Greetings earthlings. Due to a busy schedule, I won't be able to update as much. So I'll write another chapter now.
A/N: Naruto, Rome, Greek Deities, and Lions don't belong to me
A/N 2: Misuse of Greek Mythology
A/N 3: All flames will be used to sacrifice to Jashin
The Value of a Soul
Chapter 3: Naruto's Pride
As a certain princess walked down into the dungeon prison, she hoped that no one was awake yet. If anything, she did not want to see the eyes of a victim. Treading quietly past the sleeping guards, she peered into the cell.
She could see the almost abnormally handsome blonde kneeling in his cell, eyes closed calmly. He almost looked like he was praying. Hinata inwardly sighed sadly.
What god can help you now, Naruto? No one has ever escaped the wrath of my brother.
"Good morning, Hinata." A voice broke her out of her thoughts. Her eyes focused on two deep blue orbs. She clenched her fists as soon as she slipped the tray of food she had brought under the gate.
"H-hello Naruto...I brought you b-breakfast..." Naruto smiled softly, and a little apologetically.
"It looks great, Hinata." He meant that too. He thought prison food would be terrible, but this actually looked appetizing. "But I don't feel hungry right at the moment," he told her.
"Oh..." He flashed her another smile. There was that smile again! The smile that made the youth rival the beauty of Venus herself. She bit her bottom lip.
It was then that the two guards decided to awake.
"Hello...who's...uh...oh! Princess Hinata!" Kiba jumped to his feet and straightened up, followed in close suit by Lee.
"Hello legionaries," she greeted. "I came to deliver breakfast to Naruto. I'll see you all..."
Naruto smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine."
She glanced at him uncertainly, before leaving the dungeon.
"Oh Cerberus! This noon..." Kiba muttered. He whirled around to face Naruto. "What in Tartarus is wrong with you? I'm starting to like you, and you go and mess with stone-face!"
Said 'stone-face' just happened to walk into the dungeon that exact moment, and much to Naruto's consternation, heard what Kiba had just said.
"Legionary Inuzuka, do you wish to join Naruto for lunch?" he asked, a cold sibilance in his voice. Before the addressed brunet could reply, Naruto answered.
"Your royal pain, you know that if you didn't act like a stuck up bastard all the time, your subordinates wouldn't treat you as such." The room froze.
"What did you just call me?" Neji hissed. Naruto glared at him, his eyes transforming into bottomless oceans.
"I called you a royal pain, and a bastard," Naruto replied. The temperature in the brunet's eyes could freeze hell over.
"I know exactly who my parents are. I came to announce that your 'lunch' has been moved to 'breakfast'." Neji's face broke into a smirk, and the two soldiers shuddered. The prince turned to walk out. He stopped at the door, an air of finality swirling around him in a way that was almost tangible.
He half turned back to them. "Oh, and Inuzuka? You're joining him." Without another word, he stepped out of the door, and it slowly shut with a barely audible creak.
Kiba trembled. He was really more of a dog person. Cats weren't exactly his penchant, much less the giant felines whose jaws he was to be thrown into.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face the blonde whom it belonged to. Naruto smiled softly at him.
"Trust me, Kiba. It'll be fine." The brunet shuddered.
"We don't even get any weapons," he said. The blonde's free hand gripped the prison bar so hard, the veins on his hand and arm stood out clearly. His lips curved into a animalistic grin.
"Oh we won't need any weapons."
For some reason, Kiba didn't know what to be more scared of. The lions, or Naruto with his vulpine smile. Naruto took his hand off Kiba's shoulder and stepped through the broken prison bars. He stretched his arms.
"All right. We'd best head to the coliseum." Lee nodded in agreement and marched them off.
The gate slammed to the ground, trapping them in the arena of the coliseum. Naruto sighed, and Kiba tried to cover his fear with some sort of bravado.
The blonde ran his eyes around the stands. He saw the emperor's box. Sitting in it, he could see Neji, who could have frozen the entire scene solid with his stare. His eyes roved over to Hinata, who was trying to avert her eyes from him. He smiled up at her.
An older man, who had an aura of regalness, stood up with the grace of a feline. He looked disdainfully down at the two victims. He opened his mouth.
"Release the lions." He sat down as the audience cheered.
Another gate on the opposite side of the arena lifted, and a male lion stalked out and roared. As the jaws of the lion slowly closed, it stared at them, but made no move. As if following a silent signal, three lionesses stalked out in it's wake.
Naruto inspected the pride, and his eyes widened.
No...Helios? Is that really you? he thought.
Lord Naruto? he heard. He grinned.
It is you! So this is where you all ended up! The lion stared at him a little sheepishly.
Yes... I was searching for a breeding grounds, and we ended up getting captured by the romans. Naruto rolled his eyes.
You were always one to not notice how close to civilization you were. The lion roared again, this time in laughter. The lionesses growled in amusement.
Ah yes, the son of Ares and Aphrodite. What, may I ask are doing here on earth? Naruto strolled over to them, as if walking calmly over to a pride of untamed lions was the most normal thing in the world.
I recieved a mission from my mother for the sake of Lady Athena, he replied. They nodded, then lay down on the sand.
We aren't going to eat you. We can't. We wouldn't, another lioness reassured. But now what should we do? Naruto shrugged.
