Diamonds and Pearls

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. So what I learned was everyone REALLY wants that treasure chest lemon. Don't worry, it will happen. Maybe in this chapter or in another one, but the treasure chest lemon will be included. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 19

"Everyone be careful. There is clearly someone else on this side and we don't know if they are friendly. Though it's likely they were responsible for our warm welcome." Gaara warns them.

Itachi nods in agreement. Well Hidan had only seen one shadow. So they likely outnumbered their host (or hosts.) That was a definite advantage.

The crews all head on cautiously. Naruto had his arm wrapped around Sasuke's waist protectively. Itachi and Gaara were holding hands. The other couples were making similar affectionate gestures. Those who didn't have a lover, were mostly sticking close to their closest friend. No one wanted to be alone for whatever was about to happen next.

Sasuke blinks. He saw a light at the end of the cave. He cautiously heads towards it, urging everyone to follow him and Naruto.

"Sasuke, what is it?" Naruto asks.

"I see a light. I think there's something on the other side of the cave. That might be where the treasure is or where our host ran off to." Sasuke mutters.

"Or both. We could be walking straight into an ambush." Kisame adds "helpfully."

Konan gives Kisame a dirty look. She was not going to tolerate it. Nope, not for one moment was she going to put up with comments like that. She smacks him upside the head.

"You idiot. Don't you be jinxing us!" The blue haired pirate warns him.

"Owe! Alright. Sheesh. Are all female pirates mad? I swear the entire lot of you are insane." He snaps at her.

That earned him several dirty looks. Sasori just shakes his head. He was feeling better now that he had the antidote. Kisame was practically begging for a rather sound beating.

He had seen these women in action. They could hold their own against any man. Sasori would be the first to admit that he had been rather skeptical about the idea of having so many women aboard their ship, but he couldn't argue with the results.

"Their going to beat you bloody for that one and you kinda deserve it." Kankuro says.

"I take it back! I take it back! Hey, put those swords down. I was just pulling all your legs. I was just having some fun. No need to get your panties in a bunch." The blue skinned man pleads.

Sasuke just shakes his head. Kisame really was not gifted in the art of calming women down. Luckily for him, Itachi was.

"Ladies, please. Forgive my friend's lack of manners. He didn't mean any harm. Besides, we have a treasure to find. Isn't that more important than giving him a sound thrashing?" Itachi inquires.

"I don't know. We could give him a sound thrashing and then find the treasure." Sakura muses.

Kisame gulps. Naruto shakes his head. It was funny to see the other Captain look so terrified, but they had more important things to do.

"You can beat him after we've got the treasure. Besides, if you beat him up too much, he won't be of any use." The blonde points out.

The girls sigh and nod their head in acceptance. The group continues on. Sasuke leads the way. The back of the cave was completely open. He steps through the opening and gasps.

He stares around in awe. It was beautiful here. It was an explosion of colors with all the flowers. There was several rather handsome treehouses and overgrown fields as far as the eye could see. At one time, someone must have actually been tending the land.

He quickly shuts his eyes when he looks down. He was almost blinded by all the gold, silver, gems, and fine crystal. There were literally mountains of treasure almost everywhere you looked.

"This has got to be a trap. It's too easy." Shikamaru observes once he makes it through the opening.

Itachi was inclined to agree. There was still the mysterious stranger to consider. He or she had to be around here somewhere.

"Gaara, throw a pebble at some of the treasure. It might be booby trapped." Itachi instructs.

The red head nods. He gestures for everyone take cover and then tosses the pebble. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when no explosion happened.

"Well that's good. No explosion. Still where is our friend?" Ino asks suspiciously as she looks all around for their host.

That was the question on all their minds. They knew that they weren't alone. There was another person around here. They just had to find him or her. Preferably before their host found them.

"Whoa come look at this! This thing is huge. Someone help me get it open." Kiba calls out.

Sasuke and Naruto approach the canine lover cautiously. Indeed that chest was massive. It was probably around ten feet long and five feet across. Sasuke unsheathes his blade and smashes it against the ancient lock, it comes flying open.

They gasp at what they saw. Two skeletons that were holding hands. The smaller skeleton had his head resting against the other's chest. There was a note on top of them.

"You do it, Naruto!" Kiba says.

"What?! Why me?! Why do I have to reach inside the creepy treasure coffin?!" The blonde demands.

"Well you are Captain." Kiba reasons.

Naruto blinks. Well that was a good point. Still he wasn't the only Captain. Maybe Itachi or Gaara would be willing to do this morbid task. Oh and so was Kisame!

"Itachi, Gaara? Kisame? A little help?" The blue eyed Captain calls out to the other three men.

The second pair of lovers strides over and Kisame soon follows them. They stare down at the coffin chest stunned. Whatever they had been expecting, this clearly hadn't been it.

