Claymore Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Red Dawn ❯ Training Isn't Enough... Something More is Needed ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Say what now?!" Clare yelled as they neared the entrance of the Holy City, Rabona.

Rubbing her temple, wishing that she did not have to do this, Irene glared at Clare as she had to go over it again. "I'm only telling you what I was told. This is a stealth mission, one that you must keep from being detected as you search for the yoma, which is at least three times as strong as the last one. Obviously buying a room and moving through town do not count and you're allowed to be seen then, if you didn't blow your cover already blow your cover."

Looking towards her guardian, her mouth agape, Clare looked at the city and back at Irene multiple times before complaining. "But I have no stealth skills! Naruto never really went over them with me, so I don't know what I'm suppose to do!"

"Never went over them… Girl, did you not pay attention to half of what he taught you?" Irene gazed at Clare incredulously as she had been present for a few lessons and had been briefed on what they covered, mostly because she was around Teresa when Naruto briefed her. "Most of the stuff I saw was about cloak and daggers, how to evade pursuers, slipping behind your enemy… Things ninjas should know!"

"…I guess he did, but I never really did pay attention." Clare admitted which in turn had Irene face fault as she begun regretting she even asked. "I was more focused on how to get more powerful I think I kind of just ignored anything about stealth and espionage unless he tested me on it."

"Most of his training was testing! I don't remember him sitting down with you once! It was all field training!" Irene cried out, ready to strangle the girl in front of her as she was testing her patience… Something that had been declining for the last few years, mostly thanks to Naruto, Teresa and Luciela.

It was at this exact moment when Clare smirked, Irene was ready to use the Quick Sword and decapitate the young girl, Teresa's vengeance be damned. "You were fucking with me this entire time!"

"Of course." Clare grinned as she noted her guardian reaching for her sword but thought nothing of it. "I've been training with Naruto since we've been in the south… I found I liked his sense of humor and I have to agree, annoying people is rather fun."

At this point, Clare jumped to the side as the ground beside her turn into rubble, Irene's hand gripping her sword's hilt. "You have five seconds… Otherwise the next will be on target."

Clare didn't hesitate. She took off and found her way into the holy city. She had forgotten one of the cardinal rules of Naruto's pranking one-o-one. Never push your luck too far.

"Um excuse me… Do you have a room for the night?" Clare asked the inn keeper, who oddly enough had a mohawk. "Also, if you know any good places to get a drink, I would be most appreciative."

Gazing at her for only a moment, the man nodded as he momentarily checked the keys behind him. "Ah yes… We have a few rooms and suite available. The suite is a hundred and twenty beras while a room with one bed is only fifty, forty if you don't want a meal."

Raising her eyebrow as the prices were a little higher then normal, she simply shrugged as this was the holy city and should have figured it would have been a little more expensive. Taking out a rather large amount, she slipped it onto the desk. "I'll take the room with one bed for a few nights. I'm here sight seeing and maybe even be baptized during my stay."

"Good for you." The man chirped as he happened to be baptized and thought it was great another had come to be blessed. "I do, however, have to warn you. There is a curfew out and anyone out during night will be taken in and questioned. I'm not too sure what is going on but the soldiers are on high alert as a few of the priests have suddenly disappeared. There might be a yoma around so be careful while you are here."

Narrowing her eyes for a moment as that was a sure sigh that it was indeed a yoma, Clare simply nodded and took the key the man offered. "You room is just down the hall, first on the right. …And for your other question there are a few bars in town. The closest is a few blocks down… But I must say it is rather odd such a young women like yourself drinks. You should enjoy your life as these are the best years in your life and save drinking for when you're older."

Smiling at the man, Clare shook her head as she suppressed a chuckle. "I do savor it… My mother and older brother got me hooked on a certain drink and I like to have one just before going to sleep."

Seeming to understand a little better, the man waved as she pocketed her key and went to leave. "Have a good time!"

