Chapter 7: United/Reunited

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Gandhi

In the last thousand years that Naruto had walked the earth, going from country to country, culture to culture, he'd seen and done many strange things. Yet never before had he heard of a friendship forming, between a human and a gargoyle, that began with the human falling off of a skyscraper and the gargoyle gliding down to save them before they could splat against the ground. That being said, Naruto completely and utterly failed at holding in his laughter as Goliath told him what had happened only moments ago. Detective Elisa Maza was far less impressed and was now more suspicious of Naruto than ever before.

"You knew about them, you knew about them this entire time and you didn't think to warn me!" Elisa accused, jabbing her finger in Naruto's chest, but a sudden growl from the doglike gargoyle instantly made her back off.

"Of course I knew about them, they're my friends after all, but the reason I agreed to work with you still stands. I simply thought I'd have more time to get them out of the castle before you went snooping around," Naruto turned away and faced Goliath, "I am sorry, it wasn't my intention to have another human know about you."

Goliath took in a deep breath through his nose and let it out as a low growl, his body relaxing, "I understand, but another human knowing about us puts us in danger. You said you agreed to work with her. For what reason?"

"I don't fully trust David, or at least his intentions when it comes to you and the clan. If I know him, which I guarantee you that I do, then he's already planning something. I told Ms. Maza that it could possibly be something illegal, which I'm still certain that it is, and I'd requested her help in finding out what it is. David can have eyes on me at any time, he's aware of the threat I am to him, which means he would easily overlook the detective," Naruto explained his thought process, which had a certain sense of cold logic to it.

"You think we might be betrayed, like we were in the past?" Goliath's voice took a deep and dangerous edge to it, which even made Elisa flinch a little bit, but Naruto didn't even so much as bat an eye.

"Humans, or at least those with enough money, have civilized just a little bit since your time. I don't think he'd try to destroy you, at least if he's not provoked enough to do it, but there are worse fates than death. However, all this is a topic for another time, for now we must deal with you," Naruto's gaze once again fell on the only other human on the battlements.

"What about me?" Elisa was more than a little on edge right now, her anger and not been told about the gargoyles was easily replaced by the fear of what might be done to her now.

"I would like to ask a favor of you," that caught both Goliath and Elisa off guard.

"What?" The two asked at the same time.

"I stand by what I told you earlier, that you're a good and trustworthy person. Between finding out what David is up to, running the company, and a marathon of other things, I fear I won't be able to dedicate as much time as necessary to help my friends here adapt to this new world they found themselves in. I completely understand if you don't want to help, but..." Naruto was suddenly cut off by very excited Elisa.

"I'll do it!" Elisa's face flushed when she realized she grabbed onto Naruto shoulders in all her excitement, quickly making her back away a few steps and cough into her hand, "I mean it wouldn't be very neighborly not to show the new people around town."

Naruto cracked and amused smile while Goliath just gave him a more than confused look, "I knew I could count on you, but we'll have to save the rest of this for tomorrow night."

"Why?" Elisa asked, slightly wondering if these gargoyles were like vampires or something.

"Where is your kind walks around freely during the day, or even the night, my kind is not so fortunate. When the sun rises we turn to stone, no matter where we are, until the sun fully sets once more," Goliath said, his nocturnal eyes already viewing the beams of sun that lit up the far horizon.

"Wow, you don't hear that every day."

Naruto and Elisa stayed with Goliath until the sun finally rose, the female detective watching in awe as Goliath's skin turned to stone. She even reached out to touch his extended wings, once the sun had come up just a little bit more, and marveled at how they'd become completely made of stone. Naruto just watched on patiently, wondering if this is how Princess Katharine would have been if she had more time to get to know the gargoyles. Unfortunately he heard rumors that she'd suddenly disappeared one day, along with that wimpy magician and all the remaining gargoyle eggs. The ancient blonde had spent about three hundred years looking for them, or at least what remained of them, but unfortunately had found nothing.

"So how did you become friends with a bunch of gargoyles that had been frozen stone for a thousand years?" Elisa asked as they rode down the main elevator to the ground floor, pausing to consider what she just asked, "My life just got a whole lot weirder."

"That's a rather long story, one best served for another day, but just know that everything I've done I did for them. This whole company, partnering up with David Xanatos, and even building my wealth has all been to one day free them," Naruto skillfully dodged the question.

"That sounds more like an obsession than anything else," Elisa whispered to herself, although the slight glare she got clearly said she hadn't been quite enough.

"Perhaps you're right, from a certain point of view, but what rich person doesn't have their own personal quirks?" the door to elevator swung open to reveal a still empty lobby, the morning staff had yet to arrive and Naruto made certain select cameras were on a feedback loop.

"Well whatever it is you're doing, I at least hope you're being legal about it. I'm still a cop and I'll bust you just as hard as I will Xanatos," Elisa had made some of the hardest criminals in New York squirm with the very same look she was shooting Naruto, but he just smiled away.

"I certainly hope so, otherwise I'd be wrong about your moral alignment. Have a good day, Detective Maza," Naruto reentered the elevator and hit the button for the castle's main floor.

"I have to protect them," Naruto's fists clenched around his cane with enough force to almost make it crack, "I will protect them."

(Flashback)

The year was 1056, the land was then known as Scotland, and the man who found himself as king was named Macbeth. Naruto had heard rumors about this man, about how he found an ally in a few remaining gargoyles and that one even served as his primary chief adviser. Naruto had only recently been able to draw upon the natural energy of the earth, slowly restoring his youth to what it once was in his prime, but he still showed clear signs of age. The energy had already done wonders, considering he'd been on the verge of death when he finally regained this ability, and looked to be in his early fifties instead of a little over one hundred.