"Let me guess, you are too squeamish to grab the note?" Itachi asks in amusement.

"Yeah! I mean they are dead! What if it's cursed or something?" The blonde demands.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Oh NOW Naruto was cautious? He was the one that sent them on this mad quest ion the first place! Unbelievable.

"You are a big baby. They are dead. What do you think they are going to jump up and grab you?" Sasuke scoffs as he reaches down and grabs the note.

"Sasuke! Wait! That might be cursed or something! You really shouldn't mess with it! You don't know what will happen!" His lover exclaims.

His lover merely shakes his head and reads the note. Sasuke decides it was probably best to read it out loud. Soon everyone was listening with baited breath as the First Mate read the note that the two dead men had left for them.

Dear Treasure Seeker or Seekers,

You have made it passed all of our traps. You found the treasure, even though it wasn't on the map. You passed the reefs, the boars, the quick sand, the cave of doom, and even jumped over the pikes. Now there is just one last obstacle in your way.

Our descendents stayed on this isle. If any of them survived to this day, you will have to defeat them with guile. Should you answer their question correctly, the treasure is yours. If you do not, you shall feel the sting of their swords.

You only get one guess. Try your best or you might be laid to rest. Good luck. It'll take more than pluck to not end up in the muck.

Madara and Kurama.

Meanwhile Rin, Obito, Kakashi, and Guy continue sailing back towards England. The assassin frowns. She really didn't know what awaited her back there.

"Don't worry, Rin. The Queen is quite fond of me. I'm certain that she wouldn't mind giving you a place at Court." Kakashi tries to reassure her.

"A place at Court? Are you out of your blooming mind?! I am an assassin, Kakashi. She is not going to want an assassin in her home. Well not unless she wants someone killed." Rin says with a shrug.

Obito chuckles. Well there was at least one person who he knew that Mei wouldn't mind seeing dead. Still he was the Spanish King and that wasn't a kill to be made lightly.

"What are you laughing about?" Guy asks the shipyard owner in complete confusion.

"Oh I think the Queen might well like to make use of yours skills. I'm not certain if she has the stomach to ask though. You see Queen Mei is not that fond of the Spanish King. It would be a way to win her favor, if you are not too frightened of the possible consequences of getting caught. I don't recommend it, but it is a funny thought." Obito replies.

The silver haired pirate gapes at his friend. He couldn't believe that the recluse would suggest such a thing. He had just casually discussed the death of a King!

Oh Kakashi had little love for most Royals. Mei was the exception to his general contempt for them, but still. That was the fastest way to an early grave that he knew of. Was Obito mad?

"That is not a humorous suggestion." He says.

"Perhaps not. Though I suppose if that really is true and I could get away with it, the Queen would be rather indebted to me. I would be set for life." Rin muses.

Kakashi smacks his forehead. He couldn't believe that they were talking about this. Good God, he was going to have to handcuff Rin and get her a leash to make certain she didn't follow through on Obito's foolish joke.

"He was not seriously advocating for you to kill the King of Spain. Do you have any idea how foolish such an undertaking would be?" The CopyCat Pirate asks.

"I would tell you to calm down before your hair all turns gray, but it seems that it's too late for that." She says with a smirk.

The pirate twitches. He couldn't believe she had taunted him about his hair! He had been born with a head of silver hair, surely as the Sun did rise! Rin was aware of that. She knew that he hated being teased about it.

"That was well below the belt." He says.

"I suppose that's true. I am sorry. That wasn't very fair. Let me make it up to you." The woman offers.

Guy and Obito watch Rin carefully. Neither was entirely certain what that crazy woman was plotting. This might not end well. God only knows what went on in her mind.

"And how do you intend to do that?" He asks.

"Surely you have heard of kissing and making up." She tells him and presses her lips against his.

Obito's eyes widen just as much as Kakashi. He knew that he should be heartbroken. This was the girl that he had been in love with since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. Yet he wasn't.

The girl that he was in love with was gone. This woman he didn't recognize. Oh he liked her well enough. It was fun to conspire with her, but he didn't love her. Not like he had loved that girl that he grew up with.

"Well yes. I've never seen it taken quite so literally before." He says with a chuckle after returning the kiss.

Kakashi glances back at Obito. He knew that his best friend had always carried a torch for Rin. He didn't want to severe a friendship. He mentally breathes a sigh of relief when the shipyard owner gives him a signal that he was not going to object.

"I find the direct approach works the best." She muses.

"That's the spirit! Behold the power of love and youth!" Guy exclaims.

Rin blinks. Guy was a very friendly fellow, but he was also quite odd. She looks at Kakashi uncertainly.

"Guy deeply appreciates youth. It's his philosophy on life." Kakashi explains and she nods.