"Will do. …If I ever get the chance." Clare waved backed before mumbling as she exited the inn, wishing she would get a break as ever since her training had started she really never was given time off unless she had gotten hurt… Which happened a lot early in her training.

Sighing as it did no good complaining about it, Clare began to trace her way to the bar which was easy enough to find. Once more the sign with the little mug clued her into that but it was mostly due to the fact that she could literally SMELL the liquor within the building. She chuckled a little as she knew Naruto and Luciela would not have been able to enter the place as the smell would have driven them insane.

Entering she checked everyone that was within the bar and immediately noted that there were a few soldiers that were off duty as there was armor laying next to most of the men that were drinking. The said man immediately began to whistle and howl at her appearance which flattered her to an extent as she moved to the bar.

At the bar were two soldiers had caught her attention. One was a rather large man that completely dwarfed Naruto in stature and size that was still in his armor which either meant he just got off duty and didn't bother to take it off or he was about to go on and wanted a drink before starting his shift. She also figured he was high in rank as his armor seemed to be of better quality then the others.

The much smaller man, at least compared to him, sat next to him wore very little metallic armor meshed with his leather armor. She noted that he had to be off high rank as he turned to the soldiers that were making noise and yelled at them. "Would you shut the fuck up?! You're soldiers of Rabona, act like it!"

Each of the men quieted and began bickering amongst themselves, further empowering her statement that he was a rather high rank soldier and she decided to sit besides him. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it… But I do have to admit, it isn't often that such a young and fine woman as yourself decides to stop by here." He stated with a grin after he momentarily checked her out, making sure he wasn't caught in the process.

While his complement flattered her as she had a hard time considering herself a beauty, thanks to her own mother, Irene and Luciela, Clare took this to her advantage as she smiled at him. "I thank you again my dear sir… And while I am interested I am quite sure you are about to go on duty from the way your friend over there is dressed."

As the man grumbled as that was true, he was impressed that she could tell he was about to head out for his shift. However he was more disappointed that his job just got in the way of having a chance of getting laid… How he hated being a knight of Rabona at times. "Unfortunately I do… But I could always drop by to see you later."

"I would like that… But in truth I am here to find my brother. He has been gone from home for a long time, saying he was coming here to become a knight as he is good with a sword. I haven't heard a word from him since he arrived and I'm worried." Clare responded before sighing as she ordered a bottle of sake to go, which caught his partner's attention.

"Oh… Maybe I can see if I can tell him your here. We've just accepted a few soldiers from other villages not too long ago. What's his name?" The blonde responded trying to get on her good side for a possible favor from her later.

"Uzumaki… Uzumaki Naruto." Clare said as she uncorked her bottle and took a swig of the rice wine.

At the moment, the young man repressed a groan as the bigger knight could only chuckle at his partner, picking up who she was on her drink choice, before speaking in a low tone so his voice wouldn't travel very far. "Meet us next to the chapel on the roof tops around midnight… We'll explain what we know, miss."

"Thank you… I'll be there." She smiled at the two of them as she slid off her seat. "And Clare is the name."

"Galk."

"…Cid. And here I thought I had a chance. Damn my luck." Cid groaned as his larger companion only bit his lip and patted him on the back.

Grinning, Clare purposely shook her hips as she left the bar, entrapping every man's gaze onto her until she finally exited. Finally for once she was the center of attraction!

"Irene…"

"SON OF A… TERESA!" Irene screeched as she jumped, turned around on a dime and had drawn her claymore ready for combat before seeing who it was. "Would you not sneak up on me like that?! I can't sense your yoki when you suppress it to the limit!"

"How's Clare doing?" Teresa commented as she simply shrugged Irene's ranting off as she needed to be better prepared the that, especially after all the times Naruto had snuck up on both of them just to make them paranoid of their surroundings.

Growling at being so easily ignored, Irene was half tempted to attempt using her Quick Sword to get Teresa's attention… Then she remembered she taught Teresa that technique and while her swing was faster… Teresa's was far more powerful.

