Broken Faith

by Kur0Kishi

Betrayed by Konoha at the end and sealed into oblivion. Given a second chance at a childhood in a different world can Naruto rebuild his faith in humanity. A somewhat darker Naruto than most i've read on site, not dark emo, just dark. -First Naruto/Negima fic to reach Mundus Magicus and be considered complete. Sequel in progress-

26. People Cry When They Are Happy

Broken Faith 26

People Cry When They Are Happy

Disclaimer : I Don't own anything; Negima, Naruto or any songs I might use in the making of this piece of fiction.

Persona 4 Golden is coming out... my inner hardcore gamer and otaku is screaming for me to go out and get a damned PsV. I don't really need it... not interested in any of the games available on the Vita at the moment outside of that obvious one and that P4G isn't even guaranteed to get an English release. Therefore buying it now is pointless when I can get it waay cheaper in the future with a good game set already out!

This rant serves no other purpose other than to convince myself to shut up, sit down and not grab that shiny, delish console of the nearest shelf until P4 Golden is 100% confirmed and out (September hurry and COMEEE!).

Soundtrack List

Sousei no Aquarion OST – Pride – Nageki no Tabi

Yuki Kajiura – Hear our Prayer

Ayumi Hamasaki - Heaven

Genesis of Aquarion – AKINO featuring bless4 (English Version)

****Broken Faith****

"Do I want to know why that idiot is doing something idiotic like this?"

Negi shrugged, "Nii-san's been a bit weird lately. He keeps muttering about how he needs to go back to basics."

Kotarou the wolf half demon scratched his head vigorously, "How the hell does sitting still in the middle of a sandstorm while wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks constitute basic?"

The little teacher sweat dropped, "When you phrase it that way, even I can't help but feel it's a little stupid but he says it's something to do with chakra control ?"

"Why the hell does it sound like you're asking me instead?"

"Heeeh... that's not a bad idea..." both the half demon and the mage jumped in their seats as a melodious voice interrupted their musings, "Evangeline-sensei!"

"Huhuhu, since the two of you are carefree enough to sit there and watch Naruto like two idiots, you might as well join him... you might even learn something." The vampire smiled viciously before kicking the two of them into the teleporter circle and locking it down so that the two of them couldn't get back into the resort without her permission.

The small robot sitting on her shoulder giggled, "Not that I mind seeing them being tortured a bit more, but won't they die if you just leave them there like that?"

"If they can't even learn something basic like controlling their magic then they probably deserve to die." Evangeline countered Chachazero.

"Controlling their magic? Sitting in a sandstorm does that?"

Evangeline smiled, "Not really. What you have to know is that in a sandstorm, billions of sand grains lash around, grinding away skin and flesh. Now watch the blonde idiot carefully."

The small doll blinked and turned her pale green eyes on the monitor again.

After a few moments of intense staring Chachazero finally frowned, "There's some sort of aura around him, but it's not constant, it keeps flashing for a second before disappearing again."

Evangeline nodded her head approvingly, "I never really thought of doing something like before, probably because I'm so talented I don't have to. Bwahaha!"

"Ahem."

"Cough, cough, right where was I? Oh right, aura. What you are seeing is a thin layer of chakra around him that is protecting him from the lashing sands. It's like a subconscious reaction among humans, when faced with something huge or intimidating, they unconsciously feel the need to reply in kind, but by doing so, they are wasting more energy than needed, like those two smaller idiots,"

Negi and Kotarou were indeed struggling against the buffeting winds and sand by flaring their magic into a noticeable aura to keep their soft flesh safe from the biting storm, but even Chachazero could tell they were rapidly weakening.

"A storm is that, big, flashy and intimidating yet composed of microscopic grains that are individually even more dangerous than the storm as a whole. Naruto refines his chakra to such a point where it can't even block a drop of water anymore; it's just a thin efficient layer where no chakra is wasted unlike those other two."

The doll frowned, "Doesn't that mean he is defenceless? Not that I'm complaining but won't he die?"

The vampire shook her head, "The focus and control needed to do something like that actually intensifies his awareness of his surroundings by tenfold; to a point where he can probably feel each incoming grain individually. Those flares you keep seeing? They are chakra spikes that are literally deflecting each grain of sand."

Evangeline nodded approvingly, "I never thought I'd see him doing something so elegant, I thought all he knew was how to use brute force. It's a useful principle. Abandoning all defence for speed and attack. True, your enemies can't hurt you if they can't HIT you and at the same time using each bit of your resources for maximum impact but there are weaknesses to this kind of styles."

"Like?" her doll inquired.

"For one, if he keeps this up, he'll be able to deflect most attacks, but stronger, higher level ones will almost always get through. The deflecting effect will also especially be weak when it comes to melee attacks. By then his lack of defence will probably come back to bite him in his ass. Secondly, this style is suitable for the small agility types with smaller reserves; he doesn't really have that problem so I'm not entirely sure why he is doing this other than practicing control."

"Sounds pretty complicated, you wanted those two to learn that technique? They're pretty small and fast" Chachazero added thoughtfully.

"It would help but definitely not." The vampire replied without hesitation, "It's not suitable for either one of their fighting styles."

The doll tilted her head in confusion, "Huh? Then why send them in there?"

Evangeline smiled cheerfully, "I'll be satisfied as long as they learn how to control their magic output and adding the basic tenets of the style will help them tremendously."

"Right... that and you wanted to see them suffer while you bunked them off on Naruto because you were lazy." The doll muttered under its breath.

"That too." She admitted with an evil smile.

****Broken Faith****

A certain blonde sighed as he leaned back into the tub after a gruelling day of training before glancing around and sweat dropping. Calling this swimming pool sized hot spring a tub was a downright understatement. Not that he expected any less from someone as ostentatious and flashy as his little sister despite her arguments otherwise.

A small splash alerted the shinobi to the fact that another person had just stepped into the pool and he strained his eyes through the rising steam to see who it was.

"It's slippery here, becareful Akako."

"Hai mama."

Oh so it was just Chachamaru.

Two silhouttes, one tall and slender and the other small and cute, slowly appeared in the steam as they unintentionally approached his end of the pool, unaware that it was already occupied.

"Kyaah!"

Naruto blinked rapidly before jumping up in concern, "What's wrong Chachamaru? Akako?"

"Mama?"

The gynoid had collapsed to her knees in the water, desperately tugging her towel tightly around her.

"Naruto! Don't look at me!"

Her sudden yell reverberated in the bathing chamber loudly.

Huh?

Akako's ruby eyes shone with a confused glint as they swivelled between her Papa and Mama.

This was the first time he had seen Chachamaru being so... shy about her body; she had never been one to be bothered about a simple concept like nudity before.

"Chachamaru?" he asked with concern tinting his question, "Are you alright?"

"Don't look!"

Now he was really concerned, "Ok, ok, I'm turning around, relax. Akako, wanna come over here?" As he did what he said, the gynoid slowly peeked through her towel before quickly wading to the side of the pool where she had left her bath robe.

Play Sousei no Aquarion OST – Pride – Nageki no Tabi

Hesitantly the gynoid slowly waded back into the pool, "Do-don't look alright?"

Naruto chuckled in response, "Yes dear," the sound of mirth in his voice was replaced by concern,"Is there something wrong?"

