Maelstrom amongst the Dead Chapter 8: 7 Interlude from the Dead, a Naruto + Highschool of the Dead Crossover fanfic

(Updated: 6/21/18)

Oh! Hi and welcome to the next chapter of Maelstrom amongst the Dead. I know it's been quite a while, but I never completely abandon a story. And this here is the proof. Listen, I have had more than enough on my plate for the last few months. Had enough trouble posting other chapters to other stories… but enough complaining from me now. Right? You want to read the story. So only a brief reiteration of the usual disclaimer and we can get started.

(still don't own Naruto or HOTD in any way)

Chapter 7

Interlude from the Dead

Ooo

Naruto grumbled to himself a long while later. It had taken a lot longer to seal all his weapons away than he thought. Almost two hours for the already sealed items… and much longer for the things he hadn't applied seals for. Stuff like Kunai and Shuriken were a piece of cake. Any item that was an exact duplicate was fine… but guns.. Oh kami. He both hated and loved those things. On one hand they could easily kill a Jonin with a single shot. Yet on the other hand they were a perfectly royal pain to seal.

Kunai equals knife. Or in other words a sharp metal stick? Easy. Gun? Not so much.

The blond ninja blinked his eyes wearily as he closed his last storage scroll and placed it in a small stack of them to one side. About six scrolls in all. One with all his weapons, one with all his armor and miscellaneous gear, and one with all supplies from all around the apartment. He'd already sent the girls out to collect things they might need. After all, he had a ton of space and there wasn't any point in not packing everything they could possibly need. It wasn't as if it would take up any more space… Just time.

"Well… that's almost all of it. Just the food left to pack." Naruto muttered to himself.

Sitting cross-legged beside him was Saya. She was trying to focus her chakra and had been for the last two hours since she joined him. He smirked at the look of concentration on her face. She was cute honestly. Saeko was hot for lack of a better word and Rei was beautiful. Saya though…. Saya was cute in a sexy sort of way.

"Fuck… I am such a perv for sidelining into this. If I ever see Pervy Sage again I'm going to kick his ass into the middle of the next era."

One bored eye opened and Saya asked. "How long is this supposed to take? I did what you suggested but nothing is happening. I don't feel any different."

Naruto sighed and turned to face her, still sitting. He put his hands in his lap as his face twisted in thought. After a moment he spoke. "Alright. Let me explain this a bit better. Keep in mind I'm notoriously bad at explaining stuff… so bear with me." He closed his eyes briefly before alighting on a way to explain chakra.

Then it came to him.

"You've watched Starwars right?"

"Duh... As if anyone hasn't. Even in Japan it's popular. I don't watch many movies but I've seen that at least."

"Well you remember how the old sensei in it explained the Force right? Well that's kinda what chakra is. It's in basically everything. In people and animals and plants. It's in the air around us and flows thought the ground." Naruto took in a deep breath. "To be blunt I never awakened my chakra like normal ninja do. I was born and shortly after that… I had a massive demon made out of pure chakra shoved inside my chest. My chakra network has been in overdrive since I was a day old. Literally. So I don't know what it feels like to awaken my chakra which makes it hard for me to explain it to you."

"So…" She frowned and crossed her hands under her breasts. "Why did you tell me to reach inside myself looking for a warmth then? What was all that psychic pseudo-nonsense?"

Naruto grumbled and rubbed his face. "Okay… So let me put it this way. I have three different kinds of chakra I can draw on. I can draw on my own. I can draw on Kurama's…"

"The demon inside you?"

"Yeah, him. And I can draw on the natural energy around me. The thing is the way I told you to draw on your chakra is the same way I use to draw on Nature energy. Just without reaching out for the power around me. I'm trying to get you to internalize it."

Saya nodded. She understood that part… or at least she thought she did. The problem she had was that she could only really feel her chakra was when Naruto was touching her or after he pushed a bit of his own chakra into her. It was like her chakra was sluggish until it got a jolt from his. She could hazard a guess that years of non-use had made her 'chakra network' atrophy like any muscle would.

"So how do I fix this? Naruto said that it's largely up to me. I have limits. I know that much and he's told me that I will start out very weak. But how do I get myself jumpstarted? How do I begin to… circulate my chakra?"

She sighed inwardly and closed her eyes again, focusing hard. She tried to meditate… but couldn't. There was too much going on for her to do that.

"What are ya doing?"

"Trying to meditate."

Naruto blinked though she didn't see it. But the tone of his voice made her eyes snap open. "Why?"

She blinked as well. "What do you mean why? Why wouldn't I try to meditate to use this? You said it's like the force did you not?"