Turning back around and looking at the Holy City, Irene focused her senses onto the last place she felt Clare. Thankfully she was close by to that location and locked onto her. "She's heading towards the chapel. It seems she has already made contact with Naruto's informants and they will give her a layout of what's going on."

"So he's making her seek the yoma out again? …I know she needs to work on her senses but isn't this a bit much. This yoma is nothing like the last one. A warrior in the mid to high thirties would struggle with this one." Teresa commented as she quickly located the yoma's whereabouts within the church.

"I know that… However, this is to push her as she has been focusing all her attention to physical strength and techniques instead of finesse and sensory. He wants her to be perceptive of her surroundings and not to rush in recklessly and cause more problems." Irene responded before she gazed at the young boy that arrived with Teresa. "So I take it Naruto noticed what you were not and brought him along?"

"What?!" Teresa growled as she turned to Irene, forgoing that Raki was behind her, and was ready to strike out at her fellow warrior if she dared to question her skill again.

Irene merely shrugged her shoulders before she smiled lightly before drawing forth a lone kunai that was shaped oddly. "This entire time you've been unable to see what is around you… This isn't just a test for her, Teresa. I'm testing you as well."

In a plum of smoke, much to Teresa's horror, Irene literally disappeared letting her know it wasn't her but a clone of Naruto. She scanned the area, looking for a trace of him before she noticed a light groan and turned to the ground next to her, seeing it flicker for a moment before realizing it was an illusion.

Easily releasing it with a small flow of yoki, she reached down and pulled Irene from the loose earth. It took a moment for Irene to stand on her own as she was rather woozy, she panted a few times before shaking her head. "Damn… He didn't tell me it was going to be that disorienting…"

Narrowing her eyes at her fellow warrior, Teresa growled as she glared straight into Irene's eyes. "You knew he was testing me as well… Didn't you?"

"Yes." Irene simply answered as she closed her eyes and finally gathered her being and could stand on her own. "He didn't like how you were neglecting your own training… So he thought that you needed to be tested."

"Neglecting?" Teresa growled out as she trained day in and day out before she hit a few drinks with the damn blonde and Luciela. "I don't know what he is thinking but I have not…"

"Yes you have, Teresa!" Irene frowned as she had noticed it to and while she didn't prefer his methods, he was the only one that could truly make Teresa see what she was doing. "Clare follows your example and your example is to work only on your physical strength and technique… Instead of making progress on your own senses and you forgot that knowledge is just as powerful as the sword. I have now surpassed you in almost every detail outside of combat and yoki sensing!"

Staying silent as Teresa's eyes widened in shock, Irene closed her eyes and turned from the former number one. "You have brought this upon yourself as you were overconfident in your own skills and the peacefulness of these last few years have dulled your sight to what is truly around you."

"Take the boy and enter the city… Clare will need both of you if she is to survive this." Irene finished as her silver eyes gazed into the holy city, focusing on Clare and feeling she had entered the church. "And be ready Teresa… Your test has just begun."

Narrowing her eyes, having recovered from the slight shock of hearing Irene had surpassed her in many ways; Teresa took a step towards Irene before stopping. "What do you mean my test has just begun?"

"I won't say it for you so find out yourself." Irene said in response as her eyes gazed into Teresa's without fear. "Just keep this in mind, however. More then your life is staked on this test."

Looking at her for a moment longer, growling as she didn't understand what was going on, it began to dawn on Teresa that her life wasn't what was staked for this… "Clare!"

Without thinking twice, Teresa grabbed a hold of Raki she used the Body Flicker despite forgetting that she still had not learned how to control it when she took another along with her.

Sighing at this, Irene only shook her head as another stood directly behind her and spoke. "She couldn't even see through it… Has she really become that blind?"

"It seems like it… I have been too lenient on her and didn't think twice about letting her into the Akatsuki as she was more then skilled enough. But she has forgotten the most important thing." Irene responded for in a plum of smoke she transformed into Naruto, looking somewhat irritated.

"That the training your body isn't enough… You must train your body along with your mind so you can handle anything." Irene responded as she seemed to know what it was that Teresa had lost during their stay with Naruto and Luciela.

