I am sorry for the delay; I got caught up in summer classes and the like. As well as my eighteenth birthday so I am sorry I couldn't get around to finishing this chapter. I have three stories running and will update them in turn. So if you are a reader of one of my other fics, be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Sweet Release."
If you aren't…well you should be…
Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter!
A big thanks to my Beta for this chapter Alteris, he has done a great job for me, and I encourage you to check out a few of his stories!
And a special thanks to a reader by the name of Rubius, who made a sweet bit of art in dedication to my fic, you can find the URL profile.
On a side note, if anyone knows how to embed links on FF please let me know, I can't seem to get how to do it. X3
Chapter 12: Idle Threats
The afternoon following their date Naruto and Rika were feeling slightly awkward. They were sure they were beyond the bounds of mere friendship, but neither seemed to want to make a move. They sat outside on the porch, side by side yet still a good few inches apart. Rika was absentmindedly cracking her "Data Whip" as they had decided to call it. With each swing Naruto inwardly cringed, the thing hurt, they had found that it pull off of his energy to work. When it was used against him it made a connection taking all his power and holding it in the D-Ark. With all his energy in the device, he was left a weak body unable to move and easily manipulated. They assumed it was meant for use if the Tamer had a very aggressive or unruly Digimon.
Rika had since then found other uses for it; it seemed to respond to her will, alternating between wrapping and whipping. When they had tested it on a tree it left a nice sized gash in the bark, and Rika found she could use it to wrap around the branch and swing.
"This thing fits your whole Zorro persona…" she commented as she flicked it.
"Really now," Naruto laughed, "Maybe we can get you an outfit too, then you can be my sidekick 'Vixen'"
"Sidekick," Rika growled, "Like I would be your-I would never even wear it to begin with!"
"Oh come on," Naruto teased, "Black leather, as many belts as you want!"
"I told you I don't want any more belts, and they are not unnecessary!"
"Oh yeah," Naruto snorted, "Because your pants are in danger of falling off at the thigh…"
"You dunce…" she sighed.
They fell into silence again, staring out over the water Rika still giving the Data Whip a crack every few seconds. Eventually she became annoyed with the silence and the awkward feeling of it all. With a crack of her whip she pushed off the porch and toward the gate.
"C'mon, we're going to the park."
"Decided that all on your own did you?" Naruto said resting his weight on his arms in a reclined position.
"Yes, now either you go," she cracks the whip, "or I make you."
Naruto gulped; "Yes Ma'am."
~Xutzy~
A change of scenery did not have the effect that Rika had hoped for. Instead they were just feeling very awkward in a park, she didn't know if this was an improvement. Naruto was staring absentmindedly up at the sunlight that filtered through the trees, both had on their new sweaters as there was a slight chill in the air.
They were getting nowhere with this, the night before had them on an emotional high, everything was coming easy. The atmosphere was great; the 'date' went perfect it was the end that went horribly. After being interrupted, twice, neither knew how to go about recognizing their changed situation. After another good thirty minutes Rika had had enough, she sighed exasperatingly.
"I don't know what to do…" she said.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.
"I mean," she sighed, "About 'us'. What are we now, after last night?"
"I don't know," Naruto replied shyly, "I've never done this before…"
Rika took a seat at a nearby bench, Naruto plopping down beside her.
"Me neither…" she said.
They both fell into silence again, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, and the occasional passerby. After a while Naruto place an arm around her shoulder pulling her in a bit closer. She tensed at first then relaxed against him her head at his shoulder.
"I guess, we don't have to do anything Rika-chan, I enjoy spending time with you."
Rika blushed, "Me too, Naruto…"
"So are we a couple now?"
"I guess…but couples do, you know couple things…"
"Oh, like?" he questioned.
"Like…" she sighed, "Going on dates, and holding hands, and…kissing."
Naruto felt his cheeks heat up, he laughed lightly averting his gaze.
"So do you want to?" he asked.
"What, do those things?" he nodded, "Haven't we already?"
Naruto thought for a moment and realized that, yes, they had.
"All but one," Rika added as she looked up at him from her position on his shoulder.
Naruto's eyes darted about the trees; he looked this way and that scoping the tree line.
"What are you doing…?" Rika asked confused.