"Oh no! That's not what I meant by that. What I meant by the whole Force thing was that it is all around us and grants us a ton of power if used properly. I didn't mean you needed all that piece of mind stuff!" He gestured to himself. "Do I look like the kind of person who calmly meditates a lot? Hell no! Chakra is vital energy as much as anything else. Sure there is a spiritual part and all, but hardly anyone in my world is 'at peace'. For kami's sake some of the strongest people out there are mentally unhinged psychopaths…"

Naruto shook his head once as if to clear it. Then he leaned forward. "Instead of trying to calm yourself, try to find the energy inside you. The untapped well of power. You aren't like Hisashi. He's the calm and collected type. He might be able to unlock his chakra by going into some kind of trance, but you are more alive than that. You need to feel strong and energetic to unlock your chakra! You remember what I told you about the monks who have more spiritual energy than they know what to do with it?

"And they never have much physical energy?" Saya nodded. "I remember."

"This is what I'm talking about. Think of something that made you feel different, made you feel like you were on top of the world! That's how you draw on your chakra. Not through peace, but through determination!"

She leaned backwards a bit and nodded again, closing her eyes. She drowned out the outside world and focused… hard. But not on peace. She searched her memory for that feeling that Naruto was describing. That indescribable sense of living.

And then she found it.

Saya experienced a most profound feeling of… wholeness… as she delved deep. It was like pushing her hands into the pockets of her jeans and feeling the bottoms of them… Then the insides suddenly expanding, going on forever. And at the same time her entire body, from her head to her toes and radiating out from her chest, warmed like a furnace.

It brought a dark flush to her skin as every nerve jolted and the room around her senses seemed to suddenly sharpen and come into focus. Suddenly she could hear the soft growling undertone to Naruto's breathing and the animal musk of his scent. She could feel the strong beat of his heart as a low beat in her ears.

Saya opened her mouth and tasted the air. It was like nothing she'd ever done before. Her mouth exploded with different sensations. Like she was tasting things she never could before. It was amazing and… as she opened her eyes, she caught Naruto's scent again. Tasting it was so strange to her. Where his senses always this keen or were hers simply so dulled? Saya licked her suddenly dry lips as her eyes took in Naruto.

Her vision had sharpened even more, giving her an image of Naruto in perfect detail. His curious expression and handsome looks causing her to blush slightly.

Her hearing seemed to slip in and out, becoming even keener. The sound of talking on the floor below them filtered in, making her eyes go wide. Naruto's eyes were on her even as her shock became apparent. She blinked as time seemed to slow. "What is this? Is this the power he was talking about? It's amazing… Everything is so much clearer. I feel like.. like I was blind and deaf before…" Saya was overcome with wonder. Was this how Naruto experienced the world? It was amazing!

"N..Naruto… I can… everything…"

He leaned forward. "Must be pretty awesome to be able to use chakra for the first time right?"

She shook her head. "That… doesn't even begin to describe it. Every sense… it's like I was a baby before." Saya dipped her head and dragged her fingertips over the wooden floor. "Even touch is so much clearer."

Naruto grinned. "Cool! So now that you've unlocked your chakra I can show you some basic control and strengthening exercises! I'll have you walking up walls in no time!"

"Wait a sec!" She shouted. "Let me… feel around a bit…"

He stopped and waited as she stood up and walked around the room as if in daze. She put her hands to the wall and stepped along it, letting the new strange feelings flow. Naruto watched her take in the simple room with her heightened senses and a smile grew on his face. It was great, seeing someone act as though they'd opened their eyes for the first time. It seemed that even in the first days of the apocalypse, there were still good things to experience.

Ooo

-Somewhere far away-

A heavily scarred face starred up at the night sky, features covered by a mask. He could not see, for there was nothing to see. This world was dead, to him… to everything. Yet a small smile crept across his face even as his ear registered the groans of the dead… Husks of what were once men. "What a sad world that it has come to this…."

Blind, he rose, his body knowing its duty. To destroy everything that attempted to stand in its way or tear him down. The walking corpses were many, but they were but blades of grass in the wind. And he was a great elder oak of the forest. He would stand firm.

Ooo

"T…That…..?"

Shido honestly didn't know what to say. It was like someone had just come and told him that, yes pigs really could fly. Or perhaps as though it was Christmas Eve and he walked in the living room to see Santa. He simply couldn't believe his eyes… or his ears.

Why?

Because Saya Takagi was walking on walls.

"Awesome…" Kouta grinned. "Pure Awesome…"

Rei and Saeko just stared dumbly as the pink haired girl walked up the wall as though it were even ground, only her hair and clothes paying attention to gravity in the least. Well and other things, but we won't mention those. She was frowning deeply with concentration, struggling to keep herself anchored to the wall. Everyone else simply stood back looking amazed. Even Naruto wasn't immune to this effect.

