Flight of Bladed Wings

by BlackReaper20

The age of the ninja may be a relic of the past, but it is not forgotten. Namikaze Naruto spends his time fighting his age old nemesis; boredom. On a day as dull as any other, a single decision to investigate a strange occurrence will change his entire world. This is a fic with a unique twist; new characters, new story line, and all-around novelty. Naruto x Harem.

4. Chapter 4: A New Home

Flight of Bladed Wings

Chapter 6: A New Home

AN: Hello again everyone! Hope you all are doing well and staying healthy. I'm excited to present another chapter of Flight of Bladed Wings, and hope it lives up to standards. Writing this is my pride and joy; it's what has been keeping me from getting bored during these trying times. Anime, reading, writing, and YouTube videos. I'm a bit of an antisocial myself, so I'm perfectly fine to stay home. This is our time, rise up hikikomori!

I actually turned twenty (on March 21st) while writing this chapter but before posting Chapter 5, though I didn't bother mentioning it previously. My present to myself was to write more for this fic, seeing as I didn't bother to celebrate my birthday. I actually forgot that I had a birthday coming up like 5 times in the two days prior. Don't know why I'm even mentioning it, but I thought maybe you all would want to know.

Here's another random note! Tower of God is releasing its' anime tomorrow, and I am so damn hyped for it. It's my all-time favorite series, and I've been reading it for years now. If you haven't read the webtoon Tower of God by SIU, you don't know what you're missing out on. Seriously, go read a couple of chapters before you read this. It's that good. One of the best graphic series of all time.

First note relating to the actual story; as always, the harem! Thanks to the votes that have been cast so far; I've managed to start getting a handle on who the undecided spots will go to. Of course, there's still plenty of time. As it stands, it looks like Musubi is the crowd's least favorite, so she will probably be off the list. Homura, though one of my favorites, has also not seen much support. I'm veeeeery tempted to roll with Homura just because she's one of my favorites, but much the same I'm leaving that decision open for a bit. Of course, feel free to vote for them if you so wish. As it stands, it's looking like the fight is between Kazehana, Tsukiumi, and Uzume. Those have been the most popular so far, though ironically the ones who are already shoe-ins have been the truly most popular. Keep the votes coming, and we'll see who the winners are when the time comes!

Now, to address two comments I received about Naruto being too emo. First of all, thank you for your opinions, and thank you, because it means I'm conveying my point properly. The whole point is that Naruto has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, which is completely reasonable when you think about the fact that he's been forced to wander the earth for many years, and has had a lot of tragic things happen in his life. Quite honestly, I would think it would be more abnormal if he was fine and dandy after all that. Imagine the psychological damage that would accumulate over such a long time. Part of this story is diverging from the happy-go-lucky, instant lovey dovey nature of most Sekirei fics. I have no problem with those whatsoever, and in fact like a number of them, but I aim to explore a bit more of a buildup of relationship.

Onto the amazing souls who left me helpful comments, kind encouragements, and other things I found amusing!

demoncreater2002, You might be onto something with your guess. I agree that Karasuba isn't often used without Naruto being her blonde twin, and I feel that she isn't used enough in general. I think her character is great once you get past the murderfest. As to your question, if I'm understanding right, Naruto for the most part will be lax with his Sekirei's training. He'll train with them some, but more than likely the direction he'll go is to act as target practice or help them cultivate themselves, but more of their own blood, sweat, and tears, rather than the sudden god transformations some fics have. Slow burn, if you will. In general, Naruto tries to keep his involvement in things to a minimum, which can be seen in his interactions several times so far.

Khoashex, reading your comment warmed my heart a little. I'm glad you liked it enough to just outright binge it. Tells me that this fic has some hook to it.

The beginn of Red Dawn, first off, it's good to hear from you again. I'm glad you are liking the way things are going and the changes I've added. It was really fun writing in Karasuba, and I've already sort of got an image of what I want her character to be like.

DarkShadowRaven, glad to hear from one of my favorite regulars again. After I read your comment, I seriously got thinking about several things. For one, you're right; I don't think enough fics spend time to allow development between one Ashikabi and one Sekirei enough. A lot of them are 'how did he wing 6 Sekirei in three days?', which isn't bad, it's just a bit quick. Naruto is pretty good at attracting overly…alluring women, isn't he? What really got my gears turning was thinking about a Karasuba arc, cause I totally want to do that. It won't be obvious if I do, but I practically wrote out half of the final battle after reading your comment and have started planning preceding fights. And of course, I'm glad to know you enjoyed the introductions and changes I've made.

thor94, I already have plans around this, and don't worry, I'm not a huge fan of the pole-up-the-ass archetype.

Garnetio Solozari, my man! You have no idea how hyped I was when I saw the name of the reviewer, even before I read the review. It's honestly relieving knowing that my style has already come so far in such a short time, and I can honestly say a big part of it was your original comment. If I had decided to freak out at constructive criticism like some people, I would have missed out. It's also nice to know you have the same mind about a slow build up and closer character interaction. It makes it so much more absorbing to get so into the build of the story, and also will help keep the fic alive for much longer. Oh, and…I just about keeled over laughing at the end. A certain troublesome author is honored to have reached his audience so deeply, and to receive such kind praise!

HeroLuffy726, your thoughts on how to build a better fight scene were extremely helpful to me. It actually did wonders in improving how I write fight scenes, and I'm actually really satisfied with how some, unknown as of right now, fight scenes turned out. Thank you, seriously. On your note about the combined twins' name, I had to sit and think on that one. Test and compare the names, you know. It's some food for thought. Again, thank you for your comment, it was very enlightening.

Uzumaki Redman, I'm honored that my story was of a quality that it earned such praise. Seriously, hearing that made me really happy. Thank you.

godmaker667, Thank you! I'll keep giving it my best to uphold your expectations. And thank you for your vote in regards to the harem. It's a close call on who will be in the final.

And of course, thank you to all the rest of you who left reviews, followed, and favorited. Each and every one is appreciated and has been seen. I watch for every update concerning this story, and I am grateful for them all. I see you. The above comments are the ones I felt deserved just a little more attention from me for various reasons, usually because they had a special impact on me.

I know I've probably already talked too much, but one last thing! Thank you all so much for all the attention you've given this fic. I had been prepared to write to an empty audience if it came to it, but to see all the activity for this fic has made me so very happy. You guys are the best! I know I have a lot of growth to do on the road to becoming a good writer, but thank you for sticking on this journey with me.

Alright, on with the chapter!

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto awoke the next morning blearily. He had never been much of a morning person, and he doubted that would ever change. Smiling to himself groggily he recalled all the times his old sensei Jiraiya had woken him up at the crack of dawn with a bucket of ice water to the face. "Damn pervy sage." Naruto muttered affectionately. Slowly sitting up on the couch, he checked the time. If the clock on the wall was correct, it was 8:32 a.m.

Groaning to himself, he flopped back down and buried his way back into the cushions. 'So early.' Yep, definitely not a morning person.

After several minutes passed, he sat back up with a heavy sigh. He needed to get up now or he never would. It took a supreme force of will to resist the heat of the blankets calling him back to sleep. It took the blonde a moment to untangle himself from them, almost as if they were desperately trying to keep him from leaving. Waterfalls fell from his eyes as he finally extracted himself from his bed. "I'm sorry my love, but I shall return!" he dramatized as he threw on a robe and left the living room, arm outstretched behind him longingly. Never let it be said Naruto wasn't a ham.

Yawning widely, Naruto made himself a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table doing his best to wake up. He could already feel himself steadily waking up with every sip. The miracles of coffee were boundless, and if ramen was the food of the gods, coffee was their drink. Besides liquor. Maybe he should say the non-hard drink of the gods. If he ever stopped being a writer, he would own a coffee shop. A fancy one. With every type of coffee imaginable. And he would go out and travel the world to gather the coffee himself, like the caffeine Dr. Dolittle. He could see it now… Mount Myococoa. He patted himself on the back for that one. He was just so damn good at puns. If he had a say, he was even better than Artix! (Cookie to anyone who gets the reference.)

Mind processes finally somewhat operational, Naruto ran through his list of to-dos for the day. The biggest and most important was finding a place in the North to live. Seeing as they had gotten Yuegen clothes yesterday, and he had bought groceries just a couple of days ago, that was really the only thing they had to do for the day. Maybe having a full day to search and having ruled out some places would make the search easier. The sooner they got out and about, the better.

A Cheshire grin grew on his face. Time to go wake up Yuegen. Kakuzu had been right, time was money. Slipping into his bedroom quietly, he tip-toed up to the bedside where a sleeping Yuegen lay unawares. She looked so cute he almost felt bad for what he was about to do. Keyword being almost.

Taking a deep inhale, Naruto leaned over and shouted right into her ear, "GOOOOOOOOD MORNING SAN DIEGO! IT IS TIME FOR US TO GET UP AND ENJOY THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH! YOSH!" Thick, fuzzy eyebrows grew on his face as he proclaimed his youth, disappearing almost as fast as they appeared.

He had to pull his head back to avoid the steel dagger that almost impaled him. Yuegen sat straight up breathing heavily as she tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Locking eyes with a snickering Naruto, she retracted her blade and put a hand on her breast in an attempt to slow her beating heart. She tugged a hand through her disheveled hair and glared daggers at him. "What the hell you son of a bitch?! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

He blinked innocently at her. "I heard waking up their partner in the morning is part of a couple's duty, so I thought I would give it a try. Did I get it right?" he said demurely.

She didn't bother responding, instead grumbling about how she wished he hadn't dodged. Cracking her neck and stretching her arms above her head, which did wonderful things to her chest, Naruto noted, she extricated herself from the bed. Slipping off the side, she put a hand on the wall to steady herself as she gained her bearings.

