A/N: Alright! I'm back with a chapter. Sorry for the long wait, I thank you for bearing with me again, as I've thanked my readers for "I Live On". I've finally written something and I am kinda getting back into the rhythm. Hopefully, it'll all come back to me, but as of now, I'm pretty sure my quality has dropped.

Exams followed by a lot of manga, will do that to you. .

But yeah, I've been replaying a few of my RPGs to get some inspiration for attacks and stuff like that, as for plot, picked out some old visual novels and went through bits and pieces, and this is what I came up with. It's been a while, but I am back for good.

I think. =D

Anyways, please enjoy this latest chapter of "Lost Paradise"!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Previously on Lost Paradise…

"Say kid, can you fly?"

"Do you want to learn?" Cerulean blue glowed as he gazed into Kimimaro's eyes, "I can teach you."

Realization had dawned on him, "I… I have a purpose now?"

Naruto laughed, "Sure you do. You gotta learn how to fly, and until you succeed, you're gonna stay with me. Now come on, we're getting out of here."

"What's your name?"

"Ah, Kimimaro. Kaguya Kimimaro."

Lost Paradise

Chapter 5: Nami no Kuni

"Aisureba koso, I areba koso." ~ "I love you, therefore I am." – From Diamond Crevasse in Macross Frontier

"Hah… hyan…" Gasps and moans could be heard even as she leaned into his embrace, her chest heaving as her hips bucked against his fingers, "Mo! You tease!"

Grinning, the blond shifted his head into view from behind and gently blew on her shivering skin, "Oh ho? Should I stop then?"

"Huaaaah!" Unable to stifle the cry, she bit down hard on her lips even as the blond gently licked her nipple, before taking it into his mouth and suckling on it, rolling it over and over his tongue.

His fingers never took a break, his left arm locking her body within his grasp while his right stroked her thoroughly, enjoying the feeling of her hidden muscles clenching with need, loving the feel of her juices dripping down his hand.

Brushing her hand through his wild hair, she gripped on it hard even as her head fell backwards, her gasps silent and rushed, moans not enough to express her lust anymore, "Hah… hah… Not there… no…" Her blush deepened as her body arched even further, "Ah!"

Picking up his pace, Naruto released the much loved nipple and turned his attention to her neck, planting butterfly kisses as he murmured, "Your skin is so silky, I can't get enough of it."

"T-that's w-wh-hat you keep s-saying… hah… hah…"

"Hm, right here?"

"Hyaaaa!" In a frenzy, she came. The much awaited release was finally granted even as she changed into a shivering mess, her hair flung everywhere even as she submerged within the ecstasy of the moment, her mouth opened wide, seeking for her beloved's lips as she slowly cooled down.

Slowly removing his fingers, he dragged them up her body in an agonizing manner, occasionally twirling around her bosom, before he broke the kiss and held his fingers up to the light, "Look, you're beautiful."

"Nya!" Capturing the wet digits in a swift move, her tongue licked over them repeatedly before taking them into her mouth, sucking and tasting her own essence, before she met his gaze with a smirk, "Want to taste it?"

Her answer was an instant kiss, with his lips tightly crushed on top of hers even as he dragged her down to meet him. At the same time, his hands reached down to cup her bottom, and without waiting any longer, he lifted her up and entered her in one swift motion, bringing her entire weight down onto his shaft.

"Haaaaaah! C-can't wait any longer?" Her heavy blush showed just how much she loved the feeling of him within her, how she was full to the brim, her inner muscles clamping down on him as she wriggled around, trying to get herself into position.

Grinning, he thrust his hips upwards and once again, the groaning and cries of lust were heard from the both of them. Both of them facing the same direction, with her straddling him, her knees bending as she rose and fell in a rhythmic oscillation, taking all of him in, feeling herself brought to yet another level of bliss as she melted into his touch.

His fingers resumed their previous jobs and found their way to her bosom. Grabbing one breast in each hand, he grinned as he felt them change into a variety of shapes under his touch, his fingers pinching and pulling on the nipples at certain intervals, earning him absolutely adorable mewing noises from his love.

Sitting himself straighter, he reached up and bit down on her ear, whispering words of passion to her, taking from her what she provided, and giving her what she needed. Together, they rose as one, hurtling towards that blinding thrill that awaited them. Their movements sped up, their breathing harsh, their eyes closed tight.