Kokoro no me ni mieta no wa wasurerareta sekai no hate
Yami no michi de kiita no wa watashi dake wo yobu koe

Nageki no tabi ga toki wo koete hajimaru nara
Kono inochi made mo takaku takaku kakageyou

Chachamaru pulled Akako onto her lap and began to silently wash the girl's hair, a few moments passed before she muttered lowly, "I do not understand how a human can bear to keep living with all this uncertainty and fear. It's so... disgusting."

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Shaking her head slowly, the gynoid leaned back onto Naruto's broad back causing the blonde to shiver slightly as her hair brushed his skin, there was nothing intentionally sensuous in her innocent actions but it still excited him.

He was a man after all.

"Mmm... I was just thinking about Ayaka and Konoka." The gynoid stated blandly.

"...I'm sorry about Ayaka. I should have asked before I did something so impulsive. I keep talking about respecting women but I end up doing something like this. Are you angry?"

He could feel the head leaning on his shoulder shake slightly, "That's not it... I'm not angry about that but..."

Ai no na no moto ni
Ai dake wo tayori ni

Iza yukan senjou e
Kiseki no hana sakasu tame

The shinobi winced at the last word, in his experience, nothing good ever came from the word but.

Chachamaru steeled herself and spoke quietly as she started rinsing the shampoo off Akako's silky hair, "That day after the Mahora Tournament was over, Chisame and I had an interesting conversation. I am still a bit conflicted about a few things that she pointed out..."

Silence descended as Chachamaru trailed off uncertainly. Back to back, with a green haired head on his shoulders, the two of them silently watched Akako splash around in the steaming water.

Kagiri aru inochi to shitte ite daremo ga
Kagiri nai yume wo miru

Hito wa yasashiki kemono nan da ne
Namida wa kitto kanashimi no monoiwanu kotoba dakara
Kimi no hoho wo ikuoku no kagayaki ga nurasu darou

Blue eyes blinked as synthetic fingers unsurely wound around his own underwater. He gripped them tightly and squeezed in reassurance. The gynoid seemed to take courage in his little action and continued speaking again, "I am unsure of what I want. In front of me are two paths. The first is where we continue on as if nothing has happened and I have to watch you find warmth in solace in another's arms. Things that I cannot provide you naturally. Children, warmth..."

Naruto immediately moved to say something but her fingers squeezed tightly, causing him to fall silent, "On the other hand, I can ask you to remain loyal to me and only me. I even talked to Hak- I meant Mother about this. Maybe she will think of something in the future... but for now... I admit I cannot fulfil the role of a proper wife and mother. As a gynoid I cannot properly care for Akako's every need."

Kibou wa zetsubou wo shiru mono no mune ni koso waku
Karenai izumi no you ni towa ni umaretsu'zukeru

Ai dake ga kikoeru ai dake ga michibiku
Owari naki samayoi ni
Hitosuji no hi tomosu tame

Her weight shifted slightly so that they were sitting side by side, fingers intertwined between them as she held one closed fist to her chest, "Is this what it means be jealous? To selfishly want you and Akako for myself alone? Even when I cannot be the best mother figure I can be for her."

"It's so... ugly..." she whispered lowly.

"It isn't selfish at all... I'm the one at fault here. For not being able to make up my mind, for not being loyal." Naruto softly replied.

Yuuki to wa kokoro no honoo da to ki ga tsuku
Ibara no tsu'zuku michi wo
Hokori to tomo ni moetsukiru made

Inori yo todoke yo chiisaki kimi no mimune ni
Ten kara sazukaru kokoro wa tada ai no tame...

Chachamaru chuckled softly, "Those words are something I have come to expect of you. Always watching out for those precious to you even if you say that you can't be bothered. In the end, it seems that we are both lacking isn't it? I alone am unable to satisfy you and Akako in all the ways that matter and despite how hard you try; loving a machine is not easy. Especially not one whose loyalties lie elsewhere."

The gynoid paused and gave a self mocking smile, "It appears that the easiest and most logical solution would be for both of us to... how do humans put it? Break up?"

"NO! I.. I can't do that. I just can't... We have Akako. That... that is enough-!" Chachamaru cut him off with a small teasing smile and bashful expression, rendering the battle worn shinobi speechless due to her beauty and the fact that she rarely if ever allowed such emotions on her face. It just made the way she looked even more exquisite.

Then she continued as if she hadn't just completely charmed Naruto, "Neither do I. But at the same time I cannot bring myself selfishly ask you to look at me and only me. I know you Naruto. I know how much you want a family no matter how you deny it. I... I love you too much to deny you that happiness. And even if you can force yourself to look at me and me alone, others will be hurt. You can ignore it but I know you hate hurting those close to you especially if it would mean breaking your promise to them."

Chachamaru looked up and smiled gracefully at the blonde, "And breaking a promise is something a Namikaze will never do isn't it?"

Ai wo daite
Iza yukan senjou e
Kiseki no hana sakasu tame

Ai dake ga kikoeru, ai dake ga michibiku
Owari naki samayoi ni
Hitosuji no hi tomosu tame

She looked down at herself, "This is... interesting. I don't feel... ugly anymore... How weird."

Speechless at her frank confession and selfless conclusion, Naruto could only stare at the gynoid who was poking her chest with an intrigued expression on her face.

"Mama! Papa!" Akako called out as she waded over to them with a bright smile, "Come play!"

Tugging at their intertwined hands, the little fox girl pulled them deeper into the pool when her father's strong arms encircled her small body and lifted her up. Before she knew it, she had been pulled into a tight hug along with her mother, looking curiously at the blonde who had his face buried in her mother's hair, Akako spoke, "Papa? What's wrong?"

Ai no na no moto ni ai dake wo tayori ni
Tamashii no meizuru mama ni
Hokori to tomo ni moetsukiru made

Tamashii no meizuru mama ni hokori to tomo ni moetsukiru made.

Naruto lifted his face, showing a lopsided smile and watery eyes, "it's nothing. I'm just happy to have you and Mama here with me."

Akako looked at him as if he was stupid before giggling at his funny pout, "Papa is dumb. Of course we're here. Papa, Mama and Akako are family." She said as if it was a foregone conclusion.

"Yeah, we're family. I'll always love you and Mama. We'll always be together alright?"

Chachamaru simply smiled at the two of them.

I will do what my soul wants even if I am turned to dust and burned to ash because of my pride.

****Broken Faith****

"How are you Nekane-onee chan? It's been half a year since I came here to teach in Japan already. This time I included photographs with the letter as well." The miniature hologram of Negi smiled cheerfully up at a beautiful blonde woman.

The woman smiled affectionately and called out to a smaller red headed girl, "Anya! Come see! Negi sent us some photos!"

"Right now, we're facing final exams but once that's done it'll be summer holidays. Ah! Don't worry, I'm not sure when, but I'll definitely come to visit you, Nekane-onee chan! I also have someone important I want to introduce to you! He just joined our family recently!"

"Arara? He? I wonder who Negi is talking about, and what he means by joined our family?"

Beside her the smaller girl shuffled through all the pictures included with the letter, "Geh, they're all girls!"

"Hmm? Well, it's a girls' school isn't it? Wait." She picked up a picture Anya had missed, "Fufufu, I wonder where Negi picked him up."

"Him?"

"There's a blonde man in this class picture." Nekane pointed at the blonde man in the picture taken in Nagi Springfield's home in Kyoto.

"Huh..." Anya frowned, "He looks familiar for some reason."

"Ara? Weren't you just crushing on Negi? Now you are crushing on this man? Huhuhu... Negi will cry because you are so unfaithful you know."

