A Naruto x Sekirei story that has been in development for the last few months (I know it's crazy that I could come up with anything remotely related to fanfiction, but you'd be surprised with how much downtime I had when I wasn't training) Anyways, this is going to be a full story (Of what I come up with) posting that I'll get to finishing up when I complete any other projects that are posted as regular stories. Please enjoy and leave a review of what you thought of this story.

1,680 Years ago (Give or take a decade or century)

Space, a unexplored, unreachable dream for mankind, for now at least. None could ever hope to reach the stars, not with their current technology and knowledge. Many had theorized that their gods were from distant planets, how ironic they would be right, others spoke of beings that came from heaven or even hell, but none could ever prove the existence of their gods. Many had tried and failed to prove such fallacies, but humans were a stubborn and prideful race, and they were foolhardy to a point that the words stop or even quit never really meant anything to them, but there were some instances that they heeded their call, but not always.

Currently, in the hyper-dimensional corridor of space (meaning a wormhole for those who never studied the school given lessons of thermonuclear astrophysics) asleek golden vessel was finally nearing its destination after almost 5000+ Geks (That'd be 10,000 years for a human) of travel. Thousands of years traveling through space, traveling through the wormholes that would pop up every now and again to provide shorter travel times, never stopping to let the engines recover their lost crystalline energies that the humans could never hope to recreate on their own. It was all or nothing, to save their people from the brink of annihilation, and maybe, just maybe revive their fallen people.

Shooting out of the galactic highway, the golden vessel finally locates the planet it had been tasked with reaching thousands of years ago.

The vessel measures 722 meters long and is best described as 'dagger shaped,' though this hardly begins to describe the vessel's appearance. The forward hull tapers out like the front two-thirds of a surfboard and resembles the chine hull-form configuration of a A-12 HABU (Blackbird) style spy plane. The 'Hilt' starts out as a pronounced sphere, with large bulbous twin nacelle-like structures that end in triangular vanes that enclose twin multi-chambered exhausts located along the stern of the vessel. Smaller transverse thruster exhausts are located along the belly. The star-ship is configured to 'surf' an atmosphere or even a hydrosphere similar to a wave-rider aerospace vehicle but on a much larger scale. The star-ships enormous size will easily rival old dreadnought class warships of the twentieth century, but is more advanced.

(It's a fucking STAR-SHIP)

The keel is pronounced along the belly and is reminiscent of a Celtic warriors ribbed axe blade. The vessels outer plating is described as a shimmering mirror-like golden metal, composed of ultra-hard material superior to diamond laced tritanium carbon metals. It cannot be cut using state of the art high intensity lasers. It is resistant to heat and friction, and smooth to the touch that it defies description. Multiple panels can be distinguished as semi translucent banks of solar cells, the hull in fact appears to be constructed as a solitary unit. The vessels hull can function as a magnetoaerlectric propulsion and levitation system by tapping into the gravity well of a planet.

The indigenous magnetic field of Earth, or rather any planet with a heavy iron core would be sufficient to power such a mode of atmospheric propulsion. Located just beyond the dagger shaped bow is a aerodynamic ring and four conjoined nacelles. This functions as a stabilizing structure during warp speed travel and control of quantum gravity tunnels (Wormholes) for faster means of transportation.

With no conscious crew to man the landing, to control the designated landing controls, the starship races through the atmosphere at incredible velocities, barely slowing down when it smashes into the sea with the force of a meteor, burying itself into the seafloor with the force of a supernova, but thankfully not unleashing any natural disasters upon crashing. The ship is damaged beyond any modern day form of repair, and would take a miracle to become functional enough to provide power to the ships propulsion and power systems. As it stands, the only working form of power the ship can provide to its passengers, is life support that allows them to sleep peacefully and comfortably until they are discovered in the far future when they will awaken.

-Underground, beneath the starships crash landing-

Deep underground, a cavern devoid of both life and light, holds a hidden secret, one far more ancient than any other. The only illumination is a purple crystal that glows brightly through the darkness, a sense of calm filling the air as the crystal's sole occupant sleeps on undisturbed by the rumbling of the crashing space vehicle up above. The crystal's sole occupant has blonde spiky hair that is long enough to reach his mid-back, pulled into a tight ponytail, and has two long bangs that cup both his cheeks much like his fathers did when he was alive. On his cheeks lie three whisker-like birthmarks. However, for a single instant, bright blue eyes snapped open, glowing with power, showing that he was still very much alive.

-1990, June 17-

Kamikura Island was an anomaly in geography. It shouldn't have been raised to the surface of the ocean around it but it had been raised anyway somehow. And now Minaka Hiroto had explored the Island finding the 108 life forms, now called Sekirei, and at the moment only five were awake, with a purple goddess at the head destroying gigantic ships with only a swing of her sword.

She would protect her siblings on the ship from these persistent humans not one would make it out alive if she had anything to say about it. Behind her were four other sisters that had been woken up to help protect their little brothers and sisters. They were part of the Disciplinary Squad made for one purpose and one purpose only. Complete protection of their siblings and no one had questioned her about it. The two humans that had found her and her siblings on the ship were still back at the ship adjusting her siblings for life on their planet, they thought the sekirei were too strong to live a normal life. But she knew otherwise, her people were not meant for a normal life. They were meant as advisors and consultants.

She heard giggling behind her and immediately knew who it was. Turning her head she saw her red headed sister giggling at something. "Miya-tan is as strong as ever fufufu silly humans trying to beat Miya-tan." she said adjusting the annoying jacket she had to wear. She was wearing the squads uniform as well. A black shirt and pants with a gray overcoat over her shoulders with black fingerless gloves on her hands.

"Matsu is that the last of them?" the now identified Miya asked the red head, sheathing her sword.

For now.

"One moment, Access search!" she said closing her eyes in concentration. After a few seconds she opened her eyes and nodded at her leader. "Yeah that was the last of them. But I noticed something odd about the side of the island." she said interesting her leader.

"What is it?"

"A cave has opened up on the side of the island. Its strange because no sea water got in when the waves crashed on the opening when I was looking." She said pointing in the direction of the cave.

"Do you know if any soldiers found their way inside it?"

"No I don't think they even found it. If I hadn't been looking for anything odd or spaces for them to escape I would have missed it as well." She told Miya.

"As long as no soldiers are inside it I have no desire to approach it." Miya said before leaving back towards the base with her sisters and Mutsu in tow. Matsu however kept the cave in her mind in case some thing happened that needed her team there.

It had been two weeks since the attempted invasion of the island and Matsu had been watching the cave as normal when her curiosity got the better of her and she requested her leader to search the cave with her or her alone.

"Why do you want to visit this cave so much Matsu? We don't know if anything is even there and there is no threat coming from the cave I see no point going to the cave. But I will give you leave to search the cave If it will make you focus on your duties." Miya told her in the training room. "I will be coming with you to keep you safe since you don't have combat abilities but this is the last excursion ok? Go get the gear we will need, I am going to talk to the researcher."

"Ok Miya-tan." She said grabbing her cloak and the gear they would need to get to the cave.

"Takehito." Miya said getting a scientists attention. He was a skinny man with a white coat on and silver hair. Looking up he gave the disciplinary squad leader his attention, "Me and Matsu are leaving for a moment to investigate a possible threat on the side of the island."

"That's fine your adjustments aren't scheduled for today or tomorrow anyway so go ahead." Takehito said.

Nodding Miya and Matsu left the base and traveled to the side of the island where they could gain access to the cave that Matsu had found. Securing their gear Matsu was grinning at the possibility of searching the cave that had caught her attention for the last couple weeks. "I'm ready Miya-tan." She told her leader grabbing a rope secured to the top of the cliff that dropped to the cave and the sea below it. Hanging on to the rope she jumped off the side of the cliff and started walking backwards to the top of the cave. She had a carabineer on her waist that held the rope going through it. Holding onto the rope she slid herself down to the cave.

Waves were splashing all around the cave but Matsu could see a strange calm spot right below the cave entrance. Like someone put a barrier between that spot and the waves around it so no water could go into the cave.

Miya was astounded that her squad hadn't found this cave before. They had scoured every inch of the island searching for hiding points how had this little cave been missed? Setting down inside the cave Miya could see the walls in every direction filled with writing and pictures. She couldn't read any of it but the pictures spoke of a tale most would attribute to children stories. Surely this planet didn't have any monsters with multiple tails. "Matsu can you read any of the writing?" she asked her red headed companion.

"Partly Miya-tan. It's really old. I was researching languages some time after we were woken up and this just happens to be a really, really, really, really old dialect. Like I'm not sure if I could get it at all. Even if no water had gotten in the cave time itself has weathered the writing so much its amazing its still here at all." Matsu said looking at the walls closely and memorizing the writing for later study. "The writing continues further in the cave. Did you bring any flashlights Miya-tan?" she asked her leader who held up two large flashlights. Grabbing one she started walking further into the cave.

Along the cave walls the pictures were seen of people fighting what looked to be a giant monster with ten tails. The writing got clearer the further they got into the cave but still not clear enough to read. The pictures showed a young boy growing up with no one around him that made the maternal instincts in Matsu kick up and narrow her eyes at the wall, like it had done something wrong to her. Further along the boy had grown and was fighting and training. At the edge of the writing and pictures it showed a standoff between the boy and the monster with ten tails behind it.

After twenty minutes of walking the women found an entrance to a giant room with only two things in it. The largest boulder Matsu had ever seen and something else she wasn't interested in at the moment. Around the boulder were three-twisted green, blue, and white ropes going around its bottom middle and top respectively. Approaching the boulder Matsu saw white pieces of paper hanging from the ropes with writing on them the same as the walls only a lot clearer, as if time itself stayed away from the writing. In front of the boulder a small plaque that had more familiar writing on it stood out to the red head. It read:

Be wary for you are stepping on corrupt ground. The beast trapped here holds no love for anything and will destroy you in a heartbeat. Only the lonely guardian has enough power to stall the destruction of humanity.

"Well that's an odd warning for something so old. You think that the beast or the guardian are still here?" Matsu asked her commander not hearing a response she looked back. Looking back she could see Miya examining a glowing crystal, and within this crystal, was the guardian himself.

He was perfectly preserved, and he looked like he was sleeping if anything.

How did she miss that? It was right there and not small either.

The man was around 6'2'' with blonde spiky hair that is long enough to reach his mid-back, pulled into a tight ponytail, and has two long bangs that cup both his cheeks. He has a coat that is orange with black flame embroideries stitched in the lower portions of the sleeves and the bottom of the coat. He had a sword at his hip and on his back. The sword at his hip was a katana approximately 23 inches long. The broadsword on his back was at least a foot and a half wide and 5 feet long. Odd writing was on both handles that she couldn't identify.

"It's a mystery!" Matsu said disturbing her commander's silence in examining the crystalline structure.

"What is?" Miya asked looking at Matsu.

"That writing on the hilts of the swords and the tags are the same as the walls but I could easily read the writing on the hilts. Why can I read the hilts and tags so easily when everything else in the cave is so blurry?" pouting she stared at the crystal like it would give her answers.

After a few minutes of silence Miya spoke "We've stayed too long, lets go Matsu."

They left the cave the same way as they came and left feeling a little sad like the cave was a happier place than outside it, even with the warning given.

Returning to the ship Miya went and reported to Takehito while Matsu went back to her room of computers to search what she had found in the cave.

Miya was wondering what Takehito's reaction would be if she told him of the warning given in the cave. She knew that if the pictures were true than that beast the walls spoke of wouldn't care if it killed her people and not remorse it at all. She had to report what she had found. Walking to the researchers office she knocked and waited until a soft "enter" was heard beyond the door. Opening the door Miya saw Takehito behind a computer reading something. "Ah, Miya your back. Good to see you. What can I do for you?"

"Takehito. Matsu and I found something in the cave and I was hoping you would be able to make sense of. She found a dialect that she couldn't read and a warning written in a different language I could not read. Matsu could but from what I saw in there I am not sure that we could beat it if it was released." She reported to the researcher. That was until she heard the crazy voice of one of the humans that had found them speak up.

"Really? An age-old cave hidden by stone and weathered by time, given a warning for humanity's destruction. We now have the power of the gods I must say we investigate this cave at once!" turning around Miya saw the man with an insane grin on his face. He stood rather tall about 6'2'' with a white suit, white gloves, a white shirt, white pants and had glasses with a white cape on. His shoes were also white only they were elevator shoes about 5-6 inches off the ground.

He was walking out of the office only to be smacked in the back of the head by the other human that found them, Takami Sahashi. "You idiot! If there is a warning that has been there for who knows how long we don't want to disturb it. Who knows what kind of diseases and traps could be down there?" She yelled at the man in white.

"But Takami-chan we have the power of the gods we should not fear some simple warning."

"We're not going Minaka and that's final." Takami said walking away.

"Well fine then you don't have to come then." The crazy man said after she was out of hearing range, "Takehito-kun are you going to come?" he said grinning madly.

"I suppose I will have to as here has to be someone to keep you in line." Takehito replied sighing.

"Well that's great then. Miya-chan do you still have all your gear ready?" he asked the sekirei commander.

"Yes Me and Matsu are ready to go whenever. Should I get the others?"

"No you and Matsu should suffice against whatever may come against us." With that he walked out the door letting the others get ready. Oh how he would regret that statement if he was a sane man.

Travelling back to the cave in a truck driven by Takehito they were silent while Matsu still had a small laptop to record things while she was in the cave. When they were at the cliff face they situated all the ropes and rock climbing gear to go down into the cave. They knew it was the same cave by the small calm spot right before the cave entrance like something was blocking the waves.

Minaka was ecstatic "Imagine what we could find here that could stop nature itself from imposing on it."

Takehito was worried though, what kind of people had the technology to keep the waves out of a cave merely to keep it secret. What happened to them that they disappeared? How long ago was this place built, for he could see the markings along the walls and knew that this cave didn't come naturally?

Further in the cave they spotted the cavern entrance with the statue still there staring impassively at the boulder. Waiting, watching, nothing would escape its gaze. Minaka was looking at the boulder like a boy in a candy shop while Takehito was looking at the statue.

"Matsu-chan can you please read the warning?" Minaka asked the red head.

Be wary for you are stepping on corrupt ground. The beast trapped here holds no love for anything and will destroy you in a heartbeat. Only the lonely guardian has enough power to stall the destruction of humanity.

After reading the text and finding nothing else to interpret Minaka saw the tags and attempted to rip one off. Right as his hand touched the tag a incredible pressure exploded into existence, the sheer intensity of it shaking the entire island to its core. Suddenly, the amount of pressure of unknown energy spiked. Those who present went to their knees, unable to stand the powerful presence around them. Again, it spiked, even more so than the first. It became hard to breathe, and somehow, it wasn't done yet.

The people above them at the Sekirei spaceship, soldier and civilian alike dropped to their knees, the brightest, warmest, and largest presence bringing them down, like it was demanding the mere mortals to obey. And they did, they obeyed, kneeling. It was frightening, reassuring, and beautiful all at the same time. The weaker civilians weren't sure how they hadn't lost consciousness yet. It was like the presence, the godly entity, wouldn't let them pass out. It was commanding them to witness its awesome power, commanding them to recognize it.

The presence had a will of its own, and that will wanted to be heard!

They listened, truly listened.

They obeyed.

Takami felt herself hit the ground, meeting the rocky earth. Her entire body screamed at her, begging to turn around, to go home.

She didn't know what the hell this was. It was like something not human was screaming, screaming to be heard, screaming to protect, to save. W-What was this power?

She looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she saw it.

The entire contingency of Sekirei and the human soldiers were in the same position as her. They were brought to their knees.

They obeyed.

Kazehana looked on in fear, something even she hadn't truly felt in all her life, as she and her comrades were brought to their knees, unable to breathe, to move, to think. All they could do was shake in fear and obey. They obeyed the screaming energy, because that's all that they could do.

The presence commanded obedience, and that's exactly what it got.

They obeyed.

Not many people, if any, can claim to have heard the voice of God. Even fewer, however, could claim to have heard the will of God demand their immediate obedience. Whatever it was they were feeling surely must have been important, because the power that the crystal was unleashing was tearing the island apart.

Entire buildings were lifted into the sky, along with cars and rocks, all gravitating towards the sky because of the power one man was using. Thunderclouds were birthed into existence, the cry of the heavens exploding as lightning surged across the sky in a multitude of colors ranging from red to green, blue to purple, yellow to orange, white to silver. The heavens, were rejoicing in the return of their savior.

And just as suddenly as it came, it vanished.

XxX

A explosion of glass forced them to cover their eyes as a hand grabbed his wrist stopping him from removing the tag. Looking at the arm that held his he noticed it wasn't one of his associates that had grabbed him. The same hand that was once trapped inside of a crystalline structure, now gripped his wrist. Grinning at the phenomenon and thinking quickly he almost missed the words come from somewhere in the cave.

"Who dares disturbs the creatures sleep?"

Silence met the voice.

"Well? Surely you noticed the warning I had to put up because of idiots like you?"

This time giggling was heard answering the voice. "Ano… Guardian-tan you are speaking a really old language considered dead by most the world. I don't think they can understand you."

"And how is it you can then if it is dead too most the world?" the voice said while the blonde turned its head to look at the redhead. Matsu could see the eyes of the man looking almost through her to her very soul. Judging her words and person.

Squirming under his gaze Matsu replied, "I can because I have dedicated a lot of time in information, languages being one of them. This particular language was very hard to find anywhere. It's almost an ancestor of common Japanese. The man whose hand you hold wants you to let go though" Matsu said holding her giggles in at the tugging motions Minaka was making on the statues grip.

Miya was stunned. They come in here and find the things and now that Minaka is here he almost does something stupid, not that they didn't guess he would cuz they knew he was bound to do it, and now he is held captive by a man that had once been trapped in a crystal for who knows how long. That is not supposed to happen.

Takehito was more curious than anything and relayed this to Matsu, "Hey Matsu, can you ask him a question for me?"

"Sure thing Take-tan."

"Can you ask him why he is guarding this boulder?"

Nodding Matsu turned back to the statue and repeated the question.

"I am not guarding this boulder. More like I am its warden to make sure it stays inside a prison. Keeping it from humanity. Keeping humanity safe."

Translating for Takehito Matsu noticed the blonde's eyes were actually a stunning, almost endless, blue.

Takehito was still curious though and asked another question, ignoring Minaka's pleas for help, "How is it that you can move when you were trapped inside of that crystal for so long?"

Chuckling could be heard this time before an answer. "I wasn't always in the crystal. I'm sure you noticed the pictures on the walls?" At their nods the voice continued, "I started out as an outcast. I was a painful reminder of a tragedy that happened at my birth. So I was alone at the start only the people high up in power helped me and still most only did it to control me." Shaking his head the blonde then dragged Minaka's hand away from the tag it was touching keeping the tag in place. "But my tale is not for here or now. Now tell me why did this idiot want to disturb the creature?"

"I don't want to disturb it only study it! We need a kind of guardian/enforcer for the age of the gods." The crazy man said.

"Minaka-san do you really want to test the patience of something that I can't beat?" Miya said. All the while it was speaking Matsu was translating except for the crazy's words. She had sensed its power and could tell she would be annihilated should it come to blows.

"An entity that not even the disciplinary squad captain can beat? Incredible!" so says the crazy president still grinning at the prospect.

"You never told me who is it that whishes to disturb the creature." The voice said looking at Matsu.

"Sorry guardian-tan I am Matsu the technical genius, and the guy you were holding is Minaka Hiroto-tan." Matsu said pointing to herself then to Minaka.

"Please ask him to cut his finger for a moment. I wish to do something."

Relaying the instruction Minaka rushed to do it to see what a mere human could do with just a little bit of blood. Kneeling down to touch the blood the blond quickly forms strange hand signs before slamming his hand down on the blood. Writing starts forming around the boulder and Minaka could feel him being pushed away from the thing he wanted to inspect. Takehito could also feel a push but it was much smaller considering he was farther away from the writing than the president who was thrown back.

Drawing her blade Miya rushed the blonde and demanded, "What did you just do?"

After relaying the question the man turned towards the sword wielder and then told Matsu, "I only used his blood as a medium to keep him away from the boulder. Underneath it I based the seal on his blood so it absorbed a little of human characteristics that might be pushing the other man away a little more. I set the seal to keep him to the edge of the cave while others are kept at least 10 feet from the beast. I do not want anyone releasing the creature. To do so, would be to court annihilation" After saying that the blond walked to Takehito and put his arm on the man's shoulder.

Takehito could feel the pressure lessen by a fair amount once the unknown man put its arm on his shoulder. "Why is the pressure lessened?" he asked looking at the statue.

"Do you wish to release the creature?"

"No, if what your warning says is true than I would gladly stay away from this place if that kept it locked up."

"Good to hear that humanity isn't a lost cause. I am keyed into every seal written and engraved into and onto this cavern, reducing the repellent to you so you are more comfortable is an easy thing to do. If it is to keep the creature locked up I will keep allies close and enemies to my cause far away from here." The blonde said removing its hand from Takehito's shoulder. As the blonde was walking back to the boulder a loud, pissed yell could be heard throughout the cave.

"MINAKA HIROTO! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU THERE WON'T BE ANYTHING LEFT THIS TIME!"

