The Ten Tailed Knight

Disclaimer: I do not own Highschool DxD or Naruto. No matter how much I want to, I do not own these awesome story lines.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

"Raging/ Demon Voice"

"Higher Being Voice"

A/N: Hey guys and gals. This will be my first collaboration fic with An Unrelenting Storm. Hope you guys enjoy. Remember, this was a group effort and the idea was mine but i asked for help starting this and we both have ideas for this story, so make sure to check him out.

Chapter 1: Entering the Fray

*Bring*

With the sound of a bell in his ears, a young man around 16 years of age shook himself awake as the students around him filed out of their last class of the day.

Azure-blue eyes gazed around in the emptying classroom blearily, the owner of said blue eyes trying desperately to clear the sleep dust away from his eyes, fists balled and rubbing cutely into his face, causing many of the fleeting female students to squeal at the absolutely moe scene happening in front of them. It was not every day one got to see the famed school mascot wake up in his kitten-like fashion.

Naruto Toujou was the second most popular student at Kuoh Academy, an All-Girls school that recently turned coed. He had snow-white hair with a blondish tint to it, a rather youthful, boyish face, azure-blue eyes, slightly tanned skin, and the absolute cutest (again quoted from the female populace of Kuoh) whisker marks that was humanly possible, three on each cheek.

Rising from his seat, Naruto revealed his rather tall stature. Being 5'9", it was painfully obvious to anyone that he was the complete and utter opposite of what a shotacon should be, but that did not stop many from trying desperately to make him fit the bill. He snickered to himself as he thought about last year, about he had been so much shorter than everyone else. It was a downright killer, the faces the students made when he came back, being the giant he was.

However, due to his slightly clumsy nature with his wide blue-eyes and whisker-like marks on his cheeks, many still called him kitten-like.

He should've at least been a mountain lion if they insisted on calling him cat-like. He was taller than most of the people that called him that dammit!

Still blinking his eyes to clear the sleep from them, Naruto stumbled out of the classroom much like a kitten would - 'lion' Naruto mentally corrected - bumping into desks along the way, making the homeroom teacher sigh at the regular sight of his best student wallowing around like a drunken man, while also grumbling about it was his job to straighten out the damn desks.

'Oh man, last night really took a lot out of me.' Naruto thought to himself. You see, Naruto was not just a regular old high school student.

…

…well…he is part-time, but for the other half of his time, he was a host at a local club, having gotten special permission from the owner of the establishment to work there, so long as he didn't reveal his age or partake in some of the rather lewd actions many others had to do, much to the secret displeasure of the women and sometimes men that he took care of.

With the sleep finally out of his eyes, Naruto made his way to the front gate of the school. He was almost out of the threshold until he came face-to-face…well…chest-to-face, with the second most beautiful girl in the school. He grumbled, slightly miffed, as he lowered his gaze to meet the mischievous gaze of one whom he had constantly hounded by since the beginning of his Kuoh Academy life.

Akeno Himejima was one of the most popular students in the school. She is a young woman with a voluptuous figure many girls would die for and that many men would drool for. With her very long black hair tied in its usual long ponytail, reaching all the way down to her legs with two strands sticking out from the top and sloping backwards, with an orange ribbon keeping it in place, and her glistening violet eyes she was also identifiable as a Yamato Nadeshiko, or traditional Japanese beauty. Like most of the girls at Kuoh Academy, Akeno was wearing the customary Kuoh Academy girls' school uniform, which consisted of a white long-sleeved, button-down shirt with vertical linings, a black ribbon on the collar, a black shoulder cape and matching button-down corset, and a magenta skirt with white accents, along with black knee-high socks.

Naruto mentally twitched in annoyance at the sight of her. 'Geez, these guys really don't know how to take a hint do they?'

"Ara, ara Naruto-chan, why the rush?" Akeno said in her usual giggly voice, patiently waiting for the slightly shorter boy to respond.

Naruto didn't say anything for a moment, before sighing in resignation.

"Akeno-san, first of all, I am no longer the short freshman you tugged around with you everywhere you went. I am now much taller than you. Second, if you must know, I was going to go help out with the church's renovations. I am an active member of the church you see." He said this with hidden spite in his voice, one not being able to hear if one was not looking for it.

Akeno, however, was expecting it and gained a genuinely sad smile at the remark.

"Hai Naruto-kun, I know." Nodding to her, Naruto moved to get around her, but Akeno was nothing if not persistent.

