AN: Alright, so, just to be clear: This chapter resolves a few issues with Naruto's mindset and emotional problems all at once. It also jumps right into the Asia/Raynare Arc, that for some reason cannot keep the same name twice.
I will try to write it as best I can, but I've never been good at subtlety in writing, so forgive me if the quality isn't amazing in regards to the confrontation.
For those of you curious about the strength of the Ten-Tails in comparison to Great Red, I have an explanation in this chapter. Also the reason that the heroes could feel Naruto's power is because they are either part, or connected, to immensely powerful God-like beings and therefore have a built in sensor for powers far beyond normal.
On a different note, the length of chapters is totally dependent on my mood when I write them. Longer chapters mean that I have more desire to write them.
Do you guys want Wash to have Gabriel in his harem?
(Chapter 8- Questioned Intentions)
Naruto was entirely prepared to become a Stray Devil if the coming confrontation went south.
It may have been a series of rash and confusing instances that caused him to have his current mindset, but that was okay. It really was. Naruto had been hunted before, probably would in the future, and he survived. With his new found power, he could very well obliterate anyone who came his way.
He sincerely hoped it didn't come to that, though. After an entire life up until a few weeks ago expecting to die and having to live in constant fear, Naruto finally had a chance to choose between living in fear of growing strong and shedding his bonds and being strong and having this thing called family.
He reigned in his newfound power and opened the door, the Chakra covering him illuminating the room and casting shadows everywhere as the occupants looked to him in shock.
Koneko snapped out of her daze and fled to the other side of the room as Naruto advanced on Rias, his eyes filled with held back rage. When he stopped right in front of Rias, who looked shocked to see him, he spoke. "I believe we need to have a conversation, Rias. One that cannot be put off any further."
Rias just nodded dumbly and sat down, gesturing for Naruto to sit on the opposite couch, which he declined, instead sitting on one of the black spheres circling his back that had enlarged to allow him to sit upon it. "Very well Naruto. But, first, may I ask what all of..this is?"
She was handling this situation very well, he thought wryly. "This is merely what happens when my True Power becomes too much for my body to contain. It is of little concern of yours for right now."
The red-haired girl just nodded and began. "So, Naruto, what is it you wished to speak about?"
No point in beating around the bush. "Tell me, what was the reason you let me join your Peerage? Why did you let me, an obvious stranger, join into your family?"
"Because you needed a place to sta-""Enough with that, Rias! We both know that wasn't it. Now," Naruto narrowed his cross shaped eye at her, not even caring that he had interrupted her in the slightest, "tell me exactly why you let me join. And don't you fucking dare bullshit me about being a good person and taking in a stray."
Ah. Naruto cursed. He said a swear word. The one person who probably didn't even know what cursing was, just did. What was going on? "Naruto, what brought this on? Why do you want to know the exact reason for me asking you to join?"
Naruto stared at her for a moment before he replied. "It was recently brought to my attention that i haven't been really choosing my own path myself. Instead it seems that people who think that they are above me choose for me. So, I will ask one more time. Why. Did. You. Add. Me. To. Your. Peerage?"
Rias just nodded and thought over what to say, seeing as he wouldn't be letting it go anytime soon. She did idly wonder just who the person who told him this was, and had half a mind to ask. "Before I explain why, do you know how many Devils there are left in the Underworld, Naruto?"
That was a left field question if there ever was one, but he still answered her, if only to get on with the conversation. "After the Great War, many Devil Families had been decimated or wiped entirely out. Because of this, the Satan Ajuka Beelzebub created the Evil Piece System to replenish the number of Devils. What does that have to do with what I asked?"
"Naruto, there were several reasons I wanted you to join my Peerage. But first and foremost was because you had obvious strength and power, and I made a split second decision. The second was because we, and by that I mean Devils as a whole, need more powerful and strong members in order to ensure that those desirable traits had the chance to be passed down to new Devils. Devil's, especially pure blooded ones, have a difficult time breeding. The more there are, the better chances of our races survival.
"The third reason was because you, at that time, were very much disoriented and confused, even if you didn't show it. If I had let you go, you would eventually have been found by some other group or Faction, who would NOT have asked questions first before trying to hunt and kill you. The fourth and final reason is personal, but because I can see you need some confirmation, I'll tell you: I am currently engaged to a man named Riser Phenex."
"How does who you marry affect your decision in having me join, Rias?" Naruto asked, calming slightly after hearing her reasons. They were logical, and the third one had made him forgive her, if only barely.
Rias took a shuddering breath as she spoke, disgust in her tone. "Riser Phenex is the single most disgusting man in the entire universe. He is a worthless deviant who only wants me because of my looks, and has made it clear he would use me to get to Akeno and Koneko."