Turning back around the group could see an enraged woman enter the cavern and was looking for Minaka when it saw him huddled up right next to the entrance to the cavern.

Looking at Takami, Minaka could only sweat in fear at what was coming his way before he was dragged out of the cavern.

When they were gone, the blond suddenly hunched over, almost as if in extreme exhaustion, "Guardian-tan?" she asked quietly to the man before her, in the language he had been speaking yesterday.

"It has been a long time since I have actually breathed, and bravado can only carry one so far." He wheezed out still struggling. "Help me get the swords off of my back and hip for a moment." He asked moving for a clasp on his chest that held the massive sword to his back. Matsu hurried to help the struggling man while Miya and Takehito just watched him struggle silently still a little shocked at what just happened. After the swords were off of him the guardian moved to a nearby wall and still wheezing asked, "Do you have some water and food I can have by chance?"

Quickly removing a bottled water from his pack, Takehito handed it to the blond who greedily swallowed the liquid while he snatched a protein bar from Miya to stave off his relentless appetite for the moment.

After giving his thanks there was about an hour of random chitchat everyone had moved into the tunnel that led to the cavern. Miya was now standing near Takehito in case the strange human would do anything to him. Matsu was by the blond conversing with it for some time before he turned back to the others.

"I would ask you to bury this cave. Make it so no one else can get in here. Can you close the entrance?" the man said pointing to the entrance.

"Do you want us to make it a natural close or a metal shield over the cave entrance?" Takehito asked after Matsu had translated the question.

"Preferably natural. If you can't then I will have to get creative since I haven't used some of my techniques in millennia."

"Ano… guardian-tan how old are you?" Matsu asked the man.

Closing its eyes the blond leaned back a little and thought for a moment. "Right now I would say somewhere between 12,456 years or 12,684. I can tell because of the drain the seal is having on the beast. I am only a catalyst for the absorption. Right now its power is maybe oh…" turning the statue looked at Miya before walking over and saying "May I see your hand for a moment?" nodding Miya put her hand in the blondes. After a minute the man looked up and spoke again. "I would say the beast is about only a couple hundred times as powerful as she is, putting it around a eighth of its true strength." he spoke casually not noticing that his words spooked both Matsu and Takehito. "What?" he asked after noticing Matsu and Takehito's fright.

"Guardian-tan, Miya is probably the strongest person this world will ever see if the beast stays in here." Matsu said surprising the man.

"Has humanity fallen that far? She is about as strong as a Kage when I was growing up. Going up the power ladder we started as academy strength, or E-rank, one up is genin, the lowest active shinobi, D-rank, then chunin the most common and the major fighting force of the village, C-rank, after that is jonin, the elite fighters capable of taking down multiple chunin, B-rank, then the elite jonin or ANBU class, they were the top of the village aside from the Kage and an A-rank above that is only Kage-level or S-rank in strength. Above that are the SS-ranks and SSS-ranks which were and few between as few generations have one of those. Miya is about S-rank in power, while Matsu is about a solid C-rank by the feeling her chakra reserves." After the lecture the room was silent at how powerful the people in its time were.

"Going off of Miya how strong are you?" Takehito asked.

"Judging myself I would say I have maybe oh I don't know twice as powerful as the beasts current reserves." he said looking at his stunned audience. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I was brought up in the knowledge that more chakra was better. Too bad they didn't tell me that it took control as well. But I was the last of a great clan that was known for its supersized chakra reserves."

"You have said chakra a few times guardian-san, you would mind telling me what that is?" Takehito spoke after getting over his shock.

"It is the energy that she" the blond said as he points to Miya, "and her" he said before he proceeds to point to Matsu, "Use to control their powers. Chakra is the essence of life itself, energy made from the spiritual aspect of the mind and soul, combined with the energy produced from every cell in the body. You" the blonde says as he points to Takehito, "don't really have much, less than the common civilian in my day. Thinking on that, are they normal?" the statue said pointing to Matsu and Miya.

Looking at each other Miya started to explain to the guardian. "We are what you would call aliens to this planet. We came because our race was dying, even now only 108 of us are left. We left our planet because it was dying so we took a spaceship and came here. The man and woman you saw earlier found our ship not even twenty years ago. They call us Sekirei."

"Hmm… You said that your race was dying out. What did you mean? Like disease dying out or population dying out?" he asked the woman in front of him.

"Matsu could you please come translate?" after Matsu's nod and translation she started to explain, "Well, our population was dying out and we couldn't find our right Ashikabi, or destined one. Sekirei of our planet were the ruling people but none of the rulers had Ashikabi's so our government collapsed after some time because of the lack of offspring. Our Ashikabi's are the ones that are destined to fill us with love. With only the unloved sekirei left on the council the Ashikabi's of our planet were treated like slaves only designed to work hard and do the Sekirei's bidding. *Sigh* if only it weren't so. Because of that the potential Ashikabi went down in number because of the lack of love between the two. Once the council realized their mistake it was too late. The rest of the people were killed making our planet desolate. What few Ashikabi were left were then treated as baby makers, as our technology was much more advanced then yours we were able to scan our Ashikabi to see what our offspring would be and we learned to eventually manage what traits our offspring would take because of the need for a stable community. Changing the DNA of our children was… difficult. We had to change and manipulate who our children would grow up to be instead of letting them choose what they wanted to do." As she was explaining this the man and Matsu could see a speck of tears gather in her eyes. "But it wasn't enough, the council in their infinite wisdom decided that the sekirei were supposed to rule the Ashikabi's like servants or trash. It was bad. Three uprisings and so many Ashikabi were killed because of their foolishness… it was only after we decided that we should start over that a couple of the elders forced our decided to put down any sekirei that thought the Ashikabi's were equal. So we did what we had to we stole the ship that brought us here and were going to use it to start anew but we never got the chance as we were soon under attack by unknown forces." She then stated how they came about to find the cave because of chance and Matsu's scanning.

Staying silent for a while the man thought about what it was that they didn't do on their home world, 'How come it's at the peak of civilization that people are always corrupt? I wake up after twelve-and-a-half millennia and I am still dealing with the aftermath of a stupid council.' After thinking that the blonde looked at her straight in the eyes and watched her for a moment before speaking again, "And what will you do with the people in this world when you have repopulated again?"

"I will lead my people to work aside along human kind as guardians of a kind and live peacefully alongside them." she answered, getting a nod in return the man then looked into her eyes with the most intense gaze she had ever felt.

Miya felt like a small child in front of those eyes. They were experienced, not cold per say but… passionate? As if they were looking into her soul for answers that would not come out in word form. After a minute he stopped looking and nodded apparently satisfied. Relief spread over her whole being at the thought of the eyes leaving her alone.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze Senju, and I pledge to be a guardian for your race. Be it internal or external I will light the path keeping the light in your hearts safe. Should you need me you only need to call me." He said looking as if he was probably the strongest person in the world. Which was probably true considering what his world had deteriorated to.

Miya and Matsu felt a small pulse of something from the man as he said it. It was old, powerful, and still somehow kind after experiencing life at its worst and best.

Takehito froze at the pulse. It was strong. Like Kazehana spinning the wind around her but with no effects it was just pure power, no purpose to it. After it passed he seemed to melt to the floor shocked by the amount of power casually tossed around.

Miya noticed Takehito falling and was there in an instant by his side and holding him up. Thinking back she wondered when she cared so much for the skinny scientist so much that she would be by his side than the one who said she would guard her race, "Are you alright Takehito?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Yeah I'm fine just shocked by the pulse. What was that?" he asked Matsu who translated again.

"That was my vow being recorded I have put so much chakra into the atmosphere in the past thousand years or so that it recognizes my feelings. And me saying that I would practically defend their race from threats made the atmosphere respond to my feelings sending a small pulse. Though I have to say, it feels like the air is… excited almost at my vow. Huh… who would have thought that the air would be my ally again." He said smiling softly in remembrance, "Though now that the boring stuff is over can I ask to have some food?" he asked just before his stomach demanded sustenance in an angry roar.

"ufufufu" Matsu giggled at the mans reaction to the prospect of food. 'Maybe this body of mine can be of use to our new human guardian. After all we should be thankful that someone of his strength is protecting us. Ufufufufu.' She thought perversely as her thoughts went MA rated and would give Jiraiya the bloodiest nose ever seen and the most popular Icha Icha book ever sold by him.

Hearing the laugh Naruto turned his head and saw the look in Matsu's eyes before his eyes widened to comic proportions and shouted at the ceiling "JIRAIYA! I KNOW YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS! TSUNADE PLEASE PULVERISE HIM! ONE DAY I WILL UNDERSTAND JUST HOW YOU TURNED ME INTO A PERVERT MAGNET!" all while pointing at the ceiling and running away from Matsu.

Seeing and hearing this Matsu giggled perversely and thought 'Well well, a pervert magnet? Oh I am no pervert Naru-tan… I am a super pervert!' She thought proudly while puffing her chest out which showed just how well endowed she really was.

Takehito and Miya just stared at what just transpired. Neither knew what exactly was said since Matsu didn't interpret it but they were sure it had something to do with the look on her face.

After a few more minutes of running around yelling at something while pointing to the stone ceiling, Naruto calmed down enough (read fell down) to realize again that he needed food… badly. Rushing over with some rice and soup Miya and Takehito started to feed the stick of a man. And that's what he really was right now. Almost comically skin and bones, only if this kept up he would probably die from starvation. Feeding the young man Miya and Takehito could see something in his eyes as he started to be more active after his fall. He was gaining strength.

Of course, Takehito was admittedly very concerned for the blondes health. This man clearly hadn't done anything for himself in a long, long time, and it showed on his body. His hair hung almost limp while his eyes sagged and limbs could barely move. He was very concerned if this was to be the guardian of the sekirei then he might just hand them over to Takami. At least she would keep them safe politically.

After a few minutes of just feeding him, Matsu had come back from pervy land and come over to help him, her face of compassion calmed him and she came behind him and helped him move to a nearby wall so he could sit up properly, 'Besides if he does become an Ashikabi (which is very likely from this feeling I am getting from him.) then he would be able to experiment all he wants. And maybe I could join in. After all a fair maiden needs her wonderful guardian.' She thought before shaking her head uncharacteristically and just letting the man relax against her.

After about two hours of resting and eating Naruto could move again.

He reached to his hip and produced a scroll which he laid down next to his leg and pushed it where it unrolled completely. A small pulse of energy later and surprisingly a tub and several bottles of ink appeared from thin air. Naruto ignored their surprised looks as he forced his body to stand. Matsu was behind him when he fell and caught him before any damage could be done to him. "Are you sure you are well enough to do this right now, Naruto-tan?" she asked worried.

"I'm fine Matsu, I mean its not like I haven't moved in a couple millennia… oh wait, well if I counted that, no I was still sealed in the crystal… hmm…. Ok so I guess it has been a few millennia since I last moved. But I'm okay. I just need some more food. The chakra requirement for the sealing I used is insane. I haven't been able to get my full chakra capacity since that one time where it was almost released. Some nut job decided that it would be a good idea to wake the beast up since he was technically a god. Lets just say it didn't end well and the seal leaked only a tiny sliver of his chakra… the guy that tried releasing the beast instantly disintegrated from the chakra pressure alone. But then again this was about 10,750 years ago. So it had much more chakra than it does now. The requirement for the next few weeks is already paid but I intend to have it secure way before then and to do that I need food, Ink and paper, and something to hold a liquid, thus this here tub."

Grabbing his katana he sliced his hand open and dropped the blood into the tub. The sekirei and Takehito were worried when he started cutting himself and tried to stop him but he started speaking again. "Don't worry, I have done this before, not in a tub but I have done it. It's gonna take at least six hours before I finish so you can return to where you came from. I'll probably be done and resting by the time you return." Naruto told the group who reluctantly left as Naruto continued to fill the tub with his own blood, something that he probably should have held in until he had recovered enough in their personal opinion.

After bleeding quite a bit into the tub Naruto decided he had enough in the tub for one clone and a little extra. Smiling he put his hand over the tub and poured his chakra into the blood, shaping it, molding it. After a few seconds it started to congeal and move together. The red blood started to change color into the same color as his skin. A torso formed and next the head then arms and legs with hands, feet and hair being the last to form.

Looking up the clone could see the original panting next to the tub, "That's one made." He said after a minute of panting.

"So you decided to make the elemental guardians?" the clone asked.

"That's the only way that we can make sure the beast is always contained. You are almost a perfect twin of me; the only difference between us is that you didn't get the nine tails stuck in your stomach." Chuckling Naruto looked at his clone that was already perfectly formed. Smiling a bit he asked to bring some more food over. The clone did so and helped the original get up to the wall. "The seal should last just over a few weeks so I have that long to get reacquainted with my chakra to make the other clones. Now I just have to get the seal down that I'm thinking of and we can make a few more elemental blood clones." Moving over to the paper and ink he dipped his finger in the ink and started to write on the paper.

"Your going to do a replication seal?"

"Yeah. That way I can make as many blood clones as I want and not truly have to bleed eternally. Mixing blood with the ink to make it respond better to the blood will only make the seal more powerful."

After three hours of working the clones almost had the second steps for each element down with no leaves for stage one they had started moving directly onto stage two for each element or any that they counted as exercise. Wind was moving chakra around them to get a breeze going to make shapes, the two had circles and ovals down they were now working on getting hearts and boxes down. Fire was heating the air around them up and down using fire chakra only not moving any so air movement or friction wouldn't disturb the chakra; needless to say they and wind were very far away from each other. Water was working by the entrance and was swirling the ocean water around their shoulders.

Lightning had sparks going up and down their arms, they were standing a foot apart with their hands outstretched once in a while a quick burst of yellow could be seen shooting from one clone to the other. Earth were making shapes on the ground and were trying to one up each other, one had made a chair so the other made a couch with a leg rest, the first then made a figurine of the Bijuu the second seemed a little shocked by the one up and was determined to beat it. But going back to the blood clone, it could feel the pure chakra in the cave, sending his chakra out into the air it vibrated a little before adapting to the new usage and the clone could of sworn the air itself seemed happy. Dismissing that thought the clone adjusted the chakra and sent a sliver of chakra in the air into him.

He nearly blacked out as the result.

"WE HAVE THAT MUCH CHAKRA IN THE AIR?! I thought it dispersed after a few seconds?" he screamed in his mind, "I have to tell the original." He muttered before going to the cavern and saw the original was still by the tub sleeping, "Hey wake up. Something isn't right."

"ungh… what is it?"

"Take a feel of how much chakra is in the air."

Doing this Naruto was shocked by the amount, "I thought chakra in the air dispersed after a while?"

"Apparently not here. Do you have any idea what is going on?"

Closing his eyes and breathing a bit Naruto could feel the air charged with the chakra and… moving? Yes it was moving somewhere. Closing his eyes and following the chakra flow Naruto almost fell out of the entrance of the cave if it wasn't for the water-training clones he would have fallen down for sure. He wouldn't have died. No that was much to short of a drop to kill him. But it would have stung a bit and been annoying for a while, "Oh. That's where it's going. It's going out of the cave. We have had it closed for a couple millennia and the chakra hasn't had anywhere to go but to stay put so it stacked for a really, really, really long time."

"Hey boss, why not just use the chakra in the air to recover?"

Thinking a bit he reached out and beckoned to the chakra in the air.

It responded.

Naruto was shocked at how much chakra answered his call.

His body filled out, muscles once more filled in where they had atrophied, his bulk increased almost instantly as his chakra repaired the 12,000 years of damage he had acquired from being sealed in his crystalline prison. Soon enough, he was back at the prime of his strength, with additional power to do what he needed to do.

Chapter 2

To say that the group was shocked by the blondes appearance was a total understatement, they couldn't describe the level of shock they had for how he had recovered so quickly. Matsu was quick to begin feeling him up to see if he had truly recovered, and what she found caused her to turn beet red, "Miya-tan... his muscles... they're all pink muscles." she said causing the lavenderette to take a second to understand what she had meant.

There are three types-red, white, and pink.

Red is for stamina, but has less power (think marathon runners) within.

White is for explosive power, but only for an instant (think weightlifters) as they are meant for speed.

And pink is right in the middle, in a very small amount, that has both explosive power and stamina.

In reality "pink muscle" in humans does not exist. Humans have white and red. The only way to achieve something similar to pink is to build ones muscles to have both white and red. This way the white will give the you the explosive power you need while the red till let you go for long periods of time.

The fact that this human had what was defined as the 'perfect muscle group' was incredible.

"And, apparently my chakra also allowed me to do this, so I guess bilingualism is added to my already impressive skill list." Naruto added.

"N-Naruto-tan, how'd you learn our language so fast?!" Matsu exclaimed in shock.

"Simple." Naruto shrugged.

"Simple? I-I'm afraid I-I don't follow." Takehito said.

"Your language, it's simple. After replaying some of your conversations that I wasn't part of, I managed to break the dialogue barrier between my language as well as your own thus I learned to speak your tongue. Wasn't that difficult seeing as both our languages were so similar. Anyways, let's get out of here, I'm planning on sealing this place up so nobody can get to it." he told them as he looked up the wall they had come down. He'd have to wait for them to get up to the top before sealing the cavern up. It was bad that Jigen's Juubi was still alive, but it was worse that there were still lunatics out there that would willingly tear the world asunder just for their own sick amusement.

And he couldn't let that happen.

XxX

The explosion that shook the island scared everyone, but a quick call from Takehito assured everyone that they weren't under attack by anyone and that he, Miya, Matsu, and a unknown would return. Needless to say, upon getting to the base, a conversation between the blond ninja and a certain madman nearly cost Minaka his life. But he was impressed with the Sekirei starship, but he could have done better when it came to space travel.

Now, the blond ninja finds himself in front of his... charges.

And he wasn't all to thrilled about it personally, but he'd do what he was asked.

"Let me be the first one to say that I have no idea what's going on."

Whatever type of person the Sekirei were expecting, this certainly wasn't it. They had long ago reluctantly accepted the adjustment procedures that they went through to make sure that they could assimilate into human society. Today started out as just another grueling day when Minaka, the head of MBI, came in and cancelled all adjustments. He excitedly stated that a recent development as happened and to come out near the shore of the island to meet someone. When they had finally got there all that awaited them was a blond man. Minaka rushed to the man, conversed for a bit, and rushed off while enthusiastically waving back at the group.

Karasuba, a silken silver haired girl, narrowed her dark eyes in harsh scrutiny. She didn't trust this man. To be fair she did not particularly trust any of these humans. She watched as they subjugated her and the other growing Sekirei to years of restless tests, experiments, and adjustments. Truly, she came to have a certain disdain for that word, the very process itself telling them that they were flawed and needed to be fixed, that they needed to bend to the rules of this world. With every passing day she gained a new level of distaste for this world and its inhabitants.

So now that she is presented to another one of these humans, as if he were something spectacular that deserved special attention, she was more than willing to pass him off as another ultimately inconsequential man. His own admittance of obliviousness only furthered that thought. She would give him the special attention that Minaka felt he deserved if things went south and she had to fight for her little bird's survival. She mentally noted to make sure she'd kill him first just to spite them. She would make it public. She would make it quick.

"Apparently, I am supposed to help train you guys. But to be honest, the only other times I ever helped anyone before was by giving them little tips here and there. I never actually trained anyone full time."

Karasuba felt as her displeasure grew even more. The hubris of these humans almost reached an insulting degree now. She took a step forward and angled herself between the man and the others so she could remove him.

"You're supposed to train us? Throughout our whole experience here we have been told that we are too strong for humanity and had to be scaled down in power just to live amongst them. Now they want us to be trained by one of them? Not to sound overly rude, but you could understand why I am inclined to refuse." Her words may have had some sense of civility in them, but her stance and gaze held a different tone. One she was sure the man could understand perfectly.

"Hey now," he placated, putting both hands up in a surrender. "Trust me when I say I don't want to be here either." He put his hands down and turned to his side to look at the ocean surrounding the island. He took some time to admire the way the evening colors reflected off the water.

There was something in that action that gave her pause. Her close proximity allowed her to see his downhearted expression. She could see the fatigue in his face, and how his downcast eyes seemed to be watching a scene unfold that only he was permitted to view. He turned right back around with a joyful and carefree look placed back on for all the world to see. The entire series of events took only around fifteen seconds, but it told her all she needed to know about this man.

The way he earnestly greeted them, the way he naturally turned away to hide his true emotions, and the way he easily placed a smile back on his face when he faced them again all told of a man that carried a burden. He must have been used to leading others and that caused him to hide any emotion that would hurt the group morale. The way his eyes danced with despair when he tried to turn away from them, the pain in his eyes honestly surprised her. Taking in everything else that she was able to gather about him in that short time she could guess that he had a hard life, had been a part of something life changing, and just when he thought he was able to find happiness it was all ripped away from him.

She could think of no other way a man could give an expression like that. She may not know all the details, but yes, she knew everything she needed to about this man. Those eyes of his unnerved her, and she never wanted to see them again. They just looked so… so…

Lonely.

Maybe he deserved a chance to prove himself.

"Alright!" He said as he turned back and sat down on the sand, drawing her out of her thoughts. "Let's start with the basics. Since I will be spending the majority of my time here on this island with you guys, I should probably get your names. I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Now sit down, relax, and introduce yourselves."

