
Sorry, won't listen to Canon haters, I already said this but I want to play safe.
Naruto will collect the same weapons of Link BUT he will hardly use them, if not at all, since I imagined him more akin to do things his way instead of following the game's 'script'.
OH! I decided to be a bastard and add a Goron girl named "Gor-Mineh" as a pun on "Gold-mine".
(she is practically a Goron version of Louise De La Valliere of "ZnT")
And a secret one that will be revealed ONLY AT THE END OF THE FINAL CHAPTER AND NO, SHE IS NOT ZELDA. (Even if it pains me not adding her).
Like that, just to be an asshole; because since my stories suck, my humor sucks, my grammar sucks and I suck and I am a failure as an human-being that should just drop dead (Like an anonymous reviewer without even a fucking account here on FF. net said in one of my stories believing that he/she would have stopped me with some flaming) then I pretend to do whatever I want with my stories, sorry the rant; the chapter is under here if you still want to read it.
" You bastard" - demon talking / jutsu
"Let's finish this" - dialogue
" Can it get any worse? " - during flashback/ Thoughts
Pairing: Main one: Naru/Midna/Ilia/Agitha/ Utsukushi (Fem Kyuubi).
Minor: Naru/Goron girl/Secret girl.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything else I will use nor I make a profit out of this, I am writing just for the pleasure of doing it.
The Toad Sage Jiraiya will be (Unknowingly) part of the whole Plot of Twilight Princess.
Chapter 6: In shinobi we trust.
Deep inside the Death Mountain – Goron Mines -
There were Lava, fire and brimstone everywhere eye could see, the very air seemed so hot to melt steel and to complete the 'lovely' image numerous tremors kept shaking the whole area making huge rocks fall from the ceiling that in turn would spray magma everywhere with a dull Spluck! Noise once reached the lake-worth of molten rock taking most of the mines' floor.
With a barely audible tapping of well-trained feet the blond hero jumped from the ceiling after having been forced to open his way there with a rasengan to clear his path from rocks, and something told him that it wouldn't have been a rare occurrence being forced to use brute strength to make his way towards the deepest parts of that hellish dungeon.
"I already hate this place..." Ustsukushi muttered in distaste.
"What do you think, Naruto?" Midna asked from the young man's shadow.
"This place sucks, just look at that! There is barely a floor down there to walk on and fucking pillars of flames and magma are randomly rising from the cracks!...Sigh! Considering this heath, I wouldn't mind a nice, cold lemon-flavoured kakigōri (Shave Ice) now..." Naruto answered with a defeated sigh.
"Be strong, you can do thiiiiiii..." Midna was about to answer when words died in her throat.
"What?" the blond asked while sealing away the upper-half of his jumpsuit and the cloak thus remaining bare-chested.
"Guuuuuuuh..." the Imp girl muttered transfixed as her eyes traced every inch of his sweating chest.
"Put at least a shirt on, you are liquefying the brain of the little pervert," The ten-tailed Vixen said in dismay.
"Then why you are not afflicted?" he asked.
"Please! I saw you grow-up..." she answered smirking.
"Yeah, sorry if I thought..."
"I practically knew your body's every detail by the second shower after you returned from your training trip with the Toad Pervert," she finished saying.
"Never mind," the shinobi said sighing while begrudgingly wearing a simple sleeve-less shirt.
"Guah?...Uh? where were we?" Midna asked once having recomposed herself.
"Goron mines, mission about saving the Leader of the Goron Tribe so to have the bastards open their mines once again to the Villagers down in Kakariko," Naruto answered.
"Oh, yes...carry on then," the Imp answered nodding.
With a last chuckle at the girl's antics the shinobi kicked-up speed towards the other end of the room, carefully avoiding fallen rocks, pillars of flames and the strange slug-like creatures that seemed to be made of living magma themselves, although Naruto had to admit that those could have been considered "cute" had they not tried to kill him at every given occasion.
"Pressure plates everywhere that activate just for a very short time...do you think they just added them so to stop Darbus?" he asked.
"I hope so, otherwise working here would be the worst job ever..." Utsukushi answered shrugging.
"What is that thing?" the blond asked once entered the new room and pointing at the towering contraption in the middle.
"It should be an huge magnet," Midna answered.
"Oh...cool,"
"Can we please go on? I am bathing in my sweat here."
"Sorry, sorry."
Continuing on their quest, and encountering things like bublins and giant fire-breathing lizards that Naruto simply tossed down into the lava in his hurry to go on, the shinobi and the two girls arrived in a wide room, dominated to their horror by a big ring for sumo contests where an old man was already waiting with a surprised smile on his face.
"Oh! I thought I felt an imposing presence, but what a surprise to find a young human," the Goron midget said in amusement.
"I hope you know why exactly I am here..." Naruto said with a groan while already imagining what their talk will soon lead to.
"Yes...word has come to me of you as well, and if Gor Coron has faith in you, then your heart must be true." the old Goron answered nodding.
"Yes Goron-san, and I..."
"Gor Amoto, I am one of the four Goron Elders, youngster. Goron San was my father..." the old man said.
"Oh, okay. Sorry for the mistake," the other answered with a sweat-drop.
"If you were ready to come here just to help us, young human, it means that you truly are heroic...Please, you must lend this tribe your power," Gor Amoto asked.
"I'll do everything I can, trust me." Naruto said in determination.
"Then take this, it's one of the three parts of the key that will take you to Darbus' prison. Pay attention, these mines are not as safe as they used to be back in the days," the old Goron said.
"Oh, yes! Because normally this is an holiday resort," Utsukushi muttered.
"Talk to the other elders to get their Key Shards, you must hurry." Gor Amoto said.
"Okay...you know? For an instant I thought you were going to force me into a Sumo Contest for the Key Shard..." Naruto said chuckling.
"Well...I know we can't waste time...but I was feeling kind of alone and bored, so if it is not a problem..." the old Goron answered with a casual tone of voice.
