A/N: Hey guys. I don't really have much to say to this chapter except that it may seem a bit, strange considering the events of the last chapter, but just wait and hopefully I'll explain it in a reasonable way for you guys.

Chapter 11

Ruby sighed for the third time so far since she had shown up for work that morning. She needed to speak to Naruto, but she'd pushed her lunch back an extra hour so she could help out at The Diner. It was rare when it was this busy, but is was today, and Ruby hadn't even had the chance to check the time due to the hectic work.

What's more, Ashley had apparently had her baby while they were gone, so she wasn't in today, leaving even more slack for Ruby and the other servers, and Granny, to pick up. But Ruby couldn't get mad at her friend, after all, she had covered for Ruby before when she left early, and it wasn't like she'd asked to have the baby yesterday. But all the same, Ruby wished she'd gotten the chance to see the baby.

However, despite her busy schedule, and distracted thoughts, the doll's easy smile still clung to her mind, the resemblance too much to be coincidence? But all the answers were with her blonde 'boy'friend.

That was another thing; Ruby couldn't tell where their 'date' had ended and the dream/nightmare had started. At some point after they had left The Castle she had lost her grasp on reality, and passed into the realm of dreams. But it had all felt so real, but surely it didn't happen, the way she got cornered, Naruto swooping in to save her like a knight, the way he so easily proclaimed her as his girlfriend, and certainly not the lingering stench of blood from the box Naruto had left. But her sore wrist said otherwise…

Feeling a hand shaking her shoulder, Ruby turned to see her grandmother breathing heavily, a sweat drop rolling down her weathered face. Even though she seemed to despise her granny, and the two verbally sparred over everything, Ruby just figured that was because they were so similar in personality, after all, she couldn't imagine her life without her granny, so she was always worrying that her grandmother was overexerting herself in running the Diner.

"You can go now, Ruby, thanks for holding off on your lunch." Granny said, sighing as she sat down in a chair, Ruby simply acknowledging her with a nod as she untied her uniform, folding it up and tucking it under the counter as she grabbed her coat and leaving, shrugging the garment on as the bell over the door jingled.

The trip to the Inn was short, although Ruby was thankful for her coat as a cool breeze began blowing through the town, the first signs of autumn's approach. As she walked, she considered what she would say, deciding on a direct approach, and if that failed, as it probably would with Naruto's deflecting persona, then she would simply use her looks and seductive looks to get some answers.

The door's bell dinged as she entered the main lobby, wiping her feet on the provided mat as she let her coat hand open now that she was indoors. She immediately noticed Naruto's signature saffron hair sticking out from the backroom.

"What's Naruto doing back there? Oh, I bet he's covering for Ashley, they are kinda close, and he would do something like that." Ruby figured as she pulled the door shut behind her, catching Naruto's attention as he came out from the backroom.

"Hey Naruto, I need-" Her next words caught in her throat, and she froze solid as her wide-eyes swept over Naruto. Whether she was caught off guard by his strange attire, or the fact that he was carrying a box the size of a washing machine without any trouble, one couldn't tell.

Naruto, on the other hand, wasn't surprised to see Ruby at all; rather, he was almost giddy. He had expected her earlier, but time probably got away from her, yeah that's what happened, she totally wasn't trying to avoid him.

He was garbed quite strangely, he admitted, in the traditional attire of a miko shrine girl with a purple hakama, a white haori, and a sash-like belt. He had on wooden sandals, and a white ribbon was tied around his head in the fashion of a shinobi's headband.

"Um, Naruto, watcha doing, and what in God's name are you wearing?" Ruby sounded almost incredulous, and Naruto's eyes close in laughter, although his mouth didn't move, the desire to stay in character overriding his mirth.

"I am partaking in my home country's national pastime of Cosplay." Naruto answered smoothly, setting the box off to the side as he pulled the door shut behind him, before joining Ruby in front of the desk. "Think of it like a game, just guess who I am, and you win a prize."

"First off, no one in this town watches your perverted cartoons," Naruto's smile turned a bit too sickly-sweet at that comment, but Ruby pressed onwards, "and what kind of prize could you give someone for putting in the effort of guessing?" Ruby said it in such a way as to imply she didn't care, but her natural nature compelled her to at least try.

"They're not perverted." Naruto pouted, before rearranging his face, "and I don't know, how about a date with the most handsome man alive?" Naruto asked off-handedly.

"Sounds good, now where exactly is he?" Ruby teased. She crossed her arms as she leaned back against the wall, emphasizing her bust as Naruto's eyes drifted down for a split-second as he mentally gave a thumbs up, Kurama sighing and saying something about idiot blondes and perverted Uzumaki's, whatever that meant.

However, Naruto never got to make a smart remark as a loud splash was heard, both occupants of the lobby turning to the stairwell as Naruto sighed. "Kushina, what did I tell you about taking a bath in my room!" Naruto shouted, and Ruby's eyebrow rose.

"Kushina, that sounds like a girl's name. Does he have a girl in his room right now!? How dare he, stupid two-timing blonde. Ugh, men are such pigs!" Ruby cried mentally as a second splash was heard, followed by a loud thump.

"Kushina, I swear if I have to come up there, I'm going to punish you!" Naruto shouted, his only response being silence for a few second before a loud crash was heard.

"KUSHINA! I said we could play after I'm done cleaning up down here, understand? If you can't wait, then take a nap or something, not a bath, and certainly don't play with your toys in the room!" Naruto shouted; silence reigning for almost a full minute as Ruby started blushing at Naruto's words.