"Damn Saya… You got that down even faster than Sakura-chan! And I thought she had the best chakra control of anyone. Sheesh… kinda makes me feel lame. Took me a day and a night to learn this as good as you." He grinned sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Good job…"

Saya cried out as she finally ran out of chakra and dropped back to the ground. Fortunately it was on her feet. She straightened and shook herself like a dog. "Ugh… it feels weird to push it to the soles of my feet while trying to keep enough everywhere else to not break something. How do you make it look so easy?!"

Naruto shrugged. "I learned that exercise when I was thirteen. I'm seventeen. I've had four years of constant practice. That's not to mention my clones."

"Clones?" she questioned.

"Yeah, you remember what I told you about them don't you?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "You said you get their memories…"

"Uh huh. Which means that all the experience they get with someone is transferred to me. It's the ultimate training technique. Just one additional clone doubles the rate at which I learn and I used to train with dozens… or hundreds of them. I could do months of training in a day because of my massive reserves of chakra." He glanced at the others oddly. "It's a bit embarrassing really. I never noticed that I got the memories from them until my sensei showed me…"

Saya deadpanned. "How could you not?"

"Well… I'm not called the #1 hyperactive knucklehead ninja for nothing. I'm overpowered and I have too much energy, most people think I'm pretty dense, and of course I'm a ninja… so there is that."

He sighed and dropped to the couch. "You're getting this way quicker than I did. Who knows? Maybe that's because you're one of those geniuses. One of my friends back home was like that… even if he was a complete jackass."

Across the room Shido filed all this information away for later and leaned against one wall, continuing to observe them. Although one eye occasionally flicked to Rei. He frowned inwardly. The girl seemed to be looking for a good reason to kill him. He wouldn't interfere and perhaps give her one. After all, he already had to worry about the blond. He might say he was dense, but he had a keen intuition and Shido instinctually knew he was one of 'those' people.

Someone who couldn't be manipulated.

Naruto could be tricked. Yes… if he was careful he could pull a fast one on the blond. But he could not be bought. And until he could get out of the spotlight cast by Rei's suspicion there was nothing he could slip the 'ninja' up with.

He closed his eyes briefly and let out a small sigh. "This situation is not the best. I need to find a way to assert my control over the group or gain some influence. But it won't be easy. Most of these kids are very independent. Saeko, Rei, Hisashi, Takashi, Naruto, Kouta, Saya… They are all trained or independent in one way or another. The only ones I could really manipulate would be the two hangers on… but they already are influenced towards that blond boy… How do I do this?!"

"Yo! Guys, gather round. I've put a plan together!"

Shido blinked at the sudden declaration, but decided to stay back. Everyone else approached Naruto.

Naruto turned his head to take in the mix of faces. Saya sat next to him on the couch while Rei quickly stole his other side before Saeko could. Both girls glared at each other for the briefest of moments before the samurai girl took the arm of the couch. Everyone else merely took seats around him on the floor.

He took a deep breath and began.

"Okay guys. Here's how we are going about this. Me, Saya, Shizuka, Saeko, and Hisashi are going out into town tomorrow early as we can to gather as many supplies as we can from local stores. The rest of you will stay here and look after yourselves. While we're gone Rei and Takashi are in charge. They can keep an eye on everything until the rest of us get back."

"What are you going to get? I thought you said you had plenty of supplies?" Yuuki asked.

"The thing is… I did. But the group size literally doubled. That means that the supplies I have go twice as fast. What would have lasted a month only lasts two weeks. And if you haven't noticed a good portion of the supplies happen to be instant ramen. While I don't have a problem with that, it isn't exactly healty. You guys and girls might not enjoy eating it 24/7 anyway. Besides that we need water and that isn't something we can take with us from here."

Saya nodded. "Naruto is right. We need quality food if we are to stay healthy. Ramen is great because it could get nuked and probably would still be edible, but as for nutrition? It's got nothing. Naruto can use his abilities to store a nearly infinite amount of supplies, but we have to get them first. That's what we'll be doing tomorrow."

The others nodded.

Rei glanced to her left at him. "Why leave me and Takashi in charge?"

"Because… both of you can keep a level head in an emergency. You showed that already. But at the same time neither of you have the combat experience needed to go out foraging yet. Out on the street it's easy to dodge corpses, but in a close confined space it would be way too easy for you to get hurt… or worse. That's why you two will stay here and look over things."

"Why take Shizuka then? She has like no combat experience."

"True…" Naruto admitted. "But she is also our only medical specialist. We need her to build up a supply of first aid for us. She can look at something and judge how well it will work for first aid and she can tell the usefulness of different drugs and medication. I'll be protecting her personally so she isn't hurt. I'm hard to put down and I heal fast. You…?" He gestured to the whole group in general. "…don't…"

Takashi gave Naruto the thumbs up. "No problem Naruto. We'll hold down the base here, but after your foraging mission, what happens then?"

"Then… we go straight to Saya's house."