"OH! Look at the time! I better hurry-up, Darbus won't save himself! Bye, old man! And thanks for the key!" Naruto answered before sprinting out of the room at top speed, grabbing a map from the wall before the door could completely close behind him.
Gor Amoto could only sigh in answer to that before returning to his solitary duty as a guard for that part of the mines...but good spirits if he was bored!
Meanwhile – Near the entrance of Kakariko Village -
Jiraiya was slowly, ever so cautiously, nearing the small town after being told about the recent events in which most of the population had disappeared over-night, but the very scarce info he had also gathered about a young man scarily resembling Naruto moving towards the place had been more than enough for the Toad Sage to go in there.
"I don't like this place, Ma and Pa said that something is 'corrupting' Hyrule's Natural Chakra and now I can sense it even without being in Sage Mode, whatever happened here has left behind traces," the Spy Master muttered while scanning his surroundings.
"Can I help you?" Renado asked from behind the Sannin and almost making Jiraiya jump-out of his own skin in surprise.
"WHAT THE FU-Cough!...I mean, I am looking for an old friend of mine that got lost, his name is Naruto Namikaze, do you know him?" he answered.
"Naruto...sorry, the name is new to me, he is not from here perhaps?" the man answered while discreetly clutching with an iron grip the short letter in his pocket that he got from Bo about keeping Naruto's movements secret and a brief description of the Spy Master and his mission.
"I see, but what happened here? The village seems...dead." Jiraiya asked.
"We are living a time of deep sorrow and tragedy here, Stranger; excluding me, my daughter and another man everyone else got captured...we...we prefer not to think about what happened to them," Renado answered.
"Ah! sorry if I asked. The name is Jiraiya, I come from Konoha, Naruto's home Village and I want to bring him back," the Toad Sage answered.
"You mean that he escaped? Why would he do so?"
"He just over-reacted a bit, he will be happy to return home to his old life, I am sure of it." Jiraiya answered smirking.
"Then I hope that your paths will cross soon, it's always sad to see two friends get separated," Renado said with his most convincing smile.
"I really hope so, he must return."
"But why don't you come with me? You must be tired after walking all day, you look like someone that would appreciate a little rest," Renado offered.
"Just five minutes, I am in a hurry," Jiraiya answered with a grateful nod.
"Don't worry, my daughter is an excellent cook, we are giving hospitality to the kids of Ordon while we wait for their Village to organize their transportation back home so we won't be alone,"
"The kids of Ordon? They are here?" Jiraiya asked with raised eyebrows.
"I have found them not long ago after they apparently escaped their captors, they are all safe," Renado answered.
"Need an hand to escort them back there? I can protect them."
"There is no need, we are already coordinating everything and have a friend that will act as guard, he will be strong enough to protect them," the other answered.
"Really?"
"Yes...Link is more strong than people may think at first glance," Renado answered, smirking at using the blond's new surname.
"What about the other survivor? Where is he?" Jiraiya asked.
"You mean Barnes? he is...indisposed, but nothing of importance, now come! Lunch must be ready by now," Renado said while pretty much pushing Jiraiya towards his home.
In truth Barnes had been tied-up and mouth-gagged as soon as Talo had seen Jiraiya nearing Kakariko, and now the bomb expert was hidden in a closet in the back of Renado's place and guarded by the other kids just in case the man could accidentally spill some information about the only one apparently able to resolve their problems with the Goron and Hyrule in general.
Back with Naruto – Goron Mines -
"You know? It's kind of funny after all, sure the boots make a lot of noise at every step, but it's cool to walk on the ceiling without using chakra," Naruto said while calmly walking upside down thanks to the Iron Boots and the magnetic stone covering the top of the room he was in.
"I think that you are just being lazy and using the 'fun' of the boots as an excuse to not use chakra," Utsukushi answered with a smirk.
"I thought you loved me, Utsu-chan! what happened?" the blond said whining.
"And I do love you, you dummy. Just focus on this thing, I am already tired to stay here," the Vixen answered.
"Tch! Disgusting, he is wasted with someone like you, fur-ball! he should just drop you and stay with me," Midna muttered with narrowed eyes.
"Say that again you, Impish Bitch!" Utsukushi whispered back.
"Girls?" Naruto asked in worry.
"Nothing! / Nothing!" Both answered with their best innocent expression.
"Stick to the plan...Stick to the plan and make her believe you'll share Naruto...you'll deal with the fur-ball once everything is done and he is yours..." Midna thought, mentally berating herself for forgetting her plans to deal with the Biju Vixen.
"Okay...looks like other Bulblins are here," the shinobi said as the three green-skinned creatures kept following his every movement while showing their own weapons in a threatening manner.
"Really? Really?...Sigh! Samehada it's time to eat," Naruto said sighing while unwrapping the living blade and showing to the Bulblins how the sword happily licked its fanged mouth in anticipation.
"Gruoooh..." one of the Bulblin moaned/groaned in disbelief while watching the blond charge towards them with a cheerful smile and Samehada held high above his head.
A short gory spectacle of Bulblin's organs and blood flying everywhere later Naruto found himself in a part of the mines outside the mountain, behind him the remnants of the umpteenth door he just blasted to bits with his trusty Rasengan.
"You know, I don't think that you are supposed to blow-up every door we meet, there must be a key hidden somewhere that we just need to find," Midna said.
"But that would be a waste of time, and hey! If A and Maito Gai can enter rooms by blasting down walls I think I can very well tear down a door or two in a dungeon filled with monsters, if they ask we can always blame the Bulblins," the blond answered shrugging.
"I am more curious about how someone without ninja training would have been able to pass all those pits with lava we left behind," Utsukushi said.
"Probably by using the Iron Boots and that blue stone that acts like a magnet one could possibly pass from a magnet to the other or walk underwater to find keys, levers and those pressure plates that needs a ton to activate," Naruto answered.
"Meh! A waste of time and an annoyance wrapped into one, BOOOOORING!" the Vixen said with a grimace.
"Guys, those bulblins are shooting arrows at us," the Imp girl said sighing.
"So?" Naruto asked as he kept side-stepping each projectile while walking towards the Bulblins and up the wall towards the now scared creatures.
