Chapter 6

Echoes of Despair: Passions Ignite

(child abuse/Violence Warning)

Suguru watched and waited as Naruto was making his way across the front yard trying to keep his movements silent.

Quickly and quietly, Suguru made his way up the stairs, which creaked with every movement, drawing the pair's attention away from the window. Saraya fully turned around, and Uzui glanced back towards him. "Oh, Geto, it's only you," Uzui stated in a bored tone. "Why are you being all sneaky? You know you can't sneak up on a master shinobi like me."

"Careful, Uzui, your typical shinobi arrogance will be your downfall," Suguru warned. Saraya mumbled that they had lost track of Naruto, prompting Uzui to turn back, missing the playful smile turning into something more vicious.

"Oh, Naruto-Sama, what are you doing here!" Uzui and Saraya froze, realizing they had lost track of Naruto, who was now standing behind them, likely about to scold them for invading his privacy. Saraya began to explain, but as she turned to face her brother, she saw Suguru standing alone with a smug grin, head tilted in a playful manner.

"Naruto-Sama has requested privacy while he goes to discuss matters with his childhood friend. I expect you to respect his wishes," Suguru stated before continuing on his way to his bedroom to rest before the ball that evening.

"Ass," Saraya muttered in English, to which Uzui agreed, acknowledging that Naruto deserved privacy and respect. Uzui reflected on Naruto's sacrifices and strength, recalling how the prince had saved them all at one point of another on this journey they called life. Saraya nodded, remembering how Naruto had gone out of his way to teach her Japanese and Korean.

"Yeah, but he is right though, if Naruto-Sama wants privacy we should respect, I mean he has done and would do the same for all of us." Uzui paused as he had thought about the last decade or so. "That boy saved all for us, he brought Chika back from the brink on insanity and madness when he lost his wife and child, that man is strong enough to become a warlord but gave it all up for his sister, Yoruichi-Sama. Even with myself back then I was brought in to help train Naruto-Sama after Minato-Sama decided the prince's training wasn't yielding the results he had wanted."

Saraya nodded listening to her sempai, she remembers how unfair it seemed to the prince but at the time she couldn't speak a word of Japanese or any of the Dominion's languages.

'And he went out his way to teach me Japanese and Korean,' the younger girl thought to herself with a small smile.

"I was brought in to break the kid and when he had seemingly nothing left to give, he had a look in his eye, like he had something to live for. It wasn't his titles, his contemporaries, the throne or even his family but there was a small spark of hope in his eyes. No matter many times we beat him bloody, and I mean we beat this child like he was a grown man and with every fall he stood back up until his body had to give up."

"I remember I was there." Saraya growled, she used to hate Uzui when she first met the man.

"Gah," was the noise that escaped the prince's lips as he was knocked back to the ground.

"Even if he is a royal still nothing but a weak little bug." A voice spoke from the shadows.

"The boy's barely off his mother tit and your bragging master?" a teenage Uzui spoke up and undertone of hatred could be heard but the older man just ignored him.

Uzui Tengen stepped beside his master and father, who had been tasked by their Emperor Namikaze-Sama to make the prince into the ultimate weapon.

Movement drew in Uzui's attention towards where the kid had landed.

"I ain't done with you yet, you shitty geezer," Naruto spoke in English cursing the man who had spent the last half hour beating him like a war drum.

The older Tengen recognised the language but could not understand a word.

"How disgraceful," the man spat in their shared tongue. "To actually speak a language of savages and weaklings such a disgrace."

The prince made a mad dash moving in a simple zig zag pattern to avoid being caught like last time.

"Doesn't matter what you do brat," the older Tengen shouted as the young prince leapt into air.

While he was in the air the prince rotated himself in the air to disguise the fact that he had drawn three kunai at the same time keeping them in between his fingers in his left hand.

