Hello FanFiction! This is pain17ification continuing "Kouma Shōkan".

First things first: MY GOD, the number of votes for Chrysalis to join the marem was insanely high! I knew it'd be a stupid question, but I still had to ask!

So, Naruto's marem is thusly: the Mane Six and Chrysalis!

On another note: 500 REVIEWS! WOO-HOO! THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, EVERYONE! *grinning*

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own anything except for the story idea

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

[Mental Speech]

"Bijuu/Techniques"

'Higher Being Thoughts'

(Translations and Notes)

[Scene Shift]

Chapter 11: The Exiled Queen

Seeing the forests below pass them by from the back of their fellow Uzumaki was quite a spectacle for Karin and Tayuya. Sure, they were able to race through trees with ease due to being kunoichi, but to be next to the clouds in the air was something else entirely.

Another thing that was amazing was the form that Naruto had taken. Never before had they seen a creature like the one he was, and the way he carried himself through the air show them that he had done this at least a couple of times. Karin, being more book-oriented than Tayuya, had seen legends of unicorns and pegasi, but she had never seen a blend of them before. She had a feeling the vulpine features Naruto had were the Kyuubi's influence, but the rest of the form stumped her.

As for the flute playing Uzumaki, she just loved the feeling of the wind caressing her skin. Feeling bold, she let go of the transformed blonde and had her arms outstretched, grinning the whole time. "Fuck yea!" she exclaimed before she whooped loudly, her excited cry echoing through the night air.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement as he took note of his flight nearing Konoha. He decided to enter it on foot and landed in the same training ground where he confronted Karin and Tayuya. The two women got off of him before he transformed back to normal and rolled his neck to get the kinks out.

"Well, I suppose the first thing we should do is go see baa-chan and figure out how we're gonna incorporate you into the village. I'm sure it'll go smoother if you tell her everything you know about the snake."

They nodded while Karin spoke, "Absolutely. I'm tired of working for that psycho anyway, so if I can help bring him down, I'm all in."

"Hell yea," agreed Tayuya. "The prick is gonna go down hard!" She punched her right fist into her left hand to emphasize her point.

Naruto smirked at that before he grabbed both of their shoulders and they all left in a Shunshin. They arrived just outside the Hokage Tower before they all stepped inside. Due to the time of the evening, all scheduled meetings Tsunade had were through for the day, so the receptionist wasn't there to check them in. They ascended the stairs and approached her office before Naruto knocked.

"Who is it? It's late!" yelled Tsunade from the other side, making Naruto silently snigger.

"It's Naruto," he replied. "I have some people you need to see, baa-chan."

The trio could practically hear her teeth grinding as she responded, "Come in then!" As soon as they did, they all tried not to snicker at the size of the tic mark on her forehead as she glared at the blonde Uzumaki. "Well, what is it?"

Taking a seat between the ones taken by his fellow clan members, Naruto smirked and answered, "Baa-chan, do I have a story for you."

[Half an Hour Later]

"And then I flew us all back to the village and came to see you," finished Naruto, watching his fellow blonde sip her third dish of sake. "They've agreed to tell everything they know about Orochimaru, so long as they aren't held accountable and arrested."

The woman snorted and leaned back in her chair. "By all rights, I should have them sent to the I.T. Department, you put on probation for leaving the village like you did, and a meeting called for the Shinobi Council to decide if any further punishment is needed." She noticed the two redheads tense while Naruto looked ready to protect them. Her eyes softened at that as she continued, "However, you left to save two lost members of your clan and even found one of my old teammate's bases of operation. Not only that, but you actually returned and never planned to leave for good like the Uchiha did."

Naruto nodded at that. "But I let him go without trying to stop him," he noted.

"While that is true, I'm sure that the fact you were in the same room as Orochimaru will play a factor here. As far as I'm concerned, you left to save missing members of your clan, were unfortunate enough to run into him, but were then fortunate enough to escape."

Naruto smirked at that while Tayuya and Karin had small smiles. "I assume that they'll still be put on a probationary period?"

"Yes, but it's only because they're ex-members of Otogakure. I'll be able to lower it to a month, but that's the best I can do."

Turning to the redheads, Naruto asked, "Is that alright with you two?"

Karin answered first, "If it means we can have asylum from Orochimaru, then it's a no brainer."

"Same here, shithead," agreed Tayuya, making Naruto shake his head in amusement at the name while Tsunade smirked.