Naruto's arms, which had remained behind his back, came forward to reveal a piping hot coffee mug filled with the revival fluid. "I made you this if it makes you feel any better."

Yuegen smiled softly and shook her head, accepting the offering and immediately taking a sip. She closed her eyes as she felt the heat course through her, knocking the last dregs of sleep out of her. "Well, I suppose I could forgive you. Just this once." Her eyes bored a hole into him, "But don't try that again or I won't miss next time."

Naruto put his hands up in fake surrender and kept the stupid grin on his face. He knew from the look that she was more amused than upset and that she didn't really mean what she said. Yuegen had a good nature.

"Yes, ma'am. Jokes aside, I woke you up because we need to get an early start today. We're going to hit the streets and continue our search for a place in Northern Tokyo. We don't have anything else pressing to do today, so we'll have plenty of time to look. I'd like to be out of the house by 9:15 if at all possible."

Poking her head out from the master bathroom, Yuegen nodded with a toothbrush in her mouth. Plodding his way through the room, Naruto joined her in the bathroom. As both went through their routines at either sink, they truly did look like a married couple.

When they finished freshening up and changed clothes, they sat down for a simple breakfast Naruto had made. It hadn't taken than more than fifteen minutes to get ready, so they had a bit of padding to slow down and enjoy breakfast.

Naruto sipped on his glass of orange juice absently, taking the time to eye Yuegen's new apparel. While she looked really good in his clothing, she looked even better in actual women's clothes. Probably for different reasons, he thought.

While he had remained true to his nature and worn a tight black compression shirt and extremely burnt auburn shorts, she went with a much more natural approach. Yuegen wore a light gray long-sleeved shrug that reached just below her butt over top a white blouse that dipped at the neck to expose a generous amount of cleavage. A thin black leather belt with a silver buckle rested angular on her hip, fastening a pair of tight black skinny jeans in place that showed off her curves wonderfully.

"Trying to upstage me with the outfit, huh? Practicing for the model part already?" he quipped in a light-hearted manner.

Yuegen finished chewing the piece of toast she had been eating and swallowed. So they were starting so soon into the morning, huh? "Well that's a bit out of left field. It's not like upstaging your choice of clothing is a particularly hard feat to do. Put clothing with any color on someone and they'd have your ratty look beat."

Naruto winced, he had walked right into that one, and he couldn't even complain. He'd been asking for that. He was going to chalk up that loss to not being completely awake yet. Yep, soundly accept his defeat and flee. Nah, who was he kidding? That was one part of him that had never died. "And yet, you chose to be with this ratty, poor tasted, moody, jerky, sad excuse for a human being of your own volition. What does that say about you, hm, Yuegen-chan?"

"I don't know whether or not I should be annoyed or impressed that you always have some comeback for anything I say readily available."

"What can I say? It's a gift. You know you love me."

She sighed in mild exasperation and chose not to give him the satisfaction of a response. "That's enough for now. Let's finish eating and leave the banter for later."

Naruto frowned ever so slightly. He hoped that he hadn't been too overbearing with his humor. Maybe he should tone it down going forward. Yeah, that was probably best. His frown flipped upside down as he stood up from the table. "Right. Let's head out then."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto paused in the middle of the street to appraise another house. Giving it a thorough once over and mulling it over for a minute, he shook his head and started walking again.

Yuegen watched him speculatively, too distracted by his actions to even look at the houses herself. He must have been looking for something in particular, seeing as he wasn't even taking the time to view the houses up close, let alone the interiors. "Naruto, what are you looking for? You've passed by ten houses already and it hasn't even been five minutes."

Naruto looked away from the house he had been inspecting and saw the question written on his compatriots' face. Right, he hadn't even told her what he was searching for. Well that was a breakdown of communication on his part. Seriously, had he gotten so bad at being around people that he forewent even talking to them? He scratched the back of his head, "Ah, sorry about that. I suppose I forgot to mention it. I've been looking for houses a bit more of the traditional style. While a modern house is fine and dandy, I'd like to be able to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the corporate status quo. The more natural, the better I always say. You agree, right?"

Yuegen hummed thoughtfully, mindlessly nodding along. She definitely agreed with that. She was never a fan of the urban jungle and its' mechanical soul.

Taking that as her answer, Naruto started walking down the road to the next house. Snapping from her thoughts, Yuegen jogged to catch up to him. A few solid thuds could be heard and shortly after the sounds of sirens blared in the distance.

Just as Yuegen reached Naruto and opened her mouth to speak, they were interrupted rather viscerally. A loud roar like a bear assaulted their ears, making both whip their heads to the origin of the sound. A hulking mass of a man came running from an adjacent street with his fist cocked back, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Yuegen's eyes widened and she tensed, prepared to let her weapons loose at a second's notice. Just in case he wasn't after them, she didn't want to be too hasty. As he got closer, his target became apparent. He was charging straight at Naruto! Yuegen threw her hand out in front of her, shouting at the blonde. "Naruto, watch out!"

Her words fell on deaf ears as Naruto cocked a fist back and charged straight at the hulking brute. The two collided with each other, punching the other squarely in the jaw, resulting in them both being pushed back several inches. Cocking their fists back, they launched another hook in unison.

Yuegen was starting to panic by this point. Shrapnel roiled around her as more shards of metal slipped out from under her sleeves. She needed to back him up! Wha-

As their fists neared their targets, they suddenly shot in a different direction and the two men clasped arms, grinning madly.

The larger man laughed heartily and gave Naruto a full on hug. "Is good to see you my friend! Has been awhile since you come to ring, no?"

With a bit of effort Naruto extricated himself from the man's grasp, chuckling quietly. Well, he wouldn't need to see a chiropractor for a bit. "You hit hard as a brick, like always. It's good to see you too Zarov. I forgot you lived up here in the North. I was planning on coming by soon, but I've been busy getting ready to move."

The now dubbed Zarov's face widened with comical horror. It somehow managed to look so wrong on the burly man's face, but so perfect at the same time. "No! You are not leavings forever, yes, Naruto?! You are stayings here in To..To..Tokin right?!" The large man's fretting had already scared everyone on the street block away, leaving only them on the road.

He shook his head in the negative. "I'm not leaving. Actually, I'm moving closer to your house." It was true; Naruto was looking for a house in Arakawa, and Zarov lived in Adachi, so they would be much closer than they were with Naruto living in Setagaya.

Waterfalls poured from Zarov's eyes as the blonde cleared the air. "I am glad! Very glad! Haruka would be very sad if you leave, Naruto. And little Erika has been wantings you to visit us all of the times. She begs us every day for you to come play with her. I know! You come to my house right now and we will eat lunch together! Haruka make delicious food as always. Come, come. We go now!" Zarov grabbed Naruto by the arm and began dragging him along for the ride, thin rubber shavings peeling away from the tips of Naruto's shoes.

"Wait a second, Zarov. I have someone with me." Naruto said. Zarov stopped and put a hand above his eyes as he looked all around trying to see the person. Eyes landing on Yuegen, they lit up and he strutted over to her, momentarily forgetting he was still dragging Naruto.

Yuegen had been standing frozen in place as her mind utterly failed to process what the hell was going on. Pieces of shrapnel lay in a circle around her feet, long since having been let go of in her shock. Naruto knew that bear of a man? She didn't even know he left the house long enough to meet people! How in the fuck did he even know someone like that?! That man was easily almost seven feet tall with a beard and goatee as thick as an animal's coat, and even his muscles had muscles!

Zarov stopped in front of her, bending down to her height. "Are you Naruto's friending? Oh it is gladdening me to see that Naruto has pretty friend with him. Poor Naruto is always lonely and grumpy so it is very good to see he has friend. You take good care of him." Without leaving her time to respond Zarov turned back to Naruto, who was allowing gravity to lean him backwards lazily. "Why do you not tell me you have pretty wife? We are friends, yes? She come to house as well. Naruto's wife must meet Haruka and say hello." Naruto simply sighed, knowing that when Zarov got on a roll it was better to just let the energetic man do as he pleased.

Yuegen was still having a little trouble processing the presence of this exuberant man. It wasn't every day you met a man who looked like a bear and yet acted like he was still a young child. Zarov's words finally reaching her brain, Yuegen responded. "Wife? That's a bit presumptuous just because I'm a female. I suppose that isn't necessarily wrong, in a way." Zarov turned to look at Yuegen, studying her with a confused look on his face. All of a sudden his face brightened and he gave a giant smile, "Okay, Naruto's wife! If you say so. You come eat with us, yes?"

This bear man was rather amusing, Yuegen decided. It certainly wouldn't hurt to go with them back to his house. The day was still young, so they had plenty of time later, and even if they didn't find a place today, there was always tomorrow. And she would get to try new food, so that was a plus. "Sure, let's go back to your house. I'd like to meet some of Naruto's… friends." She flicked her eyes to look at said blonde and hid a snort not too sneakily. She got a deadpan look and a single finger salute in return. She was right about the no friends thing, but he wasn't going to let her get away with that comment.

Zarov gave her a mega-watt smile in return so wide it forced his eyes shut. "Good, good. Come, it is this way." Zarov immediately set off the direction he had come, dragging Naruto with him still. With a sigh, Naruto flipped himself out of Zarov's grip and started pacing alongside the man, arms folded behind his head. To Yuegen who was still standing in the same place, they looked like a couple of old friends who had known each other since childhood as they chatted animatedly. It was actually sort of nice to see Naruto interacting with someone besides herself.