"If that's the case Naruto-kun, could I accompany you to the church?" Naruto's eyes widened marginally, before quickly returning to their original state.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean…wouldn't that be detrimental to your continued good health Akeno-san?" The black-haired beauty flinched at his accusatory tone, making the boy feel slightly ashamed of putting her species on the spot…almost.

You see, there were secrets of the world that many were not aware of. Secrets that would put many beliefs into retrospect.

The legends, lore, folktales, and even myths of the world…they were not untrue.

Angels, Devils, the Fallen, Heretic Gods, Yokai, and many more were in fact real. And many were hiding in plain sight.

Take this woman in front of him for example. Akeno seemed like a perfectly normal girl, albeit a lot more beautiful than most with a more mature about her; however, she was anything but normal. Naruto could sense her tainted aura from a mile away much less two inches in front of him.

Akeno Himejima was a Devil. A fairly high-powered one at that.

But Naruto was not worried in the least. Why?

"I'm sure that Naruto-kun would do his absolute best to help this vulnerable Onee-sama, now wouldn't you?" She muttered with a light tinge of pink on her cheeks, a slightly clouded look in her eyes.

Because she was utterly and totally infatuated with him.

On the very first day he joined the illustrious Kuoh Academy, Akeno Himejima had been on his tail. His first encounter with her told him as much.

*-Flashback-*

Naruto took a deep breath to clear his anxiety, before turning to face his enemies of today.

"Ohayo! My name is Naruto Toujou! Please take care of me sempais!" Naruto bowed deeply at his waist, showing all the students that he was a well-mannered young man who had merely jumped a grade due to his higher than average intellect.

All the girls in the class squealed, much to Naruto's displeasure, before they stampeded out of their seats to glomp him in front of the teacher's desk, making the teacher and most boys cry anime tear at the unfairness of the situation.

"KYAH!"

"NARUTO-TAN IS SIMPLY ADORABLE!"

"WILL YOU CALL ME ONEE-SAN?!"

Naruto soon felt a tick mark appear on his head. He was not trying to be adorable dammit! He was an utterly badass Youkai mercenary who had taken countless lives and he was deserving of respect. He was about to point this out to the currently squealing girls...until a hand on his cheek stopped everyone in the classroom cold.

He looked out of the corner of his eye to see a milky-skinned, dainty hand slowly rub its thumb across his cheek, causing him to shudder slightly. He soon regained his composure and looked up further to look into glittering purple eyes that held no small amount of amusement.

"Ara ara. What is up with these whiskers Naruto-chan? Are you maybe a fox or cat in disguise as a human," a melodious voice rang out in question in the silent room. Immediately, whispers broke out from the girls who had backed away from Naruto and the newcomer.

"Look, it's Himejima-onee-sama."

"She's touching Naru-chan's cheek!"

"Lucky Bastard."

The two merely ignored the whispers in favor of looking at each other. Slowly, a dazzling smile broke out on Akeno's face, making Naruto inwardly shiver as he could tell that this was no ordinary smile. No, this smile said 'I'm going to embarrass the ever-loving shit out of you.'

He was right too.

The moment she took her hand away, making Naruto relax enough to let his guard down, Akeno quickly wrapped her arms around his smaller frame, his 4'5" frame, and picked him up, and carried him to her seat, seating herself with Naruto on her lap. Naruto shifted uncomfortably as Akeno adjusted him, before she tightened her hold and pushed her massive melons she called breasts into his neck, giving him a gentle kiss on top of his head, much to the amazement and horror of their classmates.

"Such a cute little kohai I have. I think I'm going to keep you for myself!" She said brightly as Naruto looked slightly up at her through his blonde bangs, azures eyes wide in terror.

'What have I gotten myself into?' Naruto thought as Akeno nuzzled her face back into his soft head of hair as many gazed at the two in amazement, not excluding the teacher. 'I'm going to have to have a talk with the Kyuubi of Kyoto about not properly preparing her mercs for very dangerous situations.'

Naruto tried desperately to vanish from existence under the constant stares he received from his classmates as Akeno Himejima pat his head intervally throughout the lecture, making him squirm in both pleasure and uncomfortability. Pleasure because his head had always been a sensitive topic for him, and uncomfortability because of the many jealous stares he and Akeno got.

Oh, and did he mention that he had to endure this for many minutes at a time?