His hair was still lined with a few streaks of gray and the thin blonde beard did hardly anything to cover his whisker marks, yet he did notice that some women were starting to find him attractive again. He traveled all the way from Scotland to England in his attempts to find some worth in this life of his. He'd made a reputation as a medicine man that travels the open road, willing and able to help anyone that asked for it. Of course he still made round trips back to the old castle, to make sure everything was still standing, but Naruto discovered a sense of peace in helping people instead of constantly fighting.

Now he finds himself on the way to the capital of Scotland, to see this supposed gargoyle and the king that had gained their loyalty. Naruto discovered that people with power and wealth were hardly ever to be trusted. There were exceptions, as with anything, but Naruto just wanted to be sure. So here he was, riding atop his wagon that was being pulled by two horses, having made it through the front gates just as the sun was beginning to move down towards the horizon.

"You there, old man, what business do you have here?" One of the many wandering guards asked as Naruto pulled his wagon to a stop and made to climb down.

"I'm a traveling healer, going from town to town to heal the sick. You're more than welcome to check my belongings," Naruto said as peacefully as possible, his old age having calm his temper so that he didn't punch the young guard for calling him an old man.

"I don't trust you, there's something in your eyes that I don't like. Are you one of them old types of healers, the kind that practice magic and summon demons?" The same guard asked, his tone now threatening as his hand fell to the hilt of his sword.

"Young man," Naruto began, taking a deep breath to calm himself, "Were you not taught respect by your parents? I've spent the last thirty years of my life helping everyone from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich. I saved a young boy from a plague that was ravaging his home. I nursed a woman back to health that everyone thought would die of childbirth. I have forgotten more about healing people than you could ever hope to learn!"

The young man took a noticeable step back is Naruto's tone grew harsher and harsher, reminding him of his own father when he got upset. Naruto just mentally smirked, he could still get reactions out of people.

"Apologies, I meant no disrespect. It's just were in strange times, the king's taking advice from a creature, and we've heard whispers of conflict brewing with the English," the guard stammered out, taking his hand off his blade, and nearly flinched when Naruto reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"No disrespect meant, so no disrespect taken, I was young once as well," Naruto laughed cheerfully, slowly pulling the guard over to the rear of his wagon, "Although these old bones aren't as strong as they used to be, would you mind helping me in unloading my wagon?"

"Of course, my mother would tan my hide if I didn't help out an elderly man in need."

Naruto just smirked to himself, it was almost too easy.

[Later That Night]

The feast up at the castle was in full swing, with the king sitting on his throne and his ever intimidating gargoyle standing beside him. Everyone was laughing and cheering, even the few remaining gargoyles had joined in on the festivities, which is why no one had noticed a white robed Naruto sneak in through the door. Even with such a flamboyant outfit, Naruto somehow managed to slip past all the guards that were lining the walls. None questioned him, not even realized he was there until he was a stone's throw away from the king himself. Naruto decided to have a bit more fun and channeled his chakra into an illusion around his face. He now looked like the old man he'd been just a few years ago.

"Such great hospitality, King Macbeth, the likes of which I haven't seen since my time at Castle Wyvern," Naruto's words seemed to somehow silence the entire whole, the gargoyles eyes had narrowed with a vengeance while every guard suddenly snapped to attention.

The guards were around him in a matter of seconds, swords drawn, while all the gargoyles in the room let out low growls of warning. Yet while they surrounded him, Naruto's eyes gazed upon something that no normal eyes could ever witness. There was a bond between the king and his gargoyle, a gargoyle that Naruto very clearly recognized. This trip had clearly been worth it.

"Who are you, how did you get past my guards with no one noticing?" King Macbeth demanded, standing up from his throne and drawing the sword that was always at his side, the large female gargoyle moving in his shadow.

"I walked in through the front door," Naruto answered with a bit of cheek, "And I am but a simple wanderer. I heard tell of the king of Scotland and his gargoyle adviser. My curiosity got the better of me and now here I am."

"Do not try and be cute, human," Goliath's former mate hissed, her eyes flashing red as she reached out and lifted Naruto off the ground by the front of his robes, "Your life can easily be ended."

Naruto just smiled, "Now isn't this a familiar position? I'd say this is the second time you've threatened to end my life in front of so many people. It almost makes me want to shed a tear of nostalgia."

"I've never met you before and there's only one human I've ever threatened to hurt in a hall such as this. You would dare to claim you are him!" clearly seeing that her temper was about to get the better of her, especially the way her wings flared out, Naruto figured it was time to get on with the show.

"The last time we saw each other you were nervous about something, something you didn't want to tell me. So I told you I wouldn't ask about it, that you would talk about it when you were ready, and that I was there for you whenever you were ready," as Naruto spoke, the female gargoyle slowly lowered him down to the ground, her eyes were wide and full of more motion than they had been in the last one hundred years, "I'm still waiting."

"It's impossible, you can't be alive," the gargoyle whispered out, Macbeth silently signaling his guards to stand down when he noted his trusted adviser knew this man.

"You always said I was stubborn, I guess that also means I was too stubborn to die," Naruto laughed before he found himself in a nearly bone crushing hug, even if he had gained back a noticeable amount of his strength.

"You're alive!"

For the first time since that horrible night, the gargoyle known as Demona felt true joy. She may no longer have Goliath, but her Sage had returned to her!