XXXXXXXXXX

As the trio reached Zarov's house in a small neighborhood, they were greeted at the door by a woman. She was about average height for a female, five foot four, with light brown hair and a light complexion. The woman smiled lightly at them with her eyes shut and waved in greeting. "Welcome home, darling." She gave Zarov a big hug before turning to her other two guests. Her smile grew a little wider, "And you brought Naru-chan with you! You should have told me you were going to bring him over! I would have made more food. It's a good thing I always make extra." Zarov scratched the back of his head sheepishly and apologized. The woman walked up and hugged Naruto tightly around the neck. "It's good to see you, Naru-chan. Erika has been asking for you to come over for some time now. Have you been taking care of yourself? Have you been eating well? You've been outside to get fresh air, right?" The woman began looking over him and patting him down, as if she was looking for anything out of the ordinary. "Maa, maa, Haruka-san. I've been doing just fine, I promise I've been taking care of myself. My apologies for the intrusion. We bumped into Zarov while we were walking through town and he insisted we come over." The woman waggled a finger at Naruto and chided, "Now Naru-chan, I've told you to just call me Haruka. You're family here with us."

Taking note of her last guest, Haruka blinked in surprise before smiling at her too. How she blinked with her eyes shut was rather curious. The world may never know. "And who might this lovely lady be? A friend of yours Naru-chan?" Haruka said suggestively. Zarov cut in before Naruto or Yuegen could respond. "This is Naruto's wife! She take good care of him, very funny. I tell him he has to bring his new wife to meeting you, and here we are!" Naruto rubbed his temples and prepared for the storm about to come through. Yuegen caught notice of Naruto's tension and felt a sense of dread wash over her. She didn't know what was about to happen, but she didn't like it.

Haruka froze in place for a second, a dark look crossing over her face. The air was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. Then all of a sudden she squealed and began wiggling around like an excited puppy dog. "Naru-chan! Why didn't you tell us you had found a girlfriend? When did you meet? What did you do on your first date? Is she living with you? What are her three sizes? Are you already engaged? Wait, darling said you were married. When did you have the reception? Why didn't you invite us?! Why, Naru-chan?! I thought we were family! Wh-"

"Haruka-chan." His words fell on deaf ears.

"Oh, we need to celebrate. I'll call my friends and we'll…"

"Haruka-chan." he said a little louder.

"Do I have all the ingredients to bake a cake? Let's see, I have eggs, flour, sugar…"

"Haruka-chan!" he shouted.

She froze, finally snapped out of her little fantasy world.

"We're not married, Haruka-chan. Zarov got things a little confused. She lives with me, but that's it. You haven't missed out on anything."

"Oh, I see," Haruka frowned. Almost as fast as it had come, the frown disappeared and was replaced by a smile. "I'm sure that will change in time. Come inside! Lunch is almost ready."

As they all trooped inside, Yuegen walked quietly at the back of the pack. Her mind had become stormy as she watched the three interact. Normally, she would have been a bit overwhelmed and equal parts humorous, but something about what Naruto had said at the end rubbed her the wrong way. It was true, but it still bothered her, and she wasn't completely sure why. She knew he hadn't meant anything by what he said, but was that all he saw this as? Two people living together like roommates? She shook her head. Naruto was much too smart to see this as simply a mutual relationship, and he had said it himself that he had been feeling better than he had in awhile with her around. She could think about this later. For now, she would just enjoy her present company.

"Onii-chan!"

A speeding blur of white came flying through the dining room and smashed into Naruto's chest, nearly knocking him over. Leaning back at almost a forty-five degree angle, Naruto wrapped his arms around the human missile that had crashed into him full speed. Prying said projectile off him, he held her out at arm's length with a small smile on his face. "Hello, Erika-chan."

Erika wriggled around in his grasp, giggling as she beamed brightly at her older brother figure.

"Naruto-nii-chan I missed you! You haven't come over to play in forever!" She pouted adorably at the end, forcing him to chuckle at the sheer cuteness.

"Heh, I'm sorry, Erika-chan. Naruto-nii has been very busy lately so he hasn't had the time to visit. We'll play some today, okay?" He spun her around in the air once, eliciting a squeal of delight from the small girl before placing her down on the ground. He ruffled her chestnut brown hair softly as she giggled.

Amber eyes watched him mirthfully. 'And he says he's bad with people.'

XXXXXXXXXX

Lunch followed shortly after, and everyone took their places at the large dining room table. Yuegen sat to Naruto's right, while Erika sat to his left, humming playfully and kicking her legs. Haruka and Zarov sat on the other side of the table.

Naruto would call this lunch, but it was really more of a feast. Haruka had made grilled fish, steamed rice, miso soup, grilled sprouts of several varieties, fried chicken, and braised tempura. The myriad of smells from the stocks, broths, sauces, and spices was tantalizing. The sheer quantity made sense; Zarov was a big man, and as such, he ate a lot. That and Haruka's housewife tendency to cook too much meant that every meal was a full course. No one was complaining, the woman was a great cook. As they say, the easiest way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

She had even made a bowl of miso ramen just for Naruto, something that couldn't help but make him feel a little lighter. Not the ramen itself, mind you, but that she had made it. He had mentioned once in passing that when he was younger ramen had been his favorite food. It was something he hadn't eaten very much of since Ichiraku's had closed. In honor of their memory, Naruto had learned their recipe and made the dish every so often to keep the memory fresh, but it wasn't a near daily occurrence like his younger years. The broth always tasted sharp whenever he ate it. Not only had she remembered, but she went so far as to make some just for him. Haruka was an incredibly gracious woman. She did little gestures like these all the time; it was just part of her nature.

"So Naru-chan, you mentioned that you had been very busy lately. What have you been up to?" Haruka questioned. 'Speak of the angel.' It had been awhile since they had last dra- brought Naruto over, so there was much to catch up on. Like the pretty girl he had brought with him, for example. She still really wanted to know how that had happened. Naruto was always so dark and dreary that she had almost given up hope on him ever finding a special someone. It seemed she had been worried all this time for nothing.

"Mm. I've been preparing to move." Noticing the panicked look on her face, Naruto quickly amended his statement. "I'm not leaving Tokyo. Zarov thought the same thing. I'm actually trying to find a place around Arakawa here in the North, so I'll actually be much closer to your house."

Haruka placed a hand to her chest and let out a sigh of relief. "You had me worried for a second there, Naru-chan. I'm glad you're not leaving. All of us would be very sad if you did." Zarov and Erika nodded at that. "Yes, Naruto. I be very sad if you do not come to ring anymore. We have many fistings of friendships to do!" Naruto sweatdropped and Yuegen snickered at Zarov's awkward choice of words. The Russian man was doing his best to get used to speaking Japanese, but if he hadn't gotten the hang of it in the several years he had been here, he likely never would. It was actually funnier this way. It had become a part of his character.

An evil look crossed Haruka's face as she slowly turned to look at her husband. "Darling, you wouldn't happen to still be going to that nasty fighting club, would you?"

Zarov shrunk in on himself as a bead of sweat fell down his face. "N-no dearest. I definitely am not going to the club of fighting, and I did not win the tournament last week. Not Zarov, no." He waved his hands placatingly in front of his face as he tried to appease his angry wife.

Haruka turned to look at Naruto and began putting the pressure on him. If Naruto was phased, he didn't show it as he sedately chewed a piece of grilled fish. "Naru-chan, Zarov-chan hasn't been fighting again, has he? I would hate so much to hear that either of you had been back to that dirty place."

Swallowing, Naruto shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I haven't been there in a while. I'm not sure since it's been a bit, but I don't recall seeing Zarov there recently." It was true, but only because he had been absent the last few weeks, something that had probably caused a touch of panic. He was sure Zarov had been going; he rarely missed any time at the ring. If he wasn't there for several days, something must be incredibly wrong. He knew for fact that the last time he had been, Zarov had been there as well.

The dark aura faded away from Haruka and she smiled brightly, "I see. That's good. Let's get back to lunch, now. We wouldn't want the food I spent so much time on to go cold." Beside her Zarov silently clapped his hands together in prayer, thanking Naruto for saving his hide. Naruto snorted lightly and continued eating his meal.

Yuegen who once again had been quiet, spoke up. "Actually Naruto, how do you all know each other? Is it this fighting club you all keep mentioning?"

Naruto's eyes rose from his plate to answer her query. "That's right," he affirmed. "A while back I became part of an underground fighting ring where people from all over come to fight in the daily tournaments. Lots of money flows through those doors, so it was even better in my mind. I met Zarov in that ring. During my first few days there I managed to beat every single person who challenged me. Then Zarov and I had a match. That was the hardest I had worked to win out of any fight I had so far. We hit it off well outside of the matches, and it sort of blossomed from there. Zarov is a bit of character, so it's never boring. He convinced me to come home and have dinner with him one day, and that's when I met these two lovely ladies."

Erika preened and puffed out her chest at being called a lady, while Haruka brought a hand up to her cheek. "My, Naru-chan, you're so sweet. I'm a taken woman though; my heart belongs to my darling only." Zarov's eyes became big and watery, and he hugged his wife tight, "Ah, Haruka-chan! Zarov is very lucky to have you! I am blessed to have such a good family!" Erika hopped up and ran around the table to burrow her way into the hug.

Naruto watched the family with a small, sad smile on his face. This reminded him of back when he was young, back when he still had…

For a split second, he saw himself in Zarov's place, hugging a woman and two kids, people all around them smiling brightly as they laughed together.

A singular tear leapt from the corner of his eye, unnoticed by the bonding family. He jumped slightly when he felt a hand squeeze his forearm gently. Yuegen locked eyes with him wordlessly, a sympathetic look on her face. She scooted her chair closer and leaned up against his shoulder in silent reassurance. He mouthed a 'thank you' to her and remained with her like that until the family broke apart and returned to lunch. He could see the look in the two adults' eyes, and he knew what it meant. They were going to do some… personal bonding. That was something he could help with. "Say, how about I take Erika with Yuegen and I? We were planning on taking a little walk, so I can take her while you two enjoy a little time alone together."