"I AM NOT CRUSHING ON ANYBODY, LEAST OF ALL THAT IDIOT NEGI!"

Nekane completely ignored the ongoing rant and sighed happily, "Anya is always so cute when she's riled up."

****Broken Faith****

"Yo, Kichi."

The big and tough man wearing a blue and orange haori blinked and looked up from his computer screen where stock prices were displayed to see the seat in front of his desk which had been previously empty was suddenly filled by a cheerful blonde that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Naruto?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Sup?"

"Sup? Sup? You don't get to appear all of a sudden in my office and just go sup! I'll get a goddamn heart attack and I want to live to see 500 at least!"

The blonde rolled his eyes, "You don't see me for three hundred years and suddenly you're so dramatic just because I visit you?"

The bigger man settled back into his chair and grunted, "I blame my wife."

"Where is Kinyo anyway?"

"Back in Myobokuzan, she's pregnant and I didn't want to risk her using that transforming seal you gave us while she's pregnant."

"Again?" Naruto smiled mischievously, "I don't think your dad got your mom pregnant as often as you do with Kinyo. What is this? Your eighth kid?"

Kichi coughed uncomfortably, "Seventh... and she ah, looked very attractive as a human and that's all I'm saying you perv, you sure writing those trashy novels aren't getting to your head?"

"From the looks of your wife, I'd say the one who's more influenced is you," Naruto replied impudently. The two men stared at each other challengingly before breaking out in laughter. They laughed for a while before Naruto pulled out a few documents and set them neatly on the desk, "Those are the papers you'll need. How is everything?"

"Good, 84% of all yakuza holdings in Japan are now either under our control or they owe us something big, the others that remain will fall. If they continue to refuse to trade under our terms, we'll start phase two and slowly start isolating them bit by bit. The new company is ready to be set up; we only needed your papers so that we could legally put it under your name. Your other requests weren't as easy though."

"Oh?" one eyebrow rose, "What's the problem?"

The toad boss shrugged and leaned back into his comfortable seat, "First of all, your target isn't stupid. He keeps his secrets well, though I expected as much. Someone like him doesn't get to be at the top of the world without being as slippery as old Manda was in his prime. Much of what we know about the guy's under-the-table dealings with magic won't hold up in a normal court and in the magic World, they are unethical but not exactly illegal. At best we'd tarnish his shiny public image but not much else. That might drop his total value but not much else."

The toad boss scratched his chin thoughtfully with one huge finger, "At this rate, the only quickest possible way to control him would be if you had enough money to legally buy a controlling interest in his company out from under him."

"How much?"

"30 billion Euros, give or take."

Naruto choked on his spit and the toad boss laughed, "I said the quickest way. There are other ways and I'm working on them. The start up capital you gave us is more than enough so don't worry, we're making a lot of money. Like I said earlier, people like him don't get to the top of the world without being slippery, but they don't get there by being as clean as a whistle either."

Naruto nodded understandingly, "What about my second request?"

"Ngh, not easy. Finding a valid and reliable contact in the Magical World is manageable but a little huffy. Getting a proper information network up and running on the other hand is like dragging teeth from old lady Shima. And she had only two." Kichi laughed boisterously at the old memory, "Nonetheless, its slow going but it's working. Some of them are curious about the new magically aware company and the fact that we specialize in backdoor smuggling has them really interested but too apprehensive about us being based in the Old World to actively do anything about it yet. Would you believe a can of Coke, of all things, costs 30 gold Drachma there? It's like a damned drug to some of them over there."

Naruto laughed at the big man's exaggerated gestures before sobering up again, "Just don't overextend yourself old man, you sure you can keep up with all these requests? Do you need any extra help? Do I need to revise the business plans I wrote up for you?"

The big man snorted, "Old man your ass. I'm still young damn it. No need to worry, your plans are a little aggressive but we'll do fine. Besides, I enjoy a good challenge, beating things with a huge ass sword just doesn't seem that fun anymore when you're looking at things from the wrong side of three hundred years o-."

"Papa?" a small voice squeaked from behind the door stopped Kichi's words dead in his mouth.

Kichi quirked one bushy eyebrow at the smiling blonde, 'Papa? Is there something I should know?' he mouthed silently at Naruto.

The blonde winked, stood up and walked over to the door before opening it. The large scarred man could hear the blonde cooing to somebody before he led the person into the office by her tiny hand. His eyebrows rose even higher and he was rendered speechless at the small red haired child dressed in a baby blue yukata, "Naruto...? Was there something you didn't mention the last time we met? Like a wife and a kid?" he rumbled threateningly at the blonde man.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the larger man's theatricality, "Settle down you big idiot, you're scaring Akako." The red haired girl had timidly hid behind Naruto's leg when she heard the loud voice.

"Akako, huh?"

The big man chuckled, "Suits her. She's tiny, she's red and if she grows up properly, she'll be a downright firework especially considering which idiot her dad is." Kichi got up from his chair and walked over to Naruto before kneeling down in front of the tiny girl, "Hey." His rumbling voice softened by a few decibels, "I'm sorry I was so loud, but your Papa is a bit slow in the head so I need to be loud to get him to understand sometimes."

Wide ruby eyes timidly peeked out from behind Naruto's knee and nodded slightly while Naruto pouted at being called slow. The fact that his daughter seemed to agree wasn't helping either.

"Akako, this is Kichi-jii san, his ah..." Naruto coughed embarrassedly, "Someone who is like a brother to me."

"Kichi-jii chan? Papa's brother?" Akako quoted cutely while the towering man simply grinned at the blonde's embarrassment. Naruto simply averted his eyes from Kichi and shrugged slightly with a pink tint on his cheeks as if to say 'It can be helped, we kinda DID grow up together after all.'

Kichi smiled softly at Akako before holding out something to her.

The eyes poked out further as the small girl moved towards the tantalising gift, a fistful of lollipops, and considering the size of Kichi's fists, that was a lot of lollipops. Her nose twitched cutely as the sweets distracted her, causing two cute kitsune ears to plop out the top of her head, twitching excitedly at the thought that huge palm full of sweets. A red bushy tail appeared behind her, waving slowly from side to side as she eyed the offered sweets intensely the way a predator eyed its prey.

That caused the big man to stare in shock, but rather than voicing his shock, he all he did was make eye contact with Naruto.

A silent conversation passed between the two fathers.

'Akane?'

Naruto shook his head and mouthed, 'Adopted.'

Kichi nodded understandingly before a tugging at Naruto's pants caused the blonde to break eye contact and look down.

Akako looked up at her father unsurely, her fluffy pointed ears and tail wilting shyly.

Naruto simply smiled and nodded.

The ears stood back up at attention and flicked happily as her tail wagged even faster.

Akako dashed out from behind Naruto, grabbed two tiny fistfuls of the offered sweets before bowing in thanks, her ears flicking happily. "Thanks Kichi-jii chan!" She smiled brightly and dashed back behind Naruto's knees where the rustling of sweet wrappers could be heard.

"Cute kid."

"Yeah."

Kichi recognized the soft smile on Naruto's face as one he himself wore every time he played with his own daughters.

"Heh, looks like you got into this father business pretty well." He paused in thought and winced, "Well better than Tatsu did anyway. The idiot still doesn't know how to hold his kid properly without blubbering like an overgrown 5 year old with a sugar rush."

"Right... where is Tatsu anyway?"

