Sorry for the delay, My kid bro had me watching One Piece and I got back on track.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS LEMON IN HERE! AND VIOLENCE!

The Powerful Ones

Luffy wasn't sure how long they'd been walking but it had to be almost morning, right? Pretty soon Sasuke would be waking up and noticing he was gone. The poor kitty's heart might be broken. He sighed a bit and looked at his friend who led the way at a slow trudge.

"What made you so certain of yourself?" He asked quietly. Zoro tensed a bit and stopped walking. "I mean, how do you know we're making the right decision?"

"I don't." Zoro answered. But his voice didn't sound confused or unwavering. "It's not a matter of deciding on what to do, it's a matter of doing what needs to be done."

"Shishishishi, that's a good enough reason for me!" Luffy exclaimed. "Say, we've been walking for a few hours now… shouldn't we… be there by now?"

"Yeah… I think so…" Zoro looked around confused.

"WE'RE LOST?! WHY DID I LET YOU LEAD?" Luffy screeched.

"You're asking me? I've been following the trees. Moss grows that way... so west is that way." Zoro said pointing to a tree. Luffy could've strangled him.

"The sun rises in the EAST! Moss grows to the NORTH!" He yelled before running in the other direction as fast as he could with Zoro close on his heels.

~ ooohhhh snaaaaaap ~

Minato was preparing for battle when Sasuke and Naruto came quickly to his hut, the blonde panting harshly.

"You boys need to try to evacuate the village, get all the women and children and head north. Perhaps we'll be lucky and our bretheren in the land of wind will shelter us." Minato said.

"Their scent is headed west. I don't know how long ago they left." Sasuke said with an annoyed huff.

"There's been some mistake…" Naruto whispered softly.

"Boys, there's nothing we can do about it. We'll have to fight them off ourselves, now do what I've told you." Minato ordered. He stepped out of his camp only to find Kakashi and the other warriors gathered there. "What's wrong? I said to go head off the enemy, didn't I?"

"That's exactly the problem." Kakashi explained. "The log bridge to get across the ravine is gone. It's at the bottom of the ravine and it looks as though it's been cut in half."

"What?!" Minato snapped. He rushed to the ravine in the east and looked down at the large log that was once used as a bridge. It was as thick as Minato was tall and it was completely sliced in half not just through the middle but also along the length. "Who could've done such a thing?" He muttered but a part of him already knew. And a scent carried on the wind confirmed it.

"It's Zoro!" Naruto exclaimed. "I knew it was just a mistake!"

"We need to find a way around, we have to help them. Two humans against thirty youkai is an impossibility." Minato ordered Kakashi. Sasuke tugged Naruto's arm a bit and whispered in his ear. The blonde nodded and climbed onto the cat's back.

Sasuke backed up a bit and charged at the ravine, his tail becoming encased in what looked like two ridiculously long tails of blue fire. He used those flaming appendages on the very edge of the ravine as he jumped and he was propelled easily across the expanse. Sasuke looked back at Minato with a smirk and waved just a bit.

"We'll be waiting for you guys, Dad!" Naruto taunted easily.

"Boys! The battlefield is no place for fledglings!" Minato shouted.

Sasuke put Naruto down and the two followed the strong scent of the warriors.

~EEEHHHHH?~

"That's alooot of youkai…" Luffy mumbled, staring at the army. Zoro nodded and rolled his neck to crack his joints.

"It's about damn time we got some exercise. Alright, you keep the magicians in the back from hitting me. I'll worry about the soldiers." Zoro decided. Luffy nodded and stretched his limbs as Zoro climbed down from the plateau they were own to the valley where the youkai soldiers were coming from.

Sasuke stopped in a tree with a high enough vantage point to watch the fight with Naruto right on his heels. "We'll watch from here, we don't want to get in their way. Or distract them,"

"Right…" Naruto stared excitedly. "Why is… only Zoro going in to battle?"