"Alright then, you two will head over to the I.T. Department for questioning. You don't have to worry about being handled since you're here willingly, but it's in your best interest to tell us everything you know."

They nodded and stood up before Naruto suddenly spoke up. "I want permission to leave the village to go to Uzushiogakure, Tsunade," he stated, using the woman's name to show he was serious.

Raising a brow, the Hokage asked, "For what purpose? The place is literally ruins."

"Orochimaru told me that an old member of my summoning contract was last seen heading there to live in exile. I wish to go find her so that I can try and get her to return, as well as hopefully undo her expulsion from the clan."

"How do you plan to do that, brat?"

"I'll think of something," was his immediate response. "I'll look through old scrolls that Celestia and Luna have from the clan and see what I can find. Once I do, I wish to head out, and I want to take Kakashi-sensei with me."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her desk in thought. It was likely that the two princesses would have some scrolls from the Uzumaki Clan in their realm, and Kakashi would be excellent backup for Naruto should things go wrong. However, she had no idea how long his search would be; for both a solution and this exile he was interested in. not to mention that Kakashi still had about a day's rest left before he was to be put back on duty.

Coming up with a decision, she offered, "If you can find a solution within the week, I'll let Kakashi go with you. However, if you take too long, then you'll have to find someone else. I'm sure my perverted teammate wouldn't mind going."

Naruto nodded at her offer. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. Thanks for this, Tsunade."

"Right, just be careful when you go. I'm not sure what could be waiting for you there."

Nodding once again, Naruto left with his fellow Uzumaki to drop them off at the I.T. Department. After leaving them in Anko's care, much to their discomfort at her grin, he headed home for the night and took a well deserved rest.

The next morning, he had summoned Celestia after having a quick breakfast and explained the situation to her. She informed him that they indeed had old scrolls from the Uzumaki, but she didn't remember if they were what he was looking for. After offering to take him with her to Equestria, he left a clone to inform Tsunade and his fellow Uzumaki before he let her reverse summon him to her castle.

They immediately headed to the royal library, where Luna was looking though some old tomes with Discord. The embodiment of Chaos seemed to be doing well after his loss at the Game of Riddles and he looked pleased to be given another chance.

"Ah, Naruto," greeted Luna with a nod. "What brings you here?"

"He's looking for the Uzumaki Scrolls, sister," answered Celestia. "He's planning to find Chrysalis."

"The Changeling Queen?" asked Discord in surprise. "Last I heard of her, she left with the snakes years ago."

"That's correct, but she left after being swayed by Manda's silver tongue," answered Luna with a frown. "She never knew what was going to happen until it was too late."

"What exactly did Manda tell her?" asked Naruto, frowning at not knowing the whole story.

"We don't know, Naruto," Celestia replied. "All we know is that she offered to speak to him concerning an alignment of our two factions of the Summoning Realm with a treaty. The next thing we know, she led some of Manda's underlings into Equestria. The snakes were dealt with and she was cursed by the punishment of the Creed."

"While humans refer to the Clan Head for their punishment," Luna continued, "residents of Equestria are punished by the power of the Creed itself. It is due to us swearing an oath in blood to uphold it at the Whirlpool of the Ancients, located in Uzu."

"So, the Creed discovered her betrayal and then cursed her," summarized Naruto. "What was the curse itself, exactly?"

"She became deformed and her power weakened severely to show the ramifications of her actions," Celestia answered. "Her skin broke in certain places, her mana corrupted into something twisted, and her regal stature reduced to that fit for a traitor."

Naruto cringed at that, not sure how to imagine how that would look. He then shook it off and began to search for the scrolls with the three others. It took about five minutes to find them, and the total found was a worrisome two.

However, Naruto was not one to just give up and immediately looked through the scrolls. The first held his Clan History that was most likely taught to Mito before she wrote it in her own words in her journal. He then hesitantly opened the second one, only to sigh in relief as he noticed the very first thing in it dealt with Clan Laws.

Seeing a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel that was his issue, he read through the scroll carefully while the others politely left him to his devices. It was towards the end of the scroll that he finally found what he was looking for; the Guze Fuiin (Salvation Seal).

It was a massive seal that was made within the very center of Uzushiogakure where those who had redeemed themselves in the eyes of the Clan Head and Advisors were allowed back into the graces of the Uzumaki Clan. It removed any punishment set upon them and allowed them to swear into the Creed once again.

