AN: I want to start off by wishing everyone a Happy Holiday, no matter what you celebrate, and New Year. With this done I have already started the next chapter of S.D.H. although I am also working on Shinobi Shaman and it is very likely that I'll be updating that first. No promises of course.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Gosick

Village of Grey Wolves pt. 2

"Talking"
'Thinking'
(Author's Note)

The group visiting the Village of Grey Wolves followed after the Elder, who introduced himself as Sergius, listening to him explain a little about the history of his village and the Summer Festival that would start tomorrow. As the drawbridge drew close behind them Naruto kept a close eye on the villagers that were still dallying. The whispered conversations and the barely hidden looks of contempt that they directed towards Victorique reminded Naruto far too easily of his childhood in Konoha. As a result, Naruto barely was restraining himself from unleashing his K.I. upon the villagers in retaliation. Naruto could very well endure such kind of treatment without batting an eye, but once it was directed towards a friend of his and the shinobi wasn't afraid to lash out in defense of his friends. While Allan, Raul, and Derek voiced their admiration for the architecture of the village, most of Naruto's hearing was trained behind them in case a villager tried to be brave/stupid and attack them from behind.

As such Naruto almost found himself attacking the Elder when the man fired a shotgun, that a younger man handed him, up into the air.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Raul demanded of the elderly man.

The elder didn't even spare the man a glance as he lowered his fire arm. "Wolves." Sergius began. "Wild wolves live in the mountains around here." He told them.

Allen smirked forebodingly before speaking. "The way I hear it, the humans who live in this village are the real wolves." He muttered under his breath, yet loud enough for everyone to hear clearly.

"What are you talking about?!" The elder snapped. "We're human." He defended himself and his people. "Even if our tribe is different than the humans below." The man murmured lowly, catching Victorique's interest a bit.

Allen was about to make another remark only to be stopped before he could even get a word out when he was suddenly shoved to the side by Naruto. "Hey!" The glasses wearing man protested.

Naruto directed a glare at the man that shut Allen up, causing him to gulp nervously and back away from the blonde.

Through the mist Elder Sergius led the group to the large house he lived in that had started to be overrun with vines, giving it an almost condemned appearance. Walking into the house the group was greeted by a maid as she bowed to them. "Welcome home." The maid said coming out of her bow. Like most of the people in the village she had blonde hair and green eyes, though she had her hair braided and spun into buns on each side of her head. Her eyes widened in horror as she took a closer look at Victorique. "Y-You look exactly like Cordelia." The woman muttered before backing away from the younger girl clutching her head horrorstruck. "I was still just a child, but I remember it well!"

"Harminia!" Sergius said warningly, but the woman didn't listen.

"Wicked Cordelia…" The maid continued her fingers almost tearing at her face as she remembered Victorique's mother. Victorique's eyes narrowed dangerously at the woman as she continued to speak. "Her curse can't be erased from this mansion… from this whole village!" The woman finished nearly shouting by the end of her breakdown.

"Harminia!" The elder snapped loudly stopping the woman's rant. Harminia then excused herself salvaging her composure before leaving the room. Everyone watched the woman leave with varying expressions on their faces trying to make sense of what they saw.

"What's wrong with that woman?" Allen questioned out loud.

The elder led everyone to the dining room for an early lunch. He was sure that the group were curious to learn the reason as to why Harminia acted the way she did, even if they just met the woman for the first time, especially the daughter of Cordelia Gallo. "The incident happened in Elder Theodore's study." The elder began once they were all seated. Victorique sat to the elder's left from where he sat at the head of the table while Naruto took the seat on Victorique's other side, and everyone else at the remaining seats. It was to Victorique who Sergius spoke mostly to knowing that this conversation was most important to the young girl out of everyone there. "The maid was in there at midnight… Ah, yes, at the time Cordelia was just fifteen." The elder added in the end.

Naruto briefly turned his attention away from Sergius, between the two of them Victorique would most likely be the one to notice if the old man said something important in his retelling of the past, to focus on the maid Harminia. Unlike when they met before the woman's expression was completely blank. Victorique would sometimes get a similar look on her face, but even then' it was different as with her it was like she was staring at something ahead of her. With Harminia though it was like she failed to see anything at all showing absolutely no emotion, something which unsettled Naruto greatly considering he was the type of person who wore his heart on his sleeve.

Sergius explained how the body of Elder Theodore was discovered at precisely midnight while Cordelia was the only one with him. Killed by a dagger. The several gold pieces that lied scattered across the floor that were collected by Elder Theodore to be kept out of the village and how Cordelia was confined to her bed with a high fever. Eventually when Cordelia's fever broke she was banished from the village with nothing but a single gold coin and a trunk. Elder Sergius admitted that he doubted that the woman would survive having never stepped a foot outside of the village or knew anything of the outside world.

"Why?!" Naruto demanded angrily, knocking his chair back as he stood up, drawing the wide-eyed attention of nearly everyone who was in the room.

Victorique looked at Naruto with wide eyes. "Uzumaki," She murmured softly.

Naruto glared at the elder, missing Victorique once more using his last name, before he continued speaking to the man. "If you weren't sure that she would survive how could you banish her from her home like that?!" Naruto demanded of the man.

Sergius stared at Naruto unflinchingly. "An evildoer must be dealt with." He stated definitively. "Otherwise, misfortune will be brought upon the whole village." Sergius claimed defending his actions before switching his attention from Naruto to Victorique. "Yet that very same Cordelia's daughter is right here." The elder observed.

Naruto was about to snap at the man, not about to let Sergius actions against Cordelia go, when the shinobi felt a tug at his sleeve. Looking towards the source Naruto found Victorique holding his sleeve as the girl gave a slight shake of her head, silently conveying the message to let it go.

Eventually Victorique left the elder's home as she walked around the village in search of something. Of course, Naruto followed her keeping an eye on the golden-haired girl as they searched through the village for whatever Victorique was looking for. Naruto had asked Victorique a couple of times what they were doing but Victorique had refused to answer him and instead continued walking through the village, moving slightly faster so that she outpaced her companion. Naruto though was easily able to keep up with her and Victorique eventually gave up trying.

Naruto glanced around the village. With the mist and lack of anybody walking around it was hard to believe for Naruto that the village hadn't been abandoned. If he allowed himself to think about it Naruto would think that the village looked like a ghost town.

Coming around from a corner ahead of them was the young man that was had been with Elder Sergius walking towards them. The man had the same physical appearance as most, if not all, the people of the village blonde hair and green eyes. He wore plain clothes with a blue scarf tied around his neck and a green hat. "Taking a walk?" The young man questioned his eyes strangely fixated on Naruto. "I'm Elder Sergius's assistant, Ambrose." The man introduced himself. Ambrose finally came to a halt right in front of Naruto, placing his hands on Naruto's shoulders as he took a closer look on the whiskered teen. "I'm just curious as to why you have a different skin tone." Ambrose informed them. "I know that not every outsider has blonde hair, but what about these whiskers are these things more common in the outside world?" Ambrose asked rubbing Naruto's whiskers.

"Oi don't touch the whiskers!" Naruto shouted at Ambrose indignantly.

"There's a place I want you to take me." Victorique said to Ambrose, ignoring Naruto's complaints.

Ambrose turned his attention towards Victorique. "Certainly." Ambrose replied. "Don't be shy, say anything. In exchange, do you mind if I touch this person a little more?" He bargained.

"He's all yours." Victorique answered disinterestedly.

"Thank you." Ambrose thanked before returning to his previous actions of inspecting Naruto.

"Like hell!" Naruto retorted angrily, retaliating by pulling on Ambrose's cheeks.

"So where would you like to go?" Ambrose asked as best he could; his words slightly mushed by Naruto's actions.

"The house where Cordelia lived." Victorique said seriously.

The terrified look that appeared on Ambrose's face once he heard where Victorique wanted to go only came across as comical with his outstretched cheeks. Either way Ambrose agreed to lead Victorique and Naruto there, but he no sooner lead them there before he took off in a run.

"It figures." Victorique muttered. "He didn't mind taking us any place, until he found out that place was here." She finished as she entered the building.