They were silent for a moment, most of the girls still unsure of what to think of the man, but they followed after Miya wordlessly acceded and came close to him and sat down, never breaking eye contact along the way. She sat at the far right with a silver haired girl taking up the spot next to her. A redhead came next, followed by the only male in the group and a purple haired beauty.

"I'm Miya, Sekirei 01."

"I'm Karasuba, Sekirei 04." The silver haired girl stated. Naruto gave her a nod. She looked him up and down and gave an unimpressed scoff.

"Um, hey, I'm Matsu, Sekirei number 02." Her voice caused him to soften his gaze.

"Mutsu, 05." Mutsu barely got the words out of his mouth before he picked up a long pebble and started prodding the sand with it. It was clear that he would rather get the whole thing over with so he could take advantage of the free day they have been given.

"Kazehana, Sekirei 03." She blew a bit of her hair off her face before sighing.

Miya was interested with how he was going to reach out to all of these personalities.

"I was kind of hoping you would tell me more about yourselves without me asking you. That was a little too much to hope for I see. I guess I could understand since I didn't either, but man, your replies are dry as dry can be."

He fell forward to lie on his stomach, a playful grin now taking residence on his face as he held his head in his hands.

"All I want for you now is for you to tell me what you know about yourselves, like your strengths and preferred weapons, all that good stuff. Let's start with you, the guy with the personality of a dead fish."

Mustu narrowed his eyes at that remark. He almost felt offended. "We have not been allowed to do any real physical activity until recently. We had to be adjusted properly so we don't destroy everything. We've just had enough time to know the basics." Naruto nodded at that, and just continued to stare at the boy.

"The basics being what exactly? Do try to be specific. Dead Fish."

"What's the point in giving my name if you aren't going to use it?" Mutsu asked in mild annoyance.

"What's the point in acting like you're just floating around in life like a dead fish? Also, what does any of that have to do with the basics of what you know about yourselves?"

The other Sekirei had various levels of amusement showing after that back and forth. They were starting to like him already. He was different from all the scientist that litter the place. He had a bit of a spark in him. Almost made them want to hang around him more.

"I am a battle type Sekirei. I use earth attacks and I prefer to fight with a sword like Karasuba and Miya."

"Thanks! Now you, wannabe gangster girl." He said looking straight at Karasuba. Her dark eyes glared at him.

"hn," Karasuba gave a hum of disapproval (Similar to that of a old prick of a friend of his) at being picked next, "I too am a battle type of Sekirei. I like to fight, and have all that go against me whimper at my feet.

That got a decent laugh out of Naruto, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You are one of those types, I didn't mean to laugh. I swear it's not you, it's me. I just never saw how those types started out. After fighting what seemed like a whole organization of those types of people, I kind of grew curious if they were always like that, or if there was some school out there that teaches people to have some sort of complex. Now I know the answer."

He decided that he should cut her off before she could respond to that in any way.

"What's your story purple haired beauty?" He asked in a hurry.

"hmm?" Kazehana perked up.

"While you are beautiful, I actually meant the other one," and she immediately deflated.

"Please, refer to me by my name from now on. I would appreciate that. As for my basic details, I use a sword."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"No likes or dislikes?"

"No."

"Lame, what about you Princess?"

"Are you talking to me now?" Asked Kazehana. She didn't mind the name, but the way he said it was a little bit too sarcastic for her liking.

"Yup, tell me about yourself."

"I am a Wind type Sekirei. I don't really use any weapons since I mostly rely on my wind abilities."

"Really?!" His excited energy took them all by surprise. It was true that he seemed to be relatively cheerful since they have seen him, but his whole posture was calm and relaxed. Now it seemed like he was trying to keep himself from bouncing around.

"Yea, I don't really use weapons."

He laughed at Kazehana and jumped up to his feet. "No silly, I was talking about your wind abilities!" He walked over to her and pulled her up with surprising ease; she felt weightless in his arms. It was a feeling that she was most welcome to. He ordered the others to stand up and follow as he dragged her closer to the water. They stopped right by the edge of the tide.

"Show me!" He said eagerly. A smile lit up her face, and a sudden mix of pride and anxiety pulsed through her. His joy was strange in how very contagious it was, and she was happy that it was her that cause the shift in his demeanor. It was not a grand gesture on his part, but the intensity of his emotions was powerful. Her heart sped at how he was looking at her like she was something special, as if her powers were something to be marveled at and not controlled or feared. It was completely different from how all the scientist treated and looked at her. She hoped that she could live up to whatever his expectations were. Seeing how thrilled he was, she didn't think that she could handle him looking at her with disappointment.

Gathering up as much energy as she could, she held her hand forward. A breeze picked up and was soon turned into a gust that swirled around the two of them. Then it all shot forward, a ball of wind energy tearing through the surface level of the ocean and headed out towards the horizon. All the water in its path shooting to the sides to make two water walls climb up to sky. The wake from the huge blast took a few moments to fill that gap and when it finally did, the two waves crashed into each other with a loud thunderous roar.

Naruto's jaw dropped. This woman may be the strongest wind user he knew, and that meant a lot with how much he got to see people like Temari in action. Mutsu had said that they were just getting a handle on their abilities right?

"If this is how incredible you are now, I can't even imagine how amazing you'll be in the future."

He didn't really mean to say it that loud, and to be truthful he didn't, but their superior senses allowed them to hear his quiet murmur. That comment combined with the way he was now hugging Kazehana and spinning her around made them a little envious. She wasn't the only one who could do great things. The other Sekirei quickly found that they wanted to also prove themselves to this blond man, the only one to ever look at one of them with true wonder, almost childishly so. While everyone else probed and prodded, adjusted, he showed them in the small amount of time he knew them that they wonderful.

"I was questioning my apparent need to train you guys, but the fact that you have an elemental affinity makes this all worth it. That was great Princess!" She tried. She really did, but she could not bring down the smirk that was now on her face. If it was possible, he looked even happier than before. The way he called her princess this time was much more caring than the last time. She felt like she had a one up on the others, bragging rights for who was best.

"I have an elemental affinity too remember? I told you that use earth based attacks." Mutsu stepped forward to show the enthusiastic man.

"Hey! Stop interrupting the moment! No one cares about your earth powers Dead Fish." A dark cloud hung over Mutsu as he sunk into the background.

Naruto may have had a little bit of a bias when it came to wind abilities.

He felt that they didn't need to know that.

"Your turn Matsu, tell me all about yourself." He said gently. Oh sure he already knew of her technological prowess from prior conversations, but it never hurt to hear of them a second time. The others noticed how she was the only one whose name he actually said.

"I am a brain type Sekirei. I am not really up for fighting, but I am really good with technology, and I can learn anything really quickly!" Naruto chuckled at her eagerness and walked up close to her.

"Is that so?"

"Um, yes?"

He chuckled again, "Not sure?"

"Um…um… I…" He continued to look amused at the poor girl, before he patted her on the head tenderly.

"I'm jealous. I wish I had an ability like that. I'm not the smartest person out there, and there have been many times where I wished I was smarter. I can tell that it's going to be great having you around Matsu!"

She blushed. She was obviously not used to that type of tenderness and attention. She was starting to get a bit hot actually. Good Lord, could she be reacting? Already? She just met the man several hours ago, so she doubted that she was, but maybe, maybe he could be her chosen one. He could be the one that would always be there for her to live a life full of happiness. It wasn't a bad thought. She was becoming giddy at the idea of it.

"This was all short notice on my part, so that's all I really had planned to do today. I have some other stuff that I need to do, so let's meet up again in two days. I should be done by then. I was told that today was a day off for you guys. Go out and enjoy it."

With that he gave a friendly wave and walked back into the facility. Karasuba watched as he left. He had peaked her interest. He amused her mildly, enough that she decided to forgo on those murder plans she had for him, but he was only a mistake away from being added to her kill list.

He may be worth following. She got up and made her way in the same direction.

He needed to see Takami. He had too many questions and too few answers. Turning down a corridor Naruto counted the doors before entering the 14th room on the right. If he was not mistaken, this was Takami's office.

"And what can I do for you, Naruto?" He shut the door and looked at her. His reason for rushing was forgotten as he took the time to appreciate her silver hair and attractive features. There had to be something in the water here that was responsible for the unnaturally large number of stunning beauties that resided here. He made a mental note to store some to bring back to the elemental nations. Also, if Takami's knowing expression was anything to go by, he definitely had be staring at her for way to long.

"I'm flattered. I truly am, but I am seeing someone at the moment, so don't get any ideas alright? Now what is it you need?"

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Heh, no need to worry, I am a taken man as well. I didn't mean to stare. I just get mesmerized sometimes. I promise that I never make any moves that would sacrifice my self-respect."

She kept her look of poise, but she was actually quite taken aback by his statement. Wasn't he supposed to be thousands of years old? It was rare to run into a gentleman such as him. She wondered how he came to be one. From the way he acts and talks most of the time, he seemed more like the playful type, but the second she made a lighthearted comment about her own modesty, he spat out a gentleman's reply like a memorized line as a defensive reaction. She internally laughed at the thought that he must of had a female friend or two that probably beat manners into him.

"Anyway," he stated. "I have a few questions that I never got to ask before. First of which, why am I training the Sekirei?" Takami nearly fell out of her chair at that one. He had spent the whole day with them and didn't even know what they were?

"I take it Minaka never explained then." At his nod she continued. "Simply put, the Sekirei are physically too powerful in almost every aspect. Their bodies and senses perfect in almost every way. Their fully matured muscles could very well crush a normal human, albeit unintentionally, like by giving a human a hug for example. So using our new combination of technologies we created a way to adjust their bodies, and make them able to live among us without being walking a devastation. We are hoping that with your skills and abilities, you could help them learn to harness their powers and abilities to an extent."

Naruto hummed in understanding. "I figured they were something similar to warriors with how they described themselves, and after seeing some of their talents first hand I guess it makes sense." He laughed pretty hard at that. "Is there anything else you could tell me?"

"From what we have gathered, it seems like the major goal for most Sekirei is to find the one that they are destined to be with. A person to love and cherish who will cherish them in return." She stopped when she noticed him get a little sad at those words. A small smile playing on his lips.

"A person to love who will love them in return huh? Sounds nice." He brought a hand to his sleeve and rolled some of the fabric between his fingers. "That's something we all want isn't it? I guess despite everything, they aren't that different from us at all. Wanting to be loved is such an innocent goal, but I think it's the innocence of it that makes it so wonderful. I hope they all find the one they are destined to be with."

He liked Takami. Although he has not been on this island long, he could tell that she was one of the most caring of the people here. It was like she was a mother and these Sekirei were her children. The tone she uses when she talks about them is much more affectionate than anyone else on this island. Something about her made him feel relaxed, he felt that he didn't have to hide so much of himself in front of her. He got the feeling that she would nonchalantly accept him for who he was, regardless of what that person was like or how behaved. It was an alluring quality of hers for sure, one he hoped she never lost. He would make anyone who tainted such a person suffer. Even with all the people he has met in his life, it was rare to find someone who was so accepting.

Takami herself wanted to know more about the man sitting in front of her. This wasn't the only time she has seen him get lost in his own little world. It was a habit that he had that was starting to so more and more. What could he be thinking about? Why did he always look so tired and lonely when he was with her? Her natural curiosity frequently went into overdrive when it came to Naruto. "Hey there, you alright Uzumaki?"

"Hm? Yea, just thinking. Would you mind being there the next time I meet the Sekirei, I would like to have you there while I talked to them."

"I could do that."

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

They sat in silence. It was a comfortable and tranquil silence. Unknown to them, a silver haired girl had been listening and made her leave from the other side of the door, her opinion of the blond man changing more from her initial thoughts. She had pegged him as a just another MBI employee that wanted to change them, but now she knew that there was more to this man, and she hoped he might actually make their time here more pleasant.

Chapter Three

Two days had past fairly quickly. Naruto watched as they all gathered around him and Takami, their eyes questioning. He was wearing his own clothes now: a long sleeved dark shirt zipped up to his neck, and grey pants that tucked into was looked like some type of combat books. On his left sleeve he wore a green braided string with miniature symbols inked across the material, while wrapped around his wrist was a black string of green crystals which none of them could understand or comprehend their use of, and on his thigh he wore a black pouch. Over the whole outfit he wore a high-collared orange coat with black flames on the bottom, the sleeves were cut short as well.

Finally, on his forehead, just under his bangs, was a long black cloth with a metal piece in the middle of it. It was what he was wearing when he first had met Takami. The Sekirei were wearing what Takami called the "Disciplinary Squad" uniform. It consisted of a tight black leather top, a mini skirt, and black stockings. He noted that they lined up in the same order as last time. Maybe they put Matsu in the middle to keep her surrounded and protected since she was the only one not battle capable. While watching them he idly hoped the decision he was about to make would not come back to haunt him.

"Why is Takami here?" He was beginning to think that the only look that Miya had was that impassive look she was currently sending his way. Did it take too much energy to form another expression. She didn't even look bored, just blank.

"She is here to answer everything that I can't." He had to hold his hand up to stop any more questions. "After sleeping on it and coming more into terms with my situation, I decided that it would be wrong of me to ask for you to tell me all about yourselves without being willing to talk about myself as well."

That got a few looks from the people gathered around the beach.

"I was never one for subtlety so I'll just say it. I am roughly 12,798 years old. I have been sealed inside a crystal for all the years I mentioned except a single moment to reseal a monstrous beast that is hellbent on destroying this entire planet. I have saved humanity a grand total of twelve times. One from a older version of the beast currently sealed away. One from a man who used the said beast to cast a worldwide illusion on the population. Once to stop a mad goddess, quite literally at that. Once from a man I considered a brother who had to be the most stubborn man I ever knew. Once from a set of twin gods hellbent on destroying the planet as they wanted to harvest the planet for its energy. Once from a man who was far more powerful than any other. I then saved the world from my own son who had been driven mad with power and I had to stop him. And then there were several altercations with other remnants of the gods that wanted to kill the planet, all of which I either drove off or outright killed." he summed up his history.

No one was sure what to do with that small bit of information. Most of the Sekirei looked at him in confusion, and Takami looked like she was having trouble processing what he said, probably trying to figure out how it was scientifically possible before she made any statements, but Karasuba knew. There was no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth. His eyes held no deception, and he didn't show any other signs of lying. The biggest reason she believed him though was because of how well it put the pieces together. That was why he looked so astonishingly lonely. What is more lonesome than being the only person in the world that didn't belong in a modern era like this?

"I knew you were different from us, but another timeline? What, where? how?" It seemed that Takami had forgone trying to solve the answer herself and what trying to figure out what question to ask first.

"Takami, could you tell us how you found Naruto?" A soft voice asked out. Kazehana wasn't the only one who wanted answers. Karasuba hated when things confused her.

"I'll be honest, I thought he was simply here to help train us to use our powers." Mutsu said in shock.

Taking a deep breath, Takami cleared her throat and decided that she should take her time and start from the beginning. "Several days ago Miya and Matsu went digging around the island to see if anything else from your ship got separated from the crash. The metal from the ship dated back hundreds of years, and even though you guys were inside and placed into something that simulated cryogenic stasis, we could not rule out the possibility that any attachments to the ship may have disconnected and been buried due to the passage of time. They eventually found something not too far from the ship, a cave actually." She sighed and took that moment to let the others take in what has been said so far.

They were listening with rapt attention.

"Inside this cave, the two of them found a large crystal, about the size of small vehicle, and Matsu, Takehito, Minaka and Miya also discovered that inside this cave, was a large egg-like boulder with three ropes around it with a warning to leave it alone lest we court death. Needless to say, Minaka's stupidity almost got us killed, but at the same time, it awoke the entity within the crystal. The sheer amount of pressure it released put us on or knees until it suddenly vanished as soon as it came. After a brief conversation, we decided to give him a rundown of our history seeing as he gave us a rundown of his past, not really needed as it was literally carved into the cavern walls around us."

"Wait, are you saying that just by waking up, he nearly sunk the entire island?!" Kazehana exclaimed.

"The entire island was nearly torn apart by this guy, Miya, you need to keep a eye on him before he does something crazy!" Mutsu said in shock.

"Are you some type of god?" Karasuba asked curiously.

"Ok, I'll admit that waking up is never easy for me, but I'd never intentionally harm anyone without a proper reason to do so." said Naruto as he saw the looks on all their faces before he stepped forward, "I should start by saying that I am 100% human. I am a soldier though. I come from a village of soldiers. I'm my time, those like me are taught from four years old how to fight and kill. I was from one of the biggest 5 countries in the world, and each country had its own village of warriors, each with their own set of values and skills. My village was unique in that it preached that power should be used to protect others. My team and I were told two things while growing up. 'We are those that endure,' and that 'those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.' These are messages that I would like for you Sekirei to believe in and accept as well."

The reactions he got from the girls and Mutsu were varied, but for some reason it was Miya's gaze that held his the most. Her impassive eyes taking him in as their ever judging nature showed him some measure of respect. He could tell that she was something like a leader to these Sekirei, so her approval of him meant a lot. Telling them about himself looked like the right move so far. He did not mind telling these guys about himself. Seeing as he was from a different dimension he doubted any information he gave them would be of any use for anything other than fulfilling their curiosity. They also did not seem to recognize his forehead protector as a symbol of being a shinobi.

He was wearing it when he first met Matsu, Miya, Takehito and Minaka. When he had awoken she saw a soldier, and even now she still described him as a soldier. So he decided to use the terms warrior and soldier instead. They were more familiar with those and it gave the same general idea of what his job entailed. "Long story short, every major village has a world recognized leader called a Kage. For example, my village leader was called the Hokage, and a neighboring village had a Kazekage. In order to become a Kage you had to be one of the strongest warriors in the village." He paused and looked towards the water again.

"I had a fairly difficult childhood so I made it my goal to become the Hokage so that people would people would finally accept me and so I wouldn't be so alone. After officially become a soldier of the village, I teamed up with Haruno Sakura and a douchebag named Uchiha Sasuke." He smiled at his own story. It was obvious that the people he just mentioned meant a lot to him. Miya could tell with how he eyes shined with joy and the thought of them.

"I loved Sakura-chan about as much as person could possibly love another person. She had pink hair, and a lasting beauty that put all the planet's greatest wonders to shame." He sighed and immediately everyone knew that Sakura, in particular, was someone who was very precious to him. It wasn't just that it was the first time any of them heard him use a honorific. It was how at peace he was when he was talking about her. He voice sounded so loving and distant, like thinking about her was pleasant and painful at the same time.

Takami and Miya were both more perceptive than the rest, and they both noticed how that look on his face took shape like it has been placed there many times before. The way he tried to conceal his pain and remember the joy at the same time was practiced, like he had got used to the idea of never having her but just wanted her to be happy. When he talked about her, he talked like a man that had slowly resigned to keeping the woman he loved happy from afar. He started talking again and cut that flow of thoughts from continuing.

"Sasuke on the other hand was a pretty boy, and I hated how everyone instantly loved him. His whole clan was killed by his brother one night though, so while everyone he met praised him, he was still one of the only ones that could understood being alone like me. However, he eventually left to get stronger, and we all separated for three years to train. Sakura and I ran into him a bunch of times later but never could catch him. It wasn't until a war took over the whole continent, and we all had to get together to fight an organization that wanted total control of the world that we finally were able to be reunited. Bastard always had to make everything hard." He smiled at them but they could hear the sorrow in his words.

It was odd to them. They have never seen anyone who has ever just laid everything out to bare. In the Sekirei's experience humans only hid things from them. Even Takami had to admit that she never met anyone that was willing to do that before. Though he never ask for it, they all resolved to never tell another soul of the Uzumaki's past. He may be trusting of them but they were not trusting of others. It took a lot to give away so much of yourself to strangers like he just blatantly did to them. That earned him the respect of all those that were present.

"To finish, we won the war, I became Hokage, Sakura and Sasuke got together and had a kid, and I did the same when I married what has to be the kindest, most devoted, and warmhearted woman in the world, Hinata Hyuuga." They all wanted to feel bad about how that ended, but the absolute elation he had on his face when he mentioned his wife and family took that pity away. His story had ended with a happy ending.

Or at least it was supposed to…

Until he had to be sealed away after Isshiki had been killed along with Boruto to ensure that Isshiki's Juubi couldn't break free.

After all that Takami watched as Naruto answered any questions they may have had, and told them stories of his time as a ninja. Stories of peculiar people he met along the way, like a man named Bee that only spoke in raps and two friends that would do the strangest acts in the name of youth. Then came the surprise of the day, "Alright, fun time is over. It's time we get down to business." Naruto said as he stood up and cracked his neck followed by his back.

"Well, what do we need to do?" Kazehana said.

"Well first off, I need to gauge your skills, so the best way to do that is by having a spar." Naruto said smirking.

"Repeat that please. I am sure that I heard you wrong. I must have, because I believe you said you would like for us to spar." Kazehana said into the quiet that had ensued after his strange request. She normally would not give anyone the time of day, but she was starting to really like Naruto, so she didn't want him to get himself killed trying to teach them, at least not until she impressed him some more with what she could do. She was already addicted to the way he made her feel and the way he would look at her. She wouldn't let anything take way the potential to have more moments with him.