Just as the prince finished his rotation, he launched all three kunai at the man who deflected them with a practice easy. In an attempt to take advantage of the weak distraction at best Naruto allowed gravity to assist with a near picture perfect heel drop aiming to crack the older mans cranium with his right foot, to which the older shinobi blocked with ease before clutching at the limb the older shinobi gripped hard, hard enough for the prince to almost cry out in pain.

Uzui's eyes widened as he ducked and flipped out of the way as his father decided to swing the child with reckless abandon slamming him face first into the wall behind them.

"Where do you think you're going brat?" Tengen roared still holding Naruto's ankle before violently swinging him again before slamming him into the wooden floor of the arena they were standing in.

Blood and spittle came out of the prince's mouth as he was manhandled and slammed into floor.

Naruto's eye widened in pain before seemingly passing out.

"Well, that was something?" Uzui spoke up as he glanced up to balcony overlooking their arena Uzui could see the Dominion Emperor glancing down at them.

'Those eye's hold no love at all do they,' Uzui thought as he watched the emperor sneer at his son before turning away and leaving with scoff. 'Just like him.' The teenager thought as he glanced at his father's back.

The older Tengen turned to leave but stopped when he heard movement from where he had left the prince laying.

'No way?' the older man thought as he and his watched prince roll over onto his front and attempt to push himself into some kind of stance, like a sprinter's starting position, but nowhere near as tidy.

Naruto was gasping for air as he tried to stand up his arms, and legs shaking from today's torture session.

'I'm weak,' the prince thought. "I hate how worthless I am, I need strength," He muttered aloud for the others in the room to hear it. "Overwhelming power brings people to their knees," the boy spoke up louder than before.

"Huh what was that brat I couldn't hear you over there," the older Tengen taunted as he slowly made his way to the boy who was still struggling to his knees.

"The strong going into every situation with an advantage," Naruto's mind flashing through his childhood tours throughout the Dominion and watching as men and women alike bowed to his father. "While the weak quiver in fear or gather around helplessly. It's the weak who gets looked down on, it doesn't matter how kind, creative or smart they are, it's the weak always lose!" The boy of 11 summers snarled as he remembered all the different times his father crushed enemies to his rule.

The oldest man in the room stopped in front of the struggling child.

"Just shut up brat, the weak will always lose for that is their place in the Dominion. Your father understands that. Our Dominion is where the strong thrive, strength is truly the only thing that matters in this world." The older man stated as if it was the natural state of the world before raising his foot and stamping down on the back of the child's head, planting the boy's face back in the floor hard.

'Sorry Naruto-Sama, that is how the world works, my father is correct, might will always make right.' Uzui thought before his eyes widened in shock at the scene before him.

"What the?" Uzui's father commented as his leg that was planted on the back of the prince's head began to shake and be raised up as the prince before him struggled to rise.

"RAAAAAAH!" young prince roared as much as could as he attempted to overpower the man's weight.

His roar sent chills down the spines of all the remaining observers, the raw emotion pouring from this child, who would be consider a walking testament of what an Uzumaki should be.

Resilient

Defiant

Unruly

Anyone who was old enough could remember the Uzumaki Scourge a ruthless shinobi clan, who roamed and pillaged for money. It wasn't until The Shogunate returned were the Uzumaki's brought to heel and made into loyal vassals on the throne.

That roar from that child, shook them all to the core from the gutless servants, to the most hardened of warriors including the older Tengen.

"If that's how our world works then I'll break it, and if I need to get stronger to break this world." Naruto said before chuckling to himself causing his ribs to ache as he spat blood to the feet in front of him. "I'm not done yet," the prince roared as he sprung to his feet knocking the older shinobi off balance before leaping over a rushed round kick meant sweep his legs from underneath him in an attempt to keep him grounded.

The surprise written over the older man's face was apparent.

Naruto had drawn another kunai.

'From where he had three in hand and threw them earlier.' The Older Tengen thought as the prince slashed at his face. "GAH!" the older man cried as he stepped back clutching at his right eye.

Naruto allowed for the momentum of the slash to carry his body back to his feet.