Naruto entered the building after her. Cordelia's home appeared to be little more than a hovel to the shinobi and quite rundown even compared to the other homes. The inside didn't seem to be much better with furniture broken and thrown about.

Victorique was also looking around the main room when she found a hidden storage space in the floor. The emerald eyed girl tried to lift it but it proved too heavy for just herself. "Uzumaki here lift this." Victorique ordered moving a little to the side to make room for the taller teen.

Naruto sighed at Victorique referring to him by his last name once more and normally he would refuse until she corrected her mistake. But Naruto knew that at the moment discovering the truth behind Elder Theodore's murder, and anything doing with Cordelia, would be at the forefront of Victorique's mind putting nearly everything else to the side. So, putting his personal feelings to the side for now, Naruto lifted the slab to reveal a small wooden box with a single item inside of it. Victorique reached into the box pulling out a photograph of two individuals a woman and her child. "That's," Naruto realized.

Victorique nodded her head in confirmation finishing what Naruto was saying. "My mother, Cordelia, and me, when I was a baby." She said softly gazing at the picture. The only picture of her and her mother together.

"What's it doing here? Cordelia was supposed to be kicked out of here when she was 15 right?" Naruto questioned curiously. "Unless someone else was here." He theorized.

Victorique agreed with Naruto's theory without looking away from the picture. "They most likely made off with something that was left here as well." She added in. "In its stead, they left behind a photograph of Cordelia as an adult." Despite the joy she was feeling at having the picture Victorique couldn't help but to narrow her eyes at the mystery of it all. "Where is this chaos heading?" She wondered to herself.

Naruto let Victorique contemplate things silently for a second before speaking up. "Do you want me to hold that?" Naruto asked her gesturing to the photo. "I'll make sure that it stays safe." He told her.

Victorique thought over Naruto's offer for a moment. A part of her never wanted to let the photo out of her sight but she trusted that Naruto would take care of it for her. So, with some extreme reluctance, Victorique handed Naruto the photograph and watched attentively as he held it against his arm and watched it disappear in a puff of smoke.

"I put it in a storage seal like the ones on the scrolls." Naruto explained. He only used that seal for the things that were really important to him and that picture of Victorique and her mother was obviously important.

Victorique nodded her head gratefully. "Let's go." The golden-haired girl said walking out of the abandoned home.

Next Naruto followed Victorique to the village's graveyard in search of Elder Theodore's grave. Naruto wondered what exactly the golden-haired girl expected to find at the deceased elder's grave but chose not to question it, choosing instead to keep an eye on Victorique. In this type of situation, a person became fixated on what they were after, like Sasuke and his desire for revenge, and while Naruto doubted that Victorique would end up going as far as the Uchiha did he was going to make sure that no harm came to his friend. That's why he was a little concerned when the girl started to dig up the elder's grave. "What are you doing?!" Naruto shouted in surprise when Victorique started to dig up the man's grave. While desecrating graves wasn't exactly a moral dilemma for shinobi as a whole it was still not the sort of thing that they did lightly.

Naruto tried to pull Victorique away from the grave but Victorique just shrugged him off as she continued to search for something only she knew. A few more seconds and Victorique seemed to have found it as her eyes suddenly teared upped and she suddenly collapsed in on herself. Alarmed by Victorique's suddenly change in demeanor Naruto drew closer looking at Victorique in concern before turning her attention to the gravestone to see what caused Victorique to cry softly.

I am innocent. C.

Those words were etched into the bottom of the headstone, hidden from the world by the dirt that Victorique had dug out of the way. If Naruto had possessed even the tiniest bits of doubt in Victorique or Cordelia's innocence they would have been wiped away at that moment. It seemed to Naruto that Cordelia had been adamant about her innocence that she went as far as to inscribe it on Elder Theodore's headstone to prove it to anyone she could.

Though before he could think of the actions further Naruto figured he should take care of another issue first.

"Cordelia is the one who wrote this." Victorique managed to get out between sniffles. "I knew it, my mother was exiled from this village for a crime she didn't commit!" She insisted out loud. "Then, where's the real criminal?!" Victorique questioned.

"Victorique," Naruto began seriously, drawing Victorique's attention at the tone of his voice, as he stood beside the girl his gaze shifting from one spot to another. With how concerned he was with Victorique and the state that she was in Naruto had missed the thickening fog around them and how the pair was suddenly surrounded at first.

"N-Naruto," Victorique spoke softly in response finally noticing for herself the situation that they found themselves in.

Surrounding them eyes shinned from within the mist the same shade as Victorique's eyes. Growls permeated the air as the creatures that made them drew closer to Naruto and Victorique the padding of paws against the ground becoming louder as they did. Naruto had a scowl on his face more annoyed that these things had managed to get so close to them than actually worried about either his or Victorique's safety.

"Don't worry." Naruto said pulling Victorique closer to himself, a light dusting of pink appearing on Victorique's cheeks at being so close to Naruto. "I'll take care of this." He promised her.

Like most things in this world Naruto knew that the things surrounding them weren't a threat, either to him or Victorique while he was protecting her. The only real problem was choosing how to deal with them. If he could Naruto wanted to avoid using his Justu within the village so that he didn't risk some villager discovering his abilities. Currently the chance of being discovered were nearly nonexistent and the number of people that would find out would most likely be limited to the people living in village itself, but it was still something that Naruto wanted to avoid.

Naruto gathered his chakra and built it up within himself before releasing it all. The chakra expulsion blew the fog away revealing the grey wolves that were hiding within. The wolves growled at Naruto and Victorique for a few more seconds before taking off in a run. Similar to Killing Intent, Naruto had laced his chakra with his desire to protect, the moment that the wolves were slammed with his chakra they got the impression of an unbeatable opponent. Their instincts drove them to run instead of fighting a pointless battle. The reason that Naruto had pulled Victorique close to him was to make sure that the small girl didn't get blown away by his chakra.

Taking another quick look around Naruto made sure that all the wolves left the area before turning his attention to the girl that he still held in his arms. "We should head back." Naruto suggested.

Victorique nodded her head mutely in response.

The pair returned to the house discovering that electricity had been installed into the village by a man going by the name of Brian Roscoe 10 years ago, a fact that Victorique found interesting. Later that night Victorique began to explain her curiosity in Brian Roscoe.

"Brian Roscoe came to this village 10 years ago." Victorique started off, fiddling with her necklace as she did so. "What was his purpose in coming?" She wondered out loud.

"Didn't he come just to install electricity to the village?" Naruto asked back as he unsealed Victorique's luggage.

Victorique smiled knowingly at Naruto. "You know, come to think of it, the World War began around the same time." She reminded him. "I would think there'd have been much more important things to do at the time than setting up electricity deep in the mountains. Besides," Victorique stated before returning her attention to her locket. "10 years ago also coincides with the time frame during which that photo was taken." She informed him.

A sudden knock at the door drew the pairs attention as Harminia walked into the room carrying a large water pot. "I brought the hot water for your bath." Harminia said blankly. "Please add some cold water to lower the temperature before you use it."

Victorique eyes lit up happily at the news. "I can take a bath?!" She asked excitedly.

From that point Victorique all but claimed the bathroom for herself as she enjoyed her bath. Naruto stood outside to keep a sort of guard of Victorique while she enjoyed her bath, being in a village where people held a dislike and fear of Cordelia made Naruto nervous what they might attempt against Victorique if they were given the opportunity.

"Oh, I loooooove taking a bath~!" Naruto heard Victorique sing from within the bathroom. "It makes me warm and toasty~!"

Naruto listened to Victorique's singing with an amused grin on his face. "That girl can't sing." He muttered to himself laughingly. "Victorique would probably make anyone trying to attack right now run the other way." Naruto joked before his grin became a small relived smile. "It's good that she isn't just focused on proving Cordelia innocent and was acting more like her usual self. 'That's good.' Naruto thought grabbing a glass of water and about to drink from, bringing the glass against his lips, when he spotted something bobbing in the water when the lights all suddenly turned off. "What the hell?!" Naruto shouted slamming the cup back down on the table.