He leans down and whispers into her ear. The silver haired pirate didn't want her to be uncomfortable because of his friend's eccentric ways. It was best to just explain everything to her now.

"Just humor him. I'm afraid that I will have to break off my relationship with the Queen. I would not intentionally stray. Sad to say, but our days of play were dwindling anyway. She can only reasonably stall marriage for so long." He says with a dramatic sigh.

Rin stares at Kakash in shock. He was giving up a QUEEN for her?! Clearly, everyone on this ship was insane.

"Are you certain that this is what you wish to do? I would not be angry with you. She is a Queen. I'm an assassin. I can hardly expect you to prefer a life on the run with me to a life of luxury in the palace with her." The woman says.

"I do enjoy being with the Queen, but we both knew it wasn't meant to be. She was an extremely pleasant diversion and I do care for her a great deal. She also cares for me, but she loves her country more. I could never be her King. Can you imagine the scandal that her marrying a pirate would cause?" He asks.

Rin thinks about it and nods slowly. That was true. Kakashi might have enough wealth to make him a suitable match, but his reputation meant that it could never be. Well at least not without the Vatican and public coming down hard on Mei for daring to marry a man that wasn't "socially acceptable."

"If being a Queen means I can't choose what man will share my bed freely, I think I prefer my station." She says with a smile.

"A wise woman. Gold is always nice, but freedom is better. Pleasure before treasure." He says with a wink.

Back on the isle, the pirate crews all stand back to back. There was no way of knowing how many of Madara and Kurama's descendents might survive. There was at least one person on this island though. It was highly unlikely they could defeat so many men and women, but that didn't mean they couldn't take out a few of them before they perished.

"You really should see the look upon all of your faces. It's quite priceless." Someone says and the pirates all direct their attention towards the source of the masculine voice.

He looked to be fairly young. It was most likely that he was in his late twenties. He had brown hair that reached to his shoulders and cinnamon brown eyes. His garb was light blue and it opened to reveal his chest. Unfortunately, he was not alone.

Somehow they had been surrounded. There had to be at least two dozen archers surrounding them. The pirates and sailors had the advantage of numbers, but those arrows would fly before they could reach them. They might win the battle, but it would be at a heavy cost.

"Who are you?" Itachi demands.

"I am Utakata. I am just one of the many descendents of Madara and Kurama. As you can see, my kin are here as well. I never thought someone would actually make it through all those traps, let alone so many people. I suppose that's good though." He muses.

"If you want to fight, it's a fight you will lose." Karin snaps at him.

Utakata chuckles. Pirates were always so aggressive. He had grown up listening to tales of what his ancestors had done. He knew full well the type of people that he was dealing with. He wasn't frightened in the least though.

"Calm yourself. We are only planning to fight if you can't answer the question." He instructs him.

"Do you have any idea how fucking insane that is? You are willing to fight to the death over the riddle of two dead men!" Hidan calls out.

He couldn't argue that to an outsider, it likely sounded strange. Still it was their way. They had been raised since birth to prepare for this. They certainly weren't going to let their ancestors down now.

"We care naught for you opinion of us. You only get one guess. That's one guess for all of you. You aren't each getting a chance." He says firmly.

Naruto blinks. This was complete insanity. Seriously? He looks around and notes that the archers didn't seem to be playing. Holy shit. They were all mad as hatters.

"Sasuke? You were always the best at riddlers when we were children." Itachi says.

"I'll do it. If everyone agrees. Our chances of getting out of this without a fight to the death are slim and that's assuming they keep their word." He mutters.

The pirates and sailors all huddle. There was a great debate about who would answer the question. Eventually, it was decided that Sasuke would be as good a guess as any.

None of the sailors wanted to do it and most of the pirates trusted Itachi's assessment. Naruto looks at Sasuke in concern. His lover just gives him a reassuring smile and walks over to Utakata.

"Alright. I'm going to be the one that will answer your riddle. What is it? We didn't come all this way for nothing. One way or another that treasure is ours. We'd rather not have this be another bloodbath, but that wouldn't stop us." Sasuke warns him.

Utakata smirks. Well he had to admit that he admired the fighting spirit of the strange people who had entered their home. Still the rules were the rules.

"You first feel it when your mother nurses you at her breasts."

"Like a bird leaving the nest, the world puts you to the test."

"We are always told that gold is the greatest treasure."

"The one that will give the most pleasure."

"But this is not true, for me and you."

"What is the greatest treasure, beyond measure?" He asks.

Sasuke blinks. He frowns as he ponders the question. What had to do with nursing and was worth more than gold? Something that you couldn't measure. What kind of insane riddle was this?!

"I don't think he knows the answer." Shino says cautiously and prepares to get into a fighting stance.

"Shut up! You can do it, my pearl!" Naruto calls out.

