The Winner of my "Next OP Corner Story" Poll with a staggering, mind-blowing, incomparable 72% of the votes that went to this story!

The Naruto/Zone of the enders one will be posted when this will be completed. as a Thank You for the ones that voted for my Jehuty!Naruto Story.

I'll try to stay in character, but the "Silent Hero" Type is kind of hard for me, so PLEASE excuse me if sometimes I will derail into OOC territory. I am not doing it on purpose this time.

" You bastard" - demon talking / jutsu

"Let's finish this" - dialogue

" Can it get any worse? " - during flashback/ Thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything else I will use nor I make a profit out of this, I am writing just for the pleasure of doing it.

Chapter 1: this is my story...

(Naruto/Final Fantasy X crossover) Pairing Naruto/Anko (Because I think she is the one "Closer" to being Like Rikku was in the game).

Farplane – Otherworld -

There were Pyreflies.

Pyreflies everywhere, filling the infinite garden that was the Farplane in the world of Spira, a deep sense of peace was in the air as those orbs kept moving around, shining in an infinite variety of colours, little living sparks that calmly floated in the air representing the spirit of the dead.

Just one little group though moved by its own, following a precise path studied so to have the small cluster keep some distance from the others.

'You know this is not your place, don't you?'

The voice was at the same time male and female, old and young; this strange malformation coming from the speaking being's "ruined existence", result of centuries spent jumping from a body to another and carrying small parts of the previous Host during the transition to a new one.

'After all this time...you still have to courage to talk? To me especially?'

The answer came from a young male.

'Was it wrong for me to try and defend a dream?'

The 'chorus' of voices asked curious.

'It was when countless people suffered for it!'

The solitary group of pyryflies started moving again after that, floating towards an isolated area with a single pyryfly following shortly behind.

'Running away is not what you usually do.'

The voices said again with no inflection, no amusement and no anger, just words waiting for an answer.

'What do you want from me, Yu Yevon?'

The group of pyryflies 'asked' in clear annoyance.

"It's more like what YOU want from us..." a young boy wearing an hooded coat asked as his body appeared out of nowhere.

'I thought that you Fayths would have been happy to finally rest, Fayth of Bahamut, and yet here you are'.

"We are happy to finally 'rest', that is true; both you and the boy did what we asked, Tidus will finally 'rest' just like us...you instead, Auron..." the Fayth said getting closer to the lone group of lights.

'Yes? I completed my mission; I protected Yuna, stopped Sin and brought peace to Spira, I paid whatever debt I had with you all!'

At this the solitary Pyryfly got closer, this time its voices sounding pained.

'They got what they wanted, now you can return where you belong.'

The small group condensed slightly as the various pyryflies forming it drew closer to each other.

'I belong to Spira now, here I was reborn and here I died...'that place' has no more meaning to me.'

"That is not true and you know it, but where you'll go is not the original one, but a new one, a version of it where your strength is still needed, there you will find your True Peace," the Fayth said shaking his head.

'Have I not the right to refuse? Have I not the right to Rest in Peace here?'

"Not when we know that your heart still wants to have a life there," The Fayth answered shaking his head.

'My story reached it's end, there is no reason for it to start again.'

"It won't be a new start...just a 'New chapter', Auron" the cloaked boy said in amusement as a bright light engulfed everything.

As the light slowly started to fade away trees came into view, then the grass, the leaves falling down, the rocks and the noise of running water filling the Pyryflies' ears immediately after.

"The Valley of the End..." the Pyryflies said sighing as they condensed into a body.

The man that appeared in place of the Spiritual Orbs was wearing a deep red haori with red lining kept closed with a thick black and blue strap with two brown belts wrapped around it.

Looking at his hands the man sighed again while tucking his left arm into the front of his haori, making it look as though his arm was in a sling.

Completing the strange man's outfit was a brown shoulder pad on his left shoulder intricately decorated with tan, green and blue patterns with a beaded ornament dangling from it, black pants and shoes that have brown straps and triangular metal plating and a black shirt with a gray collar with intersecting brown straps high enough to cover his mouth.