He grinned at his find before he realized that he needed to go to Uzu now more than ever. However, he still had to wait for Kakashi to get better and he needed to make sure that he had everything he needed in case things got dicey on his trip.

So, he first went to Rarity's Boutique to get the final outfit she had made for him. Once he stepped inside, he heard her call out, "Be with you in a moment, darling. I'm just finishing up this dress."

He chuckled at how focused she was on finishing and left her to finish in silence. He noted that Sweetie Belle was also in the shop and was organizing for her sister while Scootaloo picked up any loose or unusable fabrics and materials to throw away. Applebloom was there as well and was currently taking stock of the supplies Rarity had available for use.

'Well well, looks like Rarity decided to teach the kids how to run a store earlier than I thought. This is good, and it means I may be able to open sooner than expected.'

Scootaloo was the first to finally notice him watching them work and she dropped the broom she was holding in surprise. "N-Naruto?"

He waved politely while her exclamation drew the attention of the other two fillies. "Hey girls. I see you're working hard."

"Yea," Belle answered with a smile on her face. She always seemed to be so chipper in his eyes; a good trait for a salesperson…or pony. "Rarity's been helping us learn how to take care of a store. She said that we'd be getting a big opportunity soon."

"So, we all decided to listen and learn whatever we can," Bloom added. "Ya got any idea what she was talking about, Naruto?"

The blonde crouched down in front of them with a kind smile. "Well, Rarity-chan helped me get a store ready to be opened in Konoha to sell my seals. However, due to my career as a shinobi, I can't run the shop. So, Rarity and I agreed that it'd be good to teach you how to run a store before letting you run the Uzumaki Shōten."

Their eyes grew wider with each statement before they all squealed at the opportunity to finally help the blonde summoner. At once, they tackled him in a hug and thanked him repeatedly while he laughed at their excitement.

A demure clearing of the throat made them all look up from the floor to see an amused Rarity looking down at them. "I take it Naruto-kun told you three the news?" They nodded excitedly, making her giggle. "Well then, get back to work. There's still much to do before I can continue teaching you."

They were back doing their previous jobs in a flash that would've made Dash or Pinkie proud. Naruto was then able to stand and he smiled at their eagerness to show they were responsible.

"They're good kids," he commented.

"Indeed they are, but I'm sure you didn't come here just to check up on my sister and her friends."

"True," admitted the blonde. "I'm here for the last outfit you made for me."

Her eyes gleamed and he was pushed into a changing room with a bundle of clothes so fast that he was disoriented for a few seconds. From outside the changing room, Rarity called out, "I do hope everything fits. I'm not sure how much you've grown compared to last time I made you an outfit."

After changing, he stepped out to present his newest look. He wore a dark blue-gray robe with grey lining and a fur collar, and a tattered gray-blue cape emblazoned with his clan symbol. Under the robe, he wore no shirt, fingerless opera-length black gloves wrapped in studded red-brown leather straps, baggy black pants, and red-brown sandals. To finish it off, there was a white mask with the appearance of a fox on the face with three ringed eyes that were colored red; though it was currently held in his hand. (1)

Doing a quick personal check before turning to Rarity, he asked, "So, how do I look?"

The mare had a look of pride and slight desire on her face as she answered, "You look simply smashing, darling. You really pull off the outfit well."

Naruto grinned at that and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek in thanks before he waved goodbye to the fillies and left for the next place on his agenda. Rarity was left blushing while the fillies looked to her with matching grins.

With the Uzumaki Head, he was walking down the streets of Ponyville with a small smile while the inhabitants all greeted him politely. The next place he had decided to visit was the home of a shaman known as Zecora. He wasn't told much about her during his visits to Ponyville, but he was told that she definitely knew her way around herbs and flora used in her potions and elixirs.

Taking the designated path through a small section of Everfree Forest, he finally reached her hut and knocked once. Once the door opened, he was greeted to the sight of a female zebra with gold rings around her right foreleg, neck, ears, and nose. She looked to him in slight surprise before she smiled.

"Well, this is quite a surprise; our land's summoner, right before my eyes. Come; come on inside, good sir. I'm curious as to how our talk will occur," she greeted in rhyme, making Naruto raise a brow slightly before shrugging.

Hey, everybody and everypony had their own quirks. Who was he to judge?

Once inside and seated, he asked, "You're Zecora, right?"

"That is my name, young Uzumaki. What could you want with me?"