After a few seconds the lights turned back on and Victorique walked out of the bathroom in her pink nightdress and cap. "What's the matter Naruto?" Victorique questioned the blonde shinobi blandly. "As usual you're making a racket." She admonished him lightly.

"Victorique," Naruto began before he seemed to realize what exactly it was that Victorique said. "What do you do you mean 'As usual?!'" The sapphire eyed teen demanded offendedly.

Victorique shook lightly as if the answer should have been obvious. "That since meeting you such a thing as a moment's peace has been nothing but far off dream." She commented flatly.

"Well, it's not like this time it was my fault!" Naruto shouted in his defense before pointing at the glass of water still on the table. "Someone put a freaking eyeball in that cup!" Naruto told her. "I almost drank out of that thing!"

The emerald eyed young girl looked at the cup curiously as she moved towards it to get a better look. "I came to understand that you' shinobi were supposed be more observant of your surroundings. If you were to fail in this one principal aspect of what it means to be a shinobi, then such a punishment would only be fitting. Wouldn't you say?" Victorique asked him with a telling smile on her face, as she glanced into the cup and spotted the eyeball that was floating in it.

Naruto stared at Victorique in surprise as he registered what exactly she said. "How? How did you find out?" Naruto questioned her surprised.

"The kunai." Victorique answered.

"Eh?"

"The kunai knife." Victorique reiterated. "The one you used on the Queen Berry. I researched it and its history and learned it was the traditional weapon of the people known as ninja, or shinobi, from your home." The short girl told him.

"Why haven't you said anything before?" The blonde male student asked curiously.

Victorique looked off to the side with a childish pout on her face. "Because I didn't discover anything about the chakra that you use." She murmured. To Victorique the fact that she learned that Naruto was a shinobi meant very little since what she was interested in was his ability to use chakra and what the mysterious energy was. Victorique turned her attention back to the cup. "Somebody's trying to scare me into leaving the village." Victorique muttered with narrowed eyes.

"It's a bad joke." Naruto said sounding clearly displeased before shaking his head incredulously. "Anyway we're not leaving until we prove Cordelia is innocent, right?" He returned with a wide grin.

Victorique would admit that she was a little surprised, though she figured that she shouldn't be, that Naruto was willing to help. "That right." Victorique said with a small smile as stared up at Naruto. "You'll protect me won't you, Naruto?" She asked him gently.

"Of course I will." Naruto answered instantly. "I promised to protect you and I-"

"Don't break your promises or go back on your word." Victorique finished for him. "Then I have nothing to worry about." She claimed confidently.

Naruto and Victorique, along with everyone else, were gathered in front of the village's church watching the celebration for the Summer Festival as it began. They watched as drummers and flute players marched by. Naruto found himself mildly interested in the proceedings, but what grabbed most of his attention were the large parade floats that had turnips hanging off of them.

"What the heck is up with these?" Naruto asked confusedly.

"These floats belong to the Winter Army." Ambrose began to explain. "Men of the village stage a dramatic battle scene between the Summer Army and Winder Army. The Summer Army defeats the general of the Winter Army, the Winter Man, then sets fire to these floats." He told them.

Their attention was diverted from Ambrose lecture when they heard people start a shouting match. The source of the screaming turned out to be Harminia and Raul, Derek, and Allan. Harminia was approaching the three men menacingly while they backed away from the woman.

"If you people really believe that nonsense, then you're a gloomy village indeed!" Allan shouted back. "Am I right?" He finished by looking back at his companions.

Derek and Raul didn't seem to be all that eager to agree with their friend, especially since they noticed the looks being directed at them by all the villagers that were surrounding them. With a visible gulp Derek tried to dissuade Allan from antagonizing the villagers further. "Enough! What if they drive us out right now?!" Derek said seriously.

Allan grimaced at the question as he turned to face the gathered villagers and finally noticed the looks that they were directing at them.

"Apologies," Raul said hurriedly. "No matter where we take this guy, he's always looking for a fight!" He tried to explain doing his best to defuse the situation. Soon after the three men beat a hasty retreat back to their room in order to avoid any further problems.

"Those numskulls made a fine mess of it last night at the church too." Mildred told Naruto and Victorique as she walked up to them, starring at the retreating men's form with a displeased frown. "Right in front of a group of villagers, they made a big splash dropping an old ornamental jar into a water jug full of holy water."

"They're idiots." Naruto said.

"It's what you have to expect from drunkards." Mildred agreed rubbing her hand through her wild hair. "But they were laughing at how these people venerate such beat-up old crap. Even though they'd be eating it up if it were retro." She said offhandedly.

For a moment Naruto wondered how smart Mildred was herself calling objects people worshiped as beat-up old crap, as he took a scrutinizing look around in case any of the villagers were listening. Victorique took the information and thought if over carefully, pulling out her ceramic pipe.

Naruto and Victorique continued watching the festival proceedings, Naruto getting Victorique some snacks that were being offered that were in the shape of smiling faces. When female villagers started to throw hazelnuts into the crowd Victorique stepped behind Naruto letting the taller blonde to act as a shield, the nuts that he was being pelted with annoying the shinobi. For a moment Naruto and Victorique spotted Allan through the crowd only to lose sight of him when the battle between the Summer and Winter armies began. The Summer Army dressed in blue robes and the Winter Army in brown ones.

The battle was rather lame in Naruto's opinion as the armies didn't even clash, the Summer Army thrusting their spears in the Winter Army's direction while they, the Winter Army, danced a bit. They did notice that Ambrose was part of the Summer Army and seemed to be leading them. The part that interested Naruto the most was when the Summer Army lit the floats on fire.

At that point things started to go downhill as what was supposed to be the paper-mache of the Winter Man started to move on its own. The screams that followed made it clear that the paper-mache doll had been replaced with an actual person. Out of everyone there Naruto was the first to react, rushing towards the float and appearing at the burning person's side in an instant, stunning the villagers. In the next instant Naruto jumped away from the float, suffering only a few minor burns as a result. Laying the man on the ground Naruto tried to extinguish the flames on the person's body with his jacket while hearing someone calling for water in the background. Unfortunately, by the time the fire had been put out the person had stopped moving and a few seconds after the masked split in half revealing Allan's badly burned face.

Allan's body was moved away from the crowd with a sheet covering him, while Derek and Raul mourned over their friend. Off to the side Elder Sergius, Ambrose, Naruto, and Victorique watched the men grieve.

"This was an accident." Elder Sergius declared callously. "To disrupt the festival and play a prank on us, I'm sure he switched the paper-mache stuffing with himself. This guest was a fool." Sergius stated.

"That's ridiculous!" Derek shouted at the elder angrily.

"Elder Sergius," Ambrose began drawing the man's attention. "That would have been impossible." He told the elder. "While the maidens were throwing hazelnuts, this young fellow was passing through. And people were gathered in the square, so I think it wouldn't have been feasible for him to get inside." Ambrose said telling his leader what he knew.

"Talkativeness is the sin of the fool." Sergius retorted with a glare directed at Ambrose.

Ambrose lowered his head in submission as a result. "I beg your forgiveness." He said regretfully.

Naruto growled lowly at how Sergius blatantly dismissed everything that Ambrose pointed out without any sort of justification. "That still doesn't explain how Allan ended up on the float." Naruto pointed out to the man. "Ambrose is right Allan couldn't have done it himself."

Sergius directed his glare to Naruto but unlike Ambrose, Naruto didn't flinch away instead stared right back. "It is inconsequential." The man rebuffed breaking his staring contest with Naruto. "We cannot afford to cancel the Summer Solstice Festival. I won't allow it." Elder Sergius declared making sure to stare at everyone to emphasize the point. "Right now, we have a ceremony at the church, so you'll excuse me." The bearded man finished before walking away.

"Hey wait!" Derek shouted after the man only to be completely ignored. "Hey!"

For the next several hours Naruto and Victorique watched silently as the festival continued as if a person had not just died in front of everybody. Naruto was slightly amazed, and disturbed, how everyone was acting like nothing had happened. Naruto also realized with the number of people that Allan had probably pissed off earlier there were plenty of people who could be considered as suspects. At some point during the evening Victorique managed to give Naruto the slip.

