AN: Okay... I got bored and decided to try this. I don't have any other excuse, I simply do, not, have, a, life. So here we go, once more into the grinder. This time I'm picking up the story from within the flow of canon. I will, however, be modifying the back story as I need to. For example, instead of graduating at the age of twelve, the genin are graduating at sixteen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Huntik.

Chapter 01: Say what now?

Uzumaki Naruto came to, from a deep, pain filled slumber. Which in his opinion was odd, because he could have sworn he was dead. That's what's supposed to happen when you take Hatake Kakashi's signature technique, Chidori, to the chest, not once, but twice. Damn, that hurt.

That hurt a lot.

Slowly opening his eyes, he blinked rapidly to get rid of the blur effect of obviously being unconscious for a long time. Once cleared, he looked around himself to note where he might be. An absence of white walls and the scent of disinfectant told him it wasn't a hospital, that was different. A lack of light and the rock overhead made it clear he was in a cave... somewhere.

Looking down at himself he noticed the blankets covering him were actually cured wolf pelts, and he could see bandages wrapped around his torso, or what he could see of his torso. He also took note that he could feel the hide covers all over his body, meaning he was probably completely naked beneath them.

His mind waking into full consciousness, a few questions started to come to him; where was he? Why was he here? and perhaps the most important, in his humble opinion, who the hell was taking care of him? Because that person got a very good look at all of him, and he'd like to at least be certain they were female.

Naruto was many things. Annoyingly cheerful, loud, and obnoxious being among them, but he wasn't stupid, or gay. He knew someone had taken his carcass in, treated him, seen all of him, and while he was grateful, he would also like to know just who they were, and what exactly had been going on while he was out of it.

Hearing a set of footsteps, he turned his head in their direction only to catch his breath at the sight. There, before his very eyes, was a person he had never thought to see again: Yuki Haku. And, much like himself, she was naked. The only difference being that she seemed to be coming from a bath, while he was recovering from his asshole team mate shoving a hand through his chest. Haku wasn't seeming to pay much attention though, she was drying her hair with a towel, which managed to cover her face just enough so he couldn't her eyes, but he'd remember that body anywhere. He had peeked on her accidentally one day in Nami while she was bathing in a small stream shortly after they had first met, and she had gotten a good look at him now... assuming she was his caretaker.

This didn't stop him from talking, though he probably should have feigned sleep instead. "It can't be. You're dead."

These whispered words of wonder and disbelief hit Haku's ears like a resounding gong, her head snapped up and she looked at him, a smile quickly forming on her face. She rushed over and dropped to her knees at his side, heedless of her nudity. "You're awake! Thank Kami, we almost lost you a few times there, Naruto-sama."

Blinking Naruto raised himself up on his elbows and stared deeply into her brown orbs, ignoring the suddenly respectful suffix, he attended to the other pressing side of her statement. "We?"

Haku's smile never faded, and she nodded vigorously before making a gesture to his right, away from her. Looking in the direction indicated, Naruto's breath caught in his throat again, for laying there was none other than one of his old classmates, Hyuuga Hinata, and her sensei, Yuhi Kurenai. Both of whom were spread out under their own sets of furs.

What in the world were they doing here? Last he knew Team Eight had been on mandatory leave due to Hinata's brush with death, and following heart problems. Hell, from what he heard from Neji while chasing after Sasuke, Hinata was considered a throw-away in the Hyuuga Clan, not even worth branding with their Byakugan-sealing Juin-jutsu (Cursed Seal). The Hyuuga Elder Council thought her so weak and pathetic that she wouldn't even be usable to breed working Byakugan should she have been captured, so they tossed her out on the streets where Kurenai-sensei had found her, and took her in. As far as Neji knew, and thus as far as Naruto knew, Hyuuga Hiashi, Hinata's father, wasn't even aware of what the Elders had done.

Giving voice to his thoughts, Naruto received yet another smile from the supposed-to-be-dead kunoichi. "They thought to kill her, by sending her into the field after you. In her weakened condition there was little doubt she would die of heart failure. Kurenai-san followed her, on the Hokage's permission, to at least make sure to bring her home. However, when Sasuke-san threw your body into the river after your fight, Hinata jumped in after you. She was determined to either save you, or die with you, and Kurenai followed her to see to it that death was not the end result. That, was three days ago. In these past three days I have managed to reverse much of the damage, her heart is no longer in danger."