"I'm in need of potions that could help heal wounds or restore lost chakra for a trip to Uzu. I'm not sure what could happen and I want to be prepared."

"Ah, a good idea on your end. Let me see what I can blend. These potions you request are quite easy. I'll have them ready in a jiffy."

He smiled and thanks as he silently watched her work, growing more and more fascinated at how skilled she was at brewing the potions requested. In ten minutes, she had both potions ready for him in two medium sized jars.

"That was impressive," he complimented. "I'm curious as to why I've never heard of you to summon before, though."

"That is because I never submitted my name. I always meant to, but distractions are to blame. I'm pleased to see our summoner is so pure. I'll be happy to help you; of that I'm sure."

"And I'll be happy to have your help," he agreed before he thanked her for the potions and left. He sealed them into a scroll that held his supplies before he made his way to Pinkie's place. He was easily able to find it based on the streamers that connected one window opening to another and the occasional balloon that escaped through another open window.

He knocked on her door and it opened only to have a burst of confetti fire out and bury him. Once he dug himself out, he was face to face with the party mare with their faces just inches apart.

"Hi Naruto!" she greeted happily. "I didn't know you were coming to visit! Ohmygosh, I didn't even have time to prepare a 'Welcome Party' for you before you came!"

Knowing how famous she was for ranting, Naruto quickly interjected, "It's fine, Pinkie. I just came here to ask if you had any pranking supplies on you."

Her eyes grew as wide as dinner plates before she shot inside her house and pulled out a large suitcase that was easily her size and placed it in front of him. "Here you go!" she exclaimed with her perpetual grin in place.

Naruto bent down and opened it, taking stock of everything in hand with a grin that slowly grew wider and wider. "Perfect," he declared with a chuckle as he closed it and sealed it away. "Thanks, Pinkie." She nodded and looked to him with her persistent smile, though Naruto saw that she had something on her mind. "Everything okay, Pinkie-chan?"

She hesitated by the slightest amount before she shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

He gave a faint frown before he put an arm around her neck and began to walk with her. "Come with me."

She had a faint blush at the closeness as she asked, "Where are we going?"

"For a walk, and then you can tell me what's on your mind."

"I told you that-" she tried to say before she caught him looking at her from the corner of his eye. She looked away and, to Naruto's surprise, her hair lost a small amount of its "poofiness".

They walked together down a few of the streets and Naruto bought them a couple of apples for lunch before they headed to the lake. Once they sat at the docks with their apples finished, he turned to her expectantly. "Pinkie, I know something's wrong. You can talk to me, you know."

She kept her gaze on her reflection as her hair lost a bit more poof. "…Do you know what I like best about you, Naruto?" The question caught him off guard, but he wasn't able to answer as she continued. "I like the fact that you can keep going after everything that's happened to you and how you still try to help others when you deserve the most help."

"Pinkie, I'll always be there for my friends and precious people. You and the others fall under that category too," he stated with a smile.

"How do I know you won't use us in the end?" she asked, her hair now fully straight and her gaze much more serious and skeptical than what it previously was.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her and answered, "You know I would never do that to you or anyone, Pinkie. You're all my family here, and I would rather offer myself to the gates of hell than betray any of you."

She looked away, looking far more vulnerable than she had ever shown before. "The truth is, I'm always afraid that I'm the one being laughed at when I make others laugh. I'm afraid that they make fun and see me as just an idiot when I'm not."

"You know they'd never do that to you," reassured the blonde as he scooted closer to her. "You're not an idiot, Pinkie, and the others know that too. You're fun, creative, compassionate, and wonderful to be around. I don't think any of us could imagine our lives now without you in them."

She looked to him in surprise as stray tears fell down her cheeks. "Y-You really mean that?"

"Of course," answered Naruto with a smile as he gently wiped away her tears. "Have faith in us Pinkie. We're your friends, and we won't betray you. We need you just as much as you need us, and with a war looming on the horizon, I'm going to need you all now more than ever."

"War," she murmured, looking worried. "I've never been in one before… Celestia-hime and Luna-hime have, and they always seem so reluctant to talk about it." She looked to the lake as they sat in silence for a few moments. "I just want to live in a world where everyone could laugh and be happy for the rest of their lives. Where the pains of our past stay where they are meant to while we live in the peace of today and look to the future."

She gasped softly as the blonde pulled her closer to him and she looked up to see him smiling at her. "We'll get there Pinkie-chan; I promise."