"How much time has passed..." he mused as wind passed through his long dark black hair with gray streaks held back by a gold ribbon.

Looking at his reflection in the water the Revived Auron could see his 'new body' looking back at him, the large scar over the right half of his face and over his eye testament of his attack towards Yunaleska still there as a reminder of his old failure.

Seeing where he was he briefly entertained himself with the idea to have "a certain eye" implanted there just like an old 'acquaintance' of his past.

As he adjusted his black sunglasses below his eyes and secured to his right hip the jug with the word "Nog" written on it in Spiran he started moving towards what he used to consider his Home up until that cursed day, a day where his life changed, either for the best or for the worst he still couldn't say.

"Konoha..." the man muttered as his past life replayed in front of him just like a taunting spectre.

He saw himself...the polar opposite of what he was now.

He saw his fighting against what he believed was his friend.

He saw a bright sphere of energy clashing with black lightning until both technique collapsed, tearing the raven haired boy in front of him to shreds and removing his own torso.

He saw as his old self watched the other boy's body burn to ashes as a third person, an adult with grey hair, joined the scene desperately trying to save him, muttering apologies while pressing down on his wounds to stop the bleeding.

He saw those blond hair he used to have getting stained in blood as it was pooling around his small frame.

Then he remembered the deep voice of what lived 'inside him'.

"You know it has not to be like this," the voice resounded like an echo as the world seemed to freeze while the Fayth of Bahamuth neared him, presenting his hand and an alternative at dying.

He remembered, he remembered eagerly taking that hand after the giant creature sealed in him literally pushed him towards the hooded entity, taking his place in death with a smile on its enormous face, telling him that being dead "for good" was a good alternative at being sealed again.

After that...

After that he was in Spira, Reborn in a certain way as the son of an old swordsman that then enrolled him as a Monk at Bevelle where his still brash attitude, already dying after what happened, was completely removed as he went through his training, turning him in who he was, or used to be.

And he remembered Braska, his gentle smile and his honour, he remembered watching in admiration as he kept going forward no matter what, and he remembered how much he respected the man for being what he used to wish to become when he was still a young fool.

When the Memories reached again his meeting with Jecht he couldn't help but look away, the man had remembered to Auron his old life so much that he wasn't surprised by his initial dislike for the man, watching his attitude as a ticket to failure just like his own old knuckle-headed view of life had brought him to.

"...I see utter irony in this instead, my friend..." the image of Braska said with a chuckle as Auron's double kept dismissing Jecht as unfit for a Guardian.

"Irony?" he heard himself ask confused.

"Delightful irony even, consider it like this: a disgraced monk, a summoner with a "heathen" Al Bhed wife and an "half-breed" daughter, and a drunk man from Zanarkand, three outcasts saving Spira together...it would be quite an hit to a lot of peoples' concept of things..." Braska answered with the same words he used that day as the visions disappeared, leaving his old sword Masamune waiting for him while shining proudly in the sun.

"Let's go." Auron simply muttered after strapping the blade to his back and moving where he remembered being the village of Konoha.

Had he look behind, he would have seen Pyryflies moving around to form the bodies of Braska, Jecht and Tidus with the three men looking at him in pride, happy to see him return to his rightful home.

"Good luck, my friend...It was an honour fighting with you during the Pilgrimage," Braska said saluting the warrior with a deep bow.

"Yeah, it was funny, even if from what I saw I would have preferred having his blond version with us," Jecht said grinning, making Tidus near him shake his head smirking.

"See you again, old man! And try to find a girl for yourself!" Tidus said as the three faded away with Jecht's barking laugh as background.

In the meantime – forest -

"Uh?" Auron looked behind, momentarily stopping mid-step to see what could have caught his attention.

He was fairly certain that Jecht was having a laugh at his expenses, shaking his head he started again to move towards the village, wondering what could he do now that he was technically back in his world.