He fidgeted nervously at the grateful, watery-eyed look the pair gave him. Waterfalls poured from their eyes at his words, making the scene highly comical to watch. "Naru-chan's the best!" "Naruto is bestest friend!" They shouted at the same time.

Naruto couldn't hold it anymore and burst out into actual laughter, the first time he had done so in a long, long time.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto and Yuegen walked the streets of Tokyo, simply enjoying the early afternoon sunshine and light breeze in the air. It was still cool in the late spring season, and it wouldn't be long before the heat began to sweep the concrete city. The trees were full of vibrant blossoms, shading the world with pinks and greens and yellows synonymous with the season of rebirth. Birds chirped from tree branches and the insects and squirrels riddled the air in a lively cacophony.

Naruto enjoyed the spring and the fall the most. The vernal season was filled with new life and the blossoming of nature, a sight that he found truly beautiful. Nature chakra was at its' most pure during spring, and being a sage, he was enveloped in the chakra of the world almost constantly. Any disposition of the energy he too would feel. In other words, if the chakra was lively, he too felt the radiance. As for fall, he just loved the autumnal colors as the departure of the leaves dyed the ground in its' hues. The holidays, the atmosphere, he loved it all.

Today was a perfect vernal day to simply enjoy the outdoors with no worries on the mind.

Erika sat atop Naruto's shoulders with her arms around his neck, a giant smile like her father on her face. She hummed some unknown song to herself as she enjoyed spending time with her pseudo-older brother.

Yuegen once again found herself watching Naruto and silently thinking about him. He was truly an enigma, one that she was still so far from figuring out. She had remained reticent for the last few hours, unsure of what to do or say around these strange new people. She was sure she would become accustomed to these people with time, but for now she felt uncomfortable trying to be a part of the dynamic. She felt a little bad about that, actually. She didn't want to come across as a bad guest. But that was the thing, Naruto always said that he didn't have anyone, and that he was completely alone. Yet here they were, walking through the street with a little girl who absolutely adored him, and a family who openly invited him to their table to break bread. Naruto always acted like there wasn't a reason in the world for him to stick around, and yet here he was chatting and laughing like any other person. She almost couldn't believe it was the same Naruto she had come to know and love. God, that was still a surreal thought. Despite his moody, aloof, almost abrasive personality sometimes, she still cared about him deeply. A good part of that was the bond, she surmised, but not all of it. She genuinely did care about him. She wouldn't go saying that aloud though, no one better expect her to be all mushy. That wasn't her thing, and neither was it Naruto's. She was going to figure him out one day. It may not be today or tomorrow, but she would eventually. She was going to be with him for a long time, so there was no rush.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. There was someone here with a chakra signature that he didn't recognize, and it was too large to be a civilian. His head snapped upwards. "Yuegen watch out!"

A rod of steel shot out of Yuegen's sleeve just in time to intercept the blade that had been aimed at her head. A single moment later and she would have been skewered. She immediately snapped to full alert as she searched for the source of the attack.

"So you blocked, Number 66. I suppose I'm not surprised, you always were the best of us." The sudden introduction of an unfamiliar voice brought them to the target of their search. On top of a nearby light pole stood a raven-haired woman in a kimono with unnecessarily large sleeves. The only clothing that adorned her legs was a pair of black stockings and wooden geta, making for an odd blend of two different styles. She leapt down to the ground, giving a free shot of her purple panties, and bent her knees to absorb the impact. The jump from that distance didn't even seem to faze her, but that wasn't impressive in present company. Both Yuegen and Naruto were able to do the same. Strutting forward at an eased pace, the mystery woman stopped about fifteen feet away from them, a smirk adorning her face the entire way.

The woman sort of reminded Naruto of a Hyūga with the attire, arrogant smirk, and measured pace, as well as reminding him of Tenten with the dagger she had thrown. Dear god, is this what would have happened if Neji and Tenten had ever gotten together? He shuddered at the thought. A jerk with a pointy weapon obsession was an unsafe combination.

Yuegen returned the expression to the woman who had so rudely interrupted her walk. She knew this person very well. "Well if it isn't Number 61, what an unpleasant surprise. You know it's rude to show up uninvited. That's an offense that can't go unpunished, you know."

The grin on Number 61's face threatened to split it in two. "My apologies. When I saw you walking so casually down the street, I couldn't help but try to cut you a third eye. I've been waiting so very long to put a knife in that pretty little head of yours. So tell me, how do you intend to stop me?"

In response, Yuegen's eyes narrowed. Number 61 knew that she was the bane of just about every weapon-using Sekirei's existence. She could simply leech the metal away from their weapons and that was it. If she was this cocky, she had to have something up her sleeve. Yuegen had a feeling she knew what that was, now all she had to do was confirm it.

Raising an eyebrow, Yuegen incredulously retorted, "You do realize what my powers are, don't you? If you've already forgotten from all those beatings I gave you then you must have lost your sad little mind."

Number 61 barked out a short laugh, but otherwise didn't seem to take the bait in Yuegen's words. "Oh, I'm well aware. I think you'll find that these daggers of mine won't be so easy to control anymore." To prove her point, Number 61 withdrew two daggers from her sleeves and charged straight at Yuegen, signaling that the fight had begun.

In an instant liquid metal poured from Yuegen's sleeves, forming into the plate armor Naruto had first seen her wearing and a broadsword in her right hand. She glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes with Naruto. That look said all he needed to know even before the words left her mouth. "Take the girl and go. I'll hold the witch off while you retreat. I'll be fine, promise. I won't lose to a punk like her!" As she was speaking she matched Number 61's hurried pace with her sword poised to remove the offending woman's head from her shoulders.

Naruto didn't hesitate to get moving. Turning away from the fight, he took off at full speed, making sure to hold onto Erika so she wouldn't fly off his shoulders. "Onii-chan, what's going on? Is the pretty lady going to be alright? Where are we going?" Despite the wind ripping by their faces, Naruto heard Erika speak and made sure his voice was loud enough for her to hear in kind. "Yuegen is just saying hello to an old friend, Erika-chan. Don't worry, she'll be alright. I'm going to take you back home and then come help her, okay?" Erika didn't look completely convinced, but she nodded all the same. Her older brother was the best, so she would trust what he was saying. He was as strong as her daddy, so no one could beat him in a fight!

He ran for a solid minute before ducking into a nearby alleyway and looking to make sure nobody could see them. Facing the girl he put a finger to his lips motioning for her to stay quiet. "Erika-chan, would you like to see a magic trick?" Sparkles entered Erika's eyes and she nodded her head fervently, showing that she was still very much a kid. Naruto chuckled, "Okay, cover your eyes for a second and I'll start the magic trick. Just promise me you won't tell anybody about my trick, alright? Don't even tell Zarov and Haruka. It will be our little secret, ne?" he winked at her.

She gave him a cute smile and covered her eyes with her hands, bouncing in place with anticipation. Naruto shook his head at her excitement. It wouldn't really matter if she did tell anyone what he was about to do; they would think it was just the hyperbolic nature of an eight year-old. He was just going to run fast; fast enough to give her a thrill, but not so fast that any passers-by may find it suspicious. They would just think he was a professional athlete or something. Making his signature hand seal, another Naruto appeared next to the original in a puff of smoke. With a follow up hand seal he and the clone switched places, with the clone now holding the little girl. Giving each other a quick nod, the real Naruto bolted out of the alley back towards Yuegen. He wasn't about to leave her to fight by herself, after all.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yuegen shifted to her back foot as a knife intended for her ribcage sliced through the air with ease. The aggressive ravenette had been forcing a close quarters conflict for the last several minutes, doing her best to give Yuegen no room to breathe. That was probably the smartest thing she could do, seeing as her weapon choices were limited. While she could use her knives as single-use projectiles, that was a pretty ineffective tactic without a proper set up. Yuegen didn't have that problem. An armor-clad foot scraped the concrete as she pivoted with a powerful retaliation, sword only missing the kimono-clad woman by inches when she folded her body away from the blade. That was fine, the attack hadn't been intended to hit.

The knife-wielder was not delayed for long as she entered attacking range with an overhead swing. Rather than block the incoming strike, Yuegen held her blade aloft with the edge facing out. Number 61 was forced to redirect her angle, lest she lose her hand in the process. While the woman was distracted from above, Yuegen lashed out with a kick that hit the ravenette in the chest. As her opponent stumbled backwards from the harsh blow, she chained her counter with several shards of iron from her sleeves. Since she was still off-balance, there would be no dodging the quickly approaching shrapnel. The woman ignored her aching sternum in favor of her imminent survival. Gnashing her teeth, she swiftly slipped a handful of daggers between her fingers and launched the weapons, meeting the deadly scraps mid-air and sending them all to the ground with a series of loud clinks. She drew two more daggers from within the folds of her kimono in preparation. Yuegen wasn't the only one with a couple of tricks up her sleeves.

Thanks to her making use of the weapons at range, she had enough time to catch a slash that would have bisected her in a cross block between the daggers, creating a shower of steel as they vied for supremacy. Their arms trembled as they put all their power into dominating the exchange, though it was clear that Yuegen was stronger as the much larger blade got closer and closer to Number 61's neck, forcing the woman to arch her back to keep her skull intact. Using her compromised position Number 61 conceded the exchange and rolled backwards, deftly leaping to her feet and charging right back in at Yuegen. Each blow she rained down on the woman was deflected expertly and with little effort, something that infuriated Number 61 more and more as they continued. In her anger her attacks became sloppy, sacrificing precision for raw strength. That was more than enough for Yuegen to capitalize on.

