I OWN NOTHING

Here's Naruto's first party member, and it's a familiar face from my other fic taking a different role by being in his party this time.

XXXXXX

WAKE

UP

AND

SHOW

THE

UNWORTHY

REAL

POWER

Drops of water falling on stone, that's what woke him up. With a gasp from cold, the boy looked around as dark clouds covered the skies, the rain soaking his body and making his spiky hair cling to his scalp. Grunting at the cold shower type awakening, he looked for the nearest shelter. He didn't have to look for long and was quickly whistling at the sight before him, a massive castle that easily dwarfed the Hokage's building.

To say it was big was selling it short, "This place's as big as a village, who could live in it? Who could even afford to... pay-choo!" after a quick sneeze he ignored his curiosity and made a beeline straight for the entrance.

After opening and closing the doors quickly to get out of the rain, he looked at the interior. Massive pillars, an expensive red carpet leading to some stairs that split in two in order to go to the west and east wings, and a large pair of doors right in front of him. It was all lost on him when he heard the sound of fire nearby and he went to it right away. A simple opened door later and he was in a library with a large couch set by a fire. Smiling at the sight he stood by the flames to dry himself before looking at his reflection on a mirror.

Seeing his hair practically glued to his skull due to the rain made him groan, so he pulled it back to at least return some of its usual spikiness. The result was simple but effective, a rather feathery hairdo with all of the spiky strands of hair pointing backwards. Not a bad look if he said so himself. Pleased with it he decided to sit down and relax while letting the warmth of the room do its job to dry his outfit. The couch tempted him to sit down, and he was unable to decline.

"This place is dark, cold, and looks really expensive." Naruto muttered as he got up and explored around, having grown bored. It was just as dark and spooky as he had thought, the perpetual night gloom would make anyone feel a little intimidated.

As he explored around, he stopped when he saw a candle light illuminate a doorway, calling out to the light he asked, "Excuse me! Can you tell me where you I am?" He called out, the light moving towards him and revealing a young woman roughly a year or two older than him.

She was extremely pretty, and her look of innocence and intelligence enthralled him. She was holding a candelabra in her right hand, and a book in the left. Her brown hair reached below her shoulders, kept in place at the back of her neck with a blue ribbon. Her clothes consisted of a simple blue dress with a white blouse underneath and a white apron. Her tall figure and curves that make him stare more than he wanted to.

"Oh, you don't look like the thief I expected to find." She said bluntly.

He frowned, "Hey, what do you mean thief? I just wanted to get here to stay warm."

She shook her head before looking around, "Listen, if you aren't then it's another reason to leave. The owner of this castle isn't very friendly towards strangers after someone entered a very special room of his."

"Listen lady, I can tell you're nice but I'm lost and I got no idea what's going on with my life." He was tired after everything he went through, "Just let me dry off and wait for the rain to stop, then I'll leave."

Growing alarmed, she grabbed his hand to try to pull him away, "No, you don't understand. You're lucky no one has seen you, so please listen to me and get-"

"Wait, why're you so afraid of?" he asked while getting his hand out of her grip, "What's got you so spooked? Is it the owner of this place?" Glancing at her, he knew he hit the nail when her expression changed, "If it is him, what's he doing to you? Come on, if he keeps you shackled here, maybe I can teach him a couple of things about manners."

"It's no-"

Roaring interrupted her, "Belle!" a deep, animalistic male voice echoed in the castle's walls, "Where are you?!"

The brunette, Belle, turned to Naruto with pleading eyes, "Walk away now, please! Should Beast find you he won't ever let you get out of his castle."

That made Naruto's blood boil, "Then let me find him! Who does he think he is?!"

Biting her lower lip, she felt her patience thinning, "He's… complicated. Just go, please! I'm staying here for my father's sake, but you shouldn't be locked here for-"

A loud bang signaled that the door was opened, and in walked what one could best describe as a beast. Brown fur covered a towering, muscular body. Paws replaced feet, sharp black nails made long-fingered hands deadly, and two horns on the creature's head made it even more intimidating. A large row of sharp teeth was set in a snarl as he approached Belle, his body hunched yet still towering over her, while deep blue eyes stared right into hers.

