A/N: Alrighty there my dear ladies and gentlemen, I'm back! I can't believe I'm saying this but...ALMOST NINE HUNDRED REVIEWS ALREADY?!
I love you guys so much! *Cries*
Now, this chapter was rather gruelling for me to write. With good reason! We've got some major character interaction this chapter, as well as the induction of some new Sekirei and a much anticipated lemon alongside a battle. I suppose I should mention that I've made my choice for Tsukiumi after sifting through the many reviews and PM's I've received, throughout the story since its outset. I won't say anything more to spoil it! That aside, with the 6K+ words, I'm rather satisfied with how its turned out. With just the right balance of comedy, genuine romance, and action, so I look forward to seeing what you think!
Once again, there will still be somes changes here in regards to some Sekirei and their Ashikabi! Hope ya enjoy it! Also, I told you this chapter would provide the answers and the preview was just that, a preview, as in a potential idea. So to those naysayers, I say HA! Now prepare yourself for the REAL chapter, dear reader!
Also, why I have your undivided attention, I want to say something about one of my more recent story IMPERFECTION; I GIVE UP! I CANNOT PLEASE SOME PEOPLE! The minute I mention that someone might die, everyone picks up fucking arms! I give you thirteen thousand words, which took me TWO WEEKS TO WRITE, and just mentioning death brings the trolls rolling in! I'm working two jobs here and I'd work less, but I have to pays the bills, godamnit! I may not have a degree in writing, but I'm damned good and what I do and I CHOOSE to devote my time to this site!
So fuck you trolls, all those naysayers who refuse to read a masterpiece merely for the mention of potential demise, in DRAGONBALL Z OF ALL THINGS, which I haven't done in over a damned year! I am done being civil! For all the trolls, I say this! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK YOUUUUUU HAAAAAAATEEEEEEERS!
*Takes a deep breath*
Alright, rant over. Sorry for that, dear readers. I meant none of that towards those of you who have supported me over the last six years. But I'm sure you knew that already, ne? If you're a fan of Dragonball Z and Naruto and DON'T mind a little angst, please feel free to read Imperfection and kindly let me know what you think, eh? Now, onto the next, long awaited chapter of Counting Stars.
Don't worry, Hinata will NOT be making an appearance in this story. Sheesh, now, before I lose my temper again, lets get started, shall we? This is a light, funny, fluffy little chapter, something to remind you ya'll of what this story is at its core: something to make ya smile!
"So legends are told; some turn to dust or to gold, but you will remember me, remember me for centuries...!"
~?
Geronimo
Minaka was elated.
He felt like singing, dancing, breaking out the booze and drinking until sunset! What a day! What a glorious day, indeed!
Oh, he concealed it quite well behind a frown for Takami's sake, a somnolent scowl always wreathing his visage whenever she was near. If she realized the true extent of his joy, he was fairly certain she'd slap him silly. Not happening! He had no desire to taste her hand again; not when she seemed to intent on smacking her subordinates around at any rate. Still, what a show!
Such a grand show!
Kaguya had never truly been "his" piece to play with on the board to begin with, and though some small part of him mourned her passing, he was also pleased. His erstwhile ally probably hadn't expected to die, but her death was the grand catalyst of so many interesting things to come. Who cared what the government thought? He was the government! Entire city blocks had been leveled and more than a few lives lost, but all in all, the losses were acceptable in his mind. The game must move ever on after all-they couldn't let something like morality or ethics stop them now, could they?
Cloning Uzumaki Naruto remained impossible, but binding his DNA with that of the Goddess to create a new, higher being, now that that could be interesting, if it came to it. That wasn't a possibility he wanted to visit-the prospect of having a wild being of that much raw power dismayed even him-but it might be a diverting side project. Losing one piece meant nothing...
...not when he still had so many others to play with.
After all, the Game Master could add new pieces whenever he pleased...just as he could take others way. But he wouldn't be doing that. Oh, no. Naruto-kun had so many pieces already; it just made things more tragic when one of them fell to the enemy. And they would fall. Of that much he was certain.
So let him plan, let him stew, let him revel in his victory. Let him enjoy his brief victory while he could...
...before he smashed the board and ended it all.
"HERE'S TA STICKING IT TO DA MAN!"
"Kampai!"
"TO KUNO AND HARUKA'S ESCAPE!"
"Kampai!"
"TO MINATO'S EMA...EMANCUPA...AH, WHAT THE HELL! JUST BECAUSE! TO FREEDOM!"
"KAMPAI!"
A chorus of clinking glasses, raucous whoops, and delighted cries greeted Naruto's mid-morning toasts, each more enthusiastic than the last. He gave one final whoop and drained his glass, his arm held high, bottle still in hand. Ah! He felt a heady burn course down his throat with the next drink, warming his belly.