"...Never-mind," the small girl muttered while ignoring the bulblins' pleas of mercy as they got beaten into oblivion.
"HEEEEELP!" a young voice screamed in fright.
"What the..." Naruto muttered.
"It came from down there," Midna said as she came out of his shadow to point at a young girl with fiery-red hair that had been cornered by four Bulblins and was being slowly crawling away from them.
"Hang in there, I am coming! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! (Shadow clone Technique)" the young man said while creating four copies of himself and joining the scene.
"KYAAAAAAH!" just an instant before the young girl, a female Goron from the looks of it, could fall over the railing and all the way down the blond shinobi's hand shot forward grabbing hers and stopping her fall.
"You okay?" he asked.
"You...you...what's an human doing here? And those monsters?" she asked with wide eyes.
In answer the four Bulblins that were harassing her came flying down around her as the clones had finished beating them into a paste.
"...I took care of them as well, now get ready, I am going to pick you up so hold tight," Naruto answered.
"I don't need your heeeeeelp!" she tried to say before her saviour gave a strong pull that managed to take her back on the ground, unfortunately her being heavier than what she looked had Naruto lose balance and fell down with the girl on top of him.
"I know how these things work so I'll clarify immediately...I just didn't take in consideration that as a Goron you probably weight more than an human of the same height, I was not trying anything funny," Naruto said as fast as he could while retaining a calm expression AND a calm tone of voice.
"Then why you are not moving away?" she whispered in embarrassment.
"I have a rock-made girl straddling me and any movement of my hands might be misinterpreted as perverted," he answered, silently hoping that her face getting red was not a signal of embarrassment like with human girls, those ones tended to hit hard to hide their blushing and this one was pretty much made of rocks.
"...Umpf! I was just checking that you were alright, nothing else! Humans are frail and those were four monsters, now get up!" she said as she scrambled to her feet and crossed her arms huffing.
"Oh! Thank you then!" Naruto said while pretending to believe her lie and finally rising to his feet.
"Damn...you are tall..." the girl muttered to herself, she was at least a feet shorter than him and fairly doll-like when put in comparison to him, especially with her petite frame and slender build.
"Thank you, but what were you doing out here?" Naruto asked chuckling, having learned himself that underline short girls' lack of "height" was a BAD idea.
"I sneaked-in to help Darbus, if no-one wants to save him then I will! Even if I am not a warrior," she answered.
"I am here for the same reason," the young man said.
"You? Don't make me laugh, you won't reach where they confined him." she answered scoffing.
"You really think so?" Naruto asked with a challenging smile.
"And you ask? The mere idea of an Human doing what only a Goron can is simply..."
"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled while thrusting the spiralling sphere on a near stone as tall as he was and reducing it to dust in an instant.
"...Ridiculous," the girl finished saying with her eyes flying wide open.
"Do you know where the second Elder is? I need part of the key," the blond asked.
"You already have a piece?" she asked surprised.
"Here it is!" he answered while showing the Key Shard with a wide smirk on his face.
"Wow...well, you just got lucky! But you should thank the Spirits now that I am here to help you," she said.
"Help me?"
"Of course! Luck helped up until now, but there is no way you will be able to do the rest without a Goron helping you. And I, Gor Mineh, shall be the one that will help you with everything your clueless Human mind won't be able to comprehend," Gor Mineh answered in smug pride.
"...I already hate her," Utsukushi said.
"Ditto, can we kill her?" Midna added nodding.
"Can I just call you 'Mineh'?" Naruto asked.
"Why?"
"Because it's cuter like that," he answered smirking.
"S-Shut up! Just because you helped me d-doesn't mean that I owe you a-anything!" she said in anger.
"Not even a thank you?" the blond asked with his best kicked-dog expression.
"Urgh!" Mineh groaned as if the expression had physically hit her.
"F-fine!...thank you for saving me...n-n-not that I n-needed help!" she then said before looking away with a red face.
"Good! Now if you excuse me, I have a Key Shard to recover," he said before walking away.
"WAIT! I am coming with you, remember?" the girl said while walking at his side.
"To be honest, I hoped she forgot that part...that's dead weight we don't need," Midna said grumbling.
"Yeah...and she is giving me some 'Tsundere vibes' that are not making me feel comfortable," the Ten-tailed Vixen added.
"What's a Tsundere?" the Imp Girl asked.
"Girls, please!" Naruto mentally pleaded.
"You okay? you were spacing-out," Mineh asked.
"Things with me are kind of complicated, let's just say that I have more 'inside' my head than what normal people normally has," the blond replied sighing.
"Oh...do you need help then?" the Goron girl said.
"Nah! It's okay, nothing I am not used to face on a daily basis," the other answered chuckling as the two entered a new room.
"Oh?!...ah...The young Human. I am pleased to see you make it this far, Brudda. Gor Mineh? what are you doing here instead? This is no place for young women," the very old-looking Goron in the middle of the room said with a wheezing voice.
"I have my reasons to come here, Gor Ebizo! I won't leave Darbus down there!" Gor Mineh answered in anger.
"While you two argue, I would appreciate taking the second piece of the key if you don't mind, old man." Naruto said.
"Don't you worry, Brudda. She will stay here with me and then return to the safe caves with the other girls and young Gorons, now is not time to play heroes," Gor Ebizo answered nodding, surprising the blond by snatching Mineh's ear in the strong grip of his deceptively frail hand.
"OUCH! Let me go!" the girl said with a childish whine.
"You must have heard th plight of our patriarch, otherwise you would not have come to see me...I am very grateful for what you are doing for us," the old Goron said with a low bow of his head.
"It's nothing, Old man. I couldn't stand the idea of seeing Darbus abandoned like that," the blond answered with a gentle smile.
"Wow..." Mineh muttered in surprise.
"Well said, Brudda! here take this." Gor Ebizo said with an appreciative smile while handling the second part of the Key to the blond.
"Thanks, I'll be on my way then. Keep Mineh safe though, she just wanted to help," Naruto answered bowing.