She slowly smiled back as her hair poofed back to its original style before she turned into her human form and surprised Naruto with a soft kiss. He quickly regained his senses and began to return it, running his hand softly through her hair while her and rubbed his whiskered cheek. When they pulled away, her forehead leaned against his and her blue eyes met his own. She smiled at him lovingly while he smiled back reassuringly.

"I believe you, Naruto-kun," she whispered as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'll always believe in you."

Naruto's smile softened at that as he sat in comfortable silence with his pinkette companion.

[Konoha (Half an Hour Later)]

Arriving back inside his apartment in a poof of smoke, Naruto immediately made his way to Tsunade's office to tell her what he had found. The meeting between the two was brief and she approved of his request to head out with Kakashi as his partner for the trip. They would set out the next day, allowing the Copy Ninja time to prepare whatever he needed.

Naruto informed Karin and Tayuya as well, and they wished him luck; though Tayuya expressed hers with a small punch to his arm and a message to "come back alive, Shithead".

The next morning, the two shinobi met at the main gates of the village and took off for Uzu. Watching them go with a conflicted and confused look was a certain pinkette. The loss of the boy she believed with all her heart that she loved left her an emotional wreck and she had hoped the remainder of her team would've been there for support. However, the two seemed to have accepted it already and decided to continue on with their lives. It hurt to see how easily her Sasuke-kun was dismissed, but she knew that she had to try and move on as well.

[Nami no Kuni Port (half a day later)]

It didn't take nearly as long to reach the now successful town where Team 7 had their first C-Rank Mission against Zabuza and Haku and their employer Gato. The way Naruto saw it, visiting Tazuna and his family wouldn't be a big waste of time since he was curious as to how they were holding up. Kakashi was all for it as well since he was slightly curious as well.

So, the Jonin made a Kage Bunshin to go and secure the duo a boat to head for Uzu while he and the blonde went to visit the old bridge builder. The two Konoha shinobi travelled down the familiar path to the old drunk's house and saw that it had been slightly renovated wherever they remembered seeing external damage. It looked much nicer than it did before, which made them smile slightly.

Naruto took the initiative and knocked, prompting a familiar face to open the door after a few seconds. His smile grew wider as he gave a slight wave. "Hey Tsunami-san," greeted the Uzumaki.

"Naruto-kun?" asked the woman in surprise before she noticed the Jonin. "Ah, and Kakashi-san! It's so good to see you both again! Please, come in!"

The two males followed her inside and saw the old man seated at the table with some architectural plans in front of him while he pointed some things out to Inari, who was listening attentively. Tsunami cleared her throat, making them both turn to see their visitors before they smiled.

"Well, ain't you both a sight for sore eyes," the bridge builder commented while Inari ran over to hug Naruto.

"Naruto-nii-san!" excitedly greeted the boy while Naruto ruffled his hair with a grin.

"Hey there squirt; good to see you. You too, old man."

The man chuckled before nodding to the Jonin. "How have you two been?"

Kakashi shrugged with an eye-smile. "Well, there's never really a dull moment in our line of work. We're doing okay though."

"Glad to hear that, considering how the last time you were here things went south in an instant."

"Comes with the job," Kakashi replied with a sheepish laugh. "Expect the unexpected, look underneath the underneath and all that."

Naruto rolled his eyes playfully at that and the five people sat at the table and spent some time catching up. Tazuna had decided to take Inari under his wing and teach him everything the boy needed to know about carpentry and construction. The man himself had become a sort of hero to the people of the town for bringing the ninja that saved them, and Naruto was left blushing in embarrassment at finding out he was the inspiration for the bridge name. Tsunami had decided to run the local schoolhouse that was built a few weeks after the bridge. The children loved her and she treated each student like she would her son; with care and affection.

The two shinobi were pleased at how well the family was doing and gave brief overviews of what happened on their end. Naruto was congratulated for his rise in standing in his village while Kakashi was teasingly advised by Tsunami to "take care of the future Hokage", which the man laughed and promised to.

It was nearly an hour later that Kakashi received the memories of his clone and saw that it had procured him and Naruto a ship that was set to sail in ten minutes. So, the two quickly gave their farewells and best wishes before they hurried to the docks and boarded their ship. The ride through the crystal blue waters took the rest of the evening, but the ship had to lay anchor some ten miles away due to the dangerous waters that surrounded the island. Sharp rocks erected from the ocean waters while fast currents and various whirlpools surrounded the shore.