"Belle!" he roared and the girl stepped up to try to block the boy from his view, "You…"

"Beast, I've been looking for clues of the thief, but-" she tried to say until Beast interrupted her by grabbing her wrists, not knowing the blond was on the ceiling, his feet glued to it and his sword ready.

And then, when he was ready to strike, "Don't you worry me like that again." He growled, surprising Naruto as he held the girl's hands, "The others have seen walls broken by force, so whoever's breaking in is a dangerous person. I want you to go to your room, lock it, and never let anyone in unless you know it's them."

Shocked didn't begin to describe how Naruto felt watching the scene, even more as she pouted, "And stay on a single place where this intruder could come and perhaps use me to get an advantage? Beast, you know this person has to be smart, and at least I can fool them around since I know the castle like the palm of my hand by now. It's also better to move around since that way they won't be able to find me in one place or plan a trap to get me."

"But they still could-" he roared, but she silenced him.

"I know you care enough to fight savage wolves to keep me safe, but let me feel useful. I've been locked here for too long. Please, I won't be dumb again and will immediately get help if I get in over my head."

"NO! Absolutely not! I will not allow you to be harmed by these monsters!" He gave her plea the consideration he thought it deserved, exactly a few seconds before he furiously whirled around and grabbed her arm with one claw. Not so much pulling or dragging as forcefully leading her back to her room.

"Beast, please calm down!" she cried, but he ignored her when an enemy appeared.

A gargoyle statue came to life and became a horrific creature with glowing yellow eyes, a strange red and black heart like symbol on its chest, and a purple and black body. With a furious slam of his fist, Beast crushed the monster completely, making Belle gasp as it disappeared into a black poof of darkness.

"Look for yourself Belle! These creatures are everywhere in my home! The safest place for you, is within your room, where I know where you are! Where if trouble happens I can protect you. Stay there, and until these monsters are banished from our home, you will take your meals there. I will have the servants bring you books from the library. And you may leave to use the bathroom quarters under the guard of the maids. That IS an order! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!?"

He roared at her, making Belle tremble briefly, a tear going down her face and making him look horrified. "Crystal… clear." She whispered out, running into her room and then shutting the door in his face.

In her wake, Beast grabbed his head with his claws, gritting his fangs sharply. "Damn… DAMN! DAMN! Belle! I'm sorry!" He didn't hear her answer, only her crying. "Damn…" He continued cursing unhappily as he walked away to his private room, to take his fury out on it.

Unknown to him, someone was watching him, walking on the ceiling, "Glad you're feeling sorry." Naruto whispered to himself, glaring at the furry master of the castle before pondering, "Now… That voice said I'd find a warrior of great strength, but it can't be him or Bell. Is there someone at this castle that'd fit the bill? Who could it be?"

He looked around for an answer, but found nothing. Without the voice to guide him, he moved forward and followed the furry creature while sticking to the shadows, observing his moves. Soon Beast walked into a dark wing. The walls were made of stone brick, light was gone from the place, and most decorations were broken. After seeing what the horned being did to a gargoyle he remained on the ceiling, away from them.

Keeping close to him, the boy couldn't help but glare at his back. The way he yelled at that girl, how he forced her to be locked away, and feeling sorry only after doing the damage made something deep in him grow. It was unpleasant, but at the same time accepting it made him feel better. He was angry, there was no other way around it, and embracing his anger instead of bottling it down felt almost… invigorating.

And then, Beast opened a door into a bizarre room, "Good, it's still here…" Everything was destroyed, furniture, paintings, and walls had claw marks or had been smashed to pieces. However, a single wooden table remained, and on it was a glowing rose inside a crystal container. Looking at it, the boy could tell it had some importance to Beast, but was confused about what it could be.

Approaching the creature would be dangerous as he would fight back, though Naruto felt tempted to do so. Beating him for treating Belle like he owned her and only showing remorse when it was too late. Such things had happened to the boy, and they made him even angrier the more he looked at Beast. Whatever happened to him to make him how he was could be a good reason to his behavior, but not to such extent.

Deep down, he knew what he wanted, "So you hurt her because of that flower?" Beast turned around, his initial shock replaced by anger.

"Who're you?! Have you come to take this from me?!" he roared at the blond.