"Making sure that Takato and your Mother are not nearby…" he said smiling down at her.
"Why?" she asked her head tilting ever so slightly.
Naruto chuckled she looked cute like that, "'Cause I think I want to kiss you…"
Rika blushed slightly, "You do, well who says I'll let you?"
Naruto laughed again, taking her chin in his hand tilting her head up, "I won't take no for an answer."
"Idiot…" Rika said.
She leaned forward her eyes half lidded, Naruto moved to close the distance when he felt a sharp pain in his neck.
"The hell." He said as he pulled what looked like a small dart from his neck.
From the surrounding trees burst a dozen men in black suits, Naruto cursed himself; he had been so absorbed in the moment that he had neglected his surroundings. He tried to move finding himself weak and sluggish, they were advancing and Naruto tried to throw a punch only succeeding in losing all balance. He fell to the ground as the men passed him, to his horror he was not the target, and they surrounded Rika. She fought hard against them smacking to in the face with the Data Whip sending them sprawling. The device was ripped from her grasp as she tried desperately to keep them away. It was all for naught as she was quickly subdued and cuffed, duct tape placed over her mouth.
"You bastards, let her go!" Naruto yelled as one shouldered her roughly.
That's when he heard it, a high clacking noise, with all his remaining strength he rolled over finding the smirking form of Mitsuo Yamaki.
"Yamaki," he growled," I don't make idle threats!"
Yamaki chuckled as Naruto's vision began to fail him; "I gave you a choice, now we have to do this the hard way."
He tossed a business card at the boy's feet, and began to walk off. Naruto cursed his own weakness, he cursed Yamaki, and he cursed whatever god sought to make his life here so difficult.
"Give us a call when you are ready to talk business, until then we will take good care of Rika."
As the light faded from the world Naruto yelled out into the sky one last curse upon the man who had just had the gall to steal his precious person, "Yamaki!"
"Yamaki," said a young red haired woman in a white suit, "I don't feel right about this, you can't seriously be thinking of hurting the girl."
"Riley," Yamaki said, "Some sacrifices must be made for the greater good…"
"You mean like kidnapping a young girl from the park to control a boy who is more powerful than you would like him to be?" Riley yelled.
"It's not your place to act this way," Yamaki growled, "Just do your job Riley."
Riley looked genuinely hurt, tears stinging at her eyes she gave a curt nod before heading to the park exit and the waiting car. A black van pulled up and Rika was placed in the back, she struggled against her binds, yelling muffled obscenities all the way.
~Xutzy~
"I think he's coming to…"
Naruto groaned as he felt himself coming back to reality, his vision was coming in fuzzy bursts, with seldom bouts of clarity. Eventually he was able to make out the forms of Takato and Henry, who had Terriermon on his shoulder. He reached up as they both took his arms and helped him to an upright position. He was a bit shaky at first, but he was quickly regaining his equilibrium. He noted with disdain that it was nearing sundown, he had been out for a while.
"What happened man," Takato said, "Where is Rika?"
"Rika," Naruto growled, "They took her, the bastards!"
"Who took her?" Henry asked
Naruto reigned in his anger as he went into an explanation of what happened a few days prior. The boys were surprised, but surprisingly Henry found himself angry with Naruto.
"You didn't think maybe we should know about this?" he said, "A group of people out there looking to get rid of Digimon, and we are only now just hearing about it."
Naruto grimaced he was regretting his decision on not telling them, Henry was right they should have known.
"I felt that my initial threat would have sufficed…" he sighed.
"Not a man like that," Takato said, "How you described him, it reminds me of this businessman who tried to buy out my parents' store. He was relentless nearly driving us out of business until he was caught releasing rats into our basement."
Henry nodded, "People like that don't know their limits, what he's doing is wrong we should call the authorities."
"No." Naruto said as he pulled a kunai from his jacket, "I warned that man what would happen if he threatened Rika."
Naruto's eyes shone with rage as he gripped his kunai, his aura was oppressive, unconsciously leaking a bit of killing intent.
"You can't be serious," Henry stated, "I thought this was your second chance, are you just going to become a killer again?"
"That bastard overstepped his bounds!" Naruto yelled, "He needs to be taught a lesson, I have to save Rika!"
"You can do that without killing!" Henry exclaimed surprisingly composed even with the killing intent leaking off of Naruto.