"What, you doubt him?" Sasuke smirked and looked at the blonde from the corner of his eye.

"Ha! Hardly!" Naruto shouted then quickly covered his mouth. He hoped they didn't hear him but if there was one thing he noticed about Zoro, it was that his ears were as keen as any youkai's, maybe even better.

"Naaa, if you two are just going to watch… why don't you come over here for a better vantage point?" It was Luffy who spoke and Sasuke blushed a bit before jumping through the trees to land behind him. Naruto followed right away.

"So are you actually going to fight, or are you just wasting time here for your own enjoyment?" Sasuke wondered and Luffy just snickered. Naruto leaned forward to watch as Zoro came into contact with the first group. He whipped out his swords and was attacking with vigor, slashing this way and that but…

"There's no blood…?" Naruto noticed with a quiet whisper. Then he noticed the sword he was using had a reversed edge.

"Ah right, you asked about the blade. It's called a sakabatou, a reverse blade that's meant for protecting others."

Naruto remembered Zoro telling him. He smiled a bit.

"This isn't a battle to shed blood. This is a battle to display power and deter the enemy." Luffy said, calmly. The sorcerers in the back of the army started preparing an attack and Luffy stretched himself out. A blast of fire shot at Zoro but Luffy simply punched the air and it looked as though the fire blasts were met with a wave of air.

"What was that?" Sasuke demanded.

"I call it the pistol but my master referred to it as the forged needle attack. And his master before him called it the vacuum punch." Luffy explained. "And I don't need just my fists either."

Another blast came and the man dropped to his hands and feet and swept his leg out. The blast was once again dispelled and this time the sorcerers themselves were hit and forced back. Zoro easily forced his way through the rest, rendering them unconscious. When the last fell he turned and came back, calmly sheathing his sword.

"Naruto!" He said in surprise before grinning brightly. He ran at the blonde and pulled him to himself. Naruto wrapped his arms around the bulky man's shoulders and met him for a passionate kiss.

Parting for breath, the blonde pressed his forehead against the soldier's. He smiled widely with his eyes closed. "I knew you didn't leave us. I never doubted you for a second."

"Eeeehh, we almost didn't make it on time. Zoro went the wrong way, we were so lost!" Luffy exclaimed loudly with a laugh. Then he turned to Sasuke. "What about you? Did you have faith in me?"

"Not an ounce of it," Sasuke stuck his nose in the air and crossed his arms.

Zoro and Naruto pulled apart for a moment and Minato arrived with the warriors. He looked between his son and the warrior before he bowed deeply to the two men.

"I find the need to apologize to you," He said. "I was so desperate to find the-"

"Enough," Zoro put a hand on the man's shoulder. "There's nothing for you to apologize for. I'm only doing what I want to do because I want to do it."

"Thank you," Minato stood up and smiled but Zoro put one hand on his sword hilts and started to walk past the man.

"Don't thank me, thank your son," He parted as he walked off.

"Damn… he's cool…" Sasuke muttered before running with Naruto and Luffy to follow after the man.

Zoro went to an exceptionally large tree and looked at Luffy who pulled back his fist and took a deep breath. The swordsman pulled out his longest sword and sliced clean through the base of the tree while Luffy punched the air aimed at the top of the tree. As if it was hit with a powerful magic attack, the tree fell over from the top first and crashed over the ravine, making a new bridge for them to cross.

"Awesome!" Naruto screeched. He pulled on the man's arm, dragging him across excitedly. Zoro laughed and went with him easily, teasing him about his childish behavior.

~~ Elsewhere ~~

"What the hell is this?" Madara snarled, grabbing Obito by the throat and lifting him off of his feet. Obito snickered quietly and spit in his face.

"You stupid fuck… Of course forcing them to fight would force them to become the heros." The one eyed youkai chuckled softly, his good eye narrowing on the other Uchiha.