Naruto cracked his neck with a hand, his other holding his incomplete sword tightly, "I'm not a thief, I'm someone who met Belle before." He told Beast firmly, glaring at him while the large creature hunched over, ready to lunge at him, "And seeing you only feeling sorry after treating her like she's your pet makes me want to give you a piece of my mind."

"How dare you…" the ferocious castle owner growled deeply.

The boy's stare didn't fall, "I just want to talk. If that rose is so important, then I can help you find this thief so you stop treating Belle like-"

"You got no right to be here and speak her name, thief!" Beast interrupted him with a roar, his chest expanding and contracting rapidly as his feral anger grew, "Get out… Get out…! Get out!" And he charged at Naruto, who took a step forward and blocked a claw swipe with a hand, before swiftly slamming his other on Beast's face, using the Keyblade's pummel to make him reel back with a sore nose.

"I'm trying to be reasonable, and I'm just looking for someone in this castle, not a flower." Naruto replied firmly, glaring at the owner of the castle as he stepped back, holding his nose.

Beast lost it, "I don't want to hear anymore from you, so get out!"

Naruto snapped back, "You think you can tell people what to do like you own them? Don't expect for a second that I'll regret what I'm about to do! If you want to get angry with someone, try and pick and fight with someone on your league!"

Beast growled and sneered at the blond, before clutching his chest, "What… What is this I'm feeling?" he asked himself, before redirecting his anger towards the blond, "Just being near you I feel my anger grow, like when I tear apart those shadows… Who… what are you?"

"At this point, I'm not even sure I knew who or what I was before this day." He aimed his sword at Beast, "But I know I've got a lot of anger in me, so this is my one and only warning if you really feel anything good for Belle: don't make me take it out on you. As much as I hate what you did, if she cares for you and you care for her, I don't want to make her cry by beating you to a pulp."

Beast growled, "You think you can threaten me…? Me?!"

Giving him one final glance, Naruto lowered his head and twirled his sword in his hand, holding it in an inverted grip like it was a kunai. Beast charged at him, moving his claws up to intimidate him and strike him at the same time. Seeing this, the blond jumped over his head and slashed his back, cutting the purple cape and making Beast stumble and fall on his face. To Naruto, an experienced if still wet-eared shinobi, a slow fighter that relied on strength rather than skill was easy to read. His only really good attribute in the academy was taijutsu, after all.

"Again?" he asked Beast while he remained on the floor.

His only answer was a deafening roar that echoed through the entire castle while Beast shrugged off the wound, shocking the boy. In a split second, the wild fighter spun around, extending an arm to backhand him. Reacting in time, Naruto brought up his blade to block the strike to try to overpower him. He thought the wound on Beast's back would make it hard for him to fight back and that he'd be easily pushed back. The one that was pushed back was the boy, whose smaller, far lighter body was off its feet in a second.

Upon impacting a wall with his back, the boy groaned to himself but sucked up the pain, knowing that Beast would charge right at him. He didn't think the creature that relied more on instinct and rage could move like that with such a wound, yet his rage was letting him ignore the pain along an insane amount of adrenaline in his body. Beast was right on top of him, both hands up like hammers to slam into the blond. He brought them down and Naruto saw it in a split second. The guy was lost in his rage, he wouldn't stop after hitting him once.

Too bad for Beast that Naruto still had his tricks. It took the larger fighter to identify what he had really hit, a table that was already broken. He blinked in shock, trying to figure out what had happened when he was sure he felt the boy's ribs crack… or had it been the wood under his hands. Whatever it was, he was brought back to reality at the sound of someone charging at him from behind. He turned and regretted it.

"You-" was all he got out before Naruto slashed his chest twice, letting him fall on his knees to clutch his wounds.

Panting, the boy spoke back, "That's for throwing me against the wall. Now, do you want to calm down? The wounds I gave you aren't deep, but they'll sting. At most you'll get scars."

Beast growled, but stopped when seeing the tip of the sword inches from his face, "What do you want to take from me? Haven't you done enough already? What else do you want?!"