"You don't need any more sin weighing down your soul; we can save Rika without killing!"
Naruto visibly calmed his grip slackening as his eyes grew dull. He mentally chastised himself for nearly making such a mistake. This wasn't his world, he couldn't just kill someone. On top of that he didn't ever want his friends to view him as some killer. In his world being a shinobi was an honorable station in the eyes of your village, and it was commonplace for people to die over petty manners such as honor. Here, he would be a murderer plain and simple, even if it was for the right reasons killing was wrong. It tarnished the soul if done for the wrong reason; killing in anger was not something Naruto wanted to do.
"Thank you," Naruto said, "I had lost myself for a moment."
"Its okay," Henry said as he presented a card to Naruto, "We found this on the ground over there."
Naruto looked the card over; it was a simple white business card that read "Hypnos" in plain script. On the back was a phone number, and Yamaki's fatal error, an address.
"We'll come with you," Takato said, "We can save her together."
Naruto shook his head. "This requires a special touch, I believe it is time that Anbu Capitan Zorro made a comeback."
"Anbu?" Henry questioned.
"In my past life I was a member of my villages' special forces the Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai," Naruto stated, "I was an assassin, an expert in torture and killing."
Noticing the shocked look on the two boys faces Naruto hastily continued.
"Before that though, I was the villages Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja, pranks are my specialty, Hypnos will rue the day they did this!"
"Anything we can do to help?" Takato asked.
"Yeah," Naruto said, "Help me find a gag shop, the crueler the joke the better."
Takato grinned devilishly, a look that did not seem right on the normally naïve and cheery boy. He laughed as he motioned for them to follow him. Before they made their way from the park Naruto addressed Henry one last time.
"I won't kill him," he stated, "But Yamaki will pay…"
"I knew you would say something like that." he sighed as he continued his way down the path after Takato.
Henry looked to Naruto over his shoulder, giving him a smile he felt was best suited for the face of his old friend Sai.
"Give him a swift kick to the junk from me," the boy said, "No one messes with my friends…"
Naruto chuckled to himself as they exited the park; these kids had a dark side. He sighed heavily as he looked to the setting sun.
"We are all bound by the same rules, they won't hurt her." he thought, "Hold on Rika; I'm coming for you."
~Xutzy~
Night had fallen over the city, blanketing it in a field of shadow. The city was too lively to ever be truly dark, but the ever present shadows among the alleyways looked particularly foreboding on such a cloudy night. It was in these shadowy places were one might come face to face with the most unsavory of characters, and here were we find three young men plotting the downfall of the individuals in the building adjacent to their little alleyway.
"We have no idea where they are holding her." Henry stated as he leaned against the wall Terriermon on his head.
Takato nodded in agreement from his seat atop Guilmon; "It's a big building, not to mention it probably has a lot of underground space."
"I'll find her," Naruto stated, "We share a bond unlike yours with your partners, I can feel her…"
He looked over to the building determination etched on his whiskered face, he had broken into the Hokage tower with nary but kunai and some ninja wire; this would be cake. He turned back to the other two in the alley.
"Are you ready to try what I asked?" Naruto said.
"I am not sure it will work, but I guess it would be best that you are ready for any eventuality." Henry stated.
"Yeah," Takato added, "Don't want you getting shot or anything like that, ready Guilmon?"
"Will it hurt?" the childish dino asked.
"No," Naruto said from experience, "Though I am guessing you will be hungry afterwards."
"Let's do this thing already!" Terriermon said in his normal exuberant voice.
Naruto placed a hand on both of them as they began to glow; data began to flicker about their forms before it began to seep up towards Naruto. With the normal flare and wind, Naruto stood in his battle cloak ready for action. He inspected himself before reaching for a scroll and with a quick application of blood, which had the other two flinching as he bit his thumb, a black wrapped bundle now sat in his arms.
Takato and Henry both held a small creature in their hands, Takatos looked to be a small ref ball with a black tail and dragon wing ears. Henry held in his hands what looked to be a small ghost like creature, it was white with a large head and a single horn, and it stood on a white body that fanned out like a sheet. They were Gigimon, and Gummymon the In-Training forms of Guilmon and Terriermon respectively.
