First the disclaimer I do not own Naruto and Mass Effect.

Here's chapter five everyone enjoy.

"Human/alien talking"

'Human/alien thinking'

"Human talking via radio"

"EDI/Collector talking"

"Kurama talking through Naruto"

"EDI Talking over radio/Kurama talking to Naruto"

- Chapter Five -

_Illium: Growing Closer_

Naruto sat meditating peacefully in the lotus position within his own quarters, to the casual observer however there was only one thing wrong, he was meditating while sat upside-down on the ceiling while doing so. After escorting Samara to her quarters and answering the few questions she had regarding how he understood her order his answer being that her order was similar to the Samurai of his own world. From there he had wondered the Ship getting to know the crew a bit more. Garrus he found was laid back but with the discipline of a seasoned solider. Miranda, he knew from the mission with her that while she was cold she had a kind and caring side she kept to herself.

Jacob was a well-disciplined solider who had a mistrust for mercenaries and assassins. Zaeed was an old war horse with a chip on his shoulder over something from his past. Mordin was analytical always preferring to out think his opponents rather than fight them head on. Surprisingly though Naruto had discovered that Mordin had a love of music.

Jack was wild with a mouth that would make even the saltiest of sailor's blush, but Naruto was no fool he could see that Jack was vulnerable she hid it well and Naruto only said he was available to talk as a friend if she needed it which she declined but strangely thanked him regardless. Grunt… well Grunt was young, and bull headed with an urge to prove himself.

EDI the ship's AI was patient and willing to answer any questions he still had and surprisingly curious as well as he had spent many hours answering her own questions over subjects ranging from the cuisine to the political structure of Honba's various governments. Gabby and Ken the ship's engineers were a right double act and good humored who despite working for a pro human organization was thankful for Tali's presence in engineering. Joker the ship's pilot was the most laid-back person Naruto had ever met with a good sense of humor who had achieved a great deal despite his brittle bones. Naruto had begun to wonder if a strengthening seal would help Joker with his condition. As for Jane he could tell that they were very much a like and that she was loyal to all her friends especially Liara her most precious person.

Then there was Tali, to Naruto Tali was kind, gentle and caring but had the fierceness of a mother Fox protecting her kits. She was also incredibly patient with him during his studies answering questions or correcting him when he got something wrong using simple but not condescending explanations, something he was grateful for. He had also in turn answered all the questions she had about everything from his own culture all the way up to the technology of Honba due to the strangeness of it being a mix of very early to highly advanced.

With a breath Naruto stopped the flow of Chakra which allowed him to adhere to the ceiling and fell with the gentleness of a feather to the floor. Grabbing his sword from where it was leaned against the wall he drew the blade slightly and frowned at the small nicks and notches that the blade had gained when fighting the Eclipse Sisters. 'Damn I guess Jacob was right.' Naruto thought. "EDI, could you pass a requisition order on to Jacob about getting me a more modern sword please." Naruto asked out loud getting a confirmation from EDI. Placing his sword on a shelf Naruto was about to return to his meditation when there was a gentle knock on the door.

Answering the door Naruto found that it was Tali on the other side. "What's up Tali-Chan?" Naruto asked with a smile. Tali admittedly being the one Naruto felt most comfortable to be around. "Shepard wants us to go on a small supply run while she goes to recruit Thane Krios" Tali explained gesturing Naruto to follow her.

Doing so Naruto fell into step with Tali as they entered the elevator. "So, what supplies are we getting?" Naruto asked as the elevator began its assent. "Just some basics Naruto, Dextro foods for Garrus and yourself seeing as you are able to eat them. Dextro nutrient pastes for me normal foods for everyone else. The Commander wants us to look for some ship models and fish for her cabin." Tali explained as they exited the elevator just as Tali's Omni-tool beeped with a message. Looking at the message a smile graced Tali's face behind her mask. "And it looks like a new sword for you" Tali explained as the pair made their way through the CIC before exiting the ship.

=N7=

Later after having purchased all the necessary supplies and having shipped them back to the Normandy Naruto and Tali went to a local Bar to relax. Now the pair sat overlooking the city

Both enjoying a nice cold drink, an Asari Sunset for Naruto and a Dextro herbal iced tea for Tali. "Naruto, I want to thank you for what you did when you helped my fellow Quarian escape her indentured servitude. Especially how you convinced Synthetic Insights to hire her and give her a permanent job. She may never return to the Flotilla, but she at least has a better future now." Tali said her gratitude evident by the way she was now gripping his hand. "You even went out of your way to help Shiala and the Colonists of Zhu's Hope even though you've never met any of them." Tali said remembering the near scolding Naruto had given the Baria Frontiers rep over the invasive medical scans of not only the colonists but Shiala as well considering the poor Asari had turned green instead of her natural blue due to her exposure to the Thorian.

Returning her grip Naruto smiled. "Tali, I'll tell you now I would help any Quarian or anybody else that needed help. Your people especially don't deserve the treatment they get, and I know one day all Quarians will be forgiven for creating the Geth and will return to Rannoch."