That was a bad answer, and Naruto did something but surprising and… Naruto-ish. He grabbed the guy's ear, yanked him to his face, and yelled at him, "Will you calm down?! I don't want a stupid rose or anything from you! I'm just mad that you hurt Belle because of some stupid decoration!" he pushed Beast back and returned to keeping him down with his blade at his face, "Listen up, I'm just looking for someone."

"Who could that be, I wonder." Said a new voice.

A shadow, the sound of glass shattering and no sign of the rose. Beast gasped in shock and shoved the equally surprised Naruto aside to stare at the empty table that once had his precious rose. Beside it was a large glass window with a big hole on it. The night's wind and some of the rain fell into the room, and a flash of lightning made Beast's shadow even more monstrous as he gave the loudest roar of that night.

He turned to Naruto, who knew where this was going, "You… You did this! You're a thief, you and whoever took my rose! You'll take me to them after I break your every bone!"

"I stole nothing you violent bastard! Why not ask yourself who'd want a crummy rose you're so protective over you'll do anything to keep Belle from seeing it?!" Naruto accused him, making Beast roar right back.

"THAT ROSE IS THE ONLY THING IN THIS CASTLE THAT CAN SAVE ME AND MY SERVANTS!" Running on all fours, the Beast slammed both fists down on where Naruto was. Dodge rolling back, Naruto held out his Keyblade as he dashed to the side, seemingly flashing from point to point while keeping a healthy distance away.

Lifting his weapon, he glared at Beast, "Can you just listen to me?!"

"STAND STILL!" Beast pivoted on a dime, slamming one arm down where Naruto was again.

The blond haired teen merely rolled over his back, kicking him in it for good measure, "And let you get a good hit on me?! I'm not an idiot!" The blond taunted him, dashing back while Beast rushed him down, with the dark light of murder in his eyes.

"WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ME?! BELLE IS-!"

Naruto kicked him on his face, one hand on Beast's head before the teen acrobatically flipped over him then slammed down his Keyblade onto his back, making him painfully hit the floor, "She's not your prisoner or servant!" he snapped before walking to him, eyes dead serious, "You keep her locked up for protection, but did you ever think about what she wants? Maybe she'd feel safer if you were at her side all the time. Or maybe she'd feel safer if you lit some torches in this place. Hell, she might find the library safest of all. At least books aren't going to yell at her like you do!"

As Naruto accused him, Beast clenched his claws tightly with every harsh word and question. What stung at his pride the most though, was the insidious thought that Naruto was right, and that he was doing nothing but making Belle unhappy. However, as the words hurt him, his pride wouldn't let the boy get the best of him, not like that. His own anger overcame his shame and that caused another mistake.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW!? YOU'RE AN OUTSIDER! AN OFF-WORLDER!" The Beast was no fool, the stink of other worlds was on Naruto's flesh, and thus he howled the truth of Naruto's existence.

The blond stopped talking, his hair shadowing his eyes, before he furiously declared to the Beast, "I don't know a lot about anything! But I know one thing for sure! You're not protecting Belle, you're stifling her! You're hurting her! And I've never been able to stop myself from getting angry when I heard anyone, especially someone as kind and pretty as she is, cry because of bastards like you!"

Just as he prepared to really go to town, the door was slammed open, making both of them whirl around to see Belle panting softly from the exertion of having to run all the way to the room, "Enough! Stop it you two! I'm not a prize to be won or something that needs defending!" She told them off, stomping into the room with her hair all out of shape, strands over her face before she gently combed them back.

The boy didn't look ashamed or sorry, "It's not like he didn't deserve it..." he muttered, and she heard him.

"Naruto!" she exclaimed, "I thought better of you than to just fight Beast like that! Honestly, you seemed so nice when we talked! Why would you even think that stooping to Beast's level was a smart idea?!" She chided him, looking positively angry but he did not shrink beneath her words.

"Hey, I didn't come here to fight him anyway. He attacked me to begin with after I offered him some help to find the rose and maybe find who I'm looking for. I just defended myself. I really just to find out who stole the rose to calm him down." He told the beast and beauty, holding out his hands to show he wasn't responsible before staring at the broken window behind them.

"Beast… is that true?" Belle stopped her admonishment of Naruto, her head slowly turning to the now sheepish looking Beast.

