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Chapter 20: Means to an End

"hhhh"- Kyuubi

"hhhh"- death

Naruto carefully wiped away the blood from the blade, the metal gleam couldn't be seen in the darkness. The ground was saturated with blood, debris and craters from explosions. After cleaning the blade and sheathing it in the dark wood saya (katana scabbard) he turned his face upwards, feeling the small sensations of rain drops hitting his face.

'I hate the rain.'

"Well there's nothing you can do about it."

'It brings back too many memories'

"Then don't remember you foolish child! And get out of the rain!"

Naruto ignored the mutinous mutterings that came from the back of his unconscious mind. It felt strange to hear Kyuubi mutter, and Naruto could never get used to hearing the sound echo slightly in his head, as if he was hearing someone screaming from the other end of a tunnel. He shifted his weight and pulling his legs under him and looked at the corpse on his left.

The storm had started halfway through the fight and had continued, mellowing out the hard earth that the fight had started on into a mud mess that had both shinobi slipping sometimes. He didn't remember much of the fight, only the adrenaline rush and pain as Obito's attacks hit home. The surrounding forest was destroyed and Naruto was glad for the thunder and lightning of the storm to conceal the sounds and flashes of jutsu. Obito put up a great fight, but Naruto had gone through too much to let him win.

'I guess what Jiraiya said about revenge is right. Now all I can think about is how to kill Sasuke.'

"Well seems like you managed to get it done! And just in time to get married tomorrow too. Aren't you glad?"

"Shut up. I need to get going and explain to Tsunade. You are late."

"Yeah well something got in the way again. It was a fun chase so I didn't want to end it quickly."

Naruto didn't look at the corpse again nor at the walking deadman. "There is no time to be tired Naruto."

'I'm not. It's finally going to be fun.'

"Where the hell have you been? You're getting married in less than 24 hours Naruto!"Ttsunade's deceptive voice didn't match her furious expression. Naruto only had to laugh a bit scratch his head like Jiraiya used to get Tsunade relaxed but wary again in a few minutes.

"I was just getting some air baa-chan. After today I'll be stuck for the rest of my life!" Tsunade rolled her eyes at and sank down to the huge chair behind the desk. "Well as long as you were in the village I really don't care. You WERE in the village right?"

Naruto laughed nervously before nodding silently. Technically his clone was in the village but no one had come close to finding the clone where he had hid. So he was fine giving an excuse for pre-wedding nerves for the hiding. Tsunade probably has someone track his chakra signature.

"Well get out of here brat. Go see your future wife or something, or get drunk. I have work to do."

"As if! You're probably getting rid of me so you can get drunk!" Naruto laughed before ducking out of the room, barely avoiding the paperweight that slammed into the closed door. Naruto shrugged at Shizune's accusing face that popped out in front of him and darted away again.

She had just finished preparing the table when Naruto entered the room almost making her jump from the suddenness of the movement. After her soon-to-be husband had disappeared Aiko had gone and done her shopping with sakura and Hinata. She wondered how the two still managed to find time but both had assured her that they are supposed to be with her all time when Naruto wasn't there. Then the three of them had gone to the hot springs to enjoy their time and pamper themselves.

It had been one of the few times she had been able to enjoy her time with people who had been happy to spend time with her. Usually it was something that had been ordered, even though the two shinobi were assigned with protecting her, or something people did to get her or her fathers' favour. Sakura and Hinata were two fresh faces that she trusted a lot now and was actually happy to have found them in konoha.

Riku was another one she was perplexed with. The man had taken to shadowing the three of them when they were free, prompting sakura to sneak her sly glances and then sometimes to make her angry at Riku. Aiko didn't know why the man was trying to incorporate into their group since he wasn't event assigned to be a bodyguard but appreciated the notion nonetheless. 'Or maybe he's just like everyone else who wants a favour from the daimyo's daughter.' But it still didn't explain sakura's glances or anger. But she didn't dare to interpret more than what she wanted to, and she didn't want to know what they thought about the change either.

But Naruto's teammates were more than welcome to spend time with her, and she enjoyed time with the weirdness of Kakashi and the vulgarity of sai, it made her smile and be more comfortable, knowing that she was getting to know the people naruto grew up with. Kakashi and Iruka had practically raised Naruto through his pre-teens, and she was glad to have met Jiraiya, the man Naruto respected more than anyone else. She even got to spend time with the hokage and her assistant, the two women would bring food and sake and they would spend the night talking away.

Then Naruto had disappeared at night two days ago and her sister and father had arrived at konoha just the day before. They were supposed to have arrived in the morning, but then the party had been delayed and they arrived in konoha in the evening. The village was in frenzy and had been since then. Father had been furious that Naruto wasn't there and it took Tsunade several hours before being able to placate the daimyo. Even with the combined efforts of her and her sister, their father would not be completely satisfied until he had seen Naruto.