"Don't worry, Brudda...she won't go anywhere," the old Goron answered while freezing Mineh on the spot near him with a glare.
"Take care," the shinobi said to the girl before rapidly moving deeper in the mines.
"Before you go...there is something that may help you down there, it's a weapon said to have been left in this mine by a hero of old. It is beyond price, and so we have protected it through generations...but we are in deep trouble so I think we can make an exception. Look for it up ahead where it is stored, talk to the guards and take it with you with the blessing of the Gorons, I'll make sure to have them keep it at hand for when you'll arrive." the Goron Elder said.
"Ehm...okay...thank you." the blond said with an uncertain smile before leaving the room for real.
"Should we tell them that we kind of like to do things our way? We risk collecting a lot of junk we will never use otherwise..." Utsukushi said.
"I wouldn't call it 'Junk' since they apparently keep that thing in high regard," Midna said.
"Let's just take that and store it away, it would look bad if we ignore their trying to help us...and it's all stuff that may even come in handy in case of emergency," Naruto mentally replied.
"Like the wind boomerang we found in the Woods?" The Vixen asked back.
"That thing will stay sealed in the scroll until the fairy inside it will learn that sexual harassment is still a crime nowadays," the young man answered shivering.
Back to Gor Ebizo -
"Aye, that human...he has the same spirit of a Goron, as hard as the rocks and hotter than Lava itself...a total waste for him to be born human, he would have been one damn fine chief otherwise..." Gor Ebizo muttered while distractingly passing an hand on his beard...
"Gor Mineh?" he said after finally noticing his empty hand that was supposed to hold the young girl's arm.
"Oh for Quartz' sake!" the old Goron cursed with a loud growl.
With Naruto -
"Blue stone that act as a magnet? Here above a lake of Lava?...and a gate that closed behind us as soon as we passed the door...what is this, some kind of Boss Fight?" Naruto muttered with a groan.
"Mini-boss more likely, and we casually have what we would need to win had we not ninja training backing us, this can't be right...we can't possibly be so lucky to find just what we need to pass a Dungeon and its guardian in that very same dungeon! It's like an invitation for whoever enters to take everything that they are guarding!" Utsukushi said in disbelief.
"Calm down, I am sure that this was an isolated case, I am certain that we won't keep finding exactly the right gadget to pass a trial or defeat a boss every time," Naruto said trying to calm the Vixen down.
"Well, that would be stupid, yeah...as if that would ever be the norm in Hyrule or elsewhere..." Midna said, although while stealing glances left and right in discomfort.
"WHOA! Human?" an huge Goron covered in a thick armour said with wide eyes.
"IIIIH! Goron?" Naruto replied in sarcasm.
"You are not funny, what business does a human have coming here?! None! No business!"
"I guess that old man forgot to alert this guy of our arrival..." Midna said.
"You don't say,"
"Let me pass, you don't know what I am capable of so do not challenge me blindly," Naruto said with a calm, and yet warning, tone.
"What you are capable of? AH! This is a forbidden place! I will protect this treasure from you!" the Goron answered with narrowed eyes while cracking his metal-covered knuckles.
With a mighty yell the creature jumped high and landed with an heavy Bang! On the suspended arena of rock, snapping the thin chains holding it and making the whole thing fall down in the Lava where it stood floating precariously.
"...I hate you, I hate so much." Naruto said simply.
"The thing it's mutual, now fight or go away!" the armoured Goron screamed before cocking back a massive fist.
"Now you are in trouble, I won't play nice, bastard!" Naruto growled while taking his own fighting stance.
"TAKE THIS!" the Goron screamed while moving through a devastating right hook he hoped would have destroyed the human in one hit.
To his surprise the blond caught the punch without even flinching, spun around and used the whole arm as leverage to throw the way-bigger-than-him Goron up in the air and down in the Lava enticing an high-pitched "YEEEEEEAUCH!" from the colossal guardian that immediately jumped out of lava showing only a badly burned back-side from the unexpected bath in the molten rock.
"Eh! You guys are tougher than humans, I should have expected you to survive lava," the former shinobi said smirking.
"And you are stronger than humans should be..." the other growled while still nursing his wounded posterior.
"Wanna quit? I won't judge ya, I am not here to fight but to help Darbus now that no-one else apparently can," Naruto offered.
"Help our chief? Then I need to continue, if you can defeat me then I'll know that you will be strong enough to help Darbus," the Goron replied while folding his own body into a ball and spinning in place.
"NOW FIGHT ME AND GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT!" he then said before shooting forward at max speed.
"UUUGH!" the blond groaned as he managed to stop the bullet-fast Goron that still kept spinning and trying to push him away, making the shinobi's feet crack the rock under him out of the sheer pressure.
"Tche! You sure are pushing..." the young man said with an approving smile before moving back a leg and focusing as much chakra as he could on his muscles.
"But I still need to move-on so LET ME PASS!" Naruto said before kicking the spinning Goron as strongly he could and launching it all the way back and in the Lava again.
"KYAAAAAH!" the scream this time reached the 'Scared Five-year-old Girl' tone as the huge rock-made warrior managed to jump once again out of the fiery lake surrounding the small platform, only to find a smirking Naruto already waiting for him with a Rasengan in his hand.
"WHYYYYYY?!" The Goron asked with a whine as he fell towards the blond.
"Because deep inside I do enjoy being a bastard, RASENGAN!" Naruto answered as he slammed the spiraling sphere of chakra on the Goron's chest obliterating part of his armour and launching him a third time in the molten rock.
"Now...that was just petty, you shouldn't be that mean to him, he was just doing his job," Utsukushi said with a chastising tone while watching the now charred-black Goron climb back on the platform and drag himself all the way to Naruto before collapsing, he was even waving a little white flag for good measure just to spare himself a new bath in the magma.
"You are right. Sorry, big guy...I just...got carried away and overdid, I am sorry," the blond admitted with a sheepish expression.
"It's fine...that just...Ugh! Hurt a lot, but I'll be fine. Who knew that humans were capable of such feats of strength, maybe you will really be able to save the patriarch of our tribe." the Goron said while tiredly rising to his feet.