"Fucking bitch!" He snarled, throwing the man. "You're lucky I'm trying to impregnate you, or I would destroy you."

"Then kill me. It's what I really want, anyways." Obito stood and breathed heavily. "As if… I would let myself bear a child for you. I'd rather cut out my own heart!"

"You would kill yourself?" Madara turned to the youkai with a snarl. He tossed his dagger at the cat's feet. "Then go ahead." He snapped.

"Not until I see you dead on that swordsman's blade." Obito hissed. He bent down and picked up the dagger. "But I will keep this. Come near me again… and I will change your gender." Obito offered with a dark smile before sliding his way back into the cave.

"Buwahahahaha!" Doflamingo laughed obnoxiously. "'What a woman!" He clapped his hands. "I mean I know it's a man but he's your woman, right? Excellent! Let's be sure to keep him alive! Law, go tend to his wounds, he may be useful. And stick by his side."

"Sure…" Doflamingo's henchman walked easily into the cave. He approached the side of the young man who was curled up on the furs barely breathing. He knelt beside him and closed his eyes, running his hand hoveringly over the injured side, using his chi to mend any internal injuries. "You are very brave… and defiant…"

"I am a proud Uchiha and a member of the youkai of Konoha… defiance is in my blood. Bravery is something I eat for breakfast…" The cat youkai said. "Why do you help me? Your allegiance is not with that despicable bastard, I can sense the hatred you hold for him."

"I follow him until I can get revenge on him for killing my family and my best friend. But… no one else can seem to sense it…?" Law questioned softly.

"Madara's senses are dulled by age and power. Orochimaru lives in a constant state of unawareness, and the men are too frightened to say anything. Do not fear, your secret is safe with me. I swear on my life that I will see them both dead." Obito vowed.

"I know. Mugiwara-san and Bushido-san will be certain to kill them, I know it." The human spoke calmly. "But that's not something you and I should worry about." He gently reached over and touched the youkai's cheek with his fingertips. "Your eye… I can help you… I do medicinal magic… I learned it from a youkai named Tsunade." Law said quietly, his fingers brushing gently over the youkai's face.

"Madara would notice…" Obito said.

"Not if we keep him away from you. Until you are ready to make sure he dies." The human affirmed it by holding his hand up at the cave entrance. "Room." He whispered and a blue translucent wall appeared in the entrance before disappearing. "Now you and I are the only ones who can come and go through this cave. He will never be able to break through."

"How did you do that?" Obito sat up and turned to face him, his one eye looking astonished. This close, he looked much younger than the beaten and broken man Law had thought him to be.

"My magic… I have a very rare and undeterrable magic I learned long ago from a hermit on an island. He died shortly after teaching me and I was his only student." Law explained. "So… your eye…?"

"…" Obito stared at the cave floor seeming unsure for a moment before that defiance flared in his eyes once more and he looked at the man with a burning fire within his soul. "Do it." He decided. Law was taken aback by the way that fierce look made the youkai look so attractive.

"I see why he's so smitten with you…" He whispered before setting about his task.

~ Near Konoha ~

Zoro playfully tried to pry tanned hands from his eyes. Naruto was sitting on his shoulders and covering his eyes as he guided him which way to walk. He had perfect senses so tripping was an impossibility but it was pretty helpful to have that gravelly voice warning him about unearthed tree roots.

As he walked, he began to hear the sounds of water flowing rather fast. Naruto told him to stop and slowly uncovered his eyes which widened in amazement.

The stood near the edge of a small pool of water that flowed into a stream that most likely ran near the village but Zoro was captivated by the small waterfall across from the pool. The water was crystal clear and beautiful, full of fish with scales that seemed to glitter underwater. The flowers blooming all around were every color and type, it was truly a wonderland of nature.

"Wow…" The swordsman whispered, breathless. Naruto slipped off his shoulders and came around to hold his hands. "It's beautiful… thank you for showing me…" Zoro looked into his deep blue eyes and smiled a bit.

