A/N: Anybody else snowed in up here in the north?

I AAAAAAAAAM!

*grumbles*

REVIEW FOR IT FEEDS THE ENGINE OF CREATION!~!

Seriously though, it does.

Also keeps me alive.

Sorry about disappearing for awhile there I, had some awful health issues and the like; among other things. Did I mention that I have a nephew to take of now? On another note, I've got people helping me now, not an official group mind, just several authors who have contributed and collaborated with me. Dylan Millwood, Uzumaki Crossover, GreyBlueFlames98, The Patient One, so on and so forth...

Anyhow, here we are.

So in lieu of a long explanation onto your questions!

Q: Um...Did Matrona lose her leg?

A: ...eh, was that not obvious?

Q: Is Naruto still himself?

A: At his core, Naruto is still Naruto. The only difference is that he's slowly being poisoned by Kaguya's influence. In his heart of hearts he still retains his values and the like; at the moment he's just grappling with limited amnesia, the realization that his friends all but cast him out, and NOW the fact that he has blood on his hands. Poor guy...

Q: You sly dog! I see what you did with Matrona!

A: *whistles innocently*

Q: Can we expect this story to follow canon?

A: Yes and no. Clearly events have already diverged from the main timeline; although thanks to a few lying knights, well...its hinted at in this chapter of course.

...lets just say the group's about to have company soon.

Q: Pairing?

A: Those INTERESTED in Naruto thus far consists of the following:

Diane.

Matrona.

Beyond that I won't say more.

Hope you enjoy the interlude! We're back, baby~!

Warning, this chapter is...emotional. I feel bad for Matrona...

...take me with you."

"Ha?"

"Did I stutter?"

~?

For the Love of a Giantess (Interlude)

Matrona dreamed.

Feverish nightmares consumed her as the last of the poison ran its course; even then, her body proved fitfully slow to heal. She only slept. Sobbed. Wept. She gasped and clawed at her leg in fitful slumber, unable to wake no matter how much she might desire it. She called for her mother and father, for her parents, long since dead. She hadn't cried out for them since she was a little girl. It was an embarrassing display of weakness on her part, one that galled her to her very core, one she swore never to speak of again.

Other, darker terrors chased her in her slumber and she found herself powerless against them.

For all her might she was as powerless in sleep as any other; haunted by shades of regret and shame. To be defeated in battle-to live!-after falling on the field...there could be no greater shame. She would have been all too happy Instead she suffered, and thus she lived, and thus she dreamed. Visions of the past and future alike, days gone by and things yet to be, or may not be:

She saw Naruto, that insufferable rogue, dragged to the capital in chains.

She saw Diane fall, her body riddled with balista bolts.

She saw herself, dying old and alone, forgotten.

And then, quite suddenly, Matrona awoke.

(...Scene Break...)

Sunshine.

T'was not the first sight Matrona expected to find upon waking, but there it was.

Warm rays of dappled sunlight fell upon her face through the worn slit of a window, bringing with it the gentle light of day to pluck the giantess from her dreams with arm surety. Belatedly she realized she recognized her surroundings; these were her own quarters after all, dark walls and all. Someone had gone to great lengths to make her comfortable, leaving her sprawled out amongst a pit of warm furs. For a moment, just a moment, she could almost believe that it had all been just that, a dream, a figment of her own imagination.

Almost as if "that" had never happened.

'Lying to yourself gains you nothing.' A dark thought flitted through her mind. 'You'll never be what you once were. Not anymore.'

Head spinning, body aching, eyes bleary from sleep, Matrona almost dismissed that lurid whisper outright; surely this was another fever dream of some sort. She must still be sleeping, surely. She would blink and find herself swaddled in dark again when she opened her eyes. She would be as she always was, complete and whole. That awful bowel-wrenching terror was nothing but a bad memory, the horrible pain as he cut into the flesh of her leg little more than a dream.