He was a warrior now, a swordsman and former Guardian, the shinobi way of life was no longer appealing to him; he will just try and see if Hiruzen, or whoever was the Hokage there, would be interested in having him joining the village forces, now that he apparently had his body back he will need actual food and a place where to rest after all.

He still wondered how the others did not notice he could go on without eating anything or sleep while with them, especially Kimahri and Lulu since the two were the more 'spiritually aware' of the group.

A shift in the air called him back to attention making him calmly taking his sword out and freeing his arm from the haori as he kept walking, clearly daring his pursuers to attack; years upon years of fights against fiends helped in sharpening his senses enough to feel when someone with bad intentions came too close to him.

Once the gates of Konoha came into view the mysterious stalkers showed themselves as four animal-masked shinobi jumping down the trees and in front of him blocking his path.

"State your business, samurai." the one with long purple hair asked with a cold tone of voice.

"Looking at him, I think he is more like a Ronin," one of the others said.

"What are you doing here?" the Masked woman, by her voice, asked again grabbing the hilt of her sword in a threatening way.

"I wish to join the village," Auron replied calmly.

"Why?"

"I need a place to stay," he answered.

"A great talker, eh?" one of the ANBU said jokingly

"What happened to your lord?" the Female ANBU asked.

"I accompanied him in his Pilgrimage, at his death once our mission was over I promised I would have protected his daughter and the son of the man accompanying me, that mission too is complete and now I am here," Auron answered.

"Why Konoha?" another ANBU asked.

"It was closer," he simply answered.

"If you really want to join us we will need to question you, give us your weapons and come with us," the woman asked getting closer.

She stopped abruptly when a flash of light moved in front of her face, the cold steel of the blade barely a millimeter away from where would have been her eye had the mask not been there.

"My sword stays with me," he answered as the other ANBU unsheathed their weapons.

"Drop your weapon!" the woman commanded jumping back, she too with a sword at ready.

"There is no need to fight, I have not bad intentions," Auron said simply, lowering Masamune on his shoulder but never leaving his battle stance.

"Attacking me says otherwise," the woman answered.

"I am in a foreign territory, going around unarmed would not be safe," he answered.

"Tell you what, let's have a spar!" a male voice behind the mask of a boar said curious.

"What are you saying?" the woman asked without moving her gaze from Auron.

"If he wants to join our village, why not Test him ourselves?" Boar answered.

"You are saying this only because you want his sword," the one near him, wearing a frog mask, said chuckling.

"Yeah, that too, that thing looks awesome!" the other answered.

"Which one of us?" the third member of the squad, an Eagle-masked Anbu, asked.

"Cat? What about her?" Frog said.

"Me!?" the woman, Cat, asked pointing at herself.

"Yeah, you are one of the best, Cat-san" Eagle answered nodding.

"What will we tell then to the Hokage?" Cat said.

"If we win, we drag the bastard in for questioning so to see if he can really be enrolled in our forces," Boar answered.

"And if HE wins?" Eagle asked.

"No offence, buddy! but I don't think you will win," Frog said chuckling and looking at Auron.

"If I need to do this to pass, then I will do it, I guess." Auron answered simply.

"Do you know some jutsus?" Cat asked.

His first instinct was to tell her: "Two actually, Shadow clone and Rasengan." but in this body he had not undertone ninja training while the little magic Lulu taught him was better to keep secret, its not requiring hand-seals would have attracted too much attention.

"No." he answered at the end.

"Then to be a little fair We'll keep this on sword-fight only, you sure you want to do this?" the woman asked getting a nod as an answer.

"Good! I'll be the referee!" Boar said as the other ANBU moved on the trees to watch over the fight.

"As you wish," Auron said simply.

"Both ready?" the ANBU asked.

"Yes," Cat said while Auron just nodded.

"Then...HAJIME!" the ANBU called out as the two longed at each other.