"Ehehehe…" Naruto grinned and scratched his cheek nervously. "Could we… take a bath together?"

"Sure," Zoro smirked and started undressing slowly and the blonde followed suit, stopping when he saw the small wounds that covered Zoro's chest and sides from his battle. He had been so excited he hadn't really noticed before.

"You're hurt!" He said quickly, moving closer and dipping his head down and gently lapping at the wounds.

"Oi…" Zoro whispered huskily. He assumed the boy was just trying to turn him on but he realized that as Naruto went from cut to cut, they stopped stinging. They were healing closed. He quirked a brow and watched. As Naruto finished, the blonde looked up at Zoro's face from his kneeling position in front of him. "You missed one," Zoro whispered then tapped his own lips. "In here, I think I bit my tongue."

Naruto blushed a bit but stood up and kissed the swordsman hungrily and dominantly. He licked about inside of the man's mouth, shuddering when the larger male sucked on his tongue just a bit.

"Zoro…" He purred and the man made short work of the rest of their clothes. Hepulled the fox into the shallows of the water and sat down, pulling him onto his lap. "Heehee, this is kinda familiar," Naruto giggled.

"You're right." Zoro chuckled but the battle of tongues was almost immediate. The touches this time were not gentle nor exploratory but rough and possessive. Naruto gasped loudly, Zoro had never been this passionate before. "Sorry," Zoro whispered, the touches easing up a bit, Naruto relaxed into the hold and stared, bewildered at the man.

"What was that?" He asked softly, running his hands absentmindedly across the larger man's chest.

"Battles tend to awaken this primal need in me…" Zoro whispered softly, moving his head to apologetically lick at the soft flesh of the fox's neck. "And sometimes I forget that not everyone is built like I am…" He admitted. The blonde carded his nails through green hair softly.

"I didn't say I didn't like it…" He mumbled, blushing. "You just surprised me was all… I don't mind if you keep going like you were…"

"No… not like that," Zoro said sternly, lifting Naruto to kneel up higher so his questing mouth could explore the sun kissed chest. Naruto sighed a bit and arched against the slightly chapped lips with a happy sigh. He was impossibly turned on by Zoro's ferocity but there was a certain beauty in the way such a powerful man could be so gentle.

"What do you mean?" Naruto cooed softly.

"I won't do it like that, not this time." Zoro decided, pulling the boy back down to kiss him passionately and slow. His fingers reached down through the water and stroked the blonde's cock for a moment before shifting again and sliding his fingers to play with the teen's entrance. Naruto shuddered a bit. They hadn't touched that part of his body since the first time but his insides quivered whenever he thought about how good it had felt.

"Zoro…" Naruto husked with a quiet groan, offering himself to Zoro's hand. He groaned a bit louder as one finger managed to slide inside and massage his passage gently, some cool water slipping inside and making him feel a little less hot.

"You're shivering…" Zoro pointed out easily. "Are you cold?" He questioned, a second finger sliding inside easily. Naruto gave a quiet grunt before he shifted against the fingers and felt a rather pleasant sensation.

"Hhmm, a bit…" He admitted quietly, closing his eyes once more to the feeling. Zoro lifted him and crawled from the water, sitting cross-legged in the soft grass with the blonde spread out in his lap. "Z-Zoro…" Naruto blushed a bit and wriggled against the fingers once again inside of him.

Zoro groaned and continued his fingers movement, pausing to kiss his lover hungrily before sliding a third finger inside. Naruto hissed but continued moving his body against the strong hand with small undulations. In the back of the swordsman's mind, he could hear the knowing voice of Luffy, asking him if he was sure of the decision he was making.

It's not a question… Zoro thought calmly, I have to be true to my heart. Those brats would never let me live it down.