Kichi looked at the clock on his desk, "Around this time, he's usually done with the accounts so he should be out in the courtyard playing with the kids, why don't you and Akako-chan go join them? The kids miss their uncle 'Ruto and they'll love a new friend. The men wouldn't mind a spar or two either. Keep morale high and all that stuff. Oh and stay the bleep away from the South Building."

"Why?"

"That's Riki's place, and ever since you gave him that female transforming seal, he's been seducing everything that moves and has an extra limb between their legs and I don't want my so-called niece going anywhere near Riki if I can help it."

"Yeah... that was something I was going to do even if you didn't say so," Naruto shuddered at the unneeded mental imagery and made a mental reminder to stay far, faaar away from the rather flamboyant toad before giving the toad boss a thumbs up and leading a happily occupied Akako out of the office.

"Oh wait I forgot. Naruto! Wait!" Kichi hollered out.

The blonde's face poked back in at the door with a curious expression, "What is it?"

The toad boss rummaged in his desk drawer for a moment before letting a small sound of triumph when he found what he was looking for before he straightened up and tossed that something at the blonde.

Naruto's eyebrow rose as he smoothly caught a thick cylindrical package about as long as his forearm, "What's this?"

"Did you tell anyone that the people here are affiliated with you?"

"Noo...?" Naruto drawled out questioningly.

"Well then I don't know either. That package came in yesterday and for some reason it was addressed to you."

Naruto quirked an interested eyebrow as he slowly unravelled the package.

Inside was a scroll.

Kichi waited impatiently as he watched the blonde carefully unfurled the scroll, "So? What is it?"

The corner of Naruto lips rose in an amused smirk as he inspected the contents of the scroll, "Heh... It's sort of a wedding present. This came in yesterday? What time?"

"What! Wedding present? What wedding?"

Naruto waved his question off, "It was just a figure of speech, when exactly did this arrive?" he reiterated his question.

"Yesterday, about five in the evening by standard mail. Now who is it from?" the frustrated toad boss nearly yelled at the eccentric blonde.

"From a rather naughty relative; I should have known she would've figured this out." He smiled slightly, 5pm Kyoto time yesterday translated to the exact moment he told Chachamaru that he loved her in Evangeline's resort.

"You're weird."

"I know," He shook his head and sighed in an exasperated manner reminiscent to frustrated parents all over the world, "And for some reason, my children and grandchildren don't seem to be any better either." He muttered mournfully.

Kichi looked at him weirdly, "I don't care what you do about your own kids, just don't infect my kids with your idiot bug."

"You're a true friend, Kichi." Naruto replied drily.

"Yeah I know, aren't I a great person?"

"Che, whatever." Naruto started walking to the door.

"Naruto!"

The blonde stopped in his footsteps, "What is it this time?"

A solemn expression played on the toad boss's face, "Be careful. The Great Toad Sage has been having nightmares again and I've been having a bad feeling lately." Kichi's voice rumbled lowly.

A small smile flitted on the corner of the blonde's lips and he waved over his shoulder, "Bad feeling? Who the hell do you think I am? I'm not going to get scared every time that senile geezer wets his bed at night. See ya old man."

"Go bang yourself with a cactus."

****Broken Faith****

Play Hear our Prayer – Yuki Kajiura

"Nii-san, enough! Let's rest!"

The blonde chuckled in response, "Alright, alright, I suppose training for 8 hours was pushing it."

"Mouu... Nii-san, you keep training here but what about class? What if you fail?"

The blonde cracked a mischevious grin, "You really think I could fail something like that."

"You got negative 5% on your last test." Negi deadpanned at the taller male, "Negative! How the heck did you even get Negative?"

"I was sick!" the blonde protested.

"You ate too much ice cream! That does NOT count as sick." Negi pointed out smugly.

Two snow balls hit the both of them square on the face from where Albiero and Evangeline were having tea, "Will the two of you stop bickering? Kami, if I didn't know any better you two act like real brothers."

"Sorry!" the two of them echoed simultaneously at the Dark Mage sheepishly. Negi leaned back on a pillar. The two of them were training inside Evangeline's resort again, it was the day before exams but Naruto-nii san had been restless especially since everybody else was on the edge of panic and frantically studying, leaving no one else to accompany the blonde.

Which was why he pestered Negi.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the smaller boy beside him as he let out a long and depressed sigh, "What's up? You sound like an old man sighing like that."

"Nothing.. It's just..."

"Just what?"

"Do you think I'll ever get as strong as you or KuNel-san or Master? I mean I know I'm stronger than I was 3 months ago, but there has to be a faster way."

Naruto gazed over to where KuNel and Evangeline were talking, or to be more accurate, Al was harassing Evangeline again. He stood up and waved at Negi to follow him to the edge of the resort overlooking the artificial beach and ocean. He didn't want Evangeline and Al to overhear him.

The two of them sat under a palm, Negi messing around with a crab while Naruto contemplated what he wanted to say.

"You remember what Wilhelm said to you that day? About how darkness makes you stronger? Faster than just training hard?"

Negi's eyes darkened at the memory, "Ye..yeah. Grudge, hate, jealousy, envy. They made you stronger right? You wanted revenge for Akane-nee chan."

Naruto smiled briefly at how Negi had called Akane despite never even meeting her before, and yet he still used keigo with the rest of 3-A, "He was right."

"But you said it wasn't the legendary way right? That doing something like that would weaken you."

The blonde nodded with a regretful smile, "I never told anyone this before but after Akane died, I really wanted Sasuke to pay. I wanted him to hurt, to feel the pain he caused me. I wanted it no matter what I had to do; I knew that I couldn't beat him the way I was. I prayed, I cursed. Kami, Demon, whatever, I didn't care where it came from as long as I got that power to make him pay."

Naruto snorted, "Once, a long time ago, a friend mocked me. He said that I who had never known love did not know how to miss it and because of that I would always be weaker than him. I was stupid and foolish then; I did not understand the meaning in his words and brushed them off like the idiot I was. Thinking that I could solve anything as long as I tried."

He leaned back and closed his eyes for one tired moment, "By the time I understood those words, it was already too late."

"I finally understood how Sasuke felt and the thought of killing him and Madara was all that kept me alive. Ending the war was just a small side bonus to killing them; everything else was second to that goal." The blonde shook his head tiredly, "I killed him. I enjoyed the look in his eyes as he lost all hope, as he begged for mercy. But the next night I couldn't sleep because I felt so dirty."

The blonde looked at his red headed counterpart, "You have to understand something Negi. I can't and won't say that succumbing to the darkness in your heart is evil; I don't have the right to. However even if it does give you great power, it slowly eats away inside you. First you just want that power to protect, but the darkness inside you slowly taints you without realizing it. Then slowly, bit by bit, you walk down dark path without realizing it. Using that anger inside you gives you power, but when you have that power..."

The older of the two trailed off and momentarily struggled to form the appropriate words to convey the depth of his conflict before giving up with a slight shrug, "I don't have the proper words to describe it... It's like you somehow start looking at the world differently." Negi could see something in his brother's eyes as the blonde tried to communicate his feelings to him with his clumsy words, "Do you remember what Kotarou did in Kyoto?"

Negi nodded, enthralled by what Naruto was saying, "He stopped you from rescuing Konoka. Just so he could have a great battle. He was literally an accomplice to attempted genocide. Had that Monkey Lady succeeded, it probably wouldn't have stopped at just 'attempted'. You managed to stop him without any unnecessary damage yet had I been in your place, Kotarou would not have walked away with his life, I couldn't take the chance that he might revert and do something worse the next time. Because you spared him, you took the risk that I couldn't and he is now one of your most trusted friends and comrades. Something that could never have been achieved with my methods."