"Yes, please do not tempt fate Naruto. Even if you are a warrior from another era, you still are only human. Fighting against us will only endanger you, and while I may have once planned on killing you earlier, I do not wish for your blood to be spilt needlessly." That was the most concerned anyone has ever heard Karasuba speak to a human. It was still a bit harsh, but this was a huge for anyone who knew her.

The same went for Miya as well, she certainly didn't want Naruto to die just yet. He did not appear to understand how powerful the Sekirei are. He was told that they were too strong for humanity right? She was sure he had been told that multiple times. While she may have approved of him, he was too confident in his battle prowess. There was only so much that a human could do, and facing a Sekirei, let alone five of them, was not in their realm of capabilities.

Naruto laughed. Laughed! As if he didn't just ask them to accidentally kill him, "Don't worry about me guys. I can handle myself no prob-"He had to stop because I silver and black blur sped at him. The Sekirei knew what had happened immediately and tried to look away. His story must have gotten Karasuba too excited and she couldn't wait any longer to see exactly what he was made of. The adjusters were a bit overzealous when working on her, so her natural battle instincts took main priority over her other functions, making her many times more bloodthirsty than she originally was.

"Oi," the Sekirei all looked up with surprise and relief showing on their faces. There was Naruto holding Karasuba's sword at bay with a small black dagger. Karasuba though looked ecstatic. She honestly tried to kill him with that blow, cut his head clean off his neck. The speed and strength she used to rush at him may have not been her best, but the power she put behind her strike was enough to cut through a building. He pushed her back, and looked at his weapon. He gave a small tsk before tossing it on the ground. There was a cut in his knife that went jagged suddenly. Her sword cut into it and he must have twisted the blade to better match her angle of attack so that it would not go all the way through.

To be able to notice that and react that quickly was, quite frankly, very astonishing. While Kazehana and Matsu took that at face value and gave sighs of relief. Mutsu looked bored and Miya was wondering what kind of humans lived in his dimension for him to brush Karasuba away like that. He did seem a bit winded however. Blocking that blow must have taken more out of him than he wanted to show. That wasn't even Karasuba's best. Miya's eyes narrowed at him, trying to communicate her message. Hopefully he understood now the difference in power.

"I hope you know I have no way of making more of those currently." He said as he walked over to Karasuba and took her sword away before he bopped her on the head lightly with it.

She just looked at him with a pleased expression.

"Oh yes. You'll do nicely Naruto. You'll do. I look forward to the day when I kill you." Kazehana quickly pulled her back to the rest of the group before she could do more harm to the blond man.

"And that is exactly why I am taking your sword away. Consider yourself in timeout, Crazy." Karasuba licked her lips like she already tasted his blood on them, so naturally Naruto decided to stick his tongue out at her and promptly ignore her existence for a few moments.

"Like I was saying before Crazy over here lost her top, I can handle myself against you guys no problem." He quickly sent another look over in Karasuba's direction to make sure she wasn't going to rush out at him again. Who knew what sort of weapons that wannabe gangster girl had hidden on her. "However, as you have been told, I just came out of a crystal only a few days ago. You can imagine how sore that can make a person, not to mention how drained I've been feeling ever since I woke up. You guys deserve the best, but I can't give that to you right now. So you are going to give it to each other." He said with a smile as he looked over them.

"So you mean.." Mustu started

"Yup! You guys are going against each other in a free for all! Exciting right? I want to see your strengths and weaknesses. I want to see how you guys fight and handle chaos, and seeing as you already know all that about each other, you can push each other to your limits. It saves me time and allows me to get my strength back." He tossed Karasuba her sword back. "And no killing! Yes, I'm looking at you Crazy."

Even though he impressed them by surviving Karasuba's attack, the Sekirei were wary of some of Naruto's words. They doubted that he could handle them in a prolonged fight. The chance to spar and push themselves was great however. It would be the first time they were allowed to go all out since they came to Earth.

They could finally establish a pecking order between them, so everyone would know who was number one. For Miya it was a chance to get Naruto to realize that they were beyond him, so that he would understand that he needed to distance himself from them like the others. She did not like comparing them to him, but his safety was important. For the others it was an opportunity to get Naruto to look at and treat them like he treated Kazehana. They would show him the things they could do.

"The whole island is your playground, go wild!" At his call Mustu, Kazehana, Karasuba, and Miya disappeared from sight. Matsu looked around nervously before she too leapt away. Seconds later, anarchy reigned over the island. Trees were cut down in the central forested area. Chunks of earth were mysteriously shooting up at dangerous angles, and a whirlwind decided to introduce itself to the area.

Naruto walked over to Takami who had taken a seat on the stairs that led into the facility and sat next to her. He leaned back and propped his elbows up on the steps behind him for support. In the corner of his eyes he could see Takami give him a smirk.

"Impressive block. I'm glad to see that you're alive." Takami said to him, her voice almost lost in the explosions of sound around them. Naruto chuckled at her words and closed his eyes. His head lulled back into a comfortable position. She looked him over. He looked tired, more so then she had thought he did before. She could not speak from experience, but judging from the man beside her, being crystallized isn't something that could just be shrugged off. At first she thought he would be perfectly fine like how Miya was. Their circumstances were a little similar. The exhaustion on his face said otherwise. "Aren't you supposed to be watching them?"

"Oh, but I am. I can feel everything they do. I can feel Karasuba and Miya clash. Karasuba's bloodlust and Miya's impassive energy give them away easily. Since Miya's energy hasn't changed I would but that she is winning, and you don't even need to try to find Kazehana and Mutsu." With his eyes still closed he pointed to the east. She saw a small tornado form and a person getting sucked up into it. She guessed that was Mutsu. Turning back around she was going to ask how he knew all this when she noticed an orange pigment around his eyes. The sun was shining right on him so maybe that only a visual effect created from the light. She looked around to see if there was anything that might be reflecting to his face when he laughed. "And Matsu is trying not to get caught in the crossfire. She's doing a horrible job."

He got up and she saw that the coloring around his eyes had vanished.

She brushed it off as only a reflection of the glass from the building. Naruto took a few more steps forward and held his arms in front of him like he was holding an invisible object. Seconds later a screaming orange blur crashed into his arms, and Takami's eyes went wide. In his arms was a scuffed up Matsu. She looked frayed and flustered but otherwise alright. How did he know she was falling?

"You okay Matsu? You lasted longer than I thought you would. These people are like monsters on the battlefield so don't feel bad about being the first one out." He gave her a reassuring smile. "If you want you can rest with me and Takami." He handled her with so much care. Takami was starting to wonder why he was so gentle with Matsu. It reminded her of how an older brother would treat his young sister. He was playful with everyone else; what was it about her that made him want to reassure her so much? Was it because how timid she is, or is there another reason?

"Really?!" Matsu's joy and relief was almost palpable. For her, being anywhere near Miya or Karasuba while they were fighting was the same as living her worst nightmares. They swing their blades like nothing matters except death. Matsu's relieved face became disheartened at her own performance though. Now Naruto will never think of her as special. She barely lasted a few minutes before she was blasted away. "No, I can fight some more! Please let me fight Naruto."

He chose to heft her onto his shoulder in reply and take her over to the stairs with Takami. "No need, this isn't where you truly shine anyway, right? Being able to survive everything was good enough. I'll teach you how to do better in time. For now just relax, you did well." He placed her on the ground, and poked her nose softly. "No worries, I already know great things will come from you."

A blush settled heavily on her cheeks and Matsu didn't even bother hiding it. She was almost sure now that he was having a unique effect on her. A pleasurable fever whirled within her body as she sat close to him. He was already back in his reclined position humming softly to himself, and she had an urge to climb on top of him and enjoy his warmth. She squashed that urge down mercilessly, and settled for placing her head on his shoulder. She barely knew him. There was no way she could do something shameless like that. She wasn't a pervert.

Was she?

"Oh, would you look at that." The happy voice of Takami broke Matsu of her thoughts. Takami squeezed Naruto's arm to get his attention. She tried to ignore how touchy she was with him. She was constantly reaching for and touching him. She normally wasn't that type of person. She liked her personal space and respected the space of others, but with him there was something that screamed for acknowledgment. So could not place what that something was, but she felt it all the same.

"Well lookie here. Someone please get a camera." Naruto said with a smirk as he got up and headed for the shore. Kazehana's energy was clashing with Karasuba's and Miya's, so that only left one person. Said person was lying face down with straps of seaweed wrapped around his body. The tide washed back and forth over him but garnered no reaction. For all intents and purposes he looked very much like…

…A dead fish.

A flash woke Mutsu up and he stared at the feet of the people in front of him. Naruto crouched down with a goofy look on his face and showed Mutsu what could possibly be the most accurate portrayal a humanoid could create of a deceased sea animal.

"And what you see here Mutsu, is the reason why from this moment on I probably will never say your real name again."

He could only groan at luck. The next time he saw Kazehana he promised he would get her back. Vengeance would come, and he will enjoy it. Picking Mustu up and holding him in a bridal carry, Naruto ushered the others to the west side to watch the conclusion of their first ever spar.

Naruto could not tell why he loved teasing Mutsu so much. Some people were just made for it he guessed. A body bursting through trees gained his attention, and the unconscious form of Kazehana rolled to a stop before them. Naruto looked at the Kazehana, and then back at Mutsu, who finally looked to be getting comfortable in his arms. With no warning he dropped Mutsu and picked up the unconscious girl. Mutsu would have complained, but realized that in doing so it would sound like he wanted to be in Naruto's arms instead.

And he most certainly did not want to sound like he was reacting, which he was not doing thankfully. He did not want a man as his Ashikabi thank you.

They all looked up and marveled at the blade dance that was being performed in front of them. Twisting, lunging, parrying, these girls were fighting like armed doves, such was their grace. A cut near her silver hair ran down Karasuba's cheek. Her bloodthirsty smile already filled with her own red life fluid. It was a gruesome look that Naruto had unfortunately seen many times before, and yet it never became something he got used to. Miya looked as pristine as ever, her gaze locked onto her opponent with deadly focus. Her sword was clean except for a single drop of blood that ran down the tip and dripped to the ground.

She was good. She was really good. This battle was over before it started Karasuba was only stalling her own defeat. With a tremendous yell the silver haired warrior sprang into action, her sword almost whistling in its speed as it aimed to pierce the lavender haired girls' chest. One hit, just one hit. If she could get that then that was proof that she wasn't so far behind, that she improved from their initial tests. Sadly, it was not meant to be, even with all her heart and effort put into her lunge, her strike was deflected and her hands sliced. The cut was deep and calculated. Until she got treatment Karasuba could no longer hold a blade. It was a brutal but effective tactic.

"Alright, spar over. Winner is Miya."

Miya's stoic gaze found him and she nodded before walking off. He gave a sigh shook his head slightly. He was going to fix that attitude of hers. She was always observing the world around her but missing the best parts. He refused to let her live her entire life that way. The more one focus on strength alone, the more isolated that person becomes.

"Let's get you guys back. I'll see if I can get you another day off to relax."

XxX

It has been two months since Naruto started training them. He stated that additional strength and speed would come in time, so the best thing they could work on would be technique. Unknown to anyone but Miya, this was probably the best training regimen they could have been on. Regular types of training do not yield the same types of results in Sekirei as it does for humans. They grow stronger based on the power of their emotions. This is also one of the reasons why an Ashikabi is able to unleash a Sekirei's true potential. Giving them techniques to use has they grew more powerful or used to their adjusted bodies was the best way to advance their skill.

He worked with Kazehana on channeling her wind abilities and to be more efficient with her use of them. He would take her aside and give her ideas on things she could do. He did the same with Mutsu and his earth abilities. When it came to sword practice he told them that while he wasn't really the type of person to use swords, he had fought one of the best sword users in the world in his era enough times to pick some things up. It took a while but he taught them all the katas he knew. Deadly, they were all exceptionally deadly and she had learned many new ways to kill people through those sword techniques he knew. Ways she never even imagined killing someone.

The people of his era were amazing, this world full of soldiers and killers, she never wanted to go there. There was nothing wrong with killing in her eyes, but the way these people seemed to make it an art form, a lethal and disgustingly beautiful art form, made her readjust her views of the capabilities of humans. She doubted any single one could even harm her, but if surrounded by a world of these assassins she believed one would be able to get a lucky hit eventually that could endanger even her life.

The other things he taught them all, Matsu especially, was how to dodge. He would come up with creative rules or exercises that forced them to their limits and increased their reaction times. He taught them how to analyze an opponent and find a pattern. Battles all have a rhythm he would tell them time and time again. Find it and take advantage he would yell. She noticed that as time passed by Naruto seemed to grow more and more lively, like he finally was granted some energy. He would drag Takami to every session, and while she would say words of protest, her smile never left her face.

"I think I have waited long enough. I want to see you guys put everything together. Today we are going to have a second spar." Before he finished speaking a blast of wind rocketed through the crowded bodies and carried Mutsu away and into the ocean. "And if you let me finish I would tell you the rules of this spar and your opponents" He walked over to Kazehana and bump her on the head.

"Today you guys are going to be fighting me."

"That's fine by me. I always wanted to see how good you were supposed to be!" Karasuba dashed towards the blond, intent on ending his life. She swung down with all her might expecting to see his blood spray into the air in a red mist and shower her body. What happened was quite different. Naruto vanished from sight, and a thunderous sound echoed across the island. Six feet into the new sand crater laid Karasuba's body, a foot on her back belonging to the kind orange loving man that they all came to slowly appreciate.

One of his arms was still in its casual striking position and the other held her sword and propped it over his shoulder. "I like the enthusiasm, but at least wait until I say go, alright?"

Jaws dropped.

Even Takami whom he had asked to keep track on his body's recovery was in shock. Seeing numbers was one thing, but seeing it first hand was breath taking. She honestly had to remember how to breathe. She could barely keep up with the Sekirei's movements and that was after watching them over these past couple months and letting her eyes get used to the speed. This however, this was another level entirely. How could he even control his body at that speed? Again her scientific mind made her want to understand him more. What did he go through in order to be able to move like that? Then her eyes widened in horror.

Even if he was considered one of best in his village, could other's in his time move like that. The humans in his era… If Naruto had called the Sekirei monsters, then those from his age could only be described as demons bound in flesh. How did such a kind and loving man survive in such a world? She almost puked at the thought of what that war he talked about must have been like. How many people like him must he have killed? How could you possible stay sane while fighting in a world where everyone around you could die that quickly? Just a blink and he had Karasuba subdued. That could have been a killing blow. In his age she could have been killed before anyone here would even know it.

Unknown to her, the remaining Sekirei had the same thoughts. Even Mutsu who made it back just in time to "see" the altercation was too shocked to move. Matsu shrunk into herself. After seeing that, she did not want to fight this man. Karasuba was out of her league, and now she was six feet under. Winning against that did not seem possible, no matter how she tried to figure it.

Miya was intrigued. She alone had caught his movements. Her eyes narrowed at him and she drew her sword, the action gained everyone's attention. It appeared that the weak human body was not universal. His era's humans were clearly more than meets the eye. It angered her that she underestimated him. She should have known when he was asked to train them that he was more than what he presented himself to be. Hopefully that was not a onetime thing and he had more to give. While she was not as bad as Karasuba, she had a thirst for battle that could not quenched by anyone she had fought so far. This may be a rare chance to cut loose.

Naruto placed his foot under Karasuba's body and kicked her towards her brethren. She landed on her butt. In her haste to remove the sand from her mouth she barely reacted in time to catch her sword.

"You're going to have to understand and use teamwork if you want to even scratch me. Don't worry about the speed, you'll get used to it eventually." He chose not to use the word 'adjust' after hearing the tone in Miya's voice when she said it. He jumped from the crater and smiled at them.

"Same rules as last time. The whole island is our playground; you win if I give up or if I get knocked out. Let's get wild."

Chapter Four

There was a heavy tension in the air. Naruto said that it was all of them against himself, but after Miya unsheathed her sword and stepped forward, the other Sekirei stepped back. She was exuding a daunting aura that terrified them almost as much as Naruto's display did. Her actions caused the others to wordlessly agree to let her fight him alone. There was a feeling that trying to keep up would result in them becoming nothing but nuisances. The only other one that could possibly handle that blood lust and ignore the unsaid declaration was struggling to stand and still spitting sand out her mouth.

Naruto only smiled.

Miya was upon him quickly, her intent to kill pouring into her movements. Her haste brought a wake of sand with her that covered the two combatants. Miya's sword could sometimes be seen through the brown sandy haze, the glint of it almost impossibly shining through with each thrust. A figure leapt out, and when the sand finally settled a slightly disgruntled looking Miya was looking toward the ocean. Everyone present turned to the ocean as well. A falling Naruto came into view. He landed in a crouch before standing to his full height.

An unnatural quiet arose; even the worldly elements ceased their actions in response to this exceedingly unpredictable man.

"Uh, guys? Is he standing on water now? It's not just me that is seeing this right?" A panicked voice called out.

"Indeed he is Matsu," came the dull monotone of their leader.

Miya did not know what to think of this. An unknown emotion was coursing through her. On one hand she was most overjoyed that he had lived through her onslaught. She knew now that his previous displays of skill were not fortunate accidents. Her respect for him dictated that she come at him the way she did. That was the only way highly skilled warriors fought each other. They were both high caliber fighters, and even though it was a friendly spar, their ability demanded that they only produce their best effort. That could not be achieved if they held back in fear of killing each other. However, she was also rather off put that he hand handled her attacks the way he did. While she did get close many times, she was not able to land a single cut. He evaded her by the smallest margins like he was just toying with her. What made it worse is that he did not even use a weapon. Had even Karasuba been the one that she attacked like that, there would be an eviscerated body left as carrion for the animals of the island.

And yet she didn't even touch him. It was beyond frustrating that her abilities had been found wanting. It was a new experience for her that she did not enjoy.

While she was dealing with her internal struggle, Naruto was dealing with some of his own. He knew Miya was good, but that was downright scary. It took all he had to avoid her, and even then only barely. He didn't even have time to pull out a weapon. One mistake and she definitely would have had to wipe his blood off her blade. He had planned on only using Taijustu for this spar, but now he doubted that he would be able to handle all of them without adding in some ninjustu. Miya's skill alone necessitated that. While not at the speed or skill of Sasuke, she proved that she needed to be taken seriously. The way her body hitched during most of her attacks told him that she was still trying to get used to the limits of her adjusted body, and yet she still delivered precise strikes to kill areas on his body. That was nothing like what he had seen her do so far. He had no idea she was holding back this much during their training. Having to fight her along with the others was going to be dangerous. It was at this thought that he decided to mentally chastise himself. He had been feeling better, but he was still incredibly sore. His ingrained reactions where the only thing that saved his life… perhaps he should have waited a few more weeks before jumping into the lion's den.

Eh, who was he kidding? Watching all of them train these last couple months had made him antsy. If he didn't jump into action soon, he would've died from his restlessness.

He looked up just in time to see a sword nearing his face. Eyes wide, he jumped back and watched as the sword continued until it hit the water. An explosion sent water whipping at his face and pushed him back even more. That was close! She was a little too excited about this spar he thought. Idly, he was glad that she only had a generic sword that MBI had provided them. If she had used a more masterfully crafted sword that last sequence of events may have turned out differently. Waves from her last attack died down and he used this respite to reassess his situation. He knew he was too far into the ocean for her to try and tread through the water. Her speed would allow her to stay afloat even without chakra, but she is too smart to try and advance that way. She would need to constantly be moving, and changing direction would be an issue. Either way she would be left open to a counterattack. He looked over to the others and saw that Karasuba had finally got herself together, and was eagerly looking for a chance to enter this fight. Mutsu, Matsu, and Kazahana had hesitant stances; their unsure energy could be felt even all the way out to where he was at.

Oh, that would not do at all.

While he wished that they would take strength in each other and use their numbers, them failing to do so however, did give him an excellent chance to break free from Miya for a bit and reset. He spotted a piece of earth wash up on shore near them. Undoubtedly, that was from Miya's overenthusiastic attacks against him. It looked stable enough for him to switch with it… yea, he was going for it.

"I hope you do not plan on staying out there. I have thoroughly enjoyed my failures to hit you. It would sadden me greatly if you were to cease action so soon."

There she goes again, sounding so civil while actually looking very threatening. He could tell that she resolved to make him bleed, to make sure he knew agony because he dared to outperform her.

He internally snickered. He liked her. That was a natural Shinobi reaction she had. Miya would have made one hell of a ninja. Her unwillingness to back down, even after having her effort end up in failure, would have made many proud to call her comrade. It was great that she was willing to truly push her limits at last though. He would be sure to reward her for that. If it was a fight she wanted, she would surely get one.

As that smirk came upon his face Miya shivered. She saw his eyes harden, but his playfulness was still there. He had something planned and she was excited to go up against whatever he had up his sleeve.

"Uzumaki! Come back here and let me taste your demise!" Miya almost sighed. In her excitement she had forgotten that there were others present. Did Karasuba not understand that he was too much for her?

"Oh, don't worry. I'm already there." He cheekily answered.