"I'm going to rip out your fucking throat" the shinobi Prince growled as he was fed up with this torture session that was covered up as training.

The prince's arms felt heavy, too heavy so quickly he popped the handle of the kunai in his mouth before both his arms fell to his side.

'I'll get stronger if it's the last thing I do!' the Shinobi prince thundered in his mind as he dashed forward to finish off this fight.

"Shit!" Uzui cursed as he tried to warn his father who was still dealing with his slashed face. 'I'm not going to make it, I just lost my brother, please not him too.' Uzui thought, he may hate his old man, but he is the only family he has left.

Prince Naruto made it five whole steps before collapsing to the floor with a thud.

Seeing this Uzui ran over to his father while pulling out bandages from his own pouch.

The older man just cursed before smacking his son's hands away and storming towards the exit, one hand holding his face covering the cut and probably damaged eye.

"Well shit," Uzui said at his father's retreating form before turning to the current heir to the Sun kissed throne.

As the teen walked over towards the downed preteen, he took stock of the arena around them scattered shuriken and kunai blood stained the floor and walls.

'Those floorboards will need replacing too,' the shinobi idly thought to himself before he stopped at the head of the prince.

"You fought well kid," Uzui praised as even he knew most teenagers wouldn't be able withstand a beating like that.

Uzui couldn't help but take inventory on the kid before him.

"Busted up lips, and a bloody nose," Uzui spoke aloud as he checked over the prince. 'Probably from early from how the blood has dried.' "But need to check that head wound," Uzui remembered and began checking through the unconscious Princes scalp to make sure the bleeding had stopped.

After a couple of minutes, he found what he was looking for and applied some first aid to the boy.

"Ok that's sorted now one last check." Uzui said as he finished wrapping bandages around the prince's skull.

The teenage shinobi's hand went lower towards the kid's torso and pressed around the ribs only to get winces of pain in return from the younger boy.

"Ok at least two bruised ribs and one possible break." Uzui counted before calling for the actual doctors around.

"You won't touch her."

'Huh did you say something kid?' Uzui thought before the kid spoke again.

"I'm sorry Pen, guess I wasn't strong enough," Naruto weakly gasped out before falling silent.

Uzui just supported the unconscious prince's neck as the royal medics came in to collect the heir.

'How pathetic!' Uzui remembered the exact words the emperor had used at the time just before he left the arena.

Uzui glanced down at Saraya, his voice filled with a deeper understanding of Naruto's resilience. "You weren't there for all of it," he said, his eyes locked on hers. "In the prince's mind, I believe his mother, you, and that Penelope girl are what kept him going, powering through all that darkness."

Uzui's words were a heartfelt confession, revealing a deeper insight into Naruto's unwavering spirit during his training. He recalled how Naruto found hope in his darkest moments, driven by a spark of determination that wasn't fuelled by titles or power, but by his connections to his precious people, Kushina-Sama, that Featherington girl and You.

As Uzui finished speaking, he walked away, leaving Saraya stunned by his unexpected sincerity.

The two natural red heads from opposite corners of the world enter Uzushio Manor unaware of the conversation just held on the landing above Naruto started the tour, once more.

"My Lady Featherington, welcome to newly established Uzushio Manor," Naruto started before falling into an overexaggerated European bow. "I am so honoured to have a lady of such renown in my home."

Penelope giggled at the display, before deciding to continue whatever this was.

"Oh my, Lord, thank you welcoming me, to such an extravagant home." The girl said before doing the most over the top curtsy she could think of.

Naruto quickly found himself unable to look away at the young woman before him. Her strawberry red hair wasn't pinned up in the normal debutant way, his eyes followed in down to her collar bone where his eyes found their way to the in his opinion the best thing about British fashion, the low-cut dresses. The teal-coloured dress with black lace embroidered around the hem and just over the bust of the dress.

Heat began to fill his face but then she opened her mouth and let loose a giggle, which became a laugh.

