In my Dreams - Chapter 5 (Patreon)

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1/17/26

Chapter 5- Influence

Rias looked around the ornate room filled with books, maps, artifacts, and studies. This was her own personal library; a place her parents had given her for her new peerage to convene.

Of course, there weren't just books in the place; no, it was a place for all manner of things. The center of the room holds a small end table, as well as a set of couches. There was even a small kitchen that the room led to, one that was constructed for her [Queen] after she had taken to Grayfia-sama's— Sirzechs Wife's— training to serve one's [King].

Speaking of her peerage, in the past few months, she had acquired quite a few new pieces.

The first was her [Rook, the piece with the highest durability and physical strength. She had given the piece to a young girl, just two years younger than her, with cat ears, white hair, and a tail. Sirzechs had shown up one morning with her in tow, and she had been surprised. She was a petite little thing and slightly malnourished. And in all honesty, she was silently reminded of how Naruto had once looked, back when she first met him.

Such a small child, skittish in nature. She was a Nekoushou, a subspecies of Nekomata. From what her brother had told her, she was the sibling of one of the underworld's most wanted criminals. And it was likely that the devils who her sister had harmed would want recompense with her life.

Of course, she couldn't let that happen, welcoming the girl into her family as one of their own.

Koneko was her new name, seeing as how she refused to go by her old one.

And while she still had problems of her own, Rias was slowly trying to get the girl through them.

The second was her newest [Knight, the piece that gave its wielder unmatched speed. Kiba Yuuto, a blonde boy she had procured after a trip to Europe. The boy had been part of an experiment done in secret from the catholic church that unfortunately left no survivors. The boy was a sacred gear wielder, one with the ability to conjure unique swords from his imagination. Although inwardly he had a thirst for revenge, wanting to destroy the great sword Excalibur and the reason his former friends were experimented on.

Her last new piece was a [Bishop, a piece enhancing one's magical capacity and capabilities. He was a young dampire, half-human, half-vampire hybrid that had been ostracized from his people because neither side of him desired to take him in. He also held a powerful sacred gear as well, one with the ability to stop time for all those that were below his level of power. A powerful ability, but one he couldn't quite control, leading him to isolate himself, namely in large cardboard boxes and coffins, so that his powers didn't misfire and he didn't end up freezing them for hours.

All in all, she had quite the handful when it came to her peerage, as each one had their own set of issues she would need to address.

She supposed she had been slightly inspired by her own blonde friend when it came to that regard.

Rias had heard her friend had just gotten done with his Chunin exams a few months ago. The test that one took to apparently rise in the rankings of their military system. She still didn't know how to feel about that, the fact that her best friend was a child soldier, but she chose to believe in him. And just like she believed, Naruto had reached the end of the exams.

The test was apparently taken not just by those from his own village but also by others as well, and by those much older than him in age.

This meant Naruto met loads of people from all sorts of places in his world.

Many of whom had just as poor lives as he did, or even worse.

For example, Naruto had met a kid who had been forced into servitude by his own family from as young as the age of three. The boy's father was in a similar position and had been killed in service in the main branch. He believed his fate had been sealed, even as a prodigy that would change. He believed fate was predetermined at birth, and he would die similarly to his father.

But after Naruto fought him, a boy who had nothing and was fated to have nothing, and beat him. The boy was able to change his tune.

Naruto had also met a boy of similar origin to him, one who had a demon sealed inside of him as well. He had been treated like nothing, too, and given no one to fill the loneliness inside of him as Naruto had. Instead, the boy reeled in on himself; if he could have the love of nobody, then he would love nobody as well. He became a weapon, one that was used to kill anyone he laid his eyes upon in an effort to fill the void in his heart.

In a way, she wondered if Naruto would have turned out the same in another life. If he hadn't been given people who treated him any differently than the people inside of him.

But then again, that was what made Naruto bond with him in the first place.

Naruto fought the boy, and through a tough battle where both were unable to continue, Naruto was able to understand him. To show the kindness the boy deserved and be extension revealed the kindness that could be given to him if he just left his inner shell and the walls he had built for himself.

Naruto changed them both.

And honestly, she couldn't be happier for her friend.

It was like the stories she read in manga, where the protagonist, from nothing arrive to work his way up in society. Making friends and companions out of those who once didn't believe in him, he also strove to change the ways of the villains.