Naruto lay back down and locked his gaze onto Haku's again. "But what about you? I saw you die, Haku, I watched Zabuza die beside your cooling corpse. How is it that you are alive, when I can even still see the scars from Kakashi's hand above your left breast? Speaking of which, you do know you're naked, right?"

Haku merely nodded, still smiling, but doing nothing to cover herself. "I have no reason to hide any part of my body from you, Naruto-sama. Believe it or not, you saved my life that day, albeit by complete accident I'm sure, but it's nonetheless true for that. My heart had stopped, yes, but my brain had not ceased to function, and when you held me, I inadvertently absorbed some of your chakra, that red one you showed briefly during our battle. That chakra restarted my heart, and healing process, putting me into a kind of near-death state, like I had used on Zabuza-san, but this one lasted much longer in that my body mysteriously did not require breath. I crawled out of that grave about two weeks after you left, according to Tsunami-san who had been there to maintain the site. I spent the following weeks regaining my strength in her house, after which I went looking for you. I arrived near Konoha's gates shortly before you left, and decided to follow you, discretely of course. When I saw Sasuke-san throw you into the river at the conclusion of your battle, I ran downstream quickly to intercept. Pulling you three from the water, and winding up here, in one of Zabuza-san's old hide-aways, was fairly simple. Though Hinata-san refused to return to Konoha without you, and Kurenai refuses to without her..."

She trailed off, obviously indicating that the situation was out of her hands. In any event, she was still without clothes, and though Naruto would admit to enjoying the sight, Kurenai's reputation for disliking perverts preceded her, and he figured that Haku probably wouldn't bother dressing herself again until he gave the okay.

Sighing heavily, Naruto put his hands behind his head, using them as a pillow. "No matter, that issue can be dealt with later. The matter of whether or not you're clothed, however, cannot. Please put something on, or I shudder think what Kurenai-sensei will do to me."

Haku rose immediately, and walked to another bed of furs, with a bag beside it. She pulled out a simple, short pink kimono robe that barely covered her, and left practically nothing to his imagination. Of course, since he had seen it all anyway, he didn't need to imagine, but that wasn't the point. He was recovering from two highly charged fists to his torso, the last one obscenely close to where his heart lay. If she continued her obvious advances like this, he wasn't certain he'd actually recover.

Turning around, she returned to her kneeling position at his side, gentle smile still in place. "Is this better, Naruto-sama?"

Naruto frowned. "You can drop the false act, Haku. I know a mask when I see one. I wore one for years, and while yours is good, it isn't that good."

The smile vanished, replaced instantly by a pathetically lost expression, filled with anguish and tears. "Then what should I do, Naruto-sama?! Zabuza-san was my reason to live, he saved me from myself, and I dedicated everything to him in return, becoming his weapon. Now he's dead, and the one man I feel I can turn to is denying my devotion! Please, Naruto-kun, need me, want me, use me!"

Haku fell into Naruto's chest, weeping hysterically. She knew there were different kinds of people out there. Those like Zabuza who were driven by a goal, a dream, needed that dream to live for, and if they ever achieved it they would need a new one. People like Naruto. Then there were people like herself and Hinata, those who needed others, bonds with those precious to them. She hadn't interacted enough with Kurenai to place where the woman was set, but Haku didn't care right now. She needed to be wanted, to be needed, to be useful. She molded herself into a tool, and now it was so ingrained into her that she couldn't live without another who wanted her.

Naruto's arms instinctively wrapped around the older girl's trembling frame, ignoring the pain from his injuries to give comfort to this broken and lost person, his first real friend. "Shh, it's okay, Haku. It's okay, I won't leave you, and I won't send you away. Shh, you're not alone anymore, Haku, I'm here."

He continually repeated these words into her ear, running one hand through her hair to help calm her. But it wasn't working, her cries just got harder, her tears came heavier, and her trembling increased. She was in desperate need, but Naruto was reluctant to say the words she wanted him to say. He was reluctant to bind her to himself, but there was no other way. Steeling himself, Naruto uttered the words.

"I need you, Haku. I want you with me."

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Naruto lay back under the wolf-skin blankets, wounds re-bandaged from Haku's impromptu breakdown. Said girl was pressed up against his left side under the same blankets, sleeping peacefully with a content smile on her face. The only thing to mar the beauty of her sleep, was a set of tear-tracks down each cheek, mute evidence of earlier.

He had to wonder something though... 'How in Kami's name did those two sleep through all that?!'