Konoha – Hokage office – one hour later -

Behind the desk stood an old man wearing a white robe and a conical hat with Fire written on it, he was Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hokage of Konoha and he was still arguing with several shinobi that had barged in his office ten minutes before.

"And I keep telling you that I saw it! A freaking Tornado of Fire! It was a fucking pillar of flames! How come you didn't see that!?" one of the shinobi yelled at the others.

"If it was there it lasted only an instant, Hayate, because I did not see that myself," Hiruzen said while trying to calm down the situation.

"Hokage-sama? Other people are reporting about the same thing, apparently a lot of civilians saw said Tornado appearing for an instant just outside the gate before dispelling rapidly," the old man's secretary said entering the room while a rather big group of people could be seen waiting outside.

"Do we have anyone in the area?" Hiruzen asked surprised that he himself had missed that.

"Cat and her squad should be re-entering from their mission by now, probably they saw what happened," the secretary answered.

"Have them come here as soon as they reach Konoha, we'll ask them!" the Hokage ordered.

"As you wish," the woman answered bowing and leaving the office.

"I'll go there checking," a man with a mask and grey hair said.

"Pay attention Kakashi, we don't know what was to create that phenomenon, a jutsu like that it's not something to underestimate," Hiruzen said gravely

"Do you think it may be Kyuubi attacking again?" Kakashi asked.

"After Minato's failure in sealing the beast the Fox simply disappeared, it may be that it's trying again but by now we would have had news about it going on a rampage while coming here just like last time," the old man answered sighing.

"That poor baby..." Kakashi muttered sighing himself "Sensei was ready to sacrifice his son when...whatever happened stopped him," he then said.

"Someone managed to attack him during the sealing, freeing the Kyuubi and killing him, Kushina and the baby boy Naruto," Hiruzen said nodding as his blood boiled in rage.

He WILL find whoever killed his student and his family, no matter how long Hiruzen will need to search, the bastard will pay with their life, he promised himself that much!

Few instants later the cat masked ANBU entered the office, dragging her feet she neared the old man with her uniform showing cutting and burning marks and her long hair blackened at the end with the smell of smoke closely following her.

"We have a swordsman who wish to join us, Hokage-sama..." she said tiredly.

"Did you see that pillar of fire? You look like someone that was practically in front of that!" Kakashi asked curious.

"I was fighting with the one that DID CAST it actually..." Cat answered with a tired nod.

"You tested him?" Hiruzen asked.

"It was Frog's idea...the three of them are in the hospital now, they weren't as fast as me at dodging the attack,"

"He wants to join us? Why?" Hayate asked.

"Konoha was apparently closer...that's all he said when we asked," the woman answered making the others sweat-drop.

"Is he good?" Hiruzen asked, Cat simply pointed at herself while clearly rising an eye-brow behind her cracked mask.

"Right...where is he now?" the old man countered with a nervous cough to hide his embarrassment at the silly question.

"He is waiting outside,"

"Let him in," Hiruzen asked to his secretary.

Without saying a word the red-dressed warrior entered the office, calmly walking until in front of the desk.

"Greetings, you must be the one responsible of the flashy attack we saw earlier, am I right?" The Hokage asked.

"Yes, please call me Auron, Hokage-sama." Auron answered.

"And you wish to join us? Just like that?" Kakashi asked.

A simple nod was the answer this time.

"Shees...Itachi was a loud-mouth in comparison," one of the hidden ANBU in the office muttered.

"Sorry if I ask, but what kind of jutsu did you use to create that tornado?" Hayate asked.

"It was not a jutsu, I used an Overdrive Technique," Auron answered.

"He told me that too...he started spinning on himself forming a whirlwind, he then had somehow launched it at me and while moving it turned into a full tornado, then he just took a bottle of liquor from his side and launched it in the middle of the wind...the whole thing simply caught fire immediately after!" Cat explained with a disbelieving tone.

"The alcohol took fire once tossed in a tornado? What kind of stuff do you drink!?" Kakashi asked in awe.