But Naruto hadn't come home since the night two days earlier, when he had left for dinner with his friends. They had all been worried of course; no one had seen Naruto since he had left the restaurant with Sasuke but Sasuke was there the next day. Finally kiba had tracked down Naruto at the hokage mountain but didn't approach him. She had begged them to go and talk to him, just to see if he was alright but for some reason she couldn't comprehend they wouldn't go. Finally when she herself was going to go and see Naruto they had stopped her, saying to give him some space before the wedding. But she knew Naruto and could judge people, and she knew Naruto's secrets would never be known by her unless he wanted her to know.

And today had been a hectic day for her as well; Naruto's friends had arrived in the morning and were still at the front room while she prepared lunch, even though many of the females had offered help she wanted to do it alone, to get used to being able to manage a household. And now Naruto had returned and everything looked perfect.

"Naruto, you're back! Do you want to eat now? I have your favourite cooked today. What happened to everyone?"

The muddied bag was dropped on the floor and Naruto smiled at her. "They left. They had things to do."

Aiko's shocked was probably portrayed in her face, and Naruto approached her slowly. Then he was hugging her the next second. "Why don't we go see your honoured father and sister too. I'll take a shower so you can get ready in that time."

She nodded silently, still uneasy about the abrupt leaving of the people who had demanded lunch in the first place. She was sure Naruto had said something to the konoha nine and others who had come to visit her. She still couldn't figure out the feeling she got when she saw Naruto interact with his friends, it was always nagging at her when she saw the group together.

The wind was blowing silently, and she faced the window when the hot air blew hair into her face. Summer was still in konoha, making the village rich in colour and sound. She could get used to life here in the village; it was so different from the palace life that she didn't want to go back. 'Naruto would never accept that. The village is not a place he wants to stay in. he said that before.'

She enjoyed the breeze again for a second before starting to move to the bedroom when her she glance noticed the bag left in the room, her heart thudded with anticipation. 'It wouldn't be a minute. I'll be his wife soon anyway. It'll be my duty.' She had reached the bag and was within fingertips of the straps. Thin sweat was breaking out on her skin, her muscles tight with tension. 'It's fine. It's fine. It's my duty to clean up after him. There's nothing wrong with tidying up the house, and he left it right in the middle of the dining room!'

"What are you doing?" the voice almost made her faint with anxiety, and it sent a chill through her. She looked up from where she was kneeling next to the bag. Naruto was in a towel with one hand on the other white towel around his shoulders, but it was his eyes that made aiko shiver with uneasiness. The blue eyes were light with an emotion she hadn't seen in Naruto before, they were narrowed and she could see the pupil was a slit. She was sweating with fear now.

"I was just going to clean up bag. Is there something wrong with that?"

Naruto seemed to scrutinize her for a few long minutes before he came forward and picked up the bag. "This is my mission bag. Don't touch it again."

Aiko sat there silently, feeling the tension slowly drain away to nothingness. 'And I will spend the rest of my life with him.'

The daimyo was reading when the attendant led into the room. The house had been given to the daimyo and was one of the prestigious houses left for foreign and local dignitaries. Yue was on the other side of the room practicing calligraphy. The older daughter of the daimyo looked up with a pleasant smile when the two were introduced and led into the room. She stood up gracefully, shifting aside the kimono material easily.

"Aiko it has been too long. How have you been?" Naruto could see the painfully fake smile that aiko was wearing when she replied. The two women embraced lightly and yue turned towards him.

"Naruto. It looks like the years have been good on you, you haven't changed a bit." Yue's smile was genuine and wistful.

"And you Yue. It has really been years haven't it." Naruto could only bow at the woman now; years ago he had been close to her and loved her. But now, after everything that had happened he could barely feel anything. Most of the emotions he felt were connected to kyuubi's, and the demon only felt emotions in odd occurrences.

"It's pathetic that what you have become, Naruto. You had more promise back when you were a naïve fool."

'Is it pathetic that I want to destroy what made me like this?'

"It's not as if it happened yesterday. That frog boy will not like to see you like this."

Naruto's expression didn't change outside, but his mind filled with anger at kyuubi's words. What right did that demon have to judge him?

'It's not like I will ever see him again. In this lifetime or in another.'

"How disappointing Naruto."

"Leave us, Aiko, Yue. I need to speak to him alone." Naruto didn't dare to move his eyes away from the hard gaze of the daimyo. Aiko and yue looked anxiously at Naruto but left at the prompting anyway, the attendants leaving with them and closing the heavy wooden doors. Naruto bowed low and settled in the mat in front of the low table, his feet pressing up against his buttocks as he sat in seiza style. He kept his eyes low, respectful and yet wary still.

"You were not here since the night day before yesterday. And you apparently left that night with the Uchiha survivor."

"Told you so."

"Yes daimyo-sama. I was in the village but I wished to get some time to myself before the wedding."