Connected so intimately, they held each other, joined as they reached for their nirvana, that shining ball of overwhelming emotions and feelings that was bound to be unleashed, and finally, they attained it.

"I-I'm coming…"

"Together?"

"Hell yes!"

It was as though a flash of power surging through her entire body, her mind wiped blank as she felt her muscles clamping down on him, milking him, feeling him fill her with his essence, the exhilarating emotion that threatened to burst her heart that very instant. Unable to keep quiet any longer, she screamed her release, her entire body tensed for a brief duration, before collapsing back onto her love, breathless and spent.

Her eyes were half lidded with pleasure, with faint traces of drool on the corners of her mouth, she lazily accepted yet another kiss from him, before mumbling, "Hm… that felt so good…"

Laughing, he nuzzled her cheek affectionately, "Glad to hear that."

Letting her hand fall into the water below, she dragged a few droplets of the liquid and splashed it onto her body, "Aw, now I gotta wash all over again."

This was the sight that greeted Kimimaro even as he strode into the stream to take his own shower. He didn't seem the least bit surprised, simply submerging into the water, taking a few refreshing dives, before washing himself and getting out. His only response to a completely naked Kazumi lying on top of an equally naked Naruto was the following:

"Dinner should be ready soon."

Grinning, the blond gave him a thumbs-up, "Cheers! We'll be right there. Come on, Kazumi, you heard him."

"Ah haha, thank you, Maro-kun~" Her eyes were drooping even as Naruto laid her on the surface of the water to go and wash himself. It felt great, to be able to simply lie on it, and then gradually sinking into the liquid bit by bit.

They were currently on the outskirts of Mizu no Kuni, having travelled for fifteen days away from the village where the two Fubukis resided. Their next destination had yet to be decided, and hence, they were simply drifting from place to place. Washing themselves in the wild and sleeping in the woods was common for them, and not much of a hassle.

The two adults felt no need to hide their love from Kimimaro, and since the boy did not have much knowledge about this subject in the first place, he didn't feel shy or anything like that at all. He had been curious though, as to why the couple would feel the need to constantly show their affection for one another, and Naruto simply laughed it off and told him that when he had his mate, he would understand.

That then led to the question about how a mate differed from a wife. Kazumi, or rather, Kyuubi had taken the boy aside and given him a lengthy explanation as to the importance and purpose of having a mate. It was quite impressive to see the boy simply acknowledge the information and set it aside for future reference, just like that. You would expect a normal child to either pose a lot of awkward questions, or vehemently protest against having to even touch the opposite sex.

Not Kimimaro apparently. The boy truly, whole-heartedly enjoyed affection, be it to show it or to receive it. He wanted to do every little thing for Naruto and Kazumi, always rushing to complete something for them so that they didn't have to go through the trouble. Kimimaro knew that most of the lodging preparations and hunting were done for him, because Kazumi had insisted the boy be as comfortable as possible. With their jutsu and elemental manipulating powers, a house or two in a fraction of a second wasn't really that much of a hassle.

The petting and praises that Kimimaro received were the crème de la crème. He had no idea before that physical affection could mean so much to a person. Subconsciously, he had yearned for this type of parental love for the past few years, and now, he was finally rewarded. Kazumi loved cuddling the boy, and surprisingly, the boy enjoyed it almost as much as she did. Naruto, too, made it a point to chat with the boy as much as possible.

Kimimaro had learned that trust was the first thing to any relationship. If you cannot trust, there was no point in moving forward anymore. Naruto had explained his short history back in Konoha, telling of the special events that occurred, the festivals that would take place and many other happy things, and then, on other days, he would mention the bullying and the assassination attempts. Throughout all his speeches, Kimimaro would listen with rapt attention, not wanting to miss even a word, because he had no idea the outside world could have so much action!

It was amazing to hear Naruto-san go through such wonderful adventures! While he might not understand the whole concept of how Naruto-san gained the appearance of a twenty-year old over one night, he still found it absolutely fantastic that such a thing could happen!

Though it was a pity that Naruto-san instantly told him a second later that it was impossible for him to attempt it as well. That had him pouting for a bit, before Kazumi-san came over and hugged him again.

Kazumi-san was a fascinating individual as well. She had a tail! A soft, smooth, fluffy tail! It looked so beautiful, and acted as an extra limb almost. At night, as he slept between them, the tail would curl around his body and keep him warm. Never before had he felt such security when he was amongst other people, and yet, this seemed like his haven.