But no...the jabbing ache in her leg served as a poignant reminder of her current...situation, of events best left forgotten.

Reluctantly, she palmed her face and risked a glance southward. Hot, bitter tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. A small, muffled sob fled from her lips and she ruthlessly tore it back, slamming a hand over her mouth before another could escape her. No. She was a warrior. She would not cry. Even here, alone, in this silence.

Sparing a rueful glance for the ruined stump of her limb, she was somewhat horrified to see where flesh ended and bandages began. So. It was true then.

But it wasn't the only thing she found there.

Someone had gone to great lengths to affix something to her leg...

...what was that?

Her skin was still riddled with the remnants of stale sweat despite the open air of her chambers, which in turn suggested that said fever had recently been broken and thus, made it a chore to move. Nevertheless, her pride was paramount and would not brook any show of weakness on her part.

Propping herself up on her elbows, Matrona regarded her new...appendage.

Mounted over the bandages and fashioned in a fine leather-metal harness it didn't much look like a traditional foot, but neither could it be called a proper peg-leg, either. Whatever it was, it looked wickedly sharp. Curved and sloping with gentle lines, it was unlike anything she'd ever seen. Whomever had fashioned it must have been skilled at their craft. Rather well at that. Warily she moved the bandaged limb, testing her range of motion with an air of uneasy expectancy. Putting the minor and admittedly dull ache of her-nearly?-healed wound she found it quite pleasing. Not as bad as she'd feared, then-

The faintest sensation of movement against the bare skin of her stomach caused the giantess to jump.

"What in the world...?"

Which brought her back to her current predicament; for one of Matrona's towering stature most were rendered quite small before her and this was no exception. Someone could easily sprawl themselves atop her more than adequate room to spare and, were it not for her keen senses, she might never notice them. At some point Naruto hat taken it upon himself to do just that and-quite literally-claim a perch on her stomach. There he lay now, snoring softly, curled atop her stomach like some kind of crazed fox, utterly uncaring for who saw him.

Her face flamed, burning the color of a thousand roses.

Incredulous she tried to summon some manner of response but the words eluded her utterly; slipping through her grasp like wriggling vipers even as she reached for them. In the end, she settled for her default reaction when she felt threatened; indeed, for a warrior such as she, there could be only response. So she struck him.

Hard.

"Are you a fool?!"

"Wait, what did I do this time-

To his credit the blond didn't cry out when Matrona swatted him off her stomach like an errant fly with all the force of an angry giantess; even as he struck the wall face first and left a decidedly Naruto-shaped impression upon the hardy stone. A soft, muffled grunt was his sole consent that he'd been harmed at all. Gracelessly he slid down the wall and crashed to the floor, drawing a small pang of guilt from the warrior. Had she killed him by mistake? She hadn't meant to hit him that hard, but she'd been so badly startled...

Bounding back to his feet, the young man banished her fears with a wry smile and another lilting laugh.

"Hey, you're awake, great!" he drawled excitedly. "Was touch and go for a little while there."

"You could have been killed!" she raged, stabbing a finger at him.

He remained unperturbed. "I regret nothing!"

"I wanted to die!" she roared!

"TOO FUCKING BAD!"

His shout rolled over her like a great avalanche, quelling all hopes of resistance; there was no hope of defying it. None. Even as she thought to muster some semblance an argument, the young man bounded forward and did the unthinkable; strong fingers wrapped around a lock of her hair and pulled with the force of ten thousand men; yanking her visage down to his. Blazing eyes silenced her outright, bored into her own amethyst orbs like blazing coals, his teeth bared in a fearsome snarl.

"You're alive." the words escaped him in a soft, irritated hiss. "You don't like it? Fine. I can accept that. But!"

He tugged harder, drawing a scowl from his unwilling captive.

"You are not going to throw that life away!"

Tears gathered in her eyes anew.

"I was defeated, you fool!" her anger refused to abate, circling low in her mind. "Look at me! I'm maimed! A bloody cripple! I don't deserve to be alive...