"Yes, I need something that is hidden deep inside your mines, that and actually help Kakariko Village to once again have the permission to use part of your mines, helping Darbus is what I offered in exchange; What helped me decide to help you was the fact that I couldn't accept to know how he had been sealed down there by his very people and do not help him," the blond answered nodding.
"In that case, take the weapon of the Hero of the past and..."
"There are no perverted spirits inside, right?" the former shinobi asked in worry.
"What question is that?" the Goron asked with raised eyebrows.
"Never-mind..." the other replied.
"Whatever, just save the patriarch of our tribe, is all I ask," the stone giant said while signaling something to a pair of Gorons hidden in the upper side of the room, with a far-away clanging of metal the level of Lava moved up enough to bring the platform both were on back at the same height of the two doors of the room, now free of gates blocking them.
"Let me guess, we had an audience the whole time," Naruto said grinning.
"We love to have sumo contests, and something tells me that for once the bets were against me," the Goron answered nodding.
"It depends if between the ones watching there were people I had the occasion to fight with. Nice round, buddy, you are strong!" the blond replied.
"Thanks, you are not bad either...for an human," the other answered.
"Dude I am a shinobi, from where I come from they 'breed us' to be this awesome...I am just a little bit more Badass than normal," Naruto replied with a shrug and a long laugh while leaving.
"Modest aren't we?" Utsukushi said laughing herself.
"I don't know...considering what he can do, one could almost condone that as 'well-deserved smugness' from a more Hylian point of view...even if it is still annoying," Midna muttered.
"Oh, shut up you two! Let me brag in peace at least for once! I can't always be the humble Hero, I am human too!" Naruto said whining while opening the chest in the new room with a kick to see an highly-ornate bow resting inside it.
"...Meh! Never was one for bows, what about you, Midna?" he asked.
"Have you seen me? Do you think that something like me can use that?" the Imp Girl asked back with a voice sounding actually hurt.
"Why? I can't see anything strange in how you look, I find you just terribly cute," Naruto answered with a wide smile, actually hugging her tightly as soon as her shadowy figure emerged from his own shadow.
"Idiot...but yes, I do have some experience with bows," the blushing girl answered while her mind briefly flashed back to some short memories of her youth.
"Cool! Then you can take it if you want," He answered.
"May as well," Midna said before making the bow disappear with a snapping of her fingers.
"And that bridge in front of us?" Utsukushi asked.
"Ninja solution!" Naruto answered as with a rapid throw of a kunai he snapped the ropes keeping the small bridge in front of him slam down to show a new door.
"Let's go, we still have Darbus to find and the new piece of Fused Shadow to recover," Midna said before re-entering the blond's shadow.
"Roger,"
Once entered the new room the former shinobi of Konoha couldn't stop the nagging feeling on the back of his mind that someone or something was silently watching his every move, the almost supernatural silence reigning in the ample area not helping the young man's nerves.
"Those statues are watching us..." Utsukushi muttered with narrowed eyes.
"The statues are following us," Naruto answered as he too noticed how the squared totems kept turning around to follow his every movement with the flaming-red eye on top of each of them.
"What is this bubbling sound?" Midna muttered.
"I don't Kno-KYAAAAA!" The blond was saying before a pressurized stream of Lava came flying-out of one of the statues missing his face of an inch.
This in turn prompted the rest of the statues to do the same immediately after, all of those trying to fry the former shinobi alive at the same time.
"BEHIND YOU!" Utsukushi yelled.
"FROM THE RIGHT!" Midna added.
"NO! FROM THE LEFT!" the Vixen answered.
"IN FRONT OF YOU!/IN FRONT OF YOU!" Both said at the same time.
"STOP HELPING MEEE!" Naruto yelled back.
Back on the surface - With Gor Coron -
"...Elder Gor Coron?" one of the guards asked with his eyes flying wide open.
"Yes?" the old man said.
"Did you...well, did you remember to disable the traps protecting the route towards Darbus?" the Goron Guard asked.
"Not personally, but I tasked Gor Goro here to do that for me," Gor Coron answered.
"Me? I thought it was Gor Boboro's duty..." the other guards answered dumbfounded.
"What? Me?" the third guard asked in surprise.
"So if no-one of us disabled those traps then...oh!" Gor Coron said before realization struck him.
"...Oooops!" the various guards said in chorus with a sheepish expression.
"For the love of Gold, did you people actually listen when I ask something?! Back in my days those things never happened! WAKE UP, BROTHERS! Now we'll get an earful from that human once he comes out, and I am not taking the blame for this!" the Goron Elder roared.
"If he comes back..." one of the guards muttered.
"Oh, I am pretty sure he will instead! Even just to chew our heads off before dying," the old Goron replied bitterly.
Back to Naruto -
" GRAAAAH!" the blond roared as he resurfaced from the ruins of the room, the whole area had been destroyed beyond recognition as he had went apocalyptic on the various statues that were now just mere piles of rocks scattered everywhere.
"I HATE THIS PLACE!" the heavily panting young man said with a broken voice speaking of an incoming nervous breakdown while moving out of the room.
"Please calm down..." Utsukushi muttered in worry.
"I am calm...I known my inner peace...and I am perfectly calm," he answered while taking deep breaths.
"Oh! You are here at last! I heard that you might pay a visit, young human. I am farsighted in all things." the Goron Elder said with a calm smile once the bond entered his room.
"But you are kind of deaf when someone is yelling about burning alive right out of your door," Naruto muttered with a glare.
"You seemed to be dealing with it pretty well by yourself," the Elder answered shrugging.
"It was nothing compared by what I had to do in the past that's true, but this doesn't mean that I actually enjoy being put into situations where my life is in danger!" the other answered.
"At least you won't let your abilities rust from not using them. Here is the last Key Shard, with this you will be able to combine the others to create the key to reach Darbus' room," the old Goron said.
"Okay, fine, whatever! Let's see...this should go...here? Ah-ha! Here it is!" Naruto muttered while trying to connect the three shards.