"Utsukushī yoake," the prince whispered to himself before the girl opened her eyes again.

As Penelope opened her eyes from her over the top curtsy, she caught Naruto staring at her.

"Did you say something Naruto?"

The boy just shook his head with small smile.

'God, I love that smile,' Penelope thought as she thought to herself as she thought back to whenever it was just the two of them, he reserved only those smiles for her.

"Now you're getting it, ha" Naruto said before letting a small laugh. "Alright let the tour begin! Ikuzo!" Naruto said in English before switching to Japanese.

Penelope giggled as she watched one of her closest friends and literal man of her dreams from a couple nights ago walk off in a random direction. Her gaze on her friend's broad shoulders.

'How strong did you have to get over the years?' the asked internally before her gaze lowered and lingered before her head whipped to the side her cheeks radiating a similar heat from the carriage.

"I wonder where my lovely, honoured guest has gotten to?" the prince asked as he began get further away.

"I'm coming, just slow down you are a giant now." Penelope argued hotly as she tried to banish the thoughts that just invaded her mind.

'Alright enough messing around,' Penelope thought as her own mind betrayed her with visuals of the prince's backside, their kiss and their moment in the carriage.

Seated comfortably in the Japanese-styled drawing room, Naruto and Penelope assumed positions reminiscent of his homeland, engaging in conversation as they had done the previous evening. They seamlessly wove in details of his day spent with the Bridgertons, delicately skirting around a topic that lingered unspoken between them.

As the gentle ambiance enveloped them, Naruto broached the subject, "I was forcefully handed a Lady Whistledown pamphlet today."

Penelope's interest was piqued, and she inquired, "Pray, what were your impressions of her words?"

"Interesting approach, definitely has some ideas about Elouise, you, and I," Naruto replied, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

At that, Penelope's cheeks flushed, recalling her own words, which had been both angry and kind. She had to maintain a professional demeanour, especially considering the attention their words had garnered that evening.

"I have no idea where I got those kinds of impressions," she admitted, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"But do you know what's funny?" Naruto said, his eyes closing as he fished for the pamphlet in his pocket. "When I read their words, it feels like something I've read before. It feels familiar, almost."

Penelope's jaw dropped, but Naruto missed it due to the sudden knock on the door. The servant entered, bowed to Naruto, and handed him a small box with a smile before glancing at Penelope and bowing to her before leaving the room.

"So, enough stalling," Naruto said, his voice firm but gentle. "I've given most of the Bridgertons their gifts, and now it's your turn. No more excuses."

"What excuses?" Penelope asked, her heart racing.

"Hopefully, it makes up for the lack of contact over the last three or so years," Naruto said, his eyes locked on hers.

Penelope's mind went blank as she reached out to take the box. Naruto handed it to her, and she removed the lid, gasping in surprise.

"It's... it's beautiful," she managed to stammer, her eyes fixed on the pendant.

"Good thing I remembered your favourite colour when I found that piece of jade," Naruto laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Found it?" Penelope asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Oh, this was before the war," Naruto explained. "We had a mission to destroy an illegal mining operation in the Philippines, and after we completed our mission, we found the mine was littered with jewels and precious gems. I remembered your favourite colour, and as a special thank you from the locals, they allowed us to keep one item each. So, I grabbed that one, and later had it turned into a pendant."

Penelope's eyes widened as she gazed at the pendant, her heart filled with gratitude and a hint of surprise.

"Arigatou. Dōmo arigatou," Penelope said in perfect Japanese, thanking him for the gift. The prince's eyes widened at that small gesture, before Penelope broached the next topic.

"So, tell me, why isn't the Prince of the Dominion married yet? I'm sure Aunt Kushina would be wanting grandchildren soon, no? Oh, great Warlord," she said with a teasing smile.

"Ha!" Naruto laughed. "You're not wrong, she definitely does. I'm pretty sure she and Lady Danbury are scheming something this season, so I'm going to need you at your best to help me dodge the mama, as Benedict calls it, I think."