'What's the point of asking if I'll protect you if you're going to disappear on me as soon as you can.' Naruto complained mentally as tracked down his friend. Unlike before Naruto couldn't find Victorique with his chakra sensing abilities since the faint amount in people of this world would make it impossible for him to find Victorique, unless she was close by. Eventually Naruto made his way to the church and searched for Victorique in there.

Entering the church Naruto found a long line near its alter. The shinobi looked at the line curiously when Ambrose voice called for his attention. "Naruto, did you come to ask about the future too?"

"Future?" Naruto repeated, glancing at the other blonde youth before looking back at the line. "Is that what they're doing?"

Ambrose nodded his head in response. "The Summer Army had its victory and the promise of an abundant harvest has been secured, so until this evening, we have church. The church is a side entrance to the afterlife. It becomes a passage through which our ancestors come home to view our bountiful harvest. But before that, when the spirits of our ancestors first approach the land of the living, they speak through the mouth of the Elder and answer children's' questions." Ambrose explained.

"Ya don't say." Naruto muttered scratching one of his cheeks, more than a little unnerved with the talk about spirits and suddenly wanting to leave. "A priestess once predicted my death." He told Ambrose nonchalantly.

"Really?" Ambrose asked sounding honestly surprised. "Was the priestess a fake then or…?" He asked since Naruto was currently standing right in front of him.

Naruto shook his head. "She had never been wrong before. With her help, we changed the future she predicted."

"Well then," Ambrose started as he grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the alter. "Since you're here anyway you should see what your future is now."

"But I'm looking for Vic-" Naruto tried to protest only to be shoved into the booth by Ambrose. Inside the booth with the shinobi was Elder Sergius dressed in pristine white and purple robes sitting in a high back chair, which was almost throne like.

"Who are you?" The Elder asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto answered plainly, still holding some resentment towards the man from earlier. "I'm looking for Victorique."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." Sergius said bluntly.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto demanded now glaring at the man. "Victorique is my friend so of course I would worry!"

"That girl isn't like you." Elder Sergius retorted a bit of anger entering his voice.

"How would you know what Victorique is like." Naruto shot back.

Sergius let out a heavy sigh. "So, what do you want to ask?" The man asked Naruto closing his eyes.

Naruto thought it over for a second. "What are Victorique and my future?" He asked curiously.

Sergius' eyes snapped open, Naruto was surprised to find Sergius' eyes to be completely white, before he started to speak. "Child of Prophecy," Sergius began causing Naruto to tense up at what he was called. "Your very presence invokes change and throws the future into a disarray. Years from now a strong gale will blow that will tear many people apart, that will shake the world. Yet by your will alone maelstrom will you decide if your paths will ever separate. However," Sergius suddenly brought his face close to Naruto's before continuing. "…no matter what comes your hearts will never be apart."

Naruto stood outside the church deep in thought as he waited for Victorique to come out, she had gone in to ask her own question. In the meantime, Naruto, couldn't shake what Elder Sergius said specifically the way he had addressed him as the Child of Prophecy. That title was something neither he nor his parents had said once since coming to this world. Which gave some proof that spirits were actually speaking through Sergius. The other bit about him and Victorique, well, Naruto wasn't about to allow anything to separate them.

Naruto was drawn out of his thoughts when Victorique walked out of the church. Naruto noticed the tears that were brimming in her eyes and grew concerned. "What's wrong Victorique? What did you ask?" The shinobi questioned her gently.

Victorique wiped her tears away before answering. "I asked if I'd grow." Victorique told him.

"Eh?" Naruto said smartly.

"Get taller." Victorique said simply.

"Seriously?" Naruto muttered face palming. The golden blonde had worried him over the fact that she wouldn't get any taller. "Well at least now you accepted that your short." The shinobi said in an effort to get a bit of revenge.

Victorique bristled at Naruto's accusation before turning her attention to him. "I am not short!" The young woman answered lashing out and kicking Naruto's shin. "Baka-Naruto."

Naruto cursed under his breath as he tried to sooth the pain. "Then why ask if you were going to grow taller?" He retorted. Victorique blushed lightly at the accusation and turned slightly away from him, saying something that Naruto couldn't understand. "What was that?"

Victorique turned back to Naruto with her cheeks slightly darker. "Be quiet!" She shouted at him. "I am not short!" She insisted.

Naruto had a smug grin on his face before he wiped it off. "Where were you when you disappeared earlier?" He asked her.

The emerald eyed girl still had a small look of annoyance on her face before calming down. "The study." Victorique finally told him.

Victorique detailed how she examined the study in which Elder Theodore was murdered. Her encounter with Harminia and how the maid had given her precious information about the night that the elder was killed. The ringing of the grandfather clock and the pigeons that flew by the window when it rang. The conclusion that another culprit did exist.

"The Wellspring of Wisdom talked to me." Victorique said seriously. "All of the pieces were just reconstructed!" She claimed.

"Then you know who the real killer is." Naruto said confidently with happy smile on his face.

Victorique though frowned in response. "Even if I do, I have no means to prove it." She informed Naruto with a bit of anger and regret lacing her voice.

Naruto placed a hand on top of Victorique's head, causing her to look at him, and smiled gently at the golden-haired girl. "Don't worry." He told her. "If you know who did it then we'll get the evidence. We'll prove Cordelia innocent no matter what."

Victorique smiled back at Naruto. "Right," She agreed.

At that moment throughout the entire village the howling of wolves could be heard. Villagers huddled close to one another as they stared around fearfully imaging a pack suddenly coming out of the woods. Naruto tensed slightly but otherwise didn't react, the wolf's howl sounded far away so the shinobi doubted they were in danger of any sort. From within the church Elder Sergius came running out doing a quick sweep in search of any wolves, when he didn't spot anything he turned his attention towards the forest.

"Are the wolves coming?" He asked aloud, as Ambrose brought him his rifle. "Even if someone dies. Even if the wolves come. I won't allow the Summer Solstice Festival to be canceled!" Sergius declared taking off towards the forest.

"Let's follow them!" Victorique decided chasing after Sergius and Ambrose. Naruto silently complied easily keeping up with the other three, and actually having to hold back in order not to overtake them.

The group of four searched carefully for a few minutes after entering the forest but couldn't find any signs. "Looks like the wolves left." Naruto said pointing out the obvious.

A sudden sound from behind them though drew all their attention. "There!" Sergius shouted reacting immediately and raising his gun.

Victorique came to a frightening realization a second later as she shouted a warning to the elder. "No! Don't do it!"

In response to Victorique's warning Naruto rushed the elder appearing at his side before Victorique even stopped speaking, his hand. Naruto had no sooner pushed the rifle slightly before Sergius fired his weapon.

"I shot one dead, Ambrose!" Sergius professed, sounding just the tiniest bit proud of his accomplishment, as he ran towards the source. Ambrose followed after his village leader, but not without sparing Naruto a curious glance.

Victorique walked up to Naruto keeping her gaze fixated in the direction that the sound had come from, and the direction that Ambrose and Sergius were now running towards. "That's the second, Naruto." The golden-haired girl said quietly a heavy frown on her face.

When Naruto and Victorique rejoined Ambrose and Victorique they came upon a terrible scene. Raul lying on the ground dead from a gunshot wound to his chest while Derek cried over his friend's corpse eerily reminiscent to earlier with Allan.

"Why?!" Derek demanded. "Tell me why! We were just taking a walk! And then this…" He trailed off despairingly.

"Villagers normally don't go near the forest." Ambrose hastily tried to explain. "That's why Elder Sergius mistook him for a wolf."

Sergius turned to Ambrose at his statement. "I shot a wolf." The Elder insisted. "I'm certain it wasn't this man!"

"Come off of it!" Derek cried as he leapt at the man. "Bring Raul back to me!"

Naruto restrained the man before Derek could reach Elder Sergius. Derek struggled to get out of Naruto's hold but it proved impossible as despite being younger Naruto was easily the stronger of the two. "Stop it Derek!" Naruto told the man, though that didn't make the man struggle any less. "Calm down! Attacking Sergius won't change anything!"

Even as Naruto was holding the other blonde male back Naruto was looking around for anything out of the ordinary, something that would help explain what had happened. Victorique was doing some investigating herself as she picked up a nut and examined it closely.