A self loathing smile appeared on scarred cheeks, "It would have been too easy. To just reach out, humiliate him, make him pay. You don't want him to die, that's too good for him. But then the day finally comes when your opponent pushes you too far and you reply in kind. You rationalize to yourself that it was justified because of the depravity your opponent did, maybe he committed genocide, maybe he hurt your wife or something." Negi watched as his adopted brother continued speaking with a glazed over expression and the too young teacher realized with a start that Naruto was talking about himself, his voice was low and a little bitter, "The beginning doesn't matter, it all boils down to the fact that once you've killed one person it's hard to stop. But it was alright, that person deserved it, you reassure yourself so that you can sleep. Then comes another idiot, and another, and another. Soon, anybody that makes you angry, you just kill them because it's the easiest way, because it's so satisfying to hurt him in revenge. You just get desensitized to the fact that you're doing exactly what you were fighting against in the first place because they deserved it didn't they? Don't get me wrong, I don't regret killing some people because some of them truly deserved it. What I DO regret is the fact that I allowed myself to become like them. To disregard the importance of life with such impunity. Like Kotarou, he was misguided and he was doing something that was truly despicable had it succeeded, but you gave him a second chance and was rewarded for it. Me..."

The blonde stared unseeingly at the callused palms of his hands, "Because you have the power to hurt them, before long you don't even consider using any other way anymore. They hurt you, so you hurt them back. It's as simple as that. Instead you convinced him, you persuaded him, you forgave him even though he was your enemy. Even though he hurt your friend, you didn't pay him back pain for pain. That's the difference between the two of us. You gambled and I didn't."

An unnoticeable shiver ran down Naruto's back, "Darkness is appealing, it gives you that extra boost, but you don't even notice as it slowly corrupts you. No... not you. Me. My heart and will wasn't strong enough to resist the taint."

A wry smile appeared on the blonde's whiskered cheek, "I'm not saying that Darkness is evil, everyone has their own motivations; everyone has darkness in their hearts. The difference is that you must NOT let it affect your judgement. You have to remember who you truly are. Properly gaining strength probably looks boring, it is. Unless someone is incredibly talented, it takes years to reach an appreciable level like Na... Father did by the straight and proper path."

Naruto grinned lightly at Negi, "You have that strength Negi. You just have to find it first."

Negi grinned back with confidence, "We're brothers aren't we?" the younger reminded the older, "If I can do it, you can do it too. I'm sure she believed in that as well, that's why Akane-nee chan spoke to you again."

"I'm trying. But it's a bit too easy to slip back into my old mindset."

"Then as family, I'll be the one to stop you from falling back there again."

Naruto felt a warm grin spread on his lips at the conviction in Negi's declaration before snorting and ruffling his hair affectionately, "Talk is cheap. Let's see you beat me in a practice match first before you try anything like that eh, squirt?"

"Nii-san! Don't call me that!" Negi pouted as he tried to get out from under Naruto's hand.

The blonde chuckled in response before gasping, "Gah, it's almost evening, I've got to go get Akako from the day care and do some groceries. I promised Chachamaru I'd cook my special rabbit stew and hamburger steak for her and Akako tonight."

"You can cook steak?" Negi muttered in awe.

"Err... well yeah?"

"Can we eat with you tonight?" Negi literally dropped to his knees and pleaded desperately.

One blonde eyebrow quirked upwards, "Why do you sound like you haven't a good meal in a long time?"

Negi laughed sheepishly and averted his eyes, "Ah... Nekane-nee chan didn't get around to teaching me how to cook before I came here, Konoka-san can cook but only vegetarian Japanese dishes since she was raised in a Shinto shrine. I've been feeling a little home sick since I haven't had any Western meals ever since I came here," here Negi winced, "The last time we persuaded Asuna to cook, she somehow managed to break all our pots and that was before she set the kitchen on fire."

"I was too scared to ask exactly her why she was carrying around raw petroleum...or how she managed to burn metal with an electric stove..." Negi mourned dejectedly on the ground.

Naruto chuckled at that little tid bit before ruffling the boy's hair again, "Yeah sure. Come over around 7 p.m. I'll let Chachamaru know we have guests. Akako misses you as well Negi-jii chan." Naruto teased him as he smoothly stood up and brushed the sand off the seat of his pants before waving goodbye to Negi and briskly walking away.

****Broken Faith****

Sapphire eyes flicked around lazily, browsing the goods on sale in the supermarket's food section as Naruto strolled through the aisles with a small red haired girl perched on his shoulders, legs swinging happily.

Suddenly the grip on his hair tightened as Akako squealed happily, "Papa! Sweets!"

Grinning slightly, one slender finger moved up to poke Akako's tummy, causing the girl to giggle, "No sweets. You still have a lot from Kichi-jii san don't you? Besides Mama will get angry with me if I let you eat too many sweets."

"Muuu..." Akako pouted and tugged at his hair with her tiny fists to show him her displeasure.

"Is your Papa bullying you, Akako?"

"Eh?" The father and daughter couple made similar sounds of surprise as they turned around to face the speaker.

"Taka... something?"

Her eyebrow twitched violently. "Takane! At least remember get name right!" The blonde girl who was surprisingly dressed in casual clothes instead of the black S&M style armoured dress he had seen her in. A casual denim jacket, a cotton pink blouse and a white lacy summer skirt that fluttered as the glaring girl stalked towards him.

Glaring at him one last time, her expression softened drastically as she reached up on her tip toes, to pet Akako's hair with a gentle smile, causing the precocious child to lose her pout now that she had found someone sympathetic to her cause. The red haired girl clambered down Naruto and enthusiastically jumped in to Takane's arms before nodding furiously, "Papa won't let me have sweets! Papa meanie!"

Naruto sweat dropped at his daughter's enthusiastic words and exaggerated gestures that she used to punctuate how mean he was being to her.

Sensing that her subterfuge wasn't working on her father, Akako turned to pout at Takane, "Taka-nee chan buy sweets? Pwease?"

Wilting under the full force of Akako's trembling lips and big watery ruby eyes, Takane was nearly about to give in and rush to get some sweets when an exasperated Naruto lifted a pouting Akako up by the collar, "Akako, you still have a lot of sweets at home." He admonished her gently. Unseen to the other two, Takane breathed a comical sigh of relief at being freed from Akako's weapon's grade puppy eye pout.

"Muu..." watery tears started to fill her ruby eyes again.

"Geh... Ok, ok, you win." Akako smiled victoriously and Naruto sighed at being completely outfoxed, "I'll buy you some sweets. But you can't have them until after dinner. Alright?"

Not exactly liking the conditions her father had imposed on her sweets but not really seeing any other option the little fox girl beamed a winning smile at her father and clambered back up to her spot on his shoulders. Mentally Naruto made a reminder to avoid the sweets section whenever Akako was with him, he turned to see Takane watching the two of them with another weird expression on her face similar to the one she had the last time Naruto had met her. A mix between gentleness and conflict.

"I-is something wrong, Taka-something-san?"

"Kuu... It's Takane! Ta- Ka- Ne! It's not that hard to remember right?" the blonde girl ranted loudly.

"Yeah, whatever. You doing groceries as well? If so want to join me?"

Although her eyebrows were twitching angrily at being brushed off so easily, the blonde girl managed to compose herself and haughtily answered the blonde's question, "I suppose I will. Someone like you is only good for carrying my baggage anyway."