So, immediately as the lunch bell rang, Naruto tried valiantly to break out of Akeno's grasp... Keyword here being tried. The delicate looking Yamato Nadeshiko was a lot stronger than she looked, and by a large margin too.

"Ara ara Naruto-kun, it isn't very polite to steal a toy from a little girl." Akeno aid with a small childish pout on her lips, looking far too sensual than what that action was meant for. This pissed off Naruto to no end.

"Listen Akeno-san," he pointed into her amused face, or at least tried as her arms still had a firm grip on his, leaving him to point with only his wrists and fingers able to point, "I don't know if you know this, but you are in high school, and I am no teddy bear, so get your hands off!"

He once again tried to get out of her grip with even more force...only to fall on his face as she let go without a hassle this time around.

"GAH!" Naruto exclaimed as he hit the cold hard tiles of Kuoh Academy. Small tears welled up in the corner of his eyes as he tried to hold his sore nose.

A soft hand once again made its way to his face, tenderly wiping at his nose. He looked up with slightly teary eyes into the concerned eyes of his mischievous sempai.

"I'm sorry Naruto-chan. I didn't mean for that to happen." She rubbed her thumb onto his nose gently.

CHU

Naruto's azure orbs widened to comical degrees as Akeno lightly pecked his little nose in comfort.

So stunned was he that he did not even put up a fight like he normally would as she scooped him back into her arms and off the ground, showing once more that she was strong despite her slender features.

"Come on Naruto-chan! Let's get you to nurse-san to get your cute little nose checked out."

Hearing her tone of voice, Naruto knew he had to get away...right now.

"I'm sorry Akeno-san," he got himself down to the floor, "But I really need to get to my next class."

This did not have the desired effect the silver-haired boy wished it had.

"Oh my, then I should probably guide you then since you don't want to get lost on this campus." Naruto's eye twitched. This woman just wouldn't take a hint now would she?

Naruto finally sighed for the last time in resignation, nodding his head to her, thinking that she would guide him by taking his hand or something. He honestly should have known better. Because once again, he found himself getting scooped up into the arms of the lovely black-haired lady, her assets pressing themselves into his back. Eyes twitching as he did so, Naruto handed over his schedule to Akeno, and lo-and-behold, he had the exact same schedule as her, him being in the same grade as her due to him jumping grades.

That's how he spent the rest of his first day at Kuoh Academy, being toted around the schoolyard and hallways like a little child, which he was Naruto noted reluctantly, in the arms of one of the most popular girls in the school, much to the jealousy of many boys, cursing under their breaths about young pretty boys who had adorable appeal.

Finally, after Naruto just about died from overheating due to a blush, he was finally let down, reluctantly if the facial expression Akeno had on was anything to go by, onto solid ground for the first time in over 5 hours.

He was almost tempted to kiss it in joy, but he dd not want to seem crazy or rude, so he restrained himself. He huffed cutely as he turned to face the girl who made it her own personal mission to have him as a teddy bear.

"Thank you Akeno-san," he bowed at his waist for a 90 degree bow, "For...guiding me and taking care of me today. You won't have to do it tomorrow." He said the last part rather desperately, hoping she would get the hint that this would not be going on if he could say anything about it.

It went completely over her magnificent head.

"Ara, ara Naruto-chan," his eye twitched dangerously, "Of course I have to do it tomorrow. I don't want any indecent girls here getting too fresh with my precious little Naruto-chan now do I?" Akeno started to rub his cheek tenderly once more...directly on his whisker marks, ensuring the final nail in his coffin.

He honestly didn't know why he had this problem, only that he did.

He tried for months on end to get rid of it to keep his health a guarantee, bu to no avail as each and every time it happened, he let it out.

Let it be known that while Naruto Toujou was a Super-Hardcore Badass...

...he also purred under the simplest touch of his whiskers.

He opened his eyes wide in horror as Akeno stared back, eyes wide in wonder.

Slowly, a large and rather...Naruto honestly couldn't tell what that emotion was in her eyes...grin plastered itself on her perfect face.

"Aw, is Naruto-chan happy that he is treated this way by his beautiful Onee-san?" Akeno said with a clear intent of teasing in her voice. Naruto flushed. Again, he was the second strongest member of the church, he should not have this problem.

"Th-that's not," he started, only to be interrupted by Akeno.