Later they all returned to the village. Naruto and Victorique, along with Ambrose, were staring down at where Allan's and Raul's covered bodies were being kept. The mood was heavy and somber for the blonde trio as they contemplated the events of the past few hours. With Raul's death Sergius culpability was coming into question as to whether the elder had shot the man or not. Ambrose was feeling especially conflicted with everything.

"The old man is convinced he didn't do it." Naruto stated having reported seeing some broken branches and a tree that had a slash in its side.

Victorique hummed thoughtfully as she turned her attention to Ambrose, who stood on her other side from Naruto. "And what do you think?" She asked him, having easily noticed the troubled look on his face.

The question seemed to startle Ambrose out of his thoughts as it took him a few seconds, glancing at Victorique, before he answered. "If he insists he didn't do it, he'll have to show proof." Ambrose said finitely. "Even if he is Elder Sergius, the dispenser of justice in this village." Ambrose knew that it would be hard for Sergius to prove his innocence but the elder didn't have a choice as even he was subject to the laws of the village. "Brian Roscoe." Ambrose said suddenly remembering the man.

"He's the guy who brought electricity to the village right?" Naruto questioned. "What about him?"

"Yes," Ambrose answered. "Back when I was a boy… It was just a short time he stayed here, but he taught me many things about life outside the village." The young man recalled. "I love this village… but thanks to him, I became interested in the outside world. Only," Ambrose trailed off at the end.

"Only, at the same time, you also started to sense the Chaos swirling through the village." Victorique voiced knowingly. "I grasp the pieces that form the cause of that. And I don't mind putting it into words for you." The golden-haired girl offered. "It's the proof you mentioned."

That night Victorique had everyone lay in wait at the church promising that the perpetrator of the murders would appear. They had only been there for a few short minutes before someone entered the church and crept their way to the alter. Silently Naruto left his hiding place next to Victorique and Ambrose making his way to the alter intending to trap the culprit if they tried to escape.

The doors of the church were thrown open as Grevil marched into the church. "You're under arrest…" The inspector declared shining light on the perpetrators previously shadowed form. "Derek Banks!" Grevil finished identifying the man holding a golden jar, as a group of villagers carrying torches stood behind him.

"What is Baka-Inspector doing here?" Naruto wondered still hidden. The man had to have been somewhere nearby for him to get there so soon. Naruto's attention though was quickly diverted away from Grevil as he watched Derek backing away from the others, unknowingly walking closer to Naruto.

"This jar is mine!" Derek shouted madly clutching the jar to himself tightly. "There's no way I'm handing it over to bumpkins who don't know its value!"

Naruto watched as Grevil sprinted at the man to keep Derek from escaping, except that Naruto wasn't going to give Grevil the chance or let Derek get away. The shinobi stopped hiding his presence and immediately Derek visibly tensed up instinctively sensing Naruto behind him.

Derek spun around to face Naruto, but he didn't get even a glimpse of the younger blonde before he found himself falling backwards. With wide eyes Derek felt a hand grab his head before feeling himself getting slammed into the ground painfully hard, nuts scattering around him. Opening his scrunched-up eyes Derek looked up at the person above him through the gap between fingers only to stare fearfully into chilling blue eyes.

Naruto grabbing Derek's head slammed him into the ground, restraining himself from completely crushing the man's skull. This man, this scum Naruto mentally corrected himself, betrayed one of the fundamental lessons of Naruto's life. That 'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends and comrades are worse than trash.' Derek didn't just abandon his friends he killed them all for the sake of his own greed.

Grevil eventually reached Naruto and Derek and pulled the older man away from Naruto before the shinobi could hurt him further. Victorique then went on to explain for everyone's benefit how the three men were actually thieves and how they were confirming the jar's authenticity when they threw it into the holy water earlier, confirming it was really made out of gold. How the Allan they had seen during the festival after the three man should have left was Derek in disguise in order to confuse everyone and how the hazelnuts that kept falling off of him were proof. Victorique also explained Derek's shooting of Raul and how he framed Elder Sergius using the wolf howls. Adding in the observations Naruto noticed about the damaged tree that had most likely been done by Sergius' redirected gunfire.

"You didn't kill Raul." Victorique told the elder. "This is your proof."

The man hmphed in displeasure realizing that Victorique had just proved his innocence in the matter. "I never imagined I would be saved by Cordelia's daughter." The elder muttered. Turning his attention to Derek, who was being restrained by Naruto to ensure the man didn't try another escape, Sergius gave an order to a couple of villagers that had been standing by. "Take him away!"

"Yes, sir!" They complied.

"H-hold on there!" Grevil protested hastily. "Where do you think, you are you taking the prisoner?!" The inspector demanded.

"This man will be judged by this land." Sergius declared glaring at the two blonde outsiders that were currently standing in the way of him carrying out justice.

"This village is the territory of the Kingdom of Saubure." Grevil pointed out. "There's going to be big trouble if you people don't obey the laws of Saubure and its police." He told them trying to dissuade them from taking further action.

The laughter that came from Sergius only managed to discourage Grevil in the end though. "You say this is Saubure?" Sergius questioned mirthfully. "This is no village. It's a country. This is the Kingdom of Seyrun. I'm not the village elder, but the king. And the king's word is absolute." Sergius clarified for all. "Perhaps you can understand?"

"Seyrun." Victorique repeated, shocked by the information.

Grevil was going to protest further and make a case of keeping Derek in his custody only to be shocked when Naruto handed the man over to the villagers. "What are you doing baby-squirrel?" Grevil asked Naruto instead. "Why did you hand the accused over?"

Naruto watched indifferently as Derek was led away screaming, the man seeming to finally understand just how bad things were for him, before he turned his attention back to Grevil. "Because the old man has a point." Naruto defended himself. "If this village is its own country then we have no right to interfere." The shinobi told the inspector. Vaguely Seyrun reminded Naruto of the Hidden Villages in how they were structured and that ultimately the leader was the one who had any final say.

Later the group had returned back to Sergius' home. Currently they were gathered in the dining room having to listen as Grevil complained about the villagers of the Kingdom of Seyrun, not to mention that he was giving Naruto the stink eye.

"What's with these people?" Grevil grumbled once more, a cup of tea in front of him, ignoring Ambrose who was sitting to his right completely. "Honestly!"

Naruto let out a sigh as he put his book down, having taken it out once more to reread. "Why are you still going on about that Baka-Inspector?" Naruto questioned the man with a tired sigh.

Grevil glared lightly at the teen sitting across from him. "Am I expected to agree with how those villagers decided to settle matters?" Grevil retorted crossly. "And what's with you just giving in like that?"

"Don't you get it?" Naruto replied returning his attention to his book. "I understand the situation. Every village has a right to deal with criminals as they deem appropriate even if other villages, or even the people of the same village, don't necessarily agree that is the power that the one leading the village wields." He finished. To Naruto who was born in the Elemental Nations, who was raised in one of the Hidden Villages, it made perfect sense.

"What are you going on about baby-squirrel?" Grevil probed Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "Villages? Don't you mean kingdoms or countries?" The inspector asked questioning Naruto's choice of words as even Victorique looked at Naruto with some curiosity.

"Uh, right." Naruto replied awkwardly rubbing the back of his head, he had been so distracted with his thoughts of the Elemental Nations he hadn't realized he had made that slip up. "What are you even doing here Baka-Inspector?" Naruto asked in order to change the subject. Grevil, hearing Naruto's question, spluttered into his tea

Victorique still looked at Naruto curiously out of the corner of her eye but chose to answer his question for him. "Haven't you thought it through Naruto?" She questioned him. "About why Grevil would let a criminal go, when an arrest would have brought him more glory?"

At that moment, Mildred walked into the room swaying slightly while clutching at her head. "I drank too much…" The woman moaned. "Are we done here, Inspector?" Mildred asked once she spotted Grevil and slowly made her wat to the seat next to Grevil.

Spotting the woman, it suddenly dawned on Naruto why Grevil would let the woman walk even though she was the culprit for stealing the dish. "You were acting as a spy for the Baka-Inspector." Naruto stated.