"Uh huh, where's your partner? The small orange haired girl that's always with you."

This time her eyebrows scrunched in confusion as they started walking again, "Small? You mean Mei? She's not that small, she just... hasn't hit her growth yet." Takane's voice lowered, "Mei's not feeling well. She probably got sick after that dog boy threw her into the lake so I wanted to buy something nice and make dinner for her."

Naruto glanced down at the contents of her basket and blinked, "I really hate to have to ask this but what exactly are you planning to cook with 5 litres of energy drinks and two bags of salt?"

"Huh? Isn't it obvious? She's feeling ill isn't she? So I just need to give her more energy fight off the virus and it's scientifically proven that eating more salt is good for the sick." Takane stated in a matter of fact manner. Naruto suddenly had the image of the blonde girl pouring bags of salt and bottles of energy drinks down the smaller girl's throat with the help of a funnel.

Uwaah... Forget fighting off the virus, she probably wouldn't survive the night. Period.

"This might seem like a stupid question, but do the two of you by any chance happen to stay together?"

Takane nodded warily, "Usually the one that prepares your meals... is her isn't it?"

This time the girl blinked in surprise, "How did you know?"

Pushing down the urge to face palm Naruto replied drily, "Call it survival instinct. Now go put those back."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I'm cooking for you. I'd really rather not see your face in the news tomorrow for third degree manslaughter."

"Huh? I refuse! I can cook congee perfectly on my own... I HAVE to cook this for her."

"Energy drink flavoured congee?"

"What's wrong with that? There's no point in making different dishes when you can mix everything and get all the nutrients in one dish isn't it?"

Theoretically sound. Practically dumb.

"...What you consider as cooking sucks so much that she'll probably die if you feed it to her." Naruto replied flatly.

"..."

Naruto kept on walking, busy looking at the items on the shelves but it didn't take long for him to realize that his blonde companion was no longer walking beside him.

The shinobi spun around to look for her, "Taka-something san?" Retracing his steps down the aisle it didn't take him long to find the person he was looking for. The formerly elegant, dignified and haughty blonde was huddled in a corner with a gloomy aura and a dark cloud of despair hovering over her head while mumbling something over and over again,

"I know I'm not that good at cooking bu-but to say it so bluntly... it's not that bad right? Right!" she yelled at the wall in despair.

Akako giggled as she poked the older girl, "Taka-nee chan is so funny!"

Naruto rubbed his temples and ignored the slight stab of guilt, he was usually more tactful when it came to people he actually cared for but everybody else got the 'blunt as a hammer' version. Mostly since he didn't care whether he hurt their feelings or not, plus it saved time.

Stepping over to the despairing girl he awkwardly petted her hair, "It's alright I guess. No one's perfect, so I guess this is your weakness. I-if you want to do it so much, I can teach you how to cook?" he half asked and half stated.

Takane peeked at him from underneath yellow bangs and Naruto absently noted that her eyes were a beautiful shade of amber, "Really?"

"Err... yeah. Let's go get everything we need then I'll come over later. Alright?"

****Broken Faith****

Play Ayumi Hamasaki - Heaven

*Cough*

Sapphire eyes slowly lifted from the cup of tea held in a pair of slender yet male hands and one eyebrow quirked in amusement, "Yes?"

"I... I uh... I just wanted to thank you alright?" the blonde girl grounded out.

"Fooor?" was the drawled response.

Her shoulders sagged in depression, "Alright, alright, I know can't cook. I just wanted to thank you for coming around and teaching me how to cook congee for Mei." The two of them shifted their vision towards where they could see a flushed Mei peacefully sleeping in her bunk bed. Their room was actually rather small compared to Negi's or Ayaka's he noticed. The entire room consisted of two bunk beds, two desks, enough space in the middle for the average male to lie down on, a balcony, a small storeroom, and a small kitchenette. The two of them were currently sitting on the floor, around a Japanese tea table in the aforementioned empty space in the middle of the room.

Takane smiled softly as she set her chin down on her palm, "You probably realized it already, but I'm pretty much useless with household chores. It's only thanks to Mei that I managed to get along just fine so far. It may seem like I'm the one that leads but when it counts, I'm the one that's always depending on her. Sometimes I just want to do something special for everything she's done for me."

Ah, so that's why she was so insistent on cooking earlier.

Naruto shrugged, "She knows you care. There's no way she would have stayed with you otherwise."

Takane glared at him, "Are you implying I am ungrateful?"

Oops. There he went being unnecessarily blunt again, "Well, not exactly ungrateful. More along the lines of stupidly prideful."

Oops.

He was saved from a beating fuelled with feminine righteousness by the sudden and insistent knocking on the small dorm's door. Takane shot him a furious glance to show him that she hadn't forgotten his comment as she went to see who it was.

He could hear their voices since the door was pretty close but couldn't see who was at the door because the blonde girl was blocking his view.

"Oh. Takane-san. I'm sorry I came so late. Keitaro and I were already half way home when we got your call. Is Mei alright?"

"Yeah. She's resting properly now after she managed to eat some congee. Will you come in Naru-san?"

"O-oh, is that alright? Won't I uh..." A pretty red head peeked over Takane's shoulders, "be disturbing you and your boyfriend?"

"Wha- He is NOT my boyfriend. He is simply an acquaintance... that helped me cook congee..."

"Ah... it's like that..."

"...Why do you look so smug?"

"Ahaha, what are you talking about? I'm not implying anything at all, may I come in?"

Takane grudgingly nodded and led the pretty red headed woman in, "This is Naru Narusegawa-san, Mei's sister. This is my... acquaintance, Naruto Namikaze-san."

Huh? Wasn't her last name Sakura or something?

The red head in question smiled and bowed politely, "Konbanwa, I am her half sister. I'd like to thank you and Takane-san for doing so much for my little sister. I can help but worry for her, especially with her school being so far away from home."

Naruto waved it off with a relaxed smile, "I'm just glad to help."

'If I didn't you wouldn't HAVE a sister by tomorrow morning.'

"Ne-nee sama?" a weak voice came from one of the bunk beds as Mei stirred as soon as she heard her sister's voice.

"Mei-chan!" the slender red head immediately rushed over to the sick girl and started fussing over her.

Takane coughed uncomfortably and motioned Naruto to follow her onto the balcony with a forceful jerk of her head so that the two siblings could have some time together.

Sighing in resignation the blonde followed her, where the two of them quietly sipped their tea.

"Having a sibling that cares for you like that must be fun..."

Naruto glanced to his side to see the blonde wistfully watching the red head sisters, "You don't have any?"

Takane shook her head, "I'm an only child."

"Mmmm... Is that common in Magicus Mundus?"

The blonde girl immediately stared at him sharply, "How did you know?"

Naruto didn't hesitate to reply in a completely deadpan manner, "Your utter lack of common sense with anything that deals with modern or non magical concepts. Like how you tried to use the phone like a pactio. Or how you nearly sprayed yourself in the face with bug spray because you didn't know how to use it."

"... I really hate you."

Naruto hid a smirk by taking another sip of tea.

"Muu... It's true that I'm from Mundus Magicus, but things here are really hard to understand sometimes but I guess I'm just too used to using magic for everything back home." She admitted reluctantly.

Her expression softened again, "That's why I owe Mei a lot. The first day I transferred into St. Ursula, I was wondering around like a lost lamb. Mei was the one who found me and offered me, a total stranger, her hand in friendship. She even took the time to teach me how to fit in better."