After one particularly wide swing, Yuegen knocked the ravenette off balance by catching the blade on her guard and forcing it to overextend, punching her square in the face as a consequence. She teetered backwards and held her now bleeding nose, glaring figurative daggers at Yuegen. The woman was forced to let go of her damaged nose as Yuegen gave her no mercy, reflecting the previous flow of battle on the disadvantaged Number 61 with a barrage of swordplay. "Have you had enough yet? Neither you nor any of the other 60s have ever beaten me in a fight, and it won't change now. Just because you have stone instead of steel doesn't mean a thing. I don't need to be able to control your blade to kick your sorry ass." She bit out between swipes.

Number 61 screamed bloody murder as she did her utmost to eviscerate the green-haired woman, to no avail. "Fuck you, 66! I've always hated you and your god damned arrogant attitude! Always acting like you were better than us! Not anymore! I'm going to cut you up so badly they won't even recognize you when they come to pick you up!"

She was getting under her skin, good. This was only going to make her job even easier. Yuegen smirked, "Tsk, tsk. Just because your adjustor and all the other girls liked me more than you doesn't mean you need to get your panties in a twist. I don't act arrogant, I'm just better than you. There's a difference, you see. Arrogance is only arrogance if it isn't warranted."

Number 61 jabbed both daggers forward, hoping to shred both her kidneys and put the cocky bastard down permanently. She was going to impale this cocky, no good, cunt if it was the last thing she di-

It's over.

Her body suddenly and violently met pavement at Mach speed, cracking the pavement and a rib or two for good measure. Her knives clattered to the ground several feet from the crash site and skittered across the pavement far out of reach. Naruto landed on the ground and shook his fist, flexing the digits rhythmically. "Thanks. My fingers were a little tense, but they're all loose now. That feels way better."

The impact had made her mind go fuzzy for a moment from how heavily she landed. Eyes swimming, she strained to get a look at the one who had sneak attacked her. She was rather bewildered to see that it was the blonde man from earlier. So he had come back after getting rid of the child, huh? For a human, he hit hard. There was no way he was normal. Was he really human? If that was Yuegen's Ashikabi, she wouldn't be shocked. Neither of those freaks were normal.

Dragging herself out of the wreckage, Number 61 spit out a glob of blood and drew another pair of daggers from her sleeves. Damn, now there were two of them. No matter, she would still kill them at all costs.

Yuegen's eyes never left her opponent as she addressed Naruto, "What are you doing here? What did you do with the little girl?"

"I took her back home and made my way here. I figured you had this handled, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Can't have my boredom relief go kicking the bucket on me now." He rolled his neck with a series of satisfying pops and hopped on the balls of his feet.

"Well that's certainly impressive. I'm curious to know how you got there and back so fast, but that will have to wait for later. I can handle her." It was more of a statement than a request as she walked out to meet her stationary opponent.

"Alright. I'll be here. This should be entertaining." He walked out of the street and rested against a telephone pole to watch the conflict unfold.

Number 61 growled at their banter. They were both insufferable! "Just try it bitch!" She leapt high into the air, leaving the Ashikabi/Sekirei pair behind on the surface. Cocking her daggers and twisting her body, she prepared to let her weapons fly, but never got the chance.

Yuegen pointed two fingers towards the sky and the street split open as several pipes shot up to meet the airborne attacker. Number 61's eyes widened in alarm. She wouldn't be able to dodge this in mid-air. The only way out was through. Showing her proficiency with her weapon she slashed the tips of the pipes to pieces like bamboo, leaving the figurative fangs blunted. Once the direct danger of impalement had passed, she flipped herself over and used the pacified pipes to propel herself forward, blades extended outwards like a human arrow.

Hopping back as the enraged female streaked through the air, Yuegen stayed just out of range of the attack. Stone shivs met pavement rather than bone, entrenching themselves deep into the earth. Taking advantage of her opponent's momentary pinning, Yuegen summoned a wall of metal behind Number 61 and thundered towards her. Giving up the burrowed blades, 61 immediately put as much distance as she could between herself, the wall, and the green-haired woman, and not a moment too soon. Tendrils of liquid metal grasped like fingers at where she had been only a second before, searching desperately for their quarry. She knew how adept 66 was with her elemental control; if her foe was anywhere near the material it was game over. Backflipping several times, she launched knife after knife at the steel freight train that was Yuegen, but the blades did little to halt her approach. The only reason they were even a bother was their capability to puncture her armor when thrown. Used as a slashing weapon, they could barely make a scratch, which was exactly what allowed Yuegen to remain so calm while under fire.

Drawing a stream of metal from underground, Yuegen coated her broadsword in the excess and slashed at the empty air. It may have looked insane had scythe-like curves of the material not begun flying off of the European brand, screaming through the distance between the two fighters.

Naruto watched the scene with rapt attention as the two danced back and forth. The clashing of steel on steel and blades flying through the air was a bit memorial for him. This actually felt really nice to watch, despite the mortality of it. He trusted Yuegen enough to win this. You know, where was Miss Purple Panties keeping all those shivs? It was like an inmate's wet dream. She had thrown so many and yet didn't look at all perturbed about the possibility of running out. Maybe it was one of those secret female pocket dimensions he had heard about. Better than the Uchiha's damn Kamui. Mysteries of the universe, he supposed.

Taking a deep breath in, Naruto leaned further against the wooden post. He had to give her credit, Yuegen's power was pretty incredible. She could call it from wherever she wanted, make it into anything she wanted, and use it however she wanted. The only limit was the type of metal she could control, but the ones she did have some accord with were some of the most common. And who knew she was so skilled with a sword? She was no master, but she could have made for a decent samurai if she had lived several hundred years ago. It would have probably been more accurate to say a knight of Medieval Europe, what with the armor and broadsword. The only problem would have been hiding her identity as a female in both cases. Jean d'Arc may have been able to do it, but he was pretty sure she didn't have boobs as big as Yuegen. Binding them down with bandages wouldn't do jack shit, he had seen her in bandages first hand, and they were completely useless against her size. Hottest mummy he had ever seen, and he knew Cleopatra VII before she died. The woman had been almost as kinky with snakes as Anko.

Back to the situation at hand, Naruto knew Yuegen was good with ranged and incapacitation attacks, but he may have been wrong to assume that was how she usually fought. He had only gotten to see her fight against electricity, which had forced her to give up her armor and fight at a distance, so he really had no clue as to her capabilities. Between her armor and her close combat skills, ranged techniques, and free range control to use metal as she pleased, she was formidable.

Naruto watched as Yuegen launched another arc of steel from her sword, carving a furrow into the ground. The damage to the environment was going to be hard to cover up, and even harder to explain. Now that he thought about it, this whole situation was really bad. By some divine miracle there had been no one on the street besides them, so there was at least that. He doubted that he and Yuegen would be getting out of this scot-free, regardless of their victory and the fight being purely reactionary. They were fighting in the North and within the public eye, both of which were punishable offenses according to what Shosei had told him. Minaka had been rather generous with his leniency, but he was dubious to believe that everything would be waved this time. Naruto himself would face the music when it became a pressing issue. After all, he could have stopped this long before it became a violation or even a proper fight. Eh, might as well enjoy the action while he could.

Cutting down the many projectiles bombarding her with ease, Yuegen halted her dashing assault. Raising a hand she streaked two fingers through the air, pointing to the street then towards the elusive dagger-wielder. More pipes burst out of the ground and flew like bullets at her command, eager to please their summoner.

Number 61 dodged them easily enough, spears of iron passing her by harmlessly. She barely got out of the way in time as one of the sewer javelins attacked from behind, forcing her upwards on top of a light pole. Several strands of severed hair floated on the wind, proving just how near a miss it had been. Eyes widening, she let gravity take hold as she dropped to the earth, dodging a coalition of spikes that had nearly cost her her head. As soon as she moved, they changed course, staying hot on her trail.

They were tracking her?! She whipped her head towards the immobile knight who grinned gleefully at her predicament. That conniving son of a bitch! Tossing two daggers as a distraction, the woman hit the ground and instantly sped towards 66.

Forced to give up her control lest she be pierced by the sharpened stone, Yuegen contorted her body sideways, making use of the minimum amount of motion necessary to evade. She plunged her sword into the ground and swung her hands around like claws in front of her. At first, it seemed nothing had happened, but it became apparent that something was going on when the black haired woman stopped moving. Suddenly blood erupted across Number 61's body, her face set in a visage of pain. Thin wires had sliced into her entire body, chaining her in place. She snarled as she realized what had happened. The durable strings had emerged out of the discarded scrap junkyard littering the road like a giant cage. Her face smashed into the concrete as the wires yanked her down, black spots appearing in her vision. Like snakes the wires slithered across the ground, pulling the battered woman along like a sack of potatoes. Rocks and rugged concrete tore into her bruised body, only exacerbating her wounds. The strings sedately pulled her to the wall Yuegen had created and then up it, melding into the surface. She winced as they pulled tight, effectively crucifying her on the surface. What's more, the wall itself had morphed around her arms and legs, trapping her in its' embrace. She started struggling with every last bit of energy she had to no avail, causing the wires to only dig deeper into her flesh. While weapon Sekirei were stronger than the average elemental Sekirei, they were still no combat-type. She couldn't rip through steel like they could, and she couldn't cut it down without her weapons. She turned to glare at the approaching green-haired woman. Damn Number 66 knew her too well. The wall had engulfed her hands specifically.

This was it.

Blood welled in her mouth as pain coursed through her entire body. The crimson liquid fell from the corners of her mouth like a waterfall, jumping ship like the Titanic. She could taste the iron. Gods, even the blood that flowed through her veins had her damnable element in it. She grinned through dyed teeth. At least this was one thing she couldn't control.