Just when it seemed that Kushina had learned her lesson, a loud crooning cry was heard, followed by several consecutive thumps like someone walking down the stairs. Ruby heard them reach the bottom, and turned to glare at the 'whore' as she had taken to calling her mentally, only to find a downtrodden fox exit the stairwell, a pillow clutched in the death grip of her mouth as she dragged it across the foyer before dropping it and bounding back up the stairs, her soaking wet fur spraying water everywhere.

Ruby started to speak, only for Naruto to hold up a hand, counting down with his fingers. As he reached one, a loud growling was heard as the fox reappeared with a foot long toy grass snake in her mouth a she shook it, apparently trying to kill it. Finally satisfied that it was dead, she dropped it at Naruto's feet, yipping softly as she sat down, looking up proudly at him as if saying 'Look what I killed Master'.

"Yes, you killed the snake Kushina, but next time, could you perhaps not do it in one of the rooms, please. And don't bring the pillows down without my permission, okay?" Naruto's stressed voice was gone as he bent down to pet Kushina behind her ears, the fox purring as she rubbed her head against Naruto's hand affectionately.

"Well, as you may have guessed, this is Kushina, my pet fox, daughter, and the girl who has a special place in my heart." Naruto said kindly, standing back up as Ruby looked between the two, her expression thunderstruck as she hung her head sadly.

"And I thought he was cheating on me. Heck, I don't even know if we're dating and I get upset because I thought there was another woman." Ruby thought as she felt something rub against her leg.

"Aww, she likes you, now if only I could get her to not bark at everyone else, but I suppose she's just being protective of me." Naruto said, looking kindly at Kushina.

"Kushina, that sounds exotic. I take it that it's the same as your name?" Ruby said as Kushina returned to her master's side, wrapping her fluffy tail defensively around his ankles.

"Yeah, actually, Kushina was my mother's name; she was my god-father's gift to me when I first met him. I don't know how I would've gotten through some of my tougher years without her. Besides, we've been separated for the past week while I tried to find out if this place has a 'no pets' policy." Naruto explained, once again scratching Kushina's ears affectionately.

"Oh, well I really couldn't tell you, it's kind of Mr. Gold's call as the owner, of course he usually leaves Granny in charge since he doesn't like to fool with the daily running of the many businesses he owns in town." Ruby said; a hand on her cheek as she thought it over while Naruto's eyebrow rose slightly.

"Ashley didn't tell you the news? That's not like her to forget." Naruto wondered aloud, and Ruby came out of her thoughts as she started to comment, only for Naruto to shrug his shoulders. "Oh well, isn't her little baby girl adorable? And now that she and Sean are trying to work things out, things are looking up for her. Ashley, that is, although I suppose the same could be said of the baby." Naruto said, smiling kindly as he seemed to fade out, his eyes glazing over as he looked into the distance.

He didn't notice how Ruby blushed at the implications of Naruto statement. "He thought I would check in on Ash before coming to see him. Oh God, why does he have to assume that everyone has such kind intentions?" Ruby fretted internally as Kushina looked between the two humans, her face confused, although you couldn't tell it considering her face didn't change.

"Oh, I kinda didn't go and see Ashley yet; I figured she would… want to rest after all the visitors she's had." Ruby lied through her teeth; she hadn't even considered going to see Ashley at this point. Call her selfish, she wanted answers first, and then she'd send her well wishes.

"Yeah, you and everyone else. I went to see her earlier; she said maybe five people have come to see her and the baby. To be honest, I think she's upset that no one seems to care enough to at least send a flower basket, or fruit basket, or some kind of muffin basket, she said she really wanted some banana nut muffins, but the only person who can even make them right is your granny. Maybe you can get some for her and take them, I bet she'd really like to see you, after all, she did name you as the god-mother." Naruto rambled before finally noticing that Ruby was slowly falling into a pit of despair at her negligence towards her friend, and apparent god-child.

"Anyways, I suppose that means you haven't heard the news yet have you?" Naruto's excited tone seemed to wipe out any lingering negativity as he smiled at her, reaching under the desk as he rummaged around for something.

"Um, what is it?" Ruby asked curiously, bending forwards to try and see what Naruto was searching for, totally unaware that doing so allowed Naruto a view down her shirt, which he saw as he blushed.

Finally, he pulled out the object of his desire, a sheet of paper with a large looping signature across the bottom.

"This, my dear Ruby, is it. What you ask, well, I managed to 'coerce' Mr. Gold into selling the Inn." Naruto said, and Ruby frowned.

Sure he was somewhat of a cruel person among the townsfolk, but having some stranger take over what could be considered her home away from home was the worse choice of the two.

"Naruto, why did you do that? Sure I wish he would get off out backs about making the payments each month, but that doesn't mean I would want some stranger to take, they'll probably level the place and build some fancy hotel here now!" Ruby said, frowning at Naruto, who was taken aback.

"Ruby, some random stranger isn't going to take over the Inn, and your granny will always be welcome here. I just figured she'd like someone to lighten the load a bit, you know?" Naruto said, still trying to get around Ruby's anger, or was it fear, Naruto really couldn't tell at the moment.

"Naruto, what are you saying?" Ruby decided to just calm down, and talk it out with Naruto, maybe then she'd get some answers, and not more questions from the enigmatic blonde.

"I'm saying I convinced Gold to sell the deed to the Inn to me, I'm the new owner." Naruto smiled, and Ruby didn't know whether to hit him or hug him, so she did both.

A/N: Hey guys, I finished another chapter and now you get to read it. I don't really have much to say other than who enjoyed the previous chapter or the mini-chapter after the note between chapter 9 & 10. I'll work some more on it, and post it when I'm working on something else and can't fit a normal chapter into my schedule, which shouldn't happen to often. On the other hand, if you guys really liked it, I'll post the rest of it instead of a normal chapter, but leave it up to you guys.