He didn't even know where to start, "Well I…"

"You let your temper fly off the handle again! For the love of heaven, why do you always get so angry before anyone has a chance to explain anything?!" She turned on Beast now, while Naruto hid a smirk at his opponent's expense.

A sadistic chuckle softly lilted through the storm behind him, making his eyes wide, two glowing red eyes staring down at him from a massive shadow. "You!" He whirled around, Beast doing the same as two immense bat wings spread behind the figure.

Clutched in its claws was the rose itself, making Beast roar with a thousand times his original rage. "Thief! Give it back!"

He leaped through the window, an unwise decision in retrospect as he landed, slipped, and then had to dig his claws into the rain-soaked tiles of the battlements. Unable to chase the airborne thief who flew away on their wings, he heard their mocking chuckle taunt him. With rage burning hot, he was helpless to move and chase an opponent so skilled in the air with the footing so poor.

Without hesitation Naruto leaped after the Beast, calmly walking on the slick tiles without a problem, his Keyblade hefted over his shoulder, "I'll handle this thief and get back your rose too. You just protect Belle and when I bring it back, tell me why it and she are so damn important to you. If I don't like your answer… I'm finishing our fight so I can get a better one." He warned Beast before he dashed over the rain soaked roof, chasing after the airborne thief who let loose a loud whooping shriek.

Chasing the thief over battlement, roof, and tile, Naruto found himself having to hit the brakes hard as he was right in front of the space leading down to the moat far below, and the abyss below that. That whooping shriek made him look up, rain splashing against his hair and face, as the figure silently hovered in the air above him. It was alive, that was for certain, when he saw an amused smile before the creature landed on a tower not far from him, which allowed the thief to literally look down on him.

Said creature in question was a gorgeous yet terrifying looking woman with dark bluish skin, and what looked like a leathery cape of the same color as her skin. She had rags worn over her surprisingly mature body, barely hiding her feminine nature around her generous bosom. Her waist only had a loincloth that showed child bearing hips and a reptilian blue tail on the back. Her head had a long mane of red hair that flowed like fire down her back, as well as a jeweled armlet over one arm.

She turned around to stare at the boy, who glared at her while she cradled the rose in its crystal recipient in her arms. He didn't know what to make of her, but noticing the clawed hands and talons she had for feet he could guess she knew how to fight close and personal, which was his specialty. All in all, he kept a tight grip on his sword and started to move in circles around her at a certain distance.

"I came here looking into other worlds for magical artifacts that would help me get rid of my own problems, and what do I find?" her smile turned into a sneer, "A small boy holding one of those wretched weapons of the light. And not only is it incomplete, but you dare come to attack me with such a pathetic half-excuse of a Keyblade?"

YOU

SHALL

STAND

AS

A

TRUE

RULER

! ! !

SHOW

HER

WHY

! ! !

Almost as if listening to the voice, Naruto took a hunched over stance with the Keyblade at his side and his eyes on the redhead gargoyle, and smirked smugly at her, "If you think that's what'll hurt your pride, think on what it'll be like when I take you down."

She jumped at him, opening her "cape" to reveal that what he thought was an accessory were actual bat wings. He cursed when she was right in front of him faster than he had seen others sans Rock Lee move. Moving up his sword, he blocked her tough claws and felt the ground sink under his feet. While close to her, he could see she had nothing but hate in her eyes, and it felt too familiar. That sense of familiarity brought bile up to his throat at the memory, so he kicked her on the side, moving her aside before jumping off the collapsing roof.

Watching her move was like watching a more animalistic fighter than Beast, but one far more intelligent and controlled. The gargoyle landed on all fours, skidding to a stop while leaving claw marks on the tiles. And seeing him she hissed at him, her eyes glowing red once again. Naruto took his stance once again and charged at her, body bent forward and his sword at his side, the tip back. He had never been thought how to use a sword, but he was at least taught how to use kunai for defense and offense, and he was a crafty little bastard.

Finding out your opponent is as crafty, though, puts you in danger. The female gargoyle shrieked at him like a furious animal and threw one of her wings at him. Reacting on instinct, he stopped his charge and moved back while the membrane merely rubbed one of his cheeks and obscured his vision. Suddenly, he realized what she had done, she had blinded him. Unable to do more, he acted before thinking with his mind and body as one. After training and fighting way more experienced fighters, mainly Zabuza, he had some ideas of what to do.