Hearing Naruto's words Tali smiled behind her face visor. "Thank you Naruto. I just hope I get to see it." Tali said and Naruto could hear the near sadness in her voice.

"Hey there's no need to be sad Tali, be hopeful and maybe it will be your generation who will return to Rannoch. Unlike myself who can't return home due to Honba's condition." And this time it was Tali who heard the sadness in her friend's own voice. So deciding to change the subject Tali began to ask Naruto about the craft his people used in their space program.

=N7=

The next day Tali watched Naruto through the window above the shuttle bay as he spared with Thane each using their own respective styles of martial arts. Both different to the other but no less deadly. Where Thane's style flowed like water always pushing and grinding against Naruto's defense, Naruto moved like the wind always moving with Thanes attacks Tali thought of a leaf on the wind or even a hawk gliding through the air when watching Naruto.

Both Naruto and Tali had returned long after Nightfall the previous day, before going their separate ways. No one on duty had said anything but they could tell the pair had grown closer in the time they spent away from the ship. Not romantically but certainly as friends. Something that caused a few of the crew to quietly grumble to themselves as a pool had started over when the two would get together.

So, engrossed with watching the two sparing Tali never noticed the figure exit the elevator behind her until they spoke. "He's something isn't he?" Turning in surprise Tali saw that it was Jane who had spoken.

Shaking off her surprise Tali nodded before returning to the spar where Naruto had just judo tossed Thane to the ground the Drell quickly recovering. "Yes, he is Jane. I've been watching for a while now and can tell Naruto's strong. He's even offered to help me improve my own hand to hand fighting ability as well as learning to fight better with my knife." Tali answered watching as Thane faked a punch to Naruto's stomach only to catch the blonde off guard with a reverse spin kick.

You going to take him up on that offer Tali? It might be a clever way for the two of you to get even closer as friend, or maybe something more." Jane said off hand still hoping the pair would get together, which reminded her she needed to check on who was still in the pool later seeing as even EDI had placed a wager down. The AI saying she would find a use for the Credits even if she didn't really need them.

"Something more? Shepard are you suggesting I like Naruto as more than a friend?" a slightly scandalized Tali asked of her human friend.

"I Never implied that." Jane said with a face straight as an arrow. "Anyway, the real reason I came down here was to give you the heads up that we are heading to the collector ship that hit Horizon, I'll be taking you, Mordin and Naruto on this one so go and get some rest we will arrive in ten hours. I'll let Naruto know." Jane then explained getting a nod from Tali who headed back up to the crew deck to use a sleep pod. Jane then recalled the elevator and took it down to inform Naruto about the Mission.

=N7=

Later found Naruto sat in the Med bay not due to an injury received because of the spar against Thane, but at the request of Doctor Chakwas who had a question regarding his Chakra. "Honestly Doc I don't know how I can be any help with questions about Chakra. My area of expertise was combat not medical." Explained Naruto after Chakwas had explained her reason for calling him to the Med Bay.

"I understand Naruto but the reason I asked was due to curiosity not medical. My question is do you know if the Chakra network in your peoples' body was ever fully and accurately mapped?"

Thinking for a moment Naruto shook his head in the negative. "Not to my knowledge, but my friend Sakura Haruno, who was an accomplished Medic Nin always wanted too but said it was impossible for two reasons. One we had no way to get a scan detailed enough even with the Hyuga Clans help. And two we couldn't display it accurately enough." Naruto explained having told Chakwas about some of the different clans over lunch on the trip to Illium.

Doctor Chakwas smiled softly at hearing this before typing on her console bringing up a projection of a series of lines of varying thicknesses in a humanoid shape. But what caught Naruto's attention were the large number of slightly large points on the body and even with out counting Naruto knew they were the three hundred and sixty-one Tenketsu.

Standing Naruto circled the hologram of his own Chakra Network in amazement before looking back at Chakwas. "Sakura always speculated the network was more extensive than what the Medical Corps believed, but this… this goes beyond that."

Then in honor of your friend why don't we call this the SCS or Sakura Chakra Scan?" Chakwas suggested getting a gentle smile from Naruto.

"I think she would have liked that Doc. Will there be anything else?" Naruto then asked.

"No this is all I wanted to show you. You best get some rest before we hit the Collector Ship."

Naruto nodded before leaving the Med Bay and returned to his quarters where he plopped on the bed and closed his eyes knowing that they would be at the collector Ship in nine hours. Meanwhile just around the corner a young Quarian rested in a sleep pod her dreams as they had always been was of having a house on the home-world but this time there was something different. Someone was with her and she could hear the sounds of children playing in the house. Who the person stood by her side was she didn't know, all she knew was that besides her children he was her entire world. Little did she know but this night her dream was shared by someone she had grown close to over the past few days.

What the dreaming pair didn't know was, that the seed of love had been planted in them both all it needed was a little nurture and that seed would grow.

Word Count – 2117

Well that's Chapter five done and dusted not really much going on in this one other than finishing off some bits on Illium and deepening Narutos' and Talis' relationship