It took everything in Naruto's power not to obliterate the room at that. Akeno was like the older sister he probably didn't have, and Koneko was about the closest thing he had to a best friend, even if they only ate lunch together.
She continued, heedless of his anger, although it did concern her. "It is a stipulation my older brother added to the Marriage Contract that if he couldn't defeat me in a Racing Game, then the marriage would be called off. It was why I had thought I hit the jackpot with you. With you in my Peerage, then the chances of me winning went up exponentially."
Silence pervaded the room as Naruto absorbed what she said. She was basically telling him that the only reason she manipulated him, if ever so shortly, into joining her Peerage. "If I asked you to, in complete honesty, would you ever willingly abandon me, even if I was far stronger than you?"
Rias laughed gently at that. What was he so afraid of? That he would become so strong that she wouldn't want him? That by being more powerful she would resent him for it? It was almost laughable! But she could see it in his eyes, which seemed much warmer than before, that he was genuinely frightened by the thought of it. He was scared of being so powerful he would be all alone at the top of the food chain. "Naruto, I promise you here and now, that no matter how much stronger, faster, and more powerful you become, I, and my Peerage, will never, ever, abandon you."
Naruto stared in silence as he looked at her face for any kind of lies or deceit. And when he didn't find any, he smiled ever so slightly and shut off his Cloak. "Very well then."
He wasn't entirely satisfied with her answer, and his fear was still firmly there, but for now, he could deal with it and get on with life. Even if putting it off only meant waiting until after he absolutely wrecked Riser Phenex in a Rating Game.
And suddenly, the Captain burst through the window with a majestic cry, nailing Kiba in the head with a flying kick, sending the poor young Knight into the wall while Wash fell into a roll and stood in a combat pose. "What the fuck is going on!?"
XXX-Line Break-XXX
Great Red had been alive for a very, very long time.
So long in fact, he had amassed a massive amount of power. A ridiculous amount. So much so that it was beyond comprehending.
So when he felt that spike of power in the world of Humans, he had gotten curious.
To have it even reach .001% was amazing in itself, because .001% of his power was beyond anything that a normal being should be capable of. He couldn't think of one Devil, Angel, Fallen Angel, Youkai, or any other being he could recall existing capable of putting off that much power, except for one.
And if SHE was back, then he was going to have so much fun. Their last fight had been one he could truly enjoy, one he still remembered every detail of. It had tested him unlike any other battle he had ever been in had before, one that had forced them to travel to different Universes entirely to find new battlegrounds. Oh, he so hoped SHE was back.
But if she was, then why was her power so...muted? Contained? What had happened to cause her to feel that way?
Whatever it was, he was going to find out.
...maybe after a short several month nap, but he would still find out!
XXX-Line Break-XXX
A few hundred miles out of Kuoh, a small bus was driving down the road.
What was so abnormal about this bus was the fact that, instead of the crowded and dirty interior that most people had come to expect from such transportation, this one was actually fairly clean and only had one passenger.
That passenger was a gentle looking blonde girl with green eyes, wearing a conservative Nun outfit and brown boots. She was reading a worn and well used bible, smiling and humming happily to herself as she did.
In just a few more days, she would be able to atone for her sin of being born.
XXX-Line Break-XXX
Volfe smirked as he prowled the halls of the abandoned church he currently called home. Everything was coming together perfectly in regards to his plans.
He was disappointed, though. He expected the boy, Issei he believed his name was, to put up some kind of fight. But he didn't. He didn't fight or snarl or even insult him like that other boy who he met all those years ago did. Now there was someone he eagerly awaited seeing again.
Stopping outside of a particular door, he cracked his neck and opened it, silently wondering just why anyone needed that much pink on their walls. Seriously, it was like Barbie had thrown up all over the walls and doors of the room!
Mittlet looked up at him and he smirked at her wide and fearful look. He had seen how she was so disgusted by him and his actions. Besides, she was one of those girls who was too 'proud' and 'above' such things as petty lust. Oh how he was going to enjoy breaking her in.
He so enjoyed the look of disgust on her face as he advanced, and he grinned widely as she backpedaled as fast as she could. Just as he was about to grab her, though, she suddenly lashed out and nailed him in the man's weak spot.
He sunk to his knees with tears of anger and humiliation in his eyes as she ran from the room, stopping only to grab a backpack she had, probably, prearranged to use in case she needed to make a hasty evacuation and retreat.
As he controlled his breathing and felt the pain ebb away, he snarled in hatred. When he got his hands on her, she would beg him for the mercy of a good fucking!
AN: Before you guys get mad at me about the speed things went with the Naruto/Rias confrontation, let me say this: Things haven't been resolved totally between them and Naruto still has his insecurities about things as well.
All it was, was Naruto attempting to find a base with which he could rebuild his unintentionally self-shattered trust in her.