A heavy hand landed a top her head, "Meh. She understands. Even if you are clumsy, I'm sure she understands."

The blonde girl looked down uncertainly, "How do you know? And even if you're right, what if it's not enough?"

"If someone as stupid as me can see how much you care for her, someone as smart as Mei definitely understands, wouldn't you say? So just keep showing her that you care the same way you've been doing it all this time and if she was worried about how much she could get from you, she wouldn't be Mei in the first place."

Takane's amber eyes landed on his sapphire ones for a long moment. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, the blonde girl blushed and nodded slowly.

Silence fell between them after that awkwardly honest conversation and Naruto took refuge in observing the passerbys on the streets below as he nursed his cup of tea when he saw something interesting.

One eye narrowed at the scene below them as he addressed Takane, "Hmm... Can you handle everything from here? It seems like there is something I have to do."

Startled from her own contemplation, Takane only nodded, "Thanks. By the way, there's enough congee for tomorrow in the fridge. If you need more just call me, I left my number by the phone and I'm sure you at least know how to use it by now."

Takane flushed again at the reminder of her failure from this evening. After they came back from doing groceries and she had tried to use the phone by touching it to her forehead and then loudly complaining when it didn't work.

Waving back at her one last time, the blonde simply leapt off the balcony onto the nearest roof, following a black limousine that he had just seen a solemn looking Ayaka Yukihiro get into.

****Broken Faith****

Play Genesis of Aquarion – AKINO featuring bless4 (English Version)

"Fuuu... That was good! Not bad, even an idiot like you actually knows how to cook." A satisfied Asuna lazily leaned back into her seat to make space for her overstuffed stomach.

"And he didn't have to use super glue to fix his pots either." Negi mumbled quietly under his breath. Naruto discretely shot him a thumbs up while Konoka chuckled daintily.

Setsuna nodded in approval, signalling appreciation for the good food, "It's true. Although I grew up in a shrine where the food was inevitably prepared extremely well, your efforts have easily surpassed even theirs, Naruto-dono."

Chachamaru quietly sipped some tea from her spot beside Naruto while one hand slowly stroked Akako's rust red hair, the little fox girl was on her lap, greedily gobbling up a plate of melon pudding that the nice yellow haired onee-chan had convinced her father to buy for her. All of them were sitting around the table having just enjoyed Naruto's cooking, "Meh. It was alright, I don't usually get to cook anything as elaborate as this so I was a little out of practice. Most of the time, I don't really pay attention to what I eat. As long as it was fast and edible I didn't care."

Konoka who was sitting on Naruto's other side subtly leaned towards him, "Why? If it were me I would have wanted to show off that to everyone that I can do something like this. Father would have loved your lotus root soup." The princess's finger lazily traced a circle on the back of his palm under the table.

Naruto lifted Akako from Chachamaru's lap, the little girl had just finished her pudding and was starting to doze off while the adults chatted about adult things, and settled her down on his lap. When he started rubbing her tummy gently, the girl started to purr softly, eliciting affectionate smiles from everyone at the table, "When I was younger I didn't really have any friends to cook for. Half the time no one sold me any proper ingredients to cook with either. Plus it wasn't often but I had to gobble my food down just in case someone decided they had to deprive the demon of its food." Thunderous expressions appeared on everyone's faces as they glanced amongst each other, noticing their expressions

Naruto smiled softly in appreciation for their anger on his behalf, "Maa, maa, It's alright. It was a long time ago, besides there's no reason for me to bear a grudge over something petty like this, especially not for so long. Besides that wasn't always the reason. As I got older, I simply didn't have the time to sit around for a slow and relaxing dinner. I was too busy training and after that, there was a war."

Asuna reached over to stroke Akako's soft hair, causing the purrs to get even louder. Grinning, Naruto offered the small bundle to the girl with bells in her hair.

"Re-really? I can hold her?" Baka Red of 3-A looked rather surprised at the offer, "I don't see why not as long as Akako doesn't mind. Do you?"

The small girl who was nuzzling Asuna's outstretched palm shook her head vigorously before going back to more important matters, namely enjoyed the head scratching.

"I have some desert in the kitchen, you can have her while I go get it."

Wide eyed, Asuna gently cradled Akako who was starting to look rather heavy lidded from all the petting. Asuna had a strangely soft expression on her face as she cuddled the younger girl.

As Naruto stood up and began piling up the empty plates, Negi volunteered to help while the girls moved to a more casual setting as the men prepared desert.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Negi hummed happily as he helped his older brother stack the dirty dishes into the dish washer, causing said older brother to quirk an amused smile at the younger boy, "What's got you so happy?"

Negi sighed happily, "A good filling meal of western steak after a hard days worth of training and work. Everyone was sitting around the table like a real family as we ate and talked together." He sighed happily, "Life is good." Negi started humming dreamily again while Naruto blinked, "I thought you ate with Nekane-san all the time?"

The red haired boy tilted his head in thought and his happy mood disappeared slightly, "When we were younger we ate together all the time at the table. Don't get me wrong, it was very nice but... there wasn't a sense of family when it was just the two of us I guess. After that, we were both too busy studying to worry about something like that..."

Naruto blinked again, feeling slightly guilty that he hadn't been spending as much time with Negi outside of battle as he should have been, "Tell you what. When we go meet her, I'll cook dinner again. Deal? Next time, everybody will be there, even your Nekane-nee san. Then you can show her how many friends you've made, and we can all have a real family dinner where no one is left out." Naruto grinned at Negi with a wide grin and a thumbs up.

For a split second, when Naruto had said those words with a stupid grin on his face, Negi thought he had seen Naruto's face being overlapped by the shadow of another familiar wide grin. The same grin on his father's face as he confidently declared everyone there as family at the end of the Mahora Tournament.

Negi stared at the blonde who was now kneeling down in front of the fridge and gingerly pulling out the iced cake a clone had made earlier.

Just as the blonde straightened up again, he always jumped out of his skin as a small meteor crashed into his side, "Gyaaha! The cake Negi, the cake!" seeing that the weight stuck to his side wasn't responding, Naruto desperately sealessly formed a clone which carefully took the cake from the original. Breathing a sigh of relief that his hard work and sweat was safe, Naruto was about to scold Negi for nearly knocking him down when he realized the weight stuck to his side was quietly crying into his trousers.

"Negi?" the quiet question was filled with concern for the younger boy. Negi generally wasn't one to cry, especially not in front of people where he felt he had to show his strong face so to speak, "What's wrong?"

Negi's face was buried into his side but he still managed to shake his head slightly, "No-nothing's wrong." came the muffled reply.

"I'm so happy Nii-san. I've... always wanted a big family but it's always seemed like such a faraway, impossible dream. But when you said we would have a real family dinner..." the boy felt fresh tears begin to flood his eye lids again.

Naruto scratched his head embarrassedly and silently motioned the clone to bring the cake out first while he comforted Negi while he slung one arm around Negi's shoulder.

He didn't say anything, simply allowing Negi to unburden all his tears. Negi didn't need advice, he simply needed someone to lean on for just a moment before forging forwards once more.

"Papa? Negi-jii chan?"

Naruto looked up to see one ruby eye peeking through the kitchen door, grinning he motioned his daughter to come over. Akako curiously eyed the crying Negi before turning her questioning gaze towards her father, "Negi-jii chan's a bit... errr too happy."

Her cute fox ears popped out again as her face scrunched up in an expression of intense thought, "But... happy means no tears?"