Upon lowering her wing, she was shocked to find him jumping up with his sword still behind him. Quickly getting over the initial surprise, she continued her attack, but there was one problem, he had reacted faster. Clashing steel against claws, both fighters glared at each other while the gargoyle felt the ground crack under her. She was about to glide away, but she had underestimated the kid's skills once, and did so again. It was a fraction of a second, but Naruto changed his entire momentum, spun his body midair, and brought his left knee down on her.

This time, the roof caved in and the gargoyle fell from the force after their initial crash broke it. He watched her fall in shock, with her wings unable to pick up wind to glide safely to the ground. He would soon learn she was as stubborn as he was, for her lone blue tail wrapped around his other leg as soon as he landed on the floor. Yelping at the sudden change, he had no choice but to fall with her down.

The landing was as painful as one would have imagined if they looked up to notice the ceiling was nearly three stories up, adding to the fact Beast must have been really loaded to afford a hall that big, "Ugh…" he got up on all fours and looked around, hoping to find the gargoyle before she found him. Nothing but large pillars, knight armor with medieval weaponry, and a fine red carpet adorned the place.

Speaking of the carpet, it felt really soft and wonderful under his hand, though the texture of the cloth left something to be desired, "You… little…" he had found her, beneath him, with his hands on both her breasts and her red eyes speaking of murder the likes had never been heard before and torture that would turn any deity insane. Though he had to praise her for keeping the rose and its crystal container still intact.

His face was grabbed by her claw and soon slammed down on the floor with a loud crack. She grinned as she lifted the head, hoping to hear the sound once again… but found a broken armor. Turning to her side, he was standing where the armor had been, blushing slightly but taking a defensive stance with his inverted grip on his blade. He never thought he'd be glad to have a knee-jerk reaction to women wanting to hurt him, one he got after dealing with kunoichi that got mad at the drop of a hat and would attack first and ask questions never.

However, he made a fatal mistake. He had exchanged places with one of the armors, and every single one was carrying a weapon. When she stood up she held a large spiked mace with a grip that showed expertise and a mastered skill. Something odd he noticed while she charged again was that she didn't glide at him. He was worried since, despite being in a closed environment, she could still move freely above him. Briefly wondering what happened since her wings looked find, he prepared himself for another round with the she-devil.

After putting down the rose, she ran at him with both hands holding the mace. Naruto spun around once before clashing against her yet again, feeling the strength difference. He was strong as a shinobi, and had no doubt he could do some serious damage, but she was another story. Once again his legs were forced to take the force, but the sturdier floor didn't crumble. His legs bent down as she showed an insane amount of strength he knew could rip steel doors off their hinges. Seeing the look of distress on his face had her smile again.

And then, she showed she was not only physically stronger, but that she had far more experienced fighting by taking one hand off her mace and grabbing him by the lapels of his purple gi. Naruto gasped as she turned around, lifted him above her head, and slammed him down on the ground. His back ached, but he had taken hits from Tsunade and lived, so he sucked it up and stared at her. He blushed as she stood over him, a leg raised to crush his head… and giving him a nice view.

Once again, he relied on his survival instincts and thus she only crushed an armor's breastplate like it was paper under her talons, making her grow angrier, "Don't you know any other tricks except running away?!"

He nodded while standing behind her, charging while putting his hands in a seal, "Just one in case I find strong people like you that I can't beat alone." She prepared herself for anything, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

She tried to expect anything to happen… she didn't think she'd see five blond boys surround her. However, she could tell who was the original, "I see, so those are solid copies, but, as it should be expected of a Keyblade, you can't just hand them out to anyone. Those copies aren't the real you, so they can't hold that weapon."

"We can still kick your ass." The clones said, taking a standard taijutsu stance while the real Naruto returned to his more defensive one.

They all rushed at her, and she charged right back. Spinning the mace in her hands, she avoided the clones and clashed her weapon with the blond holding a Keyblade. And that was when she knew… she had made a big mistake. The boy smirked at her and as they stepped back for another swing, he threw his weapon at another. The gargoyle gasped when her mace turned the one she fought into smoke, while the real Naruto was already above her with the Keyblade in both hands.