Kouta blinked. "Why there again?"

Saeko pulled a hand through her hair and spoke calmly. "Saya's parents are wealthy aristocrats. It makes sense that they have the money to survive this. Also I've seen where they live. It's as close as you can come to a castle without battlements and suits of armor."

Naruto nodded. "While I haven't actually been there Saya made it clear that her parents would be alive. Plus their home will probably be fortified within a day or so. If it isn't already. Once we get there we will have a solid base of operations and enough manpower to not worry about the dead. Once we are all there we can form a group to look for everyone's families."

Hisashi scratched his chin in thought. "What about after that?"

"No clue." Naruto shrugged. "Honestly after that I have two goals. One is protecting my friends. Two is finding a way back home. Other than that I have no plans. Let me be blunt with you all…." He leaned back on the couch, his expression now serious. "I never belonged in this world. And now that it's overrun with the walking dead… even less so. As soon as I find a way to return home I intend to do just that… I'll take anyone with me who wants to leave this god forsaken place."

"R..really?!" Rei shouted. "You would do that?!"

"Wait! Hold it! I never said that we will all get back to my home everything is going to be just fine. My home is in the middle of a war. A war where the vast majority of people could kill a whole horde of zombies bare handed. It isn't safe there, but for you… it's safer. And when the war is over it would be almost as safe as it was before all of this shit happened. It's an offer guys. You'll have plenty of time to think about it since it will most likely take me months or longer to find a way back."

"I'll come."

Naruto turned to Saya. "What? That was.."

"Quick? Pretty much, but I have chakra don't I? I have the same power as you. I'm willing to bet that somehow someone from your world came here a long time ago and got stuck too. Then when they couldn't get back they settled down and made a life here. Obviously I'm descended from someone with your same powers. And because of that… and all of this shit that's happened. I'd rather be in your world, war or not. At least your war will end when one side loses."

"You have a point there…" Naruto muttered. "Well if you want to come I'm defiantly not going to say anything against it. But this is all a bit far in the future to talk about anyway. Let's take things one day or week at a time. For now we rest. Tomorrow we go gather supplies. The day after we head to Saya's home."

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Now…" He coughed once and stood. "I am going to bed you guys probably should too." With that he turned and headed to the elevator to the second floor.

Once he was on the top floor he stripped down and jumped into bed. He closed his eyes as he lay under the covers of his bed, quickly calming his breathing and entered his mindscape. It was the first time he'd done it in quite a while.

A slight pain in his stomach signaled that he was successful as he dropped down in ankle deep water. It was warm, but murky, showing the conflicted nature of his thoughts… His eyes opened.

"Hmm…? It's been a long time since you came last Naruto… What prompted this? Ever since I used my chakra to heal your chakra network we have been able to communicate without you coming here." Kurama tilted his head in question. "Well?"

"Can't I come to visit you in person once in a while? I am your evil Jailer after all. Just think of it as doing my rounds!"

"You're sense of humor has yet to improve." The fox grumbled lazily.

"Yeah I know, but we needed to talk and I wanted to do it face to face. Besides… I kinda wanted to be in here when Saeko-chan and Rei-chan climb into bed with me. I don't think I could go to sleep if I was conscious of them being there with me."

"Embarrassed?"

"Um…" Naruto looked down. "Yeah. You could say that. The whole thing with those two is completely bizarre to me. I don't know how to act around them even though. I mean I know what I want to do…"

Kurama shifted behind the great bars of his cage. "If you want counseling I need you to know my only experience with female emotions was being trapped in your mother and before her… the first Hokage's wife. They were my only containers as you well know."

"I get that… but I just… You told me to do what I wanted to do. I seem to remember you even making a joke about taking them both as mates. Well that's nice to say and all but I honestly don't know what to do about it! I liked Sakura but we've both talked about that and it was just a childhood crush. Rei and Saeko-chan though! They like me, not the other way around!"

"You kissed the sword maiden more than once already." Kurama grinned. "And you seemed to enjoy it. What are you planning to do about her?"

Naruto blushed red. "I…" He let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know. I just lost it for a sec there. I wanted to… that… so much. I even forgot to maintain my henge! I've never lost my focus like that before!" One hand clutched at his chest. "Whenever I think of doing that again…"

"Kissing her?"

He nodded.

"And?"

"I… I just want to touch and… I feel like I'm a stupid character in Pervy Sage's books! It's like I'm losing my will to resist anything. It took everything I had before just to pull away…" Naruto bit his lip, looking extremely uneasy. "You know I don't like losing control over my emotions, especially after surviving in this world for so long. I'm almost as good at masking my true feelings as Sasuke. But… it felt so… good to…"

"You're blushing kit. Something wrong?" Kurama sounded amused.

Naruto growled. "I wanted to… Shit. I can't even say it."