Quite a huge change from before, where the only place where would actually be of use was when he was killing people. He had been afraid that Naruto and Kazumi would dislike him, and had been cowed to face them.

Hesitantly, he had asked, "Am I a bad person for having this bloodline? I… I… I used it to kill so many people…"

Kazumi was by his side faster than he could blink, and cooing, she nuzzled his cheek as she embraced him, "No, no. They were only using you, so it doesn't count. Besides, having a bloodline doesn't make you bad. It's how you use it!" A wide smile was on her face, contrasting the pained frown on Kimimaro's.

"Then… then I am bad… I used it for murder…"

"Yep!" Her cheerful tone definitely didn't help.

However, before the poor boy could get any more depressed, Naruto started laughing, before clapping a hand on his shoulder, "She's just teasing you, Maro. Though it's kinda true that you were bad before." Shrugging he, kneeled down and stared right into the boy's eyes, a wide smirk on his face, "Doesn't mean you can't become a good boy again, does it?"

Blinking, the Kaguya pondered it for a while, his face making expressions that were absolutely adorable as he tried to make his way through his dilemma, before finally giving a firm nod, "Hai!"

That of course, led to another intensive cuddling session with Kazumi. The kid was cute beyond belief, according to her, and she would enjoy it while it lasted. It wouldn't be as fun when Kimimaro grew up, that's for sure.

And back to the present, the three were huddled together before the fire, roasting the fish that Kimimaro had so kindly cooked while the two were engaged in their love making. Naruto had an arm around Kazumi's waist, holding her close while Kazumi hugged Kimimaro, who sat in the middle. Overall, it looked the very picture of 'family'.

Placing her head on top of the boy playfully, she nuzzled her chin on his hair, "Maro-chan~ Thank you so much!"

The sight of the boy shifting to get even closer to Kazumi both warmed and wrenched his heart. Just how long had the boy gone without any form of affection expressed to him? Naruto flicked his forehead to get his attention and gestured at the fish, "Come now, cuddle later. We need to get our tummies full first."

"Hai." Obediently, he retreated from her embrace and set about removing the fish from the pit.

Things were so peaceful.

So quiet.

So tranquil.

Eyebrows twitching, Naruto turned to Kazumi, "Your turn."

"Eh?! But why! I wanna eat the fish Maro-chan cooked!"

"Ah cut it out and get it over with." Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, he set about chomping on the delicious meal with Kimimaro, ignoring the hisses of death that his mate was currently sending at him. The boy sat beside him, staring at the exaggerated motions of the 'hand signs' Kazumi was making at him, basically telling him to feed her first.

Glancing up at the blond, he gulped down his bite, before holding out his stick of fish to her, "Here."

"Waaaaai! Maro-chan daisuki~~~ (Love you the most), unlike a certain someone." Glaring in Naruto's direction and muttering more curses, she was gone in a flash, leaving the two males there to enjoy their meal as normal.

The woods were really nice. Kimimaro smiled as he bit down on his food again. It would be his turn next. That was something worth looking forward to.

Screams of pain echoed throughout the area, reverberating of the trees even as the two males continued their munching. Kazumi had always been the sadistic one of them. Naruto and Kimimaro preferred efficiency, but lately, it would seem that Kazumi was rubbing off on the boy and he would sometimes take slight pleasure in killing his enemies.

"Hirensen! (Arrow of the Fire Lotus)" As the name of the technique suggests, Kazumi summoned up crimson flames from her right palm, shaping it delicately into that of a lotus, before firing it right through the Kiri hunter-nins sent after them, the flames engulfing them in separate streams, consuming them like the rage of a fiery flow, combusting at the very end for dramatic effect.

Needless to say, they were put down relatively easily, and Kazumi was back to nibbling her fish while cuddling Kimimaro at the same time.

It would seem that after their defiance at the village where the Fubukis resided, the Mizukage caught word of their presence and had started sending out nins to take them out, or so it would seem. Nevertheless, their failures were all remarkably noted as the three of them took care of the Kiri shinobi over and over. In fact, just recently, they've decided on taking turns as to who would fight the next batch.

Naruto saw no need to hide themselves or to cover their trail, and so it was obvious the hunter-nins would only need a bit of time before they were discovered.

"How many were there?"

"Fifteen~"

"Wow, I feel honored that we deserve so much attention."

"Om nom nom~"

"Ah, Kazumi-san, you've got a bit left on the corner of your mouth. Let me wipe it off for you."