Walking towards the woman at a leisurely pace, Yuegen stood in front of her and looked down condescendingly. Yuegen deftly sliced both of 61's immobilized legs and then her arms, making sure they wouldn't be able to function until after she was deactivated. She planted an armored knee into the woman's gut and smashed the hilt of her sword into the back of Number 61's skull when she hunched forward, sending stars through her vision. Placing her sword at the woman's neck, she ended her brutal assault. "Caught in the web like the insect you are. Any last words before I finish you?"

"Damn you." She spat with vitriol, actually spitting out a glob of blood and saliva at Yuegen in pure spite.

Yuegen watched as it fell short and hit the ground, mixing with the pooled blood already present.

"So be it." With no further discussion Yuegen stabbed her sword clean into Number 61's stomach.

Naruto started clapping as he made his way to stand beside his partner. "Well done, well done indeed. Though I think it was obvious she was no match for you, I have to say that was incredibly entertaining. Nice work, Yuegen." He liked the touch with the wires. Ninja wire was just so useful. Nostalgia.

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and smirked triumphantly, "Hmph, what can I say? I aim to please. That was a pretty fun warm up."

A loud cackle escaped Naruto's lips. "That's what I like to hear!"

Number 61 threw up a huge amount of blood as she slowly went unconscious from blood loss. They had already forgotten her existence, as if even as she died she was nothing more than a nuisance. Her last conscious thought was, 'Her Ashikabi is as much of a prick as she is…'

XXXXXXXXXX

The trio waved at Naruto and Yuegen as they left, an action which they returned with equal effort.

"Take care Naru-chan. Come back to see us soon, you hear? You are always welcome in this house, no matter what. You too, Yuegen-chan."

"See you Onii-chan! I want to play again soon! Come back too pretty lady! We'll all have fun together!"

"Be seeings you soon, my friend! Come to club soon, all of the peoples are doing the missing of you!"

Haruka turned to glare at Zarov as he waved his hands in front of his face, swearing up and down that he wasn't talking about the underground pit.

Naruto chuckled jovially and Yuegen simply smiled as they left. They were such an odd little family, but one that could burrow their way into the heart of anyone with their antics. "I'll be back soon. We'll be sure to invite you to the housewarming party when we find a new place."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto and Yuegen walked with a comfortable hush as they returned to their search. They hadn't lost much time with the unexpected skirmish, not anything more than they had been planning on spending on the walk with Erika. It was likely only four o' clock or so based off of the setting sun.

They were each watching separate sides of the road, only occasionally stopping to point a house out to the other. None had lasted more than a minute or so of discussion, though. They weren't being picky or anything; none of the houses had been particularly extraordinary in their minds. Yuegen was the first to break the silence on non-proprietorial topics. "You said that the CEO declared fighting in the North forbidden, right? What was she doing up here? I don't think Number 61 was winged, so maybe just a random occurrence?"

Naruto shrugged, "Probably. I agree about her being unwinged; I doubt an Ashikabi would knowingly risk the penalty. Seemed like she had a vendetta against you, so maybe she was just in the area, but only engaged combat because it was you."

She tilted her head in ponderance and nodded, that was probably right. "Yeah, that's the most likely case. Though Sekirei were mostly kept in isolation, we did spend some time together. All of the 60s met as a group whenever the researchers allowed us. Most of the time it was for sparring to test our adjusted powers, but sometimes we were left to just test our ability to interact socially. Both of those were required of our Exit Test. 61 always hated me because I was the best of the 60s and was respected by all the others. When I was the first to pass the Exit Test, she must have thrown a huge fit."

Her movement lapsed when she realized Naruto was no longer walking beside her. Turning around she saw him standing several feet back with his eyes glued to a house. Following his line of sight, she too paused to marvel at the sight. This…was exactly like what they were looking for. It was a large, two story traditional Japanese abode, complete with a fence and large yard. The atmosphere here felt… regal almost. The place stood out in the middle of this modern district; a standing relic of a dynasty past. Too bad there wasn't a sign out for rent or purchase. If there was another like this one in the area, they would be lucky.

"Ara, can I help you with something, good sir?"

Naruto snapped from his wonder, catching notice of a woman standing on the steps of the house with a broom. He blinked. What was with him bumping into all of these beautiful women lately? The woman standing on the porch was wearing a white haori and purple hakama held together by a matching purple obi, tied right beneath her sizable bust. Upon her feet were a standard pair of zōri. Her attire was reminiscent of the shōzoku of a miko, or shrine maiden, but there were a number of smaller differences that separated the two styles of attire.

Her long, lavender hair was tied back into a ponytail by a white ribbon, and the bangs that fell in her face brought out the beauty of her features perfectly. Her round, brown borderline scarlet eyes stared at him curiously, gauging his reactions with a level of scrutiny that made him feel like she was no ordinary housewife. Though he couldn't make out much of the rest of her figure thanks to the conservative nature of her dress, he could tell from her perfect, curvaceous hips that she had amazing legs too. All in all she was an extremely beautiful woman; a Yamato Nadeshiko if he had ever seen one.

His analysis had only lasted a second, so his pause seemed like a normal response. He wouldn't throw that conception by hesitating longer. "Ah, my apologies Miko-san. My friend and I have been preparing to move from our current residence in Setagaya and have been on the look-out for a house. There has been an increased amount of violent activity there, so we felt it best to move to the North. I just had to stop and stare at your beautiful house; it's exactly like what we've been looking for. My apologies for being a bit peculiar. I'll be on my way. Take care Miko-san."

The miko brought a hand to her face and closed her eyes in a distinctly 'eye-smile' sort of way. "My, how polite. I certainly couldn't let such a nice young man just leave after complimenting my home in such a manner. As it happens, I have plenty of space here at Maison Izumo and only one tenant beside myself occupying it. If you'd like, I'd be happy to have a pair of new tenants."

Naruto was caught off guard by her statement. His luck with life had always been rather terrible; back in the days when he was a young shinobi trouble seemed to follow him like a puppy dog from the Inuzuka clan. "This sounds too good to be true. A beautiful house and a beautiful landlady to match. I think my terrible luck may have finally changed. We would be most grateful to stay here, Miko-san."

The woman giggled from behind her hand, seemingly taking his words in stride. "I see we have a flatterer here. Whatever is a poor housewife like me to do around such debauchery? Please, come in. I'll start a pot of tea and we can discuss the rest then." She slid open the front door and walked inside, likely on her way to the kitchen as she had said.

Naruto turned slowly to look at Yuegen with a wide grin on his face. "Well would you look at that, Yuegen-chan? You can admit it, I'm the best."

Rolling her eyes at his idiocy, she passed right by him and made her way to the door. "Just get your ass inside. I'd rather not have your tomfoolery cost us this opportunity."

He only smirked harder at her words, acquiescing nonetheless.

XXXXXXXXXX

Several minutes later the woman returned from the kitchen carrying a tray with three cups and a kettle containing the refreshing liquid. Her guests sat waiting at the dinner table in seiza, giving their undivided attention as she walked in. She received two grateful nods and a muttering of appreciation as she distributed the cups and poured them both tea.

"Thank you for waiting. I hope the tea is to your liking."

Naruto smiled at her as he gingerly picked up the cup with his right hand and placed it in his left palm. Rotating it ninety degrees so that the front was no longer facing him, he took a sip and sighed in contentment. She had brewed a pot of green tea, which was standard, but the flavor was anything from ordinary. It tasted wonderful. Naruto savored the taste as it spread across his tongue, the heat of the beverage only adding to his opinion. He hadn't had a cup of tea this good in a very long time. He could brew it just as well if not better, as difficult a task as that may be, but he had been around for a very long time and had had a lot of practice. This was a normal woman as far as he could tell, so it was incredibly impressive. Though he was already starting to believe that that was not the case. How she had studied him earlier, how she spoke, and how she held herself were all not that of an average civilian. No, she was much too elegant and poised for that. He knew all the nuances of people much too well, and she was too perfect to be human. She was like that silver-haired woman he had bumped into a few days ago; a warrior. And maybe, just maybe, she was not of the mortal coil just as he was… The morbid thought actually sent his heart fluttering with a slight twinge of something he had not felt in many years… hope.

"This is an excellent cup of tea, Miko-san. I haven't had tea this good in a very long time." Yuegen nodded her head in concurrence, agreeing with his statement wholeheartedly.

She giggled in the way Naruto was already starting to recognize as her signature. "I'm glad you like it. There's no need to call me miko – I'm no shrine maiden. My name is Miya. Asama Miya. May I ask for your names?"

Scratching his head, Naruto realized that once again he had forgotten a big part of social interaction. Telling someone your name was a big necessity. He really needed to get readjusted to this. "Ah, my apologies, Miya-san. My name is Naruto; Namikaze Naruto. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please look after me." Miya nodded at him, "The pleasure is all mine, Naruto-san." Turning to look at the other woman in the room, Miya waited for her response.

Yuegen put down her cup of tea. Locking eyes with Miya she gave her opening. "My name is Yuegen. No family name. Nice to meet you." Miya smiled, "Likewise, Yuegen-san."

Introductions out of the way, Miya turned back to Naruto and addressed something that caught her eye. She had been watching his every movement thus far, and he had already started making a favorable impression. He was meticulous with his drinking of the tea, his posture, and his polite way of speaking. Not many people nowadays even knew the proper ways, let alone used them. She was already starting to like this young man, and they had only just met. "Naruto-san, you seem well versed in Japanese tradition. I'm impressed with your knowledge of formality."

A smile gracefully danced onto his face as she made her observation known. Of course she had noticed, he knew she would. Any warrior worth their steel would be able to see the subtleties of his motions with little trouble. Being aware of your surroundings was a must on and off the battlefield for them. "I've been around the block a few times. That this day and age has come to the point where practicing tradition is a commodity is a true tragedy." Traditional values were one of the few things he could carry with him from the past. There was a certain appeal to archiving the historic ways of life, and Naruto considered himself the ultimate archivist of such knowledge. He knew traditions that even the most formal of individuals would have no inkling of. Most times he didn't make use of them, but then again he was seldom in contact with other people. Formalities were not a necessity in the sanctity of your own home.