Kurama chuckled. "You're acting as though this is some illness. I seem to remember telling you two other things besides the previous joke I made, which was only partly a jest. The first was about how difficult it would be to resist distraction if you let them into your life even a little. You remember that do you not?"

"Yes…"

"The other was about your Uzumaki heritage. While I know only slightly more about women than you… despite my great age, I know more than you could ever need or want to know about Uzumaki. Both my previous vessels were pure bloods… and prime examples of such. It would be hard to say who was more powerful. Mito Uzumaki or your mother, though I would lean towards your mother."

"What is your point and how does it help me with the fact that I have two girls chasing after me… when neither is even from my world?!"

"It doesn't," he said bluntly. "This is something about yourself not women in general. As an Uzumaki you are different from most Shinobi."

"Thank you for telling me captain obvious. I was not aware of that little tidbit."

"Oh shut up you little pest."

"Fine fine… go on."

Kurama glared at him for a long moment before he continued from where he left off. "You are stronger, smarter, and more adept with both Ninjutsu and Fuinjutsu. All these are definite advantages. However they come at a slight cost. Not necessarily a bad thing. It is merely a part of being what you are. Much as the Inuzuka have their mating cycles or the Akamichi their appetites." The great fox shifted and lay down, his red eyes focused on Naruto. "Uzumaki, judging from what I know of my past vessels, go through a phase of maturity. Think of it as a writ of passage for your clan."

Naruto looked to Kurama in surprise before threw his hands in the air in defeat. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?!"

"Well you're only half Uzumaki and I didn't think it would happen. By the time you started showing signs we were already in this situation with no easy way out."

"So?! What is it?!"

"Your mother was about fourteen when it kicked in. She became… attached… to your father. She didn't like this at all. As far as she was concerned she'd started to fall for him against her own will… A contrary girl your mother. But as it was she showed her affection in the only way she knew how. Violence, which since your father was far smarter than the average boy, he mostly avoided. Worse luck for those caught in the crossfire."

"Uh huh… Go on."

"Anyway, your mother eventually gave into her feelings for him but she never had the courage to approach him." Kurama smirked, showing off his massive white teeth. "I found it humorous that with the one thing she wanted most she lost all her bravado when dealing with it."

"And…?" Naruto leaned forward.

"Let us just say that certain events led to her admitting her feelings for your father much earlier than would have happened. She was… sixteen or seventeen I believe. To put an utterly tiresome and somewhat embarrassing series of events, your mother badgered your father into mating with her less than two days after they got together. She then proceeded to make such pursuits a hobby of sorts."

Hearing this, Naruto blushed even redder. "Fox! Why would you say something like that! It's my mom!"

"I'm only telling you how it was. Think of it from my perspective. I the Kyuubi no Kitsune, most certainly a male entity, was trapped inside a human female with a…" Kurama paused. "How should I put this? You might have been born much earlier if your father didn't take 'extensive' precautions. Much as I despise the man… he was cautious." A deep rasping laugh came from the fox. "HA! And not to mention he used it to curb your mother's ramen addiction as well. Must have saved the family a king's ransom."

Naruto grumbled. "Get on with it then..! What does all that mean to me?"

Kurama shrugged his titanic shoulders. "You're maturing Naruto. That's all there is to it. Uzumaki like you simply have more strings attached. Rather like an Inuzuka in that respect. You're seeking out a mate by instinct. The pleasure you feel when you're being, as you called it, perverted is only a natural urge that you humans have. Emotions or not you physically desire the sword girl. I'd venture to say it wouldn't be hard for the other one to temp you at this point."

"…."

"It doesn't help that they're sleeping in the same bed as you and are open with their intentions."

Naruto's face twitched. "This… It seems like a royal pain in the ass but at the same time…"

"…you can't help but be excited." Kurama finished.

"Yeah It's just… What do I do about the 'two' of them? Do I even like… I mean I know I like them. Do I like them in that way or is it just… I want to…" Naruto gritted his teeth and turned around quickly, facing away from the fox. He fumed silently for almost ten minutes before he at last turned back around. "What the fuck do I do?!"

"Be yourself kit. That's all I can tell you. I'm a giant fox made of nearly incalculable amounts of chakra. I'm not a guidance councilor. If you need advice on a battle or strategy for survival come back and see me. On matters of love… I am of no use to you." Kurama's eyes closed. "Now… I think you'll need to think of what I've said on your own. After your errand tomorrow talk to me again and we can discuss real matters of survival."

"I.. guess… See you then fox."

"See you kit."

Naruto nodded and after a moment's hesitation allowed himself to return to his body…. And to sleep.

Ooo

Wakefulness came slowly to Naruto, the real world seeming to intrude on that of his dreams. But as always happened he eventually lost the battle to stay asleep and came fully awake. He sighed. It had been such a good dream this time. It was set back in the Elemental Nations. Him and Pervy Sage and the rookie twelve were all at the Akamichi BBQ, having a food fight of all things.