Miya's eyes narrowed. What did that mean? She looked back towards the others and saw nothing. Turning back towards Naruto she saw nothing but a small wisp of smoke being carried by the ocean breeze.

"Eh?" A look of confusion appeared on Karasuba's face. She looked at Miya who seemed just as confused as she did. She glanced around and saw nothing but the worried faces of the others desperately looking around for the blond man.

"Psst!"

That drew in everyone's attention. He was mostly certainly here, but why couldn't anyone see him.

"Psssssst!" Where was that coming from? Miya had come back by this time and heard the sound as well.

"Pssssssssssst!" Everyone gathered around a rock that had come ashore after Miya's latest attack. Was this rock talking to them? That didn't make much sense. Then it started giggling. A distorted chuckle that unnerved most of those gathered around it.

"Heh, got you."

Suddenly the rock wasn't a rock anymore. In another puff of smoke, Naruto sprung upwards, fist raised. He made contact with Mutsu's chin, a loud chipping sound letting it be known that more than a few teeth and been broken. Naruto continued his momentum and flipped over the now falling body of Mustu. He twisted and kicked Mustu's body, sending it flying into Kazehana. He ducked underneath a sword swing from Miya, and then rolled away from Karasuba's descending blade. Then he flipped backward to land behind Matsu, Miya's sword coming to a stop millimetres away from Matsu's eye.

Matsu did not have time to think about her near fatal experience has a human shield as she was spun away from a dangerous slash by Karasuba. After Naruto artfully directed her body out of harm's way she collapsed to her knees, her strength leaving her as she recollected the last 10 seconds of her life.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted out angrily. "You almost killed her!"

"So? You didn't care when Miya almost stabbed her. Why should I care?"

He glared at her viciously. "I knew that Miya would never hurt her. I have complete faith in her abilities and self-control. Even with how cold she is I know that she understands the magnificence that can be found in life. She wouldn't destroy that unnecessarily. You on the other hand are lacking discipline, and it's only going to get others hurt!"

"So? A little pain will help others grow."

"Grow? Pain brought for no reason helps no one. It's the pain that comes with life's experiences, the losses, failures, mistakes… or even the bitter victories that can't be enjoyed, those are the types of pain a person can learn and grow from, become stronger and wiser from."

"The only experiences I need sensei are the experiences of battle." He shook his head at her stubbornness. He then narrowed his eyes.

A swirl of leaves marked his absence and a fist buried into her stomach. He then caught her body before it could fly off and slammed Karasuba into the ground. Not hard enough to make an imprint, but definitely hard enough to get his point across. He walked back over to Matsu's still collapsed form. He kneeled in front of her and placed a hand on her cheek, taking in her appearance. After noticing her far off look he took his other hand and poked her on the nose. She wiggled it about before scrunching her nose. He watched her cute display fondly. This had become something of a routine between the two of them whenever Naruto wanted to get her attention.

"You alright? As much as I would like to say that you can relax, this time I want to see how far you've gotten. Take a few seconds to organize yourself, and think about how you should proceed, okay?"

He stood up and glanced around. He saw how the Sekirei were starting to regroup when he turned and faced Miya. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. This time her scrutiny was not judging but curious, like she just stumbled upon a mystery and didn't know how to address it. For him, it was nice to see that it was possible for her to not be calculating in her gaze. So she did understand that everything she looked at needed to be accessed as a threat. He was happy for her, being like that was no way to live. Though, he did not know the reason for here change in expression. Why was she looking at him like that?

"Thanks for not attacking me while I was looking after Matsu." He said to her. She nodded in response.

"Thank you for taking the time to see that she was alright." She said. He nodded in return. "Also," she paused, and for the first time he saw a look of uncertainty show on her face.

"I appreciate it….what you said about me. I should let you know that for all of us you're one of the first ones to ever believe in us and treat us the way you do. Takami and Takehito are possibly the only other people on this planet that we could enjoy being near. However, there is always a small disconnect with them. I believe their jobs keep them from fully being able to see us for who we are."

Naruto blinked. Any other action required more mental ability then he was able to give at the moment. He never heard Miya talk so much. Then he smiled the most goofy smile he could muster. Her opening up to him showed that she was also taking a liking to him. Thinking about that warmed his heart. He could blame his childhood, but whenever someone did anything positive towards him he couldn't help but feel giddy.

"As such I fully expect for you to understand if you end this spar without the use of either an arm or a leg. I don't have to worry about hurting your feelings." Naruto deflated. He was going to have to talk to her about not ruining the mood. He wouldn't allow her to leave until she understood that it was okay to say nice things without having to follow up with promises of bodily harm.

Again she rushed at him. Instead of evading Naruto brought up a black knife, a kunai he told them it was called, and used it to try and block her attack. She almost smirked at the attempt. She planned on cutting right through it and slashing him across the chest. If Karasuba could get halfway through one of his knives before, she knew she could slice all the way through it with ease. Their blades met and to her surprise his blade actually cut into hers.

She jumped back, and looked at his knife again. Was there something different? Did he not use the same type of knife?

Ah, although she could not see it, she felt a strange energy surround his blade. That must have been what made it so much more durable. He learned from his altercation with Karasuba no doubt. She looked at her own weapon and noticed that all of her attacks and the damage from his kunai were affecting the integrity of her sword. It was almost in shambles. She had to bite down a curse at her unreliable weapon, but if it was going to break anyway, she would make sure that it at least cut him when it did.

She disappeared from his field of vision. Naruto looked to the sides and saw nothing. He looked forward and only saw Matsu meet up with Kazehana and Mutsu. The lack of vibrations told him that nothing was below him either. At last he glanced up, and there falling like a fiery meteor was Miya, sword poised to strike. He jumped out of the way just in time to avoid the attack, but the shockwave clouded the area and sent his body sprawling to the side. His uncontrolled flight was stopped by a slab of earth that had sprung out of the ground to greet him. His body almost crumbled against the protrusion, the whiplash from the sudden stop taking his breath away. Finally lost of all momentum, his body started to fall to meet the ground, but a blast of air cannoned into his body right before he did however, sending him right back towards Miya. Realizing what was awaiting him, he urgently brought his kunai back up to block the sword. He blocked but she pushed forward to follow through with her swing. With no way to balance his weight since he was still airborne, he was sent careening into the ground, rolling around until another protrusion forced him back into the air. A final blast of air hit him from above and directed him to the unforgiving ground.

He was happy they were still fighting in the sandy parts of the island. The sand did a great job of minimizing the damage, but it did not do much to lessen the pain. He looked over at the Sekirei and noticed Matsu sending him a satisfied grin.

Ah, now he understood what happened. That explains the strangely well executed team attacks.

That little redheaded devil.

"Do you think that was too much?" Asked Matsu.

"No, he deserved every hit," said Mutsu.

"You're just upset that he keeps picking on you." Kazehana said to tease the injured swordsman.

"An effective series of attacks," complimented Miya. "Though, I wished you would have informed me of your plans."

"I just wished I could've been a part of it." Karasuba complained while getting up and glaring at the blonde man.

Before they could fully celebrate their successful attack, Naruto puffed into smoke. This was a cause of concern for the girls and Mutsu. They had quickly learned that a Naruto that you could not see was a scary and dangerous Naruto, and seeing that he was now nowhere to be found, made some of them a little nervous.

Mostly Matsu.

"What the hell was that?!" Matsu's previously happy and triumphant voice was now panicked.

"Maybe it was all an illusion." Offered Kazehana. "Is that one of his abilities?"

"I don't know. I don't know what he can do! He never really told us!"

"Relax Matsu, everything is going to be fine. It's not like we are fighting with our lives on the line here." Kazehana laughed as she tried to placate the startled redheaded girl, "It's just a spar to see how well we are doing." If they were not so on edge because of the blond's disappearing act, they would have all had amused looks because of Matsu's distress. If they had to pick only one consistency when it came to Naruto, it would be his overly caring nature when it came to Matsu. It was so blatant that even the MBI staff talked about it. It made some scared to do anything risky to the girl. Rumors of how he held off Karasuba became exaggerated and widespread, so many decided not to mess with the one he nurtured so lovingly. She seemed to be oddly oblivious to this, which was why Matsu thinking he would hurt her was so amusing.

If only she knew.

A loud clapping sound came from behind them. All of them hurriedly turned around and saw a happy Naruto giving them applause. He stopped and put his hands on his hips.

"I would love to say that I could do illusions, but unfortunately those are actually my weakness. I can't cast them, and out of my team, I am the one most likely to get caught in them. You are right however on the fact that this is only a test, and that you should relax."

He loved the look on their faces. He wondered how many more times he could surprise them before they just lose the ability to be stunned.

"If it isn't an illusion, then why do you look like we didn't even touch you?" Kazehana walked up to him and inspected his body. She spun him around and made checked for any signs of battle. She huffed when none could be found.

"I don't think that I should answer that until we are done. I doubt opponents in real battles would give away their abilities, so I won't either." Kazehana made an almost childish noise of displeasure before puffing out her cheeks. He chuckled at her immature display. "What I can tell you is that I really am proud of how coordinated you were in your attacks. I believe Matsu is to thank for you guys finally acting like a team?"

"Well you did say we would have to work as a team if we were to hit you. Since you were distracted with Miya, I thought it was a good chance to attack." Matsu said.

He walked over to her with a proud look on his face and she beamed in anticipation of what we might do.

"See, this is the type of thing I knew you'd be able to do. Yea, you can't move like Miya, but you sure know how to make the most with what you have. You took two injured allies and made a plan that also perfectly incorporated another ally that didn't even know she was part of the plan." He patted her on the head gently. Matsu was radiating jubilation because of his praise. He smiled back at her. "Yup, you're the type of person I would love to have on my side. You make everyone around you better."

The poor girl was going to melt into a happy goo because of his words. It was obvious that she looked up to him more than the others did. She held a very passionate degree of admiration for anything even related to Naruto. This wasn't too hard to fathom considering how he treats her. They all had varying levels of respect for him, and they all enjoyed being in his presence, but this girl took it to the next level.

Kazehana looked over to Matsu and smiled. Since her earliest memory Matsu has always been a bit shy. It was good to see the girl finally start to come into her own. She was showing signs of breaking out of her shyness. She watched the interaction between Matsu and Naruto continue, and she saw how lovingly Matsu looked at him.

"So is this spar over now?" She said. An anxious feeling came to her. After watching the effect that Matsu affection towards Naruto had on her, she wanted to be able to feel the same. Was this the power of love? Was that what Matsu was feeling? Love? The idea of having an empowering emotion like that was enchanting. To feel something that made every experience better... if such a thing existed, Kazehana wanted it badly, and seeing Matsu relish in that emotion made her a bit envious.

Naruto stepped away from Matsu, "Not yet. I've seen how well you guys can attack; now I want to see how skilled you are defensively."

Karasuba, being the impatient battle mistress that she is, stormed Naruto. She had her pride wounded by him continuously incapacitating her, and she felt that she was starting to get used to his speed. Her sword drew a line in the sand as she slashed upwards. Naruto blocked with a kunai that again seemed to appear magically. She stuck again and again in hopes that one strike would slip by his guard. When all her speed filled strikes we deflected she stepped back to lure him into relaxing and lunged and with all her might. Again, that infuriating small knife blocked her. She wondered why she couldn't cut through it like she did last time.

She was so focused on the kunai that she didn't perceive the kick aimed to her side until it nearly snapped her in two. She gasped in pain and she stumbled a few steps backwards to try and regain her bearings. That was the hardest he has hit anyone so far. His hits were gradually getting harder and harder then; she was willing to bet that he was testing how durable they were so he could know how tough to be on them. She collected the blood that came to her mouth before spitting it out. If he thought a pathetic kick like that was going to slow her down he was sadly mistaken. She would let him take the offensive this time however, nothing but negative outcomes happened every time she charged him alone. She settled into a neutral stance and held her blade in front of her. It was taking her a bit longer than she liked, but she was definitely getting better at reacting to his speed.

Naruto chuckled but said nothing. He hopped from one foot to the other a few times before he disappeared in a swirl of leaves. He appeared in the air behind her head, his foot already in motion to hit her skull. Karasuba felt the displacement in the air and ducked before twisting and swiping where she believed he would be. Though nothing was there when she turned around she smirked. That was the first time she truly dodged him. A small sense of achievement filled her.

She searched for his position and noticed him behind Mutsu and Miya.

"Watch out!" Karasuba shouted.

She paused.

When did she become the type of person that worried about others?

Just earlier she was willing to slice through Matsu in order to get to Naruto, but now the thought of harm coming to her siblings worried her. The sense of achievement she had felt, combined with his distance from her caused her battle-addled mind to think a little bit more clearly. She felt as if for the first time her thirst for battle wasn't controlling her. Though it was faint, there was a feeling of distress at her sibling's ambush. This feeling was too new to her, too kind. She suppressed it as well as she could and prepared to attack the blond man again.

As she closed the distance between her and the others, she saw them react to her warning. Miya was quick enough to dodge his punch, but Mutsu was not ready for his attacker. He blocked the kunai strike aimed for his chest, but that left him open for a couple of punches to the head and a powerful kick to the side. Even from her distance she could see the blood gush from his mouth. With Mustu dealt with he ran at Kazehana, who showed a surprising amount of flexibility and dexterity as she evaded most of his blows. He kicked her feet from under her, and she blasted a bit of air towards the ground to push her back upright. Since she was more in touch with the air than the others she easily felt him appear to her side and gusted a wall of wind in his direction. He tried to block it, but the sheer force of the attack sent him away. He rolled a couple of times and came to a stop. This all happened by the time Karasuba could catch up to their position.

He wanted to applaud the girl for hitting him but he did not get the chance. He rolled over and blocked a sword aimed to his chest. His arms struggled to handle the pressure as he stared into the emotionless eyes of Miya. He tried to kick her, but she jumped away. A ball of air came from above and pushed him deeper into the ground. He coughed a bit and picked himself up. Those wind abilities of Kazehana really hurt. He would make sure to be more careful of them in the future.

"Did you actually just try to help us Karasuba?" Kazehana asked as she withdrew from her attacks, her entertained tone agitating Karasuba.

"That was out of character for her. Perhaps Naruto is affecting her more than she would like to admit." Miya said.

Karasuba almost looked embarrassed while she sneered at the two girls. "Don't get your hopes too high. It was just a momentary lapse of sanity. I know better than to actually care about you since I'll be the one that kills you all."

Naruto gathered himself and watched as they tried to surround him. He wondered if Matsu was guiding them again. A glance over to her direction showed him that she wasn't. She was tending to Mutsu and making sure that he was alright. He smiled a small smile her willingness to help her brother. However, that means these Sekirei were using improvised coordination attacks. He knew that Miya was at a skill that was high enough for that, but he was little surprised that the others were also able to team up as seamless as they did. That was good and bad. He was ecstatic that they understanding teamwork, but he was getting winded. He body was definitely not battle ready yet. He needed to finish this quick or else he would be putting himself in a hazardous position.

Miya came at him first. She swung down at him, and as he brought his kunai up to block, her blade shattered. Pieces of steel embedded themselves into his chest and a few cut at his face and neck. He winced but saw Miya's satisfied, albeit a bit boastful, smirk. She used his surprise and stabbed what was left of her ruined sword into his forearm. She then leapt back and put her hands up in mock surrender. She looked most pleased with herself, like she fulfilled some sort of promise. Was she playing some game he did not know about? He could tell she was enjoying herself, even if her muted expressions barely gave that fact away. He could understand though. Besides Team Seven, there are not many people that could injure him like she did. It was nice to find someone else that he could fight intensely. He could only assume that she had felt the same. He wasn't going to let her get the last hit and quit like that though.

He pulled the stunted steel out of his arm and threw it at Karasuba. She bit back a shout as it cut into her thigh. He flipped over her and kicked her at Kazehana. She jumped over the impromptu projectile, but was met with the gleefully vindictive face of Naruto. Hit caught her wrist when she tried to hit him and slammed a fist into her chest. She hurtled to the ground and crashed heavily. Naruto dashed through the debris from Kazehana's rough landing and engaged Miya. She blocked and avoided him as much as she could. Unfortunately, a couple minutes into his assault was all she could last. He landed a hit on her shoulder that unbalanced her. He stepped inside her space and sent an elbow to her stomach, and then extended his arm to grab her leg. He grunted as he twisted and threw her.

Naruto's survival instincts flared, so he turned and flung a kunai. He watched wide eyed as Karasuba didn't dodge and let it lodge into her torso. She took advantage of his disbelief and slashed him across the chest.

"What are you doing?!" Naruto said in anger.

"Are you mad that I got a hit on you? I expected more from you Uzumaki." Karasuba said, smugness coating her every word.

"That's not it you idiot." He started walking. She watched his wounds heal right in front of her. He reached her and hit her over the head. She would have blocked, but something in the way he was now carrying himself told her that it was in her best interests to let him hit her. "You just don't understand do you? Obviously, pain doesn't work as well as you think it does so I'll use another tactic."

He took hold of his kunai and gently pulled it out of her. He shook his head at her and stared into her as while he said his next words.

"When I say all life is precious that means yours is as well." He placed a hand on her wound and a strange energy invaded her system. She felt inflamed and chilled at the same time. It was a powerful energy; it overwhelmed and calmed her. She stared at him and noticed that his serious eyes were still on her. She was completely transfixed by him and his actions in this moment. "When I say that power should be used to protect, that also means to protect yourself as well."

"I.."

"Hush, I'm talking now." He didn't show any signs of noticing but everyone was now gathered around them as well. Even Takami had come out from wherever she was hiding this whole time to hear what he was telling her. Karasuba was starting to feel a little vulnerable, and it was making her self-conscious, but in his arms, and with his strange energy still whirling inside of her, she dared not move away from the comfort he was providing. It was a strong contrast of weakness and strength. One part of her felt small and weak. The other part of her felt stronger than she ever felt before….felt loved, wanted, cared for. Both of these complex emotions where being caused by the same man, and she was confused in how a single person could have this effect on her.

"Sacrificing yourself like that just to get an advantage is not the way you should do things. It hurts you too much in the long run. After a while there is not going to be anything left of you to give up. What will you do then? You matter to me Karasuba, and I won't stand by while you go towards your own destruction." Naruto spoke to her softly, but his eyes still showed his anger and disappointment in her actions. She knew he was talking about more than just her body, that sacrificing ideals and morals, or friendships, were also going to eventually lead to her ruin. She could no longer take the look in his eyes and turned her own gaze to the side. She could still feel him looking at her though, the stare working through her like light through glass, there was no hiding. After what felt like eons under that gaze, he finally turned to address the others.

"Alright, you guys did much better than expected. You should be proud; it's only been a couple months. You guys are still getting used to your bodies. Believe me when I tell you that you'll be much stronger by the next time we fight. Make sure to get healed up before getting rest. As usual, I'll make sure you get a couple days off so that you can recuperate. You deserve it." He was about to walk off but stopped, turned around, grabbed Takami's hand, and carried her off towards her office.

"Congratulations," Miya said to Karasuba. "You are the first person to ever make Naruto mad. And you did it twice in one day, in a span of one spar no less. I feel such an accomplishment truly deserves praise."

She was playfully teasing the remorseful girl, but doing so in a way that admonished her as well. No more proof was needed that Naruto put their needs above his own. He had honestly accepted them as his charge and took to molding them and helping them grow on a much more personal level then any expected he would. So it was not appreciated that Karasuba would anger the one man that was wholeheartedly personally engaged. If it was one of those business oriented MBI agents, she would have cared less.

"Yea, I was going to ask him about his 'not illusion' thing he did, but you had to run him off before I could." Kazehana chimed in while she walked towards her room. She made plans to visit their sensei soon.

Everyone settled into the facility to get rested up.

***(MBI)***

"That was quite impressive. I must admit I did not see your 1 on 5 match going to well in your favor. I am worried though, are you sure you don't need medical attention?" Takami asked. She opened her office door and let him in.

"That's actually what I want to talk to you about." Naruto said. He barely made it to her desk by the time he suddenly collapsed. He caught himself on her desk and used it to support his weight. He was feeling light headed, no doubt from the blood loss of Miya and Karasuba's attacks. Apparently he did not heal as completely as he showed he did.

"Whoa! Naruto, what's wrong? Let me call in a doctor." She offered worriedly.

"No. I know it's selfish but there are only three doctors that I let take care of me, and none of them are existent in this era. I could use a scientist though." He grunted as he got up and sat on the edge of her desk.

"You have obviously lost a lot of blood, and the amount you have left in you seems to be bleeding internally. You're not going to die on me, especially in my office." Her tone carried an authority that he waved off.

"There is no need to worry about that, that's healing. It's just doing it much slower than normal. What I want to figure out is why. You also happen to be the only one I trust. I need you Takami, please."

Why? Why did he have to ask her like that, looking so unguarded? He had just put on this grand showing of skill and power, so why did he look so defenseless now. She sighed.

"What do you need me to do?"

"It started when I first used some ninjustu, my abilities that you saw, and I felt a slight pain with every use, which is highly unusual. Then after Karasuba almost hurt Matsu, I noticed something messing with her flow of energy. So when I hit her I sent my chakra into her to disrupt whatever it was. That left me way more drained than it should have. Later, I used a different type of chakra to heal her wounds, but her body started to suck massive amounts of my chakra away. I let it at first because it was help to heal her, but I had to stop. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I need you to do your energy reading thing again so I can see what's going on with my chakra."