"Aw, thank you, Maro-chan!"

They would be at a village soon anyways, simply a few more hours of walking and they would be there. After this last 'slaughter', surely the Mizukage would take a 'break' to start considering alternative ways to get rid of them. Only a fool would continuously send troops after a target that kills them every single time.

The Mizukage was no fool.

Or was he?

"Guurrgh!" Naruto deadpanned as he snapped his fingers. The final remaining assassin was taken care of in a burst of flames.

"Kazumi, you missed one."

"No I didn't~"

"… You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"That's what you get for not letting me eat my fish!"

"All I said was 'get it over with'. Which bit of that translates to me not letting you eat?"

"But, but, but I'm hungry! I need my energy after all that exercise!"

"Hm… I see, we should cut down the – " His sentence was rudely interrupted as Kazumi crashed her lips onto his, pinning him to the floor even as she removed her clothes, "Not a chance."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto traced a finger around her bosom, "I don't want you getting tired though." The teasing tone in his voice was clear for all to hear, though it was a pity that Kimimaro had gone off to find more wood the moment Kazumi jumped Naruto, and the area was pretty much littered with corpses.

"Then rejuvenate me~" Grinding her hips against his, she lowered her torso, so that her nipple was dangling right above his lips.

"It's the blood, isn't it?"

"Maaaaaybe? Hehe...."

Not one to decline the offer of a lady, the blond took the gift in his mouth and began to work his way down her body.

It would be an hour before they finished.

Which just happened to be when Kimimaro came back with the wood.

That boy was a gem.

With the Fubukis…

"Okaa-san?" Haku asked as she walked alongside Aoi, her finger placed lightly over her lip to complete a thinking expression, "Are we there yet?"

Shaking her head, the Fubuki sighed, "No. I wish we were though."

"Awww, but, but, I wanna see Kazumi-san and Naruto-san soon!"

When they had woken up that day, Aoi read through the letter Naruto had left behind and was at a loss as to what to do next. At first, she had expected herself to be relieved, since the hunter-nins were dead, and the ones that killed them had left, and hence, that made it possible for them to continue living in hiding.

But those were mere excuses. That wasn't what she wanted. Haku was her pride and joy, and for the two of them to live the rest of their lives in hiding was a disgrace, and completely unacceptable.

Aoi knew why she felt so hollow as she reached the end of the letter. No matter how short their meeting was, that blond had made a huge impact on her life, saving not only her virtue but Haku's innocence as well. They were on the verge of death, and yet with such ease, he had rescued them, without hesitation at all. For someone who had been running for so long, the fact that anyone bothered to help them warmed her heart more than ever.

A little part of her had wanted him to stay, but now it was too late. He was gone, so as to prevent trouble from reaching her. Without warning, tears were trickling down her cheeks, even as she embraced her sobbing daughter, her eyes traced over the words of the letter.

There was surprisingly no hesitation after that. Gazing at Haku, she had asked if she wanted to go find them. Sniffing, her daughter had replied in the affirmative with vigorous nods to emphasize her point, and hence, here they were, travelling on the outskirts of Mizu no Kuni, heading towards Nami no Kuni.

The village had been extremely quiet at their departure, not wanting to have anything to do with those who had a bloodline. It had been quite easy to simply stroll out, leaving their 'home' behind, but even little Haku had realized it.

That place wasn't home at all.

And so they set off, wandering from place to place, asking people if they had seen three individuals travelling together. At first, it had been quite difficult to trace them, despite the fact that all three of them had easily distinguishable features. Blond hair, red tail and white-haired kid weren't all that common at all.

Without much success, Aoi then decided to go about a different route. If there weren't any information on the main roads, then surely, there had to be some kind of trail in the woods and mountains. Hence, from then on, the Fubuki picked tiny paths that led into forests and the like, hoping to find a sign, any sign that Naruto had passed through here.

Soon, she was rewarded with a great find. The smell of blood lingered in the air, and quietly telling Haku to close her eyes, she had witnessed the presence of multiple corpses flung all over the place. Looking at their masks, there was no mistake that these were definitely Kiri hunter-nin. And for someone to so easily dispose so many of them, it just had to be Naruto.

After all, she had witnessed his strength first hand, and felt his power, even as she lost conscious back then. Haku had told her about the way he used flames and given the scorches on the corpses, the probability that Naruto took care of them was high. Choosing to trust her instincts on this one, Aoi and Haku both continued on, travelling at a relatively slow pace.