"Now!" he cried as he swung down the sword with so much force that he broke the gargoyle's mace.

She gasped when the weapon fell to the floor broken in two, but the shock turned into pain when one of the clones rushed at her and slid down like a baseball player trying to get a risky homerun. Using one of his favorite moves, the clone kicked her into the air, where another repeated the strike while midair to send her higher. All clones did it, sending her higher and thus closer to the real blond.

"How?!" she cried in pain before the real blond slashed her side with a single swing, sending her falling down into a heap.

The resulting crash created a small crater in which she laid, panting from the pain while he landed before her. The boy stared at his weapon as he felt and saw something incredible. The wound he inflicted on her was emanating a strange energy. Small dark pink orbs flew from her and into the blade, and just then he felt some of the pain and exhaustion from his fights had just vanished like they had never happened.

"What… just happened?" he asked, suddenly speechless.

She grunted, staring at him in shock, "A Keyblade that devours the energy of others…? That can't be… If you hold such a weapon, then you must be… like me…" she stared at the boy in shock, unable to understand what she had just seen and said, "Only one with a strong heart but forsaken by the light could have such power. And yet, it doesn't feel like you're like any other denizen of the darkness."

Looking at her, he finally spoke, "I don't understand what you're saying, but I think I get some parts." He stared at his Keyblade, "I got this weapon from accepting something I kept hidden in me." He growled at the memories of the sneers, the whispers from the villagers that he was no longer pushing down, "I don't really care what I am at this point, just who I am."

"Who are you?" she asked, puzzled, but seeing something deep in him.

He looked her in the eye, "Naruto Uzumaki. And you are?"

She stood up, "I am known as Demona. Now let me ask, what is someone like you doing here? You are like me, yet don't seem to have a goal."

He chuckled, "I was told I'd find a strong warrior here… Seems I did."

She smiled, "Quite a compliment."

"What about you?" he asked back, before aiming his sword at her, "That's the only question I have for you. You taking that rose has caused someone a lot of grief, so give me a good reason to not finish this fight. You said you needed it to be rid of something, so what makes you think stealing it is a good option?"

She wasn't impressed, and kept a cool head, "I was looking for an artifact to destroy a curse placed on me by an annoying little trickster. I came to this world looking for an artifact with power over one's appearance, and the rose had the most powerful magic I had ever seen. To get rid of this curse and make those that made me into nothing but a ridiculed servant to them, stealing all I held dear… You can see I don't hesitate."

"I can see that you're selfish if you think can take from others without caring how you hurt them, like Beast and Belle." Naruto accused the woman for the actions that made him think of people he knew while she merely laughed. He gained shivers down his spine, and not in the good way either. Her mouth was laughing but her smile never reached those cold red glowing eyes.

"Ah hah hah hah hah… Selfish? Is it selfish to want a better life for my people? Is it selfish to covet the beautiful world the light lets the filthy humans exist in? While my race and I have always been accursed in their eyes? You've got a lot of cheek, boy." She said, spitting out the last word with immense venom and hatred. "Like all humans, you're utterly self-righteous in your accusations. We gargoyles can't afford that luxury, cursed to turn to stone in the day, and forced to forever long to see the sun while trapped in the embrace of the night."

She slowly moved towards him, her tail waving threateningly while Naruto glared her down, "And why do you hate humans so much? Why are you as cruel as them, then?"

"I don't have to explain a thing to you filthy creatures! Do you know what I hate the most about you hairless apes? You're weak. You live but a fraction of the time we Gargoyles do, and have none of our physical prowess. Yet…" she lost it, "IT IS YOU THE LIGHT CHOSE! We are outcast to those that enjoy the gifts the worlds had to offer and take for granted! HAS ANY OF YOUR KIND EVER LIFTED A HAND TO HELP US?! NEVER!"

He every word was made with her body slamming her tail out and towards him. He had to duck, dodge, dip, dive, and drop down due to her flailing limb. And it was clear to him that he couldn't keep up the constant movements as she was slowly pushing him to the edges of the hall towards before he had to jump to the hole they fell from.