"Sorry lads," the ship captain began, "but this is as far as we can go by boat. I know you ninja can do your fancy walk on water tricks, but even I wouldn't recommend it to you."

"I'd have to agree with you," Kakashi replied with a nod. "We'll figure something out."

Naruto nodded and waited until he and his sensei were in their cabin before offering an idea. "Sensei, I think I have a solution. I have a…transformation that could let us go over the rocks and waters safely. It is connected to my summons."

The man raised his only visible brow speculatively. "Is that so? Are you sure it will work?"

"You were informed of Tayuya and Karin, right?" The man nodded. "I used the same form to fly from Oto back to Konoha."

The Jonin nodded with a thoughtful hum. "If you're sure, then I'm all for it. I trust you, Naruto."

The teen smiled at his teacher gratefully before the two went to sleep. The next morning at dawn, Kakashi informed the captain that they had a solution and that he and his crew were free to leave once they left the ship, so long as they came back the next day's afternoon. The captain easily agreed while Naruto surprised the entire ship with his alicorn transformation. He crouched down for Kakashi to get on his back before he took off into the air towards the island.

After an exhilarating – to Kakashi – flight to the island, the two shinobi landed on the sandy shores and bore witness to the ruins of the home of Naruto's ancestors. The Jonin took note of Naruto looking at the moss covered ruins sadly as he slowly trekked into the village.

"I was told that it was in ruin, but actually seeing it is…"

"More than you imagined?" supplied Kakashi.

"Yea… I guess it just proves how much work I have ahead of me."

Kakashi nodded and placed a supportive hand on the blonde's shoulder. "You'll bring it back, Naruto; you and your comrades. And I'm sure Tsunade-sama will offer any kind of support she can." He then eye-smiled and added with a swirly thumbs-up, "I'll support you as well."

"Thanks sensei. I appreciate-" began Naruto before he tensed slightly and narrowed his eyes.

"What is it?"

"Well what do you know? We're already surrounded," commented the Chunin playfully with a chuckle. "I honestly thought we'd have at least half an hour before we were discovered."

"It just goes to show that this island isn't as abandoned as we were left to believe. Perhaps this Chrysalis you mentioned really is here."

"Let me check," Naruto replied before he opened his senses. He bypassed the slightly dark chakra sources that surrounded them and were spread throughout the island before he zoned in on a source that didn't seem dark so much as twisted and tainted. "Found her. She's in the center of the island."

"How many are around us?" asked Kakashi as he revealed his Sharingan eye.

"Dozens; too many to give an accurate number," supplied the blonde. "I'm gonna try something, so watch my back."

Before Kakashi could reply, the Chunin stepped forward with his arms up in surrender before two creatures jumped out of their hiding spots and landed in front of him with snarls on their faces. They were largely equine in appearance but possessed insect-like characteristics. They had black carapace-like coats, webbed manes and tails, solid cyan-green eyes, fangs, bent horns, insect-like wings, and holes in their legs.

The hissed at him while Naruto spoke up clearly. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, Head of the Uzumaki Clan and holder of the Kouma Contract. I am here with my teacher in search of the Changeling Queen Chrysalis in hopes of helping her redeem herself from the curse sustained by the Uzumaki Creed. The means to do so is on this island, which is why we're here."

One of the changelings turned to the other and they spoke in the natural tone of hisses and clicking teeth before they both glared at him. The blonde got the message: try anything and we won't hesitate to kill you. He nodded as they both turned and began walking, prompting him to follow. Kakashi made to do the same, but two more changelings dropped down next to him and hissed at him.

Naruto saw this and frowned slightly before sighing. "I'll be fine, sensei. I'm telling them the truth after all."

The Jonin didn't seem too pleased but he reluctantly nodded. "Alright, but don't let your guard down."

The Uzumaki nodded and continued following his escorts. Along the way, he took note of many changelings eyeing him in suspicion from behind various pieces of rubble while the two leading him ignored them. After about ten minutes of being led, the Chunin finally arrived at the center of the ruined village and took note of the Guze Fuiin right where the scroll said it would be.

On the other side of what Naruto assumed was the village's old town square, a shadowed are reminiscent of a cavern entrance rested. From the darkness, to bright green eyes with slit black pupils opened and bored into his cerulean orbs.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into this sacred place?" whispered a hissing voice that made Naruto unconsciously shiver before his eyes softened. "Well? Speak!"