Haku was a child after all, and Aoi didn't want to burden her too much. Along the way, she had begun teaching her daughter the basics of chakra and the meaning of having a Kekkei Genkai.

The sight of a joyous Haku cheerfully learning how to manipulate snow in her tiny palms brought a smile to her face. She should have known that the child would love it, all Fubukis do. Though it brought back painful memories, Aoi no longer had any hesitation. If hunter-nins were to find them, then she would simply fight. While she might not win, she had a ninety percent chance of escaping safely with Haku. As long as there was water around, she was fine.

It was quite a relief that none bothered them so far, but even so, she had been extremely cautious with their trails, erasing any tracks that might notify the hunter-nins that they had been there before.

Staring up at the cloudy sky, she murmured even as Haku skipped happily by her side, "Soon, we'll meet again…"

Naruto-san.

Elsewhere……

"Ha! Not so courageous now are you?" Kneeing him in the gut, the short businessman leaned on his cane once more, eying his prey with disgust, "To think that someone dared stand up to me in this pathetic country! Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Gesturing with a wave of his hand, the two mercenaries smirked evilly before punching the bound male in the sides, temporarily cutting off his ability to breathe.

"Bugs! That's what you are! Why can't you seem to accept that, hm?!"

Using blades, they deliberately gave him messy, shallow cuts, letting the blood flow while inflicting a certain amount of pain, but definitely not enough to kill him. Not yet.

Sighing, the businessman shook his head, "Look, that's all they can do. I don't even know why you bother fighting. Why not just give in?"

Kaiza could barely even see straight at the moment, tears flowing down his cheeks despite his utmost efforts to keep his pain in. Of course, he hadn't screamed or anything, but he was at his limit.

Before him stood Nami no Kuni's biggest enemy, the notorious businessman Gato. He was the one who took control of their ports with his mercenaries and started using the country's funds to do his dirty work. Naturally, the country soon experienced what it meant for the rich to get richer and the poor, poorer. All the businessmen had either thrived under Gato or left the country, not wanting to be part of his scheme. And Gato had allowed that, as long as they didn't interfere with his money making, it was fine.

He could no longer bear seeing the kids starving in the streets, and those who had resorted to theft be beaten to death by those Yakuzas. It was a fate unimaginable to those who had led a quiet life. None of the countries near them had any idea just what was really going on, other than the fact that Gato had taken control. The fake image that Wave was growing wealthier was easily woven by Gato who had chosen to occasionally send expensive gifts to neighbouring countries as a 'sign of goodwill', in other words, telling them to 'please not check us out.'

The Wave country had never been a major part of trade, even before Gato came, at most, it had been fish, certain clay products and that was about it. None of their trades affected any of their neighbouring countries a lot. Shinobi would rarely visit their village, seeing how bandits and the sort weren't all that common, and slowly, the number of requests sent out decreased, until they were fully cut off by Gato, who began hiring missing-nin from all countries, adding them to his mercenary group, creating a tough force to be reckoned with, on par, even with some of the better trained Shinobis.

The businessman had cheated them with contract, lulling the citizens of Wave into a sense of false security, before going back on his word and making sure no one dared resist him by maintaining the entire country with an iron fist. He had absolute power, and none dared defy him. Deaths and tortures were common to all those that slighted him even in the most indirect way possible, and so, people of the Wave lost hope.

It was an impossible situation, and yet he still stood out. He had been deemed 'Hero' of the Wave, risking his life multiple times, choosing to put his life on the line to rescue those in danger. They trusted him, admired him and respected him. Hence, he decided it was the least he could do for them.

Even in this endless spiral of misery, he did what he could. It wasn't much at all. At best, he fought a few of the mercenaries, and barely defeated them with a single breath remaining, his protests to Gato was voiced, yet fell on deaf ears as the man simply couldn't be bothered to handle a mere 'bug' like him, or so he said.

It was the last straw, after ending up beaten yet again, his wife had begged him to stop. His child too, feared for him, and yet he still did it. He loved them, Tsunami and Inari, even that old drunkard father-in-law, Tazuna, and he had to do whatever he could to protect them, not let them continue dwelling in fear and despair. No matter how small his presence meant before Gato, he had to do something.