"Aww, poor you," the girl teased with a smile and a laugh.

"And as for why I'm not married, well, that one comes with a story that left a mark on me forever."

"Go on," her curiosity piqued.

"It may get heavy. I almost died in it."

"WHAT?!"

"Note to self: maybe don't lead with that," the boy muttered to himself in Japanese before beginning his tale.

"It all started when my father had me engaged to be married to another soul from noble house, a clan. Her name was Tomoe Uchiha…"

Saraya lay on the floor of her room, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as the events of the day swirled in her mind. The comfort of the bed felt unnatural to her, a reminder of the turmoil that had been brewing within her. As a shinobi apprentice of a warlord, she had always been driven by a sense of duty and loyalty, but the spar and Uzui's story had stirred a deep sense of self-doubt within her.

"Why would he choose me?" she questioned herself, her thoughts clouded with uncertainty. In that moment of introspection, Naruto's image appeared vividly in her mind, a reminder of the potential she had yet to unlock.

"Just because you can't see it yet," a voice echoed in her thoughts, reminding her of the unseen potential that lay within her. Despite the doubts that plagued her, Saraya knew that growth and improvement were gradual processes.

"So, everyone keeps telling me, but the more I learn, the more I realize that the gap between our skills keeps widening," she reflected, acknowledging the challenges she faced in her training and the journey towards self-discovery.

As she lay there, Saraya's thoughts turned to her past, to the life she had left behind. She thought back to the days of eating scraps and out bins in the slums, to the moment she had realized her father would never save her. She had been forced to save herself, and that realization had been a turning point in her life.

"Being found by Naruto and the rest of his family was really nice, even the emperor was kind," she thought, her mind wandering back to the early days in Osaka. But soon after their arrival, they had learned that Emperor Jiraiya had passed away in his sleep, and Minato Namikaze had been crowned the fourth Emperor of the Dominion.

Naruto had always smiled it off, and Kushina had always tried to excuse his behaviour, but Saraya knew the truth. They were trying to spare the harsh reality of the Dominion, a place where strength and power were converted by all, and it was encouraged in the earliest ages of the education system, and Minato just got it all when he ascended to the most powerful seat of power in the region.

"What was that saying?" Saraya said as she tried to remember, something about power corrupting you. "Gah, I can't remember, anyway he got power and then it was like my loved one had their world turned upside down."

The girl began to delve deeper into her memories, 8 years ago she was just some underfed burden that Naruto had found, she had almost died of starvation stuck in that barrel.

The girl raised her arm into the air, looking at what was now lean muscle, her skin was healthy, her blue eyes seemingly reflected the sea, a deep ocean blue, her face had light brown freckles that the Japanese thought was just dirt for two days after they brought her back from the brink of death.

"That wasn't the most pleasant time," the girl thought, referring to almost meeting her maker or the rough baths she was subjected to.

Being from one of the roughest slums in London, a bath was a hot bath was new experience.

Saraya frowned for a moment before she thought back to when she was officially adopted by Kushina.

"Heh, I beat up some noble who was bad mouthing the prince behind his back," she thought as she turned her hand over and stared into her palm.

Her mind lost in the river of deep thoughts; she drifted back to the war.

It was the final siege. The mission was one last push up the mountain, the final base was near the peak and leave nothing but ashes.

Saraya had sat down and was double-checking her equipment, kunai, smoke, and flash bombs. She checked her shinobi armour's straps, her boots, and greaves. Behind her stood three battalions of naval soldiers of the Dominion, Warriors, Samurai, and Shinobi alike, all three separate companies led by three different men aligned together for a common purpose, to end this Kami forsaken war.

Ahead of her stood Chika Shihoin, Uzui Tengen, master-class shinobi, one checking the tape around his fists, the other doing his own inventory check. Suguru Geto, the Mad Monk, stood even so still and with a solemn aura around him as he prayed before the coming battle, but she was too far away to hear what the religious man was chanting. Even further ahead of them stood the big three, Sung Jin-woo, Umemiya Hajime, and Uzumaki Naruto.