He stopped right in front of them, and sat down on the sand. Reachind out, he ruffled the ears of the nearest lioness. She purred.
Oh and please don't eat my friend over there, he said, remembering Kiba. Helios's jaws gaped open in another bout of laughter.
We wouldn't, Lord Naruto, he assured. Naruto sighed.
And please drop the title, he added. Lying down on the torso of another lioness, he sighed and looked up at the sky. How much longer will this last? He asked. The male ran his tongue over his jaw.
Well, usually, if we refuse to eat the victim, they'll lock us back up, and send the gladiators to finish them off. If lions could look amused, this would certainly be a prime example. Although I can't imagine the son of Ares falling to gladiators. Though from what I've seen, these gladiators are...quite strange. Naruto cocked his head to one side curiously, as he ran his fingers through the male's mane.
Oh? That sounds interesting. He yawned. You know, maybe I can get some rest.
The gate opened once again, and the pride stood up.
We must be off now. Maybe we'll get to see you again? one lioness asked. He smiled.
Who knows?
The lions padded back into their secluded area as another.
More cheering sounded as another gate opened, and five men walked out. Standing in front of the emperors box, they saluted with either hand or weapon.
"Ave imperator! Morturi te salutant!"
The emperor looked down at them. He closed his eyes.
"Begin!"
Immediately, they scattered.
Naruto ran over to Kiba, and stood in front of the brunet, eyeing each gladiator carefully. All of them looked normal, but none of them looked completely normal. Especially the one with blue skin and gills.
Another one looked strangely familiar, but Naruto couldn't put his finger on it.
He leaped out of the way, dragging Kiba with him, to avoid the red blades of a three pronged scythe. He had to immediately jump away again, hauling the brunet with him, as a giant scaled sword swung at him, almost directly after he had landed.
He could see the one that looked familiar, inspecting him carefully. He backed up apprehensively, and instinctively jumped away as the ground where he had been standing on with Kiba exploded into sand, stone, and shrapnel.
The familiar looking redheaded gladiator ran towards him, as a raven haired one leapt on him from behind.
To his everlasting surprise, the redhead knocked the raven out of the air, and stopped, back to Naruto in a protective stance. The blonde noted that he bore no visible weapons.
Seeing no one made a move, the redhead slammed his palm into the ground, and immediately, the sand in the arena levitated. As he watched, the sand wrapped around the other gladiators, stopping them. He rolled his eyes as one of them uttered a string of colourful curses.
Taking his alabaster hand off the ground, he held it straight out at them, threatening to clench it into a fist.
"Game over," he whispered sibilantly, as he constricted them into unconsciousness. Turning to Naruto and Kiba, he sank down onto one knee, and placed the blonde's tanned hand on his forehead. "Lord Naruto," he began. "I am at your service." Naruto tilted his head, confused.
"Do I know you?" The redhead's lips curved into an amused smile as he looked up.
"I am well aware of who you are. Why have you decided to grace this earth with your presence?" Naruto didn't know how to reply. From the corner of his vision, he could see a bemused Kiba watching them. He looked back at the gladiator, racking his brain for who this could be. Halfway through a breath, it caught in his throat.
"Gaara?" he asked. The redhead stood up and nodded. Naruto pulled him into a friendly hug. "Gaara! I never thought I'd see you again after what father did!" he exclaimed. The pale-skinned gladiator pulled him off.
"Your father did what he had to. I was honoured to be in his presence, as I am with you." Naruto grinned.
"Please, don't act so formal!" Gaara averted his eyes.
"It had become a habit, Lord Naruto. How is the Lady Aphrodite, and Lord Ares?" Naruto sighed as he thought back.
"They're doing fine. Oh yes, and I was sent here because..." He drifted off. "I'm sorry, but I'm not permitted to say." Gaara nodded, understanding.
"And I am not worthy to ask. After all, the will of the gods is higher than mine." Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Yet, you sre still my friend. Knowing who I am, that would make you quite important no?" he teased. The redhead shook said body part.
"You take after your cousin, am I not right?" he asked. Naruto exhaled.
"Which one?" Gaara toyed with sand as he replied.
"The Lady Euphrosyne," he replied. Naruto smiled wistfully.
"Ah, yes... We had good times. Once we even painted Apollo's lyre silver. He couldn't play correctly because the paint had coated the strings as well. He got mad, but it was so worth it," Naruto blurted. He slapped a hand over his mouth as he realized Kiba had heard him.
"Naruto? You're...you're..." Naruto sighed. He had blown his cover. At least no one else had heard.
"Naruto is what?" Lee asked once they were back in the newly repaired cell.
"Please don't tell anyone!" Naruto begged. Kiba bit his bottom lip.
"Naruto is the son of gods." Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"Aphrodite and Ares to be exact," he corrected. Kiba's eyes struck the brunet soldier as he repeated with roman connotation.
"The son of Venus and Mars."
So friken sorry I couldn't upload earlier! -whimpers as plot bunny beats with a stick- I was busy! I promise! ARRRRRGGGGH! And sorry if this chapter was terrible! I didn't mean it! I swear! Now stop f*cking hitting me!
Plot Bunny: Foolish girl! You ought to be on chapter five right now!
Me: -glares-
Oh yea, and the thing with yon lions was some sort of telepathy I guess.