And so here he was, eyes blurring, barely holding on to his consciousness, the cries of his family ringing in his ears even as the rest of the village surrounded the 'execution' grounds. All of them could only watch on, as the mercenaries guarded the area, leaving Gato to have a little 'one-on-one' chat with Kaiza, the idiot who dared set fire to the goods of the great Gato-sama.

They had laughed at him, such a moron for even attempting such a feat. Had he wanted to die that badly? Did he not know that it was all futile in the end?

Kaiza knew. Yet he had to give the villagers a message. He had to get them to face reality. Hiding and wallowing in misery wasn't going to cut it anymore. Even if they were mercenaries, the odds were against Gato. He, a simple fisherman, had been able to take down about five mercenaries using only his trident. Why wouldn't the others find their courage and stand up against them?!

"I'm talking to you, bitch!" Slamming his foot into his face yet again, Kaiza was snapped out of his reverie as he tasted blood in his mouth. It wouldn't be the first time that he felt such agony. It would soon be over, he just knew it. Gato would cut him up a bit, and then kill him. That was the whole point of this whole farce.

Gato could have taken him out instantly, but he wanted to have a public show, just to inflict more terror on the citizens, to 'make an example' of them, or so he said, warning them about the consequences of going against him.

Of course it was effective. How could it not be? Right now, the 'hero' was bowing at his feet, bleeding to death even as his head was stepped on, digging his face into the ground, making sure he was nothing but a shivering, useless mess.

"Papa! Papa!" Inari's voice cut through the murmurs and echoed in his ears, even as those words were being muffled by Tsunami.

Smiling wryly, he sighed, knowing it was all for the best. This was where his life ended. He had failed after all. Perhaps his power really had been too insignificant. But even so, he would not regret what he had done. It might have been selfish for him to simply risk everything and leave his family in peril, but even so, he had no regrets.

He had simply… placed too much faith in the villagers.

"Now, now, we can't have you simply drifting off to sleep, can we?" Gato sniffed haughtily, before spitting on him, "You filthy little bastard, it's time to meet your end! Wake up!"

Lifting his head tiredly, Kaiza's could only open his eyelids halfway. Mustering the rest of his strength, he pushed himself off the floor and tried to headbutt the businessman, only for the two mercenaries on the side to press him on the floor again.

That earned him a straight stab through the shoulders, pinning him to the ground, sending a surge of pain so sharp that he wanted to scream bloody murder. But that wouldn't do, that would only serve to scare the villagers even more, and he couldn't have that. So he had to swallow it, but pain really wasn't something that could be swallowed so easily, so he settled for biting down on his lips as hard as he could.

"Damn it! What are you waiting for! Kill him!"

The huge barbarian with the axe slowly stepped forward at this point, a dopey smile on his face widening as he neared Kaiza. The cries of horror from the citizens along with the desperate screams of Inari echoed in the area, only to be silenced as Gato snarled, "Oh shut up! I've had enough of your yapping! One more word and I'll kill all of you right now! Do you hear me?!"

The area was silenced in but a moment, leaving only a panting Kaiza, eyes rolling back into their sockets even as he tried desperately to stay awake. Letting such a fat tub of lard execute him was quite a disgusting sight to behold, and seemed to work against him being conscious, but either way, he still yelled, "Inari! Protect your mother and grandfather! Don't be as useless as I am!"

"For fuck's sake! What are you waiting for! Chop his head off now!" Gato growled impatiently, not liking the fact that this dog was still yelping even at his death. The sooner he was dealt with the better. Oh, the troubles he had to go through to conquer a country.

"Papa!!!"

And the axe surged downwards, flung with all his might by the executioner, that gleeful smile on his face being the last image that Kaiza shall ever see as he met his death.

Such a nauseating sight to behold…

"PAPA!!!!"

Gato had already turned his back on the scene, grabbing some tobacco out of his pocket to take a drag, not wanting to be in the presence of such a filthy bug. Rummaging around, he was surprised to find his tobacco missing.

Frowning, he searched around some more. He was sure he placed it in his pocket this morning. Getting more frustrated by the second, he then realized that there had been no resounding echo of the 'chopping' sound. Surely that big an axe would make some impact on the human flesh? Or was this fatass just another useless piece of crap?

Turning around with hand still in pocket, he was about to spring a series of curses at this subordinates, only to gape at the sight of them dead on the ground, lying at the feet of a white-haired boy.