Victorique smirked approvingly, even as Grevil grumbled at the nickname, Mildred snickered, and Ambrose did his best to suppress a small smile. "She was talking on the phone to someone." Victorique reminded Naruto with a nod of her head. "And that someone was Grevil."

"Oh, this one caught me cheating at poker. Would you believe, he let me off the hook, but only if I would work for him." Mildred told them with a sly smile as she rested her head in the palm of her hand.

"What do you mean by 'this one'?!" Grevil complained.

Naruto sent Grevil a fox like grin. "Who would have guessed you were such a protective older brother." Naruto teased the man.

"I don't know what you're implying." Grevil denied his cheeks a tint of red from embarrassment.

"Oh~ so that's why you had me following the little girl around Inspector." Mildred said in a teasing voice taking enjoyment at the inspector's flustered state.

"He has a doll that looks exactly like Victorique on his desk." Naruto told the redhaired woman.

Mildred's smile became more knowing as she stared down Grevil. "Hm so you have those kinds of interests, huh Inspector?' Mildred insinuated. "My how immoral. Who would have thought of it of you?"

"That's not true." Grevil once more denied heatedly, slamming his hands on the table.

Victorique stared at Grevil with an uncomfortable look on her face. "Grevil what kind of twisted fantasies have you concocted in that outlandish hair of yours. Don't misunderstand the nature of our relationship." Victorique told Grevil.

"I don't want to hear anything from you!" Grevil shouted at his half-sister.

Ambrose stared at everyone with a small smile. "It's nice that you all get along so well." Ambrose observed perceptively.

"Where the hell do you get that from?!" Grevil demanded.

Victorique smirked amusedly at the grief that Grevil was going through. "More importantly," Victorique began seriously, as she stood up from her seat and walked towards the door. "Ambrose, now it's your turn to help vindicate someone's innocence." She declared.

"M-Me?!" Ambrose said, standing up from surprise.

"And you, Naruto, you've got an important role to play." Victorique told Naruto.

Naruto wondered what Victorique was planning, but he trusted plan Victorique had come up with and was positive it would play its part in proving Cordelia's innocence. "Right, leave it to me." Naruto agreed.

With her back to everyone no one saw the smile that she wore widening a bit. "We're going to turn the clock back 20 years and prove that Cordelia Gallo was innocent." Victorique finished, turning to look back at them from over her shoulder.

Later the entire village was gathered in front of the church once more, as a large bon fire lit up the plaza. The villagers watched in stunned awe as figures slowly emerged from the church. A single masked figure led the parade through the plaza. The figure was dressed in different shades of brown with a large brown mask with red eyes and yellow barred teeth, with wild brown hair and goatee.

Within the crowd was Harminia watching the small parade with a maniac glee on her face. That glee only increased as she watched the parade walked pass. She froze up though when the figure spotted her in the crowd and started to walk towards her.

The masked figure stopped close to Harminia and leaned in close to whisper into her ear. "…." Whatever was said caused Harminia to fall to her knees with a look of fear etched on her face as the figure leaned back and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear them. "I have found you. The girl who murdered me…" The figure spoke ominously.

"Elder Th-Theodore…" Harminia gasped out frightfully. "No…No! No!" The woman shouted scrambling away from the figure. "No! Go back! Please, go back to the other side, where you belong!" Harminia pleaded.

"Do you admit your crime, Harminia?" The masked figure asked.

"I admit it!" Harminia shouted. "I…I killed you!" The maid screamed loud enough for everyone to hear.

The figure turned his attention away from Harminia. "Looks like you were right again Victorique." Naruto's voice said coming from underneath the mask.

Looking toward where the figure was starring Harminia was horrified to see the daughter of Cordelia Gallo, but also Elder Sergius and Ambrose. Harminia didn't really care about the blonde man with the strange hairstyle or the woman, and Ambrose only required a passing note, but the knowledge that she had confessed to killing the previous leader of the village in front of Cordelia's daughter and Elder Sergius made her realize just how big of a mistake she had just committed.

Acting on an impulse Harminia pulled the mask off of Naruto's head to confirm who was under the mask. When she saw Naruto's blonde locks and whiskered face the woman backed away from him. "H-How…" Harminia muttered. "You said it! Those words from beyond! That's why I thought you were an ancestor spirit! Why I thought you were Elder Theodore!" She shouted angrily.

Naruto smirked at the woman. "That was just Japanese. The language of my home country." He told her. "All I said was 'We're playing a trick on you'." The shinobi admitted with a shrug of his shoulders and a smile at the prank that they played on Harminia.

Victorique and the others drew closer, Sergius still not quite believing what Harminia just admitted in front of everyone. "Don't tell me you?!" The old man muttered dumbfounded.

"I-I don't believe it!" Ambrose refuted even thought he had just heard Harminia confess. "Harminia is a bit odd, but she's a kind person. She's no criminal…" He claimed anxiously.

"Are you serious." Naruto grumbled. "She just said that she did it."

"The pigeon flew away." Victorique cut into the conversation before an argument could break out. "She and I had a conversation in the study, where the murder took place 20 years ago, at that moment outside the window a white pigeon took flight. When I saw that, the Wellspring of Wisdom spoke to me. This chaos has the same structure as that of the Dresden Plate theft at the flea market. There, the movement of the pigeons was used to limit people's lines of sight. In the crime of 20 years ago, instead of pigeons, gold coins were employed." Victorique revealed divulging some of the facts that had transpired 20 years ago, when her mother had been accused of murder.

Victorique proceeded to tell everyone how 20 years ago, Harminia had hidden herself within the grandfather clock, where the gold coins were kept, waiting for Theodore. That once the man entered the room Harminia used the gold coins to distract him, so while the man was preoccupied the young Harminia jumped out of the grandfather clock and buried the dagger to the hilt in Theodore's back. Then Harminia simply locked the door and once more hid within the grandfather clock allowing the person who entered to take the blame for Elder Theodore's murder.

"And so, the chosen one, that poor unlucky person… was my mother Cordelia." Victorique finished her retelling.

Eventually Sergius insisted that they return to his home so that they could settle things away from the prying eyes and ears of the entire village. It was a little difficult as Harminia resisted, but eventually they made it back to Sergius' home.

"Sergius," Victorique began once they were all gathered in Sergius' study, the same room that the incident took place in. "You mentioned the time of the crime. You said that the testimony of you and the people you were with differed regarding the time." Victorique clarified.

"That's right." Sergius confirmed his gaze fixated on Harminia who sat in a lone chair across from him. Beside the outsiders Sergius had Ambrose and four other villagers join them to keep an eye on the maid.

"Could it have been because the grandfather clock that always chimed didn't that night?" Victorique questioned.

Sergius tore his eyes away from Harminia to stare at Victorique as he delved into the memories of that night. "Come to think of it…" The man murmured.

"The grandfather clock didn't chime because Harminia was hiding inside." Naruto theorized.

"That's right." Victorique verified with a nod before gazing at the clock that stood behind Sergius. "The grandfather clock that served as the hiding place for Theodore's gold coins."

Sergius growled lowly as everything that Victorique was saying made sense to the man. Already he could feel the anger bubbling inside of himself at having his predecessors murder before him. The knowledge that he wrongly accused Cordelia Gallo all those years ago, didn't really matter at least not as much as punishing Harminia now.

"But why would she kill Elder Theodore?" Naruto asked out loud not understanding the woman's motive.

"The future," Harminia whispered out.

"The oracle of the midsummer festival." Victorique theorized.

"That's right." Harminia said her face buried in her hands. "I never should have heard that future. All because of a childish curiosity. I was told that I would die 20 years hence, when I was 26." The maid revealed despairingly. "I couldn't accept it. I wanted to live. I wanted to live longer than that. To reverse that hopeless future, I…" The woman trailed off raising her head.

"Y-you murdered Elder Theodore for that reason?!" Elder Sergius shouted outraged. "Ambrose!" He snapped drawing the young man's attention to himself. "Cut this woman's head off!" He ordered, a couple of the other villagers that Sergius had brought with them already moving to restrain Harminia.