"It was Ronso Rum." Auron answered.

REALLY EXPENSIVE Ronso Rum actually, strong enough to eat through steel, but he liked it for the strong after-taste it could leave in his mouth even if he was an un-send, he often wondered what would happen if a 'normal' human drank it though.

"Never heard of it," Hiruzen commented.

"Can I join the village?" he asked.

"We will still need to put you on a probation period and have our TI department interrogate you, after that we will see what will happen," Hiruzen answered.

"So be it. Thank you for your time, Hokage-sama." the warrior said with a bow, silently following few ANBU out of the Tower.

"Do you think it is a good idea, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked.

"We will soon discover it, Kakashi. For some reason I feel that I can trust him, should I be wrong, Ibiki will know what to do to be sure he won't be a menace to Konoha," the old man answered.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama," the other answered as he and the various shinobi in the office calmly left the room.

"We will need to look deep into those eyes of yours don't we? Auron-san?" Hiruzen muttered with closed eyes while taking a long drag from his pipe.

Maybe it was time to find another successor for the Hokage position, he was getting too old to deal with everything, if only he could talk either Jiraiya or Tsunade into accepting...

Say what you want about those two, but they were not eager to be 'exiled' into that office to deal with politics the whole day, Hiruzen himself could not understand how the Second Hokage managed to talk him into accepting, but after just three months as Sandaime Hokage he finally got the meaning of the vindictive smile Tobirama briefly flashed when the, at the time, young Sarutobi accepted.

Being Hokage was probably the most boring job in all Konoha! Especially during times of Peace.

Several months later –

Time had passed slowly after the arrival of the mysterious Auron, his tornado technique had already faded from memory as he was not seen a lot in the Village if not when he was leaving for a mission or just buying something to eat (and people would often wonder how someone could live with a diet that 'bare', not that they could understand the teachings of a monk of Spira).

ANBU and various others were also testing his abilities almost daily, both in techniques and his new "loyalty" to Konoha, since he was not forthcoming in answers or could the various spy locate this 'Spira' island he talked about, no matter how poor was the general knowledge about the rest of the planet and everything else outside the Elemental Countries.

It had took six months to Hiruzen to FINALLY register Auron as an effective warrior of Konoha, the man refusing being labeled as Shinobi even after the few lessons some Jonin gave him to at least learn tree-walking, water-walking and other basic chakra control exercises to re-learn how to harness the chakra he regained once returned into being alive, and accept sending him to missions outside Konoha.

After that, it took Konoha other two months to relax around the former Guardian enough to have its people act civil with him instead of coldly; this in turn had Auron subtly take deep calming breaths every time a woman accosted him with the intent of flirting, greatly annoying the warrior at seeing how several of them were now ogling him like a piece of prized meat.

It was in a short fit of desperation born from lack of long-term missions outside Konoha that forced the former Guardian to ask Hiruzen if there was nothing he could do to keep himself occupied...he had immediately come to regret that 'slipping' as soon as the old Hokage got a strange glint in his eyes before answering.

He just knew that Jecht was watching and LAUGHING at his misfortune now, Auron was certain of it!

Konoha - Academy – Team Assignation day -

The class teacher, a man with a long scar on his nose called Iruka, was slowly moving through the list of students in that class, separating the various kids in groups of three that will hopefully form a new Team of shinobi and serve Konoha...and silently hoping without dying young, that too would be great.

"...Team 8 will be: Hinata Hyuuga, Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka. Your sensei will be Kurenai Yuhi," Iruka said, as he was about to read the next set of names an ANBU entered the room accompanying a red-eyed woman that was scowling in annoyance.

"What's happening?" the Academy instructor asked surprised.

"Apparently I will have an help with the Team since the Shinobi Council still consider me 'too young' in terms of being a Team Instructor," Kurenai answered bitterly.

"Oh! Who will be the helper?" Iruka asked curious, it was not unheard of to accost another shinobi to a Team Sensei in case the Jonin was deemed not experienced enough, but it was still a rare occurrence.

