Okie so this is the final part. I would have had this story done on Halloween, but a lot happened, and later in the day, we went to a haunted house (safety precautions in place, too.

Forgive the wait. I am also doing a Kim Possible short story for Halloween, and so far it is also coming along. :D This is the final chapter of the story, so ENJOY AND THEN REVIEW!

And hope everyone had a HAPPY HALLOWEEN once more! :3

Chapter Two

Danzo got his answer before he met his demise: minerals and water, but not the kind he expected. No different than when that seller told Naruto.

I'm turning into a monster. Never mind these men got it coming to them. What will happen if the police turn their attention on me - and what would I tell Hinata if she found out?!

As far as he was concerned, she was too precious for him to be involved in this monstrous mess.

The next day - no blood left behind this time and nothing to clean up - Danzo never came, which sparked worries that were short-lived. And let's just say that things kept getting better and better, which only increased his inner guilt as to what was behind everything. And while I hated Danzo's guts, why did it have to be like THIS?!

Before long and in the weeks to pass into October itself, he was getting calls and contacts from across the town and the country itself. Offers to be on magazine covers - especially gardening tips, which he had to lie about and repeat the words he'd told Danzo in his last moments - and business deals like selling what parts of Hina to grow more of them. And he didn't even know what kind of tree it was after all this time...

And just before the new interview which surprised him in the shop, Hina just HAD to collapse before it could take off. The stress of knowing what he had to do as well as being backed into a corner by all those people caused Naruto to lose his wits and shout at all of them to leave because there was no way in hell he could be exposed like this!

He ran out of the shop and into the nearest alleyway he could find. His thoughts were racing like mad: oh, what am I gonna do? If I don't feed Hina, it'll die! Means not only will I lose everything, but I'll lose -

"Naruto!"

Hinata just had to follow him, but he couldn't bear to look at her now. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled, collapsing on the bottom of the staircase going up to the apartments there. "I lost it. All of it's getting to me."

"Oh, that's what I told them. They were really nice and promised to come back tomorrow with a nice, big check," she said happily, making him jerk his head up at her despite being numb.

"They did?"

"Yes! You should be enjoying your success, Naruto!"

Suddenly, it was as if a bulb had gone off in his head. Before he knew it, his thoughts poured like smooth booze - whatever that tasted like - through his lips. "That's it...after tomorrow, we can take off, Hinata. Together, and we can start our lives fresh." And that also means we can put ourselves into a good community college or something, have the house we talked about, and who knows what. I'll even have a far better-paying job than this is. I mean...I'll miss this place so much, but there are too many bad memories now.

It also means I have no choice because of everything I never wanted to do, but did anyway.

He was still young and with his whole life ahead of him, and so was she, but as of now, he no longer cared. He wanted Hinata and their dreams, and that was all that mattered. But she was still so shocked that she was having a hard time forming words. "Oh, Naruto, us leave Konoha and go where?"

"Anywhere," he answered. "We can go join Konohamaru and his family, even tell him that we had no choice but to sell the store since there was no time to name who would take over. If you'll...have me." This was a huge decision, and this was the first time he'd been in anything like this. "We can go on television tomorrow and get the money, but tonight if you're ready, we can go get married at the nearest shrine we can find - if you got a dress," Naruto added sheepishly. "And then we'll live happily ever after with a wonderful life!"

That was it - that was just it. No more plants, no nothing. Still school and the future to plan, but it meant cutting ties with this place and Hina the tree.

Hinata just couldn't say no to him or anything else. Minds made up, they were going to get married and worry about the rest later. Both their hearts were set and didn't give one damn.

~o~

He made a hasty decision, but if he had anything to say about it, Naruto Uzumaki would NOT regret a thing. There was just one little problem left:

He had to be damned quiet in order to get away from Hina who was bending over, exhausted and starved. It meant he had to sneak in a way to feed it just in time for tomorrow, though the question was who. It had to be a random stranger no one would miss, by some miracle, like a bum from the streets. But first, he had to marry the girl of his dreams and worry later, as promised.