Naruto was staring at Harminia sadly as she recounted the events that drove her to killing Elder Theodore. Naruto could understand the woman's desire to live and fight against the fate that was decided for her, fighting against fate was what he did while he lived in the Elemental Nations. What Naruto could not condone was Harminia killing a man and allowing Cordelia to be held responsible for her actions.

Naruto also realized how horrible it must have been for a 6-year-old Harminia to learn she would die at the age of 26, the desperation it must have driven her to and the consequences it would ultimately have. Even in the Elemental Nations when a Gennin had performed their first kill their Jounin-sensei would make sure they talked about it, so they could come to terms with taking a life. Harminia at the age of 6 killed a man and kept it to herself for years, that act without a doubt tore at her psyche for all those years doing untold amounts of damage. It was nothing short of a miracle that the woman was the least bit sane. Even then that was debatable.

Naruto was roused from his thoughts when Grevil rushed forward to impede Harminia's immediate execution. "Wait a minute!" The Inspector protested. "I don't care who-" Grevil's declaration was cut off midsentence though when Sergius lifted his sword had pointed it directly at Grevil's chest.

"Harminia is 26 this year." The elder stated gravely, as he stared at the woman that was about to be put to death. "Just as Elder Theodore predicted, she's going to die here." Sergius decided, causing Harminia to lift her head and look at Sergius with a horrified expression on her face. Not feeling the tiniest bit of remorse for the woman so obviously afraid of dying Sergius tossed his sword to Ambrose so that the younger man may carry out his orders. "Do it with this!"

The blonde shinobi could practically feel the distress that was rolling off of Ambrose as he looked from the sword in his hands to the struggling Harminia that was being held down. It was clear to Naruto that Ambrose was feeling conflicted between following Sergius' orders and whatever personal connection he had with Harminia. "What's the big idea?!" Naruto spoke up in protest his question directed at Sergius. "Harminia is Ambro-!"

"Be silent child!" Elder Sergius snapped at Naruto. "Earlier you seemed to understand how this village operates, so don't interfere now!"

Naruto scowled at the man about to argue further with him when Ambrose came to a decision. "Harminia run!" The young man shouted tackling the two villagers that were holding the maid giving her the chance to escape.

"After her! Criminals call forth misfortune! Don't let her get away!" As Harminia made her escape, and the other two villagers chased after her, Sergius growled at the person that was supposed to be his right-hand. "Ambrose, why?" He demanded lowly.

"E-Elder," Ambrose murmured, unable to maintain eye contact with the man, the previous resolution he displayed all but gone.

"What did you expect." Naruto said, drawing the man's attention to himself once more. "It was obvious that Harminia was important to Ambrose then you ordered him to kill her." The shinobi pointed out. While he might hold a certain dislike for Harminia and could not condone her actions Naruto could at the very least understand Ambrose desire to protect someone important to himself.

Sergius growled once more as he glared at the whiskered blonde, his gaze shifting between Naruto to Ambrose before finally settling on Victorique. Gazing at the young woman, who had an impassive look on her face, as she stood by Naruto and stared right back at him Sergius found himself internally blaming the girl for all the troubles that had happened. While she gave no indication of it Sergius was sure that Victorique was feeling some sense satisfaction that went beyond just proving her mother's innocence.

The tense silence in the room was broken by sound off something shattering drawing all of their attentions. Rushing out of the room they made their way outside to discover the source. Victorique was the first to spot the source of the disturbance that was distressing nearby villagers. "Over there!" She shouted pointing at the roof of the mansion. On top of the mansion with a blazing fire acting as a backdrop was Harminia swaying madly, a torch in one hand and a spear in the other.

Naruto was about to leap towards the woman, but Harminia disappeared into the flames before he could. Ambrose seeing his friend rushing into the fire that she herself created went into a panic. "Harminia!" He shouted as he ran after her; trying to stop her, save her, anything at all.

From that point Harminia led the group on a chase throughout the village setting one fire after the other. Naruto followed Harminia with the others silently wishing that he could catch up with the blonde maid, unfortunately Harminia knew the village better than Naruto letting her race through the village faster than Naruto could track her. By the time, Naruto could reach one of the fires that Harminia would set the blonde woman would have already left leaving Naruto no choice but to wait for her to set the next fire and hope to reach it in time. Unless of course Naruto wanted to flood the Kingdom of Seyrun with clones.

Eventually the group tracked Harminia to the entrance the village finding her standing on the other end of the bridge. Coming to a stop Naruto noticed the bridge was covered in a liquid and judging by the scent that he was picking up Naruto figured it was gasoline. The maid stood with the flames ominously shadowing her features, slowly she lifted her head to glare at Victorique.

"Cordelia's daughter!" The woman shouted hatefully. "You brought misfortune… to this village… to me!" She finished before throwing the torch. The group watched as the torch landed on the bridge immediately igniting the gasoline and setting the entire bridge aflame.

Everyone shielded themselves as the flames roared to life before they lowered their arms to see the bridge on fire with thick black billowing smoke coming off of it. "The bridge!" Ambrose cried in dismay. "The only road that connects this village to the outside world is…" He trailed off as he gazed at Harminia. The woman seemed completely unhinged as she cackled madly. "Harminia." Ambrose mumbled.

"Your hair is disheveled, Ambrose." Sergius chided the younger man from behind the group. "Even though I'm always telling you to tie it up neatly." He remarked, three other male villagers standing silently behind him.

"Elder Sergius," Ambrose shouted running up to the man desperately. "W-we have more pressing concerns!" He pointed out. "The bridge is…"

"We can do fine without a bridge." Sergius stated confidently. "All we need is this, the Kingdom Seyrun. It isn't necessary to leave." The elder claimed causing a distressed look to cross Ambrose face.

"We have to go." Naruto declared, they had to cross the bridge before it burned down, as he took off in a run the others soon following behind him.

"Cordelia's daughter." Harminia muttered, completely ignoring Naruto as she stayed fixated on Victorique. "Those eyes are the color of sin. Sin. I'll wipe out that sin! She shouted before charging at Victorique with a wild look on her face. "I'll wipe out that sin. Wipe out this entire village. And then… I can live!"

Seeing Harminia was charging at Victorique, Naruto moved himself so that he stood in between the two of them. Harminia couldn't care less about the obstacle that was standing in the way of her target thrusting her spear forward intending to run him through and piercing her true target. When the spear was a few inches away Naruto grabbed it and then pushed it to the side receiving a cut from the spear on his arm as he did so. Harminia took a couple of steps back before swinging the spear wildly horizontally, Naruto only just being able to move Victorique back so that he didn't receive a slash wound across his chest, following by raising it up high and then bringing it down only for Naruto to grasp it in his hands. Harminia scowled as she tugged at the spear while aiming a kick at Naruto's chest.

Naruto bit back a scream as the blade of the spear dug into his hands before he released it. "Naruto!" Victorique shouted in concern seeing the blood that that was flowing from his wounds.

"I'm fine." Naruto insisted.

"Your bleeding!" Victorique retorted fearfully.

"I'll heal." The shinobi told her. "Victorique you have to leave while you got the chance." Naruto told her.

"No!" Victorique refused shaking her head. "I won't leave you!" She claimed, as she was having flashbacks to Naruto's fight with Ned Baxter onboard the Queen Berry. Victorique had been worried about him then when he hadn't received a single injury and yet now he had been hurt and was bleeding, so she definitely didn't want to leave his side now.

Naruto wasn't sure if he should be feeling happy or angry at Victorique's refusal to leave, but what he did know was that he wasn't going to allow her to be hurt. "Baka-Inspector!" Naruto shouted snapping the man out of his stupor. "Hurry up and cross! Get Victorique out of-!"

Naruto was cut off when Harminia ran at the duo. "I'm going to live… past 26!" The woman declared once missing her target as Naruto pulled Victorique out of the way. Harminia instantly spun around and made on pass after another as she tried to skewer Victorique only to miss every time when Naruto pulled her away. "27! 28! 29, 30, 31, 32…" Harminia kept ranting swinging her spear wildly.