"Don't worry Naruto-chan, I won't let anyone know or find out. Afterall," she hugged him once more, but this hug was different from the others the whiskered-boy noted. It was decidedly more...gentle. "I don't want anyone else to have their eyes set on my precious little kohai."

Naruto froze.

This had never happened to him before. He was completely unsure how to deal with this situation. This girl was simply too spontaneous and unpredictable to figure out. He sighed though, as he let himself relax into the embrace. 'Damn,' Naruto thought, 'it's a shame she's a Devil.' As if she were reading his mind, Akeno removed herself from the embrace and looked him in the eye.

"I know you know about the supernatural Naruto-san." Naruto nodded carefully at her statement. He did not have his gear with him, nor could he activate his other abilities, in fear of elimination should the devil in charge come running for his head. "Good," Akeno said as she started walking to an old school building. "Please follow me Naruto-chan."

Nodding, the short Kuoh student made his way after the black-haired beauty, wondering what could be so important that she would not make an attempt to-

SNATCH

His eye twitched as he was once again within the confines of her arms.

He should have known.

As soon as Naruto walked into the room he froze. He would have known that shade of crimson red hair from anywhere.

"Sirzechs you bastard. Worrying me-" Naruto stopped himself as he fully took in the sight before him.

While the person in front of him was similar in appearance to the Lucifer leader of the Underworld, there were two key differences between the two. One, the person in front of him was most notably younger than the Lucifer. Two...there were two rather large bumps on her chest.

'No not Sirzechs,' the boy reiterated, 'probably his younger sister.'

Rias Gremory.

Crap.

This was not good. While he and the Lucifer were good friends, he knew of the very overprotective nature of the man and knew that should anything happen to the girl, there would be no place for the Yokai to hide.

Rias Gremory blinked at the young Yokai in front of her.

He was very cute she noted, being the prime example of what shotacons dream of, but what truly peaked her interest was the casual way he seemed to hold her brother.

'Interesting.' Rias thought with a sultry smile on her face. She could use this to her advantage. She glanced to the rest of her peerage out of the corner of her eye. Kiba had a hand on the hilt of a sword he materialized onto his back, but that was to be expected. He was always cautious. Akeno...was cuddling with Naruto, who by the way looked constipated by her actions, on the couch right next to... 'Now that's odd' Rias thought. Koneko, her usually stoic and unmovable [Rook] now was trembling on the verge of tears as she gazed at the year older student.

Rias ignored this, but made a mental note to question Koneko about this later. Until then, she had a potential peerage member to collect.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice Naruto-kun." Rias said with her entire voice laced with politeness.

He snorted in response.

Taking that as a sign to continue, Rias began speaking once more.

"I'll get straight to the point Naruto-kun." She said in a more authoritative tone of voice. "I suspect you already know of the existence of...let's say extra special beings in this world correct?"

He gave a short nod before shuddering when Akeno seemed to touch a sweet spot on his scalp, which she was currently rubbing. Rias briefly wondered what it would feel like to rub his head before getting back on track.

"Well then, I have no qualms about telling that everyone in this room bar you is a devil." As if on cue, jagged black bat wings popped out of the back of everyone in the room, even the sitting Akeno who had her back against the couch, had wings pop out, causing a disturbance for Naruto's head petting, to which he hissed at humorously, making amber eyes widen in paid no mind to this however, and continued with talking.

"We, the Devils, have been at war-" She was caught off guard by the casually waving hand that emerged fro Naruto, who seemed to be concentrating more on Akeno's hand than he was on Rias' spiel.

"Yeah, yeah, I already know about that damn story. I'm a Yokai if you didn't know, so I can already tell what you want me here for." He pointed to a small table in the corner of the room where, if one were to look, a somewhat incomplete set of glowing chess pieces sat, undisturbed by their environment. "I'm guessing that you want to add me to your peerage right?" He asked this in a rather bored tone, making Rias bristle silently. At her nodding head, which Naruto noticed caused her crimson silk locks to bob like a lovely cascade of red velvet, he merely shook his head.

"Sorry, but I've got zero interest in becoming a Devil right now, and don't even try to persuade me with the perks. This isn't my first attempted recruitment you know." With that, he turned to the rather unconcerned Akeno and proceeded to get his head rubbed more, to the ever growing amusement of Kiba, the growing agitation of Rias, and the ever growing recognition of an amber-eyed girl.