"Heh, leading from the front again," the apprentice shinobi thought as she looked on in awe but also had a slight shiver, a feeling of trepidation almost consumed her heart before her adopted brother looked back as if he had sensed something.

His concern was touching, enough so that single look provided her a light in that dark moment.

Saraya snapped out of her trip down memory lane as she stared at her palm, she made a fist, clenching it tightly. Thinking back to her childhood where she was beaten every day.

"I didn't ask to be born!" a young Saraya screamed as she was being beaten by her birth mother.

"I will never be weak again," she whispered to herself.

"You will never lay a hand on my NII-SAMA!" a healthy and slight older Saraya shouted in harsh Japanese as she decked a boy in the nose for trying to bully her and talk about the prince who found her.

"I must, get stronger to protect," the girl thought to herself, resolute in her conviction, to repay the boy who found her and the man who saved her.

"You will not lay a hand on Naruto-Sama again!" Saraya snarled as she buried her tanto into Tomoe Uchiha's chest before twisting her blade and ripping it out in a violent fashion. The young English girl locked eyes with the woman who had almost killed her brother with nothing but rage and hatred.

"That can never happen again," Saraya spoke up in a tone that portrayed a resilient spirit before the girl looked out towards the window and watched the final moments as the sun was in the process of finishing its setting for the day.

"I didn't leave hell, I just moved to a different ring, but at least thanks to the Dominion, I can fight back," she thought, her mind reflecting on the harsh realities of her current life comparing to her old one.

"I must be ready to overcome the challenges that lay ahead," the girl said before rolling back to her feet and going over to the bathtub in her room, she began to get ready for this evening.

She crossed the room, her heart pounding in her chest, emboldened by love and concern. "He shouldn't have had to go through that," she thought, her mind racing with the weight of his scars.

As she approached Naruto, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Pen, I'm fine, honestly," he said, his voice softening. "It was a long time ago. I lived, she didn't, and besides, I got a new scar from it."

Penelope's eyes widened as she asked, "Scar?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "How bold of you, Lady Featherington, breaking all your little rules of late," he teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Penelope's face flushed as Naruto began to open his Yukata, revealing his torso. Her eyes scanned his lean, toned body, drinking in every detail. It wasn't until the slight lift of the lust-filled haze in her mind that she noticed the first scar, a straight diagonal slash from his left pectoral down to his right hip, and another running up his left arm like a connected pattern of branches arcing from the middle of his forearm to his shoulder.

"The big one," Naruto said, pointing across his chest with his left hand. "I got at the very end of the war. Lord Isshin Ashina, the strongest person I ever fought, wasn't even in his prime, and he beat me from pillar to post. That's another interesting tale, which I'll save for another time."

Naruto indicated his left arm, and Penelope's eyes widened as he revealed the scar. "This one you're not going to believe, but this one I was struck by lightning," he said, his voice laced with a hint of humour with another level of regret.

Naruto's mind flashed back to the moment he was struck by lightning. Dark, heavy clouds raced overhead, the wind howled fiercely, and heavy rain poured down, accompanied by thunderous lightning strikes that lit up the earth around them.

"Bring it on, Uzumaki!" a young, handsome man challenged his eyes held a look of hurt and twisted behind them.

"Don't try it, Uchiha, or I'll put you down like the rabid dog you are," the prince responded, his sword's point aimed unwaveringly at the black-haired boy's throat.

Another flash went off behind the Uchiha, temporarily blinding the prince, causing his adversary to knock the prince's blade away from his neck with his own chokuto and move to take the prince's head.

Naruto kept his eyes closed, already used to the effects of a flash explosion, and focused on every other sense.

"Here we go again," Naruto sighed as he blocked the first swing attempt and then the second, holding the Uchiha in a blade lock before slowly opening his eyes, revealing his violet orbs.