It was true, Hinata and Kurenai had seemingly slept through everything, with nary a stir. Just how tired were they? He knew he healed fast, but with all the damage done to him, and from what Haku had told him, he had been out at least three days. In that time frame those two should have, theoretically, been up and about...

Unless something was keeping them down. He glanced again at Haku's sleeping features. She had medical knowledge, he knew she did. She was fully capable of keeping two exhausted kunoichi out cold so she could be alone with him, relatively speaking. The question became, did Haku do something to Hinata and Kurenai to keep them out of it? Supposition was never certainty.

Naruto snorted quietly. Iruka-sensei would be shocked he even knew words like "supposition". His time playing the idiot really did embed him as a pathetic person, didn't it? He wondered if they were even looking for him.

Meh, screw it. He'd figure things out later. Right now he was going to get some more rest. Though his last thought as he passed once again into the realm of sleep was not one he would have normally.

'I wonder what Hinata looks like naked?'

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Konoha, Three days earlier

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"WHAAAT?!"

This was the enraged cry of one Senju Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. The target of her current ire? A tall, lanky man with gravity-defying silver hair, and his hitai-ate pulled down over his left eye, by the name of Hatake Kakashi. Said man was trying, and failing, to hide behind a short-haired woman in a kimono to avoid the blonde woman's wrath.

Gulping, Kakashi decided honesty was probably the only policy to get out of this alive. "I said I couldn't find any trace of Naruto or Sasuke. There had obviously been a battle, but the rain had washed away all scent traces, save for those on the stone. The only thing I could find, was one of their hitai-ate, which Pakkun declared was Sasuke's. Naruto's scent trailed into the river itself, and vanished down the stream."

Tsunade stood up, and leaned her hands on her desk. "What about Yuhi Kurenai and Hyuuga Hinata? The former followed the latter after a plot hatched by the Hyuuga Elder Council was enacted to kill the poor girl by forcing heart failure! They should have been there!"

Kakashi blinked. "I saw some slight traces of what might have been someone else's footprint on the top of the cliff. If it was them, the indentation indicated that they jumped into the river. I already sent some of my ninken summons down stream to see if they could find any further traces."

Sitting back in her chair with a sigh, Tsunade's expression turned slightly pensive. "You'd better hope they find something, Kakashi. The only reason I'm even here is because of that boy, and without him, this place feels even more stifling than it used to."

Kakashi came out from hiding behind the other woman, Shizune, the Hokage's assistant, and gave a small bow. "I understand, Tsunade-sama. If they find anything I'll report it immediately."

With that he turned and left the room, most likely to go where he usually did when he wanted to think, the Konoha Memorial for Fallen Heroes. His sensei, sensei's wife, and his former team mates names were on that list, and he quite often talked things out while looking at their names.

Back in the room, Tsunade sighed as she sat back in her chair. "Shizune, you know, I still really hate Konoha. First it took my family, then my lover, then my cousin Clan, and now it seems determined to remove that ball of sunshine." A look of desperation crossed the blonde woman's features, "Why, Shizune? Why can't I be allowed a little happiness without tragedy?"

Shizune crossed the room and placed a supportive hand on her teacher's shoulder. "I don't believe he's dead yet, Tsunade-sama. Naruto-kun will pull through, no matter what. We just have to be patient."

One of Tsunade's hands covered the one on her shoulder in silent thanks, her eyes landing on a form she had just finished filling out and approving personally: adoption papers for one Uzumaki Naruto to become Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. She was going to tell him the news upon his return, copies of the forms were already filed, and he was legally her son now.

She wanted her baby back. Naruto had brought so much light back into her life in the short span they had known each other, as if she really were his mother, that she felt this was a perfect way to repay him. She would become the mother he had always wanted and needed, and he would bring her joy.

Her thoughts as she sent Shizune to get some tea were hopeful. 'Patience. Yes, patience is key. He'll come back, I know he will. So long as we don't find a body, he'll come back. Back home.'

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Present Time

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He was surrounded in a fog-like haze, endlessly running in circles, shadowed masks of every possible emotion rushing by on either side of him. Somehow, he knew that these masks were representations of the lies told to him over the years, all the deceit that his conscious mind accepted, but his subconscious immediately ignored. All he could was run though, searching... endlessly searching for something. He didn't know what he was searching for, but perhaps it was a mask that aligned with the face behind it? Someone to tell him only truth. Someone...