Koneko, a young girl with snow-white hair, wide, cat-like amber eyes shook in her spot at seeing the year older boy in front of her act like a cat. Her eyes threatened to spill tears right now, but she could not let them fall. She needed to confirm something. Not sure how to approach the boy as she knew how addictive head-petting was, she merely crawled oh so slowly towards the complaining Naruto, who was still debating with Akeno about not going deep enough with her rubs, to which she vehemently denied being inadequate and telling him to just be happy with his precious Onee-san. It wasn't until the white-haired girl was inches from him did Naruto take notice of her.

And how he took notice of her. His white hair rose up, much like a startled cat would, and his pupil dilated to a much smaller size. The most surprising reaction however came in the form of two large cat ears, similar to a bunny's in that they rose up to high lengths, popped out of his head, and an enormous presence of magical energy took hold in the club room.

Blue eyes met amber, and quietly a small hand reached out shyly, shaking more and more as it neared him.

"Onii-chan?" Amber eyes pleaded with him.

*-Flashback End-*

Ever since then, Rias Gremory had been adamant in getting him into her peerage, not only for his power, but for the mental stability of her stoic [Rook]. He did not know what to make of the girl named Koneko. Sure she seemed familiar, but he was certain that she was not his sister, from what she insisted on telling him. Afterall, what type of sister would give him the looks that Koneko girl gives him whenever she thinks he's not looking?

Somewhere in a distorted reality pocket, a big busted girl, with midnight-black hair with two cat ears and two tails, along with a very revealing kimono, sneezed, interrupting the rant of a young blonde man who was unsheathing a sword to face a weird monkey man with a very long staff.

It was actually quite funny how the girl tried to make him a part of her peerage. The attempts varied widely, ranging from having her blonde pretty boy [Knight] try and beat him in kendo, in which he remains undefeated, having Koneko get all teary-eyed in front of him and beg, which was actually quite painful might he add as the girl seemed very familiar to him, from Rias herself trying to beat him in a chess game. Oh the poor poor devils.

Strangely enough, Akeno never seemed to get involved with her peerages' attempts. That was what worried Naruto. Even after two years of attendance at Kuoh Academy, he never could quite get a read on the beautiful Onee-sama.

And now here they were, standing outside the Old School Building so that Naruto could thank Akeno for her help today at the church. He knew it pained her to do so, she being a devil and all, but he could not forgo his duties.

He gave a chuckle though as he felt her shift in his arms, muttering about cute little kittens that shouldn't be so defiant to their masters. He shivered at her words.

Opening the door to the clubroom, he saw no one around to point out where he should put the sleeping girl, so he merely went to the couch where he first sat and place Akeno's voluptuous body down. He looked around, but could see nothing to cover her with, still not used to the room due to his minimal contact with the room, even though he was now very close to the people that resided in it. Shrugging off his long, black, wool coat that went to his ankles, he gently tucked the girl, who often made his life a living hell but a very exciting, in and gave a gentle peck on her forehead.

He did not see her dainty mouth perk up at the corner. Nor could he see her arms slowly make their way around him until it was too late. Quicker than lightning, the now awake girl trapped the startled boy's face into her bountiful bosom and cuddle with the top of his head.

"Ara ara Naruto-kun, what would Rias and Koneko say if they saw you give this vulnerable Onee-san a kiss like that in a room where no one else is?" He rolled his eyes when she began giggling.

"Akeno-chaan," he whined, "Please let me go, I've got to get home now." Akeno pouted at him with a far too sultry frown.

"You would rather go to a home where no one is waiting for you than stay with a beautiful girl like me?"

It was only a few seconds later that her brain seemed to catch up with her mind, causing her eyes to open wide in genuine horror.

Naruto now glared balefully at the girl lying on the couch, with his hands now at either side of her head.

"..."

"..."

"...Naru-"

"I've gotta get home now." He stood up slowly, not bothering to reclaim his jacket, and slowly trudged to the door. His mind racing, Naruto finally made it to his exit, his hand on the knob, but before he could turn his hand, a soft body collided with his back, slamming him into the door, gripping his hands with its own.

"...that doesn't have to be you." Akeno said softly, rubbing the back of his hands with her thumbs. Naruto stiffened before asking her in a strained voice.

"What?" He started slowly. "What doesn't have to be me?"

He was surprised when he felt the back of his white dress shirt get wet, revealing that Akeno was now crying.

Akeno herself did not know why she was suddenly so emotional.