"Not entirely." Naruto commented which in turn had Irene looking at him oddly but he refused to answer as he shook his head and slowly began to head towards Rabona.

"There is one other thing that is needed… And they are about to learn what it is."

"So you're here." Galk said as he turned after hearing a soft thump behind him to see Clare standing from a crouch. "Good, I was beginning to worry that you might not make it."

Checking her surroundings, making absolutely sure that no one had seen her, Clare turned her attention towards the two knights. "I had to make sure I wasn't spotted. I didn't want to blow my cover or let anyone believe I was the yoma."

"Well if anyone did see you they probably would think that after seeing the way you move." Cid responded as he had caught sight of Clare just before she had arrived and her movements did not seem natural as they were just far too quick.

Frowning at him for a moment as his attitude had changed from the bar and he seemed a little more agitated and it felt like he was focusing it on her, Clare shook her head and turned her attention to Galk. "I've doing a little investigating since our meeting and it turns out many priests and soldiers have gone missing and people are beginning to panic as they believe a yoma is the cause."

"It is… We just don't know where it is." Galk sighed as he felt utterly helpless as the situation around him deteriorated. "I don't like asking for help but we have no choice as we have lost six fathers and almost twenty soldiers just this week and each time we find their corpses their inners have been devoured and there is no trace of the attacker."

"Where have most of the bodies been found? Once a yoma has found a particular hunting ground it typically does not leave it until it has either been discovered or a Claymore has been summoned. Either way its next move would be to catch a quick meal and move from its location so it can continue feeding." Clare explained as she had a good feeling that if she had a layout of where the attacks have been happening she would have a particular area to focus her search.

"Every death has been within the church walls but I would have to say the most have happened with the Baptismal Hall so we sought to look there but we couldn't find anything out of the ordinary." Cid stated as he felt that her plan would be very similar to something they've already tried.

Clare could only nod before she gazed at the church and shook her head. "There might be something that I can pick up in there then. If most of the deaths happen in that area it is a good chance it lurks within that particular room… What of the janitors?"

"We've already tried that and kept all the janitors and other servants quarantined for one night and after the night three bodies were found, two being within the hall. We also have station our men within the hall but that night there was still someone that died just outside the hall." Cid fired back as these were things they had tried already and was getting annoyed that supposedly this girl was going to be able to help them.

Frowning for a moment, Clare's eyes narrowed as she turned back to them. "Is anyone in the chapel's tower? I need to get and check the hall myself and see everything with my own eyes. I have a bad feeling about all of this. Is anyone station there tonight?"

"Yes we have a few…" Galk started before a loud scream echoed from within the church, alerting the three to what had just happened. "Shit! There is no time for this!"

Clare jumped down and sped off in front of them, seemingly like a blur as she busted into the church and surprised the two guards that had taken place at the entrance. Thankfully she had managed to get into the church earlier in the day so she knew the way to the hall even if she had not been allowed in.

But as soon as she arrived she felt sick to her stomach as she witnessed two soldiers before her, both of their heads having been ripped off and blood pouring onto the ground as gigantic form stood above them. Its clawed hand tearing through their armor and into their innards, pulling out a string of his intestines and shoving it into its mouth greedily.

Swallowing the vomit that was trying to push through, anger began to build within Clare. Once more she was just too slow to help those in need… Was her training flawed as it seemed she just arrived one second too late and failed to save a life that could have been spared?

Roaring out, Clare drew a kunai and threw it at the demon before unsheathing her katana and slashing at the beast. In her anger, she didn't realize that her roar had alerted the yoma to her presence and she could have very well taken its life before it realized she was on the attack.

But Clare had and the yoma only took the kunai to his thigh as he jumped from his spot and landed on a tomb to see his attacker. Not seeing the traits of a Claymore, the large yoma only grinned as he looked down at the young woman before him. His stomach growled as it liked what it saw before him and the beast was not going to deny sating its desire.

