Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto or Fairy Tail

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By Any Means

Interlude - Waiting For A Pervert

Opening - Now or Never by Nano

0o0o0 Two Weeks After Phantom's Defeat - Forest of Magnolia 0o0o0

"...345, 346, 347, 348,..." Naruto's brow was covered in sweat as he swung his sword back and forth, counting the number of strikes.

He was topless, as he prefered when training, with a black pair of gi pants meant to give him freedom of movement when he moved on to sparring with Kage Bunshin or practicing kata.

"Run! It's the Hitokiri!"

"... 369, 370, 371,..." his belongings were scattered about his makeshift camp and training grounds he'd set up for the time being during his stay in Magnolia. It was familiar and far cheaper than staying at an inn. After all he was still paying rent to Tayuya.

"Please! Spare them! Spare them please! They had nothing to do with it! Not my children!"

"... 390, 391, 392,..."

"I don't want to die! I'll pay whatever you want, just please spare me! I-I know! My wife? She's Beautiful yes? Have her please just please don't-gah!"

"Bastard! DIE!"

"Monster!"

"Demon!"

"...450, 451, 45-... Can I help you with something?" Naruto turned and wasn't surprised to see Erza Scarlet standing just at the edge of his encampment. She had been there a while simply watching him. He' spoken in a harsher tone than he meant but made no move to apologize.

He gave her a once over and determined she was on her way back to the Fairy Tail guild hall, most likely from some mission or another. Her magic was like a beacon to a sensor type like him, even when he wasn't using Sennin Mode. Add to the fact he'd spent a good 10 minutes intermixing his chakra with hers not long ago to give her a recovery boost and he'd be able to sense her fairly easily.

Though why she was this deep in the woods was beyond him. He'd been careful to not use much chakra, if any, around her in the week that he'd started visiting Fairy Tail's guild hall. Should she or Makarov recognize it his cover would be blown and his mission a failure.

For Erza's part she'd been having a difficulty ever since Naruto had run face first into her chest and made a complete fool of her. Especially when he kissed her and stole a free grope. She'd even kissed him back! Despite not voicing it, she was grateful Sakura had taught him a lesson. The first couple days after had been embarrassing as Tenten and Cana would constantly badger her about how good of a kisser Naruto was. Even Mira got in on it by asking when the wedding was.

She was surprised when she stumbled upon Naruto's camp, having heard him counting his strikes with a katana from her shortcut through Magnolia Forest to the town itself she'd discovered years ago. When she saw him her nose bleed a little at the sight, a small voice in her head begging to jump the blond hunk. She had stood there for a bit unsure if she should say anything as she analyzed his upper torso. Scars adorned his body was if a natural feature. Some old and some that seemed as if he'd just been cut. On his back on his left shoulder blade was a black inked tattoo of some kind, Elemental in origin from what she could tell, making it difficult to decipher its meaning.

When he'd called out she nearly jumped out of her skin, having gotten lost in her thoughts. However; she responded without missing a beat. "I didn't expect you to have made a camp during your stay. Wouldn't it be simpler to get a room at one of the inns? Be easier than coming all the way out here every night."

"No. Besides I'm used to camping and having a place to train."

"I didn't take you for a swordsman. You seem more like the type to use some kind of destructive magic like Natsu."

"Hn. I'm not really much of a swordsman. The man that raised me mainly taught me magic. It wasn't until he left me with a group of friends of his that I picked up how to fence. One of them was a swordsman and would always attack me. So it was learn or die really." Naruto laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"That would explain the sloppy form." Erza nitpicked. It was one of the first things she'd picked up on when she saw the blond practicing. Each strike looked off, as if it was incomplete. He didn't look comfortable wielding the blade with both hands.

"Oi! I do not have a sloppy form."

"Then prove it. Tomorrow morning meet me at Fairy Tail and I'll show you a proper form." With that Erza turned and continued on her way to her guild.

"I swear to Kami if you say one thing Shika I'll kill you." Naruto ground out as the other shinobi rose from a tree's shadow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Naruto glared the smirk off of the Nara's face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Reporting." Shikamaru kneeled and bowed as Naruto rolled his eyes at the standard protocol. He wasn't much for one to have others bow before him. They weren't working as a real organization or coalition of shinobi. Just partners working toward the same goal. And him being promoted to leader was unwanted as well. He wasn't sure if it was because of his reputation as the Hitokiri or because of his relation to his father. In either case he didn't want it.

Pulling out a scroll, Shikamaru presented it to Naruto for him to take. "Tayuya wants you to look over this scroll and relay your thoughts. She believes that several Aristocrats from Bosco that fled before the civil war broke out may be key supporters or financiers to Kyosho no Issan. They were never asked to return to Bosco or checked when the war turned for the worse."

Naruto took the scroll and read it opened. As he read he'd recognized several of the names from hit lists just prior to his turn into the Hitokiri. These were men worth going after. Especially if the Hagoromo had been after them. "Tell Tayuya I'll have a message sent in a few days. Anything else?"

"As of now no. Shino and I are still delving into Gato Corp. When we have more I shall report."

"Good." Naruto motioned that Shikamaru could stand and be informal as he began to walk over to his camp and took a seat at a tree stump where Shika joined him.

"So what are you still doing here? As far as I can tell we have no further use for Fairy Tail."

"I'm waiting for someone."

"Who?"

"A pervert."

"A pervert?" Shikamaru deadpanned as he stared at Naruto with disbelief. "And when will this pervert arrive?"

"Dunno."

"You don't know."

"Nope."

"So how long are you going to wait for this pervert?"

"Until he comes back from whatever job he went on."

"How long ago was that?"

"Couple years. Don't worry. He's only a year late in returning. But that's kind of his thing. He tends to get lost on the road of life."

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Ending - Black Board - Nano

0o0o0o0o0o0

This was a scene we couldn't properly fit into the next chapter so we thought it would do as a little teaser. As well as some pointless NaruxErza.

The next chapter is shaping up to be a good one and man oh man do we have a surprise for all of you. Something we planned quite a while ago and have wanted to share for some time now. But that's for then. As well as something else that no one has mentioned before but we're going to showcase in a bigger light as its plot relevant.

And Naruto's tattoo as I know someone will ask because the "He doesn't have a tattoo!" cry will get annoying. No, he doesn't in canon. But this isn't canon. It's his mark as a Hagoromo member and how all members are marked. I know we have it described somewhere I'm just too lazy to find it at the moment. When/If it becomes super plot relevant later on we'll get you a description. Until then, as Spongebob says, use your imagination and have it be whatever you want until we say otherwise.

And oh look Naruto has PTSD. Lucky him. Not really. PTSD is a serious issue and I urge anyone that has or knows anyone who has it to seek help with proper facilities. You don't have to face it alone. Believe me, I have first hand experience with PTSD. I know the pain. The past is a painful thing, but with others you can make it to a brighter future.

On a happier note, we should, note that fun word "should", be done sometime this month and we'll officially have started Arc 2! So until next time,

TheRevolutionaryRonin and LordOfTheMorning

PS.

Garoogamesh.