No, she knew. She knew why. Ever since the first day she met the sweet, obnoxious, and sometimes rude boy she was currently clinging to, she knew that she was more emotional than ever before.

When he first walked in, her attention was immediately captured by him. He was very similar to their own resident Nekomata she first noted. Another was the painfully adorable whisker marks that adorned his face. Oh how she wanted to rub them. And that's what she did. She simply walked up to the small boy, reached out, and stroked his whiskers, noting that he froze up when they were touched.

And just like that, her attention was now fully on the boy, and she would be damned if she let him anywhere out of her reach. She spent the whole day with him, having him warm up to her in a way that she had never desired until she met the white-haired boy with blue-eyes. It wasn't until after his first initial meeting had ended with him did she find out exactly why she felt the way she did about Naruto.

*-Flashback-*

"Onii-chan." Akeno stopped stroking as soon as their resident emotionless rook said that word.

Koneko wasn't always like this. In fact, she had been a rather happy child when she first met Rias and Akeno. Akeno could remember it clearly to this day.

A small white-haired kitten girl ran up to them from the front pavillion of the Gremory Estate and began chatting with them excited, making her an instant part of Rias' and Akeno's family. However, Akeno wasn't as exuberant in the girl's emotions as Rias was. There was something...decidedly off about the girl since the day they met each other, and it wasn't until the night before Rias' 12th Birthday did Akeno find out about Koneko's secret.

"Did you find him yet?" She heard Koneko ask softly.

"..." The other person did not reply for a while, before posing a question, a voice that Akeno knew all too well.

"Will you leave if I say no Shirone?" Confused, it took a moment before Akeno finally figured out that Koneko wasn't really Koneko, but Shirone. And Sirzechs? What was Rias' brother doing with the young Nekomata? She then heard a small crash, causing Akeno to yelp slightly and cover her mouth before peering inside the conference room. A desk was split in half in the middle, and little Koneko's fist was smack-dab in the middle of it.

"Don't call me that Sir-tan," Koneko said venomously. "Don't call me that name."

She saw Sirzechs smile softly and sadly at the distraught girl who was now crying into the plush white carpet. Feeling her heart break, Akeno threw all precaution out the window before entering the room and crossing to scoop the smaller girl onto her arms, and for once...Koneko didn't fight back. She merely cried into the shoulder of the older girl, wailing.

"I want Onii-chan. He promised to come back for me. He never came. He didn't come back. HE DIDN'T COME BACK!" Akeno could only try and console the weeping girl, tears welling up in her own eyes, but she quickly held them back to remain strong for the little girl who had finally come out with it.

So, for Koneko to act like this to Naruto-chan, Akeno could not help but feel sad for Koneko's wishful thinking.

Naruto seemed to notice Koneko's desperate tone of voice, because he simply climbed out of Akeno's grasp, and made his way to the other cat-like person in the room, who now had her own ears and tail out. Grasping her shoulders in his hand, Naruto shook his gently to the girl who now had silent tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, but while I am a Youkai like you, I don't think I am your brother." Naruto, being a Cat-Kitsune-Youkai mix, could easily tell that this girl was very distraught and wrecked emotionally, so he tried his best to help her not feel the pain of rejection.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

Koneko roughly grabbed him and pushed his back to the couch, looking at him with a slightly crazed look in her eyes as she shook with tears.

"No, no, no, you must be. You have to be Onii-chan. Your chakra is just like his. YOUR CHAKRA IS JUST LIKE HIS!" Almost all of the devils in the room flinched at hearing Koneko's screeches. Kicking himself into action, Kiba materialized a demonic sword with his Sacred Gear before lightly tapping the tip to Koneko's ear, causing her to close her eyes and fall asleep, leaving a messy situation.

*-Falshback end-*

It was after that encounter did Akeno see the pain of being alone in Naruto's eyes. She then made a vow to become family for the boy that had peaked this side of her.

"...You don't have to go home to an empty room Naruto." He froze, and she could her the trickle of tears running down his face. "Stay. Stay here. Become a part of Buchou's peerage. We can be your family. We can wait for you to come home. We can save you from your loneliness."

Silence was all that followed her impassioned speech...

...

...

...

...but it fell on deaf ears.

"Please let me go Akeno-san." It felt like he had punched her in the gut, but she reluctantly complied with his wishes and released him from her grasp.

And slowly, the snow-white haired boy made his way home, through the empty streets