He took a slight breath before he began, "Like I told your…underlings, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, the current Clan Head."

"You?" the voice interrupted, amusement lacing the tone. "A mere child is Head of the sacred Whirling Soul Clan? That's quite unbelievable, child."

"I assure you, that I am. I have found the old Kouma Contract, gained the trust of Celestia and Luna, turned the embodiment of Chaos itself to our cause, and have taken to the Creed since a young age."

He took note of the eyes cringing and looking distant for just a moment before they hardened again. "Boy, if you are lying, I assure you that they won't even recognize your skeleton when I'm through with you."

"I swear, I'm telling the truth. I swear on my blood and heritage as Mito-sama's legacy."

The green eyes narrowed at him before movement was heard and the owner of said eyes finally revealed themselves. Their coat was a very dark gray, their webbed mane a dark cerulean, while their insect-like wings were a transparent cyan and their eyes had deep opal eye shadow.

This was Chrysalis, the Queen of the Changelings and exile of the Uzumaki Kouma Contract.

"Well, for what purpose have you come here, child?" she asked with her eyes narrowed.

Naruto then surprised her by smiling slightly and giving a small bow. "Firstly, I'd like to thank you for giving me a chance to speak with you and for presenting yourself to me, Chrysalis-san. I appreciate the trust you give me; even if it's only slight."

She couldn't help the faintest of blushes at the sincerity of his thanks for something so trivial in her eyes. "Y-You're welcome."

"Having said that, I'm here to hear your side of the story concerning your exile and to offer you something after hearing it," stated the blonde Uzumaki Head.

Raising a brow, she queried, "Why so interested in my misdeeds? I'm nothing more than a traitor and exile of your people and their partners."

"That may be true, but I'm not one to simply accept something without looking into it and finally forming my own opinion. I was told that you were swayed by Manda of the Hebi Contract. Is this true?"

She scowled hatefully at the name and nodded. "The snake was very cunning and his tongue so silver it could be sold for a fortune. He spoke of how my fellow summon creatures held mistrust and fear due to the fact that my underlings and I are different than they are. Doubt filled my heart at his words and I saw that they were true in a sense." Her eyes closed and she sighed in remorse. "I began to grow distressed and sought out ways to show them that I could be trusted. Manda saw my distress and he offered me a method; escort messengers from his part of the Summon Realm to speak to Celestia and Luna about a potential treaty."

"But his underlings were actually on orders to try and search for weak points for a potential invasion," Naruto commented, making her nod.

"Yes, they were. However, I was unaware of this and I became an unwitting accessory to their plan and was seen as a traitor for my actions. Only two snakes came with me to my knowledge, but apparently a couple dozen others came behind us in secret before they revealed themselves. So, for my actions I was cursed by the very Creed that I gave a blood oath to and live in shamed exile here on the ruined land of your ancestors."

Naruto frowned sadly at her as she kept her gaze averted from his. The changelings all gave sad whines for their queen's plight while a couple looked to the Uzumaki for help. He steeled his nerve as he stepped up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch and turn to his, green eyes meeting blue.

He smiled softly and declared, "I believe you, Chrysalis." Her eyes widened as he continued, "I believe that you were not meant to be punished by the Creed for actions you were unaware of, and I wish to help you redeem yourself."

"How? There are no methods I know of that will allow me to do so."

His smile grew wider as he stepped into the center of the large seal with his arms outstretched. "The solution is right here! This is the Guze Fuiin, a seal used by the old Clan Head and Advisors to absolve a member of our family of crimes against the clan and the Creed. With this seal, I will remove the curse set upon you by the Creed and help you redeem yourself so that you may once again be a part of the Uzumaki Clan!"

Her eyes grew wider with each declaration and she felt something she had not felt in years; hope. She felt a small bit of hope that began to burn and fester inside her before she truly began to believe that the teen before her could save her.

"Please," she began in a desperate tone, "use the seal. Help me redeem myself and I will do whatever I can to make it up to the clan!"

Naruto kept his smile and nodded before he performed a Kuchiyose and summoned forth all six members of the Mane Six. The six mares were all surprised at where they were before they took note of Chrysalis standing before them.

Twilight was the first to speak up. "Naruto, what's going on?"

"A redemption ritual, Twilight. The seven of us will pour our chakra into this seal I'm standing on and absolve Chrysalis of her crimes against the clan. I know that the chakra required is more than I hold, so I'm going to need all of you to help."