She only hoped Naruto would be able to achieve his dream like she knew he would.

And become the Hokage that he wanted to be.

Rias supposed she had been changed by Naruto as well. And now, seeing these people, who were injured and lost because of the societies they grew up in. They were broken, just as those Naruto had met had been broken.

She wanted to help them.

They were the peerage.

Her new family. And those who have chosen to serve her when she needed them, and for that she would give them everything their hearts so desired.

"Wow, they're really tuckered out, aren't they?" Akeno, her queen, couldn't help but comment, as Rias worked on her studies long into the night.

She saw her peerage asleep on the couches that had been laid out for them. Kiba, having fallen asleep reading a book on swordsmanship techniques, as he intended, tried to become the best knight she knew him to be. Koneko had been acclimating to the other members of her peerage by eating sweets and sitting on the couch. Trying to get used to them, seeing as how she was rather shy when it came to new people. Gasper was in his box in the corner, trying to read one of the manga she had lent him. As she had the feeling that if he got inspired by it in the same way she did, he could learn from them and hopefully strive to become just like them in the future.

"Let them sleep, they've earned that right," Rias told her, and she was exponentially proud of each of them.

"Yeah… you know, I've been working hard with my queen training, is it okay if I…" Akeno tried to suggest, as she yawned.

Rias nodded, "Yeah, Akeno, you can go to your room too," she told her.

As her [Queen] gave a mock bow, "Very well then, King-sama, I bid you adieu…" she said jokingly.

Rias rolled her eyes at her best friend's behavior before she looked at her peerage, each of them fast asleep while sitting on the couch. She had half a mind to move them to their respective rooms, or have some of the gremory maids help her. But given they looked so comfortable, she opted to forgo that idea. What she did do was get a few blankets from a storage closet, as she gently placed them over her peerage members with a smile.

Rias silently promised to help them whenever she could. Taking a page out of Naruto's book… she wouldn't go back on her word.

Rias then yawned a bit. She supposed it was about time for her to meet her blonde friend who had wormed his way into her heart. She also had a big day in the morning tomorrow, apparently her parents wanted to have a meeting with her to talk about something. The purpose of which she didn't entirely know.

As Rias headed into her room, changing into her night gown, she climbed into her bed. Slowly falling asleep in the moonlight of the false sky of the underworld, wondering what would happen to her next.

It had been a few days since Naruto had been able to contact her, and she was starting to get worried. The last time something like this had happened, Naruto's home had been invaded; she wished something like that wouldn't happen again. As Rias unconsciously clutched at her heart, hoping that Naruto would be okay.

XXX

(In their dreamscape.)

"Naruto! What happened to you?!" Rias nearly shrieked, as the first thing that she saw was Naruto covered in so many bandages that he resembled a mummy. Needless to say, she was horrified.

"Hey, Rias," Naruto said rather sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, which was covered with wrappings.

"Oh Satan, you look horrible!" She couldn't help but cry out. "Here, let me get something for you!" She told him, and before he could protest, she got to work.

Heading into the room that was his kitchen, a place that ever since he had met her had been filled with numerous nutritional ingredients. He had started eating a lot better at Rias's insistence; she educated him on the importance of a healthy diet. Of course, she did this by putting the ever-living fear of god into him. But it was all good, now that he was a shinobi who could do regular missions, he had more of a fund to purchase them. Not to mention, he didn't want to be the shortest kid in his class forever; he was even shorter than Rias, a fact she had pointed out on more than a few occasions.

As Rias got to work procuring a meal, the ingredients Naruto had were rather limited. She could tell it had been a good couple of days since Naruto had gone to the store, likely because he had been sent on a last-minute mission, which had left him in such a state.

Nonetheless, she got her culinary skills to work, a hobby she had procured and been instructed by the chefs at the Gremory manner. She had been taught homemaking skills in an effort to ensure her marriage to Riser went more smoothly. And while she would say she had taken to the training, she would not be using the skills for Riser Phenex, not if she could help it.

Within a few minutes, Rias came back to him, as she had made a soup.

"There we go, you didn't have much, so I made this. It's a Japanese-style miso soup that's said to have healing properties and boost your immune system, so I hope you like it," she told him.