Sake really was the best when you drank it early! Especially when you drank with family!
"Ah," he sighed happily, reclining against the wall. "It feels good to win. I like winning. Who's with me?!"
"Hai!"
Another chorus of agreement.
The reason for the celebrations was threefold; everyone was still riding an emotional high because of it. Triumphing over Kaguya, defying MBI, and successfully soliciting Haruka and Kuno's escape. Plenty of reason to celebrate! And not so much as a single casualty amongst them! With several clones doing the serving and cooking, no one had to work, though Miya insisted on supervising the so-called "beastly-mob" from doing anything untoward in her household. Still, she'd slackened her normally strict rules against alchohol, and the sake was flowing freely, just as it had last night. Just the thought was enough to make Naruto grin like an idiot all over again.
"More food, boys!" he called to the clones.
Across the table, Seo boomed out a laugh, raising his now-empty dish.
"Oiiii, Miya-chan! Me too, please!"
"No more for you, scum-san." the landlady's voice called from the kitchen.
"EH?! C'mon Naruto, help me out here!"
"Bleh," The shinobi squinted, sticking out his tongue.
"Traitor!"
The freeloader sagged in defeat, eliciting a fresh round of laughter and drinks amidst Hibiki and Hikari's muffled laughter.
"That's the spirt!" a soft, dusky-and slightly tipsy-voice crooned in front of him. "Drink up! Drink 'till its all gone!"
Naruto feebly fought, and failed to restrain a smile as she shifted into him. Somehow Kazehana-wily woman!-had found her way into his lap before breakfast, and seemed quite content to stay there despite Tsukiumi's vain protest. "Oh? I'd watch your words if I were you, Kaze-chan." He dared a peck on the un-winged Sekirei's neck, deepening her sake-induced flush. "Might give a man the wrong idea, ya know...
She batted her eyeslashes at him, boldly. "Whomever said I wanted to give you the wrong idea? It might be the right one, for all you know..."
A crooked grin tugged at his lips, his hands moving to her hips, rocking softly. "Ya don't say...
"Hmm..." The blackette positively purred and leaned into him, her ebon tresses tickling his nose, filling him with her scent. "You make a very persuasive argument."
Asura barked a laugh inside his head, slightly whoozy himself. You're implacable...
"Oi, sis!" Uzume cried. "No fair! He's not yours yet!"
"Ara, but we can certainly change that, can't we...?"
"Don't you dare!"
Naruto listened to the two of them bicker for a moment longer, his attention drifting as he basked in the glow of their victory.
This was reality. Noe some last ditch genjutsu meant to stay his hand at the last second.
He'd double and triple-checked after her death until he was completely certain; this was no illusion. Kaguya was dead as a doorknob, her body burnt to cinders to ensure that there could be no hope of recovery. It still troubled him that the Rabbit Goddess had somehow managed to find her way to this world after him, that she'd given him false memories, but that knowledge was easily overwhelmed by their resounding victory. By...
...this.
The dimension-hopping shinobi took a long, languid glance at everyone. His friends. His family.
Across the table from him, a bleary-eyed Kusano was being spoon fed by Homura. Closer to the flame wielder an amused Akitsu was speaking quietly with Yomi and Yashima. Karasuba was eyeing him openly, no doubt contemplating whether or not she ought to simply fling Kazehana out of his lap and take him right there, consequences be damned. Matsu was being...Matsu. An exceptionally drunk Matsu.
"Oi! No stripping!"
The redhead pouted, her glasses hanging loosely from her face, shirt still tangled up in her arms
"But Naruto-tan...
"Matsu...
"Eeep! Alright, alright! But when will I get my wedding night?"
"When you get rid of the cameras in my room!"
That got another bleary blink out of her. "Which ones?"
Uzume's head snapped around, eyes bulging.
"MATSU!"
"You certainly are...a lively bunch."
Kushina, his mother-or at least the woman whom he assumed was supposed to be his mother-hurriedly averted her gaze, clutching a glass in her lone hand, the other still not yet restored. Naruto let her slip by with a small frown as she excused herself to the upper floors. Strange. Very strange.. She was a guest in their house however, whatever she wanted from them-or him...?- would become apparent in time. But not now. Now was the time to celebrate! Speaking of celebrate, where was Tsukiumi...
"NARUTO!"
Ah.
There she was.
His hand rose smoothly, shielding his face and torso from the watery deluge. Kazehana wasn't quite so lucky.
Shielded though she was from the gallons of hard water, the windy sekirei still found herself quite thoroughly soaked. But in a way, she was grateful. The water had served to cool her head, clearing her of the sake haze that consumed her for the last hour. Her body was suddenly white-hot, aware of the hands on her hips, the slightly stiff member pushing up against her back-oh dear. She needed to get out of here. Now. Now, before she did something very, very foolish, an awful mistake that she wouldn't live to regret.