Naruto took the time they spent inspecting their partners to slip away down the alley and around a corner. He opened up his newly unsealed bundle, allowing a soft smile to grace his face. He looked over the porcelain mask that sat atop the bundle of clothes; it had red ink lining the eyes reminiscent of his sage mode, and three red whisker marks on each cheek. It also had pointed fox-ish ears at the top and where his mouth would be was a fanged smile in red sitting upon a slightly elongated foxy muzzle.
He looked over the rest of the items in the bundle nodding to himself as he found them to be adjusted to his current size. He quickly discarded his current clothing and changed, leaving the mask to be put on later and keeping his belt of scrolls. He came back around the corner to find a confused Takato and Henry looking about the alley, clearing his throat to gain their attention he couldn't help but smirk at the look of awe on their faces.
Naruto stood in his full Anbu attire his mask at his hip. He had on his white chest armor which looked something like a tank top, it was heavily reinforced with lightweight yet durable cloth and a layer of seal enhanced chainmail. He wore black shinobi pants wrapped at the bottom and tucked into a set of black boots, and on his thigh was a grey kunai pouch his scroll belt still in its normal place. His arms were adorned with standard issue Anbu bracers and nearly shoulder length black gloves. On his left shoulder proudly displayed was a spiral shaped tattoo, a symbol of his status as a member of the Anbu.
Takato had stars in his eyes at how cool the look was. "You look like a real ninja now!"
"Yeah," Henry commented, "Kinda a mix between the traditional and modern, but it feels like its missing something…"
"Missing something…" Naruto thought aloud before snapping his fingers.
He pulled out another scroll from his belt applying blood and chakra to the seal there. In a puff of smoke he held in his hand a strangely circular sheath to what seemed to be a small dagger. It was attached to a harness that looked as if it went on the back. Naruto donned it and it was found to cross over his chest and back, the blade and sheath resting on the small of his back. He drew it and in a mesmerizing display it left a trail of white light in its path, like a streak of curved moonlight. Naruto held it in front of him it looked to be a very small katana, the blade was single edged and had no cross guard while the handle was a very simple black. The blade, though, was shined glowing silver, which reflected even the dim light of the moon behind the cloudy night sky.
"It's beautiful…" Henry said.
Naruto nodded, "A gift, from my father…"
~Flashback~
Naruto knelt by a small cot in a medic tent, the sounds of battle all around him yet his focus was on the person that lay before him. His sensei was dying having taken a fatal blow to the chest by a lighting jutsu, it was all Sakura could do to keep him alive long enough to say his goodbyes.
"I had always hoped my students would never see war…" the man coughed his face now unmasked.
The thrill of finally seeing their sensei's face was lost due to the circumstances. Sakura kept her hand as steady as possible over his damaged chest, fighting to keep him alive through her tears. As Naruto gripped the older man's hand tightly, not wanting to lose the person who was like a father to him.
"I'm sorry, I wish there was more I could have done," Kakashi said "For you, for Sasuke…"
Naruto and Sakura nodded, their teammate had died a hero's death, combating Madara eye to eye, long enough to find a weakness. With his dying breath he told them how to kill the madman, and begged for forgiveness, which he was given.
"Sakura," Kakashi said, "You've grown so much from that little fangirl on the academy roof; you are now a beautiful young woman and a kunoichi without equal. It was my honor and privilege to teach you, even if I did not teach you much."
"You taught me the most important lesson of all sensei," Sakura said as she kissed his bloodied cheek, "I'll never forget you."
Kakashi gave her his patented eye smile against the pain, even though the tears were still in his eyes, they were not tears of pain. He turned to Naruto his eyes lacking focus as his body fought a losing battle. He could see the image of his sensei, placing a hand on his son's shoulder sending him a bright smile and mouthing: "Go on."
"Naruto…" Kakashi continued as the boy look up two sets of teary eyes meeting, "You have grown so much from the little boy I once knew. You have surpassed us all, Jiraiya, Minato-Sensei, and me. If I ever have a single regret in life it's not adopting you from the orphanage all those years ago."
Naruto's breath caught in his throat as he stared into the tear stained eyes of his dying sensei.
"You would have become a wonderful man Naruto," Kakashi choked, "Any father would be proud to call you son. I have one final gift for you, my father gave it to me and his father to him, I broke it but it has been re-forged."