To her immense surprise, the yoma moved far faster then it did before and was upon her almost immediately. She instinctively rolled to the side and avoided the clawed hand aimed for her stomach and lashed her katana out to sever it. But to her horror the blade only sunk in a few inches and only pissed it off.

Roaring in hatred for being wounded by his prey, the fingers on his other hand had turned into lances much to Clare's surprise as that was a high level yoma ability. She wasn't expecting it and while she reacted to avoid them one still pierced into her shoulder.

Eliciting a cry of pain, Clare cut through the lance with her katana before she jumped back and sheathed it. Going through a motion of hand seals, the very ground the yoma was standing on suddenly shot forth in the form of spikes aimed towards its stomach.

The yoma was also surprised but just as Clare moments before he was able to react and only the tip of one spike ripped through the side of his hip. Roaring as that wasn't very pleasant, its eyes began to glow as its yoki began to form around it and just in a moment it had vanished.

Clare froze as she knew exactly where it had reappeared and there was no time for her to react to this attack. This attack would take her life and she couldn't help but allow the fear to overwhelm her as she felt its clawed hand only inches from her neck.

It roared once more as three knives suddenly found its way into the yoma's chest as Cid and Galk had arrived, the former with his eyes wide from the sight before him. "What in the hell is that thing?!"

Feeling as if that God himself had blessed her, Clare unsheathed her katana once more as she leapt away from the yoma and landed before the two knights. Oh she was pissed as not only was she just almost killed but the yoma was far more advance then what Irene had told it would be. "That's the yoma… And we're going to need some help as this one is out of my league."

Putting her katana into the ground just as she said that, she went through another series of hand seals as the yoma was about to charge before taking a deep breath. Exhaling a large stream of fire before her, the yoma instinctively jumped above it to avoid the flames.

To her misfortune Cid had not taken his key there and thrown his knives at the yoma when it was exposed. He was too shocked at the burst of flames from Clare and before he realized his mistake, the yoma was in-between all of them. Galk, however, did not miss his cue and swung his broadsword down onto the yoma.

But to their horror the said yoma simply caught to blade before slamming his forearm into the large knight and took the sword from him. This was all that was needed to knock Cid back into reality as he drew a small short sword and sliced into the monster before he ducked and rolled under its sword its sword swing.

Clare ripped her katana from the ground and sliced into the back of the yoma but once more the blade stopped after a few inches as its hide was much thicker then the average variety yoma's. It still hurt the damn thing but as it kicked back, it inflicted more pain onto Clare as its foot connected to her face and slammed her into and over a tomb.

Opening her eyes as she closed them from the blow, Clare barely could see a thing as the vision in her left eye had faded and her right eyes vision was blocked up from blood freely flowing from a cut just above the said eye. Trying to wipe it off so she could see, a figure dropped down onto her from above and a maniacal, beast-like laugh fill the hall as its hand came down to crush her.

But at the very moment another figure slammed into the yoma and stood before Clare, her claymore drawn as her silver eyes gazed over at the yoma as she put it through the tomb and into the now cratered floor. Ready to finish it, Teresa swung her blade down to decapitate it when the clang of metal filled the room and another claymore stopped her blade.

Seeing the emblem, Teresa immediately looked towards the warrior only for fist to strike her in the face and knock her back. "This isn't your fight Teresa… You did enough to stop the fatal blow. Let her finish."

"Why?! So you can let her die you ass?!" Teresa screamed at the blonde before her hoping for some kind of answer from the ninja but after not receiving one she growled and lifted her sword to force him to speak.

But before Teresa could react, Naruto was on her again and knocked her blade from her grip and kicked her once more. Appearing before her, her gripped her throat and slammed her into the wall just behind her as she recovered and narrowed his eyes at the warrior. "Because just like you she needs to learn this lesson."

Growling deep in her throat, Teresa released a massive burst of yoki and broke free of his grip only for Naruto to slam the butt of his sword into her temple and push his forearm into her throat to keep her pinned down. Seething at him, trying to find anyway out of this situation, she croaked at him. "What fucking lesson?! This is a torture session!"