"Thanks," he said, reaching for the bowl in her hands. Although he wasn't entirely sure it would help him at all. He already knew that no matter how much he ate in this dream-like world, he wouldn't be satisfied, and he would still wake up hungry the next day. So he really doubted that any of the 'healing' quality the soup produced would actually provide any favor for him.

Nonetheless, he would still eat it. Rias was a phenomenal chef. And home-cooked meals were a luxury to him. Not to mention the act of eating the food and the taste were still there for them, they just didn't get any of the benefits.

As Naruto reached for the bowl, he was shocked to find a spoon reach near his face with Rias holding it.

He looked at her inquisitively.

"What, did you think I would let you feed yourself? Look at your arms, it's clear you need the rest," she said, leaving no room for an argument.

Naruto complied, opening his mouth as he was filled with a myriad of flavors. Some good, some unusual to him, but both nonetheless not unpleasant. And sure, it wasn't as good as Ichiraku ramen, but Rias's cooking was so good he could probably eat it every day.

He opened his mouth again, proving he had swallowed it all. Rias then looked at him, satisfied. Nodding, she sat down next to him, where they were both sitting on Naruto's bedside.

As Rias fed him, it was somewhat humiliating considering the fact that he could feed it to himself. But he didn't complain; he knew how Rias would act if he complained. And she was just about as stubborn as he was; it was easier to comply with her on these things.

Though he had to admit, it was quite nice to have someone worry about him for a change. Most of the time, if he did something stupid or got hurt, he wouldn't bat an eye. But not Rias, she would worry.

Back before he met Ria,s his apartment was always a source of loneliness for him. A forever reminder that there wasn't anyone there for him in this world.

But now he had her.

The girl in his dreams. She was undoubtedly his best friend and the one he was closest to. She knew his darkest secrets, and he knew hers.

And he was eternally grateful towards her.

"So what happened to get you so beat up?" Rias asked as she stopped feeding him for a second so he could speak. She set the bowl to the side as she did so.

"Sasuke deserted the village," Naruto stated, lost in thought.

Rias gasped; she knew what they meant for him. Naruto was from a military state, one that instilled a heavy amount of loyalty into its people. To desert one's village was to betray one's entire home. It was the equivalent of her betraying her family to the old Satan faction.

She urged Naruto to fight for his village, to not become a shinobi when they were younger. But to desert one's village when they were a shinobi was a whole other ordeal.

"Yeah, and I was a part of the squad sent to go after him. There were five of us, but there were just as many sent by Orochimaru— the man who attacked and killed Hokage-jiji a few months ago. His bodyguards were strong, and if it hadn't been for Lee, who had just been discharged, or help from Suna, we might not have made it. But Sasuke didn't want to go back, we fought and… and I lost…" He explained.

He lost his battle with Sasuke; no matter how hard he tried and how much blood and sweat he shed, it wasn't enough.

Sasuke intended to go to Orochimaru for the power he would give him. The boy hoped to avenge his clan and kill his brother, who had viciously murdered them.

But he felt he wasn't getting strong enough in the village, and shattered his ties with everyone for the price of power. Of course, that power had a price, and the price Orochimaru wanted was Sasuke's body. But Sasuke didn't care as long as it furthered his ambition. No matter what he told him, he wouldn't listen, and he wasn't strong enough to get him to see the light.

He just… wasn't strong enough.

He wasn't strong enough to stop Sasuke.

He wasn't strong enough to stop the others from getting hurt.

That point has been thoroughly proven to him.

Naruto felt Rias wrap him in an embrace, as if sensing his turmoil and rising emotions. Naruto had to admit, it felt warm. Nice for a change, although it wasn't something he was all too used to.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get him back next time," she told him.

It was easier said than done, but Rias's statement was so simple that even he had to believe in her words.

"Yeah…" he couldn't help but say, returning the hug.

Jiraiya wanted him to give up on Sasuke, to write his friend off as hopeless, and to allow him to follow his dark path.

But he wasn't so sure.

He just couldn't allow his former friend to subject himself to such a life.

If he wanted to become Hokage, how could he protect everyone if he couldn't even save a single person?

He let go of Rias; a part of him didn't want to. A part of him wanted to hold onto her forever, but they couldn't last. When the night was over, they both would be forced away from each other; that was something both of them knew.

Rias, as if sensing his thoughts, pulled back as well, as she looked at him questioningly.