Something warm pressed against her forehead and her brain failed her.

Looking back, Matrona couldn't quite explain why her body locked up the way it did; every muscle betrayed her at once, refusing to move despite her best efforts to command them. Yes, for all her efforts, she found herself wholly at a loss. Matrona may have been a proud warrior, but at her core she still had a maiden's heart. She knew nothing of romance, had given not thought to the idea of children, even. Yes, she was a warrior. It was her duty to fight, to protect the clan, and eventually to fall upon the field of battle. To simply be kissed by someone, even on the forehead, was so jarring that she didn't know what to do. Words failed her.

Her eyes rolled madly, her cheeks turning a hot shade of pink.

"I...you...why...

"That's exactly why you deserve to live." Thus declaring, Naruto released her and stepped back half a pace, anger draining out of him like a broken sieve. "We learn from our defeats. Grow stronger from them, ya know? I'm sure you'll be able to rise above this-no, I know you can."

Only then did Matrona truly see how he'd changed from the boy she'd known only a few scarce days before.

Streaks of white-likely from his ill-advised attempt to suck out the poison-dominated his blond hair, lending it an almost silvery appearance. As ever those stark red horns stood out from the tangled mane of his hair but they almost seemed longer now, sharper than she remembered. There was an edge to his face that hadn't been there, and he'd clearly lost weight since she'd last laid eyes on him. His smile, however, still retained that same warmth as before, a roguish grin that spoke for him all its own. You don't like me? Tough. I saved your life. You can stuff it.

That did little to quell her own anger towards him, however.

He'd sullied her pride, worse, he was laughing!

So she smacked him. Again.

"Nice try, princess!"

This time Naruto remained rooted where he stood and merely wobbled in place, swaying too and fro like some child's toy affixed to a spring. She almost envied him his ability to stand upright without flinching. Still, this did present an opportunity; a chance to interrogate him for information. Slowly, gingerly, Matrona sat up and favored him with a glance. Rather, the limb he'd now perched himself upon.

"Where did this come from?"

"Pressed a traveling smith into service while you were indisposed." the blond confessed sheepishly under her scathing glare. "Didn't seem right, leaving you like that and all." he paused, inspecting said smith's handiwork with a critical eye. "He was none too happy with us, working pro bono and all, but we didn't give him much of a choice. Let him go at the end, so I'd say it worked out nicely, ya know?"

A fresh wave of dizziness struck the giantess and she swayed. "How long was I...?"

"About a week." came the rejoinder. "Diane was worried sick about you."

As if summoned by her name, her fellow giantess flitted into the room, hesitantly peeking through the door as she did. Those wide, violet eyes flinched slightly when they met her own and she immediately sought shelter behind Naruto; now that was almost humorous, seeing someone so large trying to hide behind someone who didn't even come up to her knee. A strange feeling stabbed at her heart, and with an effort she thrust it aside to face her kin. Her keen eyes noticed the heavy pack on her shoulders immediately, but she chose not to speak of it.

"How are you feeling?" the poor thing sounded so small and afraid that Matrona couldn't help but take pity on her. Was she truly so terrifying?

"I am well, thank you." she relented, flicking a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear. "And you? You are uninjured, I trust?"

Diane's head bobbed vigorously, but silently.

"Speaking of injuries," Naruto's voice rose, capturing her attention. "Once you've recovered...

Matrona knew what he was getting at; how could she not? She'd seen it, dreaded it, run from it...but the inevitable conclusion still arrived. Of course. She remembered the promise they'd wrung from her before all this, all the pain and suffering she'd put Diane through. Even now that they'd reconciled that past with one another...well, it was only natural that Diane want to get herself as far, far, far away from this place as possible. An apology could not mend wounds overnight.

...you're leaving?"

"Yup. Gonna hit the road." he replied simply, shouldering his own pack. "After that debacle-assuming anyone survived it-more of those knights are going to come looking for me. us. Best to keep you out of it. Wanted to say goodbye first though, ya know? That new foot of yours should help once you get used to it."