The youngest Uchiha glances back at lover. He smiles when he sees him and his brother. Itachi was holding onto Gaara rather tightly. That's when it clicked.

My pearl. Pearl was a form of treasure. Naruto always called him his treasure. The blonde loved him.

"You first feel it at your mother's breast." Something your mother had for you. A mother loved her children. Pleasure obviously referred to happiness and knowing the kinds of deviants that the infamous pirates had been, likely sex. More precious than gold and you couldn't measure it. It had to be love.

"It's love." Sasuke answers after a few tense moments.

Utakata blinks. He hadn't expected the pirate to get that one. He sighs and gestures for everyone to lower their bows.

He had little faith that the pirates and sailors weren't going to attack. Still they had passed every task. It was only right to let them have the treasure. That was what their ancestors had wanted after all.

They wanted the treasure seeker or seekers to prove themselves worthy. That's why they had devised all these insane tasks. Well they had certainly done that.

"It's yours then. I hope you use it wisely." Utakata says with a smile.

"Wait you mean after all that, you are just going to let us walk off with the treasure?! That's it?!" Suigetsu asks in disbelief.

Utakata nods as if this was perfectly normal. Everyone else falls over in shock. Nobody really knew what they had been expecting, but this definitely wasn't it.

"It is going to take us time to gather all this." Itachi says softly.

"Take all the time you need. It took centuries for someone to get beyond Madara and Kurama's traps. I don't think a few days or even weeks is going to make a difference. Thank you. Thanks to you and your friends, our ancestors can finally be at rest." He says with a smile.

Jugo looks around and shakes his head. It was hard to believe that Madara and Kurama had wanted their treasure to end up in strangers, rather than their descendants. Still he definitely wasn't going to argue.

"Wait. You said you are their descendents. Yeah?" Deidara asks and Utakata nods his head in confirmations.

"Yes, we are. What is causing you confusion about that?" He asks.

"Well Madara and Kurama were both men. Two men can't have babies together." The eccentric blonde points out.

The mysterious man shakes his head in amusement. It was a logical question, though he was surprised someone had the lack of tact to ask. Oh well. He didn't mind answering it.

"They loved each other deeply. Both of them wanted children. Obviously, they couldn't have them naturally. So they brought some women to the island. In exchange for baring their children, they were allowed to live comfortable lives here." He explains.

"Ohhh. Well that makes more sense." Deidara says and nods his head in acceptance.

Gaara chuckles. Well that was interesting. Still there was one problem. How were they ever going to carry all this treasure over the ladder?

"We won't be able to move this. The ladder is all that we have to cross that pit with." He says mournfully.

"Oh don't worry. We can cover the hole. You'll be able to move this all freely." He says and whistles.

A group of the natives begin carrying off lots of rocks. The pirates blink and follow them. All of them were curious to see how that was going to the problem.

They soon got their answer. The natives begin throwing the rocks into the pit. Over and over again, they kept throwing them, until it was completely filled. The pikes were likely crushed by the force of all the throws or they were buried so far underneath them, they were no longer a threat.

"Wow. Why didn't we think of that?" Naruto asks Sasuke.

Sasuke just shrugged. Who cared? It worked. He starts grabbing some of the treasure. The rest of the crew quickly followed his lead and Naruto walks alongside him.

"Sasuke, remember your promise." Naruto says as they walk across the rocks, carrying their first bit of the treasure.

"Is that all you EVER think about?" Sasuke asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Well it's kinda hard not to. I mean you did promise." The blonde insists.

Sasuke shakes his head. Oh boy. What the Hell was he ever going to do with this man?

"Naruto, I always keep my promises. Once we have loaded all of the treasure onto the ship, we can go back to our cabin. Then we'll make love on top of some treasure chests." The raven haired youth assures him.

"FINALLY! You know what your biggest problem is, Sasuke?" The blonde demands.

The First Mate sighs. He was almost afraid to ask. Still he knew he was going to find out one way or another.

"No. What is my biggest problem, idiot?" He inquires.

"You're a treasure before pleasure man. It should be the other way around. That's okay though. That's why you have me. You don't want to become a boring old man before you're even thirty summers, do you?" His lover asks with a laugh.

"No. I most certainly do not want to become a boring old man before thirty summers. I suppose that's why I keep you around. It certainly isn't for your brains." Sasuke says with a smirk and races off.

Naruto just gapes at the sight of his lover's lovely retreating backside for a minute. He couldn't believe that Sasuke had just said that. Well he could, but still!

"Hey! Get back here! Take that back! I'm smart too!" He protests and chases Sasuke.

"Make me take it back." Sasuke taunts him.

"Oh I'll make you take it back alright." Naruto growls as he pins Sasuke against the wall and kisses him.

"I'm trembling with…excitement." Sasuke says slyly after returning the kiss.