That considerable amount of info clued her in on a few types of things. First, was that he called his energy chakra. Another thing was that apparently his abilities were called ninjustu. She didn't remember where she knew the term but she would look it up later. Various other things stuck out to her, but as she looked him up and down it was obvious he needed to be tended to. Her inquires could wait.

"I could do a scan for you. That won't not be a problem. It's the least I could do."

He looked at her and held out his arms expectantly.

"Oh surely, you're not asking me to carry you there are you?" She asked in disbelief, a smile gracing her features.

"No, of course not. I would never ask for you to carry me, but I would ask that you support only about 90% of my weight as I use you like a human crutch." He grinned cheekily at her.

"Well, just remember, human crutches have feelings too, and most of those feelings are telling me that you owe me for this." She chuckled as she flung one of his arms over her head and wrapped the other around his side. She teased him about his moans of pain as they limped through the facility together, their small bits of contended laughter filling the halls.

***(Later)***

"Do you think he'll notice?"

"It's Matsu, of course he's going to notice."

"Maybe we can blame it on that spar we had?"

"Matsu, that spar was weeks ago. Even though Naruto could be dumb sometimes, he's not going to believe that you suddenly became affected now."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Matsu, Kazehana, and Mutsu jumped at the intrusion of their instructor. They all laughed nervously while Mustu and Kazehana stepped forward to greet him. He took note of how anxious they were looking and wondered if they were up to something.

"Have any of you seen Takami? I was trying to find her to bring her to today's training, but I can't find her anywhere." He asked.

"No, no we have not seen her anywhere; maybe you should try looking in the mess hall. She might be trying to get something to eat before you drag her across the island." Kazehana said.

"Yes, the mess hall, that sounds like a great place to look. You should look there." Mustu added. They both started to push him away.

"Wait, hold on guys. Matsu didn't get to tell me anything yet. She might know." Naruto spun around them and made his way to Matsu, who for some reason refused to face him.

"Matsu, have you seen Takami?" He asked.

"No. I've been with Kazehana and Mutsu all day!" She almost yelled out. He raised an eyebrow at her weird behavior.

"What's wrong with you? Did they draw funny faces on you again? You can show me, I promise I won't laugh." He tried to get in front of her but she turned away from him.

"No! It's not that. I'm fine. Just please don't look at me. I'll meet you on the training grounds." She hurriedly said. He chuckled at her. Honestly, she shouldn't even be embarrassed. These two have tricked her so many times that it was almost normal to see Matsu wiping off the effects of a new prank. The poor girl was just way too trusting of other people.

He flashed before her and got a good look at her face. There were no marks or coloring of any kind to be found. In fact her face was completely unblemished. The only difference was a new pair of glasses that settled just above her nose.

"Is that what you're worried about? Glasses? Are you trying out a new fashion style? You don't need to be embarrassed. They look good on you." He said supportive of her new look, "Just make sure you take them off during training. They can break and fall off fairly easily. You'll have to remind me to tell you about a man named Shino. Guy was always breaking his glasses when we were kids."

Kazehana and Mutsu let out a breath that they did not realize they were holding. They thanked God for Naruto's dense nature. He still had not put together the real reason for Matsu suddenly wearing glasses. They could only imagine how mad he would be if he realized the truth. They did not want to experience whatever anger that caused their sensei to have. It would be like living in a horrifying nightmare.

"Sorry Naruto, but I don't think that I'll be able to do that?" Matsu said. Again Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" He laughed. "Are they glued on?" he asked with humor in his voice.

"Yes! That's exactly what happened!" Kazehana interrupted. She was trying desperately to keep Naruto from learning the truth. Takehito was actually pretty nice to them. He just made a mistake, and Naruto might actually kill him for permanently messing up Matsu's eyesight. A part of her wondered why he would even try to do anything to her knowing how protective of her Naruto was. It was one of the unwritten rules of MBI: Don't mess with Matsu. Ever. But the other part of her didn't want to witness Naruto harming Takehito. She was starting to care very deeply for Naruto, and she did not want to see the kind and loving man change into a killer. The problem was that there was no way that Matsu would willingly lie to him.

"No. An accident happened during my adjustments today. I won't ever be able to see without glasses again." Oh boy, there had to be a better way to word that. Kazehana and Mutsu could only stare at Naruto in fearful anticipation. Not only them, but everyone within earshot of Matsu stopped in their tracks and turned to the blond man.

Not a single sound could be heard.

Naruto vanished.

Kazehana let out a curse as she raced to the adjustments level of the facility, Mutsu and Matsu right behind her. Without being asked, everyone cleared a path for them. The usually busy halls became free to allow them to get to their destination as quickly as possible.

***(MBI)***

Miya and Takami were currently talking to Takehito to figure out what happened during the adjustments that caused Matsu to get afflicted the way she did. They wanted to find out to not only help save her eyesight, but to also keep Naruto from finding out. Miya and the Seikirei were already leagues better than they were during their last spar, but fighting an angry Naruto still would not be a battle easily won. They wanted to avoid that if possible.

"Why the hell were you messing around with Matsu anyway? She was nearly done being adjusted. If you wanted to test something you should have asked me first, not mess with the one person on this island that practically has a guardian angel!" Takami asked in frustration. She did not know what to do, and Naruto was sure to find out any minute now.

"Your actions did place you in a position of great possible harm," Miya added. She would stand and defend him though. She did not want to have to choose between Takehito and Naruto, but she instilled Naruto's first lesson deep into her heart. Power was made to protect, and so that was what she would do.

"Oi," came a neutral voice from right behind Takehito. He froze at the sound of it. He had heard of their training many times from Takami and Miya. Both had told him of his impressive abilities, but experiencing him use it was very chilling. Naruto slowly walked around him until he was face to face with Takehito.

"Naruto, before you do anything just know that it was an accident." Takami tried to diffuse the situation before it could escalate. Naruto glanced at her and then looked at Takehito again.

"Takehito."

"Naruto."

"I think we should talk." Naruto sat over by a table and Takehito sat in front of him.

The door burst open and three winded Sekirei crashed through. They saw Naruto calmly sitting at a table with Takehito. They were going to speak, but Naruto raised his hand up to quiet them before they could.

"What affects me the most Takehito is that you are a good guy. I never expected this from you. I know you took over all of their adjustments after finding out that others were experimenting with them. You didn't want them to be test subjects, but people with rights. I wondered to myself that you guys had all this technology, why not use it to help humanity catch up to the Sekirei, instead of bringing the Sekirei down to our level. But I'm not a scientist, so naturally I chalked it up as an idea you already had that just was not yet possible." Naruto glanced around the quiet room, eyes landing on each resident before bouncing back to Takehito.

"These are people with emotions and goals, lives, treasured memories, and wants. They trust you and put all of that on the line each and every time they let you mess with their bodies. It's your job to understand, accept, and respect that. Don't disrespect the trust they place in you every day." Naruto sighed a deep sigh, as if he was dealing with something that he was truly tired of dealing with, like he lacked the energy to lash out. Miya and Takami again were able to notice the fatigue that took his features.

What types of demons were in this man's past? What was it that, even now in another dimension, could instantly take a joyful and energetic man, and replace him with this despondent, despairing person?

"I'm not mad at you Takehito. I see you and I see all the good things that you have done, and all the good you can do in the future, so I figured you would understand how you could affect these girls if you lost yourself to your curiosity, like all the other lackeys here. But it seems like you didn't. That is why I'm going to spell it out for you. Matsu's eyesight is now permanently damaged because you got carried away. Your carelessness has caused a lifetime of visual affliction for someone and it all could have been avoided if you had just resisted your damned curiosity." Again Naruto let out a deep sigh, "No, I'm not mad at you, I'm just extremely disappointed. I thought you were better than that." At that he got up, hugged Matsu tightly, kissed her tenderly on her forehead, and walked out the room.

The room stayed quiet for a long time after he left. No one moved a muscle for minutes, they just stared in the same spot they were looking at when Naruto left the room, all lost in their own thoughts. They all believed that this would have ended in a much different manner. Though they did not know it, they all agreed on one thing. A disappointed Naruto was much more powerful than an angry Naruto could ever be.

***(MBI)***

He looked up from his bed to the body that just entered his room. He couldn't see much but the small patches of starlight from his window allowed him to see threads of red hair. He knew who it was instantly. Naruto sat up to greet her, but she tackled him right back down onto the bed. He chuckled at her behavior and gently ran his fingers through her hair. From her spot on his chest she could hear his peaceful breathing. It was these types of quiet moments alone with him that she loved the most.

"Thank you, for what you said back there." She said.

"I wish I could do more for you." He replied. Her head nodded in understanding, wrinkling his shirt a bit. She ran her fingers along the fabric over his chest. Tracing random shapes and circles as she relaxed deeper into him.

"I don't think having to wear glasses is that much of a bad thing. I'm a brain type Sekirei anyway, having glasses just helps with my image." She smiled and he laughed at that. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sounds of his voice and the rumblings of his chest.

"And what image is that supposed to be, sexy librarian?"

"I think I can make that work." She said in her amused tone.

They fell into silence again soon afterwards. It was comfortable. She snuggled into him again.

"Hey…Naruto?" Her fingers laid flat against his chest now. Her hand feeling the heat of his body.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to leave us to go back to that cave where you'll stay until it's gone?" She looked up to see his face as he answered.

"No. Well, not yet anyway. I promised that I would help you guys get stronger, so until I feel like you guys are as strong as I can make you I am not going anywhere." He said it to try and reassure her but for her it didn't feel like an answer that could give her much hope. She placed her head back onto his chest, this time listening to the rhythmic thumping of his heart. She opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. She took in a breath to calm her nerves. After strengthening her resolve, she tried again.

"I'm really weak. You'll have to stay here forever to make sure I'll be okay." She tested out. He chuckled.

"Heh, nice try. But I already know just how great you are." He said with amusement she didn't match. Normally those words would have her soaring, but now, knowing he plans on finding a way to leave them in the future...

"What if I could find a reason to make you want to stay? Then would you?"

He just hummed in response. He was rather tired and he did not know why. He didn't really use much energy today, so he should be feeling fairly lively. He guessed that it he would feel better after some sleep. He was so focused on trying to get some sleep that he did not feel Matsu lift her head off his chest. It was not until she straddled him that his eyes snapped open.

Matsu had been having the urge to mount him ever since she walked into the room, and for some reason she could not deny the urge like she had so many others. She finally gave in after all this time. The familiar heat that came with his close proximity doubled, tripled even. Her whole body felt like it was pulsing in the very pleasurable heat. Steeling her resolve, she looked down at his surprised face and slowly starting unbuttoning her disciplinary squad uniform.

"Wha? Wha- What are you doing Matsu?!" Naruto was wide awake now. He had never expected this from the shy girl he had taken under his wing.

"I'm being a sexy librarian," she said innocently, "I'm just emphasizing the sexy part." Her shirt was off at this point. She took his hand and brought it towards her, hesitating a bit before finally bringing it to her breast. He panicked and scurried backwards on his bed. He didn't get far as his headboard bumped him up into a seated position. She smiled at his trapped state and brought his hand back to her chest. She mewed at the sensation.

"M-Ma-M-Matsu! What's going on here? You know I can't do this!"

"And why not?"

"Because I'm a married man! And I have a wife and kids remember!?"

"Mou, you know it' been millennia since they perished. I'm sure those who love you would like for you to be happy. I know that I can make you happy. Contented. I can show you that you can enjoy this era just as much as your old one. I could love you, always be there for you. Please. Let me be the one that makes you happy." Naruto calmed himself down and looked at girl - no- woman that was trying to seduce him. He could see the little bits of desperation in her eyes as she continued her advances. She truly did not want him to leave her. He could understand where she was coming from, and he was actually kind of touched that she would go this far just to make him want to stay, but she had to understand that he already found love. He has a family that he loves that loves him. He couldn't just throw them away and forget about them.

"I'm sorry Matsu, but I can't do this. It's not because of you. You're beautiful, and smart, and I know that you are very caring. You'll make someone a great wife, but I already have mine. I can't give up on her without trying everything in my power to go back."

"But then you'd be leaving me."

"Matsu…"

"Please. Just one kiss! Just one kiss and you'll see. That's all I ask. I can show you that you can be just as happy and loved here! Please, don't turn me away without even trying." She placed her hands softly to his face. Sad eyes stared into hers as he moved one of his hands to lay on top of hers.

"Just one and you'll feel it, feel everything, every reason you'll ever need to stay." She pleaded. He made no moves to push her away, just continued to look at her. She leaned down to kiss him, tears already at the corner of her eyes from her fear of rejection. She got a breath's distance away from his lips when he vanished.

Nothing was left but a couple of leaves.

She stared at the now blank spot. He was right there, so close. This was not how everything was meant to happen. She didn't mean for any of that to happen when she came into the room. But he was just so caring to her, and so close and warm, and when she thought about him leaving them…her…

"I just wanted one kiss." She murmured to herself. "He'd understand… understand everything."

Her voice cracked, not sure if words or cries were more important, so her body settled on a mixture of the two.

"I just needed one."

She had made a mess of things, she thought. She only wanted to love him, and he rejected her, left her alone and cold from it. She felt like something broke inside of her. The pain was unbearable, she tried to hold in her tears but they flowed freely. Sobs racked her body as she curled up on his bed. The scent of him still there, making the rejection feel so very real. All she wanted to do was love him, repay him for all his kindness. She wanted to show him that she was so very thankful. She wanted to show him that she appreciated everything he did. She wanted to be his everything.

Why wouldn't he let her kiss him?

Was she not good enough?

Couldn't he understand that she loved him?

***(MBI)***

Miya was almost started when she came out her shower and saw a guilty looking Naruto sitting on her bed.

"I'm sorry for coming in unannounced, I tried Takami's room first, but she was already asleep."

"For what do I owe the pleasure?" Miya asked as she dried her hair. He did not know how she did it, but every single thing this woman did was graceful. There was an elegance in her every move that not even her cold demeanor could diminish.

"Matsu came in my room to thank me." Miya waited for him to continue. He wouldn't be here if that was the whole story.

"She then asked me if I'm going to leave you guys and find a way back home." Miya did not think of that. She assumed that he just accepted being here. It never came to mind that he would actually try to find a way back home. She found herself not liking that thought.

"Are you," She asked.

"I told her I'm not going anywhere until you guys learn everything you can from me. I made a promise after all." Naruto said.

His answer did not feel her with much ease. He had shown himself to be a capable warrior, a great leader, and a honest individual. His handling of Takehito's mistake made him shine a little more in her eyes as well. She realized that she had started to take his presence for granted. If he left, who was she going to fight with? Who was she to confide in?

"That answer does not provide as much comfort as you think it does." She told him.

"Yea, she felt that was well. She asked if I would stay if she gave me a reason to. A few moments later she's on top of me, trying to get me to touch her. She said that she could show me that I could be just as happy here as I was in my old home. I came here when she tried to kiss me. The problem with it all is I don't need to be as happy here. I have a wife Miya. A wife and kids that love me. I have a whole village that I am responsible for. I can't turn my back on all of that. Especially without trying everything I can to get back."

Miya did not have it in her to tell him that Matsu was trying to do more than just giving him a reason to stay. She was also trying to tell him that she believes he is her Ashikabi. Looking at how guilty Naruto looked on her bed, she doubted right now would the right time to tell him. She sat down next to him, and placed one of her hands on top of his.

"Perhaps it is too early to talk about that. Why don't we focus on enjoying the time we know we'll have with each other instead? Thinking such thoughts makes it easier to go to sleep on nights like these." Naruto looked at her and laughed. Her words were simple but honest.

"It's weird seeing this nice side of you. I don't like it. I feel like you're setting me up for some type of trap."

"Ufufu," Miya didn't know it yet, but she just said what would be her signature phrase in the future. "No need to worry about that. I am more straightforward in my attacks. She leaned her head on his shoulder and watched the stars twinkle out her window. She thought back to what Naruto told Takehito. It was reassuring that there was someone that could push them to the best of their abilities, but respect who they were besides them. She looked over to her blond roommate for the night and let out a small smile.

"It is nice to know that there is someone that understands and accepts our physical capabilities. It may sound strange, but with you around it is like I am no longer living in a world made of cardboard and paper, that my every move won't result in the destruction of the world around me. It's nice not to be feared, and not having to fear." She looked and he sent her a foxy smile in return.

"Yea, I bet living with your King Kong strength must be hard. You're probably third on my list of scariest females of all time." He leaned back to avoid the playful punch Miya sent his way. "Seriously, where does all that strength come from? Your muscles are so tiny!"

"Quiet you! Or I'll sick Karasuba on you."

"No, I beg of you. That woman is insatiable! If I trip the wrong way she thinks I'm trying to start a fight."

"Good, now are you okay with sleeping on the floor?"

"Yup!"

"Here is a blanket."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Oh, and Miya?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you." She smiled at him.

"Anytime."

Chapter Four

She could feel the sun beating down on her, the rays shining through the open window and striking her back. There should be warmth there, but she felt none. Lethargically she moved to get up. Her arms supported her upper half but her head remained low, her long red hair covering all sides of her face. She stayed in that position, head down in a lull as if she used up most her energy just getting up and was debating whether to continue the action or quit and lay down again.

All she saw through her red curtain were the bed sheets, still damp in some places from when her tears fell in her sleep. Thinking about the reason for those old tears almost made new ones fall. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing, deep breaths in and out. Once she felt calm enough, she opened her eyes and slowly moved her legs off the bed.

"Come on Matsu," she whispered to herself. "Just get up and act like nothing happened. You can do it."

She stood up and made her way to the door. Steady step after steady step she ambled forward. She thought about how to act today. Could she get away from training? She was sure being denied by your Ashikabi was a good enough reason to miss a day, especially if that person was your Sensei. She was almost at the door when her vision blurred. Details of the door and room before her became lost in watery distortion. Wetness claiming a home in her eyes as she brought an arm to the door for support. She slid down and turned her back to the door. Tears trickled down and she sobbed as she brought her knees to her chest.

"I can't do it. I can't."

Still, she could feel the sun shining down on her as she sank deeper into her emotional abyss. The sun's rays were so warm.

So why did she feel so cold?

***(MBI)***

By the time Miya got up, her unexpected visitor was gone. His pillow and blanket were neatly placed next to her bed. Looking at them got her curious to how he spent his free time. After every day, he would end practice and say that he had a couple of things to do. She followed him a few times, but all she ever saw him do was enter Takami's office. It seemed like Naruto liked to talk to Takami every day after he finished with them. She tried listening in on their conversations, but after her first time eavesdropping it became difficult to hear them. It felt like there was something muffling their words. She heard enough the first time to know that he talks to Takami about things that he doesn't discuss with them, like about his abilities and issues about his body. She couldn't hear it all, but she could understand that he was still having problems with something. However, every time she tried to follow him after he left Takami's office, she lost his trail.

It was more than infuriating to not know what he was up to, and now that the idea of him maybe planning to leave them was brought to her attention, she needed to see what it is that he does when no one is looking. Matsu brought up a good point when she inquired about Naruto's future plans. Plans that will see to the end of the time they could spend with him. Miya felt a deep and subtle anger stir within her at the thought of him just disappearing the day he deems them no longer needing of his care. It wouldn't be fair of him at all. You can't worm your way into people's hearts like he has and then just leave. There had to be something that could convince him to him stay.

Miya took in a small breath to calm herself. That way of thinking will only cause her to follow Matsu's unsuccessful footsteps. If nothing else, she could always just sabotage whatever plans he had on leaving. Shouldn't be too hard since he was stuck here on this island with them. She had time to figure out what to do, and thanks to the islands relatively small size she never would be too far from him. Letting out her breath, Miya made to leave her room and promised herself to cut or stab Naruto at the soonest available opportunity. That would teach him for causing her such mental distress early in the morning.

That, and it was just so extremely satisfying to hurt him sometimes.

***(MBI)***

There were a number of things wrong with the circumstances that roused her from her slumber. She felt refreshed and unusually well rested. While not bad in itself, it was the reason she immediately knew something was wrong. Takami lifted herself up and let the covers drop from her chest to bundle up over her legs and waist. She looked towards her windows and saw the light coming through the curtains in a faded glow. It was the final clue she needed to put together that she had slept in. She prided herself on her work ethic, and that ethic showed itself in her quality of work and her insistence to be the first and last person to leave the workplace. If the sun was up, that meant that she was at least 3 hours later than her normal wake up time.

Takami brought her leg up and placed her elbow on top of her blanketed limb. Her other hand ran through her hair as she let out a deep breath. It was most unusual for her to sleep in this long as she had many fail-safe's in place to prevent this very thing. Multiple alarms and assistants that she hired specifically to wake her up all seemed to have failed.

She let out a small and tired hum. Might as well make the most of it though. She plopped back down and snuggled into the warm embrace of her covers. An extra bit of sleep would do her some good.