"And I couldn't even enjoy it myself but you don't hear me whining about it!" Naruto declared as she jumped right after him and tried to strike him again, but he once again surprised her when he grabbed her tail, grinning. "Alright!" He begun moving his entire body in a circle, gripping her tail tightly as she angrily screeched.

"You little-" she started to curse, but couldn't say more.

"SO LONG!" He threw her off the ledge the moment he hit maximum speed, making her shriek as she seemed to plummet down. Thanks to the motions of his throw, she had been forced to drop the rose, which a simple replacement with a tile put into his hand, "Well, time to-"

He prepared to leave, before a tail shot out and gripped him by his leg. Tugging him right over the edge where he found the thief clutching the walls with talons dug right into the very stone work. He on the other hand, was in a very bad position. Being choked out by her tail, while she hung to the wall.

"Fool. You really don't know a thing about gargoyles, do you? We can climb the very stones that humans wouldn't be able to touch." She said mockingly to him, seeming to draw sadistic pleasure from his blue face., "I'll just strangle you until you pass out, then I'll dump your filthy carcass into the ravine below to rot. I can then grab the rose and leave at my leisure."

As she literally had him at her non-existent mercy, and because she deeply enjoyed cruel mockery of the humans she so loathed, the Gargoyle woman taunted Naruto. The edges of his vision were already blackening, and Naruto felt weaker and weaker with every breath.

"Dammit…" He cursed, trying to break loose but having neither the grip or footing to loosen her tail's stranglehold on his neck.

It came as a surprise to the two of them then, that a massive black fist shot from his back and violently punched Demona into the back of the stone. Dark blood flew from her mouth, while her red eyes widened in shock at what she saw slowly emerge from his back. A black shadow had formed. With arms larger than her own by far, a massive black chest, a head covered in an ominous looking scarf, and long spiky hair that flowed behind it in a long, wild mane. Over its chest there was an immense gaping hole, shaped like a…

"Heartless!" Demona was no stranger to the denizens of the dark, what she was a stranger too was how this human had one for a, "…a Guardian… Only one of the True Dark has…"

She let go of him, by pulling him tightly to her chest and gripping him with her wings and tail wrapped around his waist now. Too shocked by both his freedom and what came out of him, he didn't notice the Guardian already disappearing into nothing as she climbed up and onto the roof whereupon she gently let him down, allowing him space to breathe and cough painfully. Silently her wings wrapped around her body like a cape while her eyes returned to their normal state.

"Why… did you…?" he tried to ask, only for her to frown.

"Who knows why I let you go." She stared at him, as if unable to believe his existence itself, "But what you just called upon shows that you're not another human… It seems I shouldn't have looked for the rose, but you instead." She crawled closer to him, and stared him in the eye, "You're far from finding the true power you hold deep in you, and yet this potential you have told me that you may be what I needed."

He gasped to get some breath back, "What's your point?"

She kneeled before him, but didn't lower her head, "I wish to accompany you, and find out if what I just saw proves what I believe."

He sighed and let himself fall flat on his back, before chuckling to the rainy sky, "Know what? It seems you're the one I was looking for…"

She stared at him some more, unable to decipher what made her comply, 'This power and potential… With the right persuasion, I could be rid of this curse and finally make fate pay with someone that understands.'

COULD

YOU

FINALLY

BE

THE

ONE

FOR

US

WHO

LIVE

IN

SHADOWS

? ? ?

XXXXXX

And that's my rap!

Naruto's first party member is Demona, and it wasn't a pretty first meeting, but hey, making allies is never easy. Anyway, next chapter Naruto and Demona will go to a new world and meet the next and final – definitely a three-member party here, not changing that – addition to their group. Here's a hint, it's another sexy lady, but a sadly underused one that didn't appear as much as she could, and she's got lots of power. Oh, and she's from Disney.

Beta's notes: The Lord Of Pages here. The Swordslinger as always has me on as his beta. And we worked extra hard on this first installment of his spin-off. As before he let me out of my naughty box, and with a liberal amount of beatings and encouragement with rusty dog food tins, I have been able to help him with his stories. We hope you enjoy this chapter, and the hard work we put into it. As for me, I've outworn my welcome, and The Swordslinger is giving me the stink eye again… So back into my naughty box I go. Who knows when I will be able to see the sun again.

Swordslinger out!