It didn't take long before Naruto was gently lowered onto his back. One thing Zoro had quickly learned was that Naruto's tail was quick to magically disappear whenever it was an inconvenience, like now. Zoro stared into blue eyes and Naruto realized that something was different this time. Something was different from usual, it was there in the man's eyes.

"Zoro?" He questioned, tilting his head. The man leaned down over him, nuzzled his neck before gently kissing his ear lobe.

"What I'm about to do… you have to stop me now… if you have or else I won't be able to stop myself. I want you so bad, Naruto…" He whispered. His breath shook a moment. "But if you don't want me to stop… then I suggest, you bite me."

Naruto's eyes widened with surprise before welling up. He dug his canines into the muscular flesh of the warrior's neck to mark him as his own, to mate to him. Zoro grunted loudly and pressed his hard cock into the fox's pliant body. Naruto cried out around the flesh in his mouth and clenched his whole body. Zoro shuddered and moved slowly in and out, testing the waters. Naruto pulled back from the bite, tasting a bit of blood on his lips and he smiled sheepishly, his eyes fluttering closed at the comfortable feeling.

"Love you," He whispered without realizing it. Zoro smiled and kissed him gentle and loving before picking up the pace. His grin told Naruto in spades how happy he was.

The push and pull continued and picked up pace, they were kissing and moaning, nibbling at each other's skin, and whispering words of passion to each other.

As the pressure built higher, Naruto wrapped his arms and legs around Zoro giving a low command and a long drawn out moan. Zoro dug his teeth into Naruto's collar bone, completing the mating ritual and came deep inside the blonde. Naruto's eyes widened and small sparks of pleasure bolted inside him as the waves of orgasm washed over him and rocked him gently. Zoro stilled after a few more shallow thrusts and pulled out. He rolled onto his back, pulling the blonde along with him.

They were quiet for a few long minutes before Zoro carded his fingers through soft blonde spikes and whispered a guilty apology. Naruto tensed, fearing he was apologizing for the sex and hadn't actually meant to mate to Naruto. His heart dropped into his stomach.

"F-For what?" Naruto whispered quietly.

"Forcing you into this…" Zoro sighed lowly. "I should've asked you first but… I just wanted to possess you so bad, and I couldn't bear to think about asking you, and you turning me down for one of these women who doesn't even look at you with the respect you deserve." He hugged the blonde a bit tightly. "I'm sorry… even though I knew you wanted to have children… without even asking if you wanted to, I made you make me your mate"

"You mean… you wanted to do this? To be my mate?" Naruto asked, sitting up slowly. Zoro stared at him and brushed his tanned knuckles over the boy's whiskered cheek.

"Yeah, I really do… I'm sorry… I took away your wish for children…" He frowned but Naruto hugged him, his eyes watering badly.

"Baka!" He cried, sniffling against the powerful shoulder. "When the mating season starts, my body will change to accommodate your child…"

"Eh? M-MY child?!" Zoro gaped at the trees in the distance then hugged Naruto back. He chuckled a bit and just held the blonde, noting in the back of his mind that nothing else ever felt as comfortable as this. "We sure took a while to get here," He whispered.

"Because your directional skills suck." Naruto snickered. "I was ready for this back when you first showed me that "skinship" in the hotspring."

"Well then, I'm sooo terribly sorry that I got so lost on the way here," The man growled and playfully nipped a furry ear.

~ Fire Nation Edge ~

A man wearing a black cloak paused to look up at the forest stretching out in front of him. He had a small triangle of paper pointing straight into the heart of the immense forest. He gave a soft chuckle and tucked the paper back into his coat pocket.

"So this is where you've been, Luffy?" He wondered aloud. He tilted his head a bit and glanced around. What was left of the battlefield was littered with decaying half eaten bodies. "But one does not simply walk into the land of youkai. Surely you were helped there."

"Did you find them?" The voice was full of disgust and distaste as the man's companion approached them slowly.

"Yeah, but's not going to be easy. Are you ready for an adventure, Commodore Smoker?" The man asked his companion, grinning at the easily irritated soldier.