Naruto nodded, "Sometimes people cry when their too happy. But when people cry, sad or happy, they need someone to hug them."

Akako nodded as if someone had just given her the answer to life before climbing into Naruto's lap and winding her arms around Negi in a mini sized bear hug, "Negi-jii chan crying, so I must hug. Then we all go out and have sweets! Then Akako will cry because she is too happy, then Akako will get more hugs!"

Naruto sweat dropped at his daughter's somewhat skewed priorities.

****Broken Faith****

OMAKE

In class after the results for 3-A's end of term tests were announced.

"Whoa! Iincho, our class got second palce but you got first place among all the second year students!" Fuuka shouted excitedly.

"Fufufu! Of course! Who do you think I am? I can automatically remember anything I read!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Give me something to read and I'll even prove it!"

The small girl looked around excitedly and saw a small sheaf of papers with an orange cover on an empty desk, grabbing them, she shoved them in the blonde heiress's face, "Here read this!"

"Fufufu, all I have to do is gloss over the papers and I'll remember everything my eyes see." The class president boasted as she started sheafing through the papers rapidly.

The sound of someone knocking on the door and the only male student of 3-A poked his head in, distracting everyone but Iincho who was still flipping through the documents page after page without really reading it.

"Naruto? What's going on? I thought you had something to do?" Asuna spoke curiously.

"Ah... I... um left some important stuff in class. It's a bundle of papers with an orange cover that I left on my table."

The blonde skidded to a stop.

Asuna raised her eyebrow questioningly at his sudden freeze, "What are they?"

"The script to my..." His blue eyes which had been roving around class the moment he walked in were currently square on a certain blonde class president with a familiar orange note book in her hands, "My... book... Fuucc-..."

Haruna immediately detected the hitch in his voice, "Book? You write books?" her eyes started glinting, "What books are they?"

Ignoring the fujoshi of 3-A Naruto started inching his way out of class before the inevitable explosion happened.

"Oh a bundle of papers with an orange cover right?" She turned her eye on the blonde class president, "Ayaka was reading... them... Kyaaa! Someone help Iincho! She's bleeding!"

Said blonde class president was currently hunched in a corner of the floor, rocking back and forth with her eyes wildly jumping around the classroom with a horror filled yet goofy smile on her face as she quietly and repeatedly chanting some sort of mantra that sounded a lot like; "My eyes, my eyes! I can't forget it, I can't make it stop."

Blood was also spurting out of her nose every few sentence.

Everyone was panicking while Haruna quietly picked up the dropped papers.

"Someone help!" Asuna shouted and was about to dash out of the class when she heard some perverted giggling from another corner of the class, "Paru? What are you doing reading those? Can't you see Ayaka needs help! Gimme those!"

She pulled the papers out of a whining Haruna's hands and sheafed through them herself.

...

...

...

"NARUTO!"

"Crap." The blonde who was already halfway down the hall grumbled as he decided that he was in a very big hurry and thus needed to take a short cut. He jumped out the third floor window.

Whatever Asuna was going to do to him would hurt a lot less then falling out of the third floor. Maybe he wouldn't use chakra, and then when she found his broken body under the window she wouldn't hurt him as bad?

****Broken Faith****

Pride – Journey of Sorrow

Kokoro no me ni mieta no wa wasurerareta sekai no hate - What I see in my heart's eyes was the end of the world I once forgot

Yami no michi de kiita no wa watashi dake wo yobu koe - What I heard in the road of darkness is a voice of someone calling me

Nageki no tabi ga toki wo koete hajimaru nara - If the journey of sorrow starts when we transcended time

Kono inochi made mo takaku takaku kakageyou - then I would like to offer you this lifeAi no na no moto ni, ai dake wo tayori ni - In the name of love, only rely on love

Iza yukan senjou eee - To the battlefield we must go

Kiseki no hana sakasu tame - So the flower of miracle can blossomKagiri aru inochi to shitte ite daremo ga - Everyone who knows their life must end somehow

Kagiri nai yume wo miru - dream of never-ending dream

Hito wa yasashiki kemono nan da ne - People is sure an affectionate beastNamida wa kitto kanashimi no monoiwanu kotoba dakara - Tears are surely words of sadness that one can't say

Kimi no hoho wo ikuoku no kagayaki ga nurasu darou - What dampen your cheek are several million of them

Kibou wa zetsubou wo shiru mono no mune ni koso waku - People who know hope and despair, all of those seethed in their heart

Karenai izumi no you ni towa ni umaretsu'zukeru - And it would flow to eternity like an ever-flowing spring

Ai dake ga kikoeru, ai dake ga michibiku - We only hear love, and only love guide us

Owari naki samayoi ni hitosuji no hi tomosu tame - We roam endlessly while drawing a line of light

Yuuki to wa kokoro no honoo da to ki ga tsuku - We realize bravery is a flame in our heart

Ibara no tsu'zuku michi wo hokori to tomo ni moetsukiru made - And we're walking the path of thorns until we're burned with pride

Inori yo todoke yo chiisaki kimi no mimune ni - Oh send this prayer, to his heart

Ten kara sazukaru kokoro wa tada ai no tame... - The heart I recieved from the Sky above is only for love...Ai wo daite - We hold on to love

Iza yukan senjou e - To the battlefield we must go to

Kiseki no hana sakasu tame - So the flower of miracle can blossom

Ai no na no moto ni, ai dake wo tayori ni - In the name of love, only rely on love

Tamashii no meizuru mama ni hokori to tomo ni moetsukiru made - I will do what my soul wants even if I am turned to dust and burned to ash

****Broken Faith****

anon

THis Sux! You shouLD DIe fOr the Sake of better FiCs! People like Kyuubi16 Are waY bETter auTHors than your FuCKed Up Arse.

You know, when people troll, they at least try to be more subtle about it. Do I really need to teach you how to troll better? At least choose a more reasonable author to justify making me feel more pathetic. No offense to Kyuubi16 of course. It's just that our principles clash too much and I categorically refuse to read anything he writes on principle.

By the way, final exams are late June then I'll be doing my internship in July-August. Don't expect another update till at least after July. Add to that my recent slump in creativity and the fact that I lost my USB (With about 5-6 chapters in it)...

Worst case scenario = won't update till October. Anyways, I uploaded this and another Chapter of End Game simultaneously. I hope these two uploads will be enough to tide everyone over until whenever it is that I restart writing.

General mess of a life.

John.

****Broken Faith****

Author's Note 2

I found more elaborations on what I actually wanted to add/convey with Naruto's speech about Light and Dark. Think Yin/Yang, not Good/Evil. Nagi is an idiot. Part of that means he is a near-incurable optimist, and doesn't sweat the details. Like actually memorizing all of the spells he is likely to use. Nagi is a heavily Yang personality (like Rakan himself), focused on getting it done now. Personality affects the style of spells selcted, tactics used, and strategy (or absence of same). Pre-Fest Naruto and to an extent, Negi, like his or would that be their mother now?, are Yin personalities; planning, brooding, worrying. Prone to trying to take on the entire burden alone.

Rakan, Nagi = Gamble, trusting others where no reasonably sane person would have and pulling through due to pure shounen-esque will power alone.

Pre-Fest Naruto, Arika(Not too sure actually, the manga was rather vague but the forum seemed to classify her as such) = Rather cynical, One must die to save a thousand, kill now so that no chance to retaliate later etc etc.

Negi = somewhere in between, leaning towards Father in personality but Mother and Brother in tactics.