"Naruto?"

"Hey, Rias," Naruto started, somewhat unsurely. "I may have to go on another training trip, so I'm not sure if we'll be able to see each other for a while," he told her, awaiting her reaction.

Pervy Sage offered to take him on a training trip out of the village, one that would take him away.

The Gremory blinked, "Oh, so you're going to leave, that's okay. Will you be gone for a month like last time?" She questioned. Sometimes Naruto had to leave, and usually it wouldn't be more than a month at a time. When he had his mission in the land of waves, when he had to train for the Chunin exams. And then there was that time he had to find that Tsunade person with the person man that Naruto called a 'Pervy sage'.

Sure, it would be hard, but she knew Naruto might have to go on longer trips and missions every once in a while.

Though Naruto shook his head.

"Three months?" She questioned. Naruto only shook his head negatively. "Half a year?!" she asked again.

"Jiraiya-sensei said I won't be in the village for three years," Naruto told her, and this was what he was hesitant to tell her.

"Three years!" Rias's eyes widened. "But that's such a long time."

Sure, as a devil, you lasted multiple centuries. But she had only been alive for less than 13 years; three years seemed like an eternity.

"Yeah, I know…" Naruto realized that three long years away from his village seemed like a challenge. But being away from Rias for that long was something he couldn't even imagine. He knew he wouldn't be able to see her again; whatever strange reason they were able to communicate with each other only worked if he slept in his room, not anywhere else.

So if he went on the trip, they wouldn't be able to see each other for three years.

It wasn't like he could just send a letter to her either; they truly wouldn't be able to communicate for three years.

"Do you… Do you have to go?" She questioned; she just wanted to see her best friend, seeing him covered in bandages like this. She couldn't help but realize how dangerous Naruto's world was. Sure, she knew, but Naruto had never come back to her in such a bad state. What if he encountered more of those Akatsuki guys and Jiraiya wasn't able to protect him? What would happen then? Wouldn't things be a lot easier if he just stayed in Konoha, where it was safe, and he could train there?

Naruto gripped his hands lightly, still thinking about the enemies he fought, and not just the people who worked under Orochimaru. But the Akatsuki members, or the snake Sanin himself.

"I do…" he told her assuredly. "If I don't go, I might not be ready for my next fight, and if I'm not, who knows what'll happen."

He knew he would have to come across those guys eventually.

He couldn't just sit around in his village trying to be protected.

That wasn't his style; if he was going to be Hokage, he would have to be strong enough to do the protecting.

"I see…" Rias told him.

She could see that there would be no convincing him. She wasn't even sure she wanted to.

How could she ask him to uproot his entire life just so she could see him? If Naruto thought he could get stronger by going on this training trip, how could she ask him to stay?

And so she didn't.

She kept her mouth shut.

It was then that Rias realized how different their lives were. And for her, she felt like they were worlds apart.

She also realized that no matter how much she loved him, she would never be able to get the fairy tale life. Sure, they met up with each other each night, but they weren't sure how long their arrangement would last. Not to mention, it wasn't like Naruto would be living in his apartment forever. Sooner or later, he would move out and probably find some other girl in his world. It was better that way, after all, Naruto wanted to be Hokage, the leader of his village.

She didn't want to stand in his way.

"Hey, Rias?" Naruto spoke up, as if sensing her thoughts. "We'll still be friends, right?" He questioned, as if throwing away all her worries.

To the point, Rias couldn't help but smile, "Of course. Of course, we can still be friends."

Even if she couldn't love him like she wanted to. Even if they were worlds apart, she would try to cherish the bond they had for as long as it could last.

Naruto smiled as well.

And they talked the night away.

Just as they always had done.

XXX

The next morning, Rias had been called to a meeting with her parents.

"So you won't be able to cancel our marriage agreement?" Rias said in a monotone.

She was in her parents' meeting room, with both of her progenitors standing before her.

Zeoticus, her father! was a man with long hair, the color of crimson, framing his head, the same color as her own. With a small beard at the corner of his chin, with strange protrusions jumping at the corners of each of his lips. And similar to the seas foam colored eyes that he passed onto his children.