Kakashi forced his mangled form to reach across the cot to his pouch on the ground, gripping a scroll in his hand. He sat up ignoring Sakura's protest as the girl opted to hug her sensei close to her chest sitting behind him as she cried into his back. Kakashi took Naruto's hand and placed the scroll there forcing it closed and holding it tight, he smiled.
"I want you to have it," he said, "You are the closest I will ever come to having a son of my own."
Naruto nodded through his tears as the sounds of battle intensified, he looked into the face of his sensei. A man he had always wanted to be, someone he had once thought untouchable was dying before his eyes. He took the scroll in hand and stood as Kakashi stared up at him. He smiled once more through his tears clutching the scroll which he held to his chest.
"I'll take care of it," he said, "And one day, I'll give it to my son, Tou-san."
Kakashi adopted a shocked look before his face fell into a relaxed smile, he settled back into the cot Sakura holding his hand. Kakashi the Copy Ninja closed his eyes for the last time, knowing his son would carry his strength and the strength of all those who inherited the will of fire.
~Flashback End~
Naruto placed the blade back into its sheath leaving another white trail in its wake.
"The Hakkō Chakura To," Naruto stated, "It is a famous blade in my world, though its fame was not earned by me, that however is a story for another time."
Takato handed Naruto a gray shoulder bad which he inspected before grinning. Takato knew his stuff; he even remembered the orange spray paint. He placed it over his shoulder; careful to make sure it did not obstruct his ability to draw his blade, and then reached for his mask. What many didn't know was that Anbu masks had special seals in them that made them akin to a two way mirror. He could see through it like it was nothing, while others could only see his eyes. The effect was intimidating, he looked ready for battle, and Henry knew now that he wasn't kidding when he said he was an assassin.
Naruto closed his eyes and focused he could feel Rika nearby due to their connection. He needed only find where in the building she was. After a moment he felt it, a steady beating next to his heart, he could feel her.
"She is below," he stated, "You were right Takato it seems they have some sort of basement facility."
"How are you going to get to her?" Takato asked.
"Easy," he replied with a vicious unseen smirk," I'm gonna work my way down."
~Xutzy~
Naruto chuckled to himself as he made his way down and elevator shaft that led to the basement level. He had forgotten how great a well done prank could be, the joys of youth faded with his shinobi career, but now he could let loose. The people of Hypnos were in for a rude awakening when they all came to work tomorrow. He shook himself of his mirth as he focused on the task at hand. He reached the bottom where the elevator sat and shimmied into a ventilation shaft thankful for his now shorter form. He found an opening and looked down a good two stories into what looked to be a large lab of some sort. A few men in white lab coats scrambled about checking monitors and calling out numbers. In the middle of it all stood Yamaki, his ever present lighter clicking away in his hand.
"What is this place?" came a gravely female voice, "Let me out I don't want to go back!"
Naruto looked in the room was large and at the bottom was a large hole it was glowing a faint gold and it seemed to be the source of the yelling. It looked to be a lizard like Digimon, it was suspended there somehow. Overtop that was a large catwalk full of machines and running cables, as well as numerous lab people running about.
"Sir," said one, "We are ready to initiate a data scan, but the creature may not survive."
Yamaki who was looking down at the creature scoffed, "You say that as if I should care, it's not like that thing down there is flesh and blood you know."
"Excuse me sir," the man stammered, "It has a real body, it's a life form it-"
"A worm is more of a life form than this thing," Yamaki growled, "They're just packets of data, zeroes and ones. Their ability to appear in our world is a fluke but our monstrous friend here is not without its use. By analyzing its data we can learn how Digimon are created, and how they can be destroyed. Proceed with the scan I want full power."
"Yes sir." he said solemnly as he turned a dial.
"No!" yelled a familiar voice, "You'll kill it, it's not just data you creep!"
Naruto looked over to see Rika shackled to a side rail, she was fighting her binds. She had this maddening look in her eye so fierce, so powerful in Naruto's eyes it made her look beautiful. She had really made a turnaround from before; he couldn't help but marvel at the girl she had become. Naruto watched as the lights below began to shine red and the Digimon in the tunnel cried out in pain.
"Agh! No let me out of here!" it cried.