The daimyo's gaze never yielded in hardness or disproval. "No one could find you, and you made my daughter worry. If you going to act like this again Naruto, I may have second thoughts about this wedding."

Naruto folded his hands in front of him and touched his forehead to the tops of his hands, bowing formally in apology and necessity. "Please forgive me my lord. It will not happen again."

"Rise up. I will forgive you this time only, Namikaze-kun. Now the preparations for the wedding have completed, I am glad to know that the hokage had taken charge of that, since you were not even here. Aiko has had help from the two guards who had been assigned to her too apparently."

Naruto nodded silently, eyes still watching the wood patterns of the table. Daimyo's hand came onto his peripheral vision when the man picked up his tea cup, sipping it. The silence blanketed the room for a few minutes.

"What are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Naruto only lifted his head minutes after the question was asked, looking directly at the daimyo. "I only want to make her happy."

"As if that's even possible even if that female is obsessed with you."

Daimyo nodded at him and his stance relaxed, a gesture of goodwill but Naruto could still see the questions. The doors were opened by the only attendant and aiko and yue emerged, both smiling. Aiko hugged her father in a rare display of affection in the daimyo family, the daimyo himself hugging his daughter before pulling yue into the embrace too.

"Well this is all well and all should we go eat? Aiko cooked for ten I think." At the daimyo's raised eyebrow aiko blushed prettily, and cast a shy glance at Naruto before stammering out an explanation. They moved to the house by hiraishin, Yue admitting she wanted to try it out. The guards arrived and stationed themselves at the house moments later.

Lunch affair went smoothly, and Naruto couldn't bring himself to think about anything other than the food. After the day before he didn't want to think much about the rest of the days. Daimyo and Yue left the house and Aiko was asked to spend the last night with her family. The night fell quietly about the village, but the village was anything but quiet. The preparations for the wedding of the season, and with Aiko's new popularity among the villagers had the whole village in a festive feeling. Lights were streamed about and businesses were booming since there were more people than the village had seen in decades.

Naruto only had to wait for an hour for Kiba to arrive with alcohol, the rest of the males from the rookie nine and teachers slowly trickled in. Two hours later, kiba had the whole house in an uproar of the bachelor night. Naruto barely escaped the drunken tricks and a drunken kiba provided enough entertainment for the night. Iruka and Kakashi stuck close to him almost all the time, and Naruto enjoyed the talking without slurring. He found out that neji had threatened kiba and somehow managed to keep the man from bringing in any paid entertainment in female form and Naruto gave his heartfelt thanks to the branch member. He really didn't want to deal with this after Obito.

"Humans are really fickle."

He managed to get everyone away from the house a couple of hours after midnight with Iruka's help. The man's usual yelling got all the younger men out of the house and the older ones left at their own pace a while later. Iruka and Kakashi lingered and Iruka's disappointed and hurt expression after he asked them to leave too stung a bit. But he was tired all of a sudden, and he didn't want to deal with people.

Flashback

xxx

Dark. Rain. Pain. Naruto could only see those when he wheezed out slowly, trying desperately to get air into his lungs. He could feel the cold seeping in, and the blood slowly seeping out. The rain had started to fall just as Naruto had fallen down. He felt a jolting sensation and his body slowly dragged to the left before stopping and then sharply pulling to the right. 'Oh god. They're fighting.'

He couldn't hear nor feel Kyuubi anymore, he had used the chakra for the fight and Naruto figured the demon was probably out of chakra now. His consciousness was slowly drifting away, then blackness was starting on the edges of his vision. He was slowly starting to lose the sensations in his body, not the rain on his face, not the blood and not even the creatures eating him alive. Nothing. He was dying.

He choked on the blood crawling up his throat, and he wondered how his lungs were still working. He had closed his eyes when he heard the footsteps. He opened his eyes, only seeing a blearily of a tall person through the slits of light.

"Do you want to live?"

It was a stupid question, and if Naruto had the strength to talk he would have asked if the man, depending on the voice, was right in the head. But he choked on his bloody reply and heard a deep laugh. From some coherent part of his mind he recognized the voice, but couldn't place it right away.

"IF you are willing to give me the rest of your life, I will make sure you live until your.. service.. has ended. You might even get something out of it."

The blackness was clouding his vision now, and his breaths were shorter and more urgent. He couldn't bring the last strand of strength to even nod his head to save his life and in his head the only thought was to live, just another day at least. Maybe the man heard his thoughts because the creatures let go of his body and just when the man lifted him up, he was unconscious.

He woke up two weeks later at a cave, and that was when he met the dead corpse of Uchiha Itachi, who now called himself 'Death'.

A/N Sorry if the story seems slow moving.. i'm trying to figure out how to sections the last part of the story into chapters.

The manga seems to be going downhill at a very fast rate. I really don't care what happens in Naruto anymore. I'm that disappointed in it.