"I don't know everything, I just know that Ibiki doesn't want him around anymore and Anko...well, she is basically harassing him like an horny schoolgirl since the day he arrived," the woman answered.

"Ibiki-san is just finding my lack of response to his mental tortures during our weekly meetings annoying...and 'Creepy', to use his own words," Auron said entering the classroom.

"Listen well! I don't need help in...teaching..." Kurenai said before falling silent under the man's unmoving glaze that literally petrified her.

"I am not here to take your place, the Hyuuga Clan was simply finding you too inexperienced to protect their heiress by yourself; I am deemed a good help in virtue of my being a swordsman. Since you asked to have a 'Full-tracking Team', I will also be the muscles of the group until those three will be ready to defend themselves," Auron answered calmly.

"Is he a family member of yours, Shino? He kinda looks like you..." Kiba asked with a whisper.

"Just because he is in control of his emotions and wears sunglasses it doesn't mean that he is an Aburame," Shino answered with a plain tone with a slight hint of annoyance.

"He s-seems a-a-a strong m-man," Hinata said while watching the man in apprehension.

"You are the Hyuuga girl that Kumo tried to kidnap?" Auron asked already knowing the answer.

"H-Hai!" the girl answered trembling.

"That stutter, we'll need to cure that and teach you how to fight, this is my first mission as a teacher of Konoha...I won't fail," Auron answered.

"Don't be harsh with her!" Kurenai said glaring at him.

"Out, follow me." the Guardian said while moving out of the classroom and ignoring the woman.

"And here I thought my brother had a face set on stone, in the end he was just an amateur," Sasuke said surprised.

Several kilometers away Itachi Uchiha somehow gained a tick-mark on his forehead before incinerating some hunter-nins in a burst of anger, all for reasons he could not explain.

Training Ground 8 – few minutes later -

"Please present yourself, I am Auron." the man said simply.

"That's all?" Kurenai asked scoffing.

"Swordsman, former monk of Bevelle, former Guardian of Lord Braska during his Pilgrimage and then Guardian of Yuna during hers; now warrior of Konoha and helper of your sensei," he added taking off Masamune and sticking it in the ground near him.

"Never heard of any of that," Kiba commented.

"He is not lying. Ibiki reported the same answers, but wherever that places is, it's not part of the Elemental Countries," Kurenai said sighing.

"Well, I am Kurenai Yuhi. I am a Genjutsu Specialist and this is my first Gennin Team, I like creating new illusions and hope to become a great Jounin, what about you?" the woman said.

"I am Shino Aburame, I like insects and hope to be a good Clan Head," Shino answered.

"Are you sure you two are not related?" Kiba asked.

"Just introduce yourself, Kiba..." Shino said with a tone bordering the growling.

"Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru here! I love dogs, I hate cats and will become the greatest Alpha of the whole Country!" Kiba said with a wide grin with the little dog barking happily near him.

"I-I-I am..." Hinata started.

"I am not here to punish you, I am your sensei. Trust me, no-one will hurt you as long as I will be around, " Auron said kneeling in front of her and looking at her from the top of his sunglasses.

"I won't hurt nor belittle you either," he then said.

"H-Hai!" the girl said while taking in an huge breath and steeling herself.

"I am Hinata Hyuuga, I like to study medicine and I hope to unify the Branch and Main family of my Clan and remove the Cage Bird Seal forever," she said before deflating and looking down with her face blushing furiously.

"Good job!" Kurenai said happily while Auron just nodded.

"Your test will be finding Kurenai-san while she will try several illusions on you, break them and find her, you have an hour." the man said before sitting down and uncorking the sake jug at his side to take a sip.

"And you, sensei?" Shino asked.

"Taijutsu, I'll test you in that after Kurenai's test," Auron answered.

"As you wish," the Aburame boy said nodding.

"They do look alike," Kurenai commented with a low voice.