When evening fell, the school day ended and with little time left, Naruto rushed to the jewelry store because it was super important. He didn't have enough money for a super expensive ring, but this would have to do until then. And maybe on an anniversary to come, he'd give her a ring to make up for it. Or a vow renewal when they were stable, according to what he heard people gossip about when they came into the Sarutobi store. And what he found was something magical and rare: an exquisite blushing swan set with crystals, romantic red roses, green leaves, and yellow and purple flowers; within was a pendant with an egg of lavender divided in half by dark purple and silver scrolling vines.

This will do until I buy you the ring for the rest of our lives.

Hurrying back to the store just as day was ending, Naruto wasted no time packing the few possessions he knew he needed, and then he and Hinata would spend the night at a nice inn in town. He also got himself into his best, which was his navy blue suit and white collared shirt, joined with his favorite orange-and-blue tie. And looking at his wild shock of hair, Naruto made the resolution to make a change by turning this into an army-style buzz.

By the time he was leaving his room and closing the door behind him, it was then that he saw Hina slouched over halfway, the roots stretched all the way across the floors to the other side. The branches, leaves, and red blossoms just about touched the ceiling, if straight up; they looked like they were starting to fade a little, faster than normal flowers and leaves.

Naruto didn't get lucky in escaping quietly, for Hina once more bemoaned, "Feed me, Naruto."

"No, under any circumstances," he said through his teeth as he forced himself to close the door behind him. Consequences be damned. "I can't keep living with the guilt."

Hina burst upwards then and there, the face glaring at him from the trunk as if wondering if it heard right, that he DARED to defy. "Cut the shit and bring the meat, fool!" it shouted at the poor human who unwittingly cowered.

He was scared now; had he possessed the gift of seeing the future, he would have never gotten this THING. But then again, Toneri Oosutsuki and old man Danzo could have been much more difficult to deal with than this. Naruto had to think of a better way. "Fine, you want meat? You're getting juicy and bleeding ground meat, or whatever I can find, and that's my last offer. Don't expect dessert!" He opened the door and picked up his suitcase, rushing to get away from this monster of a tree so that he could hurry and marry his girl, but now he had to give something else that wasn't a human being...

...only to return with his worst nightmare come alive.

~o~

"HINATA!"

He arrived just in time to see the billowing white fabric and a pair of snowy legs fighting from the mouth of Hina's trunk, throwing down the meat he purchased and flying to save his girl before she was taken from him - before she ends up like Danzo and Toneri! - by grabbing those limbs. "Let her go, you botanical bum!" Naruto bellowed, sounding like an animal to his own ears, and he sure as freaking hell was.

With all his might, he fought the monster tree and pulled her out in time, keeping the jaws opened wide enough so that she could slide herself out, but she had to dodge those branches which attempted to latch onto her. Oh, no, you don't, bitch branches! So she could get away and out the front door behind them, Naruto picked up the nearest chair he could find and wielded it as a shield, forcing them all back until he was out of the shop, too. They made their way into the alleyway so it was just the two of them.

Hina the tree was still howling and laughing at the same time.

If circumstances had been different right now, he would have cried at the sight of the fairy princess right in front of him. The white gossamer swept over her arms and shoulders, around her legs, beaded golden leaves accentuating her gorgeous chest; the crystals attached to those leaves were like dewdrops. Blushing, purple and white flowers were sprinkled all over and down the skirt like a meadow. Her hair had been sweetly bunned up and held in place by exquisite snowy flowers, but now it was coming undone because of the tussle she'd been in.

"Naruto," she gasped, finishing the job of taking the flowers out of her hair so the locks tumbled down her shoulders. "That tree...it said the strangest things before you came." She backed into the wall so her back touched it. "Danzo and Toneri...they were INSIDE!"

The sooner he heard their names and Hina's "betrayal", Naruto could no longer keep it in. He had no choice but to come clean since she'd seen and experienced this much. Even if it meant losing her tonight for her own safety.