Very well.

She nearly said the words, but thought better of them.

No.

She couldn't abide this farce any longer.

Her very soul cried out against it, like a child forgotten on a holiday.

For him to simply save her life and leave with little more than a word of thanks...it shamed her. She'd misjudged him, no, more than that. Moreover her position among her fellow giants would be tenuous now; weak at the very least. She would most certainly be challenged-and likely usurped-by one of her kin and soon. Weakness was not tolerated among the giants. And yet...her heart beat oddly when she thought of Naruto leaving. With a sudden, curious pang of regret, she realized she didn't want him to go.

Words tumbled out of her all at once.

...allowmetotravelwithyou!"

Staaaaaare.

Naruto fixed her with a measured look, one that caused her to squirm in mild discomfort. By the ancestors, she'd nearly forgotten how terrifying he could be when pressed to it. No, that wasn't anger she glimpsed in those narrow eyes, but rather one of exasperation and mild impatience. He didn't look to be relenting anytime soon. Diane was of absolutely no help at all; her mouth hung agape, likely in shock at her kin's own declaration. Not that Matrona blamed her; she wasn't quite sure what had come over herself. Still, she wouldn't be speaking anytime soon. Still, that burning glare didn't relent...

"What?!" she sputtered, hugging her arms tight to herself. "Stop looking at me like that! I merely wish to see more of the world!"

Incredibly, Naruto snickered. "Yes, yes, and here, ladies and gentlemen we have a prime example of a tsundere-

Matrona couldn't help herself.

She burned red.

"Stop that!"

CRUNCH.

Diane fought down a sigh.

"Was that stomp really necessary, Matrona?"

A/N: Ohohohoho! Did I just do that? Whyyy, I think I did!

We rarely see Matrona written in the world of Seven Deadly Sins, even in the anime she wasn't around for that long. I can only hope to do her justice. After all, she's very much a warrior at heart and as such she isn't the best when it comes to expressing herself. The dynamic with her and Diane here is...entertaining to say the last.

Poor Naruto may have bitten off more than he can chew...again.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...

...Would You Kindly?

Oh, and before I forget...

ESCANOR ARRIVES NEXT CHAPTER.

Oh, and the Dragon Age reference is deliberate and obvious.

(Previews!)

"Fuck is this?" Naruto considered his gift, aghast. "A shield? I don't need a shield!"

"Well, that's rude. Our finest smiths named and commissioned it just for you."

"It has a name?"

Matrona nodded. "Fade Wall."

...thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather fight with my fists."

Matrona's face was a study of contrasts Diane decided; she looked as though she might laugh at any moment, but she was made equally incredulous by the blond's reluctance to wield it.

"You need a weapon."

Naruto twitched. "Do not."

Matrona sighed. "Yes, you do."

"I do not!"

Diane visibly deflated in on herself. "This...this was not how I expected my morning to go. At all."

Matrona couldn't help herself; she stifled a small smile behind a scarred hand.

"Noooooooo!" the child wriggled in Naruto's grasp. "Put me down!"

A stray muscle jumped in the blond's jaw.

"Brat! I just saved your life!"

He had only one word for her. "RUN."

The sun blazed down them.

Diane froze.

"How amusing." a rich, resonant voice arose from the crater, turning her joy to ash in her mouth. "I'd heard someone was responsible for wiping out a battalion of nights, but to think it would be a demon...and to think he would face me with naught but a shield. Are you brave? Or perhaps just foolish? Still, I sense there is something special about you...

Naruto exhaled in a long suffering sigh. "Why does everyone keep calling me a demon?!"

The towering human tilted his head, regarding him. "Do you claim otherwise?"

"Yes!" the blond sputtered! "Very much so!"

"Arm yourself, then. I will allow it."

"Oh, thanks ever so much~!"

R&R~!