Despite the fact that she was the one that Harminia was targeting Victorique could only focus on Naruto's bleeding wounds. "Enough Naruto!" Victorique begged him. The blonde teen told her that his injuries would heal, but she that left her with so many questions. His chakra healed her but what was the extent of that ability; the unknowns worrying her more. "Just leave! Please I don't want to see you get hurt anymore! Leave me!"

"No!" Naruto nearly roared out startling Victorique. "I won't ever abandon my friends, those precious to me!" The shinobi declared before glancing back at Victorique from over his shoulder. "I promised to protect you and an Uzumaki never breaks their promise." Naruto told her seriously before returning his attention back to Harminia.

Once Harminia tried once more to lash at the pair Naruto appeared in front of the woman, frightening the woman, it was only by instinct that caused the woman to pull back and miss the kunai that Naruto was now holding. Harminia recovered as best as she could as she thrust out her spear only for Naruto to catch it with his free hand and, before Harminia could react, snapped the tip off.

Harminia let out a screech, looking at the tip of her broken spear before looking back at Naruto only to gaze into glacial blue eyes. The maid stiffening at the murderous intent flashing from his eyes. "N-No," Harminia whispered fearfully. "I-I wasn't supposed to die here. I just wanted to l-live." She barely muttered out despairingly. "I WANT TO LIVE!" Harminia shouted frantically pulling out a knife.

Naruto hardly showed any signs of reacting to the knife, even as the maid lunged at him, except getting his kunai ready to intercept Harminia. Harminia though wasn't even able to reach him when Ambrose ran towards her. "Harminia!" Ambrose shouted. "Stop it!" He pleaded as he tried to wrestle the knife out of Harminia's hand while the woman struggled to keep possession of her weapon. Unfortunately, after a few more seconds of struggling Ambrose managed to wretch the knife from Harminia causing the maid to lose her balance and fall over the side of the bridge. Ambrose reached out desperately for Harminia, "Harminia!" Ambrose yelled kneeling by the side of the bridge, watching as she fell until she was completely out of sight because of the foliage far below. "Harminia." Ambrose mumbled watching the woman he had deep feelings for disappear.

"We have to go." Naruto said, lifting Ambrose up, as the bridge began to shake hazardously. Glancing behind him Naruto silently cursed as he watched the bridge starting to collapse. "Run, now!" The shinobi ordered, grabbing Victorique's hand Naruto pushed her and Ambrose ahead of himself. Through the rising smoke, Naruto made sure that neither of the other two blondes ended up tripping, having to help them a couple of times when they almost fell. Victorique and Ambrose made it to the other side when the bridge gave way causing Naruto to fall back. Naruto was distracted from saving himself when he saw Victorique instantly turn around and rush towards his falling form. He was about to chastise her when his eyes focused on her necklace that was bobbing up and down until the chain finally snapped. Naruto was focused on the chain and was about to dive after it when a small hand clasped one of his. Looking up Naruto saw Victorique desperately holding on to him while on the cliff's edge.

"What are you doing, Naruto?!" Victorique demanded loudly. "Climb up, you Baka!" She shouted at him, straining not to lose her hold on him. Victorique was doing her best to ignore the stinging pain she was feeling coming from her hands.

"Victorique… why?" Naruto asked back instead, looking away from Victorique to search below him for a glint of gold hoping to spot Victorique's locket.

"Shut up!" The girl snapped tears starting to fill her emerald eyes. "Why are you asking such a stupid question now?!" The golden-haired girl asked. "What about all those promises you made?! You said that we'd go home together! That you would protect me! That an Uzumaki never breaks their promise! You told me that before." Victorique reminded him, her tears now streaming down her face. "This isn't where we're supposed to split up! It can't be! I don't want it to be!" She shouted her eyes clenching shut.

Naruto finally spotted the locket falling down far below him, but he knew that he'd only have a few seconds before it disappeared from his sight completely. Looking back at Victorique he noticed her tears and gave her the best reassuring smile that he could, though she couldn't see it with her eyes closed. "You're right, Victorique." Naruto said, causing the emerald eyed girl to snap open and look at him in slight shock. "I did promise. That's why you should trust me now." The shinobi declared. "I'll keep my promise to you, so trust me everything is going to be fine but I need you to let go." Naruto said gently.

"But," Victorique protested weakly as she tried to come up with an argument as to why she shouldn't let go of Naruto's hand. Honestly, she could think of hundreds but the assurance in Naruto's eyes gave her pause. The assurance in Naruto's eyes made her believe that no matter what they would go home together. "Please, Naruto." Victorique whispered softly with tears still streaming down the side of her cheeks.

With a single nod from Naruto, Victorique let go of his hand and watched with mounting despair as her friend plummeted far below her. Once Victorique let go Naruto dove downward, evening using a bit of chakra to kick off the side of the cliff to help him go faster, channeling some chakra into his eyes in order to sharpen his sense of sight. It only took Naruto a few seconds to spot the locket and adjusting himself so that he would reach it. With his arm' outstretched Naruto wrapped the locket around his hand and then brought his hands into a cross hand seal. "Shadow clone jutsu!" He called a clone popping into existence beside him not a second later. Immediately grabbing the original's hand the clone spun him around before throwing him upwards.

For Victorique the few seconds that passed since letting go of Naruto felt like an eternity. Even though she trusted Naruto a part of her still lamented her decision fearing that she would never see the whiskered teen again. It was only when she saw Naruto soaring back up towards her that Victorique felt any sort of relief. She watched as he rose high into the air before landing behind her a small relieved smile spreading across her face.

"I think you dropped this." Naruto said with a grin holding her necklace out to her.

Victorique stared at the locket for a moment before switching her gaze over to Naruto, staring at the cerulean eyed teen with an unreadable expression on her face. "Baka," She murmured taking the locket from him and holding it close to herself. It was important memento to her, one she didn't want to part with just yet, but Victorique now knew that it wasn't nearly as important to her as the person who returned it to her.

Far above them from a different precipice two figures watched as the Kingdom of Seyrum slowly burned and the small group that walked away from the village. One a man with blood red hair and the other a short woman with golden blonde hair.

By morning the group was waiting at the train station for the train to arrive that would take them home, joined by Ambrose who wished to explore the world that he has long been fascinated by now that he had the chance. Sitting next to each other were the half-siblings Grevil and Victorique discussing that latter's chances of ever being allowed to leave the school again.

"You may never be let out again." Grevil commented almost casually. "After causing this uproar."

"Even so, I'm satisfied." Victorique replied. "I proved that Cordelia was innocent." She told him. "A daughter has to protect her mother's honor." She declared seriously.

Naruto kept a careful watch over the two siblings knowing that their relationship wasn't the best and that they could break into an argument at any moment. Ambrose though drew his attention. "You know," Ambrose began. "I found it strange, but when the village elder spoke as the oracle, you two seemed to ask similar questions. Why is that?"

Naruto looked at Ambrose in surprise before turning his focus back to Victorique. Realization dawned on the blonde shinobi that Victorique had also asked about their future concerned about what would happen to them. Knowledge of their future as foreseen by the oracle was also probably why Victorique said some of the things she did while he was hanging from the cliff.

"What?" Victorique asked Naruto with an embarrassed look as she shied away from him. "You've been staring at me for the last minute." She pointed out.

"Nothing," Naruto answered with a heartwarming smile, touched that Victorique was worried about what would happen to them. If someday they would have to leave each other. 'I guess that is up to me.' Naruto thought. 'To us.' He corrected while looking at the girl that was still looking back at him strangely from the corner of his eye. A few minutes later the train finally arrived and as they were getting ready to leave Naruto offered Victorique his hand in order to help her stand from where she was sitting. "Ready to go?" Naruto asked her.

"Yes, let's go home." Victorique answered, about to give her hand to Naruto only to pull it back and stand on her own in the end. "Back to… our usual place." She said hiding her hands between her back and hair.

Naruto agreed, quickly figuring what Victorique was trying to hide from him. He'd offer to help heal it with his chakra once they returned home. Victorique was still a prideful young woman and wouldn't likely accept help easily, especially in front of others.

AN: I was going to stop this about halfway through but I was sure that I had promised to get this part finished all at once so it set me back a couple of weeks. Either way I hope it was worth the wait.

Please remember to review.