"...it's true. I did it, Hinata. I fed them to it. It's what made it so big and strong as you see it now. But I never MEANT to!" he cried, covering his eyes because of the tears. "I went to confront Toneri because of what he did to you, and he killed himself on his own tools. Danzo found out and blackmailed me into getting out in exchange for my silence, never returning to you, as well as taking the tree for himself. I didn't do anything; the tree got him by itself. I was responsible for those horrible things...but never meant to hurt you. Never you."

Now he finally looked at her, afraid of her reaction. He was relieved to see no anger, just fear and understanding in one. And immense sadness that he ended up famous because of such a dangerous thing - and what she said petrified him.

"Naruto...now I remember. What that thing is. Now that I know how you did it, it's made me recall something from our legends. You recall the Jubokko?"

"N-no," he stuttered, wiping his eyes and sniffing.

"It's a nightmare, one of many to bring about the deaths of human beings. Said to drain the blood and life energy of those who come close to it, and as it grew, it required more and more life. According to legend, it was once a normal tree that became what it is now, over time, due to absorbing the blood of the battlefields in the ages. When a human being walked by, the branches caught him or her and sucked the blood out of the victim like tubes; that's how it maintains its freshness. And should you cut into it..." Her face became much paler. "...it bleeds like we do. It's also said that a single branch could heal a wounded person."

A...a monster. That son of a bitch seller - why didn't I ask more?! But he doubted that the man would have given in to his inquiries. This thing which "helped" me get everything is something I never heard of; why am I so stupid and ignorant?

"I...I nourished a monster," Naruto croaked, the tears scalding his cheeks. "I should have stopped upon finding out what it LIVED on! But noooo, it began harmless and simple, helping us make business and money, then you and me -" He stopped then and there. She gasped, too.

"Naruto...you thought I liked you because of all that? I loved you since the day I first came in before I even started working. All I ever wanted was you and that cute little house we talked about. Nothing else." That and both her hands on his face, as well as her kind and forgiving nature, were enough to make him struggle to keep the feels in.

Hinata Hyuuga, you are the most wonderful person that ever lived. I promise you, everything will be fine again, and we will get that little house, believe it! But first...

How the HELL do you get rid of an oversized tree in the place you once called home?!

~o~

To hell with a fortune that would have been made.

To hell with the possible idea of taking pieces of Hina and selling them to every household in Japan or even the whole world.

And that means the botanical bastard will just keep eating and eating until nothing of humanity remains. It's like a new apocalypse or something - all because of me.

"We gotta stop it, Naruto," Hinata said harshly as they both crept to the front door, her skirts in both her hands, "we just GOT to!"

No, as much as he wanted her with him, he couldn't risk her going in and never coming out again. It was he to start this shit, so he was gonna put an end to it. And sealed it with a kiss, leaving her outside to face the key to his newfound success which turned out to be his worst nightmare when it almost devoured the woman waiting for him outside.

Naruto Uzumaki glared up at the bloodthirsty plant which leered back at him; his chin was lifted upwards, shoulders squared, and he gave both middle fingers rather than one, which just about made the tree bark with laughter. "Every household across the globe - you had it in mind all along, didn't you?"

"No shit, simp-lock!" What a stupid twist on "Sherlock". Hina kept on boasting like there was no tomorrow. "Yup, we talking world conquest, baby! Not just one, but thousands of me - and I wanna thank you."

Oh, just watch: if giving him the double bird wasn't gonna do the trick, then whatever he could find. "You're not getting away with this, bark crap. Your kind never does. You won't be getting any more food from HUMAN BEINGS! Not from Naruto Uzumaki, either!"

And that meant only one of them would be getting out of here alive. So, as far as he was concerned, it would be NARUTO.

From the outside, Hinata watched with immense worry while gripping the side of the window.

~o~

In the end, Hina the tree was destroyed after several attempts to ensnare Naruto in its branches, wanting so much to drain his blood but committing the fatal flaw of playing around with him instead for as long as it wanted to.