"We don't know how powerful Darbus is in his new grotesque form, but I suppose I should trust your power considering you came this far..."
"It had been more annoying than difficult," Utsukushi muttered.
"Ssssh! Don't tempt Fate!" Midna hissed while glaring the Vixen into silence.
"Oh, well. I guess now I only need to reach your Patriarch now," Naruto said sighing.
"Pay attention, and may the Spirits protect and guide you," the Elder Goron said while watching the former shinobi leave his room.
"Big deal! how far may that place be by now? It's seems like ages since I entered here!"
To the blond's dismay the path towards Darbus was still long, forcing him to pass through new rooms with barely any floor remaining after the various shocks destroyed everything AND hordes of bulblins that apparently still thought to have a chance against the former shinobi.
"This should be the place, the MASSIVE Gate with the huge-ass lock can't be any more clear about it," Naruto said with an elated smile.
"FINALLY! Now enter in there, kick that idiot's ass and let's go away, all this heath is starting to ruin my fur!" Utsukushi said happily.
"I know your pain..." Midna muttered while looking at her hair with a tiny sniffle.
"Women..." the blond muttered sighing.
To the small group's surprise as soon as the door closed behind them every noises ceased, making the loud snoring of the giant, imposing figure chained in the middle of the room echo in a eerie manner along the slow and soft steps of the blond shinobi.
"Here he is, he doesn't look like a Goron anymore though," Naruto said whispering.
"The fragment of Fused Shadows has completely corrupted him, I don't know if we will be able to separate the two without the Goron dying in the process," Midna said.
"I will still try to help him." the young man answered.
"Still, let's move quietly and don't wake him up, we need the element of surprise," the Ten-tailed Vixen said.
"DARBUS!" a young voice screamed in horror as a petite body ran pass Naruto and neared the grumbling giant.
"Oh, for fuck sake!" Naruto yelled as in a flash of light the transformed Goron woke-up and covered himself in dark flames.
"Darbus, it's me! Gor Mineh!" the girl pleaded before screaming in fright as the monster broke the chains holding him and tried to grab her.
"MINEH!" Naruto yelled as he had barely the time to take her away before the 'Twilit Igniter' couldsquash both.
"Kyaaaaaa...t-the human?" the Goron girl muttered once finally opening her eyes to look at her savior.
"The name is Naruto, but why are you here?" he asked, still holding her in his arms, while dodging the heated-up chains Fyrus was using as whips to attack him with.
"I-I wanted to help him...I-I thought that he would have remembered me and turned back to normal! W-what happened to him?! He turned into a monster!" Gor Mineh asked scared.
"He is under the influence of an artifact that he should not have touched, but I will bring him back, promise," Naruto answered.
"You will? Really?" she asked with wide eyes.
"Even if it will be the last thing I do," the blond answered with a wide smile while putting her down and moving in front of her.
"O-Okay," she said nodding.
"Good, now find some place to hide and stay out of the fight, this will get messy really soon," the former shinobi answered while glaring at the transformed Darbus.
"O-Okay!" Mineh said while scampering to hide in a small fissure in the walls, crawling as deep as he could and curling into a small, trembling ball.
"I am your target, you flaming bastard! CATCH ME!" the blond yelled, pleased to see the creature focus his rage only on him.
"Any idea?" he asked.
"That glowing eye on his helmet is following us, I say we start attacking there," Utsukushi suggested.
"See if you can use the chains on his legs to trip him, like that his head will be an easier target," Midna added.
"GOT IT! Thanks girls."
"Just pay attention,"
"I am here if you need help,"
"GRAAAAAAAAH!" with a furious scream the transformed Goron charged forward, swinging the red-hot chains around his arms to try hitting the blond, as soon as one of them circled around one of the columns adorning the room enough times to get stuck Naruto rapidly used the momentary surprise to slam a Rasengan on the beast's forehead, making the giant scream in anguish and blindly flail its arms, even uprooting the tall column blocking his chain and hitting Naruto with it and launching the blond against the wall.
"GAH! Damn it! Now I am pissed!" the former shinobi growled while bouncing from the wall and back on his feet to grab the long chains connected to the legs of 'Darbus'.
"FLY, YOU CHARRED ASSHOLE!" in an awe-inspiring show of strength Naruto pulled one of the chains with enough force to have the tall monster slam his head on the floor before literally flying towards the opposite wall once threw by the blond.
"It's not as fun when someone does that to you, eh?!" Naruto asked smirking at seeing the transformed Goron struggle to come out of the wall he had been embedded in.
With a tired grunt the Twilit Igniter managed to stumble out of the wall to catch his breath, the flames around his body dying down to show his moment of weakness.
"Attack him now before he recovers!" Midna said.
"Already on it!" Naruto answered
To Gor Mineh utter surprise the blond jumped up high enough to easily touch the room's ceiling before creating a dozen copies of himself, each one with a spiraling sphere of blinding energy bigger than their whole body roaring with the strength of a storm.
"RASENGAN BARRAGE!" Naruto yelled as the whole mountain seemed ready to collapse under the humongous explosion resulting from the attack and actually causing a minor eruption of the volcano along the sinking of various galleries in the reserves of Lava resting under the huge mountain.
"Eh! Extra chakra, baby! We don't even need Sage Mode to pull off something this cool anymore now!" Utsukushi said in pride once the titanic cloud of dust and smoke finally settled down to show the utter destruction surrounding the former shinobi.
The whole room was now several feet wider and occupied almost totally by the crater of the jutsu, in its middle stood the unconscious Twilit Igniter whose 'third eye' started shining in a dim red light soon followed by an agonizing scream of pain before Fyrus' whole body exploded into black particles.
"Ah!" Mineh screamed in horror and with eyes already watering-up, but to her surprise a small part of those black fragments slowly compacted into the body of a bruised Goron with a squared 'haircut' and massive arms.
"DARBUS!" the young Goron girl yelled in happiness while running at his side to try wake him up.