THERE! A mask that had a head of long hair, and gleaming white eyes. It wasn't alone either, there, beside it, was another, also with long hair, but the eyes shone with the lightest of blue that could only be ice. And behind them was a third mask, this one with shorter, wavy hair, and glowing red eyes. All three were smiling, and there was no hint of deceit behind those smiles, they aligned with whatever face was behind them.

These, then, were the ones who would never try to pull the wool over his eyes, for whatever reason. These people would speak the truth, as they knew it, as they saw it. They would not deny him, they would explain their thoughts, they would comfort him in need, and help him should he ask.

These were true friends.

A woman's voice called to him, enticing him, entreating him. "These are your truest companions. You must learn to trust them as you do yourself. Trust and Believe, and I shall entrust myself to your call."

Naruto's eyes snapped open, his breath came in gasps as he stared at the ceiling of the cave, his body drenched in a cold sweat. What the Hell was that?! He knew it wasn't real, but damned if he didn't feel it. He made to move his hands, only to discover his left was still held in a death-grip by Haku, who had once again decided to go with a casual nudity, assuming the lack of fabric his arm felt was an indication.

Okay, it was a dream, or vision of some sort. But that was nuts, the last time he'd had that kind of thing it was some time before the mission his team took to Nami. He'd dreamed of the first fight with Zabuza, and how badly it was going and that he'd need to shake things up if they wanted to survive. But that dream/vision was a hundred times less intense. That one had been like watching a movie play out, this one was as if he was inside both his head and not at the same time.

He looked over at the still sleeping Hyuuga. He had recognized the indicators from those last three masks fairly easily. White eyes, and long hair, could only have been Hinata. The ice-like coals of the second could only have been made to represent Haku, and the final one... well he knew two people with red eyes, but one was a giant fox, so obviously that one didn't count, so number three could only have been Kurenai.

Questions upon questions, and the only ones with the answers were knocked due to the sleeping woman beside him. Naruto rested his head back on the fur pelt pillow behind him, and just stared at the ceiling, thoughts and questions revolving through his mind rapidly. Dozens a time, and all of them were confusing.

This was not good. Was he just seeing things? Could it be a mere coincidence? And if it was, then why did he have a sinking feeling in his gut saying that it was all too true? And just why did this place feel so dark all of a sudden?

Wait, was that it? Was it the cave causing this? The dream, the sinking feeling, the general sense of wrongness? Or could there be some thing in this cave that was amplifying their baser natures? Their more primal instincts? If that was true, then they had move, they had to get out before one, or all, of them did something they might regret.

The only other thing he could think of was to find the source, and break it. Which was easier said than done. Primarily because Haku was now locking her legs together around one of his, thus any thoughts of getting up would have to wait until she was awake enough to let go. And Naruto didn't think that was going to happen any time soon unless he woke her. The problem with that idea was that he still vividly remembered the one time he tried to wake Shizune, and she tried to rip his balls off.

Not cool.

Well since his right hand was currently unoccupied... He used it to brush his sweat-soaked hair back from his face. Holding it there he noticed something that he could understandably have missed earlier; a ring, nestled snugly on his right middle finger. A simple enough looking item, it was just a white band with a blue gem of some kind wrapped in the middle.

The problem stemmed from the fact that Naruto didn't own any kind of ring. Why would he? He was a guy, and rings were supposed to be for either girls, or married couples. Since he wasn't a girl, and it was on the wrong hand, indicating it wasn't a wedding band, it shouldn't have been on him. Yet here it was, an elegant but simple ring, made of some kind of white metal, seemingly wrapped around a deep blue stone, and it refused to come off. Granted, without his other hand any leverage he had was minimal at best, but it still should have at least shifted a bit.

Nothing. It didn't so much as slide around his finger. Almost as if it had been grafted into place.

What the Hell was going on with his life lately? It was like, ever since that night with the Forbidden Scroll, everything decided to simply try pissing on his life. Trying to make it either as difficult, or as incomprehensible as possible.

... Try saying that ten times fast.

Sighing, Naruto just put his hand back down and closed his eyes again. Screw it. He was going back to sleep. He'd deal with all this bullshit later, if he even bothered. Uzumaki Naruto was simply not paid enough to deal with magical rings and three women that might take everything the wrong way.

Moments later the cave was echoing with the soft snores of three women, and the slightly louder ones of a single male. But in the midst of it all, the ring on Naruto's hand started glowing.