It was about forty minutes before her eyes opened again and she got up to get ready. Now that she followed through with her idea of allowing her body its needed rest, she wanted to know exactly why no one had come to wake her. The day before had almost killed her in worry because of what happened to Matsu. If she wasn't there to supervise everyone, there is no telling what other mistakes may happen. Takami really doubted that Naruto would be so passive if something like that happened again.

After a quick shower she went to her closet and put on her normal work attire. Mentally preparing herself for whatever may have happened while she gave it to her morning impulse, Takami walked to the door. What awaited her when she opened her door did not make her feelings of apprehension settle at all.

There stood an open mouthed and clearly surprised Naruto with a paper in his hand. He quickly hid the paper behind his back and gave her an awkward wave. On her part, Takami couldn't decide whether to stare at him blankly, or narrow her eyes at him in suspicion. So she settled for keeping her face neutral and her side rested on her door frame.

"First, I want to say that whatever you think I'm doing, I can assure you that I didn't do it and/or I was not a part of it." Naruto said.

Now she knew to narrow her eyes at him in suspicion.

"I can tell that you don't believe me, and honestly I have got to say that your lack of trust hurts me deeply."

"Is that so?"

She stepped out and closed the door behind her. Considering how her morning went and Naruto's strange behavior, she put together that they were somehow connected. She did not know how exactly, but she wouldn't press the matter. Naruto had a penchant for somehow giving himself away when he tried to be sneaky. It was only a matter of time before he eventually gave away what it was that he did. So she spoke up again to change the subject.

"Is it already time for training? I might have to miss it this time. I have work that I have to catch up on."

"Actually, I forgot all about the training today." Naruto said. "I've had something on my mind for a while now and I was hoping you could help me."

Takami paused and put a hand on her chin. "Hmm, I'm not sure. You're starting to owe me a lot of favors." She gave him a sideways look and a grin, "I'm starting to doubt you plan on paying your dues."

Playful indignation took over Naruto's form and she could swear that she could see him trying not to pout at her words.

"I'll have you know that I am very good at paying my debts! If fact, back home they sang praises and songs of legend about my ability to pay my debts!" He wasn't really sure where he was going with that. He just knew that he had to defend his honor from her teasing and slanderous words; however, he started talking before he really thought of a comeback, hoping that something good would come out if he just kept saying words.

"That just sounds like you had an extraordinary amount of debt, really doesn't give me confidence now that I know you have a history of being indebted to people."

Obviously, his defense not only failed, but put him in a worse position than he started in. He had played the game and lost. The look on Takami's face openly showed that she was not buying that he had people singing his praises for such a silly reason.

Takami figured that was enough amusement for now. Something had caused him to forget about 'his girls' as he calls them, much to Mustu's exasperation, whatever that something was has to be important.

"What do you need?" She asked. His behavior quickly became more mature.

"You said Minaka came here with some sort of crystal right? I want to see it. Can you take me?"

She gave a small noise of indecision.

"Minaka has been pretty adamant on no one having access to it besides him and myself. So I can't take you there." She said before lacing her arm around his and guiding him to her office. "However, if I were to lose my key to room 1448, on the lowest level of the facility, and if someone were able to find it and avoid the hidden cameras that line the hallways and the walls of the room itself, I'm pretty sure that person would be able to see a certain crystal without Minaka knowing."

Naruto put his hand on top of hers and gave her a soft grateful squeeze. She hummed in response as they reached her office. She let go off the embrace that she held on his arm and took a key out of the middle drawer of her desk. He walked over to her and she held it out to him.

"Thank you," he said.

"There's a pretty complex set of alarms surrounding the crystal. Five inches above every part of the crystal are a few hundred thousand almost microscopic lasers outlining every small detail. So I hope whatever you are going to do does not involve touching it."

Naruto nodded and pocketed the key. Not being able to touch it might make things a bit complicated, but avoiding cameras and personal on the way to the room would be child's play. Jiraiya would disown him as an apprentice if he couldn't even do that much.

"What time would be the best to go?"

"Any time after noon. By that time every day Minaka is usually deep into some distraction or another."

With that Naruto turned to make his leave. A flash of white of white drew Takami's eye to his back. She stared at it for a second and then opened her mouth to speak.

"Uh, Naruto?"

He turned.

"You…" She hesitated. After a small moment of contemplation, she smiled. As he so often does, Naruto once again managed to give himself away. "How about we go get breakfast?"

"Sure!" He said happily. She came to join him and placed a hand on his back and rushed him out the door.

"We better hurry then. Breakfast hours stop in a few minutes." As she followed him out she took the piece of paper he mistakenly taped to his back when they first met this morning, the paper he had placed on her door, and tossed it into her trash. How he forgot that he was hiding it behind his back was beyond her. On the paper was a note in his rough handwriting stating that she needed extra rest because MBI worked her too hard, and that anyone who woke her up today would have "a personal day" with him. On the bottom of the page was a drawing of a miniature, mean-faced Naruto.

He tried so hard to do something nice for her, and make it seem natural.

It wouldn't hurt to let him think it all happened flawlessly.

***MBI***

"Did we miss a memo?" Kazehana's perpetually amatory voice sounded over the other two waiting Sekirei. It was time for training, yet the only people present were herself, Mustu, and Karasuba. Considering how everything went down yesterday, and all the stress and worry she went through, she was ready to get some normalcy back into her daily schedule. She felt that with the usual training, and subsequent blasting away of Mutsu, would help her emotionally reset. Then she could see about finally get Naruto alone. She had many questions for him, but he always seemed to spend his free time with either Takami or Matsu. After he reprimanded Takahito, she was sure that Matsu would probably be even harder to get away from him. Silly girl probably finally recognized how much he cares for her and protects her.

"While missing memos does seem like something stupid enough for you two to do, I make it a habit to always be informed. Since I've last checked, I saw no news that training was cancelled or delayed." Karasuba said, arms crossed and focused on the entrance to the facility, waiting for anyone to come through,

"Did you just.." Mustu started.

"Did you just call us stupid!" Kazehana interrupted him.

"The fact that you have to ask that should answer your own question." The silver haired sword slinger drawled out.

"Ohhhh!"

Mustu had to grab Kazehana before she got tried to blow a gust of wind at Karasuba. Frankly, he was scared that it would anger the frightening woman enough to actually fight the wind user, and that it would be a battle that'd be more than what Kazehana bargained for. Then after Kazehana went down, it would be too late for him once Karasuba's battlelust took over. He sincerely doubted that he would be able to stop her if that happened.

"Apologies for my tardiness. Did I miss much?" Miya said from behind the group. Mutsu visibly relaxed and let go of Kazehana, now not having to worry about keeping anyone in check. No one dared to get on Miya's bad side. Like he expected, the wind Sekirei settled down after Miya came close. "Where is our Sensei?" she asked.

"I don't think he is coming," Karasuba said, eyes still glued to the door.

"He is not." A new voice entered their conversation as the facility door finally opened. Takami came out looking happier and livelier than they have seen her in a long time. Strange, considering the last time any of them saw her was when they all were recovering from pointlessly trying to keep Naruto from harming Takehito. She even missed overlooking the adjustments made to them this morning. Which normal would cause the adjusters to feel like they had room to do what they pleased with them, but since yesterday's events, no one wanted to be the next guy to mess up.

"You guys are quite loud. I heard you all while walking towards the door." Takami said with a smile. "It would be wise to remember that the walls here have ears. This conversation may be relatively meaningless, but the future will hold topics that I am sure you all would rather keep undisclosed. A girl will have her secrets, as the saying goes."

"Hm. We will keep that in mind." Miya considered her words for the true meaning they held. Takami was trying to warn them of something. Something that will make MBI want to keep more tabs on them.

"Why won't he come?" Kazehana asked, getting back to her main concern.

"Something came up last minute and he went to check up on it," Takami replied. She looked at the group and noticed another missing person. "Where's Matsu?"

Kazehana gave out a huff, still upset with Karasuba. "She hasn't come yet either. My guess is that she is all cuddled up with Naruto right now. You saw how she was after Naruto stood up for her. She's so lovestruck that I doubt she would leave his side even if her life depended on it."

***MBI***

By the time Matsu finally was able to gather the strength to leave the room, it was already midday. She knew she missed any adjustment sessions that may have been assigned today, but given the circumstances she felt she would be allowed a pass.

She had decided to attend the training today. A part of her yearning to see Naruto even through the pain. Because she knew that even if it hurt to see him, it would hurt a lot more to go without his presence. Besides, if it got too hard on her, she could hide away when things got chaotic as they usually did during training. She could be safely out of sight, but still able to at least look at him from afar. After all, he was her destined Ashikabi to be, a part of her will ache for him no matter what. Even if it hurts.

As she continued her way she had wondered where he had gone last night after he left her. Her overactive brain telling her that logically he would go to someone else's room. Someone he trusts, and that limited to a small number of people, almost all of which filled her with slight dread. She was a self-conscious girl, and looking at the body of Kazehana, or the grace of Miya, or the Maturity of Takami, her insecure self felt like she was lacking. She knew he denied her because of his family, but what if she weakened his defenses enough that when he went to find comfort in one of their arms, he gave in. Gave them everything that she wanted, everything that she was deprived of.

She squinted as she finally made it outside and saw her sisters and brother circled together talking with Takami. She didn't see her sensei anywhere.

"Where's Matsu?" She heard Takami ask.

"She hasn't come yet either. My guess is that she is all cuddled up with Naruto right now. You saw how she was after Naruto stood up for her. She's so lovestruck that I doubt she would leave his side even if her life depended on it." Kazehana said. At first, her words seemed agitated for some reason but finished with a teasing edge.

How wrong those words were, though.

Maybe, Matsu thinks. Maybe she should have just been happy with what she had. Happy with him letting her lay her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat as he rested. Happy being loved, but not in the way she wanted, needed, to be loved. He was more than willing to hold her while he slept. His body always did like to stay in contact with others, like he was starving for love and attention.

Like the kind of love he rejected from her.

Any thoughts she had on letting them know of her presence got distracted by her new torturous thoughts. She could have given that love and attention, plus more. She knew she would be good to him, take care of all his needs. She knew she could be understanding, tender in moments he thought of home. She knew that he would always remember them, the others back home, and she wasn't asking for him to forget… but just… ease into her, let her take away the sadness. She wasn't asking for all of him at once, just pieces of his heart until, eventually, his whole heart found itself nested tightly in her love. Even if that took years, even if she had to give him pieces of her to make his filled.

She wanted to cry again.

A Sekirei denied their Ashikabi was a terrible thing.

"I doubt it," Takami said, bringing Matsu out of her self. "I was with him all morning and I didn't see Matsu."

"I think I know where she was this morning. Naruto slept in my room last night, and told me last time he saw her was in his room." Miya said.

"Hn, I guess it doesn't matter how lovestruck she is if in the end he rather spend the night with Miya," Mutsu said in an uninterested huff.

"Horrible." The Sekirei froze. They all turned to see her. Matsu had finally decided to let them know she was there.

"You guys are all just horrible." They heard it in her voice, but now that they saw her they knew. A betrayed look towards Mutsu was all she spared them as she turned away, shoulders slumped as she hiccuped through her cries. Her hands wiped at her tears as she made her way back to the dorms.

A breath passed between all of them before Kazehana spun around to face Mustu again, anger in her eyes.

"You idiot!" She snarled at him. A gathering of wind behind her appeared, ready to attack the only male in the group. No one tried to stop her.

"I didn't mean for-" He was interrupted by a torrent of wind sending him shooting away from them. A distance much farther than she ever gusted him before.

"Don't come back until you understand women!" She yelled at his retreating form. She didn't need to tell him to apologize. They knew he would.

They all dispersed after that, leaving Takami behind soaking in what happened.

"Is Matsu.. did she.." Since she was not a Sekirei, it took her a moment longer to come to the same revelation that the others had instantly. She liked to think she understood Naruto the best out of anyone here. Their numerous talks between each other building that type of bond. But for him, out of all the people possible, to be the person that Matsu reacted to. "oh no, the poor girl."

***MBI***

Naruto grumbled as he made his way through the facility. His inspection of the crystal was not very forthcoming with information at all. It was just a giant room, with a giant crystal (about half the size of the room), and it was too opaque to even look into! Hmph, beyond pointless. All that effort he made to get into the room, okay maybe not that much effort was taken, but still, only to come up with nothing. It had the slight feeling of chakra in it as was expected, being from his cave and what not, but it was too dense to get a proper feel of it. He wanted to touch it, but true to Takami's words a huge quantity of lights traced the shape of the whole thing. The only good thing that came out of the whole experience was a sword. There were a bunch a stupid things being held in that room, but the sword was calling out to him, so he took it out of spite. Maybe that would teach MBI to stop being so prudish with his crystal.

He puffed out his cheeks in frustration. He saw Takami's office door, and made to let all the air out his cheeks when the door opened. He stilled. Again Takami had caught him doing something strange outside her door. At this rate she'd probably think that he was some weird, crazy person. He was just glad that she never saw that paper he put up on her door last night after he tried to visit her. She looked so tired that even though he was troubled, the thought disturbing her rest made him feel guilty. Maybe if she saw that nothing terrible would happen if she actually let herself relax every once in a while, she would be more inclined to allow herself to take it easy now and then.

Now that he thinks about it… where did that paper go?

Takami snickered a bit at the man. He looked like he was thinking really hard about something. That alone would only be slightly funny normally, but he forgot that he still had his cheeks puffed. She shook her head in amusement. Both her hand made their way to his face and pushed into both ends gently.

"pffbffbtbtbttthffhshhhh"

He looked surprised at the spluttering sound that came out of his own mouth.

"Better?" She asked, smirk still on her face.

"Mhm" He said, embarrassed.

"What do you need?"

He looked around before answering.

"May I come in?" His actions sparked a certain clarity into what he probably was here for. She stepped back into her office and widened the opening a bit to allow him to come in after her.

"Ah. Yes. I do have a guest in here with me though." She said. While it was a courtesy to let him now that they were not alone, and also to let her guest now that another visitor was here, it was mostly said in warning. She was letting him know that her present company was not someone that she wanted to be privy to the fact that she helped him find the crystal.

"Oh, no worries Takami! I was on my way out anyway! Just wanted you to know about the interesting news concerning our dear Karasuba." Came the energetic face of Minaka. "I hope you're having a splendid day as well Naruto!"

"Ah, yea, thanks. You too Minaka" Naruto replied. Minaka nodded his head gleefully.

He then patted the blond on the back and made his way out of the office, laughing boisterously to himself as he marched down the halls. Minaka has been nothing short of friendly to him after their initial encounter. For Naruto however, there was just a weird feeling that Minaka probably shouldn't be completely trusted. Every hand shake, smile, and embrace felt tainted in a strange way. The feeling wasn't evil. It was the kind of feeling that he had when he was near Danzo, except with a touch of childish exuberance. The man clearly had his own motives, but Naruto could tell they weren't exactly evil. It was hard to place how he felt about the man. For now, he would continue to follow along with what ever MBI is doing. He had nothing else going on at the moment, and he truly did want to make sure his girls were taken care of.

Takami closed the door, quieting the still echoing sounds of Minaka's laughter.

"I apologize for him." She sighed. "I know he can be quite eccentric." He means well, she wanted to add; however, lately she was started to feel as if he was starting to slip more and more into a perverse point of view. He ways of doing things, and even his final goal now becoming things she that she was having a hard time aligning herself with.

"What did he want to talk about?" Naruto questioned.

"He's noticed that you've been slowly taking away Karasuba's bloodlust since the spar." She answered. "Well, not exactly. He hasn't traced the cause to anything yet, but he's noticed it during the adjustments. It's important because the damage done to make her like that was supposed to be permanent. I wouldn't put it pass him to suspect you though. He probably already knows its you, but can't figure out how."

Naruto fished into his pocket and handed Takami back her key to the crystal room. "Should I be concerned?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Hardly. He was happy about it." She waved a hand with her dismissal. "Should you ever have need for concern; I'd let you know immediately. Do not worry."

"I appreciate it." He replied.

"I bet you do." She teased. "I fear you'd never be able to live without me." She said with an almost dramatic flair. Her weight shifted and her hand went her hip. He chortled at the aloof posture that didn't match her playful tone. He was happy to see her settle into a good mood.

"Well, I don't feel like doing much else today," Naruto started. "And I did miss my chance to meet everyone today." He paused. His chin tilted up and bit and he took a pose of concentration. While he was doing that Takami busied herself with putting her key back into its rightful spot. She walked from behind her desk to face him after the task, leaned her bottom on the desk now behind her, and crossed her arms. Whatever thoughts he was working through was taking a bit long for her tastes. She decided to help him out before he fried his brain. An image of smoke rising from Naruto's head brought a grin to her face that she had trouble trying to hide.

"Need assistance?" She asked.

"Hmm, I was just thinking what to do. I wanna see my girls, but I feel like I need a good excuse for why I missed them today. And maybe another excuse to get them all together."

"Or," She lead. "We could forget about excuses all together and get together to eat dinner in the mess hall." She remembered her last encounter with the Sekirei that afternoon. Her thoughts drifted to the melancholy of Matsu, and how they all dispersed, "I am sure that at least one of them could use a good meal with the ones they love.

Her eyes met his. She didn't think he would quite get what she was telling him since he was not there, but even without the finer details she knew that would be reason enough for him to accept her idea.

"Sounds good to me!" His eyes took a gleeful glint, "I can finally show y'all how real ramen is made." He stood proudly.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at his antics and uncrossed her arms.

"Oh! Takami, look what I found!" The shinobi said as he took out a scroll. She quirked a brow at the object, but said nothing. He unfurled it and placed his hand upon one of many characters. Next thing she saw was a sword coming into existence and being placed into her hands. Her eyes widened when she saw exactly what the sword was.

"Naruto. Where did you get this?" She would have asked about how the sword managed to come out of that scroll, but a more important question needed to be asked once she recognized the blade.

"You like it? I couldn't really do much with the crystal except see that it had a very dense chakra. I could have done more to it, but I didn't want to hit a laser. So~, I may have saw that and taken it out of spite." He said. Now that words were said out loud he did feel a tad bit childish for taking it, but what was done was done.

"You shouldn't have taken this Naruto." Takami said seriously. It made him feel a bit worse to think that she may be a bit mad at him.

"You're right. I'm sorry." He said. Takami waved him off again.

"No need to say sorry. I'm just surprised. This is the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi. It's the sword of legend that was wielded by the god Susano'o. He was banished from heaven and came to the land of Izumo. It was there he killed an eight headed snake demon named Yamata no Orochi with this very sword. He had it with him when he presented his sister Amaterasu with the kusanagi sword as a reconciliation gift." Naruto heard a litany of familiar terms in her speech. Terms he did not think he would hear again. Though hearing them did raise a few questions.

"Susano'o, Kusanagi, and Amaterasu, huh? Those sounds a lot like things from my era." He tilted his head. "In fact, that stupid bastard Sasuke was linked to all those. Heh, especially the killing of some stupid snake." He chuckled.

"Really?" Takami said, willing to get more information out of him.

"Yup! But, now I'm hungry so I'll tell you after we all eat. Then we could add my amazing ramen making abilities to some of these legends!" She slapped him on the arm playfully.

"You should get going then. I'll go get the Sekirei."

***MBI***

She had saved Matsu for last, thinking that every extra second the girl had to calm down further would do her good. She rapped her knuckles against the girl's door mildly. No reply can as she expected. She opened the door anyway.

"Hey Matsu." She called out before she turned on the lights. The girl was sitting on her bed, with her back to the wall. Her legs tucked to her chest and arms wrapped around them in the standard position of someone wanting comfort. She was stripped of her normal uniform and the beige sundress she now wore complimented nicely with the light green sheets of her bed underneath her. The bedroom window was open. The white decorative curtains around the border flowed inward with the breeze that was coming in. Matsu's hair submitted to the same gentle force and wisped about her shoulders and face. In Takami's honest opinion the sad expression on the girl's face enhanced the picturesque quality of the scene.

She took a chair from the corner and placed it in front of the redhead. She sat down perpendicular of the mourning girl and placed one leg over the other as she shifted to maintain correct posture. Her arms crossed.

"Are you going to be silent forever?" No response met her inquiry. Takami nodded as if she was answered anyway. Her eyes looked to the side to gaze upon Matsu. The lamenting figure still looking down.

"Well, it doesn't quite take a genius to piece together what happened. Naruto gave Takehito a mouthful last night. You apparently went to his room and spent the night there, yet he stayed in Miya's room. Then the next time anyone sees you, you're a crying mess." She paused again. "They figured it out before I did. In fact, I believe they all knew it instantly when they saw you. You a reacting to him, aren't you?"

The poor girl only sniffed. Her breathing was starting to take an uneven pattern again, deep breaths sporadically interrupted by short powerful intakes. All this most likely caused from recollecting the memory no doubt. Matsu removed one arm from holding her knees to her face, using the back of her hand to wipe at newly forming tears. Other than these actions however, the girl remained silent.

"I came here first because I did not believe you would willingly return so soon to the place where he undoubtedly rejected you." That got a reaction out of the girl. She shuffled in place and curled her toes. Takami stayed silent and waited.