The six exchanged looks between each other and towards the Changeling Queen before Applejack stepped forward and nodded. "Alright, Sugarcube, we'll help ya."

The blonde human nodded with a grin before he and the mares took their places around the edge of the seal while Chrysalis was told to stand in the center. "Now Chrysalis," began Naruto, "this seal was originally designed for the human members of our clan, so I'm going to need you to assume as human a form as possible."

She frowned worriedly at that before she hesitantly nodded and engulfed her form in her power. When the light died down, a humanoid creature with a grotesquely demonic look was seen with the bottom half of her body resembling that of a hideous arachnid and tattered wings were seen sprouting from her back.

Naruto gave her a reassuring smile, which she slowly returned, before he and the Mane Six slammed their forelimbs on the seal and he declared, "Guze Fuiin: Hajime (Salvation Seal: Begin)!"

A bright light erupted from the ancient seal and it let off a deep red glow as the ones activating it felt an immediate drain on their reserves. They all gritted their teeth as their chakra was siphoned further and further into the seal. As for Chrysalis, she writhed in pain as she felt the tainted energy so deeply merged into her system rip off of her so agonizingly that she gave a silent scream. She felt as if her very skin was being peeled off with each passing second.

Kakashi, having finally been allowed to follow the changelings as soon as they felt their queen's pain, arrived on the scene and bore witness to the spectacle while looking to his student's determined look with pride. He truly stuck to his morals, and the Jonin couldn't help but feel proud to have been a part of the teen's growth as a shinobi. 'Sensei, Kushina-senpai, you'd both be proud of how your son turned out; though I wish you luck if you ever meet Naruto, sensei.'

Back with Naruto, he felt his chakra continuing to drain dangerously and took notice of his friends slowly passing out one by one due to the strain the siphoning took on them. 'Dammit, we're running out of chakra and the seal still isn't finished. What else can we…?' Suddenly, it came to him. Chakra wasn't the only power that could be called upon by his summons. 'Mana! That's it!' he mentally exclaimed.

Resolving himself, he called upon the residual energy in the surrounding area. His form gave off a bright yellow-green aura as his eyes flashed the same color. The chant required filled his mind just as Twilight – the last of the six mares – fell unconscious from the strain.

"Honestos maiores, redemptio et salvatio fortuna infelix istud!" he exclaimed as his mana shot into the seal and engulfed the still writhing Chrysalis in a flash of light.

Naruto, having exhausted his two energy sources, had one eye clenched shut while the other was forced to stay open by his willpower. When the light died down, a husk reminiscent of a shed skin was seen on the ground with small pieces stretching from it and falling off of the new being before the blonde.

They looked like a human women with pointed ears. Her skin was a chocolate shade free of blemishes or deformities, her deep cerulean hair straight and reaching her waist, her eyes the same bright green with more natural pupils, and her insect-like wings shining a bright and transparent cyan. On her forehead rested a black crown with a wicked horn and four antennae with glowing tips. (2)

Chrysalis had been redeemed and reborn from her old cursed body.

She looked to her new body in surprise, joyful tears threatening to spill from her eyes before she heard Naruto cough. Her eyes widened in shock and worry before she detached the remainder of the husk that was her old self and rushed to his side. Pulling his head into her lap, she looked down at him as her tears finally fell and he smiled tiredly at her.

"Heh," he weakly chuckled. "I told you I would save you…"

She smiled with a teary laugh and nodded. "You did…" she whispered in a soft tone (3) before she hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Naruto… Thank you so much…"

Kakashi meanwhile checked the vital signs of the other mares and sighed in relief at them all having pulses. He then turned to his student being hugged by the redeemed woman and smiled as she kept whispering thanks to him. 'You did well, Naruto… You did well.'

(End Chapter)

1 & 2~ Both of these descriptions have picture links on my profile page
3~ Imagine her voice is that of Retsu Unohana (Note: I don't own Bleach)

Spell Note: Honestos maiores, redemptio et salvatio fortuna infelix istud translates to "Honorable Ancestors, bless this poor soul with the chance of redemption and salvation."

And that was chapter eleven! I hope that you all are enjoying it so far! Please be sure to read, review, and ask any questions! I'll be sure to answer all that I can! ^_^

Next Time: Chrysalis has been redeemed! However, Naruto is now unconscious and unable to fight for some time! What happens when enemies close in on the Ruined Island of the Uzumaki?! Stay Tuned!

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