Unable to comprehend just what was going on, his eyes then traced the form of a still breathing Kaiza, and finally clicking that perhaps, just perhaps, this boy had been the one to kill them, he raised his voice, snarling, "Who the fuck do you think you are butting into other people's business?!"

The boy simply stared at him, before ignoring him and clenched his fist, as though to retrieve something. It was then that Gato saw a length of white stuff retreat back into the boy's body, and on the very tip of it… was his case of tobacco.

Staring in disbelief, he could only stutter, "B-bone…?!"

All the spectators were completely taken away by this sudden turn of events, none of them had any idea as to just what had happened. Inari stared on in absolute awe, his mind forever remembering the instant where the man that was holding the axe had his entire torso pierced through in an instant, ending his life, before the two other mercenaries met their ends with equally lethal bones. And then, the boy had came into view, and it didn't take much to figure out that the boy was the one who had rescued his father.

Kaiza, on the other hand, could barely make out his surroundings given his injuries and fatigue, and was wondering why even dying took so long. Somehow, the fat executioner was replaced with a frail looking young boy, who was currently staring at him with an emotionless face.

"W-who…"

"You're hurt."

"H-huh…?"

"Don't cry."

"Wha-at…?"

Completely unable to make sense of those words, he had half a mind to yell out at the boy to run away, lest Gato's men got their hands on him. It was futile after all, what could a boy like him do? But he was so tired… his limbs, his body…

Gato looked on, flabbergasted that a mere boy like this could come and interfere something he had all planned! What was this blasphemy!

"Oi! Get your asses out here and finish him off! I don't pay for you to just stand there!" Gesturing wildly with his hand, he yelled, "Kill him! Kill him now!"

The rest of the mercenaries who had been guarding the area all charged at the same time, their battle cries resounding through the air even as they closed in on the motionless boy. Tilting his head, he simply stood there, as though waiting, not bothering to do anything to stop their advance.

"Ah! Look out!" Inari couldn't help but yell, as did Tsunami, though hers was in the form of a frightful gasp.

Hearing the cries, the boy turned his head towards them and gave a short bow, before folding his arms inwards, eyes closed.

"It's over!"

"Die brat!"

Uncaring of the 'danger' before him, he spread his hands outwards in a swift motion, a chakra pulse emitting from his body, and in a quiet voice, he mumbled, "Hasu Tanhou! (Blossoming Lotus)"

Before many disbelieving eyes, sharp, devastating bones erupted from almost every part of his body at the same time, as though opening up from within his body, easily ensnaring all the mercenaries in one go, tunneling through their guts and skulls with ease, and in but a second, the bones were covered in blood, the crimson dripping off the sides from the newly-created holes of the corpses, as though highlighting the end of the blossom.

Unable to say anything, Gato felt his legs give way at the sight of this carnage. Ten of his men, killed in the blink of an eye, just like that. What was this boy?! What the fuck was with those bones?! Could it be that he was… a bloodline user?! But, but those should have been captured or killed off already!

The citizens of wave were equally shocked by this development. The gruesome sight was too much for some of them, and it was inevitable that some puked, however, the rest were simply amazed. To think that a boy could hold this much power within him. It was completely unthinkable!

"Now, now, what did I tell you about making a mess of things?" A voice sounded from behind Gato, and though it had sounded quite neutral in the ears of the Wave citizens, to Gato, it was like that of the devil itself. The killing intent directed at him currently was causing him to suffocate, and writhing on the floor, his hands clawed around, desperately trying to suck in some oxygen.

"Mo, Maro-chan! You shouldn't have run off just like that!"

"Gomen, Kazumi-san, but I saw this man being beaten up, so I thought I would help him."

"Awww, that's our Maro-chan! Come here!" The crimson lady that had appeared beside the blond man spread her arms, summoning the boy for a hug.

Obediently retracting his bones, he embraced her eagerly, loving the pets that she was giving him, "Yosh, yosh! Good boy, but next time, tell us first, okay?"

"Hai."

"Urgh, Kazumi, he's not a three-year old. He can go wherever he wants without reporting to you, you know that right?"

"But, but, but I want Maro-chan at my side at all times!"

"… Why…?"

"Hug hug!"

"…… I'm lost."

"Muquuuuu! See! Muqqquuuuuu!" Rubbing her cheek against the boy, she pulled him in for yet another tight hug, treating Kimimaro almost like a plushie, with a blissful expression on her face. "His skin is sooo soft!"

"……" Rubbing his brow even as he shook his head, Naruto shrugged, "Well, as long as Kimimaro's okay with that."