"It wasn't supposed to happen that way. I didn't mean for it to happen." Matsu finally uttered. "I get so hot when I see him. Right here in my chest. Then it spreads, and my stomach feels strange, my neck feels warm." It was silent again as the Sekirei tried to gather her thoughts and words. Takami was more than willing to wait. She uncrossed her arms and moved to turn to face the girl on the bed, "It goes from my head to my toes.." She uncurled her bare toes and wiggled them. "It burns so much, but I like it. Then comes the other feeling."

"Other feeling?"

"…I get the urge to get on top of him, to feel him, to grab him… to hold him." She sniffed again, and brought her knees closer, "And I want to see all of him, his body, his face, and the things he doesn't like to show."

Takami didn't need her to explain that part. Apart from herself, she knew most of the Sekirei under his care were at the least vaguely aware of when he pulls into himself randomly. When a thought or memory comes to the front of his mind, and he stares, looks into nothing, but sees everything. He then continues on as if that little flash of a moment never happened. Miya at the very least has asked her if she knew what exactly he saw when he fell into those moments. She had to shake her head. No one knows that but Naruto.

"Every time we are close I want him to touch me." Matsu started again. "I want him to explore every part of me, to have every inch of me. He smiles when he talks of her, of his time when the world was young and the air was sweet where the mountains kissed the sky, of his teammates. I want him to look at me and smile the same way. I want him to use me if he needs to. I want him to love me." She curled up really tightly and the let her body lean to the side until she fell and laid down on her side, "But I messed it all up. He was so mad for me, he stood up for me, and he was so nice to me. I only wanted to thank him. You got to believe me Takami! I only wanted..."

I believe you." Takami soothed.

"I didn't mean to give in to the feelings, but then I thought about him maybe leaving and it became too much."

"I see." Seeing that the redhead was probably done, Takami continued. "So I take it that was when he told you that he couldn't be your Ashikabi.

Matsu jolted a bit, like a kid caught red handed with candy they stole.

"Yes and no." She said.

That raised an eyebrow from Takami. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I told him I wanted to give him a reason to stay, and then I tried to kiss him. I didn't get a chance to tell him about him being my Ashikabi." She said guiltily. "He turned down my advances, I saw how the situation was going and I tried kiss him before he could turn me down again, but he vanished." She said solemnly.

"Oh, Hahaha," Takami laughed out. "Naruto doesn't completely understand the ways of the Sekirei. He just thinks that they want to find love. He doesn't even know what an Ashikabi is. For you to jump him while only saying that you want to give him a reason to stay, without him knowing the rest.." Takami trailed off teasingly. Her sudden demeanor change caught Matsu off guard, "From his point of view, you were just throwing yourself at a married man as a way to say thanks," Takami smirked. "How brazen of you." She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms again, "Keep up this pace, and Naruto might figure you for a loose woman."

Matsu's face flushed.

"How was I supposed to know that!" She yelled out, indignation and embarrassment overwhelming her sadness. Takami was just happy to see life return to the dejected girl, glad that her little bit of teasing had the effect that she hoped it would have, "I thought that you and Minaka had told him about all of that."

"Some facets of the Sekirei culture may have fallen through the cracks." Takami acquiesced.

"Doesn't change the fact that he doesn't want me," Matsu said as she slunk back into the bed, her melancholy taking hold again.

"I guess it does not." Takami agreed. "However, It would also appear that Naruto and first chances do not walk along the same path.

"What's that mean." Matsu slowly uncurled and sat on the bed properly to meet the woman sitting beside her.

"As a woman who respects fidelity I probably shouldn't say this to you, but I guess I could at least tell you this much. I take it he hasn't really told you about his love life back when his people walked the earth has he?" Matsu shook her head. "Yes, well that is to be expected. While Naruto was very forward with information when we first met him, I believe that also had the effect of sating most of the curiosity we had about him. An effect I'm starting to suspect he had planned on. So he told us much about adventures and fun times he had with his friends and teammates, but he never actually told us more the surface level information. Only happy tales and brief histories, nothing that actually breaches the surface to let us know about the deeper levels of his character."

Feeling like she went on a bit of a tangent, Takami started again. "From what he has allowed me to know he was denied by Sakura, his first love, for years until he eventually fell for and married his wife, Hinata. She had loved him for equally as long it would appear, but not even she could get his affections after her first confession." That brought a surge of hope into Matsu. As much as she didn't feel like hearing about the only two women in his life that had his heart, it was enlightening to hear how things happened. If even the wife he refused her for had to try multiple times to receive his love, then she might still have a chance, "In fact, and again I don't know much of all the details, but he told me he completely forgot about her first confession." Matsu gave Takami a stunned look. "Yes I know. She must have had the patience of a saint to deal with him."

"Takami?"

"Yes?"

Matsu wanted to ask a great number of things. Takami was in a rare sharing mood, and she felt that she should probably take advantage. Something in her resisted that thought in the last second. Perhaps some answers should be found out on her own, and perhaps, the others she did not really want to know, "Nevermind." She said instead, "Thank you."

Takami stood up and placed the chair in its original spot. "For what? I only came to tell you that everyone is going to gather for a group dinner." A smile her face was soon followed by a mellow one that found its way onto Matsu's. "Let's go."

***MBI***

By the time the two females made it to the double doors that led into MBI's mess hall Matsu was feeling much better. She still didn't feel like she had the energy to hold a smile, but she did not feel like wallowing in her own tears either. Takami opened the doors to huge cafeteria, the relatively empty place causing the action to echo and resonate. The others were already gathered at a table near the kitchen. Takami strode in the room in her normal confident manner with a shy Matsu tailing behind.

They sat down at the table, and Takami took a moment to study the faces of everyone. Mutsu looked off to the side with a bit of guilt showing on his features. His eyes went to Matsu and then went down to the table. She knew he felt bad for adding on the pain of rejection Matsu felt from her Ashikabi to be, especially with a comment like his that played on the insecurities the shy girl probably already had. Karasuba looked the same, but the way her gaze went to Matsu multiple times gave away at least a minimal amount of worry and understanding. Kazehana leaned forward to take Matsu's hand and looked the girl in the eyes. It was a nice and comforting gesture on her part and Takami was glad for it. Kazehana sent a heated glare in Mutsu's direction afterward. She must have remembered how angry she was with him after seeing that Matsu was okay.

Miya was doing her own thing, but that wasn't unusual since she always made sure to hold herself separate from everybody else. Takami saw her glance towards Matsu, and then towards the kitchen area. Her posture was perfect like always, and even Takami had to admit the she was a bit jealous of the regal air that Miya always exhibited. Miya's eyes caught hers and stayed. They stayed like this for a moment before Miya looked towards the kitchen again and decided to speak up.

"Takami." The lavender haired woman started, still looking towards the kitchen.

"Yes?"

"You mentioned that Minaka managed to grab a large sample of that crystal was locked inside of correct?"

"Yes."

"Could I inspect it?" Takami almost laughed at how similar Miya's actions were to Naruto's.

"Unfortunately, I cannot authorize you access to it."

"Could Minaka?" Miya prodded, unfazed.

"Yes," Takami answered.

"Will he?"

"Probably not."

Miya looked over to her then, first her eyes and then her head followed. Everyone on the table was wondering what got into Miya. This was unusual behavior. The Sekirei leader rarely showed interest in much. Something is causing her to push for access to what allowed Naruto into their lives.

"You are second in command, yes? So if I were to kill Minaka and you were in charge; would you give me access then?" Takami sighed, and placed a hand to the bridge of her nose.

"I thought we got past you wanting to kill Minaka. You can't just say things like that casually Miya. Honestly, you haven't a relapse since we first suggested adjusting the Sekirei." Kazehana snickered at Takami's exasperation. The alluring beauty felt the need to help the scientist.

"And why, dear leader, do you want to see this crystal so badly?" The wind user asked humorously. The other Sekirei felt a bit of the same amusement as they watched Miya's gaze turned to her.

"I was made aware of something last night. I feel the need to sabotage any plans Naruto may have on leaving us to return to his prison." Her words drained the happiness from all the Sekirei present. "I believe there is more to him than he lets on. I think we all have been lulled into a misdirection by him. He was so open to us that we felt like we knew all we need to know, so we stopped asking questions. Questions a simple as asking if he was planning on going back to that cavern." Miya turned to the kitchen again.

"I would rather he not leave, nor have a way to do so, but like I told him last night, it may be better to focus on the time we will have together instead."

Matsu was looking at her leader with a sad admiration. She knew she was smart, hence her being a brain type Sekirei, but it seemed like Takami and Miya were much more perceptive then her. They saw things that others did not, and came to conclusions others could not. It made her feel inferior. Maybe Mutsu was right and Naruto would rather be with Miya instead of her.

The swinging door connected to the kitchen busted open. Any other remarks were halted before they could be voiced. A jovial looking Naruto came out with a huge metal pot in his hands and an oversized chef hat.

"Man, you guys are in for a treat. This is the best stuff you can ever put into your stomach." Naruto, completely oblivious to the atmosphere, plopped the monster sized pot on the table, spilling some of its contents here and there.

"Naruto?" Miya called out.

"Yes Miya?" He replied energetically.

"Do you have a fork or knife I could use?" She asked innocently. He gave her a look for the strange question.

"Why would you need a knife for ramen?" She just glared at him. "Geez, alright. Here you go."

In true Naruto fashion, an ornate silver knife suddenly made its way into his hands. He offered the utensil to the purple haired beauty. No one questioned how it got there. They were more interested in why Miya wanted a knife in the first place. She accepted it gracefully, given a word of thanks as well. Then she immediately stabbed him in the back of the hand.

"Oww!" He hissed and brought his hand back. The wound already healing. "What was that for?!"

"Hurting you brings me joy." She said matter-of-factly. "So, I promised myself this morning to stab you the next chance I got."

"Oi! Who goes around promising to stab people?" He said as he wiped the blood off his now healed hand. He grinned a bit. He knew this game well. Strong girls tended to show how they cared through violence. Tsunade, Sakura, and Tenten being prime examples. It was a trait that Miya seemed to share as well. Though he also supposed that it was also her way of letting him into her world.

"You should have seen her talk about killing Minaka earlier." Kazehana said. Once again becoming amused by the blond's presence.

"I doubt that counts for much. I'm pretty sure everyone wants to kill him." Karasuba added.

"No, I believe that's just you." Mutsu teased.

The scene was so otherworldly, especially since it was Miya who started it, that it brought the room out of the funk that had taken over previously. A more joyful air surrounded the bunch as Naruto went back into the kitchen to get everyone some bowls.

"Oh, Naruto?" Miya called out again. He stepped back out to address her.

"Yea?" A flash of silver made its way towards him and stabbed him in the foot. "Ow! Darn It, Woman! What was that for?"

Miya pointed to her shirt. A medium sized damp circle could be seen. "That is for spilling broth on me." The man shuffled back inside with a grumble, and a promise for revenge. Everyone turned back towards Naruto's assailant and froze. There, in public, bare for the whole room to see, a genuine smile was displayed on Miya's face. Her features set in a sincere showing of happiness.

It was almost enough to scare everybody into running away.

***MBI***

The dinner had gone really well. Everyone had a time, and even Karasuba and Mutsu showed that they were able to smile and laugh. Kazehana was walking back to her room with Matsu. She didn't want the girl to be alone to her thoughts after the nice night they had. So she volunteered to walk with her back to the dorms. Mutsu catch up with them right before they left and apologized to Matsu. Though it was short and he looked completely uninterested the whole time, they knew he meant it and that he felt really bad for hurting his sister. He promptly left after Naruto threatened to stick fish up his rear if he didn't help with the dishes.

She remembered the amount of anguish that Matsu displayed earlier and it made her want to re-evaluate her feelings on love. Previously , she had thought that love only elevated a person to a feeling of completeness. Watching Matsu interact with Naruto over that last couple of month made her think love only brought euphoria, but the pain Matsu showed earlier today was clearly the farthest thing from it. It may not be worth all that joy if it also brought such pain. She eyeballed the shorter Sekirei a little bit as her curiosity overwhelmed her desire for tact.

"What's it feel like? To react?" She blurted out. The redhead stuttered in her step a bit, but otherwise kept her stride.

"Hot." Was all the was offered.

"Hot?"

"I feel like someone takes a paintbrush, dips it into wells of heat and pleasure, and then works it all over my body. When I get closer to him, the better it feels."

That sounded exceptional.

"Tell me more."

This was switch. Usually Kazehana was the more mature one. Matsu didn't know if it was because Kazehana felt that her more mature, feminine, sophisticated features demanded that she acted more that way as well, but she really wasn't one to get into many antics. Her one vice in that regard was in how much she loves to mess with Mutsu. There must be something in the way Mutsu blasts off that makes her savor it so much. Matsu wasn't sure if she wanted to know why so she never asked.

But now, Kazehana was looking at her with giddy anticipation, hanging on her every word. It was the first time in a while that she felt like the older sibling that she actually was, even though the difference in age was by hours at best. Still, it was good feeling like she had something to offer the Sekirei that usually looked like she had all she ever needed.

"Um, well, I always want to be near him. I want to give my all away to him until I'm left bare, and then I want him to see that very core of me and accept it. I want him to want me. Sometimes when he is close I can feel his hands roam over me even though he never touched me. I want to be there when he cries, and when he laughs. I want him to hold me, and I always want to grab him and hold him."

It was at the point that Kazehana could see that little Matsu was actually started to get excited by talking about it. She thought again to how she was earlier, and to see the devastated girl bounce back so strongly. It could only be one thing. The wind user thought she was finally starting to understand. Love was more than one thing. It was multifaceted. Love is comfort. Love can hurt. Love can heal. Love brings you to your highest of highs, and parts of love and bring you low, but love could also be what brings you out of a dark and lonely hole. She changed her mind about changing her mind. Kazehana decided then and there that she did want love. Nothing would stop her from finding it. She looked over to Matsu again, but instead of childish wonder showing on her face, it was joy that Matsu even knew that type of happiness.

"I get it. I get it." Kazehana said in her usual amused tone. Her sensual voice interrupting Matsu before she forgot how to stop. "Reacting feels good. Now tell me about love."

"Love?"

"Yes, love."

"Um," Matsu fidgeted. "It feels soft."

"Oh? How so?"

"Soft. Like when you think of something that makes you really happy. So happy that you have to cry. But crying feels good too. It's also tender. You remember all the things that makes them laugh so you can do it again. You like the little things you only do with each other, like how he always pokes me on my nose."

Kazehana chuckled.

"I love when its quiet and we're together, and he holds me, and I could hear his heart, feel it beat against me while I'm held to his chest."

"That sounds wonderful Matsu," Kazehana praised. "I admit I'm a little jealous."

Matsu looked at Kazehana wide-eyed. Unable to imagine the alluring and powerful beauty being jealous of her.

"Really?" She had to ask.

"Really."

They turned the corner and standing in front of her door was Naruto. "Can't you ever go anywhere at a normal speed? There is no way you should have gotten here before unless you ran." Kazehana said to the shinobi.

"Maybe you're just slow walkers." He said back. Seeing that he was here, there was no reason for her to stay, so Kazehana bid them goodnight and entered her room a few doors down the hall.

Matsu looked at the man she wanted.

"I thought you would try to avoid me." She muttered.

"If I avoided someone every time I felt awkward, I'd be living in isolation." He replied with a smile. "One time during this tournament to get promoted, I won a fight by accidentally farting in my opponent's face. This fight had an audience by the way, and everyone heard it. It was so embarrassing."

"That sounds like a story only you could have."

"Right?!"

"So you're not mad at me?" She asked softly.

"I could never be mad at you Matsu."

"You don't hate me?"

"I doubt that is even possible," He said. He held his arms out. He didn't even need to ask as she flew into his embrace. One hand went to her back to hold her close, his other went to her head in a show of comfort.

"I'm sorry Matsu." He said, holding her close. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She hiccuped into his chest. Her lips set into a sad smile. His hand on her head started playing with her hair. "I know. But there is something more I want to tell you."

"What?"

"I didn't do all that just to get you to stay. I also wanted to tell you that I think you are my ashik—"

A loud ringing with off from within Naruto's pocket, interrupting the redhead. He stepped back. An eyebrow raised at the late call he received.

"Hey, Takami." He paused for a few seconds. Then his eyes widened a bit. "That's right! I did promise to speak after dinner. I totally forgot." He turned to the redhead.

"Sorry Matsu, gotta go." She reached out for him.

"Wait!" But he was already gone. She sighed.

"Seriously, Kazehana is right. He needs to start going places at normal people speed."

***MBI***

Training had went really well the following day. It was light, but he had made a show of making sure that everyone got their own personal time with him so that they could get all the help they needed. Miya and Karasuba were the only ones who stayed after.

"Miya I get, because I asked her to stay. But what do you want Wannabe Gangster?" he asked warily. He didn't want to accidentally make her think he wanted to fight. So was starting to make sure that she always knew that he did not, under any circumstance, what to get into an unnecessary fight with her.

"My adjusters are saying that I've been making irregular progressions in my adjustments. I wanted to know if you are why." She bit out, annoyed with his nickname for her. He only eyed her for moment.

"Maybe I am." He said. "Come closer."

She did, and he put his hand on her chest and closed his eyes. When he opened them again they were yellow and horizontal. He made a face, and then she felt a weird energy invade her system. She gasped at the sensation. It was just like the last time, when he healed her during the spar, but this time it felt more serene. She moaned at the sensation. Unknowing to either of them a small amount of silver energy started to outline the Sekirei. A small trace of what could be wings extending from the outline of her back.

Miya, the only bystander at the moment, narrowed her eyes at the sight, and what that could mean.

"Feel better?" Naruto asked as he stepped back, his eyes blue again. With him no longer there, Karasuba almost fell.

"Y-yes. My head feels less clouded. What did you do?" She was panting pretty heavily. The energy invaded her, and ran through her system in an overwhelming way. She looked at the grinning man.

"I noticed it during our spar. Right when you almost killed Matsu. Then again when you sacrificed yourself to get a hit on me. There is something in you, messing with your energy. Kind of like a genjus—sorry, some kind of illusion was placed on you. It's making you more blood thirsty then you really are. Not that you're actually a nice girl by any means, but you certainly were made to like the taste of battle a lot more."

"So that was why. When I yelled out to them, to save them. That's because you already took some of that away?"

"Yup!" He said proudly. "But I suck at illusions remember? So it's still gonna take me a couple of tries to flush all that hatred out your system. The best I can really do is leave some of my energy in you to slowly drain it away. Well, that or hope that one of my teammates magically appears so that they could help you." He let out a small chuckle. The sound of it having a feel of nostalgia mixed in it. "You should go see Takami now that I think about it. Make sure she is the one who adjusts you from now on." The silver haired swordswoman nodded and ambled towards the facility. With that business done he faced Miya.

"I have a gift for you!" He chirped. He took a scroll out, unrolled it, and a couple seconds later a longsword was thrust into her grip. The red eyed girl stared at the sheathed blade for a couple of seconds. She looked back to the shinobi for an explanation.

"Long story short, that's a legendary sword. Wielded by some god or something when he landed in a place Izumo and helped people in need. I thought you deserved a sword that could actually keep up with you. Plus, it's a nice story. This sword has a history of being there for people in need. I thought it would be a nice symbol to always remind you of what is important."

Miya didn't express it visibly, minus a grateful smile that graced her features, but she really appreciated the gift. She was touched. Now she knew for a fact that she could not let this man leave. She'd cut off his legs if she had to. She appreciated this man too much to let him go. She held the blade closer to her chest.

"Thank you, Naruto." He let out a hum in acknowledgement.

"Now you have probably learned everything I could teach you, so I'm going to let you in on a little tip I picked up from one of my sensei's. It'll also help you in particular since you always have to get re-used to your body every time you get adjusted. You remember those katas I showed you."

"Yes." She nodded.

"Everyone loves speed, and so everyone always aims to master the move set so that they could do it faster. The key is, after you mastered the katas, the best thing to do is go slow." He grinned.

"Go.. slow?" She questioned.

"Yes, go slow. I'm talking real slow here, a snail's pace. By going slow you get to see all the shortcuts your body makes to make it so you move faster. Your body naturally cheats, and it gets hidden when you move fast. By going slow, you get to see those little cheats and correct them. This adds more power, and makes the technique more efficient. Which makes you faster in the longer run." He said looking beyond proud for relaying this bit of information. Miya could tell that he took great amounts of joy in being able to pass on his knowledge.

"I see." She said. She was about to ask him to watch her as she went through all the kata's when alarms started going off around the island. She turned towards the MBI facility and saw a happy looking Minaka skipping towards them.

"What is with all this noise Minaka?" She demanded. He was visibly pleased in being able to tell her.

"It would appear Miya-san, that the island is about to be invaded, again."

Oh great.

Miya turned to Naruto, "Would be willing to help us out with this one. This is the second time a unknown army has come after us." the lavender haired woman asked, almost pleading with him.

Naruto shrugged, "Nah, I think I'll just use this as a excuse to see how much my body has recovered. It's been a couple months and I could use the pick me up." he said walking past her and out the door, leaving a shocked Miya and a giddy Minaka behind.

This is all I got for this idea for now, but it will be fixed up at a later date when I finish my original stories and not the concepts. LIKE/FAVORITE/FOLLOW to show it some love and don't forget to COMMENT/REVIEW to tell me what you think of this one.