"Well," she sighed aloud, "I suppose I should go find a change of clothes. He's all yours, miss panty flasher!"
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO-hey!"
Tsukiumi's words drawled off into a squeak as the windy woman grabbed her wrist and tugged her forward. Hard. Bereft of balance she tumbled forward, hands flying seeking a handhold...until she landed in Naruto's lap. Her face flared an outrageous shade of scarlet, anger turning into helpless sputtering as she beheld her beloved's baffled expression.
"I...ah...no! It was her! Not me!"
Her senpai laughed.
"Have fun, you two!"
Intensely away of their eyes on her, Kazehana feigned a smile and swept outside to dry herself...
...all the while struggling not to look back. Her eyes glimmered wetly, from laughter she told herself, not sorrow. It had been nice, losing herself like that for a little bit, but she knew it couldn't last. It never did. Part of her wanted to believe that Naruto was a good person, that he wouldn't hurt her. She really did. But with so many little birds already under his wing, could he really find room in his heart for one more? And what about Miya? Knowing she was secretly pining for a chance, could she she really...no. Not yet.
She shook her head a final time, forcing a laugh,
That was too close! I almost ended up emerging!
In the end Tsukiumi was left there, cast adrift, glued firmly to Naruto's lap. She half expected Uzume or someone to challenge her claim but no, everyone seemed too deep into their cups to care or, in Kusano's case, blissfully unaware of what was happening? And where was the landlady? She could swoop down at any minute, swinging her ladle...
Not Naruto. He was looking at her, really looking at her. Oh dear. Now he was standing, picking her up...
"I've been such a bad husband," he crooned, leaning forward. "Neglecting my poor Tsukiumi...
"A-A-Ah...I have no idea what thou meanst!" she tried not to curl around him when he-they-walked out of the room, when the walls blurred. Oh. OH. She knew at once what was happening, where he was taking her.
"I've been so mean to you, not paying enough attention...
She wanted to die. Leave it to Naruto to keep pressing.
"N-No, you haven't!" she struggled against him, her desire peaking. "You...you...that is to say...AAARGH!"
Something broke inside of her, and she jerked free.
Naruto gawped in quiet surprise as Tsukiumi pushed him back onto the bed. There was a forcefulness to her actions that stunned him; though he was many times stronger than her, though it would have been child's play for him to break free, he was completely taken aback by the sudden shift in her personality. There was a hunger there in her blue eyes, a desperation that he'd never seen before. This had been a long time in coming, they'd been dancing around the issue for months now. Now, with Kaguya's death, and today's little fiasco, things had finally reached a head.
"Husband." she hissed in his ear, her hands fisting at his clothing.. "I want you."
His smile was telling; bastard, he'd anticipated this. He was already pulling her coat away, hands tugging, inviting even as she pushed him into the bed.
"Now?"
Her lips ghosted a line up his neck, making him shiver in his nakedness, shiver with her.
"Now."
There was no foreplay. None at all.
"Husband," she murmurred with such ardour, such love, heat, passion, and for once, he didn't have the strength to refute her. "Please?"
"Gods!"
His lips met hers with all the force of a tsunami.
And then there was only...
Bliss.
A/N: Aaand there you have it! Sweet, fluffy cute, and all about the loooooove!
This Naruto is slightly different the norm that I write; primarily in the fact that this Naruto is a great deal darker than most. This chapter was a good dear, harsher than the others I've wrought. We see that Naruto really does have a dark side within him, one that is almost constantly struggling to get out. But he's getting back to his old self, bit by bit...
And again with the Naruto x Miya! Yes, it will happen. Soon!
Next chapter something VERY interesting happens, but I won't say what! That'd be telling?! Who knows?! It'll be out soon, providing my health holds, so look forward to it ya know!
Anywho, I worked extremely hard on this one, so I hope to hear what you think! Pairing is harem, but otherwise up in the air! YOU DECIDE! As said before, I have a vague idea who will be a part of Naruto's flock in this, but the rest its entirely up to ya'll! And on a final note, thank you to everyone offering emotional support in regard to my health woes. Its greatly appreciated! An awful lot is going to change in this story soon! Look forward to an epic prank next chapter...provided my health holds out.
So...in the immortal words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! ! The plot thickens, and there's another twist! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Expect the unexpected! And yes, NarutoxMiya, as well as NarutoxKazehana, is coming soon! But for now...ze teaser!
(Preivew)
Naruto was physically shaking as he fought off the urge to laugh.
"Seriously? YOU'RE my opponent? I don't know whether to be flattered or just...
The blade cut down at his head!
Hope you enjoyed! R&R! =D