"Its particles are dissipating." stated one of the scientists.
"Don't stop until we have all of its data, we are just steps away from our ultimate goal." Yamaki replied.
"Stop, you're killing it, you can't just strip it of its data like that!" Rika yelled.
"I can do just as I please," Yamaki said, "This filth is infecting our world, and we can't have these things wandering about free."
A cry broke through the conversation deep and pained, it was a cry of death.
"It's gone." spoke one of the scientists as the red glow died down, "It's data hasn't disappeared though, just the body."
Naruto and Rika smiled at that, they could destroy their bodies, but just like the others they would live on.
"Should I save the data?" asked the man.
"I don't see the point," Yamaki said, "We got all the information we needed from the scanning procedure, eliminate anything that's left."
"Sir?" the man asked shocked.
"You can't do that!" Rika yelled drawing the attention of the scientists and Yamaki, "If you get rid of that data you'll kill it!"
"That's just what I want." Yamaki said sinisterly as he fished something out of his pocket.
It was Rika's D-Ark, he twirled it about on his finger lazily before tossing it into the air, Rika watched in fear knowing what the device represented. Yamaki caught it noting the girls longing gaze he chuckled darkly.
"We'll take this little trinket apart piece by piece; maybe it can show us how to get rid of these pests."
Rika growled her eyes shining with anger; he was threatening the very heart of her best friend the boy she cared for. Yamaki just laughed before addressing the scientist, "What are you waiting for? Get on with it."
The man nodded, he was about to continue when the machine was struck with a kunai. The man fell back in shock; meanwhile another kunai cut the chain of the cuffs holding Rika. The newly released girl headed straight for the startled Yamaki, rearing a leg back and nailing him right in the jewels. He folded in on himself as she grabbed her D-Ark giving him a quick kick to the ribs for good measure.
"That one's for Henry!" laughed an amused voice from the shadows.
Naruto dropped in from the ceiling startling the scientists as they charged away from the dangerous looking man. As the brains scrambled out the brawn stepped in, many suited men came in guns once more trained on Naruto, he took a deep breath. They opened fire, but he was already on the move. He landed on the first ones shoulders, using him as a spring board while at the same time cutting the muzzle of his gun. The men had no idea what to do as Naruto flashed from one place to the next silvery white streaks still hung in the air like some sort of deadly neon light show.
Rika looked on mesmerized by the grace with which he dealt punishment to his enemies. She was thankful that he wasn't killing anyone, but could only marvel at the beauty with which he could kill. It was like a dance, a shining dance of death, so dangerous and free. He looked so powerful, he looked so…
"Hot…"
"My baby made Anbu!" Kushina chimed, "I'm so proud look at him go!"
Naruto sighed; these people were weak. The guards ran as soon as they lost their weapons, apparently they lacked the testicular fortitude to fight without them. As the last of them ran he watched the red particles of date float away into the ceiling disappearing. He turned his attention on Yamaki, his eyes set glacial blue as he advanced on the man who was still on his knees.
"Do you like the souvenir I left you before?" he said resting his blade below the man's chin, indicating the scar there.
"I told you that if you harmed Rika your blood would spill, did I not Yamaki."
Yamaki gulped, this boy had dispatched several armed guards and now held his life in his hand. He had made a grave miscalculation in taking Rika. He realized this now but was it too late to save his life. He thought back to earlier that day, how he had treated Riley, she was right he just wished he could apologize to her.
"Naruto," Rika said, "You aren't going to kill him are you?"
"Of course not." he said lifting Yamaki's spirit, he felt the blade removed from his neck and was going to speak when a fist found his face.
"You made a grave mistake," Naruto said, "And they have consequences, hopefully you will learn your lesson this time. These creatures you so hate, are more than just data they have a life and a world all their own. For whatever reason they come here, it is not your place to utterly destroy them as you plan to. When their bodies disappear they are reborn in their world, hopefully as better beings than they were before."
He sent a fist flying into the man's gut sending his shades to the ground as he doubled over in pain. He followed it up with a leg sweep that left him sprawling on the floor, from there he followed with a heel drop to his damaged stomach.
"They come here for something," Naruto stated, "And one of the first that give even a little information on their reason here, you destroy. For someone who seeks to rid the worlds of Digimon, you are needlessly cruel and reject readily available options in favor of your own selfish power trips."