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She was running, her heart was breaking, and she could feel tears running in streams from her eyes. Desperately, she searched, for an answer, for a person, for something that she couldn't identify. All around her was darkness, and the smell of blood, and cold. The sounds of splashing could be heard from her feet as she ran, but she preferred not to know what she was running through, even as it started getting deeper.

It was past her ankles now. Soon it reached her knees, yet her desperate run never ceased. She had to find it! It was the only way to be saved! To escape this nightmare!

The substance was up to her breasts now, and she could no longer deny what it was: blood. She was running through so much blood, trying to find her way, trying to find an island, or ship to get out of it, to not be bathed in its scent any more. To be FREE. Her eyes sought frantically, hoping beyond hope to find something.

There! A small light, bright and golden, and seemingly reaching for her. Trying to help her.

She started swimming for that light, inadvertently covering herself with even more blood. She noticed the light taking shape, a man, with a smile on his face, willing to accept everything she had been through. Willing to save her.

Reaching up to grasp his hand, she found herself pulled up to stand on top of the blood, no longer to wallow, and discovered herself to be clean and clear of the taint. A fresh start, a new life, one where the only blood on her hands would be by her choice. Looking up she found herself becoming lost in the ocean-like pools of his eyes.

She was free, and she knew, that this man would do anything to help her from that moment on.

She heard a deep voice echo around her, "Serve. Serve and carry your chosen Master's burdens, and I shall be yours to call upon."

She answered in a firm, yet gentle voice, "I already serve, and should my Master have burdens, I shall carry them with a glad heart. My body is his."

"The bargain has been struck, the deal made. Together you and I shall serve and move the very heavens and earth should it be necessary."

Haku shot into a sitting position, sweating heavily, and breathing harshly, her heart beating rapidly within her naked breast. She'd never had a dream like that before, but it wasn't hard to figure out the meaning behind it. Did she really feel that way when working for Zabuza-san? That she was going to drown in the ocean of blood he was creating with her help? And Naruto-sama, was he really like a second life? Well, he did revive her, even if he didn't know it or actively try for it, so she supposed it could be a brand new life.

This dream, however, was far too real. It couldn't be a simple subconscious representation. Something, or someone, induced it, forced it to the surface. She had heard of the Yamanaka Clan having abilities to enter another's mind, but there were no Yamanaka here. Which left only the possibility of some thing, but what had that kind of power?

Having caught her breath, Haku looked down at the sleeping form of her new Master, the man she would follow and obey for the rest of her days. A man who had rescued her from death, and recently declared a desire for her to remain with him. Whether those were just words or not, didn't matter to the young woman, just that they were said with intention of helping her. In return, Haku would give him everything, her life, her devotion, and her body if he so desired it. She would do anything for her Naruto-sama.

A glint of white caught her attention, and brought her gaze to his right hand. More specifically to a thin white band on his middle finger. That hadn't been there when she stripped him, and from what she recalled, it hadn't been there when she had her breakdown earlier. So when did it get on Naruto-sama's hand?

And was it glowing?! With further inspection, Haku determined, that yes, it was indeed glowing slightly. Why was a glowing ring sitting upon her Master's finger? When did it get there? And, most importantly, what was its purpose in choosing to be with her Naruto-sama!?

Glaring vociferously at the offending object, Haku reached over to remove it from it's current resting place. Upon contact, however, her mind was filled with images of death, destruction, and rampant war. She hastily retracted her hand and stared at the ring in mounting horror. Was it showing those kinds of things to Naruto-sama?!

A quick glance at his face set her mind at ease. There were no signs of stress, mental or physical. No indications of any kind of discomfort. In fact, there was a strangely happy smile playing about his lips that further set Haku at ease. Thus her thoughts became much more charitable, but no less jealous. That ring could communicate with her Master, even in his sleep, while she, his loyal servant, would have to wait for his waking.

Not fair!

A pout formed on Haku's beautiful face, but a devilish gleam was to be found in her eye. If she had to wait for Naruto-sama to wake, then she might as well make herself useful in the meantime. Rising from her position at his side, Haku made her way to the incapacitated forms of the two Konoha kunoichi.

Her Master liked these two, she could see it when they spoke earlier, the relief his face had expressed when he learned they were merely unconscious. So Haku decided she was going to make certain to bring them back to full health. She had already dealt with the piss-poor healing job that Konoha had done to the Hyuuga girl, but she hadn't done much more. It was time to finish her work.