The greatest, horrific reveal first came in that Hina emerged from the pot by means of breaking the roots out at the bottom - and those roots would end up releasing more branches coming out and displaying the bark-formed faces of Danzo and Toneri, which no doubt caused Hinata to nearly faint. And when Naruto managed to find the gun that Grandpa Hiruzen licensed all those years ago, it was snatched by Hina the tree who fired all those shots to scare him into finding a hiding spot, into finding an axe from the back room only to fail miserably - and damn it, his pants wound up being pulled down and his balls nearly busted when his nemesis backed him into a corner! Naruto thought he'd die from embarrassment alone rather than from this demonic tree.

If Hina was fighting mad as it stated, then so was Naruto Uzumaki.

He needed that damned axe he lost, and after dodging all those roots and branches - which nearly annihilated the entire shop before he did - he grasped something better after debris fell from the ceiling and would have crushed him to death but miraculously didn't.

He latched his hold onto a severed electrical cord, jabbing the wired ends into the closest root near him, the charges surging through the tree and blowing it all to hell, even taking the shop with it.

Thank the gods Naruto didn't die in the mayhem. He lived because he made right the terrible error he made, taking an important lesson with him: he would never trust so lightly again or take anything for granted. He would never again lust for money and fame, but be grateful for what he already had, for it wouldn't be long before he and Hinata both had it upon taking care of what was left of their business in Konoha.

After all was said and done - insurance even collected to repair the shop itself, with the promise of new attractions after the loss of Hina the tree - Konohamaru Sarutobi came home with his aunt and uncle from Kusa. He was very sad that he missed out on the excitement, and was devastated his family's legacy was tarnished by an "accident" that transpired.

The story Naruto and Hinata had to come up with: a faulty electrical wire shorted and caused the store to burn down, taking the tree with it, cooking it to a cinder until nothing was left but ash in its wake. It turned out that they couldn't leave it, upon rebuilding it and replacing the old with the new. They could do just about anything they wanted with it, take the scars with them as a lesson. And Konohamaru swore he'd come and help them when he grew up. His uncle Asuma even announced they were all moving back to Konoha until then.

Naruto never thought he'd say it, but he felt happy now that life was going back to normal and that those pesky businessmen were backing off after the Hina incident. Would take a better attraction that didn't involve superstition and blood.

He and his new wife, whom he eloped with just soon after the shop was mostly destroyed, eventually got the cute little house they always wanted: a traditional single-story surrounded with hedges of hydrangeas of creamy white highlighted with shades of soft pink, like strawberries. The archway they walked through was composed of roses beginning as orange buds before blooming into white or peach-colored petals, accented with violet clematis flowers. There was a tall, cute little white birdhouse and granite bird bath cleverly in the middle of a small pond going right up to the house in a stream, filled with colorful koi fish happily swimming around.

There were more gorgeous flowers up at the house. Crawling up and around the structure was a blend of white and reddish honeysuckle, the perfume smelled even upon arrival. And around the house's base were ornaments like replicas of Queen Anne's lace flora, lotus flowers, and dragonflies joined with an array of various-colored lilies from flame hues to pastels.

However, he'd rather look at his beautiful girl in her little black dress with the sheer, flower-embroidered sleeves - mostly at her face and loving expressions, and that purple egg around her neck in place of the ring he could not afford at the time. Just knowing they were here now after everything was all he could ask for.

He never imagined his wildest dream would come alive: him picking her up and carrying her across the threshold, into their new nest.

About eight years later, their shop - dubbed Uzumaki-Sarutobi now - was stable, and the couple renewed their vows, this time with him giving her a gorgeous shining star called moissanite on an elegant, opened swirl of gold which was set with tanzanite for the rarest love in the world. Something that was worth the wait.

And surrounding them was the biggest punch of colors there was: bold orange lilies, velvety red roses, and lavender accents.

They had two children, Boruto and Himawari, soon after.

Don't ask for a sequel or tell me this should have been a longer story. It's perfect the way it is and is easy for me nowadays, given life - home and this pandemic - are killing the passion I once felt. Please make it easy for me and not ask for more.