"I'm okay."

"… That… was a fast reply."

"Hai."

"You tell him, Maro-chan!"

Temporarily ignoring his mate, Naruto turned back to the dying Gato, his eyebrow raised, "I have to say, I didn't expect a mere businessman to be able to hire missing-nin of that caliber. Must speak volumes of your wealth." Glancing at the bleeding man not far away, Naruto narrowed his eyes, "Twenty four hours."

Gato suddenly felt the pressure around him lift, and gulping down volumes of air, his face pale with fear, he stuttered, "W-what…?"

"I'm not talking to you, filth." Ignoring the scared-to-death Gato, Naruto trudged over to Kaiza and lifted him over his shoulder, before walking over to the crowd, "Does this guy have his family around here?"

Still in a daze, Tazuna and Tsunami barely realized that he was addressing them, and quickly rushed forward, checking on the status of Kaiza, while Inari continued staring at Kimimaro and Kazumi.

"Ne, ne, what do we do with those in hiding?" Kazumi piped cheerfully even as she continued her nuzzling session.

Naruto simply gazed off in the distance, "That would depend on their stupidity. Come, I need your help with this."

"But, but, muquuu!"

"… Kazumi."

"Muquuu!"

"I don't believe this."

"Muqqquuuuuuu!!"

"Ok, fine, I just need Yukari-san."

Crimson flashed dangerously, "Brat! Why do you assume it's me?!"

"… It's not…?"

"Muquuuuu!!"

"NO!"

The very image of Kyuubi acting like a teenage girl in love with her new plushie seemed quiet amusing, and frankly, very out of character, but then again, Yukari-san acting so high seemed implausible as well. Perhaps the two of them reached a new personality or something, but right now, he couldn't care less.

"No more … 'muquu' or whatever it is you're saying. It's that or no sex."

"MU… WHAT?!"

"You heard me."

"Meanie! You know that I need it!"

"Nah, you can do without it. It's simply a luxury one can easily give up."

"LIES!"

Even as the squabbling continued, Kimimaro remained silent, his eyes staring at a certain shadow hiding within a building. He had been looking to see if the enemy made a move and was satisfied to find them extremely quiet. Naruto-san was really scary when he needed to be.

Deciding to stop Kazumi-san before she got out of hand, Kimimaro muttered, "Ano, Kazumi-san, I agree with Naruto-san on this one. You should look at that man first. He's bleeding to death. If you don't save him, then it would have been pointless of me to have saved him, and I would feel very sad."

Kazumi blinked, before pouting, "Fine. But definitely more muquu later, okay?"

Giving a tiny smile, the boy nodded, "Okay."

"And definitely sex later, you hear me, Naruto?!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He was already walking off along with Tazuna who was anxiously leading the way to their house.

"Oi! Listen when I'm talking to you!"

And with that, Kazumi and Kimimaro pushed their way through a dumbfounded crowd, and headed off after Naruto.

The entire change of events was too great for any of them to even decipher what was going on. It took them awhile to realize that Gato was no longer there, but even so, there was nothing they could have done. Almost everything had been done for them already, and yet…

"Let's go see Kaiza-san!"

"Yeah!"

Back at Gato's company…

"Ha… ha… what, who was that?! Why didn't you kill him! Wh-what am I paying you guys for?!"

A huge zanbato appeared by his neck in an instant, "Shut up. We have no interest in your rambling. All we care about is the money. Do you have it?"

"Of, of course! Get that thing away from me!"

"Very well, as long as you pay, we'll get the job done."

"Then hurry! I want him dead! I want his head before me!"

"There is no rush, you heard him, he'll be here in twenty-four hours." A smirk grew on his face even as he looked towards his comrade, "Looks like we'll be having some fun eh?"

Yet another Zanbato came into view, this time strung on the back of an eyebrow-less shinobi, "That guy smells like trouble, to be able to emit that much killing intent without blinking…"

"Pft, what are you scared about? There ain't anybody in this world that can take on two of the Seven Swordsmen and still live!"

Well, seemed like a good place to end, so I'll stop here. Pretty sure most of you can guess who the two are, so I'm not going to elaborate further. Proper action chapter next, so stay tuned!

What will happen to Wave Country?

Will Aoi and Haku catch up to Naruto?

Please await the next chapter of "Lost Paradise".

Until then, cheers guys. Read and review plz. =D