Miya was amazed. The young blonde got more intriguing with every word he said. "I agree, Naruto-san. I must say it is rather heartening to find someone who shares the sentiment." She laughed and amended, "Though, you sound like an old man when you speak like that." Something about him made her just want to tease him. It was rather odd, considering she had never been one to do so, even when her husband was alive. She had not been close to another man in any manner since then, so that she already was starting to relax around this man she had only met minutes prior was alarming. Miya couldn't say that it was a bad thing. In fact, it might be nice to have someone like him around. His personable and easygoing nature – from what she could tell – made interacting with him a relaxed event. Glancing at the stifled green-haired woman, Yuegen, she found herself wondering about her as well. Judging off of their interaction and what she could gather of their relationship, Yuegen was likely a Sekirei. She knew enough about their kind to recognize one when she saw one. Miya didn't know what to make of her yet, seeing as she hadn't spoken much, but her intuition told her she was good as well. If they truly meant to escape the violence of the Sekirei Plan as they had said, then she was more than happy to aid them.

Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto pouted and hunched over. "Well when you get to be old like me, you find yourself often reminiscent. You should enjoy your youth while you're young and pretty." His eyes roamed between Miya and Yuegen while playing the part of the stereotypical, wizened old man perfectly. It was true, no matter his looks.

Miya giggled at his words, "My, Naruto-san, maybe you should be moving into a retirement home instead."

Yuegen crowed in satisfaction, "Ha! See, I'm not the only one who thinks that!" She grinned cheekily at her fellow female. "I think we'll get along just fine, Miya-san."

"I think we will, Yuegen-san."

The blonde sighed in defeat. Now there were two people he had to contend with, and what's worse they were tag teaming him. He began muttering about mean women picking on poor defenseless old men and how he wished he had stopped Boredom-chan before she got him into troublesome scenarios.

"Alright, let's get on to business now. Here at Maison Izumo rent is 50,000 per room a month. I will take care of preparing meals and a number of the household chores, but I would appreciate help. The only rules I have are no violence and no lewd activity."

Naruto looked utterly taken aback. That was it? He could easily pay for the entire inn and not even be bothered, so money was no concern, but that was still a startling price. And if those were her only rules, then this would be a pretty easy place to live. They really had struck jackpot. "Are you sure that's all you need? That price is incredibly generous; you can't find a place anywhere for that amount. I can easily pay you more than that, it would be no trouble at all."

Both of the women in the room were astonished, neither expecting those words to come out of his mouth. For Yuegen it was because he had never struck her as the type to do such a thing. (As my grandparents always say; honest we are, stupid we're not.) She knew he was thoughtful, but this was new even to her. Though to be fair, it could be because they had not been in such a position before. Miya's eyes were wide and she found herself momentarily speechless. Out of anything he could have said, she had not been prepared for that. He was actually offering to pay more? What was with this convoluted blonde? Most anyone would have kept their mouth shut and their money in their pocket. Him? He offered to pay more. This man was of a different breed. There was a certain air of mystique, wisdom, and something else she couldn't place about him. The feeling was exotic, like the first visage of something completely foreign that surrealistically shocked the conscious with its' arrival. In a way, it was alluring. 'I'm going to have to keep an eye on him.'

Leaving her thoughts for later, Miya smiled beatifically. "There's no need, Naruto-san. My husband always believed in never turning someone away in need, and that includes monetary reasons. Though I'm very grateful for your offer, I won't change my standards even for that sort of benefit."

Naruto nodded to her and addressed Yuegen, "Would you like to have separate rooms, Yuegen? I don't mind covering an extra room if you would prefer that."

Now it was Yuegen's turn to be astounded. Seriously, what was with her Ashikabi? One moment he was moody and abrasive, the next he treated her like his wife. "No, I'm fine with staying in the same room. There's no need for pointless excess."

"Alright. I'd like to rent one room, Miya-san. I can pay you rent for the month right now." Proving his point, he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and began rifling through bills, exposing the nature of his wealth. Did he have a book hidden in his wallet? Bowing slightly, he presented the money to Miya. Gracefully, she thanked him and took the offering.

"Thank you, Naruto-san. I'll have your room ready in a little bit, I just need some time to prepare it. The room number is 202; it's the first door on the left once you go up the stairs. Are you going to stay the night here, or return home and move in tomorrow?"

Before he answered, he looked over at his partner, the look in his eyes telling her that he was deferring the choice to her. Yuegen thought about it for a moment, coming to her decision without much deliberation. "We'll stay the night at our current residence, and move everything tomorrow. We still need to pack, since we hadn't been expecting to find a place so soon."

Naruto agreed with her statement. It would be nice to stay one last night in his old home for sentiment and nostalgia's sake. He had been living in that apartment for years now, almost since the establishment was built. He had been living in Tokyo under different Henge forms since it was called Edo, so he had to relocate every so often when the city was renovated. It hadn't been a particularly difficult feat to hide within the walls over the years, seeing as it was so large. Though when the modern age had rolled in, he had moved away for several decades, deciding instead to live in Germany for a bit. It had really been awkward when World War II broke out; he was blonde haired, blue eyed, and living in Germany. Keeping his Japanese nationality under wraps and going with the flow had been a really good idea at the time. He had returned to Japan in a hurry, making his home in the highland range of the Akaishi Mountains as a sage. Nostalgia. When he finally departed the mountains for Tokyo once more under his normal guise, he had found that housing complex. It was right around the turn of the millennia then. You would think someone would have noticed him, but that wasn't the case. No one was paying that much attention for supernatural events, such as an unaging man. He kept himself mostly uninvolved from the public, so he went undetected. If the government ever did notice, he would simply disappear. He had hideouts all over the world and nothing but time. If it ever came to that, he was sure Yuegen wouldn't mind getting out of the Plan.

"That sounds fine with me. If it's no trouble, we'll stay here for a bit until we need to retire for the night."

Miya hummed in acknowledgement, "I see no issue with that. It would be nice to have you stay for a few more hours. We can use that time to get to know each other a little better. Unfortunately our other tenant is out working, so he'll have to introduce himself some other time."

Naruto smirked at her mischievously. He couldn't keep his nature at bay for long. "What? I'm in a room with two pretty ladies all by myself? I must be a lucky man indeed."

Yuegen grunted and stared out the window unabashed, but if you looked closely you could see a bare dusting of red on her cheeks. Miya brought her sleeve to cover her mouth and returned fire. "Oh, my. Making a move on a poor widow like me when you have Yuegen-san already. How indecent, Naruto-san. I think I may need to be careful in the future."

The dark look on Naruto's face sucked all the life in the room instantly. Corpses looked more alive than he did. "You're… a widow, huh?" he spoke in a cold monotone so empty that it sent shivers up their spine. "My apologies…I'll stop now." Yuegen had frozen completely in the face of his reaction, mind racing a mile a minute trying to figure out what was going on. A bead of sweat rolled down Miya's face as she stared deep into the void of his cold, lifeless eyes. This wasn't normal. A normal person would react with maybe a bit of morose and apologize empathetically, but this… the only thing that could explain his reaction was that it hit close to home. "Please, it's alright, Naruto. There's no need to be like that. You couldn't have known. I did lose my husband, but it's been long enough that it isn't an open wound. Please don't beat yourself up over it. You've…you've experienced it too, haven't you?"

The rictus of death remained on his face as he nodded slowly. "I lost my wife and children a long, long time ago. They were killed right in front of me as I watched helpless, unable to do anything to save them. I watched them be torn apart piece by piece as they struggled…I see it every time I close my eyes. I remember the echoes of their screams…I hear them in my dreams. I can feel their blood staining me…it never washes away. The regret has never left me a day since they died. No matter what I do, it is always there. I apologize…for bringing those memories up for you. I know it can't have been easy."

Miya's gaze fell away from his morbid visage. He was a kindred spirit. He knew the pain of losing the most important people in your life, and being powerless to do anything about it. He knew the unwavering guilt, pain, and regret that was absolute. What was worse was that… was that he had been forced to watch them die! Gods, he had been forced to watch his family die! Sobs wracked Miya at the thought. At least with Takehito, she had been informed rather than a witness. She could feel all the emotions of her loss trickling back as she too was caught in traumas of the past.

Yuegen's heart wrenched painfully as she cried through clenched teeth. She had wanted to know more about her Ashikabi, but this wasn't what she had expected! She hadn't wanted to know this! She didn't want him to have experienced something so awful! She had always known it was going to be something like this, but she had always pushed it away, ignoring the thought. And she absolutely loathed herself for her first reaction being a pang of jealousy at Naruto not only having been married to another woman, but having kids with them. She was disgusting! But now wasn't the time to allow her self-loathing. If she really cared about him, then she would console him in his time of need. Scooting closer to the blonde, Yuegen wrapped him up in a hug, resting her head on his sternum as Naruto stared straight ahead.