And maybe add a little more... Unnoticed by Haku, a new ring glinted upon her own right hand, glowing with a slight emerald light.

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She was floating, completely devoid of senses. She felt nothing, heard nothing, smelled nothing, tasted nothing, and saw nothing. Even her intuition seemed to have been turned off. There was simply no sensory input, and she found it soothing. It was nice to have nothing to worry about for a change.

The feeling of not having a care in the world was liberating. Without those worries and cares, she could just drift along, letting someone else decide what to do for a change. Like that person made of light at her side.

She giggled like a school girl with her crush on their first date as he reached his hand out to her, taking her slender hand in his own. He lead her around and around, scenes and images flashed before her eyes, of places she had ever been to, but always wanted to visit.

She could feel it, his care for her. His love for her. How he wanted nothing more than to give her the desires of her heart. Ah, she could name this man, she knew who he was. How could she not? She had followed him for years without notice.

A rasping voice echoed, filling her ears. "Serve. Serve and understand him, and I shall be yours to call upon. For we are those who must redeem ourselves."

Her voice rang out, firm and sibilant. "I will. I will serve him, understand that which he does not, and advise. For he shall be my everything, and I shall give unto him anything."

"Then we have an accord. Call upon me and I shall aid you, and together shall we serve in redeemed service."

"Naruto-sama," the name was whispered through barely parted lips, before a content smile found it's way to them, and their owner drifted back off into slumber. She might not have him in real life, but she could have him in her dreams. She would serve, she would understand, and she would give him everything.

Upon the speaker's right hand glinted a new ring, glowing slightly with a crimson light.

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She knew this dream. She'd had it a hundred-thousand times before. She knew it was futile to resist its flow, so she let herself be pulled into it.

Running, running, more running. All she could do was run. Run from the shadows that plagued her every step. Run toward that bright light in the distance, a light that represented hope. Thus did she run, surrounded by shadows, by hate and envy, by greed and malice, running ever forward toward that light.

Yet she could never reach it. Every time she got close enough, her determination faltered, and though she reached out with trembling hands, she could not bring herself to sully the beautiful light with her touch, and it would move ever further, drawing her on. And she would once again give chase in an endless cycle.

But this time was different, this time as she approached that light and reached out, she actually took hold and hugged it close to her bosom. Silent tears cascaded down her cheeks at finally reaching her destination, her true desire, and she felt warmth emanate from the light she now held. A light that had a form exactly like a man she knew, a man she had followed and watched for many years.

And from withing the flow of the dream, she heard a humming voice call to her, echoing in her ears. "Serve. Serve and follow him, strengthen your Will to stand beside him, and I will be yours to call upon."

She needed no such advice, and she answered in a firm voice, "I will. I shall forever follow him, for he is my guiding light. My beacon in the storm, my nest in which to rest my weary wings. I belong to him, now and forever."

"Then you may call upon me, call my name, and I shall come to aid you, and together we shall serve."

A smile of absolute love and contentment formed upon the dreamer's face, even as a single word escaped her lips, "Naruto-kun." Nestling further into her dreams, a soft sigh escaped her. She would serve him, she would follow him, and eventually she would stand beside him. She would allow no other outcome.

Upon her right hand, a ring sat glowing with a sky blue light.

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Once again finding himself in that fog-shrouded dreamscape, Naruto was at least self-aware this time around. Casting his gaze around the shifting mists, he felt the sudden urge to see if the swirling eddies of smoke would react if he tried to dream-piss on it... A violent change in the coursing of the fog answered his thoughts.

A voice, soft and distinctly feminine, called out to him in whispers. "Redeem. You, my chosen bearer, must redeem the Titan of Betrayal, for it was not his choice to be used against his kind. Redeem my brother Titan, and I shall place myself at your beck and call."

Well, who was he to refuse such a generous offer? Naruto had only one little problem, though, and he knew this voice was liable to be his only source of information, so he gave voice to his most pressing question.

"Lady, what's a Titan?"

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Ending Notes

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Whew. A lot of questions here. Just what are those rings? What else is Haku going to do to the unconscious Hinata and Kurenai? You'll just have to stick around to find out, won't you?

Like I said at the beginning, I was bored when I started this, and originally I was going for a Star Wars crossing... Look how well that turned out, eh? This story is an exercise in boredom relief, or when my muse is feeling lazy like she has been lately.