"Eee-Hee-Hee! Well done, Naruto! Now we have two Fused Shadows, you are helping me so much...thank you," Midna said with a grateful smile while taking care of the new piece before hugging the blond as tightly as she could.
"This is nothing, but please, can you at least tell me more about why you need those things?" the young man asked.
"...okay...It may sound like an interesting story after all..." the Imp Girl answered after taking-in an huge breath to calm her nerves.
"Zant...that's the name of 'The King of Darkness' who cast this pall of shadows over this world, he is very strong...he may...I fear he would be too strong even for you..." Midna said with her tone getting increasingly more worried as she went on.
"Girl, we defeated a 'Goddess' not long ago and at the time we still didn't have as much power as we have now," Utsukushi said while shaking her head.
"We are not idiots and never underestimate our enemies, but both me and Naruto are capable of great things as soon as we get serious, we can toeing the line between 'Possible' and 'Impossible' regularly and even reach the Miraculous, have faith in our abilities," the Vixen then said.
"A Goddess? You two fought against one of your Gods?" Midna asked surprised.
"She was a self-proclaimed one, but in power alone she could be clearly classified as one, she could even create small dimensions to trap her enemies in," Naruto answered.
"Be as you say, you will still need to pay attention, that monster will use any opening he will be able to find to strike, a beast like him does not feel remorse for anything," the Imp Girl said.
"You do not like the guy a lot, don't you?" the blond man asked.
"Zant will never be my King! I have nothing but scorn for his supposed strength...not that Zelda is much better either..." Midna answered sneering.
"What does Zelda have to do with this now?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"She is weak!"
"Weak?"
"She is not different from Zant, the only difference is in their ideals. It still appalls me that this world of light, that Hyrule in its entirety, is controlled by that 'Princess'. A carefree youth with a life of luxury...how does that teach Duty? Or Strength? I'll tell you, it doesn't." at those words Midna soon found herself in a calming hug of the blond man, unconsciously snuggling closer as he caressed her head.
"It's okay, I am here. You are not alone so stop brooding," he said smiling.
"...Idiot," she muttered in his chest to hide her flushed face.
"She may be a princess, but she still tried protecting her people, no matter how much you think she did wrong, at least you can admit that much," he said.
"...I guess I shouldn't begrudge her the circumstances of her lifethen," she answered with a tentative nod.
"She didn't choose it, after all. She was born a princess, but she never had a say in that," Naruto added.
"It's not like I would ever wish harm on her either...no, as long as we can get our hands on the Fused Shadows, we will be just fine and resolve this ourselves," Midna said with a more determined nod as she finally moved back from the blond's hug.
"I am with you in this, remember!" Naruto said smirking.
"Ooh! I know it and I wouldn't change this for anything in this or the Twilight world. We just need one more Fused Shadow to reach our goal, Shall we? Eee-Hee-Hee!" Midna said while opening a new portal.
"Just a second..." the young man said as soon as Darbus' groans reached hi ears.
"Unngh...Urrgh..." the Goron growled while finally rising on his feet.
"FATHER!" Gor Mineh said with a relieved smile.
"Ah...this explains why she came all the way here..." Naruto muttered.
"Don't see the slightest similarity between the two though...probably she took everything from her mother," Utsukushi added.
"Hmm? What am I doing here?" Darbus asked with a garbled voice.
"You don't remember?" Naruto asked.
"Remember?...Unngh...my head, it aches..." the Goron answered groaning.
"Sorry about that, I had to get brutal to snap you out of that," the blond said with a sheepish smile.
"You?...you helped me?" Darbus muttered, evidently still confused.
"It was incredible, father! He could throw you around and battle your strength heads-on with little to no trouble...I had never seen an human do that," Gor Mineh said while watching the former shinobi with new-found respect.
"An Human?...Urrrgh...So much pain...I cannot remember anything..." Darbus said.
"Again, I am sorry,"
"You...you hit strong then, little human...my head is still ringing." the Goron Chief answered with an impressed tone.
"Thanks,"
"Does the big guy need some help to return to the surface?" Midna asked.
"Who are you?...it doesn't matter, I will wait here with him until he recovers, then we will go back on our own." Mineh answered.
"Just pay attention, okay?" Naruto asked with a gentle smile.
"I-I-I am not weak, b-b-but T-Thank you for saving my father..." the Goron girl answered with a red face and surprising the blond by kissing his cheek.
"Ookay?" he answered with wide eyes.
"I-Idiot! It's-it's just a way to thank you...I-it means nothing!" Gor Mineh said.
"KILL THE MIDGET BITCH!" Utsukushi roared from the Seal.
"We will be on our way then..." Midna growled with each word literally dripping venom before snatching the blond in her hair-made hand and disappearing in the portal with a last scream of "MINE!"
"What happened?" Darbus asked confused.
"It's a long story, father. It all apparently started with the Elders asking that Human to help you, then..." the Goron Girl answered, ready to tell her father everything she knew about the recovery mission Naruto went through to save him.
Kakariko Village – Spirit Spring -
"Okay, what was that?" Naruto asked as soon as he re-appeared in front of the Spring.
"Nothing, I was just...resolving an issue before it turned into a problem," Midna answered with a sweetest smile.
"Heroic Naruto..." the Light Spirit said with only its voice surfacing from the waters.
"Sigh! We will continue this conversation later...what do you need, big guy? I know that tone, it's the one usually used by those that have a problem they can't handle and so get all ass-kissing when they meet someone to shove the problem onto," Naruto answered with a defeated sigh.
"That is not exactly flattering...but, I Need you to go North of here, across the plain and past the great stone bridge, in the lands guarded by the spirit Lanaryu," the voice answered.
"Hu-uh! Then what?" the blond said nodding.
"Help the Spirit to recover the lost Light, we will further guide you along the path, Hero Namikaze so do not fear, we Spirits and the Holy Goddesses shall protect you in every step you take." the Light-made creature said as its body dissolved into small sparks that then re-entered the water.
"Naruto..." a familiar voice said with a surprise-filled whisper.
"Good job in protecting me, dumbass." the blond muttered and ignoring the Spirit's low 'Damn it' curse in favour of glaring at the new-comer.