He, Hinata, Jiraiya, and Shikamaru were holed up behind the service counter. While Kiba and Choji were in mid battle. Ino and Sakura were having the mach of a lifetime while Sasuke just looked on… looking bored. Even Lee, Tenten, and Neji had formed their usual awkward team, chucking rice balls like grenades! And off to the side Shino sat and watched all from behind his dark shades…

Ah… it had been such a good dream…

"Huh? What's that smell?" Naruto frowned and, still with his eyes closed, pushed his nose into the soft covers. He liked this scent…

It was only a second before he remembered the scent and his eyes snapped open wide. Just in time to catch the blue eyes of Saeko. He stiffened, becoming completely aware of his surroundings. He was lying in his bed, much as he thought he was.

Yet for the second time someone had managed to sneak their way into his embrace without waking him. It baffled him that his ninja training decided to simply desert him as soon as a girl decided she wanted to snuggle. He could vaguely feel that there were others in the bed and he could hear the breathing of exactly three others. Probably Saya and Alice one one side… and Rei on the other. He didn't feel anyone against his back though…

That all took a back seat at the moment though. Naruto suppressed a shudder as Saeko shifted under the heavy blankets. He could feel her soft skin brushing his… Was she almost naked? Again? Didn't she understand what this was doing to him?

No… she didn't.

Their blue eyes stayed locked onto each other even as Naruto realized his face was growing hot. His fingers twitched, almost in anticipation. A voice in the back of his mind told him to look away and sit up, leave the bed and take a shower… a very cold shower. And then get back to surviving. But the voice was very small and overshadowed by the growing heat in his chest, the overpowering warmth all too like a drug messing with his head.

Naruto sucked in a breath and closed his eyes for a second. Then he growled, giving in…

Saeko gasped in surprise as Naruto suddenly pushed forward to capture her lips with his own. Instantly she felt his skin become white hot for a brief moment… and then his eyes opened, the black pupils transformed into dark slits and his whisker marks into black stripes of coal. The heat faded slightly as she felt sharp points raking across her exposed belly. At the same time she found herself being pushed into the bed. Naruto's broke their heated kiss only to…

She tried to bite back a moan as his new… sharp… canines wounded her skin. The sound only seemed to push Naruto further and his growling purr caused bumps to break out over her arms. She wrapped them around his neck, trying to drag him closer. The thought of Rei only a foot from her on the bed completely escaped her mind even as Naruto obliged.

Ooo

Saya blinked awake as an odd sound burst upon her ears. She grumbled and tried to go back to sleep, only to hear it again, already too roused to ignore it. The loud feminine sound was filled with pleasure and lust. She stiffened and sat up quickly throwing the blankets off her face… Her eyes darted to the side and…

"Eh?!"

What she saw did three things. It made her very embarrassed, very scared, and very aroused. Not in that order. She blushed hugely but was incapable of speech as she watched them… or more importantly… him.

Now Naruto usually looked like a handsome/exotic boy who could go from whimsical and almost stupid… to cunning and serious in a split second. At least that was what she'd seen of him so far. What he was now? She could describe him as hot, but that wouldn't quite do him justice. He looked like one of those American movie werewolves.

With golden skin and unruly blond hair. His sapphire eyes bore slitted pupils and the marks on either side of his face became jagged slashes. When he drew away from Saeko's reddened skin she saw his canines were long and sharp… like no human's should have been. Even his hands bore razor claws, which grasped over Saeko's sides.

"N…Naruto…"

Saya started as Saeko spoke his name and Naruto paused. He drew back slightly but just as quickly pushed his face into the crook of her neck, biting her softly… or not. Saeko immediately let her head fall back and moaned. When Naruto pulled away again Saya saw four red marks in her pale flesh…

Saya flushed further when Saeko reached down between them to grasp something. The pinket could guess pretty accurately what it was by Naruto's grunt of pleasure. She had to speak up… before they did anything more! Didn't they realize that they were still in bed with three other people?! And for that matter how could Rei not have woken up by now?!

She looked across the bed to see the girl… and her jaw dropped. Rei was obviously asleep, but her cheeks were deeply flushed and she seemed to be in the middle of an extraordinarily active wet dream. Rei's mouth was open as if in passionate expectation. Just as Saya watched, she murmured Naruto's name.

"What the hell?!" Saya almost shouted, but her voice gave out near the end.

Naruto froze, his head turning to her slowly, his exotic eyes settling on her. His breathing came hard and she could easily smell the musk radiating off his skin… intoxicating. She forced herself to ignore it and pointed at him. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I…" Naruto seemed to be lost for words and his face turned bright red with embarrassment… as opposed to pleasure. He swallowed hard. "S..sorry?" Saeko glared at Saya with something very close to fury before arching her back into Naruto. His large frame shuddered like he'd been shocked and he turned back to her. "Saeko..chan… Not fair…."