"Why won't you just die, Naruto!" Sasuke shouted in frustration.

"Simple, because I am better than you, Clanless," the prince taunted, bringing up the death of Sasuke's family.

"You murdered my clan!"

"You sent 100 Uchiha after children and elderly in Osaka, I did what had to be done." Naruto said with a slight twinge of remorse before his righteous anger returned full throttle. "You're the one who dragged them into this war, you who were the one emboldened by the flames of ambition your father placed upon you, and today it all ends with you, you can take your blasted clan name to the grave."

The two charged at each other, ignoring the rain and wind.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed, driven by nothing but ambition and hatred.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted back, driven by duty and a self-determination no seen since before the birth of the Dominion.

A bolt of lightning struck right between the two mortal enemies, and the whole world exploded into nothing but light.

Penelope's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, too stunned to speak. Naruto chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey, this is the last one I promise," he said, raising his right arm and turning to the side.

Penelope's eyes wandered across his side before focusing on the small sliver of a scar just along the ribcage. She stepped forward, her hand reaching out to touch the scar, tracing it slowly back and forth.

"You should have stayed," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto's smile softened as he turned to face her. "Hey, it's fine. Don't forget that in the Dominion, we take pride in a warrior's scar, each scar telling a story, just never on the back."

Penelope's eyes filled with tears as she said, "It's not fair. You had your entire childhood stolen from you."

Naruto's expression turned serious, his eyes locking onto hers. "What do you feel?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

Penelope's cheeks flushed as she responded, unsure what he meant. "Huh?"

Naruto's eyes never left hers. "What do you feel? Just close your eyes and tell me what you feel."

Penelope closed her eyes, focusing on her hand in the middle of his chest over the large scar, she focused on the feeling, the sensation and then she felt it,

Ba-Dump

Ba-Dump

Ba-Dump

The young lady felt a strange sense of calm wash over her as she focused on his beating heart.

'He feels so warm,' "Your heart?" Penelope asked, her voice soft.

"My heart, despite these scars, these old wounds of mine, my heart still beats strong, I'm alive and well," Naruto said, his voice filled with conviction.

Penelope's eyes snapped open as Naruto let go of her hand. She stepped closer, her heart racing. "You could have died," she said, her voice trembling.

"But I didn't," Naruto said, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm here, and a part of it is thanks to you."

Penelope's eyes welled up as she rolled her them lightly, believing she was being teased again. "Oh, be quiet you, you're too kind," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto's eyes locked onto hers, his voice filled with sincerity. "My kindness never saved me, but your kindness did," he said, his eyes burning with intensity.

Penelope was speechless, her heart pounding in her chest. "It's now or never," she thought, her mind racing with the possibilities.

Penelope leaned forward, closing her eyes as she tilted her head upwards. Naruto naturally matched her, angling his head down. She pressed her lips to his, and Naruto's arms circled around her waist, pulling her in closer. Her hands went up his chest, circling around the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I was right," she thought, her mind racing with the thrill of the moment.

'This is much more enjoyable than kissing her,' Naruto thought as his tongue lightly pressed against her lips asking permission for entry.

As their lips met, Penelope felt a gentle pressure from Naruto's tongue, and she instinctively responded. As they deepened their kiss, the world around them melted away, leaving only the two of them, lost in the intensity of their emotions. The troubles that had once weighed them down, the war that had ravaged his lands, and the societal expectations that had once bound them both, all were forgotten in the heat of their passion.

As the couple separated, they both gasped for air, their foreheads still touching. Penelope's mind reeled as she struggled to catch her breath and calm her racing heart.

"Did that just happen?" she thought, her thoughts a jumbled mix of emotions.

Naruto, too, was struggling to process the intensity of the moment. His recent ordeal with his fiancée trying to kill him with a knife to the heart had left him shaken, but the memory of Penelope's lips on his was a balm to his soul.