"If you want to see it like that… Fine." Naruto responded with a slight growl as he had been through far harsher conditions then this. "However you still fail to see what is right in front of you and instead you brutishly force your way through everything! But not this time… You can't outmuscle me."

Clare was unsure what was going on as now her master and mother were locked in combat, not that it was much of a contest at the moment, meanwhile there was yoma that was about to kill them all just for being there and keeping it from its food. However, after that blow it received from Teresa it was looking for a way out realizing there were two here that could easily take its life without a problem.

But just like any other yoma, if it was going to flee it was going to make sure he had a meal with him and there happened to be an easy target standing at the entrance and looking on at the scene in horror. In almost an instant, it was before the young boy who had no time to react.

Time froze on the other hand for Clare. Despite her current vision she was clearly able to see who it was standing where the yoma had fled to. But why was Raki there in the first place?! There was no reason for him to be there and now once more he was in danger and it would be here fault that she let him down once more!

Her eyes flickered to gold for as she began to draw upon all the energy she could muster as she picked herself up and rushed towards Raki in hope she would be there fast enough despite seeing the yoma's hand almost already upon him. It was as if the God's themselves intervened as it turned its attention to her as she yelled out at it and began to focus all the energy she had been gathering into her palm.

The yoma's reaction was typical as it tried lash out with its lances but this time it didn't stop Clare as she leapt over them and they only grazed her skin while others were deflected with her katana an orb of chakra began to form within her right hand. Its screech out and attempted to swipe at her with its other claw but it was too late as she was already upon it and an immense pain began to spiral through its chest.

Yoma bits and blood splattered the entrance as the Rasengan tore through its chest and left a grand hole in its torso leaving almost nothing left as it fell onto its knees. This time there was no resistance as Clare put her katana through its neck and beheaded the foul yoma.

Panting heavily as the amount of control it took to keep the sage chakra was overwhelming combined with her injuries she looked at Raki to make sure he was okay before she dropped her sword and fell to her hands and knees, no longer having any control over it as her visual appearance began to twist and distort.

"Clare!" Raki screamed as he could see something was wrong with her and it seemed like her body was trying to change into something else.

Using the strength she had left, Clare tilted her face up to his and forced a sad smile despite the pain her body was going through as she tried to rein in and control the sage chakra. "Raki, I know I said we'd see each other again… But why did you come here? I would have…"

"I came… Because I wanted to thank you." Raki interrupted her as he embracing her. "I was so petrified when you first saved me… I didn't know what to do. I couldn't… I couldn't even thank you after you saved my life and now I have a chance to help you but…"

"W-What?…?" Clare stumbled as she couldn't believe what she was hearing from the younger boy as she hardly even knew him and tried to push him away as she did not want him to see her like this.

But before she could even try to say anything more his crying became louder as his embrace tightened. "I don't want to lose you… My village kicked me out and you're the only person I can turn to… So you got to make it through this… You just got to! I wouldn't know what to do!"

Clare wasn't sure what happened but in the very next moment she had regained control of the sage chakra and funneled it back into the necklace. Nothing could explain it as it felt as if everything was the same but something had came from within her and grasped it and brought it back under control.

"What… How did it… How did I suppress my chakra?" Clare blinked as every solution she came up with was failing her but it mattered not.

Now she had to handle a hysterical Raki as he was overjoyed that her image had returned to normal and she no longer looked like she was in pain. Not knowing what else to do, she hesitantly embraced him back ever so softly.

"Do you see now?" Naruto whispered as he looked towards Raki and Clare while still restraining Teresa as there was the chance if he let her go she would attack him. "She has followed your example for so long… Only training her body and mind that she forgot the most important aspect."

"One must have a purpose… A reason for why they do everything. But for that purpose there must be something that drives it otherwise it is pointless… You have let yours overwhelm you over these past few years and made it the only thing you truly care for." Naruto continued as he watched Raki crying into Clare's bosom.