She frowned/pouted and crossed her arms under her bust. Saeko realized that the almost steamy sex scene she was hoping for was delayed again. She wasn't happy about it. The pink haired girl might have shared some strange spiritual power with Naruto… but that didn't give her the right to just interrupt! Especially when Naruto had kissed her of his own accord… again…

Rei woke up then, sitting up in bed just in time to see Naruto slip out and dart into the bathroom. She glanced around at Saya's cheery red frown and Saeko's annoyed pout. She yawned and pushed her arms into the air.

"Aw…. What happened?"

Inside the bathroom Naruto turned on the shower with a deft flick of the wrist and stepped in. He growled low in his throat as he pushed his head under the freezing cold water. His skin still felt hot to the touch and he…

He wanted nothing more than to go and drag Saeko in with him, crank the water to scalding and… Naruto almost whimpered as the churning ball of heat in his chest twisted. FUCK! If this was just his instincts telling him something…. What the hell would happen if he ignored them for a week?

No he knew. It would drive him absolutely insane. Just now he'd given in to the temptation. That god damned lust that seemed to boil from his skin! Next time he saw Kurama he was going to beat the fox's ass! This wasn't just some physical reaction; it was like his body acted on autopilot. It was like when he'd fought Sasuke at the Valley of the End and he let his rage take over. It was an overwhelming urge to destroy the Uchiha utterly…

Except this was more of an urge to ravage the blue haired sword maiden… just like she wanted him to. Kami just the thought that she wanted it was enough to crumble his will to resist. He didn't even understand why she was coming on to him so damned hard!

Naruto hissed in slight pain as he stripped Kurama's chakra from his body and shoved it back into the seal. It was a problem… And a very big problem when it came to Saeko. Kurama's chakra both heightened and responded to emotions. When he was angry the chakra reacted and made him even more furious. When he was lonely it made him feel like the last man on the face of the planet.

This was the first time he'd felt Kurama's chakra when he was… in that position. Oh kami… he just wanted to kiss those pink lips. He was sure they'd feel amazing on his own. He wanted to such and bite her skin over and…

His skin was steaming. The icy water of the shower wasn't even touching him. Why?! Why couldn't he get a handle on his emotions now?! Was it this world that was making him lose it? No… it wasn't. Otherwise he'd have reacted to Saeko like this before, right? Kurama said he hadn't noticed the signs quickly enough… What signs? Was there something in the last few weeks that he hadn't noticed? When had he started feeling like this towards Saeko or girls in general?!

It wasn't when he'd met Rei the first time. He'd been honestly surprised that he needed an elective at a Highschool. Like… why were they called electives anyway if you were required to take them?

He'd gone along with it because he already knew a little bit about sword play from the Pervy Sage. The old man had shown him the basics during their training trip so that a Kenjutsu user wouldn't tear him apart. He figured that it would be an easy class to pass.

He hadn't counted that he'd enjoy it as much as he did, even missing the majority of his chakra… Was it sometime during his time in Kendo club? It could have been. He'd really opened up to everyone like he'd never done before. At least not since getting to know the rookie twelve back home. And then all of this shit started. When had his primal instincts and desires decided they wanted to take the wheel?

Naruto didn't know and he couldn't understand how this suddenly had so much control over his life. It was nowhere to be seen one day and knocking down his door the next. And he wanted to survive? How was he supposed to concentrate on keeping everyone alive when most of his self control and willpower was tied up with not tearing Saeko's clothes off?!

A knock at the door alerted him to someone wanting to come in. He growled and quickly pulled the shower's curtain closed, obscuring his form.

"Come in!"

He heard the door to the bathroom click open and someone entered. He couldn't tell who it was, but his heart was racing never the less. What if it was Saeko? She said… practically promised… that she would be his girl.

The very thought was enough to make him want to give in. What part wasn't attractive? A gorgeous girl was trying her damndest to worm her way into his heart. Albeit she seemed to be just as focused on getting in his pants as most guys would be to get in hers. He'd always wanted someone to be with, to hold close… to kiss…

And she was offering…

"Naruto-kun."

He stiffened under the cold water of the shower, immediately knowing the voice was the self same girl he thought of. She'd followed him in. She damn well knew he was on the last string of his self restraint. How perfectly evil of her!

"Sae..ko… chan…?" He asked hoarsely. His heart was starting to beat out of control and the heat in his chest was returning with a vengeance. "What are you…?"