Now, if she had inherited Zeoticus's color scheme, many would be quick to point out she had gotten her mother's natural beauty. Venelana was a woman with flawless skin, violet eyes, and a heart-shaped face. She was also rather developed in the chest region, something Rias looked at with silent hopes of growing so big. Luckily, she was already starting to develop, and with time, she hoped to beat Akeno in size, who kept teasing heraboutt being far more developed. i

But that was besides the point.

She had known her parents wanted to talk to her about something, but she didn't think it would be as big as this.

"We're sorry, dear, I know it's not something you want to hear, but it's something we had to tell you." Her mother told her.

"We tried to talk to the Phenex clan about changing the agreement, but they seemed adamant about keeping the agreement as it stands. Apparently, their son is quite adamant about keeping the deal; unfortunately, her father followed up on his wife's statement.

As they both awaited their daughter's response.

They knew the last time they had told her about her marriage and how she acted. How she had closed herself off from them. Even her brother wasn't free from her feelings on the matter.

They felt like they were starting to lose their daughter.

But for some reason, it took some time, and it wasn't overnight, she started to rekindle their relationship with them. They were glad, and they could see Rias start to develop a maturity beyond her age. And she had even taken to building up her peerage and helping them through the traumas each of them endured, Satan knew the children needed it.

They didn't want Rias to regress in her attitude.

And of course, they didn't want to sever the connection they had formed with her.

That would be the last thing they wanted.

"I see…" Rias said emotionlessly as she looked down.

Her parents had told her that there was no hope that she would be able to get out of the marriage contract. Something that they had told her they would try to get her out of.

They were effectively telling her that her life would once again be in the hands no matter what she did or how she acted.

She couldn't help but grip her hands lightly, even as they were resting at her palms on her knees.

But her anger receded; she should have expected her parents wouldn't be able to do anything.

They had made a deal, and as a noble, you couldn't go back on your word.

"That's okay."

"I'm sorry, what?" Rias's parents both blinked.

"You heard me, it's fine if you aren't able to annul the contract. You made a deal, and as a Gremory, you should honor it." She told them, causing them both to be surprised.

"You mean you're willing to fulfill the contract?" Zeoticus couldn't help but guffaw.

"Of course not!" Rias snorted. As if she would ever be willing to sleep with that bastard Phenex. "I've made the decision, and I won't be marrying Riser Phenex."

Even if she couldn't end up with the person she loved, she wouldn't just subject herself to the hand she was given.

If everyone told her that her fate was to marry Riser Phenex, she would prove them wrong.

Naruto showed her that.

And with that, Rias's resolve was unwavering.

As she rose from her seat, a hand gripped her chest.

"I will choose my own destiny, even if I have to fight Riser in a rating game. I will show everyone that I'm Rias of House Gremory, and for that I won't go back on my word!" She told them, not a hint of hesitation.

If Naruto was going to go on a training trip for three years, she wasn't going to slack off either. She was going to train herself and her peerage to take on any threat. Maybe she should ask her brother to have her leave the underworld as well, giving her an opportunity to train herself and her peerage. She had heard that some of the Yokai in Japan were talking about auctioning off some of their territory.

She wouldn't fail:

Even if she had to take on the immortal House of Phenex, she would go against her own fate.

Just as Naruto had taught her.

Zeoticus and Venelana couldn't help but look at their daughter with a bit of pride. Seeing how much she had matured in the last few years. They didn't know how or why it had happened, but they were eternally grateful for whoever might have had an influence on the girl.

And they also couldn't hope that Rias's confidence would pull her through.

End Chapter.

An: This was a cute little chapter I think, with it being mainly about focusing on Naruto's influence, both inside and outside of his own world. We also see Rias have more faith in herself (with her admitting her own feelings for the blonde), seeing her have more confidence and a bit of hopeless optimism, just like our favorite blonde.

Rias I think is a character that in many ways falls into the damsel in distress trope, whether I like it or not, with many of her problems being shown to only be solved once her 'hero' comes into the picture. I however, don't find that as amusing, I want her to grow, and develop, I want her to overcome her own problems. With Naruto not being a crutch she is forced to rely on, but a friend to hold by her side.

That, at least, is my opinion of this fic. This chapter ends at the start of the major timeskip.

And with this latest chapter, it concludes all that I have in my backlog, though I have a bit more typed out for what would be the next chapter. So, I have to ask… should I continue this fic? Should I write more for this? Let me know what you all think.

Please leave me Lots and Lots of NICE reviews.

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