Naruto slowly started to come back to reality over the next minute, foggy eyes once more becoming cognizant. They never lost the dull look they always had. Shifting in place, Naruto was made aware of the person tightly clinging to his chest, occasionally shaking slightly. He grimaced; he had done it again. What was with him getting all sappy and messy lately? It had been so long since he had lost his cool like this, and yet he had already managed to do it three times in the last several days. Was it the bond making him this way, or was it her? He hated this feeling. It was scaring him, this vulnerability. Why was it becoming so much harder to keep up his walls? Tapping Yuegen's arm to let her know he was fine, he pulled away from her grasp. When he did, he clenched his teeth sharply. Her eyes were red from crying and full of so much grief. Directed at him. His chest lurched with a feeling he couldn't place; it was even more uncomfortable than before. He would do anything to get away from this situation. He would have to do everything to keep his walls even higher. It was unbearable to experience these things. It needed to go away. He felt like he was going to throw up. Stop looking at me like that. Stop it. Stop looking at me like that! Stop looking at me with those eyes! Stoplookingatme stoplookingatmestoplookingatmeSTOPLOOKINGATMELIKETHAT! STOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOP-

A tiny smile worked its' way to his face and he squeezed her hands lightly, "I'm sorry about that, you two. I didn't mean to get like that. It usually doesn't bother me, but when it hurts it hurts, you know? I'm fine now. And Miya, I truly am sorry. That was awful of me."

As soon as Miya heard him say her name she too returned to the present. She shook her head, "That's enough, Naruto-san. I'll get angry if you keep apologizing, you know? Let's just call this water under the bridge and move on. The tea will taste bad if the atmosphere stays this dreary."

Naruto gave Yuegen a brief hug and muttered a quiet 'sorry', his demeanor shifting in an instant. For those who had not been present, they would have no idea that anything had been amiss. Standing, he bowed to Miya and made his way towards the hallway, stopping just long enough to say, "I think it would be best if we went ahead and returned home. Thank you for your hospitality. We'll be back bright and early tomorrow, Miya-san. Let's go, Yuegen."

At his words, Yuegen rose sluggishly and gave Miya a polite nod as she left.

Miya herself made no movement to acknowledge the situation, maroon eyes trailing their figures as they walked out the front door. She had no idea what to think of what had just occurred. Collecting the empty saucers, her hand froze when she reached Naruto's spot. Where was his cup? That was quite strange. He may have been… off as he left, but he didn't strike her as the type to be so careless as to leave with the cup still in hand. No, she hadn't seen it in his hand, so that wasn't it. Sighing, she stood and went to the kitchen to wash what cups she did have. Placing the tray of dirty saucers down by the sink, her eyes widened. Sitting on the counter was Naruto's tea cup, clean as a whistle. When had he…? At this point, Miya was already becoming desensitized to the many confounding things about the blonde. My, he was mysterious, though. In time, she wanted unravel the secrets of the worn, disparaged soul that had washed up on her shores. Grabbing the dishes, she set about cleaning.

XXXXXXXXXX

The walk to the subway station was done in silence. Naruto wasn't bothered by the ambiance, and in fact seemed to be notably grateful for it. Yuegen abstained from conversation because she had no idea what to say. What could she say after that? This infuriating man kept making her lose her cool in the worst ways. She was just as uncomfortable as he had been now that the event was said and done. This wasn't her! This sappy, sobbing, emotional mess that he had made her! It had to be the bond. The damn bond that messed with the head of every Sekirei that fell to its' whims. She had never, ever been like this prior to her winging. She had fallen prey to the very thing she had hated her entire life, and she didn't know what to do. There wasn't anything to do. The best she could do was to be more resilient. To overcome the pressure of the bond. She would be here for him, but as Yuegen, not as a bonded Sekirei. She was stronger than this, damn it all!

They rode the half hour subway journey from Arakawa to Setagaya in silence still, neither finding the words to breach the subject.

As they got off the train, Naruto finally broke the terse atmosphere. "Are you sure…you want me to be your Ashikabi?"

"What?" was Yuegen's brilliant response.

"I said are you sure you want me as your Ashikabi. I'm probably one of the worst people you could have as a partner. You'll only be held back if you stay with me. I can…break this bond if that's what you want."

Shadows danced over Yuegen's lowered face. She started walking towards the stairs of the station, leaving Naruto standing there nonplussed. "Let's go. You've had your time to be mopey already. We have a lot of packing to do, and I'm not going to do it by myself."

Naruto was absolutely flabbergasted. He scoffed, tossing his head to the side as his fingertips framed his face. She was right, there were better things to do than wallow in misery. This time, he was the one moving to catch up with her.

XXXXXXXXXX

The front door swung open, allowing the two occupants to walk through its' premise. Both of them immediately set about compacting their belongings. Naruto had called a moving company on the way home and gotten a truck scheduled for the next day. It was late, so they wouldn't get much preparation done tonight, but every little bit counted. Luckily, there weren't a terrible lot of things in Naruto's possession. Packing was always unexpectedly arduous, no matter the amount. You don't realize how much you have until you're forced to go through it all.

They worked laboriously for a time, putting a number of non-essentials into cardboard boxes and putting them neatly to the side. Naruto hadn't decided what he would do with the furniture just yet, but he had the truck tomorrow no matter what he chose.

Naruto cracked his back as he stood up from his last box, sighing happily at the sound of his vertebrae popping. His back was killing him!

"A hot shower sounds great right about now. After a hard day's work, there's nothing like it. Hm. I wonder if Yuegen is still working in the kitchen."

Checking said room, he found it devoid of life. The boxes she had been filling were tidily kept in the corner of the kitchen where they wouldn't interfere with the room's function.

There wasn't as much to do in the kitchen as the living room where he had been working, so chances were she had started one of the other rooms. Maybe she had had the same idea as him and called it quits for the night.

As he walked in, he could see the light seeping under the bathroom door, solving the mystery of her whereabouts. That was fine, he would wait until she was finished.

Sliding open the door to the balcony, he leaned over the rail in his usual spot. The twinkling lights in the inky darkness were like the sky had been made perpendicular and the lights themselves had become artificial stars. He scoffed at the notion. He missed when the world had been filled with nature and the city had been modest at night. He could see the stars clearly then, in those quiet days. As all things do, the world changed, and he too had come to accept that. He didn't hate the sight by any means, it had just come to represent something new. That was one thing that had been a constant of humanity: evolution. They were always striving to become better, and that was something he could respect. Among the many things he despised about humanity, that was a shining beacon. He had seen the best of humanity, and the worst. Times when the unconditional love for your fellow man was beautiful, and times when the depravity of humankind bled the world dry.

It was funny, some of the best people he had known in the ancient age had been those considered villains. The Akatsuki and Madara Uchiha had been people he respected deeply, for what it was worth. They had visions and a hope for something better. For some it had become contrived, for others it had been simply misunderstood. They had become the way they were through tragedy, and had all changed for it. They weren't bad people. Sasori had allowed himself to die in peace, after waiting years for his family to return home, Pein had wanted people to understand the pain of depravity, Madara had wished for an ideal world for everyone, the list went on. Don't get him wrong; Madara had killed many of his friends, and he would always hate him for that. He still could respect his ambitions and the fact that in the end, he had been the puppet of another's game as well. He shared the Nidaime's sentiment: Damn Uchiha. Except Itachi Uchiha… if there was ever a man he believed deserving of the title Hokage, it was him. He had been an amazing man; an unfortunate victim of life. And then there was his dear friend, Kurama. The legendary nine-tailed fox, strongest of the bijū. Vessel of eternal hatred and vengeance. At least, until Naruto had broken through to him. Once Naruto had reached him, every terrible thing about Kurama became untrue. The tailed beast was genuinely good. They had been the closest of friends and partners, fighting through the Great War side by side. Out of everyone he had lost, the loss of Kurama had been the most painful. Kurama had been with him for a long time into his wandering, a constant companion through thick and thin; the only thing he had to keep his sanity. Kurama had quite literally been his light in the dark. And then one day he simply disappeared. No sign, no goodbye, nothing. After his disappearance, Naruto had spent nearly twenty years trying to find Kurama and contact the toads of Mount Myoboku with no success. He had truly lost everything. Naruto hated boredom because it meant he had to be alone with himself…something that tortured him to no end. Things were so simple then; beat up the bad guys, protect the innocent, become Hokage, eat ramen, and that was it. Ignorance truly was bliss.

'Fools and those seen as insane are often the purest of intention when everything is said and done. At least…that was how it was in my time.'

"What are you doing out here?"

His eyes cast backwards to catch sight of the voice's owner. Yuegen stood with a towel around her neck and a sheer nightgown over her gorgeous frame. The slight dampness of her body made the gown almost see-through, something that would have been a lucky sight most times. Now was not that time.

"Taking in the view for old times' sake. It's a sight that I've spent many hours on, but I never tire of it."

"What makes it so special?"

"That's a bit of a tough question. I wouldn't say it's the view so much as the thoughts that always come from it. Enough about that, let's call it a night." He slipped by Yuegen who remained in place as he left the balcony. As he passed through the room, her voice stopped him.

"Wait."

"Yes?"

"You should stay in here. It's your last night in your home, you should at least enjoy your bed. I've used it for the last two weeks while you've taken the couch. I'll switch with you."

Naruto remained silent, mulling things over for a second. "Alright. Only if you join me though. I wouldn't feel right making you sleep on the couch."

"That really isn't necessary. I-"

"Take it or leave it."

Yuegen sighed at the stubborn, maddening blonde and his equally abrasive attitude. "Okay. I'm tired. Goodnight." She flopped onto the bed and rolled over, leaving only her viridian hair poking out.

Naruto made for the bathroom, ready to take his long-awaited shower. Minutes later when he returned refreshed, he quietly slipped into bed beside her, sleep following shortly after.

AN: This chapter is a bit longer than the last, but it's really because I didn't want to stop until I wrote this scene. I came up with the idea for this ending about half way into the chapter, and I was determined to connect it in, for several reasons. Really I just liked the idea.

I actually edited this one final time last night, and let me tell you it made this chapter much more intense. I spent all day writing notes, studying, writing papers, and watching recorded lectures, so this was my escape from a hard day's work. I hope you enjoyed.

Anyways, that's just about it for now. Be sure to leave me a bunch of reviews! Those are really the best, closely trailed by favorites and follows. I like reading what you all leave me.

Until next time! Good health and take care!