"If I can have a moment like that again with Pen, then I wouldn't mind getting stabbed again," he thought, a wry smile spreading across his face.

As they parted ways, Penelope glanced outside and spotted the sun beginning to set. She knew she had to get back home, and she was amazed that she had spent an entire afternoon lost in the moment with Naruto.

"I've got to go," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Go, I figured when you looked outside. We have a ball to attend tonight, and it's clear that the sun is setting."

Penelope's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you figure that?"

Naruto chuckled. "I can guess time by your shadow, it's science where I'm from. But I never really paid attention in that class."

Penelope laughed, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "I'm sorry about cutting this off now."

Naruto shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry for. We all have our roles to play, and don't forget to come save me tonight if I'm bad at dodging the mama."

Penelope's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're going to be at the ball tonight?"

Naruto nodded. "I'll be there. And don't forget to come find me."

Penelope's heart skipped a beat as she realized that Naruto was playing a game she didn't understand. "At the ball," she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "I'll be there. And keep this up, I won't be able to call you Yowai neko anymore."

The pair laughed together, the tension between them palpable. As Penelope turned to leave, she stopped at the door and took one last look back at Naruto, her first true kiss. She took in the view of the man who had made her feel the best kind of butterflies, the kind that became fireworks.

Naruto watched her go, every step of the way. He froze everything he did not dare to breathe just in case this was a dream. He watched her go, he waited for the door to close before he released his breathe and fell backwards.

"Yatta!" he shouted in excitement as he felt none of the tension in his body that he was feeling earlier, he felt lighter more energetic by that last exchange.

Penelope only made it a whole five steps before she heard her prince cry out.

"Yatta!"

She heard him and simply smiled a grin she had no control over, as the idea of his lips upon hers once more.

'Oh no the butterflies are back,' Penelope lamented before heading towards the exit so she could make her way home.

The girl stopped in front a very reflective plate that was on display to which she had a look at herself.

'And I need to redo my hair,' the red head thought as she smiled prettily at the reflection before heading towards the door.

As the lady left the premises towards where she left her driver above her on the landing one level above stood two individuals Chika, and Suguru who just gave each other knowing looks.

"It's seeming that this trip might end up being more interesting than I thought." Chika spoke up as he noted the look on the girls face and the scuffed clothes and hair it didn't take a genius to figure out that the prince and the girl got somewhat intimate.

"You think anything outside of the Dominion is pointless, this trip for me is wonderful, to try new food experience different cultures. To have the chance to experience a new way of thinking, is truly marvellous."

"Not very religious of you Lord Monk."

"Pah, if you only learn one way, on learn one thing then why would God give me legs to travel, ears to listen and a mouth to preach." Suguru lightly argued.

"Each to their own, but I'm here because the prince needs this, to have the ability or chance to reconnect with a lost loved one where they be alive, or dead is a blessing." Chika responded solemnly.

"On that we can both agree, my friend."

The End

Authors Notes

OK this one took some planning got a lot more backstory out of the way then originally planned.

Thoughts on Naruto's flashbacks to the war and to his training/abuse

Also do you now much more fun I'm having too just focus on skill and hands in terms of combat no powers might be my favourite thing to write.

Lemme know if you're enjoying this so far.

How are we finding the other characters:

Saraya (OC). Chika Shihoin (Bleach)

Suguru Geto (JJK) Uzui Tengen (DS)

I feel like everyone is getting character development but do let me know if your curious about seeing more from specific characters.

Lowkey, I think some the action in this chapter maybe some my best work.

Also, we will definitely be coming back to Naruto v Sasuke, just got the imagination cooking up something for that flashback.

Thoughts on the Penelope and Naruto scene, I was worried putting this kiss in this early, but I got plenty of time for drama to occur

Next chapter we are starting off with a ball so more Bridgertony things and more characters to write wooooooo.

Last thing I promise,

Leave a review as it feeds my furnace of creation!

Stay chilling y'all.