A hand suddenly drew the curtain aside. Naruto stared transfixed. There was Saeko, completely naked, having shed her underclothes in the walk across the bathroom floor. Her face was still flushed red and her blue eyes were focused on him. A small coy smile lingered on her lips as she put an arm out to the shower wall, leaning against it. Naruto couldn't help it. His eyes trailed up her mile long legs to her hips… up over her toned stomach… and to her bare breasts.

She was a goddess. A goddess who was… offering herself to him.

"May I join you Naruto-kun?"

And….. his last tether of self control snapped.

Saeko gasped as Naruto's hand shot out, taking her by the arm and dragging her into the shower. The fact that they were completely naked was something that was both ignored and understood. His instincts took over with his emotions riding shotgun beside them.

Naruto didn't even feel the freezing shower as he pulled Saeko flush against him. He paid zero attention to the slippery floor, already unconsciously sending chakra to his feet. Meanwhile his hands were far from idle. His right was stroking up Saeko's thigh as she raised her leg to wrap around him. His other supported her as he bent his head to hers, lips meeting hard.

He swallowed her moan and pushed his tongue into her mouth. He wanted… no needed to dominate her. Saeko seemed all too willing as one hand curled around his neck and the other descended. Her fingers stroked down his chest, tracing the muscles till her palm came to rest on something hard… pulsing. Naruto purred in the back of his throat as her slim fingers wrapped around his hilt, squeezing slightly. He released her lips long enough to lock eyes with her. Saeko's gaze was hungry and… wanting.

She gasped for air as her face plunged forward. Naruto felt her teeth marking him then, trailing down his strong neck, nipping as his chest. The indigo haired beauty drew her other hand from his neck… to his throbbing member. The movement and pleasure robbed him of his strength for a brief moment and… both lost their balance.

Saeko cried out once as her feet went out from under her… then shuddered through a moan. The erotic music drew a growl from Naruto. She'd landed on him, her swollen lower lips rubbing his hardness. Saeko couldn't restrain her instincts either and ground down on to him. The blond let his head fall back as he felt pure ecstasy race through his system. His head rose again and he bit down on her exposed throat. He felt his sharp canines pierce her skin… followed by the iron tang of blood. Naruto drew back slightly and captured her lips again. Saeko's hands found his shoulders and she pulled him against her harder, her breasts pushing against his chest and her hard nipples raking across his skin.

Naruto grabbed her by the waist and, breaking the kiss, pulled her up so he could take her nipple between his teeth. Saeko cried out as her sensitive mound dragged all the way over his manhood even as he sucked hard. Her body tensed. Each breath came out ragged and her eyes were unfocused. Then Naruto slipped one hand down her form. His slitted pupils locked on her face, contorted with pleasure… as he slipped a finger into her sweet folds.

A nearly silent scream tore from her lips as her legs clamped around him and she buried her face under his chin. Her nails dug furrows in his shoulders as she came. Naruto's nose picked up on the sudden scent of her release. It was… sweet and strong. He tasted the air as Saeko… slowly… came down from her high.

The blade mistress's eyes focused mere seconds before Naruto's mouth found her skin. She cried his name as he trailed his sharp affection over her shoulder, trailing down the arm. Naruto purred as he returned to her throat, marking her again. The slight taste of her blood mingled with the sweetness of her skin.

He didn't even notice the chakra leaking from his skin. It didn't register to his lust clouded mind that each bite was leaving pieces of his chakra in her flesh.

He wanted more…

Ooo

Hovering on one side of the Bathroom door, Saya and Rei exchanged glances. Both were shocked beyond words and Rei didn't know for sure which was more traumatizing. The fact that she was almost certain that scream of wanton pleasure was from Saeko… or the idea that Naruto was the one who caused it. Both of them were red as could be listening to the… activities… on the other side.

Saya was the first to speak. "Uh… are you alright?" She only asked because the expression on Rei's face was something between outrage, horror, and… arousal.

Rei didn't answer, but couldn't help but imagine herself in Saeko's place or even in there with the other girl. If only Naruto was doing whatever that was to her as well.

"Rei? Hello…?" Saya frowned as Rei had completely spaced out and a small trickle of blood was coming from her nose. "Hello…..? Earth to Rei?" She shook her head and retreated from the door. Heavens knew she wasn't going to get caught listening in at the door. Saya rubbed at her crimson cheeks. It wasn't as if she wanted to be in the other girl's place… did she?

"Do I?"

Ooo

And that is it. I know you probably thought there would be more action, but so far I am taking this pretty slow. Anyway, that last pseudo-lemon was nice wasn't it? Yeah, I know, you guys don't think that counts as anything more than a mild lime…

Oh well.

I have a poll up by the way! On my profile for a "back in time" Naruto story that I'm working on. It's for pairings so please pick out of the girls I have and PM me if you think I'm missing an important girl!

On to the next chapter then… as soon as I have it posted, which if my luck and muse hold out, shouldn't be too long! So please remember to review!