"I hate when you brats use that damned word, freckle-face." Smoker hissed, his cigars wiggling while he spoke.

"So we've moved up to freckle-face?" The shorter man chuckled in amusement.

"Get moving, or it'll turn back into fuck-face reeaaal fast, kid." Soker huffed, crossing his arms. "How do you think he got in there, Portgas?"

"Easily, Smoker-san. He probably made a few friends. He's the likable type." Portgas answered easily. "It's a good trait for a prince to have you know?"

"Prince of Gosa kingdom, the almighty pain in my ass is more like it. Why do I have to get stuck hunting down the little shit to the ends of the earth?" Smoker huffed loudly.

"Because he goes where ever his heart takes him. Just like me." Portgas said, closing his eyes. He grinned and broke out into a run straight into the woods. "Come on! I wanna see him already!"

"Cheeky bastard fuck-face!" Smoker snarled, running after him.

~ Konoha ~

Naruto giggled slightly as Zoro carried him back to the village. The man was very caring, constantly concerned that he had hurt him in their lovemaking. The two managed to make it to the cave and stumbled carefully onto the pelts with a few drugging kisses. It was as if a haze fell over them and now that their passion was no holds barred, they were doing everything they could with what little time they had.

"I love you," Zoro husked in the blonde's ear, kissing it and nibbling it gently while his hands ran over the teen's arms and sides, feeling every inch of his skin.

"I love you too, oh god, do I love you…" Naruto shivered. "I know I shouldn't, because I'm not the right one but… I want to believe…"

"What do you mean?" Zoro whispered wonderingly.

"We have a prophecy here… that two human warriors will come and protect us… and they'll mate with members of the nine jinchuuriki... and I'm not one yet…" Naruto whispered. "I don't know if this will mess up the future or not…"

Zoro lifted his chin and kissed him, soft gentle kisses on his lips, before giving him a sharp look. "The only one who decides my future is me. I don't do what I do because of legends or prophecies, but because I want to do what I think is right. My gut has never led me wrong yet, and I doubt it ever will. So I don't want to hear any more about this Jinchuuriki business." He ordered.

"Okay…" Naruto agreed softly, smiling at the man. Zoro tucked the boy's head to his chest and rested his chin against the soft hair.

~ A Few Days Later ~

They warriors managed to have a full two days of rest before any excitement started up again. And the excitement came in the form of Kakashi bringing in two human prisoners. The two had their hands tied behind their backs and their faces covered with fur. They were brought to the center of the village and made to kneel before Minato.

"These two were found poking around the outskirts of our boundary. They seem to be purposely searching for something but they are avoiding answering the question." Kakashi explained. The two warriors came forward to look at the commotion as well and when the furs were pulled away from the faces of the prisoners, all four humans gave a shout of surprise.

"ACE?!"

"Luffy!"

"CIGARS?!"

"DAMN BRATS!"

The silence that followed was deafening before Minato began to laugh good naturedly. "I assume you all know each other," He ventured. Luffy stepped forwards and looked Minato dead in the eye.

"This is my older brother Ace and his best friend Smoker. I'll make sure they leave without disrupting anything so please don't kill them." He offered, bowing.

"Of course we wouldn't kill them, Luffy. We aren't monsters." Minato chuckled. "But if he's your brother, he can stay to visit. He must've been looking for you." Minato chuckled and snapped his fingers. The ropes made a small sizzling sound and fell away and the freckled man stood. He graciously grinned at the man and ran at his brother to envelop him in a tight hug. Luffy laughed and hugged him back, missing his brother for all he was worth.

"Alright, Luffy, I just have one question," Ace whispered quietly to him.

"Na?" Luffy tilted his head to hear better.

"Who is this smoking hot blonde?" He asked with a big smirk, casting his eyes over his shoulder a bit at the white fox tail and ears.

TBC