"I have found you, finally." the man said in elation.
"Jiraiya..." Naruto said with a growling voice and narrowed eyes while watching Konoha's Spy Master slowly walking closer to him.
Omake 1 - Who Darbus luckily didn't act like -
"Ooh! I know it and I wouldn't change this for anything in this or the Twilight world. We just need one more Fused Shadow to reach our goal, Shall we? Eee-Hee-Hee!" Midna said while opening a new portal.
"Just a second..." the young man said as soon as Darbus' groans reached hi ears.
"Unngh...Urrgh..." the Goron growled while finally rising on his feet.
"FATHER!" Gor Mineh said with a relieved smile.
"Ah...this explains why she came all the way here..." Naruto muttered.
"Don't see the slightest similarity between the two though...probably she took everything from her mother," Utsukushi added.
"Oooh!...YOSH! thank you for saving me from that Unyouthful Corruption, my dear friend!" Darbus said jumping to his feet with a smile full of pinging teeth while striking a terribly familiar pose.
"Y-Y-Youth?" Naruto stammered in horror.
"BUT OF COURSE! How do you think we Goron can dig mountains so effectively? but with youth of course!" Darbus answered.
"Join us in the Youth!" Gor-Mineh said striking a similar pose.
"That's the spirit, my dear daughter!" the Goron Chief said with happy tears streaming down his cheeks.
"DARBUS!" Mineh yelled.
"MINEH!" Darbus replied.
"DARBUS!"
"MINEH!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" screaming with all his horror Naruto ran away from the hugging duo and the sunset already forming behind them.
"Why wherever we go we find those weirdos!?" Utsukushi yelled in disgust.
"...He escaped, dad," Mineh said.
"I'll have to ask to Master Maito Gai, we probably did something wrong..." Darbus answered sighing.
"Like this we will never unleash our hidden Youth..." the girl said with a sad tone.
"We will continue practising, and one day we will be able to fully grasp it," the huge Goron said.
"FOR THE YOUTH!" Mineh yelled.
"FOR THE YOUTH!" Darbus answered with a similar scream.
"Happy place...ignore the Youth Speech and go to your happy place..." Naruto chanted while rocking back and forth in a corner of Renado's home, following the technique Tsunade herself developed in case Gai and Lee went overboard with their Youthfulness.
"Poor boy, go fetch some bottles from the cellar, he seems in dire need of alcohol." Renado said worried.
"I'll take the strongest ones," the man's daughter answered running away.
"Take deep breaths, I am here...you are safe!"
"I don't get it..." Midna muttered.
"It makes sense in context..." Naruto answered whimpering.
Omake 2 - Jiraiya's Hylian Misadventures -
"So let me put this straight...you." Tsunade said.
"Yes," Jiraiya answered.
"Went on a solo Mission to find Naruto."
"Yes,"
"Without telling me a thing," the woman said while slowly shaking her finger to accompany her words.
"In my defence our Intelligence Department has more holes than I have hair on my head," Jiraiya countered with crossed arms.
"But not only you failed," Tsunade continued saying as if never interrupted.
"I just used the wrong words and had things escalate a little,"
"A LITTLE?!" Tsunade roared.
"Don't scream like that!" a guard said.
"Sorry...Let's see, you harassed a dozen Goron Girls..." the woman listed.
"But if I didn't even see a tit or a leg!" he answered in indignation.
"SILENCE! You managed to anger an horde of fishermen by insulting them and their parents," she added.
"Used the wrong adjective once or twice..." he muttered.
"Got caught peeping on some Zora... male Zora!"
"Good Luck distinguishing the two."
"Tried to steal the panties of Princess Zelda before streaking naked through the small town under her castle (with said panties on your head like a bandanna) while denouncing a certain 'Zant' of having an unhealthy fetish for goats?"
"I was drunk, their kind of alcohol is stronger than what it looks like..."
"Mouth kissed an horse?" Tsunade asked.
"A dare with a man from Hyrule Castle Town...please don't ask more details," Jiraiya answered blushing.
"And yet you had to go back in Hyrule a second time..."
"I am a persistent guy?" Jiraiya said with a weak smile.
"A persistent idiot, an idiot that managed to do all that again in a single day so to have your name signed as 'National Enemy Number 1' with a "Massacre on Sight" order slapped under it."
"Could have gone worse..."
"And worse it went, because of everything I saw and remember you doing nothing...NOTHING! Beats the huge, gargantuan, towering fuck-up that your second trip there translated into!" Tsunade roared while choking the Toad Sage.
"You sure used a lot of adjectives..." Jiraiya said with a croaking voice.
"GOOD EVENING! We will now show you how our precious snuggle toy Naruto and his lovely wives while take part to our game; the Theme this time will be 'War prisoner and depraved Amazon guards' with our dear Hero of Power playing the part of the prisoner getting passed around by the sexually hungry guards...that is to saywill be us." Din's voice said in the two Sannin's mind, same thing happening in the minds of pretty much every man and woman above the age of eighteen.
"Thrice a day, every day ever since you returned from your second trip...now those three women, also Goddesses because Naruto never does things by half and had to have Gods get interested in him, together with the ones he had already married keep showing us some of the raunchiest things two members of the opposing sex can do to each other...and I saw Porn actors blush and look down in shame...what do you have to say?" Tsunade asked.
"That I am getting a lot of free research material?" Jiraiya tried saying, struggling to ignore the images of his former student's blissful smile while he pleaded with zero conviction those women to stop ravaging him savagely.
"JIRAIYA!" the woman roared in rage while chasing the Toad Sage through Konoha while dodging transfixed women and humiliated men that could only watch the visions with unblinking eyes.
New chapter done, probably I will work on the last one of "Petals of Blood and Darkness", I may not like the story anymore, but this doesn't mean that I will stop updating, like that I will have a "Free Slot" for my new OP series.
Hope that out there there will be someone able to still enjoy my stories no matter my flaws, thank you all for your time and patience.
See you around the net.
Tr230