Later that night - "Shameless Drunkard" bar -

The picturesque bar was a rather small local hidden in an alleyway where Jounin and sometimes even ANBU-rank shinobi went to drink without the chaos of the more busy streets, it was also where the various Jounin senseis went to talk about their Teams' progresses since the birth of the village itself.

"NAI-CHAN! HERE, HERE!" Anko called out from a table where she was sitting with Hana Inuzuka and a purple haired woman called Yugao, the three women already with several empty glasses in front of them.

"Anko, Hana, Yugao..." the tired woman said sitting with them with a long sigh escaping her.

"How was my brother? He is in your Team, right?" Hana asked curious.

"He is a brash hot-head, but I think he has good premises," Kurenai answered.

"Why that long face? You don't like your Team?" Yugao asked.

"I do like them...I don't like my 'helper' though," she answered quoting helper with a sneer.

"Uh? You have an helper? Who is that poor bastard?" Anko asked amused.

"You know him...is that strange man, Auron." Kurenai answered sighing again.

"KYYAH! He is with you? What did he do? Did he talk or asked about me? Is he well?" Anko asked excitedly.

"Him? Talking? I would have more luck with a wall, after the Team introduction he was just silent, then he tested them in taijutsu...tortured them with taijutsu would have been a better term, I had to pry them off of his hands or he would have killed them," the woman answered.

"Uuuuh!" the Snake Mistress just shuddered in delight with her eyes fluttering closed.

Hana and Yugao simply moved a little away from the evidently aroused woman.

"I-I-I am sorry! I-I have nothing stronger than that!" the scared barman stuttered with a shriek, attracting the women's attention along the others present that were close to the counter.

"Sigh! What's in that barrel?" a familiar voice asked with a defeated sigh.

"T-That? It's...well, it's an experimental thing I am making...tastes like sake but is as strong as that Rum thing from oversea..." the barman answered.

"Can I try?" the swordsman asked.

"O-Okay, but only a little...it had poisoned the last three that tried it, it's still too strong to..." the man replied before his eyes grew hugely wide and the bar silent.

While the scared man had been talking, Auron had took the small barrel and opened the small cap on the top to take a whiff, once shrugged a little he had just tilted the whole thing and started chugging down with such an ease and composed air that it looked like he had been drinking from a mere glass.

"That...that was a three liters barrel." the barman muttered in awe.

"A little soft, but I appreciated the taste, how much do I need to pay you?" Auron asked, surprisingly not even tipsy from all that alcohol.

"Are you okay? How come you are not dead?" the other whispered.

"Ronso Rum is a little stronger than this, being a strong drinker was a fundamental thing when traveling with Jecht, it made the whole thing bearable." Auron answered.

"Listen, pay me the equivalent of three drinks and then please stick to water for the rest of the night, I-I don't want you on my conscience," the barman said.

"Thank you, please let me know if you make more of that," the swordsman said with a tiny nod before paying and sitting on an isolated table in the back of the local.

"Soo...you finally decided to come here? Need some company while drinking, I guess..." Anko said while calmly sitting near him and invading nonchalantly his personal space.

"There is no need for that," Auron tried saying.

"No-sense! Booze tastes better when in company!" the woman replied while rising her glass.

"CHEERS!" she said with a grin.

"...Sigh!" the former Guardian sighed while returning the gesture making the girl smile in triumph.

He was seeing too much of Rikku in that smile for him to feel comfortable, and yet the woman was adamant in having him stay and sit with her, even going as far as inviting her own friends at his table; he was starting to think that maybe going there had not been such a good idea after all.

YAY! First chapter done and OH SO MANY yet to write instead! I hope you enjoyed! ^ ^

By the way I decided to use Kurama the Biju as a Summon (Final Fantasy-Style), I hope you won't mind, okay?

Next Chapter: Missions! Flash-backs! Things! Excitement! And both Kurenai and Anko giving head-aches to Auron! All this and more, keep reading me!

See you around the Net.

Tr230