Yamaki spit blood from his mouth as he lay there utterly broken, until he heard a voice from the elevator door.
"Yamaki!" Riley yelled as she ran to his fallen form.
"I'm okay Riley…" he choked out.
Riley rounded on Naruto intent on telling him off when Yamaki spoke again, "You are just a naïve child, I know what must be done, I will rid the world of this filth."
Naruto chuckled, "Rika we need to leave, I've no time to waste on a pretentious man such as this."
Rika nodded jumping on his back as he leap up drawing his blade and cutting a hole into the elevator shaft before making his way out though it. As they flew up the elevator shaft Rika held tight to him unabashed as she snuggled into his back happy to be reunited with him after the whole ordeal.
Once out of the building Naruto made his way across the rooftops, sending a wave to Takato and Henry who waved back happily knowing Rika was safe. He would inform them of all that had happened later, for now it was nearly midnight, meaning curfew meaning that he had to get Rika home or explain her kidnapping. He sighed as they made their way back, happy to have Rika back.
They landed in the backyard again Naruto set her down and not a second later he was caught up in a tight hug. He sighed happily once more, basking in the warmth of her embrace hoping to never let go. Her touch ignited something he had never felt before, or maybe never had time to.
Rika sighed as she felt his strong arms wrap around her, she never thought she would ever find herself in this situation. She had always thought that all she needed was herself; then Naruto came along and she can't help but want to be near him. He brought out a side of her she never knew, a side that wanted to be held and protected that looked to him when things went bad. In her heart she knew he would come for her and when he did she was beside herself with joy. The way he fought, the grace with which he dispatched Yamaki's thugs, all in order to save her; it made her feel so loved.
She looked into his eyes through the mask two deep blue pools full of compassion. She slid his mask to the side blushing at the soft smile he sent her as she ran a hand across his cheek. Naruto took her hand in his nuzzling into it slightly, enjoying her warmth on his face his other hand still held tight at her waist. She, conversely, was enjoying the contrasting smoothness and roughness of his skin and whiskers. She smiled at him, a smile that set her face alight, her violet eyes shining as Naruto fought to catch his taken breath.
He gulped slightly as he pulled her closer feeling their bodies meld together; her filling a spot by his side he didn't know was empty. He placed her hand to the side taking her chin lightly before leaning in not allowing this chance to pass as the others had. He captured her in a kiss, her soft lips enticing him. As she began to reciprocate, deepening the kiss by wrappings her arms about his neck. It could have been seconds, hours, days but they to eventually separated, their eyes meeting half lidded in the afterglow of their first kiss.
"That," Rika sighed, "Was nice…"
"Yeah," Naruto said, "Nice…"
They stood there in each other's embrace for the longest time, eyes locked; neither wanting to leave the others side. Rika yawned, showing her fatigue. It had been quite the day. Naruto smiled as he led her to her room. Before she headed through the door she gave him one last hug. When she turned to leave Naruto caught her arm and twisted her about. Before she knew it his lips had met hers again only for a second, a chaste kiss but it still left her heart a flutter.
"Goodnight, Rika-chan…" he whispered.
"Goodnight, Naruto-kun…" she replied.
Rika headed into her bedroom, red faced as Naruto headed to his room a contented smile on his face. Rika fell into her bed wearing a bright smile and a slight blush; she could honestly admit she was falling for her best friend.
"Boyish charm…" Kushina sighed.
"Tell me about it…" Rika smiled.
~End~
The next chapter will detail all the nasty little things Naruto did to Hypnos on his way through the building. I really enjoyed writing this chapter as well as those leading up to it, I am a romantic at heart and these kinds of chapter really make me smile. I know some people may be bothered by all the mushiness, but one of the genres listed is romance. I don't plan on having any pairing in my story existing just for the sake of: "Oh, he's with her…"
I really enjoy romantic elements of most stories, and my story will have quite a bit of focus on this.
I also loved the scene with Kakashi so tell me what you think of it, I had a hard time writing it as it was sad for me.
Yeah, please tell us what you thought of the chapter! I have just as much fun reading the story as I do being the beta! Any bit of input you give could help us make this fic better!
Yes, I hope you all look forward to the next chapter!