Finally releasing her from his grasp, Naruto took a step back and gazed over at her to absolutely make sure she wasn't going to attack him before approaching Clare and Raki, the former being the only one coherent enough to see him coming. "As for you… You trained to become stronger but you never had a purpose…"

"Now you have one as just when you thought you were about to lose all control and turn to stone something within you burst free and brought everything back to normal… Do you know what that was, Clare?" Naruto asked as he looked down at the young woman as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "It was your love for him."

"Whether or not you know it you let him into your heart when you ran across him and slaying that yoma before him brought him even deeper in your heart. …When you conscience her his screams it reach out to you and from that you found the strength to do something you knew was not currently possible." Naruto explained as Clare's eyes widened hearing that her sensei claimed that she loved this boy.

Turning his back from her and closing his eyes, Naruto's voice softened. "Everyone has something that is precious to them whether it is a person or a goal… It is from this that we ninja derive or nindos from… Our way of life. …Today you have just found something precious to you and that is what you should base your nindo on."

"No… There is more to it then that." Naruto stopped himself as he pulled a single picture from his cloak and sadly smiled at it. "I don't know how to explain it… But your way should be defined more then just what you hold dear to you. There is something more… Something about it that fuels your drive to keep you going through the hard times."

"If you don't understand… Don't worry. It will come to you eventually and then you will understand… Till then, we are here to guide you." Naruto finished as he grew tired and looking at the picture drained his strength as it reminded him when his life was full and he was innocent to the ways of the world.

Clenching onto it tightly, his eyes slowly opened only to see both Clare and Raki were now standing and Teresa was standing behind them, giving a dirty look that was mixed with a tinge of understanding and realization. "I think I get it now… I don't like how this was planned…"

"I never planned this… But it is over now and there is nothing that can be done about it." Naruto admitted as he let this get out of hand despite having control of the situation.

"But if there is one thing you should know… Just remember that becoming strong is more then just training just your mind and your body… It takes a strong and perseverant heart that is willing to love. As in the end… Love is where true strength comes from no matter if it comes from a friend, family, lover, place or purpose." He sighed as he pocketed the picture as a few tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Now you better leave… It won't be long till guards start piling in here to find out what happened as Cid and Galk can't hold them off for long… I leave them in your hands Teresa."

With that, Naruto dispersed in a flicker of smoke and light leaving Teresa in charged. But as she led them out she remembered what he had said to her before frowning. He was right… She had let her love of Clare blind her from seeing what she truly needed.

And now Clare had it… And she would be damned if she was going to let her lose it because of her blindness.

"Well hey there soldier boy… What's wrong?" Luciela lusted as she figured Naruto was done with his lesson but as soon as he appeared before her she could see something was wrong with him and that worried her. "Naruto…"

"It… It's nothing. I just need some rest. …Today was trying for me." Naruto tiredly said as he looked over at the awakened, his eyes half glazed over as he relived his own memories; some good and some were bad but in the end they all left him in the same state.

He was tired.

"Okay." Was all Luciela said and glad she had summoned Naruto in her private chambers, for obvious reasons but now they were squashed, before she led him to the bed.

She frowned as he was out soon as he laid down, not liking that whatever the hell happened dampened her treasure like this as it felt as if he had temporarily lost his spark… What she truly desired about him the most.

Still this was to be expected as Naruto had told her this would be hard lesson for him to teach and then teach the warrior to tone it down. However to be worn out to this extent… Needless to say Luciela was upset as she had planned on a few things for tonight and then there was that job she needed him to head out for in the morning…

Sighing softly as this was getting her nowhere and she should just be glad that for once he was resting in their bed; Luciela sat down next to his sleeping form and began to slip him out of his cloak only for a picture to fall out once she pulled it off.

Picking it up, Luciela's face dropped as she looked at the picture and the writing on the back before looking back down at her sleeping treasure. "It's all beginning to make sense now… Why you are so desperate to get back…"

"You want to get back to bring forth your treasures' dreams."